Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Design of a Planar Surface Wave Antenna with a Bidirectional Pattern Based on Periodic Structures for Telemetry Applications

─ A planar surface wave antenna (PSWA) that realizes a bidirectional radiation pattern with a low profile configuration is designed, fabricated and measured. The antenna consists of a planar dielectric slab loaded with periodic spiral patches and EBG structure, which are designed to support the propagation of the surface waves in the desired direction. The diffraction of surface waves at the edges of the ground plane generates a bidirectional radiation pattern. The radiation mechanism and performance of the PSWA are described and simulated with commercial CST software. The proposed antenna with only 1.6 mm thickness is fabricated and tested, which resonates at 2.4 GHz. The antenna is especially attractive for telemetry applications because of its low profile and weight. Index Terms ─ Bidirectional radiation pattern, planar antenna, periodic structure, surface wave antenna.
Constraints Based Decision Support for Site-Specific Preliminary Design of Wind Turbines

This study presents a decision-support tool for preliminary design of a horizontal wind turbine system. The function of this tool is to assist the various actors in making decisions about choices inherent to their activities in the field of wind energy. Wind turbine cost and site characteristics are taken into account in the used models which are mainly based on the engineering knowledge. The present tool uses a constraint-modelling technique in combination with a CSP solver (numerical CSPs which are based on an arithmetic interval). In this way, it generates solutions and automatically performs the concept selection and costing of a given wind turbine. The data generated by the tool and required for decision making are: the quality index of solution (wind turbine), the amount of energy produced, the total cost of the wind turbine and the design variables which define the architecture of the wind turbine system. When applied to redesign a standard wind turbine in adequacy with a given site, the present tool proved both its ability to implement constraint modelling and its usefulness in conducting an appraisal.
A VLT study of metal-rich extragalactic H II regions - I. Observations and empirical abundances

We have obtained spectroscopic observations from 3600 Ato 9200 Awith FORS at the Very Large Telescope for approximately 70 H iiregions located in the spiral galaxies NGC 1232, NGC 1365, NGC 2903, NGC 2997 and NGC 5236. These data are part of a project to measure the chemical abundances and characterize the massive stellar content of metal-rich extragalactic H iiregions. In this paper we describe our dataset, and present emission line fluxes for the whole sample. In 32 H iiregions we measure at least one of the following auroral lines: [S ii]$\,\lambda$4072, [N ii]$\,\lambda$5755, [S iii]$\,\lambda$6312 and [O ii]$\,\lambda$7325. From these we derive electron temperatures, as well as oxygen, nitrogen and sulphur abundances, using classical empirical methods (both so-called “ T e -based methods” and “strong line methods”). Under the assumption that the temperature does not introduce severe biases, we find that the most metal-rich nebulae with detected auroral lines are found at 12 + log(O/H) $\simeq$ 8.9, i.e. about 60% larger than the adopted solar value. However, classical abundance determinations in metal-rich H iiregions may be severely biased and must be tested with realistic photoionization models. The spectroscopic observations presented in this paper will serve as a homogeneous and high-quality database for such purposes.
Phytochemical and Antimicrobial Studies on Vitex Chrysocarpa (Planch ex Benth.)

Ethanolic leaf, stem and root extracts of Vitex chrysocarpa were investigated for the presence and composition of these phytochemicals (alkaloid, flavonoid, phenol, tannin, sterol, hydrogen cyanide, anthraquinone, saponin and terpenoid) using standard techniques. Their antimicrobial activities at different concentration against some selected clinical pathogens (bacterial strains Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa , Fungal strain Aspergilus niger ) were also studied using agar diffusion method. Minimum Inhibitory Concentration against the organisms was also evaluated. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was employed in data analysis. Qualitative and percent quantitative phytochemical results showed that Ethanolic leaf, stem and root extracts contained these phytochemicals assayed but at varied quantities. Antimicrobial studies indicated that the ethanolic leaf, root and stem extracts of Vitex chrysocarpa inhibited the growth of the pathogens but at varied levels and the inhibition was extracts concentration dependent. However, the extracts showed higher inhibition against the fungal strain than the bacterial strains. Inhibitory effect of the leaf extract was significantly higher than those of the stem and root extracts with minimum inhibitory concentration of 50mg/ml for S . aureus and E. coli , 25mg/ml for P. aeruginosa and 12.50mg/ml for A. Niger . For the stem, the minimum inhibitory concentration is at 50mg/ml for S. aureus and P. aeruginosa , 75mg/ml for E.coli and 25mg/ml for A. Niger . For the root, minimum inhibitory concentration is at 75 mg/ml for S. aureus and E.coli , 25mg/ml for P. aeruginosa and 50mg/ml for A.niger . Antibiotic had a better activity when compared to the extracts at the same concentration. The data obtained from this study showed that the plant possessed antimicrobial properties especially antifungal and could be used in the treatment of bacterial and fungal infections but more especially the latter.
Temporal Variability of Ocean Colour Derived Products in the European Seas

