Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) in Medical Imaging: Advancements, Applications, and Challenges

Generative Adversarial Networks are a class of artificial intelligence algorithms that consist of a generator and a discriminator trained simultaneously through adversarial training. GANs have found crucial applications in various fields, including medical imaging. In healthcare, GANs contribute by generating synthetic medical images, enhancing data quality, and aiding in image segmentation, disease detection, and medical image synthesis. Their importance lies in their ability to generate realistic images, facilitating improved diagnostics, research, and training for medical professionals. Understanding its applications, algorithms, current advancements, and challenges is imperative for further advancement in the medical imaging domain. However, no study explores the recent state-of-the-art development of GANs in medical imaging. To overcome this research gap, in this extensive study, we began by exploring the vast array of applications of GANs in medical imaging, scrutinizing them within recent research. We then dive into the prevalent datasets and pre-processing techniques to enhance comprehension. Subsequently, an in-depth discussion of the GAN algorithms, elucidating their respective strengths and limitations, is provided. After that, we meticulously analyzed the results and experimental details of some recent cutting-edge research to obtain a more comprehensive understanding of the current development of GANs in medical imaging. Lastly, we discussed the diverse challenges encountered and future research directions to mitigate these concerns. This systematic review offers a complete overview of GANs in medical imaging, encompassing their application domains, models, state-of-the-art results analysis, challenges, and research directions, serving as a valuable resource for multidisciplinary studies.
MediSign: An Attention-Based CNN-BiLSTM Approach of Classifying Word Level Signs for Patient-Doctor Interaction in Hearing Impaired Community

Along with day-to-day communication, receiving medical care is quite challenging for the hearing impaired and mute population, especially in developing countries where medical facilities are not as modernized as in the West. A word-level sign language interpretation system that is aimed toward detecting medically relevant signs can allow smooth communication between doctors and hearing impaired patients, ensuring seamless medical care. To that end, a dataset from twenty distinct signers of diverse backgrounds performing 30 frequently used words in patient-doctor interaction was created. The proposed system has been built employing MobileNetV2 in conjunction with an attention-based Bidirectional LSTM network to achieve robust classification, where the validation accuracy and f1- scores were 95.83% and 93%, respectively. Notably, the accuracy of the proposed model surpasses the recent word-level sign language classification method in a medical context by 5%. Furthermore, the comparison of evaluation metrics with contemporary word-level sign language recognition models in American, Arabic, and German Sign Language further affirmed the capability of the proposed architecture.
Employing 11-Ketotestosterone as a Target Analyte for Adrenosterone (11OXO) Administration in Doping Controls

Adrenosterone (Androst-4-ene-3,11,17-trione, 11OXO) is forbidden in sports according to the Prohibited List of the World Anti-Doping Agency. The administration of 11OXO may be detected by monitoring the urinary concentrations of its main human metabolites 11β-hydroxy-androsterone and 11β-hydroxy-etiocholanolone. Preliminary urinary concentration and concentration ratio thresholds have been established for sports drug testing purposes, but adaptations are desirable as the suggested limits would result in numerous suspicious findings due to naturally elevated concentrations and ratios. Recently, the metabolism of 11-oxo-testosterone (KT) was investigated in the context of anti-doping research, resulting in a preliminary urinary concentration threshold and a confirmation procedure based on the determination of carbon isotope ratios (CIRs). Gas chromatography coupled to isotope ratio mass spectrometry was employed to investigate the CIRs of selected steroids. As KT is also a metabolite of 11OXO, the developed protocols for KT have been tested to elucidate their potential to detect the administration of 11OXO after a single oral dose of 100 mg. In order to further improve the analytical approach, the threshold for urinary concentrations of KT was re-investigated by employing a reference population of n = 5232 routine doping control samples. Quantification of urinary steroids was conducted by employing gas chromatography coupled to triple quadrupole mass spectrometry. Derived from these, a subset of n = 106 samples showing elevated concentrations of KT was investigated regarding their CIRs. By means of this, potentially positive samples due to the illicit administration of 11OXO or KT could be excluded, and the calculation of reference population-derived thresholds for the concentrations and CIR of KT was possible. Based on the results, the urinary concentration threshold for KT is suggested to be established at 130 ng/mL.
Gairaigo Derived from English in Japanese Advertising: Benefits, Drawbacks, and Global Implications

