Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Erkennung und Verfolgung von Fahrzeugen mit mobiler Kamera / Detection and tracking of vehicles with a moving camera

Fuer Anwendungen in der Fahrerassistenz und der mobilen Verkehrserfassung wird ein Verfahren vorgestellt, welches mithilfe einer im Fahrzeug installierten Kamera die umgebenden Fahrzeuge erfassen kann. Dazu werden zunaechst die Fahrspuren sowie die Position und die Orientierung des eigenen Fahrzeugs bezogen auf die Fahrspur mit einem photogrammetrischen Ansatz bestimmt. Andere Fahrzeuge werden anhand charakteristischer Merkmale im Bild erkannt und verfolgt, sowie ihre Position und Geschwindigkeit waehrend der Dauer der Verfolgung bestimmt. Im Test auf Autobahn und Landstrasse leistete das Verfahren eine gute Erkennung von Strasse und Fahrzeugen, erwies sich als sehr robust gegen Schatten und benoetigte einen geringen Rechenaufwand. (A) ABSTRACT IN ENGLISH: For driver assistance and vehicle-based traffic analysis applications, an on-board camera-based approach for automatic detection of surrounding vehicles is presented. Therefore the road's lanes are recognized and the position and orientation of the own vehicle on the road is determined. Other vehicles are detected by their shadow and their motion and are tracked by a Kalman-filter. While a vehicle is tracked both, its current speed and its position on the road are available as the result of processing. The approach was tested on highway and road and has achieved a good recognition of road and vehicles. It proved to be very robust against shadows and to require low computational costs. (A) Beitrag zur VDI-Tagung "Optische Technologien in der Fahrzeugtechnik", Leonberg, 3. und 4. Juni 2008. Siehe auch Gesamtaufnahme der Tagung, ITRD-Nummer D364540.
The UTAUT Model Analysis in the Technology Use of Generation-Z Users in Cambodia during COVID-19 Situation

Due to the widespread infection of the coronavirus (COVID-19) over the world, people were forced to stay at home, and technology has been increasingly used in communication, entertainment, and work. This research emphasized the study on the technology usage of Generation Z who are ready and highly skilled in using technology. The purpose of the study was to investigate the influence of key factors affecting the intended use and practical application of Generation Z technology in Cambodia during the COVID-19 pandemic. The researcher chose to use the UTAUT Model to test the research hypothesis. A questionnaire is a research tool used to collect data online. It was found that the sample size was 212 respondents. Descriptive analysis and the partial least square structural equation model (PLS-SEM) evaluation were performed. The results revealed that (1) most of the respondents were male, had under a bachelor’s degree, and monthly income was equal to or more than 312 US dollars, (2) the performance expectancy significantly influenced the behavioral intention, but effort expectancy, social influence, and facilitating conditions did not affect the behavioral intention of technology use, and (3) the behavioral intention to use technologies significantly influenced the actual use behavior during the covid-19 situation. This study suggests that technology organizations or businesses should pay attention to the potential benefits of technology for spurring the technology adoption and use of Generation Z people in Cambodia.
Grade Inflation in HETAC Awards

In this paper we present data indicative of grade inflation in HETAC awards between 1998 and 2002. This is based on the trend in proportion of certificates and diplomas of each class being awarded over that period. Grade inflation at third level has occurred against a backdrop of grade inflation at Leaving Certificate level and a drop in the minimum entry requirements for third level courses. The net effect is that weaker students are entering third level courses and yet are attaining higher grades.
Wireless Parylene-Based Retinal Implant

