Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Inference in Nonlinear Systems with Unscented Kalman Filters

An increasing number of scientific disciplines, most notably the life sciences and health care, have become more quantitative, describing complex systems with coupled nonlinear di↵erential equations. While powerful algorithms for numerical simulations from these systems have been developed, statistical inference of the system parameters is still a challenging problem. A promising approach is based on the unscented Kalman filter (UKF), which has seen a variety of recent applications, from soft tissue mechanics to chemical kinetics. The present study investigates the dependence of the accuracy of parameter estimation on the initialisation. Based on three toy systems that capture typical features of real-world complex systems: limit cycles, chaotic attractors and intrinsic stochasticity, we carry out repeated simulations on a large range of independent data instantiations. Our study allows a quantification of the accuracy of inference, measured in terms of two alternative distance measures in function and parameter space, in dependence on the initial deviation from the ground truth.
Primitivity of Positive Matrix Pairs: Algebraic Characterization, Graph Theoretic Description, and 2D Systems Interpretation

In this paper the primitivity of a positive matrix pair (A,B) is introduced as a strict positivity constraint on the asymptotic behavior of the associated two-dimensional (2D) state model. The state evolution is first considered under the assumption of periodic initial conditions. In this case the system evolves according to a one-dimensional (1D) state updating equation, described by a block circulant matrix. Strict positivity of the asymptotic dynamics is equivalent to the primitivity of the circulant matrix, a property that can be restated as a set of conditions on the spectra of $A + e^{i \omega} B$, for suitable real values of $\omega$. The theory developed in this context provides a foundation whose analytical ideas may be generalized to nonperiodic initial conditions. To this purpose the spectral radius and the maximal modulus eigenvalues of the matrices $e^{i \theta} A + e^{i \omega} B$, $\theta$ and $\omega \in \hbox{{\bbb R}},$ are related to the characteristic polynomial of the pair (A,B) as well as to the structure of the graphs associated with A and B and to the factorization properties of suitable integer matrices. A general description of primitive positive matrix pairs is finally derived, including both spectral and combinatorial conditions on the pair.
Communications in Mathematical Physics The Spectral Flow for Dirac Operators on Compact Planar Domains with Local Boundary Conditions

Let Dt, 0 t 1 be a 1-parameter family of Dirac type operators on a two-dimensional disk with m − 1 holes. Suppose that all operators Dt have the same symbol, and that D1 is conjugate to D0 by a scalar gauge transformation. Suppose that all operators Dt are considered with the same elliptic local boundary condition. Our main result is a computation of the spectral flow for such a family of operators. The answer is obtained up to multiplication by an integer constant depending only on the number of holes in the disk. This constant is calculated explicitly for the case of the annulus (m = 2).
Changes in Saponins Content of Some Selected Nigerian Vegetables during Blanching and Juicing

Saponin, a secondary plant metabolite acts as both antinutrient and antioxidant in humans. It is usually affected by different processing methods, majorly heating. Though, vegetables are usually subjected to processing before consumption, however, recent interest in vegetable juice is gaining ground among the populace without consideration to the level of antinutrient and other toxic constituents that may be concentrated by juicing. Some selected vegetables, commonly consumed in south western Nigeria were evaluated for saponins content in the fresh, blanched and juiced forms using standard laboratory procedures. Variation exists in saponin content of vegetable and their products. Highest value of saponin was observed as follows; fresh Teliferia occidetalis 1332.70mg/100g; blanched Teliferia occidentalis 918.77mg/100g and juice Manihot esculenta 2286.82mg/100g dry weight. While lowest was observed in Talinum triangulare 123.82mg/100g; launae taraxacifolia 141.75mg/100 and Basella rubra 132.03mg/100g dry weight respectively. Observations showed that blanching and juicing affected the saponin content of the vegetables differently, while the blanching reduced the content of saponin in most of the vegetables, juicing, however, concentrated some vegetables and reduced some. Also, saponin content of vegetables varies and affected by different processing methods. Thus,
Nursing records in pediatric intensive care units : a descriptive study

Continuity of care depends on the sharing of information between professionals, which occurs mainly through completion of patient records. Failure to transmit or receive messages may result in risks to patient safety and reflect on the quality of care provided. Aim: To verify whether the nursing records in the medical records of patients hospitalized in Unidades de Terapia Intensiva Pediátrica (UTI-P – Units of Pediatric Intensive Care) correspond to the safety needs recommended in the literature. Method: This is a descriptive and quantitative study, through documentary research in the nursing records of 92 medical records, in three UTI-P. Results: It was found that in 21.8% of the records there were erasures and in 26.1% there was no complete identification of the care professional. Discussion: Records should not present erasures, as they make it difficult to plan care. In addition, professionals must include their name and registration number at the end of the information noted. Conclusion: Records were adequate according to the safety recommendations, although some aspects are still lacking in relation to nursing standards. Descriptors: Communication; Nursing Records; Patient Safety; Critical Care; Pediatric Nursing.
Fostering Niches among SMEs in Malaysia through Organizational Commitment, Leadership, Organizational Culture and Job Satisfaction

