Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
PARALLEL AND DISTRIBUTED COMPUTING TECHNOLOGIES FOR AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE NAVIGATION

Context. Autonomous vehicles are becoming increasingly popular, and one of the important modern challenges in their development is ensuring their effective navigation in space and movement within designated lanes. This paper examines a method of spatial orientation for vehicles using computer vision and artificial neural networks. The research focused on the navigation system of an autonomous vehicle, which incorporates the use of modern distributed and parallel computing technologies. Objective. The aim of this work is to enhance modern autonomous vehicle navigation algorithms through parallel training of artificial neural networks and to determine the optimal combination of technologies and nodes of devices to increase speed and enable real-time decision-making capabilities in spatial navigation for autonomous vehicles. Method. The research establishes that the utilization of computer vision and neural networks for road lane segmentation proves to be an effective method for spatial orientation of autonomous vehicles. For multi-core computing systems, the application of parallel programming technology, OpenMP, for neural network training on processors with varying numbers of parallel threads increases the algorithm’s execution speed. However, the use of CUDA technology for neural network training on a graphics processing unit significantly enhances prediction speeds compared to OpenMP. Additionally, the feasibility of employing PyTorch Distributed Data Parallel (DDP) technology for training the neural network across multiple graphics processing units (nodes) simultaneously was explored. This approach further improved prediction execution times compared to using a single graphics processing unit. Results. An algorithm for training and prediction of an artificial neural network was developed using two independent nodes, each equipped with separate graphics processing units, and their synchronization for exchanging training results after each epoch, employing PyTorch Distributed Data Parallel (DDP) technology. This approach allows for scalable computations across a higher number of resources, significantly expediting the model training process. Conclusions. The conducted experiments have affirmed the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm, warranting the recommendation of this research for further advancement in autonomous vehicles and enhancement of their navigational capabilities. Notably, the research outcomes can find applications in various domains, encompassing automotive manufacturing, logistics, and urban transportation infrastructure. The obtained results are expected to assist future researchers in understanding the most efficient hardware and software resources to employ for implementing AI-based navigation systems in autonomous vehicles. Prospects for future investigations may encompass refining the accuracy of the proposed parallel algorithm without compromising its efficiency metrics. Furthermore, there is potential for experimental exploration of the proposed algorithm in more intricate practical scenarios of diverse nature and dimensions.
Non-native and translocated freshwater fish species in Turkey

1 SUMMARY Turkey is a hotspot of freshwater fish diversity and endemism, holding a unique ichthyofauna containing distinct European and Asian elements. Currently, 78 endemic species are recognised from Turkey, 65 of which are classified as Critically Endangered or Endangered. Habitat degradation, pollution, and the introduction of non-native fishes are the greatest threats to this unique ichthyofauna. We compiled data on the introduction and distribution of freshwater fishes in Turkey, both nonnative and translocated, based on historical accounts and recent surveys. Thirty fish species have been introduced, 11 of which are translocations within Turkey. The overall establishment success was 64% (44% for non-natives and 100% for translocated species). New species continue to be introduced at a rate of 4.8 species per decade, of which 3.1 species establish per decade. Fisheries and aquaculture are two main vectors of deliberate introduction, but the contaminant of stockings is the primary pathway for secondary spread, in particular for Carassius gibelio, Pseudorasbora parva and Lepomis gibbosus. Natural dispersion of species introduced into neighbouring countries through trans-boundary river systems is highlighted as the most likely pathway for future species introductions. We discuss the management options available and outline how these can be incorporated into freshwater fish conservation and non-native fish management programmes. Education, public awareness and information are central components to reduce current rate of fish introductions in Turkey.
Structural equation model of information technology acceptance, e-service quality, and trust affecting consumer’s decision to use telepharmacy in the health region 12, Thailand

The objectives of this research were to study the components, relationships, and influences of factors affecting consumer’s decision to use telepharmacy in the health region 12, Thailand, and to develop a structural equation model of information technology acceptance, e-service quality, and trust affecting consumer’s decision to use telepharmacy in the health region 12, Thailand with the mixed methods research. The samples of qualitative research by in-depth interviews were drawn from key informants including pharmacists, technology experts, and consumers in the study area, totaling 24 persons. The population used in the research were persons aged 18 years and over in the health region 12 of Thailand, with a sample size of 420 persons, using a non-probability random sampling method. Data were collected by interviews and quantitative questionnaires. The statistics used for data analysis were frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The qualitative research results found that the components and relationship of various factors. The results obtained from the empirical data were consistent with the hypothesized model synthesized from the literature review. Related theories and research that were appropriate for generating a quantitative research concept. For the quantitative research result, it was found that the structural equation model developed was harmoniously consistent with the empirical data. The index values passed all acceptance criteria were 2/df = 0.287, CFI = 1.000, GFI = 1.000, AGFI = 0.989, RMSEA = 0.000, and RMR = 0.001, factors affecting consumer’s decision to use telepharmacy in the health region 12, Thailand through descending order of importance were trust, information technology acceptance, and e-service quality.
Resistance Is Not Futile: Grain Resistance Controls on Observed Critical Shields Stress Variations

