Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Finding and Implementing Relevant Resources in Adapted Physical Activity (APA): It's easier said than done...

The purpose of this research was to explore challenges to operationalizing and implementing relevant resources for Adapted Physical Activity (APA) and to develop a framework on how resources should be developed and implemented to foster appropriate APA. An unobtrusive methodology was used to examine existing resources and training/learning opportunities for practitioners teaching APA. Data were collected via unobtrusive methods: documents, records, literature and feedback forms. After the findings were summarized, expert consultations were completed using a modified Delphitechnique to confirm the findings. A constructivist approach and phenomenological orientation was used to analyze the data and develop the “ideal” resource. Results indicate there are limited APA resources and teaching/learning opportunities for practitioners and there is a need for practitioner facilitation through professional development on finding and implementing resources. Future research should develop and evaluate the “ideal” resource and strive to improve the connection and consistency of resources in APA. FINDING AND IMPLEMENTING RESOURCES v
Leveraging Scale-Up Machines for Swift DBMS Replication on IaaS Platforms Using BalenaDB

SUMMARY In infrastructure-as-a-service platforms, cloud users can adjust their database (DB) service scale to dynamic workloads by changing the number of virtual machines running a DB management system (DBMS), called DBMS instances. Replicating a DBMS instance is a non-trivial task since DBMS replication is time-consuming due to the trend that cloud vendors o ﬀ er high-spec DBMS instances. This paper presents BalenaDB , which performs urgent DBMS replication for handling sudden workload increases. Unlike convectional replication schemes that implicitly assume DBMS replicas are generated on remote machines, BalenaDB generates a warmed-up DBMS replica on an instance running on the local machine where the master DBMS instance runs, by leveraging the master DBMS resources. We prototyped BalenaDB on MySQL 5.6. 21, Linux 3.17. 2, and Xen 4.4. 1. The experimental results show that the time for generating the warmed-up DBMS replica instance on BalenaDB is up to 30 × shorter than an existing DBMS instance replication scheme, achieving signiﬁcantly e ﬃ cient memory utilization.
Regularidad superficial y adherencia en vías ciclistas - recomendaciones de diseño disponibles

This paper presents an overview of different national and international regulations and recommendations about pavement design in cycle lanes and analyzes the specifications for surface roughness and slip/skid resistance that each offers. After a comparative study, it highlights the lack of specific design criteria and the need to unify the standard test methods and limit values of acceptance and / or rejection to ensure the safety and comfort of the new constructed sections, thus promoting cycling mobility in cities.
Intelligent ISFET sensory system for water quality monitoring

ii ABSTRACT This thesis presents a new intelligent ISFET sensory system dedicated to a precision pH sensory function as well as long-term monitoring capability without being jeopardized by temperature and drift fluctuations in the water-quality monitoring environment. The research leads to the information of a new ISFET behavior-SPICE model for ISFET sensor simulation, a new non-saturation based ISFET interface circuit, a new saturation-based ISFET interface circuit, a novel ISFET nonlinear temperature compensation method, a novel ISFET drift and slow pH response compensation method, a new dynamic current mirror for use in temperature compensation and a microcontroller-based ISFET sensory system that realizes the proposed temperature and drift compensation technique for precision pH sensing in long-term monitoring at different temperatures. The ISFET interface circuit has been fabricated in TSMC CMOS 0.25 μm process technology. The Si3N4-gate ISFET sensor is based on the D+T Microelectronica, A.I.E (CNM), Spain. The proposed intelligent ISFET sensory system, including the sensor, interface IC, microcontroller and support circuits, has been validated by the experiments at a single 3.3V supply. It exhibits a maximum accuracy error of 0.02 pH at 23C and 0.05 pH at 40C with dual compensation. The compensation results show a maximum time drift of 0.003 pH/hour (0.166 mV/hour) at 23C and an average temperature drift of 0.00049 pH/hour/C (0.0245 mV/hour/ C) for a reference temperature increase from 23C to 40C, with the value of the pH solution ranging from 4 to 9 in six-hourly measurements. These measured results outperform those of the reported drift reduction techniques, suggesting that the ISFET sensory system using novel compensation is able to provide significant immunity against temperature change, time drift and temperature drift, which are favorable towards robust measurements in environmental monitoring applications. ATTENTION: The Singapore Copyright Act applies to the use of this document. Nanyang Technological University Library
User Guided Reconstruction of Architectural Buildings

