Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Low-rank nonnegative sparse representation and local preservation-based matrix regression for supervised image feature selection

Matrix regression has attracted much attention due to directly select some meaningful features from matrix data. However, most existing matrix regressions do not consider the global and local structure of the matrix data simultaneously. To this end, we propose a low-rank nonnegative sparse representation and local preserving matrix regression (LNSRLP-MR) model for image feature selection. Here, the loss function is deﬁned by the left and right regression matrices. To capture the global structure and discriminative information of the training images and reduce the effect of heterogeneous data and noises, we impose the low-rank constraint on the self-representation error matrix and the nonnegative sparse constraint on the coefﬁcient vector. The graph matrix can be learned adaptively through representation coefﬁcients, so that accurate local structure information in samples can be revealed. Feature selection is performed by obtained row sparse transformation matrix. An optimization procedure and its performance are also present. Experimental results on several image datasets show that compared with the-state-of-the-art method, the average classiﬁcation accuracy of the proposed method is improved by at least 1.2% and up to 3.3%. For images with noise or occlusion, the accuracy is improved signiﬁcantly, up to 4%, which indicates that this method has strong robustness.
Mapping And Localization System Pada Mobile Robot Menggunakan Metode SLAM Berbasis LiDAR

Permasalahan utama dari autonomous robot atau robot otonom untuk bernavigasi adalah bagaimana robot dapat mengenali lingkungan sekitar. Oleh karena itu, penelitian ini berfokus pada perancangan sistem mapping dan lokalisasi menggunakan metode Simultaneous Localization And Mapping (SLAM) yang diimplementasikan pada mobile robot jenis omnidirectional atau holonomic menggunakan sensor LiDAR. Penelitian ini mengusulkan sistem mapping dan lokalisasi untuk mengenali lingkungan sekitar dengan membuat peta lingkungan menggunakan algoritma google cartographer yang dikombinasikan dengan metode eulerdometry yaitu kombinasi antara odometry dengan data euler orientation dari sensor IMU. Pengujian dilakukan dengan menguji setiap sensor seperti IMU dan LiDAR, dan menguji instegrasi sistem termasuk metode eulerdometry dan sistem mapping dan lokalisasi dengan algoritma google cartographer yang dikombinasikan dengan metode eulerdometry. Hasil pengujian dari sistem mapping dan lokalisasi menunjukkan hasil yang optimal dan mampu mengenali kondisi lingkungan sekitar robot meskipun masih terdapat noise pada peta yang sudah dibuat.
The effects of sample size and sample prevalence on cellular automata simulation of urban growth

ABSTRACT This study investigates the effects of sample size and sample prevalence on cellular automata (CA) simulation of urban growth. We take the CA models based on an artificial neural network (ANN), logistic regression (LR), and support vector machine (SVM) as examples, to simulate the urban growth of Wuhan city in China and the Wuhan Metropolitan Area under different sampling schemes. The results of the CA models based on the ANN, LR, and SVM methods are generally consistent. The sampling scheme with a small sample size and a low sample prevalence should be discarded because of the high uncertainty. Sample size determines the robustness of a CA model, whereas sample prevalence affects the performance of a CA model when there are sufficient samples. In particular, the closer the sample prevalence is to the population prevalence, the higher the simulation accuracy and the lower the shape complexity and fragmentation of the simulated urban patterns. We suggest that the optimal sampling scheme has a sample rate of 1% and a sample prevalence that is the same as the population prevalence. The selection of the optimal sampling scheme is independent of the population sizes represented by different study areas.
Determination of Cellulose, Water, and N-Methylmorpholine N-Oxide during the Production of Lyocell by Attenuated Total Reflection (ATR) – Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy

