Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
In-use Energy Performance Study Of Automated Smart Homes

Domestic energy demand has been high on the carbon reduction agenda for some time. Today new homes are being designed following the “fabric first” principle which is reducing heat demand, but it is shifting the design challenge to ventilation. Further energy reductions and comfort improvements are needed. It is frequently proposed that automated control systems can achieve this. However, the technologies involved are currently considered expensive and complicated. There is little published evidence of how these types of systems perform in use, which leads to scepticism. This research study aims to test the hypothesis that automated demand-controlled heating and ventilation can provide a good indoor environment while reducing energy consumption in “real-life” homes. A year-long case study was conducted using six occupied, neighbouring dwellings installed with a low-cost automated building control system. The energy consumption figures recorded were compared to the values predicted by the Standard Assessment Procedure and by a Dynamic Simulation Model, and compared to Passivhaus standard. Significant savings have been identified. The results of this study show that an automated control system can lead to very low energy, and hence low carbon homes at a price-point that would incentivise widespread role out. This means that such systems have the potential to make a considerable contribution to reducing the carbon footprint of housing stock, and hence to meeting carbon reduction targets.
Effect of Co-existing Heavy Metals and Natural Organic Matter on Sorption/Desorption of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Soil: A Review

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), abundant in mixed contaminant sites, often coexist with heavy metals. The fate and remediation of PAHs depend heavily on the sorption and desorption behavior of these contaminants. The sorption behavior can in turn be highly affected by certain soil components and properties, such as soil organic matter (SOM) and the presence of heavy metals. Through review of the literature focused on research from 2006 to 2018, this paper discusses interactions, challenges, influencing factors and potential synergies in sorption/desorption of mixed PAHs and heavy metal contamination of soil. The presence of either natural organic matter or heavy metals can enhance the sorption capability of fine soil, retarding the PAHs in the solid matrix. The co-existence of SOM and heavy metals has been reported to have synergistic effect on PAHs sorption. Enhanced and surfactant desorption of PAHs are also affected by the presence of both SOM and metals. Remediation techniques for PAHs removal from soil, such as soil washing, soil flushing and electrokinetics, can be affected by the presence of SOM and heavy metals. More detailed studies on the simultaneous effects of soil components and properties on the sorption/desorption of PAHs are needed to enhance the effectiveness of PAHs remediation technologies.
A Design Science Study on Methods of Feedback for In-car Gesture-controlled Infotainment Systems

Navigating an in-car infotainment system by using gesture-control can be distracting, drivers usually seek for confirmation from the infotainment system by rapidly glancing at the screen and therefore reduce the eyes-on-the-road time, this can be dangerous. This study aims to evaluate whether if by applying both visual and auditory feedback from the infotainment system can reduce the distraction. One iteration of design science is performed with results showing that by applying the combination of audio (different clicking sounds) and colour (different colour changes) feedback, the distraction is reduced according to the qualitative interview results, participants claimed that they can use the system without looking at the screen. Suggestions are also made to improve the system by adding feedback methods such as voice assistant, or different audio cues, can be applied and have the potential to reduce the distraction even further. Although the study could not distinguish between whether if the result is led by the user interests to the gesture control technology or the feedback system itself. Keywords—feedback; usability; distraction; auditory; visual; infotainment system; gesture recognition; gesture controlled; comparison; car; driving; safety.
Heterogeneity in an RBC Model with Durable Goods and Energy

This paper investigates the effects of total factor productivity and energy price shocks in a real business cycle (RBC) model with heterogeneous agents. It extends standard RBC models by including the distinction between durable goods and non-durable goods but also including energy in production of non-durable goods. Furthermore, we combine two sources of heterogeneity using idiosyncratic shocks in labor supply and limited asset market participation by a fixed proportion of agents. We study to what degree the empirically observed inequality in income and wealth can be explained by the provided framework. The model can predict the evolution of inequality in income and wealth, unlike traditional homogeneous macroeconomic models with a representative agent. We show that the distinction between non-durable and durable goods leads to a significant improvement in predicting most of the moments close to the one in observational data from Germany. Furthermore, we find that energy price shocks lead to decreasing inequalities, with respect to both income and wealth. In a brief policy analysis, we give an outlook about the effects of redistribution of income between classes of agents.
Analysis of Heavy Metal Contents and Non-carcinogenic Health Risk Assessment through Consumption of Tilapia Fish (Oreochromis niloticus)

