Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Data integration and trend analysis for surveillance of antimicrobial resistance

Antimicrobial resistance is a major worldwide public health problem. The misuse of antimicrobial agents and the delay in spotting emerging and outbreak resistances in current biosurveillance and monitoring systems are regarded by health bodies as underlying causes of increasing resistance. In this thesis, we explore novel methods to monitor and analyze antimicrobial resistance trends to improve existing biosurveillance systems. More specifically, we investigate the use of semantic technologies to foster integration and interoperability of interinstitutional and cross-border microbiology laboratory databases. Additionally, we research an original, fully data-driven trend analysis method based on trend extraction and machine learning forecasting to enhance antimicrobial resistance analyses.
Effect of ethanol concentration, extraction time and extraction temperature on the recovery of phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity of Centella asiatica extracts

The present study was to optimize the phenolic recovery from Centella asiatica by investigating the effects of ethanol concentration (0-100%, v/v), extraction time (60-300 min) and extraction temperature (25- 65°C) on phenolic extraction using single-factor experiments. Total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC) and condensed tannin content (CTC) were used for determination of phenolic content while 2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) radical-scavenging capacity and 2,2'-diphenyl- 1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging capacity were used for measuring the antioxidant capacity of C. asiatica extract. All extraction conditions had significant effect (p<0.05) on the phenolic contents and antioxidant capacities of C. asiatica extract. The optimal conditions for phenolic recovery were 40% ethanol for 60 min at 65 o C, with values of 1203.49 mg GAE/ 100 g DW for TPC, 561.92 mg CE/ 100 g DW for TFC, 181.25 mg CE/ 100 g DW for CTC, 730.37 µmol TEAC/ 100 g DW for ABTS and 1948.30 µmol TEAC/ 100 g DW for DPPH. TFC was found to be positive correlated significantly (0.902, p<0.05) with DPPH under influence of ethanol concentration. However, all antioxidant compound assays (TPC, TFC and CTC) were negatively correlated significantly with ABTS under the effect of extraction temperature.
Students’ ”D”ILEMMA: An Assessment of Knowledge, Attitudes and Practice Toward Vitamin D Among University Students

Background: The message delivered to the public regarding vitamin D is unclear, and contradictory; particularly regarding sun exposure; previous studies in Jordan have revealed high prevalence of low vitamin D among university students. The aim of this study was to investigate university students’ knowledge, attitudes and practice regarding vitamin D.Method: A web-based cross-sectional survey completed by students at a Jordanian university in 2019. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to predict supplement use.Results: 496 students completed the questionnaire. The mean knowledge score was 31.3 (± 11.3) out of 100. Women had significantly higher beliefs that vitamin D deficiency is an escalating health issue (p<0.01). Negative practices regarding sun exposure was significantly higher in women than men (p<0.01). The majority of participants recognized that insufficient sun exposure was a cause of vitamin D deficiency, but 50.7 % avoid sun exposure, and 67.6% expose only their face and hands. The consumption of fortified foods (OR 3.59-;p<0.001) was the only studied variable associated with vitamin D consumption.Conclusion: There is a gap between knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding vitamin D which can be bridged by promoting Vitamin D related awareness.
Longitudinal changes in energy balance during pregnancy in South African women from the Tlokwe Municipal area

Background Energy balance in the era of obesity, contributes to challenges in healthy weight maintenance. The study aims to determine the changes in energy intake and expenditure from the first to the third trimester of pregnancy in women from the Tlokwe Municipal area.Methods We followed a longitudinal observational design to measure healthy pregnant women in the first (9–12 weeks), second (20–22 weeks) and third trimester (28–32 weeks). A valitdated, semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire determined energy and macronutrient intakes. Energy expenditure (EE) was calculated from resting energy expenditure, as measured by indirect calorimetry (FitMate®), whereas activity energy expenditure was measured by combining heart rate and accelerometry (ActiHeart®). Energy balance was calculated as the difference between energy expenditure and energy intake. A mixed-model analysis was performed to determine significant differences between energy expenditure and intake during pregnancy.Results Energy intake increased from the first (8841 ± 3456 kJ/day) to the second trimester (9134 ± 3046 kJ/day) and declined in the third trimester of pregnancy (8171 ± 3017 kJ/day). A negative energy balance was found during the first (-1374 ± 4548 kJ/day) and third trimesters (-1331 ± 3734 kJ/day), whereas a minor positive energy balance was observed in the second trimester (380 ± 14212 kJ/day). Resting energy expenditure showed significant differences between the second and third, as well as the first and third trimesters. Changes in activity energy expenditure throughout pregnancy showed practical significance between the first and third trimesters.Conclusions Energy intake and expenditure during pregnancy did not differ. The additional energy expenditure in the third trimester could be attributed to resting energy expenditure and a decrease in activity energy expenditure.
Learning from Failures: Decision Analysis of Major Disasters

