Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Active MEMS metamaterials for THz bandwidth control

We experimentally demonstrate a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) based metamaterial with actively tunable resonance bandwidth characteristics, operating in the terahertz (THz) spectral region. The broadband resonance characteristic feature of the MEMS metamaterial is achieved by integrating sixteen microcantilever resonators of identical lengths but with continuously varying release lengths, to form a supercell. The MEMS metamaterial showed broadband resonance characteristics with a full width half maximum (FWHM) value of 175 GHz for resonators with a metal thickness of 900 nm and was further improved to 225 GHz by reducing the metal thickness to 500 nm. The FWHM resonance bandwidth of the MEMS metamaterial was actively switched to 90 GHz by electrostatically controlling the out-of-plane release height of the constituent microcantilever resonators. Furthermore, the electrically controlled resonance bandwidth allows for the active phase engineering with relatively constant intensity at a given frequenc.
Development of [201Tl](III)oxinate complex for in vitro cell labeling

Background: The incorporation of thallium-201 into 8-hydroxyquinoline was targeted for cell labeling due to interesting physical properties and wide availability of this nuclide as a single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) radionuclide. Materials and Methods: Thallium-201 (T1/2=3.04 d) in Tl+ form was converted to Tl3+ cation in presence of O3/6M HCl and di-isopropyl ether, controlled by radiothin layer chromatography (RTLC) /gel electrophoresis methods. The final evaporated activity reacted with ethanolic 8-hydroxy-quinoline (oxine) solution in normal saline to yield [ 201 Tl](III)oxinate at room temperature after 0.5 h, followed by solid phase extraction/purification using C18 Sep-Pak column and partition coefficient determination for water/lipid solubility. In vitro red blood cell (RBC) labeling was also performed. Results: A radiochemical yield of more than 95% was obtained. Radiochemical purity of 92% was obtained using RTLC (>90% using HPLC) with specific activity of about 820 GBq/mmol. The tracer was stable in the final product and in presence of human serum at 37°C up to 6h. The partition coefficient of lopP=5.5 was obtained. The labeled compound was used in RBC labeling. The cell uptake ratio was 0.47 after 240 min. Conclusion: [201Tl](III) oxinate used in this study is a widely available agent for use in RBC labeling studies in biology, medicine and various other research areas. Iran. J. Radiat. Res., 2008; 6 (3): 145­150
Video Instance Segmentation 2019: A Winning Approach for Combined Detection, Segmentation, Classification and Tracking.

Video Instance Segmentation (VIS) is the task of localizing all objects in a video, segmenting them, tracking them throughout the video and classifying them into a set of predefined classes. In this work, divide VIS into these four parts: detection, segmentation, tracking and classification. We then develop algorithms for performing each of these four sub tasks individually, and combine these into a complete solution for VIS. Our solution is an adaptation of UnOVOST, the current best performing algorithm for Unsupervised Video Object Segmentation, to this VIS task. We benchmark our algorithm on the 2019 YouTube-VIS Challenge, where we obtain first place with an mAP score of 46.7%.
The Dead State: A comparison between developmental and direct encodings

In this paper we compare the evolutionary and run time behaviours of two forms of indirect encoding and a direct encoding. The indirect encodings are comparable to approaches used in the emerging field of developmental systems. We evolve a developmental encoding based on a cellular automaton to grow bit patterns of predefined complexities (in the Kolmogorov sense), and compare its behaviour to the evolution of a direct encoding on the same task. We find that the developmental encodings perform worse at high complexities than the direct encodings, and suggest that this is an artefact from using cell overwriting. Our findings suggest that developmental approaches may scale better for tasks that have complexities below a certain threshold.
Structural stability and folding pathways of proteins under native conditions as monitored by hydrogen/deuterium (H/D) exchange methods

The conformational stability and dynamics of proteins are indispensable to address the structure-function relationships of proteins and also to design novel proteins for therapeutic purposes. At molecular level, conformational stability of a protein can be monitored in presence of external denaturing agents by using traditional biophysical techniques, whereas at residue level, conformational stability of a protein can be measured by hydrogen/deuterium (H/D) exchange methods in conjunction with nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques. In this review, stability and folding of proteins probed at residue level resolutions by using H/D exchange methods to date have been exclusively covered, systematically classified and discussed in detail. Moreover the merits and limitations of the exquisite methods and computational alternatives to the proteins H/D exchanges have also been discoursed.
CRAFT Shared Tasks 2019 Overview — Integrated Structure, Semantics, and Coreference