Gairaigo, or loanwords borrowed from foreign languages, have become a ubiquitous feature of the Japanese language, with English being the most significant influence. The use of English loanwords in Japanese advertising has become increasingly common, with many commercials and other promotional materials incorporating gairaigo in their messaging. This study aims to explore the prevalence and significance of gairaigo derived from English in Japanese advertising, examining its benefits and drawbacks, and its global implications. This study utilized qualitative approach. The method used was descriptive method. Data collection technique through literature study. Data obtained online through various academic database, a total of 19 books and 26 scientific articles, and be analysed using descriptive analyse technique. This study found important benefits of gairaigo in Japanese advertising, that are: increase product appeal to younger generations, more effective communication with international audiences, and enhanced global image of Japanese brands. However, there are also drawbacks, that are: limited accessibility for non-English speakers, potential language erosion and loss of cultural identity, and negative impact on traditional Japanese businesses. Furthermore, the global implications of gairaigo in Japanese advertising are also significant, with the influence of Japanese advertising on global marketing trends and cultural exchange and cross-linguistic communication. Overall, while the use of gairaigo in Japanese advertising can bring numerous benefits, it is important to carefully consider its potential drawbacks and cultural implications for both domestic and global audiences. By understanding the impact of gairaigo on Japanese advertising, we can gain a deeper understanding of the complex interplay between language, culture, and marketing in a global context. Further research is needed to continue exploring the impact and implications of gairaigo in Japanese advertising. Further research is needed to continue exploring the impact and implications of gairaigo in Japanese advertising.
Bay of Bengal‐East Asia‐Pacific Teleconnection in Boreal Summer

A new teleconnection pattern (the BEAP) across the Bay of Bengal‐East Asia‐Pacific region in boreal summer is revealed in this study using mainly ERA‐Interim reanalysis data from the European Centre for Medium‐Range Weather Forecasts. The BEAP index (BEAPI) is defined as the signed sum of standardized apparent moisture sinks at five centers along the pathway. Correlation analysis of the apparent heat sources and apparent moisture sinks has verified the existence of the BEAP teleconnection. Variations in BEAP can affect precipitation anomalies resulting from the anomalous moisture transport and the antiphase surface temperature variation. Wave flux analysis has verified the Rossby wave propagation route that originates around the central Bay of Bengal and extends across North China to the West Pacific. La Niña‐type sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTAs) appearing simultaneously in the same season can excite a positive BEAP pattern by enhancing convection over the Bay of Bengal, while El Niño‐type SSTAs have the opposite effect. Significant correlation between the BEAPI and the SSTAs can last from early summer to early winter. Numerical experiments confirm the BEAP teleconnection pattern and the associated physical processes.
ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE, ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE AND CHANGE IN MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTING PRACTICES: A CONTINGENCY APPROACH

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menguji pengaruh perubahan lingkungan terhadap perubahan praktik akuntansi manajemen dan dimediasi perubahan organisasi. Ketidakpastian lingkungan yang tinggi akan menuntut manajemen perusahaan untuk melakukan perubahan organisasi dan perubahan praktik akuntansi manajemen. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode survei dengan jumlah responden sebanyak 149 manajer perusahaan yang memiliki posisi level menengah ke atas pada perusahaan manufaktur di Jawa Timur, teknik analisis data menggunakan Smart PLS, untuk menganalisis jalur pengaruh langsung dan tidak langsung perubahan lingkungan terhadap perubahan praktik akuntansi manajemen. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa perubahan lingkungan berpengaruh positif dan signifikan terhadap perubahan praktik akuntansi manajemen. Perubahan organisasi berpengaruh positif terhadap perubahan praktik akuntansi manajemen, namun perubahan organisasi tidak mampu memediasi perubahan lingkungan terhadap praktik perubahan akuntansi manajemen. Orisinalitas penelitian ini adalah bahwa perubahan lingkungan secara langsung berpengaruh terhadap perubahan akuntansi manajemen, artinya jika terjadi perubahan teknologi dan tingkat kompetitif yang tinggi maka terjadi perubahan dalam praktik akuntansi manajemen dalam hal melakukan evaluasi, biaya dan pengambilan keputusan. Perubahan akuntansi manajemen ini diperkuat juga dengan adanya perubahan pada struktur dan teknologi yang digunakan organisasi/perusahaan.
Comparative evaluation of water budgeting parameters under different rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivation methods

Water budgeting studies under different rice cultivation methods provides an insight into the amount of water used by the plant and percolated below the root zone for judicious water management. To undertake this study, a field experiment was conducted to estimate different soil water balance parameters under three rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivation methods viz. Direct Seeded Rice (DSR), System of Rice Intensification (SRI) and Conventional Puddled Rice (CPR). The experiment was conducted during kharif 2013 and kharif 2014 season at research farm of Indian Council of Agricultural Research-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India. In this study, the rainfall and irrigation depth, Crop Evapotranspiration (ETc), percolation beyond root zone of the crop and surface runoff during the crop growth period were accounted in water budgeting. It was observed that the percolation be-yond root zone of the crop was the highest under CPR method amounting 963 mm and 831 mm, which was about 55% and 58% of total water applied during 2013 and 2014, respectively. However, the percolation beyond root zone of the crop was the lowest under DSR method of rice cultivation amounting 367 mm and 332 mm which was 43% and 39% of total water applied during 2013 and 2014, respectively. Water loss through Etc was around 30% of total water applied in all three cultivation methods for year 2013. However, it was 59%, 46% and 43% of total water ap-plied for DSR, SRI and CPR, respectively in the year 2014.This indicates more effective utilization of total applied water in the year 2014.The study highlighted that water loss through deep percolation beyond root zone is the major factor contributing to the high water requirement in CPR and SRI methods compare to DSR method. Moreover, different soil water balance components computed in this study will be helpful for estimation of irrigation water requirement in the rice growing areas of the agro-climatic region VI (Trans-gangetic Plains) of India.
Optimal proportional-integral speed control for closed-loop engine timing system