Due to the fish are often at the top of the aquatic food chain and may accumulate large amounts of heavy metals from the water, this study was conducted to determine of Cd, Cr, Pb and Ni contents in the muscle of imported tilapia fish marketed in the city of Hamedan in 2017. In so doing, totally, 27 muscle samples from nine different brands of tilapia fish were randomly collected from the market basket of the study area. After preparation and processing the samples in the laboratory, the concentration of metals, was determined using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometer. The results showed that the mean concentrations (mg/kg) of Cd, Cr, Pb, and Ni in samples were 0.26 ± 0.09, 1.54 ± 0.15, 0.55 ± 0.11, and 0.67 ± 0.20 respectively. Also, the mean contents of Cd and Pb were higher than the maximum permissible levels (MPL) established by the World Health Organization (WHO). The computed health risk index values showed that no potential health risk for adults and children via consuming the muscle of tilapia fish at the current consumption rate for the study area. Based on the results, due to the mean contents of Cd and Pb in the muscle samples of tilapia fish were higher than the MPL, therefore, serious attention to the reduction of the discharge of hazardous substances in the aquatic ecosystems and also periodic monitoring of chemical residue particularly toxic heavy metals in the high-demand food is recommended.
Air mass physio-chemical characteristics over New Delhi: Impacts on aerosol hygroscopicity and CCN formation

Abstract. This work presents for the first time long term and time-resolved estimates of hygroscopicty parameter (κ) and CCN for Delhi, a megacity that is subjected to high local anthropogenic emissions and long-range transport of pollutants. As a part of the Delhi Aerosol Supersite (DAS) campaign, characterisation of aerosol composition and size distribution were conducted from January 2017–March 2018. Air masses originating from the Arabian Sea (AS), Bay of Bengal (BB) and South Asia (SA) exhibited distinct characteristics of time-resolved sub-micron non-refractory PM1 (NRPM1) species, size distributions, and CCN number concentrations. SA air mass had the highest NRPM1 loading with high chloride and organics followed by BB air mass which was relatively more contaminated than AS with a higher organic fraction and nitrate. The primary sources were identified as biomass-burning, thermal power plant emissions, industrial and vehicular emissions. The average hygroscopicty parameter (κ), calculated by the mixing rule was ~ 0.3 (varying between 0.13 and 0.77) for all the air masses (0.32 ± 0.06 for AS, 0.31 ± 0.06 for BB and 0.32 ± 0.10 for SA). The diurnal variations of κ were impacted by the chemical properties and thus source activities. The total, Aitken, and Accumulation mode number concentrations were higher for SA, followed by BB and AS. The mean values of estimated CCN number concentration (NCCN, 3669–28 926 cm−3) and the activated fraction (af, 0.19–0.87) for supersaturations varying from 0.1–0.8 % also showed the same trend (SA > BB > AS). The size turned out to be more important than chemical composition directly, and the NCCN was governed by either the Aitken or Accumulation modes depending upon the supersaturation (SS) and critical diameter (Dc). The af was governed mainly by the Geometric Mean Diameter (GMD), and such a high af (0.71 ± 0.14 for the most dominant sub-branch of SA air mass (R1) at 0.4 % SS) has not been seen anywhere in the world. The high af was a consequence of very low Dc (25–130 nm for SS ranging from 0.1 %–0.8 %) observed for Delhi. Indirectly, the chemical properties also impacted CCN and af by impacting the diurnal patterns of Aitken and accumulation modes, κ and Dc. The high hygroscopic nature of aerosols, high NCCN and high af can severely impact the precipitation patterns of the Indian Monsoon in Delhi, the radiation budget and the indirect effect and need to be investigated to quantify the impacts.
Zeroth Order Nonconvex Multi-Agent Optimization over Networks