As part of the BioNLP Open Shared Tasks 2019, the CRAFT Shared Tasks 2019 provides a platform to gauge the state of the art for three fundamental language processing tasks — dependency parse construction, coreference resolution, and ontology concept identification — over full-text biomedical articles. The structural annotation task requires the automatic generation of dependency parses for each sentence of an article given only the article text. The coreference resolution task focuses on linking coreferring base noun phrase mentions into chains using the symmetrical and transitive identity relation. The ontology concept annotation task involves the identification of concept mentions within text using the classes of ten distinct ontologies in the biomedical domain, both unmodified and augmented with extension classes. This paper provides an overview of each task, including descriptions of the data provided to participants and the evaluation metrics used, and discusses participant results relative to baseline performances for each of the three tasks.
Analytical Results for the Capacity of Spatially Correlated MIMO Channels

The influence of spatial correlation on the capacity of multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) channels is becoming increasingly important as terminals grow smaller and utilise more antenna elements. This has largely been studied through Monte-Carlo simulation methods. Where analytical methods have been considered, only bounds or approximations have been derived and only for the case of spatial correlation at one end of the radio link. In this paper exact analytical expressions are derived for the ergodic capacity of MIMO channels with spatial correlation at one end and at both ends of the radio link. The latter case does not lend itself to numerical evaluation, but the former case is shown to be accurate by comparison with simulation results. The analysis is based on the transmitter and receiver antenna correlation matrices and can thus be applied to any spatially correlated MIMO channel.
Energy-Optimal Hopping in Parallel and Series Elastic One-Dimensional Monopeds

In this paper, we examine the question of whether parallel elastic actuation or series elastic actuation is better suited for hopping robots. To this end, we compare and contrast the two actuation concepts in energy optimal hopping motions. To enable a fair comparison, we employ optimal control to identify motion trajectories, actuator inputs, and system parameters that are optimally suited for each actuator concept. In other words, we compare the best possible hopper with parallel elastic actuation to the best possible hopper with series elastic actuation. The optimizations are conducted for three different cost functions: positive mechanical motor work, thermal electrical losses, and positive electrical work. Furthermore, we look at three representative cases for converting rotary motor motion to linear leg motion in a legged robot. Our model featured an electric DC-motor model, a gearbox with friction, damping in the leg spring, and contact collisions. We find that the optimal actuator choice depends both on the cost function and conversion of motor motion to leg motion. When considering only thermal electrical losses, parallel elastic actuation always performs better. In terms of positive mechanical motor work and positive electrical work, series elastic actuation is better when there is little friction in the gear-train. For higher gear-train friction parallel elastic actuation is more economical for these cost functions as well. [DOI: 10.1115/1.4039496]
Preparation and evaluation of 2-methoxyestradiol-loaded pH-sensitive liposomes

The development and clinical application of 2-methoxyestradiol (2-ME) as a new type of antitumor drug are limited due to its poor solubility, rapid metabolism in vivo, and large oral dosage. 2-ME-loaded pHsensitive liposomes (2-ME-PSLs) was prepared containing the lipids, Lipoid E-80 (E-80), cholesteryl hemisuccinate (CHEMS), and cholesterol (CHOL) via thin-film ultrasonic dispersion. First, preparation conditions of 2-ME-PSLs were optimized by orthogonal test. Then 2-ME-PSL was characterized, and the release behavior and stability of 2-ME-PSL in vitro were evaluated. The optimal preparation conditions for 2-ME-PSLs were as follows: 2-ME : E-80+CHEMS 1:15; CHOL : E-80+CHEMS 1:5; ultrasonication time 20 minutes. The mean particle size, PDI, zeta potential, and entrapment efficiency (EE) of 2-MEPSLs were 116 ± 9 nm, 0.161 ± 0.025, −22.4 ± 1.7 mV, and 98.6 ± 0.5%, respectively. As viewed under a transmission electron microscope, 2-ME-PSLs were well dispersed and almost spherical. They exhibited significant pH-sensitive properties and were fairly stable when diluted with a physiological solution. In conclusion, 2-ME-PSLs were successfully prepared and possessed a favorable pH sensitivity and good dissolution stability with a normal solution.
Career Counseling Research-Practice Disparities: What We Know and What We Need to Know.

The most practical principle in contextualisation emanates from our understanding of the experience of everyday life. However, this principle is not confined to such understanding. The central question regarding contextualisation is embedded in the “cultural contours” of counselling. In addition to the centrality of the cultural component, the need for an increased focus on cultural factors and their implications for counseling reinforces the importance of having a sound understanding and evaluation of individual life themes and the contexts in which they manifest. This article is premised on the view that cultural or contextual issues are integral to the puzzle of career counseling and cannot be seen in isolation. A major challenge facing career counselors is recognising the plurality of knowledge-based cultures and contexts, and the demands this places on their competencies as counsellors. Keywords: career counseling; competencies; contexts; life design counseling; work
The Electrochemical Reaction of Lithium with Tin Studied By In Situ AFM