Evaluating the current structural stability of historical buildings is a challenging task. Even the stability and structure of the original architecture is often poorly understood and difficult to calculate. Using a laser point cloud scan as a template from which to base the geometric reconstruction, we can more accurately capture the current state of the cathedral. In order to analyze the structural stability, the building must be discretized into a collection of adjacent geometric primitives. We have created a system that allows a user to do a 3D reconstruction of these historical buildings, particularly cathedrals, by fitting geometric primitives to the point cloud scan. There are three major components to aid the user in reconstructing the architecture: the user interface, data visualization, and the geometric fitting algorithm. The system efficiently renders the point cloud from which the user can then select portions of the point cloud to model. After the user provides a rough estimate of the geometry, the geometric fitting algorithm snaps the selected geometry to the user’s point cloud selection. Once the cathedral is constructed and geometries are adjacent, we can evaluate the forces using structural gradients and predict changes to the geometry to form a more stable structure. Our program allows users to output volumetric 3D models with adjacent blocks such that the structural stability may be evaluated. Thesis Supervisor: Fredo Durand Title: Associate Professor
Higher levels of TWEAK and matrix metalloproteinase-3 during the acute phase of myocardial infarction are associated with adverse left ventricular remodeling

Introduction It is known that the levels of tumor necrosis factor-like weak inducer of apoptosis (TWEAK/TNFSF12) increase after myocardial infarction (MI) and that it interacts with sCD163. It has also been argued that TWEAK can induce matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in macrophages. Aim To investigate the roles of TWEAK, sCD163, and MMPs in left ventricular (LV) adverse remodeling (AR) in the early post-MI period. Material and methods Forty-six patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) who underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention were enrolled in the study. Post-MI LV functions and volumes were assessed by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging at 2 weeks and 6 months. Cytokines and MMPs were measured using a bead-based multiplex immunoassay system at 1 day (baseline) and 2 weeks post-MI. AR was defined as an increase in LV end-diastolic volume of ≥ 10% at the 6-month follow up. Results The TWEAK, MMP-2, and MMP-3 baseline levels were higher in the patients with AR than those without AR. At 2 weeks post-MI, these expression levels were similar in patients with and without AR, but sCD163 expression was increased in patients without AR. The TWEAK and MMP levels were positively correlated in the early period post-MI. At first day post-MI, higher levels of TWEAK and MMP-3 were predictors of AR (OR = 1.03, p = 0.006; OR = 1.08, p = 0.015; respectively). Conclusions TWEAK can induce MMPs in the early period post-MI, and these higher levels contribute to development of AR. Increased sCD163 levels at 2 weeks post-MI seem to be associated with the healing process through neutralizing the excessive inflammatory effects of TWEAK.
Research on the Third-Person Effect of Online Commercial Advertisements – Based on the Students from Guangzhou Huashang College

The third-person effect hypothesis has become one of the most important aspects in the research field within the American empirical school. A large number of studies have adopted empirical research methods to verify the reliability of the third-person effect. With the rise of the network society, local research on the third-person effect has gradually extended to the verification or falsification of the third-person effect in the network environment. This article begins with a study on the third-person effect of online commercial advertisements based on the students from Guangzhou Huashang College. Through the study, the research hypotheses have been proposed and questionnaires have been distributed to the research subjects for analysis. Based on a series of quantitative operations, such as data analysis, empirical observations, and empirical research, this study provides a source of reference and reflection for research in this field.
Economic Analysis of Hybrid Battery Energy Storage Systems Applied to Frequency Control in Power System

The battery energy storage system (BESS) is prospective energy storage in the smart grid, and the hybrid energy storage system (HESS), using two different kinds of battery, is also being studied to achieve better performance and the lower cost than the single‐battery‐type BESS. However, the cost issue has not yet been evaluated explicitly. On the other hand, BESS has been studied and offers promise for ancillary service, although HESS has not been applied to frequency control in power systems. This paper focuses on the application of HESS to frequency control and its economic analysis. In this paper, the important battery characteristics in the application to a power system are introduced and two kinds of HESS are evaluated in terms of their cost when applied to frequency control. In addition, the cost HESS is used for peak shift as well as frequency control is analyzed.
Competitive Biosynthesis of Bacterial Alginate Using Azotobacter vinelandii 12 for Tissue Engineering Applications

This study investigated the effect of various cultivation conditions (sucrose/phosphate concentrations, aeration level) on alginate biosynthesis using the bacterial producing strain Azotobacter vinelandii 12 by the full factorial design (FFD) method and physicochemical properties (e.g., rheological properties) of the produced bacterial alginate. We demonstrated experimentally the applicability of bacterial alginate for tissue engineering (the cytotoxicity testing using mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs)). The isolated synthesis of high molecular weight (Mw) capsular alginate with a high level of acetylation (25%) was achieved by FFD method under a low sucrose concentration, an increased phosphate concentration, and a high aeration level. Testing the viscoelastic properties and cytotoxicity showed that bacterial alginate with a maximal Mw (574 kDa) formed the densest hydrogels (which demonstrated relatively low cytotoxicity for MSCs in contrast to bacterial alginate with low Mw). The obtained data have shown promising prospects in controlled biosynthesis of bacterial alginate with different physicochemical characteristics for various biomedical applications including tissue engineering.
Exploring the Contribution to ADHD of Genes Involved in Mendelian Disorders Presenting with Hyperactivity and/or Inattention

