Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Competitive ability of canola (Brassica napus var. oleifera) hybrids with black oat (Avena strigosa) in a subtropical environment

The objective of this study was to assess the competitive ability of canola (Brassicanapus var. oleifera) hybrids in competition with black oat (Avena strigosa) in a subtropical environment. The experiments were conducted in a greenhouse where canola hybrids ‘Hyola 61,’ ‘Hyola 76,’ ‘Hyola 433,’ and ‘Hyola 571’ were tested individually for their competitive performance with black oat. The plant proportion between black oat and the canola hybrid was changed (100%:0%; 75%:25%; 50%:50%; 25%:75%; and 0%:100%) while keeping the total population of plants constant (20 plants plot‑1). Photosynthesis rate (μmol m-2 s-1), internal CO2 concentration (μmol mol-1), and transpiration rate (mol H2O m-2 s-1) were assessed using an infrared gas analyzer 55 days after emergence. Leaf area (m2 m-2) and dry matter (g m-2) were also assessed on the same day. The data set was analyzed by the replacement series method for competition studies. There was evidence of intense competition between canola and black oat, independent of plant proportion. The competitive ability of canola was distinct among hybrids; Hyola 571 performed better than the others in the competition against black oat. Choosing the most competitive hybrid, such as Hyola 571, helps maintain high canola grain yield levels in areas infested with black oat. Highlights: There is difference in competition among canola hybrids against black oat; Hyola 571 performed better in the competition; Preference should be given for most competitive canola genotypes against weeds, and weed control should be carried out early in the critical period of interference; Aggressiveness is the most preponderant parameter in determining canola genotypes with superior ability in competition against weeds.
Combined GSTT1 Null, GSTM1 Null and XPD Lys/Lys Genetic Polymorphisms and Their Association with Increased Risk of Chronic Myeloid Leukemia

Purpose Glutathione S-transferases (GSTT1 and GSTM1) are instrumental in detoxification process of activated carcinogens. Nucleotide excision repair is carried out by DNA helicase encoded by xeroderma pigmentosum group D (XPD) genes and aberrations in the XPD gene predisposes to increased risk of cancer. The present study aimed to investigate GSTT1, GSTM1 and XPD polymorphisms in newly diagnosed chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients and to examine the association of these polymorphisms with the risk of developing CML. Patients and Methods This case–control study was carried out from June 2019 to August 2021 involving 150 newly diagnosed patients with CML and an equal number of randomly selected age- and sex-matched healthy individuals. A multiplex-PCR assay was used to genotype GSTT1 null and GSTM1 null polymorphisms. XPD gene polymorphism was detected by PCR-RFLP using predesigned gene-specific primers. Results GSTT1 and GSTM1 null polymorphisms were detected in 42.7% and 61.3% of cases, respectively, compared to 18% and 35.3% for controls. The combination of both GST null polymorphisms revealed a significant association with CML. Frequencies of XPD Lys751Gln genotypes in cases were 62.7% heterozygous Lys/Gln, 24% homozygous Lys/Lys and 13.3% homozygous Gln/Gln, while in the controls were 74.7%, 20%, and 5.3%, respectively. Significant differences were also noted regarding the combination of GSTT1/GSTM1 null with XPD Lys/Lys, and GSTM1 null with XPD Lys/Lys. Conclusion In conclusion, GSTT1 null, GSTM1 null and XPD polymorphisms showed positive association with the risk of development of CML. Furthermore, age and gender did not exhibit any association with the studied polymorphisms, while CML phases were associated with GSTT1 null polymorphism.
Pressure-Free Assembling of Poly(methyl methacrylate) Microdevices via Microwave-Assisted Solvent Bonding and Its Biomedical Applications

Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) has become an appealing material for manufacturing microfluidic chips, particularly for biomedical applications, because of its transparency and biocompatibility, making the development of an appropriate bonding strategy critical. In our research, we used acetic acid as a solvent to create a pressure-free assembly of PMMA microdevices. The acetic acid applied between the PMMA slabs was activated by microwave using a household microwave oven to tightly merge the substrates without external pressure such as clamps. The bonding performance was tested and a superior bond strength of 14.95 ± 0.77 MPa was achieved when 70% acetic acid was used. Over a long period, the assembled PMMA device with microchannels did not show any leakage. PMMA microdevices were also built as a serpentine 2D passive micromixer and cell culture platform to demonstrate their applicability. The results demonstrated that the bonding scheme allows for the easy assembly of PMMAs with a low risk of clogging and is highly biocompatible. This method provides for a simple but robust assembly of PMMA microdevices in a short time without requiring expensive instruments.
Effect of rearing system and sex on the composition and fatty acid profile of Andinoacara rivulatus meat from Ecuador

