Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Independent investigation in marine spatial planning: necessary or discretionary?

Public Inquiry is an established process for effective testing and scrutiny of plans in terrestrial planning and is regarded as a means of providing credibility and accountability. Independent Investigation is its marine equivalent and was included as a provision in the UK marine planning regime and subsequent legislation since its inception. However, it has been noticeably absent in practice. This paper investigates the reasons behind this situation within the context of the proposed and actual role of II in the marine planning process in the UK. It additionally considers the future use of II in enhancing the quality and effectiveness of the marine planning system. This paper concludes that as the use of the marine resource of the UK becomes increasingly contested and controversial, II could be utilized to enhance marine plans and marine planning decisions and thus warrants further investigation.
RIAM: A Universal Accessible Protocol for the Isolation of High Purity DNA from Various Soils and Other Humic Substances

A single universal open protocol RIAM (named after Research Institute for Agricultural Microbiology) for the isolation of high purity DNA from different types of soils and other substrates (high and low in humic, clay content, organic fertilizer, etc.) is proposed. The main features of the RIAM protocol are the absence of the sorption–desorption stage on silica columns, the use of high concentrations of phosphate in buffers, which prevents DNA sorption on minerals, and DNA precipitation using CTAB. The performance of RIAM was compared with a reference commercial kit and showed very good results in relation to the purity and quantity of DNA, as well as the absence of inhibitory activity on PCR. In all cases, the RIAM ensured the isolation of DNA in quantities much greater than the commercial kit without the effect of PCR inhibition up to 50 ng DNA per reaction in a volume of 15 µL. The latter circumstance along with the ability of the protocol to extract low molecular weight DNA fractions makes the method especially suitable for those cases where quantitative assessments, detection of minor components of soil microbiota, and completeness of isolation of all DNA fractions are required.
Dual-channel mixed spectral-spatial features combined with second-order pooling for hyperspectral image classification

In order to effectively improve the classification accuracy of hyperspectral images, we propose a classification method based on the combination of dual-channel mixed spectral-spatial features and second-order pooling. Firstly, we use PCA to reduce the dimensionality of the hyperspectral image; secondly, the fused spectral-spatial features are extracted by stacking three dual-channel mixed spectral-spatial residual modules; finally, the second-order pooling is used to fully mine the fused spectral-spatial features, and through the fully connected layer to realize classification. We conduct comparative experiments on Indian Pines and Pavia University datasets, and the overall accuracy of the proposed method respectively reaches 99.17% and 99.74%, which are higher than other classification methods. This verifies the effectiveness of the proposed method classification function.
Towards 2D/3D Registration of the Preoperative MRI to Intraoperative Fluoroscopic Images for Visualisation of Bone Defects

ABSTRACT Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a medical imaging modality that allows for the evaluation of soft-tissue diseases and the assessment of bone quality. Preoperative MRI volumes are used by surgeons to identify defected bones, perform the segmentation of lesions, and generate surgical plans before the surgery. Nevertheless, conventional intraoperative imaging modalities such as fluoroscopy are less sensitive in detecting potential lesions. In this work, we propose a 2D/3D registration pipeline that aims to register preoperative MRI with intraoperative 2D fluoroscopic images. To showcase the feasibility of our approach, we use the core decompression procedure as a surgical example to perform 2D/3D femur registration. The proposed registration pipeline is evaluated using digitally reconstructed radiographs (DRRs) to simulate the intraoperative fluoroscopic images. The resulting transformation from the registration is later used to create overlays of preoperative MRI annotations and planning data to provide intraoperative visual guidance to surgeons. Our results suggest that the proposed registration pipeline is capable of achieving reasonable transformation between MRI and digitally reconstructed fluoroscopic images for intraoperative visualisation applications.
Corporate Governance and Macroeconomics on The Financial Stability of Islamic Banks