Learning from Failures provides techniques to explore the root causes of why specific disasters occurred and how we can learn from them. It focuses on a number of well-known case studies, including: The Titanic; the BP Texas City Incident; the Chernobyl Disaster; the NASA Space Shuttle Columbia Accident; the Bhopal Disaster; and the Concorde Accident. This title is an ideal teaching aid as it utilizes the authors extensive teaching and practical experience and includes a list of learning outcomes at the beginning of each chapter, detailed derivation and many solved examples for modelling and decision analysis. Labib discusses the value in applying different models as mental maps to analyse disasters. The analysis of these case studies helps to demonstrate how subjectivity that relies on opinions of experts can be turned into modelling approaches that can ensure repeatability and consistency of results. The book explains how the lessons learned by studying these individual cases can be applied to a wide range of industries. As well as being an ideal resource for undergraduate and postgraduate students, this title will also be useful for industry professionals who wish to avoid repeating mistakes that resulted in devastating consequences.
PREDICTION AND EVALUATION METHODS FOR ROAD TRAFFIC NOISE IN BUILT-UP AREAS

Since the Japanese environmental quality standards for noise were revised in 1998, it has become increasingly important to predict and evaluate the road traffic noise in built-up areas in Japan. This paper presents a method of calculating LAeq averaged in an evaluation section behind buildings facing an arterial road. In this method, the buildings are classified into the first row of buildings directly facing the road and the remaining buildings behind them. Then the values of the sectional energy-averaged LAeq are simpley calculated mainly according to the density of the buildings and the distance from the road to the evaluation section, by summing the sound-energy contributions from the sound paths propagating through the buildings and over them. The validity of the method presented herein has been verified by measured data in field surveys. For the covering abstract see ITRD E107776.
A Bioinspired Computational Model of Cardiac Mechanics: Pathology and Development

In this work we study the function and development of the myocardium by creating models that have been stripped down to essentials. The model for the adult myocardium is based on the double helical band formation of the heart muscle fibers, observed in both histological studies and advanced DTMRI images. The muscle fibers in the embryonic myocardium are modeled as a helical band wound around a tubular chamber. We model the myocardium as an elastic body, utilizing the finite element method for the computations. We show that when the spiral band architecture is combined with spatial wave excitations the structure is twisted, thus driving the development of the embryonic heart into an adult heart. The double helical band model of the adult heart allows us to gain insight into the long standing paradox between the modest, by only 15 %, ability of muscle fibers to contract, and the large left ventricular volume ejection fraction of 60 %. We show that the double helical band structure is the essential factor behind such efficiency. Additionally, when the double helical band model is excited following the path of the Purkinje nerve network, physiological twist behavior is reproduced. As an additional validation, we show that when the stripped down double helical band is placed inside a sack of soft collagen-like tissue it is capable of producing physiologically high pressures. We further develop the model to understand the different factors behind the loss of efficiency in heart with a common pathology such as dilated cardiomyopathy. Using the stripped down model we are able to show that the change to fiber angle is the much more important factor to heart function than the change in gross geometry. This finding has the potential to greatly impact the strategy used in certain surgical procedures.
Growth of damage in additively manufactured metal-composite joints

The mechanical behaviour of a novel metallic-composite joining technology (HYPER) is investigated. Joints are strengthened with an array of pins built using additive layer manufacture. A new approach to pulse-echo ultrasonic evaluation was developed for this application in order to allow damage within joints to be monitored. It was found that the orientation of the specimen is critical due to the potential for the pins to scatter the incident ultrasonic wave. Damage was progressively induced within a batch of single lap HYPER coupons through repeated tensile loadings. The inspection methodology was successful at capturing the propagation of damage. It was found that the interface between adherends achieved a complete disbond without observable laminate damage or pin fracture. All pins then failed in an catastrophic manner due to excessive shear stress at their bases. Limit load was 21% higher than the ultimate load of a comparable unpinned joint. The ultimate load of the HYPER coupons was 650% higher than the same unpinned benchmark joint.
Traffic based energy consumption optimisation to improve the lifetime and performance of ad hoc wireless sensor networks

