Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Robust Reinforcement Learning with Bayesian Optimisation and Quadrature

Bayesian optimisation has been successfully applied to a variety of reinforcement learning problems. However, the traditional approach for learning optimal policies in simulators does not utilise the opportunity to improve learning by adjusting certain environment variables: state features that are unobservable and randomly determined by the environment in a physical setting but are controllable in a simulator. This article considers the problem of ﬁnding a robust policy while taking into account the impact of environment variables. We present alternating optimisation and quadrature (ALOQ), which uses Bayesian optimisation and Bayesian quadrature to address such settings. We also present transferable ALOQ (TALOQ), for settings where simulator inaccuracies lead to diﬃculty in transferring the learnt policy to the physical system. We show that our algorithms are robust to the presence of signiﬁcant rare events, which may not be observable under random sampling but play a substantial role in determining the optimal policy. Experimental results across diﬀerent domains show that our algorithms learn robust policies eﬃciently.
Exploring Open IT-based Co-creation in Government: A Revelatory Case Study

: Co-creation has mostly been studied in the context of a single organisation and in dyadic, one-on-one relationships, while technological platforms now enable multiple parties to build on each other’s assets. More open forms of co -creation could be very promising, especially in contexts where government organisations must do more with less, but empirical research is lacking. In this research-in-progress, we focus on a revelatory case where a public service co-creates an open IT platform with external organisations. We aim to explore the organisational capabilities adopted by both the public service and external organisations. This research-in-progress article reports on how we will use open innovation and technological platform literature as lenses for our interpretive case study approach.
An Optimal Filter for Singular Systems With Stochastic Multiplicative Disturbance

This brief proposes an optimal filtering algorithm for linear singular systems with stochastic multiplicative noise by using the second restricted equivalent transformation (SRET) to reduce computation load, avoid curse of dimensionality and improve precision. The presented filter can be guarantee optimum in the sense of linear minimum mean-square error (LMMSE) by employing the projection theorem. A performance analysis and simulation results verify the proposed algorithm.
Production Technology of Titanium by Kroll Process

Titanium sponge is industrially produced by the Kroll process. In order to understand the importance of the emerging smelting and recycling process, it is necessary to review the conventional production process of titanium. Therefore this paper provides a general overview of the conventional titanium manufacturing system mainly by the Kroll process. The Kroll process can be divided into four sub-processes as follows: (1) Chlorination of raw TiO2 with coke, by the fluidized bed chlorination or molten salt chlorination (2) Magnesium reduction of TiCl4 and vacuum distillation of MgCl2 and Mg by reverse U-type or I-type with reductiondistillation integrated retorts (3) Electrolysis process of MgCl2 by monopolar cells or multipolar cells to electrolyze into chlorine gas and Mg. (4) Crushing and melting process in which sponge titanium is crushed and then melted in a vacuum arc furnace or an electron beam furnace Although the apparatus and procedures have improved over the past 80 years, the Kroll process is the costly and time-consuming batch operation for the reduction of TiCl4 and the separation of MgCl2.
Improving Dense Mapping for Mobile Robots in Dynamic Environments Based on Semantic Information

In recent decades, semantic mapping has become a hot topic benefited from the maturity of visual simultaneous localization and mapping (visual SLAM) and the success of deep learning. Despite the impressive performance of the current state-of-the-art systems, semantic mapping in dynamic environments is still a challenging task. To address this problem, we propose a framework that fuses geometric information, semantic information, and human activity into a 3D dense map. The accuracy of the map is guaranteed by the reliable camera trajectory estimation and the static pixels used for 3D reconstruction. With the proposed framework, we achieve two objectives. On the one hand, we accurately reconstruct the environment from both geometric and semantic perspectives. On the other hand, we record human activity by tracking the human trajectory during the mapping period. We conduct both qualitative and quantitative experiments on the public TUM dataset. The experimental results demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed framework.
An overview on Coronaviruses family from past to Covid-19: introduce some inhibitors as antiviruses from Gillan’s plants

