Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Efficacy of plant bio-regulators on vegetative and flowering of Asiatic Lilium hybrid cv. Tresor

A field experiment was conducted to study the efficacy of plant bio-regulators on flowering and bulb production of Asiatic Lilium hybrid cv. Tresor during the year 2017-18. The trial was conducted in a randomized block design with ten treatments in four replications. The treatments comprised of foliar application of GA3 at 50ppm alone and in combination with BA at 50 ppm, GA3 at 75ppm with BA at 75 ppm, Chlormequat chloride alone at 75ppm, 100ppm, 125 ppm concentration and in combination with GA3 at 50ppm and a control (water spray). The result revealed that application of 50 ppm GA3 significantly increased the plant height (72.32 cm), number of leaves per plant (81.58) & leaf length (11.57 cm), advanced the days to bud appearance (19.37 days), bud break (45.75 days) & first flowering (46.12 days) whereas basal stem diameter (2.1 cm) was significantly higher with application of 125 ppm Chlormequat chloride. Application of 125 ppm Chlormequat chloride & 50 ppm GA3 significantly enhanced the number of flowers per plant (3.66), bloom life of individual flower (7.66 days), bloom life of whole spike (15.24 days) and vase life (14.57 days).
Using a simulation based approach to adapt the designs of zero carbon homes against a warming climate

Improved standards of air tightness, greater reliance on ventilation and increased levels of insulation especially in new build low and zero carbon homes in the UK, could lead to a rise in instances of overheating unless this is addressed during the early stage design. Indeed recent reports from DECC and the wider industry suggest that instances of overheating are already increasing, to be further exacerbated by predicted warming and climate impacts. This paper uses a dynamic simulation based approach to systematically evaluate the potential for incorporating adaptation strategies into the designs of zero carbon homes in the UK. The approach adopted is based on risk analysis, which involves assessing the climate change impacts, exposure of the buildings and the needs and vulnerability of the occupants, to arrive at technically-feasible and practical adaptable measures, appropriate for a flagship eco-town development located in Bicester, Oxfordshire. Thermal models of ten house archetypes are built in IES and tested for current and future overheating using IES ApacheSim. A set of future weather data derived from UK Climate Projections 2009 is used to assess the risk of overheating under current climate and 2030s, 2050s and 2080s under a high emissions scenario and 50% probability. Modelling results of indoor temperature are compared with CIBSE Guide A and BS EN 15251 Standard overheating metrics. To tackle overheating, twenty seven individual passive design measures (ventilation, shading, fabric and orientation) are tested in IES model and the most effective measures are combined into three adaptation packages to conduct further testing. Detailed specifications of selected adaptation packages are then discussed with the project team, and incorporated into the design. The practical application of this work is that it creates a replicable methodological approach for adapting new low energy house designs against future climate change. It also helps policy makers and designers to understand the effectiveness of adaption measures in avoiding overheating now, and in the future.
Reduction in ground vibrations by the use of wave obstacles

The increasing size of the population results in that unbuilt spaces needing to be used for the construction of new facilities. Large construction sites can generate disturbing vibrations to nearby buildings, both while construction is underway and afterwards through the operation of subways, for example. The establishment of new areas close to, for example, motorways and railways increases the risk of disturbing vibrations being propagated to the new buildings. It is important that efficient methods for reducing ground vibrations be available when densely built areas are being planned. Reduction in ground vibrations by use of wave obstacles is investigated here by use of numerical simulations, trenches and shaped landscapes being considered as wave obstacles. The effects of geometric parameters on open trenches, material parameters of filled trenches, and of infiltrated water in open trenches, were examined in appended Paper A. The finite element method involving use of both finite and infinite elements in the frequency domain was employed. In investigating the effects of the infiltrated water, account was taken of fluid-structure interaction. The finite element model, in which plane strain conditions were assumed, was applied to a road, the bedrock, two layers of soil and a trench. The depth of the trench and the elastic modulus of the solid material that was inserted into it were found to be the most important parameters to consider. The results concerning the infiltration of water into an open trench indicated the presence of water there to increase the vibration levels. Reduction in traffic-induced ground vibrations by use of shaped landscapes is investigated in appended Paper B, the effects of shaping the landscape surrounding a high-tech facility and using the landscape as a wave obstacle being studied. The effects of the geometric parameters of a shaped landscape were examined in parametric studies. An architectural landscape design was also investigated in terms of its effectiveness in reducing trac-induced ground vibrations. The finite element method involving use of both finite and infinite elements in the frequency domain was employed, the finite element models employed concerning a layer of soil and the underlying bedrock. It was found that anywhere from an appreciable reduction to an appreciable amplification of the vibrations can occur, depending upon the geometric parameters of the shaped landscape. Both types of ground modifications that were investigated were shown to be able to achieve an appreciable reduction in the level of vibration. Both the use of a trench filled with a solid material and use of a shaped landscape were found to result in a reduction in the level of vibrations of approximately 35 %. Both these types of methods can thus be regarded as being suitable for making it possible in this respect for buildings to be constructed close to vibration sources. (Less)
Upper Extremity Functional Rehabilitation for Stroke Survivors Using Error-Augmented Visual Feedback: Interim Results

