Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Wideband U-Slot Loaded Modified E-Shape Microstrip Patch Antenna and Frequency Agile Behavior by Employing Different Height Ground Plane and Ribbon Type Switches

─ This paper presents investigation results on a wideband U-slot loaded modified Eshape (USLMES) microstrip patch antenna with frequency agile behavior by employing different height ground plane and ribbon type copper switches. The USLMES patch is excited using the notch feed mechanism by a 50  coaxial probe outside the patch surface so that coaxial probe does not contribute significantly to the peak-crosspolarization levels. The parametric study results are presented for the wideband patch antenna design and important parameters have been noted. The proposed wideband patch antenna offers impedance (S11 = −10 dB) and 3dB gain bandwidths of at least 35% (3.09GHz to 4.42GHz) with stable radiation patterns and acceptable crosspolarization levels. The effect of ground plane height variation not only alters operating frequency, but also, Gain and impedance bandwidth. Frequency agility is also achieved from 3.02GHz to 4.95 GHz by turning different combination of switches ON/OFF. The prototype antennas were fabricated and experimentally verified for both wideband patch performance and frequency agility by implementing different ground plane heights. The simulated performance is in reasonable agreement with the measured results. Index Terms ─ Frequency agile behavior, ground plane height, ribbon type switches, USLMES microstrip patch, wideband antenna.
Impact of Body Mass Index on Outcomes in Cardiac Surgery.

OBJECTIVES Body mass index (BMI) commonly is used in obesity classification as a surrogate measure, and obesity is associated with a cluster of risk factors for cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of BMI on short-term outcomes after cardiac surgery. DESIGN A retrospective cohort study. SETTING University teaching hospital, 2 centers. PARTICIPANTS The study comprised 4,740 patients who underwent cardiac surgery at 2 hospitals-from July 1, 2001, to June 30, 2013, in 1 hospital and from September 1, 2003, to August 31, 2014, in a second hospital. INTERVENTIONS No changes to standard practice were required. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Patients were assigned into 6 BMI groups as follows: underweight (BMI<18.5 kg/m(2)), normal weight (≥18.5 to<25 kg/m(2)), overweight (≥25 to<30 kg/m(2)), class I obese (≥30 to<35 kg/m(2)), class II obese (≥35 to<40 kg/m(2)), and class III obese (BMI≥40 kg/m(2)). Short-term major postoperative complications (postoperative stroke, cardiac arrest, new atrial fibrillation/flutter, permanent rhythm device insertion, deep sternal infection, sepsis, prolonged ventilation, pneumonia, renal dialysis, renal failure, intensive care unit readmission, total intensive care unit hours, and readmission in 30 days, and mortalities (in-hospital mortality, 30-day mortality, surgical mortality) were compared among various BMI groups after cardiac surgery. Age, sex, surgery type, family history of coronary artery disease, diabetes, hypertension, heart failure, and lipid-lowering medication were the risk factors for early outcomes. Multiple logistic regression analysis indicated that the underweight and class III obese BMI groups demonstrated significant, adverse differences in some short-term outcomes, including deep sternal infection, prolonged ventilation, new atrial fibrillation/flutter, and renal failure. However, being in the overweight or class I obese group demonstrated a positive effect on discharge and surgical mortality. CONCLUSIONS The results of this study demonstrated that extreme obesity and underweight were significantly associated with early major adverse clinical outcomes. However, there was an "obese paradox" in short-term mortality after cardiac surgery.
Viscosity and Analytical Differences between Raw Milk and UHT Milk of Czech Cows

