Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Region-based N-cuts Polarimetric SAR Image Segmentation Algorithm

—Due to the imaging principle, there is a large number of noise points in polarimetric Synthetic Aperture Radar(SAR) images. This coherent noise leads to inaccurate segmentation results. To solve this problem, this paper proposes a region-based N-cuts polarimetric SAR image segmentation algorithm by combining the K-means clustering algorithm and N-cuts algorithm. Firstly, K-means clustering algorithm is used to pre-segment polarimetric SAR images to form segmented regions. Secondly, the similarity measurement matrix is constructed on the basis of pre-segmentation. Finally, the N-cuts algorithm is introduced to cluster regional nodes and to realize image segmentation. This method makes full use of the over-segmentation characteristic of K-means clustering algorithm, and it significantly reduces the computation. Combined with the global optimization of atlas segmentation algorithm, the performance of segmentation results is improved. In this paper, full polarization E-SAR(the Experimental airborne SAR System of DLR) images are used for experiments, and processing results of various polarization characteristics are compared. Experimental results show that region-based N-cuts algorithm is efficient and practical for image segmentation. The results also show that this method has higher level of precision and shorter computation time than both K-means clustering algorithm and N-cuts algorithm.
Strategy List-An Efficient Querying Structure for RFX Compact Storage

Extensible Markup Language (XML) has been regarded as a de facto form for data exchange over the Internet. The rapid growth of XML repositories has provided the intention to design and develop systems that can store and query the XML data efficiently. The self-describing nature of XML has a great flexibility and wide acceptance but on the other hand, the huge size of the XML documents is a major drawback. The huge document size means that the amount of information that has to be transmitted, processed, and stored and queried is often larger than that of other data formats. Many researchers are working to compactly store XML document in main memory and query the same. So far researchers have implemented the compact storage structure using pointer-based approach and succinct approach for XML. Existing query processing algorithms for nested query and also querying Intra and Inter structured documents beyond simple queries are not efficient for compact storage structures. In this paper an entirely new technique is proposed which process XPath queries in the RFX (Redundancy Free Compact Storage) a non-pointer-based approach, using Strategy List. As far as know, no similar approach has been proposed for XML yet. Performance has been evaluated using the Benchmark datasets. The performance results demonstrate that the path evaluation steps for the compact storage structure are highly efficient and outperform the other tested systems.
Examining the moderating role of achievement values and self-efficacy on women’s task choices and implicit association with leadership

Despite long-standing progress, women remain underrepresented in managerial positions. Rising to leadership might require women to overcome norms that promote gender-congruent behavior. This study investigated the impact of exposure to a traditional male stereotype on women’s implicit association between gender and leadership and the number of nontraditional leadership roles they choose. The study also examined whether high scores on self-efficacy and achievement values moderate the impact of the gender conformity exposure. Results indicated that self-efficacy and achievement values directly predicted more agentic work roles chosen by women. Surprisingly, gender conformity cues increased participants’ willingness to compete for agentic tasks.
Accelerating FPGA-Placement With a Gradient Descent Based Algorithm

—Programmable circuits and, nowadays, especially Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) are widely applied in computationally demanding signal processing applications. Considering modern, agile hardware/software codesign approaches, an Electronic Design Automation (EDA) process not only needs to deliver high quality results, but also has to be swift because software compilation is already distinctly faster. Slow EDA tools can in fact act as a kind of show-stopper for an agile development process. One of the major problems in EDA is the placement of the technology-mapped netlist to the target architecture. In this work, a method to reduce the runtime of the netlist placement for FPGAs is evaluated. The approach is a variation of analytical placement, with the distinction that a gradient descent is used for the optimization of the placement. This work is based on previous publications of the authors, in which a placement algorithm using self-organizing maps is introduced and optimized. In comparison, the gradient placement approach is shown to be up to 3.8 times faster than the simulated annealing based reference with about the same quality regarding the bounding-box and routing-resource costs.
Analysis and Design of High-Frequency Soft-Switching DC-DC Converter for Wireless Power Charging Applications

