Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Smartphone Dependency and Its Impact on Purchase Behavior

People nowadays seem to become dependent towards smartphone due to its convenience, great camera features, easy applications’ installations, and more importantly, it can do most of the computer functions on the go. Significantly, smartphone usage in Malaysia is growing enormously and has become a significant and lucrative industry. This study aims to understand the antecedents and the outcome of the smartphone dependency among smartphone consumers. Two theories - the theory of uses and gratification and the media dependency theory- were used as the theoretical basis for this study, in order to determine the motivations to use a smartphone and to define dependency and its outcome. The antecedent variables were convenience, social need and social influence; and all of these dimensions are conceptualized as one-dimensional. The outcome of dependency on smartphones was expected to be the purchase behavior. Data analyses were based on 226 valid questionnaires that were collected among smartphone users. The result from the Confirmatory Factor Analysis of Partial Least Square (PLS) shows that only social needs and social influence significantly influenced the smartphone dependency among consumers, therefore indicating that these two factors are important to influence dependency on the smartphone. In addition, the analysis also verifies that the purchase behavior is the outcome of the dependency on the smartphone. Based on these results, marketers could focus on creating dependency among consumers on smartphone usage based on the consumers’ social need, which eventually will promote future purchase behavior in the long run. More importantly, understanding social influences as antecedents.
Studies on Isolation, Classification and Phylogenetic Characterization of Novel Antifungal Streptomyces sp. VITSTK7 in India

The aim of the study was to screen the antifungal activity of the crude extract prepared from the strain Streptomyces spp. VITSTK7 against Aspergillus sp. and to characterize the isolate. A total of 8 strains were isolated from the marine sediments collected at the Puducherry coast, India. All the eight strains were primarily screened for antifungal activity against three species of Aspergillus namely A. fumigatus, A. niger and A. flavus. Our search resul ted in the isolation of a potential st rain VITSTK7. The production media was optimized for maximum yield of secondary metabolites. The metabolites were extracted using ethyl acetate, lyophilized and screened for antifungal activity against the three Aspergillus species by well diffusion method. A maximum zone of inhibiti on (21 mm) was obse rved for A. f umigatus in comparison with the standard antifungal antibiotic Nystatin (20 mm). This potential strain was further identified based on Hideo Nonomura classification. A phylogenetic tree was constructed by maximum parsimony method to identify up to the species level. Molecular taxonomy and phylogeny revealed that the strain belonged to the genus Streptomyces and was designated as Streptomyces spp.VITSTK7. Blast search o f t he 1 6s r RNA sequence of the strain with the sequences available in the NCBI data bank showed a maximum similarity of 86% with Streptomyces longisporoflavus (DQ 442520) with the bootstrap value of 100. The 16s rRNA sequence of the strain Streptomyces spp.VITSTK7 was submitted to the GenBank under the accession number GQ 499369. The secondary structure of 16s rRNA and the restriction sites were also predicted using Genebee and NeBCutter online softwares, respectively.
Broadband THz filters for THz sensing devices

We propose a broadband filter using multi-layered frequency selective surfaces (FSS) for terahertz (THz) sensing devices. These types of filter windows are required to be placed in front of THz sensors to increase signal-to-noise ratio and reduce sensor sensitivity to mid IR and visible light. The FSS filter is simulated using polyethylene dielectric layers with fan shaped metal slots. Simulations show excellent flat band-pass response and a sharp out-of-band frequency response in 1–3 THz frequency range, centered at 1.95 THz. The −3 dB bandwidth achieved from this design is 1 THz (1.5THz–2.5THz).
Low cost indoor ultrasonic positioning implemented in FPGA

This paper presents a low cost indoor ultrasonic-based positioning system. This system allows the mobile nodes of a Wireless Sensor Network to know their location using radiofrequency and ultrasonics. To achieve this goal, a matrix of transmitting anchor points is installed whereas the mobile nodes receive these transmitted signals and estimate the time-of-flight of the ultrasonic signals. Using two time-of-flight measurements and trilateration equations, the location of the mobile nodes can be inferred in a 2-D space.
Primary cytomegalovirus ileitis complicated by massive gastrointestinal haemorrhage in a patient with steroid refractory Crohn's disease

