Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Energy efficiency practices for Malaysian green office building occupants

Green building construction was adopted as a strategy to reduce energy consumption and the overall impact of the built environment on our natural environment. However, in Malaysia, previous studies have reaffirmed that green office buildings consume a substantial amount of energy, compared to their counterparts in Singapore. Moreover, there is still a significant performance gap between predicted energy measurements and actual operational energy consumption of green office buildings in Malaysia, due to occupants’ behavioural discrepancies. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to develop energy efficiency practices for occupants of green office buildings in Malaysia. The developed practices integrate technology, organisation policy, and occupants’ behavioural strategies, in order to reduce the energy consumption of green office buildings in Malaysia. ,To achieve the research goal, a mixed (quantitative and qualitative) research method was used to collect data from the research population. In total, 53 respondents working in a green office building complex in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia were surveyed using a questionnaire. Additionally, three top management staff of the green office building and two Malaysian construction professionals were interviewed. The study adopted convenience sampling technique in selecting the research respondents. The data from the questionnaire were analysed using SPSS software (version 22) while the interview data were analysed via thematic content analysis. ,The findings suggest that the integration of technological strategy (use of BIM tools, sustainable building materials, etc.); organisational strategy (develop, implement and evaluate action plans, use of monitor/control systems, etc.); and occupants behavioural strategy (training, incentives, occupants energy efficiency guide, etc.) will critically reduce energy consumption of green office buildings in Malaysia. ,Based on the findings, energy efficiency practices are developed to guide occupants in reducing the energy consumption of green office buildings in Malaysia. This strategy will contribute to reducing the performance gap that exists between predicted energy and actual energy use of green office buildings in Malaysia. However, the developed energy efficiency practices need to be validated to ascertain its workability in the green office building context.
QUERCETIN NANOPARTICLES: PREPARATION AND CHARACTERIZATION

Purpose –Quercetin (QU) is a polyphenolic flavonoid and shows several biological effects such as antioxidant, antitumor, antibacterial and antiproliferative effects both in-vitro and in-vivo. Major limitation of QU in clinical application is administration of high dose due to its poor bioavailability. Also, its water soluble derivative has been synthesized but its bioavailability was only 20%. The purpose of this paper is to prepare Quercetin nanoparticles (QUENPs) with the improved solubility in water and bioavailability. Design/methodology/approach - This paper is based on nanoparticipation technique for preparation of QUENPs by adding ethanol to water volume ratio (1:35), fixed flow rate (8 and 10 ml/min). Physicochemical characterization was studied by using Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) usingZetasizer Nano ZS, SEM, FTIR, X-ray diffraction and BET surface area. Findings - The data suggest that when resuspend QUENPs in water appeared to be soluble compared with original QU. Decrease in particle size of QUENPs than original QU. In addition, QUENPs are more crystanility and absence of larger particles compared with original QU. Research limitations/implications - The source of preparation technique was previously researched. The Physicochemical characterization was study in University of Dammam. Practical implications -Positive outcomes can be used to improve the bioavailability of QU antioxidant, antitumor, antibacterial and antiproliferative effects. Social implications - The outcomes of this research would be used in healthcare and medical field, in areas, such as, faster diagnosis, drug delivery and tissue regeneration. Originality/ value -This paper used a new solvent/ anti-solvent (S/AS) ratio and new flow rate into the anti-solvent.
Gestion de la dynamicité et énumération d'impliquants premiers : une approche fondée sur les Diagrammes de Décision Binaire