Abstract Viscosity and analytical differences in four milk samples from Czech cows were described. Three samples of UHT milk (0.5%, 1.5%, and 3.5% fat) and one sample of raw milk from a Czech bio-farm were analyzed. The following analytical properties were observed: titratable acidity, fat content, dry matter content, and protein content. Titratable acidity and dry matter content decreased in dependence upon the increasing milk fat content. The protein content ranged 3.51-3.57 g per 100 g milk. The milk flow behaviour represented by density, dynamic and kinematic viscosity, as well as the dependence of the milk flow behaviour on temperature were investigated. These properties were measured using a digital densitometer and a rotary viscometer. Milk density was studied at temperatures ranging 0-60 °C and dynamic viscosity at 0-100 °C. With increasing temperature, the density and dynamic viscosity of the studied milk samples decreased. The temperature dependence of dynamic viscosity was manifested in all samples. Kinematic viscosity was calculated from experimental data. Furthermore, mathematical models using Power law and Gaussian fitting were constructed. Determination coefficients achieved high values (0.843-0.997).
Voids in coupled scalar field cosmology

We study the properties of voids in two different types of coupled scalar field theories. Due to the fifth force produced by the scalar field coupling, the matter particles feel stronger attraction amongst each other and cluster more quickly than they do in the standard ΛCDM model. Consequently, voids in the coupled scalar field theories start to develop earlier and end up bigger, which is confirmed by our numerical simulations. We find that a significantly larger portion of the whole space is underdensed in the coupled scalar field theories and there are more voids whose sizes exceed given thresholds. This is more prominent in early times because at later times the underdense regions have already been evacuated in coupled scalar field theories and there is time for the ΛCDM model to catch up. The coupled scalar field theories also predict a sharper transition between voids and high-density regions. All in all, the qualitative behaviour is different not only from the ΛCDM result, but also amongst specific coupled scalar field models, making voids a potential candidate to test alternative ideas about the cosmic structure formation.
Exposure to PM10 and NO2 and association with respiratory health among primary school children living near petrochemical industry area at Kertih, Terengganu

This study was carried out to determine the level of exposure to PM10 and NO2 and its relation to respiratory health among primary school children living near petrochemical industry area at Kertih, Terengganu. This cross sectional comparative study was conducted among 60 children from studied group and 60 children from comparative group. The respondents were selected based on inclusive criteria’s for this study. Level of exposure of PM10 was measured using DustTrak Aerosol Monitor while level of exposure of NO2 was measured using LaMotte Air Sampling Pump. Questionnaire was used to collect information on respondent’s socio-demography background and respiratory symptoms. Lung function test was performed using Spirometer. Results showed that the mean concentration of PM10 (79 μg/m3) and NO2 (3.73 ppm) for studied group was higher compared to comparative group, PM10 (49 μg/m3) and NO2 (0.14 ppm). As overall, reported respiratory symptoms were significantly higher among studied group compare to comparative group. Significant reduction value of FEV1/FVC% showed that there was airways obstruction for studied group. Findings from this study indicated that exposure to indoor PM10 and NO2 concentrations may increase risk of getting respiratory symptoms and reduction of lung function among primary school children living near petrochemical industry area.
Biological control of Fusarium solani f. sp. phaseoli the causal agent of root rot of bean using Bacillus subtilis CA32 and Trichoderma harzianum RU01

Root rot, caused by Fusarium solani f. sp. phaseoli, is one of the main root diseases impacting production of common bean in Sri Lanka. Rhizobacteria were screened in dual Petri plate assays to select antagonistic strains against F. solani f. sp. phaseoli. B. subtilis CA32 effectively antagonized the pathogen. T. harzianum RU01 also showed the antagonistic activity. The efficacy of the B. subtilis CA32 and the T. harzianum RU01 were tested in greenhouse pot experiments against F. solani f. sp. phaseoli. Seed bacterization with B. subtilis CA32 and T. harzianum RU01 significantly protected bean seedlings from F. solani f. sp. phaseoli compared to the untreated control plants. Plant protection was more pronounced in T. harzianum RU01 treated plants than bacterized plants. Enhanced root growth was observed only T. harzianum RU01 treated plants, suggesting that the biotic modifications of the mycorrhizosphere as a result of colonization with T. harzianum RU01.
A Combined Method for Estimating Continuous Runoff by Parameter Transfer and Drainage Area Ratio Method in Ungauged Catchments