In this paper we consider distributed optimization problems over a multi-agent network, where each agent can only partially evaluate the objective function, and it is allowed to exchange messages with its immediate neighbors. Differently from all existing works on distributed optimization, our focus is given to optimizing a class of difficult non-convex problems, and under the challenging setting where each agent can only access the zeroth-order information (i.e., the functional values) of its local functions. For different types of network topologies such as undirected connected networks or star networks, we develop efficient distributed algorithms and rigorously analyze their convergence and rate of convergence (to the set of stationary solutions). Numerical results are provided to demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed algorithms.
Price Trends Over the Product Life Cycle and the Optimal Inflation Target

We present a sticky price model featuring a product life cycle and rich amounts of heterogeneity that allow capturing salient features of micro price data. We analytically derive the optimal steady-state inflation rate and show how the optimal inflation target trades off price and mark-up distortions across different product categories. We then devise an empirical approach that permits identifying the optimal inflation target from relative price trends over the product life cycle. Using the micro Price data underlying the U.K. consumer price index, we show that the relative price of products decreases over the life cycle for almost all expenditure categories and that this causes positive inflation targets to be optimal. The optimal U.K. inflation target is estimated to range between 2.6% and 3.2% in the year 2016. The optimal target has steadily increased over the years 1996-2016. We explain how changes in relative price trends contributed to this increase.
Is there any relationship between Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and urinary iodine level?

Мета. Хвороба Хашимото (ХХ) є автоімунним захворюванням, у патогенезі якого відіграють роль як генетичні, так і зовнішні чинники. До останніх належить надходження йоду з їжею. Виведення йоду з сечею при збалансованому харчуванні рівною мірою відповідає його надходженню ззовні. Існує думка, згідно з якою висока концентрація йоду в сечі може бути пов’язана з автоімунним захворюванням щитоподібної залози. Мета нашої роботи — вивчити, чи підвищений рівень йоду в сечі у пацієнтів з ХХ порівняно з загальною популяцією. Матеріали та методи. Дослідження включало 64 пацієнтів з ХХ і 39 здорових добровольців. У всіх пацієнтів вивчали такі показники: вік, стать, рівень у сироватці крові вільного трийодтироніну (сТ3), вільного тироксину (сТ4), тиреотропного гормона (ТТГ), антитіл до тиреоїдної пероксидази (АТ-ТПО), антитіл до тиреоглобуліну (АТГ), а також концентрацію йоду в сечі. Було проведено ультрасонографію щитоподібної залози. Концентрацію йоду в сечі визначали з використанням реакції Санделла — ­Колтхофа. Результати. У нашому дослідженні не було виявлено вірогідного зв’язку між загальним обсягом щитоподібної залози і концентрацією йоду в сечі (p > 0,05). Також не було виявлено вірогідної різниці між рівнями сТ3, сТ4, АТ-ТПО, АТГ і об’ємом щитоподібної залози в осіб із концентрацією йоду в сечі вище і нижче від 100 мкг/л. Різниця сягала вірогідного рівня тільки при порівнянні показників ТТГ (р = 0,04). Не було виявлено різниці між загальним обсягом щитоподібної залози. У нашому дослідженні не було виявлено зв’язку між ХХ і рівнем йоду в сечі. З огляду на те, що поширеність ХХ у нашій країні відповідає даним, зазначеним у літературі, постає питання про роль йоду, що надходить з їжею, в патогенезі захворювання. Висновки. У йододефіцитних регіонах, до яких належить зокрема й наша країна, необхідно вивчати зв’язок між рівнем йоду в сечі та ХХ.
EFFECT OF THE CUTTING AGE OF Brachiaria decumbens ON RUMEN FUNCTIONS AND in vitro GAS PRODUCTION

