Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Limiting the impact of aircraft turnaround inefficiencies on airport and network operations: The TITAN project

Aircraft turnaround has been identified in many studies as a major driver of departure delays that impact efficient airport and air traffic management (ATM) network operation. It is, therefore, necessary to have reliable information sharing among stakeholders and between stakeholders and network managers. The authors discuss the Turnaround Integration in Trajectory and Network (TITAN) project, a collaborative decision-making initiative that proposes an advanced concept of operations to identify opportunities for improved information flows. Following successful validation of the TITAN project, a cost-benefit analysis was conducted on a decision-support tool. The tool defined a service-oriented architecture that improves sharing of a more predictive common awareness of influences on aircraft turnaround in order to facilitate intelligent decision making. This would mitigate turnaround delays and ameliorate airport performance. In addition to summarizing the project output, the authors introduce ways to integrate project output into the existing ATM system and manage the transition to a future TITAN environment.
Identification of proteins in promastigote and amastigote-like stages of Leishmania tropica by a quantitative proteomic approach

Background Leishmania parasites differentiate into the infective metacyclic form in the sand-fly and following is transformed to the amastigote in the host cells. The aims of this study were to identified differentially regulated proteins in the metacyclic and amastigote-like stages of L. tropica, and investigate their potential role in differentiation and pathogenesis molecular mechanisms.Methods The samples were cultured and identified by using PCR-RFLP technique. We employed We employed Sequential window acquisition of all theoretical fragment ion spectra mass spectrometry (SWATH-MS) to identify differentially regulated proteins between the metacyclic and amastigote-like stages of L. tropica.Results A total 176 and 155 distinct proteins were identified in metacyclic and axenic amastigote, respectively. Of these, 65 proteins were altered at least 2 folds. Proteins that were up- or down-regulated included energy production, lipid and amino acid metabolism, heat shock proteins, mRNA processing proteins, glycolytic and translational activity proteins. Several enriched GO terms were identified via biological process analyses, which “metabolic process” (GO: 0044281, P-Value: 6.52e-5), and “translation” (GO: 0006412, p-value: 5.01e-14) were disclosed as top category in up and down-regulated proteins, respectively. Also, the KEGG analysis indicated “metabolic pathways” and “ribosome” term as the top pathways in up and down-regulated proteins, respectively.Conclusions This study provides the first quantitative analysis of protein expression during differentiation from metacyclic to amastigote-like of L. tropica. In conclusion, anabolic pathways were down-regulated, whereas catabolic pathways were up-regulated during L. tropica differentiation in order to parasite survival in host macrophages, in which these changes can be used as novel potential targets for the infection management.
Studies of the correlation between dual-source CT measured thyroid iodine concentrations, contents and thyroid function

Background The aim of this study is to investigate the correlation between dual-source CT measured iodine concentration, total iodine content and blood measured thyroid parameters.Methods Dual-source CT was used to scan the neck of thyroid patients. The mean iodine concentration and thyroid tissue volume were measured to calculate the total iodine content of thyroid. Relevant test of triiodothyronine (FT3), total triiodothyronine (TT3), total thyroxine (TT4), free thyroxine (FT4), and thyroid hormone (TSH) were conducted. The correlation of thyroid mean iodine concentration and total iodine content with blood measured thyroid function was analyzed.Result The total iodine content in thyroid was positively correlated with FT3, but negatively correlated with TSH. The mean iodine concentration of thyroid was positively correlated with both FT3 and TT3.Conclusion The thyroid iodine content measured by dual-source CT can be used to determine the human iodine nutritional status and evaluate thyroid functions, which will provide help for the diagnosis and treatment of thyroid diseases.
Age- and sex-related differences in vertebral bone marrow fat content in healthy adults from east China

