Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Community-dwelling older adults' perceptions of dignity: core meanings, challenges, supports and opportunities

ABSTRACT Dignity is a universally important issue for all people, and particularly vital for older adults who face multiple losses associated with ageing. In the United States of America and beyond, the maintenance of dignity is a key aim of policy and service provision for older people. Yet surprisingly little research has been conducted into the meaning of dignity to community-based older adults in the context of everyday life. As life expectancy continues to increase worldwide, unprecedented numbers of people are living longer than ever before. The majority of older adults will face declining health and other factors that may impact dignity in the course of ageing in their communities. This paper reports on a study that explored older people's understandings and experiences of dignity through focus groups and a survey. Three key components of dignity are identified: autonomy, relational and self-identity. In addition, the paper discusses a range of factors that can facilitate or inhibit a sense of dignity for older people, including long-term health issues, sensory deficits and resilience to life events. Finally, the implications of these findings for policy and practice are considered in the context of American social structures and values.
CS 229 Final Report : Bismuth Vanadate ( 111 ) Facet Detection

Solar energy conversion using Bismuth Vanadata (BiV O4) has been a promising and prevalent method nowadays. To equip efficient energy conversion, existence of (111) facet is crucial. In our project, we utilized three different machine learning models to detect (111) facets in scanning electron microscope (SEM) images. These models include support vector machine (SVM) with histogram of oriented gradient (HOG), Residual Network (ResNet) and Shallow convolutional neural network (Shallow CNN). In this paper, we will talk about architectures, experiments and results of these models. Moreover, data preprocessing such as data augmentation, edge detection and feature extraction will also be included.
Advances in Developing Country Food Insecurity Measurement Measuring Household Food Insecurity : Why It ’ s So Important and Yet So Difficult to Do 1 , 2

Food insecurity is a daily reality for hundreds of millions of people around the world. Although its most extreme manifestations are often obvious, many other households facing constraints in their access to food are less identifiable. Operational agencies lack a method for differentiating households at varying degrees of food insecurity in order to target and evaluate their interventions. This chapter provides an overview of a set of papers associated with a research initiative that seeks to identify more precise, yet simple, measures of household food insecurity. The overview highlights three main conceptual developments associated with practical approaches to measuring constraints in access to food: 1) a shift from using measures of food availability and utilization to measuring ‘‘inadequate access’’; 2) a shift from a focus on objective to subjectivemeasures; and 3) a growing emphasis on fundamental measurement as opposed to reliance on distal, proxy measures. Further research is needed regarding 1) how well measures of household food insecurity designed for chronically food-insecure contexts capture the processes leading to, and experience of, acute food insecurity, 2) the impact of short-term shocks, such as major floods or earthquake, on household behaviors that determine responses to food security questions, 3) better measurement of the interaction between severity and frequency of household food insecurity behaviors, and 4) the determination of whether an individual’s response to survey questions can be representative of the food insecurity experiences of all members of the household. J. Nutr. 136: 1404S–1408S, 2006.
In-hospital mortality in the emergency department: clinical and etiological differences between early and late deaths among patients awaiting admission

Objective Given that there are no studies on diseases that occur by waiting for hospitalization, we aimed to evaluate the main causes of death in the emergency room (ER) and their relationship with overcrowding. Methods Patients who died in the ER in the past 2 years (pediatrics and trauma victims excluded) were divided into two groups: patients who died within 6 hours of arrival (emergency department [ED] group) and patients who died later (LD group). We compared the causes of death, total vital signs, diagnostic tests performed, and therapy between the groups. We assessed for possible correlation between the number of monthly deaths per group and four variables of overcrowding: number of patients treated per month, waiting time before medical visit (W-Time), mean intervention time (I-Time), and number of patients admitted to the ward per month (NPA). Results During the two years, 175 patients had died in our ER (52% in ED group and 48% in LD group). The total time spent in the ER was, respectively, 2.9±0.2 hours for ED group and 17.9± 1.5 hours for LD group. The more frequent cause of death was cardiovascular syndrome (30%) in ED group and sepsis (27%) and acute respiratory failure (27%) in LD group. Positive correlations between number of monthly deaths and W-Time (R2 0.51, P<0.001), I-Time (R2 0.73, P< 0.0001), and NPA (R2 0.37, P<0.01) were found only in LD group. Conclusion Patients with sepsis and acute respiratory failure die after a long stay in the ER, and the risk increases with overcrowding. A fast-track pathway should be considered for hospital admission of critical patients.
Learning indirect optimal control for dynamic motion planning with RRT

