Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Development and Characterization of Compliant FBG-Based, Shear and Normal Force Sensing Elements for Biomechanical Applications

This paper presents the development process and the evaluation of compliant Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBG) based, normal and shear force sensing elements for biomechanical measurements with their effective novel calibration methodology and preliminary experimental results. The sensing elements are intended for human machine interaction such as in transfemoral prosthetic interface. The sensing elements are designed to utilize the generated deflections due to the applied force to stretch the optical fiber when a normal or shear force is applied on the sensor’s top surface. The performance of the sensor is evaluated through a series of experiments including both dynamic and static loading conditions. The experimental results show that the fabricated sensing elements have the ability to measure applied normal and shear force. Due to the deformable material used, the sensor exhibits slightly nonlinear behaviour between force and deformation. This has been addressed using a novel calibration procedure composed of a linear model to characterize the main sensor data and a nonlinear estimation model based on a nonlinear autoregressive exogenous (NARX) model to simultaneously estimate the errors from the input wavelength data in real-time. The results achieved from the proposed calibration method have revealed an improvement from an R-squared value of 93% to 100% when compared to a data obtained using a linear least squares method.
Different Insights into Silicate Rectorite Modification and Its Role in Removal of Heavy Metal Ions from Wastewater

In the field of water management, the separation of metal contaminants from wastewater is very important and challenging. This study systematically investigated the effect and underlying mechanism of silicate rectorite (REC) on the removal of heavy metal ions (Cr(VI) and Pb(II)) from wastewater. The adsorption and removal capacity of REC was further improved by its novel modification with ferric chloride hexahydrate. Compared to natural REC, the modified rectorite (Fe-REC) showed comparatively superior adsorption efficiency for both Cr(VI) and Pb(II) due to the chemisorption of Fe3+ on the REC surface as its oxidation state (Fe–O, Fe–OH, Fe–OOH). Adsorption on Cr(VI) attributed to the reaction between iron hydroxy complexes (FeOH2+, Fe(OH)2+ and Fe(OH)3(aq)) and Cr(VI) species (HCrO4− and CrO42−) in the aqueous solution. This reaction was perfectly consistent with the binding energy shifts in O 1s and Fe 2p species, as reflected by XPS analysis. While, the existence of –Al–OH and –Si–OH in silicate REC slurry reacted with PbOH+ colloids produced from lead ions hydrolysis to promote Pb(II) adsorption. Zeta potential after modification and removal occurred to shift positively or negatively to testify the adsorption of Fe3+ and heavy metal ions. Freundlich and Langmuir isotherms conformed adsorption process for Cr(VI) and Pb(II), respectively.
Higher Education Marketing Communications in the Digital Era

This chapter examines the global marketing environment of today’s higher education institutions (HEIs). (Semi) Autonomous HEIs and business schools are increasingly behaving like for-profit organisations as they seek new opportunities and resources to prioritise revenue creation. Therefore, they are diversifying the portfolio of their student populations by recruiting domestic and international students. In this light, this contribution deliberates on contemporary integrated marketing communications that are intended to support HEIs to promote their quality, student centred education as well as their high-impact and meaningful research in global markets. Moreover, it reports on how HEIs’ marketing endeavours will be able to forge fruitful and collaborative relationships with industry stakeholders; foster student mobility and engagement in exchange programmes, as they can create partnership agreements with other institutions, among other strategic avenues. These issues imply that tomorrow’s educational institutions will have to keep investing in adequate resources, competences and capabilities to leverage themselves amid intensifying competition in challenging socio-economic environments.
Study and Implementation of Simple Storage Service on Cloud

In the past few years, cloud computing has become a crucial part of most of the organizations as it enables the business to access services on the Internet. Cloud computing is rapidly growing technology that provides a safer way of storing and sharing information. With traditional computing, the end user needs to purchase server space, has limited access to the storage, and data centers are located locally. Whereas in cloud computing, there is a concept of renting than owning and can be done on a pay-per-use paradigm. In this paper, we study about cloud computing technology from various aspects such as definition, vital characteristics, cloud models and use Amazon Web Services to implement the file storage service on cloud.
Spatio-temporal predictions of SST time series in China’s offshore waters using a regional convolution long short-term memory (RC-LSTM) network