Among the herbal medicine that commonly used in relieving diseases we choose 4 species as the source for active constituents to be examined as its potential as anti SARS-CoV-2, namely Matrine, Cytarabine, Gemcitabine and Vidarabine from which are extracted from Gillan ‘s plants such as Trshvash, Chuchaq, Cote D’Couto and Khlvash in Iran. The mechanisms by which these agents exercise their antivirus action are calculated via analyzing of NMR and physical chemistry properties via docking. The drugs which are discussed in this article, some of them are in pre-clinical trials or clinical development and some are available in market such as Matrine, Cytarabine, Gemcitabine and Vidarabine. In this work, we have optimized and discussed about several active compounds which are extracted from famous plants through NMR study. These data in high-accuracy determine for anti-SARS-CoV-NSPs confirm our molecular modelling and also exhibited that Cytarabine, a compound found in Chuchaq, and Matrine from Trshvash, bind to those receptors with lower energies compared to the respected reference compounds. These finding indicated that both compounds possess better binding interaction and may inhibit the initial virus infection to the host cell.
Bovine abortion by a vaccine strain of Bacillus anthracis

This paper reports the abortion of a male Aberdeen Angus bovine by a vaccine strain of Bacillus anthracis, describing the pathological and microbiological findings and the genome sequence. Necropsy findings included multifocal areas of hemorrhage in different organs. Histologically, various organs showed hemorrhage, fibrin exudation, necrosis associated with countless bacillary bacterial clumps and severe neutrophilic inflammatory infiltrate. In the microbiological examination, numerous rough, nonhemolytic, gray and dry colonies with irregular edges were isolated from liver, lung and abomasum content samples. Gram staining revealed square-ended Gram-positive rods arranged in chains. B. anthracis identification was confirmed by detection of the molecular chromosomal marker Ba813. The genomes from the isolated B. anthracis (named SPV842_15) and from the isolated vaccinal strain (Brazilian vaccinal strain), which was recovered from a commercial vaccine used in the pregnant cow, were sequenced. Genomic comparisons displayed a high level of nucleotide identity in the comparisons between B. anthracis SPV842_15 and the B. anthracis Brazilian vaccinal strain (98,2%). Furthermore, in both strains, only the plasmid pX01 sequence was detected. Although, vaccination against anthrax is characterized by an elevated protective profile and very low residual virulence, immunization with Sterne strains can cause abortion in cattle, presumably by the plasmid pX01 toxins in rare or special situations.
Biology and Nutritional Indexes of Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Saccharine Sorghum

Saccharine sorghum has been analyzed as a supplementary prime matter for ethanol production, especially during the sugarcane off-season period. However, it has proven to be highly susceptible to insect attacks during the cultivation cycle. The fall armyworm should be emphasized due to its voracity and high damage capacity enhanced by feeding-caused decrease in photosynthetic area. Current analysis studies the biology and determines the nutritional indexes of Spodoptera frugiperda in saccharine sorghum. Cultivars of saccharine sorghum BRS 506, BRS 509 and BRS 511were evaluated. Duration and survival of the egg, caterpillar, pre-pupal and pupal phases were determined, coupled to weight of pupae and caterpillar, life span, fecundity and pre-egg laying period. Although S. frugiperda completed its life cycle on cultivars BRS 506 and BRS 511, egg-laying and egg feasibility rates were low, whereas insects did not lay eggs on cultivar BRS 509. There was no significant difference in feeding intake by S. frugiperda among these three sorghum cultivars. Results suggest that saccharine sorghum is not a suitable host for S. frugiperda. Biological data reveal that the three saccharine sorghum cultivars are recommended for the grain production system since the number of specimens of the next generation is low or null.
Décoration de réseaux linéaires de défauts smectiques par des nanoparticules d'or