Danekar, Abhishek V. , M.S.E.E. , Department of Electrical Engineering, Wright State University, 2017. Analysis and Design of High-Frequency Soft-Switching DC-DC Converter for Wireless Power Charging Applications. Wireless power transfer (WPT) technology is becoming attractive in a wide variety of applications such as electric-vehicle charging, induction heating, charging portable applications, industrial robots, and biomedical implants. Recent studies have shown various techniques to implement wireless power transfer and these techniques differ based on the type of applications. For example, for electric vehicle charging, the power levels are in the range 5 kW to 25 kW and the operating frequency is in the range 70 kHz to 110 kHz. On the other hand, for consumer applications, the power levels vary from a few watts to hundreds of watts and operates at frequencies of the order of 5 MHz to 10 MHz. This thesis addresses the analysis, design, implementation, and simulation of a wireless charging system targeted towards a high-frequency, low-power portable application with wide separation between transmitter and receiver. The WPT system is composed of three important blocks: inverter (or transmitter), transformer (or coil), and rectifier (or receiver). Hard-switching inverters and rectifiers have major drawbacks at high frequencies due to large switching power loss. Therefore, soft-switching Class-E topology is chosen. The Class-E dc-ac inverter with CLL resonant tank, also referred to as π2a impedance matching network is analyzed, designed, and simulated to observe its superior performance over other topologies at varying coupling coefficients and loads. Four soft-switching rectifier topologies are analyzed, designed, and simulated to evaluate their behavior at high frequencies. Their compatibility with Class-E inverters in the presence of loosely-coupled transformers is discussed. The physical and commercial limitations of using transformers with magnetic core is presented. Therefore the preferred solution, an air-core transformer is designed and integrated with the rectifier to evaluate their characteristics at selected coupling coefficient. iii The overall system including the inverter, loosely-coupled air-core transformer, and rectifier was designed for the following specifications: operating frequency 6.78 MHz, output power across a single-load 40 W, output voltage 25 V, and target coupling coefficient of 0.5. Simulation results have been provided to validate the theoretical predictions. The major challenges faced during the integration of these building blocks are addressed. Finally, conclusions, contributions, and scope for future work are provided.
Essays in Education Essays in Education Teachers Job Satisfaction and Motivation for School Teachers Job Satisfaction and Motivation for School Effectiveness: An Assessment Effectiveness: An Assessment

Significantly, job satisfaction and motivation are very essential to the continuing growth of educational systems around the world and they rank alongside professional knowledge and skills, center competencies, educational resources as well as strategies, in genuinely determining educational success and performance. This study assessed the differences and relationship between the level of teachers’ job satisfaction, motivation and their teaching performance in Rivers State of Nigeria. A questionnaire titled ‘TEJOSAMOQ’ was used to collect data for the study. While the data for the study was analyzed using multiple statistical procedures: mean point value, standard deviation, and variance, t-test of significance and One-way-analysis of variance (ANOVA). The survey results revealed that teacher related sources of job satisfaction seem to have a greater impact on teaching performance, as teachers are also dissatisfied with the educational policies and administration, pay and fringe benefits, material rewards and advancement. out. The results of the t-test indicated significant differences (t = 3.10, Df = 679, p. < .002) between teachers’ job dissatisfaction facets and their intensity. Thus hypothesis 2 was rejected.
Goal Planning and Pursuit: Mobile Application Development and Evaluation

Abstract : This research focused on developing and evaluating mobile applications to compare two approaches for goal planning and pursuit in an Army institutional training context. One mobile application applied the Armys traditional SMART goals approach. The other applied the mental contrasting and implementation intentions approach, a streamlined version of the SMART approach. The evaluation was conducted with Noncommissioned Officers enrolled in Advanced Leaders Courses. While the mobile application development process was successful, resulting in two research products, the evaluation yielded very low response rates. Recommendations and lessons learned for the evaluation of mobile applications in an Army training context are presented.
of Binding on Organization.

