Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
EBITDA Time Series Forecasting Case study: Provincial Waterworks Authority

EBITDA is a measure of a company’s financial performance. It can determine the direction of business decisions for the organization, can be used to analyze and compare profitability among companies. By its linear and non-linear combination, appropriate forecasting technique must be determined. The aim of this paper is to propose a methodology for forecasting EBITDA. We propose a three-steps methodology which is composed of data preparation, forecasting model comparison and evaluation steps. The results from using 10 years monthly data of the Provincial Waterworks Authority (PWA) reveal that the best model is ARIMA-ANN hybrid model. Thus, this model can be used to forecast the other time series data such as Selling Expenses, Operating Expense, General and Administrative Expenses in the future.
LeucoDiff: Mobile Application for Hematology Students Improve their Skills in Calculating the Leukocyte Formula.*

This paper describes the study conducted to design, implement and evaluate the LeucoDiff mobile application, in terms of a tool to help hematology students and professionals learning or improving their competences in calculating the leukocyte formula. LeucoDiff also includes gaming features to motivate the students in the learning process. The application was evaluated with 25 hematology students using a database of 3494 images of blood samples, taken in an optical microscopy, properly evaluated by a set of experts in the field (clinical pathologists).
Autonomous Robotic Exploration Based on Frontier Point Optimization and Multistep Path Planning

Autonomous robotic exploration of an unknown environment is a key technology for robot intelligence. In order to improve the efficiency of it, we propose a strategy based on frontier point optimization and multistep path planning in this paper. In the frontier points’ optimization section, we present a random frontier points’ optimization (RFPO) algorithm to select the frontier point with the highest evaluation value as the target frontier point. The evaluation function of frontier points is defined by considering information gain, navigation cost, and the precision of the localization of the robots. In the path planning section, we propose a multistep exploration strategy. Instead of planning the global path from the current position of the robot to the target frontier point directly, we set a local exploration path step size. When the robot’s movement distance reaches the local exploration path step size, we reselect the current optimal frontier point for path planning to reduce the possibility that the robot may take some repetitive paths. Finally, the relevant experiments are carried out to verify the effectiveness of this strategy.
Vulnerability and Protocol Association of Device Firmware in Power Grid

The intelligent power grid is composed of a large number of industrial control equipment, and most of the industrial control equipment has security holes, which are vulnerable to malicious attacks and affect the normal operation of the power grid. By analyzing the security vulnerability of the firmware of industrial control equipment, the vulnerability can be detected in advance and the power grid's ability to resist attack can be improved. In this paper, a kind of industrial control device firmware protocol vulnerabilities associated technology, through the technology of information extraction from the mass grid device firmware device attributes and extract the industrial control system, the characteristics of the construction of industrial control system device firmware and published vulnerability information correlation, faster in the industrial control equipment safety inspection found vulnerabilities.
Text Classification and Visualization on News Title Using Self Organizing Map

The presence of news articles in the world wide web (www) is growing very fast that give the challenge to analyze, organize, and label the documents. A method for analyzing document category is classification. However, the problems in text classification are visualization on the process and result. This study proposes the visualization of Self Organization Map (SOM) process for text classification of news title data. The visualization of topographic map of SOM may be used to gather new knowledge about the training process of neural network and enable the researcher to figure out the best parameter value for the SOM and also detect possible outlier data. From the numerical experiment, SOM proved reliable in classification with the highest accuracy 82.05%, and average 81.87% and it is better than the Naive Bayes method. SOM proved the capability to visualize the learning process and the results. SOM visualization can detect and show outliers of training data as a new knowledge.
HyHeMPS: A Hybrid Communication Infrastructure for MPSoCs

The increasing integration of many processing elements inside the same die has been raising the need to create efficient communication infrastructures. Different structures have been exploited to interconnect those elements, such as NoCs, crossbars and buses, each one being commonly employed separately. However, current MPSoCs have faced severe design constraints that must balance area and communication efficiency. This work exploits, over a quantitative analysis, the feasibility of the separate employment of Shared Bus, NoC and Crossbar. Such analysis suggests that the utilization of an one-exclusive infrastructure is not ideal to balance the area and execution time. So, the second contribution of this work is the proposal of HyHeMPS (Hybrid-Hermes Multiprocessor System on chip) which merges the concepts of the three analyzed communication infrastructures (Bus, NoC, Crossbar) in a single platform. Results show that the proposed hybrid infrastructure can be used to balance the on chip communication constraints since it maintains performance of a 4x4 NoC saving up to 25% of chip area.
Image Scaling Comparison Using Universal Image Quality Index

