Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
DTD-free AEC via a Sliding DFT Window for ICA-based single Parameter Estimation

In this paper, an independent component analysis (ICA) acoustic echo cancellation (AEC) algorithm is introduced where a sliding discrete Fourier transform window is adopted such that there is only one AEC parameter to estimate (reduced computational load), as opposed to thousands of coefficients modeling the room response. Conventional adaptive filtering techniques such as the least mean square (LMS) algorithm often fail under double-talk condition (and excessive noise) due to a corrupted measure of the objective function (i.e. minimization of the error output). Recent study has shown that ICA allows continual adaptation of the AEC parameters, hence it is adopted here as the optimization method of our AEC parameter. Simulation results are used to illustrate the superiority of the proposed algorithm over the LMS methods.
On Collapse-Settlement Calculations for Heterogeneous Collapsible-Soil Subgrade

In a previous paper the authors have dealt with collapse-settlement calculations for embankments based on a homogenous collapsible soil subgrade. For this same subject the present paper represents modifications to the aforementioned collapse-settlement calculations to include in-situ cases of heterogeneous collapsible-soil subgrades. It is well known that collapsible soil deposits exhibit a high potential for collapse deformation under external loading. Evaluation of the collapse potential is, thus, required for settlement calculations relating to the base of embankments placed on a collapsible soil subgrade. The evaluation conducted leads to the conclusion that collapse potential is dependent upon the following parameters: (a) liquid limit, (b) plasticity limit, (c) in-situ dry density, (d) in-situ moisture content, and (e) applied pressure at wetting in the single-oedometer test. Knowledge of these parameters, together with that of the water-penetration depth into the subgrade stratum and the effect of partial saturation on a reduction of the full collapse potential, is shown to enable a calculation of the amount of collapse-settlement in a heterogeneous stratum.
Group I 1 intron from Pseudomonas alcaligenes NCIB 9867 ( P 25 X ) : entrapment in plasmid RP 4 and sequence analysis

Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine,’ and Bioscience Centre, School of Biological Sciences,* National University of Singapore, Lower Kent Ridge Road, Singapore 1 19260 Pseudomonas alcaligenes NClB 9867 (strain P25X), which grows on 2,5-xylenol and harbours the plasmid RP4, was mated with a plasmid-free derivative of Pseudomonas putida NClB 9869, strain RA713, which cannot grow on 2,5-xylenol. Some RA713 transconjugants, initially selected on 2,5-xylenol, were found to carry RP4 plasmids that had acquired additional fragments (designated Xln) which ranged in size from 2 kb to approximately 26 kb. Instability of DNA inserts in RP4::Xln hybrid plasmids was observed. The smallest insert present in a stable RP4::Xln6 hybrid plasmid, termed Xln6, yielded multiple bands when it was used as a probe with digested P25X chromosomal DNA. Sequence analysis of Xln6 led to the discovery of an open reading frame with homology to the maturases of group II introns. The Xln6 insert also exhibited several features characteristic of a group II intron. These included the presence of the consensus sequence GUGYG at the 5’ end and RAY at the 3’ end of the intron. RNA secondary structure modelling of Xln6 also revealed the presence of perfectly conserved domains V and VI. Differences were detected in the Xln6 hybridization profiles of several P25X catabolic mutants that have lost the ability to grow on 2,5-xylenol. In these mutants the loss of 2,5-xylenol degradative ability could be due to genome rearrangements mediated by sequences related to the Xln6 group II intron. This is the f i rs t reported group II intron isolated from Pseudomonas spp. and the first time that the mobility of a bacterial group II intron has been demonstrated.
Formation of the compact jets in the black hole GX 339−4