Much about septin function has been inferred from in vivo studies using mainly genetic methods, and much of what we know about septin organization has been obtained through examination of static structures in vitro primarily by electron microscopy. Deeper mechanistic insight requires real-time analysis of the dynamics of the assembly of septin-based structures and how other proteins associate with them. We describe here a Fo¨rster resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based approach for measuring in vitro the rate and extent of ﬁlament formation from septin complexes, binding of other proteins to septin structures, and the apparent afﬁnities of these interactions. FRET is particularly well suited for interrogating protein e protein interactions, especially on a rapid timescale; the spectral change provides an unambiguous indication of whether two elements within the system under study are associating and serves as a molecular-level “ruler” because it is very sensitive to the separation between the donor and acceptor ﬂuorophores over biologically relevant distances ( (cid:1) 10 nm). The necessary procedures involve generation of appropriate cysteine-less and single cysteine-containing septin variants, expression and puriﬁcation of the heterooctameric complexes containing them, efﬁcient labeling of the puriﬁed complexes with desired ﬂuorophores, ﬂuorimetric measurement of FRET, and appropriate safeguards and controls in data acquisition and analysis. Our methods can be used to interrogate the effects of buffer conditions, small molecules, and septin-binding proteins on septin ﬁlament assembly or stability; determine the effect of alternative septin subunits, mutational alterations, or posttranslational modiﬁcations on assembly; and, delineate the location of septin-binding proteins.
J un 2 00 0 Connections under Symplectic Reduction by Izu Vaisman

In this note, we give conditions which ensure the reduction of a symplectic connection in the process of a Marsden-Weinstein reduction and of the reduction of a presymplectic manifold. Symplectic reduction is a technique which produces new symplectic manifolds from either symplectic manifolds with symmetries or presymplectic manifolds [2]. The aim of this note is to formulate conditions which ensure that a compatible connection on the initial manifold induces a compatible connection on the reduced manifold. Everything in this note is of the class C. For me, this subject is related with the name of Vrănceanu because my Ph.D. thesis [4] was on the subject of symplectic connections, and Vrănceanu was one of the referees. 1 Marsden-Weinstein Reduction We refer the reader to [2] for the original Marsden-Weinstein reduction theorem. In this theorem, the basic configuration consists of: (i) a symplectic manifold M with the symplectic form ω; (ii) a Hamiltonian action Φ : G ×M → M of a Lie group G on M with an equivariant moment map J : M → G (the dual space of the Lie algebra G of G); (iii) the level set ∗2000 Mathematics Subject Classification 53D20.
Early Spontaneous Intermittent Myocardial Reperfusion During Acute Myocardial Infarction Is Associated With Augmented Thrombogenic Activity and Less Myocardial Damage

