Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Human activity recognition using penalized support vector machines and hidden Markov models

Human activity recognition using penalized support vector machines and hidden Markov models Reconocimiento de actividades humanas utilizando máquinas de soporte vectorial penalizadas y modelos ocultos de Markov Leidy Esperanza Pamplona Berón1, Carlos Alberto Henao Baena2*, Andrés Felipe Calvo Salcedo3 1Facultad de Ingenierías, Universidad Santiago de Cali, Docente programa ingeniería electrónica. Calle 5 # 62 -00. C. P. 760035. Santiago de Cali, Colombia. 2Centro de Atención Sector Agropecuario, SENA TecnoparqueNodo Pereira, Línea de Electrónica y Telecomunicaciones. Carrera 8 # 26-79, centro, carrera 8. C. P. 660002. Pereira, Colombia. 3Facultad de Ingenierías, Universidad Tecnológica de Pereira, Docente programa ingeniería electrónica. Carrera 27 # 10-02 Barrio Álamos. C. P. 660003. Risaralda, Colombia.
The Nexus of Payroll, Performance, Ticket Prices, and Attendance in MLB

This study uses secondary data from the past ten seasons to explore key issues germane to Major League Baseball. Focusing on attendance, payroll, performance, and the cost of attending, several key relationships were identified. Huge disparities in spending are documented. Perhaps most importantly, there is a meaningful relationship between performance and attendance. Equally important is the relationship between performance and the team’s payroll. Other relationships were documented and suggestions are articulated. These suggestions include future research and managerial issues such as the implementation of a hard salary cap.
Preparation and Characterisation of Gellan Gum and Eudragit E100 Polyelectrolyte Complexes

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Transition Dynamics in Equilibrium Search

We study a dynamic equilibrium search model where sellers differ in their urgency to liquidate an asset. Buyers strategically make price offers without knowing a given seller’s urgency. We study liquidity and price dynamics on the transition path after an unexpected shock. Generically, the transition includes a phase where all buyers offer the same price, causing a market collapse; however, price dispersion resumes in finite time, leading to a recovery where both types make sales. We show that prices and liquidity can overshoot before converging to the steady state. When relaxed sellers randomly become desperate, dampening oscillations can occur. (JEL C73, D11, D83)
Is Segmental Ureterectomy Associated with Inferior Survival for Localized Upper-Tract Urothelial Carcinoma of the Ureter Compared to Radical Nephroureterectomy?

Simple Summary National cancer registry data showed that segmental ureterectomy is not associated with inferior survival compared to radical nephroureterectomy in upper-tract urothelial carcinoma patients. Segmental ureterectomy provides a valid surgical approach that does not meaningfully sacrifice survival outcomes within appropriately selected patients of upper urothelial carcinoma of the ureter. Given the potential renal functional preservation benefits, segmental ureterectomy should be considered for selected patients, especially if there is an increased probability of requiring adjuvant chemotherapy. Abstract Segmental ureterectomy (SU) is an alternative to radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) in the treatment of upper-tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) of the ureter. SU generally preserves renal function, at the expense of less intensive cancer control. We aim to assess whether SU is associated with inferior survival compared to RNU. Using the National Cancer Database (NCDB), we identified patients diagnosed with localized UTUC of the ureter between 2004–2015. We used a propensity-score-overlap-weighted (PSOW) multivariable survival model to compare survival following SU vs. RNU. PSOW-adjusted Kaplan–Meier curves were generated and we performed a non-inferiority test of overall survival. A population of 13,061 individuals with UTUC of the ureter receiving either SU or RNU was identified; of these, 9016 underwent RNU and 4045 SU. Factors associated with decreased likelihood of receiving SU were female gender (OR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.75–0.88; p < 0.001), advanced clinical T stage (cT4) (OR, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.30–0.88; p = 0.015), and high-grade tumor (OR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.67–0.86; p < 0.001). Age greater than 79 years was associated with increased probability of undergoing SU (OR, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.00–1.38; p = 0.047). There was no statistically significant difference in OS between SU and RNU (HR, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.93–1.04; p = 0.538). SU was not inferior to RNU in PSOW-adjusted Cox regression analysis (p < 0.001 for non-inferiority). In weighted cohorts of individuals with UTUC of the ureter, the use of SU was not associated with inferior survival compared to RNU. Urologists should continue to utilize SU in appropriately selected patients.
A Normalized Real-Life Glucose Profile After Diet-Induced Remission of Type 2 Diabetes: A Pilot Trial

