Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Architectural Practices and Their Use of IT in the Western Cape Province, South Africa

The application of Information Technologies (IT) is moving forward with tremendous speed affecting all industries and professions; our building profession is no exception. To identify the extent of IT application in the building construction context of South Africa, a survey was conducted in the year 2000; it included IT as one of the many topics investigated. The Western Cape Province (WCP) was selected as the first subject of the ambitious national survey. The survey provides insight into the particular patterns in IT applications within the local architectural industry of the WCP and tracks its implications in terms of human resources and technical needs. This research paper presents a focused perspective of the findings of the survey on the local practices; their general profile, their computer technology profiles, their particular applications of technology and finally the effect of computer use on the profitability and cost reduction of their practices. The data presented in this paper highlights the high numbers of small-sized offices as a general characteristic of the local profile. Although a good percentage of these small offices seem to have a high need and use for IT applications, larger-sized offices are totally computerised and are all networked as well. The use of computers is clearly concentrated in three areas: administration, communication in addition to the core activity of construction drawings production. The survey reveals a major dependency on computer-aided-design (CAD) software where its use extends, in most cases, to clients' presentations. This dependency makes high demands on staff and principals' literacy and on the high competency levels needed for their use of technology. On the financial effect of IT use, many practices are not fully convinced that there is an actual reduction in their running costs. The exception occurs in the case of practices run by principals who use computers themselves; they have a positive perception of the financial benefits of technology. This research establishes a baseline from which to scale the progress in the use and application of IT in the architectural profession, being a key player in the construction industry. It serves as a measure for future surveys of the other provinces. It is hoped that it provides a foundation for many assumptions made by practitioners, technologists, consultants and educators of this field.
X-ray absorbing column densities of a complete sample of short gamma ray bursts

Context. X-ray absorbing column densities (NH) are used as a parameter to quantify the amount of absorbing material along the line of sight. The high values found for long gamma ray bursts (LGRBs) confirmed that these events take place in dense, star-forming environments, joining as an indirect proof the observation of supernovae associated to the bursts and the location in the brightest galaxy regions. Recently, the simultaneous detection of a short gamma ray burst (SGRB) and a gravitational wave signal occurred, strongly supporting the hypothesis that SGRBs instead originate from the merger of compact objects. The different predictions of the two progenitor scenarios for short and long GRBs should be reflected in a difference in the amount of absorbing matter between the two populations, with SGRBs occurring in less dense environments. Previous studies found that the two column density distributions were indistinguishable when compared in the same redshift range. The samples, though, were relatively small (10–12 SGRBs), and spanned a redshift range z ≲ 1. Aims. We update a flux-limited complete sample of Swift-based SGRBs, the SBAT4, bringing it to 25 events and doubling its previous redshift range. We then evaluate the column densities of the events in the updated sample, in order to compare them with the NH distribution of LGRBs, using the sample BAT6ext. Methods. We relied on Monte Carlo simulations of the two populations and compare the computed NH distributions with a two sample Kolmogorov–Smirnov (K–S) test. We then studied how the K–S probability varies with respect to the redshift range we consider. Results. We find that the K–S probability keeps decreasing as redshift increases until at z ∼ 1.8 the probability that short and long GRBs come from the same parent distribution drops below 1%. This testifies for an observational difference among the two populations. This difference may be due to the presence of highly absorbed LGRBs above z ∼ 1.3, which have not been observed in the SGRB sample yet, although this may be due to our inability to detect them, or to the relatively small sample size.
Skin and Systemic Inflammation in Schnitzler's Syndrome Are Associated With Neutrophil Extracellular Trap Formation

