Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ethnic/racial discrimination and academic grades among adolescents: moderation by sleep regularity

This study investigates how sleep regularity moderates the association between ethnic/racial discrimination and academic grades among diverse adolescents. The study included a 14‐day, daily diary and actigraphy study of ninth‐grade adolescents in the United States (N = 265; mean [SD] age 15.26 [0.62] years, 41.51% Asian, 21.13% Black, 37.35% Latinx, 71.32% female) who completed measures of demographic information and ethnic/racial discrimination (Daily Life Experiences Racism and Bother subscale). Sleep data were collected for 14 consecutive days with wrist actigraphy, and sleep regularity was calculated using the Sleep Regularity Index (SRI). Academic grades were provided by the Department of Education. Discrimination frequency was associated with lower academic grades, and the SRI moderated this association. Compared to adolescents who had moderate and regular SRI profiles, adolescents with irregular SRI (i.e., lower sleep regularity) had stronger negative associations between discrimination and grades. On the other hand, for adolescents who had moderate to high sleep regularity, there was no significant association between discrimination and grades. This study underscores the importance of sleep regularity for adolescents’ academic achievement.
Novel scheme for hiding data using multiple codebooks

Abstract This paper presents a data-hiding scheme, which hides the secret data in VQ compressed images using multiple codebooks. The secret data are hidden in the codebook indices after the VQ image compression is completed. The secret data can be extracted from the codebook indices when the decoding of the compressed image is performed. According to the experimental results, the hiding capacity and image quality outperform Jo and Kim's scheme. In other words, the proposed scheme is proved to be capable of supporting high hiding capacity and good image quality.
Comparative Performance Analysis of ARIMA, Prophet and Holt-Winters Forecasting Methods on European COVID-19 Data

COVID-19 is the most common infectious disease of the last few years and has caused an outbreak all around the world. The mortality rate, which was earlier in the hundreds, increased to thousands and then to millions. Since January 2020, several scientists attempted to understand and predict the spread of COVID-19 so that governments may make sufficient arrangements in hospitals and reduce the mortality rate. This research article presents a comparative performance analysis of ARIMA, Prophet and Holt-Winters Exponential Smoothing forecasting methods to make predictions for the COVID-19 disease epidemiology in Europe. The dataset has been collected from the World Health Organization (WHO) and includes the COVID-19 case data of European countries, which is categorized by WHO between the years of 2020 and 2022. The results indicate that Holt-Winters Exponential Smoothing method (RMSE: 0.2080, MAE: 0.1747) outperforms ARIMA and Prophet forecasting methods.
Electron spin resonance and its implication on the maximum nuclear polarization of deuterated solid target materials

ESR spectroscopy is an important tool in polarized solid target material research, since it allows us to study the paramagnetic centers, which are used for the dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP). The polarization behavior of the different target materials is strongly affected by the properties of these centers, which are added to the diamagnetic materials by chemical doping or irradiation. In particular, the ESR linewidth of the paramagnetic centers is a very important parameter, especially concerning the deuterated target materials. In this paper, the results of the first precise ESR measurements of the deuterated target materials at a DNP-relevant magnetic field of 2.5 T are presented. Moreover, these results allowed us to experimentally study the correlation between ESR linewidth and maximum deuteron polarization, as given by the spin-temperature theory.
Consensus of multi-agent systems with general linear dynamics via dynamic output feedback control

This study addresses consensus problems of multi-agent systems (MASs) using dynamic output feedback control under both fixed and switching topologies. We aim to exploit the information structure for the consensusability of MASs. Necessary and sufficient conditions are presented in terms of detectability and stabilisability of the agents, graph topology, and some matrix inequality constraints. These conditions explicitly reveal how consensusability is affected by the intrinsic dynamics of the agents, the communication topology and available information. In addition, this paper provides several constructive procedures for protocol design to achieve consensus, and establishes the so-called separation principle, which simplifies the design procedure greatly.
Visualization, registration and tracking techniques for augmented reality guided surgery: a review

Augmented reality (AR) surgical navigation has developed rapidly in recent years. This paper reviews and analyzes the visualization, registration, and tracking techniques used in AR surgical navigation systems, as well as the application of these AR systems in different surgical fields. The types of AR visualization are divided into two categories of in situ visualization and non in situ visualization. The rendering contents of AR visualization are various. The registration methods include manual registration, point-based registration, surface registration, marker-based registration, and calibration-based registration. The tracking methods consist of self-localization, tracking with integrated cameras, external tracking, and hybrid tracking. Moreover, we describe the applications of AR in surgical fields. However, most AR applications were evaluated through model experiments and animal experiments, and there are relatively few clinical experiments, indicating that the current AR navigation methods are still in the early stage of development. Finally, we summarize the contributions and challenges of AR in the surgical fields, as well as the future development trend. Despite the fact that AR-guided surgery has not yet reached clinical maturity, we believe that if the current development trend continues, it will soon reveal its clinical utility.
LVDT calibration using a phase modulation optical interferometer calibrated by an x-ray interferometer