Continuous runoff needs to be estimated in ungauged catchments to interpret hydrological phenomena and manage water resources. Researchers have used various methods to estimate runoff in ungauged catchments, but few combined different methods to improve the estimation. A model parameter-based method named the parameter transfer (PT) method and a flow-based method of area ratio (AR) were combined and tested in eight catchments in a lake basin. The performance of the PT method depended on the model simulation and donors, which were related to physical and climate characteristics of the catchments. Two AR methods were compared and the results showed that the standard AR method was suitable in this study area with the area ratio between donor and target ranging from 0.46 to 1.41. ENS and R2 values suggested that the PT method used in this study showed a better result than the AR method in 75% of the considered sites, but the total runoff deviation was lower for the standard AR method than that for the PT method. We used the standard AR method weighted by the PT method, and compared three versions weighted with daily, monthly, and average ENS values of the PT and AR methods and one unweighted version. The results of the combined methods were promising. The version weighted with daily ENS performed best and gave improved R2 and daily ENS values for 75% of the receivers. The unweighted combined method performed stable in all sites. The combined method gave better simulation of daily and monthly continuous runoff in ungauged catchments than each individual method.
Dark energy from α-attractors: phenomenology and observational constraints

The possibility of linking inflation and late cosmic accelerated expansion using the α-attractor models has received increasing attention due to their physical motivation. In the early universe, α-attractors provide an inflationary mechanism compatible with Planck satellite CMB observations and predictive for future gravitational wave CMB modes. Additionally α-attractors can be written as quintessence models with a potential that connects a power law regime with a plateau or uplifted exponential, allowing a late cosmic accelerated expansion that can mimic behavior near a cosmological constant. In this paper we study a generalized dark energy α-attractor model. We thoroughly investigate its phenomenology, including the role of all model parameters and the possibility of large-scale tachyonic instability clustering. We verify the relation that 1+w∼ 1/α (while the gravitational wave power r∼α) so these models predict that a signature should appear in either the primordial B-modes or in late time deviation from a cosmological constant. We constrain the model parameters with current datasets, including the cosmic microwave background (Planck 2015 angular power spectrum, polarization and lensing), baryon acoustic oscillations (BOSS DR12) and supernovae (Pantheon compressed). Our results show that expansion histories close to a cosmological constant exist in large regions of the parameter space, not requiring a fine-tuning of the parameters or initial conditions.
“Waha ehsa tha, idhar ehsa hai” (It was like that back home, but it is like this here): Family violence experiences of Indian and Pakistani immigrant women in the Greater Toronto Area

There is a paucity of qualitative scholarship on Indian and Pakistani immigrant women’s experiences of family violence. Further, existing scholarship on this topic seldom explores the unique experiences of distinct South Asian groups such as Indian and Pakistani immigrant women. This thesis addressed this gap in the literature by qualitatively examining family violence among immigrant Indian and Pakistani women in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). A case study methodology was used to explore two research questions: 1) What are the cultural specificities of family violence as experienced by Indian and Pakistani immigrant women in the GTA? and 2) How are their experiences situated within an immigration context? Data was collected through semi-structured interviews with three women with lived experiences of family violence and six service providers who serve this population. By drawing on multiple theoretical frameworks of feminism, postcolonialism, resilience and immigration, a thematic analysis of the narratives revealed three major themes: 1) Specificities of violence through a cultural lens, 2) Barriers to service and 3) Resiliency: From victimhood to survivorship. Finally, significant implications and recommendations are offered to incorporate these findings within the practice, research and educational arenas of social work.
Changing trends in incidence, type, indication and maternal outcome of peripartum hysterectomy over 10 years at a tertiary care centre

