Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Comparative Study on the Techniques, Tools and Materials for Indigenous Weaving in Ghana

Abstract Strip woven fabrics such as kente, kete and smock have continued to be precious cloths that promote the cultural heritage of the people in Ghana. These fabrics were originally woven for the royals, chiefs and special individuals in the society for specific events, but are currently being used by people from all walks of life for different purposes. Recent studies majored their investigation on the history and symbolism of indigenous fabrics, with little or no information on the distinguishing elements in the materials, tools, equipment and techniques employed across the communities engaged in the craft. This study seeks to unearth these differences and the similarities, all in a bid to deepen appreciation of the cultural value of these cloths. A descriptive multiple case study was conducted in Agotime-Kpetoe, Agbozume, Daboya and Bonwire which aided in gathering and analyzing field data. Field reports revealed that synthetic yarns are commonly used by Asante and Ewe weavers to produce the traditional cloth while weavers in Daboya use both synthetic yarns and indigo-dyed cotton yarns. The type of loom and the number of heald shafts determine the simplicity or complexity of weaves produced in Agotime-Kpetoe, Agbozume and Bonwire. There is no doubt that weaving activity and the resultant fabric continue to not only serve as a major source of income and employment for many but significantly maintain their unique relevance for many weavers and patrons. It is therefore worthy of whatever support and promotion it can enjoy from stakeholders. Further research studies and organized festivals are encouraged to document and exhibit the traditional cloth, materials and processes, a situation that is significant in preserving the philosophy and culture of the people.
An alternative state-space representation for APVIOBPCS inventory systems

Purpose – Lalwani et al. devised a controllable state-space model for a general APVIOBPCS production and inventory system. However, their procedure did not cater for production delays of other than one time unit. The authors have sought to devise a model that allows for any value of production delay. Design/methodology/approach – A discrete z transform model of APVIOBPCS inventory is obtained using conventional algebra and converted to a state-space model using a reachable control formulation. This is then analysed to produce an analytic expression for the eigenvalues and then the general stability solution is derived from the unit circle condition. Findings – This model allows a state-space model conversion from a discrete time input-output model using an exponential production delay with no loss of generality and is fully controllable and observable. Stability of these models can be obtained from the system eigenvalues and agrees with the authors' previously published stability boundaries using transfor.
Shifting Perspectives of Translational Research in Bio-Bactericides: Reviewing the Bacillus amyloliquefaciens Paradigm

Simple Summary The continuous reduction of approved conventional microbicides, due to health concerns and the development of plant-pathogen resistance, has been urged for the use of safe alternatives in crop protection. Several beneficial bacterial species, termed biological control agents, are currently used in lieu of chemical pesticides. The approach to select such bacterial species and manufacture commercial products has been based on their biocontrol effect under optimal growth conditions, which is far from the real nutrient-limited field conditions of plant niches. It’s important to determine the complex interactions that occur among BCAs, plant host and niche microbiome to fully understand and exploit the potential of biological control agents. Furthermore, it’s crucial to acknowledge the environmental impact of their long-term use. Abstract Bacterial biological control agents (BCAs) have been increasingly used against plant diseases. The traditional approach to manufacturing such commercial products was based on the selection of bacterial species able to produce secondary metabolites that inhibit mainly fungal growth in optimal media. Such species are required to be massively produced and sustain long-term self-storage. The endpoint of this pipeline is large-scale field tests in which BCAs are handled as any other pesticide. Despite recent knowledge of the importance of BCA-host-microbiome interactions to trigger plant defenses and allow colonization, holistic approaches to maximize their potential are still in their infancy. There is a gap in scientific knowledge between experiments in controlled conditions for optimal BCA and pathogen growth and the nutrient-limited field conditions in which they face niche microbiota competition. Moreover, BCAs are considered to be safe by competent authorities and the public, with no side effects to the environment; the OneHealth impact of their application is understudied. This review summarizes the state of the art in BCA research and how current knowledge and new biotechnological tools have impacted BCA development and application. Future challenges, such as their combinational use and ability to ameliorate plant stress are also discussed. Addressing such challenges would establish their long-term use as centerfold agricultural pesticides and plant growth promoters.
Algorithms for wire length improvement of VLSI circuits with concern to critical paths

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Energy performance and indoor air quality in modern buildings in Greenland—Case study Apisseq

