Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Development and Significance of Statewide Volume Adjustment Factors in Mechanistic–Empirical Pavement Design Guide

A new Mechanistic–Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG) has been developed under NCHRP Project 1-37A. Pavement design procedures recommended for use in MEPDG represent a significant departure from current procedures. The MEPDG requires new traffic inputs for estimating the magnitude, configuration, and frequency of the loads that are applied throughout the pavement design life. The Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department (AHTD) sponsored research in which one objective was development of statewide truck traffic volume adjustment factors, including class and monthly and hourly distribution factors, and evaluating significance of the developed inputs in the MEPDG. The AHTD provided classification data collected at 55 weigh-in-motion (WIM) sites from 2003 through 2005. Because of missing and inaccurate classification data at several WIM sites, only 23 sites provided classification data suitable for this study. On the basis of selected data, statewide monthly, hourly, and class distribution factors were developed for Arkansas. Analyses using the MEPDG showed the state-specific class distribution factors to have a significant effect on predicted pavement performance, compared with predictions generated by using default distribution values. However, the effect of using state-specific monthly and hourly distribution factors on predicted pavement performance rather than default values was not significant. Therefore, it is recommended that the state-specific class distribution factors be used with the default monthly and hourly distribution factors in the MEPDG. In addition, periodic review and update of statewide class distribution factors, as necessary, are recommended.
Effect of feeding processed fish wastes on the growth and haematology of broilers.

Effect of complete replacement of fish meal with processed fish wastes;viz, fish waste acid silage and surimi waste powder on the body weight, feed efficiency and haematology of broiler chicken were investigated. The experiment was conducted with forty five, 4 weeks old broiler chicken of Vencob strain for a period of three weeks. After three weeks of age, chicks were randomly divided into three groups G-I, G-II and G-III of 15 birds each. During the first three weeks, they were fed with standard broiler starter ration of BIS specification. Two experimental diets were formulated by replacing 100 per cent of fish meal in the control diet with fish waste silage and with surimi waste powder. These diets were allotted to the groups G-II and G-III, respectively. While the group G-I was fed with standard broiler finisher ration of BIS specification, which formed the control diet. The rations of G-I, G-II and G-III were made isocaloric and isonitrogenous and were fed from 4 weeks of age till the end of the study. Body weight, feed intake and haematology were investigated at weekly intervals from fourth week to seventh week of age. The feed efficiency was calculated. The data revealed that there was no significant difference in the body weight, feed consumption and haematology (Hb, VPRC, TEC, TLC) between any of the experimental groups. The feed efficiency was also similar in all the groups. It could be concluded that the complete replacement of animal protein (fish meal) in the finisher ration of broiler chicken with processed fish waste would reduce feed cost without comprising the nutritional status, feed efficiency and overall performance. The conversion of fish waste as a value added product would also help the fish industry to increase the revenue as well as curtail pollution associated with fish waste disposal.
Behaviour of concrete beams reinforced with SMA and steel bars under cyclic and monotonic load

This paper presents cyclic and monotonic load test results of concrete flexural members reinforced with shape memory alloy (SMA) and conventional steel bars. The ability of the SMA bars to recover and reduce permanent deformations of concrete flexural members subjected to cyclic load was investigated using reinforced concrete (RC) beam models. Half were control beams, reinforced with conventional steel bars, and the remainder were treated beams, reinforced with both conventional steel and SMA bars. The cyclic load test results showed that there were negligible increments in deflection and the ratio of residual deflection to maximum deflection was almost zero in beams with SMA bars over the whole span. Initially, under lower values of load, the stiffness of the treated beams was slightly higher than that of the control beams, but reduced with an increase in imposed load. The load–deflection behaviours of the treated and control beams were verified using published codes and standards. The results indicate t.
Franchising and Economic Growth: A Macro Perspective

Much of the research conducted in India in the area of entrepreneurship considers the relation between entrepreneurship and economic performance. However, the latest business strategy that has shown tremendous development in business arena has been ignored altogether. The present paper provides a theoretical framework of the relationship between franchising business and national economic performance. The main aim of this paper is to present the capabilities of applying the concept of franchising in the development of entrepreneurship in SME sector so as to trigger-economic performance. This article argues that there is a need to treat franchising not just a mere business expansion option but a powerful SME development strategy that has a capability to change the economic fate of the country like entrepreneurship does. The first part deals with some aspects of the recent economics literature on the relationship between entrepreneurship, small business, and economic growth. The second part a conceptual framework presents the links between franchising and economic growth at different levels of aggregation. In particular, it gives a summary of some research works across the world.
Development Spectral Library of Vegetation Stress for Hydrocarbon Seepage