We have calibrated an LVDT using an optical and x-ray interferometer. We have calibrated optical interferometer using x-ray interferometer. The LVDT has calibrated by the optical interferometer. We made the monolithic x-ray interferometer with a double parallel spring structure for the translation of an analyzer lamella. One period of the x-ray interference fringe corresponds to the lattice parameter, 0.192 nm. The nonlinearity of optical interferometer has been calibrated by an x-ray interferometer. We have used a phase modulation optical interferometer. This calibration using the x-ray interferometer is directly traceable to primary standards. We have achieved the resolution of an x-ray interferometer and optical interferometer better than 0.01 nm. The optical phase stability of the interferometer is less than ± 150 pm. For the control of environmental temperature, we have used PID method. PID controller controlled the temperature inside chamber. Temperature drift was less than ± 3 mK (k = 2).
A hybrid artificial bee colony algorithm for numerical function optimization

Artificial Bee Colony (ABC) algorithm is one of the swarm intelligence algorithms; it has been introduced by Karaboga in 2005. It is a meta-heuristic optimization search algorithm inspired from the intelligent foraging behavior of the honey bees in nature. Its unique search process made it as one of the most competitive algorithm with some other search algorithms in the area of optimization, such as Genetic algorithm (GA) and Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO). However, the ABC performance of the local search process and the bee movement or the solution improvement equation still has some weaknesses. The ABC is good in avoiding trapping at the local optimum but it spends its time searching around unpromising random selected solutions. Inspired by the PSO, we propose a Hybrid Particle-movement ABC algorithm called HPABC, which adapts the particle movement process to improve the exploration of the original ABC algorithm. Numerical benchmark functions were used in order to experimentally test the HPABC algorithm. The results illustrate that the HPABC algorithm can outperform the ABC algorithm in most of the experiments (75% better in accuracy and over 3 times faster).
Refined Voting and Scene Feature Fusion for 3D Object Detection in Point Clouds

An essential task for 3D visual world understanding is 3D object detection in lidar point clouds. To predict directly bounding box parameters from point clouds, existing voting-based methods use Hough voting to obtain the centroid of each object. However, it may be difficult for the inaccurately voted centers to regress boxes accurately, leading to the generation of redundant bounding boxes. For objects in indoor scenes, there are several co-occurrence patterns for objects in indoor scenes. Concurrently, semantic relations between object layouts and scenes can be used as prior context to guide object detection. We propose a simple, yet effective network, RSFF-Net, which adds refined voting and scene feature fusion for indoor 3D object detection. The RSFF-Net consists of three modules: geometric function, refined voting, and scene constraint. First, a geometric function module is used to capture the geometric features of the nearest object of the voted points. Then, the coarse votes are revoted by a refined voting module, which is based on the fused feature between the coarse votes and geometric features. Finally, a scene constraint module is used to add the association information between candidate objects and scenes. RSFF-Net achieves competitive results on indoor 3D object detection benchmarks: ScanNet V2 and SUN RGB-D.
Two‐Crystal Interferometric Method for Measuring Ultrasonic Absorption Coefficients in Liquids

Methods for measuring α, the sound amplitude absorption coefficient in liquids, using two matched quartz crystals are outlined. A standard signal generator drives one of the crystals continuously. The amplitude of the resulting pressure waves is measured at the other crystal by means of a communications receiver and a voltmeter. Partial wave analysis allows the voltage observed at the second crystal to be expressed in terms of the absorption coefficient. Three cases are identified: low, high, and intermediate absorptions, and the above expression is simplified for each of these cases. Data, obtained by these methods, are presented. The internal consistency encountered suggests an accuracy of ±3%.
The DARPA LANdroids program

The goal of the DARPA LANdroids program is to enhance tactical communications in urban environments by developing inexpensive pocket-sized intelligent autonomous robotic radio relay nodes. LANdroids will move to establish and maintain mesh networks that support voice and data traffic between dismounted warfighters and higher command. Through autonomous movement and intelligent control algorithms, LANdroids will mitigate the serious communications problems inherent in urban settings, e.g., relaying signals into shadows and making small adjustments to reduce multi-path effects. This presentation presents an overview of the LANdroids program and describes the progress made during Phase I, including the results of the early 2009 end-of-Phase testing program.
In vitro Flowering and Production of Seeds in Oxalis corniculata L. - an Important Medicinal Plant