Nous creons des films minces smectiques de defauts topologiques lineaires sur substrats de polymere grâce au savoir faire acquis sur substrats cristallins. Le transfert de ce systeme sur polymere permet d'etudier l'influence du substrat sur la structure du film, et de mener un nouveau type d'etude par diffraction des rayons X en adoptant deux configurations couplees en reflexion et en transmission. D'autre part, en melangeant des nanoparticules (NPs) a ces films, on transmet leur anisotropie aux auto-assemblages NPs d'or pour obtenir des proprietes optiques definies et activables par variation de la polarisation de la lumiere. Dans le cas de films hybrides faiblement concentres, nous creons des chaines de NPs individuelles piegees par les dislocations smectiques, sur plusieurs dizaines de microns. En fonction de la concentration, les NPs peuvent etre isolees ou en condition de couplage electromagnetique, permettant d'obtenir une anisotropie de la resonance de plasmon jusqu'a 40 nm. A plus grande concentration, le reseau lineaire de NPs se transforme en reseau bidimensionnel, toujours anisotrope, dont une direction dense est imposee le long des defauts. Pour le film smectique pur, un modele avec un joint de grain tournant est retrouve et interprete comme minimisant la presence de dislocations. Nous identifions deux sites de dislocations capables de pieger les nanoparticules : le premier site, preferentiel, piege les NPs dans un environnement ordonne situe pres du substrat ; le second est en haut du joint de grain tournant plus proche de l'interface avec l'air, il mobilise une assemblee de dislocations reconstruites en fonction de la concentration en NPs. Finalement, cette auto-organisation dirigee de nanoparticules, ouvre la voie pour l' etude de systemes hybrides de particules plus grandes ou de formes anisotropes pour exalter les effets d'anisotropie de l'auto-assemblage.
Interhospital Transfer and Outcomes in Patients with AKI: A Population-Based Cohort Study.

Background Patients with AKI may require interhospital transfer to receive RRT. Interhospital transfer may lead to delays in therapy, resulting in poor patient outcomes. There is minimal data comparing outcomes among patients undergoing transfer for RRT versus those who receive RRT at the hospital to which they first present. Methods We conducted a population-based cohort study of all adult patients (≥19 years) who received acute dialysis within 14 days of admission to an acute-care hospital between April 1, 2004 and March 31, 2015. The transferred group included all patients who presented to a hospital without a dialysis program and underwent interhospital transfer (with the start of dialysis ≤3 days of transfer and within 14 days of initial admission). All other patients were considered nontransferred. The primary outcome was time to 90-day all-cause mortality, adjusting for demographics, comorbidities, and measures of acute illness severity. We also assessed chronic dialysis dependence as a secondary outcome, using the Fine and Gray proportional hazards model to account for the competing risks of death. In a secondary post hoc analysis, we assessed these outcomes in a propensity score-matched cohort, matching on age, sex, and prior CKD status. Results We identified 27,270 individuals initiating acute RRT within 14 days of a hospital admission, of whom 2113 underwent interhospital transfer. Interhospital transfer was associated with lower rate of mortality (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 0.90; 95% CI, 0.84 to 0.97). Chronic dialysis dependence was not significantly different between groups (aHR, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.91 to 1.06). In the propensity score-matched analysis, interhospital transfer remained associated with a lower risk of death (HR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.80 to 0.96). Conclusions Interhospital transfer for receipt of RRT does not confer higher mortality or worse kidney outcomes.
Effective Language Teachers’ Characteristics as Perceived by English Language Private Institutes’ Administrators in Iran

Recruiting wisely from the available supply of teachers is one of the instructional roles of school administrators. Their hiring and retaining decisions, among other things, can influence learners' achievements. The number of studies examining the features of effective language teachers in the eyes of administrators is limited. Therefore, the present study was designed to examine how effective language teachers are perceived by administrators of English Private Language Institutes in Iran. To this end, 27 male and female administrators were selected and interviewed. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the narrative data. The results of coding revealed several characteristics of effective language teachers, which were categorized and grouped under seven themes: teacher’s appearance, personal traits, business-related traits, love of the profession, professional competence, work experience, and interpersonal relationship. The perceptions of this group of stakeholders were then compared and contrasted with the features mentioned in the literature and interpreted in view of the commercialization of education. The study concluded that the administrators gave lower priority to learning outcomes and educational concerns. For the administrators, teachers’ appearance and their traits are more important than some job-related features. These features are assumed to be closely related to the third dominant theme of business-related characteristics. The results, overall, might reflect the teachers' obligation to adjust their practices to the administrators' expectations, which are, in turn, influenced by the primacy of commercial interests over learning and teaching interests. The findings of the study may have implications for teacher educators, teaching candidates and working teachers.
Contribution à l'étude mathématique des équations de Boltzmann et de Landau en théorie cinétique des gaz et des plasmas

