Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Performance and economics of kenguri ram lambs under different rearing systems

The experiment was conducted to study the performance of Kenguri ram lambs in two different production systems in an organized farm in Koppal district of Karnataka. Sixty weaned Kenguri ram lambs of uniform body weight and morphological characteristics were selected and randomly allocated to two rearing systems (R1 and R2) of thirty each. The lambs of R1 were considered as control group, they were on grazing for 8 hours daily from 9.00 am to 5.00 pm and fed paddy straw during night hours. The lambs of R2 were reared in intensive system and fed commercial concentrated feed (IS. 5569. 1970) (17% DCP and 70% TDN) from three to nine months. The animals were provided concentrate feed based on their age. The green grass like Congo signal, hybrid Napier and paddy straw were also provided ad libitum along with clean, potable drinking water in the stall. The comparative economics of both the groups was worked out by comparing the expenditure incurred and returns obtained from the selling of lambs. The average live weight obtained in R2 was significantly higher (p less than 0.01) than R1. The respective output price, net profit and cost- benefit ratio was higher in R2 compared to R1. Thus the Kenguri lambs can be reared in intensive system with better income in semi-arid conditions of Karnataka.
IOTA: a 1.7‐TOP/J inference processor for binary convolutional neural networks with 4.7 K LUTs in a tiny FPGA

This Letter presents an efficient inference processor for binary convolutional neural networks in an FPGA that has tight limitation of the available hardware resources. The proposed processor, named inference processor in a tiny FPGA (IOTA), incorporates the dual block-processing cores, which process each constituent block of a network cooperatively skipping redundant operations. Implemented in Intel®MAX®10, IOTA achieves the energy efficiency of 1.7 TOP/J with the resource usage of just 4.7 K lookup table (LUT) and 384Kbit BRAMs, where a single binary operation has been counted by 1 OP. A fully-integrated inference system has been developed to demonstrate the functionality of IOTA. It can infer the classes of 172.85 images per joule for the CIFAR-10 classification task.
Influence of ridges for planting sweet potato on symbiotic ecological factors, photosynthetic abilities and population yield in relay intercropping system

Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) relay intercropping with maize exposes sweet potato to weak levels of sunlight due to the shadow maize creates during the symbiotic period. The insufficient light accordingly causes slow growth and development of vines and leaves of sweet potato in its early stage. The planting density and row direction of maize, the width of the intercropping strip, and the lodging type of sweet potato may form various photo conditions that influence sweet potato. The objective of this experiment was to research the effects of different ridging types on sweet potato and to elucidate the mechanisms of ecological conditions, photosynthetic physiology and intercropping benefits. The results indicated that, contrast to the one wideridge with planting two rows of sweet potato and two narrow ridges with planting two rows, mound planting was more superior in many aspects. Through mound planting sweet potato showed a larger range of temperature in air and soil, higher net photosynthetic rate, more active enzymes related with photosynthesis, and more benefits of relay intercropping.
Inefficiency Among Non-Academic Staffs in Nigerian Tertiary Institutions: the Role of Training and Development

Inefficiency has been a major issue battling the service delivery of non-academic staff in most public universities in Nigeria and this has greatly affected the academic and research outlook of Nigerian universities. Interest in the study was to determine the extent to which induction, demonstration, on-the-job and formal training which are all elements of employee training and development enhance managerial efficiency by looking at employee productivity and quality of service delivery. The study adopts a convenience and stratified sampling technique to select 293 non-academic staffs in selected public universities in Nigeria and the analysis was carried out using the structural equation model (SEM). The results revealed that on-the-job training has a significant negative relationship with the quality of service delivery in Nigerian universities (t=-4.454), (p<0.05) and β=-0.20) which could be because most Nigerian universities do not deliberately place new employees to learn directly from a current employee in order to improve their performance. Hence, the study demonstrates that the only way to resolve inefficiency among non-academic (administrative) staff in public tertiary institutions is to integrate effective training into employee career management and adopt employee performance evaluation process as contained in the private organizations.
Oxidation treatments affecting Sauvignon blanc wine sensory and chemical composition

