Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Image registration for an imaging system on-board fast moving military vehicle

We present an image registration algorithm based on the area-correlation method. Image registration is indispensable for moving target detection and tracking with the infra-red search and tracker (IRST). In our approach to image registration, displacements between frames are obtained using the area correlation, and then, the search image is rectified to the reference image by compensating displacements. Detection of a moving target is achieved by the frame difference method. The proposed algorithm has been tested with real image data, and we observe that the proposed algorithm is able to compensate the displacement of two images in that we get only a few detection points when we subtract two registered images.
Evolução e tendências das teorias de adoção e aceitação de novas tecnologias

Teorias de adoção e aceitação de tecnologias procuram examinar fatores que influenciam o consumidor a adquirir ou aceitar um produto. As tecnologias são desenvolvidas, evoluem, mas para sobreviver, uma fase do seu ciclo de vida é a aceitação. Dessa forma, diferentes teorias estudam esse tema sob diferentes olhares: Teoria de Difusão da Inovação, Teoria da Ação Racional, Teoria do Comportamento Planejado, Modelo de Aceitação de Tecnologia, Modelo de Aceitação de Tecnologia 2, Modelo de Aceitação de Tecnologia 3 e Teoria Unificada da Aceitação e Utilização da Tecnologia. Assim, o objetivo deste artigo foi analisar a evolução das teorias de adoção e aceitação de novas tecnologias. Foi empregado o método SystematicSearchFlow (SSF), com a análise de 145 artigos. Os resultados mostram que as teorias iniciais se preocupavam com o indivíduo ou características do produto com relação à utilidade, facilidade e qualidade. As teorias mais recentes exploraram aspectos como o desempenho e eficácia, direcionando novos estudos para essa perspectiva.
A study of spatial power combiners using tile or tray configurations of active planar arrays

A study of spatial power combiners employing tile or tray configurations of active planar arrays is presented. Following a short introduction concerning steps leading to the emergence of space-level combiners, a comparison between the two alternative combining structures is performed with respect to issues such as ease of manufacturing, integration with signal launching/receiving devices, operational bandwidth and heat removal.
A central inventory of storage and other technologies to defer distribution upgrades-optimization and economics

The authors examine some alternatives available to postpone the upgrading of distribution facilities such as upgrading a transformer in a substation, or reconductoring a power line. This concept of distributed utility installation examines alternative technologies from a central inventory to be wheeled into a substation, operated for a few months and moved to a different substation if conditions warrant. The economics of holding portable energy storage units to postpone transformer upgrades are examined for their optimum size, using the distribution system of a utility in a large metropolitan area as an example. The optimization method uses a dynamic program. This analysis is also applicable to other technologies such as flywheel energy storage, photovoltaic generation or fuel cells.
Integrating agile development methodologies into the project capstone - a case study

Regardless of program concentration (System Development or Information Security), all four-year degree Information Systems & Technology majors at Weber State University (WSU) in Ogden, Utah, are required to take the capstone project management course. Not only does this mean student preparation levels in system development are uneven due to program emphasis but with recent changes in the Weber curriculum, students have mixed backgrounds in development methodology spanning SA/SD and OOAD. This case study describes an attempt to use an agile methodology to bridge the differences in background by focusing on a common set of analysis, design, and implementation artifacts.
Changes of food consumption in adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic according to socioeconomic status

