Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Loneliness, Lifestyles and Lockdowns: Effects on Health

Mother Teresa said: “the greatest disease in the West today is not TB or leprosy; it is being unwanted, unloved, and uncared for. We can cure physical diseases with medicine, but the only cure for loneliness, despair, and hopelessness is love. ” Loneliness is a global phenomenon. Although more prevalent in the elderly, it is seen in all age groups. Contrary to logic, social media appears to have increased loneliness. Loneliness has several detrimental effects on human health. It is associated with a wide array of chronic diseases, contributing to their development, and often worsening their prognosis. Although there are several mechanisms involved in this harmful association, lower adherence to five healthy lifestyles is a major factor. These lifestyles include not smoking, not drinking alcohol in excess, maintaining adequate body weight, prudent diet, and regular physical activity. Unfortunately, unhealthy lifestyles have been aggravated by the recent COVID-19 pandemic. These relationships are reviewed in this manuscript.
Efecto de la viscosidad en el medio para la criopreservación espermática de gallo (Gallus gallus)

En semen de mamíferos, se ha demostrado que la viscosidad influye de manera negativa para su conservación. En semen de aves los estudios sobre las características físicas de los eyaculados son limitados, particularmente la viscosidad no ha sido estudiada. Los medios para la criopreservación, no consideran la viscosidad para mantener la viabilidad espermática. Por lo cual, el objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar el efecto de la viscosidad en el medio para mantener su viabilidad post descongelación. Se determinó los parámetros de evaluación básica, de maduración y reacción acrosomal evaluando la presencia y distribución de Ca2+ mediante la co-incubación con clortetraciclina. Se realizaron 25 evaluaciones de pool seminal, criopreservados en medio Lake suplementado con 6 % de dimetilacetamida y con 0 % (Testigo), 10 %, 30 % y 45 % de ficoll, para ajustar la viscosidad del medio a condiciones similares a las del semen y del líquido oviductal y a un grado mayor de viscosidad. La movilidad espermática fue menor (P£0.05) en alícuotas con mayor porcentaje de ficoll. El porcentaje de espermatozoides vivos fue similar (P>0.05) en el testigo y todas las alícuotas con diferente porcentaje de ficoll. La maduración espermática presentó un mayor (P£0,05) porcentaje de espermatozoides no capacitados cuando se utilizó 10% de ficoll. De manera inversa el porcentaje de espermatozoides con reacción acrosomal fue menor (P£0,05) también cuando se utilizó 10 % de ficoll. Los resultados de este estudio demuestran que variaciones en el grado de viscosidad del medio, pueden mantener o incrementar la viabilidad espermática post descongelación.
Comparative evaluation of deep learning and machine learning in modelling pan evaporation using limited inputs

ABSTRACT Estimation of pan evaporation (Epan) is an important issue for planning and management of available water resources. In the present study, the accuracy of a new deep learning method, long short-term memory (LSTM) with grey wolf optimization (GWO), in modelling Epan using limited climatic variables as input is investigated. The outcomes of the LSTM-GWO are compared with the single LSTM and advanced machine learning (ML) methods. Minimum and maximum temperatures and extra-terrestrial radiation are used as inputs to the models. Three data splitting scenarios are considered and the outcomes of the abovementioned methods are also compared with the Stephen-Stewart (SS) and calibrated Hargreaves-Samani (CHS) empirical methods. The results reveal that the LSTM-GWO method has a better ability in estimating Epan using limited inputs compared to other ML and empirical methods. They also indicate that an increase in the amount of training data used improves the accuracy of the models.
A Low-cost Privacy Concerning Occupancy Estimation System for HVAC Control

The heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system contributed about 40% of the total building energy consumption. The accurate occupancy information can help implement smart HVAC operations and reduce energy consumption. In this paper, we proposed a low-cost, privacy-concerned system that uses the exposure notification beacon and CO2 sensor to estimate the presence and number of people occupying an indoor space. The proposed system was implemented and evaluated in the uncontrolled office scenario with low-cost edge computing platform. The result shows that the proposed system can accurately detect the presence and estimate the number of people in the indoor environment.
Trade union influence on innovation in the British private sector: Direct and indirect paths

This article examines relationships between trade unions and firms’ innovation activity. Drawing on nationally representative data covering 1,384 firms in the UK, the article employs probit analysis to estimate the effect of trade union representation at the workplace on different types of innovation. The findings show significant and positive correlations between trade union representation and the introduction of new processes and new methods of marketing. The study also found a positive and moderately significant indirect effect on innovation arising from union influence on training provision and employee involvement practices. In addition, when unions are associated with shaping long-term oriented staffing practices, the positive indirect effects are strengthened.
Sustainable Green Processing of Grape Pomace Using Micellar Extraction for the Production of Value-Added Hygiene Cosmetics

