Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Smartphone Based HRV Measurement – An Unobtrusive and Flexible Approach

– There is an increasing number of wearable devices which measure physiological data in everyday life. Primarily, they are used in the fitness sector to monitor training intensity or progress. However, there is more information we can derive from these data as physiological parameters can reflect users’ current mental state (mood, stress, emotions). One frequently used signal in this context is the heart rate variability (HRV). HRV describes slight variations between successive heartbeats. The autonomous nervous system (ANS) which responds to psychological stimuli is responsible for this variation. Therefore, HRV is a promising parameter in the context of capturing data about mental state [4]. Information about users’ mental state could then be used to design highly user adaptive systems. For example, an application which is able to determine a users’ state could adjust feedback adaptively or present information at a suitable time. Based on this, we presented a novel approach of using HRV as a surrogate parameter [1]. We propose that HRV levels can be used to develop a user adaptive activity tracking application. However, to take physiological data into account, there is a need for appropriate devices which are able to perform these kinds of measurements and are suitable for unobtrusive daily use. Up-to-date wearable devices such as smartwatches or fitness tracker usually have an integrated optical pulse sensor (photoplethysmography) to measure heart rate (HR)
Learning to learn by gradient descent by gradient descent

The general aim of machine learning is always learning the data by itself, with as less human efforts as possible. Then it comes to the focus that if there exists a way to design the learning method automatically using the same idea of learning algorithm. In general, machine learning problems are usually optimization problems. Basically we try to parameterize an objective function that describes the real life problem and solve it by convex optimization. Most stateof-the-art optimizers like RMSprop, ADAM, NAG require manual adjustment of hyper-parameters and need human inspection when applying to different kinds of problems. This paper introduce a method to learn the update rule of parameters instead of hand-crafted it. So that we can replace the hand-crafted optimizers with a learned optimizer, saving a lot of human efforts. One challenge of using learned optimizer is how it can transfer what it learned. To this aim, the authors design plenty of experiments to see how this learned optimizer apply to different sorts of problems by comparing with hand-crafted optimizers. In addition, they also test if some modification to the architecture will affect the performance of the optimizer.
Trajectory of COVID-19 Data in India: Investigation and Project Using Artificial Neural Network, Fuzzy Time Series and ARIMA Models

Due to the impact of Corona virus (COVID-19) pandemic that exists today, all countries, national and international organizations are in a continuous effort to find efficient and accurate statistical models for forecasting the future pattern of COVID infection. Accurate forecasting should help governments to take decisive decisions to master the pandemic spread. In this article, we explored the COVID-19 database of India between 17th March to 1st July 2020, then we estimated two nonlinear time series models: Artificial Neural Network (ANN) and Fuzzy Time Series (FTS) by comparing them with ARIMA model. In terms of model adequacy, the FTS model out performs the ANN for the new cases and new deaths time series in India. We observed a short-term virus spread trend according to three forecasting models.Such findings help in more efficient preparation for the Indian health system.
Introducing noisi: a Python tool for ambient noise cross-correlation modeling and noise source inversion

Abstract. We introduce the open-source tool noisi for the forward and inverse modeling of ambient seismic cross-correlations with spatially varying source spectra. It utilizes pre-computed databases of Green's functions to represent seismic wave propagation between ambient seismic sources and seismic receivers, which can be obtained from existing repositories or imported from the output of wave propagation solvers. The tool was built with the aim of studying ambient seismic sources while accounting for realistic wave propagation effects. Furthermore, it may be used to guide the interpretation of ambient seismic auto- and cross-correlations, which have become preeminent seismological observables, in light of nonuniform ambient seismic sources. Written in the Python language, it is accessible for both usage and further development and efficient enough to conduct ambient seismic source inversions for realistic scenarios. Here, we introduce the concept and implementation of the tool, compare its model output to cross-correlations computed with SPECFEM3D_globe, and demonstrate its capabilities on selected use cases: a comparison of observed cross-correlations of the Earth's hum to a forward model based on hum sources from oceanographic models and a synthetic noise source inversion using full waveforms and signal energy asymmetry.
Investigating students' views about the role of writing in physics lab classes

Writing is an important aspect of experimental physics. Physics laboratory classes typically engage students in scientific documentation and writing in the forms of lab notebooks, reports, or proposals. Instructors of these classes may have a variety of motivations for incorporating writing. We previously developed a framework for thinking about the role of writing in physics lab classes that lists and categorizes possible goals instructors may have for writing. Here, we use that framework as a research tool to investigate students’ views about, and experiences with, writing in lab classes, and experimental physics more generally. We present results of an analysis of student responses to weekly reflection questions throughout one semester of an advanced lab class. The results suggest that students think about writing in a variety of ways, and that the context and framing of the course may impact student thinking about the purpose of writing.
(Self-)Reflexion and training of professional skills in the context of “being a doctor” in the future – a qualitative analysis of medical students' experience in LET ME ... keep you real!

