Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Variational analysis of averaged nonlinearity-managed solitons

The nonlinear Schrodinger equation with periodically varying nonlinearity coefficient thatdescribes matter-wave soliton in in Bose-Einstein Condensation (BEC) and optical solitons isconsidered analytically. Variational approach is applied on the derived averaged equationwhich describes nonlinearity-managed solitons. A good agreement between analytical solutions obtained by means of variational analysis and numerical solutions of derived averagedequation is demonstrated.
High-performance autofocus circuit for biological microscopy

An autofocus circuit, based on measurement of the high spatial frequency image components, was designed for automated microscopic scanning of biological specimens. By careful consideration of the system transfer function, elimination of video end-of-line filter artifacts, correction for illumination instability, and incorporation of autogain, the focus measurement circuit attained the sensitivity and dynamic range necessary for robust operation even at the extremes of biological specimen detail encountered in exhaustive raster scans of thousands of fields. This new circuit exhibited a 25-fold improvement in dynamic range over a previous analog implementation, matched real-time digital performance at an order of magnitude lower cost, resulted in autofocus precision of 56 nm (or 10-fold better than the depth of field of the objective) in scanning experiments comprising over 10 000 microscope fields, and tracked focus at scanning speeds of up to 3.45 fields/s. Focus was correctly maintained in these scanning experiments without additional compensation for low-detail images. This circuit makes possible the widespread inclusion of high-performance autofocus as a low cost option in video microscopy systems.
CHARACTERİSTİC FEATURES OF İNTERCULTURAL COMMUNİCATİON

Intercultural communication is the interaction of carriers of different cultures. Man is not the only bearer of culture, biologists and psychologists argue that some animals (in particular, great apes) are able to develop and transmit culture. Intercultural communication (ICC) is a special section of the general theory of communication, which studies – in theoretical and practical terms – the communicative interaction of representatives of different cultures. This teaching aid is intended to acquaint students with the basics of the theory of intercultural communication as a special field of scientific knowledge, as well as with the possibilities of applying this theory in real communication practice. Thus, different animal populations are carriers of different cultures, and the interaction of these groups can also be called intercultural communication. The theory of intercultural communication (ICC), of course, is not concerned with the study of the analysis of animal communication. It is important however, to understand that the ICC is a very ancient phenomenon it appeared simultaneously with the formation of what we call different cultures. The theory of intercultural communication is a discipline that describes the process of intercultural communication, the conditions for its implementation, possible difficulties and causes of communication failures. This article will consider the concept of intercultural communication, key features of the theory of intercultural communication, interdisciplinary connections, the history of this discipline, the scope of knowledge from the field of intercultural communication. However, the theory of ICC as an independent scientific discipline arose quite recently, in the middle of the 20th century. Interest in studying the processes of intercultural communication, in their theoretical understanding arose primarily under the influence of globalization. Transnational corporations are being created, the tourism industry is developing, migration processes are intensifying, more and more people are entering into interethnic marriages, and the adoption of children from other countries is becoming more and more popular.
Weigh-in-Motion System Based on an Improved Kalman and LSTM-Attention Algorithm

A weigh-in-motion (WIM) system continuously and automatically detects an object’s weight during transmission. The WIM system is used widely in logistics and industry due to increasing labor and time costs. However, the accuracy and stability of WIM system measurements could be affected by shock and vibration under high speed and heavy load. A novel six degrees-of-freedom (DOF), mass–spring damping-based Kalman filter with time scale (KFTS) algorithm was proposed to filter noise due to the multiple-input noise and its frequency that is highly coupled with the basic sensor signal. Additionally, an attention-based long short-term memory (LSTM) model was built to predict the object’s mass by using multiple time-series sensor signals. The results showed that the model has superior performance compared to support vector machine (SVM), fully connected network (FCN) and extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) models. Experiments showed this improved deep learning model can provide remarkable accuracy under different loads, speed and working situations, which can be applied to the high-precision logistics industry.
Forecasting Seasonal Sales with Many Drivers: Shrinkage or Dimensionality Reduction?

