Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Reduced-decision feedback FLANN nonlinear channel equaliser for digital communication systems

A reduced-decision feedback functional link artificial neural network (RDF-FLANN) structure for the design of a nonlinear channel equaliser in digital communication systems is proposed. When functional expansion utilities are used, the RDF-FLANN does not need the hidden layers that exist in most MLP-based equalisers. So the RDF-FLANN exhibits a much simpler structure than the traditional DF-FLANN and thus requires less computation during the training mode. The use of direct decision feedback can greatly improve the performance of FLANN structures. Comparisons of the mean squared error (MSE), the average transmission symbol error rate (SER) and the eye patterns among RDF-FLANN, FLANN and MLP are presented. Simulation results have demonstrated that RDF-FLANN presents the best performance among the three structures.
Predictors of Spontaneous Rupture of Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Clinical Outcomes Following Hepatectomy

Objective To explore the independent predictive factors of spontaneous tumor rupture (STR) in patients undergoing curative resection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and to evaluate the impact of STRHCC on long-term survival after hepatectomy. Methods The clinicopathological parameters of 106 patients with STRHCC and 201 patients with non-ruptured HCC who underwent hepatectomy from January 2007 to November 2011 at the Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital and Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University were analyzed using propensity score matching (PSM) and a logistic regression model. Results Factors including hypertension, cirrhosis, total bilirubin (TB), tumor size, and ascites were independent predictors of STR. For all 307 HCC patients, the 1-, 3- and 5-year overall survival (OS) rates were 54.0%, 37.3% and 33.8%, respectively. After PSM, the 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS rates in the ruptured group remained significantly lower at 41.5%, 23.5%, and 17.5% when compared with the non-ruptured group at 70.8%, 47.1%, and 37.6%, respectively, while the 1-, 3-, and 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) rates between the groups did not differ significantly (50.4%, 35.1%, 27.1% vs 55.4%, 38.2%, 27.4%). STRHCC was significantly associated with increased risk of OS, but not of shorter DFS. No significant difference in postoperative morbidity or hospital death was observed between the groups. Conclusion Factors including hypertension, liver cirrhosis, higher TB levels, tumor size > 5cm, and ascites are significant predictors of STR. The recurrence rate of patients in the ruptured group was significantly higher than that of patients in the non-ruptured group. STR results in poorer OS but not DFS in patients undergoing curative resection for HCC. STRHCC has no impact on postoperative morbidity and mortality after hepatectomy.
MECHANICS AND CONTROL OF QUADROTORS FOR TOOL OPERATION

We consider the following two problems to enable a quadrotor to operate a mechanical tool (e.g., screwdriver, vertical jack, etc), which is rigidly-attached on the quadrotor and whose control, different to other quadrotor motion control results, demands an integrated and simultaneous control of the quadrotor’s translation and rotation: 1) tool-tip position trajectory tracking control; and 2) tool rotating operation control with the tool-tip position regulated. We characterize some structural conditions for generating any arbitrary desired control for the tool-tip position and also for avoiding internal dynamics instability (with possible finite-time escape). Simulations are performed to support the theory.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Uncovering San Francisco, California, Muni's Proof-of-Payment Patterns to Help Reduce Fare Evasion

When transit customers pay fares, they contribute their fair share to help fund service. In San Francisco, California, anecdotal observations had reinforced perceptions that a high percentage of Muni (the San Francisco Railway transit system) riders were not paying, possibly costing the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) tens of millions of dollars annually in lost revenue. In 2009, SFMTA, which operates Muni, conducted a proof-of-payment study to answer longstanding questions about fare payment patterns and identify strategies to improve fare enforcement. The resulting survey of 41,239 customers on 1,141 vehicle runs provided enough samples by time period, route, and vehicle occupancy to identify fare payment patterns at a disaggregated level. The study found a 9.5% minimum systemwide fare evasion rate that varied by route, location, time period, level of enforcement, and door of entry and amounted to an estimated $19 million annually in uncaptured revenue on the basis of 2009 fares. Although surveyors observed that there was no typical violator, the data showed that fare evasion was more prevalent on certain routes and during the afternoon and evening hours. Besides providing base data to measure future progress, the study enabled SFMTA to educate its customers about proof-of-payment requirements and deploy its fare enforcement personnel more efficiently and cost-effectively in an effort to improve fare compliance.
Bidirectional Cyclic Performance of Reinforced Concrete Bridge Column-Superstructure Subassemblies