This study sought to evaluate the possibility of using grape pomace, a waste material from wine production, for the preparation of cosmetic components. Following the existing clear research trend related to improving the safety of cleansing cosmetics, an attempt was made to determine the possibility of preparing model shower gels based on grape pomace extract. A new method for producing cosmetic components named loan chemical extraction (LCE) was developed and is described for the first time in this paper. In the LCE method, an extraction medium consisting only of the components from the final product was used. Thus, there were no additional substances in the cosmetics developed, and the formulation was significantly enriched with compounds isolated from grape pomace. Samples of the model shower gels produced were evaluated in terms of their basic parameters related to functionality (e.g., foaming properties, rheological characteristics, color) and their effect on the skin. The results obtained showed that the extracts based on waste grape pomace contained a number of valuable cosmetic compounds (e.g., organic acids, phenolic compounds, amino acids and sugars), and the model products basis on them provided colorful and safe natural cosmetics.
Verifiability and accountability in the Cloud

This thesis proposes more efficient cryptographic protocols that enable cloud users to verify (i) the correct storage of outsourced data and (ii) the correct execution of outsourced computation. We first describe a cryptographic protocol that generates proofs of retrievability, which enable data owners to verify that the cloud correctly stores their data. We then detail three cryptographic schemes for verifiable computation by focusing on three operations frequent in data processing routines, namely polynomial evaluation, matrix multiplication and conjunctive keyword search. The security of our solutions is analyzed in the provable security framework and we also demonstrate their efficiency thanks to prototypes. We also introduce A-PPL, an accountability policy language that allows the expression of accountability obligations into machine-readable format. We expect our contributions to foster cloud adoption by organizations still wary of using this promising paradigm.
Dynamic Behavior Prediction via Heterogeneity and Community Feature Preserving Network Embedding

Network embedding is a promising technique and has achieved impressive performance in predicting customer behavior in electronic commerce networks. Most current studies focus on the behavior prediction in homogeneous static networks and only use the feature of low order proximity within neighbors. However, electronic commerce networks are heterogeneous and change over time. The information of community and heterogeneity is also crucial for customer behavior prediction in dynamic networks. In this paper, we propose a novel framework termed as Dynamic Community aware Heterogeneous Network Embedding (DyCHNE), which combines the structural feature of community and heterogeneity instead of only the proximity feature of nodes. Specifically, the framework is consisted by two levels. The first-level enables each node to learn the dynamic feature of the heterogeneity from its neighbors in a continuous snapshot of the network; the second-level makes each node to learn the high order structural information of its community. We test our method on a real-world dataset which contains the customer-commodity relations in continuous network snapshots. Experimental result shows that our method outperforms the state-of-art methods.
Douglas Hofstadter's Gödelian Philosophy of Mind

Hofstadter [1979, 2007] offered a novel Gödelian proposal which purported to reconcile the apparently contradictory theses that (1) we can talk, in a non-trivial way, of mental causation being a real phenomenon and that (2) mental activity is ultimately grounded in low-level rule-governed neural processes. In this paper, we critically investigate Hofstadter’s analogical appeals to Gödel’s [1931] First Incompleteness Theorem, whose “diagonal” proof supposedly contains the key ideas required for understanding both consciousness and mental causation. We maintain that bringing sophisticated results from Mathematical Logic into play cannot furnish insights which would otherwise be unavailable. Lastly, we conclude that there are simply too many weighty details left unfilled in Hofstadter’s proposal. These really need to be fleshed out before we can even hope to say that our understanding of classical mind-body problems has been advanced through metamathematical parallels with Gödel’s work.
Toward a Wireless Wearable System for Bidirectional Human-Machine Interface With Gesture Recognition and Vibration Feedback

The research on bidirectional human-machine interface (BHMI) is of great significance, which can realize the interaction between human and machine. As the traditional Human-Machine Interface (HMI) device is limited by its wired connection and unidirectional functionality, this paper intends to develop a wireless wearable solution for BHMI with gesture recognition and vibration feedback. Compact design and wireless connection improve the flexibility and wearability of bidirectional interface node (BIN). By establishing a Distributed Wireless Sensor Network (DWSN), the proposed system allows up to 8 BINs to detect muscle activities simultaneously and control each Linear Resonant Actuator (LRA) independently. The data transmission throughput of the proposed system can be reduced by transmitting signal features instead of raw signals. With a sample rate of 2000 Hz and a resolution of 12 bits, BIN can achieve 94.48%±4.56% classification accuracy of six gestures. To evaluate the performance of the system’s bidirectional functionality, virtual control experiment was carried out. The experimental results show that the completion rate of the virtual control experiment reached 87% within 3.5s with vibration feedback. Overall, the outcomes of this study have great potential to promote the practical applications of bidirectional human-machine interaction, including rehabilitation therapy, fatigue prevention, virtual reality/augmented reality (VR/AR), and sensorimotor control of artificial devices.
A CubeSat platform for space based quantum key distribution

