Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Landmine signatures in ground-penetrating radar

The Mine Hunter/Killer system employs a ground penetrating radar (GPR). Twenty antennas sample a 3m swath to measure a 3D depth return from the earth as the vehicle moves forward in a lane. Data has been collected on shallow and deep, metal and low metal landmines. Samples signatures from a metal and plastic cased landmines buried at 6 inches are presented. In each example a hyperbolic signature is observed. Two feature sets that exploit the hyperbolic shape for false alarm reduction are presented. The first uses a pixel clustering technique to isolate the hyperbola in 3D. A vector of size/shape features is extracted and combined with a quadratic polynomial discriminant into a single value. The second feature set utilizes the radon transform. The radon transform sums the tails of the hyperbola allowing the algorithm to differentiate between surface clutter, which tends to be oriented horizontally in depth, and the diagonals of the hyperbola. Performance curves for both the 3D size/shape features and the radon feature are presented.
Indirect bottom‐up control of consumer‐resource dynamics: Resource‐driven algal quality alters grazer numerical response

The nature of the growth‐rate response of grazing zooplankton to algal concentration depends critically upon food quality, which is often a plastic function of environmental conditions. Phytoplankton quality depends upon nutrient and light availability, which together affect cell C : P and C : N, so that the links from external environment to phytoplankton and then to zooplankton can vary in ways that influence consumer‐resource interaction strengths, and ultimately, food web structure. We measured the effects of resource‐limitation on the population growth rate of rotifers, Brachionus calyciflorus, feeding on the alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, and grown in nitrogen‐limiting, phosphorus‐limiting, or nutrient‐sufficient conditions. Consumption of nutrient‐sufficient algae produced a Type II numerical response with a low half saturation constant (Ks) and high asymptotic growth rate (λmax) consistent with high food quality; P‐limited algae also yielded a Type II response but with high Ks and low λmax, meaning poor food quality. In contrast, N‐limited Chlamydomonas resulted in a novel Type IV numerical response in which rotifer growth rate rose to an intermediate λmax and then declined at the highest algal densities, suggesting the production of toxic compounds whose negative effect on growth increases as a function of cell density. Experiments with mixed diets confirmed that N‐limited food was indeed toxic, whereas P‐limited food was simply nutritionally deficient compared with light‐limited algae. Additional experiments showed that even the filtrate of N‐limited algae can be detrimental to rotifer growth.
MDCT evaluation of the cardiac venous system Valutazione mediante TCMS del sistema venoso coronarico

Purpose. This study was undertaken to evaluate the usefulness of electrocardiographically (ECG)-gated multidetector-row computed tomography (MDCT) for the assessment of the coronary venous system and detection of its anatomical variants, in order to identify those suitable for lead placement in cardiac resynchronisation therapy (CRT). Materials and methods. We retrospectively examined the coronary MDCT studies of 89 patients (73 males, 16 females, average age 62.5 years, range 31‐79) referred for suspected coronary artery disease. The cardiac venous system was assessed in all patients using three-dimensional (3D) postprocessing on a dedicated Vitrea workstation (five patients were excluded from the analysis). Results. The coronary sinus, the great cardiac vein, the anterior interventricular vein and the middle cardiac vein were visualised in all cases. The lateral cardiac vein was visualised in 56/84 patients (67%) and the posterior cardiac vein in 63/84 patients (75%), never both missing. Along the postero-lateral wall of the left ventricle, only one branch was present in 44 cases, two branches in 21 cases and three or more branches in 19/84 cases (22%). Evaluation of the maximum diameter revealed that the lateral vein was dominant over the posterior vein in 20/40 cases. The small cardiac vein was visualised in 11/84 cases.
Passing by Bridge Piers by a 3-D Boundary Element Method

9 A 3-D Rankine type Green function boundary element method is developed to estimate the unsteady 10 hydrodynamic interaction during ship passing piers process. To address this moving boundary 11 problem, a free surface re-meshing algorithm based on the combination of local mesh and global 12 mesh is proposed to update fluid boundary and the boundary value formula is solved at each time 13 step. Two alternative numerical models for ship passing piers problem are compared with the current 14 analysis method. Based on the three numerical models, the characteristics of the hydrodynamic 15 loads acting on the passing ship are specified and the critical positions for the peak values have been 16 identified. Simulation results demonstrate that the fluid disturbance induced by the piers is of 17 importance. Therefore, the study of ship-piers hydrodynamic interaction in a river must be handled 18 as a different forward speeds problem. Additionally, the wave elevation effect can only be neglected 19 on condition that the forward speed is very low. 20
Comparison of pectic zymograms produced by different clones of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum in culture

