Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Learning Detail-Structure Alternative Optimization for Blind Super-Resolution

Existing convolutional neural networks (CNN) based image super-resolution (SR) methods have achieved impressive performance on bicubic kernel, which is not valid to handle unknown degradations in real-world applications. Recent blind SR methods suggest to reconstruct SR images relying on blur kernel estimation. However, their results still remain visible artifacts and detail distortion due to the estimation errors. To alleviate these problems, in this paper, we propose an effective and kernel-free network, namely DSSR, which enables recurrent detail-structure alternative optimization without blur kernel prior incorporation for blind SR. Specifically, in our DSSR, a detail-structure modulation module (DSMM) is built to exploit the interaction and collaboration of image details and structures. The DSMM consists of two components: a detail restoration unit (DRU) and a structure modulation unit (SMU). The former aims at regressing the intermediate HR detail reconstruction from LR structural contexts, and the latter performs structural contexts modulation conditioned on the learned detail maps at both HR and LR spaces. Besides, we use the output of DSMM as the hidden state and design our DSSR architecture from a recurrent convolutional neural network (RCNN) view. In this way, the network can alternatively optimize the image details and structural contexts, achieving co-optimization across time. Moreover, equipped with the recurrent connection, our DSSR allows low- and high-level feature representations complementary by observing previous HR details and contexts at every unrolling time. Extensive experiments on synthetic datasets and real-world images demonstrate that our method achieves the state-of-the-art against existing methods.
Dynamic resource allocation for adaptive real-time applications

Dynamic resource allocation is a critical component in any system expected to deliver predictable performance while subject to unpredictable workloads. Examples include military and commercial systems integrating multiple modules servicing sensors and actuators, or providing Internet-based services and advanced human-computer interfaces. Driven by the goal of improving long-term system performance, previous research has proposed solutions for dynamic resource allocation using load migration and application-specific adaptation capabilities. This thesis improves on such work in two ways: (1) by considering the perturbation effects of adaptation and (2) by enabling complex adaptations by use of general models of target systems. Specifically, the proposed adaptation methods evaluate the timing failures that may be caused by adaptation enactment and handle complex adaptations and dynamic sets of system resources and services. Our solutions are based on novel models that capture both (1) application-specific information about acceptable adaptations and associated costs and (2) service-specific information like physical resource requirements and timing constraints. Based on this information, adaptation algorithms can determine all appropriate adaptation choices, evaluate their impacts on both long and short term timing constraints, and perform reallocations and/or adaptations such that the perturbation of the running system remains small. The proposed solutions are part of a prototype framework, called FARA, which provides the basic mechanisms for building adaptation and resource allocation infrastructures for both centralized and distributed systems. FARA is used with two adaptive applications—a video transmission system and a graphics application that emulates sensor-processing code. Experiments show that the proposed models can describe diverse adaptation capabilities and enable adaptation decisions with reduced impact on pending timing constraints, while also resulting in long-term performance improvements.
Evaluating the Regional Expansion of Brazil’s Federal System of Vocational and Technological Education

This present study investigates whether some of the Brazilian government's proposals have been accomplished, and especially the impact of creating federal institutes (FIs) on a set of migration and human capital variables. The expansion of the Brazilian Federal System of Professional and Technological Education between 2000 and 2010 created more than 150 new federal institutes offering high school, vocational and higher education. A new FI affected the proportion of new immigrants in the municipality of its location. More precisely, there was an increase of 1.98% in the proportion of new immigrants in the municipalities with new FIs. This means there were increases in the ratio of people who migrated and lived less than five years in the municipalities with a new FI, strengthening the role of FIs as an attractor of immigrants. Moreover, Brazil achieved the interiorization of education due to the expansion of federal institutes.
An optimization of rectangular shape piezoelectric energy harvesting cantilever beam for micro devices

The vibration based piezoelectric energy harvester system is considered as an alternative solution for micro-devices, especially for remote area. This paper presents an optimization approach to determine the optimal cantilever beam of a rectangular shape piezoelectric energy harvester to run the micro devices in which power is unavailable. In this study, PZT-5H material has been utilized. The motivation behind this research is to maximize the power behavior by optimizing the cantilever beam’s length, width and thickness. Therefore, the proposed rectangular cantilever beam has been optimized by using modified particle swarm optimization (MPSO) algorithm and designed in COMSOL software. Finally, the optimization results of MPSO are compared with other technique to validate the outcomes. The findings show that the performance of the proposed technique is better than other technique in terms of quality and convergence speed.
Convergence in infant mortality rates: the Spanish regions case

