Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Distance Measurement by Neural Network Learning of Near-Field Microwave Reflection Spectra

Microwave-based distance measurements are limited depending on the sensing environment, such as the propagation medium and surrounding obstacles, and the complex environment also affects the measurement performance. To tackle this problem, we propose a method for predicting the distance based on the artificial neural network learning of near-field microwave reflection spectra. In principle, the spectral data is expected to contain a signature of the distance of the target object. Based on this, we proposed a two-step neural network to extend the measurable distance range while ensuring prediction performance. The first step is to predict the coarse range of the target by classification, and the next is to predict the precise distance value through multidimensional regression within that coarse range. The method was verified through experiments to predict the position of an object in an underwater environment, which was difficult to measure with conventional methods.
Robust Stabilization of Underactuated TORA System Based on Disturbance Observer and Fixed-Time Sliding Mode Control Method

A translational oscillator with a rotational actuator (TORA) is an underactuated nonlinear mechanical system with two degrees of freedom (DOF). This paper concerns the robust stabilization control problem for the system with multiple external disturbances. First, a disturbance observer is constructed based on the internal nonlinear dynamic behavior of the system. Second, a robust stabilization controller is designed by the estimated disturbances and the fixed-time sliding mode control method. The controller realizes the global robust stabilization control objective of the TORA system, and the stability of both disturbance observer and robust closed-loop control system are analyzed using the Lyapunov theorem. Finally, the effectiveness of the theoretical results are verified by numerical experiments.
Filling critical gaps in the space-time record of High Lava Plains and co-Columbia River Basalt Group rhyolite volcanism

Miocene rhyolitic volcanism of eastern Oregon, USA, can be divided into two main episodes. Mantle plume upwelling is thought to have generated Columbia River Basalt Group (CRBG) lavas and coeval >16.5−15 Ma silicic volcanism trending north−south from northeast Oregon to northern Nevada. Rhyolite volcanism of the 12−0 Ma High Lava Plains province has been ascribed to either buoyancy-driven westward plume spreading or to slab rollback and mantle convection spanning from southeast Oregon to Newberry Volcano to the west. The apparent ca. 15−12 Ma eruptive hiatus suggests that rhyolites of these provinces were a product of separate processes, yet this gap was based on incomplete data. The lack of data on ∼33 of the total ∼50 rhyolitic eruptive centers in the area where the two provinces overlap (117−119°W, 43−44°N) yields only tenuous relationships between these two provinces. We acquired 40Ar/39Ar ages for 29 previously unanalyzed rhyolite centers that confirm the existence of a rhyolitic eruptive episode concurrent with CRBG flood basalt volcanism. Rhyolite eruptions gradually initiated at ca. 17.5 Ma, and our new ages indicate that peak intensity of the first eruptive episode occurred between 16.3 Ma and 14.4 Ma. We refine the ca. 15−12 Ma rhyolitic eruptive hiatus to 14.4−12.1 Ma, where strong recommencement of rhyolite eruptions began with Beatys Butte at 12.05 Ma. We find two prominent fluxes in rhyolitic eruptive activity after 12.1 Ma as opposed to one continuous, age-progressive trend, at 12.1−9.6 Ma and 7.7−5.1 Ma, which are separated by an ∼2 m.y. period of decreased rhyolite volcanism. Rhyolite eruptions were scarce after 5.1 Ma, at which point most eruptions were associated with Newberry Volcano. Periodicity of rhyolite volcanism along the High Lava Plains demands more punctuated basalt inputs than what continuous partial melting from west-spreading plume material should generate. Our new data suggest that regional rhyolite eruptions are a series of episodic events related to the arrival and storage of mafic mantle magmas. Paucity in rhyolite eruptions from 14.4 Ma to 12.1 Ma is related to decreased flux of CRBG flood basalt magmas at ca. 15 Ma. Strong recommencement of rhyolite volcanism at 12.1 Ma is related to continued Northwest Basin and Range extension and a peak rotation rate of Siletzia affecting regional lithosphere weakened by CRBG volcanism. Waning rhyolitic eruptive activity from ca. 9.6 Ma to 7.7 Ma reflects a regional transition in the primary mode of accommodation of extension from Northwest Basin and Range normal faulting to extension and shearing of the Brothers Fault Zone. Rhyolite volcanism between 7.7 Ma and 5.1 Ma was driven by continued regional extension in an area less affected by CRBG magmatism. Post-5.1 Ma rhyolite eruptions occurred within crust not influenced by CRBG magmatism but impacted by both regional extension and the Cascadia subduction zone.
The Utilization of Physiologically Active Molecular Components of Grape Seeds and Grape Marc