Background Bone-marrow water–fat composition is a useful imaging biomarker. However, the vertebral bone-marrow fat composition in healthy adults of east China is unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate differences in lumbar vertebral bone-marrow fat content between the sexes with age, using iterative decomposition of water and fat with echo asymmetry and least-squares estimation quantitation (IDEAL-IQ). Methods Three-hundred-and-twenty-one healthy volunteers (age range 20–29 years: 32/33 men/women; 30–39 years: 40/37; 40–49 years: 21/45; 50–59 years: 26/37; ≥ 60 years: 15/26) were included in the present study. All subjects underwent IDEAL-IQ sequence imaging on a 3.0-T MR scanner. Bone-marrow fat-fraction ratio (FF%) was calculated for each vertebral body from sagittal lumbar images. Men and women were compared within age-groups by independent-samples t -tests, and different age-groups and vertebral segments were compared by Bonferroni post-hoc test. FF% correlations with age and body mass index (BMI) were analyzed with Spearman’s correlation coefficient. FF% and vertebral segment correlations were assessed by partial correlation analysis, after adjustment for sex and age. Results FF% averaged over L1–L5 was significantly higher in men than in women for the < 40-year age-groups ( P = 0.000). Bone-marrow fatty conversion was accelerated in women compared to men aged 40–49 years, but was similar in women and men aged > 60 years ( P > 0.05). FF% correlation with age was weakly positive in men ( r = 0.253, P = 0.003), and moderately positive in women ( r = 0.581, P < 0.001), but was non-significantly correlated with BMI and vertebral segments ( r = 0.218; r = 0.187, respectively). FF% was higher in the lower than in the upper lumbar segments ( P < 0.05). Conclusion IDEAL-IQ can accurately quantify lumbar bone-marrow fat infiltration. This increases with age, and differs between men and women and between lower and upper lumbar segments.
Oropharyngeal dysphagia and quality of life in elderly patients after stroke.

Objective To verify the association between oropharyngeal dysphagia and quality of life in elderly individuals, at the late stage of stroke. Methods Retrospective cross-sectional study, whose results were obtained by analysis of the databank of a project that analyzed 30 elderly individuals affected by stroke in the late stage. All were submitted to clinical and instrumental evaluation (�beroptic endoscopic) of swallowing, testing foods of solid, liquid and pudding textures. The degree of dysphagia was classi�ed according to data from clinical examination and images of videoendoscopy examinations using the DOSS scale (Dysphagia Outcome and Severity Scale). The quality of life related to swallowing was analyzed by the SWAL-QOL protocol (Quality of Life in Swallowing Disorders), previously applied to the elderly individuals. Data were submitted to descriptive statistical an analysis and the Spearman correlation test. Results The clinical evaluation evidenced that most individuals presented mild oropharyngeal dysphagia, while the DOSS scale demonstrated swallowing with functional limitations. Mild impact or lack of impact was observed on the quality of life related to swallowing. There was positive correlation between burden, wish to feed, duration of feeding and mental state with the severity of oropharyngeal dysphagia, both by clinical and instrumental evaluations; and between the frequency of symptoms and severity of dysphagia by clinical evaluation (p<0.01). quality of life of elderly the late stage of stroke, demonstrating follow-up of these individuals concerning the feeding
A Study of the Distribution of Firm Sizes Applying Methods of Physics on Team Dynamics

The Agent-Based Model (ABM) proposed Robert L. Axtell in his paper ’Team Dynamics and the Empirical Structure of Firms’ (2013) has been successfully reproduced, and various aspects of it have been studied. From this model more simplistic models have been derived, and in particular the power-law behaviour of the distribution of firm sizes generated by these models has been studied. The derived models have been amenable to analytical treatment, and certain results pertaining to the properties of these models have been obtained.
Distributed autonomous control of multiple spacecraft during close proximity operations

Abstract : This research contributes to multiple spacecraft control by developing an autonomous distributed control algorithm for close proximity operations of multiple spacecraft systems, including rendezvous and docking scenarios. The proposed control algorithm combines the efficiency of the Linear Quadratic Regulator (LQR) and the robust collision avoidance capability of the Artificial Potential Function (APF) method. The LQR control effort serves as the attractive force toward goal positions, while the APF-based repulsive functions provide collision avoidance for both fixed and moving obstacles. The combination of the LQR and APF control logics, referred to as the LQR/APF control algorithm, yielded promising results as demonstrated by the numerous multiple spacecraft maneuver simulations reported in this dissertation. In order to validate the proposed control approach, a multiple spacecraft model validation and visualization technique was developed using a versatile MATLAB- Satellite Toll Kit (STK) interface to propagate the spacecraft models, compare against STK generated ephemeris, and animate for analysis The MATLAB-STK interface efficacy was demonstrated during the evaluation and analysis of the innovative LQR/APF multiple spacecraft control algorithm. The LQR/APF multiple spacecraft close proximity control algorithm was developed, refined, and thoroughly simulated using high fidelity six Degree of Freedom (DOF) spacecraft models. In order to evaluate the stability and robustness of the control approach a Monte-Carlo simulations set was run. The LQR/APF control algorithm was further evaluated by virtual hardware-in-the-loop implementation at the NPS Spacecraft Robotics Laboratory. The laboratory hosts the Autonomous Docking and Spacecraft Servicing testbed which allows for on-the-ground testing of close proximity multiple spacecraft control concepts.
HEART RATE RECOVERY POST-MAXIMAL EXHAUSTIVE EXERCISE AND ITS CORRELATION WITH MAXIMAL AEROBIC POWER IN TRAINED TEAM SPORT ATHLETES