ABSTRACT Sea surface temperature (SST) research is the basis of our understanding of local and global climate characteristics. Significant effort has been focused on the acquisition of accurate prediction results. Although a large amount of SST data is available due to the development of storage media, there are limited studies on the prediction of future SST values in a spatiotemporal manner. Most previous studies ignore the regional distribution information in natural geographical location, which leads to the loss of regional information and hinders further regional analysis. In this work, we have addressed this issue by presenting Regional Convolution long short-term memory (RC-LSTM) model with spatio-temporal information processing capability. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that SST time series has been used for region prediction based on deep learning. Daily SST from January 2000 to December 2012 from China’s offshore waters is adopted to conduct experiments. The local correlation and global coherence of each time series are extracted by the multi-layer neural network in the model. The structure of the RC-LSTM model includes a convolutional layer with region information extraction capabilities, and a long short-term memory (LSTM) layer. The RC-LSTM model performs well over both the South China Sea and the East China Sea, as determined by the root mean squared error (RMSE) and the accuracy (Acc). The experimental results show that our model is more accurate than traditional prediction models and has higher generalization ability, and is therefore more practical.
Assessing research impact potential: using the transdisciplinary Outcome Spaces Framework with New Zealand’s National Science Challenges

ABSTRACT Calls for science to have impact as well as excellence have been loud and clear from research funders, policymakers and research institutions for some time. Transdisciplinary research (TDR) is expected to deliver impact by connecting scientists with stakeholders and end users to co-produce knowledge to respond to complex issues. While New Zealand’s science system is geared to deliver excellence, its capability to also deliver impact beyond academic institutions is less clear. This paper has two interconnected aims. Firstly, it presents findings from testing innovations to the TDR Outcome Spaces Framework (OSF+) with four National Science Challenges (NSCs). We conclude that OSF+ is a useful tool for planning for multiple outcomes and assessing the potential for impact. Secondly, it presents findings of how using OSF+ to assess research impact potential revealed a range of implicit theories of change (i.e. catalyst, deficit, engagement and collaboration) across the NSCs. The findings raise important questions about the prospects for New Zealand’s science system to deliver the envisaged and needed levels of research impact when current institutional settings, expectations, recognition systems, career paths and measures of success are not yet able to adequately accommodate TDR to deliver the research impact.
Paradox? What Paradox? On a Brief Correspondence Between Leonard Savage and Karl Popper

This paper documents an exchange between Leonard Savage, founder of the subjective probability approach to decision-making, and Karl Popper, advocate of the so-called propensity approach to probability, of which there is no knowledge in the literature on probability theory. Early in 1958, just after being informally tested by Daniel Ellsberg with a test of consistency in decision-making processes that originated the so-called Ellsberg Paradox, Savage was made aware that a similar argument had been put forward by Popper. Popper found it paradoxical that two apparently similar events should be attributed the same subjective probability even though evidence supporting judgement in one case was different than in the other case. On this grounds Popper rejected the subjective probability approach. Inspection of the Savage Papers archived at Yale University Library makes it possible to document Savage’s reaction to Popper, of which there is no evidence in his published writings. Savage wrote to Popper denying that his criticism had paradoxical content and a brief exchange followed. The paper shows that while Savage was unconvinced by Popper’s argument he was not hostile to an axiomatically founded generalization of his theory. This draft of the paper, preliminary to that accepted for publication in RHETM, was presented at the STOREP Meeting in Genova (June 2018) and at the THETS Meeting in Oxford (August 2018). Comments by Marcello Basili, George Bent, Jack Birner, Alberto Feduzi, Nicola Giocoli, Harro Maas, Aldo Montesano, Jochen Runde are gratefully acknowledged.
Hysteroscopic evaluation of uterine cavity in cases of infertility and its correlation with transvaginal ultrasound and hysterosalpingography

Background: Infertility is defined as one year of unprotected intercourse without pregnancy. This study was taken up to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of hysteroscopy in comparison with hysterosalpingography and vaginal ultrasound in the evaluation of the uterine cavity as first line study in the infertile patient. Methods: A Prospective and comparative study was carried out in the department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, S.S. Medical College and associated Gandhi Memorial Hospital, Rewa, MP, India in a period of 13 months from August 2014 to September 2015 conducted on 60 subjects. Results: 60 patients were evaluated with diagnosis of primary and secondary infertility. Hysteroscopy showed alterations in 65%, predominantly uterine synechiae, chronic endometritis and endometrial polyp. Hysterosalpingography reported a sensitivity of 90% and a specificity of 100%, with a positive predictive value of 100% and a negative predictive value of 66.6%. The agreement between the two methods was moderate. The transvaginal ultrasound reported a sensitivity of 51.21% and a specificity of 100%, the agreement between these two procedures was moderate. There were no complications during hysteroscopy. Conclusions: We believe that transvaginal ultrasound, hysterosalpingography and hysteroscopy are complementary in the evaluation of the infertile patient but Hysteroscopy can diagnose small intrauterine lesions much more precisely, (compared with HSG and even TVS) and treat them simultaneously. Thus we consider routine hysteroscopy should be included in the evaluation of the infertile couple.
PatientInnen-Mobilität und Anreisedistanz als Risiko für höhergradige Sehbehinderung: Real-Life-Daten therapienaiver AMD-PatientInnen unter intravitrealer Aflibercept-Therapie Patient Mobility and Journey Distance as Risk Factors for Severe Visual Impairment: Real-Life Data Analysis of Treatment-naï