The isozymes of polygalacturonase (PG) and pectinmethylesterase (PME), produced in vitro by 35 isolates belonging to 15 clones of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, were detected by isoelectric focusing on polyacrylamide gels and activity staining of agarose overlays containing the appropriate substrate. Analysis of the PG isozyme banding patterns (zymograms) identified two distinct phenotypes among the isolates from canola, S. sclerotiorum zymogram group-1 (SSZG-1) and SSZG-2. Of the 11 clones tested, nine clones had the SSZG-1 phenotype, two clones had the SSZG-2 phenotype, and one clone had both SSZG-1 and -2 phenotypes. Therefore, in this sample, there were fewer PG phenotypes than clonal genotypes. One frequently sampled clone with wide geographic distribution included two isolates of SSZG-1 and eight of SSZG-2. Two isolates, one from cultivated sunflower and one from a wild plant, Ranunculus ficaria, showed isozyme patterns different from the isolates obtained from canola. The isolate from sunflower had the SSZG-3 phenotype, and the isolate from R. ficaria had the SSZG-4 phenotype. There was no apparent correspondence between isozyme phenotype and either the pathogenicity or aggressiveness of the clones on canola. The isozyme analysis of PME showed no variation among the isolates collected from canola
Assessment of microbial load of raw meat at Abattoirs and retail outlets.

Aim of the present study was to assess the microbial load of raw meat at abattoirs and retail outlets in different areas of Lahore. Beef, mutton (sheep, goat) and chicken meat samples (n=140) were collected from various abattoirs (n=60) and retail outlets (n=80). All the samples were subjected to aerobic plate count (APC), E. coli count, Staphylococcus aureus count and Salmonella detection. Mean APCs of beef, sheep, and goat meat from abattoirs (5.35, 5.42 and 4.84 log10 CFU/cm
Silent owl flight: experiments in the aeroacoustic wind tunnel

While it seems to be common knowledge that owls generate less noise during flight than other birds, only a few studies give quantitative proof for this observation. Additionally, some of the published studies are very old, and therefore the acoustic measurement techniques are not comparable to modern measurement techniques that are common today, like microphone arrays and high resolution multichannel data acquisition systems.
SYNOPSIS OF THERAPEUTIC OPTIONS IN HYPERHIDROSIS

Hyperhidrosis is a disease characterized by excessive sweating, which can become a burden to patients, interfering with daily social and proffesional activities, as well as inducing a sense of shame and low self-esteem. It can be primary (idiopathic) or secondary to an underlying disease, and it can be generalized, involving the entire area of the body, or focal, restricted to certain anatomic regions, most often axillary, palmar or plantar. Patients rarely seek medical attention for this affliction due in part to the fact that they are sometimes unaware that the condition is treatable. There are various therapeutic options available for hyperhidrosis, conventional as well as novel therapies, which present a varying degree of success. This article strives to present treatment options available for hyperhidrosis and assess their efficiency according to various studies from medical literature.
Respostas de variáveis fisiológicas e tecnológicas da cana-de-açúcar a diferentes sistemas de irrigação

O objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar a influencia de tres sistemas de irrigacao sobre as trocas gasosas e as qualidades tecnologicas da cana-de-acucar, variedade RB 92579, por tres ciclos consecutivos, cultivada em dois tipos de solos na regiao do Submedio do Sao Francisco. Os experimentos foram instalados utilizando delineamento experimental em blocos casualizados, com seis repeticoes, em areas com solo arenoso e argiloso. Os sistemas de irrigacao foram: sulco, gotejamento superficial e gotejamento subsuperficial. Avaliaram-se as caracteristicas fisiologicas das plantas: fotossintese liquida, condutância estomatica, transpiracao e temperatura foliar. Para analises tecnologicas foram determinados o teor de solidos soluveis, porcentagem de fibra industrial, pureza do caldo, porcentagem de acucar bruto, acucares redutores e umidade. Verificou-se que a irrigacao por gotejamento subsuperficial em solo arenoso interfere negativamente nas trocas gasosas da cultura. Os sistemas de irrigacao nao influenciaram na qualidade tecnologica dos colmos quando cultivada em solo arenoso e, no argiloso, o sulco interfere negativamente no processo de maturacao dos colmos.
Wi-Pi: a study of WLAN security in Auckland City

The inherent nature of wireless networks exposes them to cyber threats. To keep this critical technology from attacks, advancements in security standards demand simultaneous outspread of their awareness among people. Periodic evaluation of Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) security status in any given region recognizes the awareness trends and sets directions for concerned authorities. This research studies the prevailing security practices of WLANs in Auckland city, to describe the course of their alertness with respect to similar studies done in 2007 and 2013. Raspberry Pi 2 Model B is used for research to provide a basis for comparison and reference for future relevant studies. The results are significant from commercial perspective.
An Investigation of the Effects of Individual Differences on Technology Acceptance in the Workplace

