Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Risk factors of the musculoskeletal and joint pains among employees who work with computer in Rafsanjan city in the years 2012-13

Received: September 2013, Accepted: March 2014 Background: Today application of computer in the life of people is very common and those who work with computer in especially long – term are faced with musculoskeletal pains. The aim of this study was to investigate risk factors of musculoskeletal and Joint pains among computer users in Rafsanjan city in the years 2012-13. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive study, 420 computer users were recruited in Rafsanjan city between 18 April 2012 and 19 January 2013. The data were collected by a checklist, in face to face interview sessions. Data were analyzed in SPSS and parametric and nonparametric tests were used where appropriate. Results: Cervical pain was associated with position of desk, chair and keyboard. There were significant association between shoulder pain and position of the keyboard, low back pain and chair position, carpal tunnel syndrome and mouse usage. The prevalence of cervical pain, shoulder pain, arm pain, wrist pain, hand pain, low back pain, elbow pain, back pain, and carpal tunnel syndrome, among respondents were 38.3%, 38.3%, 27.1%, 21.2%, 18.8%, 24.5%, 15.7%, 26.4% and 21.2%, respectively. In this study, there was significant association between exercise and all variables of carpal tunnel syndrome, elbow pain, back pain, low back pain and shoulder pain. Conclusions: It can be concluded that prevalence of musculoskeletal pain in computer users in our study were very common. Improving the position of desk, chair, mouse and keyboard could help with reducing cervical pain, shoulder pain, back pain, low back pain and carpal tunnel syndrome.
ORGANIC SOUTHERN HIGHBUSH BLUEBERRY PRODUCTION IN HIGH TUNNELS by ANDREW BURKELAND OGDEN

Growers interested in producing early high quality southern highbush blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) in high tunnels face a lack of information regarding appropriate cultural methods. We sought to elucidate the optimal date to close the plastic covers over high tunnels to hasten vegetative and reproductive growth of organic southern highbush blueberry. December 15, Jan 2, and Jan. 16 were the three dates selected to close the high tunnels. High tunnels raised soil and daytime air temperatures during winter months, but the tunnels did not retain heat during night-time and did not provide freeze protection without the use of propane heaters. Initiation of flowering was advanced by 38 d in ‘Emerald’ and 39 d in ‘Jewel’ with the earliest tunnel closure date as compared to outdoor control plants averaged over the two year study. The two cultivars ‘Emerald’ and ‘Jewel’ differed in their date of first flower and in the days required from first flower to fruit ripening. Flowering of these cultivars was poorly synchronized in 2007 and much better in 2008. However, no fruit ripened in 2008 due to an unexpected freeze. Higher light interception by plants in high tunnels indicates the earlier vegetative growth compared to control plots. Cost-effective freeze protection methods and proper cultivar selection are critical to successful production of early southern highbush blueberries in high tunnels.
Regulatory regionalism in the Asia-Pacific: drivers, instruments and actors

This essay introduces the special issue on ‘Risk, Regulation and New Modes of Regional Governance in the Asia-Pacific’ and provides an analytical framework to understand the emergence, consolidation and resistance to these modes of governance. The article proposes the concept of ‘regulatory regionalism’, which points to the creation of new state spaces of regional governance, transforming—rather than transcending—the national space of the state. In particular, the essay explores the creation of these governance spaces through the mobilisation of political projects of risk management. The strength of this framework of regulatory regionalism is that it facilitates an understanding of new modes of regional governance within the context of political projects of market-making and state transformation in individual countries. This approach to the understanding of regional governance takes us beyond the moribund debates on Asian integration which dominate the international relations literature.
Institutional Singapore Management Improved Maximum-Likelihood Estimation for the Common Shape Parameter of Several Weibull Populations

Summary The biasness problem of the maximum likelihood estimate (MLE) of the common shape parameter of several Weibull populations is examined in detail. A modi ﬁ ed MLE (MMLE) approach is proposed. In the case of complete and Type II censored data, the bias of the MLE can be substantial. This is noticeable even when the sample size is large. Such a bias increases rapidly as the degree of censorship increases and as more populations are involved. The proposed MMLE, however, is nearly unbiased and much more e ﬃ cient than the MLE, irrespective of the degree of censorship, the sample sizes, and the number of populations involved.
Adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) in Ghana and the Quality of Financial Statement Disclosures