Satellite nodes are an enabler of global quantum networks by overcoming the distance limitations of fiber and free-space links on ground. The design of quantum sources and receivers for satellites, however, is challenging in terms of size, weight, and power consumption, as well as mechanical and thermal stability. This is all the more true for cost-efficient nanosatellites such as the popular CubeSat platform standard. Here we report on the follow-up mission of SpooQy-1, a 3U CubeSat that successfully demonstrated the generation of polarization-entangled photons in orbit. The next iteration of the mission will showcase satellite-to-ground quantum key distribution based on a compact source of polarization-entangled photon-pairs, and we have recently completed the integration of a fully functional demonstrator as a milestone towards the flight model. We also briefly describe the design of the optical ground station that we are currently building in Singapore for receiving the quantum signal. We present the most important subsystems and illustrate the concept of operation.
Implementation of Outcome-Based Assessment in English Morphology Courses at the English Department, Andalas University, Padang

The OBA-based assessment method is employed in the Project-based Learning English Morphology class consisting of twenty-three students at the English Department, Andalas University. The assessment aims to evaluate students' comprehension of the concept of a morpheme, the smallest meaningful unit in the language (LO-1), identification of the forms of Word-formation (LO-2), and description of the word-formation process (LO-3). The field project, designed for a mid-term task, assigned students to collect English elements and word-formations in the commercial signs in their living area and determine their types and formation process. The assessment result shows students' achievements to LO-1, LO-2, and LO-3 are 82%, 79%, and 72%, respectively. All are above the target: 65% of a B Grade) and 61% of an A Grade. The assessment, however, implies that while the students can identify satisfactorily English morphemes from the commercial signs they collected, they still lack the ability to determine the forms and the types of word-formation. It is our belief that this shortage has something to do with the meetings spent discussing the topic of English word-formation.
Effect of Dimples on Solar Concrete Plate Collectors and its Comparison with Other Domestic Water Heating Systems

Though solar water heater is an environment-friendly and a well-established effective method of heating water, yet it is not used on large scale in a country like India where abundant solar energy is available for most of the year. A large proportion of population prefers the use of electric geysers or stoves over solar water heaters as they have cheaper initial costs. Thus with an objective of low-cost solar collector water heater, an investigation is conducted on concrete as collector plate. In order to improve the efficiency of concrete plate collector, a serpentine tube is used instead of parallel tubes, with the addition of metal fibers in concrete mixture to improve its thermal conductivity and dimples are created on the serpentine tube to enhance heat flow from tube to water flowing through it. In order to calculate the exact effect of dimples on concrete plate collector, dimpled tube collector is compared with smooth tube collector. It is observed that dimples lead to an increase in outlet water temperature and improved efficiency for all water flow rates. Also in this paper, comparison of concrete plate collector with existing systems of domestic water heating for the bathing purpose is presented.
Gamified learning environment (GLE): A Case study to compare between traditional learning and Gamified learning environment.

The purpose of this research is to assess the difference between the Gamified learning environment and the traditional learning environment. The comparison shows the interests of students in ways of learning, improvement in different fields and learning environments. In this research a questionnaire-based survey was conducted among 400 students from the College of Science and Technology and came with 364 responses, after which compilations and analyzes were performed. This survey also deals with the related revised works, the methodology used, the results and the discussion of the interpreted result.
Influence of interlocking dowels on motor core loss

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of the interlocking process on the iron loss in the lamination core and to increase the efficiency of electrical machines. Design/methodology/approach – A 3D electromagnetic model of the interlocking dowels is proposed in order to simulate the eddy current distribution in the lamination core. Considering the time-consuming of the 3D finite element method (FEM), a 2D electromagnetic model is then proposed based on the 3D model. Influence of the interlocking process on the motor performances is analyzed with 2D FEM, considering the electrical connection of the dowels and the magnetic property deterioration of the electrical steel sheets. Findings – The interlocking process removes the insulation between the laminations at the cut-edges of the interlocking dowels, causing extra eddy current loss in the lamination core. The effect of the interlocking process is dependent on the number, location and size of the interlocking dowels. Practical implications – The interlocking dowel model is established in order to simulate the effects of the interlocking process. By using the FEM calculation, optimal solution is discussed to minimize the undesired effect of the interlocking dowels. Originality/value – In this paper, the FEM model of the induction motor with interlocked stator core is first established, then simulation analysis is implemented. Results shows that choosing a proper number of interlocking dowels with suitable location and size can reduce the extra loss.
An Over-Modulated Model Predictive Current Control for Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motors