Nutritional interventions may highly contribute to the maintenance or restoration of human health. Grapes (Vitis vinifera) are one of the oldest known beneficial nutritional components of the human diet. Their high polyphenol content has been proven to enhance human health beyond doubt in statistics-based public health studies, especially in the prevention of cardiovascular disease and cancer. The current review concentrates on presenting and classifying polyphenol bioactive molecules (resveratrol, quercetin, catechin/epicatechin, etc.) available in high quantities in Vitis vinifera grapes or their byproducts. The molecular pathways and cellular signaling cascades involved in the effects of these polyphenol molecules are also presented in this review, which summarizes currently available in vitro and in vivo experimental literature data on their biological activities mostly in easily accessible tabular form. New molecules for different therapeutic purposes can also be synthesized based on existing polyphenol compound classes available in high quantities in grape, wine, and grape marc. Therefore an overview of these molecular structures is provided. Novel possibilities as dendrimer nanobioconjugates are reviewed, too. Currently available in vitro and in vivo experimental literature data on polyphenol biological activities are presented in easily accessible tabular form. The scope of the review details the antidiabetic, anticarcinogenic, antiviral, vasoprotective, and neuroprotective roles of grape-origin flavonoids. The novelty of the study lies in the description of the processing of agricultural by-products (grape seeds and skins) of industrial relevance, and the detailed description of the molecular mechanisms of action. In addition, the review of the clinical therapeutic applications of polyphenols is unique as no summary study has yet been done.
Re-viewing the woman as fan: an examination of the narrative framing of the women in cinematic adaptations of Nick Hornby’s fever pitch

Abstract Nick Hornby’s memoir, Fever Pitch (1992) is pivotal in deepening our understanding of the experience of the western male football (soccer) fan and has received proportionate academic scrutiny. In contrast, its two film adaptations have received very little. Significantly, these adaptations, one football (1997 UK), one baseball (2005 US), foreground a heterosexual romantic relationship and weight the success of this relationship with a woman whose character is transformed from uninitiated to deeply connected, ‘authentic’ fan. Yet, this transformative experience can be seen to undermine, or delegitimize, the fandom of women in sports domains. Where studies of women as fans in film and literature are limited and studies of the women in the central roles in Hornby’s sports’ texts even more so, this paper seeks to situate women as ‘real fans’ in fictional narratives alongside those in other emergent forms of contemporary sporting fandom.
Wave Height and Horizon Dip

A mariner who takes the height of the sun or a star to find his position at sea, must correct his observation for horizon dip. Throughout history, dip values have been tabulated based on the idealized assumption of a perfectly flat sea. Literature on wave height correction for dip is scarce, especially in the Western part of the world and suggested procedures are often conflicting or incorrect. We investigate the effect of wave height on the apparent horizon for realistic wave height distributions by optical ray tracing methods and show that there are two eye height corrections: one representing the apparent rise of the horizon itself and the second when sights are selectively taken from wave crests. Tables and formulas for dip and horizon distance taking wave height into account are presented.
South African Youth and the Labor Market

South Africa continues to be marked by high youth unemployment. This paper investigates youth labor market perspectives in northern South Africa in the light of data from the Livelihoods, Religion and Youth Survey. In addition to standard explanatory variabless of labor market outcomes, it explores whether the ‘soft’ factors of social capital and religion might contribute to youth’s labor market success. Methodologically, the study draws on descriptive statistics and the estimation of linear probability models. The results indicate that religious social capital goes along with improved labor market success, while there is no indication in the data that (non-religious) social capital or religiosity are positively correlated with labor market performance among the youth in the sample. The social capital created in religious communities seems to contribute to youth labor market success. Further research should investigate how these structures can serve as models for the improvement of government interventions aiming at improving youth labor market outcomes. Moreover, the results are in line with the findings of previous research on spatial mismatches in the labor market and highlight the need for job creation, particularly in rural areas.
The Yeast Fermentation Effect on Content of Bioactive, Nutritional and Anti-Nutritional Factors in Rapeseed Meal

The aim of this study was to evaluate the changes in the content of bioactive, nutritional and anti-nutritional factors in rapeseed meal that was fermented with Saccharomyces cerevisiae or Saccharomyces boulardii yeasts at two different periods of time, for improvement of nutritional characteristics in piglets’ feeding. The fermentation has reduced the content of two anti-nutritional factors, intact glucosinolates and 3-butyl isothiocyanate, by 51.60–66.04% and 55.21–63.39%, respectively, by fermentation with either Saccharomyces cerevisiae or Saccharomyces boulardii for 24 h. The fermentation by these yeasts also lowered the content of total polyphenolic compounds by 21.58–23.55% and antioxidant activity (DPPH) by 17.03–21.07%. Furthermore, the content of carbohydrates and organic acids has dramatically decreased between 89.20 and 98.35% and between 31.48 and 77.18%, respectively. However, the content of some individual phenolic acids (gallic, p-coumaric, sinapic) and crude protein content (10–13%) has been increased. Thus, the results showed that fermentation with Saccharomyces cerevisiae or Saccharomyces boulardii has reduced the content of antinutritive factors and increased the protein content of the rapeseed meal, without major adverse effects on its overall nutritive value.
The Colours of Octopus: Using Spectral Data to Measure Octopus Camouflage