In internal combustion engines, adjusting the air-fuel ratio is essential to control the speed and minimize the burnt fuel. The throttle opening is the actuator to control the air-fuel. A better design for the used/conventional controller can give a better response without additional cost. In this work, the proposed controller gains of the proportional-integral (PI) controller are tuned to enhance the speed in constant and variable drive cycle modes. The tuning process is conducted based on two of the most efficient performance indices used in this field. The performance indices are integral absolute error (IAE) and integral time absolute error (ITAE). The optimization problem is solved using three reliable stochastic optimization algorithms to ensure mature convergence of the solutions, to avoid local optima solutions, and to ensure effective shrinking of the search space. The optimization algorithms are teaching-learning-based optimization (TLBO), particle swarm optimization (PSO), and genetic algorithm (GA). Different simulations are conducted to validate the results. The results are compared with conventional tuning methods regarding the system's time response.
Diagnoses of the Adaptive Capacity of Urban Households to Floods: The Case of Dome Community in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana

Urban areas are adversely affected by climate change effects such as flooding and temperature increase, with developing countries being more susceptible to these effects. This paper therefore draws on the adaptive capacity framework to understand the determinants of the capacity of residents in an urban context to deal with floods. The determinants considered in the paper include knowledge and awareness, technology, infrastructure, institutions and economic resources. Using Dome in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana as a case study, a systematic random sampling technique was used to sample 371 respondents for the household questionnaire survey whilst institutional heads were purposively selected for in-depth interviews. The study revealed that flooding is the most prevalent climate related hazard in the study area. The study also established that the adaptive capacity of the people of Dome to floods is very low when all the determinants are taken into consideration; the awareness, ability and action dimensions with respect to wealth, gender and education categories are higher at all levels compared to the overall adaptive capacity. This is a clear indication that the determinants of the adaptive capacity are intertwined. Therefore, in order to ensure the presence of a high adaptive capacity in households of Dome to flood, all the determinants should be supported.
Understanding Mental Toughness in Student-Athletes: Insights from Sport Psychology

Creating successful athletes has four main aspects: physical, technical, tactical, and psychological. This research focused on the psychological aspects of athletes. Psychological aspects are fundamental in determining successful sporting achievements, one of which is the aspect of mental toughness. Mental toughness is one of the factors that can influence the psychological state of athletes during training and competition, especially for students, so it can help athletes display their best performance. The objective of this research was to assess the mental toughness of student-athletes while they are practicing and competing, which was closely linked to their level of achievement. The study consisted of 275 student-athletes as subjects, and the data was collected using a questionnaire that consisted of the Mental Toughness scale. Results: The mental toughness of student-athletes was low, and mental toughness was not dependent on the athlete's level of competition. However, it is expected that athletes competing at the national level would have higher levels of mental toughness than those at lower levels due to their increased experience in competition. Conclusion: This research suggested that the government should collaborate with sports psychologists to improve mental health among student-athletes to help them achieve the best performance, which leads to becoming champions in various sports categories. These findings provided a basis for further investigation. Keywords: Sport, Psychology, Mental Toughness, Student-Athlete.
A global diagnostic of interior ocean ventilation

Ventilation is the process by which water is transferred from the surface mixed layer to the interior ocean. Ventilation anomalies as the result of climate variability may impact the atmosphere in remote regions where the flow returns to the mixed layer. From the Lagrangian analysis of monthly‐mean ocean fields of a numerical model constrained by observed climatologies, we show that 324 Sv of mixed layer water travel throughout the interior ocean for periods longer than 12 months, leading to an average volume replacement time of roughly 125 yr. We evaluate the connections established on a global scale, with an appropriate mapping of the ventilation and corresponding obduction regions, and highlight the role of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current as a main receptacle of the water masses formed throughout the world ocean.
The Influence of Dissolved Oxygen on Dinoflagellate Cyst Distribution Across Sluice Pond, a Meromictic Lake in NE Massachusetts, USA