The paper presents the methodology and findings from large-scale experiments conducted on reinforced concrete bridge subassemblies. Each subassembly consisted of the middle column/cap-beam joint of a three-column bridge bent and a large part of the monolithically cast-in-place box-girder of a typical California highway bridge. The subassemblies were subjected to constant gravity load and gradually increasing bidirectional cyclic lateral loading. One subassembly represented common practice in California and the other considered new design using headed reinforcing bars with reduced volume of transverse reinforcement to improve joint construction. When loading in the transverse direction, i.e., parallel to the cap-beam, the use of headed bars led to better global and local performances due to improved confinement of the joint region with less volume of reinforcement. On the other hand, when loading in the longitudinal direction, i.e., parallel to the box-girder, the headed bars were more engaged, as evident by their yielding, in confining the joint region than the conventional reinforcement. The effect of bidirectional loading on global damage of the box-girder slabs is presented as variation of the effective moment of inertia of the cap-beam cross section with displacement ductility indicating that Caltrans estimates are conservative up to displacement ductility of five. Key words: bidirectional cyclic loading, box-girders, bridge joints, headed reinforcement, reinforced concrete
Analisis Penggunaan Mobile Banking pada Generasi Milenial dengan Pendekatan Technology Acceptance Model (TAM)

This research aims to analyze the factors that can influence the millennial generation in using mobile banking. The approach in this research uses the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) that has been developed by Davis (1989), namely benefits and convenience, and by adding three external variables, namely security, experience and compatibility . The research model was empirically tested using survey data from the millennial generation of students at Diponegoro University. The result of the analysis shows that all constructs in the TAM model namely benefits, convenience and the three external variable, security, experience and compatibility have a positive and significant effect on the use of mobile banking in the millennial generation partially or simultaneously. The implication of the results of this research is relevant for the millennial generation to be more confident on using mobile banking that can simplify their banking activities.
Technical Challenges of Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy in Patients with Cholestasis

Objective: The purpose of this study is to summarize the current knowledge regarding cholecystectomy in patients with cholestasis. Method: Systematic review of the literature up to March 2015, using electronic search of the PubMed/ Medline, Web of Science, and Science Direct, databases using as MeSH term or truncated words „cholecistectomy”, „laparoscopy”, „common bile duct stones”. Review Results: The treatment of common bile duct stones (CBD) includes pre or postoperative endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), surgical exploration (open or laparoscopic) of the CBD or intraoperative cholangiography (IOC). Currently the therapy of the patients with cholecystitis and CBD lithiasis is still a subject of controversy. Cholestasis is a proedisposing factor for intraoperative bleeding difficult dissection. Conclusion: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy in patients with cholestatic disease is feasible only for an experienced laparoscopic surgeon. Gallbladder dissection should be performed close to the cholecyst wall and CBD stones should be surgically removed or by endoscopic approach. Intraoperative bleeding is the most frequent difficulty for such surgeries.
Terrestrial photogrammetry: a method to gather data on fractures for DFN modelling from exposed rock surfaces

Abstract. The stochastic generation of discrete fracture networks (DFN) is a method for modelling fracture patterns used to assess the in situ fragmentation in a volume of rock. The DFN modelling approach is based on the assumption that the natural fragmentation of rocks is a function of the length and connectivity of the fractures within the considered volume of rock. Thus, in order to generate a site-specific DFN, the primary geometric properties of the fracture surfaces within the rock volume (especially orientation, size and fracture intensity as well as the local spatial variability) must be defined as distribution functions (Elmo et al., 2014). The required base statistics are usually obtained from fracture analysis on boreholes, exposed rock surfaces or (to a limited extent) 3D seismics (e.g. Bisdom et al., 2014; Bemis et al., 2014). We adopted a terrestrial close-range photogrammetry approach to capture several outcrops and analyse fracture traces on the exposed rock surfaces, the chosen workflow is based around the use of free and open-source software. Images were acquired from several quarries in the Weschnitzpluton, a granodioritic to quartz monzodioritic pluton in the Bergstrasse Odenwald (e.g. Altherr et al., 1999) using a consumer-grade Nikon D5300 DSLR with fixed focal length instead of a drone or Lidar-system for legal reasons, partially tree-lined outcrops and cost efficiency. Since point clouds obtained from photogrammetry are inherently dimensionless, we used a spherical target with compass and bubble level for scale and proper spatial orientation (Froideval et al., 2019). The exact geolocation is not particularly important for the task, so the use of GPS, total station or georeferenced ground control points is not necessary. Dense point clouds were computed using the open source SfM photogrammetry suite Meshroom (AliceVision, 2021), which can be used for manual or semi-automatic detection of fracture surfaces and their orientation (Schnabel et al., 2007) and to generate orthorectified images of the rock surface to trace fracture lengths and nodes in a GIS (Nyberg et al., 2018). Our investigations proved terrestrial photogrammetry to be a valuable and easily accessible tool in the documentation of natural fracture patterns and a robust base for the generation of DFN networks.
Supercapacitors On-Board Light Rail Vehicles: Enhanced Energy Storage Systems for Improved Vehicle Efficiency