The expansion of the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil has further evidenced the discrepancy between different social realities of the country, and it may have also impacted eating practices, including those of adolescents. Objective: To evaluate the eating practices of Brazilian adolescents according to socioeconomic status, during the period of social isolation. Method: In this cross-sectional study, demographic, dietary and socioeconomic data were collected from 676 adolescents from all regions of Brazil through an online questionnaire. Associations between social strata and food pattern, food frequency, and changes in food consumption were analyzed by univariate and multivariable logistic regression models. Results: During the COVID-19 pandemic, adolescents in the upper-middle class were more likely to consume milk (p < 0.001), vegetables (p = 0.004), fruits (p < 0.001), and sweets. In contrast, adolescents from the working-lower classes were 53% less likely to eat regular lunch (OR = 0.47, p < 0.001) and 50% more likely to replace large meals by snacks (OR = 1.50, p = 0.03). When assessing the change in food consumption in this period, adolescents from the lower-lower classes were 1.5 to 2 times more likely to increase consumption of sugary drinks (OR:1.71; p = 0.003), fried snacks (OR:1.73, p = 0.005), and ultra-processed foods (OR:1.54, p = 0.02) in comparison with the other social classes. Conclusion: These results suggest a higher risk of unhealthy food consumption among adolescents from lower social classes and can be used as a basis for policies to address the pandemic.
Localization for a Rescue Robot Based on NDT Scan Matching

This paper studied the localization problem for a rescue robot based on laser scan matching and extended Kalman filtering (EKF). Scan matching method based on normal distribution transform (NDT) can avoid hard feature extraction problem by estimation of the probability distribution of laser scan data and localization can be achieved using correlation of the NDT. Based on NDT scan matching, the NDT-EKF algorithm is proposed , which realizes fast and precise localization in rescue environment by fusing odometery data and scan matching together. The NDT-EKF algorithm has been extensively tested and experimental results show its effectiveness and robustness.
Análisis forense de un motor diesel

In this work, the root causes that generated longitudinal cracks on the internal wall of liners on a V12 turbocharged diesel engine, used for oil pumping, are presented. During a maintenance inspection of the engine, a water leak was discovered inside of engine's liner. Laboratory analysis revealed that the internal surface of the liner displayed cavities near the top dead center, which ended in both stress concentration and crack nucleation.
Determinants of care-seeking behaviour for fever, acute respiratory infection and diarrhoea among children under five in Nigeria

Background Despite available, inexpensive and effective treatments, malaria, diarrhoea, and pneumonia still contribute the majority of the global burden of childhood morbidity and mortality. Nigeria has the highest absolute numbers of child deaths worldwide. Appropriate care-seeking is important for prompt diagnosis, appropriate and timely treatment, and prevention of complications. The objective of this cross-sectional study was to examine the prevalence of and factors associated with appropriate care-seeking for childhood illnesses. Methods We used the most recent Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (2018) to assess the prevalence of appropriate care-seeking among mothers of children under five with symptoms of common childhood illnesses. For diarrhoea, we defined appropriate care-seeking as seeking care from a formal health provider. For fever and acute respiratory infection (ARI), appropriate care-seeking was defined as seeking care from a formal provider the day of or after symptom onset. Multivariate logistic regression was carried out to assess factors associated with optimal care-seeking for each illness. Results At least 25% of parents did not seek any care for children with fever or ARI; this figure was over one third for diarrhoea. Only 15% and 13% of caregivers showed appropriate care-seeking for their children with fever and ARI respectively, and 27% of mothers sought care from a formal provider for diarrhoea. Predictors of appropriate care-seeking varied according to childhood illness. Previous facility delivery was the only risk factor associated with increased odds of appropriate care-seeking for all three illnesses; other risk factors varied between illnesses. Conclusion Overall, care-seeking for childhood illnesses was suboptimal among caregivers in Nigeria. Interventions to increase caregivers’ awareness of the importance of appropriate care-seeking are needed alongside quality of care interventions that reinforce people’s trust in formal health facilities, to improve timely care-seeking and ultimately reduce the high burden of child deaths in Nigeria.
Deflection monitoring and assessment for a suspension bridge using a connected pipe system: a case study in China