The multiple shoots (14.2) from Oxalis corniculata differentiated through bud breaking on MS medium with 2.0 mg/l BAP. The regenerated shoots were further sub-cultured on MS medium containing 1.0 mg/l BAP and 0.5 mg/l NAA. Vegetative to reproductive phase transition occurred in the cultures affected by plant growth regulators (PGRs), sucrose concentrations, strength of MS salts and light. Flower buds initiated from the regenerated shoots on half strength of MS salts with 1.0 mg/l Kn + 0.5 mg/l NAA and 3% sucrose. These flower buds opened under low light (10-15 μmol m-2 s-1) condition with 18h/6h photoperiod within 3 weeks of culture initiation. The shoots did not flower in the dark. Though smaller in size, the in vitro generated flowers were morphologically comparable to the natural flowers. Fruits were set in the cultures within 5 weeks. Plant Tissue Cult. & Biotech. 32(2): 193-203, 2022 (December)
Intervertebral Disc Tissue Engineering Using Additive Manufacturing

Intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration is one of the major causes of lower back pain, a common health condition that greatly affects the quality of life. With an increasing elderly population and changes in lifestyle, there exists a high demand for novel treatment strategies for damaged IVDs. Researchers have investigated IVD tissue engineering (TE) as a way to restore biological and mechanical functions by regenerating or replacing damaged discs using scaffolds with suitable cells. These scaffolds can be constructed using material extrusion additive manufacturing (AM), a technique used to build three-dimensional (3D), custom discs utilising computer-aided design (CAD). Structural geometry can be controlled via the manipulation of printing parameters, material selection, temperature, and various other processing parameters. To date, there are no clinically relevant TE-IVDs available. In this review, advances in AM-based approaches for IVD TE are briefly discussed in order to achieve a better understanding of the requirements needed to obtain more effective, and ultimately clinically relevant, IVD TE constructs.
GaAs p‐n junction formed in quantum wire crystals

A p‐n junction is formed for the first time in a cross‐sectional area of a GaAs wire crystal with a diameter of about 100 nm. Ultrafine cylindrical growth by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy is employed for the fabrication. Current‐voltage and capacitance‐voltage characteristics confirm the formation of the p‐n junction in a narrow area at the midpoint of a wire crystal. Intensive light emission by current injection is observed at 77 K and even at room temperature. These results suggest that ultrafine optoelectronic devices with quantum‐size p‐n junction are possible.
The Saga of Academic Autonomy in Slovenia (1919–1999)

This article examines the concept of academic autonomy within the 'Yugoslav model' of higher education as a peripheral system characterised by an eclectic mix of elements from different systems, resulting in mutations with unique features during its development. The hitherto under-researched history of this higher education model has by no means been uniform or linear; because of this complexity, the focus here is limited to the case of Slovenia but considers the broader context. The focus is on the understanding, legislation, and (non-)implementation of academic autonomy as articulated between 1945 and 1991. The concept was inherited: it was never used in the legislation of federal socialist Yugoslavia yet was used in political and public debates. Our analysis relates these debates to the rapidly changing legislation and the broader socio-political context. Although the 'Yugoslav model' has vanished, its traces and ashes, including old contradictions and dilemmas, remain partly present in the higher education systems of independent states that emerged on the territory of the former federation. The principle that knowledge of the past is the key to understanding the present and approaching the future is confirmed in this case as well.
Distinct Effects of Anxiety and Depression on Updating Emotional Information in Working Memory

Anxiety and depression have been shown to negatively influence the processing of emotional information in working memory. However, most studies have examined anxiety-related or depression-related working memory deficits independently, without considering their high co-morbidity. We tested the effects of emotional valence on working memory performance among healthy young adults with varying levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms. Ninety young adults aged between 18–24 (51 female) completed an emotional 2-back task in which positive, negative, and neutral images were presented. Multi-level modeling was used to examine anxiety and depressive symptoms as predictors of response accuracy and latency across the three emotional valence conditions. The results showed that participants responded to negative images with the highest accuracy and to positive images with the lowest accuracy. Both negative and positive images elicited slower responses than neutral images. Importantly, we found that more severe anxiety symptoms predicted a smaller difference in response accuracy between negative and neutral stimuli, whereas more severe depressive symptoms predicted a larger updating reaction time difference between positive and neutral stimuli. These findings demonstrated the uniquely anxiety-related deficits in processing negative contents and the uniquely depression-related deficits in updating positive contents in working memory, thus highlighting the necessity of novel cognitive bias modification interventions targeting the anxiety-specific and depression-specific deficits in working memory.
Development of a fiber-guided laser ultrasonic system resilient to high temperature and gamma radiation for nuclear power plant pipe monitoring