Stroke rehabilitation is often terminated once a plateau in motor recovery is observed, but new training modalities have demonstrated that further functional improvement is possible after the onset of the chronic phase. In particular, feedback technologies augmenting error proved to foster the relearning process. Here we explore the possibility of a robot-free implementation of Error-Augmentation (EA), where only visual feedback is distorted. We present the interim results from our ongoing blinded, randomized, controlled clinical trial testing the efficacy of parallel bimanual reaching with visual EA. Subjects trained in the virtual environment in 45-minute sessions, three times a week, for three weeks, half with and half without EA. A blinded therapist performed clinical evaluations before, 1 week after, and two months after training. Available results showed that both groups significantly improved. An advantage in the treatment group could be tracked at all time points, but no statistical significance was detectable between groups. Gains in the two groups were found to be compatible with the results of previous studies using robots and may prove to have similar effectiveness without the need for a costly and complicated robotic device. One new finding was that EA caused significantly higher inter-trial variability.
BENEFITS AND CHALLENGES OF THE IMPLEMENTING IFRS FOR SMEs: DESCRIPTIVE EVIDENCE FROM SAUDI ARABIA

In Saudi Arabia, SMEs are considered the backbone of the economy as they represent 99 percent of the private sector. Moreover, they are absorbing about 70 percent of the country’s workforce. all SMEs in Saudi Arabia are required to adopt IFRS for SMEs for financial periods beginning on or after January 1, 2018. The purpose of this study is to provide a descriptive evidence on the perceived benefits and challenges of the implementing of IFRS for SMEs in Saudi Arabia as one of emerging countries from the perspective of preparers of financial statements. The study uses a survey instrument that has developed after reviewing recent literature on the benefits and challenges of implementing of IFRS for SMEs in emerging markets. The findings of the study reveal that the benefits that have highest agreement are: facilitating access to credit, facilitating credit rating, enhancing comparability and enhancing understandability. The challenges that have highest agreement are: the lack of training, interpretation difficulties and implementation cost. This study contributes to the limited body of research on the benefits and challenges of the implementing of IFRS for SMEs in emerging countries. The wide spread adoption of IFRS for SMEs has been promoted by the arguments that the benefits outweigh the costs. It however remains an empirical question if this is the case for all countries whether developed or developing. The study findings also serve as a reminder to the accounting regulators in Saudi Arabia about the challenges that SMEs face in implementing IFRS for SMEs.
Contributions to the aerodynamic optimization of a coaxial rotor system

Title of Thesis: CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE AERODYNAMIC OPTIMIZATION OF A COAXIAL ROTOR SYSTEM Degree Candidate: Monica Syal Degree and Year: Masters of Science, 2008 Thesis directed by: Professor J. Gordon Leishman Department of Aerospace Engineering The present work analyses the aerodynamic complexities involved in the design of a coaxial rotor system in an attempt to maximize its performance in hover and forward flight. The aerodynamic methodologies of the simple momentum theory (SMT), the blade element momentum theory (BEMT), and a free vortex wake method (FVM) are used to help study this problem. It is shown that because of the inter-rotor aerodynamic interference effects, as well as the requirement of a torque balanced operating condition, the two rotors of the coaxial system generally operate at different thrust and different aerodynamic loadings. Therefore, for an optimally performing coaxial system, the geometric designs of the two rotors can expected to be different. To this end, parametric studies were performed to understand the effects of changes in inter-rotor spacings, blade twist, and blade planforms on both the upper and lower rotors. A more formal optimization was attempted by coupling FVM with an optimizer to find the best rotor geometry (if any) to maximize the figure of merit in hover or to minimize the total power required in forward flight. It was shown that the performance of the coaxial rotor system can, indeed, be improved significantly by having different blade geometries on the upper and lower rotors. However, it was also shown that the blade twist distribution has more significant effects on the rotor performance as compared to the blade planform shapes. The baseline geometry for all the optimization analyses had untwisted blades on both rotors. It was shown that a higher inter-rotor spacing is desired to reduce the interference effects between the two rotors in hovering flight. However, the spacing distance can be limited by the increased rotor weight and increased parasitic drag in forward flight. The results also show that a high blade twist is desired on the upper rotor to reduce the induced losses of the coaxial system, whereas a high blade twist on the bottom rotor increases the induced losses of the coaxial system. In forward flight, the results showed that at high advance ratios the aerodynamic interactions between the two rotors become smaller, and both rotors behave almost as isolated rotors. Parametric studies were also performed to study the effects of changing linear twist rates on both the rotors of the coaxial system in forward flight. The results showed that the total power required at an advance ratio of 0.25 is insensitive to the changes in the blade twist on upper and lower rotors. This outcome also showed that the optimum blade shapes obtained for hovering flight also offered better performance in forward flight. CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE AERODYNAMIC OPTIMIZATION OF A COAXIAL ROTOR SYSTEM
Read-Write Performance of GMR Heads with Lead Overlaid Structure.

