Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Multi-modal Biometric Recognition Algorithm Based on Iris and Facial Images

Fusion biometric recognition modal contributes in two aspects. It can not only improve the biometric recognition accuracy, but also gives a comparatively safe strategy, since it is difficult for intruders to achieve multi-biometric information simultaneously, especially the iris information. In this paper, a novel biometric fusion recognition modal with iris and facial images based on biomimetic pattern recognition is proposed. The Contourlet transform (CT) and two directional two dimensional principal component analysis (2D) 2 PCA are used here to extract the iris feature and the facial feature respectively, and a new fusion feature vector was formed on the combination of the previous iris and facial features. Lastly, the fusion feature vector is used to construct the covering of high dimensional space using biomimetic pattern recognition method, in which the hyper-sausage neuron is adopted. Furthermore, a fixed random matrix is used here to reduce the computational complexity and improve the recognition efficiency. Experiments on the public union database show that the proposed modal can achieve the state-of-the-art recognition accuracy while keeping the enrollment process safe.
On-wafer measurement uncertainty for 3-terminal active millimetre-wave devices

An experimentally derived frequency-dependent residual error budget to 60 GHz in well-calibrated state-of-the-art measurement systems for millimeter-wave devices is presented. The budget identifies errors resulting from the imperfections in the calibration standards, both on- and off-wafer, probe-wafer interface, and instrumentation. Root-mean-square errors are assumed uncorrelated and are added to arrive at a worst-case scenario. The impact in terms of level of significance and sensitivity of measurement uncertainty on small-signal modeling is shown. The effects of measurement uncertainty on extracted device parameters can be minimized by selecting a suitable frequency range and appropriate calibration structures. <<ETX>>
Directive Speech Acts of Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok) in Politics Interview

This research aimed to explain (1) the forms of the directive act of Ahok in political interviews, (2) the politeness strategy of the directive of Ahok in political interviews. The research was a qualitative research. The samples were chosen using the purposive sampling technique. The data were oral data collected using the listening method, documentation technique, transcription, and note technique. The data were analyzed descriptively based on Searle’s theory of Speech Act, Brown an Levinson’s Politeness Theory.The research results indicated that (1) the directive speech act of Ahok in the political interviews consisted of four forms: forbidding, asking, telling, and convincing,; (2) 5the politeness strategy of Ahok’s directive speech act in political interview consisted of direct strategy and negative strategy.
Benefits of Equine-Assisted Therapies in People with Multiple Sclerosis: A Systematic Review

This systematic review aimed to provide an up-to-date analysis of the effects of equine-assisted therapies (EAT) in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS). The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were followed to conduct this systematic review. PubMed and Web of Science databases were employed in the search, which ended in February 2022. The risk of bias analysis was performed using the Evidence Project tool. After removing duplicates, thirty-nine studies were identified. However, only ten fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were included in this systematic review. Therefore, a total of 195 PwMS, aged between 40.3 and 51.3, were included in this systematic review. EAT-based interventions had a mean length of 13.6 weeks with a session´s frequency ranging from ten to once a week. All sessions involved real horses and lasted a mean of 34.4 min. Among the included articles, four were randomized controlled trials (RCT), four did not perform randomization, and two employed a prepost design without a control group. RCTs showed positive effects on quality of life, fatigue, balance, spasticity, and gait speed. Furthermore, non-RCT showed improvements in balance, spasticity, and postural control (postural control was not assessed in RCT studies). Importantly, significant effects were only observed when the comparison group was inactive or followed usual care. Therefore, EAT is a promising and effective therapy to improve quality of life, fatigue, balance, spasticity, and gait speed in PwMS. However, since comparison groups are heterogeneous, results could vary depending on the research design. Moreover, the inclusion of noncontrolled studies (in order to have a wide perspective of the state of art) could increase the risk of bias and make the results be taken with caution.
Design of a Highly Sensitive Photonic Crystal Fiber Sensor for Sulfuric Acid Detection

In this research, a photonic crystal fiber (PCF)-based sulfuric acid detector is proposed and investigated to identify the exact concentration of sulfuric acid in a mixture with water. In order to calculate the sensing and propagation characteristics, a finite element method (FEM) based on COMSOL Multiphysics software is employed. The extensive simulation results verified that the proposed optical detector could achieve an ultra-high sensitivity of around 97.8% at optimum structural and operating conditions. Furthermore, the proposed sensor exhibited negligible loss with suitable numerical aperture and single-mode propagation at fixed operating conditions. In addition, the circular air holes in the core and cladding reduce fabrication complexity and can be easily produced using the current technology. Therefore, we strongly believe that the proposed detector will soon find its use in numerous industrial applications.
Understanding the Driving Factors for Urban Human Settlement Vitality at Street Level: A Case Study of Dalian, China

