Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of Hydraulic Performance of Drip Irrigation System

The study was conducted to evaluate the hydraulic performance of drip irrigation system with four emission devices viz dripper, micro-tube, drip-in and drip tape. The different hydraulic measures viz uniformity coefficient, emission uniformity, coefficient of variation and coefficient of manufacturing variation at different spacing and at different operating pressure head were determined by measuring discharge of different emission devices. At a particular spacing, the uniformity coefficient and emission uniformity increased while coefficient of variation decreased as the operating pressure head increased for all emission devices. The coefficient of manufacturing variation was lowest for micro-tubes and highest for drip tape. The suitability/unsuitability of different emission devices was discussed. The micro-tube was not suitable for close spacing. A computer software for hydraulic performance evaluation of drip irrigation system was also developed.
Waist hip ratio: an anatomical predictive marker of risk of PCOS

Background: Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common endocrine disorders seen in infertility clinic of Gynae OPD. It is basically is disease of metabolic disorder and requires ultrasound and hormonal assay for its diagnosis.Methods: The study was carried out in the GOPD of MGM medical College and M.Y. Hospital Indore (M.P.) India. It included 200 women in the age group 18-40 years diagnosed as PCOS and who were compared with 200 women of same age group without PCOS. The height, weight BMI and waist hip ratio were measured and analyzed statistically.Results: The present study shows that women with PCOS had higher incidence of acne hirsutism and irregular menses (p<0.0001), women with PCOS had higher mean ovarian volume measurement (11±1.4cc) compared to female controls who had lower volume of ovary with a range of (7.94±2.34cc. (p<0.0001) as calculated by USG by sonologist.Conclusions: The presence of central obesity, (waist hip ratio >0.87) is an indication for presence of PCOS. Thus, these patients may undergo further hormone evaluation and this simple measurement can help to screen out PCOS from general population. This prevents financial burden on low resource settings.
Occurrence and infection dynamics of Salsuginus sp. (Monogenea, Ancyrocephalidae) and Eustrongylides excisus (Nematoda, Dioctophymatidae) in four endemic Aphanius (Cyprinodontidae) species: new host records for Turkish fauna

This paper aims to determine the occurrence of Salsuginus sp. and Eustrongylides excisus in four endemic fish species for Turkish fauna. A total of 326 host individuals were collected from the lentic ecosystems Acigol, Salda, Burdur and Egirdir. For both parasite taxa, prevalence and mean intensity were estimated in each host species. The present results are in agreement with other previous works with respect of higher prevalence of parasite infection in winter month of the year. This study reports for the first time the presence of E. excisus in four Aphanius species, other than A. mento – an already mentioned host for this nematode. Also, to the best of our knowledge, A. transgrediens, A. saldae, A. iconii and A. sureyanus represent new host records for the presence of the monogenean Salsuginus sp. In addition, this study showed that E. excisus can cause pathological findings in host such as hyperaemia, haemorrhages and inflammatory reactions.
Blood Eosinophils and Pulmonary Rehabilitation in COPD

Background Blood eosinophils predict the response to therapy, risk of exacerbation, and readmission in COPD. This study investigates whether blood eosinophils predict pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) outcomes in COPD. Methods We categorized patients into eosinophilic (blood eosinophils ≥300 cells/ml) or noneosinophilic (<300 cells/ml). In a retrospective design, we compared changes within and between the two groups on BODE index, 6-minute walk test (6MWT), FEV1, and mMRC dyspnea scale. Results Of 206 patients enrolled, 176 were included for analysis; 90 were eosinophilic. BODE index improved in both groups: (MD −1.25; 95% CI (−0.45, −4.25), P ≤ 0.001) in the eosinophilic and (MD −1.33; 95% CI (−1.72, −0.94), P ≤ 0.001) in the noneosinophilic, but a higher BODE index remained in the eosinophilic (4.98); adjusted mean change (β): 0.7 (95% CI (0.15, 1.26), P=0.01). 6MWT improved by 29.3 m in the eosinophilic (95% CI (14.2, 44.4), P ≤ 0.001) vs. 115.1 m in the noneosinophilic (95% CI (−30.4, 260.6), P=0.12). FEV1 did not change in the eosinophilic (MD −0.6; 95% CI (−2.64, 1.48), P=0.58), but improved by 2.5% in the noneosinophilic (MD 2.5; 95% CI (0.77, 4.17), P=0.005). There were no significant between-group differences in 6MWT and FEV1; adjusted mean changes (β) were −9.69 m (95% CI (−39.51, 20.14), P=0.52) and −2.31% (95% CI (−5.69, 1.08), P=0.18), respectively. There were no significant within- or between-group changes in the mMRC scale. Conclusion Although PR improves the BODE index in both eosinophilic and noneosinophilic COPD, a higher eosinophil count (≥300 cells/ml) is associated with a higher (worse) BODE index. Blood eosinophils may predict PR outcomes.
Overview of the DARPA/AFRL/NASA Smart Wing Phase II program