The aim was to evaluate the effect of cut age on ruminal function and in vitro gas production of Brachiaria decumbens grass. Eighteen parcels established with B. decumbens were used. For each treatment, T1: 45, T2: 60 and T3: 75 (cut days), the chemical composition, rumen degradation, digestibility, pH, ammonia, volatile fatty acids (VFA) and gas production were analyzed. It was observed higher (P <0.05) effective degradation (58%; 0.02 k, 45%; 0.05 k and 38%; 0.08 k) and apparent digestibility (57%) at 45 days of cut. The ruminal pH was maintained between 6.99 to 7.51 from 6 h to 24 h post incubation between the different cut ages (P <0.05). With respect to NH3-N it was higher at 45 and 60 days (27.3 and 25.6 mg/L respectively). The VFA did not show differences between the treatments evaluated (P> 0.05). The lowest (P = 0.0001) gas production was observed in the B. decumbens cut at 45 days (T1). It can be concluded that the best age for grazing of B. decumbens can be between 45 and 60 days of regrowth.
Contrast-Enhanced Cerebral MR Venography Overcomes Causes of Drop of Signal in Time of Flight MR Venography

Background: Cerebral venous thrombosis is uncommon disease with vague manifestations. Magnetic resonance venography (MRV) plays an important role in its diagnosis. The cardinal MRV sign of venous sinus thrombosis is sinus drop of signal. Using time of flight MR venography (TOF MRV) -the commonly used technique there are multiple causes of signal drop simulating dural sinus thrombosis. Aim of Study: To diagnose different causes of signal drop on TOF MRV using contrast enhanced MRV to avoid misinterpretation of dural sinus thrombosis. Patients and Methods: 79 patients with clinical suspicion of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis underwent cerebral 2DTOF and post-contrast MRV (time-resolved imaging of contrast kinetics (TRICKS) MRV in 40 patients & elliptic centric MRV in 39 patients). Findings in TOF MRV were compared to those in contrast-enhanced MRV. Results: Dural sinus thrombosis was seen in 30 cases. Turbulence of flow in superior sagittal sinus and lateral sinuses was demonstrated in 8 cases, hypoplastic transverse sinus was diagnosed in 23 cases, atretic transverse sinus was shown in 2 cases, stenosis of the transverse sinus was seen in 7 cases. 10 cases demonstrated normal dural sinuses on all used MRV techniques. Conclusion: Drop of signal in dural venous sinuses using TOF MRV has many causes other than thrombosis. To avoid misinterpretation it is important to use contrast enhanced MRV either TRICKS or elliptic centric techniques.
Isolation of Lactobacillus plantarum Strains With Robust Antagonistic Activity, Qualified Probiotic Properties, and Without Antibiotic-resistance From Traditional Sourdough

Researchers believe that food plays an increasingly important role in society with respect to disease prevention and human well-being. For this reason, the microbial aspects of food safety should seriously be taken into consideration (1,2). Due to their essential role in producing flavor and providing food preservation, lactic acid bacteria (LAB, e.g., lactobacilli) are highly important in fermented foods. It is found that the use of these bacteria as probiotic starters leads to the production of stable intestinal flora, competition with potentially harmful bacteria, and the prevention of certain diseases (3-5). In addition, these bacteria are considered as effective means for enhancing food safety and stability due to consumers’ awareness and concern regarding chemical additives (6). Further, LAB can act as an antagonist against some pathogenic bacteria by producing various antimicrobial compounds such as bacteriocins (7), organic acids, hydrogen peroxide, carbon dioxide, and diacetyl (8,9). Similarly, these diverse phylogenetic groups can be found in a wide variety of natural media, including fermented food products (e.g., yogurt, cheese, sauerkraut, coffee, sausages, vegetables, sourdough, and kimchi), as well as the normal flora of the mouth, gut and the vagina of the mammals (10-12) To confer health benefits, probiotics need to survive in the gut and to attach and colonize the intestine. Therefore, they must survive in the acidic conditions of the stomach, as well as the acidic environment of some fermented foods and tolerate bile salt in the small intestine for colonization and metabolic activity (13). Furthermore, it is very important that they can maintain their viability during the production, processing, and storage of the fermented products (14). On the other hand, the risk of the transmission of antibiotic resistance genes to pathogenic and commensal bacteria in the gut should seriously be taken into consideration by using probiotics in the foods (15–17). Thus, the antibiotic resistance of different probiotic strains should be identified for safety reasons. Avicenna Journal of Clinical Microbiology and Infection
The relationship between customer awareness and trust in e-shopping acceptance