The ten-year record of ocean colour data provided by the SeaWiFS mission is an important asset for monitoring and research activities conducted on the optically-complex European seas. This study mainly makes use of the SeaWiFS data set of normalized water leaving radiances LWN to study the major characteristics of temporal variability associated with optical properties across the entire European domain. Specifically, the time series of LWN , band ratios, diffuse attenuation coefficient Kd(490) and concentration of chlorophyll a Chla are decomposed into terms representing a fixed seasonal cycle, irregular variations and trends, and the contribution of these components to the total variance is described for the various basins. The diversity of the European waters is fully reflected by the range of results varying with regions and wavelengths. Generally, the Mediterranean and Baltic seas appear as two end-members with, respectively, high and low contributions of the seasonal component to the total variance. The existence of linear trends affecting the satellite products is also explored for each basin. The interpretation of the trends observed for LWN and band ratios is not straightforward, but it circumvents the limitations resulting from the levels of uncertainty, very variable in space and often high, that characterize derived products such as Chla in European waters. Results for Kd(490) and Chla are also analyzed. Statistically significant, and in some cases large, trends are detected in the Atlantic Ocean west of the European western shelf, the central North Sea, the English Channel, the Black Sea, the northern Adriatic, and various regions of the Mediterranean Sea and the northern Baltic Sea, revealing changes in the concentrations of optically significant constituents in these regions.
The Influence of Knowledge on Overconfidence: Consequences for Management and Project Planning

Many challenging decisions are made under uncertainty, forcing managers to judge situations without in-depth knowledge of details or potential future outcomes. Earlier research shows that people tend to be overconfident about the accuracy of their judgments and comparatively optimistic about their future prospects, which means that people believe that they are more likely than others to experience positive events and less likely to suffer negative ones. Managers are likely to make decisions based on overconfident judgments and overly positive assessments of potential outcomes. In this study, we show that overconfidence is higher when little task-specific knowledge is available, which increases the likelihood of making incorrect decisions when faced with low knowledge. In a second step we investigate individual differences in overconfidence, whereby a cluster analysis reveals different behavioral patterns among participants (117 students) with low task-specific knowledge. Two main groups emerge among those with low task-specific knowledge. People characterized by low comparative optimism acknowledge their lack of knowledge and consequently exhibit little overconfidence. The vast majority of participants with low task-specific knowledge, However, display strong overconfidence in the accuracy of their judgments. We propose that self-enhancement motives are a reason for this increased overconfidence. Decision makers must be aware of overconfident judgments and also consider individual differences in overconfidence in order to make the right decisions.
The impact of penalties for wrong answers on the gender gap in test scores

