Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Mode Recognition of Multifunction Radars for Few-Shot Learning Based on Compound Alignments

The multifunctional radars can switch among a variety of fine-grained working modes, which often have flexible modulation types and programmable parameters. In an electromagnetic reconnaissance system, the process of identifying different working modes in pulse sequences guarantees the subsequent intention analysis and assists in devising a jamming strategy. Most of the existing working mode recognition methods attempt to establish a machine learning mechanism by training a model using a large number of annotated samples. However, this is hardly applicable in the real-world scenarios where only a few samples can be intercepted in advance. As the labeled signal samples are expensive, one direction is to augment the dataset by generating either samples or signal features in an embedding space. In this article, inspired by the fact that different modalities of the same working modes are generated from a set of fixed parameters, a few-shot learning framework based on compound alignments is proposed. Three branches, which take observations of long windows, observations of short windows, and coded semantic attributes as inputs, are aligned in both the latent variable space and the reconstruction space to learn a shared embedded space. A simple soft-max classifier is trained by sampling sufficient instances in the learned space to realize the final identification process. The experimental results and analysis show that the proposed method achieves excellent performance for fine-grained working mode recognition even for a small number of observed pulses. In addition, the proposed method is robust under different nonideal conditions, such as noise contamination, incomplete sequences, and spurious pulses.
Differential Responsiveness for Strength Gain Between Limbs After Resistance Training in Older Women: Impact on Interlimb Asymmetry Reduction

Abstract Nunes, JP, Marcori, AJ, Ribeiro, AS, Cunha, PM, Kassiano, W, Costa, BDV, Aguiar, AF, Nakamura, M, Mayhew, JL, and Cyrino, ES. Differential responsiveness for strength gain between limbs after resistance training in older women: Impact on interlimb asymmetry reduction. J Strength Cond Res 36(11): 3209–3216, 2022—The present study compared strength responses between preferred (PREF) and nonpreferred (N-PREF) legs in older women. Muscular strength was measured unilaterally using an isokinetic dynamometer and was analyzed for reproducibility scores, acute performance, and responsiveness to a resistance training (RT) program. One hundred eleven women (aged ≥60 years) performed 12 weeks of whole-body RT (3 times a week; 4 lower-body exercises). Reproducibility scores (intraclass correlation coefficient ≥0.920; following test-retests in part of the sample at pretraining; n = 19), average acute performances, and average strength gains (PREF = ∼6.9%; N-PREF = ∼7.2%) were similar between legs (p > 0.05). However, the individual analyses showed that some subjects were considered responders to strength gains in 1 leg, whereas nonresponders in the other. Nonetheless, when considering the responses in all strength tests, most subjects (91%) were considered responder to at least 1 measure. In addition, it was observed that the strength ratio between PREF/N-PREF legs was altered for those who presented some asymmetry at baseline, as the limbs became more symmetrical in all strength measures after the RT. In conclusion, we observed that some older women may have different levels of strength between legs; however, a traditional 12-week RT program with bilateral exercises can reduce such asymmetry by inducing greater strength gains in the weaker leg.
Match Demands of Male and Female International Lacrosse Players Competing Under the World Lacrosse Sixes Format