This paper discusses the application of a connected pipe system (CPS) to a suspension bridge in China for the purpose of vertical deflection monitoring and assessment. The CPS mainly consists of three main parts: the pressure transmitters to detect the height change of liquid, the pipes to connect the reference point and measurement points, and the liquid to fill the connected pipes. Multiple pressure transmitters, taken as the measurement point, were mounted inside of the girder. A reference transmitter was mounted inside of a tower, taken as a fixed point. To verify the performance and reliability of the CPS, a controlled load test after the completion of the bridge construction and an uncontrolled load test under the actual traffic loading were carried out. The results showed that the CPS exhibited excellent capability in real‐time measurement of vertical deflection of the suspension bridge. With the long‐term deflection data monitored by the CPS, the extreme deflections with respect to vehicle loads were predicted by extreme value analysis. The generalized extreme value distribution was adopted to establish the probability models of the daily maximum and minimum deflection sequences, and then the extreme deflections within the design reference period of 100 years were determined based on the probability models. Comparison of the extreme deflections and the deflection thresholds was carried out. The deflection monitoring and assessment method proposed in this paper have shown high potential of applicability in the practice of health monitoring for long‐span bridges. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Excellent survival after R‐Hyper‐CVAD in hospitalized patients with high‐risk large B‐cell lymphoma: The Karolinska experience

Patients with high‐risk aggressive B‐cell lymphoma exhibit poor survival after R‐CHOP. More intensive regimens yield higher rates of remission but also of complication. We investigated all 401 patients < 70 years with high‐risk (age‐adjusted [aa] international prognostic index [IPI] ≥2, extranodal, or bulky) aggressive B‐cell lymphoma hospitalized at Karolinska for urgent start of immunochemotherapy (129 R‐Hyper‐CVAD; 261 R‐CHOP/R‐CHOEP). Patients showed IPI 3–5 (70%), WHO PS ≥2 (49%), bulky disease (70%), extranodal (75%) and CNS (8%) involvement. Five‐year overall/progression‐free survival (OS/PFS) was better in patients who started R‐Hyper‐CVAD (84%/77%) compared with R‐CHOP/R‐CHOEP (66%/55%). Differences were independent in multivariable analysis, seen in all patient categories, and accentuated in extreme high‐risk disease: R‐Hyper‐CVAD vs. R‐CHOP/R‐CHOEP showed 5‐year PFS 69% vs.40% in aaIPI 3 and 88% vs. 38% in CNS involvement. For validation, survival was compared between the two Karolinska sites and calendar periods. Survival was superior 2006–2010 at the site that introduced R‐Hyper‐CVAD/R‐MA 2006, identical at both sites 2011–2017 after the other site adopted R‐Hyper‐CVAD/R‐MA 2011, and excellent 2018–2020 when R‐Hyper‐CVAD/R‐MA use increased to 75% of patients. Despite considerable toxicity, also patients aged 61–69 years showed better survival with R‐Hyper‐CVAD/R‐MA. This is the largest single‐centre series of patients treated with R‐Hyper‐CVAD/R‐MA, showing favourable outcome in high‐risk aggressive B‐cell lymphoma.
Elaboration of pâté using fish residues

Knowing the potential of fish waste for the preparation of pâtés, there is the possibility of adding greater sustainability to the aquaculture sector. The aim was to prepare pâtés from fish processing residues with the inclusion of smoked fishmeal and evaluate their sensory, microbiological, physicochemical, and shelf-life characteristics. Three treatments were used: pâté without fishmeal inclusion (PSF), with smoked salmon carcass meal inclusion (PFSD), and smoked tilapia carcass meal (PFTD). The inclusion of the flours reduced the moisture, carbohydrate, and water activity. However, they increased the ash, salt, and collagen content. The lipid content was higher for the PFSD. The PSF showed peak oxidation at 15 days and the PFSD and PFTD around 45 days over the course of the 90-day shelf-life. The luminosity and b* coordinate were lower for PFTD, while the a* coordinate was higher for PFSD. Only the b* coordinate showed changes in PSF and PFSD throughout the 30 days of shelf-life, and its color tended to yellow at 15 days. The sensory analysis did not differ statistically between treatments (p > 0.05) for all attributes, except color, where the highest score was attributed to PSF. As for the overall impression, PSF also obtained the highest score, which may be associated with its color. By including fish flours, the nutritional composition and color of the tilapia-trimmed pâtés are changed, achieving an average acceptance level of 67%.
The Importance of Educating Girls and Women in Sciences