The degeneration of the outer retina usually causes blindness by affecting the photoreceptor cells. However, the ganglion cells, which consist of optic nerves, on the middle and inner retina layers are often intact. The retinal implant, which can partially restore vision by electrical stimulation, soon becomes a focus for research. Although many groups worldwide have spent a lot of effort on building devices for retinal implant, current state-of-the-art technologies still lack a reliable packaging scheme for devices with desirable high-density multi-channel features. Wireless flexible retinal implants have always been the ultimate goal for retinal prosthesis. In this dissertation, the reliable packaging scheme for a wireless flexible parylene-based retinal implants has been well developed. It can not only provide stable electrical and mechanical connections to the high-density multi-channel (1000+ channels on 5 mm × 5 mm chip area) IC chips, but also survive for more than 10 years in the human body with corrosive fluids. The device is based on a parylene-metal-parylene sandwich structure. In which, the adhesion between the parylene layers and the metals embedded in the parylene layers have been studied. Integration technology for high-density multi-channel IC chips has also been addressed and tested with dummy and real 268-channel and 1024-channel retinal IC chips. In addition, different protection schemes have been tried in application to IC chips and discrete components to gain the longest lifetime. The effectiveness has been confirmed by the accelerated and active lifetime soaking test in saline solution. Surgical mockups have also been designed and successfully implanted inside dog's and pig's eyes. Additionally, the electrodes used to stimulate the ganglion cells have been modified to lower the interface impedance and shaped to better fit the retina. Finally, all the developed technologies have been applied on the final device with a dual-metal-layer structure.
Effect of octahedral cation on electronic, magnetic and optic properties of CoX2O4 (X = Cr, Mn and Fe) spinel compound

ABSTRACT The magnetic, structural and optical properties of CoX2O4 (X = Cr, Mn and Fe) spinels are calculated using GGA + U approximation. The effect of the octahedral cation X on the properties of these spinels are analyzed. In order to better understand the electronic aspect of these compounds we studied the issue between the relative forces of the exchange effect and the crystal field effect through a complete analysis of the densities of electronic states. Obtaining the correct ground state is only possible if the electron–electron interactions between magnetic cations are introduced. When the X cations are changed, the crystalline structure changes totally from cubic normal spinel for CoFe2O4 to tetragonal normal spinel one for CoMn2O4 to inverse spinel for CoCr2O4 . The electronic properties of our spinels are significantly different, an increase in the band gap from Fe to Mn to Cr compounds is obtained. Magnetic exchange interactions are strongly affected by sub-lattices occupation in the inverse phase of CoFe2O4 and significant structural distortion of the CoMn2O4 compound. The analysis of structural parameters and electronic structures plays a role on the trends of magnetic exchange interactions. We have noticed that the iron states in CoFe2O4 are extremely localised making this spinel very different from the X cation states in the other two spinels. So the variation in X cations allows us to confirm the trend in the properties of CoX2O4. The prediction of optical properties is possible and it allowed us to calculate different optical parameters. We have noticed that decreases with increasing band gap.
Minimum dynamic power cmos design with variable input delay logic

For correct functioning of CMOS circuits, every gate in the circuit needs to have an output transition, at most once for every input change. But in reality, the gates transition more than once due to unequal arrival times of signals at their inputs. These extra transitions are called glitches and they consume power. The dynamic power due to glitches in a CMOS circuit, can be eliminated by the introduction of delay buffers at specific nets but some extra power would be consumed by these buffers. In this thesis we propose a new methodology of eliminating the glitches without the insertion of delay buffers. The glitches are suppressed by the manipulation of the input delay of gates creating different delays for different input-output paths within the same gate. The technology constraints for the feasible ranges for length and width of transistors restrict the obtainable I/O delay difference for a gate. This difference is specified by an upper bound ub in the thesis. A given value of ub would result in a minimum dynamic power design that is the fastest allowed by that technology. The circuit is designed by a linear program (LP) that determines the component delays to eliminate all glitches. We do not pose the problem as the conventional transistor sizing because delays are non-linearly related to transistor size parameters. We propose to solve the problem in three phases. The first phase is a detailed study of a single gate to determine the allowed ub for the technology. In the second phase, an LP of size proportional to the circuit size is formulated by treating the gate level input delay variables independent of each other, but constrained by ub. We describe this as variable input delay logic design in the thesis. The third phase consists of the design of gates according to the delay assignment solution of the LP. Hence, the non-linearity in transistor sizing is relegated to the third phase, leaving the variables in the second phase independent. We describe possible ways of implementing the variable input delay logic at the transistor level. The gates can be designed by either input capacitance manipulation or by inserting resistances at gate inputs by inserting pass transistors. This technique is scalable to large circuits because the formulation is linear. The circuits designed by this method are totally glitch-free and may use a minimal number of delay buffers necessary to satisfy the input-output delay specification. Our design of the benchmark circuit c7552 containing 3827 gates achieved a peak power savings of 68% and an average energy saving of 58% compared to an unoptimized circuit having the same input-output delay specification. This optimized circuit consumed 18% less energy than the circuit designed by inserting buffers at the same delay specification.
Why ban sex hormones in the nursery