Objective The aim of this study is to describe the effectiveness of aflibercept in treatment-naive patients with neovascular age related macular degeneration (nAMD) and the impact of patientsʼ residential distance to the clinic and patientsʼ mobility on therapy in a pro re nata regime. Methods A retrospective dataset analysis of 483 treatmentnaive patients with nAMD was performed. The main outcomes were best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central foveal thickness (CFT), bilateral visual impairment, distance and type of transport to the clinic. Secondary outcomes were injection rate, numbers and reasons of loss to follow-up. Results Patients received 4.91 ± 1.9 injections in their first year and 7.06 ± 3.6 after the period of 25 months (m). Initially the BCVA improved significantly after a loading dose from 0.72 logMAR (± 0.44) to 0.63 logMAR (± 0.45; p = 0.03). However, the BCVA significantly decreased after 2 years to 0.82 (± 0.48; p < 0.001). The proportion of patients with higher visual impairment and patients needing assistance with transport increased with the distance of their residence to the clinic (both p < 0.001). The LTFU rate was 3% and showed a correlation with greater age (p = 0.019). Conclusion The presented data show that aflibercept is effective for the treatment of nAMD. Although a good increase in visual acuity is initially achieved in the majority of patients, the initial success of treatment is not maintained throughout the course of the disease. Compared to controlled clinical studies, the presented data show reduced therapeutic success and lower injection frequencies. The rising demand for patient transport aid and increased visual impairment with increased distance indicate potential problems within the healthcare system. Klinische Studie
Perusahaan Keluarga, Koneksi Politik & Kinerja Perusahaan

Family businesses dominate the private sector in Indonesia and contribute 13.4% of the country's GDP. The family company has a longer investment horizon than the shareholders because the founder wants to continue bequeath the company to subsequent generations. To achieve these objectives the company will try to overcome the company's external constraints. The trick is through political connections. With a political connection the company will get various benefits so that it will ultimately contribute to the company's performance. This paper is a literature review of family businesses and political connections. Based on the results of the study, the researchers concluded that the family company had better performance than the non-family company. Politically connected companies have better performance than companies that are not politically connected during the reign of politicians concerned. Politically connected family companies have better performance than politically connected family companies.
Depth‐dependent detritus production in the sponge, Halisarca caerulea

Sponges are important ecological and functional components of coral reefs. Recently, a new hypothesis about the functional ecology of sponges in organic matter recycling pathways, the sponge‐loop hypothesis, in which dissolved and particulate organic matter is taken up by sponges and shunted to higher trophic levels as detritus, has been proposed and demonstrated for shallow (< 30 m) cryptic species. However, support for this hypothesis at mesophotic depths (∼ 30–150 m) is lacking. Here, we examined detritus production, a prerequisite of the sponge loop pathway, in a reciprocal transplant experiment, using Halisarca caerulea from water depths of 10 and 50 m. Detritus production was significantly lower in mesophotic sponges compared to shallow samples of H. caerulea. Additionally, detritus production rates in transplanted sponges moved in the direction of rates observed for resident conspecifics. The microbiome of these sponge populations was also significantly different between shallow and mesophotic depths, and the microbial communities of the transplanted sponges also shifted in the direction of their new depth in 10 d largely driven by changes in Oxyphotobacteria, Acidimicrobiia, Nitrososphaeria, Nitrospira, Deltaproteobacteria, and Dadabacteriia. This occurred in an environment where the availability of both dissolved and particulate trophic resources changed significantly across the shallow to mesophotic depth gradient where these sponge populations were found. These results suggest that changes in sponge detritus production are primarily driven by differential quality and quantity of trophic resources, as well as their utilization by the sponge host, and its microbiome, along the shallow to mesophotic depth gradient.
Response of Calceolaria 3 herbeohybrida Cultivars to Substrate pH and Corresponding Leaf Tissue Nutrient Concentration Effects

Calceolaria ( Calceolaria 3 herbeohybrida ) is a ﬂowering potted greenhouse crop that often develops upper-leaf chlorosis, interveinal chlorosis, and marginal and leaf-tip necrosis (death) caused by cultural practices. The objectives of this research were to 1) determine the optimal incorporation rate of dolomitic and/or hydrated lime to increase substrate pH; 2) determine the inﬂuence of the liming material on substrate pH, plant growth, and leaf tissue nutrient concentrations; and 3) determine the optimal substrate pH to grow and maintain during calceolaria production. Sphagnum peatmoss was amended with 20% (by volume) perlite and incorporated with pulverized dolomitic carbonate limestone (DL) and/or hydrated limestone (HL) at the following concentrations: 48.1 kg · m L 3 or 144.2 kg · m L 3 DL, 17.6 kg · m L 3 DL + 5.3 kg · m L 3 HL, or 17.6 kg · m L 3 DL + 10.6 kg · m L 3 HL to achieve a target substrate pH of 4.5, 5.5, 6.5, and 7.5, respectively. Calceolaria ‘Orange’, ‘Orange Red Eye’, ‘Yellow’, and ‘Yellow Red Eye’ were grown in each of the prepared substrates. For all cultivars, substrate solution pH increased as limestone incorporation concentration and weeks after transplant (WAT) increased, although to different magnitudes. For example, as limestone incorporation increased from
Laser entropy: from lasers and masers to Bose condensates and black holes