AN INVESTIGATION OF THE EFFECTS OF INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES ON TECHNOLOGY ACCEPTANCE IN THE WORKPLACE by Rob Payne The purpose of the current study was to test for moderating effects that conscientiousness, agreeableness, and openness to experience have on relationships in the technology acceptance model. More specifically, the current study tested for previously overlooked moderation effects that these personality traits have on the relationships between behavioral intention and its predictors (i.e. perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, and subjective norms). A sample of 96 employees from more than 16 industries participated in the study by completing an online survey. Results of the current study displayed a significant moderation effect by agreeableness on the relationship between perceived ease of use and behavioral intention, such that the relationship was stronger for those low in agreeableness. Additionally, openness to experience was found to moderate the relationship between subjective norms and behavioral intention when controlling for time of familiarity, such that the relationship was stronger for those high in openness to experience. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.
Women’s Empowerment and Gender bias in schooling decision: Evidence from DHS monogamous households1 (Preliminary version)

This paper uses Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) from 22 sub-Saharan African countries to highlight the link between mothers’ empowerment and schooling decisions in monogamous households. Based on the collective model of Chiappori (1988, 1992), the analysis starts with the argument that altruistic fathers and mothers have different effects on the education of their sons and daughters as a result of differences in their preferences and/or in the children’s human capital technologies. In our empirical analysis, we define a proxy for women’s empowerment using information provided by DHS surveys: education, labor market participation outside the household (self employed and employed), participation in decisions-making process, attitude toward gender inequality and mother’s age. The results suggest that empowering mothers could lead to improving children’s and especially girls’ school attendance. JEL Classification D190, O150 1 A previous version of this paper circulated as “the greater the mother empowerment, the higher the girls’ schooling, evidence from DHS monogamous household”. 2 The present project is supported by the National Research Fund, Luxembourg and cofounded under the Marie Curie Actions of the European Commission (FP7-COFUND).
Prognostic Factors in Obturator Hernia

Objective: Obturator hernia is a rare type of hernia that can occur in the octogenarian patients. We discuss the diagnosis, treatment and management of patients with obturator hernia, and describe the clinical presentation, laboratory and radiological findings. Material and methods: A retrospective study was performed in ten patients diagnosed with an obturator hernia between December 2008 - 2019 at a single tertiary hospital. Patients’ demographic features, clinical symptoms, laboratory and imaging data, comorbidities, surgical treatment methods, postoperative morbidity and mortalities were evaluated. Results: The patients’ mean age was 84.4 years (range between 81 - 89 years). All patients presented with symptoms of small bowel obstructions; abdominal pain located in the lower quadrant (100%), vomiting (60%), nausea (80%) and distension (60%). All patients had air-fluid levels on X-ray. We performed small intestine resection and an end to end anastomosis in four patients, resection with ileostomy in two patients and bowel reduction in four patients. Postoperatively, an anastomosis leak occurred in two patients, they were re-operated and an ileostomy was performed. In the post-op period, six patients died, and four patients survived. Conclusion: Obturator hernia is seen in octogenarian patients with symptoms of small bowel obstruction. The diagnosis is based mostly on computed tomography findings. An elevated neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio, platelet-lymphocyte ratio and lactate levels can be used as a biomarker for the prediction of non-viable small bowel in these OH patients.
Characteristics of the Successful New Employee

The development of competencies and skills goes hand in hand with today’s transition to a technology driven workplace. Ideas, information and relationships are becoming more important for the employee, which requires new approaches to self management. Additionally many organization put greater emphasis on selection and evaluation of employees so that employees fit the performance of the organization. Along with the new approach of self management of the employees, the students undertake university studies so that they can subsequently acquire well‐paid jobs and climb the ladder of success in the corporate or public sector and sustain themselves in the world of work for at least thirty to forty years. It is therefore incumbent on universities to not only develop the knowledge of disciplines in their graduates for future life but also the necessary workplace competencies and skills required by their alumni to function competently in the workplace of the future. A number of researchers have identified the importance of ‘soft’ skills that complements the ‘hard’ skills required by university graduates to perform successfully in the workplace. However, such research, in the main, has been undertaken in USA and European countries although the concept is equally valid to the emerging economies of such South East Asian countries as Thailand. Further they have focused essentially on the University’s students. Accordingly, this paper reports on employees perceptions of their competencies and skills development requirements for the world of work in Thailand. It also examines the future implications of the study, including identification of possible further areas of institutional research and on the Thai universities’ curriculum development.
Nondestructive Testing and Evaluation of Wood: A Worldwide Research Update