Abstract Weldon, A, Owen, AL, Loturco, I, Kyriacou, Y, Wong, W, Malone, S, Sampaio, J, and Scanlan, AT. Match demands of male and female international lacrosse players competing under the World Lacrosse Sixes format. J Strength Cond Res 37(2): 413–422, 2023—World Lacrosse recently announced World Lacrosse Sixes, which aims to be a smaller, faster, and more accessible format of lacrosse, when compared with traditional field lacrosse. This investigation aimed to quantify the movement and physiological demands of World Lacrosse Sixes in male (n = 25) and female (n = 22) international players. Match data were collected using Catapult Sports Vector S7 global navigation satellite system microsensors and Polar H1 heart rate (HR) monitors across 7 competitive matches. Results showed that 30–33% of the total distance covered by players was completed by walking (0–2 m·s−1), 42–44% jogging (2–4 m·s−1), 21% running (4–6 m·s−1), and 0–2% sprinting (>6 m·s−1). Mean relative HR (%HRmax) was similar (p > 0.05, ηp2 = 0.002; no effect) between sexes across matches (median values: male players = 93.5%; female players = 93.8%). Male players performed more accelerations (p < 0.001; ηp2 = 0.117; moderate) and decelerations at ±4 m·s−2 (p < 0.001; ηp2 = 0.135; moderate) and distance sprinting at >6 m·s−1 (p < 0.001; ηp2 = 0.416; large) than female players. Whereas female players performed more accelerations (p < 0.001; ηp2 = 0.20; large) and decelerations at ±2–3 m·s−2 (p < 0.001; ηp2 = 0.33; large) and impacts at 5–9 g-forces (p < 0.033; ηp2 = 0.063; moderate) than male players. These data are the first representing the movement and physiological demands of male and female players in World Lacrosse Sixes, allowing lacrosse coaches and the athlete support team to make informed and sex-specific decisions when developing training, testing, and tactical strategies to optimize player health and performance.
Multicentric Glioma: An Ideal Model to Reveal the Mechanism of Glioma

As a special type of glioma, multicentric glioma provides an ideal pathological model for glioma research. According to the stem-cell-origin theory, multiple lesions of multicentric glioma share the same neuro-oncological origin, both in gene level and in cell level. Although the number of studies focusing on genetic evolution in gliomas with the model of multicentric gliomas were limited, some mutations, including IDH1 mutations, TERTp mutations and PTEN deletions, are found to be at an early stage in the process of genetic aberrance during glioma evolution based on the results of these studies. This article reviews the clinical reports and genetic studies of multicentric glioma, and intends to explain the various clinical phenomena of multicentric glioma from the perspective of genetic aberrance accumulation and tumor cell evolution. The malignant degree of a glioma is determined by both the tumorigenicity of early mutant genes, and the stemness of early suffered cells.
Suppression of Anti-Inflammatory Mediators in Metabolic Disease May Be Driven by Overwhelming Pro-Inflammatory Drivers

Obesity is a multifactorial disease and is associated with an increased risk of developing metabolic syndrome and co-morbidities. Dysregulated expansion of the adipose tissue during obesity induces local tissue hypoxia, altered secretory profile of adipokines, cytokines and chemokines, altered profile of local tissue inflammatory cells leading to the development of low-grade chronic inflammation. Low grade chronic inflammation is considered to be the underlying mechanism that increases the risk of developing obesity associated comorbidities. The glucocorticoid induced protein annexin A1 and its N-terminal peptides are anti-inflammatory mediators involved in resolving inflammation. The aim of the current study was to investigate the role of annexin A1 in obesity and associated inflammation. To achieve this aim, the current study analysed data from two feasibility studies in clinical populations: (1) bariatric surgery patients (Pre- and 3 months post-surgery) and (2) Lipodystrophy patients. Plasma annexin A1 levels were increased at 3-months post-surgery compared to pre-surgery (1.2 ± 0.1 ng/mL, n = 19 vs. 1.6 ± 0.1 ng/mL, n = 9, p = 0.009) and positively correlated with adiponectin (p = 0.009, r = 0.468, n = 25). Plasma annexin A1 levels were decreased in patients with lipodystrophy compared to BMI matched controls (0.2 ± 0.1 ng/mL, n = 9 vs. 0.97 ± 0.1 ng/mL, n = 30, p = 0.008), whereas CRP levels were significantly elevated (3.3 ± 1.0 µg/mL, n = 9 vs. 1.4 ± 0.3 µg/mL, n = 31, p = 0.0074). The roles of annexin A1 were explored using an in vitro cell based model (SGBS cells) mimicking the inflammatory status that is observed in obesity. Acute treatment with the annexin A1 N-terminal peptide, AC2-26 differentially regulated gene expression (including PPARA (2.8 ± 0.7-fold, p = 0.0303, n = 3), ADIPOQ (2.0 ± 0.3-fold, p = 0.0073, n = 3), LEP (0.6 ± 0.2-fold, p = 0.0400, n = 3), NAMPT (0.4 ± 0.1-fold, p = 0.0039, n = 3) and RETN (0.1 ± 0.03-fold, p < 0.0001, n = 3) in mature obesogenic adipocytes indicating that annexin A1 may play a protective role in obesity and inflammation. However, this effect may be overshadowed by the continued increase in systemic inflammation associated with rapid tissue expansion in obesity.
Do Job Boredom and Distress Influence Self-Report Individual Work Performance? Case Study in an Indonesia Muslim Fashion Industry