GMR heads with lead overlaid structure were designed and fabricated, and their read-write performance was tested in comparison with that of conventional GMR heads with abutted junctions. Crosstalk was independent of the difference in the head structure, and decreased with a decrease in the magnetic read track width, defined by the half-width of the microtrack profile. Lead overlaid heads were 1.4 times as sensitive as abutted-junction-type heads when the magnetic read track width was 0.4 μm, because they were free of dead zones at both ends of the track. They also showed better stability in repeated read-write testing. This may be due to overlapping of the sensor edges by the leads that were deemed to be the most unstable, and sensing of only the stable central area. GMR heads with lead overlaid structure are promising for high-density recording.
A systematic study of LYSO:Ce, LuAG:Ce and GAGG:Ce scintillating fibers properties

Properties of different scintillating fibers were examined and compared, as a part of the design optimization of the SiFi-CC detector, currently under development for proton therapy monitoring. Three scintillating materials were considered as candidates to constitute the active part of the detector: LYSO:Ce, LuAG:Ce and GAGG:Ce. All investigated samples had an elongated, fiber-like shape and were read out on both ends using silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs). Samples of LYSO:Ce material provided by four different manufacturers were included in the survey. Additionally, different types of optical coupling media, wrapping and coating materials were investigated. The following properties of the scintillating fibers were determined: attenuation length, position-, energy-, timing resolution and light collection. Two models were used to describe the propagation of scintillating light in the fiber and quantify the light attenuation: exponential light attenuation model (ELA) and exponential light attenuation model with light reflection (ELAR). Energy and position reconstruction were also performed using the two above methods. It was shown, that the ELAR model performs better in terms of description of the light attenuation process. However, energy and position reconstruction results are comparable for the two proposed methods. Based on the results of measurements with scintillating fibers in different configurations we concluded that LYSO:Ce fibers wrapped in Al foil (bright side facing towards the fiber) provided the best trade-off between the energy- (8.56% at 511 keV) and position (32 mm) resolutions and thus will be the optimal choice for the SiFi-CC detector. Additionally, the study of different optical coupling media showed, that the silicone pads coupling ensures good stability of the system performance and parameters.
Current state and problems of development of organic gardening in Russia

Currently, there is a clear overproduction of apples in the world. This dictates to commodity producers the need to use innovative approaches to the development of horticulture in order to increase the competitiveness of their products in the market. Modern approaches to the conduct of world agriculture are based on the principles of the development of organic production. The overseas markets for environmentally friendly products are developing rapidly. Much attention is paid to the promotion of organic fruits on the market. In Russia, organic gardening is just gaining ground. The regulatory and legal framework for organic production is being developed, conversion processes are being carried out at producers of horticultural products, and environmentally friendly production of fruits is created and certified. Currently, only a few horticultural organizations have passed the certification procedure and are engaged in the production of environmentally friendly products. The development of the process of organizing organic fruit production is constrained by a number of factors, the main of which are the lack of domestic experience in organizing and conducting organic gardening, the underdevelopment of the market for organic products, and the lack of state support for the industrial production of organic fruits. The article discusses the importance of organic gardening, the state and problems of the development of environmentally friendly fruit production in Russia, the features of organic gardening, the efficiency of the production of environmentally friendly gardening products. The main directions for the development of organic gardening in the country are proposed, the main of which are technological and technical support for the development of the industry, information support for commodity producers, marketing of organic products, effective government support for organic gardening.
Transport of Interstellar Neutral Helium throughout the Heliosphere