Thesis (PhD(Agric)) – Stellenbosch University, 2014. %%%%ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study focussed on the effect of oxygen on the chemical and sensory evolution of Sauvignon blanc wine under controlled oxidation conditions. The sensorial interactive effects between Sauvignon blanc varietal aroma compounds and compounds that typically arise during oxidation of white wines were also investigated. In the first research chapter the sensorial interactive effects of Sauvignon blanc impact compounds with aldehydes typically originating from oxidation of white wines were investigated. Four compounds, 3‐ mercaptohexan‐1‐ol (3MH), 3‐isobutyl‐2‐methoxypyrazine (IBMP), 3‐(methylthio)‐propionaldehyde (methional) and phenylacetaldehyde were added together in a model wine medium at varying concentrations. The concentrations chosen were according to those reported in literature to occur in Sauvignon blanc wines. The sensory effects of these compounds were profiled using a trained sensory panel. Compounds were first profiled individually and results showed that the change in comcpound concentration not only led to a change in intensity ratings but also in some cases a change in the descriptor. All four compounds in the same sample showed complicated interactive effects. Data were statistically analysed using relatively novel techniques such as statistical networks that allowed deeper insights into the interactions involved. Various observations were made such as the contribution of 3MH to the ‘green’ character of the wine, the potent suppressing abilities of methional on 3MH and IBMP and the additive effect of methional and IBMP contributing to the ‘cooked’ character of the sample. In the second research chapter the effect of repetitive oxidation on a fresh and fruity style Sauvignon blanc wine was investigated. Results showed the progress and evolution of aromatic and non‐aromatic compounds during an oxidative aging period. A large range of chemical analyses were conducted together with extensive sensory profiling. Results showed a decrease in volatile thiols responsible for the fruity nuances and an increase in oxidation‐related compounds, such as acetaldehyde, during the course of the oxidation. Sensory profiling showed the evolution of the wine aroma during oxidation. The wine evolved from a fresh and fruity wine to slight oxidation and then developed extreme oxidative characteristics. The Control samples (no oxygen added) developed a ‘cooked’ character which could indicate the formation of reductive compounds in these wines. Conversely, the wines that received a single dose of oxygen did not develop this flavour and were perceived to be more fresh and fruity than the Control samples. The evolution of the wine colour was also monitored using a spectrophotometer as well as a sensory panel and results suggest that the colour of the wine evolved before the disappearance of the pleasant aroma. The advantages and disadvantages of oxygen exposure to this type of wine style are discussed as well as the…
A cross-country analysis of the determinants of the real effective exchange rate in fifteen Sub-Saharan African countries

This paper employs an Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) approach to examine the long-run and short-run determinants of the real effective exchange rate in fifteen Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries using annual data spanning from 1980 to 2015. Not surprisingly, the findings show that the determinants vary from one country to another. Terms of trade, GDP per capita, net foreign assets and trade openness are found to be key factors that cause fluctuations in the real effective exchange rate of most of these countries in the long-run. Whereas in the short-run, the drivers of the real effective exchange rate differ from country to country. We further observe that there is also a difference in the speed that each country adjusts back to the equilibrium level of their real effective exchange rate whenever there is a shock in the latter.
Nurses’ Attitudes Towards a Computerised Health Information System in a Private South African Hospital

Various researchers have explored the use of health information systems (HISs) in the public sector in South Africa, including users’ experiences thereof. However, there is limited research relating to the private health sector. Nurses form the majority of the health workforce and are therefore essential for capturing clinical data into an HIS. The study under review aimed to obtain a better understanding about nurses’ attitudes towards a computerised HIS. The objectives were to explore and describe nurses’ attitudes towards the HIS in a private hospital in North West, South Africa. The research followed a qualitative design using interpretive, descriptive and contextual strategies. Purposive sampling was done (n=14) and semi-structured individual interviews were conducted, while thematic analysis was done according to Creswell’s steps. It was found that the nurses held specific affective, cognitive and behavioural attitudes towards the HIS. The findings indicated how the HIS challenges the caring ethos of nursing as information technology (IT) infiltrates the caring presence between nurse and patient. The study confirmed that nurses have positive attitudes towards the HIS. It is recommended that managers include confidentiality measures as part of HIS standards and ensure adherence thereto. Further research could be done on the relation between the HIS and the ethics of nursing as a profession.
Time series forecasting by global optimization method

The actual problem of time series forecasting associated with the choice of the type of forecasting functions is considered. The aim of the work is to develop a new forecasting method, in which, along with the construction of the predictive function, the values of the predicted characteristics are directly optimized at the entire depth of the forecast. The developed method belongs to the class of probabilistic statistical forecast methods and partially to the class of feedback methods. Typical representatives of the methods of these classes are correlation and regression analysis, factor and variance analysis, statistical modeling. In the new method the predictive function is constructed in the basis of trigonometric polynomials, which leads to multi extremality of the forecasting problem. In this regard, to solve the problem of forecasting, the method of global optimization, hereinafter called the criterion shifts method, is used. The developed forecasting method allows solving a wide range of practical forecasting problems. Since the method of global solution search is used, it guarantees the exact finding of the predicted characteristics obtained as a result of their optimization by the criterion of regularity. The results obtained in this article showed high accuracy.
The Impact of Routine CT Scan for Acute Appendicitis on theNegative Appendectomy Rate: Clinical Audit of a Single Center

