Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Effects of Game-Based Learning on Mathematical Confidence and Performance: High Ability vs. Low Ability

Many students possess low confidence toward learning mathematics, which, in turn, may lead them to give up pursuing more mathematics knowledge. Recently, game-based learning (GBL) is regarded as a potential means in improving students’ confidence. Thus, this study tried to promote students’ confidence toward mathematics by using GBL. In addition, this study also investigated whether GBL is beneficial to all students with various abilities. The results demonstrated that this approach yielded better outcomes than the paper-based setting in both students’ confidence and students’ performance. The students with high and low levels of ability in the GBL group gained a significant improvement on the confidence toward mathematics. Additionally, low-ability students in the GBL group attained better mathematics performance than those in the paper-based setting.
Hierarchical Event Representation and Recognition Method for Scalable Video Event Analysis

Recognition of events in video is an important subject in intelligent video surveillance. In this paper, we propose a new paradigm of event recognition scheme from video. In this structure, most video events are represented by a hierarchical structure, efficient events representation and analysis of events are possible by using this property. We introduce a scalable and hierarchical event recognition method. First, events are classified into four hierarchical categories. Higher level events are organized by lower level events and relationships among them. We represent those relationships using temporal-logical constraints, that is, the event grammar, and a dynamic Bayesian network (DBN) combines the given event grammar with the probabilistic inference procedure to recognize an event. For scalability of the recognition system, all events in the hierarchy use the same framework of DBN. To recognize events efficiently in such a condition, we define the activation rate which is calculated by each event and propagated in bottom-up direction at each time step. We apply the proposed method to the experiments with a video segment simulating ticket office transactions.
Antimicrobial Susceptibilities of Group B Streptococci Isolated from Patients with Invasive Disease: 10-Year Perspective

ABSTRACT Antimicrobial susceptibility testing of 192 group B streptococcal isolates from patients with invasive disease demonstrated that 31 (16%) were resistant to erythromycin and 17 (9%) were resistant to clindamycin. One isolate demonstrated high-level resistance to streptomycin, but none was highly resistant to gentamicin. Erythromycin and clindamycin are no longer reliable empirical alternatives to penicillin for the treatment and prevention of group B streptococcal infections.
Main beam deflection and gain enhancement in superstrate-based antenna systems

The beam of an antenna can be controlled by placing high refractive index superstrates. In this paper, a plane-wave model of a microstrip antenna covered with a high refractive index is introduced. The antenna-superstrate system is analyzed by calculating its transmission response. When the patch is fully covered with the superstrate, the transmission response is truncated along the end-fire angles resulting in gain enhancement. On the other hand, when the superstrate partially covers the patch, a phase imbalance between the electromagnetic radiations emitted from the two radiating slots is produced. This imbalance causes the main beam to deflect from the broadside direction. Full-wave and plane-wave simulations show beam deflections close to 40 degrees. Tunable superstrates can thus be applied to steer the beam of a patch. Hence a novel method is introduced which has been traditionally done using multiple antenna elements with phase shifters.
Optimal power allocation to improve the performance of narrowband cooperative networks

In this paper, we have focused on orthogonal non-regenerating cooperation for networks with a source-destination pair and a number of relay nodes. We proposed two power allocation problems based on the instantaneous and average information about the channel gains to maximize either the instantaneous or average signal-to-noise ratio at the destination. We also assumed that the network total energy consumption is fixed. Since the suggested optimization problems are complicated to solve, we developed an iterative algorithm that converts the problems into a generalized geometric programming problem which derives the optimal solution very fast. The simulation results confirmed that the proposed power allocation schemes improve the system performance.
Sur la non-équivalence des représentations syntaxiques : Comment la représentation en X-barre nous amène au concept du mouvement

L'objet de cet article est de montrer que le concept de mouvement et d'ordre standard provient directement de l'utilisation de la structure de constituants X-barre en syntaxe et donc que le choix de ce type de structure n'est pas anodin, car il conditionne un certain regard sur la langue.
Single-Channel Bandpass Filter Based on Vernier-Aligned Long-Period Fiber Gratings