Galactic black hole binaries produce powerful outflows which emit over almost the entire electromagnetic spectrum. Here, we report the first detection with the Herschel observatory of a variable far-infrared source associated with the compact jets of the black hole transient GX 339−4 during the decay of its recent 2010-2011 outburst, after the transition to the hard state. We also outline the results of very sensitive radio observations conducted with the Australia Telescope Compact Array, along with a series of near-infrared, optical (OIR) and X-ray observations, allowing for the first time the re-ignition of the compact jets to be observed over a wide range of wavelengths. The compact jets first turn on at radio frequencies with an optically thin spectrum that later evolves to an optically thick synchrotron emission. An OIR reflare is observed about 10 d after the onset of radio and hard X-ray emission, likely reflecting the necessary time to build up enough density, as well as to have acceleration (e.g. through shocks) along an extended region in the jets. The Herschel measurements are consistent with an extrapolation of the radio inverted power-law spectrum, but they highlight a more complex radio to OIR spectral energy distribution for the jets.
WEED EMERGENCE IN A SOIL WITH COVER CROPS IN AN AGROECOLOGICAL NO-TILLAGE SYSTEM

The cultivation and deposition of cover crops residues on the soil surface can reduce weed emergence. The objective of this study was to evaluate the emergence of weeds, in a greenhouse, on a soil with cover crops in an agroecological no-tillage system. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse with soil samples from an experiment installed in Ituporanga (Santa Catarina state). On April 2010 and 2011, the following field treatments were implemented: weed vegetation (VE), Hordeum vulgare (2010)/Avena strigosa (2011) (CV/AV), Secale cereale (CE), Raphanus sativus (NF), Secale cereale + Raphanus sativus (NF+CE) and Hordeum vulgare/Avena strigosa + Raphanus sativus (NF+AV). After the rotation of the species, the soil samples were collected in July. The identification of the species and the emergence assessment occurred 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, 90 and 105 days after the beginning of the experiment. The species with the highest incidence were: Amaranthus lividus, Oxalis spp. , Cyperus spp. , Stachys arvensis, Cynodon spp. and Rumex obtusifolius. Residues from single species of Secale cereale, Avena strigosa and Hordeum vulgare have shown the greatest ability to suppress weeds during the first 45 evaluation days; this corresponds to the beginning of the critical period in the onion development.
A priori Lipschitz estimates for solutions of local and nonlocal Hamilton–Jacobi equations with Ornstein–Uhlenbeck operator

We establish a priori Lipschitz estimates for unbounded solutions of second-order Hamilton-Jacobi equations in R^N in presence of an Ornstein-Uhlenbeck drift. We generalize the results obtained by Fujita, Ishii \& Loreti (2006) in several directions. The first one is to consider more general operators. We first replace the Laplacian by a general diffusion matrix and then consider a nonlocal integro-differential operator of fractional Laplacian type. The second kind of extension is to deal with more general Hamiltonians which are merely sublinear. These results are obtained for both degenerate and nondegenerate equations.
University of Aberdeen The Distance Standard Deviation

The distance standard deviation, which arises in distance correlation analysis of multivariate data, is studied as a measure of spread. New representations for the distance standard deviation are obtained in terms of Gini’s mean difference and in terms of the moments of spacings of order statistics. Inequalities for the distance variance are derived, proving that the distance standard deviation is bounded above by the classical standard deviation and by Gini’s mean difference. Further, it is shown that the distance standard deviation satisfies the axiomatic properties of a measure of spread. Explicit closed-form expressions for the distance variance are obtained for a broad class of parametric distributions. The asymptotic distribution of the sample distance variance is derived.
An ethanobotanical investigation of cucurbitaceae from South India: A review

Cucurbitaceae crops are cash crops grown as vegetables. The family cucurbitaceae well known medicinal uses the whole plant parts including roots, leaves, fruits and seeds have been extensively studied for their pharmacological activity. A herb is a plant that is valued for flavor, scent, or other qualities. From ancient days to now a day, plant parts used in cooking, as medicines as they were potential and treatment of several diseases and disorders. Main behind of that is medicinal plants is not having any side effects. Fruits of which are widely used in ayurveda and other folk medicines traditionally used for its cardioprotective, cardiotonic, general tonic, diuretic, aphrodisiac, antidote to certain poisons and scorpion strings, alternative purgative, cooling effects. It cures pain, ulcers and fever and used for pectoral cough, asthma and other bronchial disorders-especially syrup prepared from the tender fruits. The fruit is reported to contain the triterepeniode cucurbitacins B, D, G, H and 22-deoxy cucurbitacin. This is an attempt to compile an up-to-date and comprehensive review of that covers its traditional and folk medicinal uses, phytochemistry and pharmacology.
Current-Transformer Saturation Detection With Genetically Optimized Neural Networks