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by hyperactivity, impulsivity, and/or inattention, which are symptoms also observed in many rare genetic disorders. We searched for genes involved in Mendelian disorders presenting with ADHD symptoms in the Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) database, to curate a list of new candidate risk genes for ADHD. We explored the enrichment of functions and pathways in this gene list, and tested whether rare or common variants in these genes are associated with ADHD or with its comorbidities. We identified 139 genes, causal for 137 rare disorders, mainly related to neurodevelopmental and brain function. Most of these Mendelian disorders also present with other psychiatric traits that are often comorbid with ADHD. Using whole exome sequencing (WES) data from 668 ADHD cases, we found rare variants associated with the dimension of the severity of inattention symptoms in three genes: KIF11, WAC, and CRBN. Then, we focused on common variants and identified six genes associated with ADHD (in 19,099 cases and 34,194 controls): MANBA, UQCC2, HIVEP2, FOPX1, KANSL1, and AUH. Furthermore, HIVEP2, FOXP1, and KANSL1 were nominally associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) (18,382 cases and 27,969 controls), as well as HIVEP2 with anxiety (7016 cases and 14,475 controls), and FOXP1 with aggression (18,988 individuals), which is in line with the symptomatology of the rare disorders they are responsible for. In conclusion, inspecting Mendelian disorders and the genes responsible for them constitutes a valuable approach for identifying new risk genes and the mechanisms of complex disorders.
Miniaturized Gas Sensor Platform for Selective Vapors Detection at Room Temperature

Gas sensors are usually made of metallic oxides and need to operate at relatively high temperatures (about hundreds of Celsius degrees). Besides, they generally present drawbacks: low selectivity, elevated response time, and degradation. Novel nanostructured materials such as carbon nanotubes and graphene, among others, have been proposed to overcome these problems due to their unique electronic properties. However, these materials also present low selectivity for many gas species. In order to take advantage of the benefits of using carbon materials for gas sensing at room temperature, this work presents a proposal of humidity and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) sensing based on a miniaturized platform composed of four sensors. The lack of selectivity of individual materials is compensated by crossing the responses of each sensor. Results showed very fast response and recovery times (just few seconds), as well as good sensitivity (response variation up to four orders of magnitude). With this approach, the selectivity to discriminate the vapors can be improved, since each substance has an individual response pattern in the gas sensor array.
Study of the volumetric behavior of a residual tropical clay

Abstract This paper focuses on the volumetric behavior of residual tropical soils. Two residual tropical soils belonging to the same geological formation and located in the coastal sedimentary basin of Gabon are studied. These soils are known as pelitic soils. As the hydromechanical behavior of residual tropical soils is still relatively unknown, it is interesting to study the influence of suction on the volumetric behavior of these soils through shrinkage curves. The purpose of this study is twofold. First, to study the volume variations in the two studied residual tropical soils with suction changes. Secondly, to propose a modelling of soil-water retention curves (SWRCs) of these soils. For this purpose, shrinkage tests are carried out to study the volume variations of the studied soils. These tests are supported by determining a bilinear approximation model to enable the variation in suction during drying to be estimated. Tests to determine SWRCs at different initial dry densities are used to calibrate the bilinear approximation model between void ratio and suction. The modified Kovács model (MK model) has been adapted to model SWRCs of the studied soils.
Community energy planning for Revelstoke, BC: A case study

A new approach to Community Energy Planning (CEP) was piloted in the City of Revelstoke, BC with partial funding from Natural Resources Canada. The CEP employed a disaggregated end use model for the entire community to permit accurate and precise forecasting of energy consumption. The model the Took-kit for Integrated Resource Accounting (TIRA) is a forecasting and modeling software program developed by Seltair Scientific. The CEP began by using community goals to create a logical framework for evaluating CEP scenarios. From the community goals, a number of objectives, targets and indicators were developed to ensure that options explored in the CEP were consistent with the broader community vision. Estimates of current energy consumption were developed for buildings, transportation, industry and infrastructure. Indicators were developed including financial, economic development, CO{sub 2} emissions, and per capita energy use. One business as usual scenario and three alternate scenarios were developed. Scenarios were developed to assess the impact of new policies and programs, including: (1) A district energy system; (2) The retrofit of older residential homes; and (3) ESCO activity in the local municipal and school buildings. A strategy was then proposed to integrate the CEP into the existing Official Community Plan. If adopted,more » the CEP is estimated to result in: (1) an average reduction of household expenditures on energy by 7% over 20 years; (2) 2 new local industries, with the creation of 26 full time jobs in Revelstoke; (3) a reduction of per capita CO{sub 2} emissions by 16% below 1996 levels; and (4) cumulative savings on energy dollars spent in the community of approximately $10 million. The use of an end-use model and forecasting methodology proved valuable in educating the community, and creating more informative and politically acceptable scenarios. Preliminary results indicate that a CEP may help to facilitate adoption of district energy and other specific programs. « less
Emergency Remote Language Learning: Student perspectives of L2 learning during the COVID-19 pandemic