According to the IASB's IFRS framework, qualitative characteristics are the attributes that make the information provided in financial statements useful to others. This study was conducted to investigate the quality of financial reports before and after adopting IFRSs in Ghana, and also the influence of firm-specific characteristics which include firm size, profitability, debt equity ratio, liquidity and audit firm size on the quality of financial information disclosed by firms listed on the Ghana Stock Exchange. The research was conducted through detailed analysis of the pre-official adoption period, (2006) and post adoption period, (2008) financial statements of the listed firms. Descriptive analysis was performed to provide the background statistics of the variables examined. This was followed by regression analysis which forms the main data analysis. The results of the quality of financial information disclosure mean of 76.80% (pre adoption) and 87.09% (post adoption) for the two years indicate that the quality of financial reports has improved significantly after adopting IFRSs. The study thus confirms that the implementation of IFRSs generally reinforce accounting disclosure quality. It also indicates listed firms' overwhelming compliance with the IASB's IFRS Framework. The results of the multiple regression analysis show that company size, represented by net assets and Auditor type were found to be associated at a statistically significant level with the quality of financial information disclosed. With the improvement in the quality of the financial reports after adopting IFRS users are assured of useful information for financial decision-making.
EXTRACTING LANE GEOMETRY AND TOPOLOGY INFORMATION FROM VEHICLE FLEET TRAJECTORIES IN COMPLEX URBAN SCENARIOS USING A REVERSIBLE JUMP MCMC METHOD

Abstract. Highly automated driving (HAD) requires maps not only of high spatial precision but also of yet unprecedented actuality. Traditionally small highly specialized fleets of measurement vehicles are used to generate such maps. Nevertheless, for achieving city-wide or even nation-wide coverage, automated map update mechanisms based on very large vehicle fleet data gain importance since highly frequent measurements are only to be obtained using such an approach. Furthermore, the processing of imprecise mass data in contrast to few dedicated highly accurate measurements calls for a high degree of automation. We present a method for the generation of lane-accurate road network maps from vehicle trajectory data (GPS or better). Our approach therefore allows for exploiting today’s connected vehicle fleets for the generation of HAD maps. The presented algorithm is based on elementary building blocks which guarantees useful lane models and uses a Reversible Jump Markov chain Monte Carlo method to explore the models parameters in order to reconstruct the one most likely emitting the input data. The approach is applied to a challenging urban real-world scenario of different trajectory accuracy levels and is evaluated against a LIDAR-based ground truth map.
CFD Validation for Efficient Gravitational Vortex Pool System

Mini hydropower plants are expected to have good potential for providing electricity to remote communities. An important part of this economic and clean energy system is the conversion of the low-head potential energy into kinetic energy to drive power turbines. One way of converting the low-head potential energy is using a gravitation vortex pool. This study describes work to optimize the vortex pool to improve energy conversion and hence generate electricity from low water heads of between 0.7 m to 3 m. The commercial Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) code ANSYS Fluent was used in this study to investigate the optimum configuration of the vortex pool system by modeling the free surface flow mathematically. In addition, an experimental test rig was set-up to carry out validation of the CFD results. The results of validation prove that ANSYS Fluent is able to model the system correctly.
Characterizing and Patterning of PDMS‐Based Conducting Composites

In recent years, there has been considerable progress on fabricating microfluidic devices with multiple functionalities, with the goal of attaining lab-on-a-chip [1–3] integration. These efforts have benefited from the development of microfabrication technologies such as soft lithography. [4] In this context the material polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) has played an important role, not only serving as the stamp for pattern transfer, but also as an unique material in chip fabrication owing to its properties such as transparency, biocompatibility, and good flexibility. [5] Because such microfluidic devices may be constructed using simple manufacturing techniques such as micromolding, they are generally inexpensive to produce. By employing PDMS, micropumps, valves, mixer/reactors, and other components have been integrated into all-in-one chips with complex functionalities, used in chemical reactions, bio-analysis, drug discovery, etc. [2] However, PDMS is a non-conducting polymer, on which patterning metallic structures during the fabrication of microdevices is challenging due to the weak adhesion between the metal and PDMS. Hence, the integration of conducting structures into bulk PDMS has been a critical issue, especially for those applications such as electrokinetic micropumps, microsensors, microheaters, electro-rheological (ER) actuators, etc., [6–8] which require electrodes for control and signal detection. Patterning metallic structures is popular in microelectronics, but the metals cannot adhere to PDMS strongly due to the low surface energy of PDMS. Lee et al. reported the transfer and subsequent embedding of thin films of gold patterns into PDMS via chemical adhesion mediated by a silane coupling agent. [9] Lim et al. [10] developed a method of transferring and stacking metal layers onto a PDMS substrate by using serial and selective etching techniques. However, the incompatibility between PDMS and the metal usually caused failures in the fabrication process, especially in the bonding of thin layers. To minimize the difference in material properties, other conductive materials were considered. Gawron et al. reported the embedding of thin carbon fibers into PDMS-based microchips for capillary electrophoresis detection. [11] Carbon
A Model for Assessing Information Systems Success and its Application to e-Logistics Tracking Systems