Canada leads the world with new regulations to prohibit the importation, sale and advertising of polycarbonate baby bottles that contain bisphenol A (BPA). The world production of BPA is currently 3.3 billion kilograms per year, half a kilogram per person. The estrogenic activity of BPA has been known at least since 1936. Estrogens have biological effects at parts per billion. BPA is used in food and beverage containers, including baby bottles, some drink bottles, and food container linings, in particular can linings. A recent study in the USA reported that all the adult subjects tested had bisphenol A in their urine. Canada has just declared bisphenol A to be a toxic substance. Canada has responded to the accumulating evidence that BPA leaches from polycarbonate baby bottles and behaves like an estrogen. An extra dose of female sex hormones is not the best of dietary supplements for babies, either male or female; or for teenagers, or even adults. Canada is the first country in the world to act to banish bisphenol A from the nursery.
The Comparison of Effect of Treadmill and Ergometer Training on Gait and Balance in Stroke

Purpose : The goal of this study was to identify the effects of treadmill walking training (TW) and ergometer bicycle training (EB) on gait and balance in stroke patients. Methods : The subjects consisted of 42 stroke patients. They were randomly divided to two groups: TW(n=20) and EB(n=22). Each group trained along with the conventional physical therapy, three times a week for six weeks. The ability of gait was assessed by the 10m walk test and Timed Up and Go test(TUG). The ability of balance was assessed by Berg Balance Scale(BBS) and Balance Performance Monitor(BPM). Results : There was no significant difference between the 10m walking test and TUG groups, but there was a statistical difference between before and after the training for all groups. The result of BBS that assessed balance showed a significant reduction between before and after the training for all groups, but there was no difference between the two groups. While the two groups showed no difference in the BPM assessment, only the EB showed a significant improvement of before and after the training in each group. Conclusion : The outcomes suggest that stroke patients can improve their gait and balance performance through the TW and EB trainings. Although dynamic mean balance showed significance from EB, no significant difference was found between two groups. Even though it cannot be determined through this study which training group is more effective among the above mentioned two, it could be suggested that each training is effective to gait ability and the ability of balance of stroke patients.
Synthesizing of Fe decorated graphene sponge for environmental applications

Abstract In this study, we succeed to synthesis GS@Fe sponge from graphene oxide and FeCl3 through an in-situ reduction of Fe3+ and GO. The structures, properties, and applications of the obtained hybrid were characterized by using XRD, SEM, and measurement of contact angles, UV-Vis spectroscopy, and FTIR analysis. The GS@Fe and bare graphene sponges are also evaluated for decolorization of methylene blue solution. Analysis the obtained experimental data showed the adsorption of methylene blue on the prepared GS@Fe sponge was more quickly than bare graphene sponge. The maximum removal percentage of GS@Fe and bare graphene sponge were about 99.8% and 9.8%, respectively, after ten days, without exposing the external UV light. The FT-IR analysis indicated some linkages of adsorbed molecules on GS@Fe were broken. It can be suggested GS@Fe degraded the adsorbed methylene blue molecules under sunlight irradiation and adsorption is not only due to the π–π interaction between graphene sheets, but also electron donner properties of Fe causes degradation of dyes. Finally, the ability of synthesized GS@Fe sponge to degrade chlorinated organic solvent was also illustrated by the turbidity variation studies. Graphical Abstract
Content-based information retrieval and anonymisation in data and multimedia streams