A young man with known steroid refractory terminal ileal Crohn's disease developed torrential gastrointestinal bleeding necessitating an emergency ileal resection. Serology was indicative of primary cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection and this was confirmed with histopathology of the resected ileum. We highlight the difficulty in clinical practice of distinguishing between CMV infection and CMV disease as well as the different investigations available to aid in the diagnosis of pathogenic CMV disease.
On the capacity of κ-MPR wireless networks

The capacity of wireless ad hoc networks is mainly restricted by the number of concurrent transmissions. Recent studies found that multi-packet reception (MPR) can increase the number of concurrent transmissions and improve network capacity. This paper studies the capacity of 2-D wireless networks wherein each node can decode at most k simultaneous transmissions within its receiving range. We call such networks k-MPR wireless networks. For comparison, we call traditional networks 1-MPR wireless networks. Suppose that the number of nodes in a wireless network is n and each node can transmit at W bits/sec. For arbitrary k-MPR wireless networks, we show that when k = O(n), the capacity gain over 1-MPR networks is Theta(radickappa). When k = Omega(n), the capacity is Theta(W n) bit-meters/sec and the network is scalable. For random k-MPR wireless networks, we show that when k = O(radic(log n)), the capacity upper bound and lower bound match and the capacity gain over 1-MPR networks is Theta(kappa). When k = Omega(radic(log n)), even the lower bound has a capacity gain of Theta(radic(log n)) over 1-MPR networks. From these results, we conclude that the main constraints for k-MPR wireless networks to utilize MPR ability are the limited number of transmitters and the limited number of flows served by each node.
Enhancement of Tomato Fruit Lycopene by Potassium Is Cultivar Dependent

The purpose of this experiment was to determine the response of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) cultivars with fruit of average and high lycopene to increased K fertilization. The field experiment was designed as a factorial, split-plot, randomized complete block with four replications. The main plot consisted of K rates ranging from 0 to 372 kgha -1 K as KCl, and the subplot was cultivar ('Mountain Spring' or the high- lycopene Floridahybrid, 'Fla. 8153'). Thesoil type was awell-drained, central Iowa loam withasoiltest level consideredlow.The soilK applicationeffect ontotal marketablefruit yield was linear (P < 0.001, Y = 53 Mgha -1 + 0.084x, r 2 = 0.51) with both cultivars responding similarly. Fruit K analysis indicated a linear response to fertilization across four harvest dates, from 1236 to 1991 mgkg -1 , fresh weight basis. Harvest date had no effect on fruit lycopene concentration, but there was a significant (P = 0.006) interaction of K fertilization rate and cultivar. Overall, 'Fla. 8153' contained 9.5 mgkg -1 more lycopene in fruit tissue than 'Mountain Spring'. 'Mountain Spring' lycopene concen- tration was not enhanced by higher K fertilization (44.2 mgkg -1 ). 'Fla. 8153' lycopene concentration increased 21.7% at the highest K rate compared with lower rates (62.9 vs. 51.7 mgkg -1 , respectively). A controlled greenhouse study in the fall of 2005 with the same cultivars indicated similar results. Fruit K concentration for 'Fla. 8153' was significantly (P < 0.01) correlated to the fruit carotenoids, phytoene and phytofluene, indicating apossiblerole for Kin oneof theenzymes that synthesize phytoene. Inthefield and greenhouse studies, increasing fruit K concentration in the high-lycopene 'Fla. 8153' depressed fruit b-carotene by 53%. These results indicate that K fertilization can affect carotenoid biosynthesis, and the response of tomato to a high K rate is genotype dependent.
A Spontaneous Bronchogenic Carcinoma in a Sykes Monkey (Cercopithecus mitis stuhlmani)

A male blue monkey (Cercopithecus mitis stuhlmani), a subspecies of the Sykes group, was purchased from a commercial trapper as an adult in July 1978 and kept at the Institute of Primate Research, Kenya, for 2 years. The animal developed acute respiratory distress and died. Small nodular foci were found in the lung at necropsy and diagnosed as bronchogenic carcinoma on histopathology.
Anterior Cingulate: Single Neuronal Signals Related to Degree of Reward Expectancy