Objectives. This study investigated the influence of early spontaneous intermittent reperfusion on the extent of myocardial damage and its relation to endogenous hemostatic activity. Background. In the early phase of acute myocardial infarction coronary occlusion is often intermittent, even before thrombolytic therapy is administered. The relation between this phenomenon, myocardial damage and hemostatic activity is unknown. Methods. Holter ST segment recording and pretreatment plasma tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) antigen, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PM-1) antigen, prothrombin fragment F1 +2 and soluble fibrin levels were measured in 57 patients with acute evolving myocardial infarction. Spontaneous intermittent myocardial reperfusion, defined as two or more episodes of transient resolution of ST segment elevation to within 0.05 mV of baseline, lasting >1 min, before the start of recombinant t-PA (rt-PA) treatment was present in 28 patients (group 1) and absent in 29 (group 2). Left ventriculography and coronary angiography were performed 90 rain after intravenous rt-PA administration. Plasma creatine kinase.MB fraction (CK.MB) levels were measured every 6 h for 24 h, and C-reactive protein levels were measured daily for 3 days. Results. Group 1 had lower peak plasma CK-MB (141.9 -+ 28.3 vs. 203.8 -+ 23.3 IU/liter [mean -+ SEM], p < 0.014) and C-reactive protein levels (16 -+ 4 vs. 28 4 mg/liter on day 1; 26.6 -+ 5.5 vs. 61.8 +14.4 mg/liter on day 2; 19.6 +4.2 vs. 40.6 -+ 6.5 mg/liter on day 3, p < 0.012) and a higher left ventricular ejection fraction (62.9 "4" 4% vs. 51.1 -+ 5%, p < 0.04) than group 2. Group 1 had lower plasma t-PA antigen levels (15.6 vs. 27 /tg/iiter, p < 0.006) but higher prothrombin fragment Fl+2 (1.8 vs. 1.1 nmol/liter, p < 0.003) and soluble fibrin levels (66.8 vs. 31 nmol/liter, p < 0.01). Coronary patency at 90 min was similar. Conclusions. Early spontaneous intermittent reperfusion during acute myocardial infarction is associated with augmented thrombogenic activity and less subsequent myocardial damage. This finding is consistent with a protective effect of intermittency on the myocardium and a procoagulant effect of spontaneous lysis on blood. It may also reflect a different rate of evolution of coronary thrombosis and myocardial infarction in patients with and those without spontaneous intermittent myocardial reperfusion. (J Am Coil Cardiol 1995;26:662-7)
CHARACTERIZATION OF BAF155 AND BAF170 IN EARLY PORCINE EMBRYOGENESIS

The production of developmentally competent in vitro derived embryos is necessary to decreasing both economic and emotional losses. Epigenetic abnormalities/insults have been shown to occur at a higher incidence in in vitro embryos. An increased prevalence of epigenetic derived disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, Prader-Willi syndrome, and α-thalassemia as well as elevated preimplantation embryo arrest and reduced developmental rates are theorized to be caused by errors in the mediation of chromatin remodeling. Chromatin remodeling refers to the restructuring of packaged DNA so that transcription factors are either given more or less access to specific sequences. This can be done by covalent modification through histone methylation, acetylation, and phosphorylation as well as noncovalent modifications which employ ATP dependent chromatin remodeling complexes. The purpose of this thesis was to characterize two structurally integral core subunits, BAF155 and BAF170, of the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex in porcine oocytes and preimplantation embryos. The first study concentrated on the transcript abundance of BAF155 and BAF170 in porcine oocytes and embryos. First, BAF155 and BAF170 transcript sequences were identified in porcine muscle and heart tissues. Those sequences were used to create quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) primers. mRNA from pools of GV oocytes (100-800) was converted to cDNA for transcript abundance measurements. However, transcript abundance remained too low for either BAF155 or BAF170 to be accurately quantified. The second study focused on developmental competency of embryos post interfering RNA (RNAi) knockdown of BAF155, BAF170, or both BAF155/BAF170 combined. After 7 days of culture, an analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed to determine differences in mean nuclei numbers and morphological blastocyst percentages across the three groups. No significant difference was seen between means of treatment groups vs. both control groups. Significant differences were seen between siRNA and Non-Injected groups as well as Non-Injected and Scramble RNA groups. However this indicates that loss of BAF155, BAF170, or a combination of the two transcripts is not the driving force of the significant differences, rather the microinjection itself caused the differences.
The principles behind Non-PhotochemicalLaserInducedNucle-ation

