Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Weighting function modification used for phase transform-based time delay estimation

Generalized cross-correlation is considered as the most straightforward time delay estimation algorithm. Depending on various weighting function, different methods were derived and a straightforward method, named phase transform (PHAT) has been widely used. PHAT is well-known for its robustness to reverberation and its sensitivity to noise, which is partly due to the fact that PHAT distributes same weights to the frequencies dominated by signal or noise. To alleviate this problem, two weighting functions are proposed in this paper. By taking a posteriori signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) into account to classify reliable and unreliable frequencies, different weights could be assigned. The first proposed weighting function borrows the idea of binary mask and distributes same weights to frequencies in same set, whereas, the second one assigns weights based on coherence function. Experiments showed the robustness of proposed methods to reverberation and noise for improving the performance of time delay estimation through various criteria.
Pengaruh Perceived Quality Dan Brand Image Terhadap Repurchase Intention dengan Customer Satisfiaction sebagai Variabel Intervening

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh perceived quality dan brand image terhadap repurchase intention melalui customer satisfaction sebagai variabel intervening. Populasi dalam penelitian ini adalah pengguna smartphone Vivo di Kabupaten Kebumen. Sampel penelitian sebanyak 100 orang dengan metode accidentiial sampling. Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah metode kuantitatif. Analisis data mengunakan analisis jalur dengan progam SPSS 25 dan sobel test. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukan bahwa perceived quality dan brand image berpengaruh terhadap customer satisfactions. Selanjutnya perceived quality, brand image dan customer satisfaction berpengaruh dan signifikan terhadap repurchase intention. Serta customer satisfaction dapat memediasi antara variabel perceived quality dan brand image terhadap repurchase intention.
A successful transmission probability based AP clustering scheme in user-centric cell-free networks

Cell-free network is a promising architecture with numerous merits in energy efficiency and macro diversity, which is easy and flexible to integrate with other communication technologies. However, its current network topology where access points (APs) are connected to a central processing unit (CPU) to jointly serve the users, causes huge burden to the fronthaul network. To deal with this problem, in this paper, we first combine thoughts in user-centric (UC) network where users are served by selected subset of APs. Then, we propose a successful transmission probability (STP) based AP clustering scheme to reduce the fronthaul capacity requirement (FCR). By using stochastic geometry and proper approximation methods, the approximated STP calculation expression is derived. Numerical simulations demonstrate that the obtained STP expression can provide a tight approximation compared to Monte Carlo simulation results under different system parameters while keeping the computation tractable. Furthermore, the relationship between the FCR and the STP threshold is formulated as a clustering optimization problem, which gives insights on clustering design in UC-CF network systems. We show by simulation results that the proposed scheme requires less fronthaul capacity than the original CF approach while ensuring the STP performance.
Ivermectin use on pastured livestock in Colombia: parasite resistance and impacts on the dung community

Ivermectin (IVM) has been the most widely used antiparasitic agent in veterinary medicine since it came to the market in 1981. In its risk assessment, the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) determined that, although it is very toxic to aquatic organisms, it is unlikely to contaminate watercourses from current applications registered for animal use. However, the effects of IVM on non-target invertebrate fauna can greatly impact grassland ecology. The economic loss from undegraded dung on lowering the quality of pastures and reducing the area of pasture available and palatable to livestock was $380 million for the American economy in 2003. We discuss selected aspects of IVM effects on non-target species, dung beetles in pastures. We do not consider confined or feedlot production. Ivermectin affects a highly beneficial and taxonomically diverse group inhabiting dung pats, including flies, parasitic wasps, and coprophilus and predatory dung beetles. Some studies show that dung from IVM-treated animals can remain in the pasture without noticeable signs of degradation for up to 340 days, while pats from untreated animals are almost completely degraded after 80 days. Field and laboratory studies have shown many invertebrates species are susceptible to IVM at concentrations well below those excreted in the feces of treated cattle IVM affects reproduction and development of coleopteran larvae at concentrations up to 10 times lower than cause mortality. In Colombia, at least 68 species of the subfamily Scarabaeinae have been identified in dung communities. Greater diversity of dung beetles is associated with forests and silvopastoral systems that incorporate native trees and provide habitats for survival. IVM should be used selectively on animals on pasture to minimize parasite resistance and effects on dung beetle communities and other nontarget invertebrate communities.
Is the mediated public open space a smart place? Relationships between urban landscapes and ICT – The cost action tu 1306 CyberParks