We present an all-fiber bandpass filter that produces a single passband in the telecommunication spectral range. This filter employs two concatenated long-period fiber gratings that have mutually different grating periods, and an absorptive core-mode blocker fabricated in the center of the two gratings. Transmission spectrum of the bandpass filter exhibits the passband at a center wavelength of 1545 nm with a 17-nm bandwidth over a wavelength range of 1200-1700 nm.
A Novel Design of Dual-Band Rat-Race Coupler With Reconfigurable Power-Dividing Ratio

This letter presents, for the first time, the design of a reconfigurable rat-race coupler with dual-band operation. This device can offer power-dividing ratio of <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$K^{2}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> or <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\infty $ </tex-math></inline-formula> at two different frequency bands. The proposed design also features low insertion loss, high port isolation, compact size, single control voltage, and minimal number of RF switches. For demonstration, both simulation and measured results of a 0.9-/2-GHz reconfigurable rat-race coupler implemented on microstrip are given.
The reflective journal: A tool for enhancing experience- based learning in nursing students in clinical practice

Background: As a tool for documenting and accompanying students’ actions, the journal has an educational value: it can be used to record, recollect and re-elaborate experiences through a reflective, non-intimate writing. The study was carried out at the Degree Course in Nursing at the University of Turin (Italy), during a training period of six weeks at the Unit of Functional Reeducation of the hospital “M. Adelaide - C.T.O.”. The aim is to understand the level of reflection that students can reach using the journal and what they think about this experience in terms of learning opportunity. Methods: The group of thirteen students in second and third year graduation course was invited to write daily, for fifteen consecutive days, a journal that describes their experience in training. Subsequently, the journals were analyzed with a qualitative method based on the seven levels of reflectivity that Mezirow had proposed within the transformative theory applied to adult learning. After this first phase, the group of students was invited to take part in a focus group to share and discuss their experience. The focus group was designed in semi-structured form. Qualitative content analysis was used to identify themes arising from the data. Result s: Twelve journals were analyzed. Students have reflective ability, especially with respect to Mezirow’s first three levels. The main findings showed that keeping a journal helps students to effectively enhance their experiential learning during the training period. For the focus group six students were involved. The following themes emerged: embarrassment and uneasiness, anonymity, evaluation, efficacy of the tool in experiential learning. Conclusions: The study enriches the debate on the use of journals confirming what has already been described in literature with respect to journals potential in terms of fostering and stimulating a professional practice of a reflective type.
Pharmacokinetics of Meropenem in Preterm Neonates

The objective of this study was to evaluate and compare the pharmacokinetics of meropenem in premature neonates, both after the first dose and during steady state at day 5, after a 1-minute intravenous administration to evaluate the possibility of twice-daily administration. Seven premature neonates received 15 mg/kg meropenem twice daily on clinical grounds as a 1-minute infusion. After the first dose and during steady state at day 5, serum levels of meropenem were measured for 12 hours after intravenous administration. Meropenem pharmacokinetics at the first dose were studied in seven children (mean birth weight 925 g, mean postnatal age 21 days). Serum concentration–time curves could be described with a one-compartment model. Mean total body clearance was 0.157 L/kg per hour, volume of distribution was 0.74 L/kg, and half-life was 3.4 hours. At day 5 at steady state, pharmacokinetic properties did not differ significantly. No side effects were noted. A 1-minute intravenous administration is feasible. Pharmacokinetic properties are comparable at day 5 compared with the first dose, and half-life is such that twice-daily administration of 15 mg/kg produces adequate serum concentrations.
Retouch transfer for 3D printed face replica with automatic alignment