Cette these aborde, d'un point de vue algorithmique, le probleme lie aux calculs et a la representation des modeles d'une formule de la logique propositionnelle. Notre approche est fondee sur les diagrammes de decision binaire (bdd). Ils permettent de representer facilement l'ensemble des modeles et d'y gerer l'incrementalite. Le premier travail propose dans ce memoire est une etude sur des ordres pour l'insertion de formules particulieres de la logique propositionnelle dans un bdd. Pour cela, nous proposons deux actions complementaires, la premiere pour reduire la taille du bdd (ordre sur les variables de la formule) et la seconde pour reduire le temps de calcul (strategie pour l'insertion). Ceci nous a permis de determiner certaines limites pour l'utilisation des bdd. Dans un second temps, nous proposons d'etendre le formalisme des formules a traiter afin de pouvoir prendre en compte la dynamicite dans les bdd. L'ajout de formules ne posant pas de probleme grace aux bdd, notre extension porte sur le maintien de la coherence lors de l'ajout ou de la suppression de formules. Nous proposons de resoudre le probleme a l'aide d'un codage judicieux et presentons comment appliquer ces travaux dans le cadre des problemes de satisfaction de contraintes dynamiques. Un impliquant premier peut etre vu comme la representation d'un ensemble de modeles. Une extension naturelle de nos travaux, nous a conduit a elaborer un algorithme de calcul et de gestion des impliquants premiers. Nous montrons ici, comment l'effectuer avec un couplage entre un algorithme enumeratif et un bdd. Des experimentations sont presentees pour illustrer et comparer les differentes approches proposees dans cette these.
Performance Evaluation of Non-Orthogonal Multiple Access Combined with Opportunistic Beamforming

Non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) utilizing power domain and advanced receiver is a promising technique for future radio access. Multi-antenna techniques have been deeply studied during the past decade to boost system performance by virtue of spatial multiplexing and/or spatial diversity. It is of great interest to study how to efficiently and effectively combine the two techniques together for further system performance improvement. This paper investigates on the combination of NOMA with opportunistic beamforming (OBF), which has been proposed as a practical multi-antenna transmission scheme with good performance and very limited feedback. The key design issues of NOMA with OBF are investigated including precoding, transmission power assignment, user feedback and scheduling. Furthermore, a method to improve the system performance with OBF is proposed by utilizing historical information. The performance of NOMA with OBF is investigated by system-level simulations with very practical assumptions and parameters in order to provide insights into the suitability of combining OBF with NOMA for future radio access. Simulation results show the proposed method is effective and NOMA with OBF is a promising scheme for future wireless communication systems.
Rapid Turnover of Phosphatidylinositol-4,5-Bisphosphate in Insulin-Secreting Cells Mediated by Ca2+ and the ATP-to-ADP Ratio

Phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) is important for a variety of cellular processes as a precursor for second messengers and by regulating ion channels, the cytoskeleton, and vesicle traffic in many types of cells, including insulin-secreting β-cells. Here, we applied evanescent wave microscopy and the PIP2-binding pleckstrin homology domain from phospholipase C (PLC)-δ fused to the green fluorescent protein to characterize the regulation of plasma membrane PIP2 in individual insulin-secreting MIN6 β-cells. Elevation of the glucose concentration from 3 to 11 mmol/l evoked antisynchronous oscillations of [PIP2] and cytoplasmic Ca2+concentration, consistent with PLC being periodically activated by the voltage-dependent Ca2+ influx. The effect of adenine nucleotides on [PIP2] was studied in cells permeabilized with α-toxin. ATP dose- dependently stimulated PIP2 synthesis with half-maximal effect at 300 μmol/l. Omission of the nucleotide resulted in rapid loss of PIP2 with t1/2 < 40 s. ADP also stimulated PIP2 formation, but this effect reflected local ATP formation and was prevented by the adenylate kinase inhibitor diadenosine-pentaphosphate. The ATP-induced PIP2 synthesis was counteracted by the ADP analog adenosine-5′-O-2-thiodiphosphate. We conclude that plasma membrane PIP2 is dynamically regulated by intracellular Ca2+ and the ATP-to-ADP ratio in insulin-secreting cells. The rapid turnover allows maintenance of PIP2 levels while generating second messengers of critical importance for insulin secretion.
Investigation of a tolerable time delay in SEMG-based elbow assistive device