Nous etudions des equations cinetiques de la forme f/t + v. *#xf = q(f,f), t0, x ,r#n, v , r#n, qui decrivent l'evolution d'un gaz ou d'un plasma dans lequel les particules subissent des collisions modelisees par l'operateur q, dit - de Boltzmann : q(f,f) dv#* d b(v v#*, ) (f'f'#* ff#*), - ou de Landau : q(f,f) = /v#i dv#*a#i#j(v v#*) (f#*f/v#j ff#*/v#*#,#j). Les trois premieres parties de cette these concernent les equations homogenes (independantes de x) #tf = q(f,f). On insiste particulierement sur deux points : les collisions rasantes et la dissipation d'entropie. Dans la premiere partie, on etudie le probleme de Cauchy associe aux equations de Boltzmann et de Landau homogenes (pour des sections efficaces realistes et eventuellement singulieres), des proprietes de regularite des solutions, ainsi que l'asymptotique des collisions rasantes qui permet de passer d'une equation a l'autre. La deuxieme partie est consacree au cas particulier des molecules maxwelliennes. Sous cette hypothese, on effectue une etude detaillee du probleme de Cauchy et du retour vers l'equilibre, ainsi que des liens entre theorie cinetique et theorie de l'information. Dans la troisieme partie, on utilise les resultats precedents pour obtenir des estimations explicites sur la vitesse de retour vers l'equilibre dans le cas general. Dans la quatrieme partie, on obtient des resultats partiels sur le probleme de Cauchy pour l'equation de Landau inhomogene, et quelques estimations nouvelles sur l'equation de Boltzmann inhomogene. Enfin, dans la cinquieme partie, on etablit diverses formes conservatives de l'operateur de Boltzmann, avec application a l'asymptotique des collisions rasantes.
Modification chimique de surface de NanoFibrilles de Cellulose (NFC)

Les nanocelluloses connaissent un fort developpement depuis ces dernieres decennies et font l’objet de nombreuses etudes menees par les industriels et/ou consortiums academiques. Cette etude s’insere dans le cadre d’un projet europeen (SUNPAP) visant a l’industrialisation des nanofibrilles de cellulose (NFC). La presente these fait l’etat de nouveaux procedes de modification chimique de surface des NFC dans une optique de chimie verte. Plusieurs strategies ont ete developpees telle que l’emploi de liquides ioniques comme solvant de reaction (decrit comme solvants verts) ou l’utilisation d’une nanoemulsion en phase aqueuse permettant le greffage de surface des NFC. Dans le but d’etudier l’impact de ces modifications chimiques, les substrats ainsi traites ont ete par la suite utilises dans diverses applications. Ainsi, des bionanocomposites ont pu etre produits, l’impact sur l’introduction de NFC (modifiees ou non) dans du papier a egalement ete etudie. Une etude sur les proprietes antibacteriennes et la biodegradabilite des NFC modifiees est egalement proposee. Une caracterisation approfondie des NFC vierges et modifiees a ete realisee. Des techniques puissantes et innovantes ont ete utilisees pour caracteriser ces substrats tels que l’XPS (X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy) ou encore la SIMS (Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry). Toutes ces modifications, applications et caracterisations proposees constituent une avancee et des perspectives prometteuses dans le monde des nanocelluloses.
Photochemical carbon dioxide reduction catalyzed by bis(2,2'-bipyridine)dicarbonylruthenium(2+) using triethanolamine and 1-benzyl-1,4-dihydronicotinamide as an electron donor

