Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Attractiveness of Central Public Spaces in Small Polish Towns Based on a Spatial Order Analysis

The purpose of this article is to evaluate the attractiveness of centrally located public spaces (main squares) in select new small towns in Poland. The evaluation was conducted from the spatial order perspective. Spatial order is composed of five elements: architectural and urban planning, functional, aesthetic, social, and “green” orders. The new small towns included in this analysis are settlement units, which in 2020 were populated by up to 20,000 inhabitants and received municipal rights in the 21st century. We used the point bonitation method in our research based on the source material collected during a field study. A total of 286 inventory cards of buildings and nine cards of town squares were compiled. The analysis demonstrated that the main squares in the towns studied are characterised by low or average levels of attractiveness from the spatial order perspective. The architectural–urban planning order in the towns in question was related to the number of inhabitants as well as the period over which a given settlement unit had municipal rights. A larger number of inhabitants had a positive influence on the functional diversification of the central squares and their development, whereas a small number limited both the functional diversification and the number of small architectural elements found at the square. The social order in the given towns was not connected to the number of inhabitants. The elements of social order were assessed favourably, both in larger towns that revitalised their central squares and in smaller settlements. The aesthetic and green orders were strongly related to the revitalisation of public space.
Evaluation of electronic readiness level: A case of financial institution

Electronic readiness is the ability to accept, use and apply information and communication technology in an organization. To effectively implement information and communication technologies, the first step is to measure the electronic readiness of companies and organizations to adopt these new technologies. In this research, the level of electronic readiness of Mellat Bank has been studied in Khorasan Razavi province in Iran, from the perspective of the employees in cities of Feyz Abad, Kashmar, Bajestan, Gonabad and Bazar and Central branches in Khorasan Razavi province. Electronic readiness levels of Bank Mellat have been evaluated in the following dimensions: Strategy readiness and IT policies, IT infrastructure readiness, management readiness, legal-juridical readiness, culture and human resource (personnel) readiness and Process readiness. This research is based on descriptive research design and applied purpose. The statistical population of the personnel includes people with sufficient and necessary information in the field of financial and banking activities regarding e-commerce issues and e-readiness, which was a total population of 74 people. 50 questionnaires consisting of 30 questions were distributed using non-probability convenience sampling method of which 42 questionnaires were accurate. The SPSS15 software was used for analysis. The results of the analysis showed that the level of electronic readiness of Mellat Bank in Khorasan Razavi province in the studied branches is significantly higher than the average theoretical score (3) (p <0.001) in total and its components. This demonstrates the level of electronic readiness of Mellat Bank in Khorasan Razavi is high (above average) from the perspective of the studied personnel. Also, there is no significant difference in the average score of the perspective of personnel based on gender, age, years of service, level of education, field of study and organizational position concerning the level of electronic readiness in Mellat Bank in Khorasan Razavi.
Conversations on Mental Wellness in Vietnamese American Community

Stigma is one of the major barriers to seeking mental health services among Vietnamese Americans. This barrier is even more prominent spanning different cultures and different generations. The present study examines the following hypothesis: when first-generation, immigrant parents are willing to talk about mental health to their second-generation, US-born children, their children are more open to seeking mental health services as adults. An online survey consisting of quantitative and qualitative questions was administered to 63 people. The results suggest that students are more likely to talk to their peers about mental health issues compared to their families. The results indicate that there should be an increase in accessible services for students and educational workshops for parents and faculty to promote understanding and destigmatize mental health and mental illnesses.
A new edge-detected lift force flow sensor

A lift force gas flow sensor which uses the force normal to the fluid flow to measure the flow velocity has recently been introduced. Two thin plates mounted at an angle are deflected when they are subjected to fluid flow. For most mechanical flow sensors the flow sensitivity is closely connected to the time response. A weaker structure gives higher flow sensitivity but a lower natural frequency, i.e., a slower response time. The lift force sensor is designed for measurements of respiratory gas flow in ventilators, where, in addition to low flow restriction, both high sensitivity and fast response are required. A new type of suspension has now been realized for the lift force flow sensor. The detection is separated from the suspension of the airfoil plate with the strain gauges placed on separate detector beams. This leads to separate parameters for optimization of the lift force concept with "independent" control of flow sensitivity and natural frequency. This paper presents an analytical model, simulations and measurements on the new structure. The new edge-detected sensor has been experimentally evaluated for different lengths (100-600 /spl mu/m), widths (20-100 /spl mu/m) and thicknesses (8-20 /spl mu/m) of the detector beams. In accordance with the theory, the measurements show that the new structure has approximately three times the natural frequency of the old, center detected structure and similar or improved flow sensitivity. The evaluation has also resulted in a design scheme for optimal performance. A flow sensitivity of 0.65 /spl mu/V/V/(l/min)/sup 2/ has been obtained for the best edge-detected sensor with a natural frequency of 3.2 kHz.
Water deficit stress tolerance assessment in barley cultivars using drought tolerance indices