Estimates of the onset of sediment motion are integral for flood protection and river management but are often highly inaccurate. The critical shear stress (τ*c) for grain entrainment is often assumed constant, but measured values can vary by almost an order of magnitude between rivers. Such variations are typically explained by differences in measurement methodology, grain size distributions, or flow hydraulics, whereas grain resistance to motion is largely assumed to be constant. We demonstrate that grain resistance varies strongly with the bed structure, which is encapsulated by the particle height above surrounding sediment (protrusion, p) and intergranular friction (ϕf). We incorporate these parameters into a novel theory that correctly predicts resisting forces estimated in the laboratory, field, and a numerical model. Our theory challenges existing models, which significantly overestimate bed mobility. In our theory, small changes in p and ϕf can induce large changes in τ*c without needing to invoke variations in measurement methods or grain size. A data compilation also reveals that scatter in empirical values of τ*c can be partly explained by differences in p between rivers. Therefore, spatial and temporal variations in bed structure can partly explain the deviation of τ*c from an assumed constant value. Given that bed structure is known to vary with applied shear stresses and upstream sediment supply, we conclude that a constant τ*c is unlikely. Values of τ*c are not interchangeable between streams, or even through time in a given stream, because they are encoded with the channel history.
“Trust people you’ve never worked with” – A social network visualization of teamwork, cohesion, social support, and mental health in NHS Covid personnel

Background The unprecedented rapid re-deployment of healthcare workers from different care pathways into newly created and fluid COVID-19 teams provides a unique opportunity to examine the interaction of many of the established non-technical factors for successful delivery of clinical care and teamwork in healthcare settings. This research paper therefore aims to address these gaps by qualitatively exploring the impact of COVID work throughout the pandemic on permanent and deployed personnel’s experiences, their ability to effectively work together, and the effect of social dynamics (e.g., cohesion, social support) on teamwork and mental health. Methods Seventy-five interviews were conducted across the UK between March and December 2021 during wave 2 and 3 of COVID-19 with 75 healthcare workers who were either permanent staff on Intensive Care/High Dependency Units used as COVID wards, had been rapidly deployed to such a ward, or had managed such wards. Work Life Balance was measured using the WLB Scale. Interview transcripts were qualitatively coded and thematic codes were compared using network graph modeling. Results Using thematic network analysis, four overarching thematic clusters were found, (1) teamwork, (2) organizational support and management, (3) cohesion and social support, and (4) psychological strain. The study has three main findings. First, the importance of social factors for teamwork and mental health, whereby team identity may influence perceptions of preparedness, collaboration and communication, and impact on the collective appraisal of stressful events and work stressors. Secondly, it demonstrates the positive and negative impact of professional roles and skills on the development of teamwork and team identity. Lastly the study identifies the more pronounced negative impact of COVID work on deployed personnel’s workload, mental health, and career intentions, exacerbated by reduced levels of social support during, and after, their deployment. Conclusion The thematic network analysis was able to highlight that many of the traditional factors associated with the successful delivery of patient care were impeded by pandemic constraints, markedly influencing personnel’s ability to work together and cope with pandemic work stressors. In this environment teamwork, delivery of care and staff well-being appear to depend on relational and organizational context, social group membership, and psycho-social skills related to managing team identity. While results hold lessons for personnel selection, training, co-location, and organizational support during and after a pandemic, further research is needed into the differential impact of pandemic deployment on HCWs mental health and teamwork.
Why Does Women's Underrepresentation Transpire in the Leadership of Indonesian State Islamic Universities?