The DARPA/AFRL/NASA Smart Wing program, conducted by a team led by Northrop Grumman Corporation (NGC) under the DARPA Smart Materials and Structures initiative, addresses the development of smart technologies and demonstration of relevant concepts to improve the aerodynamic performance of military aircraft. This paper presents an overview of the smart wing program. The program is divided into two phases. Under Phase 1, (1995 - 1999) the NGC team developed adaptive wing structures with integrated actuation mechanisms to replace standard hinged control surfaces and provide variable, optimal aerodynamic shapes for a variety of flight regimes. Two half-span 16% scale wind tunnel models, representative of an advanced military aircraft wing, one with conventional control surfaces and the other with shape memory alloy (SMA) actuated smart control surfaces, were fabricated and tested in the NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) Transonic Dynamics Tunnel (TDT) wind tunnel during two series of tests, conducted in May 1996 and June 1998, respectively. Details of the Phase 1 effort are documented in several papers. The on-going Phase 2 effort discussed here was started in January 1997 and includes several significant improvements over Phase 1: 1) a much larger, full-span model; 2) both leading edge (LE) and trailing edge (TE) smart control surfaces; 3) high-band width actuation systems; and 4) wind tunnel tests at transonic Mach numbers and high dynamic pressures (up to 300 psf.) representative of operational flight regimes. Phase 2 includes two wind tunnel tests, both at the NASA LaRC TDT - the first one was completed in March 2000 and the second (and final) test is scheduled for April 2001. The first test-demonstrated roll-effectiveness over a wide range of Mach numbers achieved using a combination of hingeless, smoothly contoured, SMA actuated, LE and TE control surfaces. The second test addresses the development and demonstration of high bandwidth actuation. An overview of the Phase 2 effort is presented here; detailed discussions of the wind tunnel testing, model design and fabrication, and actuation system development are given in companion papers.
Development of Immersive VR Device for Gait Training Rehabilitation with Biofeedback System-Preliminary Study

Gait-training rehabilitation machines (MGTR) are contraptions used for the motor rehabilitation of patients with movement disorders resulting from stroke and Parkinson’s disease. This study was aimed at implementing a walking pattern similar to the normal gait. Background: Immersion and motivation are important factors in repetitive rehabilitation exercises. This was addressed by synchronizing walking speed and virtual reality (VR) visons to provide a sense of immersion in a convergence environment of MGTR and VR. Methods: The difference in joint angle and gait event was confirmed when the step length was adjusted in this system to control the joint movement. Results: It was confirmed that the joint range of motion also increased significantly as the step length increased. Conclusions: The possibility of developing a more immersive MGTR system that feedback the actual gait state in the VR system was confirmed by applying that the joint movement varies according to the step length. It will be possible to provide an immersive feeling more similar to the actual walking by modifying the gait trajectory of the MGTR.
Desarrollo de un modelo de redes neuronales artificiales para predecir la resistencia a la compresión y la resistividad eléctrica del concreto

The present study was conducted for predicting the compressive strength of concrete based on unit weight ultrasonic and pulse velocity (UPV) for 41 different concrete mixtures. This research emerged from the need for a rapid test for predicting concretes compressive strength. The research was also conducted for predicting concretes electrical resistivity based on unit weight ultrasonic, pulse velocity (UPV) and compressive strength with the same mixes. The prediction was made using simple regression analysis and artificial neural networks. The results revealed that artificial neural networks can be used for effectively predicting compressive strength and electrical resistivity.
Manipulating the fatty acid composition of muscle in beef cattle

Concerns regarding levels of fat consumption and particularly saturated fatty acids (FA) (Department of Health, 1994), has resulted in closer scrutiny of the FA composition of ruminant products. The FAs deposited in beef tissues are relatively saturated, leading to a low polyunsaturated:saturated FA ratio (P:S) in the meat (approximately 0.1, the ideal being about 0.4), whilst the n-6:n-3 ratio is beneficially low at approximately 2. Feeding strategies for raising the P:S ratio whilst keeping n-6:n-3 ratio low are required. This experiment has investigated the impact of feeding different sources of long chain polyunsaturated FA (PUFA) on animal performance and the FA composition of muscle.
Turbulent flow dynamics, heat transfer and mass exchange in the melt of induction furnaces