Schnitzler's syndrome is a rare autoinflammatory disorder characterized by interleukin-1ß-mediated and neutrophil-dominated inflammation. Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) are web-like structures of decondensed chromatin, histones, and antimicrobial peptides released by neutrophils. NETs were initially described in the context of pathogen defense but are also involved in autoimmune-mediated skin diseases. Here, we assessed the role of neutrophil extracellular trap formation (NETosis) in Schnitzler's syndrome. Immunofluorescence co-staining of myeloperoxidase and subnucleosomal complex was performed on lesional skin samples from patients with Schnitzler's syndrome, other neutrophilic dermatoses (cryopyrin-associated periodic syndrome, Sweet syndrome, and pyoderma gangrenosum), urticarial vasculitis and chronic spontaneous urticaria as well as healthy control skin. Blood neutrophils from patients with Schnitzler's syndrome and controls were isolated, and NETosis was induced by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA). Also, NETosis of control neutrophils induced by symptomatic Schnitzler's syndrome sera, cytokines and sub-threshold PMA doses was studied. Immunofluorescence co-staining revealed widespread and substantial NET formation in lesional skin of Schnitzler's syndrome patients but absence of NETs in chronic spontaneous urticaria and control skin. Neutrophils undergoing NETosis were observed in the skin of other neutrophilic diseases too. Correspondingly, blood neutrophils from Schnitzler's syndrome patients showed significantly elevated NETosis rates compared to control neutrophils following stimulation with PMA. Increased NETosis correlated well with high levels of C-reactive protein (CRP). SchS patients with the lowest NETosis rates had persistent joint and bone pain despite IL-1 blockade. Stimulation of control neutrophils and sub-threshold PMA with sera of symptomatic Schnitzler's syndrome patients disclosed enhanced NETosis as compared to control sera. Our results suggest that the induction of NET formation by neutrophils contributes to skin and systemic inflammation and may support the resolution of local inflammation in Schnitzler's syndrome.
Instrument Maintenance and Flame Detector Control in Gas Turbine

 ABSTRACT Control and automation systems play a very important role in efforts to facilitate industrial processes and all other areas without exception in power generation systems. The control system and automation can facilitate an operation engineer power plant in managing and running the power plant. With the integrated control system, we can monitor the system in real-time, protection system will be easier. The Gas and Steam Power Plant is a combination of a gas power plant and steam power plant. The gas and steam power plant is an installation of equipment that serves to transform the heat energy (fuel and air combustion) into usable electrical energy.Each unit of the gas power plant has an important instrument that can keep the work smooth, and various maintenance methods wereconducted to obtain optimal and effective results. A flame detector is an instrument that detects the value of intensity and frequency of fire in the combustion chamber witha detectable wavelength of 760 nm to 1100 nm. This instrument serves to detect there or not the fire in the combustion
Optical technologies in support of the smart city concept

Globalization and technological advances have made significant changes in city development. To integrate all dimensions of the smart city, communication networks are essential. Smart infrastructure integrates transport, electricity, water distribution, sensing systems, information and communication technologies with communication networks. To make optimal use of all the data available from a range of sensors smart cities need reliable networks. This paper gives an overview of optical technologies for application in smart systems and infrastructures that should handle the capacity of data and smart city applications
Psychotherapy: A World of Meanings

Despite a wealth of findings that psychotherapy is an effective psychological intervention, the principal mechanisms of psychotherapy change are still in debate. It has been suggested that all forms of psychotherapy provide a context which enables clients to transform the meaning of their experiences and symptoms in such a way as to help clients feel better, and function more adaptively. However, psychotherapy is not the only health care intervention that has been associated with “meaning”: the reason why placebo has effects has also been proposed to be a “meaning response. ” Thus, it has been argued that the meaning of treatments has a central impact on beneficial (and by extension, negative) health-related responses. In light of the strong empirical support of a contextual understanding of psychotherapy and its effects, the aim of this conceptual analysis is to examine the role of meaning and its transformation in psychotherapy—in general—and within three different, commonly used psychotherapy modalities.
Towards a Forensic Event Ontology to Assist Video Surveillance-based Vandalism Detection

The detection and representation of events is a critical element in automated surveillance systems. We present here an ontology for representing complex semantic events to assist video surveillance-based vandalism detection. The ontology contains the definition of a rich and articulated event vocabulary that is aimed at aiding forensic analysis to objectively identify and represent complex events. Our ontology has then been applied in the context of London Riots, which took place in 2011. We report also on the experiments conducted to support the classification of complex criminal events from video data.
Small Family Business in Vietnam Succession and Sustainable Development

Enterprise and entrepreneurship are well-known institution and phenomenon that have their history development spreading for more than three centuries. However, in relation to family business they are still not well explored in the literature of management. Based on overview of management literature, this article is an attempt to construct a theoretical framework for the purpose of analysis of family business and entrepreneurship issues in Vietnam’s tourism industry such as succession and sustainable development. As a result, we propose adequate solutions and policy recommendations for business and authority to support and promote this specific business activity towards prosperity and high performance of the tourism industry.
Early Urinary Biomarkers in Pediatric Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD): No Evidence in the Interest of Urinary Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated Lipocalin (uNGAL)