The main aim of this work is to rise the challenge of relentless growth of digital technologies into our daily life. Smart phones, smart watches, tablets, etc and Internet have become common tools is several fields of human activities, connecting, guiding, informing, and in a last stance making people interconnected and informed. Public open spaces (POS) (such as, parks, gardens, squares, plazas) would greatly benefit by this growing availability of relevant geolocated information. Therefore, our aim is to unfold two main questions: how can we use digital technologies to attract people to spend more time outdoors for a more active lifestyle; and what opportunities technology opens to increase knowledge about users and uses of public open spaces? The discussion is backed by experience exchanges carried out within the Cyberparks Project and articulates around the ICT potential to enhance communication among (potential) users, transforming public open spaces production an interactive process. Such improved interactivity, on a turn, enables creative community participation, empowerment and capacity building. Besides a discussion on the mobile technology for human interaction with spaces, this paper presents an overview of the possible technological benefits for users, policy makers, practitioners and planners.
New Feature Extraction Approaches Based on Spatial Points for Visual-Only Lip-Reading

The act of speaking takes place as a result of the joint use of both the senses of vision and hearing. The visual senses of the event of speech play an important role in lip-reading, especially when the sound is distorted or inaccessible. Visual-only-based lip-reading is a more difficult problem than audio-image-based lip-reading problems. In this study, three new spatial feature approaches to visual-only lip-reading are presented. To test the proposed feature extraction approaches, three datasets named AVLetters2 consisting of letters, AVDigits consisting of digits, and AVLetAVDig consisting of a combination of these two were used. First of all, the facial elements and lips were separated and the lip borders were marked with 20 points. Then, based on these spatial points, feature vectors were obtained with the feature approaches named Symmetric Euclidean Distance (SED), Central Euclidean Distance (CED), and Triple Points Angles (TPA). Extracted feature vectors were given to the CNN-LSTM network and 26 characters and 10 digits were tried to be estimated. As a result of the findings, the best success results for AVLetters2, AVDigits, and AVLetAVDig datasets were obtained by the SED+CNN+LSTM method as 53.2, 81.6, 59.8, respectively. When compared with the studies in the literature on the same data set, it was seen that very high and successful results were obtained.
A Mixed Methods Program Evaluation: Field Education Aimed at Improving Services for At-Risk Transition-Age Youth

ABSTRACT There has been an increasing focus on services aimed at engaging transition-age youth and emerging adults who are at risk of developing, or have developed, behavioral health disorders. However, a need remains for further development of specialized services for this population. This study evaluates a transition-age youth at risk (TYAR) training model within a Master of Social Work (MSW) program in New England. This convergent parallel mixed-method study collected student and field instructor data throughout each of the program’s three consecutive years (cohorts 1, 2, and 3). Students’ confidence related to working with TYAR clients increased over time within each cohort and throughout the program’s development. Opportunities and challenges for collaborative and iterative evaluations of MSW curriculums are discussed.
A Novel Smart Method for State Estimation in a Smart Grid Using Smart Meter Data

Smart grids have brought new possibilities in power grid operations for control and monitoring. For this purpose, state estimation is considered as one of the effective techniques in the monitoring and analysis of smart grids. State estimation uses a processing algorithm based on data from smart meters. The major challenge for state estimation is to take into account this large volume of measurement data. In this article, a novel smart distribution network state estimation algorithm has been proposed. The proposed method is a combined high-gain state estimation algorithm named adaptive extended Kalman filter (AEKF) using extended Kalman filter (EKF) and unscented Kalman filter (UKF) in order to achieve better intelligent utility grid state estimation accuracy. The performance index and the error are indicators used to evaluate the accuracy of the estimation models in this article. An IEEE 37-node test network is used to implement the state estimation models. The state variables considered in this article are the voltage module at the measurement nodes. The results obtained show that the proposed hybrid algorithm has better performance compared to single state estimation methods such as the extended Kalman filter, the unscented Kalman filter, and the weighted least squares (WLS) method.
Lobomycosis Epidemiology and Management: The Quest for a Cure for the Most Neglected of Neglected Tropical Diseases

Lobomycosis is a chronic disease caused by Lacazia loboi, which is endemic to the Amazon rainforest, where it affects forest dwellers in Brazil. There is no disease control program and no official therapeutic protocol. This situation contributes to an unknown disease prevalence and unmet needs of people disabled by this disease who seek access to treatment. This review provides an update on the subject with an emphasis on therapeutic advances in humans. All relevant studies that addressed epidemiology, diagnosis, or therapeutics of lobomycosis were considered. Seventy-one articles published between 1931 and 2021 were included for a narrative literature review on the epidemiology and quest for a cure. An effective therapy for lobomycosis has been found following decades of research led by the State Dermatology Program of Acre in the Amazon rainforest, where the largest number of cases occur. This discovery opened new avenues for future studies. The main recommendations here, addressed to the Brazilian Ministry of Health, are for lobomycosis to become a reportable disease to ensure that disease prevalence is measured, and that it be prioritized such that affected individuals may access treatment free-of-charge.
Recomendações Nacionais a Cateteres Periféricos: Análise do Conhecimento da Equipe de Enfermagem em um Hospital Universitário na Amazônia Brasileira