A creative and innovative workforce is a key determinant of the sustainability of the fashion industry in a highly competitive market. Such characteristics have been linked to employees’ well-being. This study aimed at examining to what extent the employees’ boredom, stress, and work performance levels in a medium-scale Muslim fashion Industry. We employed a cross-sectional study design by administering a set of questionnaires consisting of the Dutch Boredom Scale; Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale; and Individual Work Performance in a total sampling of 75 female workers. The association between key variables and demographic factors was analyzed using non-parametric tests while the relationship between boredom, stress, and work performance was analyzed using the regression. Less-educated employees reported more stress and lower work performance while their boredom levels were similar, compared to their counterparts. Job boredom and stress were higher among newly hired employees but no significant difference in self-reported productivity between the two job experience groups was observed. There are also no differences in job boredom, stress, and work performance between sales and non-sales groups. Our regression model shows that job boredom and stress were significant predictors to work performance after controlling age, education, job experience, and type of occupations. These findings support the importance of improving employees’ well-being for better individual performance which may, in turn, lead to any tangible organizational outcomes. Regardless of the case study design, our study may provide insights for other industrial sectors and beyond the context of small and medium enterprises.
“Mechanization Takes Command?”: Powered Machinery and Production Times in Late Nineteenth-Century American Manufacturing

During the nineteenth century, U.S. manufacturers shifted away from the “hand labor” mode of production, characteristic of artisan shops, to “machine labor,” which was increasingly concentrated in steam-powered factories. This transition fundamentally changed production tasks, jobs, and job requirements. This paper uses digitized data on these two production modes from an 1899 U.S. Commissioner of Labor report to estimate the frequency and impact of the use of inanimate power on production operation times. About half of production operations were mechanized; the use of inanimate power raised productivity, accounting for about one-quarter to one-third of the overall productivity advantage of machine labor. However, additional factors, such as the increased division of labor and adoption of high-volume production, also played quantitatively important roles in raising productivity in machine production versus by hand.
The pitfalls of work placement learning: perceptions of mechanical engineering students from a South African university

ABSTRACT This article reports on a qualitative multi-case study exploring the challenges mechanical engineering students experience during work placement. The study collected data from 34 purposively selected mechanical engineering students. It found that constraining learning environments, ineffective industry mentors, low quality work affordances and negative student characteristics can compromise students’ work placement learning outcomes. It suggests that the coupling of ineffective mentors and constraining learning environments tends to be associated with low quality work affordances. Industry mentors were considered ineffective if they could not perform the dual role of work supervisors and teachers. It further suggests that some student attributes can also compromise work placement learning outcomes. It found that students who are not proactive or assertive often experience low quality work affordances. To remedy these shortcomings, universities should provide pre-placement training for students and industry mentors in the form of a seminar for industry mentors and simulated work placement for students.
Awareness, proficiency and challenges in the use of emerging technologies by ESL university lecturers in the post COVID-19 ERA