Retailers depend on accurate forecasts of product sales at the Store × SKU level to efficiently manage their inventory. Consequently, there has been increasing interest in identifying more advanced statistical techniques that lead to accuracy improvements. However, the inclusion of multiple drivers affecting demand into commonly used ARIMA and ETS models is not straightforward, particularly when many explanatory variables are available. Moreover, regularization regression models that shrink the model’s parameters allow for the inclusion of a lot of relevant information but do not intrinsically handle the dynamics of the demand. These problems have not been addressed by previous studies. Nevertheless, multiple simultaneous effects interacting are common in retailing. To be successful, any approach needs to be automatic, robust and efficiently scaleable. In this study, we design novel approaches to forecast retailer product sales taking into account the main drivers which affect SKU demand at store level. To address the variable selection challenge, the use of dimensionality reduction via principal components analysis (PCA) and shrinkage estimators was investigated. The empirical results, using a case study of supermarket sales in Portugal, show that both PCA and shrinkage are useful and result in gains in forecast accuracy in the order of 10% over benchmarks while offering insights on the impact of promotions. Focusing on the promotional periods, PCA-based models perform strongly, while shrinkage estimators over-shrink. For the non-promotional periods, shrinkage estimators significantly outperform the alternatives.
Fighting Tuberculosis: In Search of a BCG Replacement

Tuberculosis is one of the most threatening infectious diseases and represents an important and significant reason for mortality in high-burden regions. The only licensed vaccine, BCG, is hardly capable of establishing long-term tuberculosis protection and is highly variable in its effectiveness. Even after 100 years of BCG use and research, we still cannot unequivocally answer the question of which immune correlates of protection are crucial to prevent Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection or the progression of the disease. The development of a new vaccine against tuberculosis arises a nontrivial scientific challenge caused by several specific features of the intracellular lifestyle of Mtb and the ability of the pathogen to manipulate host immunity. The purpose of this review is to discuss promising strategies and the possibilities of creating a new vaccine that could replace BCG and provide greater protection. The considered approaches include supplementing mycobacterial strains with immunodominant antigens and genetic engineering aimed at altering the interaction between the bacterium and the host cell, such as the exit from the phagosome. Improved new vaccine strains based on BCG and Mtb undergoing clinical evaluation are also overviewed.
Theory and tool support for the formal verification of cryptographic protocols

Cryptographic protocols are an essential component of network communications. Despite their relatively small size compared to other distributed algorithms, they are known to be error-prone. This is due to the obligation to behave robustly in the context of unknown hostile attackers who might want to act against the security objectives of the jointly interacting entities. The need for techniques to verify the correctness of cryptographic protocols has stimulated the development of new frameworks and tools during the last decades. Among the various models is the spi calculus: a process calculus which is an extension of the pi calculus that incorporates cryptographic primitives. Process calculi such as the spi calculus offer the possibility to describe in a precise and concise way distributed algorithms such as cryptographic protocols. Moreover, spi calculus offers an elegant way to formalise some security properties of cryptographic protocols via behavioural equivalences. At the time this thesis began, this approach lacked tool support. Inspired by the situation in the pi calculus, we propose a new notion of behavioural equivalence for the spi calculus that is close to an algorithm. Besides, we propose a "coq" formalisation of our results that not only validates our theoretical developments but also will eventually be the basis of a certified tool that would automate equivalence checking of spi calculus terms. To complete the toolchain, we propose a formal semantics for an informal notation to describe cryptographic protocols, so called protocol narrations. We give a rigorous procedure to translate protocol narrations into spi calculus terms; this constitutes the foundations of our automatic translation tool "spyer".
Understanding Cancer Survivorship among Firefighters: A Mixed-Method Study

Background: Firefighters are exposed to a unique set of carcinogens through their work environment that predispose them to several cancers, yet there is limited research related to cancer survivorship amongst this occupational group. Methods: A mixed-method approach was used to assess cancer survivorship amongst firefighters. Four focus groups and one in-depth interview were conducted with 29 active and retired firefighters who have been diagnosed with cancer to understand the experiences and challenges associated with cancer survivorship in the fire service and desired resources. Qualitative data were analyzed using Nvivo software. All participants completed the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G) survey to assess their quality of life. Results: The primary themes that emerged from the focus groups included managing health and well-being changes, navigating support systems in place, and accessing new resources. FACT-G scores (mean ± standard deviation) of the firefighter cancer survivor sample demonstrate relatively lower levels of emotional well-being (19.26 ± 4.67) and higher quality of life in the physical well-being (23.67 ± 5.08), social well-being (23.38 ± 4.16), and functional well-being (22.6 ± 4.966) domains. Conclusions: Firefighters requested curated resources, such as support groups and department training resources, supporting the need for more cancer survivorship resources specific to firefighters.
Attitudes of Caregivers of Children under Five Years Regarding Growth Monitoring and Promotion in Polokwane, Limpopo Province