No animal can so effectively camouflage in such a wide range of environments as the octopus. Thanks to their highly malleable skin, they are capable of adapting their body patterns to the brightness and texture of their immediate environment, and they often seemingly match the colour of background objects. However, octopuses are colour-blind as their eyes have only one type of visual pigment. Therefore, chromatophores in their skin are likely to respond to changes in brightness, not chromaticity. To determine whether octopuses actually match background colours, we used a SpectraScan® PR-655 spectroradiometer to measure the reflectance spectra of Octopus tetricus skin in captivity. The spectra were compared with those of green algae, brown algae, and sponges—all of these being colourful objects commonly found in the octopus’s natural environment. Even though we show that octopuses change both lightness and chromaticity, allowing them to potentially camouflage in a wide range of backgrounds in an effective manner, the overall octopus colours did not reach the same level of saturation compared to some background objects. Spectra were then modelled under the visual systems of four potential octopus predators: one dichromatic fish (Heller’s barracuda), two trichromatic fish (blue-spotted stingray and two-spotted red snapper), and one tetrachromatic bird (wedge-tailed shearwater). We show that octopuses are able to match certain background colours for some visual systems. How a colour-blind animal is capable of colour-matching is still unknown.
Star formation in galaxies hosting Active Galactic Nuclei up to z~1

We review recent evidence for a clear association between accretion onto supermassive black holes and star formation up to z~1 in the zCOSMOS survey. Star formation rates (SFRs) are determined from the [OII] emission-line strength and a correction for the AGN contribution. We find that SFRs of X-ray selected AGN span a distribution of 1-100 solar masses per year and evolve in a manner that is indistinguishable from that of massive, star-forming galaxies. The close relationship between AGN activity and star formation is further supported by an increase in the AGN fraction with bluer rest-frame colors (U-V); we further illustrate how the location of AGNs in a color-magnitude diagram can be misleading in luminosity-limited samples due to the dependence of AGN activity on the stellar mass and the low mass-to-light ratios of blue cloud galaxies. To conclude, our results support a co-evolutionary scenario up to z~1 based on the constancy with redshift of the ratio between mass accretion rate and SFR.
A new knowledge-guided multi-objective optimisation for the multi-AGV dispatching problem in dynamic production environments

ABSTRACT The efficiency of material supply for workstations using Automatic Guided Vehicles (AGVs) is largely determined by the performance of the AGV dispatching scheme. This paper proposes a new solution approach for the AGV dispatching problem (AGVDP) for material replenishment in a general manufacturing workshop where workstations are in a matrix layout, and where uncertainty in replenishment time of workstations and stochastic unloading efficiencies of AGVs are dynamic contextual factors. We first extend the literature proposing a mixed integer optimisation model with a delivery satisfaction soft constraint of material orders and two objectives: transportation costs and delivery time deviation. We then develop a new knowledge-guided estimation of distribution algorithm with delivery satisfaction evaluation for solving the model. Our algorithm fuses three knowledge-guided strategies to enhance optimisation capabilities at its respective execution stages. Comprehensive numerical experiments with instances built from a real-world scenario validate the proposed model and algorithm. Results demonstrate that the new algorithm outperforms three popular multi-objective evolutionary algorithms, a discrete version of a recent multi-objective particle swarm optimisation, and a multi-objective estimation of distribution algorithm. Findings of this work provide major implications for workshop management and algorithm design.
Study of the bacteria - encapsulating agent interaction in microencapsulation of probiotics

An increasing number of microorganisms have been applied in the food industry, by incorporation in food products, in the development of probiotic ingredients and supplements, among others. This industrial use usually depends on preservation methods through dehydration, in order to ensure better metabolic activity. On the other hand, drying can cause loss of viability mainly due to cellular damage caused by this process. To avoid them, we can mention the use of microencapsulation, an important technique to improve bacterial stability during processing and application in food matrices. Thus, the objective of this thesis was to review the scientific literature on the microencapsulation of microorganisms, with a main focus on probiotics and the main encapsulating agents used by the lyophilization and spray dryer method. In this scenario, lactic acid bacteria stand out, which have been increasingly chosen in research and applications in food, especially in dairy products. Thus, in the first work, already published, a general review was carried out on microencapsulation of probiotic bacteria, focusing on spray drying and the main encapsulating agents cited in the literature for this encapsulation method. It was observed that in the literature the authors increasingly seek to optimize the production of dehydrated microbial cultures, which makes it necessary to know about the encapsulating materials and the main available and applicable methods. At the same time, they cite the need for more research, mainly to understand the protective effect, in order to guide the choice of conditions to be used in microencapsulation. Therefore, the second work brings a denser review of the literature, having as main focus the microencapsulation of lactic acid bacteria by lyophilization and spray dryer. In this article, the main hypotheses found in the literature about the negative effect of bacterial dehydration are discussed, as well as the protective action of carbohydrates, proteins and lipids used as encapsulating agents. To investigate the theories discussed, physicochemical analytical methods are suggested, in order to aid in the understanding of microencapsulation, together with microbiological methods already commonly used.Keywords: Microorganisms. Food. Viability. Drying. Spray dryer.
Representing Cattle Farming around the World: A Conceptual and Holistic Framework for Environmental and Economic Impact Assessment

