Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Mobile financial services in Bangladesh: Understanding the affordances

Mobile financial services (MFS) have the potential to impact developing countries by making financial services more accessible. To realize this potential, it is imperative to illuminate why and how people use these new platforms to accomplish their goals. Using affordance theory as a guiding tool, this study aims to uncover the underlying goal directed affordances and actualization techniques used by MFS users in Bangladesh. The data are collected through in‐depth interviews with MFS users and analyzed using thematic analysis to uncover affordances along with actualization techniques that are embedded in everyday social contexts of the users. The study finds that users in their attempts to accomplish specific goals uncover various latent affordances of MFS platforms such as financial services accessibility, self‐controlling ability, spatial and temporal mobility, disintermediation ability, self‐sustainability, secrecy maintainability, and networkability, and employ several techniques to actualize those affordances. These results have implications for utilizing MFS platforms to promote ICT4D goals.
Non-Isolated Coupled Inductor Based DC-DC Converter with High Voltage Conversion Ratio Recommended for Renewable Applications

Abstract In this work, a high step-up non-isolated DC-DC converter with a coupled inductor is introduced for renewable applications. The output voltage rate of the proposed structure is efficiently excesses by choosing an appropriate turn’s ratio of the coupled inductor. The voltage lift elements are utilized to further increase the voltage gain and also leads to a decrease in the voltage spike through the switch. The produced leakage inductance energy of the coupled inductor can be retrieved which leads to a decrease in the power losses of the suggested converter. Moreover, conduction losses are decreased by utilizing only a single switch with lower ON-state resistance R DS-ON. In order to indicate the proficiency of the recommended structure, technical analysis and the comparison survey with other studies are carried out in the literature. Finally, a laboratory scheme at a 200 V/200 W with 24 V input voltage and 95.8% efficiency is prepared to prove the effectiveness of the suggested converter.
Loss-of-Credibility Bandits

We consider a system consisting of a source node which sends updates to a monitoring station using multiple communication channels. These updates are measurements of a time-varying quantity that the source is tracking. The monitoring station uses these updates to make control decisions and therefore needs fresh and accurate updates for optimal performance. One natural way to deal with the case where the updates can be unreliable/noisy is to use multiple recent updates from the source to obtain a robust estimate of the current value of quantity of interest. A recently proposed metric well-suited for this setting is called Loss-of-Credibility (LoC). LoC is a measure of the credibility of the estimate the monitoring station can obtain using the updates it has received.In this work, we focus on the setting each attempted update is successful with a probability which is an unknown function of the channel used for communication. The goal is to design a scheduling algorithm to determine which channel to use to send updates in order to minimize LoC. We model the problem as a multi-arm bandit (MAB) with communication channels as arms and a suitably defined LoC regret metric. We show that UCB and Thompson Sampling are order-optimal for our LoC setting. In addition, we propose variants of these policies which outperform the original policies in simulations.
INSIGHT: An AR-Enabled User Interface for Vision-Based Markerless Interaction with IoT Nodes

Real-world, long-running Internet of Things (IoT) requires intense user-node interaction in the deployment, network operation, and maintenance stages. The rapidly increasing number of IoT nodes urges a new user-friendly interface to reduce the interaction complexity. This paper presents INSIGHT, an AR-enabled user interface for IoT nodes allowing the users to directly grasp perceptual node information from the surrounding videos shot by mobile AR devices such as smart glasses and phones. INSIGHT incorporates camera, magnetic, and IMU sensor data from an AR device to detect, locate, and recognize IoT nodes markerlessly. An intuitive user interface will then be overlaid on each recognized node for fetching/feeding information from/to the node. We have validated the performance of INSIGHT in terms of localization accuracy and the capability to distinguish nearby nodes. The results show that INSIGHT works well even in densely deployed networks.
Secure and Reliable Parking Protocol Based on Blockchain for VANETs

With the development of vehicular ad hoc network (VANET) technology, more and more smart parking systems in VANETs are presented. However, existing solutions suffer from the challenges of dishonest parking lots that may claim there are more empty spots than they actually have, malicious occupation of parking spots and multi-reservation attack, etc. To address these challenges, we propose a secure and reliable smart parking protocol based on blockchain and linkable group signatures. For the security of our scheme, it not only realizes traditional authentication, privacy preservation and message confidentiality requirements but also prevents multi-reservation attack and the dishonest parking lots that claim more empty spots than they actually have.
Analysis of Heterogeneous and Hybrid Networks with Successive Interference Cancellation