As monkeys perform schedules containing several trials with a visual cue indicating reward proximity, their error rates decrease as the number of remaining trials decreases, suggesting that their motivation and/or reward expectancy increases as the reward approaches. About one-third of single neurons recorded in the anterior cingulate cortex of monkeys during these reward schedules had responses that progressively changed strength with reward expectancy, an effect that disappeared when the cue was random. Alterations of this progression could be the basis for the changes from normal that are reported in anterior cingulate population activity for obsessive-compulsive disorder and drug abuse, conditions characterized by disturbances in reward expectancy.
Reliable relay assisted wireless multicast using network coding

We first consider a topology consisting of one source, two destinations and one relay. For such a topology, it is shown that a network coding based cooperative (NCBC) multicast scheme can achieve a diversity order of two. In this paper, we discuss and analyze NCBC in a systematic way as well as compare its performance with two other multicast protocols. The throughput, delay and queue length for each protocol are evaluated. In addition, we present an optimal scheme to maximize throughput subject to delay and queue length constraints. Numerical results will demonstrate that network coding can bring significant gains in terms of throughput.
Learning Robot Objectives from Physical Human Interaction

: When humans and robots work in close proximity, physical interaction is inevitable. Traditionally, robots treat physical interaction as a disturbance, and resume their original behavior after the interaction ends. In contrast, we argue that physical human interaction is informative : it is useful information about how the robot should be doing its task. We formalize learning from such interactions as a dynamical system in which the task objective has parameters that are part of the hidden state, and physical human interactions are observations about these parameters. We derive an online approximation of the robot’s optimal policy in this system, and test it in a user study. The results suggest that learning from physical interaction leads to better robot task performance with less human effort.
An integrated emerging contractor development model for the construction industry: practical implementation and statistical quantification

It is imperative that capacity building and black economic empowerment take place in South Africa at a rapid pace. This requires that, inter alia, strategies be implemented in order to create sustainable construction enterprises from a low base, in the shortest possible time. Many attempts at this have delivered mediocre results in the past, particularly due to such attempts not being structured on the basis of firm standards having been set, tools developed and implemented to continuously measure progress, analyses of results and presentation of it in an easily understandable format that can be quality managed. An empowerment model has thus been created to ensure the rapid development of emerging construction contractors. This model has a sound theoretical base, is supported by extensive field research and has been introduced in practice. The results were continuously measured and presented in statistical and diagrammatic format. Formal training and mentoring of contractors, as well as total quality management, have been identified as key elements of the model. Role players in the construction industry and the broader business environment that could positively contribute to the development of the contractors were identified and included in the model. The model produced a wealth of knowledge and skills that are now available for utilisation on a broad basis. An important observation is that the model mainly consists out of generic elements that may be adapted in a similar format for utilisation in other industries.
Blalock-Taussig anastomosis in 126 patients with Fallot's tetralogy

The long-term results of Blalock anastomosis in 126 patients (1954-71) for Fallot's tetralogy are presented. The operative mortality was 10% and the overall mortality 38%. The 78 survivors were reviewed after periods of surveillance ranging from six months to 17 years. Complications were few. It is concluded that although total correction as a primary procedure has become the treatment of choice in most, it may in some instances never be technically feasible because of extreme underdevelopment of the right ventricular outflow tract. In the very young with urgent symptoms and rapid deterioration total correction would be considered hazardous. In the infant a high operative mortality reflected the inadequate calibre of the vessels used in the shunt operation.
Skin-surface cooling elicits peripheral and visceral vasoconstriction in humans.