Growth monitoring and promotion (GMP) is critical in tracking child growth to address widespread malnutrition and health status. Attitudes influence behaviour change, including attendance of GMP, and negative attitudes are linked to non-attendance. Moreover, negative attitudes correlate with low socioeconomic position. South Africa is characterized by inequality, which may lead to negative attitudes towards GMP among caregivers with a poor socioeconomic status. Hence, this study seeks to explore the attitudes of caregivers of children under five towards GMP. A qualitative exploratory study design was used. Caregivers of children under five were purposively sampled. Twenty-three participants were interviewed one-on-one, and the data were recorded using voice recorders and field notes. Tesch’s eight steps and inductive, descriptive, and open coding techniques were used to analyse the data. Participants understood the significance of GMP and were confident their children would benefit from it; hence, they attended sessions out of love for their children. The inconsistent availability of GMP services and the behaviour of health workers affected participants’ attitude. Despite these challenges, participants felt good about GMP. Caregivers’ love for their children/grandchildren helped them overcome challenges experienced at the health facilities. Good feelings about GMP boosted caregivers’ attitudes and aided in adherence. An intervention to address element impacting attitudes of caregivers is recommended.
Assessment of ecosystem biodiversity by acoustic diversity indices

Assessment of ecosystem biodiversity by measurement of acoustic diversity was explored [B. L. Krause, Explorers J., Winter, 156–160 (1993)]. Specific acoustic indices (e.g., based on frequency spectrum) were developed and correlated with standard diversity indices (e.g., standard species abundance indices). Necessary technological infrastructures and analytic processes to measure acoustic dynamics of ecological biodiversity were explored. An automated web‐based infrastructure capable of capturing, processing, and relaying real‐time field measurements from multiple ecosystems to desktop and home computers was developed, tested, and implemented. Key infrastructure components were remote field instrumentation, remote computer processing, wireless digital relay instrumentation, Internet server, and automation, relational database, and website software. A dynamic digital library of ecological acoustic samples, correlated ecosystem attributes, and acoustic analysis methodologies was established. Library resources, including digital sound files captured from ecosystems, were made available to researchers and the public over the Internet [N. Metzger and M. Blumenthal, Realizing Info. Future, NAP, 113–119 (1994)]. Indices of acoustic ecosystem diversity were refined through application on existing digital ecosystem sound recordings and digital sounds captured from multiple ecosystems. The performance of these indices was compared to standard biodiversity indices applied to the same ecosystems.
A Cross-Layer, Mobility, and Congestion-Aware Routing Protocol for UAV Networks

Autonomous and decentralized unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) networks are used in many applications, including disaster management, environment monitoring, and surveillance. The performance of the routing protocols in these networks drops significantly due to frequent route breaks and traffic congestion at high node speeds. This is partly because the routing metrics used in many of the existing protocols are sensitive to the intra-flow interference after the source node starts transmission on the selected route. Moreover, these schemes do not estimate potential packet drops or take preventive measures, such as route switching and queue management. To address these issues, we present a cross-layer, mobility, and congestion-aware optimized link state routing protocol for an autonomous and decentralized UAV network, which incorporates the following mechanisms: 1) Multimetric route selection which includes hop count, route lifetime, estimated time to destination, and number of interfering links; 2) preemptive route switching that prevents packet transmission over the broken and congested routes; and 3) queue management to prioritize transmission of packets based on their survivability score. We also present key observations on routing protocol design and a theoretical analysis to show the impact of data rate, route length, and interfering links on the packet service rate and congestion. The proposed routing scheme achieves a significantly higher packet delivery ratio and lower route computation overhead for delay-sensitive data flows at different data rates, node densities, and high speeds, as compared to the standard and multimetric OLSR protocols.
Morphological and Molecular Characterization Of Micromycetes Associated With Seeds of Selected Cotton (Gossypium Hirsutum L.) Varieties

A total of 14 varieties (CB1-CB14) of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) seeds were collected from Cotton Research, Training and Seed multiplication Farm, Sreepur, Gazipur to detect and identify the seed borne fungi by morphological and molecular techniques. The sequence results obtained using the ITS1 and ITS4 primers were compared with NCBI GenBank and BOL database using BLAST analysis. In the present investigation, a total of 29 fungal isolates were morphologically identified from different varieties of cotton seeds, of which 19 fungal isolates were identified by molecular techniques. Among the isolated fungi, Aspergillus subramanianii, A. toxicarius, A. wentii, Penicillium aculeatum, P. citrinum, Rhizomucor sp. and Meyerozyma guilliermondii have been reported as new records for Bangladesh. Bangladesh J. Plant Taxon. 29(2): 297-312, 2022 (December)
The Agmon spectral function for molecular hamiltonians with symmetry restrictions

In this paper we introduce symmetry considerations into our earlier work, which was concerned with geometric spectral properties of Schrödinger operators including the N-body operators of quantum mechanics. The point of emphasis is a function introduced by Shmuel Agmon which we have named the Agmon spectral function. We show that this function is symmetric for an N-body Schrödinger operator restricted to a subspace of prescribed symmetry. We then show how it can be used to obtain criteria for the finiteness and infiniteness of bound states of polyatomic systems.
Scaling laws for pulsed electrohydrodynamic drop formation