Background: Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD) is increasingly diagnosed during childhood by the presence of renal cysts in patients with a positive familial history. No curative treatment is available and early detection and diagnosis confronts pediatricians with the lack of early markers to decide whether to introduce renal-protective agents and prevent the progression of renal failure. Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated Lipocalin (NGAL) is a tubular protein that has been recently proposed as an early biomarker of renal impairment in the ADPKD adult population. Methods: Urinary NGAL (uNGAL) levels were measured in 15 ADPKD children and compared with 15 age and gender matched controls using parametric, non-parametric, and Bayesian statistics. We also tested the association of uNGAL levels with markers of disease progression, such as proteinuria, albuminuria, blood pressure, and Total Kidney Volume (TKV) using correlation analysis. TKV was calculated by ultrasound, using the ellipsoid method. Results: No difference in mean uNGAL levels was observed between groups (ADPKD: 26.36 ng/ml; Controls: 27.24 ng/ml; P = 0.96). Moreover, no correlation was found between uNGAL and proteinuria (P = 0.51), albuminuria (P = 0.69), TKV (P = 0.68), or mean arterial pressure (P = 0.90). By contrast, TKV was positively correlated with proteinuria (P = 0.04), albuminuria (P = 0.001), and mean arterial pressure (P = 0.03). Conclusion: uNGAL did not confirm its superiority as a marker of disease progression in a pediatric ADPKD population. In the contrary, TKV appears to be an easy measurable variable and may be promising as a surrogate marker to follow ADPKD progression in children.
Are Islamic mutual funds exposed to lower risk compared to their conventional counterparts?

This study aims to comparatively analyze the systematic, idiosyncratic and downside risk exposure of both Islamic and conventional funds in Pakistan to see which of the funds has higher risk exposure. ,The study analyzes different types of risks involved in both Islamic and conventional funds for the period from 2009 to 2016 by using different risk measures. For systematic and idiosyncratic risk single factor CAPM and multifactor models such as Fama French three factors model and Carhart four factors model are used. For downside risk analysis different measures such as downside beta, relative beta, value at risk and expected short fall are used. ,The study finds that Islamic funds have lower risk exposure (including total, systematic, idiosyncratic and downside risk) compared with their conventional counterparts in most of the sample years, and hence, making them appear more attractive for investment especially for Sharīʿah-compliant investors preferring low risk preferences. ,As this study shows, Islamic mutual funds exhibit lower risk exposure than their conventional counterparts so investors with lower risk preferences can invest in these kinds of funds. In this way, this research provides the input to the individual investors (especially Sharīʿah-compliant investors who want to avoid interest based investment) to help them with their investment decisions as they can make a more diversified portfolio by considering Islamic funds as a mean for reducing the risk exposure. ,To the best of the author’s knowledge, this study is the first attempt at world level in looking at the comparative risk analysis of various types of the risks as follows: systematic, idiosyncratic and downside risk, for both Islamic and conventional funds, and thus, provides significant contribution in the literature of mutual funds.
Phospho-ERK levels as predictors for chemotherapy of rectal carcinoma

Treatment of rectal cancer has been vastly improved by advances in surgery and radiochemotherapy but remains an important cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. A particular problem is the lack of predictive markers that can help to individualize treatment. The growth- and apoptosis-regulating signaling molecules ERK 1 and 2 are important to cancer growth and progression. They are activated through phosphorylation, which is initiated by a cascade involving the EGF receptor and RAS as upstream regulators. Moreover, in vitro studies indicate that phospho-ERKs interfere with 5-fluorouracil-based chemotherapy. Recently, we showed that high levels of phospho-ERKs in rectal cancer cells predict poor responses to neoadjuvant (preoperative) radiochemotherapy. We now report that preoperative phospho-ERK levels also can subdivide high-risk rectal cancer patients into a favorable and a poor prognostic group with respect to recurrence-free survival. Importantly, phospho-ERK levels were of predictive significance only in high-risk patients, who received adjuvant (postoperative) chemotherapy, but not in high-risk patients not receiving such therapy. Our results suggest that high cancer cell levels of phospho-ERK predict poor responsiveness to both preoperative and postoperative chemotherapy of rectal cancer.
Determinants of Dropout From Correctional Offender Treatment

Research indicates that approximately one third of offenders admitted to social-therapeutic correctional facilities in Germany fail to complete treatment and that treatment dropout is linked to higher recidivism in both sexual and violent offenders. The purpose of this study was to examine determinants of treatment dropout in a social-therapeutic correctional facility in Germany. The sample consisted of 205 incarcerated adult male offenders (49.8% sexual, 38.1% non-sexual violent) admitted to correctional treatment. Completers and dropouts were compared on variables pertaining to demographics, offense type, substance abuse, psychopathy, risk, and protective factors. Univariate analyses showed that treatment dropouts demonstrated significantly higher scores on measures of risk and psychopathy and lower scores on protective factors. Logistic regression analyses identified unemployment, non-sexual violent index offense, higher risk scores (HCR-20), and Facet 1 (interpersonal deficits) of the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) as significant predictors of treatment dropout. Surprisingly, substance abuse disorder was a negative predictor of dropout. With the exception of substance abuse, the results support the notion that treatment dropouts represent a group of high-risk offenders with particular treatment needs. Practical implications and suggestions for further research are discussed.
Edge-preserving filter with adaptive L0 gradient optimization