Surface electromyography (SEMG) signal has been widely used to detect the intention of the user in assistive device, because the onset time of the SEMG signal is observed before the muscle force development. The time between the onset of SEMG activity and the development of force is defined as electromechanical delay (EMD). Owing to the existence of EMD, an SEMG-driven approach has advantage of early detection of the intention compared to other approaches, especially to a force sensor-based approach. However, few studies have been done on the investigation of the timing of the assistive force considering EMD. This study suggests the proper timing of the assistive force for better performance by analyzing the onset of muscle force development. Simultaneous measurements of four channels of SEMG, interaction torque, control input corresponding to the assistive torque, and joint angle allowed the investigation of the quantitative relation between the onset of SEMG and timing of the assistive torque. The timing of the assistive force was manipulated by varying the amount of artificial time delay. The experiments were carried out for 3 subjects, who were informed to complete 4 repetitive elbow flexion/extension motions as quickly as possible, with the help of the assistive device. Task completion time was examined as a measure of the performance of the assistance, and cross-correlation analysis was conducted. We observed that the reaching time and level of SEMG activation were reduced when the delay was consistent with the EMD of the user.
Narrow-Band FM Multi-Tone FSK Modem: TMS320C6000 Based Testbed Implementation and Performance Analysis

In this paper we present a Texas Instrument's TMS320C6713 DSP based multi-tone FSK modem, designed for testing signal processing algorithms, channel measurements and performance analysis of digital receivers. The receiver is designed with a symbol timing synchronisation algorithm at the base band, and operates at the FM-band with a carrier frequency of 87.3MHz. The modem operates at a data rate of 2.88kbps with a sampling frequency of 96kHz. Here, we present the design and architecture of the hardware and the software of the modem, and some results on the performances of the DSP test-bed
Integrating Men’s Health and Masculinity Theories to Explain Colorectal Cancer Screening Behavior

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cause of cancer deaths among men in the United States. Although CRC screening has been found to reduce CRC incidence and mortality, current screening rates among men are suboptimal due to various practical and psychosocial barriers. One potential barrier to CRC screening identified in qualitative studies with men is the threat to masculinity that endoscopic screening methods pose. Indeed, beliefs about masculinity have been predictive of other preventive health behaviors among men. In this review article, we propose a novel conceptual framework to explain men’s CRC screening behavior that integrates masculinity norms, gender role conflict, men’s health care experiences, behaviors, and beliefs, and social and background variables. This framework has the potential to guide future research on men’s CRC screening behaviors and other health behaviors and may inform gender-sensitive interventions that target masculinity beliefs to increase preventive health behaviors.
Protein kinase a modulates Cdc25B activity during meiotic resumption of mouse oocytes

Protein kinase A (PKA) play a critical role in maintaining the meiotic arrest. However, the steps downstream of PKA remain largely unknown. In this study, we investigated the regulation of meiotic resumption by PKA/Cdc25B pathway in mouse oocytes. Injection of mRNA coding for Cdc25b‐S321A had a more potent maturation‐inducing ability than Cdc25b‐WT. When co‐injected with PKA inhibitor, Cdc25B‐WT had similar activities with Cdc25B‐S321A. Meanwhile, the phosphorylation of Cdc25B‐S321 was detected in germinal vesicle (GV) oocytes by Western blotting with a phospho‐Ser321‐specific antibody and the band disappeared when oocytes reenter into the meiotic cell cycle. Furthermore, Cdc25B‐WT translocated to the nucleus shortly before GV breakdown (GVBD), whereas phosphorylated Cdc25B‐S321 expressed exclusively in the cytoplasm and the signal could not be detected in GVBD oocytes. Taken together, these data indicate that Cdc25B‐Serine321 is the potential PKA target and Cdc25B subcellular localization determines its function during the process of maintaining GV arrest in mouse oocytes. Developmental Dynamics 237:3777–3786, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
IMPLEMENTASI PROGRAM KOTA TANPA KUMUH DI KECAMATAN SEMARANG TIMUR