Background/objective Type 2 diabetes related to metabolic syndrome is often partially reversible after weight loss. We conducted a pilot trial on whether complete remission to the point of a normalized real-life glucose profile, measured by continuous subcutaneous monitoring, can be achieved. Methods We conducted a mono-center, single-arm intervention trial between January 20, 2020, and January 12, 2021, in Munich, Germany. Ten participants had type 2 diabetes related to metabolic syndrome for a maximum of six years. They received a six-month lifestyle intervention including up to three months of a very-low-calorie formula diet, followed by stepwise food reintroduction and regular behavioral lifestyle counseling. The primary outcome was the status of glucose control at the end of the intervention. Complete remission was defined as normalization of the real-life glucose profile without glucose-lowering medication over at least five days. We measured anthropometric and biochemical parameters, body fat distribution by MRI, and insulin secretory reserve by an arginine stimulation test. Results Seven participants completed the trial, one reached complete remission, three achieved partial remission, and three displayed improved glucose control still in the diabetic range. A reduction of median glycosylated hemoglobin by −10 mmol/mol (−22.0 to −5.0; p = 0.016) co-occurred with weight loss of −6.4 kg (−14.2 to −3.5; p = 0.031). The insulin secretory reserve remained unchanged. Conclusions Complete remission of type 2 diabetes related to metabolic syndrome to the point of a normalized real-life glucose profile is possible through lifestyle intervention. Full intervention success remains challenging even with intensive counseling and support.
Assessing the Performance of Remote Laboratory

—Remote laboratory facilities have been accessible from the internet for more than a decade. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, remote laboratories have become an option for technical and vocational schools and high schools to continue the laboratory learning process. The biggest challenge in implementing remote laboratories is the physical equipment and assessment of the facility. Not only technical support but also usability and support for students should be considered. On the technical side, the physical equipment must be fully controlled independently by the student. The remote laboratory performance was tested using the Web Applications Performance Test (WAPT) tool. Questionnaires for students were used to determine the ease of use and accessibility of the application of this laboratory. This research found that the software and equipment were quite good in the remote laboratory that was being developed. Likewise, the control on the student side is also well accessible. There is a significant weakness that one user can only use this remote laboratory at a time. It cannot be multi-user at a time.
Towards Automatic Parameter Selection for Multifidelity Surrogate-Based Optimization

The performance of surrogate-based optimization are highly aﬀected by how the surrogate training set is deﬁned. This is especially true for multi-ﬁdelity surrogate models, where diﬀerent training sets exist for each ﬁdelity. Adaptive sampling methods have been developed to improve the ﬁtting capabilities of surrogate models, avoiding to deﬁne an a priori design of experiments, adding training points only where necessary or most useful (i.e., providing the highest knowledge gain) to the optimization process. Nevertheless, the eﬃciency of the adaptive sampling is highly aﬀected by its initialization. The paper presents and discusses a novel initialization strategy with a limited training set for adaptive sampling. The proposed strategy aims to reduce the computational cost of evaluating the initial training set. Furthermore, it allows the surrogate model to adapt more freely to the data. In this work, the proposed approach is applied to single-and multi-ﬁdelity stochastic radial basis functions for an analytical test problem and the shape optimization of a NACA hydrofoil. Numerical results show that the results of the surrogate-based optimization are improved, thanks to a more eﬀective and eﬃcient domain space exploration and a signiﬁcant reduction of high-ﬁdelity evaluations.
Fundamentals of Solid Mechanics: A Treatise on Strength of Materials

Preface 1. Introductory Concepts 2. Analysis for Axial Forces: The Cable and the Plane Truss 3. Analysis for Deformation of Bars: Statically Determinate Systems (Simple Stresses and Strains-Elastic Constants) 4. Analysis for Axial Deformation of Bars: Statically Indeterminate Systems (Composite Systems and Thermal Stresses) 5. Biaxial and Triaxial Stresses and Strains: Pressure Vessels 6. Torsion 7. Shearing Force and Bending Moment Diagrams 8. Bending of Simple Beams 9. Shearing Stresses 10. Springs 11. Combined Stresses: Elastic Bending of Members with Axial Loads 12. Rivetted and Bolted Connections 13. Welded Connections 14. Deflections (Direct Integration and Geometrical Methods) 15. Deflections (Energy Methods) 16. Members Subjected to Compression: Columns and Struts. 17. Unsymmetrical (Skew) Bending 18. Curved Members Subjected to Bending 19. Plastic Bending 20. Principal and Complex Stresses 21. Special Topics Appendix A Geometrical Characteristics of Cross-Sections Appendix B Shear Force, Bending Moment Diagrams and Deflection Formulae for Beams References Index.
Project-Based Organizations’ Pursuit of Production Efficiency and Legitimate Power: An Institutional Perspective

Drawing on institutional theory, this article aims to investigate how owners’ project-based organizations (PBOs) can promote production efficiency and legitimate power under the influence of legal enforceability. Analyzing a sample of Chinese construction projects, we find that PBOs can achieve this goal by designing more complex contracts when legal enforceability increases. The PBOs’ expertise reduces the effect of legal enforceability on contracts and alleviates their dependence on contracts when pursuing efficiency. These results can guide PBOs to design contracts according to their expertise and the legal environment to promote production efficiency and legitimate power.
Late Holocene coseismic uplift of the Kaikoōura coast, New Zealand