This study evaluated the influence of rearing system (cultured vs. wild rearing systems), and fish sex on carcass and flesh traits of A. rivulatus, raised in Ecuador. Three hundred mature specimens from A. rivulatus were captured, 150 from each origin. Slaughter yield and dress-out resulted similar for both rearing system, and average fillet yield for cultured fish was significantly higher than for wild fish, while cooking loss was significantly lower. Dress-out was significantly higher in females. Significant differences were found in wet percentage, ash, fat and protein content in both rearing systems, but only wet percentage was significantly affected by sex. Palmitic, oleic and arachidonic acids had the maximum percentage of saturated (SFA) and mono/poly unsaturated (MUFA/ PUFA) fatty acids, respectively. In cultured and wild fish, differentiations were also found in PUFA/SFA, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)/eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), atherogenicity (IA), and thrombogenicity (IT) indices, along with P, K, Mg, Cu and Fe. Sex and rearing system significantly influenced most of the analyzed characteristics of carcass and flesh of A. rivulatus. Fillet high yield and its proximate composition categorize A. rivulatus as a suitable food. These results provide valuable nutritional information about native species for consumers in Ecuador. Highlights: The rearing system (cultured vs. wild rearing systems), and fish sex affect the carcass and flesh traits of A. rivulatus. Fillet high yield and its proximate composition categorize A. rivulatus as a suitable food. The proximate composition of fillet from cultured A. rivulatus is more adequate than those of wild A. rivulatus. The cultured A. rivulatus contains higher n-3 and n-6 PUFA percentages and adequate n-3/n-6 ratio.
The new approach to designing HV insulation with high reliability for overhead lines and substations

To specialists, insulation coordination is well-known. The insulation level of the overhead line or the substation is determined from a distribution curve of the flashover voltage of a single insulator in the region of extremely low probabilities (flashover voltage distribution-FOV). This probability of insulation flashover, the minimum acceptable in operation, (Pperm) corresponds to a certain voltage Uo which, as a matter of fact, is the insulation level (BIL) of the line of substation as a whole. From here it follows that the possible difference in the form of the flashover distribution curve in the region of very small probabilities by calculation (a part of a curve "C", instead of a part "B") can result in a serious mistake in the design (coordination) of the insulation level of lines and substations. The author of this paper carried out research into the so-called anomalous characteristics of HV insulators of simple profiles (1998). Their main characteristics essentially, and sometimes extremely, differ from well-known characteristics in configuration, and quantitative parameters. The existence of the mentioned anomalies in common insulators with sheds (porcelain, glass and so on) also was demonstrated by the author. These anomalies are usually located in the region of probabilities considerably below achievable experimental probabilities. The paper continues the work of the previous publication and reports: the mechanism of occurrence of anomalous discharges in a compressed form; questions of insulation coordination in view of the observed effect; and new ways of designing high-voltage insulation of increased reliability.
Teleuse on a Shoestring: Current impacts of telecom at the Bottom of the Pyramid and the Next Billion Subscribers

This paper looks at perceived impacts of telecommunication at the 'Bottom of the Pyramid' in India, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka and Thailand. Strong positive impacts are found, in terms of emergency communication, maintaining relationships, and efficiency gains; impacts on income and social recognition are not as strong. The paper also explores the use of future phone owners. A review of the methodology employed to conduct a study of this nature and the methodological innovations that were undertaken are included. Based on a large survey of telecom users at the BOP in Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, the Philippines and Thailand, with a combined population of some 1.3 billion, with an estimated incidence of poverty ranging from 10-40 percent, this paper explores the impacts of access to telecom on the lives of current telephone owners and considers the potential new growth among non-owners. Section 2 reviews the existing literature on impacts of telecommunication. Section 3 explains the study design and methodology. We examine the difficulties faced in conducting a study of this nature and the methodological innovations that were undertaken. Section 4 explores in detail the impacts of telecom services. Perhaps for the first time in these markets, we measure the benefits in terms of improved business opportunities, social networking, etc., using technically appropriate quantitative tools to analyze the 8,662 point data set, enhanced by rich qualitative findings. Section 5 explores the potential market at the BOP in the five countries. We conclude with Section 6.
Thermal methods of pest eradication: Their effect on museum objects

Abstract With the decision of the 1997 Montreal Amendment to the Montreal Protocol to phase out the use of methyl bromide in developed countries by 2005, interest has been renewed in reappraising thermal methods for eradicating museum pests. Though a quantity of literature exists which investigates the effects of heat and cold on insect mortality, very little research has been published on the effect that the standard freezing procedure and the Thermo Lignum™ process have on object materials, though this is obviously the greater concern for the museum professional. This article reports on a series of investigations of ethnographic and natural history materials, using optical and scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, and tensile testing to establish whether physical and/or chemical damage occurred. Results from this work suggest that a broader range of object materials than usually considered acceptable could be successfully treated by one or other of these means. Suggestions for further research are given.
Gestational Age, Exclusive Breastfeeding, Attitude Complementary Foods Associated with Stunting Infants