Background: Peripartum hysterectomy is the most dramatic operation in modern obstetrics and is generally performed when all conservative measures fail to achieve haemostasis in the setting of life threatening haemorrhage. The objective was to review all peripartum hysterectomies performed at a tertiary care centre over a ten-year period from 2007 to 2016 to determine the incidence, types, indications and maternal outcome and also to study the changing trends Methods: This was a retrospective, observational, analytical study of parturient women requiring peripartum hysterectomy (PH). We looked at data over a ten-year period, from January 2007 to December 2016. Case records were reviewed for socio-demographic characteristics of the patients, type and indications for the hysterectomy performed, booking status of patients, mode of delivery, gestational age at delivery and maternal outcome. Change in trends of the rate and indications of peripartum hysterectomy at the centre was also reviewed. Results: The overall rate of peripartum hysterectomy was 1/876 deliveries. The rate of peripartum hysterectomy had a 4-fold rise from 2007 to 2016.The primary indication was abnormal placentation which included morbidly adherent placentation 22/59 (37.2%) and placentapraevia 5/59 (8.4%), followed by intractable atonic haemorrhage in 35.6% of cases. Abnormal placentation as an indication for PH increased significantly form 34.6% (2007-2011) to 54.54% (2012-2016). After hysterectomy, 56% cases were admitted to ICU. All patients needed blood transfusion. Maternal mortality was 10.1%. Conclusions: Peripartum hysterectomy is a most demanding obstetric surgery performed in very trying circumstances of life threatening hemorrhage. The indication for emergency peripartum hysterectomy in recent years has changed from traditional uterine atony to abnormal placentation.
Current practices in family planning: a population based study

Background: To study the knowledge, current practices of family planning methods and acceptance post motivation.Methods: Cross-sectional study conducted at family planning OPD of AIIMS, New Delhi, India. A total of 1516 couples who came for MTP at any gestation couple were enquired about knowledge, currently used contraceptive method and reason for abortion. Couple was counseled and allowed to choose contraceptive method using cafeteria approach. Mean values of continuous data were tested using t-test/ANOVA. Categorial data were compared using chi-square/ Fischers exact test.Results: Mean±SD age of the women was 28.89±5.21 years with 9.98±4.56 weeks POG. Around 81% of women had one or more living children with 62.67% women with at least one abortion previously. Majority used male condoms (42.10%) followed by natural method (21.01%), Cu-T (3.80%), OCPs (1.65%), injectable (0.30%), I-pill (0.24%). Awareness was maximum for male condoms, Cu-T, OCPs, female sterilization (100%) and least for female condoms (20%) and LNG-IUS (8.46%). Contraceptive failure (68.90%), congenital abnormality in the fetus (22.40%), maternal disease (5.90%), rape (1.60%), completed family (0.80%) and not using any method (0.30%) were the reasons of abortion. Majority of abortions were in first trimester (70%). Post-motivation around 69.30% of the couples accepted some form of contraception. Female sterilization (32.50%) method accepted by the couples as compares to temporary methods (36.70%) such as Cu-T, OCPs, Injectables etc.Conclusions: Despite of awareness the family planning programme is unsuccessful largely due to inappropriate attitude. Behavioral modification and communication goes a long way to slove the problem.
Adaptive Fuzzy Integral Terminal Sliding Mode Control of a Nonholonomic Wheeled Mobile Robot

In this paper, the trajectory tracking problem is investigated for a nonholonomic wheeled mobile robot with parameter uncertainties and external disturbances. In this strategy, combining the kinematic model with the dynamic model, the actuator voltage is employed as the control input, and the uncertainties are approximated by a fuzzy logic system. An auxiliary velocity controller is integrated with an adaptive fuzzy integral terminal sliding mode controller, and a robust controller is employed to compensate for the lumped errors. It is proved that all the signals in the closed system are bounded and the auxiliary velocity tracking errors can converge to a small neighborhood of the origin in finite time. As a result, the tracking position errors converge asymptotically to zeros with faster response than other existing controllers. Simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed strategy.
Estimation of microbial protein supply in ruminant animals based on renal and mammary purine metabolite excretion. A review.