Ad hoc wireless sensor networks (WSNs) are formed from self-organising configurations of distributed, energy constrained, autonomous sensor nodes. The service lifetime of such sensor nodes depends on the power supply and the energy consumption, which is typically dominated by the communication subsystem. One of the key challenges in unlocking the potential of such data gathering sensor networks is conserving energy so as to maximize their post deployment active lifetime. This thesis described the research carried on the continual development of the novel energy efficient Optimised grids algorithm that increases the WSNs lifetime and improves on the QoS parameters yielding higher throughput, lower latency and jitter for next generation of WSNs. Based on the range and traffic relationship the novel Optimised grids algorithm provides a robust traffic dependent energy efficient grid size that minimises the cluster head energy consumption in each grid and balances the energy use throughout the network. Efficient spatial reusability allows the novel Optimised grids algorithm improves on network QoS parameters. The most important advantage of this model is that it can be applied to all one and two dimensional traffic scenarios where the traffic load may fluctuate due to sensor activities. During traffic fluctuations the novel Optimised grids algorithm can be used to re-optimise the wireless sensor network to bring further benefits in energy reduction and improvement in QoS parameters. As the idle energy becomes dominant at lower traffic loads, the new Sleep Optimised grids model incorporates the sleep energy and idle energy duty cycles that can be implemented to achieve further network lifetime gains in all wireless sensor network models. Another key advantage of the novel Optimised grids algorithm is that it can be implemented with existing energy saving protocols like GAF, LEACH, SMAC and TMAC to further enhance the network lifetimes and improve on QoS parameters. The novel Optimised grids algorithm does not interfere with these protocols, but creates an overlay to optimise the grids sizes and hence transmission range of wireless sensor nodes.
Effects of environment and planting density on plant stature, flowering time, and ear set in IBM populations of maize

Plant stature, flowering time and ear set are related to maturity, disease and insect resistance, drought tolerance, root lodging and yield, which are all major trait targets for maize breeders. In an effort to understand the effects of year, location, and planting density on these traits, we grew the IBMRIL and IBMDH populations in high and low density at several locations in the cornbelt over a period of years. The effects of temperature, precipitation, and solar radiation at key crop growth phases were quantified for each trait using partial least squares regression. The heritability of each trait across high and low planting densities was estimated. Using composite interval mapping, we placed byand across-environment and density QTL for these traits on a dense genetic map. The effects of environment and planting density on each of these traits were significant. Several QTL with very narrow confidence intervals and functions of interest to breeding programs were identified, and QTL were detected differentially across environments and planting densities. Use of phenotypic and genotypic selection for plant stature, flowering time, and ear set is discussed, and functional hypotheses for these QTL are explored in the context of previously
A Study Of Software Quality Assurance In Practice

This paper discusses a research project to survey a representative sample of the Australian software industry as to the actual use and application of quality assurance techniques in the development of software. The survey aims to confirm previous survey findings through a management questionnaire and to investigate the software development practices at the 'screen face' through a developer questionnaire. The separate responses are analysed to rate the extent to which quality management practices have penetrated the information systems department. The project commenced in July 1994 and, whilst some organisations have completed the survey, other responses are yet to be received. The paper will report on the survey method and statistical techniques employed as well as discussing preliminary results from the survey to date.
Correlates of Filipino Students’ Perspectives on Filipinizing the Philippine History Curriculum, Language Preference and Demographics

This descriptive-correlational research involved randomly selected 367 college students at the National University. The impetus for the study is the exclusion of Filipino language subjects in the tertiary levels on the onset of K-12 program. According to the results of the study, using Filipino language as a medium of instruction enhanced the Philippine history curriculum. To ascertain the relationships among variables such as student perspectives on Filipinizing the Philippine history curriculum, language preference and demographics, bivariate and multivariate analyses were used. Bivariate analyses revealed that, there is a relationship among the age (7E-150<), year level (7.7E-172“(7.7E-172<), gender (1.6E <) of the respondents and their perspectives on Filipinizing the Philippine History Curriculum. There is a relationship (1.2E-159<) between the language used by the respondents at home/residence and their perspectives. There is a relationship (2.56E-20<) between the respondents’ perspectives and their preferred language for the course. Furthermore, there is a relationship (1.29E40<) between the language used by the respondents at home and their preferred language for the course as shown in the 58.41% of the observed variances on the respondents’ preferred language for the course which is attributable to the language they use at home, with the other 41.59% possibly affected by other factors.
Exploitation of Unintentional Information Leakage from Integrated Circuits

Abstract : Unintentional electromagnetic emissions are used to recognize or verify the identity of a unique integrated circuit (IC) based on fabrication process-induced variations in a manner analogous to biometric human identification. The effectiveness of the technique is demonstrated through an extensive empirical study, with results presented indicating correct device identification success rates of greater than 99:5%, and average verification equal error rates (EERs) of less than 0:05% for 40 near-identical devices. The proposed approach is suitable for security applications involving commodity commercial ICs, with substantial cost and scalability advantages over existing approaches. A systematic leakage mapping methodology is also proposed to comprehensively assess the information leakage of arbitrary block cipher implementations, and to quantitatively bound an arbitrary implementation's resistance to the general class of differential side channel analysis techniques. The framework is demonstrated using the well-known Hamming Weight and Hamming Distance leakage models, and approach's effectiveness is demonstrated through the empirical assessment of two typical unprotected implementations of the Advanced Encryption Standard. The assessment results are empirically validated against correlation-based differential power and electromagnetic analysis attacks.
The influence of portfolio media on student perceptions and learning outcomes