Abstract The breakout of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has resulted in the shutting down of schools globally, has made a virtual classroom urgently imperative to support the physical classroom. This move cannot be realistic if the level of awareness and proficiency of the stakeholders, as well as challenges faced, are not noted. Hence, this study examined the awareness, proficiency, and challenges of English as a second language (ESL) lecturers in the use of emerging technologies in the post-Covid-19 era as well as the availability of the emerging technologies. The study adopted a survey research design. Three purposes of the study, three research questions, and four hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. The participants of the study comprised all ESL lecturers at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and its affiliate, Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education, Owerri. A 37-item structured questionnaire and a structured interview were used for data collection. The data collected were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, t-test and content analysis. The study found, among other things, that there is a significant difference between male and female English language lecturers’ proficiency level in the use of emerging technologies for teaching in the post-Covid-19 era. The study makes a significant contribution to other studies on the use of emerging technologies with respect to gender and age.
Modeling teachers acceptance of learning management system in higher education during COVID‐19 pandemic: A developing country perspective

The ubiquity of the World Wide Web has provided massive opportunities to teachers and learners around the globe to share knowledge anytime anywhere via learning management system. Hence, considering the needs of the students; universities have arranged the facilities of the learning management system. This study is an empirical evaluation of university faculty members' intention to use a learning management system. We extended Davis's (1989) Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to evaluate faculty members' intention to use learning management system amid COVID‐19. Data were obtained from the faculty members of Pakistani universities through the convenience sampling technique and analyzed using PLS‐SEM. The outcomes of the study revealed that perceived ease of using a learning management system, user‐interface design, and faculty members' innovativeness have a favorable impact on their intention to use learning management system. Facilitating conditions positively influenced intention to use learning management system. However, the positive relationship between facilitating conditions and perceived ease of using the learning management system was insignificant. The results indicate that the extended TAM model has effectively predicted faculty members' intention to use the learning management system. The findings of the current study can be used for the training and development of faculty members by institutions and regulatory bodies in developing countries.
INTERPRETATION OF PERIAPICAL RADIOGRAPHS IN PEDIATRIC ODONTOLOGY: A STUDY OF PREDOCTORAL DENTAL STUDENTS AT FDC

In pediatric dentistry, intra oral periapical radiography is a useful or even indispensable diagnostic aid before any treatment and therefore an essential part of pre-doctoral training. A study was carried out among the students in the process of completing their thesis at the Faculty of Dental Medicine of Casablanca (FMDC), with the objective of determining their abilities and aptitudes as well as their weaknesses and limitations with regard to the interpretation of a periapical radiograph taken in children. The present study involved a sample of 30 students randomly selected and assembled in a room willing to fill out survey forms and shown a POWER POINT presentation of periapical radiographs. The results showed that 83.3% of the students were able to identify technical pitfalls, 93.3% were able to recognize oral anatomical structures, and 96.7% were able to detect carious and traumatic pathology on the radiographic images. However, some deficiencies were reported such as the ability to identify certain anatomical traps such as the maxillary sinus and the chin hole as well as the ability to detect apical complications of dental pathology. In order to remedy the observed weaknesses and to strengthen the students' skills, it is necessary to revise the teaching methods and to make available new technical means.
Second Harmonic Generation in PPLN waveguides with stitching errors

Depending on the chosen fabrication process, nonlinear waveguides realized in periodically oriented material such as PPLN can present different fabrication errors. In this paper we present a detailed numerical study of the impact on the nonlinear performances of one or several stitching errors occurring during the realization of the periodic domains by e-beam writing. This study shows that contrarily to what was expected, a single finite stitching error does not simply decrease the nonlinear efficiency, but splits the SH signal into a double peak spectrum, where the position of the peaks and their width at half maximum depend not only on the poling period, the total length of the grating, and the waveguide parameters but also on the amplitude and the position of the defect. The numerical results are confirmed by SHG experiments performed in PPLN waveguides obtained by Soft Proton Exchange and where the nonlinear grating was composed of one to four e-beam written 1.5 mm long PPLN sections between which important stitching error can occur. It is worthnoting that similar errors (domains merging or missing domains) can occur also in e-field poling process but they are randomly distributed along the propagation path. Therefore this study is a first attempt to take them into account to explain experimental results and indicate the steps that have to be taken to improve the quality of the components.
Role of Information Sharing on Supply Chain Performance – A Context of Developing Country