Kota Tanpa Kumuh (KOTAKU) is a programme runned by the Direktorat Jenderal Cipta Karya to support the fulfillment of the RPJMN targets for 2015 - 2019. Presidential Regulation No. 2 of 2015 mandates the construction and development of urban areas through the handling of the residential environments quality. The results of the study shows that East Semarang has 6 urban village that are included in the slum area, namely Bugangan, Rejosari, Mlatiharjo, Mlatibaru, Rejomulyo, Kemijen. KOTAKU programme gets APBN found of 17,2 billion to run the program. Through a qualitative-descriptive approach, this study aims to find out how the implementation of the Kota Tanpa Kumuh (KOTAKU) in the District of East Semarang. There are 5 programmes has to be implemented, namely improvement of building conditions, improvement of environmental roads, provision of drinking water, provision of waste management facilities, and provision of fire protection. The results of the study showed that there was a reduction in the size of the slum area from 415.83 Ha to 118.5 Ha. The implementation of the KOTAKU programme has an inhibiting factor, such as the lack of socialization from the government related to the program in community, and the lack of community participation in the development process. The conclusion of this study is the implementation of KOTAKU in East Semarang has been in accordance with the needs of local community and there was a reduction in the size of slum area 71,5%. This study provides recommendations that, from the government perspective it is necessary to increase socialization related to the program and to coordinate directly with the community to increase participation in the KOTAKU programme. The suggestion for further research is the need for a strategy in socialization carried out bottom-up so that more people are actively involved.
A deep convolutional network for medical image super-resolution

This paper presents a novel deep network model specifically for medical image super-resolution reconstruction. We take full advantage of the fact that all medical images basically have distinct repetitive structure and large black border without any texture information. Compared with the Super-Resolution Convolution Neural Network (SRCNN) structure, firstly, we add a convolution layer to carry out secondary feature extraction which make the feature more representative. Then we add overlapping pooling layers in order to highlight the important features and fine processing them. At last, in order to use local features and global features to complete the reconstruction together, we add a link layer, establish a connection between the second pooling layer and the reconstruction layer. The experimental results show that average PSNR gains achieved by our algorithm are higher than the original SRCNN. The reconstructed CT images can clearly provide important reference for clinicians to make the correct treatment decisions, and also have important guiding significance for the difficulty and risk assessment of surgical feasibility.
Paleoecology Of Early–Middle Permian Marine Communities In Eastern Australia: Response To Global Climate Change In the Aftermath Of the Late Paleozoic Ice Age

Abstract Climate change has exerted a major influence on the biosphere in historical times, altering the geographic range of many species and elevating the extinction risk in both marine and terrestrial realms. This study investigates marine community change during the major early Permian climatic transition from the late Paleozoic ice age to a largely ice-free greenhouse climate. Quantitative counts of fossil abundance from 71 field assemblages and 15 collections from the literature, spanning the early and middle Permian (Sakmarian– Capitanian) of the Tasmania, Sydney, and Bowen basins of eastern Australia document substantial changes in the composition of marine communities during Sakmarian–Kungurian postglacial warming. During the last stages of glaciation (Sakmarian), communities were dominated by the brachiopod Trigonotreta and the bivalve Eurydesma, whereas communities from the later greenhouse climate (Kungurian–Guadalupian) contained abundant productide brachiopods such as Terrakea and Echinalosia. The shift was broadly synchronous at all paleolatitudes within eastern Australia but appears to have occurred first in offshore habitats. Artinskian communities may also have been much more variable than either earlier or later communities. This variability may have been triggered by rapid climate fluctuations, similar to the changes observed in Artinskian tropical terrestrial ecosystems, but it may also stem from sampling a greater number of depositional environments and habitat types. The ultimate fate of the dominant glacial genera differed after they lost dominance, with Eurydesma becoming extinct during climate warming but Trigonotreta persisting at low abundance levels for a much longer time. These results support the theory that climate change most often causes extinctions through indirect paleoecological effects and underscore the important consequences that even gradual, long-term climate change can have in marine ecosystems.
Design of a fault-tolerant tandem converter for a multi-MW superconducting offshore wind turbine generator