In an effort to provide a forum for researchers, the fiber­based materials. For example, early research on international NDT/NDE research community sponsors a NDT/NDE technologies for wood products focused on series of technical symposia for the exchange of technical methods for assessing the performance characteristics of information. These symposia are scheduled on a biannual structural lumber in North America. The NDT techniques, basis at locations throughout the world. equipment, and evaluation procedures that resulted from The International Nondestructive Testing and those efforts are now in widespread use. Currently, world­ Evaluation of Wood Symposium Series was initiated by wide research and development efforts are underway to Washington State University and the USDA Forest Products examine the potential use of a wide range of NDT technolo­ Laboratory (FPL). The first symposium was held at FPL in gies for evaluating wood and wood­based materials—from the fall of 1963, with proceedings produced and distributed the assessment of standing trees to in­place structures. in 1964. At the meeting nearly 100 scientists, engineers, and The original impetus for research in NDT/NDE of wood industry leaders discussed the possibilities of a wide range was the need to provide methodologies for assessing of scientific means for testing wood nondestructively. wood­based materials and products so that more accurate
Osteophagy by the Grizzly Bear, Ursus arctos

Abstract A shed moose (Alces alces) antler eaten by a grizzly bear (Ursus arctos), which recently emerged from its winter den in western Alaska, contained 40.2% crude protein, 18.5% calcium and 8.5% phosphorous by dry weight. Bears emerging from dens could be experiencing skewed Ca:P ratios resulting in an appetite for bone phosphorus. Protein availability at this time of year in the Andreafsky Mountains may also be limiting. Antlers as part of bear diets may be seasonal, but can be a valuable source of minerals, especially Ca, P, and protein early after den emergence or other critical periods. Grizzly bears can obtain a valuable amount of nutrients by consuming the distal palm ends of shed moose antlers. Distal ends of antlers have thinner cortex where bone material is easier to break than at the antler base. In addition, the greater proportion of spongy bone in antler palms should be easier to digest by bears. The significance of shed antlers to bears as a mineral and protein source is still unclear, but antlers could be an important nutrient reserve across the landscape.
Fruit and Vegetable Intake and Mortality in Adults undergoing Maintenance Hemodialysis.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Higher fruit and vegetable intake is associated with lower cardiovascular and all-cause mortality in the general population. It is unclear whether this association occurs in patients on hemodialysis, in whom high fruit and vegetable intake is generally discouraged because of a potential risk of hyperkalemia. We aimed to evaluate the association between fruit and vegetable intake and mortality in hemodialysis. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS Fruit and vegetable intake was ascertained by the Global Allergy and Asthma European Network food frequency questionnaire within the Dietary Intake, Death and Hospitalization in Adults with ESKD Treated with Hemodialysis study, a multinational cohort study of 9757 adults on hemodialysis, of whom 8078 (83%) had analyzable dietary data. Adjusted Cox regression analyses clustered by country were conducted to evaluate the association between tertiles of fruit and vegetable intake with all-cause, cardiovascular, and noncardiovascular mortality. Estimates were calculated as hazard ratios with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). RESULTS During a median follow up of 2.7 years (18,586 person-years), there were 2082 deaths (954 cardiovascular). The median (interquartile range) number of servings of fruit and vegetables was 8 (4-14) per week; only 4% of the study population consumed at least four servings per day as recommended in the general population. Compared with the lowest tertile of servings per week (0-5.5, median 2), the adjusted hazard ratios for the middle (5.6-10, median 8) and highest (>10, median 17) tertiles were 0.90 (95% CI, 0.81 to 1.00) and 0.80 (95% CI, 0.71 to 0.91) for all-cause mortality, 0.88 (95% CI, 0.76 to 1.02) and 0.77 (95% CI, 0.66 to 0.91) for noncardiovascular mortality and 0.95 (95% CI, 0.81 to 1.11) and 0.84 (95% CI, 0.70 to 1.00) for cardiovascular mortality, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Fruit and vegetable intake in the hemodialysis population is low and a higher consumption is associated with lower all-cause and noncardiovascular death.
Chlamydiales – Taxonomy, Pathogenicity, and Zoonotic Potential

Abstract Changes in the taxonomy of the order Chlamydiales, after its separation from the order Rickettsiales, were presented. These changes resulted in the recognition of the following families: Chlamydiaceae, Chlavichlamydiaceae, Criblamydiaceae, Parachlamydiaceae, Piscichlamydiaceae, Rhabdochlamydiaceae, Simkaniaceae, and Waddliaceae. Other described changes concerned particularly the family Chlamydiaceae. Its genus Chlamydia was divided into Chlamydia and Chlamydophila. However, in the following years, a revision to the single original genus was made, based upon phylogenetic analysis of 16S and 23S rRNA genes of the strains belonging to these two taxonomic units. The review also discusses other families outside the family Chlamydiaceae, which contain so-called Chlamydia-related or Chlamydia-like organisms. Members of each family share a 16S rDNA gene sequence similarity >90%. Furthermore, characterisation of the pathogenecity is presented, focusing especially on the representatives of the family Chlamydiaceae, which cause animal infections, and describing their zoonotic potential. Available data on this topic, connected with the representatives of other families, were mentioned.