Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cell Zooming for Hybrid VLC-RF Cellular Networks With High Energy Efficiency

The integration of visible light communication (VLC) and radio frequency (RF) communication achieves complementary advantages of high data rates and wide coverage, while the power consumption should also be considered. In this letter, a genetic algorithm for cell zooming is proposed to realize high energy efficiency in hybrid VLC-RF cellular networks. Based on locations and data rates of multiple users, the proposed algorithm will optimize transceiver association and load balancing for appropriate traffic scheduling. Simulation results reveal that the proposed algorithm can reduce total power consumption for both single and hybrid access, providing solutions for practical deployment of hybrid systems.
Synthesis, Photophysical Characterization and Evaluation of Biological Properties of C7, a Novel Symmetric Tetra-Imidazolium-Bis-Heterocycle

A novel symmetric tetra-imidazolium-bis-heterocycle, called C7, was designed and synthesized in a quick two-step pathway, with the objective to synthesize biologically active supramolecular assembly. The synthesized compound was then analyzed for its photophysical properties, for a potential application in theragnostic (fluorescence) or phototherapy (photodynamic therapy, with the production of reactive oxygen species, such as singlet oxygen 1O2). C7 was thus screened for its biological activity, in particular against important human pathogens of viral origin (respiratory viruses such as adenovirus type 2 and human coronavirus 229E) and of fungal and bacterial origin. The compound showed limited antiviral activity, combined with very good antiproliferative activity against breast cancer, and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma models. Interestingly, the selected compound showed excellent antibacterial activity against a large array of Gram-positive and Gram-negative clinically isolated pathogenic bacteria, with a possible inhibitory mechanism on the bacterial cell wall synthesis studied with electron microscopy and molecular docking tools. Collectively, the newly synthesized compound C7 could be considered as a potential lead for the development of new antibacterial treatment, endowed with basic photophysical properties, opening the door towards the future development of phototherapy approaches.
Respect for human rights as a component of organisational well-being: factor structure analysis in three countries of Latin America

Abstract People with psychosocial disabilities are often discriminated against and experience violations of their human rights. With the QualityRights program, World Health Organisation highlights that one of element founding the quality of services is the respect for users’ rights, in the belief that there is no quality of care without respect for human rights and vice versa. To date, studies explored the issue mainly in Europe. In this sense, the purpose of the study is to verify if the perception of respect for patients’ rights is a component of organisational well-being for mental health workers in three countries of Latin America (Argentina, Colombia, Peru). A random sample representative of professionals working in three mental healthcare networks in Argentina, Colombia, and Peru was enrolled (n = 310). Each health worker completed a questionnaire on sociodemographic data and the Well-Being at work and respect for human rights (WWRR). The WWRR consists of seven items on satisfaction at work, beliefs about users’ satisfaction in received care, the satisfaction of work’s organisation, respect of users’ and staff’s human rights, adequacy of resources, and perceived needs of resources in the mental health service. The principal components analysis of the instrument was carried out with Varimax rotation and Kaiser normalisation (including all components with Eigen value > 1). The total explained variance was 67.2%. Item 6 saturated in one single factor, and the first five items saturated in factor 1 with factor loadings ranging from 0.52 to 0.86. Parallel test suggested a one-factor structure as acceptable. The results show in three countries of Latin America that the more workers perceive that the human rights of users are respected, the more satisfied they are of own work. This article confirms previous observations in Italy, North Macedonia, Tunisia and Palestine.
ℒ1 adaptive attitude control of satellites in elliptic orbits using solar radiation pressure

The development of an ℒ1 adaptive control system for the control of satellites in elliptic orbits using solar radiation pressure is the subject of this article. The nonaffine-in-control spacecraft model includes the gravity gradient torque, the control torque produced by two solar flaps, and external time-varying disturbance torque. The objective is to control the pitch angle of the spacecraft using the solar flaps. The design is based on the ℒ1 adaptive control theory for the control of nonlinear nonautonomous uncertain systems. The control system includes an adaptation law based on the state prediction error. Unlike traditional adaptive systems, the control input is obtained by filtering an estimated control signal through a low-pass filter. In the closed-loop system, the designed adaptive law accomplishes large angle maneuver. A special feature of the control system using filtered signal is that it is possible to select large adaptation gains for fast adaptation and to obtain quantifiable performance bounds. Simulation results are presented which show that in the closed-loop system, precise pitch angle control is accomplished, despite parameter uncertainties and external disturbance input in the model.
Comparing nonnested Cox models