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between aerobic fitness (i.e. maximal aerobic power or V · O2max) and heart rate recovery (HRrec) from maximal exhaustive exercise in trained team sport athletes. Fifty-three male, national senior- and junior-level soccer and field hockey players performed a graded maximal treadmill run to exhaustion to assess measured V · O2max. During the active recovery period (walking at 3.0 km hr –1 ) of the same test, the subjects’ HR at 1, 2 and 3 minutes was recorded (i.e. HRrec at the 1 st , 2 nd and 3 rd minute, respectively). The V O2max and HRrec protocols were standardized across all subjects. Subjects’ mean V O2max and HRmax at the end of the incremental test was 56.8 ± 6.1 mL kg –1 min –1 and 191.1 ± 8.4 beats min –1 , respectively. Pearson’s correlation coefficient showed no significant correlations between subjects’ V O2max and HRrec (expressed as a percentage of HRmax) at either the 1 st (r = –0.13), 2 nd (r = 0.04) or 3 rd minute (r = –0.05) (all p > 0.05) post-maximal exercise. This study showed that there was no relationship between aerobic fitness and the rate of HRrec post-maximal exercise in trained team sport athletes. During aerobic interval training sessions, it is not appropriate to assume that well-trained team sport athletes with high aerobic capacity will recover faster, in terms of HR, from high-intensity bouts of exercise than less aerobically fit athletes.
beta-Endorphin.

From the combination of knowledge and actions, someone can improve their skill and ability. It will lead them to live and work much better. This is why, the students, workers, or even employers should have reading habit for books. Any book will give certain knowledge to take all benefits. This is what this beta endorphin tells you. It will add more knowledge of you to life and work better. Try it and prove it.
A Saturation Balancing Control Method for Enhancing Dynamic Vehicle Stability (PREPRINT)

Abstract : This paper proposes a new vehicle stability control method that quantifies and uses the level of lateral force saturation on each axle/wheel of a vehicle. The magnitude of the saturation, which can be interpreted as a slip-angle deficiency, is determined from on-line estimated nonlinear lateral tire forces and their linear projections. Once known, the saturation levels are employed in a saturation balancing control structure that biases the drive torque to either the front or rear axles/wheels with the goal of minimizing excessive under- or over-steer. The control structure avoids the need for an explicit reference model to generate target vehicle responses. The method is particularly suited for a vehicle with a torque-biasing or independent axle or wheel drive system. The benefits of the proposed approach are demonstrated considering a nominally unstable heavy vehicle in an extreme obstacle avoidance type dynamic maneuver.
A Sensorized Instrument for Minimally Invasive Surgery for the Measurement of Forces during Training and Surgery: Development and Applications

The reduced access conditions present in Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS) affect the feel of interaction forces between the instruments and the tissue being treated. This loss of haptic information compromises the safety of the procedure and must be overcome through training. Haptics in MIS is the subject of extensive research, focused on establishing force feedback mechanisms and developing appropriate sensors. This latter task is complicated by the need to place the sensors as close as possible to the instrument tip, as the measurement of forces outside of the patient’s body does not represent the true tool–tissue interaction. Many force sensors have been proposed, but none are yet available for surgery. The objectives of this thesis were to develop a set of instruments capable of measuring tool– tissue force information in MIS, and to evaluate the usefulness of force information during surgery and for training and skills assessment. To address these objectives, a set of laparoscopic instruments was developed that can measure instrument position and tool–tissue interaction forces in multiple degrees of freedom. Different design iterations and the work performed towards the development of a sterilizable instrument are presented. Several experiments were performed using these instruments to establish the usefulness of force information in surgery and training. The results showed that the combination of force and position information can be used in the development of realistic tissue models or haptic interfaces specifically designed for MIS. This information is also valuable in order to create tactile maps to assist in the identification of areas of different stiffness. The real-time measurement of forces allows visual force feedback to be presented to the surgeon. When applied to training scenarios, the results show that experience level correlates better with force-based metrics than those currently used in training simulators. The proposed metrics can be automatically computed, are completely objective, and measure important aspects of performance. iii
Comparison of Non-Newtonian Models of One-Dimensional Hemodynamics