During the electrochemical reaction of lithium with tin, there is sometimes anomalous high-voltage irreversible capacity characterized by an irreversible plateau at about 1.6 V vs. lithium. This has been attributed to electrolyte decomposition catalyzed by pure tin surfaces. Here, we show evidence for this catalytic reaction by in situ atomic force (AFM) and optical microscopy. During the early stages of the anomalous high-voltage plateau we have observed the formation of a film of decomposition products by both in situ AFM and optical microscopy. If lithium is supplied to the tin electrode at a rate greater than the catalytic process can support, then the cell potential decreases and Li-Sn alloys can form. Therefore, by subjecting the Li/Sn cell to a rapid initial discharge to 0.8 V the formation of this film can be suppressed, as we prove with AFM experiments. This rapid discharge to 0.8 V forms the first Li-Sn phase (Li 2 Sn 5 ) which apparently has no catalytic surfaces that decompose electrolyte. Since little film is formed using this method we then monitored the changes in volume and morphology of patterned Sn electrodes as they reacted reversibly with lithium. The volume of the patterned tin electrodes grows with cycle number due to substantial morphology changes, unlike electrodes made from amorphous Si or amorphous Si-Sn.
Stock Market Trend Prediction Using Support Vector Machines and Variable Selection Methods

—In this paper, a prediction model integrating machine learning and statistical analysis tools is presented to predict the trend of stock market. The proposed approach consists of three stages, as follows. In the first stage, the system uses technical analysis to calculate useful indicators based on historical data. Then, two different variable selection methods are applied to select the most important variables that describe the given data set. Finally, support vector machines (SVM ) has been used to construct the forecasting model. The hybridized approach was tested to solve the prediction task of directional changes in Dow Jones industrial average (DJIA) index. To evaluate the effectiveness of the use of variable selection techniques in construction of prediction models, this paper compares the performance of the proposed model with the standard SVM-based method. The study concludes that the use of a successful feature extraction technique can improve the forecasting accuracy of the prediction model.
New North American Records for Ascocoryne turfi cola (Ascomycota: Helotiales)

Ascocoryne turfi cola (Boud.) Korf, one of the rarest fungi in Eu rope, is reported from North America. This interesting as co mycete was collected in 2007 from boggy localities in eastern and west ern Newfoundland. Morphological descriptions and ecological notes for this mysterious fungus, as well as its place ment within the Helotiales, are discussed.
E-Learning as a Supplementary Learning Method

The objective of this paper is to explore whether E-learning could be a supplementary or substitute learning method. The paper examines M-Learning as one E-Learning approach. By verifying whether M-Learning is a substitute or supplementary learning method, this paper would provide a practical policy guideline for stakeholders in higher education. This research employed quantitative method where discrete and continuous probabilities were used for hypothesis testing. The proposed model consists of three independent variables, namely frequency of use of mobile devices (X1), application types (X2), and anticipated benefits (X3). We tested two dependent variables, namely M-learning as a substitute (Y1) and as a supplementary method (Y2). The methodology employed in this paper is unique because we simultaneously tested two proposed models. The data came from 112 surveys of undergraduate students studying Business English and Marketing at a private university in Thailand. The findings show that M-Learning could not operate as a stand-alone unit or independent learning module. Empirical testing shows that T < 1.64 and ANOVA for both proposed model were F(111,111) = 26.71 compared to the theoretical value of 1.35. This paper offers practical insight into M-Learning by identifying key factors that institutions of higher learning must consider in E-Learning policy.
Feature-aware Multi-task feature learning for Predicting Cognitive Outcomes in Alzheimer's disease

Machine learning algorithms and multivariate data analysis methods have been widely utilized in the field of Alzheimer's disease (AD) research in recent years. Predicting cognitive performance of subjects from neuroimage measures and identifying relevant imaging biomarkers are important research topics in the study of Alzheimer's disease. Multi-task based feature learning (MTFL) have been widely studied to select a discriminative feature subset from MRI features, and improve the performance by incorporating inherent correlations among multiple clinical cognitive measures. It is known that the brain imaging measures are often correlated with each other, and AD is closely related to the inter-correlation among different brain regions. However, the multi-task based feature learning (MTFL) method neglects the inherent correlation among brain imaging measures. We present a novel regularized multi-task learning approach via a joint sparsity-inducing regularization to effectively incorporate both a relatedness among multiple cognitive score prediction tasks and a useful inherent correlation between brain imaging measures by exploiting correlations among features. It allows the simultaneous selection of a common set of biomarkers for all tasks and the preservation of the inherent structure of imaging measures. The reported experiments on the ADNI dataset show that the proposed method is effective and promising.
Determination of Crust and Upper Mantle Structure Beneath Africa Using a Global Optimization Based Waveform Modeling Technique