Vitality can effectively test the quality of regional space, put forward the concept of urban human settlement vitality, and explore the development status of urban human settlement vitality space, which is of great significance in promoting the high-quality development of urban human settlements. By constructing an evaluation index system of urban human settlement vitality and comprehensively using projection pursuit models, spatial correlation analysis, and spatial measurement models, the spatial pattern and influencing factors of the vitality of urban human settlements in the four districts of Dalian were studied. The results are as follows: (1) The spatial differentiation characteristics of the vitality of urban human settlements in Dalian are remarkable. Overall, it gradually decreased from the city center to the administrative boundary. (2) The spatial dependence of the vitality of urban human settlements among regions is relatively strong, with a more obvious “Matthew effect”. Among them, urban human settlement vitality hot spots were mainly distributed in the southeast of Dalian, showing a concentrated distribution trend, while the cold spots were distributed in the northern fringe area of Dalian, with spatial homogeneity characteristics. (3) Topography, ecological environment, social economy, commercial development, spatial structure, spatial form, regional scale, etc. have different impacts on the vitality of urban human settlements.
Having a Same Type IIS Enzyme’s Restriction Site on Guide RNA Sequence Does Not Affect Golden Gate (GG) Cloning and Subsequent CRISPR/Cas Mutagenesis

Golden gate/modular cloning facilitates faster and more efficient cloning by utilizing the unique features of the type IIS restriction enzymes. However, it is known that targeted insertion of DNA fragment(s) must not include internal type IIS restriction recognition sites. In the case of cloning CRISPR constructs by using golden gate (GG) cloning, this narrows down the scope of guide RNA (gRNA) picks because the selection of a good gRNA for successful genome editing requires some obligation of fulfillment, and it is unwanted if a good gRNA candidate cannot be picked only because it has an internal type IIS restriction recognition site. In this article, we have shown that the presence of a type IIS restriction recognition site in a gRNA does not affect cloning and subsequent genome editing. After each step of GG reactions, correct insertions of gRNAs were verified by colony color and restriction digestion and were further confirmed by sequencing. Finally, the final vector containing a Cas12a nuclease and four gRNAs was used for Agrobacterium-mediated citrus cell transformation. Sequencing of PCR amplicons flanking gRNA-2 showed a substitution (C to T) mutation in transgenic plants. The knowledge derived from this study could widen the scope of GG cloning, particularly of gRNAs selection for GG-mediated cloning into CRISPR vectors.
Cytokines from Bench to Bedside: A Retrospective Study Identifies a Definite Panel of Biomarkers to Early Assess the Risk of Negative Outcome in COVID-19 Patients

The main aim of this study was to identify the most relevant cytokines which, when assessed in the earliest stages from hospital admission, may help to select COVID-19 patients with worse prognosis. A retrospective observational study was conducted in 415 COVID-19 patients (272 males; mean age 68 ± 14 years) hospitalized between May 2020 and March 2021. Within the first 72 h from hospital admission, patients were tested for a large panel of biomarkers, including C-reactive protein (CRP), Mid-regional proadrenomedullin (MR-proADM), Interferon-γ, interleukin 6 (IL-6), IL-1β, IL-8, IL-10, soluble IL2-receptor-α (sIL2Rα), IP10 and TNFα. Extensive statistical analyses were performed (correlations, t-tests, ranking tests and tree modeling). The mortality rate was 65/415 (15.7%) and a negative outcome (death and/or orotracheal intubation) affected 98/415 (23.6%) of cases. Univariate tests showed the majority of biomarkers increased in severe patients, but ranking tests helped to select the best variables to put on decisional tree modeling which identified IL-6 as the first dichotomic marker with a cut-off of 114 pg/mL. Then, a good synergy was found between IL-10, MR-proADM, sIL2Rα, IP10 and CRP in increasing the predictive value in classifying patients at risk or not for a negative outcome. In conclusion, beside IL-6, a panel of other cytokines representing the degree of immunoparalysis and the anti-inflammatory response (IP10, sIL2Rα and IL-10) showed synergic role when combined to biomarkers of systemic inflammation and endothelial dysfunction (CRP, MR-proADM) and may also better explain disease pathogenesis and suggests targeted intervention.
Lymph Nodes Draining Infections Investigated by PET and Immunohistochemistry in a Juvenile Porcine Model