The entropy of an ordinary (photon) laser and an atom laser (Bose condensate) is calculated. In particular, the nonzero entropy of a single mode laser or maser operating near threshold is obtained. This result is to be compared with incorrect arguments frequently made in the study of the maser heat engine to the effect that at threshold maser radiation is characterized by an infinite temperature and its entropy is zero. Similarly, the entropy of the ground state of a Bose–Einstein condensate (a.k.a. the atom laser) is also calculated for the first time. This is to be compared with the textbook wisdom which holds that: ‘The condensed particles . are condensed in momentum space, a set of stationary particles . having zero energy and zero entropy. ’ On the other hand, the BEC total entropy is found to be equal to that of the excited state entropy. This is true because the correlation entropy between the ground state and the excited states is equal and opposite to the ground state entropy. Furthermore, we find that the entropy of the radiation emitted by atoms falling into a black hole (BH) can be easily calculated by a laser type quantum master equation. The entropy thus calculated has much in common with Bekenstein–Hawking BH entropy.
Comparison of medical therapy with renal denervation in patients with resistant hypertension

Introduction: Catheter-based renal denervation selectively reduces renal sympathetic efferent activity and is accompanied by an increase in renal blood ﬂow and reduction in plasma renin activity. Thus, ablation of afferent and efferent renal nerves in patients with treatment-resistant hypertension probably leads to reductions in blood pressure. Material and methods: The present study conducted a non-randomized case-control study and enrolled 15 patients who underwent renal denervation therapy for resistant hypertension as cases and 16 patients who were on medical management for resistant hypertension served as controls. Results: It was found that catheter based renal denervation is safe, significantly reduces blood pressure at 1 month, 3 months and 6 months of follow-up without any major adverse events. It was observed that a significant BP reduction when compared to patients only on medical therapy. The mean number of drugs decreased significantly in the denervation group in follow-up. Conclusions: Though the present study showed a significant BP reduction in patients with renal denervation, a significant effect on BP was not observed in a large randomized trial simplicity HTN-3 and major criticism was on the trials design and neuroscience failings. Even today the clinical dilemma is still continuing and further evaluation in rigorously designed clinical trials are necessary to validate alternative methods of renal denervation or to confirm previously reported benefits of renal denervation. The current study anticipate that future trials will also address the effectiveness of renal denervation in disease states other than hypertension.
The Latent Genetic Structure of Impulsivity and Its Relation to Internalizing Psychopathology

Factor analyses suggest that impulsivity traits that capture tendencies to act prematurely or take risks tap partially distinct constructs. We applied genomic structure equation modeling to evaluate the genetic factor structure of two well-established impulsivity questionnaires, using published statistics from genome-wide association studies of up to 22,861 participants. We also tested the hypotheses that delay discounting would be genetically separable from other impulsivity factors and that emotionally triggered facets of impulsivity (urgency) would be those most strongly genetically correlated with an internalizing latent factor. A five-factor model best fitted the impulsivity data. Delay discounting was genetically distinct from these five factors. As expected, the two urgency subscales were most strongly related to an internalizing-psychopathology latent factor. These findings provide empirical genetic evidence that impulsivity can be broken down into distinct categories of differential relevance for internalizing psychopathology. They also demonstrate how measured genetic markers can be used to inform theories of psychology and personality.
A Framework for Evaluating Cortical Architectural Anomalies in Temporal Lobe Epilepsy Patients

Focal cortical dysplasia (FCD) are localized regions of malformed cerebral cortex that are frequently associated with drug-resistant epilepsy. Currently, there is a lack of research towards providing quantitative methods for characterizing minor abnormalities in cortical architecture, hindering efforts to determine whether removal affects surgical outcome, and define potential imaging correlates. In our work, we have developed a tool to extract relevant features associated with cortical architectural abnormalities that can deal with artifacts including cortical layer distortions and morphological differences caused by cortical folding effects, and processing artifacts due to improper sectioning. This framework was applied to detect abnormalities across multiple subjects and slides using unsupervised anomaly detection algorithm. Our results suggest that the technique is able to identify anomalies that correspond to visually-identifiable histological abnormalities. The frequency of abnormalities was found to differ among patients; however, the clinical significance of these findings is yet to be investigated.