Purpose: This study discusses the influence of Corporate Governance and macroeconomics on financial stability in the Islamic banking sector. Design/methodology/approach: This study employed a quantitative and Data analysis uses panel data regression. Findings: while the independent variable in this study is Corporate Governance and Macroeconomics, with the results showing that Corporate Governance and macroeconomics have no partial effect. Research limitations/implications: There are only two variables considered in this paper: corporate governance and macroeconomic. Practical implications: partially corporate governance has no effect and macroeconomics has a negative effect. Originality/value: TThis study calculates and finds out the truth of corporate governance and macroeconomic variables on financial stability. Paper type: Research Paper Keyword: Corporate Governance, Macroeconomics, Financial Stability, Inflation
Comparison theory for general motions of dynamical systems with applications to discrete event systems

A comparison theory is developed for the qualitative analysis of general dynamical systems, making use of stability preserving mapping. The qualitative aspects addressed pertain to Lyapunov and Lagrange stability. The theory is general enough to include as special cases most of the existing deterministic results for dynamical systems described on finite- and infinite-dimensional spaces. In addition, the results are applicable to contemporary systems, such as discrete-event systems. <<ETX>>
High-pressure xenon detector development at Constellation Technology Corporation

Xenon-filled ionization detectors, due to their high atomic number fill gas (Z=54), moderate densities (~0.3 g/cm3-0.5 g/cm3) and good energy resolution (2%-4% at 662 keV), fill an important niche between more familiar technologies such as NaI(Tl) scintillators and Germanium detectors. Until recently, difficulties with obtaining sufficient Xenon purity, reducing microphonic sensitivity, and developing low-noise electronics compatible with small ionization signals have hampered the development of this nuclear detection field. Constellation Technology Corporation, whose experience with xenon detectors goes back to the mid 1990's, has made significant progress in these areas and has developed a commercial line of detectors with active volumes ranging from small (35 g Xe) to large (1400 g Xe). Here we will discuss our development of a mobile, large area, spectroscopic array.
Low-Profile Wideband Circular Polarization Metasurface Antenna With Characteristic Mode Analysis and Mode Suppression

In this letter, a wideband circular polarization (CP) metasurface (MS) antenna is proposed, which is composed of a centrosymmetric structure with a mode suppressor and an asymmetric aperture-coupled feed structure separated by dielectric substrates. Based on the characteristic mode theory, the aperture-coupled feed structure consisted of an L-shaped slot and a microstrip line is employed to excite two orthogonal modes, which have a 90° phase difference to obtain CP radiation. Meanwhile, two methods have been proposed to expand CP bandwidth: one is the direct suppression of characteristic mode by decreasing the overlap frequency of operating and nonoperating mode. The other one is indirect suppression using a mode suppressor. Finally, the MS antenna with a low profile of λ0 × λ0 × 0.075 λ0 at 5 GHz is fabricated and measured. The measured results show that the proposed antenna has a 3 dB axial ratio bandwidth of 45.2% from 4.1 to 6.5 GHz and an impedance bandwidth of 41.8% from 4.1 to 6.31 GHz, and a peak gain of 7.94 dBic at 5.9 GHz.
Adaptive total variation regularization based scheme for Poisson noise removal

To better preserve the edge features, this paper investigates an adaptive total variation regularization based variational model for removing Poisson noise. This edge‐preserving scheme comprises a spatially adaptive diffusivity coefficient, which adjusts the diffusion strength automatically. Compared with the classical total variation based one, numerical simulations distinctly indicate the superiority of our proposed strategy in maintaining the small details while denoising Poissonian image. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Differential Item Functioning of the Jaw Functional Limitation Scale.