A new dormitory for engineering students “Apisseq” was built in Sisimiut, Greenland in 2010. Its purpose is not only to provide accommodation for students, but thanks to its complex monitoring system, it enables researchers to evaluate the building's energy performance and indoor air quality. Some of the installed technologies are not commonly used in the current Greenlandic building stock. Therefore, evaluation of their performance under local conditions is essential for further use and development. The first year of operation has disclosed some errors made during the design process and construction phase, which have negative effects on the energy performance and indoor air quality. The heat demand in 2011 was 26.5% higher than expected. One of the main causes of the extra heat demand is the fact that the ventilation system was over-dimensioned, and although it is running on the lowest fan power it maintains 1.1 ACH in the building. Reduction of the airflows and better frost protection of the heat exchangers are important issues to be dealt with in order to decrease the heat demand. This article describes the building and how it is evaluated after the first year of operation, and it explains some of the revealed problems.
Multiple Imputation Inference with Integer-Valued Point Estimates

ABSTRACT We consider settings where an analyst of multiply imputed data desires an integer-valued point estimate and an associated interval estimate, for example, a count of the number of individuals with certain characteristics in a population. Even when the point estimate in each completed dataset is an integer, the multiple imputation point estimator, that is, the average of these completed-data estimators, is not guaranteed to be an integer. One natural approach is to round the standard multiple imputation point estimator to an integer. Another seemingly natural approach is to use the median of the completed-data point estimates (when they are integers). However, these two approaches have not been compared; indeed, methods for obtaining multiple imputation inferences associated with the median of the completed-data point estimates do not even exist. In this article, we evaluate and compare these two approaches. In doing so, we derive an estimator of the variance of the median-based multiple imputation point estimator, as well as a method for obtaining associated multiple imputation confidence intervals. Using simulation studies, we show that both methods can offer well-calibrated coverage rates and have similar repeated sampling properties, and hence are both useful for this analysis task.
Designing and usability testing of a new prototype active footrest for knee extension exercise among office workers

Objectives. The active factor along with light exercise can reduce static muscle work and increase muscle flexibility and endurance. Accordingly, this study aimed to design and prototype a new active footrest, implemented in conventional sitting workstations, and to test its usability among office workers. Methods. The steps taken to design and prototype the active footrest were: selection of an exercise appropriate for goals of ergonomic interventions; idea development; selection of the best conceptual design; design with SOLIDWORKS version 2016; and fabrication of a prototype. Afterward, usability of the active footrest prototype was assessed among 20 office workers (10 females) using field data by the system usability scale. Results. Upon completion of the design steps, the active footrest prototype was prototyped by taking into account design criteria (e.g., functionality, inclusive design, easy application and reduction of additional body movement), anthropometric data and mechanical properties. The participants rated the usability of the active workstation as 89 ± 8.21 (out of 100), indicating good usability results. Conclusion. In this study, an active footrest was designed and prototyped to perform knee extension exercise with the capability of being implemented in conventional sitting workstations.
A Study on Intelligent Technology Valuation System: Introduction of KIBO Patent Appraisal System II

Technology finance, which has attracted worldwide attention for the successful business development of small-and-medium enterprises (SMEs) or start-ups, has advanced an innovation or stagnation way-out resolution strategy for companies in line with the low-growth economic trends. Although the development of new technologies and the establishment of active R&D and commercialization strategies are essential factors in a company’s management sustainability, the activation of the technology market in practice is still in progress for its golden age. In this study, to promote a technology transfer-based company’s growth and to run technology-based various financial support activities, we develop and propose a new intelligent, deep learning-based technology valuation system that enables technology holders to estimate the economic values of their innovative technologies and further to establish a firm’s commercialization strategy. For the last years, the KIBO Patent Appraisal System (KPAS-II) herein proposed has been advanced by KIBO as a web-based, artificial intelligence (AI) and evaluation data applications valuation system that automatically calculates and estimates a technology’s feasible economic value by utilizing both the intrinsic and extrinsic index information of a patent and the commercialization entity’s business capabilities, and by applying to the discounted cash flow (DCF) method in valuation theory, and finally integrating with deep learning results based on the in-advance previously established patent DB and the financial DB. The KPAS-II proposed in this study can be said to have dramatically overcome the long-term preparation period and high levels of R&D and commercialization costs in terms of the limitations that the existing technology valuation method possesses by enhancing the reliability of approximate economic values from the deep learning results based on financial data and completed valuation data. In addition, it is expected that technology marketing coordinators, researchers, and non-specialty business agents, not limited to valuation experts, can easily estimate the economic values of their patents or technologies, and they can be actively utilized in a technology-based company’s decision-making and technologically dependent financial activities.
Spatial and Frequency Domain Filters for Restoration of Noisy Images