Crop productivity is greatly affected by drought stress. Understanding the drought tolerance capability of the crop varieties available in a country is the foremost consideration for drought adaptation. The objective of this research work was to examine the drought tolerance potentiality of 5 cultivated barley varieties (BARI Barley5, BARI Barley6, BARI Barley7, BARI Barley8 and BARI Barley9) through calculating drought tolerance indices. A completely randomized design (CRD) with three replications was followed in the experiment, where crops were grown under control (80% of FC) and water deficit environment (50% of FC). Stress Tolerance (TOL), Mean Productivity (MP), Geometric Mean Productivity (GMP), Stress Susceptibility Index (SSI), Stress Tolerance Index (STI), Harmonic Mean (HAM), Yield Index (YI) and Yield Stability Index (YSI) were calculated based on grain yield under control and drought conditions. BARI Barley7 and BARI Barley8 were the most tolerant variety and BARI Barley9 considered as susceptible based on TOL and SSI. Drought tolerance indices like MP, HAM, GMP, TOL as well as STI were showed a high correlation with grain yield under both conditions and were recognized as appropriate indices to identify varieties with high grain yield and low sensitivity to drought stress.
Robust control and analysis of a wind-diesel hybrid power plant

The aim of this paper is twofold: first to present multivariable frequency domain techniques as a tool for controller design and dynamic analysis of an autonomous wind-diesel power system; and secondly to study how robust model based controllers can be designed for such systems. Dynamic system analyses using multivariable frequency domain techniques are verified against detailed nonlinear simulation studies. The results are encouraging in the sense that the main conclusions in terms of robust stability and performance agree very well with the simulation results. It is also shown that improved performance of the system can be achieved using simple model based controllers. >
Forced association of SARS-CoV-2 proteins with the yeast proteome perturb vesicle trafficking

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative agent of the highly infectious coronavirus disease COVID-19. Extensive research has been performed in recent months to better understand how SARS-CoV-2 infects and manipulates its host to identify potential drug targets and support patient recovery from COVID-19. However, the function of many SARS-CoV-2 proteins remains uncharacterised. Here we used the Synthetic Physical Interactions (SPI) method to recruit SARS-CoV-2 proteins to most of the budding yeast proteome to identify conserved pathways which are affected by SARS-CoV-2 proteins. The set of yeast proteins that result in growth defects when associated with the viral proteins have homologous functions that overlap those identified in studies performed in mammalian cells. Specifically, we were able to show that recruiting the SARS-CoV-2 NSP1 protein to HOPS, a vesicle-docking complex, is sufficient to perturb membrane trafficking in yeast consistent with the hijacking of the endoplasmic-reticulum–Golgi intermediate compartment trafficking pathway during viral infection of mammalian cells. These data demonstrate that the yeast SPI method is a rapid way to identify potential functions of ectopic viral proteins.
The Absence of Abdominal Pigmentation in Livestock Associated Culicoides following Artificial Blood Feeding and the Epidemiological Implication for Arbovirus Surveillance

Culicoides midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae), the vectors of economically important arboviruses such as bluetongue virus and African horse sickness virus, are of global importance. In the absence of transovarial transmission, the parity rate of a Culicoides population provides imperative information regarding the risk of virus dispersal. Abdominal pigmentation, which develops after blood feeding and ovipositioning, is used as an indicator of parity in Culicoides. During oral susceptibility trials over the last three decades, a persistent proportion of blood engorged females did not develop pigment after incubation. The present study, combining a number of feeding trials and different artificial feeding methods, reports on this phenomenon, as observed in various South African and Italian Culicoides species and populations. The absence of pigmentation in artificial blood-fed females was found in at least 23 Culicoides species, including important vectors such as C. imicola, C. bolitinos, C. obsoletus, and C. scoticus. Viruses were repeatedly detected in these unpigmented females after incubation. Blood meal size seems to play a role and this phenomenon could be present in the field and requires consideration, especially regarding the detection of virus in apparent “nulliparous” females and the identification of overwintering mechanisms and seasonally free vector zones.
Damaged airplane trajectory planning based on flight envelope and motion primitives