Recent developments in 3D scanning make it easy to obtain 3D geometry of a human and produce a 3D replica using a 3D printer. However, the setting for full body scanning enforces low-quality of the facial area due to the lack of image resolution. To solve this issue, artists retouch the raw scanned full body model with a 3D sculpting tool, but it takes a lot of time and effort. In this paper, we present a system to automate the retouching process by transferring a retouched result by an expert to an arbitrary target face model. Our method first identifies facial features, such as the eyes and nose of the 3D models by exploiting 2D face detection. For each facial part, the method establishes dense correspondences between the exemplar and the target using the detection result, and then transfers the geometry of the exemplar to the target by coating transfer. We show that our method improves not only the geometry of model but also the 3D printed replica.
Modélisation des phénomènes non-linéaires dans un capteur MEMS résonant pour l'optimisation de ses performances et de sa fiabilité

L’utilisation des technologies MEMS dans la navigation aeronautique presente deux difficultes majeures.D’une part, le bon fonctionnement des appareils de mesure de l’aviation civile requiert l’anticipation des defaillances susceptibles de se produire durant des decennies. D’autre part, le remplacement des capteurs macroscopiques traditionnels par des cellules MEMS ne peut se faire qu’a niveau de performances equivalent. Vis-a-vis de ces deux enjeux de fiabilite et de performance, le comportement fortement non-lineaire des resonateurs MEMS est souvent considere comme un frein voire une limite infranchissable aux progres technologiques.Cependant, l’exploitation de ces phenomenes non-lineaires constitue en realite une source extremement riche d’ameliorations. Au prix d’une complexite mathematique accrue et d’efforts de conception specifiques, la modelisation precise des phenomenes non-lineaires affectant le comportement des MEMS donne acces a des informations precieuses, aussi bien pour la detection de defaillances que pour l’amelioration des performances.Dans cette these, on developpe une procedure de caracterisation lineaire et non-lineaire de cellules MEMS resonantes. Apres avoir demontre l’interet et verifie experimentalement la precision d’une telle caracterisation, on montre comment la connaissance des caracteristiques non-lineaires permet de determiner des points de fonctionnement optimaux en termes de stabilite frequentielle des capteurs oscillants, et donc de precision et de justesse des mesures.
Structurally decoupled micromachined gyroscopes with post-release capacitance enhancement

This paper reports a novel micromachined gyroscope design that provides enhanced decoupling of the drive and sense modes, and increased actuation and detection capacitances beyond the fabrication process limitations. The decoupling mechanism minimizes the effects of fabrication imperfections and the resulting anisoelasticities, by utilizing independent folded flexures and constrained moving electrodes in the drive and sense modes. The post-release capacitance enhancement concept aims to increase the drive and sense capacitances beyond the minimum gap requirement of the micromachining process. The approach is based on designing the stationary components of the electrodes attached to a moving stage that permanently locks into the desired position before the operation of the device, to minimize the electrode gap with a simple assembly step. Bulk-micromachined prototype gyroscopes have been fabricated, and the experimental results have successfully demonstrated the feasibility of the design. It is experimentally shown that over an order of magnitude of capacitance, increase is achieved in the same foot print of the device, without additional fabrication steps. A noise floor of was demonstrated at 50 Hz bandwidth in atmospheric pressure.
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PROINSULIN , INSULIN RESISTANCE , AND SERUM LIPOPROTEINS AMONG ADULTS

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the relationship between proinsulin (FPP), insulin resistance and serum lipoproteins among adults and efficacity of these paraclinical indicators to identify the insulin resistance (IR). In this study we included 224 subjects without diabetes. Insulin resistance was present in 25% (n=56) of the participants. In all patients, ROC analysis demonstrated that product of tryglicerides and glucose (TyG index) was the strongest predictor of IR (HOMA-IR>3.04), folowed by FPP and tryglicerides (overall p< 0.0001). The TyG index, FPP and the TG/HDL-C ratio showed the greatest ability to predict IR. In normoponderal subjects, the ROC curve analyses showed that FPP was the best marker of insulin resistance.
Human Heme Oxygenase-1 Efficiently Catabolizes Heme in the Absence of Biliverdin Reductase

Heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) uses molecular oxygen and electrons from NADPH cytochrome P450 reductase to convert heme to CO, ferrous iron, and biliverdin (BV). Enzymatic studies with the purified 30-kDa form of HO-1 routinely use a coupled assay containing biliverdin reductase (BVR), which converts BV to bilirubin (BR). BVR is believed to be required for optimal HO-1 activity. The goal of this study was to determine whether HO-1 activity could be monitored directly by following BV generation or iron release (using the ferrous iron chelator, ferrozine) in the absence of BVR. Using assays for each of the three end products, we found that HO-1 activity was stimulated in the presence of catalase and comparable rates were measured with each assay. Absorbance scans revealed characteristic spectra for BR, BV, and/or the ferrozine-iron complex. The optimal conditions were slightly different for the direct and coupled assays. BSA activated the coupled but inhibited the direct assays, and the assays had different pH optima. By measuring the activity of BVR directly using BV as a substrate, these differences were attributed to different enzymatic properties of BVR and HO-1. Thus, BVR is not needed to measure the activity of HO-1 when catalase is present. In fact, the factors affecting catalysis by HO-1 are better understood using the direct assays because the coupled assay can be influenced by properties of BVR.
Eddy-current loss in the rotor magnets of permanent-magnet brushless machines having a fractional number of slots per pole

We develop an analytical model for predicting the eddy-current loss in the rotor magnets of permanent-magnet brushless machines that have a fractional number of slots per pole, when either all the teeth or only alternate teeth are wound, and in which the unwound teeth may be narrower than the wound teeth. The model enables the magnetic field distribution in the air gap and magnet regions to be determined, by neglecting the eddy-current redistribution effect and assuming that the eddy currents are resistance limited. It can account for space-harmonic magnetomotive forces (MMFs) resulting from the winding distribution and time-harmonic MMFs due to nonsinusoidal phase currents, as well as for the effect of curvature and circumferential segmentation of the magnets. We have validated the model by finite-element analysis, and used it to investigate the eddy-current loss in the magnets of three surface-mounted magnet brushless motors that have similar slot and pole numbers, and employ identical rotors but different stators, when they are operated in brushless ac (BLAC) and dc (BLDC) modes. We show that the stator winding configuration, as well as the operational mode, significantly influence the resultant eddy-current loss.
Structural Arrangement of the Intracellular Ca2+ Binding Domains of the Cardiac Na+/Ca2+ Exchanger (NCX1.1)

Background: There are conflicting models for how intracellular Ca2+ allosterically regulates Na+/Ca2+ exchange. Results: The model of reorientation of the two Ca2+ binding domains upon Ca2+ binding in the NCX1.4 isoform is not supported by data for NCX1.1. Conclusion: There is motivation to further evaluate the mechanism(s) of Ca2+ activation of NCX1.1. Significance: Control of Ca2+ efflux in cardiomyocytes is vital for cardiac physiology. The cardiac Na+/Ca2+ exchanger (NCX1.1) serves as the primary means of Ca2+ extrusion across the plasma membrane of cardiomyocytes after the rise in intracellular Ca2+ during contraction. The exchanger is regulated by binding of Ca2+ to its intracellular domain, which contains two structurally homologous Ca2+ binding domains denoted as CBD1 and CBD2. NMR and x-ray crystallographic studies have provided structures for the isolated CBD1 and CBD2 domains and have shown how Ca2+ binding affects their structures and motional dynamics. However, structural information on the entire Ca2+ binding domain, denoted CBD12, and how binding of Ca2+ alters its structure and dynamics is more limited. Site-directed spin labeling has been employed in this work to address these questions. Electron paramagnetic resonance measurements on singly labeled constructs of CBD12 have identified the regions that undergo changes in dynamics as a result of Ca2+ binding. Double electron-electron resonance (DEER) measurements on doubly labeled constructs of CBD12 have shown that the β-sandwich regions of the CBD1 and CBD2 domains are largely insensitive to Ca2+ binding and that these two domains are widely separated at their N and C termini. Interdomain distances measured by DEER have been employed to construct structural models for CBD12 in the presence and absence of Ca2+. These models show that there is not a major change in the relative orientation of the two Ca2+ binding domains as a result of Ca2+ binding in the NCX1.1 isoform. Additional measurements have shown that there are significant changes in the dynamics of the F-G loop region of CBD2 that merit further characterization with regard to their possible involvement in regulation of NCX1.1 activity.
An experimental study of voice-coil driven synthetic jet propulsion for underwater vehicles