Introduction : Many factors influence the occurrence of stunting in toddlers, but the most important factor influencing the incidence of stunting comes from the mother. Objective: This study aims to analyze the relationship between gestational age of infants, exclusive breastfeeding and mother's attitude in giving complementary foods with the incidence of stunting in infants aged 6-24 months. Method: The research design is Cross Sectional. The sampling technique used was purposive sampling involving 125 mothers of infants aged 6-24 months. Result: The results found that gestational age (p value = 0.016), exclusive breastfeeding (p value = 0.027) and complementary feeding (p value = 0.00) have positive correlation with attitude and complementary feeding. The babies born with a small gestational age are at risk of stunting. Exclusive breastfeeding for infants aged 0-6 months followed by a positive mother's attitude in preparing and providing quality complementary foods can reduce the risk of babies experiencing stunting, so nurses' efforts are needed to provide health education to mothers to optimize their role in infant care and nutrition. Recommendation: Health workers, both nurses and midwives, should increase their role in providing health education to mothers with babies aged 6-24 months about the importance of Antenatal Care, health education about the benefits of breastfeeding and forming of breastfeeding motivators and providing health education to mothers under five how to arrange a supplementary food menu for toddlers
Nutrient Content of Poultry Feed Used in Different Poultry Farms of Bangladesh

As quality of feed is the main determinant factor in successful poultry farming attempts were made to evaluate the quality of feeds used in the farms of Bangladesh. Feed samples were collected from two layer farm, four big hatcheries and six broiler farms located in different areas of Bangladesh and the collection was continued for twelve months. For monitoring the quality, dry matter, crude protein, ether extract, ash and calcium content in the feed were determined. The information regarding the source and ingredients of the feed as well as the feeding practices followed by the farms was also recorded. Based on age, purpose and stage of production, different feeding systems were practiced by the farms. In the present investigation, breeder farms were found to own feed-mill where they produced their feed and the quality of the feed appeared better compared to those used in broiler or layer farms. The nutrient contents in breeder ration were as per recommendation of the strain producing company. A wide variation of nutrient contents was observed in the feed fed to broilers in different farms. When the broiler feed was produced in the own feed-mill of the farm or supplied from a renowned feed- mill, the quality appeared to be quite acceptable with some deviation. Some self-prepared broiler feeds contained higher amount of ash and calcium. The broiler feed from retailer shop was found to be least acceptable. Remarkable fluctuation was noticed in metabolizable energy( ME) and ash content of layer layer feed procured from the retailer shop. Key words: Poultry feed, Nutrient content, Breeder feed, Broiler feed, Layer feed DOI: 10.3329. bjsir.v43i1. 852 Bangladesh J. Sci. Ind. Res. 43(1), 1-12, 2008
Hegemony of Network Capabilities, Frugal Innovation and Innovation Strategies: The Innovation Performance Perspective

The emergence of advanced technologies has brought new challenges and opportunities for all kinds of business organizations. In a technologically advanced era, innovation plays a dominant role for the successful operation of the commercial landscape. Therefore, the current study was conducted to investigate the impact of network capabilities (NC) and frugal innovation (FI) on innovation performance (IP). Furthermore, the mediating role of FI and moderating role of innovation strategies has also been tested on the link between NC and IP. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) registered with small and medium enterprises development authorities (SMEDA) were approached for the completion of the current study. Only 509 owner/managers agreed to participate. A quantitative research design was employed for the current study. During the two–three months process of data collection only 387 complete responses were received from the SMEs working in Pakistan’s big cities. Correlation, regression and bootstrap methods were applied to test the study hypotheses. The findings revealed that NC positively affect FI and IP. Furthermore, the findings also confirmed the mediating effect of FI between NC and IP link. The performance of SMEs working in emerging economies is largely based on their innovative activities. In this dynamic scenario SMEs’ survival is attached to continuous IP in their products and services.
Wearable dual-band Sierpinski fractal PIFA using conductive fabric

A novel planar inverted-F antenna (PIFA), incorporating a triangular Sierpinski gasket, is presented. The used conducting textile and polyester fleece allow easy on-body integration and simple practical fabrication. It shows dual-band response, combining a 16 % band at 2.45 GHz with an upper 12 % band at 5.2 GHz. The broadside gain is 3.1 dBi. Good agreement between calculated and measured data is observed.
Three‐dimensional finite element modeling of tire/ground interaction