This paper presents an efficient approach for safe landing trajectory generation of an airplane with structural damage to its wing flying in proximity to local terrain. A damaged airplane maneuvering flight envelope is estimated by analyzing the local stability and flying quality at each trim condition. Trim state distance to a flight envelope boundary provides a novel criterion defined as the safety value index to prioritize choice of trim conditions for postdamage flight. A library of trajectory segments including trim states and transition maneuvers between trim conditions in the local neighborhood are generated using a linear quadratic regulator controller. A potential field strategy is used to rapidly define emergency landing trajectories composed as trim state sequences based on criteria including terrain avoidance, safety value index, and safe landing requirements such as touchdown heading and position, airspeed, glide slope, and bank angle. Cost criteria are balanced by adjusting weights. Landing .
Mechanical Characterization of Energy Dissipation Devices in Retrofit Solution of Reinforced Concrete Frames Coupled with Solid Wood Panels

Deep renovation interventions on existing buildings remain currently unattractive due to technical, financial and cultural/social barriers. Now that the European Union 2018 Energy Performance Directive aims to “reach the long-term greenhouse gas emission goal and decarbonize the building stock”, Member States may use their long-term renovation strategies to address risks also related to fire hazards and seismic loads in addition to energy renovation. This opens a wider market for innovative approaches in retrofit of existing buildings. The current paper illustrates the primary outcomes of an ongoing multidisciplinary Horizon 2020 research project (called e-SAFE), tackling the integration of energy, seismic and architectural renovation interventions through an innovative and combinable technological solution, applicable to non-historic RC framed buildings (i.e. built after 1950) and easily adaptable to specific climatic conditions, seismicity levels and other boundary conditions. Hence, the proposed solution will contribute to the de-carbonization of the EU building stock, reducing the occurrence of natural hazards related to climate changes, and, at the same time, to the improvement of the social resilience against earthquakes and to the enhancement of buildings architectural image. The seismic retrofit technology consists in the external application of modular prefabricated Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) panels on the existing perimetral walls. These panels are connected to the beams of two consecutive floors by means of friction dampers and provide additional lateral stiffness and strength to the existing structure, thus reducing the storey drift demand in case of earthquake. The friction dampers cut the force transmitted by the CLT panel to the structure and dissipate energy, which further reduce the drift demand. Strength, stiffness and dissipation capacity provided by the system are controlled by modulating the thickness and the number of CLT panels, as well as the friction dampers size. In this research phase, friction damper prototypes have been designed in order to optimize
Detecting genes associated with antimicrobial resistance and pathogen virulence in three New Zealand rivers

The emergence of clinically significant antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in bacteria is frequently attributed to the use of antimicrobials in humans and livestock and is often found concurrently with human and animal pathogens. However, the incidence and natural drivers of antimicrobial resistance and pathogenic virulence in the environment, including waterways and ground water, are poorly understood. Freshwater monitoring for microbial pollution relies on culturing bacterial species indicative of faecal pollution, but detection of genes linked to antimicrobial resistance and/or those linked to virulence is a potentially superior alternative. We collected water and sediment samples in the autumn and spring from three rivers in Canterbury, New Zealand; sites were above and below reaches draining intensive dairy farming. Samples were tested for loci associated with the AMR-related group 1 CTX-M enzyme production (blaCTX-M) and Shiga toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC). The blaCTX-M locus was only detected during spring and was more prevalent downstream of intensive dairy farms. Loci associated with STEC were detected in both the autumn and spring, again predominantly downstream of intensive dairying. This cross-sectional study suggests that targeted testing of environmental DNA is a useful tool for monitoring waterways. Further studies are now needed to extend our observations across seasons and to examine the relationship between the presence of these genetic elements and the incidence of disease in humans.
Drag of wings with cambered airfoils and partial leading-edge suction

Les methodes traditionnelles de calcul de la trainee d'une aile peuvent sous-estimer grandement les rapports portee maximale/trainee pour des ailes a forte cambrure aux faibles nombres de Reynolds. On propose une autre methode tenant compte de la cambrure et de l'aspiration au bord d'attaque
Automated detection of delamination and disbond from wavefield images obtained using a scanning laser vibrometer

The paper presents signal and image processing algorithms to automatically detect delamination and disbond in composite plates from wavefield images obtained using a scanning laser Doppler vibrometer (LDV). Lamb waves are excited by a lead zirconate titanate transducer (PZT) mounted on the surface of a composite plate, and the out-of-plane velocity field is measured using an LDV. From the scanned time signals, wavefield images are constructed and processed to study the interaction of Lamb waves with hidden delaminations and disbonds. In particular, the frequency–wavenumber (f–k) domain filter and the Laplacian image filter are used to enhance the visibility of defects in the scanned images. Thereafter, a statistical cluster detection algorithm is used to identify the defect location and distinguish damaged specimens from undamaged ones.
Strategy to Predict High and Low Frequency Behaviors Using Triaxial Accelerometers in Grazing of Beef Cattle