The paper is devoted to the comparison of different one-dimensional models of blood flow. In such models, the non-Newtonian property of blood is considered. It is demonstrated that for the large arteries, the small parameter is observed in the models, and the perturbation method can be used for the analytical solution. In the paper, the simplified nonlinear problem for the semi-infinite vessel with constant properties is solved analytically, and the solutions for different models are compared. The effects of the flattening of the velocity profile and hematocrit value on the deviation from the Newtonian model are investigated.
Drought resilience in CIMMYT maize lines adapted to Africa resulting from transpiration sensitivity to vapor pressure deficit and soil drying

ABSTRACT Low rainfall limits crop yield, particularly for maize (Zea mays L.) in southern Africa. Consequently, there is a need to identify genetic sources of specific drought-related traits that can contribute to soil water conservation and increased yields under water-limited conditions. In this study, maize genotypes released for production in southern Africa were tested for expression of two soil water-conservation traits: limited transpiration under elevated vapor pressure deficit (VPD) and decreased transpiration rate at high soil water contents earlier in the soil drying cycle. Two genotypes, CML 590 and CML 593, were identified and confirmed to initiate expression of limited-transpiration rate at VPD above about 1.9 kPa. In the soil-drying experiment, Umbelu 8923 and Umbelu 8930 closed their stomata earliest in the soil drying cycle as compared to other tested genotypes. These four genotypes with specific physiological traits for superior response to water deficit are genetic resources for further study to improve maize drought resilience.
LATERAL PRESSURES ON RETAINING WALLS CAUSED BY SUPERIMPOSED LOADS

DESIGN OF A RETAINING WALL OR ABUTMENT INVOLVES THE DETERMINATION OF THE OVERTURNING AND TRANSLATING FORCES ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE BACKFILLING MATERIAL AS WELL AS THOSE SIMILAR FORCES CAUSED BY THE SUPERIMPOSITION OF LOADS ON THE SURFACE OF THE BACKFILL. STUDIES WERE CONDUCTED ON A SERIES OF RETAINING WALLS, WITH TRUCK WHEEL LOADS IN A UNIFORMLY DISTRIBUTED PARALLEL LINE OR STRIP LOAD APPLIED AT THE SURFACE OF THE GRAVEL BACKFILL AND AT VARIOUS DISTANCES FROM THE BACKFACE OF THE WALL. PRESSURES ON THE WALL WERE MEASURED BY MEANS OF GOLDBECK PRESSURE CELLS AND STAINLESS STEEL FRICTION RIBBONS WHICH WERE MADE TO SLIDE BETWEEN TWO STAINLESS SURFACES AND TO PASS OVER SMALL ROLLERS THROUGH THE WALL SO THAT THE ENDS OF THE RIBBONS WERE AVAILABLE FOR PULLING FROM THE FRONT SIDE OF THE WALL. THESE RIBBONS WERE COVERED WITH SUITABLE FLEXIBLE WATERPROOF COVERING AND WERE CALIBRATED BY MEANS OF AIR PRESSURE TO OBTAIN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN NORMAL PRESSURE ON THE RIBBON AND THE PULL REQUIRED TO START IT IN MOTION. SIMILAR PRESSURE MEASUREMENTS WERE MADE FOR A UNIFORMLY DISTRIBUTED LINE LOAD PARALLEL TO THE WALL DURING THE STUDIES. DATA INDICATE THAT THE LATERAL PRESSURE ON A RETAINING WALL DUE TO A CONCENTRATED SURFACE LOAD IS DISTRIBUTED IN SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME MANNER AS THAT INDICATED BY THE BOUSSINESQ FORMULA FOR HORIZONTAL STRESS IN AN ELASTIC SOLID DUE TO A POINT LOAD ON THE SURFACE. DIVERGENCE BETWEEN THE EXPERIMENTAL AND THE BOUSSINESQ PRESSURES WAS A VARYING QUANTITY BEING GREATER WHEN THE LOAD WAS CLOSE TO THE WALL. AN EMPIRICAL EQUATION IS PRESENTED WHICH DEFINES A SURFACE APPROXIMATELY PASSING THROUGH POINTS REPRESENTING THE MEASURED NORMAL PRESSURES. PRESSURES DEFINED BY THIS EQUATION CHECK VERY CLOSELY WITH THE MEASURED PRESSURES ON THE EXPERIMENTAL WALL WHEN LOADED BY A PARALLEL LINE LOAD PLACED TWO FEET FROM THE WALL, INDICATING THE VALIDITY OF THE PRINCIPLE OF SUPERPOSITION AND THE PREMISE THAT A LINE LOAD ACTS THE SAME AS A SERIES OF CLOSELY SPACED POINT LOADS. IT IS NOTED THAT THE PATTERN OF DISTRIBUTION OF HORIZONTAL PRESSURES DUE TO SURCHARGED LOADS IS INDEPENDENT OF THE HEIGHT OF THE WALL.
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and auxin associated with microelements in the development of cuttings of Varronia leucocephala