Wireless systems such as 5G, beyond 5G and 6G are becoming more heterogeneous with the introduction of low power nodes including femtocells, relays, and distributed antennas. At the same time, various devices access is a promising technology in improving energy efficiency, throughput, delay, as well as spectrum efficiency. The complication of the heterogeneous networks makes the resulting interference more complex and more challenging in both analysis and simulation. Successive interference cancellation (SIC), as an effective interference cancellation technique, is attracting much attention recently. In this paper, we analyze the impact of SIC on the heterogeneous and hybrid network, which consists of multi-tier heterogeneous nodes including the machine type communication (MTC) nodes. For the heterogeneousness of the network, we adopt the stochastic equivalence of aggregate interference to regard the multi-tier network as a single tier, so that we derive the probability of successful transmission with SIC technique for the network. We find that in an open access policy, the conditional success probability for the overall network is irrelevant to any certain tier without or with SIC. In the end, we analyze the impact of the SIC on the success probability of the heterogeneous and hybrid network.
Enabling Media-Based Modulation for Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface Communications

Reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) is highly promising to be applied to enable media-based modulation (MBM) transmissions, which is expected to greatly reduce the hardware cost at the transmitter. In this paper, we propose the two MBM schemes for RIS communications, which are non-differential and differential schemes. In the non-differential scheme, we utilize the phase variations of the RIS to achieve a higher transmission rate compared to the conventional MBM schemes with radio frequency (RF) mirrors. Particularly, in the differential scheme, we decompose the space time block (STB) matrix into a phase state space (PSS) matrix and a selection-permutation (SP) matrix for enhancing the flexibility of differential modulation. The proposed treatment breaks through two inherent design limitations in the traditional differential space time block code (DSTBC). Moreover, the upper bound on the average symbol error rate (SER) of both schemes are derived. Finally, the theory and simulation results show that our proposed schemes can achieve higher transmission rates than the benchmark schemes.
Sleep-Scheduling and Joint Computation-Communication Resource Allocation in MEC Networks for 5G IIoT

Industrial 4.0 will be supported by Internet of Things (IIoT), which will bring profound revolutions to the industrial manufacturing. The fifth generation wireless communication system (5G) will be one of the key technologies to support IIoT. However, the connectivity-massive, computation-intensive and time-critical features of IIoT pose great challenges to the spectrum and computation resource in 5G IIoT networks. Non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) and mobile edge computing (MEC) are regarded as promising paradigms to tackle these problems, called NOMA-based MEC. To enhance computing performance of MEC system, we consider that devices can also offload their computation tasks to some idle devices with rich computation resources through machine-to-machine (M2M) communication, called M2M-assisted NOMA-based MEC scheme. We formulate an optimization problem under tasks delay constraints to minimize the system energy consumption through sleep-scheduling and joint computation-communication resource allocation. Specifically, we propose a deep reinforcement learning (DRL) based sleep-scheduling scheme to arrange some idle devices to work at sleep-mode for saving energy while satisfies the system computation requirements. Furthermore, we design an iterative algorithm for the joint computation-communication resource allocation problem. Numerical results demonstrate our proposed scheme and algorithm achieve significantly reduction of system energy consumption, while satisfying network computation requirements.
Synthesis and sorptive properties of molecularly imprinted polymer for simultaneous isolation of catecholamines and their metabolites from biological fluids

Abstract Simultaneous quantitative analysis of catecholamines (CAs) and their respective acid metabolites in biological fluids can become a powerful tool for diagnosis and treatment of various diseases. However, selective sample preparation procedure is necessary to isolate the aforementioned analytes from the matrix. Therefore, we propose a synthetic strategy for the preparation of a molecularly imprinted sorbent with binding sites for both CAs and their respective acid metabolites. The synthesis combines noncovalent and semicovalent imprinting methods. Methylenebisacrylamide, 4-vynilbenzyl-N,N,N-trimethylammonium (3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)acetate, and 3-phenylpropylacrylate were used as the cross-linker, functional monomer 1/“dummy” template 1, and functional monomer 2/“dummy” template 2 under precipitation polymerization conditions, respectively. The polymer was characterized using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy. The binding properties were studied by constructing adsorption isotherms and conducting competitive binding tests. The performance of the molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) toward CAs and the acids was described by good imprinting factors (3.1–5.6), fast-binding equilibrium, and the ability to differentiate nonmethylated CAs from methylated ones. The MIP was used to simultaneously isolate the analytes from human plasma under dispersive solid-phase extraction conditions with subsequent detection using optimized UHPLC/MS/MS procedure. As a result, no major interferences were detected which suggests that the impurities were well separated from the analytes. Graphical Abstract
The post-Bashir era in Sudan: tragedy or remedy?