This article will propose different energy storage systems, ranging from 0.91 kWh to 1.56 kWh, suitable for a 30 m long tram. To configure the system regarding energy content, voltage variation, maximum current and power losses, a model of the tram, network and substations power flow has been developed in a Matlab/Simulink environment. Results obtained in energy savings at substation level vary from 24% to 27, 6% under the same driving profile and auxiliaries load; while at the end-of-life of supercapacitors, the range varies from 18, 1% to 25, 1% depending on the supercapacitor module used and vehicle load.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Gait Asymmetry Comparison between Subjects with and without Nonspecific Chronic Low Back Pain

Individuals with chronic low back pain (LBP) report impaired somatosensory function and balance. However, there is a lack of investigation on limb motion similarities between subjects with and without LBP during gait. The aim of this study was to compare gait parameters as well as combined limb motions using the kinematic similarity index (KSI) between subjects with and without LBP. Twenty-two subjects with LBP and 19 age- and body mass index-matched control subjects participated in this study. The combined limb motions in the gait cycle of subjects with LBP were compared with those of a prototype derived from healthy subjects. The calculations resulted in response vectors that were analyzed in comparison to control-derived prototype response vectors for the normalized index at 5% increments in the gait cycle. The results of our study indicated that the KSI of the control group demonstrated higher similarities in the swing (t = 4.23, p = 0.001) and stance (t = 6.26, p = 0.001) phases compared to the LBP group. The index for the whole gait cycle was significantly different between the groups (t = 6.52, p = 0.001), especially in the midstance and swing phases. The LBP group could have adjusted the gait patterns during these specific phases. The KSI is useful for clinical outcome measures to differentiate kinematic changes and to demonstrate quantified similarities in the gait cycle between subjects with and without LBP. It is warranted to validate the KSI for the analysis of physiological gait asymmetry using a larger sample in future studies.
The impact of virtual medical student surgical conferences.

BACKGROUND In recent years, the number of people pursuing a surgical career in the UK has decreased. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to the cancellation of surgical placements for medical students and has affected surgical education. This study evaluates the perceptions and impact of a 1-day virtual surgical conference for medical students considering pursuing a surgical career. METHODS All delegates of the 2021 Barts and The London International Surgical Conference were invited to participate in two online surveys pre- and post-conference. Data were collected and analysed to evaluate delegates' reasons for attending the conference, and attitudes towards virtual conferences and a surgical career before and after the conference. RESULTS Out of 132 participants, 106 (80.3%) completed both the pre- and post-conference surveys. Clinical students showed a statistically significant difference in interest in pursuing a surgical career after the conference than before (P=0.03), unlike pre-clinical students (P=0.12). Post-conference, 43 (40.6%) preferred a virtual to a face-to-face conference, which was a slight increase from 40 (37.7%) pre-conference, while 73 (68.9%) and 80 (75.5%) participants favoured virtual talks and presentations respectively. In contrast, only 12 (11.3%) and 21 (19.8%) students preferred workshops and networking virtually. Furthermore, delegates liked the global accessibility and environmentally-friendly nature of virtual conferences but found they can be less engaging and be disrupted by a poor internet connection. CONCLUSIONS Virtual surgical conferences have many benefits and can help encourage medical students towards a surgical career. They could help bridge the surgical educational gap in medical school during these unprecedented times. Virtual conferences, which have a broader and more inclusive reach, could be an important complement to conventional conferences after the pandemic.
Investigation of lane-changing decision-making models for autonomous vehicles

As a promising method to improve traffic safety, mobility and environmental impacts, autonomous vehicles will inevitably be the future of transportation. Both car following (CF) and lane changing (LC) are the most basic and frequent maneuver in autonomous driving, and therefore become two key issues to focus on in recent researches about autonomous vehicle (AV) in which, lane changing modeling is even more complex and difficult as it involves more factors, such as microscopic behaviors of surrounding vehicles and traffic states of lanes. This paper introduces the whole process of lane changing of autonomous vehicles and focuses on decision making module for the sake of its great significance. An investigation on lane-changing decision-making models and algorithms is provided in this paper.
Multiple Source-Detector Reflected Wave Method in the Intercity High-Speed Rail Tunnel Application