Objetivo: avaliar o conhecimento dos profissionais de enfermagem sobre as veias periféricas superiores (mão, antebraço e braços) para escolha do sítio de punção e as novas recomendações brasileiras sobre terapia infusional por cateter periférico. Método: estudo quantitativo, transversal, prospectivo realizado em três unidades de internação de um hospital universitário no norte do Brasil. Foram abordados profissionais da equipe enfermagem. Os dados foram descritos por frequência absoluta e relativa, desvio padrão e média aritmética, para a análise estatística foi utilizado o software EpiInfoTM, versão 7.2. 2.6 empregando-se o Teste G, com p valor < 0,005. Resultados: observou-se que o percentual de acertos nas categorias analisadas foi em sua maioria aceitável, principalmente os relacionados a higiene das mãos, seleção de cateter e cuidados com o sítio de inserção. Contudo, observou-se déficit de conhecimento nos itens relacionados as coberturas dos cateteres e avaliação dos cateteres periféricos em todos os profissionais. Adicionalmente, houve divergência de conhecimento entre as categorias profissionais nos itens referentes a estabilização (p=0.005) e remoção do dispositivo periférico (p=0.002), com maior nível de acertos entre os profissionais com maior nível de instrução. Conclusão: nota-se que ainda existem lacunas no conhecimento dos profissionais, indicando a necessidade de educação continuada para melhoria da assistência.
Effect of Variety and Practice of Cultivation on Yield of Spring Maize in Terai of Nepal

A field experiment was conducted in farmer’s field of MainaPokhar and Deudakala Village Development Committee in Bardiya District of Nepal. The objective of study was to identify the appropriate combination of variety and cultivation practice of maize in spring season. Two maize varieties Rajkumar (hybrid) and Arun2 (Open Pollinated Variety-OPV) were sown at the field of 6 different farmer’s field. The experimental plot design was Randomized Complete Block Design with 6 replication and 4 treatments considering each farmer as a replication. There were 4 treatment combinations consisting two varieties and two practice of cultivations namely P1V1 (improved practice + Rajkumar), P1V2 (Improved practice+Arun2), P2V1 (Farmers practice + Rajkumar) and P2V2 (Farmers practice + Arun2). Result showed a significant (P<0.01) differences among varieties. But no significant difference was found in yield by the interaction of variety and practice. The statistically analyzed results revealed that the effect of cultivation practice and their interaction effect on grain yield were found non-significant but the response of the variety were found highly significant difference on grain yield, where the Rajkumar variety produced the highest average grain yield of 5.13 t/ha. It indicated that Rajkumar variety performs better than Arun2 in both improved and farmers practice of cultivation. Maximum grain yield ranging from (3.17 to 7.25 t/ha) and (1.60 to 6.32 t/ha) was produced by Rajkumar in improved practice and farmers practice of cultivation respectively while minimum grain yield was found in Arun2 ranging from (0.95 to 4.43 t/ha) and (0.81 to 4.09 t/ha) in improved practice and farmers practice of cultivation respectively. P1V1 scored the highest score followed by P2V1, P1V2 and P2V2 in farmers’ preference ranking. Rajkumar variety cultivated with improved practice was found giving the best yield along with highest net return and Benefit Cost ratio of Rs. 30047.7 and 1.41 respectively.
A Wearable Olfactory Animal-Robot System Based on Wi-Fi Technology

Artificial olfactory system based on a telepresence rat was presented to record and decode neural activities from behaving rats for odorant detection. The Artificial olfactory system consists of two parts:( A) adult rat,and( B) a wearable wireless neural recording system( WNRS). The WNRS that constructed of a amplifier headstage,backpack board and user software is capable of transmitting up to 54 Mbit per second of raw streaming data using IEEE 802. 11 g protocol,and can examine and store 8 channels of captured neuronal firing data synchronously. Olfactory neural data are recorded and displayed in personal computer or i Pad,and then be analyzed offline with PCA algorithm to realize odor recognition.
Effects of CIK Cell Therapy Combined with Camrelizumab on the Quality of Life in Patients with Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma and Analysis of Prognostic Factors