Tire/ground interaction has been an important issue in terramechanics, transportation and pavement engineering. Characterization of tire/ground interaction has been majorly investigated based on empirical approaches and field tests. So far very few dynamic tire/ground interaction models have been presented. This paper presents a three‐dimensional finite element model for tire/ground interaction. The rubber material is modeled as nearly incompressible finite strain hyperelasticity instead of being modeled as a rigid wheel. The tire is also modeled as bias type and steel rebars are embedded within the tire structure. The tire model is combined with the ground model to form a tire/ground interaction model. Both single tire/ground interaction and four‐tire vehicle/pavement interaction models are presented, which allow us to investigate a lot of issues easily and accurately, such as compaction, pavement response and pavement damage. Numerous simulations are carried out to demonstrate that the dynamic tire/terrain interaction model can be used to predict the dynamic ground response due to moving vehicle. Different tire rolling conditions can be easily incorporated into the tire/ground interaction model, which further substantiates the broad application of the model in transportation and pavement engineering. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Factors in formwork selection: a comparative investigation

Results of an investigation concerning preferred methods of construction formwork by contractors' planning engineers in France, Germany and the UK are presented. Findings confirm differences amongst preferred solutions in these international locations. French and German contractors tend to employ similar proprietary formwork methods, whilst the UK ‘stand alone’ in preferring traditional timber solutions. It is found that company size has no significant impact on the formwork system selected. Nine formwork selection factors are identified, and ranked in terms of importance for each international group of contractors. Statistically, the rankings are shown to have significant correlation for each pair of countries. ‘Relative costs’, ‘Specification (quality) of concrete’ and ‘Degree of repetition’, are found to be the principal formwork selection criteria. Correlation analysis reveals association between many of these selection factors. Cet article presente les resultats d'une etude sur les methodes de coffra.
Direct determination of the bias-dependent series parasitic elements in SiC MESFETs

We propose a simple and direct extraction procedure for the determination of bias-dependent parasitic resistive elements in SiC MESFETs. This extraction technique is based on a frequency evolution of measured Z-parameters of a metal semiconductor field effect transistor (MESFET) under active bias conditions. Using this method, the equivalent-circuit parameters of an SiC MESFET have been extracted at different bias points, and the variation of the bias-dependent series resistive elements studied. The measured and modeled S-parameters demonstrate a good correlation up to 20 GHz.
Sliding Mode Fault Tolerant Reconfigurable Control against Aircraft Control Surface Failures

Operational failure of control surfaces is one of the main reasons leading to aircraft crash. Since the conventional control methodologies are not adequate to accommodate such failures, fault tolerant control (FTC) is required for safety critical system. The invariance property and unique synthesization procedure of sliding mode control (SMC) make it one of the most competitive candidates for FTC. In this thesis, SMC-based FTC methods for nonlinear systems are developed to handle both partial loss faults and total failures in the control surfaces. The first SMC-based FTC is developed to accommodate both modeling uncertainty and uncertainty incurred by the faults. Different design parameters are utilized to deal with the uncertainty incurred by fault and that due to modeling errors respectively in the SMC design. Direct adaptive control is combined into such a SMC to alleviate the requirement of the a priori knowledge of the uncertainty bounds. The second SMC-based FTC is developed to redistribute the control effort between faulty regular actuator and redundant actuator autonomously based on effectiveness of the regular actuators. The tolerability of the developed controller is characterized by the amount of fault that controller can deal with. It is used as the threshold to activate the redundant actuator when the regular actuator cannot accommodate the fault alone. In order to obtain the effectiveness of the actuator, special sensors or fault detection and diagnosis (FDD) schemes are required. Special sensors are costly and additional design of the system is required. Using FDD, during the period from the moment when fault occurred to that when the effectiveness information can be obtained, the system is under the danger of losing control. The third SMC-based FTC without a dedicated FDD is developed based on the absolute value quantity of switching surface. The control effort is redistributed to regular and redundant actuator autonomously by monitoring the absolute value of the sliding surface. The validity of the proposed algorithms is verified on a high fidelity model of Boeing 747-100/200.
DYSFUNCTIONAL CUSTOMER BEHAVIOR – A REVIEW OF RESEARCH FINDINGS

Market changes in consumer behavior can take a desirable, positive form and be accepted by other market participants, or they can be contrary to accepted social norms. According to Fullerton and Punj [1998] such behavior is the great paradox of modern consumer culture. Dysfunctional consumer behavior has become an inherent part of modern consumer behavior. The purpose of this paper is to review the results of research on dysfunctional consumer behavior based on selected scientific publications. The presentation of research topics and results will be made in two separate parts. The first part concerns the dysfunctional behaviors of customers, i.e. the way they are presented in the literature and the factors determining such behavior. The second part includes a review of research results concerning the broadly understood consequences of dysfunctional customer behavior.