Προσωπικά δεδομένα είναι οποιαδήποτε πληροφορία μπορεί να χρησιμοποιηθεί για την αναγνώριση ενός ατόμου. Αυτά τα δεδομένα μπορούν να λάβουν διάφορες μορφές, όπως ένα πεδίο σε μια βάση δεδομένων, έναν μοναδικό αριθμό, μια φωτογραφία ή ένα πακέτο δικτύου. Τα προσωπικά δεδομένα σχετικά με τα άτομα συλλέγονται και διαχειρίζονται από οργανισμούς στον ιδιωτικό και δημόσιο τομέα. Οι επιχειρήσεις και η επιστημονική κοινότητα έχουν μια ακόρεστη δίψα για δεδομένα. Με τους προηγμένους αλγόριθμους εξόρυξης δεδομένων νέα γνώση μπορεί να αποκαλυφθεί από αυτά τα δεδομένα. Πρέπει να σημειωθεί ότι αυτά τα δεδομένα δεν μπορούν να δημοσιευθούν χωρίς την δέουσα προσοχή αφού υπάρχει πάντα ο κίνδυνος παραβίασης της ιδιωτικής ζωής των ατόμων. Ένας επιστημονικός τομέας αναδείχθηκε, αυτός της ανωνυμοποίησης δεδομένων, για να καλύψει την ανάγκη της προστασίας της ιδιωτικότητας σε δεδομένα που δημοσιεύονται. Η διαδικασία της ανωνυμοποίησης θα πρέπει να εξισορροπήσει την προστασία της ιδιωτικότητας των ατόμων με τη χρησιμότητα του δημοσιευμένου συνόλου δεδομένων. Αυτές οι τεχνικές ανωνυμοποίησης αναλύονται και παρουσιάζονται τα πλεονεκτήματα και μειονεκτήματα τους. Η συμβολή αυτής της διατριβής στο επιστημονικό πεδίο της δημοσίευσης δεδομένων είναι διττή. Πρώτον, την εισαγωγή μιας νέας επίθεσης σε ανωνυμοποιημένα δεδομένα, που ονομάζεται επίθεση συμπερασμού των οιονεί αναγνωριστικών, inference of QI attack, που δείχνει ότι μια αυτοματοποιημένη λύση ανωνυμοποίησης, ειδικά για ιατρικά δεδομένα, είναι δύσκολο να επιτευχθεί χωρίς να ληφθεί υπόψη η σημασιολογία των δεδομένων και χωρίς την συμβολή των εμπειρογνωμόνων του τομέα. Δεύτερον, η ανάπτυξη ενός νέου αλγορίθμου που υλοποιεί km-anonymisation λαμβάνοντας υπόψη τις ιδιότητες των συνεχών χαρακτηριστικών και χωρίς να προαπαιτεί μια ιεραρχία γενίκευσης. Μετά από διεξαγωγή πειραμάτων φαίνεται ότι ο νέος αλγόριθμός διατηρεί περισσότερες πληροφορίες στο δημοσιευμένο σύνολο δεδομένων σε σύγκριση με άλλους αλγόριθμους ανωνυμοποίησης που χρησιμοποιούν ιεραρχίες γενίκευσης. Τα πολυμέσα είναι ένας άλλος τύπος προσωπικών δεδομένων που επίσης εξετάστηκε σε αυτή την έρευνα. Συγκεκριμένα από τα πολυμέσα που διαμοιράζονται στα Online Κοινωνικά Δίκτυα προκύπτουν πολλοί κίνδυνοι ιδιωτικότητας. Παρουσιάζεται μια αναλυτική έρευνα για τους κινδύνους αυτούς και προτείνεται μια λύση με βάση την ψηφιακή υδατογράφηση για την εξάλειψη πολλών από αυτούς τους κινδύνους. Τα έξυπνα τηλέφωνα με την συνεχώς αυξανόμενη υπολογιστική δύναμη συνδυάζονται με αισθητήρες, όπως το GPS, προσφέροντας νέες ευκαιρίες για ανάπτυξη κινητών εφαρμογών με νέες δυνατότητες. Για να δείξουμε πώς μπορεί να παραβιαστεί το απόρρητο ενός χρήστη, επικεντρώσαμε την προσοχή μας σε έναν τομέα ευαίσθητο στην ιδιωτικότητα των εφαρμογών, των εφαρμογών που χρονολογούνται. Η έρευνα βασίζεται στα μεταδιδόμενα πακέτα δικτύου και τα αποτελέσματα είναι ανησυχητικά.
Efeitos da Educação Física nos níveis de aptidão cardiorrespiratória e no índice de massa corporal na Educação de Jovens e Adultos – EJA