Irradiation with visible light of a CO{sub 2}-saturated triethanolamine (TEOA)/N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) solution (1:4 v/v) containing (Ru(bpy){sub 3}){sup 2+} and (Ru(bpy){sub 2}(CO){sub 2}){sup 2+} (bpy = 2,2{prime}-bipyridine) selectively produced HCOO{sup {minus}} with a maximum quantum yield of 14%. On the other hand, the photochemical CO{sub 2} reduction in CO{sub 2}-saturated H{sub 2}O/DMF (1:9 v/v) containing (Ru(bpy){sub 3}){sup 2+}, (Ru(bpy){sub 2}(CO){sub 2}){sup 2+}, and 1-benzyl-1,4-dihydronicotinamide (BNAH) gave not only CO but also HCOO{sup {minus}} with maximum quantum yields of 14.8 and 2.7%, respectively. In those photochemical CO{sub 2} reductions, the luminescent-state (Ru(bpy){sub 3}){sup 2+}* was quenched reductively by TEOA and BNAH, affording (Ru(bpy){sub 3}){sup +}, which functioned as a reductant of (Ru(bpy){sub 2}9co0{sub 2}){sup 2+}, and the change in the main product from HCOO{sup {minus}} in TEOA/DMF to CO in H{sub 2}O/DMF can be explained in terms of the acid-base equilibria among (Ru(bpy){sub 2}(CO){sub 2}){sup 2+}, (Ru(bpy){sub 2}(CO)(C(O)OH)){sup +}, and (Ru(bpy){sub 2}(CO)(COO{sup {minus}})){sup +}. 53 refs., 6 figs., 1 tab.
The Effect of Covid-19 Pandemic on Hotel Employees, Hotel Occopancy Rates and Hotel Tax Income in Jakarta, Indonesia

The purpose of this research is to determine the effect of covid-19 pandemic on hotel occupancy rates, hotel tax income and hotel employees in Jakarta Indonesia The population in this research are all members of hotel employees, travel and tour in Jakarta Indonesia by using purposive sampling obtained a sample of 98 The use of quantitative research method with data analysis using composite reliability, cronbach’s alpha, t and F tests by PLS Software The first hypothesis is that there is a significant effect of covid-19 pandemic on hotel employees This pandemic greatly affected the decline in hotel employees between 30 to 40 percent The second hypothesis is that there is a significant effect of covid-19 pandemic on hotel occupancy rates This pandemic is very influential on the decline in foreign tourists to Jakarta in 2020 by 63 51 percent compared to 2019 and also affects the decline of local tourists to Jakarta in 2020 by 49,99 percent compared to 2019, and room occupancy rate of star classification hotels in Jakarta 2020 decreased by 54 68 percent compared to 2019 The third hypothesis has a significant effect of covid-19 pandemic on tax income effect The pandemic covid-19 greatly affected the decrease in hotel tax revenues in Jakarta in 2020 by 78 35 percent when compared to 2019 The fourth hypothesis is that there is a significant effect of hotel occupancy rates on hotel employees The decline in hotel occupancy rates in 2020 has an effect between 30 to 40 percent decline in the number of workers working in star-rated hotels in Jakarta
A Prospective Study of Quality of Life in Patients Undergoing Microvascular Decompression for Hemifacial Spasm

Background: Hemifacial spasm (HFS) is a debilitating movement disorder caused by vascular compression of the facial nerve. The negative effect on quality of life (QOL) in patients with HFS has been well documented and our prior retrospective analysis demonstrated that microvascular decompression (MVD) has significantly improved QOL. Few prospective studies have assessed the QOL benefit of treatments for HFS. This study was conducted to compare the pre- and post-operative QOL of patients with HFS undergoing MVD. Methods: A consecutive series of patients diagnosed with HFS and who underwent MVD surgery during a selected period of time were chosen. Demographic data as well as previous treatment with botulinum toxin were collected, and patients completed a pre-operative and postoperative self-reported QOL survey. Findings: Complete cure was achieved in 65 of the 72 patients, with 2 patients experiencing an adverse effect of partial hearing loss on the ipsilateral side. The postoperative QOL mean score (2.38 ± 7.67) was superior to the pre-operative QOL mean score (24.94 ± 8.62). Conclusion: MVD for HFS patients substantially improved all of the components of the QOL survey, with a spasmfree status achieved in greater than 90% of patients.
Student Wellness: Exploring Personality Priorities and Perceived Wellness Among University Students

Abstract:Authors examined perceived wellness and personality priorities in a sample of 216 undergraduate and graduate students at a small university in the southeastern United States. Students in this sample most identified as superiority or pleasing priorities and perceived themselves as mostly well. Authors explored whether personality priority predicted student perceived wellness through a multiple regression analysis. Implications for college counselors and suggestions for future research are discussed.