Background: [18F]FDG and [11C]methionine accumulate in lymph nodes draining S. aureus -infected foci. The lymph nodes were characterized by weight, [11C]methionine- and [18F]FDG-positron emissions tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT), and immunohistochemical (IHC)-staining. Methods: 20 pigs inoculated with S. aureus into the right femoral artery were PET/CT-scanned with [18F]FDG, and nine of the pigs were additionally scanned with [11C]methionine. Mammary, medial iliac, and popliteal lymph nodes from the left and right hind limbs were weighed. IHC-staining for calculations of area fractions of Ki-67, L1, and IL-8 positive cells was done in mammary and popliteal lymph nodes from the nine pigs. Results: The pigs developed one to six osteomyelitis foci. Some pigs developed contiguous infections of peri-osseous tissue and inoculation-site abscesses. Weights of mammary and medial iliac lymph nodes and their [18F]FDG maximum Standardized Uptake Values (SUVFDGmax) showed a significant increase in the inoculated limb compared to the left limb. Popliteal lymph node weight and their FDG uptake did not differ significantly between hind limbs. Area fractions of Ki-67 and IL-8 in the right mammary lymph nodes and SUVMetmax in the right popliteal lymph nodes were significantly increased compared with the left side. Conclusion: The PET-tracers [18F]FDG and [11C]methionine, and the IHC- markers Ki-67 and IL-8, but not L1, showed increased values in lymph nodes draining soft tissues infected with S. aureus. The increase in [11C]methionine may indicate a more acute lymph node response, whereas an increase in [18F]FDG may indicate a more chronic response.
Conceptual confusions in knowledge management and knowledge management systems: clarifications for better KMS development

Knowledge Management and Knowleadge Management Systems are slowly but surely capturing the attention of many organisations in a quest for competitive advantage. Like many other computing fads before them, there is no shortage of recipes by its proponents. This chapter discusses the emerging discipline of Knowledge Management in computing and explains the concepts underlying Knowledge Management Systems that will lead to a better development and implementation of these systems. In particular, it tackles the conceptual confusion about data, information, and knowledge, which appears to be finding its way into the Knowledge Management literature. The terms, 'capta' (Checkland, Howell, 1998) and 'constructed data' (Flood, 1999), are used in analysing these concepts to clear some of the confusion surrounding them. The use of these terms also highlights our (the IT community) taking for granted assumptions about the hierarchical relationship and the more insightful emergent relationships.
Big Data Handling in Process Surveillance and Quality Control of Secondary Metallurgical Processes

The Ruhrstahl–Heraeus (RH) degassing plant is essential for producing ultraclean steel, but its vacuum‐based nature is hiding the process from scrutiny. Despite recording the many inputs and outputs of process control and measurements surrounding the plant, the utilization of produced data is comparatively low. Data handling is a challenge, especially considering correlations of process control data with indicators such as actual steel homogeneity and cleanliness after casting. Here in this study, approaches to improving sensor data quality and maximizing the utilization of the abundance of data obtained during the RH process are presented. Time series data from process control measurements like off‐gas composition or chamber pressure, even though highly connected to specific domain knowledge, can be tackled with machine‐learning methods, such as recognition of characteristic curve sections or categorization of curves with clustering algorithms. Visual surveillance offers the possibility of image analyses of the surface flow observation inside the vacuum chamber with different approaches such as image classification or feature detection algorithms. Herein, a digitalization and data analysis strategy developed for an improved understanding of the RH process, considering linear as well as integral data from the plant, are presented.
A Guide for Reporting Perioperative Cases: Adaptation of Anaesthesia Case Report (ACRE) Criteria into Turkish

Objective: This study was carried out in order to create the Turkish version of the Anaesthesia Case Report (ACRE) criteria, to increase the quality of perioperative case reports in the field of anaesthesiology and reanimation and to establish a standard in this field. Methods: These criterias were translated into Turkish inde-pendently by authors and then a draft was determined.In order to ensure language equivalence, the adapted checklist was checked by an expert translator and the final version was created by mak-ing necessary corrections. Then, 20 case reports published between 2016 and 2021, indexed in the Turkish Medical Index, were examined by two independent specialists in the field of anaesthesiology and reanimation. Finally, inter-rater agreement was evalu-ated using the Bland-Altman method by calculating the intra-class correlation coefficient (CCT) and agreement percentages. Results: The case report studies analyzed as a result of the evaluations made differed in the reporting frequency of the criteria. Although CCT values varied between 0.484 and 0.905, the agreement between anaesthesiology and reanimation specialists was statistically significant (p<0.05). According to the Bland-Altman chart, agreement was found between the raters. Conclusion: Although ACRE criteria are rarely required for the review of perioperative case reports, there is solid evidence that standardized reporting guidelines improve the reporting quality of studies. It is thought that ACRE will bring a measurable standard status to case reports, and it will be beneficial and guide for researchers who will work in the field of anaesthesiology and reanimation in our country.
Assessing Employee Satisfaction in the Context of Covid-19 Pandemic