Spectral Library is data archive of spectral signatures of various natural and man-made materials. In oil and gas industry, spectral library might not be heard often, but these tools can pose a great help for future oil and gas exploration. A developing spectral library for hydrocarbon is basically a new advancement in this field, and this project may implement the spectral library on global hydrocarbon seeps in the future. In this paper, the procedure in the developing spectral library from vegetation stress was demonstrated. In order to obtain these spectral signatures of hydrocarbon, the usage of hyperspectral remote sensing analysis and spectroradiometer is required. But for the early stage of development, spectrophotometer with the range up to 740 ηm was used to extract the spectral signature of the plants in term of green percentage. Nine samples of palm oil trees represent the stressed vegetation was planted with 10% and 40% porosity of crude oil and control samples having three palm oil trees for each of those. The vegetation has been left in an open environment with enough sunlight and watered daily. The significance result of changes in green percentage in the spectral signature of the trees with different porosity level was compared to the control samples. It shows that the existence of crude oil influences the health of the vegetation which has been notified through the spectral signature of the plant. This paper signifies a first step towards the development of spectral signature of hydrocarbon for oil and gas exploration.
The Art of Computer Virus Research and Defense

"Of all the computer-related books I've read recently, this one influenced my thoughts about security the most. There is very little trustworthy information about computer viruses. Peter Szor is one of the best virus analysts in the world and has the perfect credentials to write this book. "-Halvar Flake, Reverse Engineer, SABRE Security GmbHSymantec's chief antivirus researcher has written the definitive guide to contemporary virus threats, defense techniques, and analysis tools. Unlike most books on computer viruses, The Art of Computer Virus Research and Defense is a reference written strictly for white hats: IT and security professionals responsible for protecting their organizations against malware. Peter Szor systematically covers everything you need to know, including virus behavior and classification, protection strategies, antivirus and worm-blocking techniques, and much more.Szor presents the state-of-the-art in both malware and protection, providing the full technical detail that professionals need to handle increasingly complex attacks. Along the way, he provides extensive information on code metamorphism and other emerging techniques, so you can anticipate and prepare for future threats.Szor also offers the most thorough and practical primer on virus analysis ever published-addressing everything from creating your own personal laboratory to automating the analysis process. This book's coverage includes Discovering how malicious code attacks on a variety of platforms Classifying malware strategies for infection, in-memory operation, self-protection, payload delivery, exploitation, and more Identifying and responding to code obfuscation threats: encrypted, polymorphic, and metamorphic Mastering empirical methods for analyzing malicious code-and what to do with what you learn Reverse-engineering malicious code with disassemblers, debuggers, emulators, and virtual machines Implementing technical defenses: scanning, code emulation, disinfection, inoculation, integrity checking, sandboxing, honeypots, behavior blocking, and much more Using worm blocking, host-based intrusion prevention, and network-level defense strategies © Copyright Pearson Education. All rights reserved.
In Silico Identification and Clinical Validation of a Novel Long Non-Coding RNA/mRNA/miRNA Molecular Network for Potential Biomarkers for Discriminating SARS CoV-2 Infection Severity

(1) Background: The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is still a major global health problem, despite the development of several vaccines and diagnostic assays. Moreover, the broad symptoms, from none to severe pneumonia, and the various responses to vaccines and the assays, make infection control challenging. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop non-invasive biomarkers to quickly determine the infection severity. Circulating RNAs have been proven to be potential biomarkers for a variety of diseases, including infectious ones. This study aimed to develop a genetic network related to cytokines, with clinical validation for early infection severity prediction. (2) Methods: Extensive analyses of in silico data have established a novel IL11RA molecular network (IL11RNA mRNA, LncRNAs RP11-773H22.4 and hsa-miR-4257). We used different databases to confirm its validity. The differential expression within the retrieved network was clinically validated using quantitative RT-PCR, along with routine assessment diagnostic markers (CRP, LDH, D-dimmer, procalcitonin, Ferritin), in100 infected subjects (mild and severe cases) and 100 healthy volunteers. (3) Results: IL11RNA mRNA and LncRNA RP11-773H22.4, and the IL11RA protein, were significantly upregulated, and there was concomitant downregulation of hsa-miR-4257, in infected patients, compared to the healthy controls, in concordance with the infection severity. (4) Conclusion: The in-silico data and clinical validation led to the identification of a potential RNA/protein signature network for novel predictive biomarkers, which is in agreement with ferritin and procalcitonin for determination of COVID-19 severity.
Monitoring and Forecasting of Urban Expansion Using Machine Learning-Based Techniques and Remotely Sensed Data: A Case Study of Gharbia Governorate, Egypt