Niche creation is a challenge among firms regardless of size, ownership and the kind of product/service they offer. Once it is created, fostering such niche becomes a greater issue. In this paper, we focused on the SMEs in emerging markets particularly in Malaysia. By using questionnaires, data was gathered from 100 employees working in SMEs particularly in Selangor, Malaysia. The purpose of this study is to let owners/managers/founders of SMEs better understand how fostering niches is influenced by organizational commitment, leadership, and organizational culture, towards job satisfaction as antecedents of competitive advantage and/or success of SMEs. Employees’ attitudes and behaviours are affected by the relationship between them and their employer. This relationship is referred to as organizational commitment. Moreover, leadership and organizational culture considerably have an influence on job satisfaction. Understanding this concept will aid employers to instil strong organizational culture and create solid organizational commitment among their employees and lead effectively so that they would be able to retain their well-experienced and skilful employees. Ultimately job satisfaction plays a very important role in the success of organizations particularly in the context of SMEs in Malaysia. The findings revealed positive relationships among the variables and their importance as determinants of job satisfaction in SMEs, which hopefully could contribute to the extant literature on job satisfaction and competitive advantage from the perspective of this country in Asia.
Atomic absorption spectrometry evaluation of calcium ion release from different calcium silicate-based endodontic materials used with new irrigants

Objective: The aim of the present study was to measure, using Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAS), calcium ions released from three calcium silicate-based materials, white MTA (WMTA), Bioaggregate (BA), and Biodentine, after their immersion in 0.2% chitosan, 10% propolis, 1% acetic acid, and 17% EDTA and also in distilled water. Methods: One hundred and fifty silicon tubes were prepared in this study. The tubes were randomly divided into three groups and filled as follows. Group I: MTA, Group II: BA Group III: Biodentine. After that, the set material was scraped from a silicon tube. Each group was then randomly divided into five subgroups of 10 samples each (n=10). For subgroup 1, a fresh 0.2% chitosan solution was prepared. For subgroup 2, 10% propolis solution was prepared. Subgroup 3 was treated with distilled water. For subgroup 4, 1% acetic acid was used. In subgroup 5, 17% EDTA was used. The samples were immersed in the test solutions for 10 minutes. AAS (GBC-GF; model Avanta PM) was used to determine the Ca ions released. The data were analysed using the SPSS 20 software. Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests were applied (P<0.05). Results: The lowest Ca release values were observed in distilled water, while the highest values were found in the samples incubated in the EDTA, and there are no statistically significant differences between propolis, chitosan, and distilled water. Conclusions: Chitosan and propolis natural irrigation solutions may be preferred to EDTA, when used with MTA, BA, and Biodentine.
The Correlation between Professional Development and Teacher's Self-Efficacy

﻿The purpose of this study is to examine the correlation between professional development of the teaching staff in schools using training courses, and teacher self-efficacy. This study was conducted using the qualitative method, with 144 questionnaires given to teachers in training courses in the Pisgah Centers (Development of Teaching Staff Centers) in Israel, where the questionnaires examined the length of the training, the teacher's self-efficacy, and their standpoint regarding the professional development program. Results of the research show a distinct positive correlation between most of the teacher's standpoints and most of their feelings of self-efficacy. Thus the standpoint of the teachers on the subject of effective teaching methods of the organization predicted the feeling of self-efficacy in the objective, relationships and organizational factors. In addition, the teacher's standpoint on the subject of environment predicted the feeling of self-efficacy in the objective factor and the teacher's standpoint on the subject of ICT predicted the feeling of self-efficacy in both the objective and relationship factors. Furthermore, a definitive correlation was found between the length of the training course and the feeling of self-efficacy amongst the teachers in both the objective and organizational factors.
The kinematic dipole in galaxy redshift surveys

In the concordance model of the Universe, the matter distribution—as observed in galaxy number counts or the intensity of line emission (such as the 21cm line of neutral hydrogen) —should have a kinematic dipole due to the Sun's motion relative to the CMB rest-frame. This dipole should be aligned with the kinematic dipole in the CMB temperature. Accurate measurement of the direction of the matter dipole will become possible with future galaxy surveys, and this will be a critical test of the foundations of the concordance model. The amplitude of the matter dipole is also a potential cosmological probe. We derive formulas for the amplitude of the kinematic dipole in galaxy redshift and intensity mapping surveys, taking into account the Doppler, aberration and other relativistic effects. The amplitude of the matter dipole can be significantly larger than that of the CMB dipole. Its redshift dependence encodes information on the evolution of the Universe and on the tracers, and we discuss possible ways to determine the amplitude.
Effect of furring orientation on thermal response of wall systems with low emissivity material and furred-airspace