Significance Scholars and policy-makers have been wrestling with the question of how to increase the representation of women in STEM fields. Our evidence from a large-scale policy change on the national college entry exam in Chile points to one factor that impacts the gender gap in test scores among highly talented students. Simply removing penalties for wrong answers reduces a sizeable gender gap in questions skipped. And, in doing so, this policy change narrows the gender gap in test scores, primarily among high-achievers and in the fields of chemistry, social science, and mathematics. If strong test scores are a prerequisite to a career in STEM, it may be that this type of policy change generates increased opportunity for aspiring female scientists. Multiple-choice examinations play a critical role in university admissions across the world. A key question is whether imposing penalties for wrong answers on these examinations deters guessing from women more than men, disadvantaging female test-takers. We consider data from a large-scale, high-stakes policy change that removed penalties for wrong answers on the national college entry examination in Chile. The policy change reduced a large gender gap in questions skipped. It also narrowed gender gaps in performance, primarily among high-performing test-takers, and in the fields of math, social science, and chemistry.
Homology Modeling and Docking Studies of a Cell Division Protein, FtsZ: Taxanes and Flavonoids as Anti-FtsZ Agents

In Enterococcus faecalis and other bacteria, FtsZ is an essential cell division protein. The three dimensional structure of FtsZ from E. faecalis was built by four online servers: SWISS-MODEL, RaptorX, CPHmodels-3.0 and IntFOLD. Evaluation of the models was performed by ERRAT, QMEAN6, DFIRE, PROCHECK and MolProbity server. SWISS- MODEL produced the best quality model in ERRAT and the best Ramachandran plot values in PROCHECK and selected for docking experiment. An active site for GTPase was predicted which consists mainly of the amino acid residues: 21-23, 72-74, 105-111, 136,140,144,167 and 187. Docking of hundred compounds using Hex 8.0. 0 against FtsZ of E. feacalis, Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidermidis, Bacillus subtilis, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa was carried out in order to find FtsZ inhibitors. Taxanes and hinokiflavone had the best binding energy values. Other flavonoids i.e. rutin, vicenin, scutellarin, amentoflavin, silybin and the polyphenolic curcumin also had docking results better than GTP which was used as control. The results concluded that these flavonoids could be used as anti-FtsZ compounds and may replace the cytotoxic taxanes as new antimicrobial agents directed against this potential target.
Estimating Management Practice Complementarity between Decentralization and Performance Pay

The existence of complementarity across management practices has been proposed as one potential explanation for the persistence of firm-level productivity differences. However, thus far no conclusive population-level tests of the complementary joint adoption of management practices have been conducted. Using unique detailed data on internal organization, occupational composition, and firm performance for a nationally representative sample of firms in the Canadian economy, we exploit regional variation in income tax progression as an instrument for the adoption of performance pay. We find systematic evidence for the complementarity of performance pay and decentralization of decision-making from principals to employees. Furthermore, in response to the adoption of performance pay, we find a concentration of decision-making at the level of managerial employees, as opposed to a general movement towards more decentralization throughout the organization. Finally, we find that adoption of performance pay is related to other types of organizational restructuring, such as greater use of outsourcing, Total Quality Management, re-engineering, and a reduction in the number of layers in the hierarchy.
Cold-resistance evaluation in 25 wild grape species

A cold-resistance analysis of 64 accessions of 18 wild Chinese Vitis species and 9 accessions of 7 wild American Vitis species was carried out to give a cold index, relative conductivity, soluble sugars, soluble protein, malondialdehyde and proline of one-year-old shoots under appropriate freezing treatments. Subordinate function analysis results indicate that there are substantial differences in cold resistance among the various germplasms. Among the eighteen wild Vitis species native to China, the cold-resistance rankings (high to low) are: V. amurensis, V. yeshanensis, V. adstricta, V. pseudoreticulata, V. quinquangularis, V. piasezkii, V. hancockii, V. ficifolia, V. romanetii, V. davidii, V. piasezkii var. pagnucii, V. bashantica, V. liubaensis, V. qinlingensis, V. davidii var. cyanocarpa, V. wilsonae, V. baihensis , and V. davidii var. ninqiangensis . Among the seven wild Vitis species native to America, cold-resistance rankings are: V. riparia, V. arizonica, V. rupestris, V. rotundifolia and V. californica (all high resistance) and V. labrusca and a V. cinerea (medium resistance). The most cold-resistant accession is V. riparia Mcadams. These results will be valuable for the selection of wild grape species for coldresistance breeding.
What Explains the Uneven Take-Up of ISO 14001 at the Global Level? A Panel-Data Analysis