Application of the genetic algorithm for the optimization of the artificial-neural-network (ANN)-based current-transformer (CT) saturation detector is presented. To determine the most suitable ANN topology for the CT state classifier, the rules of evolutionary improvement of the characteristics of individuals by concurrence and heredity are used. The proposed genetic optimization principles were implemented in MATLAB programming code. The initial as well as further consecutive network populations were created, trained, and graded in a closed loop until the selection criterion was fulfilled. Various aspects of genetic optimization have been studied, including ANN quality assessment, versions of genetic operations, etc. The developed optimized neural CT saturation detectors have been tested with ATP-generated signals, proving better performance than traditionally used algorithms and methods
Multi-sited ethnographies and studies of engineering practice

The reproduction, development and transformation of engineering work and culture have been the focus of a number of theoretical and empirical studies over the last 60 years or so (Barley 2005). In the 1950‟ties and 1960‟ties the predominant perspective was that of the engineering profession studied by sociological methods including studies of engineers serving authoritarian regimes. In the 1970‟ies the perspective shifted to Marxist inspired discussions of the engineering profession in relation to class structure in parallel to studies of engineering education and skills from a perspective coming from Industrial Sociology. Over the last 30 years the studies have – to a large extend – used ethnographic and grounded methods in order to investigate the specifics of engineering practices in situated perspectives. Thus the overall trend has been from a macro to a micro perspective. We argue that this trend has – in many respects – led to a richer and empirically sensitive perspective on engineering work and culture. Thus, detailed studies of engineering work practices or engineering education provide new material for a richer understanding of engineering culture. On the other hand, however, the specific and strictly situated focus of these studies threatens to limit discussions of engineering practices to departmental and discrete institutional settings. We propose a research agenda that – inspired by George Marcus‟ multi-sited ethnographic methodology (Marcus 1998) – sees (and contrasts) engineering practices in diverse settings (e.g. engineering education and engineering work) in order to uncover the material-discursive transformations in these practices. In our oral presentation we will outline the research perspective we intend to use in our study of engineering practices in the research program PROCEED. Our study will rely on the fundamental presumption that engineering practices are produced and reproduced in two – different, but mutually constitutive – institutional contexts: one located in institutional settings that are concerned with the reproduction of engineering knowledge and skills, i.e. engineering education and research, and the second based in engineering work, institutionally situated in organizations and companies. Thus our study will address these two institutional contexts by investigating their fields of materialdiscursive practices. Engineering work and education are not viewed as distinct spheres performing independent versions of engineering theory and practice but as one of interplay and mutual constituency.
Esti ate of Cutting Tool Lifespan through Cox Proportional Hazards odel

An important proportion of the cost of machined mechanical elements emanates from the cost of cutting tools inserts. A large part of these costs is due to improper maintenance decisions. In this paper, we demonstrate the use of a gamma process tool wear simulation for providing tool lifetimes at several cutting speeds. We show the use of a survival model (Cox Proportional Hazards model) on turning cutting inserts, using the cutting speed as covariate. Contrary to other approaches, the Proportional Hazards model is not used to produce the parameters of a reliability model, but the Mean Up Time is rather computed through the integration of the raw survival model reliability baseline. Additional simulated data is used to validate the model. The importance of a proper distribution of the PH model fitting data is highlighted by the experimental results.
The Public-Private Pay Gap: A Robust Quantile Approach