Underrepresentation of women still occurs in the top-level management of higher education, including in State Islamic Higher Education (SIHE/PTKIN) in Indonesia, a country with the largest Muslim population in the world. This study aims to reveal the portrait of women's underrepresentation in the top-level management of SIHE, the determinant factors that cause the underrepresentation of women in the top-level management of SIHE, and the policies that need to be taken in response to the underrepresentation of women in top-level management of SIHE. A qualitative approach was chosen for this study by collecting data using interviews and document reviews. It objectively shows the inequality between women and men in top-level management. Men still dominate strategic positions such as rector, vice-rector, and dean. This inequity is caused by qualification barriers of female lecturers, patriarchal culture, and gender-biased religious understanding. This inequity has an impact on the slow realization of gender-responsive campuses. Thus, through the Ministry of Religious Affairs, the Government must make affirmative policies to accelerate women's representation at the management level of SIHE so that more women occupy the positions of rector, vice-rector, and dean.
Understanding the Despotic Leadership and Perception of Politics in relation to Employee Outcome: A Systematic Literature Review

Since the turn of the millennium, the dark side of leadership is increasing scholarly attention both in general and specific contexts. Every organization may try to either reduce or exaggerate the prevalence and impact of despotic leadership and perception of politics. It is therefore pertinent to explore antecedents and outcomes of despotic leadership and POP and their relationship at the workplace. The purpose of this research is to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the academic literature addressing despotic leadership and the perception of politics (POP) inside organizations broadly. A total of 108 papers from 99 peer-reviewed journals met the criteria after a comprehensive and methodical search. Using what they've learned about despotic leadership behavior and how people see politics in general, the researchers rely on previous work on both topics before integrating them into their own theoretical framework. As a result of their efforts, a thorough framework is established, which classifies the sources cited and describes the causes and effects of POP and despotic leadership. This research lays the groundwork for further studies in the area by offering a critical review of the existing literature on despotic leadership and how people perceive organization politics.
Growth and Properties of Ultra-Thin PTCDI-C8 Films on GaN(0001)

Ultra-thin PTCDI-C8 films are vapor-deposited under ultra-high vacuum (UHV) conditions onto surfaces of p- or n-doped GaN(0001) samples. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results reveal a lack of strong chemical interaction between the PTCDI-C8 molecule and the substrate. Changes in the electronic structure of the substrate or the adsorbed molecules due to adsorption are not noticed at the XPS spectra. Work function changes have been measured as a function of the film thickness. The position of the HOMO level for films of thicknesses 3.2–5.5 nm has been determined. Energy diagrams of the interface between p- and n-type GaN(0001) substates and the PTCDI-C8 films are proposed. The fundamental molecular building blocks of the PTCDI-C8 films on GaN(0001), assembled by self-organization, have been identified. They are rows of PTCDI-C8 molecules stacked in “stand-up” positions in reference to the substrate, supported by the π–π bonds which are formed between the molecular cores of the molecules and monomolecular layers constituted by rows which are tilted in reference to the layer plane. The layers are epitaxially oriented. The epitaxial relation between the rows and the crystallographic directions of the substrate are determined. A model of the PTCDI-C8 film’s growth on GaN(0001) substrate is proposed. The 3D islands of PTCDI-C8 molecules formed on the substrate surface during film deposition are thermodynamically unstable. The Volmer–Weber type of growth observed here is a kinetic effect. Rewetting processes are noticeable after film aging at room temperature or annealing at up to 100 °C.
Building Sustainable and Connected Communities by Addressing Public Transportation’s First-Mile Problem: Insights from a Stated Preference Survey in El Paso, Texas

Public transportation is an essential component of building sustainable communities. However, its ridership remains low in most cities in the United States. Among the major barriers is the long distance to the bus stops, called the first-mile problem. Using a stated preference survey among 1056 residents of El Paso, Texas, this study addresses this problem by estimating additional transit trips that can be expected from the implementation of hypothetical, free shuttles between one’s home and the closest bus stops. Participants reported 7.73 additional transit trips per week (469% increase from the current baseline), including 3.03 additional trips for work, 1.94 for daily errands, 1.64 for leisure or social, and 0.93 for exercise or sports. The percentage of transit non-users dropped from 77.6% (baseline) to 38.2%. With the free shuttle service, respondents would favor bus rapid transit more than regular buses (4.72 vs. 3.00 additional trips). Residents identifying as an existing transit user, being Hispanic/Latino, owning at least one automobile, living within 1 mile of a transit stop, and feeling safe while riding the bus would make significantly more transit trips due to the service. This study suggests that programs to address/reduce the first-mile problem could increase transit demand and, therefore, contribute to creating sustainable and more connected communities.
Test Anxiety and Its Impact on Diverse Undergraduate Engineering Students During Remote Learning