AIMS To assess the differential item functioning (DIF) of the Jaw Functional Limitation Scale (JFLS) due to gender, age, and language (English vs Spanish). METHODS JFLS data were collected from a consecutive sample of 2,115 adult dental patients from HealthPartners dental clinics in Minnesota. Participants with missing data were excluded, and analyses were performed using data from 1,678 participants. Whether the item response theory (IRT) model assumptions of essential unidimensionality and local independence held up for the JFLS was examined. Then, using Samejima's graded response model, the IRT log-likelihood ratio approach was used to detect DIF. The magnitude and impact of DIF based on Raju's noncompensatory DIF (NCDIF) cutoff value of 0.096, Cohen's effect sizes, and test (or scale) characteristic curves were also assessed. RESULTS Essential unidimensionality was confirmed, but locally dependent items were found on the JFLS. A few items were flagged with statistically significant DIF after adjustment for multiple comparisons. The NCDIF indices associated with all DIF items were < 0.096, and they had small effect sizes of ≤ 0.2. The differences between the expected scores shown in the test characteristic curves were little to none. CONCLUSION The present results support the use of the JFLS summary score to obtain psychometrically robust score comparisons across English- and Spanish-speaking, male and female, and younger and older dental patients. Overall, the magnitude of DIF was relatively small, and the practical impact minimal.
Top Management Support, Knowledge of Accounting Employee, Use of Information Technology on The Quality of Accounting Information System (AIS)

Purpose: This study aim for testing the effect of Top Management Support, Knowledge of Accounting Employee, Use of Information Technology on the Quality of Accounting Information System (AIS). Design/ methodology / approach: This research is an associative quantitative research. The data used in this research is secondary data; previous research book and journals references and primary data; questionnaire spreaded to respondents. Technique of collecting data in this study was using the survey method with 145 respondents who were tested with the PLS (Partial Least Square) application. Findings: The results of this study indicate that Top Management Support and the use of information technology have a positive and significant effect on the quality of Accounting Information System, while the knowledge of Accounting Employee has a positive but not significant effect on the quality of Accounting Information System. Research limitations/implications: The questionnaires was distributed only to financial institutions. However, the distribution of this questionnaire was only limited to the recipients of the letter ( receptionist ) from the financial institutions due to the Covid-19 pandemic and it is possible that the respondents did not understand the contents of the questionnaire given the lack of explanation and understanding provided by the researcher. In addition, limited number of samples and didn’t fulfill the representation of all regions in Indonesia. Originality/value: The Paper is Original Paper Type: Research paper
A comparison study of mass-area ratio for large size x-ray telescope optics in pore and very thin glass sheets configurations

Dealing with very large size optics for the next generation of X-ray telescopes, like XEUS or ConX/SXT, it's necessary to build segmented mirrors which are assembled in petals because it's impossible to realize them in a monolithic form. The shape of these petals can be square or circular. The main problem is that such optics must have a very low weight compared to past X-ray telescopes, but assuring optimal imaging capabilities. In this paper I compare two different techniques that can achieve this so low weight. One is known as High Precision pore Optics (HPO) and the other one is based on a more classical shaped segments, assembled together, but built with very thin (in the 100-300 μm range) glass sheets that are stiffened with ribs. In this study, the main geometrical differences between the two approaches assumed, is that the first one has a pore size that doesn't change along the optics radius while the second one is based on a constant length. The main purpose of this study is to understand when one concept can be better than the other, depending on a given set of parameters, such as the focal length of the telescope, the filling factor of optic, the thickness of the walls, the radius of the segment, etc. The final goal is to achieve the best optimization of the mass to area ratio.
The Synergistic Inhibitions of Tungstate and Molybdate Anions on Pitting Corrosion Initiation for Q235 Carbon Steel in Chloride Solution