Abstract Attenuated total reflection (ATR) – Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy with the pretreatment of converting the absorption spectrum into angle spectrum (CASAS) and partial least squares (PLS) was employed to rapidly and simultaneously determine the ingredients of cellulose slurries and solutions during lyocell production. ATR was employed to rapidly and conveniently collect the spectra of the swollen slurries and viscous solutions during production. CASAS was used to eliminate the influence on modeling by the optical path differences due to uneven ingredient distributions in the samples. The PLS models for the cellulose, water, and N-methylmorpholine N-oxide (NMMO) concentrations of the cellulose slurry/solution were constructed using the raw spectra, pretreated spectra by CASAS, and common pretreatment methods, respectively. The results show that CASAS eliminates interferences due to the differences in optical path and improves the performance of PLS model for each analyte. The standard errors of prediction (SEP) of models using CASAS for cellulose, NMMO, and water concentration of cellulose slurry were 0.368, 0.196 and 0.171, while the values for the cellulose solution were 0.442, 0.353, and 0.066, respectively. The standard errors of prediction (SEPs) of CASAS models are significantly lower than the reproducibility requirement of the reference method, 0.5. The reported approach using ATR-FTIR spectroscopy combined with CASAS and PLS is rapid and accurate for determining the ingredients of the cellulose slurries and solutions and offers potential for identifying similar samples.
Parametric Geometrical Study of OOO-Microstrip Circuit with Dual-Band Bandpass NGD Behavior

This paper introduces a bandpass (BP) NGD circuit design engineering. The developed circuit is designed and implemented using distributed microstrip technology and operates with outstanding dual-band bandpass NGD performance added with low attenuation. The BP NGD topology presents an innovative geometrical shape represented by an OOO (triple O) structure composed of multi-parameter parallel transmission lines (TLs) based elements. The OOO type NGD circuit is mainly composed of different physical length TLs and two identical coupled lines (CLs). Then extensive parameter NGD analyses are elaborated to investigate on the influences of each physical size of OOO circuit on the NGD performances. Through the difference of physical length of transmission line, the delay can be adjusted. Through the results of simulation and measurement, it can be seen that the center frequency points are about 0.75 GHz and 1.46 GHz respectively, and the time delay is about –1.83 ns and –2.6 ns respectively.
Industrial Heat Treatment of Wood: Study of Induced Effects on Ayous Wood (Triplochiton scleroxylon K. Schum)

High-temperature treatment of wood is a useful method for improving certain physical characteristics, ensuring durability without biocides, and improving the performance of wood when exposed to degradation agents. This work aims to determine the effects induced by a heat treatment performed industrially on ayous wood (Triplochiton scleroxylon K. Schum) from Cameroon, through the study of the main physical and mechanical characteristics. The heat treatment at 215 °C for three hours with a slight initial vacuum determined a reduction of the mechanical characteristics (compression strength 26%, static bending 46%, Brinell hardness 32%) and some physical properties (dry density 11%, basic density 9%), while it improved the behaviour towards variations of environment moisture. The anti-shrinkage efficiency was 58.41 ± 5.86%, confirming the increase of the dimensional stability. The darkening (ΔE 34.76), clearly detectable (L* 39.69 ± 1.13; a* 10.59 ± 081; b* 18.73 ± 1.51), was supported almost equally by both the lightness parameter (L*) and the a* chromatic parameter. The data collected during the laboratory tests were then subjected to statistical analysis to verify correlations between the characteristics examined. Statistical differences were highlighted between each physical and mechanical properties of ayous wood modified or not.
Global Importance of Secondary Ice Production

Measured ice crystal number concentrations are often orders of magnitude higher than the number concentrations of ice nucleating particles, indicating the existence of secondary ice production (SIP) in clouds. Here, we present the first study to examine the global importance of SIP through the droplet shattering during freezing of rain, ice‐ice collision fragmentation, and rime splintering, using a global climate model. Our results show that SIP happens quite uniformly in the two hemispheres and dominates the ice formation in the moderately cold clouds with temperatures warmer than −15°C. SIP decreases the global annual average liquid water path by −14.6 g m−2 (−22%), increases the ice water path by 8.7 g m−2 (23%), improving the model agreement with observations. SIP changes the global annual average shortwave, longwave, and net cloud forcing by 2.1, −1.0, and 1.1 W m−2, respectively, highlighting the importance of SIP on cloud properties on the global scale.
Development of a 3-MicroRNA Signature and Nomogram for Predicting the Survival of Patients with Uveal Melanoma Based on TCGA and GEO Databases