Background: Acute appendicitis remains the most common surgical emergency worldwide. Patient usually presents with abdominal pain mainly right lower, which gives tenderness on examination. This may or may not be associated with raised inflammatory markers. CT scan is nowadays routinely done in accident and emergency room, which leads to the confirmation of symptoms presented as acute appendicitis. Appendectomy is done at earliest and the specimen sent for histopathology. Some appendixes are obviously inflamed, but some are found borderline which only confirms after the histopathology report. Removing a normal appendix means negative appendectomy will be determined on final histopathology report. Aim: The aim of this study is to determine the negative appendectomy rate in Mediclinic City Hospital Dubai, where CT scan is routinely done for all patients with clinical suspicion of acute appendicitis. Patients and Methods: Data from 2010 till 2018 of patients who underwent emergency appendectomy was collected. Total of 407 patients were included in the study, age ranges between 14 70 years and the average was 36.76 (SD). Children and pregnant were excluded from the study. Result: Negative appendectomy rate in our hospital was found to be (no) 6.1%, 25 patients out of 407 were not found as acute appendicitis on histology. Of the 25 patients, 9 (2.2%) were found to have other diagnoses. The mean age was 36.76 (10.97). To that concern the gender, 225 (55.3%) were males and 182 (44.7%) were females. Out of the total only 30 (7.4%) patients did not undergo CT scan due to unknown reasons. Conclusion: Negative appendectomy rate has declined globally over the period of time due to increased use of imaging modalities, mainly CT scan, but still some cases are picked up which does not confirm on histology. Our hospital has a low rate of negative appendectomy due to the routine use of CT scan in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis. Hence we decided to share our experience.
Assessment of turbine stages and blade numbers on modified 3D Savonius hydrokinetic turbine performance using CFD analysis

PurposeIn Southeast Asia, the renewable energy produced from hydropower systems has significant potential. Therefore, adequate development is needed to prevent future energy-related crises. This study, therefore, aims to determine the variations effects in geometry and the geometrical factors on turbine performance.Design/methodology/approachThe developed aspects are selected to determine the blade shape, its number and multistage requirements. The study was conducted in 3D simulation, with Ansys software used to calculate a series of computational fluid dynamic problems. The aspect ratio applied in this study utilized the ratio of the overall diameter of the rotor height (D / H), which is 1.FindingsThe results showed that the highest Cp-max value, number of blades and stages were 0.2, two and three, respectively. Furthermore, these attributes combined to improve the performance of hydroturbines.Research limitations/implicationsThe research was fully conducted using numerical simulation, which requires sustainable research in the form of laboratory experiments. Also, pioneer experiments were conducted using benchmarking to ensure the results obtained are reliable.Practical implicationsHydropower is one of the best renewable energy sources in Indonesia with a large potential in the archipelago and tropical countries due to rivers and various water sources. The current generated is a useful reference for Savonius design.Originality/valueThe originality of this study is to examine the three aspects of the geometry of the rotor, such as the number and shape of blades, as well as the stages in the same boundary conditions. Therefore, the comparison of the effects of changes in geometry on turbine performance is more acceptable and complete compared to the pioneer works, which focused on a parameter. This research combines several aspects to determine the effect of rivers and various water sources on the hydroturbine.
ESTIMATION OF EVACUATION TIME OF PASSENGERS IN AIRCRAFT ACCIDENTS WITH FIRE IN AIRFIELD AREAS

Statistics show that the majority of aircraft accidents occurs in the vicinity of airfield areas. Yet the main factors leading to fatalities in these accidents are the forces encountered by human occupants in collision with obstacles and the presence of fire. It is possible to single out a group of “technically survivable” accidents from the total number of accidents, in which a crew member or passengers could have survived, if the evacuation took place in a timely manner. The share of such accidents is about 85–90%. However, up to 40% of passengers die in technically survivable accidents. Applicable protection systems are only adequate, if the passengers manage to exit the airplane and get to a safe distance within a limited timeframe. Although these systems have been sufficiently developed; this is one of the most significant problems in modern aviation. This means, that the study of possibilities and the development of the methods and means of passenger evacuation in aircraft accidents, specifically in and around airport areas, are relevant to be addressed.
Non-communicable diseases awareness and control in a rural population in an epidemiologically advanced stage of transition (Kerala): results of the epidemiology of non-communicable diseases in rural areas study