In wall systems, airspaces can contribute in obtaining a higher thermal resistance, if a reflective material such as foil with low emissivity is installed on one side or the other of a Furred-Airspace Assembly. In this paper, the present model, hygIRC-C, was used to investigate the steady-state thermal performance of wall specimens that incorporate foil bonded to expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam in a furred-assembly having airspace next to the foil. In order to investigate the effect of the furring orientation on the wall thermal performance, the furring was installed horizontally and/or vertically. Also, a reference wall similar to these walls but with no furring was considered. For the reference wall and wall with horizontal furring, the 2D version of the present model is suitable to model these wall assemblies. However, for wall with vertical furring, the 3D version of the present model was used in order to capture the 3D effect of the thermal bridges due to the vertical furring on the energy transport and momentum transport in the wall system. Consideration was given to investigate the effect the foil emissivity and outdoor temperature on the contribution of the FAA on the thermal performance of the wall systems. Results showed that the thermal resistance (R-value) of the reference wall (no furring) is greater than the wall systems with furring. Also, results showed that the contribution of the FAA to the R-value of wall system with vertical furring is higher than that for wall system with horizontal furring.
Sea-level variability and semiannual rossby waves in the South-Atlantic subtropical gyre

We derived the sea level variability in the South Atlantic subtropical gyre between 15° and 35°S from 2 years of the Geosat exact repeat mission altimeter data. On the mesoscale, along-track wavenumber spectra are those of nonlinear dynamics with a steeper slope and stronger energy along the eastern boundary. Frequency/wavenumber spectra reveal a significant semiannual signal at a wavelength of about 500 km. West of the Walvis ridge (5°E), this signal appears to correspond to semiannual Rossby waves of 2- to 3-cm amplitude, propagating westward at 3 cm s−1, and showing latitude refraction effects. The pattern is very similar to that of annual Rossby waves as modeled by Reason et al. (1987). These waves are probably related to the semiannual wind component. However, understanding the exact mechanism for their excitation requires dynamical modeling. The large-scale variability also shows a significant semiannual component (about 6-cm amplitude and 15% of the yearly variance) in phase with climatological winds.
EFFECT OF NEMATICIDAL TREATMENTS ON POPULATION DENSITIES OF TYLENCHULUS SEMIPENETRANS

The effects of 1,3 dichloropropene, aldicarb and fenamiphos on population densities of the citrus nematode Tylenchulus semipenetrans were studied at Acireale, Sicily on Citrus aurantium seedlings. Results showed that treatments reduced the number of migratory stages of the nematode in soil in the first and second year after the treatments, but were little effective against females feeding on roots, whose number in some cases was higher than in control. Plants growth was not affected by the nematode although fresh weights and trunk diameters increased in some of the plants treated with aldicarb.
Textual complexity of standard conditions used in the construction industry

Clearly written communication aids the understanding of construction contracts, resulting in less disputation. Past research, using opinion surveys rather than objective criteria, shows that construction contracts lack clarity and standard forms have become complex over time. The study outlined in this paper uses three objective measures of clarity developed by linguists to establish the readability of construction contracts. In addition, thirty industry professionals participated in a Cloze Test which measured the level of comprehension of clauses concerning disputes. The study verifies that contract conditions are very difficult to read, with college level reading skills needed to comprehend half of the clauses. However, the hypothesis that standard forms have become complex over time was not supported by the study. The study establishes a linear relationship between readability and comprehension, proving the hypothesis that improved readability increases the comprehension of a contract clause.
Radiation-Enhancement Properties of an X-Band Woodpile EBG and Its Application to a Planar Antenna

A woodpile Electromagnetic Bandgap (EBG) material has been designed, by using an in-house code that implements the Fourier Modal Method (FMM). A couple of alumina-woodpile samples have been fabricated. Several results have been collected for the transmission behaviour of the woodpile and of resonators with woodpile mirrors, in a shielded anechoic chamber, by using a vector network analyzer, in the 8–12 GHz range. These new experimental data highlight interesting properties of 3D EBG resonators and suggest possible innovative applications. Comparisons of the collected results with FMM show a satisfactory agreement. An application of the EBG resonator has been considered, for gain enhancement of a microstrip antenna: an increase of about 10 dB in the broadside gain has been measured; experimental data and numerical results obtained with the commercial software HFSS show a good agreement. A comparison is presented between EBG resonator antennas and two-dimensional uniform arrays. Finally, HFSS results are provided for EBG resonator antennas working at higher frequencies or with a more selective superstrate: a gain enhancement of more than 18 dB is achieved by such antennas.
Implication of pigtail catheter vs chest tube drainage