Skin-surface cooling elicits a pronounced systemic pressor response, which has previously been reported to be associated with peripheral vasoconstriction and may not fully account for the decrease in systemic vascular conductance. To test the hypothesis that whole body skin-surface cooling would also induce renal and splanchnic vasoconstriction, 14 supine subjects performed 26 skin-surface cooling trials (15-18 degrees C water perfused through a tube-lined suit for 20 min). Oral and mean skin temperature, heart rate, stroke volume (Doppler ultrasound), mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), cutaneous blood velocity (laser-Doppler), and mean blood velocity of the brachial, celiac, renal, and superior mesenteric arteries (Doppler ultrasound) were measured during normothermia and skin-surface cooling. Cardiac output (heart rate x stroke volume) and indexes of vascular conductance (flux or blood velocity/MAP) were calculated. Skin-surface cooling increased MAP (n = 26; 78 +/- 5 to 88 +/- 5 mmHg; mean +/- SD) and decreased mean skin temperature (n = 26; 33.7 +/- 0.7 to 27.5 +/- 1.2 degrees C) and cutaneous (n = 12; 0.93 +/- 0.68 to 0.36 +/- 0.20 flux/mmHg), brachial (n = 10; 32 +/- 15 to 20 +/- 12), celiac (n = 8; 85 +/- 22 to 73 +/- 22 cm.s(-1). mmHg(-1)), superior mesenteric (n = 8; 55 +/- 16 to 48 +/- 10 cm.s(-1). mmHg(-1)), and renal (n = 8; 74 +/- 26 to 64 +/- 20 cm.s(-1). mmHg(-1); all P < 0.05) vascular conductance, without altering oral temperature, cardiac output, heart rate, or stroke volume. These data identify decreases in vascular conductance of skin and of brachial, celiac, superior mesenteric, and renal arteries. Thus it appears that vasoconstriction in both peripheral and visceral arteries contributes importantly to the pressor response produced during skin-surface cooling in humans.
Ultrasound-Guided Obturator Nerve Block: Interfascial Injection Versus a Neurostimulation-Assisted Technique

Background and Objectives Interfascial injection of local anesthetic under ultrasound guidance has been proposed as a new technique for performing an obturator nerve block. We hypothesized that interfascial needle placement could supplant nerve stimulation as the end point for local anesthetic injection during ultrasound-guided obturator nerve block after the division of the obturator nerve. Methods Fifty spinal anesthesia patients who had experienced unilateral adductor muscle spasm during transurethral bladder tumor resection were randomly allocated to receive either 5 mL of lidocaine 2% injected under ultrasound guidance into the interfascial plane between the adductor longus and the adductor brevis and between the adductor brevis and the magnus muscles (US group) or an injection of 5 mL of lidocaine 2% in combination with nerve stimulation after identification of the divisions of the obturator nerve (USENS group). At 5, 10, and 15 minutes after block placement, muscle spasm was assessed by an independent observer masked to treatment allocation. The primary outcome was motor block onset time. Secondary outcomes were block performance time, total anesthesia-related time, motor block success at 15 minutes, and number of needle passes. Results Motor block onset time did not differ between the 2 groups (6.2 minutes for USENS versus 7.2 minutes for US group, P = 0.225), block performance time was longer in the USENS than in the US group (3.0 versus 1.6 minutes, P < 0.001), and total anesthesia-related time did not differ between the 2 groups (9.2 versus 8.9 minutes, P = 0.71). Block success rate at 15 minutes was 100% in the USENS group and 88% in the US group (P = 0.23). There was no difference in the number of needle passes (2.3 versus 2.1, P = 0.28). Conclusions In ultrasound-guided obturator nerve block performed after the division of the nerve, injection of local anesthetic between the planes of the adductor muscles is comparable to nerve stimulation.
Model-Based Evaluation of Playing Strategies in a Memo Game for Elderly Users

In this paper, we analyze game protocols for a Memo game for elderly users. We show how we can use generative statistical models to automatically reveal different playing strategies. We present a quantitative and qualitative evaluation of the approach on simulated and real data. We show that we can reliably detect different strategies and that we can use those strategy profiles to uncover relevant information on the players beyond pure performance measures.
K-Factor Value and Front-Time-Related Characteristics in Negative Polarity Lightning Impulse Test for UHV-Class Air Insulation