The complex 2016 MW 7.8 Kaikōura earthquake ruptured >20 faults and caused highly variable uplift and subsidence of an ~110 km stretch of coastline. The earthquake raised questions about fault interactions in regions of oblique convergence and especially subduction to strike-slip transition zones like the Kaikōura region. We integrate 2016 coastal vertical deformation observations with new mapping and dating of Holocene marine terraces to: (1) compare spatial patterns of 2016 coseismic and longer-term vertical motions, (2) investigate possible past multi-fault ruptures or temporal clusters of earthquakes around Kaikōura, and (3) assess the relative contributions of crustal faults and the Hikurangi subduction interface to late Holocene coastal uplift. We identify possible multi-fault ruptures or loose clusters of earthquakes at ca. 850–550 yr B.P. and ca. 350–100 yr B.P. Most (and possibly all) of the Kaikōura coast has been uplifted over the late Holocene; the 25-km-long Parikawa section of coast subsided coseismically in 2016 but appears to be uplifted through reverse slip on an offshore fault. Late Holocene uplift everywhere along the coastline of interest can be attributed to slip on known upper-plate faults; slip on a shallow-dipping (<20°) subduction interface cannot be ruled out but is not required to explain uplift.
Pervasive Pose Estimation for Fall Detection

Falls are the second leading cause of accidental or unintentional injuries/deaths worldwide. Accurate pose estimation using commodity mobile devices will help early detection and injury assessment of falls, which are essential for the first aid of elderly falls. By following the definition of fall, we propose a Pervasive Pose Estimation scheme for fall detection (P \( ^2 \) Est), which measures changes in tilt angle and height of the human body. For the tilt measurement, P \( ^2 \) Est leverages the pointing of the mobile device, e.g., the smartphone, when unlocking to associate the Device coordinate system with the World coordinate system. For the height measurement, P \( ^2 \) Est exploits the fact that the person’s height remains unchanged while walking to calibrate the pressure difference between the device and the floor. We have prototyped and tested P \( ^2 \) Est in various situations and environments. Our extensive experimental results have demonstrated that P \( ^2 \) Est can track the body orientation irrespective of which pocket the phone is placed in. More importantly, it enables the phone’s barometer to detect falls in various environments with decimeter-level accuracy.
Correlation of tibiofemoral joint-space width with the clinico-radiological scoring of knee osteoarthritis – a comparison between anteroposterior and lyon-schuss radiographic views

Background The degree of joint space narrowing measured on radiographs provide a reliable estimate of the extent and severity of Osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee. While the standing antero-posterior (AP) view radiographs have been used traditionally, recent studies suggest that the Lyon-Schuss (LS) view is able to detect early OA changes better. The present study was, therefore, conducted to make an objective comparison between the two views with respect to their corelation with the patient's clinical and radiological scores. Methods Forty patients (80 knees) were included in this cross-sectional study. Medial as well as lateral tibiofemoral joint space widths (JSW) were measured using vernier callipers on printed, calibrated radiographic images. Knee Society Score (Function) (KSS-F) was used as the clinical outcome measure while Ahlbäck grade was used for determining radiological severity. JSW was correlated with KSS-F and the Ahlbäck grade using Spearman's rho correlation coefficient. Reproducibility of the method was assessed using the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC). Results Average age of the participants was 60 ± 7.65 (range 50–78) years, with 18 males and 22 females. ICC for intraobserver reliability was 0.97 and for inter-observer reliability, was 0.91 (AP view) and 0.92 (LS view), respectively. Medial JSW measurements taken on the AP view were found to have a significantly higher degree of correlation with both KSS-F and Ahlbäck grade (p < 0.05) than those obtained from the LS view. Conclusion Although the LS view may be more sensitive for detecting early OA changes in knee, particularly in the lateral tibiofemoral compartment, the present study shows that AP view correlates better with the patient's overall clinical and radiological profile.
A High Temperature SOI-CMOS Chipset Focusing Sensor Electronics for Operating Temperatures up to 300°C