This paper studies the evolution of infant mortality rates in Spanish regions. Our results allow us to reject the null hypothesis of convergence, but we find the presence of several convergence clubs, which implies the existence of different patterns of behavior. We also find some degree of connection between the Great Recession and the evolution of infant mortality rates. The popula-tion density, the evolution of the labor market and the percentage of the female population that admits to having drunk alcoholic beverages in the previous two weeks are the factors that help us to explain the forces that drive the creation of the clubs.
Comparison of the Efficacy of Rosuvastatin 5 mg and 10 mg in Patients of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus With Dyslipidemia

Objectives We did this study intending to compare the efficacy of rosuvastatin 5 mg and 10 mg in patients of type 2 diabetes mellitus with dyslipidemia by validating their effect on lipid profile and the side effects. Methodology This study was carried out at the outpatient department of a tertiary care hospital in Multan. Three hundred patients of both genders were included. The research approach employed a parallel-controlled, randomized study. After taking relevant history and physical examination, each patient’s fasting venous blood samples were taken and sent to the institutional laboratory to analyze glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), baseline lipid levels for cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), and high-density lipoprotein (HDL). Patients were divided into two groups based on the drug administered. One group was prescribed rosuvastatin 5 mg, and the other group was prescribed rosuvastatin 10 mg. Patients were followed up after six months to record the latest lipid profile. Data analysis was done through SPSS version 24. Results Patients in the two groups had similar lipid levels to start with. After six months of therapy, total serum cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL-C were reduced to statistically significant levels in group two compared to group one. However, both groups showed a similar increase in serum levels of HDL-C. Patients treated with 10 mg rosuvastatin showed a slight decrease in BMI. Nine patients treated with 10 mg rosuvastatin reported myalgias compared to only one patient treated with a dose of 5 mg (p<0.005). Conclusion Our study concludes that both 5 mg and 10 mg of rosuvastatin exhibit the antihyperlipidemic effect, but high doses are associated with more side effects. Therefore, physicians should be aware of dose titration related to statins as it will ultimately lead to reduced cardiovascular mortality.
An observational study of hand hygiene compliance of surgical healthcare workers in a Nigerian teaching hospital

Background Patients sometimes contract healthcare associated infections (HCAI) which are unrelated to their primary reasons for hospital admission. Surgical site infections are the most investigated and most recurrent type of HCAI in developing countries, affecting up to one-third of surgical patients. Objective This study aimed to assess and offer context to the hand hygiene resources available in a Nigerian teaching hospital through ward infrastructure survey, and to determine the hand hygiene compliance rate among surgical healthcare workers (HCWs) in a Nigerian teaching hospital through hand hygiene observations. Methods Ward infrastructure survey was conducted in the two adult surgical wards of the hospital using the World Health Organisation (WHO) hand hygiene ward infrastructure survey form. Hand hygiene observations were monitored over seven days in the surgical wards using a modified WHO hand hygiene observation form. Results Hand hygiene resources were insufficient, below the WHO recommended minimum standards. Seven hundred hand hygiene opportunities were captured. Using SPSS version 24.0, we conducted a descriptive analysis of audit results, and results were presented according to professional group, seniority and hand hygiene opportunities of the participants. Overall hand hygiene compliance was 29.1% and compliance was less than 40% across the three professional groups of doctors, nurses and healthcare assistants. Conclusion Hand hygiene compliance rates of the surgical HCWs are comparable to those in other Sub-Saharan African countries as well as in developed countries.
The Use of 18F-FDG PET/CT Metabolic Parameters in Predicting Overall Survival in Patients Undergoing Restaging for Malignant Melanoma

Malignant melanoma is one of the more aggressive cancers in the skin, with an increasing incidence every year. Melanoma has a better prognosis if diagnosed early and survival tends to decrease once the disease has metastasized. Positron emission tomography (PET) with 2-[18F]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (18F-FDG) has been used extensively over the past two decades in staging and assessing responses to therapy in patients with melanoma. Metabolic PET parameters have been demonstrated to be independent prognostic factors for progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in different malignancies, melanoma included. In our study, we evaluated the metabolic parameters of 18F-FDG PET/CT (flourodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography) in predicting the overall survival in patients with malignant melanoma who presented for restaging. Metabolic PET parameters (maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), metabolic tumor volume (MTV) and total lesion glycolysis (TLG)) of the primary tumor, as well as whole-body MTV and TLG of the metastatic disease, were measured. Survival curves for OS were constructed and mortality rates were determined using the different PET variables. Forty-nine patients who presented for a PET/CT restaging in melanoma were included in this study. We found that non-survivors had significantly higher median MTV (11.86 cm3 vs. 5.68 cm3; p-value = 0.022), TLG (3125 vs. 14; p-value = 0.0357), whole-body MTV (53.9 cm3 vs. 14.4 cm3; p-value = 0.0076) and whole-body TLG (963.4 vs. 114.6; p-value = 0.0056). This demonstrated that high MTV and TLG values of the primary tumor and whole-body TLG as quantified by 18F-FDG PET/CT were prognostic factors for overall survival. The findings may potentially guide clinicians in decision making and identifying patients with a poorer prognosis.
IMPLEMENTASI METODE IMAGE-TO-CLASS DISTANCE UNTUK KLASIFIKASI IMPRESI PADA CITRA BATIK