Objective: This paper seeks to assess how medical students can be trained in medical studies seminars to examine their own professional role as doctors. The LET ME . keep you real! university seminar was developed and conducted at the Technical University of Munich. In this context, the following questions will be addressed: How can we assess the contribution of a university seminar to a medical student’s own examination of being a doctor? And: What skills are developed in LET ME . keep you real! that foster medical students’ (self-)reflexion? Methods: The source data is statements made by medical students who took part in the LET ME…. keep you real! seminar from 2016-2018. Student perspectives were analyzed after five focus group discussions with a total of 26 medical student participants and two individual interviews. Based on the interpretative paradigm and following the credo of a methodological exploration of medical students’ lifeworld, their specific learning experience as well as their ability for (self-)reflexion were mapped out. Results: The research questions guiding the assessment of the seminar can be answered as follows: From the students’ perspective, the (self-)reflexion triggered and organized by LET ME . keep you real! can be seen as rehearsing a meta-view. From the students’ standpoint, five skills can be identified that make this behavior possible: questioning and doubting, recognizing relevant perspectives, classifying viewpoints, maintaining communal exchanges and deciding on a (different) position. Situatively, these skills are often used in combination and challenge students on an intellectual, communicative and emotional level. Conclusion: The ability to (self-)reflect should be more strongly integrated in university medical training by providing appropriate support, especially since it presents students with specific challenges to (self-)reflexively approach their own future as doctors. The skills mapped out here can be used as orientation to develop seminars on professional (self-)reflexive identity development for medical students.
DIGITAL PLANETARIUM-BASED IMMERSIVE MUSICAL PERFORMANCES

This paper describes the recent experiments with musical performances accompanied by interactive immersive visualizations in the Gates Planetarium. A navigator-controlled virtual camera provides a unique live visual experience to match the musical performance taking place on-stage. These concerts have been done in collaboration with noted electronic musicians, with shows where the visuals are tightly coordinated with the music (the *Gaia Journeys* series with Kenji Williams), as well as performances involving a free-form exploration of the simulation space (with the Richard Pinhas trio)
Maastrichtian to Palaeocene and Eocene pelagic carbonates on the island of Svetac (central Adriatic, Croatia)

Maastrichtian to Palaeocene pelagic carbonates on the central Adriatic island of Svetac (Sveti Andrija) are the only outcrops reported to date that document pelagic deposition during the Cretaceous–Palaeogene (K–Pg) transition within the Adriatic Basin. An approximately 3 m thick succession at the Smokvica locality contains a rich and diverse planktonic foraminiferal assemblage which allows dating of the succession and the recognition of some biostratigraphic zones. The lower part of the Smokvica section consists of 1.5 m thick pelagic biomicrite characterized by the abundance of late Maastrichtian planktonic foraminifera that indicate the Abathomphalus mayaroensis Zone. An intercalation of intraclastic floatstone <0.5 m in thickness occurring on top of Maastrichtian pelagic biomicrite is characterized by unsorted pelagic intraclasts floating within the pelagic matrix, and both components only contain Maastrichtian planktonic foraminifera.The floatstone is overlain by another <0.5 m thick intraclastic-bioclastic floatstone characterized by rounded pelagic intraclasts (plasticlasts) containing Maastrichtian planktonic foraminifera floating in the pelagic matrix. The matrix of the later floatstone contains Maastrichtian and Palaeocene planktonic foraminifera mixed together. Thus, the transition from the Maastrichtian to the Palaeocene is not continuous but is characterized by amalgamated debrites that are related to at least two separated re-depositional events within the basin. The overlying pure pelagic biomicrite is rich in planktonic foraminifera that indicates the Palaeocene P3 Zone. A few metres apart, after the covered interval, there are also Eocene pelagic biomicrites with planktonic foraminifera which indicate the Eocene E9 Zone, characterized by the co-appearance of benthic foraminifera (Discocyclina) floating within the pelagic matrix. It is assumed that a Maastrichtian opening of the deep-water environment connected to the Adriatic Basin within the former Adriatic Carbonate Platform west of the island of Vis could be related to a re-activation of an inherited transverse fault zone.
Berry Temperature and Solar Radiation Alter Acylation, Proportion, and Concentration of Anthocyanin in Merlot Grapes