Objective To investigate the effects of CIK (cytokine-induced killer) cell therapy combined with camrelizumab on the quality of life in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma and prognostic factors. Methods In this retrospective study, the materials of 80 patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma treated in our hospital (February 2017–February 2019) were retrospectively analyzed, and they were equalized into experimental group (n = 40) and control group (n = 40) according to the order of admission. Both groups received 200 mg of camrelizumab on day 1 combined with 10 mg of anrotinib from day 2 to day 4. The patients received the above program every 3 weeks and 4 treatment cycles. The experimental group also received CIK cell therapy simultaneously. The patients' quality of life, immune indexes, local control, metastasis, and survival rate were compared between the two groups, and the prognostic factors were analyzed by logistic analysis. Results Compared with the control group, the experimental group achieved much higher scores of physical well-being (18.38 ± 2.31), social/family well-being (16.40 ± 2.24), emotional well-being (15.35 ± 2.30), functional well-being (17.30 ± 2.20), and head and neck cancer subscale (15.40 ± 2.01, P < 0.001) and eminently better immune indexes (P < 0.001) after treatment. During the 24-month follow-up, there were 2 recurrent cases (5.0%) and 2 cases (5.0%) with distant metastasis among the 40 patients in the experimental group; there were 8 recurrent cases (20.0%) and 7 cases (17.5%) with distant metastasis among the 40 patients in the control group. In the experimental group, the median survival period was 18 months and the 2-year survival rate was 97.5% (39/40). In the control group, the median survival period was 14 months and the 2-year survival rate was 85.0% (34/40). Among the 80 patients, 7 cases (8.75%) died and 73 cases (91.25%) survived. After conducting the single-factor analysis, remarkable differences in the cases of IV stage, quality of life after treatment, and immune indexes after treatment between the survival group and the death group were observed (P < 0.05). According to the multiple-factor analysis, the clinical stage and immune indexes were identified as the prognostic factors. Conclusion CIK cell therapy combined with camrelizumab can enhance the life quality and immune function of the patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma, thus improving their prognoses.
Geologic Context of the Bright MARSIS Reflectors in Ultimi Scopuli, South Polar Layered Deposits, Mars

Radar‐bright basal reflectors have been detected below the South Polar Layered Deposits (SPLD), using Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionosphere Sounding (MARSIS) data and have an exciting but controversial interpretation: liquid water from subglacial lakes. We mapped the surface of the SPLD immediately above and surrounding the putative lakes (1:2M map scale) in order to provide a geologic context for the interpretation of bright basal reflectors. We use Thermal Emission Imaging System daytime IR (100 m/pixel), Context Camera (6 m/pixel), and High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (25 cm/pixel) data to characterize geologic units and typical surface roughness. We find evidence for multiple geologic units with features due to CO2 and aeolian‐related processes. We do not find evidence for surface modification linked to postulated lake locations. This is not consistent with the interpretation of the MARSIS basal radar reflector as subglacial lakes.
Total quality management and innovation

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the relationship between total quality management (TQM) and innovation and the way each impacts on the performance of agricultural research and development (R&D) organisations. Design/methodology/approach A gap score survey instrument based on the balanced scorecard approach, 25 most commonly reported TQM practices and two types of innovation were considered for data collection. Structural equation modelling was used for the analysis of the relationships between the surveyed constructs. Findings A positive relationship between TQM, innovation and performance was observed. A hypothesised model depicting the complex relationships between the investigated constructs was developed. Practical implications The model, which also predicts total effects of various organisational practices on performance, provides an opening for developing a TQM-innovation-performance framework for agricultural R&D organisations. Originality/value The survey instrument presents a novel approach for assessment of R&D policies and practices through determination of gap scores.
Regulation of Oxidative Phosphorylation of Liver Mitochondria in Sepsis

The link between liver dysfunction and decreased mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation in sepsis has been clearly established in experimental models. Energy transduction is plastic: the efficiency of mitochondrial coupling collapses in the early stage of sepsis but is expected to increase during the recovery phases of sepsis. Among the mechanisms regulating the coupling efficiency of hepatic mitochondria, the slipping reactions at the cytochrome oxidase and ATP synthase seem to be a determining element, whereas other regulatory mechanisms such as those involving proton leakage across the mitochondrial membrane have not yet been formally proven in the context of sepsis. If the dysfunction of hepatic mitochondria is related to impaired cytochrome c oxidase and ATP synthase functions, we need to consider therapeutic avenues to restore their activities for recovery from sepsis. In this review, we discussed previous findings regarding the regulatory mechanism involved in changes in the oxidative phosphorylation of liver mitochondria in sepsis, and propose therapeutic avenues to improve the functions of cytochrome c oxidase and ATP synthase in sepsis.
Swarm-Intelligence-Based Optimal Planning of Distributed Generators in Distribution Network for Minimizing Energy Loss

Abstract This research work proposes a heuristic approach for the planning of Distributed Generator (DG) to minimize annual system energy loss. The particle-swarm-optimization-based method has been used as an optimization tool for determining the optimal size and allocating the DGs to minimize energy loss. In this approach, time-varying characteristics of electrical load demand have been considered to mimic real load scenario in the electrical distribution system. The proposed approach is generic and simple. It can provide optimal solutions to the distribution utilities to select multiple DGs in stages under various constraints. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is validated on 16-, 33-, and 69-bus radial distribution networks. The results are compared with those of already existing methods as suggested in the literature.