This paper investigates the thrust and flow structures produced by submerged synthetic jet actuators. Inspired by the propulsion methods of many sea creatures, such as jellyfish, squids, and salps; synthetic jets use vortex rings to create a net thrust. To assess the potential usability of these thrusters for propulsion and maneuvering of small underwater vehicles, a range of synthetic jet thruster prototypes were built, and both flow visualization and thrust measurement experiments were executed. Based on the experimental results obtained from these models, we discuss the feasibility of using these thrusters on small, slow, but maneuverable vehicles.
A comparison of vertical and horizontal cephalometric variables with regard to heritability.

The aim of the present study was to compare horizontal and vertical cephalometric distances with regard to heritability. The material used consisted of 56 pairs of twins of the same sex ranging from 13—20 years of age. Heritability (h2) and cultural inheritance (c2) were determined according to the path analysis method and quotients between genetic and environmental standard deviations were compared. No systematic difference could be found between horizontal and vertical measurements, but the highest heritability values were obtained among four vertical variables.
Comparison of different washing treatments for reducing pathogens on orange surfaces and for preventing the transfer of bacterial pathogens to fresh-squeezed orange juice.

The objectives of this study were to compare the effectiveness of various washing treatments for reducing Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella sp. , and Listeria monocytogenes populations on orange surfaces and to measure the effect of some of these treatments in preventing the transfer of pathogens during juice extraction. Orange surfaces inoculated with L. monocytogenes or a mixture of E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella Typhimurium were washed by water spray and then sprayed with or dipped in water at 80°C for 1 min, 70% ethanol for 15, 30, or 45 s or 1, 2, or 4 min, 2 or 4% lactic acid solution at 55°C for 15, 30, or 45 s or 1, 2, or 4 min, or 200 mg/liter hypochlorite at pH 6.5 or 10 for 15 s. The surviving populations of these pathogens on the oranges were enumerated after each treatment. In a further stage, the ability of these pathogens to be transferred to the juice during extraction was tested. Juice was obtained from inoculated oranges that were subjected to selected treatments using chlorine, lactic acid, ethanol, and hot water as described above, and then bacterial counts in orange juice were determined. The application of these treatments reduced the populations of pathogens on orange surfaces by 1.9 to >4.9 log, 1.9 to >4.6 log, and 1.4 to 3.1 log cycles for E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella Typhimurium, and L. monocytogenes, respectively. The treatments using hot water or lactic acid showed greater reductions than other treatments. The time, antimicrobial concentration, and form of application affected the bacterial reduction. All treatments resulted in undetectable counts in the juice. Nevertheless, pathogens were recovered by the enrichment-plating method. Treatment of oranges before juice extraction may reduce the risk associated with consuming orange juice.
Intelligent control method of warfare simulation experiment based on neural network

To solve the currently existing problems of time consuming and low flexibility in warfare simulation experiment, an intelligent control method based on neural network is advanced, imitating human's thinking process of decision. Firstly, the main general idea and framework of the intelligent control are introduced. Secondly, the structure and training algorithm of three layered feedforward neural network, and the global exploration and regional optimization method of warfare simulation experiment are described. Lastly, a simulation experiment example of large scale formation optimization in air battle demonstrates the procedure of the method, which shows that the sufficiently trained neural network could replace the costly global exploration experiments, and the solution efficiency is improved greatly.