Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
What Is the Best Thing About Being an Indigenous Father in Australia?

ABSTRACT In Australia, the ongoing structure of settler colonialism has meant understandings of Indigeneity continue to uphold deficit narratives about the lives of Indigenous peoples. The narrative that predominates for Indigenous fathers is often the labels of dysfunctionality, deviance, and disengagement from their children. Using the Longitudinal Study of Indigenous Children data, this article seeks to challenge these deficit narratives to shed light not only on the strengths Indigenous fathers report of their experiences of fatherhood, but also on how fatherhood could be reconceptualised under an Indigenous epistemology. We followed recent efforts and used a strengths-based approach in Indigenous fathering research to counter deficit narratives of Indigenous fatherhood and explore how an Indigenous standpoint can inform approaches to social, cultural, and health and wellbeing practices. We applied a content analysis to answers generated by the question “What is the best thing about being your child's father? ” The range of responses suggested a most positive and child-centred experience of fatherhood where Indigenous fathers report the sharing of love and culture with their children as direct contributions to children growing up strong. IMPLICATIONS The findings highlight the significant role of a strengths-based approach focused on relationality to challenge unfair and inaccurate deficit-based narratives of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander fathers or both. The article identifies the influence of deficit-based narratives of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander fathers or both as an urgent issue for social work practice to address as such narratives may be implicated in contributing to excessively high rates of child removal.
Estimating and Verifying United States Households' Potential to Conserve Water

AbstractBehavior and technological impacts on residential indoor water use and conservation efforts in the United States are identified. Preexisting detailed end-use data was collected before and after toilets, faucets, showerheads, and clothes washers were retrofitted in 96 owner-occupied, single-family households in Oakland, California; Seattle, Washington; and Tampa, Florida, between 2000 and 2003. Water volume, duration of use, and time of use were recorded and disaggregated by appliance for two weeks before and four weeks after appliances were retrofitted. For each appliance, observed differences in water use before and after retrofits are compared to water savings predicted by simple analytical, regression, and hybrid models. Comparisons identify prediction precision among models. Results show that observed and predicted distributions of water savings are skewed with a small number of households showing potential to save more water. Regression and hybrid model results also show the relative and sign.
Thermal Noise in Field-Effect Transistors

The limiting noise mechanism in field-effect transistors is thermal noise of the conducting channel. The noise can be represented by a current generator ? i2 in parallel to the output. The value of i2 is calculated; for zero drain voltage the noise corresponds to thermal noise of the drain conductance, and for other bias conditions the noise at a given gate voltage depends only slightly upon the drain voltage. Because of modulation effects in the channel, i2 is somewhat larger than the thermal noise of the dc drain conductance, except for zero drain bias and beyond saturation. The noise resistance of the device is approximately equal to gmax/g,m2, where gm is the transconductance of the transistor and gmax its maximum value. The approximation becomes even closer if feedback due to the series resistances of the channel must be taken into account.
A Semi-Supervised Reduced-Space Method for Hyperspectral Imaging Segmentation

The development of the hyperspectral remote sensor technology allows the acquisition of images with a very detailed spectral information for each pixel. Because of this, hyperspectral images (HSI) potentially possess larger capabilities in solving many scientific and practical problems in agriculture, biomedical, ecological, geological, hydrological studies. However, their analysis requires developing specialized and fast algorithms for data processing, due the high dimensionality of the data. In this work, we propose a new semi-supervised method for multilabel segmentation of HSI that combines a suitable linear discriminant analysis, a similarity index to compare different spectra, and a random walk based model with a direct label assignment. The user-marked regions are used for the projection of the original high-dimensional feature space to a lower dimensional space, such that the class separation is maximized. This allows to retain in an automatic way the most informative features, lightening the successive computational burden. The part of the random walk is related to a combinatorial Dirichlet problem involving a weighted graph, where the nodes are the projected pixel of the original HSI, and the positive weights depend on the distances between these nodes. We then assign to each pixel of the original image a probability quantifying the likelihood that the pixel (node) belongs to some subregion. The computation of the spectral distance involves both the coordinates in a features space of a pixel and of its neighbors. The final segmentation process is therefore reduced to a suitable optimization problem coupling the probabilities from the random walker computation, and the similarity with respect the initially labeled pixels. We discuss the properties of the new method with experimental results carried on benchmark images.
Variability in Energy Factor Test Results for Residential Electric Water Heaters