We derive the limiting distribution of the partial likelihood ratio under general conditions. The multiplicative hazards models being fitted may be nonnested and misspecified. The true model is not assumed to contain either model under consideration. The null hypothesis is that the models are equidistant in Kullback--Leibler metric applied to the rank likelihood. The statistic is consistent for the model which is closer to the truth. Its distribution depends on the unknown data-generating mechanism. A sequential testing procedure is proposed for nonnested comparisons which is valid regardless of the true model. This involves a novel statistic for the equality of the fitted models which is separate from the partial likelihood. The methodology has important applications in model assessment. Simulations and a real example demonstrate its utility in selecting the functional forms of covariates and relative risks. Copyright Biometrika Trust 2002, Oxford University Press.
Carotid Endarterectomy Versus Stenting for the Treatment of Patients With Carotid Artery Stenosis: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) is a surgical procedure that treats the narrowed carotid arteries, which may be narrowed by atherosclerosis. Stenting is the insertion of a wire mesh scaffold into the narrowed portion of the carotid artery to keep it open by preventing blood from clotting. Using the study done over 10 years back as a point of reference, this study will seek an update on an assessment comparing CEA and stenting in studies carried out between 2015 and to date. The PICOS (population, intervention, control, outcome, and study designs) criteria were used to construct a set of inclusion and exclusion guidelines. This meta-analysis and systematic review used two forms of investigative analysis; both quantitative and qualitative assessments. From the studies, stroke (95% CI: 0.51-0.71, P < 0.001), myocardial infarction (95% CI: 1.49-3.42, P = 0.001), and stroke or death analysis (95% CI: 0.53-0.77, P < 0.001) were noted to be significant. From the analysis, CEA was observed as having better treatment results in terms of stroke events and stroke or death incidences when compared to stenting. Carotid stenting was observed as having lower cases of myocardial infarctions when compared to endarterectomy.
Comparison of time delay estimators in medical ultrasound

Time delay estimation (TDE) is a common operation in ultrasound signal processing. A variety of TDE algorithms have been developed and applied in medical ultrasound, sonar, radar, and other fields. In this paper we analyze the performances of the widely used normalized and non-normalized correlations, along with normalized covariance, sum absolute differences (SAD), sum squared differences (SSD), hybrid-sign correlation, polarity-coincidence correlation, and Meyr-Spies method. These techniques have been simulated on ultrasound radio frequency data under a variety of conditions. We show how parameters, which include kernel window size, signal decorrelation, and signal to noise ratio (SNR) affect the accuracy of the delay estimate. Simulation results are also compared with the theoretical performance limit set by the Cramer-Rao Lower Bound (CRLB). Results show that for high SNR, high signal correlation, and large kernel size, all of the tested algorithms closely match the theoretical bound, with nearly identical performance. As conditions degrade, the performances begin to differ, with normalized correlation, normalized covariance, and SSD typically outperforming the other algorithms.
Outer-flow effects on turbulent boundary layer wall pressure fluctuations

The outer-flow contribution to the pressure fluctuations occurring at the wall beneath a turbulent boundary layer was studied experimentally. A moving wall wind-tunnel facility was developed for the work. A flat test plate was suspended at various heights over the movable tunnel wall such that interacting and noninteracting turbulent boundary layers were developed in the resultant channel. Mean and fluctuating velocity components were measured for cases with and without wall motion. Pressure fluctuations were measured, with pinhole microphones on the surface of the test plate forming the upper-channel boundary, at corresponding test conditions. The data show that the wall-pressure fluctuations are relatively insensitive to the details of the outer flow, even over the range of frequencies dominated by outer-flow turbulence structures.
The Quality of Environmental KPI Disclosure in ESG Reporting for SMEs in Hong Kong

Since 2016, the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (“HKEx”) has required listed companies to issue Environment, Social and Governance (“ESG”) reports annually. The purpose of ESG reports is to inform stakeholders and the general public of listed companies’ performance in ESG aspects. For big corporations, issuing ESG reports and reporting their key performance indicators (“KPIs”) are not a problem because they have been doing so voluntarily for years. Rather, it is a challenge for small and medium-sized listed companies (“SMEs”) to report properly because they may be lacking in knowledge, skills and motivation, etc. In particular, the quality of quantitative measurements on ESG data disclosure remains variable. This research effort adopted a scoring methodology to assess the relevance and completeness of the environmental KPIs, which are semi-mandatory to disclose. A total of 138 SMEs were proportionately selected by a stratified sampling method based on the 11 categories of industries set by the Hang Seng Industry Classification System. The disclosure quality of these selected sample companies’ environmental KPIs was assessed by scoring. We found that the average disclosure quality score was a low 1.98. “Energy Use Efficiency” was the highest-performing KPI, while “The Environment and Natural Resources” was the lowest-performing KPI. Across the different industries, Industrial Goods achieved the highest disclosure quality score, while the Telecommunication industry had the worst score. This research also explored some of the common problems faced whilst reporting environmental KPIs.
The coordination mechanism of a risk-averse green supply chain