Wireless multimedia sensor networks have recently emerged as one of the most important technologies to actively perceive physical world and empower a wide spectrum of potential applications in various areas. Due to the advantages of rapid deployment, flexible networking, and multimedia information perceiving, wireless multimedia sensor networks are suitable for transmitting mass multimedia data such as audio, video, and images. Two-dimensional images are among the nuclear ways to convey certain information, and there exists a large number of image data to be processed and transmitted; however, the complexity of environment and the instability of sensing component both can give rise to the insignificant information of the resulted images. Hence, image processing attracts a lot of research concerns in last several decades. Our concern in this article is filtering technology on image signal. Filtering is shown to be a key technique to ensure the validity and reliability of the wireless multimedia sensor networks images, which aims to preserve salient edges and remove low-amplitude structures. The well-known L0 gradient minimization employs L0 norm as gradient sparsity prior, and it is capable of preserving sharp edges. Similar to the total variation model, L0 gradient minimization may easily suffer from the staircase effect and even lose part of the structure. Therefore, in this article, we propose an edge-preserving filter with adaptive L0 gradient optimization. Different from original L0 gradient minimization, we introduce an adaptive L0 regularization. The newly proposed adaptive function is feature-driven and makes the utmost of the image gradient, enabling the filter to remove low-amplitude structures and preserve key edges. Furthermore, the proposed filter can effectively avoid staircase effect and is robust to noise. We develop an efficient optimization algorithm to solve the proposed model based on alternating minimization. Through extensive experiments, our method shows many attractive properties like preserving meaningful edges, avoiding staircase effect, robustness to noise, and so on. Applications including noise reduction, clip-art compression artifact removal, detail enhancement and edge extraction, image abstraction and pencil sketching, and high dynamic range tone mapping further demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Casey-Fink Graduate Experience Survey for Nurses and Preceptors in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Background: Preceptors play an essential role in supporting new nurses during the transitional period in professional roles. Moreover, graduate nurses experience several challenges during their transitional role from students to professional nurses, despite the considerable relationship between nurses and preceptors. Purpose: The study aims to evaluate the relationship between the experiences of nurses using Casey-Fink Graduate Nurse Experience Survey and the number of preceptors in Saudi hospitals. Methods: A cross-sectional study design was adopted, and Casey-Fink Graduate Nurse Experience Survey was used to collect data from 84 newly graduated nurses. Descriptive and regression analysis was used for data analysis. Results: Results showed that there was no statistically significant relationship between the responses of 5 factors of the Casey-Fink Graduate experience survey and the number of preceptors. Based on the survey, (33.8%) had to stress whereas significant causes of stress were student loans (41.9%), personal relationships (13.5%), living situation (27%), and finances (10.8%). Conclusion: No statistically significant relationship was found between variables including; support, patient safety, communication/leadership, professional satisfaction, and job satisfaction. The significance of preceptorship programs should be considered by the primary health care corporation to support and prepare preceptors of newly graduated and recruited nurses.
Thermal-aware resource allocation in earliest deadline first using fluid scheduling

Thermal issues in microprocessors have become a major design constraint because of their adverse effects on the reliability, performance and cost of the system. This article proposes an improvement in earliest deadline first, a uni-processor scheduling algorithm, without compromising its optimality in order to reduce the thermal peaks and variations. This is done by introducing a factor of fairness to earliest deadline first algorithm, which introduces idle intervals during execution and allows uniform distribution of workload over the time. The technique notably lowers the number of context switches when compare with the previous thermal-aware scheduling algorithm based on the same amount of fairness. Although, the algorithm is proposed for uni-processor environment, it is also applicable to partitioned scheduling in multi-processor environment, which primarily converts the multi-processor scheduling problem to a set of uni-processor scheduling problem and thereafter uses a uni-processor scheduling technique for scheduling. The simulation results show that the proposed approach reduces up to 5% of the temperature peaks and variations in a uni-processor environment while reduces up to 7% and 6% of the temperature spatial gradient and the average temperature in multi-processor environment, respectively.