Purpose – This study aims at finding out how cost, quality, delivery and flexibility as supply chain performance (SCP) measures are affected by information sharing in the context of a developing country Nepal. Design/Methodology/Approach – The research was carried out in Nepal with data collected through a survey from 131 supply chain participants that includes suppliers, growers, manufacturers, distributors/dealers, wholesalers, retailers and logistics service providers. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and path analysis were performed to assess the fitness of the proposed model and test the hypothesis developed for this study. Findings – The findings demonstrated that information sharing plays a key role in enhancing the performance of supply chains (SC). It shows that delivery and flexibility performance are significantly affected by operational as well as strategic information sharing while cost and quality performance are not affected by information sharing. Originality/Value – This study adds to the existing knowledge by providing empirical support towards the role of operational and strategic information sharing on cost, quality, delivery and flexibility, especially in the context of a landlocked developing country. Research Limitations/Implications – The main limitation is the moderate response rate than desired. While the composition of respondents represented the targeted companies, most of the participants were manufacturers (56%). Practical Implications – The results of this study will help supply chain participants in Nepal to have an enhanced insight and awareness towards the importance of information sharing in enhancing their performance.
TEXT CONTENTION BEHIND SHARIA SUPERVISORY BOARD REPORTS: A CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS

Sharia Supervisory Board Reports (SSBRs) have an interest in convincing the public that entities supervised by a Sharia Supervisory Board (SSB) are sharia-compliant and reflective of Good Corporate Governance (GCG) practices. Failure in public convincing will be detrimental to Islamic banks’ reputation as well as the SSB’s image and credibility. This study aimed to critically assess how the SSB produces reports as texts to persuade the public using Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA). We analyzed four SSBRs from two Islamic Commercial Banks (ICBs) and two Islamic Business Units (IBUs) owned by other ICBs as well as interviews for data triangulation. We employed three of Halliday’s CDA structures for data analysis: text as microstructure as well as the context of situation and the context of culture as macrostructure. The results are as follows. First, microstructure analysis on SSB members’ performance and personality shows that language practices used to build their character and positive image at semantic and syntactic levels are in place. Second, the context of situation trilogy reveals that the SSB only focuses on language compiling practices to direct readers into a desired direction while maintaining its existence and legitimacy. Third, the context of culture indicates that the SSBRs become more concerned with formality than substance, annexing a manipulative potential on reality. Also, it is identified that the SSBRs serve only as a fullfilment of regulations or internationally applied guidelines of SSB roles.
Perceived Values to Evaluate Smart Product-Service Systems of Smart Kitchen Appliances

Abstract In recent years, the need to develop a user-centric Smart Product-Service Systems (smart PSS) with user experience (UX) has been widely recognized by both industry and academia. Although perceived value is a key driver of smart product/service development with unique experience, existing research has rarely systematically explored the perceived value of smart PSS that can be identified, which could lead organizations to be unable to adapt to this rapid digital transformation. Thus, this study adopted smart kitchen appliances to identify which dimensions of perceived value are influential in the development of the smart PSS with UX. The primary objectives of this study were to: (1) develop a comprehensive perceived value scale of smart PSS; and (2) validate the scale’s stability and goodness of fit. The analysis results of this study show that a one-order confirmatory factor analysis is effective for verifying the scale. Five latent variables, usefulness, flexibility, reliability, fee, and technicality, and 19 observable variables can be used as effective evaluation measurement indicators to demonstrate that a value-based viewpoint is crucial for development of the smart PSS with UX in the organization.