Purpose This study aims to establish a centralized decision-making game model and manufacturer-led Stackelberg game model based on factors of risk aversion of supply chain members and product greenness. The research aims to study whether the introduction of the “cost + risk sharing” contract affects coordination of this type of green supply by calculating the optimal decision of each mode. Design/methodology/approach This research designs a supply chain model under centralized and decentralized decision-making. This model uses the Stackelberg game to calculate the optimal decision under decentralized decision-making to evaluate the effect of a green supply chain and then analyze the “cost + risk sharing” contract and the degree of coordination of the supply chain. A sensitivity analysis is conducted on the centralized mode for the impact of variables on the supply chain. Findings This research finds a double marginalization effect in decentralized decision-making, and the risk aversion coefficient plays a decisive role in the utility of supply chain members. The specific range of risk- and cost-sharing factors allows supply chain members to achieve Pareto improvements and provides decision-making based on the corresponding management strategies according to each other’s risk preference degree. Research limitations/implications The influence of each variable on the green supply chain in the centralized mode is studied by MATLAB numerical simulation. It provides reference for green supply chain members to formulate corresponding management strategies according to each other's risk preference degree. Originality/value This research innovatively considers manufacturers and retailers to explore the market demand for product greenness. It introduces a novel “cost + risk sharing” contract to coordinate the green supply chain.
Strong scintillations in astrophysics. II - A theory of temporal broadening of pulses

A theory of temporal broadening of pulses propagating in a turbulent medium is developed, based on the Markov approximation discussed in Paper I. The theory may be applied to quite general turbulence spectra and to thin or thick turbulent regions. Since the basis of the theory is the wave equation, geometrical optics are not relied on, nor are assumptions made about the scattered angular spectrum. The observed smearing is found to be the combination of three effects which are termed the dispersion effect, the pure refractive effect, and the diffraction effect. The last of these dominates for typical pulsar parameters. The pulse shapes for both Gaussian and Kolmogorov turbulence spectra are calculated and it is shown how these scale with the various turbulence parameters. (AIP)
Strawberry Fragaria x ananassa cv. Festival: A Polyphenol-Based Phytochemical Characterization in Fruit and Leaf Extracts

Berry fruits are an important dietary source of health-promoting antioxidant polyphenols. Interestingly, berry leaves of diverse species, including strawberries, have shown higher bioactive phytochemical content in the leaves than in the fruit. Moreover, the vegetative part of the plants is usually discarded, representing a presumably large source of underutilized bioactive biomass. In this investigation, the polyphenol profiles of tropical highland strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa cv. Festival) leaves and fruits were compared by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a diode array detector (UHPLC-DAD) and mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS). The total polyphenol strawberry leaf extracts exhibited a 122-fold-higher total polyphenol content and 13-fold higher antioxidant activity (ORAC) than strawberry fruits, and they showed evidence of possible photoprotective effects against UV damage in human melanoma cells (SK-MEL-28) and in murine embryo fibroblasts (NIH/3T3), together with promising anti-proliferative activities against the same melanoma cells. Seven polyphenols were confirmed by HPLC-DAD in the leaf extracts, with differences depending on fraction solubility. Moreover, three substituted quercetin derivatives, three substituted kaempferol derivatives, two anthocyanins, and catechin were confirmed in the soluble fraction by HPLC-MS. Given their higher total polyphenol content and bioactive activities, underutilized strawberry Festival leaves are a potential source of apparently abundant biomass with prospective bioactive applications.
Perception of Dental House Officers regarding Endodontic File Separation during Endodontic Treatment