Batik adalah sejenis kain dengan berbagai macam motif yang memiliki nama tertentu. Setiap daerah di Indonesia memiliki pola atau motif yang berbeda-beda. Perpaduan antara motif dan warna dapat memberikan kesan atau impresi kepada pemakai batik. Pemakai batik dapat dengan mudah memadukan antara motif batik sesuai suasana hati jika telah mengetahui impresi yang dapat ditimbulkan oleh suatu motif tertentu.
Magnetotransport Studies of Encapsulated Topological Insulator Bi2Se3 Nanoribbons

The majority of proposed exotic applications employing 3D topological insulators require high-quality materials with reduced dimensions. Catalyst-free, PVD-grown Bi2Se3 nanoribbons are particularly promising for these applications due to the extraordinarily high mobility of their surface Dirac states, and low bulk carrier densities. However, these materials are prone to the formation of surface accumulation layers; therefore, the implementation of surface encapsulation layers and the choice of appropriate dielectrics for building gate-tunable devices are important. In this work, all-around ZnO-encapsulated nanoribbons are investigated. Gate-dependent magnetotransport measurements show improved charge transport characteristics as reduced nanoribbon/substrate interface carrier densities compared to the values obtained for the as-grown nanoribbons on SiO2 substrates.
Interventions to Improve Physical Capability of Older Adults with Mild Disabilities: A Case Study

Ageing is related to changes in physical health, including loss of mobility and muscle function. It can lead to impaired physical capability and reduced quality of life. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether a physical activity rehabilitation program (PARP) could improve range of joint motion (ROM), grip strength, and gait speed of older adults with mild disabilities. Forty older adults in a long-term care center in Taiwan joined as human participants and were split into control and experimental groups. The participants in the experimental group joined a PARP for eight weeks. The ROM of bodily joints, grip strength, and gait speed of all participants were measured both before and after the eight-week period. The results showed that all the ROMs, grip strength, and gait speed of the participants in the experimental group increased significantly after attending the program. The improvement of the ROMs for male and female participants in the experimental group ranged from 3.8% to 71% and from 7.8% to 75%, respectively. Male participants had greater improvement on gait speed (50%) than their female counterparts (22.9%). Female participants, on the other hand, had greater improvement on grip strength (25.4%) than their male counterparts (20.3%). The ROM, grip strength, and gait speed of the control group, on the other hand, did not change significantly during the same period. The results showed that the PARP adopted in this study was effective in increasing the ROM, grip strength, and gait speed of those who had joined the PARP. This study shows that an eight-week PARP without the use of gym machines was beneficial in reducing sarcopenia in elderly people with mild disabilities.
Effects of Ruxolitinib and Calcitriol Combination Treatment on Various Molecular Subtypes of Breast Cancer

The anticancer effects of ruxolitinib and calcitriol against breast cancer were reported previously. However, the effect of ruxolitinib and calcitriol combination treatment on various molecular subtypes of breast cancer remains unexplored. In this study, we used MCF-7, SKBR3, and MDA-MB-468 cells to investigate the effect of ruxolitinib and calcitriol combination treatment on cell proliferation, apoptosis, cell cycle, and cell signaling markers, in vitro and in vivo. Our results revealed the synergistic anticancer effect of ruxolitinib and calcitriol combination treatment in SKBR3 and MDA-MB-468 cells, but not in MCF-7 cells in vitro, via cell proliferation inhibition, apoptosis induction, cell cycle arrest, and the alteration of cell signaling protein expression, including cell cycle-related (cyclin D1, CDK1, CDK4, p21, and p27), apoptosis-related (c-caspase and c-PARP), and cell proliferation-related (c-Myc, p-p53, and p-JAK2) proteins. Furthermore, in the MDA-MB-468 xenograft mouse model, we demonstrated the synergistic antitumor effect of ruxolitinib and calcitriol combination treatment, including the alteration of c-PARP, cyclin D1, and c-Myc expression, without significant drug toxicity. The combination exhibited a synergistic effect in HER2-enriched and triple-negative breast cancer subtypes. In conclusion, our results suggest different effects of the combination treatment of ruxolitinib and calcitriol depending on the molecular subtype of breast cancer.
Does ambidexterity consistency benefit small and medium-sized enterprises’ resilience?