The actual COVID-19 pandemic crisis brought new challenges for all companies, forcing them to adapt new working methods in order to avert/minimize infection. Monitoring employee satisfaction is a very difficult task, but one that is paramount in the current pandemic crisis. To respond to this challenge, a workable problem-solving methodology had to be developed and tested that examined the dynamics between Artificial Intelligence, Logic Programming, and Entropy for Knowledge Representation and Reasoning. Such formalisms are in line with an Artificial Neural Network approach to computing, where the ultimate goal is to assess the satisfaction of employees in Water Analysis Laboratories while considering its development and management. The model was trained and tested with real world data collected through questionnaires that had an overall accuracy of greater than 90%.
Murine Mammary Carcinoma Induces Chronic Systemic Inflammation and Immunosuppression in BALB/c Mice

Purpose The F3II cell line is a highly invasive variant of mammary carcinoma. Although it is frequently used as a model to evaluate the efficacy of immunotherapy, its impact on the immune system remains poorly understood. The main objectives of this study were to evaluate the effects of F3II tumors on the development of chronic inflammation and to characterize tumor-associated immunosuppression. Methods Following the experimental implantation of F3II tumors in BALB/c mice, alterations in the liver and spleen anatomy and the numbers of circulating leukocytes, myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), and regulatory T cells were measured using hematological techniques, histopathological analysis, and flow cytometry. The capacity of the F3II tumor-bearing mice to reject MB16F10 allogeneic tumor transplantation was also evaluated. In addition, the restoration of immune parameters in tumor-bearing mice was evaluated after standard breast cancer chemotherapy and surgical tumor excision. Results F3II tumor implantation increased the levels of chronic inflammatory markers, such as the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratios, and caused myeloid alterations, including extramedullary granulopoiesis and megakaryopoiesis, along with the recruitment of MDSCs to the spleen. Chemotherapy or surgical F3II tumor removal completely rescued the tumor-associated extramedullary granulopoiesis and megakaryopoiesis. Notably, the presence of F3II tumors reduced the capacity of BALB/c mice to reject MB16F10 allogeneic tumor transplantation. Conclusion These results support the occurrence of F3II tumor-mediated immune cell dysfunction, which mimics the immune alterations characterized by chronic systemic inflammation and immunosuppression observed in breast cancer in clinical settings. Thus, the F3II tumor model is relevant for evaluating novel breast cancer immunotherapies and combinations in preclinical studies. This model could also be useful for identifying appropriate therapeutic targets and developing proof-of-concept experiments in the future.
Energetically Optimal Trajectory for a Redundant Planar Robot by Means of a Nested Loop Algorithm

This work presents an optimal point-to-point trajectory planning method based on fourth degree polynomials to reduce the energy consumption of a redundant planar robot in the XY plane. The contribution of this study focuses on the development of a two-level nested optimization algorithm, which manages to optimize three elements: the Optimal Weighting Vector that establishes the influence of each joint on the total energy consumption of the robotic equipment; the optimal start and finish configurations of the trajectory; and the vector corresponding to the fifth coefficient of the trajectory generator polynomial. The tests are carried out with different optimization techniques and objective functions related to energy consumption to determine their best combination and achieve the minimum possible computation time and energy savings, according to the test conditions used. Furthermore, the energetic performance of the redundant manipulator is compared with its non-redundant version, limiting its operation to only two degrees of freedom in all its variants.
Comprehensive analysis of lower mitochondrial complex I expression is associated with cell metastasis of clear cell renal cell carcinoma

Background Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is characterized by high metastasis potential. It is of great importance to explore the mechanisms underlying ccRCC metastasis and to enable development of potent therapeutics. The mitochondrial complex I (CI) had been considered to play an important role in the development of cancers, but less known in ccRCC. Methods We utilized available public databases of ccRCC, including single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data GSE73121 and The Cancer Genome Atlas-kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (TCGA-KIRC). Principal component analysis (PCA) and t-Distributed Stochastic Neighbor Embedding (tSNE) analysis were evaluated the heterogeneity of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) and primary renal cell carcinoma (pRCC). Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network identified critical gene. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) and gene set variation analysis (GSVA) performed to explore the potential biologic pathways. Results Our study revealed a significant gene expression heterogeneity between pRCC and mRCC. A PPI network based on differentially expressed genes (DEGs) identified electron transport chain (ETC), especially mitochondrial CI, as the key network hub. Further analysis revealed that the role of mitochondrial CI is associated with tumor metastasis and immune responds of ccRCC. Although CI had low frequency mutations in ccRCC, CI expression is associated with the high frequency mutated genes. A prognosis model included 7 CI genes, and these had a significant effect on overall survival (OS). The area under the curve at 1, 3, and 5 years was 0.717, 0.685, and 0.728, respectively. Transcription factor analysis predicted that PPARG possibly is a potential transcription activator of CI genes in ccRCC. Conclusions Overall, we found that CI expression is associated with ccRCC progress. CI and PPARG may be potential biomarkers for metastatic ccRCC.