To improve the voltage utilization rate of DC bus and reduce the voltage vector tracking error, a finite-control-set modulated model predictive control (FCS-M2PC) with over modulation capacity for permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) incorporating penalty function is proposed in this paper. Firstly, three modulation regions are determined according to the combined action of dead-beat control and model predictive control (MPC). Secondly, three, two and one voltage vectors are applied to linear modulation region (LMR), over modulation region I (OMR-I) and over modulation region II (OMR-II), respectively, to synthesize the reference voltage vector. Thirdly, to obtain better steady-state performance in the whole modulation region, the optimal vector dwell-times can be obtained from the uniform penalty function defined by a set of mode parameters to minimize the error between the current references and the current predictions, rather than applying a single voltage vector in the conventional finite-control-set model predictive control (FCS-MPC). The effectiveness and superiority of the proposed method are validated experimentally.
In Situ Gel Drug Delivery System: A Review

In situ gel forming polymeric formulations are drug delivery systems that are in sol form before being administered to the body, but gel in situ from which the medication is released in a sustained and controlled manner. Temperature modulation, pH alteration, ions present in the site and ultraviolet irradiation are factors that influence gel formation. Gellan gum, alginicacid, xyloglucan, pectin, chitosan, poly (DL-lactic acid), poly (DL-lactide co glycolide), and poly caprolactone are some of the polymers used to make in situ gels. Solvents such as water, dimethyl sulphoxide, N-methyl pyrrolidone, triacetin, and 2-pyrrolidone are utilized for these formulations, depending on the solubility of the polymer. Major routes of administration of In situ gels are oral, ocular, rectal, vaginal, injectable, and intraperitonial. In comparison to conventional drug delivery systems, in situ gel forming polymeric formulations provide various advantages, including sustained and prolonged action. From a manufacturing standpoint, such devices are less complex to produce, resulting in cheaper investment and manufacturing costs.
GSNA: A Novel Sparse Array Design Achieving Enhanced Degree of Freedom for Noncircular Sources

To solve the dilemma that the existing sparse arrays only limitedly enhance the array degree of freedom (DOF) for noncircular sources, a novel nested array with graded spacing (GSNA) is advanced as a solution. The proposed GSNA fully exploits the characteristic of the noncircular sources and expands the virtual array based on the concept of sum and di ﬀ erence coarray (SDCA). In comparison with other sparse linear con ﬁ gurations, the GSNA enjoys the largest consecutive virtual array and the highest resolution and perfectly achieves the estimation of multiple directions of arrival (DOA) in underdetermined conditions. The closed-form expression of sensor distribution and the uniform DOF are derived. The detailed experimental simulations are conducted to validate the feasibility and superiority of the proposed con ﬁ guration.
Coordinated chemical and microstructural analyses of presolar silicate grains from AGB/RGB stars and supernovae in the CO3.0 chondrite Dominion Range 08006

We report the structural and chemical analyses of six presolar silicate grains identified in situ in the CO3.0 carbonaceous chondrite Dominion Range (DOM) 08006. Two of the grains have O‐isotopic compositions consistent with origins in the circumstellar envelopes of low‐mass (<2M☉) asymptotic giant branch (AGB)/red giant branch (RGB) stars, although without Mg‐isotopic data, origins in supernovae (SNe) cannot be ruled out. The other four grains have O‐isotopic compositions consistent with origins in the ejecta of type‐II SNe. Transmission electron microscopy analyses reveal that all grains are crystalline (single crystal or polycrystalline) and have varied compositions. The analyzed AGB/RGB grains include an Fe‐rich crystalline olivine with an Fe‐sulfide inclusion and a chemically zoned olivine grain that also contains an Fe‐oxide rim. The grains derived from SNe include two polycrystalline assemblages with structures that overlap with both olivine and pyroxene, an assemblage composed of both a single crystal of forsterite and polycrystalline forsterite, and an orthopyroxene grain with an embedded Fe‐sulfide crystal. The thermodynamic origins of both AGB/RGB and SN grains are also diverse. The structure and compositions of two grains are consistent with equilibrium thermodynamic predictions of condensation, whereas four are not, suggesting formation through nonequilibrium or multistep processes. Our observations of presolar silicate grains suggest that the circumstellar envelopes of AGB/RGB stars and the ejecta of SNe can produce grains with comparable structures and compositions.