O objetivo do presente estudo foi verificar o efeito das aulas de educação física escolar (EFI) nos níveis de aptidão cardiorrespiratória e no índice de massa corporal (IMC) em estudantes na Educação de Jovens e Adultos (EJA). Trata-se de um estudo de caso, avaliativo somativo realizado em uma escola do RS, elaborado com 8 sujeitos dos 16 aos 52 anos de ambos os sexos, de uma população total de 74, os quais cumpriram 75% de frequência nas aulas de EFI na EJA. A aptidão cardiorrespiratória (APCR) e o índice de massa corporal (IMC), foram avaliados através da bateria de testes PROESP-Br no início do primeiro semestre do ano de 2015 e ao final desse período. Os efeitos da EFI no grupo foram mensurados a partirdo modelo estatístico de equações generalizadas (GEE) em intervalos de confiança de 95% (IC95%) e delta médio percentual. Também foram descritos os percentuais de variação da APCR e do IMC para cada sujeito. Desse modo, verificou-se que a APCR aumentou significativamente do pré-teste (675,25 metros) para o pós-teste (735,13 metros), (IC95% =+17,2 a +102,55) o que corresponde a um efeito médio de 8,8% (p=0,006). Todos os sujeitos aumentaram a APCR na avaliação individual, tais resultados não foram observados no IMC. Concluímos que programa de educação física escolar contribuiu para a melhora dos níveis de aptidão cardiorrespiratória de estudantes da EJA. Essa proposta pode servir comobase para que professores tenham meios para desenvolver e avaliar intervenções relacionadas com aptidão física e saúde na EJA.
Nutrition and malnutrition in kidney transplant recipients

Background: Despite improvement of short-term graft survival over recent years, long-term graft survival after kidney transplantation has not improved. Studies in the general population suggest the Mediterranean diet benefits kidney function preservation. We investigated whether adherence to the Mediterranean diet is associated with kidney outcomes in kidney transplant recipients. Methods: We included 632 adult kidney transplant recipients with a functioning graft for ≥ 1 year. Dietary intake was inquired using a 177-item validated food frequency questionnaire. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet was assessed using a nine-point Mediterranean Diet Score. Primary end point of the study was graft failure and secondary end points included kidney function decline (doubling of serum creatinine or graft failure) and graft loss (graft failure or death with a functioning graft). Cox regression analyses were used to prospectively study the associations of the Mediterranean Diet Score with study end points. Results: During median follow-up of 5.4 (interquartile range, 4.9–6.0) years, 76 participants developed graft failure, 119 developed kidney function decline, and 181 developed graft loss. The Mediterranean Diet Score was inversely associated with all study end points (graft failure: hazard ratio (HR) 0.68; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.50-0.91, kidney function decline: HR 0.68; 95% CI 0.55 to 0.85 and graft loss: HR 0.74; 95% CI 0.63 to 0.88 per two-point increase in Mediterranean Diet Score) independent of potential confounders. We identified 24-hour urinary protein excretion and time since transplantation to be an effect modifier, with stronger inverse associations between the Mediterranean Diet Score and kidney outcomes observed in participants with higher urinary protein excretion and participants transplanted more recently. Conclusion: Adherence to the Mediterranean diet is associated with better kidney function outcomes in kidney transplant recipients.
The transmission of vertical vibration to the heads and shoulders of seated men

Abstract : Modern forms of transportation can impose high levels of vibration upon occupants. To determine the effects of vibration, it is necessary to define the vibration levels experienced by such people as passengers, drivers or pilots. This definition should preferably quantify not only the input levels but also those at the parts of the body most likely to be affected by the vibration. This report covers an investigation of the frequency response of the human body to vertical vibration, using six subjects on a rigid seat. The input used was a swept sine acceleration, where the frequency of vibration varied linearly with time between an upper and lower value, at a fixed amplitude. Use of such an input facilitated measurements of amplitude ratio and phase angle plots of the ratio of head and shoulder acceleration to seat acceleration against frequency, to be made for various postures and limb positions. Both resting the back against the seat and putting the legs forward had a major effect on transmission. Attempts were made to model these response curves so that by simply monitoring floor vibration in vehicles and assuming the seat response is known, one can predict the range of vibrations present at the head and shoulders. Theoretical analysis was used to demonstrate that the response of cushions is directly related to the human frequency response.
Using usability factors to predict the e-commerce user experience

This chapter introduces the use of usability factors as a means of predicting the e-commerce user experience. It argues objectively measurable usability factors, such as page layout, navigation techniques, privacy statements and color can be used to predict how a user of an e-commerce Website will experience the interaction with the site. In support for this argument, it reports on the results of a small pilot study that was done to determine the feasibility of a more extensive study aimed at building a model for the prediction of the user experience. The authors hope a better understanding of the intricate relationship between usability factors and the subjective user experience will lead to the design of more successful e-commerce Websites.