This paper investigates whether a public sector premium exists after controlling for observable characteristics and for additional motivations, other than monetary, that may induce workers to prefer employment in the public sector. We study the entire conditional wage distribution on Italian micro data, covering the period 1998-2008. The evidence under random sampling shows the existence of a wage differential averaging at about 14% for women and 4% for men, generally lower at the high tail of the wage distribution and in the Northern regions. The premium significantly increases when possible sorting is considered; the correction is particularly large above the median of the wage distribution, therefore suggesting that the additional motivations may play an important role above all at higher wage levels. When we restrict our comparison to large private firms, a differential is confirmed for women but not for men.
HARDWARE APPROACH OF A NOVEL ALGORITHM OF R-PEAK DETECTION FOR THE SIMULTANEOUS MEASUREMENT OF FETAL AND MATERNAL HEART RATES DURING PREGNANCY

high speed integrated circuit hardware description language (VHDL), Digital signal processing (DSP), Fetal heart rate. Fetal condition may change abruptly during the pregnancy period. Therefore, continuous fetal electrocardiogram (FECG) monitoring will ease the fetal well-being. An algorithm has been developed to detect R-peak for the simultaneous measurement of the fetal and maternal heart rates during pregnancy. The algorithm is based on crosscorrelation, adaptive threshold and statistical properties in the time domain. The performance achieved for the R-peak detection for the heart rate measurements shows that the model can extract R-peak for both maternal and fetal utilizing a single-lead configuration. The algorithm has been implemented into Altera’s Stratix EP1S10. Test case results showed an error percentage of around ±0.3% and ±0.5% for the R-peak detection of maternal and fetal respectively. The system is capable to run at a maximum clock frequency of 48.56 MHz, and consumed 9 633 logic elements.
Using multi-item psychometric scales for research and practice in human resource management

Questionnaires are a widely used research method in human resource management (HRM), and multi-item psychometric scales are the most widely used measures in questionnaires. These scales each have multiple items to measure a construct in a reliable and valid manner. However, using this method effectively involves complex procedures that are frequently misunderstood or unknown. Although there are existing methodological texts addressing this topic, few are exhaustive and they often omit essential practical information. The current article therefore aims to provide a detailed and comprehensive guide to the use of multi-item psychometric scales for HRM research and practice, including their structure, development, use, administration, and data preparation.
Effect of in vitro culture environments and culture methods on cormlet formation of Gladiolus.

Five gladiolus cultivars 'Adlib Scarlet', 'May Queen', 'Pacific Pink', 'Sharone' and 'White Race' were used in order to identify their specific culture environments and culture methods to obtain cormlets from a shoot base in vitro. There was a cultivar-by-medium-temperature interaction effect. The solid medium was appropriate only for cormlet formation of 'May Queen', while liquid medium was favored for the other four cultivars. The best culture enviroment for cormlets formation of 'Pacific Pink', 'Sharone' and 'White Race' was liquid medium treated at 20℃. Fresh weight of cormlets of 'Adlib Scarlet' was highest when grown in liquid medium treated at 25℃. There was no difference among the three temperatures for cormlet formation of 'May Queen' which grew best in solid medium. The suitable light intensity was 68 μ㏖·m -2 ·s -1 PAR for 'May Queen', 'Sharone' and 'White Race', 34 μ㏖·m -2 ·s -1 PAR for 'Adlib Scarlet' and 135 μ㏖·m -2 ·s -1 PAR for 'Pacific Pink'. Increase in fresh weight was related to increased diameter regardless of different temperature, light intensity, media, or cultivar.
Investigation of polarimetric coherence optimization in persistent scatterer interferometry

Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) provides a means of imaging small deformations of the Earth’s surface (millimeter scale). Furthermore, interferometric point target analysis (IPTA) and time-series analyses can be enhanced using polarimetric and interferometric synthetic aperture radar (PolInSAR) processing techniques to improve detection of point targets or coherent scatterers (CS) that are characterized by a point-like scattering behavior. A mixture of single or multiple scattering mechanisms with a high range of backscattering amplitudes characterize many SAR images over a number of areas. However, the fact that a number of scatterers are characterized by a strongly polarized behavior and are located at different heights even within the same resolution cell make the combination of polarimetric and interferometric information a promising one. For the study site of Socorro, New Mexico, full polarization techniques provided a significant increase (i.e. more than doubled) in CSs compared to a non full polarization. Scattering mechanism and temporal behavior of the CSs were investigated. The CS scattering mechanism behavior was found consistent amongst the CS lists. Full polarization processing was found to increase the CS quantity significantly compared to single polarizations while maintaining high temporal coherence. Thus, this significant increase in full polarization CSs has the potential to increase the overall InSAR processing quality. For sites that challenge (e.g. vegetated areas and other low coherence environments) the single polarization InSAR processing, the full polarization increase in CSs may be essential for processing.
Electioneering Campaigns, Solid Waste andSustainable Physical Environment in Nigerian Cities:A Case Study of Lagos Metropolis

This work has studied the waste generated in the 2015 general election as well as the consequences, and made recommendations for a sustainable physical environment. Lagos Metropolis was used as a case study. 50 major streets and roads of the Metropolis were toured. Photographs of portraits, logos, billboards and handbills were taken. Internet browsing was carried out, interview were conducted with 2 chieftains each of 3 of the 29 political parties, and 3 Managers of 3 of the renowned printing companies that printed for the parties were interviewed. The investigators joined campaign trails and observed the display of campaign materials. Maps, charts, and tables were used for data analysis and presentation. Photographic shots taken were well represented. Degradable and non-degradable waste were generated: printing papers, clothes, fliers and billboards, party uniforms and attires, souvenirs, etc. made of wood, nails, iron rods, metal sheets, plastics, synthetic fibres, gum and yarn etc. were abandoned in the physical environment after the elections. The Metropolis had additional 31,020 kg undesirable material which became instruments of soaring and unabated environmental pollution, erosion blockage, hideouts for destitute and disease vectors. They made the once scenic environment ugly. Electoral programmes and policies should incorporate guidelines on the type of campaign materials and their likely impact on the physical environment. Politicians and the electorate also require adequate education.
Ultrasonic and thermodynamic studies in ternary liquid system of toluene+1-dodecanol+cyclohexane at 298, 308 and 318K

Sound speed is determined for the ternary system of toluene + 1-dodecanol + cyclohexane as a function of composition and temperature. The observed data have been utilized to evaluate derived parameters like molar volume, molar free volume, isentropic compressibility, intermolecular free length, acoustic impedance and internal pressure. Further, these derived parameters are utilized to compute excess parameters. Various theories given by different researchers are also applied to the experimental sound speed and their percentage deviations have been calculated. By fitting excess parameters into Redlich-Kister polynomial equation smoothening coefficients and their standard deviations have been evaluated.
Cytotoxicity of some 1-(2,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-3-(4-phenylpiperidin-1-yl) prop-2-en-1-one derivatives using MTT assay

Some N-substituted piperidine structures were synthesized and evaluated for cytotoxic activity against four different cell lines using the standard MTT assay method and Doxorubicin was used as the reference drug. The result of cytotoxic activity as a measurement of IC50 values revealed that three of the synthesized compounds were active against breast cancer cell line. Compound 6a bearing hydroxyl at para position of piperidine ring was the most active compound within this series. The N-subtituted piperidine with propene substructure could be considered as a lead structure for further studies of structure activity relationship to develop more potent compounds in future.
HMSIW Tri-Band Filtering Power Divider

A tri-band two-way filtering power divider structure is proposed based on HMSIW. Dualband filtering power divider is realized by etching semicircular slots on HMSIW. The third passband is achieved by loading open-stub without affecting two other passbands. The return loss is less than −20 dB in each passband with 3 dB fractional bandwidths of 3.75%, 9.3% and 0.61%. The measured results are in agreement with the simulated ones in this paper. This filtering power divider has the advantages of simple structure, easy integration, etc. It has a good application prospect.