ABSTRACT Almost a decade after events in Tunisia and Egypt led to the fall of long-time dictators, the Sudan eventually had its ‘Arab Spring’. In 2019, after six months of determined mass actions, the people of Sudan finally overthrew Omar al-Bashir. Since the fall of the dictator, representatives of the people have jostled with the military for power. This struggle has developed as the people, represented by the Freedom and Change (FFC) movement, have forced themselves into a transitional government with the military. This transitional government is reflective of the struggle of previous regimes’ efforts to hold on to power and popular forces’ efforts to dismantle the autocratic system that has dictated the fortunes of Sudan for decades. This struggle is as old as the Sudan and repeats prior transitions from dictatorship to democracy in 1964 and 1985. This time people are demanding more from their leaders in the hope of ending decades of fragmentation, uneven development and corruption responsible for civil wars and mass impoverishment. Whether they succeed or not will also depend on the role played by international actors. This brief commentary presents some of the complexities faced, evidence of the gains made, and some insight into the challenges that lie ahead.
The Use of Self-Talk: Teachers and Coaches Help Foster a Student’s True Self

Abstract Helping children find personal meaning and improve proficiency while submersed in the value of sport is critical to emotional/social development. Self-talk (ST) is a cognitive learning strategy that we can harness to encourage and prepare children to solve a problem or address an imminent situation, while acknowledging that they mature at different rates. A child’s ST could be helpful or hurtful, encouraging or disparaging, thought provoking or dull, depending upon the athlete’s interactions with teachers and coaches. ST is a skill teachers and coaches may emphasize which will help those students and athletes in their care grow and develop toward their full potential.
On the rationality of emotion regulation

ABSTRACT Much of the recent work in psychology (and affective science) has shown that humans regulate their emotions nearly constantly, sometimes well and sometimes poorly. I argue that properly regulating one’s emotions displays emotional rationality, and failing to do so displays emotional irrationality. If an agent feels an emotion that is obviously problematic for the agent to feel and she is aware that it is problematic, then the agent ought to regulate her emotions in future similar situations. To capture this aspect of emotional rationality, I introduce the concept of imprudence, which is meant to capture a familiar way that we assess each other’s emotions, despite the fact that it has yet to be a factor in the literature on emotions in philosophy, psychology, or affective science.
Nano iron fertilization significantly increases tomato yield by increasing plants’ vegetable growth and photosynthetic efficiency

Abstract Nano fertilization is a precision approach to sustain economically viable and environmentally compatible crop production. The objective of our study was to evaluate the effects of different sources and rates of iron (Fe) fertilization as an essential micronutrient on the growth, physiological processes, and yield of greenhouse-grown tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum cv. Bigdena F1). A factorial experiment in randomized complete block design with four replications was conducted using three sources (Conventional, FeCl3.6H2O [Conv-Fe]; Chelated with 6% Fe [Che-Fe]; and Nano Fe2O3 [Nano-Fe], alpha, 99%, 30–50 nm) and rates of Fe (0, 50, and 100 mg/kg soil) during 2015 and 2016 growing seasons. Averaged across Fe rates, the Nano-Fe significantly increased plant height, leaf number and area, shoot and root fresh and dry weights, and Soil Plant Analysis Development (SPAD) readings. Nano-Fe at 100 mg/kg significantly increased plant height, leaf number and area, fresh and dry weights of shoot and roots, gas exchange parameters i.e., photosynthesis (Pn), stomatal conductance (gs) and transpiration (E) rates, total yield, and yield components of tomatoes in comparison to the other rates. While there were no significant simple and interactions of Fe on plant physiological processes, the Nano-Fe had the highest Pn with an associated decrease in E and an increase in gs. Nano-Fe, when applied at 100 mg/kg, produced the highest fruit diameter, fruit numbers/plant, total fruit weight/plant, mean fruit weight/plant, total fruit numbers/ha, and total fruit weight/ha, followed by Nano-Fe at 50 mg kg as compared with other Fe sources and rates. In conclusion, Nano-Fe fertilization is more effective than Conv-Fe and Che-Fe fertilizations across growing seasons to improve growth characteristics and metabolic processes of tomato plants, as Fe plays an important role in photosynthates accumulation and translocation. Nano-Fe increased tomato yield by 11% compared to Conv-Fe and Che-Fe fertilizers and will greatly improve farmers’ profitability.
Evaluation of the Methods for Quantitative Determination of FeO and Fe_2O_3 by Electron Probe Microanalysis

On the basis of the evaluation for measurement uncertainty,it is found that oxygen,as a super light element,affects the determination results of FeO and Fe2O3 observably when direct oxygen measurement method is used.On the one hand,the accuracy of quantitative electron probe microanalysis for oxygen is poor due to the limitations from the measurement instrument stability and the poor precision from matrix correction.On the other hand,the measurement uncertainty of oxygen would be expanded 10 times approximately again,because uncertainty sensitivity coefficients for FeO and Fe2O3,derived from super light element oxygen,are 8.981 and 9.981 respectively.Thus it can be seen that the direct oxygen measurement method is not suitable for FeO and Fe2O3 measurements because of the transfer of oxygen measurement uncertainty.The valence state method,based on Lα and Lβ spectral intensity ratio of Fe, is also unreliable for FeO and Fe2O3 measurements,because it is very hard to establish the relationship between Lβ/Lα(spectral intensity ratio) and Fe2+/Fe3+(content ratio). Relatively,the charge difference method and the surplus-oxygen method are still the most favorable methods.
Can Local Optimality Be Used for E(cid:30)cient Data Reduction?