Simple Summary Monitoring animal activity in production systems is an important tool for obtaining information on health, production, and reproduction. In this study, we evaluated the use of accelerometers with different strategies to predict the grazing behavior of Nelore cattle. This research was conducted in an environment both more challenging and representative of the practices adopted in livestock production systems in Brazil. The results of this study showed that the use of the Random Forest algorithm, together with techniques for resampling the training data of the models, classified the studied behaviors with high accuracy, especially for important, and less frequent activities such as water consumption frequency. Abstract Knowledge of animal behavior can be indicative of the well-being, health, productivity, and reproduction of animals. The use of accelerometers to classify and predict animal behavior can be a tool for continuous animal monitoring. Therefore, the aim of this study was to provide strategies for predicting more and less frequent beef cattle grazing behaviors. The behavior activities observed were grazing, ruminating, idle, water consumption frequency (WCF), feeding (supplementation) and walking. Three Machine Learning algorithms: Random Forest (RF), Support Vector Machine (SVM) and Naïve Bayes Classifier (NBC) and two resample methods: under and over-sampling, were tested. Overall accuracy was higher for RF models trained with the over-sampled dataset. The greatest sensitivity (0.808) for the less frequent behavior (WCF) was observed in the RF algorithm trained with the under-sampled data. The SVM models only performed efficiently when classifying the most frequent behavior (idle). The greatest predictor in the NBC algorithm was for ruminating behavior, with the over-sampled training dataset. The results showed that the behaviors of the studied animals were classified with high accuracy and specificity when the RF algorithm trained with the resampling methods was used. Resampling training datasets is a strategy to be considered, especially when less frequent behaviors are of interest.
EFFECT OF PARAMETER UNCERTAINTY ON DRAINMOD PREDICTIONS: I. HYDROLOGY AND YIELD

The computer–based hydrologic model DRAINMOD can be used to predict the effect of drainage design on the rate of subsurface drainage and on crop yield. An uncertainty analysis was conducted to quantitatively assess the variability in model outputs caused by parameter uncertainty. The analysis was based on an experimental field at the Tidewater Research Station in Plymouth, North Carolina. As a first step in the uncertainty analysis, a sensitivity test was conducted to determine which parameters in the model have the most influence on the model objective functions. First–order approximation and Monte Carlo simulation were used to determine the effect of the uncertainty in the most sensitive parameters on the uncertainty in the model objective functions. Objective functions evaluated were: average annual subsurface drainage volume; SEW30 (a measure of stress caused by excessive soil water in the top 30 cm) during the growing season; and relative yield for both conventional and controlled drainage. Nine parameters found to significantly affect model output were used in the uncertainty analysis. The first–order approximation showed that in the case of conventional drainage, lateral saturated hydraulic conductivity accounted for 81% of the uncertainty in terms of variance for predicted annual subsurface drainage volume, 81% for growing season SEW30, and 71% for relative yield. For controlled drainage, lateral saturated hydraulic conductivity contributed 62% of the uncertainty in terms of the variance in predicted annual subsurface drainage volume, 69% in growing season SEW30, and 62% in relative yield. The Monte Carlo simulation showed similar results. Improving the knowledge of these most influential parameters will help to reduce the uncertainty in DRAINMOD predictions for these objective functions.
TOP MANAGEMENT‟S ROLE IN MANAGING CHANGE: A CASE OF FAILUREEdwina Ann HollingsA thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirement of Staffordshire University for the degree of Master of PhilosophyOctober 2012

Abstract Underlying the dominant rational-logical approach to management is the assumption that the top management team is an incontrovertible prescription. The view that the top management team acts as both a unified and unifying body pursuing organizational goals for the collective good of the organization, is a key tenet within the managerialist literature on change. The critical examination of the role and importance of the top management team, focusing on the introduction of Total Quality Management (TQM), provides the basis for the challenge to the assumption that the notion of the top management team is unproblematic. The research undertaken is based on a case-study of a manufacturing organization that engaged in the introduction of a TQM initiative in the 1990s and focuses on the actions and behaviours of senior managers as the programme of change proved to be unsuccessful. The dissertation examines key ideas within the literature on change and, more specifically, explores the role of senior management in introducing TQM as identified by the contemporary literature of the time. The dominant literature presents the role of senior management and its commitment as essentials requirements. As such, the dissertation reviews the literature on senior management teams and the centrality of the debate that suggests the unified characteristics of team-working is an unchallenged predetermination of top managers in action. The analysis of interviews with significant individuals and groups over the change period, through the application of techniques associated with hermeneutic phenomenology, lead to a justification for challenging the dominant managerialist ideology of how managers manage and lead. The research presents evidence from the case that identifies that team-working at the top of the organization is not the reality of these senior managers and that the implicit assumption of senior management commitment is also flawed.