Background: India carries the greatest burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) amongst nations. It is estimated that by the year 2030 there will be 101 million diabetics, 218 million hypertensives in India. NCDs would account for 53% of deaths in India by the year 2020 of which CVD would be the cause in 43%. Kerala is the diabetic and cardiovascular disease capital of India, with rates of prevalence as high as twice the national average. The ageadjusted CAD mortality rates per 100,000 is 382 for men and 128 for women in Kerala. Methods: The study was carried out in 5 contiguous panchayats of Ernakulam district, Kerala state. The study was carried out in 2 Phases. In the first phase individuals self-reported non communicable diseases and risk factors through the medium of an ASHA administered Questionnaire. In the second phase blood tests were done in individuals from the study population in those above the age of 30 years. Results: Of the 114,064 surveyed 63,051 individuals were above 30 years of age with a prevalence of diabetes at 11.1%, hypertension 15.6% and dyslipidemia 6.9% when self-reported. In the Phase 2 of the study blood sugar, total cholesterol and blood pressure was measured in close to 8000 individuals in whom 48% of individuals with high sugars, 37% with high blood pressure and 85% with high cholesterol values were unaware of their disease status. More females were unaware of their diabetic and lipid status and males of their hypertensive status. About 25% of diabetics, 40% of hypertensives and 6% of dyslipidemics had normal values. This study provided prevalence of NCDs on a large enough scale to help in policy planning if not for the country at least for the state of Kerala. Conclusions: The study results suggested low awareness and poor control of NCDs in the study population.
Measuring the Dispersion Forces Near the van der Waals–Casimir Transition

Forces induced by quantum ﬂuctuations of the electromagnetic ﬁeld control adhesion phenomena between rough solids when the bodies are separated by distances of approximately 10 nm. However, this distance range remains largely unexplored experimentally in contrast with the shorter (van der Waals forces) or the longer (Casimir forces) separations. The reason for this is the pull-in instability of the systems with the elastic suspension that poses a formidable limitation. In this paper we propose a genuine experimental conﬁguration that does not suﬀer from the short distance instability. The method is based on the adhered cantilever, whose shape is sensitive to the forces acting near the adhered end. The general principle of the method, its possible realization, and feasibility are extensively discussed. The dimensions of the cantilever are determined by the maximum sensitivity to the forces. If the adhesion is deﬁned by strong capillary or chemical interactions, the method loses its sensitivity. Special discussion is presented for the determination of the minimum distance between the rough solids upon contact, and for the compensation of the residual electrostatic contribution. The proposed method can be applied to any kind of solids (metals, semiconductors, or dielectrics) and to any intervening medium (gas or liquid). DOI
Social Promotion: A Creative Promotional Framework on Consumers’ Social Network Value

Red packets have symbolized happiness and good luck in Asian culture for centuries. An emerging number of online merchants in Asia are adopting social red packets as a promotion strategy. Social red packets not only digitalize traditional coupons to be readily transferred within consumer social networks but also can reallocate the promotional rewards based on consumers’ social network value rather than their personal value to the firm. In this study, we conceptualize social red packets as an implementation of the social promotion framework, where consumers with higher social network value receive better promotional rewards. Leveraging a unique dataset from an online retailing platform, our vector auto‐regression (VAR) analysis reveals that: (1) under the social red packet design, consumers with higher social network value (who are connected to more new consumers or frequent consumers) will enjoy better promotional rewards; and (2) in order to receive better promotion rewards, consumers under the social red packet design are encouraged to voluntarily enhance their social network value (e.g., by recruiting more new customers or cultivating more frequent consumers). Moreover, we identify several critical characteristics of focal consumers and their social networks that can moderate the effectiveness of social red packets. Our findings provide important managerial insights for online retailing platforms on how to design effective social promotion strategies.
Validating Differential Volatilome Profiles in Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that does not currently have a robust clinical diagnostic test. Nonmotor symptoms such as skin disorders have long since been associated with the disease, and more recently a characteristic odor emanating from the skin of people with Parkinson’s has been identified. Here, dynamic head space (DHS) thermal desorption (TD) gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) is implemented to directly measure the volatile components of sebum on swabs sampled from people with Parkinson’s—both drug naïve and those on PD medications (n = 100) and control subjects (n = 29). Supervised multivariate analyses of data showed 84.4% correct classification of PD cases using all detected volatile compounds. Variable importance in projection (VIP) scores were generated from these data, which revealed eight features with VIP > 1 and p < 0.05 which all presented a downregulation within the control cohorts. Purified standards based on previously annotated analytes of interest eicosane and octadecanal did not match to patient sample data, although multiple metabolite features are annotated with these compounds all with high spectral matches indicating the presence of a series of similar structured species. DHS-TD-GC-MS analysis of a range of lipid standards has revealed the presence of common hydrocarbon species rather than differentiated intact compounds which are hypothesized to be breakdown products of lipids. This replication study validates that a differential volatile profile between control and PD cohorts can be measured using an analytical method that measures volatile compounds directly from skin swabs.