The DeLone and McLean (D&M) model (2003) has been broadly used and generally recognised as a useful model for gauging the success of IS implementations. However, it is not without limitations. In this study, we evaluate a model that extends the D&M model and attempts to address some of it slimitations by providing a more complete measurement model of systems success. To that end, we augment the D&M (2003) model and include three variables: business value, institutional trust, and future readiness. We propose that the addition of these variables allows systems success to be assessed at both the systems level and the business level. Consequently, we develop a measurement model rather than a structural or predictive model of systems success.
Fabrication of InGaN/GaN nanorod light-emitting diodes with self-assembled Ni metal islands

We report the fabrication of InGaN/GaN nanorod light-emitting diodes (LEDs) using inductively coupled plasma reactive-ion etching (ICP-RIE) and a photo-enhanced chemical (PEC) wet oxidation process via self-assembled Ni nanomasks. An enhancement by a factor of six times in photoluminescence (PL) intensities of nanorods made with the PEC process was achieved in comparison to that of the as-grown structure. The peak wavelength observed from PL measurement showed a blue shift of 3.8 nm for the nanorods made without the PEC oxidation process and 8.6 nm for the nanorods made with the PEC oxidation process from that of the as-grown LED sample. In addition, we have demonstrated electrically pumped nanorod LEDs with the electroluminescence spectrum showing more efficiency and a 10.5 nm blue-shifted peak with respect to the as-grown LED sample.
Seroprevalence of HBV and HIV Co-infection in Children in Nnewi, South-East, Nigeria

Background: Human immunodeficiency virus/HBV coinfection remains an important public health issue due to the risk of rapid progression to chronic liver disease and death. Despite the foregoing, there is paucity of data on Hepatitis among HIV-infected children receiving treatment in a tertiary hospital at Nnewi, South-East Nigeria. Objectives: This study was carried out to determine the prevalence of HBsAg in HIV-infected and non-HIV-infected children at Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), Nnewi, Anambra State, Nigeria. Methods: A cross sectional case control study was carried out among 120 HIV infected and 120 non-HIV infected children. The care givers and/or children were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire to obtain their socio-demographic characteristics, possible risk factors for HBV transmission and HBV vaccination history. All the participating children were screened for Hepatitis B surface antigen. Results: The prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen among HIV-infected and non-HIV infected were 5.8% and 0.8% respectively (p=0.03). Most of the children with HBV were males. The mean age of those infected with HBV was significantly higher than those without HBV infection. History of unsafe parenteral injections (p=0.03) and blood transfusion (p=0.02) were significantly associated with HBV surface antigen seropositivity. Conclusion: This study has demonstrated that the rate of HBV infection among HIV infected children is higher than that of the non-HIV infected children with increased risk of HBV seropositivity from parenteral injection and blood transfusion also amongst HIV infected. Adequate screening of blood and its products before transfusion is advocated.
Subjective? Emotional? Emotive?: Language Combinatorics based Automatic Detection of Emotionally Loaded Sentences

In this paper presents our research in automatic detection of emotionally loaded, or emotive sentences. We define the problem from a linguistic point of view assuming that emotive sentences stand out both lexically and grammatically. To verify this assumption we prepare a text classification experiment. In the experiment we apply language combinatorics approach to automatically extract emotive patterns from training sentences. The applied approach allows automatic extraction of not only widely used unigrams (tokens), or n-grams, but also more sophisticated patterns with disjointed elements. The results of experiments are explained with the use of means such as standard Precision, Recall and balanced F-score. The algorithm also provides a refined list of most frequent sophisticated patterns typical for both emotive and non-emotive context. The method reached results comparable to the state of the art, while the fact that it is fully automatic makes it more efficient and language independent.
Do Portuguese private firms follow pecking order financing?

This paper tests for pecking order behavior in medium-sized private Portuguese firms. In contrast to the usual split between internal funds, debt, and external equity, we separate debt into four components – cheap trade credits (CTC), bank loans (BL), other loans, and expensive credits (EC). We use breakpoint tests to identify when firms switch between funding sources by examining the change in each funding source based on the financing deficit remaining after the previous pecking order funding source has been used. Our tests indicate that Portuguese companies generally move from lower cost to higher cost financing sources, but they do not exhaust each type of debt before moving on to the next funding source in the pecking order. Such behavior is consistent with a loose interpretation of pecking order financing, but not a strict interpretation of the theory. Instead, Portuguese firms may be balancing pecking order financing with a need to maintain some degree of financing flexibility.
Fast interface tracking via a multiresolution representation of curves and surfaces