Experimental investigations of the turbulent flow velocities measured in the melt of experimental induction furnaces show, that beside the intensive local turbulence pulsations, macroscopic low‐frequency oscillations of the recirculated toroidal main flow eddies play an important role in the heat and mass exchange processes. Traditional numerical calculations of the flow and transfer processes, based on wide spread commercial codes using various modifications of the k‐e turbulence model show that these models do not take into account the low‐frequency oscillations of the melt flow and the calculated temperature and concentration distributions in the melt essentially differs from experimental results. Therefore, the melt flow dynamics in an induction crucible furnace was numerically simulated with help of transient three‐dimensional calculations using the large eddy simulation turbulence model. This leads to a good agreement between calculated and measured periods of low‐frequency oscillations and heat and mass transfer between the toroidal flow eddies.
Sea Level controls on Agulhas Leakage Salinity and the Atlantic Overturning Circulation

The Indian Ocean has been proposed as an important source of salt for North Atlantic deep-water convection sites, via the Agulhas Leakage, and may thus drive changes in the ocean’s overturning circulation. However, while past changes in Agulhas leakage volume have been explored, little is known about this water’s salt content, representing a major gap in our understanding of Agulhas salinity supply. Here, we present new planktonic foraminiferal Mg/Ca-derived sea surface temperatures (SST) and stable isotope-derived salinity reconstructions for the last 1.2Ma from the western Indian Ocean source waters of the Agulhas Leakage to investigate glacial-interglacial changes in surface water properties. We find that SST and relative salinity both increase during glaciation, leading to high salinity and SST during glacial maxima. We show that the onset of surface salinification and warming in the Indian Ocean occurs during a phase of rapid land-bridge exposure in the Indonesian archipelago induced by sea level lowering. We link these findings to new global climate model results which show that the export of salt from the Indian Ocean via the Agulhas Leakage can directly impact the deglacial Atlantic meridional overturning circulation and therefore global climate.
Does Coal Mining Have Effects on Land Use Changes in a Coal Resource-Based City? Evidence from Huaibei City on the North China Plain

Continuous coal mining results in dramatic regional land use change, and significantly influences the sustainable development of coal resource-based cities. Present studies pay little attention to the characteristics and regularities of land use change in coal resource-based cities, caused by underground coal mining in high groundwater areas. Based on the Landsat remote sensing images of 1999, 2000, 2010, and 2018 of Huaibei City, a typical coal resource-based city of a high ground water area on the North China Plain, this paper applies the dynamic degree and transition matrix of land use to analyze the land use change characteristics, and identify the regularity between land use type and coal mining production in this coal resource-based city. Results show that the land use change in the research area presents an overall characteristic of a constant increase in water area, urban construction land, and rural settlement land, and a continuous decrease in cultivated land. Cultivated land is converted into a water area, urban construction land, and rural settlement land, and rural settlement land and cultivated land are converted bidirectionally. The land use change in this coal resource-based city demonstrates significant reliance on coal resources, and coal mining is significantly related to the area of cultivated land, water area, and rural settlement land, which demonstrates that continuous large-scale coal mining results in damage to cultivated land, a decrease in rural settlement land, and an increase in water area. The research result contributes to the sustainable land use of coal resource-based cities.
Population Pharmacokinetics of Meropenem in Critically Ill Korean Patients and Effects of Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation

Limited studies have investigated population pharmacokinetic (PK) models and optimal dosage regimens of meropenem for critically ill adult patients using the probability of target attainment, including patients receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). A population PK analysis was conducted using non-linear mixed-effect modeling. Monte Carlo simulation was used to determine for how long the free drug concentration was above the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) at steady state conditions in patients with various degrees of renal function. Meropenem PK in critically ill patients was described using a two-compartment model, in which glomerular filtration rate was identified as a covariate for clearance. ECMO did not affect meropenem PK. The simulation results showed that the current meropenem dosing regimen would be sufficient for attaining 40%fT>MIC for Pseudomonas aeruginosa at MIC ≤ 4 mg/L. Prolonged infusion over 3 h or a high-dosage regimen of 2 g/8 h was needed for MIC > 2 mg/L or in patients with augmented renal clearance, for a target of 100%fT>MIC or 100%fT>4XMIC. Our study suggests that clinicians should consider prolonged infusion or a high-dosage regimen of meropenem, particularly when treating critically ill patients with augmented renal clearance or those infected with pathogens with decreased in vitro susceptibility, regardless of ECMO support.
Habitat selection in a southern Lake Sturgeon population: implications of temporal, spatial, and ontogenetic variation for restoration