Sampling based motion planners are well suited to plan motions around obstacles for high dimensional systems, but require extensive online computation to plan in state-space. A novel learning approach, based on indirect optimal control, shifts the computation cost offline. We show results on a pendulum swing up problem, and plan to evaluate on higher dimensional systems.
Australian quasigeoid modelling: Review, current status and future plans

Key Points: a) We review the history of quasi/geoid modelling in Australia, from the first model produced in 1967 to the most recent AGQG2017. b) The results of more than 10,000 trial quasigeoid solutions are presented, computed to assess whether methods used to produce AGQG2017 could be improved. c) Details of a new Australian vertical reference system, and future planned efforts to improve the underlying quasigeoid model are given.
Uncovering the relationships between aspirations and luxury brand preference

Purpose – This paper seeks to test the effects of intrinsic and extrinsic aspirations on luxury brand preference. The objective is to help luxury marketers better understand and anticipate the psychological needs of their customers.Design/methodology/approach – Based on a thorough review of the literature, a series of hypotheses are derived and tested using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling. The final sample consists of a total of 615 participants.Findings – The main findings show that aspirations can affect luxury brand preference depending on the type of aspirations: positive for extrinsic aspirations and negative for intrinsic ones. The findings also suggest that intrinsic aspirations play a more substantial role in luxury consumer behavior than had been previously thought.Practical implications – The findings suggest that luxury marketers should take into consideration the duality of intrinsic and extrinsic aspirations when designing marketing campaigns. Particularly, focus.
Quantum interference effect in plasmonic transmission in the presence of quantum emitters

In this paper, we show how to enhance the transmission of the surface plasmon field using several interacting two-level quantum emitters placed in a plasmonic environment. Our model relies on quantum interference effect and, therefore, can be treated as a plasmonic analog of the electromagnetic induced transparency, usually referred to in the context of driven atomic systems. Moreover, our model with multiple interacting quantum emitters, similar to Ising spin chain, can be used for broadband transmission of the surface plasmon field.
Sensor-Assisted Rate Adaptation for UAV MU-MIMO Networks

Propelled by multi-user MIMO (MU-MIMO) technology, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) as mobile hotspots have recently emerged as an attractive wireless communication paradigm. Rate adaptation (RA) becomes indispensable to enhance UAV communication robustness against UAV mobility-induced channel variances. However, existing MU-MIMO RA algorithms are mainly designed for ground communications with relatively stable channel coherence time, which incurs channel measurement staleness and sub-optimal rate selections when coping with highly dynamic air-to-ground links. In this paper, we propose SensRate, a new uplink MU-MIMO RA algorithm dedicated for low-altitude UAVs, which exploits inherent on-board sensors used for flight control with no extra cost. We propose a novel channel prediction algorithm that utilizes sensor-estimated flight states to assist channel direction prediction for each client and estimate inter-user interference for optimal rates. We provide an implementation of our design using a commercial UAV and show that it achieves an average throughput gain of <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$1.24\times $ </tex-math></inline-formula> and <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$1.28\times $ </tex-math></inline-formula> compared with the bestknown RA algorithm for 2- and 3-antenna APs, respectively.
Foliation-Based Approach to Quantum Gravity and Applications to Astrophysics

The recently proposed holography-inspired approach to quantum gravity is reviewed and expanded. The approach is based on the foliation of the background spacetime and reduction of the offshell states to the physical states. Careful attention is paid to the boundary conditions. It is noted that the outstanding problems such as the cosmological constant problem and black hole information can be tackled from the common thread of the quantized gravity. One-loop renormalization of the coupling constants and the beta function analysis are illustrated. Active galactic nuclei and gravitational waves are discussed as the potential applications of the present quantization scheme to astrophysics.
An algorithm for probabilistic solution of parabolic PDEs

Abstract The aim of this work is to approximate the trajectory solution of parabolic partial differential equations (PDEs) by the probabilistic method. This method is based on the representation of Feynman-Kac and Monte Carlo methods. As an alternative to classical Monte Carlo, here we employ quasi–Monte Carlo methods and propose some solutions to the problem of using this alternative through a more efficient algorithm than the classics.
A Numerical Simulation of Turbulent Flow through a Curved Duct

This paper presents the comparison the results of an experimental work with a numerical work keeping the geometry of the test duct and inlet boundary conditions unaltered. The numerical simulation is validated with the experimental results based on the wall y+ approach for different turbulence models suited for this type of geometry. The experimental work is carried out at mass averaged mean velocity of 40m/s with the measurement of total pressure by a pre-calibrated multi-hole pressure probe and the results presented in the form of a pressure contours in 2-D. For validation of the numerical results Standard k-e, k-ω and Reynolds Stress Model (RSM) are used to solve the closure problem. The turbulence models are investigated in the commercial CFD code of Fluent using y+ value as guidance in selecting the appropriate grid configuration and turbulence model. Based on the wall y+ values for different turbulence models, it is concluded in the present study that the mesh resolving the fully turbulent region is sufficiently accurate in terms of qualitative features and RSM turbulence model predicts the best results while comparing with the experimental results.
Compound Extremes in Hydroclimatology: A Review