Image interpolation has many applications in computer vision, image processing and biomedical applications. Resampling is required for discrete image manipulations, such as geometric alignment and registration, to improve image quality on display devices or in the field of lossy image compression wherein some pixels are discarded during the encoding process and must be regenerated from the remaining information for decoding. The comparison is done for different interpolation techniques such as nearest neighbor, bilinear and bicubic interpolation and the comparison is done for different interpolation schemes using universal image quality index. In this paper an attempt is made to highlight the universal quality index by comparing with error measures such as MSE and PSNR.
Microwave resonator accelerometer

A microwave resonator accelerometer including a microwave resonant cavity having a predetermined resonant frequency; the cavity including a flexible portion; a proof mass fixed to the flexible portion for changing the geometry and establishing a new resonant frequency of the cavity in response to an acceleration force on the proof mass; a microwave frequency signal at or approximately at the predetermined resonant frequency coupled to the cavity; and a discrimination circuit, responsive to the reflected microwave signal from the cavity, for discriminating a shift in the predetermined resonant frequency of the cavity to a new resonant frequency effected by the change in geometry of the cavity resulting from the acceleration force on the proof mass.
Meta-evaluation of a whole systems programme, ActEarly: A study protocol

Introduction Living in an area with high levels of child poverty predisposes children to poorer mental and physical health. ActEarly is a 5-year research programme that comprises a large number of interventions (>20) with citizen science and co-production embedded. It aims to improve the health and well-being of children and families living in two areas of the UK with high levels of deprivation; Bradford in West Yorkshire, and the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. This protocol outlines the meta-evaluation (an evaluation of evaluations) of the ActEarly programme from a systems perspective, where individual interventions are viewed as events in the wider policy system across the two geographical areas. It includes investigating the programme’s impact on early life health and well-being outcomes, interdisciplinary prevention research collaboration and capacity building, and local and national decision making. Methods The ActEarly meta-evaluation will follow and adapt the five iterative stages of the ‘Evaluation of Programmes in Complex Adaptive Systems’ (ENCOMPASS) framework for evaluation of public health programmes in complex adaptive systems. Theory-based and mixed-methods approaches will be used to investigate the fidelity of the ActEarly research programme, and whether, why and how ActEarly contributes to changes in the policy system, and whether alternative explanations can be ruled out. Ripple effects and systems mapping will be used to explore the relationships between interventions and their outcomes, and the degree to which the ActEarly programme encouraged interdisciplinary and prevention research collaboration as intended. A computer simulation model (“LifeSim”) will also be used to evaluate the scale of the potential long-term benefits of cross-sectoral action to tackle the financial, educational and health disadvantages faced by children in Bradford and Tower Hamlets. Together, these approaches will be used to evaluate ActEarly’s dynamic programme outputs at different system levels and measure the programme’s system changes on early life health and well-being. Discussion This meta-evaluation protocol presents our plans for using and adapting the ENCOMPASS framework to evaluate the system-wide impact of the early life health and well-being programme, ActEarly. Due to the collaborative and non-linear nature of the work, we reserve the option to change and query some of our evaluation choices based on the feedback we receive from stakeholders to ensure that our evaluation remains relevant and fit for purpose.
Sex differences in the associations between risk for late-life AD, protective lifestyle factors and cognition in mid-life

It is now acknowledged that Alzheimer's Disease (AD) processes are present decades before the onset of clinical symptoms, but whether lifestyle activities can protect against these early AD processes in mid-life remains poorly understood. Furthermore, the impact of sex as a biological variable on associations between dementia risk, protective lifestyle activities and cognition is unknown. In this study, we aimed to replicate findings from our two recent studies [Deng et al. (2022) and Heneghan et al. (2022)] on the contribution of mid-life modifiable activities to cognition in individuals with dementia risk, in a larger independent cohort of the PREVENT-Dementia research program (N = 461 vs N = 208 used previously). Second, we investigated associations between biological sex, dementia risk, protective lifestyle activities and cognitive performance. Participants (40-59 years; N = 461) completed cognitive and clinical assessments cross-sectionally. Mid-life activities were measured with the Lifetime of Experiences Questionnaire. Known risk factors for sporadic late-onset AD (Apolipoprotein E {epsilon}4 allele status, family history of dementia, and the Cardiovascular Risk Factors Aging and Dementia score [CAIDE]) were investigated. Replicating our key previous findings (Deng et al., 2022 and Heneghan et al., 2022), we found that episodic and relational memory was (a) significantly negatively associated with the CAIDE risk score, (b) positively associated with stimulating lifestyle activities, and (c) that females performed significantly better than males in episodic and relational memory. The key novel finding of this study was that inherited dementia risk (i.e., APOE {epsilon}4 genotype) modulated the association between sex, lifestyle and cognition. Only for APOE {epsilon}4+ females, not APOE {epsilon}4-, higher occupational attainment was associated with better episodic and relational memory. Conversely, only for APOE {epsilon}4+ males, not APOE {epsilon}4-, higher occupational attainment was associated with worse episodic and relational memory. These findings suggest that modifiable lifestyle activities offset cognitive decrements due to inherited AD risk in mid-life and support the targeting of modifiable lifestyle activities for the prevention of Alzheimer's disease. Furthermore, these findings suggest an urgent need for targeted research on female-specific risk factors, to inform personalised strategies for AD prevention and the promotion of female brain health.
Comparing diversity patterns and processes of microbial community assembly in water column and sediment in Lake Wuchang, China