The potential of mammary and renal purine metabolite excretion as a technique for the assessment of microbial protein supply in ruminant animals is reviewed. Data reported in the literature tends to support the validity of the assumptions of the technique that purines entering the duodenum are essentially microbial in origin and that following metabolism, purine catabolites (collectively allantoin, hypoxanthine, uric acid and xanthine) are quantitatively recovered in urine. The most convincing experimental evidence suggests that secretion of purine metabolites in milk is of little value for the assessment of microbial protein supply due a mumal correlation with milk yield. In contrast, use of urinary purine metabolite excretion does appear to provide estimates of microbial protein supply that, are in general, consistent with values derived using standard in vivo procedures. However, the accuracy of this approach is largely dependent on obtaining representative samples of rumen microbes and the ability to account for variations in non-renal excretion and endogenous purine losses. In conclusion, urinary purine metabolite excretion appears to represent a valid noninvasive procedure to assess relative differences, rather than quantitative estimates of microbial protein supply in ruminant animals.
WATER-IN-OIL EMULSION OF PALM BIODIESEL

Emulsification technique is one of the most significant approaches to the reduction of pollutant emission of diesel engines. In this research, water-in-oil emulsion of palm biodiesel was prepared by mixing palm biodiesel and water in the presence of emulsifier. For experimental purposes, different types of emulsifiers were screened for their effectiveness in stabilizing the emulsion system. The results of the experiment showed that the polymeric surfactant was found to be the most suitable emulsifier for palm biodiesel emulsion. It was also found that the stability of the emulsion system was increased by increasing the mixing speed. Even though the preliminary engine test showed significant reduction of nitrogen oxides (NO x ) emission, data from this research also showed that the calorific value of the fuel also decreased with the increase of water content in the formulation.
From Carry Trades to Curvy Trades

Traditional carry trade strategies are based on differences in short-term interest rates, neglecting any other information embedded in yield curves. We derive return distributions of carry trade portfolios among G10 currencies, where the signals to buy and sell currencies are based on summary measures of the yield curve, the Nelson-Siegel factors. We find that a strategy based on the relative curvature factor, the curvy trade, yields higher Sharpe ratios and a smaller return skewness than traditional carry trade strategies. Curvy trades build less upon the typical carry currencies, like the Japanese yen and the Swiss franc, and are hence less susceptible to crash risk. In line with that, standard pricing factors of traditional carry trade returns, such as exchange rate volatility, fail to explain curvy trade returns in a linear asset pricing framework. Our findings are in line with recent interpretations of the curvature factor. A relatively high curvature signals a relatively higher path of future short-term rates over the medium-term putting upward pressure on the currency. JEL Classification: C23, C53, G11
A Study of EFL Saudi Students' Use of Mobile Social Media Applications for Learning

This research addresses the gaps in the literature on m-learning approaches in Saudi Arabia, with a focus on English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students studying at university level. The research aimed to explore university students’ use of social media applications and their role in language learning, with a focus on how mobile devices can best be utilised. It analysed the attitudes of 102 learners towards the use of social media to improve language learning both inside and outside the classroom setting. Students of both genders completed a questionnaire, and five students engaged in semi-structured interviews. The aim was to discover whether the students are currently using social media applications to enhance their language skills, and what the students’ attitudes are towards the use of social media via mobile devices inside and outside the classroom. Prior to designing the research instruments, the literature was reviewed, including examining the attitudes of learners in different countries towards mobile technologies, and to decide on the best approach to take in examining attitudes towards new forms of learning. Based on the findings from the literature, appropriate questions were devised, and these reveal an overall positive response towards from the student participants towards using social media and mobile technologies to facilitate learning English. The results of this research are positive, and it is important that Saudi Arabia keeps up to date with advancements in technology to ensure the best learning experience for learners and maximise their potential.