Maarten van Wesel, Anouk Prop, Maastricht University, PO Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands Email: M.vanWesel@UB.unimaas. nl , A.Prop@Educ.unimaas. nl Abstract: The electronic portfolio offers many advantages to its paper-based counterpart, including - but not limited to - hyperlinked navigation, adding multimedia and the ease of sharing the portfolio. Previous research showed that the quality of a portfolio does not depend on the medium used. This paper studies the effect of the portfolio medium on perceived support for self-reflection and on the students’ learning outcomes. We made use of the fact that during this study about half of the first year medical students used an electronic portfolio (n=157) and the other half a paper-based portfolio (n=190).
An investigation of sensory and behavioural fidelity in gaming technologies to support enhanced perception of intent of insurgents

The thesis was originally sponsored by HS-C (QinetiQ) to conduct research towards understanding insurgents "perception of intent" using different levels of fidelity. The phrase "perception of intent", while well-known in military circles, becomes difficult to define in a manner that allows to be tested experimentally. The thesis therefore places focus on the ways in which observers (naive and expert) explain what is happening in a scenario through detection of context-relevant features which have been designed into the scenario. The scenarios which are hypothesised and reflect no know real-world events are created using different fidelities achieved in NetLogo and VBS2. This is supported and complemented by understanding from SMEs knowledge, organisational visits, literature and the measurements of experiments. The analysis of experiment results focused on the three areas fidelity, provision of information and experts and included both statistical and text analyses. The findings thorough different measurement either returned a significant effects or non-effect creating mixture of results. Therefore fidelity, provision of information and experts have an observers perception but to exactly point which one area was too difficult suggesting that further research would be beneficial.
Myth, management of the unknown

Since centuries, myth, progress, and technology have been interwoven in ways that explain the past and anticipate the future. The relevance of myths is not in being true or false, but in contributing to orienting social praxes, and thus in acting as a regulator of human behaviour in front of unknown consequences of today's decisions and actions. This is particularly evident in settings where the desire for progress is imported with technologies. The argument is developed by relying on qualitative research based on extensive fieldwork in Peru and India.
Higher prevalence of ESBL producing uropathogenic Escherichia coli among Diabetic patients from a Tertiary Care Hospital of Kathmandu

Background: The increased rate of urinary tract infection (UTI) in immunocompromised patients especially diabetic patients is a major public health problem in adults. Moreover, the infection with multidrug resistant strains producing extended spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) is a key obstacle in disease management among such vulnerable population. An immediate proper treatment depends on rapid diagnosis of UTI and screening of antimicrobial resistant pattern with highly sensitive methods which also reduces the possible urinary complications among the diabetic patients. Hence, this study was aimed to determine the occurrence of antibiotic resistant genes for β-lactamases; blTEM and blaCTX-M in uropathogenic Escherichia coli isolates from UTI suspected diabetic and non-diabetic patients. attendingMethods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Kathmandu Model Hospital in association with Central Department of Microbiology, TU from June to December 2018. A total of 1267 non-duplicate mid-stream urine specimens from diabetic and non-diabetic patients were obtained and processed immediately for isolation of uropathogens. The isolates were subjected for antibiotic susceptibility testing and ESBL confirmation. Finally, blaTEM and blaCTX-M ESBL genes were screened by using specific primers.Results: The overall prevalence of the urinary tract infection UTI was found to be 17.20%(218/1267) , out of which diabetic patients were significantly more infected with UTI accounting for 32.29%(31/96) as compared to non-diabetic persons, 15.97%(187/1171). A total of 221 bacterial were from 218 culture positive specimens in which E . coli was a most predominate one; 67.9%(150/221.). Forty-four percent (66/150) of the total E. coli was MDR and 37.33%(56/150) were ESBL producers. Among 56 isolates, 92.3%(12/13) from diabetic patents and 83.0% (44/53) were from non-diabetic patients. Furthermore, 84.85% of the screened ESBL producers were confirmed to possess either single or both of the blaTEM and blaCTX-M genes . The blaTEM and blaCTX-M genes were detected in 53.57% and 87.5% of the phenotypically ESBL confirmed E. coli . Conclusions: The UTI infection is an increasing problem in diabetic patients and infection with multidrug resistant strains specially ESBL producing uropathogens are causing a huge problem in disease management leading to high rate of mortality and morbidity of diabetic patients.