Recent modifications to the minimum energy efficiency requirements for residential water heaters have spurred an investigation into the variability in testing high-efficiency electric water heaters. While initial interlaboratory comparisons showed excellent agreement between test results from different labs, subsequent interlaboratory comparisons show differences between measured energy factors of up to 0.040. To determine the source of these differences, analyses of various parts of the test procedure are performed. For one case studied, the uncertainty in test results can be as high as +0.028 if instrument accuracies reach the minimum level allowed in the test procedure. Other areas of the test procedure where variability is introduced are the optional use of pre-draws, the location of the lower tank temperature-measuring device, the use of insulation on tank fittings, and the use of a warm-up period before the simulated-use test commences. The implications of these issues on test results are discussed.
Quantifying Crown Morphology of Mixed Pine-Oak Forests Using Terrestrial Laser Scanning

Mixed forests make up the majority of natural forests, and they are conducive to improving the resilience and resistance of forest ecosystems. Moreover, it is in the crown of the trees where the effect of inter- and intra-specific interaction between them is evident. However, our knowledge of changes in crown morphology caused by density, competition, and mixture of specific species is still limited. Here, we provide insight on stand structural complexity based on the study of four response crown variables (Maximum Crown Width Height, MCWH; Crown Base Height, CBH; Crown Volume, CV; and Crown Projection Area, CPA) derived from multiple terrestrial laser scans. Data were obtained from six permanent plots in Northern Spain comprising of two widespread species across Europe; Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and sessile oak (Quercus petraea (Matt.) Liebl. ). A total of 193 pines and 256 oaks were extracted from the point cloud. Correlation test were conducted (ρ ≥ 0.9) and finally eleven independent variables for each target tree were calculated and categorized into size, density, competition and mixture, which was included as a continuous variable. Linear and non-linear multiple regressions were used to fit models to the four crown variables and the best models were selected according to the lowest AIC Index and biological sense. Our results provide evidence for species plasticity to diverse neighborhoods and show complementarity between pines and oaks in mixtures, where pines have higher MCWH and CBH than oaks but lower CV and CPA, contrary to oaks. The species complementarity in crown variables confirm that mixtures can be used to increase above ground structural diversity.
Managing information and supplies inventory operations in a manufacturing environment. Part 1: An action research study

In the first part of this research study, we describe the application of the action research method in the nuclear fuel manufacturing industry to process information and to develop a lean operating supplies inventory program. The motivation for our work stems from the interaction we had with AREVA Richland, the nuclear reactor fuel production site located in the state of Washington to investigate the important role that information processing and maintenance inventory play in keeping the production process functioning on schedule. AREVA's data systems are not well documented. Hence, designing a methodology to obtain good data and perform any validity checks was critical for the company. Additionally, the importance of meeting delivery schedules to nuclear power plants throughout the world cannot be overestimated. Late deliveries of fuel can easily destroy the precise schedules for power plant outages designed to minimise plant downtime and maximise electric power output. Therefore, AREVA cannot tolerate significant production schedule deviations. Maintenance items play a key role in ensuring that production schedules are met. AREVA has about $700,000 tied up in maintenance inventory at their Washington state plant. Hence driving this investment down, while maintaining a high fill-rate, is crucial. Through the deployment of process maps, failure mode effect analysis and cause-and-effect diagram, we managed an action research project that helped process information flow along the company's supply chain and generated a 27% reduction in inventory relative to the system that was currently in place at AREVA.
Comparison of outcomes between intra-articular tranexamic acid versus intravenous tranexamic acid in unilateral knee joint replacement