For the past decades, focus on attaining gender equality in science education has attracted a lot of attention. Governments and international community believe that girls’/women’s science education is a worthwhile investment; it has many direct effects on economic growth and human welfare. In this chapter, we discuss this view as a tool for development as well as the moral aspect of creating equality. We focus on what practically is being done to promote girls’/women’s science education and why their participation continues to be low despite many efforts and heavy investment.
Role of Ultrasonography and power Doppler of Wrist and Hand Joints in Diagnosis of Early Symptomatic Cases of Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis disease is a chronic inflammatory disease, character­ized by development of synovitis, which damages cartilage, bone, ligaments and tendons. High resolution ultrasound has become an established imaging technique for the diagnosis and follow-up of patients with rheumatoid arthritis Objective: The study was conducted on early symptomatic cases of Rheumatoid Arthritis that referred to Radiology out clinic in Qena General Hospital, to evaluate the role of gray scale ultrasound and power Doppler in the diagnosis. Patients and methods: The total numberwas30 patients, 25 females and 5 males suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. Patients examined by GE LOGIQ P5 ultrasound machine using a near focused linear array transducer with color Doppler and by Plain X ray radiographs. Results: Results showed the following: Synovial thickening was detected in 22 patients (73%), active synovitis was detected by Doppler US in 13 patients (43%), Effusion was detected in 15 patients (50 %), and Bone erosions were detected in 5 patients (17%) and X-ray finding was detected in 4 patients (13 %). Conclusion: HRUS with PD is an efficient technique to assessment of (RA) patient and evaluation of vascularity, differentiate between inactive and active synovial hypertrophy and has the potential role in diagnosis, assessment and follow up of the patients with RA therapy.
Desktop virtual reality interface for computer aided conceptual design using geometric techniques

This paper presents a virtual reality (VR)-based computer-aided design (CAD) system for conceptual design by applying VR interfaces and geometric modelling techniques to improve the human computer interaction. The research has studied the human factors for designing an intuitive computer-aided design system. The results and experiences have led to a deeper understanding of the limitation of current CAD tools that are used for conceptual design and the requirements for the VR-based CAD system so the design activities that define the user interfaces of VR-based CAD system can be determined. The system uses a CyberGlove, developed by Virtual Technology Inc., as an input device so that conceptual designers are allowed full freedom to use different kinds of gestures to conduct various geometric shape operations instead of depending solely on keyboard and two-dimensional mouse. The implemented shape modelling techniques offered by the system include destruction, construction, and novel techniques for freeform feature creation and modification. The system operates on the Windows NT platform and hence inherits a number of Windows operating styles. It provides a friendly human-computer interactive mechanism, especially for those users who are familiar with the Windows operating system. The VR-based user interfaces are superior and better match the human sensory capabilities than those that are dependent on conventional keyboard and mouse input devices.
Review of Standards, Best Practice, Testing and Calibration in Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) 1

SUMMARY Surveyors as professionals must fulfil certain legal, regulatory and/or accuracy requirements for their clients. Typically they will strive to do this in an optimal cost effective way and with the most appropriate equipment for the job at hand. Naturally it requires a good understanding and assurance in the instrumentation employed. Clients want the most from what they pay for. Legislative authorities as well as private and public companies require confidence that the services rendered are in conformity with globally accepted best practice rules. Generally this involves the application of internationally recognized standards. Considerable efforts have been made concerning testing in the field of surveying. In particular the ISO standard 17123 parts 1 through 8 concerning levels, theodolites, EDM’s, total stations and most recently GNSS field measurement systems in real time kinematic (RTK); have been published. Instrument manufacturers often quote these standards when making reference to their instruments precision. Each of the ISO 17123 standards prescribes test procedures aimed at determining if the instrument is functioning correctly and qualifying its precision and performance. This paper provides a general overview of standards, best practice, testing and calibration related to GNSS.
Nyctinastic herbs decoction improves para-chlorophenylalanine-induced insomnia by regulating the expression level of neurotransmitters