Extreme events, such as drought, heat wave, cold wave, flood, and extreme rainfall, have received increasing attention in recent decades due to their wide impacts on society and ecosystems. Meanwhile, the compound extremes (i.e., the simultaneous or sequential occurrence of multiple extremes at single or multiple locations) may exert even larger impacts on society or the environment. Thus, the past decade has witnessed an increasing interest in compound extremes. In this study, we review different approaches for the statistical characterization and modeling of compound extremes in hydroclimatology, including the empirical approach, multivariate distribution, the indicator approach, quantile regression, and the Markov Chain model. The limitation in the data availability to represent extremes and lack of flexibility in modeling asymmetric/tail dependences of multiple variables/events are among the challenges in the statistical characterization and modeling of compound extremes. Major future research endeavors include probing compound extremes through both observations with improved data availability (and statistical model development) and model simulations with improved representation of the physical processes to mitigate the impacts of compound extremes.
Characterization and InVitro Skin Permeation of Meloxicam-Loaded Liposomes versus

The goal of this study was to develop and evaluate the potential use of liposome and transfersome vesicles in the transdermal drug delivery of meloxicam (MX). MX-loaded vesicles were prepared and evaluated for particle size, zeta potential, entrapment efficiency (%EE), loading efficiency, stability, and in vitro skin permeation. The vesicles were spherical in structure, 90 to 140 nm in size, and negatively charged (−23 to −43 mV). The %EE of MX in the vesicles ranged from 40 to 70%. Transfersomes provided a significantly higher skin permeation of MX compared to liposomes. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) analysis indicated that the application of transfersomes significantly disrupted the stratum corneum lipid. Our research suggests that MX-loaded transfersomes can be potentially used as a transdermal drug delivery system.
Implementation of Supply Chain and Logistics for Natural Disaster Management in Indonesia: A Smart Governance Perspective

This research is at the ontological level and sociological level of the implementation of supply chain and logistics equipment for disaster management that are very significant in reducing risk of natural disaster in Indonesia. The problem is very interesting to be analyzed by conducting a descriptive qualitative research. The research used the theory of public policy, smart governance, and supply chain management and logistics. The data were collected using in-depth interview to several key informants, direct observation, and related documentation. The data were analyzed using interactive models, which were data reduction, data display, and data verification, supported by triangulation to obtain validity and reliability. The results were based on ontology, epistemology, and sociology using smart governance perspective by empowering supply chain and logistic to improve disaster management in Indonesia. Vision and mission of public policies related to natural disaster are needed to complete the facilities of prevention, equipment management and logistics supervision, providing information to stakeholders regarding regulations and sanctions in natural disaster that were carried out deliberately and balanced provision of disaster management. Therefore, it will produce a revised and detailed relevant regulation for state agencies as public officials in making regulations on natural disaster and disaster management in Indonesia. The researchers suggest that state institutions must conduct and cover smart governance in making regulations on disaster management.
Music Recommendation System Based on Artist Relatedness and Audio Similarity G . A . Vida

The automatic music recommendation system has become an increasingly relevant problem in recent years, along with the increasing amount of music circulating in digital format.In this research, music recommendations are sought by searching for music that is similar to music input, using value of music features with K-Nearest Neighbor method. Artist relatedness also be used in this research to get music recommendations, so that the recommendations are suitable with the listener’s preferences. Spotify API which is provided by Spotify, an online music platform is used in searching music features and artist relatedness in this research. The method used to calculate audio similarity is K-Nearest Neighbor (K-NN). Based on evaluation result, music recommendations that only use artist relatedness features have a higher precision value compared to music recommendations that use combination of artist relatedness and audio similarity, because the research participants were more likely (subjectively) to choose popular music compared to music that has similar audio with input music.
Cable-Driven Two Degrees-of-Freedom Ankle–Foot Prosthesis