Pigtail catheters and chest tubes have long been used for drainage of pleural collections for many years. In thoracic surgery, each technique is preferred in certain conditions. Pigtail catheters have the advantages of being smaller in size, more flexible, less traumatic, easier in insertion, and are associated with lower complication rates. They are particularly effective in draining non-viscid and non-coagulable fluids. The main disadvantages are their ineffectiveness in draining thick fluids, their higher liability to clogging, kinking, and obstruction. Chest tubes, on the other hand, have larger diameters allowing faster and more efficacious drainage of thick fluids and hemothorax. However, they are more painful, more distorting to tissues, and have higher complications rates. The aim of this article is to provide a review on both systems, and to compare the reported safety, efficacy, and complications of each.
Investigating the nature of aspirated stops in Western Andalusian Spanish

In Western Andalusian Spanish (WAS), [h + voiceless stop] clusters are realized as long pre- and postaspirated stops. This study investigates if a new class of stops (realized as geminates with variable degrees of pre- and postaspiration) has emerged in this dialect, or if postaspiration in these clusters results from articulatory overlap. An experiment was carried out in which WAS speakers produced [h + voiceless stop] clusters under changes in speech rate and stress location. The duration of postaspiration, measured as voice onset, did not show systematic effects of any of the experimental variables. Moreover, trade-offs were observed between voice onset and preaspiration plus closure durations. These results indicate that postaspiration in WAS [h + voiceless stop] clusters is the consequence of extensive articulatory overlap. It is further hypothesized that the lengthening of closures in WAS stops preceded by [h] results from a different gestural mechanism affecting all [hC] clusters in this dialect. From a broader perspective, since extensive overlap and consonantal lengthening do not occur in the [hC] clusters of other Spanish varieties, these findings lend support to the idea that intergestural coordination patterns can be dialect-specific.
Investigation of alignment errors on multi-static microwave imaging based on frequency-diverse metamaterial apertures

We examine the effect of alignment errors on the performance of a frequency-diverse imaging system composed of metamaterial apertures. In a frequency-diverse imaging system, a sequence of distinct radiation patterns, indexed by frequency, provides measurements of the spatial content of a scene. This set of measurements can then be used to obtain a high-fidelity estimate of the scene using computational imaging techniques. As with any computational imaging system, realizing the full potential of the frequency-diverse system requires accurate characterization of the complex radiation patterns. This characterization entails precise knowledge of the locations and orientations of the transmitters and receivers; any discrepancy between the modeled and actual locations will introduce phase error and degrade the quality of image reconstructions. Here, we study the effect of various misalignment errors on the performance of a sparse, bi-static, frequency diverse imaging system and provide an estimate on the levels of error within which the frequency-diverse apertures can reconstruct high quality images. Depending on the misalignment type (i.e., displacement, rotation) and direction the phase error can change significantly. As a result, for instance, we show that the imaging system is significantly less sensitive to cross-range displacement errors than to range displacement errors. We also show that the displacement errors are reduced for larger systems comprising many sub-apertures, due to the reduced averaged phase error. We find the impact of rotational errors is small compared to that of the displacement errors. However, as the sub-aperture size increases, rotational errors become more pronounced, becoming severe for larger sub-apertures with multiple feeds.
TiO2 Nanotubes on Ti Dental Implant. Part 2: EIS Characterization in Hank’s Solution

Titania nanotubes are widely studied for their potential applications in several fields. In this paper, the electrochemical characterization of a dental implant, made of commercially pure titanium grade 2, covered by titania nanotubes, when immersed in Hank’s solution, is proposed. Few papers were found in the scientific literature regarding this topic, so a brief review is reported, concerning the use of some equivalent circuits to model experimental data. The analysis of results, obtained by using Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy, showed that: (i) a good correlation exists between the variation of Ecorr and the estimated values of the charge transfer resistance for both the bare- and the nanotube-covered samples, (ii) the nanostructured surface seems to possess a more active behaviour, while the effect could be over-estimated due to the real extent of the surface covered by nanotubes, (iii) the analysis of the “n” parameter, used to fit the experimental data, confirms the complex nature of nanostructured layer as well as that the nanotubes are partially filled by compounds containing Ca, P and Mg, when immersed in Hank’s solution. The results obtained in this work give a better understanding of the electrochemical behaviour of the nanotubes layer when immersed in Hank’s solution and could help to design a surface able to improve the implant osseointegration.
Conformal measures and matings between Kleinian groups and quadratic polynomials

Following results of McMullen concerning rational maps, we show that the limit set of matings between a certain class of representations of C2 ∗ C3 and quadratic polynomials carries δ-conformal measures, and that if the correspondence is geometrically finite then the real number δ is equal to the Hausdorff dimension of the limit set. Moreover, when f is the limit of a pinching deformation {ft}0�t<1 we give sufficient conditions for the dynamical convergence of {ft}.