Background As traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), nyctinastic herbs have been used in treating insomnia in China since ancient times according to its similar circadian rhythm as human beings. However, the pharmacodynamic characteristics and mechanism of these herbs have not been explored in depth. Methods In the study, we chose He Huan Pi (Albizia julibrissin Durazz.), Ye Jiao Teng (Polygonum multiflorum Thunb.), Bai He (Lilium brownie F. E. Brown var. viridulum Baker), and Lianzi (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn) to form a TCM compound decoction [nyctinastic herb decoction (NHD)] and to investigate its sedative and hypnotic effect on para-chlorophenylalanine (PCPA)-induced insomnia rodents by pentobarbital-induced sleep test (PIST), behavior test [including locomotor activity (LMA), forced swim test (FST), tail suspension test (TST)] and electroencephalograph (EEG). The expression of neurotransmitters were detected to explain the possible mechanism of NHD. Results NHD was found to have good sedative effects on reducing the moving distance, prolonging sleep time, improving the sleep quality and depression status. NHD attenuated the insomniac effect of PCPA by increasing the level of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), and reducing the level of dopamine (DA), norepinephrine (NE), acetylcholine (ACh) in the hypothalamus. Conclusions The findings of the present study confirmed the sedative and hypnotic effect of NHD, and clarified its possible mechanism from neurotransmitters.
The Role of Ethical Environment in Reducing Escalation of Commitment Bias

Several empirical studies have shown that decision makers tend to experience an escalation of commitment bias, namely a tendency to continue investment projects that are less profitable, even though there is information of the less profitable project performance and that other available alternative investment opportunities are more profitable in the future. This study aims to improve the manager's decision making behavior model by considering the ethical environment as one of the factors that influence investment project evaluation decisions. More specifically, this study empirically examines the ethical environment as a strategy to reduce the tendency for escalation of commitment behavior. This study uses a laboratory experimental method with a 2 x 2 factorial experimental design between subject with adverse selection (present / absent) and ethical environment (strong / weak). The research sample consisted of 246 undergraduate and postgraduate students in Accounting and Management who acted as investment project managers. Based on ANOVA analysis results, it shows that managers who experience adverse selection conditions tend to continue unfavorable projects (conduct escalation of commitment). In addition, the results of this study also show that the tendency of managers to end investment projects that are not profitable for managers who are in a condition of a strong ethical environment will be greater when they experience adverse selection conditions compared to when they do not experience it.
Characterization of mask CD mean-to-target for hotspot patterns by using SEM image contours and feed forward intra CDU by mask MTT

The mask CD mean-to-target (MTT) has been widely adopted as one of the key metrics for the mask quality control. As more aggressive optical proximity correction (OPC) is applied to push the resolution limit, traditional CDSEM measurement-based metrology is not sufficient to characterize mask CD MTT, especially for complicated 2D patterns. In this paper, we present the method of using SEM image contours for the characterization of mask CD MTT. The full flow includes contour extraction from mask SEM images, contour-to-contour alignment, contour averaging and edge placement error (EPE) measurement of mask image contour against the target. The OPC Verify engine is employed to give fast EPE check at closely packed sampling sites along the target. We apply this method to evaluate mask CD MTT for the hotspot patterns from two masks. The generated mask CD MTT distribution histograms and color maps demonstrate a good correlation with the wafer defect counts. As sub-nanometer feature dimensions are shrunk below 20nm, Mask error enhancement factor (MEEF) values grow rapidly. Thus keeping mask fingerprint good uniformity becomes a significant factor of printed CDU on the wafer. To address these problems, we propose a method to use yield limiting device patterns mask MTT to feed forward mask-based intra field CDU. Through this feed forward method, engineers could obtain preliminary CDU correction earlier than the traditional feed backward, basically before the mask arrived in factory. It will effectively economize manpower and appropriation budget.