The study compare the diversity patterns and processes of microbial community assembly in the water and sediment of Lake Wuchang (China) using high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA gene amplicons. A higher microbial α-diversity in the sediment was revealed (P < 0.01), and the most common bacterial phyla in water column were Proteobacteria, Cyanobacteria and Actinobacteria, while Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, Chloroflexi and Nitrospirae were dominant in sediment. Functions related to phototrophy and nitrogen metabolism primarily occurred in the water column and sediment, respectively. The microbial communities in water column from different seasons were divided into three groups, while no such dispersion in sediment based on PCoA and ANOSIM. According to Pearson correlation analysis, water temperature, dissolved oxygen, water depth, total nitrogen, ammonium, and nitrite were key factors in determining microbial community structure in water column, while TN in sediment, conductivity, and organic matter were key factors in sediment. However, the stochastic processes (|βNTI| < 2) dominated community assembly in both the water column and sediment of Lake Wuchang. These data will provide a foundation for microbial development and utilization in lake water column and sediment under the circumstances of increasing tendency of lake ecological fishery in China.
Understanding the Impact of Pulmonary Rehabilitation on Airway Resistance in Patients with Severe COPD: A Single-Center Retrospective Study

Purpose We investigated the effect of pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) on airway resistance in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients with severe airway obstruction and hyperinflation. Patients and Methods This retrospective cohort study was conducted with data from severe COPD cases with those who underwent an 8-week PR program. Main inclusion criteria were having severe airflow obstruction (defined as a forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) <50%) and plethysmographic evaluation findings being compatible with hyperinflation supporting the diagnosis of emphysema (presence of hyperinflation defined as functional residual capacity ratio of residual volume to total lung capacity (RV/TLC) >120%). Primary outcomes were airway resistance (Raw) and airway conductance (Gaw) which were measured by body plethysmography, and other measurements were performed, including 6-minute walk test (6-MWT), modified Medical Research Council dyspnea scale (mMRC) and COPD assessment test (CAT). Results Twenty-six severe and very severe COPD patients (FEV1, 35.0 ± 13.1%; RV/TLC, 163.5 ± 29.4) were included in the analyses, mean age 62.6 ± 5.8 years and 88.5% males. Following rehabilitation, significant improvements in total specific airway resistance percentage (sRawtot%, p = 0.040) and total specific airway conductance percentage (sGawtot%; p = 0.010) were observed. The post-rehabilitation mMRC scores and CAT values were significantly decreased compared to baseline results (p < 0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively). Although there were significant improvements in 6-MWT value (p < 0.001), exercise desaturation (ΔSaO2, p = 0.026), the changes in measured lung capacity and volume values were not significant. Conclusion We concluded that PR may have a positive effect on airway resistance and airway conductance in COPD patients with severe airflow obstruction.
PD-L1 Biomolecules Associated with Clinical Features in Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer

Background Increasing evidence has indicated that several B7 family members play critical roles in the progress of many cancers. However, the clinical significance of the B7 family in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is still elusive. The purpose of this study is to investigate the potential role of B7-H1 biomolecules (PD-L1) in regulating the tumorigenesis and progression of cSCC, the most common non-melanoma skin cancer. Methods We collected transcriptome data of cSCC patients from TCGA databases (n = 496) and subjected the transcription data to bioinformatical analysis. Differential expression of B7-H1 genes with a grade-dependent pattern was identified. We collected paraffin sections of skin squamous carcinoma and analyzed by immunohistochemical staining. We further examined the PD-L1 levels of CD14+ cells in peripheral blood of each cSCC patient and normal subjects by flow cytometry. Results It was found that higher expression of PD-L1 was associated with poor prognosis of cSCC patients and shorter overall survival. These observations were further verified in the clinical paraffin sections and in peripheral blood T cells. Conclusion Our study reveals that PD-L1 is a potential prognostic marker in clinical prognosis for cSCC patients and could be valuable for cSCC treatment.
Pointing model of new Pi of the Sky detector in Spain