A pulsed electrohydrodynamic jet can produce on-demand drops much smaller than the delivery nozzle. This letter describes an experimentally validated model for electrically pulsed jets. Viscous drag in a thin nozzle limits the flow rate and leads to intrinsic pulsations of the cone jet. A scale analysis for intrinsic cone-jet pulsations is derived to establish the operating regime for drop deployment. The scaling laws are applicable to similar electrohydrodynamic processes in miniaturized electrospraying systems.
p-channel thin-film transistor using p-type oxide semiconductor, SnO

This paper reports that among known p-type oxide semiconductors, tin monoxide (SnO) has a high hole mobility and produces good p-type oxide thin-film transistors (TFTs). Device-quality SnO films were grown epitaxially on (001) yttria-stabilized zirconia substrates at 575°C by pulsed laser deposition. These exhibited a Hall mobility of 2.4cm2V−1s−1 at room temperature. Top-gated TFTs, using epitaxial SnO channels, exhibited field-effect mobilities of 1.3cm2V−1s−1, on/off current ratios of ∼102, and threshold voltages of 4.8V.
Primary Root Excision Induces ERF071, Which Mediates the Development of Lateral Roots in Makapuno Coconut (Cocos nucifera)

Coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) is widely recognized as one of nature’s most beneficial plants. Makapuno, a special type of coconut with a soft, jelly-like endosperm, is a high-value commercial coconut and an expensive delicacy with a high cost of planting material. The embryo rescue technique is a very useful tool to support mass propagation of makapuno coconut. Nevertheless, transplanting the seedlings is a challenge due to poor root development, which results in the inability of the plant to acclimatize. In this study, primary root excision was used in makapuno to observe the effects of primary root excision on lateral root development. The overall results showed that seedlings with roots excised had a significantly higher number of lateral roots, and shoot length also increased significantly. Using de novo transcriptome assembly and differential gene expression analysis, we identified 512 differentially expressed genes in the excised and intact root samples. ERF071, encoding an ethylene-responsive transcription factor, was identified as a highly expressed gene in excised roots compared to intact roots, and was considered a candidate gene associated with lateral root formation induced by root excision in makapuno coconut. This study provides insight into the mechanism and candidate genes involved in the development of lateral roots in coconut, which may be useful for the future breeding and mass propagation of makapuno coconut through tissue culture.
Exploring the Value of Design Thinking Through the Phenomenon of Multidimensionality in Graphic Design

The multidimensionalisation of graphic design expressions, with its diverse and multi-spatial expressions incorporating modern technology, promotes a closer connection between design and business, driving innovation in brand expressions, and triggering society to think about design when it accumulates a certain amount of commercial interest in return. The article explores the connotation and value of design thinking through the current phenomenon of multidimensionality in graphic design, and uses this as an entry point to explore the role of design thinking as a driver of innovation, and to guide society to consider the possibilities of implementing innovation through design thinking.
Bacillus Coagulans and its Spore as Potential Probiotics in the Production of Novel Shelf- Stable Foods

The synbiotic foods with therapeutic activities have been beneficial to gut health and immunity development, including Bacillus coagulans as the probiotic microorganism. It is preferred over other lactic acid bacteria (LAB) as it can produce spores. It is grown in the pH range of 5.5 to 6.2 and releases spores at 37 °C. These microbial spores can withstand environments with high temperatures, acidic conditions, and salinity, making it a viable probiotic organism for production of novel shelf-stable foods. It has become an essential ingredient in the functional food industry due to its probiotic characteristics and great resistance to stressful conditions. For extensive commercial use and a wide range of food applications, apart from probiotic characteristics, a probiotic organism must be cost-effective, convenient and remain viable throughout the processing, storage and consumption. The non-spore- forming lactic acid bacteria can be utilized to make probiotic products and fermented dairy products under controlled processing and storage conditions. The spore- forming probiotic organism can be delivered into the human gut through novel food products derived from cereals, legumes, fruits and vegetables, confectionery products, and meat and non-dairy products. This has led to the development of convenient and shelf-stable non-dairy probiotics. These non-dairy-based probiotics are cheaper, resilient against various processing conditions, high in bioactive components, and can mitigate the risk of lifestyle diseases and reduce. Further, lactose intolerance is associated with the consumption of dairy probiotics. Therefore, this review aimed to assess the utilization of probiotic Bacillus coagulans spores in emerging shelf-stable novel non-dairy products with probiotic potential.