Building and maintaining effective e-shopping systems is still a challenge to most supermarkets in Uganda. This challenge can be administered through customer awareness campaigns that enable people to learn, appreciate and get the ability to operate e-shopping systems. This if done effectively develops a positive perception in the system. However, there is no clear evidence to support the argument that when customers perceive the new e-shopping technology, it will be trusted and automatically accepted. A number of supermarkets in Uganda have tried to implement e-Shopping. However, despite all the efforts, customers have shown little interest in adopting the e-Shopping system. Customers have ended up physically going to supermarkets leading to stress caused by the difficulty in choosing products of their interest, lining up for long hours in paying cashiers and high traffic jam, coupled with the risk of moving with money. This study was intended to investigate whether customer awareness influences customers’ trust and acceptance of e-Shopping in Uganda. A quantitative research design was used. Data were collected using questionnaires and analyzed using quantitative research techniques including descriptive statistics, frequencies and percentages. Further, inferential statistics were used to examine the relationship between study variables. Results show a positive significant relationship between customer awareness and trust (r=. 404**, p<.01), signifying that high levels of customer awareness are more likely to increase trust among customers. For improved trust and accept of e-Shopping, supermarkets preparing for e-shopping have to position themselves as credible and trustworthy so that they can attract customers who are interested in adopting e-shopping. This study indicates that credibility and trust is what customers are looking for in the situation where they will be buying what they don’t physically see, this will probably make customers to be committed to a supermarket and have the willingness to see it prosper. Keywords: Customer awareness, Trust, Acceptance of e-Shopping, Supermarkets
Observed and Projected Snowmelt Runoff in the Upper Rio Grande in a Changing Climate

As climate has warmed over the past half century, the strength of the covariance between interannual snowpack and streamflow anomalies in the Rio Grande headwaters has decreased. This change has caused an amplification of errors in seasonal streamflow forecasts using traditional statistical forecasting methods, based on the diminishing correlation between peak snow water equivalent (SWE) and subsequent snowmelt runoff. Therefore, at a time when water resources in south-western North America are becoming scarcer, water supply forecasters need to develop prediction schemes that account for the dynamic nature of the relationship between precipitation, temperature, snowpack and streamflow. We quantify temporal changes in statistical predictive models of streamflow in the upper Rio Grande basin using observed data, and interpret the results in terms of processes that control runoff season discharge. We then compare these observed changes to corresponding statistics in downscaled global climate models (GCMs), to gain insight into which GCMs most appropriately replicate the dynamics of interannual streamflow variability represented by the hydro-climate parameters in the headwaters of the Rio Grande. We quantify how the correlations among temperature, precipitation, SWE, and
Task-Specific Occupational Self-Efficacy and Gender Role Attitudes of Pakistani Adolescents

The present research is aimed to investigate the relationship between task-specific occupational self-efficacy and gender role attitude of adolescents. In Part I Task-Specific Occupational Self-Efficacy Scale was translated and Part II dealt with exploring the relationship between task-specific occupational self-efficacy and gender role attitude. Gender wise differences were also explored. Two hundred undergraduate students (100 males and 100 females) studying in different institutions of Rawalpindi and Islamabad participated in the study. Findings revealed that females were more egalitarian in gender role attitudes as compared to boys but still perceived themselves more efficacious in verbal, interpersonal ability. Boys’ traditional gender role attitude was in accord to their efficacy in quantitative business ability and physical strength and agility that indicates as boys hold traditional gender role attitudes so they perceive themselves more capable in performing task related to quantitative and business skills and physical strength. Significant gender differences were observed in taskspecific occupational self-eff icacy as girls scored high on verbal, interpersonal and aesthetic ability whereas boys scored high on quantitative and physical ability. Limitations of the study are discussed and suggestions for counseling younger Pakistani adolescents are offered to guide researchers investigating the psychological mechanisms at work in the formation of self-efficacy beliefs in academic contexts.