An independent set S in a graph G is k -swap optimal if there is no independent set S (cid:48) such that | S (cid:48) | > | S | and | ( S (cid:48) \ S ) ∪ ( S \ S (cid:48) ) | ≤ k . Motivated by applications in data reduction, we study whether we can determine e(cid:30)ciently if a given vertex v is contained in some k -swap optimal independent set or in all k -swap optimal independent sets. We show that these problems are NP-hard for constant values of k even on graphs with constant maximum degree. Moreover, we show that the problems are Σ P 2 -hard when k is not constant, even on graphs of constant maximum degree. We obtain similar hardness results for determining whether an edge is contained in a k -swap optimal max cut. Finally, we consider a certain type of edge-swap neighborhood for the Longest Path problem. We show that for a given edge we can decide in f ( ∆ + k ) · n O (1) time whether it is in some k -optimal path.
Representations of Progress in a Learning Community Curriculum for Grade 12 Biology

This paper reports on the design and implementation of several studentand teacherfacing learning analytics representations within a blended learning community curriculum for Grade 12 Biology. Using a custom designed technology environment called CKBiology, these representations captured the real-time progress of the learning community at three levels of granularity: Individual students, small groups, and whole class. Our results focus on the perspectives of students and teachers, triangulating data from a student questionnaire, teacher interview, and CKBiology log files to identify how different representations of progress contributed to awareness, motivation, and the overall practices of the learning community. Grounded in the theoretical model of Knowledge Community and Inquiry, this work seeks to strengthen connections between learning analytics research and the learning sciences.
Initial Access Optimization for Millimeter Wave Wireless Networks

The initial access in 5G New Radio (NR) standalone millimeter wave (mmWave) uses the techniques of beam sweeping to Figure out appropriate directions of transmission and reception. Beam sweeping refers to the transmission of cell specific signals by the base station (BS) while switching beam direction in a sequential manner in order to cover the whole cell. The conventional beam sweeping consists of transmitting sequentially and periodically the beams, according to a fixed pattern, which results in an initial access latency. The aim of this paper is to minimize the overall number of timeslots needed to connect all users to the BS by allowing using multiple beams in some slots and then activating the beams in a prioritized and controlled manner rather than sequentially and periodically as in the conventional scheme. The problem is formulated as a combinatorial optimization problem, for which a Semidefinite Relaxation-based (SDR-based) solving approach is proposed. Numerical results demonstrate that our scheme outperforms significantly the conventional beam sweeping.
QoE-Driven Resource Allocation for D2D Underlaying NOMA Cellular Networks

Device-to-device (D2D) communication can significantly improve network coverage and spectral efficiency. Meanwhile, non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) has recently been integrated with D2D communication to further improve connection density and satisfy explosive data rate requirements of end users. Considering quality of experience (QoE) has become an important indicator from the user perspective, in this paper, we study the QoE-driven resource allocation problem in a device-to-device (D2D) underlaying NOMA cellular network coexisting with D2D pairs and NOMA-based cellular users (CUs). Our target is to maximize the sum mean opinion scores (MOSs) of all users while guaranteeing the minimum QoE requirement of each CU and D2D pair, by jointly optimizing subchannel assignment and power allocation at CUs and D2D pairs. Since this problem is mixed-integer and non-convex, we first transform it into an equivalent yet more tractable form. Then, a two-stage iterative algorithm based on the alternating optimization framework and constrained concave-convex procedure technique is proposed to optimize subchannel assignment and power allocation alternately. Simulation results show that the proposed scheme outperforms the orthogonal multiple access solution and three NOMA based benchmark schemes in terms of QoE performance.
Selective referencing and questionable evidence in Strumia's paper on "Gender issues in fundamental physics"

We have accepted the Editor ’ s invitation to comment on Alessandro Strumia ’ s paper in the current issue of Quantitative Science Studies . Strumia is a controversial figure. His biologistic accounts of the persistent gender gap in science have been subject to heated debate — both in print and on social media. Some researchers argue that Strumia ’ s viewpoints should be ignored. We disagree. beliefs that ’ s gender is best explained by a natural of the best the research