A fault-tolerant tandem converter, based on a current-source converter and cascaded multilevel voltage-source active filter, is proposed as the grid interface for a 10MW superconducting direct-drive wind turbine generator. The converter reduces the possibility of a short-circuit fault, an issue with the extremely low generator reactance, while having a significantly lower DC capacitance requirement than an equivalent modular multilevel converter, although this is still high due to an extremely low generator frequency. Active filter DC capacitance is optimised, and a control system designed to prevent large DC voltage peaks during transients, and is verified in simulation. DC voltage balancing between the phases of the filter limits the torque control bandwidth of the converter if the capacitance is to be minimised, due to the slow speed of the balancing controller.
Data Economy for Prosumers in a Smart Grid Ecosystem

Smart grids technologies are enablers of new business models for domestic consumers with local flexibility (generation, loads, storage) and where access to data is a key requirement in the value stream. However, legislation on personal data privacy and protection imposes the need to develop local models for flexibility modeling and forecasting and exchange models instead of personal data. This paper describes the functional architecture of an home energy management system (HEMS) and its optimization functions. A set of data-driven models, embedded in the HEMS, are discussed for improving renewable energy forecasting skill and modeling multi-period flexibility of distributed energy resources.
The duality of contractual relations in IT outsourcing : essays on psychological contracting and value creation

1 CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION.3 CHAPTER TWO LITERATURE REVIEW ON IT OUTSOURCING . 8 Introduction.8 Definition What is IT Outsourcing.11 Antecedents Why Do Firms Outsource.19 Process Managing the Outsourcing.38 Consequences – IT Outsourcing Success . 47 Overall Research Model.58 CHAPTER THREE IT OUTSOURCING SUCCESS: A PSYCHOLOGICAL CONTRACT PERSPECTIVE . 67 Introduction.67 A Psychological Contract Perspective to IT Outsourcing . 70 Study 1: Identifying Psychological Contract Obligations in IT Outsourcing . 74 Study 2: Assessing the Effects of Psychological Contract Obligations on Success.92 Overall Discussion and Conclusion.109 ATTENTION: The Singapore Copyright Act applies to the use of this document. Nanyang Technological University Library
Predictive Model of BOF Based on LM-BP Neural Network Combining with Learning Rate

The endpoint temperature and carbon content of molten steel cannot be measured timely or accurately due to the extremely high temperature in BOF, so it is very important to establish an accurate predictive model for them. Steelmaking process is a very complex nonlinear process, and therefore it is very difficult to build up an accurate math model for it. The precision of traditional models based on oxygen balance and thermal equilibrium theory or based on reproducibility theory is low, and hit rate for prediction is low too. In this paper, the method that combines neural network technique with traditional modeling technology is adopted to build up static and dynamic models for steelmaking process. On this basis, presetting model is modified by using neural network technique to implement optimal setting control for steelmaking endpoint.
Volumetric 3 D Reconstruction and Parametric Shape Modeling from RGB-D Sequences CONFERENCE

The recent availability of low-cost RGB-D sensors and the maturity of machine vision algorithms makes shape-based parametric modeling of 3D objects in natural environments more practical than ever before. In this paper, we investigate the use of RGB-D based modeling of natural objects using RGB-D sensors and a combination of volumetric 3D reconstruction and parametric shape modeling. We apply the general method to the specific case of detecting and modeling quadric objects, with the ellipsoid shape of a pineapple as a special case, in cluttered agricultural environments, towards applications in fruit health monitoring and crop yield prediction. Our method estimates the camera trajectory then performs volumetric reconstruction of the scene. Next, we detect fruit and segment out point clouds that belong to fruit regions. We use two novel methods for robust estimation of a parametric shape model from the dense point cloud: (i) MSAC-based robust fitting of an ellipsoid to the 3D-point cloud, and (ii) nonlinear least squares minimization of dense SIFT (scale invariant feature transform) descriptor distances between fruit pixels in corresponding frames. We compare our shape modeling methods with a baseline direct ellipsoid estimation method. We find that model-based point clouds show a clear advantage in parametric shape modeling and that our parametric shape modeling methods are more robust and better able to estimate the size, shape, and volume of pineapple fruit than is the baseline direct method.