In this work, the synergistic inhibitions of tungstate (WO42−) and molybdate (MoO42−) anions, including role and mechanism, on the initiation of pitting corrosion (PC) for Q235 carbon steel in chloride (Cl−) solution were investigated with electrochemical and surface techniques. The pitting potential (Ep) of the Q235 carbon steel in WO42− + MoO42- + Cl− solution was more positive than that in WO42− + Cl− or MoO42− + Cl− solution; at each Ep, both peak potential and affected region of active pitting sites in WO42− + MoO42− + Cl− solution were smaller than those in WO42− + Cl− or MoO42− + Cl− solution. WO42− and MoO42− showed a synergistic role to inhibit the PC initiation of the Q235 carbon steel in Cl− solution, whose mechanism was mainly attributed to the influences of two anions on passive film. Besides iron oxides and iron hydroxides, the passive film of the Q235 carbon steel formed in WO42− + Cl−, MoO42− + Cl−, or WO42− + MoO42− + Cl− solution was also composed of FeWO4 plus Fe2(WO4)3, Fe2(MoO4)3, or Fe2(WO4)3 plus Fe2(MoO4)3, respectively. The film resistance and the defect quantity for Fe2(WO4)3 plus Fe2(MoO4)3 film were larger and smaller than those for FeWO4 plus Fe2(WO4)3 film and Fe2(MoO4)3 film, respectively; for the inhibition of PC initiation, Fe2(WO4)3 plus Fe2(MoO4)3 film provided better corrosion resistance to Q235 carbon steel than FeWO4 plus Fe2(WO4)3 film and Fe2(MoO4)3 film did.
A simple approach to Anderson localization in one-dimensional disordered lattices

We present a simple approach to Anderson localization in one-dimensional disordered lattices. We introduce the tight-binding model in which one orbital and a single random energy are assigned to each lattice site, and the hopping integrals are constant and restricted to nearest-neighbor sites. The localization of eigenstates is explained by two-parameter scaling arguments. We compare the size scaling of the level spacing in the bare energy spectrum of the quasi-particle (in the ideal lattice) with the size scaling of the renormalized disorder seen by the quasi-particle. The former decreases faster than the latter with increasing system size, giving rise to mixing and to the localization of the bare quasi-particle wave functions in the thermodynamic limit. We also provide a self-consistent calculation of the localization length and show how this length can be obtained from optical absorption spectra for Frenkel excitons.
Strength and Deflection Reliability Estimation of Girder Steel Portal Frames Using the Bayesian Updating Method

Uncertainty is ubiquitous in any engineering system at any stage of product development and throughout a product's life cycle. As information and sensor technology develops, more and more data about engineering systems are gathered. A strong technique for calibrating models using new information and observations is Bayesian updating. The applied loads, yield strength, plastic section modulus, span, cross-section dimensions, and modulus of elasticity from the international literature have been updated through the local literature and a data survey for the interior girder portal frames to investigate the reliability index and the probability of failure of the system. First Order Reliability Method (FORM) and Monte Carlo (MC) simulations have been used to estimate the reliability and probability of failure of strength and serviceability limit state function. The results reveal that for shear force, the reliability index increased significantly from 9.03 to 16.01. At the same time, the reliability index of the bending moment and deflection increased from 4.34 to 5.30 and from 6.90 to 7.66 respectively.
Dimer Statistics and Phase Transitions

After the introduction of the concept of lattice graph and a brief discussion of its role in the theory of the Ising model, a related combinatorial problem is discussed, namely that of the statistics of non‐overlapping dimers, each occupying two neighboring sites of a lattice graph. It is shown that the configurational partition function of this system can be expressed in terms of a Pfaffian, and hence calculated explicitly, if the lattice graph is planar and if the dimers occupy all lattice sites. By the examples of the quadratic and the hexagonal lattice, it is found that the dimer system may show a phase transition similar to that of a two‐dimensional Ising model, or one of a different nature, or no transition at all, depending on the activities of various classes of bonds. The Ising problem is then shown to be equivalent to a generalized dimer problem, and a rederivation, of Onsager's expression for the Ising partition function of a rectangular lattice graph is sketched on the basis of this equivalence.
Alleviating the adverse effects of plant pathogens, drought and salinity stress factors using plant growth promoting bacteria