ABSTRACT Assemblages of dinoflagellate cysts in lakebed sediments across the deep, meromictic basin of Sluice Pond (Lynn, Massachusetts) were compared with measurements of water quality and sediment geochemistry and with testate amoeba and tintinnid assemblages. Lakebed sediments below oxygenated waters (DO >2 mg/L) contain diverse testate amoebae, but sparse Peridinium willei-dominated dinoflagellate cyst assemblages. Sediments collected under hypoxic conditions (DO < 2 mg/L) showed higher preservation of organic carbon and nitrogen, and these deep basin sediments are characterised by diverse dinoflagellate cyst assemblages, but sieved microfossil assemblages are typically dominated by the planktonic Codonella cratera and the pseudo-planktonic Cucurbitella tricuspis. Strong inverse relationships of cysts of Peridinium willei (R2 = 0.81) and Difflugia oblonga tests (R2 = 0.7) with water depth are attributed to variations in bottom water oxygen concentrations. Both ecological and taphonomic factors must be considered when reconstructing palaeoenvironments from microfossil assemblages.
The Perception of Social Safety in a Green Environment: A preliminary study at the Kepong Metropolitan Park

Although there are many positive benefits gained from green areas, it is possible that people also have a negative perception towards such areas. Previous studies have shown that natural areas are sometimes perceived as scary, disgusting and uncomfortable when the sites are more densely vegetated, particularly when the vegetation is not apparently maintained and crime is often cited as a reason to avoid densely wooded areas. Based on this notion. a preliminary survey was conducted at Kepong Metropolitan Park. A total 0/69 park users were interviewed. A questionnaire was designed to provide information on the users' perception 0/ personal safety based on vegetation composition in urban parks. The perception of personal safety was based on photos taken before the survey. These photographs were taken at several urban parks in Kuala Lumpur. Out of 66 photographs taken. only 24 photographs were chosen for this study. The selection of the photographs was based on the type of vegetation such as topiary, young trees, matured trees. open space. hedges, shrub. water plant, bamboo, non-woody plants, and palms. Each of these photographs was identified with a numbered label. The respondents were requested to assess the type of surrounding vegetation they regarded as providing the safest environment. This study indicated that a photograph representing topiary plants was chosen by most park users as providing the safest park environment. On the other hand, a photograph depicting a pool with tall water grasses was considered as providing the least secure environment. This preliminary study revealed that people preferred parks which are more organized, maintained and well managed with a 'more formal' landscape setting. This study only presents preliminary evidence for the idea that a green environment can contribute towards fear and the feeling of being unsafe.
Prevalence of and Impact on the Outcome of Myosteatosis in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Simple Summary Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is recognized as one of the most prevalent malignancies worldwide, presenting a substantial healthcare challenge. Myosteatosis, known as the accumulation of fat in the muscles, has raised an escalating interest among patients with several malignancies. The aim of our systematic review/meta-analysis was to assess the prevalence of myosteatosis in individuals diagnosed with HCC. Our study revealed that myosteatosis is highly prevalent in HCC patients and is associated with more severe underlying liver disease and higher mortality rates. Our findings also suggest that the prevalence of myosteatosis in HCC patients varies depending on the etiology of the liver disease, while variations in myosteatosis prevalence were observed regardless of whether body mass index-based or gender-based criteria were used. Abstract Background: Limited data exist on the prevalence of myosteatosis (i.e., excess accumulation of fat in skeletal muscles) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients, and no systematic review or meta-analysis has been conducted in this context. Methods: We searched for articles published from inception until November 2023 to assess the prevalence of myosteatosis in patients with HCC. Results: Ten studies with 3316 patients focusing on myosteatosis and HCC were included. The overall prevalence of myosteatosis in HCC patients was 50% [95% Confidence Interval (CI): 35–65%]. Using the body mass index-based criteria (two studies), the prevalence was 34%, while gender-based criteria (eight studies) yielded 54% (p = 0.31). In Asian studies (n = 8), the prevalence was 45%, compared to 69% in non-Asian countries (two studies) (p = 0.02). For viral-associated HCC (eight studies), the prevalence was 49%, rising to 65% in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease-associated cases (three studies) and 86% in alcoholic liver disease-associated cases (three studies) (p < 0.01). The prevalence of myosteatosis was higher in Child–Pugh class C (3 studies, 91%) than in A (7 studies, 73%) or B (6 studies, 50%) (p = 0.02), but with no difference between Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage A (3 studies, 66%), B (4 studies, 44%) and C (3 studies, 62%) (p = 0.80). Patients with myosteatosis had a significantly higher mortality (six studies) (Relative Risk: 1.35 (95%CI: 1.13–1.62, p < 0.01). Conclusion: The prevalence of myosteatosis is high in HCC patients and is associated with more severe liver disease and higher mortality rates.