Sensors are the key elements for capturing environmental properties and are increasingly important in the industry for the intelligent control of industrial processes. While in many everyday objects highly integrated sensor systems are already state of the art, the situation in an industrial environment is clearly different. Frequently, the use of sensor systems is impossible, because the extreme ambient conditions of industrial processes like high operating temperatures or strong mechanical load do not allow the reliable operation of sensitive electronic components. Fraunhofer is running the Lighthouse Project “eHarsh” to overcome this hurdle. In the course of the project, an integrated sensor readout electronic has been realized based on a set of three chips. A dedicated sensor fron-tend provides the analog sensor interface for resistive sensors typically arranged in a Wheatstone configuration. Furthermore, the chipset includes a 32-bit microcontroller for signal conditioning and sensor control. Finally, it comprises an interface chip including a bus transceiver and voltage regulators. The chipset has been realized in a high-temperature 0.35-micron SOI-CMOS technology focusing operating temperatures up to 300°C. The chipset is assembled on a multilayer ceramic low-temperature cofired ceramics (LTCC) board using flip chip technology. The ceramic board consists of four layers with a total thickness of approximately 0.9 mm. The internal wiring is based on silver paste while the external contacts were alternatively manufactured in silver (sintering/soldering) or in gold alloys (wire bonding). As an interconnection technology, silver sintering has been applied. It has already been shown that a significant increase in lifetime can be reached by using silver sintering for die attach applications. Using silver sintering for flip chip technology is a new and challenging approach. By adjusting the process parameter geared to the chipset design and the design of the ceramic board high-quality flip chip interconnects can be generated.
Interaction of surface glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern with potential drug candidates: A molecular docking study

Background: COVID-19 has become a global threat. Since its first outbreak from Wuhan, China in December 2019, the SARS-CoV-2 virus has gone through structural changes arising due to mutations in its surface glycoprotein. These mutations have led to the emergence of different genetic variants threatening public health due to increased transmission and virulence. As new drug development is a long process, repurposing existing antiviral drugs with potential activity against SARS-CoV-2 might be a possible solution to mitigate the current situation. Methods: This study focused on utilizing molecular docking to determine the effect of potential drugs on several variants of concern (VOCs). The effect of various drugs such as baricitinib, favipiravir, lopinavir, remdesivir and dexamethasone, which might have the potential to treat SARS-CoV-2 infections as evident from previous studies, was investigated for different VOCs. Results: Remdesivir showed promising results for B.1. 351 variant (binding energy: -7.3 kcal/mol) with residues Gln319 and Val503 facilitating strong binding. Favipiravir showed favorable results against B.1. 1.7 (binding energy: -5.6 kcal/mol), B.1. 351 (binding energy: -5.1 kcal/mol) and B.1. 617.2 (binding energy: -5 kcal/mol). Molecular dynamics simulation for favipiravir/B.1. 1.7 was conducted and showed significant results in agreement with our findings. Conclusions: From structural modeling and molecular docking experiments, it is evident that mutations outside the receptor binding domain of surface glycoprotein do not have a sharp impact on drug binding affinity. Thus, the potential use of these drugs should be explored further for their antiviral effect against SARS-CoV-2 VOCs.
Rocket Position Servo System Control with Composite PID

In view of the defect of the classical PID which is difficult to obtain good control effect in the rocket AC position servo system where large changes of moment in the scope and the torque impact of gas flow exist,a position controller with compound control strategy of the nonlinear PID and RBF adaptive PID was designed.With the controller,the weaknesses that the nonlinear PID parameters can only change according to fixed rules,RBF adaptive PID limited applications and offline sample selection problems were surmounted.The simulation results show that the control strategy is robust to parameter perturbations and load disturbance,and can improve the control system's dynamic response effectively.
Environmental citizen science in Greece: perceptions and attitudes of key actors

Citizen Science (CS), the voluntary participation of lay people in scientific work, is well-established in the fields of nature conservation and biodiversity monitoring due to its potential to create large environmental datasets. This study aims to understand the familiarity, perceptions and attitudes towards CS of the key environmental actors in Greece. The target group consisted of employees and/or representatives of Environmental Non-Governmental Organisations (ENGOs), scientists and civil servants related to nature conservation. Quantitative data were collected using an electronic questionnaire, 178 fully completed questionnaires and subsequently eight semi-structured interviews with experts were conducted. Descriptive statistics were used to measure the familiarity and attitude of the actors, as well as the obstacles to the development of CS in Greece. We used Cronbach’s test to measure the reliability of the used Likert scale and Kruskal-Wallis non-parametric test to identify significant differences amongst the three groups of actors. Qualitative data were analysed following a Thematic Analysis methodology. The results show that ca. 40% of the key actors are familiar with the terms and CS practice while over 65% with the concept. The general attitude of the actors towards CS is positive although concerns about data quality collected were highlighted. “Lack of cooperation culture”, “Ignorance of the existence of the phenomenon” and “Lack of know-how” emerged as the most important obstacles to CS development in Greece. Although CS is present in Greece, it is not visible enough. The main reasons are that relevant projects employ different terms, are under-represented in the formal literature and include limited, if at all, project dissemination. There are significant differences regarding familiarity and the attitude towards CS between actors, but also similarities concerning the main obstacles. The study sets a baseline which can be employed to improve and further expand Environmental Citizen Science (ECS) in Greece.