Since its release in the mid-1990s, close to 37 000 facilities have been certified to ISO 14001, the international voluntary standard for environmental management systems. Yet, despite claims that the standard can be readily adapted to very different corporate and geographic settings, its take-up has been highly geographically variable. This paper contributes to a growing body of work concerned with explaining the uneven diffusion of ISO 14001 at the global level. Drawing from the existing theoretical and empirical literature we develop a series of hypotheses about how various economic, market, and regulatory factors influence the national count of ISO 14001 certifications. These hypotheses are then tested using econometric estimation techniques with data for a panel of 142 developed and developing countries. We find that per capita ISO 14001 counts are positively correlated with income per capita, stock of foreign direct investment, exports of goods and services to Europe and Japan, and pressure from civil society. Conversely, productivity and levels of state intervention are negatively correlated. The paper finishes by offering a number of recommendations to policymakers concerned with accelerating the diffusion of voluntary environmental standards.
The 2dF QSO Redshift Survey - XIV. Structure and evolution from the two-point correlation function

In this paper we present a clustering analysis of quasi-stellar objects (QSOs) using over 20 000 objects from the final catalogue of the 2dF QSO Redshift Survey (2QZ), measuring the redshift-space two-point correlation function, ξ(s). When averaged over the redshift range 0.3 < z < 2.2 we find that ξ(s) is flat on small scales, steepening on scales above ∼25 h -1 Mpc. In a WMAP/2dF cosmology (Ω m = 0.27, Ω A = 0.73) we find a best-fitting power law with so = 5.48 +0.42 -0.48 h -1 Mpc and γ = 1.20 ± 0.10 on scales s = 1 to 25 h -1 Mpc. We demonstrate that non-linear redshift-space distortions have a significant effect on the QSO ξ(s) at scales less than ∼10 h -1 Mpc. A cold dark matter model assuming WMAP/2dF cosmological parameters is a good description of the QSO ξ(s) after accounting for non-linear clustering and redshift-space distortions, and allowing for a linear bias at the mean redshift of b Q (z = 1.35) = 2.02 ± 0.07. We subdivide the 2QZ into 10 redshift intervals with effective redshifts from z = 0.53 to 2.48. We find a significant increase in clustering amplitude at high redshift in the WMAP/2dF cosmology. The QSO clustering amplitude increases with redshift such that the integrated correlation function, ξ(s), within 20 h -1 Mpc is ξ(20, z = 0.53) = 0.26 ± 0.08 and ξ(20, z = 2.48) = 0.70 ± 0.17. We derive the QSO bias and find it to be a strong function of redshift with b Q (z = 0.53) = 1.13 ± 0.18 and b Q (z = 2.48) = 4.24 ± 0.53. We use these bias values to derive the mean dark matter halo (DMH) mass occupied by the QSOs. At all redshifts 2QZ QSOs inhabit approximately the same mass DMHs with M DH = (3.0 ± 1.6) × 10 12 h -1 M ○. , which is close to the characteristic mass in the Press-Schechter mass function, M*, at z = 0. These results imply that LQ QSOs at z ∼ 0 should be largely unbiased. If the relation between black hole (BH) mass and M DH or host velocity dispersion does not evolve, then we find that the accretion efficiency (L /L Edd ) for LQ QSOs is approximately constant with redshift. Thus the fading of the QSO population from z ∼ 2 to ∼0 appears to be due to less massive BHs being active at low redshift. We apply different methods to estimate, t Q , the active lifetime of QSOs and constrain t Q to be in the range 4 x 10 6 -6 x 10 8 yr at z ∼2. We test for any luminosity dependence of QSO clustering by measuring ξ(s) as a function of apparent magnitude (equivalent to luminosity relative to L* Q ). However, we find no significant evidence of luminosity-dependent clustering from this data set.
Effect of Katu Leaf (Sauropus androgynus) Extract Supplementation on Milk Quality and Yield of Bali Cow Fed Rice Straw and Natural Grass Basal Diet