Background: The goal of this research was to assess the effectiveness and safety of intra-articular tranexamic acid (TA) with intravenous (IV) TA in reducing perioperative blood loss, the severity of early postoperative problems, and venous thromboembolism in patients who have had a primary unilateral cemented total knee replacement. Patients and methods: This comparative study was undertaken using a non-probability purposive sampling technique at the Department of Orthopedic Surgery, King Edward Medical University / Mayo Hospital, Lahore, from July 1st, 2018 to October 30th, 2019. A total of number 71 patients, aged 35 to 75 years, who underwent unilateral cemented total knee replacement for advanced knee osteoarthritis were included in the study. Patients who had known allergic reactions to tranexamic acid, risk factors of thromboembolism, severe kidney and heart diseases, and blood clotting disorders were excluded. The patients were divided into two groups, A and B. Pre-operatively, patients in Group A were given intraarticular tranexamic acid (3000mg). In Group B, intravenous tranexamic acid (10mg/kg) was given pre-operatively. Outcome parameters studied were drained blood (DB), level of hemoglobin (Hb), blood transfusion (BT), and hematocrit (Hct) after 48 hours of surgery and compared with the preoperative value. Data was entered and analyzed using SPSS version 21.0. Independent sample T-test was applied to compare the hematocrit and hemoglobin difference in the two groups, and the P-value was taken less than 0.05 as significant. Results: Out of the total 36 patients in Group A, there were 20 (55.5%) males and 16 (44.4%) females, while amongst 35 patients in Group B, there were 21 (60%) males and 14 (40%) females. The mean preoperative Haemoglobin (Hb) in Group A was 13.9+1.2 and 13.8+0.9 in Group B (p = 0.44). The mean postoperative Hb in Group A was 12.11±2.47 and 11.24 ± 3.52 in Group B (p = 0.002). The mean variation of Hct in Group A was 4.49 and 6.82 in Group B (p = 0.001). Conclusion: Intra-articular tranexamic acid during total knee joint replacement is a viable alternative to the established intravenous tranexamic acid with statistically significant high postoperative hemoglobin and hematocrit levels.
Implementation of advanced manufacturing technologies: Swedish FMS experiences

Sweden has a relatively advanced manufacturing base. The density of advanced manufacturing technologies is among the highest in the world. The labor force is relatively well educated, but the labor supply is a problem, partly due to the perceived low status of industrial work. This calls for extraordinary efforts in the design of manufacturing systems and work organizations. This article reports results from 27 flexible manufacturing system installations in Sweden. The technical and organizational features and system performances are described, and the implementation of the systems is given special attention. The systems are generally characterized by ordinary technology configurations, but by a relatively low degree of division of labor and a high degree of decentralization.
Optimal Synchronous Pulsewidth Modulation with a Trajectory Tracking Scheme for High Dynamic Performance

Synchronous pulse-width modulation (PWM) based on precalculated and stored optimal pulse patterns could be a superior method for the control of high-power inverters operated at low switching frequency. The technique has rarely been applied in practice owing to its poor dynamic performance. A novel feedforward control technique eliminates this decisive drawback: the space vector of the machine currents is forced to track a precalculated optimal trajectory in the steady-state and under the transient operating conditions commanded by the drive control system. Undesired transients caused by the pulse-width modulator are avoided. Experimental results obtained from a 30 kW AC drive are presented. >
Opting for Local Region in SHOX2 Promoter as a DNA Methylation Biomarker for Lung Cancer Diagnosis

Epigenetic alterations play a main role in the initiation and progression of lung cancer. CpG methylation in the promoter of the Short Stature Homeobox 2 (SHOX2) gene has been evaluated and validated at different stages of this malignant disease. Several approaches for measuring DNA methylation have been established, including quantitative methylation-specific PCR (qMSP). This is a simple, fast, and cost-effective technique that can be easily applied to clinical practice. In this study, formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue samples were collected from 30 lung cancer patients and 30 patients suffering from non-cancerous pulmonary diseases. The methylation level of SHOX2 was evaluated in two CpG-riched regions by using qMSP and one of them could be conferred as a potential biomarker to lung cancer.
Computational Algorithms for the Analysis of Cancer Virotherapy Model

: Cancer is a common term for many diseases that can affect any part of the body. In 2020, ten million people will die due to cancer. A worldwide leading cause of death is cancer by the World Health Organization (WHO) report. Interaction of cancer cells, viral therapy, and immune response are identified in this model. Mathematical and computational modeling is an effective tool to predict the dynamics of cancer virotherapy. The cell population is categorized into three parts like uninfected cells (x), infected cells (y), virus-free cells (v), and immune cells (z). The modeling of cancer-like diseases is based on the law of mass action (the rate of change of reacting substances is directly proportional to the product of interacting substances). Positivity, boundedness, equilibria, threshold analysis, are part of deterministic modeling. Later on, a numerical analysis is designed by using the standard and non-standard finite difference methods. The non-standard finite difference method is developed to study the long-term behavior of the cancer model. For its efficiency, a comparison of the methods is investigated.
Resting-State EEG Signal for Major Depressive Disorder Detection: A Systematic Validation on a Large and Diverse Dataset