ABSTRACT The plant Varronia leucocephala is widely used in Brazil for its therapeutic properties. However, a major problem for the seedlings is the low percentage of root formation. The objective of this study was to establish a rooting protocol for V. leucocephala cuttings, using phytoregulators and microelements associated with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. The auxin indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) concentration of 1500 mg L-1 showed the best rooting percentage, and it is proposed associating the microelements zinc and boron with the highest IBA doses. Although an increase in the rooting percentage was observed in the presence of zinc, it was not the most suitable for improving the percentage of propagation. Consequently, association of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi with 1500 mg L-1 IBA plus zinc was selected to evaluate the rooting percentage and sprouting of the aerial part, dry biomass of roots and aerial part, number of leaves, height, mycorrhizal colonization and dependency, spore density, and nutrients of branches and roots. These results show that using zinc with the highest doses of IBA (1500 mg L-1) in plants inoculated with the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (Gigaspora albida) was the most effective at promoting the vegetative propagation of V. leucocephala.
Evaluating Innovations in Small and Medium Scale Enterprises in Bayelsa State

Innovation in its modern meaning is "a new idea, creative thoughts, new imaginations in form of device or method". Innovation is often also viewed as the application of better solutions that meet new requirements, unarticulated needs, or existing market needs. Such innovation takes place through the provision of more effective products, processes, services, technologies. The aim of the paper is to give the view on innovation activities in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) sector in Bayelsa state. The paper is divided into two parts. Firstly, the paper is to evaluate situation in innovation activities conducted by small and medium enterprises in Bayelsa state, identifying the main barriers to develop innovation activities, formulate some recommendations on how to overcome these barriers. The second part of the paper is to present the importance of innovativeness, which is viewed as one of the prerequisites for successful innovation activities. Main findings revolve around the facts that product innovations are predominant in SMEs in Bayelsa state and that there is a significant impact of these on growth of firms‟ turnover, profitability and employment generation. And recommended that Prospective entrepreneurs given the resource constraints and weak/unstructured National Innovation Systems (NIS) that characterize developing economies, it makes sense to assume that SMEs therein would focus on incremental innovations and that these would have some positive impact on firm performance and students of entrepreneurship education should be exposed to different innovative schemes, Bayelsa state government should support small and medium enterprises innovation through grants and aid.
ISO 14001 certification : environmental management systems : a practical guide for preparing effective environmental management systems

Purpose of the Document/Benefits. Application and Scope. The Technical Committee to Establish the Certification. Environmental Policy. Organization. Environmental Effects. Regulatory Requirements. Environmental Objectives and Targets. Procurement and Vendor Controls. Process, Equipment and Chemical Approvals. Emergency Procedures. Audits/Reviews/Verification. Monitoring, Testing and Data Handling. Records and Document Control. External Communications. Design for Environment/Life Cycle Analysis. Environmental Labelling. Environmental Performance Evaluation. Environmental Aspects of Product Standards. Other Procedures and Programs for Minimizing Impacts.