Climate change is one of the most important threats to agricultural production, therefore, more attention must be paid to study the environmental stresses that affect plant production. Pathogen stress is one of the most important stresses that negatively affect growth and yield, also drought and salinity are very dangerous abiotic factors. Pathogens, drought and salinity stresses led to decrease morphological characters and yield production of plant. However, the application of plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB) positively affect morphological, physiological, and yield characters such as number of leaves, stem height, chlorophyll concentration, relative water content, antioxidant enzymes and crop yield. PGPB can play a pivotal role in facilitating nutrient uptake, bioactive compounds and scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS) to control various pathogens and increase plant tolerance to drought and salinity stresses. Finally, the latest studies of these beneficial bacteria have been presented comprehensively under stress conditions to highlight the recent trends with the aim to maximize the crop production.
Few-shot metric learning network for steel surface defect detection

In this work, a surface defect detection model based on metric learning in few shots learning is proposed from the perspective of optimal matching between image regions. Earth Mover’s Distance (EMD) is used as a measure to calculate the distance between image feature representations to determine the image correlation, so as to carry out classification and prediction, and solve the dependence of deep learning network on the number of samples. The network is composed of two parts: feature embedding module and measurement module. The feature embedding module is used to extract image features. The measurement module uses image feature vectors to calculate and realize defect image classification and detection. The experimental results show that the accuracy of one-shot, and five-shot is 70.53% and 92.86% respectively on NEU-CLS dataset; In the experiment of Kaggle data set, the accuracy of one-shot and five-shot is 85.47% and 99.98% respectively, and good defect classification and detection results are obtained. The designed model achieves a good effect of defect classification and detection, which is greatly improved compared with the traditional model, and it shows the feasibility of small sample measurement learning in the field of defect detection.
LoRaWAN Coverage Analysis in the Transportation Sector: A Real-World Approach

: In this paper, the LoRaWAN network coverage provided by many gateways across Germany is evaluated mainly concerning the transportation sector (German rail routes). For this pur-pose, related works are first analyzed. Based on this, the objective of the measurement is concre-tized, and a microcontroller measurement module is prototypically developed and built. Along a previously defined route, the measurement module continuously attempts to send GNSS data via LoRaWAN. The received data will be stored and evaluated, including metadata like RSSI. The evaluation is not only concerned with network coverage, but also with some considerations of possible use cases in the transportation sector.
On the stiffness of an interface near a wall

The relevance of the bare stiffness, (l), of an interface at distance l from a planar wall, for the renormalization-group theory of critical-wetting instabilities in short-range, (d = 3)-dimensional systems is briefly recalled. A careful derivation is presented of an expression for (l) at the van der Waals/mean field level in terms of the order-parameter profile m∏(z, l) of a planar interface. The analysis completes and improves the treatment of Jin and Fisher [Phys. Rev. B 47, 7365 (1993)].
Dynamic characteristics and vibration-based damage inspection of structures with actual fatigue cracks

This paper presents dynamic characteristics and damage inspection of beams with actual fatigue cracks by using a boundary-effect evaluation method (BEEM) to perform space-wavenumber analysis of operational deflection shapes (ODSs) and a conjugate-pair decomposition (CPD) method to perform time-frequency analysis of dynamic responses of some points to a harmonic excitation. BEEM is for locating and estimating small structural damage by processing ODSs measured by a full-field measurement system (e.g., a scanning laser vibrometer or a camera-based motion measurement system). BEEM is a nondestructive spatial-domain method based on area-by-area processing of ODSs and it works without using any structural model or historical data for comparison. CPD uses adaptive windowed regular harmonics and function orthogonality to perform time-frequency analysis of time traces by extracting time-localized regular and/or distorted harmonics. Both BEEM and CPD are methods for local spectral analysis based on local, adaptive curve fitting. Numerical simulations and experimental results show that dynamic characteristics of beams with actual fatigue cracks are different from those of beams with open artificial cracks. Moreover, results show that the combination of BEEM and CPD for space-wavenumber and time-frequency analysis provides an accurate tool for damage inspection of thin-walled structures with actual cracks.