A number of physical processes accompanying the solar wind interaction with the local interstellar medium (LISM) are governed by charge exchange between ions and neutral atoms of interstellar origin. A new, 3D, MHD-plasma/kinetic-neutral model is developed that self-consistently includes both neutral hydrogen and helium atoms, and their feedback on the plasma, through charge exchange and photoionization. Focusing on the transport of interstellar neutral helium, quantitative estimates are provided for bulk properties, deflection angles, and velocity distribution functions (VDFs) along the upwind direction. It is shown that the average deflection of secondary He atoms born in the outer heliosheath (OHS) from their original direction in the LISM is ∼12° in front of the heliopause, and occurs in the directions parallel to the plane formed by the velocity and magnetic field vectors in the unperturbed LISM. While these properties are consistent with Interstellar Boundary Explorer observations of the “warm breeze,” we show that charge exchange in the OHS leads to remarkable deviations of their VDF from the Maxwellian distribution. He atom filtration in the OHS results in a significant temperature anisotropy and VDF asymmetries, even for the primary helium atoms that experience no charge exchange at all. This is an entirely kinetic phenomenon that shows that primary He atoms observed at 1 au have distributions substantially different from those in the LISM.
Delta subvariants of SARS-COV-2 in Israel, Qatar and Bahrain: Optimal vaccination as an effective strategy to block viral evolution and control the pandemic

Delta variant has rapidly become the predominant pandemic driver and yielded four subvariants (delta1, delta2, delta3 and delta4). Among them, delta1 has been mainly responsible for the latest COVID-19 waves in India, Southeast Asia, Europe and the USA. A relevant question is how delta subvariants may have driven the pandemic in the rest of the world. In both Israel and Qatar, mRNA-based vaccination has been rolled out competitively, but the outcomes are quite different in terms of controlling the recent waves resulting from delta variant. This raises the question whether delta subvariants have acted differently in Israel and Qatar. In both countries, delta variant was first identified in April 2021 and delta1 subvariant constituted ~50% delta genomes from April to May 2021. But the situation started to diverge in June 2021: In Israel, delta1 variant was encoded by 92.0% delta genomes, whereas this fraction was only 43.9% in Qatar. Moreover, a delta1 sublineage encoding spike T791I was identified in Israel but not Qatar. This sublineage accounted for 31.8% delta genomes sequenced in June 2021 and declined to 13.3% in October 2021. In August 2021, delta1 also became dominant in Qatar and a major sublineage encoding spike D1259H emerged. This sublineage has evolved further and acquired additional spike substitutions, including K97E, S255F, I693S, I712S, I1104L, E1258D and/or V1177I, in Qatar and other countries, such as Czech Republic, France and Mexico. Monthly distribution of the above sublineages suggests that the one from Qatar is much more of concern than that from Israel. Different from what was in Israel and Qatar, delta2 subvariant has also been important in Bahrain, whereas a delta2 sublineage encoding spike V1264L and A1736V of NSP3 was dominant in June 2021, but was gradually taken over by delta1 subvariant. These results suggest that delta1 and delta2 subvariants continue their evolution in different countries. The recent successful pandemic control in Israel, Qatar and Bahrain supports that delta1 and delta2 subvariants are still sensitive to timed vaccination, thereby urging the use of optimal immunity as a strategy to block SARS-COV-2 evolution and control the pandemic.
Effects of a seven-week minimalist footwear transition programme on footstrike modality, pressure variables and loading rates

Purpose: The aim was to compare footstrike modality and kinetics pre and post a seven week minimalist footwear transition programme. Methods: Ten recreational athletes (mass: 78.6 (8.7) kg, height: 179.4 (7.6) cm, age: 21.0 (0.7) years) performed overground running trials (3.8 m·s−1) whilst barefoot (BFT), minimal shod (MS) and shod (SH) both pre and post the programme. Ground reaction force and pressure data were simultaneously recorded for all footwear conditions. Footstrike modality was determined via visual inspection of the pressure distribution. Peak impact force, loading rate and peak regional pressures and impulses were compared pre and post, and between footwear conditions. The transition programme comprised of a two-week foot strengthening period followed by a five-week running transition. Results: Post transition there was a general trend for runners to adopt a more anterior footstrike in all three conditions. Additionally, loading rates and several peak pressures and impulses were found to decrease after the transition programme, with region specific changes evident for the effect of footwear. Furthermore, loading rates were higher whilst BFT and MS (instantaneous loading rates pre transition of 446.0 and 379.3 BW·s−1, respectively) compared to SH (105.8 BW·s−1). Conclusion: Whilst a seven-week MS transition programme was shown to decrease several kinetic variables, it was evident that both BFT and MS led to greater loading rates and peak pressures than SH running.
Erps as Technologies-in-Practice: Social Construction, Materiality and the Role of Organisational Factors

Enterprise Resource Planning systems (ERPs) often fail to deliver the organisational benefits anticipated. This paper uses Orlikowski's 'technology-in-practice' framework to analyse the impact of an ERP on branch managers in a large bank. While this framework provides important insights into the impact of ERPs, the case also highlights the significance of organisational factors in shaping how users enact technology at work.