In the tunnel excavation process, often encounter fault belt, soft interlayer and abnormal water-bearing body does not directly predict adverse geological structure, not timely prediction and control these geological disasters will affect the safety of production. In many prediction methods in geophysical technology with nondestructive, accurate, efficient, fast and be recognized, many shot-geophone reflected wave method in different geological conditions on the apparent impedance response, the migrated results can accurately distinguish the lithologic interface, in many projects has been confirmed. The paper introduces the multiple source-detector reflection wave observation system based on, combined with the specific project example, elaborated how the shot-receiver reflected wave method in tunnel face geological disaster prediction in rats.
Effective Instructional Leadership Practices in High Performing Elementary Schools

The purpose of this study was to investigate the connection between principals’ instructional practices and student achievement. A phenomenological case study examined 13 Title I elementary schools in central California that exhibited a) a high percentage of students from poverty, b) higher than average state assessment results, and c) principals that remained in their schools for 3 years or more during the same time period. The study analyzed instructional leadership practices (ILP) and the monitoring tools used by the principals and its effect on student achievement. The impact of this study provides a model for ILP of principals that can be incorporated into their daily habits that provide opportunities for instructional changes that can lead to increased student achievement.
Microbial soil characteristics of grassland and arable soils linked to thermogravimetry data: correlations, use and limits

Abstract. Thermogravimetry (TG) is a simple method that enables rapid analysis of soil properties such as the content of total organic C, nitrogen, clay and C fractions with different stability. However, the possible link between TG data and microbiological soil properties has not been systematically tested yet and limits TG application for soil and soil organic matter assessment. This work aimed to search and to validate relationships of thermal mass losses (TML) to total C and N contents, microbial biomass C and N, basal and substrate-induced respiration, extractable organic carbon content, anaerobic ammoniﬁcation, urease activity, short-term nitriﬁcation activity, speciﬁc growth rate, and time to reach the maximum respiration rate for two sample sets of arable and grassland soils. Analyses of the training soil set revealed signiﬁcant correlations of TML with basic soil properties such as carbon and nitrogen content with distinguishing linear regression parameters and temperatures of correlating mass losses for arable and grassland soils. In a second stage the equations of signiﬁcant correlations were used for validation with an independent second sample set. This conﬁrmed applicability of developed equations for prediction of microbiological properties mainly for arable soils. For grassland soils was the applicability lower, which was explained as the inﬂuence of rhizosphere processes. Nevertheless, the application of TG can facilitate the understanding of changes in soil caused by microorganism’s activity and the different regression equations between TG and soil parameters reﬂect changes in proportions between soil components caused by land use management.
Automatic inspection and strategy for surface defects in the PI coating process of TFT‐LCD panels

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to apply an on‐line automatic inspection and measurement of surface defect of thin‐film transistor liquid‐crystal display (TFT‐LCD) panels in the polyimide coating process with a modified template matching method and back propagation neural network classification method.Design/methodology/approach – By using the technique of searching, analyzing, and recognizing image processing methods, the target pattern image of TFT‐LCD cell defects can be obtained.Findings – With template match and neural network classification in the database of the system, the program judges the kinds of the target defects characteristics, finds out the central position of cell defect, and analyzes cell defects.Research limitations/implications – The recognition speed becomes faster and the system becomes more flexible in comparison to the previous system. The proposed method and strategy, using unsophisticated and economical equipment, is also verified. The proposed method provides highly accu.
A feasibility study into the screening and imaging of hand luggage for threat items at 35 GHz using an active large aperture (1.6 m) security screening imager

The feasibility of screening hand luggage for concealed threat items such as Person-Borne Improvised Explosive Devices (PBIED's) both metallic and non-metallic, together with handguns and at millimetre wavelengths is investigated. Previous studies by the authors and others indicate that hand baggage material and fabric is much more transmissive and has less scattering at lower millimetre wave frequencies and the ability to use K-band active imaging with high spatial resolution presents an opportunity to image and hence recognise concealed threats. For this feasibility study, a 1.6 m aperture, 35 GHz security screening imaging system with a spatial resolution of 2.5 cm and a depth of field of around 5 cm is employed, using spatially incoherent illuminating panels to enhance image contrast. In this study, realistic scenarios using backpacks containing a realistic range of threat and non-threat items are scanned, both carried and standalone. This range of items contains large vessels suitable for containing simulated home-made PBIED’s and handguns. The comprehensive list of non-threat items includes laptops, bottles, clothing and power supplies. For this study, the range at which imaging data at standoff distances can be acquired is confined to that of the particular system in use, although parameters such as illumination and integration time are optimised. However, techniques for extrapolating towards effective standoff distances using aperture synthesis imagers are discussed. The transmission loss through fabrics and clothing that may form, or be contained in baggage, are reported over range of frequencies ranging from 26 to 110 GHz.