Milk yield and quality of bali cows given supplementation of katu leaf ( Sauropus androgynus L Merr) extract were investigated. A completely randomized design with three treatments and three replications were used in this experiment. The result showed, milk yield of bali cows in treatments B (0.5% w/bw supplementation of katu leaf extract) and C (0.1% w/bw supplementation of katu leaf extract) were respectively 43.22% and 9.63% higher than that of bali cows in treatment A (0% w/bw supplementation of katu leaf) (P>0.05%). Protein content, fat percentage, lactose content and total solids of milk of bali cows given katu leaf extract supplement were ranging from 3.42-3.55%; 6.37-6.67%; 3.77-3.93% and 16.67-16.95% respectively. There were no significant differences in protein, fat, lactose and total solid percentages of bali cows milk in treatments A, B and C (P>0.05) Keywords: milk yield, quality, bali cow, katu leaf
Spatial and temporal diStribution of inSect VectorS of Xanthomonas campestris pv. musacearum and their actiVity acroSS banana cultiVarS Grown in rwanda

Insect vectors of Xanthomonas campestris pv musacearum (Xcm) have played a major role in long distance and plant to plant transmission of Xanthomonas wilt of banana (XW). The prevalence of insects has been reported to vary in space and time. Some banana cultivars have also been reported to attract more insect vectors of Xcm than others. The present study was conducted to determine the spatial and temporal distribution of insect vectors of Xcm and assess their activity across banana cultivars grown in Rwanda. The study was carried out in four banana growing areas of Rwanda selected on the basis of their altitude (i.e.Low, Medium and High). The Kivu Lake Border region was selected as a fourth site due to the high prevalence of XW. Insects were sampled in the four annual seasons (short dry, short rainy, long dry and long rainy) and at different times of the day. During sampling of insects, the incidence of XW-male bud infection was also recorded. Collected insects were immediately sorted into taxonomic groups and conserved in vials containing 70% ethanol for further identification to genus and species level. Five insect specimens in each taxon were put aside for the isolation of Xcm on their external body parts. There was a high prevalence of fruit flies, honey bees and other flies (in other families than Drosophilidae and Tephritidae) compared with wasps, ants and beetles. More insects were recorded in the low altitude area and during the long rainy season. These findings correlated with the observed high incidence of XW in the wet seasons. Incidence of floral infections was higher in the low altitudes declining with the increase in altitude, correlating with the decline in insect activity as altitude increased. The activity of insects on banana male buds varied among banana cultivars, with more activity on beer (AAA-East African Highland (EAH) and ABB types) and dessert banana cultivars compared with cooking or mixed use cultivars. Among the cooking types only ‘Injagi’ and its clone sets ‘Barabeshya’ and ‘Incakara’ attracted large insect populations. Banana cultivars ‘Nkazikamwe’ (cooking AAA-EAH), ‘Impura’ (beer AAAEAH) and ‘Ikinyangurube’ (dessert AAA) possessed persistent male bracts and neuter flowers and were less attractive to flower visitors. These cultivars could be promoted in areas prone to insect vector infections. Timely and proper de-budding should be emphasized with special attention during the rainy seasons and for banana cultivars with non-persistent male buds.
Habitat use by Atherinella brasiliensis (Quoy & Gaimard, 1825) in intertidal zones of a subtropical estuary, Brazil

Habitat use is different along the ontogenetic development of some species and may be influenced by environmental parameters. This study described the interaction of Atherinella brasiliensis caught in intertidal areas of the Paranagua Estuarine Complex with environmental parameters. We caught 10024 individuals between August 2010 and July 2011, with total mean length of 44.32 mm (SD ± 25.37 mm), variation range between 12 and 142 mm, and weight between 0.01 and 73 g, averaging 1.35 g (SD ± 2.66 g) and ages estimated between < 1 and 22 months. Significant differences were detected between sectors and periods for number of individuals and weight at capture, with higher mean values in the mean sector during the rainy period. The spatial and temporal distribution of ages was statistically different, individuals between < 1 and 3 months were more abundant in the sector 2 during the rainy period, and individuals older than 7 months were evenly distributed throughout the sampling area, and with higher mean abundance at the beginning and end of the dry period. Environmental variables that most influenced the distribution of age classes were temperature and salinity.