As teachers and students have abruptly shifted from traditional classroombased learning to online classes due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a need to evaluate the attitudes of learners towards remote foreign language learning, particularly among Japanese students who often have little to no experience with the learning method. Therefore, the primary goal of this study was to evaluate Japanese L2 students’ opinions of remote language learning. Through a pre-/post-survey study design, the study also investigated if there was a significant difference between the participants’ initial perceptions of online language learning and their attitudes after a semester of study. A total of 208 students from three Japanese universities completed both the pre and post-surveys, which were primarily comprised of Likert-scale items based on five Technology Acceptance Model constructs (perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, attitudes towards use, anxiety, and behavioral intention). Data from reflective reports was also obtained from a select group of participants to gain a deeper understanding of the learners’ views. Pertinent findings and pedagogical implications are discussed so that language teachers can make informed decisions about their own remote teaching contexts. © 2021 Gilbert Dizon & Benjamin Thanyawatpokin
The associations of active and passive social media use with well-being: A critical scoping review

A recurring claim in the literature is that active social media use (ASMU) leads to increases in well-being, whereas passive social media use (PSMU) leads to decreases in well-being. The aim of this review was to investigate the validity of this claim by comparing the operationalizations and results of studies into the association of ASMU and PSMU with well-being (e.g. happiness) and ill-being (e.g. depressive symptoms). We found 40 survey-based studies, which utilized a hodgepodge of 36 operationalizations of ASMU and PSMU and which yielded 172 associations of ASMU and/or PSMU with well-/ill-being. Most studies did not support the hypothesized associations of ASMU and PSMU with well-/ill-being. Time spent on ASMU and PSMU may be too coarse to lead to meaningful associations with well-/ill-being. Therefore, future studies should take characteristics of the content of social media (e.g. the valence), its senders (e.g. pre-existing mood), and receivers (e.g. differential susceptibility) into account.
Electrochemically Fabricated Surface-Mesostructured CuNi Bimetallic Catalysts for Hydrogen Production in Alkaline Media

Ni-based bimetallic films with 20 at. % and 45 at. % Cu and mesostructured surfaces were prepared by electrodeposition from an aqueous solution containing micelles of P123 triblock copolymer serving as a structure-directing agent. The pH value of the electrolytic solution had a key effect on both the resulting Cu/Ni ratio and the surface topology. The catalytic activity of the CuNi films toward hydrogen evolution reaction was investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) in 1 M KOH electrolyte at room temperature. The Cu45Ni55 film showed the highest activity (even higher than that of a non-mesostructured pure Ni film), which was attributed to the Ni content at the utmost surface, as demonstrated by CV studies, as well as the presence of a highly corrugated surface.
Investigation of the effect of receiving Antenna height on cell coverage area in Khartoum city center

In this work we study the effect of receiving antenna high on average cell coverage percentages. First of all, the received signal for two received antenna heights [1 m and 3.5 m] were measured and simplified path loss models parameters are developed. The cell coverage percentage is calculated for the two receive antenna height propagation model. The result shows that at the higher receive antenna height the coverage percentage is always better due to less shadowing fading.
Virtual Screening in Pharmacokinetics, Bioactivity, and Toxicity of the Amburana cearensis Secondary Metabolites

Bioprospecting has contributed to the work of pharmaceutical chemists in the development and commercial disposal of new drugs. Currently, the pharmaceutical industry has emphasized drugs produced from bioactive compounds extracted from natural sources, based on popular medicine discussed in the literature, such as secondary metabolites isolated from the stem bark and seeds of the Amburana cearensis, rich in coumarin derivatives, flavonoids, and phenolic acids and is popularly used in the treatment of respiratory diseases and with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant bioactivity. This review is a study of the structure/activity and structure/property (SAR/SPA) relationship with the physicochemical properties calculated by the algorithms of the MarvinSketch software for the secondary metabolites of A. cearensis, as well as their correlation with in silico test values the SwissADME and admetSAR 2.0 servers and in vitro and in vivo models of the dataset from the PreADMET, GUSAR Online and PASS Online servers. The results showed that substances derived from coumarin, flavonoids, and phenolic acids have attributes of good permeability and low efflux, which favor their oral bioavailability, since phenolic heterosides, amburoside analogs, and biflavonoids are effective in local action as subcutaneous application, constituting promising antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant therapeutic actions in their proper administration routes.