Using a forced convection system, temperatures of Merlot grape clusters were monitored and controlled between veraison and harvest to produce a dynamic range of berry temperatures under field conditions in both sun-exposed and shaded fruit. Ten combinations of temperature and solar radiation exposure were used to quantify effects on phenolic profiles (anthocyanins and flavonol-glycosides) and on total concentrations of skin anthocyanin (TSA) in the fruit at commercial maturity. Exposure of berries to high temperature extremes for relatively short periods during ripening appears to alter the partitioning of anthocyanins between acylated and nonacylated forms and between dihydroxylated and trihydroxylated branches of the anthocyanin biosynthetic pathway. Specifically, among flavonol-glycosides, quercetin 3-glucoside increased with exposure to solar radiation. Low incident solar radiation alone appeared not to compromise total anthocyanin accumulation; rather, a combination of low light and high berry temperatures decreased TSA. Regardless of exposure to solar radiation, higher berry temperatures led to a higher concentration and a higher proportion of TSA comprised by malvidin-based anthocyanins, driven primarily by increases in the acylated derivatives. Under shade alone and under high temperature extremes in sunlit and shaded fruit, acylated anthocyanins represented a larger proportion of TSA than did nonacylated anthocyanins. At berry temperatures equivalent to those of shaded fruit, exposure to solar radiation decreased the proportion of TSA comprised by acylated forms of the five base anthocyanins and increased the proportion of TSA comprised by dihydroxylated anthocyanins. Results indicate a complex combined effect of solar radiation and berry temperature on anthocyanin composition, synergistic at moderate berry temperatures and potentially antagonistic at high temperature extremes.
The Level of Environmental Disclosures in Annual Reports and Firm -specific attributes of Sri Lankan Listed Companies

Since this is an era of environmental degradation in the wake of continually depleting ozone layer, climate change & global warming, environment consciousness in entities’ activities has risen in recent years promoting the need for the environmental communication. Thus environmental disclosures entails informing the public on how successful a firm is in minimizing its negative impacts on the environment. The purpose of this study is to examine the association between firm specific attributes & environmental disclosures & environmental disclosure practices of Sri Lankan listed companies. These objectives are addressed through investigating the compliance with environmental aspects of GRI G.4. 0 guidelines employing content analysis in the annual reports of 254 companies covering 20 sectors for the year 2018. Moreover, association between firm specific attributes & environmental disclosure level are analysed through Ordinary Least Square regression model. The study found that overall level of environmental disclosures is at a lower level in Sri Lankan listed firms. Also of the 20 sectors analysed, plantation sector depicts the highest level (19%) while Investment trust sector depicts the lowest environmental disclosure level (1%). Further, regression results imply that size & ISO 14001 were found to be as significant in determining the level of environmental disclosures while there were no any significant association between shareholder power, creditor power, financial performance, firm age & environmental disclosure level. The study will adds value to the existing body of literature on environmental disclosures, regulators, policymakers & stakeholders who are highly involved in, interested in & affected by the environmental disclosures.
Method of Moments simulation of infinitely periodic structures involving connected dielectric objects

This paper describes a Method of Moments technique for the simulation of infinitely periodic structures involving dielectric objects whose unit cell can be connected or not. A numerical approach, based on the Method of Moments was developped, using the surface equivalence principle and the PMCHWT formulation of the integral equations. The use of periodic Green’s functions for both inside and outside problems enables the analysis of structures where the dielectric volumes of successive cells are connected. A fast algorithm for the computation of the doubly periodic Green’s function and its gradient is also implemented. The accuracy of the MoM approach is assessed in several cases.
Optimization of Protease Production by Bacillus isronensis Strain KD3 Isolaed from Dairy Industry Effluent

Proteases have a broad range of applications in pharmaceuticals, detergents and food processing industries. Protease producing strains are used profusely in industrial applications and the bioremediation process of wastewaters. In the present research work, efficient protease producing strain was isolated from dairy industry effluent. Screening of protease activity by isolates was checked by growing them on milk agar (skimmed) by spot inoculation method and further estimation was performed using quantitative protease assay. The efficient protease producing strain was identified based on morphological as well as biochemical characteristics as per standard keys of Bergey’s Manual of Determinative Bacteriology, later confirmed by 16s rRNA sequencing and BLAST analysis as Bacillus isronensis strain KD3. The maximum protease was produced at 42°C; pH 7-8; 200 rpm; and 7% inoculum concentration after 48h of the incubation period.
The psychometric properties of the Hypertensive Treatment Adherence Scale

BACKGROUND Hypertension (HTN) is a public concern and treatment adherence has a key role in its management. This study was conducted to develop and test the reliability and validity of the Hypertensive Treatment Adherence scale (HTA-scale). METHODS This was a cross-sectional and methodological study. After item generation using a qualitative study and literature review, the scale was developed. The psychometric properties of the scale were evaluated using face, content, construct, and criterion validity and reliability. RESULTS Data analysis showed that the HTA-scale had acceptable face and content validity. The scale had excellent stability [Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) = 0.74] and good acceptability and internal consistency (Cronbach's a = 0.76). Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) showed that the HTA-scale consisted of 6 meaningful subscales including medication adherence and monitoring, adherence to safe diets, avoiding unsafe diets, self-medication, activity, and smoking. Participants in the controlled blood pressure group had significantly higher HTA-scale scores than the uncontrolled blood pressure group. At the cut-off point of 86, the scale had significant sensitivity and specificity. CONCLUSION All of the psychometric properties of the HTA-scale achieved the standard level and were sufficient to recommend this scale for patients with HTN.
SUN proteins in higher eukaryotes, "structural bridges" connecting the nuclear interior with the cytoskeleton