Background The aim of this study was to apply bioinformatic analysis to develop a robust miRNA signature and construct a nomogram model in uveal melanoma (UM) to improve prognosis prediction. Methods miRNA and mRNA sequencing data for 80 UM patients were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. The patients were further randomly assigned to a training set (n = 40, used to identify key miRNAs) and a testing set (n = 40, used to internally verify the signature). Then, miRNAs data of GSE84976 and GSE68828 were downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database for outside verification. Combining univariate analysis and LASSO methods for identifying a robust miRNA biomarker in training set and the signature was validated in testing set and outside dataset. A prognostic nomogram was constructed and combined with decision curve as well as reduction curve analyses to assess the application of clinical usefulness. Finally, we constructed a miRNA-mRNA regulator network in UM and conducted pathway enrichment analysis according to the mRNAs in the network. Results In total, a 3-miRNA was identified and validated that can robustly predict UM patients' survival. According to univariate and multivariate cox analyses, age at diagnosis, tumor node metastasis (TNM) classification, stage, and the 3-miRNA signature significantly correlated with the survival outcomes. These characteristics were used to establish nomogram. The nomogram worked well for predicting 1 and 3 years of overall survival time. The decision curve of nomogram revealed a good clinical usefulness of our nomogram. What's more, a miRNA-mRNA network was constructed. Pathway enrichment showed that this network was largely involved in mRNA processing, the mRNA surveillance pathway, the spliceosome, and so on. Conclusions We developed a 3-miRNA biomarker and constructed a prognostic nomogram, which may afford a quantitative tool for predicting the survival of UM. Our finding also provided some new potential targets for the treatment of UM.
Preferences for community benefits for offshore wind development projects: A case study of the Outer Banks of North Carolina, U.S.

ABSTRACT As offshore wind energy development gains a foothold, the possibility of conflict between local communities and developers may become increasingly common. Coastal communities within the viewshed or hosting transmission cables may fear several impacts but few benefits. Community benefits, provided through the wind farm developer, may help garner local support in communities in close proximity to a wind farm project. This research focused on the first offshore wind energy lease off the coastline of North Carolina, U.S. This study utilized semi-structured interviews to understand how key informants think of a proposed offshore wind farm in the context of community benefits. Findings reveal that key informants are skeptical of direct benefits like local employment, though optimistic about indirect, regional benefits, like economic development. The majority of key informants were interested in a community fund that would be administered by the local government or a trusted local organization. This study provides an initial assessment of perspectives on community benefits in the context of offshore wind development and makes recommendations on how to incorporate community benefits into the offshore wind development process. Furthermore, we emphasize the importance of additional research into this topic.
Rheological and Microstructural Features of Plant Culture Media Doped with Biopolymers: Influence on the Growth and Physiological Responses of In Vitro-Grown Shoots of Thymus lotocephalus