Successful species reintroduction requires restoration of receiving habitats to support growth, survival, and reproduction that reverse the initial causes of decline. Little is known about whether present habitat conditions can support all life stages of reintroduced southern Lake Sturgeon populations that were possibly extirpated by the mid‐1900s due to overharvest and habitat degradation. Therefore, we conducted a telemetry study to assess annual adult and subadult and overwinter age‐0 Lake Sturgeon habitat selection and suitability in two Missouri River U.S. tributaries near the southern edge of the species range. Spring habitat selection models were unable to define spawning habitat criteria, but criteria from other studies suggest that substrate and depths for spawning are suitable in both rivers. In the summer and winter, adult and subadult Lake Sturgeon exhibited strong selection for pools greater than 8 m deep, which comprised less than 5% of our study streams. Habitat selection in the fall and winter by age‐0 Lake Sturgeon differed from adults with age‐0s selecting shallower habitats both rivers and swifter current velocities in the Gasconade River. General habitat patterns persisted for both life stages in each river regardless of habitat availability, suggesting specialized habitat requirements in southern Lake Sturgeon that differ from previously studied populations further north. These results may be used to direct sampling for validation of reproduction and restoration of not only spawning habitats, but age‐0 and summer and winter refugia that may be potential restoration bottlenecks for southern Lake Sturgeon populations.
Assessing WAC Elements in Business Syllabi

This study investigates syllabi for evidence of the principles of writing across the curriculum (WAC) in courses offered by the Faculty of Business (FOB) at a university operating in a non–English-speaking country. The research analyzed all syllabi of FOB courses offered in the spring 2010 semester for evidence of WAC looking for indications of writing activities. The analysis focused on both expressive/informal and product/formal writing and discovered through the syllabi the intention of the instructor to incorporate writing. The findings suggest that these courses require little or no writing and therefore principles of WAC are not evident.
Nephronophthisis-Pathobiology and Molecular Pathogenesis of a Rare Kidney Genetic Disease

The exponential rise in our understanding of the aetiology and pathophysiology of genetic cystic kidney diseases can be attributed to the identification of cystogenic genes over the last three decades. The foundation of this was laid by positional cloning strategies which gradually shifted towards next-generation sequencing (NGS) based screenings. This shift has enabled the discovery of novel cystogenic genes at an accelerated pace unlike ever before and, most notably, the past decade has seen the largest increase in identification of the genes which cause nephronophthisis (NPHP). NPHP is a monogenic autosomal recessive cystic kidney disease caused by mutations in a diverse clade of over 26 identified genes and is the most common genetic cause of renal failure in children. NPHP gene types present with some common pathophysiological features alongside a diverse range of extra-renal phenotypes associated with specific syndromic presentations. This review provides a timely update on our knowledge of this disease, including epidemiology, pathophysiology, anatomical and molecular features. We delve into the diversity of the NPHP causing genes and discuss known molecular mechanisms and biochemical pathways that may have possible points of intersection with polycystic kidney disease (the most studied renal cystic pathology). We delineate the pathologies arising from extra-renal complications and co-morbidities and their impact on quality of life. Finally, we discuss the current diagnostic and therapeutic modalities available for disease management, outlining possible avenues of research to improve the prognosis for NPHP patients.
Understanding the behaviour of energy geo-structures

The heating and cooling of buildings represents a big chunk of global energy needs and a significant cause of carbon dioxide emissions. There is thus growing use worldwide of so-called ‘energy geo-structures’ – particularly piles – which take advantage of the relatively constant temperature of the underlying ground to reduce building energy requirements. Fluid circulating in pipes in such structures can extract heat from the ground to help heat a building in winter and can expel excess heat from air conditioning in summer. However, this introduces potentially serious additional stresses and strains which need to be considered during design – though they seldom are. This paper describes recent research into the thermo-mechanical behaviour of energy piles to help ensure they are properly designed.
Distribution-free Phase-I scheme for location, scale and skewness shifts with an application in monitoring customers' waiting time

Phase-I analysis of historical data from a statistical process is a strategic problem in Statistical Process Monitoring and control. Before the establishment of process stability, it is challenging to model historical data. Consequently, a distribution-free approach is a natural choice in Phase-I monitoring. Existing distribution-free Phase-I control charts are suitable for detecting instability in location and scale parameters only and are often insensitive in complex processes involving skewness or shape parameters. A new Phase-I control chart is proposed to identify more general shifts, including location, scale and skewness. The proposed Phase-I scheme is efficient in such a situation. The proposed Phase-I scheme uses subsamples, and the plotting statistic is based on the omnibus multi-sample linear rank statistic corresponding to the location, scale and skewness shifts. The new scheme can identify subsamples that are not in control, and it can also indicate one or more process parameters where a deviation has occurred. The encouraging performance of the proposed scheme is established with a large-scale numerical study based on Monte-Carlo in detecting shifts of various nature in a comprehensive class of situations. An illustration based on monitoring the waiting time data from a customer service centre is given. Some concluding remarks and some future research problems are also offered.