This study develops an embeddable optical fiber-guided laser ultrasonic system for structural health monitoring (SHM) of pipelines exposed to high temperature and gamma radiation inside nuclear power plants (NPPs). Recently, noncontact laser ultrasonics is gaining popularity among the SHM community because of its advantageous characteristics such as (a) scanning capability, (b) immunity against electromagnetic interference (EMI) and (c) applicability to high-temperature surfaces. However, its application to NPP pipelines has been hampered because pipes inside NPPs are often covered by insulators and/or target surfaces are not easily accessible. To overcome this problem, this study designs embeddable optical fibers and fixtures so that laser beams used for ultrasonic inspection can be transmitted between the laser sources and the target pipe. For guided-wave generation, an Nd:Yag pulsed laser coupled with an optical fiber is used. A high-power pulsed laser beam is guided through the optical fiber onto a target structure. Based on the principle of laser interferometry, the corresponding response is measured using a different type of laser beam guided by another optical fiber. All devices are especially designed to sustain high temperature and gamma radiation. The robustness/resilience of the proposed measurement system installed on a stainless steel pipe specimen has been experimentally verified by exposing the specimen to high temperature of up to 350 °C and optical fibers to gamma radiation of up to 125 kGy (20 kGy h−1).
The Need to Bridge the Gap between Research on Children’s Rights and Parenting Styles: Authoritative/Democratic Style as an Acultural Model for the Child’s Well-Being

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child contains specific provisions on parent–child relations and parenting, but these provisions can be described as elusive. Furthermore, the Convention does not explicitly specify a children’s-rights-friendly parenting style. On the other hand, there is a disconnect between research on children’s rights and parenting styles. Based on the insights of the meta-theoretical critical realist approach, this paper argues that universal human flourishing is inconceivable without the development of a children’s-rights-friendly parenting style. It is argued that the Convention’s provisions on parent–child relations can be adapted to the perceptions of average parents, especially living in paternalistic societies, by adapting the conceptualizations of parenting styles developed by Baumrind and Lakoff. Overall, research on children’s rights, supported by literature on children’s-rights-friendly parenting, can show that children’s rights do not alienate parental rights and responsibilities. Instead, children’s rights give appropriate direction to parental authority and responsibility to realize the child’s well-being.
Convective Schemes for Capturing Interfaces of Free-Surface Flows on Unstructured Grids

ABSTRACT In this article, the general methodology used in constructing interface-capturing schemes is clarified and concisely described. Moreover, a new interface-capturing scheme, denoted STACS and based on a switching strategy, is developed. The accuracy of the new scheme is compared to the well-known CICSAM and HRIC schemes by solving four pure advection test problems. Results, displayed in the form of interface contours for the various schemes, reveal deterioration in the accuracy of the CICSAM and HRIC schemes, with their performance approaching that of the UPWIND scheme as the Courant number increases. On the other hand, predictions obtained with the new STACS scheme are by far more accurate and less diffusive, preserving interface sharpness and boundedness at all Courant number values considered.
Toward a Personalized Psychological Counseling Service in Assisted Reproductive Technology Centers: A Qualitative Analysis of Couples’ Needs

Infertility may have a very strong emotional impact on individuals, requiring adequate support, but few studies on patients' demands toward psychological support have been conducted. This study aims to explore the emotions related to the infertility and to the Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) procedure for which patients consider useful a psychological support. A total of 324 women completed a sociodemographic and clinical questionnaire and an open-ended questionnaire on emotional needs for psychological support. The written texts were explored by the Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC) programme and linguistic characteristics were related to sociodemographic and anamnestic variables. Specific linguistic features were connected to several individual characteristics. More specifically, differences in linguistic processes emerged comparing women with an age over or under 40 years, women undergoing their first attempts versus more attempts, women undergoing ART with or without gamete donation, and women undergoing ART for male or unknown causes, as well as those undergoing ART for female or both partners’ problems. These differences seem to confirm that older age, more attempts, gamete donation, and ART for unknown or male causes are risk factors that may worsen women's psychological well-being. This study contributes to increase the knowledge about the emotional needs of patients undergoing an ART procedure to develop specific psychological intervention programs.