Rapid population growth is the main driver of the accelerating urban sprawl into agricultural lands in Egypt. This is particularly obvious in governorates where there is no desert backyard (e.g., Gharbia) for urban expansion. This work presents an overview of machine learning-based and state-of-the-art remote sensing products and methodologies to address the issue of random urban expansion, which negatively impacts environmental sustainability. The study aims (1) to investigate the land-use/land-cover (LULC) changes over the past 27 years, and to simulate the future LULC dynamics over Gharbia; and (2) to produce an Urbanization Risk Map in order for the decision-makers to be informed of the districts with priority for sustainable planning. Time-series Landsat images were utilized to analyze the historical LULC change between 1991 and 2018, and to predict the LULC change by 2033 and 2048 based on a logistic regression–Markov chain model. The results show that there is a rapid urbanization trend corresponding to a diminution of the agricultural land. The agricultural sector represented 91.2% of the total land area in 1991, which was reduced to 83.7% in 2018. The built-up area exhibited a similar (but reversed) pattern. The results further reveal that the observed LULC dynamics will continue in a like manner in the future, confirming a remarkable urban sprawl over the agricultural land from 2018 to 2048. The cultivated land changes have a strong negative correlation with the built-up cover changes (the R2 were 0.73 in 1991–2003, and 0.99 in 2003–2018, respectively). Based on the Fuzzy TOPSIS technique, Mahalla Kubra and Tanta are the districts which were most susceptible to the undesirable environmental and socioeconomic impacts of the persistent urbanization. Such an unplanned loss of the fertile agricultural lands of the Nile Delta could negatively influence the production of premium agricultural crops for the local market and export. This study is substantial for the understanding of future trends of LULC changes, and for the proposal of alternative policies to reduce urban sprawl on fertile agricultural lands.
Structural and thermal response of 30 cm diameter ion thruster optics

This paper presents tabular and graphical data intended for use in calibrating and validating structural and thermal models of ion thruster optics. A 30-cm-diameter, two electrode, mercury ion thruster was operated using two different electrode assembly designs. With no beam extraction, the transient and steady state temperature profiles and center electrode gaps were measured for three discharge powers. The data showed that the electrode mount design had little effect on the temperatures, but significantly impacted the motion of the electrode center. Equilibrium electrode gaps increased with one design and decreased with the other. Equilibrium displacements in excess of 0.5 mm and gap changes of 0.08 mm were measured at 450 W discharge power. Variations in equilibrium gaps were also found among assemblies of the same design. The presented data illustrate the necessity for high fidelity ion optics models and development of experimental techniques to allow their validation. 16 refs.
The Relationship between Physical Activity, Self-Regulation and Cognitive School Readiness in Preschool Children

(1) Background: Limited research exists on the pathways through which physical activity influences cognitive development in the early years. This study examined the direct and indirect relationships between physical activity, self-regulation, and cognitive school readiness in preschool children. (2) Method: Participants (n = 56) aged 3–5 years were recruited from the PLAYCE study, Perth, Western Australia. Physical activity was measured using 7-day accelerometry. Self-regulation was measured using the Head Toes Knees and Shoulders task and cognitive school readiness was assessed using the Bracken School Readiness Assessment. Baron and Kenny’s method was used for mediation analysis. (3) Results: After adjustment for socio-demographic factors, total physical activity was positively and significantly associated with cognitive school readiness (B = 0.16, SE = 0.07, p ≤ 0.05). Moderate-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) was positively and significantly associated with self-regulation (B = 0.3, SE = 0.13, p ≤ 0.05) and cognitive school readiness score (B = 0.20, SE = 0.09, p ≤ 0.05). Self-regulation was found to be a partial mediator of the relationship between MVPA and cognitive school readiness. (4) Conclusion: These findings highlight the direct and indirect association between preschool children’s physical activity, self-regulation, and cognitive school readiness. Further research is needed to determine the causal relationships between young children’s physical activity and cognitive development, over time.
An Observational Study on Acupuncture for Earthquake-Related Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: The Experience of the Lombard Association of Medical Acupuncturists/Acupuncture in the World, in Amatrice, Central Italy.

Background and Objective: Earthquakes are associated with severe psychiatric disorders, such as anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Current first-line therapies for PTSD have well-known side-effects. Acupuncture is a complementary approach to help patients cope with mental problems after natural disasters and public health events. This article describes an acupuncture intervention conducted by the Lombard Association of Medical Acupuncturists/Acupuncture in the World in the earthquake-stricken area of Amatrice in Central Italy and measures the effect of acupuncture on earthquake-related pain and psychologic symptoms in the victims. Methods: The intervention lasted 5 weeks, from September to October 2016. Adult patients with psychologic symptoms and musculoskeletal pain were included. Treatments were performed by experienced medical acupuncturists. A verbal/numerical scale was developed to quantify the effect of intervention. A Wilcoxon rank-sum test was used for comparison of the scores before and after the acupuncture treatment. Results: Of the patients, 68.3% reported having both pain and psychologic symptoms. The most frequently used meridian points were Kidney (13.17%), followed by Large Intestine (12.46%), Spleen (12.04%) and Gall Bladder (10.34%). After 3 treatments performed in daily sessions, 54.05% and 60.6% of patients reported marked improvements in psychologic and pain symptoms, respectively. Statistical analysis showed a significant difference between the scores reported before the first treatment and after the third treatment, both for pain (P = 0.000) and psychologic symptoms (P = 0.000). No serious adverse events were reported. Conclusions: These results suggest that acupuncture could be a useful tool for reducing pain and psychologic symptoms related to earthquakes, but further research is required in this specific area.
Complete mitochondrial genome of the Pacific Loon, Gavia pacifica (Gaviiformes: Gaviidae)