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a global healthcare issue and one of the leading causes of disability. Machine learning combined with non-invasive electroencephalography (EEG) has recently been shown to have the potential to diagnose MDD. However, most of these studies analyzed small samples of participants recruited from a single source, raising serious concerns about the generalizability of these results in clinical practice. Thus, it has become critical to re-evaluate the efficacy of various common EEG features for MDD detection across large and diverse datasets. To address this issue, we collected resting-state EEG data from 400 participants across four medical centers and tested classification performance of four common EEG features: band power (BP), coherence, Higuchi’s fractal dimension, and Katz’s fractal dimension. Then, a sequential backward selection (SBS) method was used to determine the optimal subset. To overcome the large data variability due to an increased data size and multi-site EEG recordings, we introduced the conformal kernel (CK) transformation to further improve the MDD as compared with the healthy control (HC) classification performance of support vector machine (SVM). The results show that (1) coherence features account for 98% of the optimal feature subset; (2) the CK-SVM outperforms other classifiers such as K-nearest neighbors (K-NN), linear discriminant analysis (LDA), and SVM; (3) the combination of the optimal feature subset and CK-SVM achieves a high five-fold cross-validation accuracy of 91.07% on the training set (140 MDD and 140 HC) and 84.16% on the independent test set (60 MDD and 60 HC). The current results suggest that the coherence-based connectivity is a more reliable feature for achieving high and generalizable MDD detection performance in real-life clinical practice.
Projection Micro Stereolithography (PµSL) to 3D Print a Micro-Optofluidic Device for Two-Phase Slug Flow Detection: a Comparison with a PDMS-Based Device Manufactured by Resin Casting

In this work, the use of Projection Micro Stereolithography (PmSL) to 3D print a micro-optofluidic device for two-phase slug flow detection is presented. For comparison purposes a PDMS based device obtained by casting was also manufactured. The micro-optofluidic device has a microfluidic T-junction with a micro-optical section that consists of two optical fiber insertions used for two-phase slug flow detection. The working principle in the detection is based on a different light transmission correlated to the fluid interfering with the laser beam in a micro-channel section. The 3D printed material is fully characterized in terms of its surface properties and compared to PDMS used for standard construction using a master-slave casting procedure. The two devices were tested after the setup parameters for the detection were optimized using ANOVA for the 3D printed device. The comparisons of the two devices revealed that 3D printed device can be used for two-phase slug flow detection but future research is still need to obtain a 3D printed resin allowing to outperform PDMS.
QSAR, molecular docking, molecular dynamics and MM-GBSA approach for identification of prospective benzotriazole-based SARS-CoV 3CL protease inhibitors

Abstract The 3CL Protease of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV), responsible for viral replication, has emerged as an essential target for designing anti-coronaviral inhibitors in drug discovery. In recent years, small molecule and peptidomimetic inhibitors have been used to target the inhibition of SARS-CoV 3CL Protease. In this study, we have developed 2D and 3D Quantitative structure activity relationship (QSAR) models on 3CL protease inhibitors with good predictive capability to propose inhibitors with improved affinities. Based on the 3 D contour maps, three new inhibitors were designed in silico, which were further subjected to molecular docking to explore their binding modes. The newly designed compounds showed improved interaction energies toward SARS-CoV-3CLPro due to additional interactions with the active site residues. The molecular docking studies of the most potent compounds revealed specific interactions with Glu 166 and Cys 145. Furthermore, absorption, distribution, metabolism, elimination (ADME) and drug-likeness evaluation revealed improved pharmacokinetic properties for these compounds. The molecular dynamics simulations confirmed the stability of the interactions identified by docking. The results presented would guide the development of new 3CL protease inhibitors with improved affinities in the future. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma
An Investigation on Crashworthiness Design of Aluminium Columns with Damage Criteria

This paper presents a crashworthiness design of aluminium columns with damage criteria. A parametric study is performed to study the effect of loading and geometrical parameters. The effect of impact mass, impact velocity, side length, thickness and length of columns are investigated numerically. The numerical analysis carried out by Abaqus software and is compared by literature.
Equivalent circuit method for analysis and synthesis of frequency selective surfaces

A new general equivalent circuit approach for a thin frequency selective structure (FSS) has been proposed. The method exhibits higher accuracy compared with conventional equivalent circuit approaches, is valid for any angle of incidence and for any lattices, provides a better understanding of how a particular FSS structure operates and potentially allows the synthesis of FSS by optimisation of circuit parameters. In addition its performance is much faster than techniques employing rigorous solutions. A theoretical study of the method has been undertaken using ring slot and rectangular slot elements as test elements for the analysis. Very good agreement in comparison with computational electromagnetics (CEM) software and rigorous methods has been obtained.