Abstract Image restoration is the operation of taking a degraded image and estimating the clean image. Degradation in an image occurs primarily due to blur and noise. Restoration attempts to reconstruct or recover an image that has been degraded by using apriori knowledge of the degradation phenomenon. Thus restoration techniques are oriented toward modeling the degradation and applying the inverse process in order to recover the original image. This paper starts with basic model of image degradation/restoration process and proceeds towards enlisting commonly occurring blurs and noises. Thereafter, it reviews some spatial and frequency domain filters for restoration of noisy images.
Design Flow and Methodology on the Design of BAW components

Bulk Acoustic Wave (BAW) technology based on the sputtering of piezoelectric thin films on high resistive silicon has recently emerged as one of the preferred technologies for the realization of miniaturized high performance RF filters and duplexers for wireless CDMA-based applications like mobile phones. We present the performance improvements within the development of a duplexer for US-PCS-CDMA applications with a footprint of 3.8mm × 3.8mm and a height of 1.1mm. The duplexer consists of a transmit (TX) and a receive (RX) filter, which are flip-chipped as bare dies on a low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) multilayer substrate incorporating additional matching elements. The filters are realized using solidly mounted resonator (SMR) technology, where an acoustic mirror separates the active resonator from the substrate. Duplexer packaging is based on the EPCOS’ proprietary CSSP technology, originally developed to further shrink the size of SAW devices. This technology includes a cavity between the package and the acoustically active filter areas and therefore keeps the surface of the active device protected from environmental influences. The front-end technology for realizing the RF filters uses standard 200 mm CMOS technology and the deposition of AlN piezoelectric thin films with high thickness uniformity over the wafer. The duplexer is fully matched to 50 Ohm with low insertion attenuation in the pass band, a superior stop band characteristic up to 10 GHz, and a temperature coefficient of frequency (TCF) of −20 ppm/K.
Lexical Effects on the Perceived Clarity of Noise-Vocoded Speech in Younger and Older Listeners

When listening to degraded speech, such as speech delivered by a cochlear implant (CI), listeners make use of top-down linguistic knowledge to facilitate speech recognition. Lexical knowledge supports speech recognition and enhances the perceived clarity of speech. Yet, the extent to which lexical knowledge can be used to effectively compensate for degraded input may depend on the degree of degradation and the listener’s age. The current study investigated lexical effects in the compensation for speech that was degraded via noise-vocoding in younger and older listeners. In an online experiment, younger and older normal-hearing (NH) listeners rated the clarity of noise-vocoded sentences on a scale from 1 (“very unclear”) to 7 (“completely clear”). Lexical information was provided by matching text primes and the lexical content of the target utterance. Half of the sentences were preceded by a matching text prime, while half were preceded by a non-matching prime. Each sentence also consisted of three key words of high or low lexical frequency and neighborhood density. Sentences were processed to simulate CI hearing, using an eight-channel noise vocoder with varying filter slopes. Results showed that lexical information impacted the perceived clarity of noise-vocoded speech. Noise-vocoded speech was perceived as clearer when preceded by a matching prime, and when sentences included key words with high lexical frequency and low neighborhood density. However, the strength of the lexical effects depended on the level of degradation. Matching text primes had a greater impact for speech with poorer spectral resolution, but lexical content had a smaller impact for speech with poorer spectral resolution. Finally, lexical information appeared to benefit both younger and older listeners. Findings demonstrate that lexical knowledge can be employed by younger and older listeners in cognitive compensation during the processing of noise-vocoded speech. However, lexical content may not be as reliable when the signal is highly degraded. Clinical implications are that for adult CI users, lexical knowledge might be used to compensate for the degraded speech signal, regardless of age, but some CI users may be hindered by a relatively poor signal.
Prosthesis satisfaction and quality of life in US service members with combat-related major lower-limb amputation