Around the world, cattle farming systems are diverse and lead to diverse environmental and socio-economic consequences. To assess these consequences, the diversity of cattle farming needs to be represented. A conceptual framework based on three inter-linked concepts (management types, animal profiles and lineage groups) is proposed resulting in two typologies, and tested on cattle systems in Kenya. The management type typology provides an understanding of the cattle farming practices across the world. Animal profiles, defined by the animal’s age and sex, and used together with management types, serve as a convenient unit for the analysis of feed use, environmental impacts, animal functions, and costs. Lineage groups bring together cattle and their progeny, making it possible to account for movements across management types and for all co-productions in impact assessments. The illustration on Kenya showed the completeness of the framework, the availability of management-type characteristics, and also the lack of precise data on shares of lineage groups and management types. The conceptual framework developed here should render it possible to capture and compare the multiple characteristics and functions of cattle farming around the world, including their environmental impact, which currently is a major issue for the global livestock sector.
Benchmarking of Various LiDAR Sensors for Use in Self-Driving Vehicles in Real-World Environments

In this paper, we report on our benchmark results of the LiDAR sensors Livox Horizon, Robosense M1, Blickfeld Cube, Blickfeld Cube Range, Velodyne Velarray H800, and Innoviz Pro. The idea was to test the sensors in different typical scenarios that were defined with real-world use cases in mind, in order to find a sensor that meet the requirements of self-driving vehicles. For this, we defined static and dynamic benchmark scenarios. In the static scenarios, both LiDAR and the detection target do not move during the measurement. In dynamic scenarios, the LiDAR sensor was mounted on the vehicle which was driving toward the detection target. We tested all mentioned LiDAR sensors in both scenarios, show the results regarding the detection accuracy of the targets, and discuss their usefulness for deployment in self-driving cars.
Mixed phases during the phase transitions

Quest for a new form of matter inside compact stars compels us to examine the thermodynamical properties of the phase transitions. We closely consider the first-order phase transitions and the phase equilibrium on the basis of the Gibbs conditions, taking the liquid-gas phase transition in asymmetric nuclear matter as an example. Characteristic features of the mixed phase are figured out by solving the coupled equations for mean-fields and densities of constituent particles self-consistently within the Thomas-Fermi approximation. The mixed phase is inhomogeneous matter composed of two phases in equilibrium; it takes a crystalline structure with a unit of various geometrical shapes, inside of which one phase with a characteristic shape, called "pasta", is embedded in another phase by some volume fraction. This framework enables us to properly take into account the Coulomb interaction and the interface energy, and thereby sometimes we see the mechanical instability of the geometric structures of the mixed phase. Thermal effect on the liquid-gas phase transition is also elucidated. Similarly hadron-quark deconfinement transition is studied in hyperonic matter, where the neutrino-trapping effect as well as the thermal effect is discussed in relation to the properties of the mixed phase. Specific features of the mixed phase are elucidated and the equation of state is presented.
Conformational Preference of Flavonols and Its Effect on the Chemical Properties Involved in Radical Scavenging Activity

Flavonols are compounds with radical-scavenging activities that can prevent the harmful effects of free radicals. Their radical-scavenging activity has attracted significant attention. Recently, quantum chemistry-based methodologies have significantly improved the understanding of the activity due to dramatic increases in computational power and software improvements. A standardized analysis method for estimating radical scavenging activity, the quantum mechanics-based test for overall free radical scavenging activity (QM-ORSA), has been proposed. An obstacle in applying the QM-ORSA protocol to flavonols is the large number of conformers and hydroxy groups for analysis. In this study, we focused on it and analyzed the conformational dependences of three flavonols (myricetin, quercetin, and kaempferol) on their chemical properties: bond dissociation energy, pKa, and ionization energy. As a result, all chemical properties were insensitive to conformational differences. The conformational search should be performed separately for each in the gas phase and in aqueous solution because of the differences in the major conformer (relative population of each conformer). These results suggest that it is important to perform the conformational search separately in water and in the gas phase and to determine one representative structure for analyzing radical scavenging activity.