In IEC-60060-1 as revised in 2010, a conversion method for lightning impulse voltage test waveforms using the test voltage function (K-factor function) was adopted. Presently, studies are being conducted on the test standards for ultra-high voltage (UHV)-class equipment. Since the existing K-factor function was established based on the experimental results for more small models compared with the insulation structure of UHV-class equipment, the issue has arisen as to whether this K-factor function can also be applied for UHV-class equipment. The authors experimentally obtained K-factor values using the largest possible model assuming UHV-class equipment in the previous studies. This paper reports the K-factor values and the insulation characteristics with respect to the front time obtained for air insulation under a negative-polarity lightning impulse voltage. According to the results of this experiment, even though the K-factor values for an air gap were likely to be slightly lower than the existing K-factor function in the negative polarity, the tendency of the change with respect to the superimposed oscillation frequency was similar. Furthermore, it was found that even though the breakdown voltage for waveforms with an extended front time was likely to decrease further than that for the standard lightning impulse waveforms, the decline was about 3.1% even for a front time of 4.8 &nbsp;μ s. Consequently, it was indicated that a lightning impulse voltage test waveform with an extended front time may help properly verify the insulation performance of a UHV-class air bushing.
Oxidative stress and total antioxidant capacity in handball players

Background: Exercise training increases oxygen consumption, which was associated with the high generation of reactive oxygen species and markers of lipid peroxidation in the blood. The aim of this study was to assess the responses of total antioxidant capacity (TAC), biomarker of oxidative stress and erythrocyte, leukocyte and hematocrit (Hct) levels in plasma in athlete girls (handball players) and non-athlete girls. Materials and Methods: We evaluated two groups, which known as athlete and non-athlete women and they were similar in anthropometric characteristics. The athletic women engaged in the regular handball training 3 times a week for at least 6 months. However, non-athletic women didn′t have any regular activity over the last 6 months. Each subject referred to the lab and after 12 h fasting, the blood samples were taken for measuring all variables. Independent sample t-tests were used to identify the differences. Result: Significant differences were observed in malondehyde (P = 0.00), red blood (P = 0.00) cell and hemoglobin (P = 0.00). However, other evaluated factors such as of TAC, white blood cell, Hct and the mean corpuscular volume were higher in athletes than in non-athletes, but statistical significant differences weren′t seen in these variables between two groups. Conclusion: Regular exercise training for handball players may increase the activity of antioxidant enzymes and blood cells and reduces oxidant production.
Analysis of shaped beam dielectric lens antennas for mobile broadband applications

Dielectric lens antennas are inherently broadband and cost effective at producing highly shaped beams critical to mobile broadband applications (MBS). The paper presents an accurate analytical formulation based on spherical modal expansion (SME) of the near fields of small apertures radiating in the presence of a shaped dielectric lens. The analysis treats the lens as a scatterer. It utilizes techniques for radial translation and coordinate rotation of the small aperture spherical modal coefficients to align them to the phase center of the dielectric lens. The spherical modal coefficients of the scattered fields due to the lens are then obtained by application of boundary conditions. A sample computation is performed to demonstrate the approach and supported by an experimental result. The analysis is flexible enough to accommodate different types of small radiating apertures and different shapes for the dielectric lenses.
Uniportal video-assisted thoracic surgery lowers the incidence of post-thoracotomy pain syndrome

Objective: We compared post-thoracotomy pain syndrome (PTPS) incidence in patients who underwent uniportal or multiportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). Methods: We included 223 patients who underwent either uniportal or multiportal VATS between January 2017 and October 2018 (pulmonary lobectomies and pulmonary segmentectomies—uniportal: n=19, multiportal: n=133; wedge lung resections—uniportal: n=16, multiportal: n=55). We retrospectively studied incidences of PTPS in all subgroups. Results: Incidences of PTPS were significantly less for uniportal procedures for both the pulmonary lobectomy/segmentectomy group (P=0.024) and the wedge lung resection group (P=0.0315) than for multiportal procedures. Conclusion: Patients who underwent uniportal VATS procedures had lower incidences of PTPS than the multiportal VATS group. The uniportal VATS approach is therefore beneficial for patients.