ABSTRACT This article examines the relationship between strategic consistency in ambidexterity and the resilience outcomes of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) after stressful and disruptive events. The underlying approaches taken by the majority of previous studies have focused on the role of strategic consistency as an advantage or disadvantage for firms when it comes to achieving resilience. We propose a model that contributes to the strategic management literature by considering that the relationship between strategic consistency and performance is not a straightforward one. Several constraints play a decisive role in how ambidexterity consistency affects SMEs’ resilience when these organizations, which may have different internal weaknesses, face extreme external events. Through a sample of 2,766 firms, we provide evidence of an inverted U-shape relationship between ambidexterity consistency and SME resilience outcomes under a context of scarce slack resources as the last global financial crisis.
Impact of country of origin and national identity on air travel purchase decisions for prospective buyers: The case of American travelers

This study focuses on how the concept of country of origin (COO) and national loyalty affect purchasing decisions of prospective travelers when purchasing airline tickets. The objectives of this study are to understand: (a) the relationship between demographic structures of travelers and their national loyalty status, (b) the relationship between national loyalty and national airline perceptions, (c) the construction and analysis of the measurement of national airline preference scale, and (d) testing the relationship between national loyalty, national airline perception, and preferences of foreign airlines. Data collected from 136 people residing and employed in three districts of Pennsylvania. The study findings denote that the national loyalty status of travelers affects the purchasing behaviors of air travelers. Prospective travelers do not prefer foreign airline service providers, thinking that they may damage the national airline companies and national economy. The effects of national loyalty include overrating the service quality and merit of national airlines and underrating the merits of foreign airline services. The findings of this research propose that foreign airline companies should convince international travelers that preferring their services over other airlines would not result in a disadvantage of national airlines or deteriorate economic conditions in their home countries.
TAFRO Syndrome That Responded to Prednisolone-only Treatment: Evaluating Changes in IL-6

Thrombocytopenia, anasarca, fever, reticulin fibrosis, and organomegaly (TAFRO) syndrome is a systemic inflammatory disorder characterized by the above-mentioned symptoms. Because of the similarity in phenotypes between TAFRO syndrome and decompensated liver cirrhosis, an accurate diagnosis is often difficult. We herein report a 62-year-old Japanese patient with TAFRO syndrome who was misdiagnosed with intractable ascites associated with liver cirrhosis. Improvement of symptoms after treatment with prednisolone was associated with interleukin-6 rather than C-reactive protein. The pathogenesis of TAFRO syndrome, which has similar clinical manifestations to liver cirrhosis, remains unclear, and our findings may help elucidate the concept of this condition.
Neoadjuvant immunotherapy or chemoimmunotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background In recent years, a series of clinical trials have explored the application of neoadjuvant immunotherapy or chemoimmunotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, no randomized control trials comparing neoadjuvant immunotherapy with chemoimmunotherapy have yet been reported. This study aimed to summarize and compare the efficacy and safety of neoadjuvant immunotherapy and chemoimmunotherapy in NSCLC. Methods Literature focusing on the efficacy and safety of neoadjuvant immunotherapy or chemoimmunotherapy in NSCLC published before June 2021 was retrieved from PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library. Study endpoints included major pathological response (MPR), complete pathological response (pCR), treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs), severe adverse events (SAEs), resection rate, surgical delay rate, and conversion to thoracotomy. The risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane bias risk assessment tool. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were further performed. Results A total of 988 patients from 16 studies were included in this meta-analysis. For patients who received neoadjuvant immunotherapy with single/combined ICIs or chemoimmunotherapy, the pooled MPR rate was 43.5% and the pooled pCR rate was 21.9%. The pooled incidence of TRAEs and SAEs were 54.8% and 15.3%, respectively. The pooled resection rate was 85.8%, the surgical delay rate was 7.4%, and the conversion rate was 17.4%. Patients who received neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy had remarkably improved pathological response (MPR rate: 53.3% vs. 28.6%; pCR rate: 28.6% vs. 9.9%) compared with those receiving neoadjuvant single-agent immunotherapy, while the incidence of SAEs (18.0% vs. 12.3%) and surgical delay rate (3.8% vs. 7.4%) did not significantly increase. Neoadjuvant nivolumab combined with ipilimumab also achieved a high pCR rate (28.6%) with tolerable toxicity. Nivolumab- and pembrolizumab-based neoadjuvant therapy showed a higher MPR rate (nivolumab 51.5%, pembrolizumab 46.8%) and pCR rate (nivolumab 29.1%, pembrolizumab 31.5%). Besides, patients with positive programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression [tumor proportion score (TPS) ≥1%] exhibited favorable pathological responses than PD-L1 negative patients. Discussion Overall, neoadjuvant immunotherapy or chemoimmunotherapy is effective and safe in NSCLC. Compared with single-agent immunotherapy, neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy provides a significant improvement in pathological response without increasing the incidence of SAEs or surgical delay. These results need further confirmation by more large-scale randomized controlled trials.