Abstract : During the initial years of the project, a waveform modeling program based on the reflectivity method and incorporating a global Optimization algorithm, was developed. During the inversion process, the method implements a global Optimization algorithm using very fast simulated annealing (VFSA). Global optimization allows for searching within a broad spectrum of models and eliminates dependency on the starting model. VFSA is advantageous because it allows for larger sampling of the model space during early stages, and much narrower sampling in the model space as the inversion converges and the temperature decreases. Ability of VFSA to perform different perturbations for different model parameters allows for individual control of each parameter and the incorporation of priori information. The method also uses statistical tools such as computation of the posterior probability density (PPD) function and the parameter correlation matrix, so as to evaluate the uniqueness of a particular model and the trade-offs between individual model parameters therein. The waveform modeling approach has now been applied to ground truth data recorded spanning the African continent. The waveforms modeled included S, Sp, SsPmP, and shear-coupled PL(SPL) phases from deep (200-800 km) earthquakes of magnitude 5.5 to 7.0 located at distances of 30 to 80 degrees. Overall, the method is successful in determining the crust and upper mantle structure of the African continent. Notable advantages include ability to simultaneously model all the waveforms, assess uncertainties in model parameters, finding a range of acceptable models that explain the data, and avoiding a dependence of the final model on the starting model. Furthermore, it differs from other commonly used methods in the fact that it provides a direct measurement of P and S wave velocities siniultaneously. The use of the SPL phase wherever available improves constraints on the models of the lower crust and upper mantle.
Physical Activity Monitoring From Head Kinematics

With older age, people experience increasing hearing loss. With the use of assistive technology systems it is possible to preserve and improve the quality of life of elderly people with hearing losses. The Augmented Hearing Experience and Assistance for Daily life (AHEAD) system, composed of hearing glasses (augmented with Bluetooth audio communication, and physiological sensors) wirelessly connected to a mobile phone also connected to a smart home environment platform, allows to provide services on top of the hearing enhancement provided by the hearing glasses. Beside the health related services that the AHEAD system offers (heart rate monitoring, emergency alarms), a physical activity assistant has been identified to be relevant in order to reduce sedentary behaviours. In this paper, we investigated how accurate fitness algorithms (walking time, step counter, physically active/inactive periods) based on head kinematic data would be. For that purpose we have adapted state-of-the art algorithms. A total of 10 healthy users performed activities of daily living and walking sessions. The results show that the head location is suitable to detect fitness indicators but some personalization of some parameters would be needed to improve the performance of the detection methods. Keywords–Active Ageing; Head Kinematics; Walking Detection; Hearing Instrument; mHealth.
The use of External Sources of Health and Safety Information and Advice: The Case of Small Firms

Abstract This paper draws on British survey and interview data concerning the use made by small firms of external health and safety information and advice, the sources of such information and advice that they utilise, or would consider using, and the difficulties they experience in accessing information and advice of this type. These data are then used by the authors to shed light on the channels of such information and advice that are most likely to support improvements in how health and safety is managed in small enterprises. The authors’ analysis leads them to caution against adopting an overly optimistic view of the part that can be played in this respect by intermediary organisations and the publication of more and better advisory material, and to stress the importance of not understating the advisory and information-providing role of health and safety inspectors.
Public-private sector pay gaps and centralized wage setting : aggregate and industry data evidence

This study analyzes public-private sector pay gaps in Finland. We estimate separate selectivity corrected earnings eq uations for the whole sample and for four industries. The data shows that t e unconditional public-private sector pay gap is modest, 1.3 per ce nt. This finding is consistent with other countries with centralized wa ge setting procedure. However, the conditional results imply that this ga p is specious in two ways. First, returns to personal characteristics, s uch as occupation and field of education, are considerably higher in the private sector. Second, the industry-level analysis indicates that the earn ings gaps vary across industries. This suggests that public sector wage s etter need greater local flexibility, which should result in less unif orm wages within the
Development of Bio-impedance Analyzer (BIA) for Body Fat Calculation

Common weight scales cannot assess body composition or determine fat mass and fat-fress mass that make up the body weight. This research propose bio-impedance analysis (BIA) tool capable to body composition assessment. This tool uses four electrodes, two of which are used for 50 kHz sine wave current flow to the body and the rest are used to measure the voltage produced by the body for impedance analysis. Parameters such as height, weight, age, and gender are provided individually. These parameters together with impedance measurements are then in the process to produce a body fat percentage. The experimental result shows impressive repeatability for successive measurements (stdev ≤ 0.25% fat mass). Moreover, result on the hand to hand node scheme reveals average absolute difference of total subjects between two analyzer tools of 0.48% (fat mass) with maximum absolute discrepancy of 1.22% (fat mass). On the other hand, the relative error normalized to Omron’s HBF-306 as comparison tool reveals less than 2% relative error. As a result, the system performance offers good evaluation tool for fat mass in the body.