Crystallization is a process known to humankind for centuries. Everyday items can be a result of crystallization, e.g. snowflakes being formed in cold weather and sugar that is obtained from glucose-water solutions. Crystallization follows from the process which is called nucleation. This phenomenon is explained in two different theories: classical nucleation theory and two-step nucleation theory. Also, two different ways of crystallization can be distinguished: heterogeneous nucleation, which is nucleation that evolves from external surfaces and homogeneous nucleation, which obviously evolves without the help of external surfaces. Methods to perform crystallization, based on aforementioned mechanisms, are useful for production scale facilities as it is a very useful method to separate chemicals in manufacturing processes. However, large scale crystallization processes are known to be hard to control and energy intensive, something that does not fit into today’s society. To keep up with the global demand for sustainable production novel crystallization methods need to be established. A promising finding, 20 years ago, consisted of laser-induced nucleation. By means of a laser, Garetz et al.[1] were able to induce crystallization, calling it non-photochemical laser induced nucleation (NPLIN). Up to this date, it is not known what mechanisms underlie the observed behavior. Because the phenomenon was only observed at the milliliter range, it is important to understand the mechanisms before further upscaling can be done. Over the course of the last decade, 4 mechanisms have been proposed: Optical Kerr effect, Isotropic electronic polarization, nano-impurities, and shockwaves. During creating a photochemical effect on the compound used. For this reason, the LIN was ascribed to nonphotochemical behavior. detail is provided on this presumed non-photochemical effect. An experimental build is established to perform multiple experiments for detecting radicals and obtain consensus on the attributed name. Initial tests revealed there is no particular interaction between the solute and laser electric field.
A Three-dimensional Model of the Neprilysin 2 Active Site Based on the X-ray Structure of Neprilysin IDENTIFICATION OF RESIDUES INVOLVED IN SUBSTRATE HYDROLYSIS AND INHIBITOR BINDING OF NEPRILYSIN 2*

Neprilysin 2 (NEP2), a recently identified member of the M13 subfamily of metalloproteases, shares the highest degree of homology with the prototypical member of the family neprilysin. Whereas the study of the in vitro enzymatic activity of NEP2 shows that it resembles that of NEP as it cleaves the same substrates often at the same amide bonds and binds the same inhibitory compounds albeit with different potencies, its physiological role remains elusive because of the lack of selective inhibitors. To aid in the design of these novel compounds and better understand the different inhibitory patterns of NEP and NEP2, the x-ray structure of NEP was used as a template to build a model of the NEP2 active site. The results of our modeling suggest that the overall structure of NEP2 closely resembles that of NEP. The model of the active site reveals a 97% sequence identity with that of NEP with differences located within the S (cid:1) 2 subsite of NEP2 where Ser 133 and Leu 739 replace two glycine residues in NEP. To validate the proposed model, site-directed mutagenesis was performed on a series of residues of NEP2, mutants expressed
“OnLaing” a distance learning management information system “OnLaing” a distance learning management information system platform with heutagogy approach in Industrial Revolution 4.0: A platform with heutagogy approach in Industrial Revolution 4.0: A Design Design

The purpose of this study was to design distance learning platform using heutagogy approach. This study is expected to help to improve the quality of student learning outcomes and to motivate students to learn. This type of research is the development of research, known as research and development (R&D). The design of this study adapting by the SDLC model. The aim of this study is to design an online platform in Industrial Revolution 4.0 using Heutagogy Approach. The design will use the website programming namely PHP and MySQL as databases. Result of this study: the design and development of distance learning platform using heutagogy approach can improve the effectiveness of the learning process and the use of online learning will be a new method/approach of learning systems in the industrial revolution 4.0. Acceptance of distance learning is also important because this acceptance can provide benefits for the development of education. This is supported by the result of questionnaire which states that >75% of users are interested in using this system.
On the Modular Structure and Evolvability of Architectural Patterns for Housing Utilities

—Modularity is considered a powerful concept within many domains. While modular artifacts are believed to have the potential to exhibit several beneﬁcial characteristics such as evolvability, the actual realization of this evolvability or ﬂexibility remains challenging. This paper considers houses as modular structures and employs the combinatorics underlying Normalized Systems Theory, as well as the integration patterns it proposes, to analyze design alternatives for the incorporation of electricity and heating utilities within houses. The paper demonstrates that the integration patterns can be applied at several modular granularity levels. An analysis is presented regarding which integration patterns are currently most frequently used at which levels, and which patterns should deserve additional exploration. The adopted approach to analyze the modular design alternatives for housing utilities is believed to be applicable within other domains as well.