Test anxiety can have a signiﬁcant negative impact on students’ mental health, academic performance, and persistence of marginalized or underrepresented students in engineering degree programs. With the recent transition to remote learning, test anxiety may be exacerbated by a number of factors related to students’ access to resources, study habits, and exam formats. In this paper, we present students’ self-reported responses to survey questions related to these aspects of remote learning as well as questions speciﬁc to test anxiety that come from the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ). We survey undergraduate engineering students from multiple departments at two different four-year universities (University of California, Irvine and University of Memphis) and perform statistical analyses of responses to assess the impact of these factors on students’ test anxiety and academic performance. We compare responses of students from different demographic groups using pairwise statistical tests to understand the degree to which underrepresented minority, female, low income, ﬁrst generation, and transfer students may be uniquely affected by these factors. Furthermore, we investigate the relationship between test anxiety, GPA, class level, and number of enrolled units. Results suggest similar remote learning experiences and challenges for all students, though female students report the highest level of test anxiety, and higher test anxiety is negatively correlated with GPA for all students. These results will inform future data collection and analysis as we return to in person learning to better distinguish the impacts of exam and learning formats on diverse students’ anxiety and academic performance.
Analysis of factors associated with the first lumpy skin disease outbreaks in naïve cattle herds in different regions of Thailand

Introduction Thailand experienced a nationwide outbreak of lumpy skin disease (LSD) in 2021, highlighting the need for effective prevention and control strategies. This study aimed to identify herd-level risk factors associated with LSD outbreaks in beef cattle herds across different regions of Thailand. Methods A case–control study was conducted in upper northeastern, northeastern, and central regions, where face-to-face interviews were conducted with farmers using a semi-structured questionnaire. Univariable and multivariable mixed effect logistic regression analyses were employed to determine the factors associated with LSD outbreaks. A total of 489 beef herds, including 161 LSD outbreak herds and 328 non-LSD herds, were investigated. Results and discussion Results showed that 66% of farmers have operated beef herds for more than five years. There were very few animal movements during the outbreak period. None of the cattle had been vaccinated with LSD vaccines. Insects that have the potential to act as vectors for LSD were observed in all herds. Thirty-four percent of farmers have implemented insect control measures. The final mixed effect logistic regression model identified herds operating for more than five years (odds ratio [OR]: 1.62, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.04–2.53) and the absence of insect control management on the herd (OR: 2.05, 95% CI: 1.29–3.25) to be associated with LSD outbreaks. The implementation of insect-vector control measures in areas at risk of LSD, especially for herds without vaccination against the disease, should be emphasized. This study provides the first report on risk factors for LSD outbreaks in naïve cattle herds in Thailand and offers useful information for the development of LSD prevention and control programs within the country’s context.
Analysis of two forms of radioactive particles emitted during the early stages of the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Station accident

Copyright © 2018 by The Geochemical Society of Japan. The elements Fe, Zn, and Pb were also present. It has since been reported that very similar micron-scale spherical particles have been found 20 km northwest and 3 km south of the F1NPS (Satou et al., 2016; Furuki et al., 2017). Similar particles were isolated from dust on nonwoven fabric cloth and needles of Japanese cedar (Yamaguchi et al., 2016; Kogure et al., 2016). This revealed that such Cs-bearing particles were widely dispersed within the Fukushima region. Although their origin could be attributable to any of the various release events that occurred at the F1NPS, the exact source of the radionuclides is unclear. In this study, roadside soil and dust samples from the immediate vicinity of the F1NPS were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), EDS, synchrotron radiation micro-beam X-ray fluorescence (SR-m-XRF) analysis, and gamma spectrometry, with the aim of attributing sources to them.
A Pragmatic Approach to Bi-Directional Impedance Reflection Telemanipulation Control: Design and User Study

Force feedback generally increases the effectiveness of execution and sense of embodiment on telemanipulation systems. However, systems with force feedback are vulnerable to time delays, reducing their transparency and stability. In this letter, we implement a bi-directional impedance reflection controller, a concept that was presented already in 1989 by Blake Hannaford Hannaford et al. 1989 but was never fully implemented. In this method, the simplified impedances of the operator and the environment are reflected back to the remote robot and haptic interface, respectively. A trajectory predictor is added to compensate for the delayed motion. We then evaluated the effectiveness of the system in a user study, comparing it to a system with a classical bilateral impedance controller with passivity layers. Three time delay groups (0, 10, and 20 ms one-way delay) of 10 participants each executed different tasks with both controllers. The results show that the bi-directional impedance reflection controller performs significantly better in the 10 ms and 20 ms time delay groups, in terms of task performance, user experience and sense of embodiment. We conclude that this study is the first to show that bi-directional impedance reflection can be effectively used with time delays of at least 20 ms.