The nucleus is separated from the cytoplasm by a selective structural barrier - the nuclear envelope in eukaryotic cells. The nuclear envelope is composed of inner and outer nuclear membranes (INM and ONM) separated by a perinuclear space (PNS). The specific INM integral proteins interact with the nuclear lamina and are associated with a variety of human diseases, collectively termed nuclear envelopathies. In eukaryotes the SUN domain proteins form a conserved family, the majority of which localize to the INM. UNC-84, which is the first SUN domain protein discovered in Caenorhabditis elegans, has been well studied and shown to be involved in nuclear anchorage and migration. Sun1, a novel INM protein, is the closest homolog to Caenorhabditis elegans UNC-84 in mammals. We show that Sun1 is broadly expressed in various mouse tissues. It spans the inner nuclear membrane three times via transmembrane domains with the N-terminus facing the nucleoplasm and the C-terminus residing in the perinuclear space. Like other inner nuclear membrane proteins Sun1 interacts with chromatin. Sun1 proteins are able to form homo-oligomers with a reduced lateral mobility, which are further stabilized by disulfide bonds. Sun1 can also oligomerize with Sun2, another SUN domain paralogous mammalian protein, at the nuclear envelope. The Sun1 C-terminus directly interacts with the KASH domain of Nesprins. These nuclear spectrin repeat containing proteins are able to bind directly to the actin cytoskeleton. Furthermore, we demonstrated that Sun1 is required for the proper nuclear envelope localization of Nesprin-1 and -2 by RNA interference and dominant negative interference studies. Together these data support a model in which SUN proteins tether Nesprins at the envelope via interactions inside the perinuclear space. In this way, SUN proteins and Nesprins form a physical link between the nucleoskeleton and cytoskeleton. We propose that SUN domain proteins by serving as mechanical adaptors and nuclear envelope receptors allow the physical integration and signaling interplay of cytoplasmic and nucleoplasmic compartments.
Impact of Harvest-aid Defoliants on Yield of American Cotton and Their Monetary Evaluation

Field experiments were conducted during Kharif 2012 and 2013 to determine the effect of two harvest-aid defoliants i.e Dropp ultra® and Ethrel, their application rates and time of application on three American cotton cultivars. Pooled data revealed significantly higher seed cotton yield for Bt hybrids MRC7361BGII (3055.2kg/ha) and MRC7017BGII (2913.0 kg/ha) as compared to non Bt variety F1861 (2346.0 kg/ha). Among tested defoliants, Dropp ultra® @200ml/ha resulted in better SCY, lint and seed yield. This yield enhancement in case of Dropp ultra® @ 200 ml/ha further lead to significantly better net returns (? 85373/ha) and B: C ratio (2.31) over other treatments. Application of defoliants at 150DAS resulted in significantly improved net returns (? 79288/ha) as compared to earlier application (? 73632/ha) at 140 DAS. Improved water productivity and fertilizer use efficiency coupled with better B: C ratio for Dropp ultra® @ 200 ml/ha at 150 DAS clearly indicated its superiority among all treatments. Therefore Bt hybrids seems to be superior over the non Bt varieties and application of ethrel@2000ppm or dropp ultra® @ 200 ml/ha at 150 DAS should be adopted as useful production practice for enhancing cotton yield under semi-arid conditions of north-western India.
Simulated Internet Free Concept Marketing by System Dynamics:An Example of Pop Music Industry in Taiwan

Internet has changed the habits of the past consuming. In a changing environmental, marketing manager should also be changed to make an appropriate strategy. “Free” has been a useful marketing tool. It can quickly acquire the attention of consumers, and make new products entering market rapidly. In the world of internet, an abundance of digital resources make the marginal cost of each product close to zero, and the free concept marketing can implement really. But someone has to pay the bill to the end. First, this research confirms the utility of free by literature review. Second, it will explore the changes in the development of digital technology and conduct the free concept to make the improvement suggestion in Taiwan music industry. Finally, based on the music industrial environment, a system dynamics model will be constructed and the free concept will be inducted by way of simulation. The causal loop shows that piracy will not decrease music industry revenue, but will increase revenue. And the “Network Externality” is the major factor to make music industry loss. Furthermore, the result of simulation shows “Free” concept practices in music industry is feasible. And if “Free” can make more population to listen to music or more booking concerts, “Free” has more feasibility to actual practice. The results above, the author wrote the finds and suggestions.