At the end of 2010 the new detector of the Pi of the Sky project was installed in the INTA El Arenosillo Observatory∗ near Huelva, Spain, at the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. The robotic telescope consisting of 4 CCD cameras on one parallactic mount was installed in the telescope dome of the BOOTES experiment from IAA. It can monitor about 0.5 steradians of the sky (40x40 degrees) with 10 s time resolution. The device is fully autonomous, designed to work without human supervision. After successful installation it had to be tested and optimally positioned before it started taking data. In this paper we describe in details deteremination of the Pointing Model for the new detector.
Systematic identification of gene-altering programmed inversions across the bacterial domain

Abstract Programmed chromosomal inversions allow bacteria to generate intra-population genotypic and functional heterogeneity, a bet-hedging strategy important in changing environments. Some programmed inversions modify coding sequences, producing different alleles in several gene families, most notably in specificity-determining genes such as Type I restriction-modification systems, where systematic searches revealed cross phylum abundance. Yet, a broad, gene-independent, systematic search for gene-altering programmed inversions has been absent, and little is known about their genomic sequence attributes and prevalence across gene families. Here, identifying intra-species variation in genomes of over 35 000 species, we develop a predictive model of gene-altering inversions, revealing key attributes of their genomic sequence attributes, including gene-pseudogene size asymmetry and orientation bias. The model predicted over 11,000 gene-altering loci covering known targeted gene families, as well as novel targeted families including Type II restriction-modification systems, a protein of unknown function, and a fusion-protein containing conjugative-pilus and phage tail domains. Publicly available long-read sequencing datasets validated representatives of these newly predicted inversion-targeted gene families, confirming intra-population genetic heterogeneity. Together, these results reveal gene-altering programmed inversions as a key strategy adopted across the bacterial domain, and highlight programmed inversions that modify Type II restriction-modification systems as a possible new mechanism for maintaining intra-population heterogeneity.
Analysis of communicative phrase prosody based on linguistic modalities of constituent words

In this paper, phrase prosody is analyzed based on linguistic modalities of constituent words for communicative speech synthesis. Since Japanese final particles and auxiliaries play crucial roles to indicate speaker's intention and attitudes as modality differences, Japanese phrase sets showing different degree of the speaker's judgment were employed. Communicative/reading speech data were compared over 5 kinds of modality of epistemic judgment (uncertainty of what the speaker said) and 8 kinds of modality of evaluative judgment (what the speaker wishes listeners to be). These modality differences were quantified in 6-point Semantic Differential (SD) scales. The corresponding phrase communicative/reading prosody differences were measured by the F0 rising in the phrase final mora. Statistical analysis showed negative correlation value between F0 rising in the phrase final mora and SD about judgment only in communicative prosody but not in reading prosody. These results support the communicative prosody control possibilities from the modality information embedded in constituent words.
sTREM2 is associated with amyloid‐related p‐tau increases and glucose hypermetabolism in Alzheimer's disease

Microglial activation occurs early in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and previous studies reported both detrimental and protective effects of microglia on AD progression. Here, we used CSF sTREM2 to investigate disease stage‐dependent drivers of microglial activation and to determine downstream consequences on AD progression. We included 402 patients with measures of earliest beta‐amyloid (CSF Aβ1‐42) and late‐stage fibrillary Aβ pathology (amyloid‐PET centiloid), as well as sTREM2, p‐tau181, and FDG‐PET. To determine disease stage, we stratified participants into early Aβ‐accumulators (Aβ CSF+/PET−; n = 70) or late Aβ‐accumulators (Aβ CSF+/PET+; n = 201) plus 131 controls. In early Aβ‐accumulators, higher centiloid was associated with cross‐sectional/longitudinal sTREM2 and p‐tau181 increases. Further, higher sTREM2 mediated the association between centiloid and cross‐sectional/longitudinal p‐tau181 increases and higher sTREM2 was associated with FDG‐PET hypermetabolism. In late Aβ‐accumulators, we found no association between centiloid and sTREM2 but a cross‐sectional association between higher sTREM2, higher p‐tau181 and glucose hypometabolism. Our findings suggest that a TREM2‐related microglial response follows earliest Aβ fibrillization, manifests in inflammatory glucose hypermetabolism and may facilitate subsequent p‐tau181 increases in earliest AD.