In vitro culture is an important biotechnological tool in plant research and an appropriate culture media is a key for a successful plant development under in vitro conditions. The use of natural compounds to improve culture media has been growing and biopolymers are interesting alternatives to synthetic compounds due to their low toxicity, biodegradability, renewability, and availability. In the present study, different culture media containing one biopolymer (chitosan, gum arabic) or a biopolymer derivative [hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC), carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC)], at 100 or 1000 mg L−1, were tested regarding their influence on the growth and physiological responses of Thymus lotocephalus in vitro culture. Cellulose-based biopolymers (HEC and CMC) and gum arabic were used for the first time in plant culture media. The results showed that CMC at 100 mg L−1 significantly improved shoot elongation while chitosan, at the highest concentration, was detrimental to T. lotocephalus. Concerning only the evaluated physiological parameters, all tested biopolymers and biopolymer derivatives are safe to plants as there was no evidence of stress-induced changes on T. lotocephalus. The rheological and microstructural features of the culture media were assessed to understand how the biopolymers and biopolymer derivatives added to the culture medium could influence shoot growth. As expected, all media presented a gel-like behaviour with minor differences in the complex viscosity at the beginning of the culture period. Most media showed increased viscosity overtime. The surface area increased with the addition of biopolymers and biopolymer derivatives to the culture media and the average pore size was considerably lower for CMC at 100 mg L−1. The smaller pores of this medium might be related to a more efficient nutrients and water uptake by T. lotocephalus shoots, leading to a significant improvement in shoot elongation. In short, this study demonstrated that the different types of biopolymers and biopolymer derivatives added to culture medium can modify their microstructure and at the right concentrations, are harmless to T. lotocephalus shoots growing in vitro, and that CMC improves shoot length.
Prediction of atmospheric corrosion from meteorological parameters: Case of the atmospheric basin of the Costa Rican Western Central Valley

The assessment of atmospheric corrosion is currently based on studies of atmospheric basins (AB). The models applied to the estimation of atmospheric corrosion imply measurements of several meteorological and atmospheric pollution parameters, which make the estimation complex. The main meteorological parameters to be considered in tropical atmospheric corrosion are associated with temperature (T) and relative humidity (RH). These parameters are also included in the calculation of the time of humidification (TDH). In addition, the atmospheric pollutants associated with corrosion are chloride (Cl) and sulphur dioxide (SO2). The Western Central Valley (WCV) in Costa Rica is a low-pollution AB; therefore, it is possible to employ simplified atmospheric corrosion models based on few atmospheric parameters. The meteorological parameters of the study region were analyzed in terms of their dependence on altitude and their applicability in simplified empirical equations of the corrosion rate (Vcorr) for the WCV. These simple relations were compared with the model proposed by the ISO 9223-2012 standard.
Vitrification of cesium-laden organic ion-exchange resin in a stirred melter

Tests were conducted using a stirred-tank melter to vitrify nonradioactive, cesium-laden organic ion-exchange resin. This resin, which is highly effective in removing cesium from solution, was developed to replace the complex sodium tetraphenylborate precipitation process used at the Defense Waste Processing Facility at the Savannah River Site to remove {sup 137}Cs from a wastewater solution. The glass produced had a Fe{sup 2+}/Fe{sup Total} ratio that was acceptable for high-level waste glass. No damage to the melter was observed. Lower-bound estimates of overall cesium retention in the glass range from 70.5 to 73.9%. Only 2.1 to 4.3% of the cesium was emitted from the melter. Because between 21.8 and 27.4% of the cesium was not recovered, the overall cesium retention may have been substantially higher.
A Proposal for a User-Oriented Spatial Metadata Profile

Spatial metadata profiles have been designed and evolved by data custodians to manage, share, discover, and use spatial data. The end-users of spatial data often do not have much input in designing the profiles. The spatial data infrastructure literature reveals that they question the usability of spatial metadata. This paper analyzes the usability of metadata profiles by engaging end-users and clarifying their requirements in response to this problem. Over 60 users from 18 countries were engaged using an online survey based on a purposive sampling method. The results show that the most widely used metadata standard, ISO 19115, provides metadata elements to accommodate most user requirements for searches. However, an extension to the standard is necessary to assist users in discovery and selection. Two new metadata elements are proposed as part of the extension. The extension also involves changing the obligation type of existing elements to improve data discovery.
Climate More Important for Chinese Flood Changes Than Reservoirs and Land Use