Background Despite of having improved endodontic file designs as well as the reinforced metal alloy file structure, intracanal endodontic file separation (EFS) is still a very problematic and worrisome dental incident, which usually occurs without any visible signs of permanent deformation. Further, there have been conflicting reports regarding the clinical significance of leaving separated files within root canals. Aims The aim of this study was to look into the current perceptions and awareness about file separation during endodontic treatment among the dental house officers (DHOs). Materials and Methods A novel validated questionnaire comprising of 15 close-ended questions was distributed anonymously via Google Forms through email to 1100 DHOs across Pakistan. The questionnaire consisted of two parts: the first component (Section I) collected demographic data and the second component (Section II) investigated the causes of EFS during root canal treatment. Following the completion of socioeconomic information, including age and gender, the DHOs were asked to answer a few questions about the various reasons for endodontic instrument fracture. Results A total of 800 responses were recorded, with an effective rate of 72.8%. The majority of the DHOs (p value < 0.001) perceived that endodontic instrument fracture occurred in the posterior (61.5%) and apical third of the canal (50.5%) and in older permanent dentition (67.3%), possibly due to patient anxiety (62%). Better choice of instrument (61.15%), operators' experience (95.3%), knowledge (87.5%), and proper root canal cleaning (91.1%) are believed to be the vital steps in reducing endodontic file separation/fracture. Furthermore, majority of them (p value < 0.001) perceived that stainless steel was a superior alloy for filing instruments. Manual files tend to be more prone to fractures due to repeated use than rotary files. Conclusion This study demonstrated that young DHOs had adequate knowledge and awareness regarding the potential predisposing factors and handling techniques for EFS. This study thereby provides an evaluating tool to access the insights of the current perceptions and awareness of DHOs concerning EFS.
Magnetic Field Fiber Specklegram Sensors Based on Tb3+-Doped Magneto-Optical Glasses With High Verdet Constants

Optical fiber specklegram sensors (FSSs) for magnetic field measurements are reported. The probes are compact, with only a fiber length of <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\sim $ </tex-math></inline-formula>100 mm exposed to a magnetic field and comprised of no-core fibers doped with terbium oxide (Tb4O7), so the Verdet constant is dramatically improved in comparison to regular commercial fibers (<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\sim 20\times $ </tex-math></inline-formula> increase, 10-mol% fiber), greatly enhancing the modulation of the output specklegram. The response to static magnetic fields was evaluated for different concentrations (6–10 mol%) of Tb4O7, yielding an increase in sensitivity of up to <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$59\times $ </tex-math></inline-formula> (<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$8.78\times 10^{-2}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> mT<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$^{-{1}}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>, 10 mol%) and <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$6\times $ </tex-math></inline-formula> resolution (<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$1.86\times 10^{-{2}}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> mT, 6 mol%) in relation to a regular silica multimode fiber (MMF). A simple setup with a He–Ne laser and inexpensive webcam charge-coupled device (CCD) camera was employed, producing results comparable to fiber sensors based on more complicated setups such as fiber interferometers. To the best of our knowledge, this comprises the first demonstration of highly multimode magnetic field FSS based on magneto-optical (MO) glass to capitalize on both the Faraday rotation and the polarization mode conversion.
Electric Centrelines and Magnetic Coupling of Superconducting Strands in Assemblies and Cables

Partial coupling or decoupling of superconducting strands in cables is a 3d phenomenon associated with finite conductor lengths or twist pitch. In contrast, 2d modelling of infinitely long strands by variational formulation of the critical state or flux diffusion of non-linear resistivity always results in full coupling even for completed isolated strands. Although 3d modelling of superconducting composites have been realised in various formulations, the computational complexity and cost have limited their application as routine tools for analysing the behaviour of practical conductors and interpreting experimental results. In the present study, we show that full or partial uncoupling of isolated infinite strands can be obtained by imposing within ever strands an electric centre where the current is zero. The net current in a strand determines the position of the electric centre and is a natural parameter for quantifying the strength of coupling. Incorporating electric centres with 2d models for infinite strands of the critical state or power-law non-linear resistivity can be realised by very efficient variational or Brandt' s formulations respectively. We show that such 2d models are highly efficient and effective for analysing experimental data on ac losses of complex composite conductors such as Roebel cables of ReBCO tape strands. We show how the electric centres affect the field and current distributions of the 2d models and provide profound insights into the coupling behaviour which is fundamentally a 3d phenomenon. By showing its applicability to arbitrary strands assemblies in either self or applied fields as well both combined, the method is presented as new tool for designing and analysing high field magnets using HTS cables.
Evaluation of Diffuse Reflectance in Multi-layered Tissue for High Intensity Laser Therapy

Pain is one of the quite common symptoms in clinics and many treatment methods have been applied to relieve pain. Among the treatments, high-intensity light therapy for pain has been introduced, but this therapy has not been fully supported by confirmed efficacy due to the absence of quantitative assessments and treatment feedback data in real time. In this study, the evaluation of light distribution in tissue was performed with current high-intensity light sources quantitatively using light-tissue interaction simulations. The diffuse reflectance in tissue was generated using Monte Carlo simulation that traces photons as they undergo multiple scattering and absorption within each tissue layer (skin, fat, and muscle) and within multi-layered tissue. The results showed that the highest diffuse reflectance and the deepest penetration of tissue were achieved at λ=830 nm when compared with other wavelengths like λ=650 nm, 980 nm and 1064 nm.