Abstract The complete mitochondrial (mt) genome of Gavia pacifica was sequenced and characterized the circular mt genome, which constituted 37 genes (13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNAs, and 2 ribosomal RNAs) and a non-coding region (NCR). Phylogenetic analysis based on the full mt genome sequences confirmed that the Genus Gavia belongs to a monophyletic group containing the G. stellata, G. arctica, and G. pacifica. This is the first completed mt genome from G. pacifica, which provides data for further study of phylogeny in Gaviiformes.
Plant population is the function of grain yield of maize

A field experiment on hybrid maize with different plant population density was conducted at the Agronomy field of BARI, Joydebpur, Gazipur during the consecutive rabi season of 2019-2020 and 2020-2021. Five plant population density viz; T1= 66666 plants/ha (75cm × 20cm spacing: 6.67 plants/m2), T2= 83333 plants/ha (60cm × 20cm spacing:8.33 plants/m2), T3=100000 plants/ha (50cm × 20cm spacing:10 plants/m2), T4=125000 plants/ha (40cm × 20cm spacing:12.5 plants/m2) and T5=166666 plants/ha (30cm × 20cm spacing:16.67 plants/m2) were used in the experiment. LAI (leaf area index) and TDM (total dry matter) increased with the increase of plant population, those influenced grain yield of maize. The highest grain yield (10.12-10.78 t/ha) was recorded in T3 (100000 plants/ha) and the lowest (5.02-5.33t/ha) in T5 (166666 plants/ha) treatment. Functional relationship between plant population and grain yield of maize was established as Y = 2.0795x-0.1067x2; (R² = 0.92). The effect of plant population on the grain yield of maize could be explained 92% by the functional model. The co- efficient indicated that increase of one plant/m2 would increase grain yield at the rate of 2.0795 t/ha up to a certain limit. The estimated optimum plant population was 9.74 plants/m2 (974000 plants/ha) through functional model. Then the predicted maximum grain yield would be 10.13 t/ha at that optimum plant population of 9.74 plants/m2 (974000 plants/ha). There existed a good consistency between observed and predicted grain yield of maize (r=0.96 at p<0.01 and R2=0.97; using the developed functional model).
Orientation Dependent Mechanical Responses and Plastic Deformation Mechanisms of ZnSe Nano Films under Nanoindentation

Although ZnSe has been widely studied due to its attractive electronic and optoelectronic properties, limited data on its plastic deformations are available. Through molecular dynamics simulations, we have investigated the indentations on the (001), (110), and (111) planes of ZnSe nano films. Our results indicate that the elastic modulus, incipient plasticity, elastic recovery ratio, and the structural evolutions during the indenting process of ZnSe nano films show obvious anisotropy. To analyze the correlation of structural evolution and mechanical responses, the atomic displacement vectors, atomic arrangements, and the dislocations of the indented samples are analyzed. Our simulations revealed that the plastic deformations of the indented ZnSe nano films are dominated by the nucleation and propagation of 1/2<110> type dislocations, and the symmetrically distributed prismatic loops emitted during the indenting process are closely related with the mechanical properties. By studying the evolutions of microstructures, the formation process of the dislocations, as well as the formation mechanisms of the emitted prismatic loops under the indented crystalline planes are discussed. The results presented in this work not only provide an answer for the questions about indentation responses of ZnSe nano films, but also offer insight into its plastic deformation mechanisms.
Determination of Serum Thyroid Hormones and Electrolytes in Hypothyroid and Hyperthyroid Females-A Case Control Study in Lahore, Pakistan

®Copyright 2019 by Turkish Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism Association Turkish Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism published by Türkiye Klinikleri Determination of Serum Thyroid Hormones and Electrolytes in Hypothyroid and Hyperthyroid Females-A Case Control Study in Lahore, Pakistan Hipotiroid ve Hipertiroid Kadınlarda Serum Tiroid Hormonları ve Elektrolitlerinin Belirlenmesi-Lahor, Pakistan'da Bir Vaka Kontrol Çalışması