The ankle is of fundamental importance during locomotion as it is the first major joint to transfer the ground reaction torques to the rest of the body. Similar to the role of muscles and tendons in the musculoskeletal system, a prosthesis may benefit from cabledriven systems, specifically Bowden cables, to actuate joints. For an ankle–foot prosthesis, Bowden cables allow the placement of the motors and gearboxes away from the distal parts of the limb and near the center of gravity of the user, reducing the metabolic cost. A mass at the feet increases the user metabolic cost by 8–9%/kg during walk, while a mass carried at the waist increases the metabolic cost by only 1–2%/kg [1]. Bowden cables also allow for flexibility on the customization of the prosthesis, especially when long residual limb would limit the amount of space available for the active components. Currently available ankle–foot prostheses focus on improving gait in the sagittal plane. However, turning steps may represent up to 50% of all the steps depending on the activity [2]. Turning steps require the ankle functions in inversion–eversion (IE) and in dorsiflexion–plantarflexion (DP). In IE, ankle torques are required for walking in a straight line, and larger torques are required for turning [3,4]; this requirement can be addressed by designing two degrees-of-freedom (DOF) ankle–foot prostheses. Bellman et al. designed an ankle–foot robot with 2DOF [5]; however, a prototype had not been developed. Impedance controllers have been used in the control of prostheses due to their ability to adjust the stiffness of the prosthetic joints [6,7]. The impedance of a system is defined as the evoked force due to an input motion perturbation. The human ankle shows a time-varying impedance through the stance phase of gait [8,9]. This motivated the use of impedance controllers for the ankle–foot prosthesis controllable in the frontal and sagittal planes presented here. In this paper, the prosthesis design is presented, and the controllers for the prosthesis are explained.
Synthesised model of market orientation-business performance relationship

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to assess the impact of market orientation on the performance of the organisation. While much empirical works have centered on market orientation, the generalisability of its impact on performance of the Food and Beverages organisations in the Nigeria context has been under-researched. Design/Methodology/Approach: The study adopted a triangulation methodology (quantitative and qualitative approach). Data was collected from key informants using a research instrument. Returned instruments were analyzed using nonparametric correlation through the use of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 10. Findings: The study validated the earlier instruments but did not find any strong association between market orientation and business performance in the Nigerian context using the food and beverages organisations for the study. The reasons underlying the weak relationship between market orientation and business performance of the Food and Beverages organisations is government policies, new product development, diversification, innovation and devaluation of the Nigerian currency. One important finding of this study is that market orientation leads to business performance through some moderating variables. Implications: The study recommends that Nigerian Government should ensure a stable economy and make economic policies that will enhance existing business development in the country. Also, organisations should have performance measurement systems to detect the impact of investment on market orientation with the aim of knowing how the organisation works. Originality/Value: This study significantly refines the body of knowledge concerning the impact of market orientation on the performance of the organisation, and thereby offers a model of market orientation and business performance in the Nigerian context for marketing scholars and practitioners. This model will, no doubt, contribute to the body of existing literature of market orientation
CSEM anomaly identification

In a sedimentary basin, everything typically present is highly resistive, except brine. A localized region of higher resistivity, whether identified on well logs or from controlled-source electromagnetic (CSEM) data, is therefore indicative of a local reduction in interconnected brine content. This may be due to the presence of fresh water, low-porosity lithologies (including salt, volcanics and some types of carbonate), or hydrocarbons. It is this first-order sensitivity to fluid presence and properties that makes CSEM information of high potential value in an exploration environment (Baltar et al., 2015; Fanavoll et al., 2014; Zweidler et al., 2015). In its simplest form, the use of CSEM for hydrocarbon detection can be considered a two-stage process. First, localized regions of higher resistivity need to be identified from the CSEM data. Second, these ‘anomalous’ regions must be interpreted in terms of their potential for being indicative of hydrocarbon presence. One might reasonably expect that the greater challenge is the latter: successfully predicting the geological cause of an anomalous resistivity. However, in our experience, the initial task of reliably identifying the anomalous features can prove equally challenging without an appropriate process. Early CSEM interpretation workflows, focusing on measurement interpretation, tended to use a ‘threshold normalized amplitude response’ (NAR) rule such as 15% (Hesthammer, 2010). This proved useful in the most simple geologies, but of less value in more complex settings, and also failed to account for relative data quality. Today, the starting-point for CSEM interpretation is subsurface resistivity images. With these, there still exists plenty of leeway for the choice of colour scale to have a large effect on the apparent sizes of any ‘red blobs’ in the study area. We detail here a simple and clear criterion to qualify a feature as anomalous with respect to its surroundings, which is analogous to that followed when qualifying the significance of seismic amplitude anomalies (Roden et al., 2014). We expand on an approach first proposed in Baltar and Roth, 2013, as part of a quantitative interpretation workflow for CSEM, providing a more practical guide to its application and implications. The concept is first illustrated with well data, before the method is detailed with CSEM examples.