River regulations and changing land management practices are generally perceived to be the dominant drivers of river flood changes in countries with rapid economic growth, such as China. Here, we demonstrate based on the most comprehensive flood database to date, that climate variations dominate the spatial pattern of changes in annual flood peak discharge in China, despite intense human alterations of the river and land systems over the past four decades. Regional flood increases are mainly associated with increasing precipitation due to changes in the East Asian Summer Monsoon, tropical cyclones and the subtropical westerly jet. Regional flood decreases are due to decreased soil moisture in the North China plain. Our results highlight the need for flood management policies to go beyond local measures and adapt to the effects of climate change.
Motivating Prosocial Venturing in Response to a Humanitarian Crisis: Building Theory From the Refugee Crisis in Germany

In the context of the humanitarian refugee crisis in Germany, we conducted an 8-month qualitative study of prosocial ventures that emerged during this crisis to build a theory of motivation in prosocial venturing. We identified two venturing paths driven by founders’ distinct motivations. Founders motivated by others’ suffering focused on rescuing refugees, following an execution-oriented approach, and scaling their activities to meet victims’ short-run needs. Founders motivated by entrepreneurial aspirations focused on building an organization, following a foundation-oriented approach, and customizing activities to meet victims’ long-run needs. This study contributes to prosocial venturing and crisis research.
Symptom experience of adverse drug reaction among male and female patients with newly diagnosed pulmonary tuberculosis in Thailand

Background Patients with newly diagnosed pulmonary tuberculosis often suffer from adverse drug reaction symptoms, which leads to the automatic discontinuation of anti-tuberculosis drugs. Thus, understanding symptom experience of adverse drug reactions is necessary. Objective This study aimed to examine differences in symptoms experienced in four dimensions: presence, frequency, severity, and distress of adverse drug reactions, between male and female patients. Methods This was a quantitative survey with a cross-sectional design, with data collected between January and April 2020. A total of 394 patients with newly diagnosed pulmonary tuberculosis was selected through a purposive sampling technique. The symptom experiences of adverse drug reactions were measured using a validated instrument. Data were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, and independent t-test. Results The most commonly reported symptom was itchiness (24.1% in males and 34.9% in females). Vomiting occurred as the most frequent symptom among males (x̄ ± SD = 2.73 ± .88), and fatigue was found to be the most severe and distressing symptom across male patients (x̄ ± SD = 2.50 ± 1.61 and 2.06 ± 1.30, respectively). In contrast, yellowing of the eyes and skin was most frequent and severe among females (x̄ ± SD = 3.17 ± .75 and 3.83 ± 1.47, respectively). In addition, flu-like symptoms were evaluated as the most distressing symptom for female patients (x̄ ± SD = 2.80 ± 1.09). The symptom burdens of the females ranged significantly and reached higher than those of the male patients at a p-value of . 05 (t = 3.33). Conclusion Females taking anti-tuberculosis drugs should be carefully monitored to deal with adverse drug reaction symptoms. This finding would help to decrease the severity of disease and improve their quality of life.
Low Heritability but Significant Early Environmental Effects on Resting Metabolic Rate in a Wild Passerine

Predicting the impact of climate change on biodiversity requires understanding the adaptation potential of wild organisms. Evolutionary responses depend on the additive genetic variation associated with the phenotypic traits targeted by selection. We combine 5 years of cross-fostering experiments, measurements of resting metabolic rate (RMR) on nearly 200 wild collared flycatcher (Ficedula albicollis) nestlings, and animal models using a 17-year pedigree to evaluate the potential for an evolutionary response to changing environmental conditions. Contrary to other avian studies, we find no significant heritability of whole-organism, mass-independent, or mass-specific RMR, but we report a strong effect of nest environment instead. We therefore conclude that variation in nestling RMR is explained by variation in the early-life environment provided by the parents. We discuss possible underlying specific parental effects and the importance of taking different mechanisms into account to understand how animals phenotypically adapt (or fail to adapt) to climate change.