We consider the propagation of an interface in a velocity field. The initial interface is described by a normal mesh (Guskov, et al, SIGGRAPH Proc., 259-268, 2000) which gives us a multiresolution decomposition of the interface and the related wavelet vectors. Instead of tracking marker points on the interface we track the wavelet vectors, which like the markers satisfy ordinary differential equations. We show that the finer the spatial scale, the slower the wavelet vectors evolve. By designing a numerical method which takes longer time steps for finer spatial scales we are able to track the interface with the same overall accuracy as when directly tracking the markers, but at a computational cost of O(logN/¢t) rather than O(N/¢t) for N markers and timestep ¢t. We prove this rigorously and give numerical examples supporting the theory. We also consider extensions to higher dimensions and co-dimensions.
CCN activation of fumed silica aerosols mixed with soluble pollutants

Abstract. Particle–water interactions of completely soluble or insoluble particles are fairly well understood but less is known of aerosols consisting of mixtures of soluble and insoluble components. In this study, laboratory measurements were performed to investigate cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) activity of silica particles mixed with ammonium sulfate (a salt), sucrose (a sugar) and bovine serum albumin known as BSA (a protein). The agglomerated structure of the silica particles was investigated using measurements with a differential mobility analyser (DMA) and an aerosol particle mass analyser (APM). Based on these data, the particles were assumed to be compact agglomerates when studying their CCN activation capabilities. Furthermore, the critical supersaturations of particles consisting of pure and mixed soluble and insoluble compounds were explored using existing theoretical frameworks. These results showed that the CCN activation of single-component particles was in good agreement with Kohler- and adsorption theory based models when the agglomerated structure was accounted for. For mixed particles the CCN activation was governed by the soluble components, and the soluble fraction varied considerably with particle size for our wet-generated aerosols. Our results confirm the hypothesis that knowing the soluble fraction is the key parameter needed for describing the CCN activation of mixed aerosols, and highlight the importance of controlled coating techniques for acquiring a detailed understanding of the CCN activation of atmospheric insoluble particles mixed with soluble pollutants.
Advanced Production Practices and Performance: Empirical Evidence from Spanish Plants

This paper presents an empirical study that analyses the effect of applying three Advanced Production Practices (APPs) (Total Quality Management-TQM, Just in TimeJIT, and Total Productive Maintenance-TPM) on business performance measured with financial and non-financial (or operational) indicators. The study was conducted on a sample of Spanish companies in the automotive components, electronics and machinery sectors that took part in the 3rd Round of the High Performance Manufacturing (HPM) Project. The results of an analysis using Partial Least Squares (PLS) show that only two of the nine implementation indicators for the APPs being analyzed (process emphasis in TQM, and JIT delivery by suppliers) are positively related with non-financial performance. No significant relationship was found with financial performance, or between operating and financial performance. However, it should be borne in mind that the small size of the sample used in this study only enables strong relationships to be detected; a larger sample would be required to detect moderate or weak relationships.
Echocardiographic assessment of aortic wall elasticity in apparently healthy individuals : the association with age and serum total cholesterol

Background: The aortic elastic properties are relevant at several sites of cardiovascular. Increased arterial stiffness is an independent risk factor and predictor of cardiovascular mortality and an early predictor of coronary risk useful in screening. Therefore the evaluation of arterial stiffness may be important for clinical diagnosis and intervention in cardiovascular disease. Aim: The purpose of this study was to show the effect of age and total serum cholesterol on the percent wall thickness change, after adjusting for stroke volume. Methodology: A cross-sectional study using two-dimensional and Doppler of blood flow of aortic root echocardiography was preformed for a random sample of 60 apparently healthy males with an age ranging between 17 and 75 year. Aortic wall elasticity was assessed by percent wall thickness change. Results: Using multivariate modelling it was shown that age, serum cholesterol and stroke volume were a statistically significant independent predictors of Aortic wall elasticity (assessed by percent wall thickness change), after adjusting for blood pressure and BMI. Age and serum total cholesterol had an average ROC area of round 0.7 when used to predict high rigidity of Aortic artery. An age of 68 years and above was 95% specific in detecting rigid artic artery with low sensitivity 30%. A serum total cholesterol of 199 mg/dl and above was associated with sensitivity of 50% and specificity of 85% in detecting rigid aortic artery. Conclusion: Being in the sixth decade of life and having a serum cholesterol of >200 mg/dl will predict a rigid aorta with a reasonably high specificity. Measurements of aortic artery elasticity using Echocardiography is simple and may contribute to cardiovascular risk assessment.