Background: Military amputee patient care programs offer extensive services, including advanced prosthetic devices, to restore function and improve quality of life (QOL) among veterans and service members with combat-related limb loss, but research on satisfaction with these devices is limited. Objective: To assess prosthesis satisfaction and QOL in US service members and veterans with combat-related major lower-limb amputation. Study design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Eighty-six participants with combat-related major lower-limb amputation completed the Orthotics and Prosthetics Users' Survey (OPUS) Satisfaction with Device scale and Quality of Well-Being Scale, Self-Administered, for the Wounded Warrior Recovery Project. Results: Most participants (62%–88%) responded Agree or Strongly Agree to OPUS Satisfaction with Device items on the fit, weight, comfort, ease of donning, appearance, and durability of their prosthesis. By contrast, the majority of participants (55%–79%) responded Disagree or Strongly Disagree to items on clothes being free of wear and tear, skin free of abrasions and irritations, and the affordability of their prosthesis. In linear regression analysis, total OPUS Satisfaction with Device score was positively associated with Quality of Well-Being Scale, Self-Administered score (β = 0.0058; P = 0.004). Conclusions: Findings indicate the majority of participants were satisfied with the overall functionality of their prosthesis, but dissatisfied with the effect of their prosthesis on clothing and skin, as well as expenses related to their prosthesis. Additionally, prosthesis satisfaction was positively associated with QOL.
Locus-Conserved Circular RNA cZNF292 Controls Endothelial Cell Flow Responses

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text. Background: Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are generated by back splicing of mostly mRNAs and are gaining increasing attention as a novel class of regulatory RNAs that control various cellular functions. However, their physiological roles and functional conservation in vivo are rarely addressed, given the inherent challenges of their genetic inactivation. Here, we aimed to identify locus conserved circRNAs in mice and humans, which can be genetically deleted due to retained intronic elements not contained in the mRNA host gene to eventually address functional conservation. Methods and Results: Combining published endothelial RNA-sequencing data sets with circRNAs of the circATLAS databank, we identified locus-conserved circRNA retaining intronic elements between mice and humans. CRISPR/Cas9 mediated genetic depletion of the top expressed circRNA cZfp292 resulted in an altered endothelial morphology and aberrant flow alignment in the aorta in vivo. Consistently, depletion of cZNF292 in endothelial cells in vitro abolished laminar flow-induced alterations in cell orientation, paxillin localization and focal adhesion organization. Mechanistically, we identified the protein SDOS (syndesmos) to specifically interact with cZNF292 in endothelial cells by RNA-affinity purification and subsequent mass spectrometry analysis. Silencing of SDOS or its protein binding partner Syndecan-4, or mutation of the SDOS-cZNF292 binding site, prevented laminar flow-induced cytoskeletal reorganization thereby recapitulating cZfp292 knockout phenotypes. Conclusions: Together, our data reveal a hitherto unknown role of cZNF292/cZfp292 in endothelial flow responses, which influences endothelial shape.
A Comparative Analysis of Computer-Aided Design Tools for Complex Power Electronics Systems

Companies working on semiconductors must currently assure the customers of not only the performance of the semiconductor device per se, but also its performance when it is implemented in a real board, therefore including the role of parasitic effects. It is therefore very important to evaluate, especially during the design phase, not only the single device, but the complete board and their mutual interactions. This consideration opens a new area of investigation in the field of electronic systems engineering. In the current literature, the problem of a software evaluation of parasitic dynamics and electromagnetic effects on printed boards is addressed from the point of view of researchers. Moreover, it is fundamental to have a complete view of the various tools that could be usefully adopted from the perspective of manufacturers. This is the main motivation of this technical note, which performs a comparative analysis of the most prominent software tools for printed circuit boards’ (PCBs) simulation. The main features, the key aspects, and the limitations of the software packages are analyzed in terms of the industrial design of power electronics devices, in order to ensure efficiency and fastness in the semiconductor market.
Contact Stresses Analysis between Glass Panel and Upright Fitting Roller Gabled with Different Hyperelastic Materials

This study proposes an approach to analysis the stresses distribution between the fitting roller and glass panel for a vertical panel attachment manufacture modulus under varied loading conditions as depicted in Figure 1. The fitted roller gabled with different rubber materials included Polchloroprene rubber (CR), nature robber (NR), and Polyurethane (PU), with the hardness 60, 70, 80 IRHD, respectively, The ANSYS and LS-DYNA software are adapted herein to simulate the contact stresses between fitted roller and glass panel. The external loading applied in rubber coated roller is from 1kg up to 5kg. The simulation results of the contact stresses, included pressure stresses and shear stresses, can understand how to achieve the uniform pressure situation between the fitted roller and the glass panel. Therefore, the compactness between the polarizer and the glass panel will reach perfect condition with no air bubbles left.