Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Water consumption and soil moisture distribution in melon crop with mulching and in a protected environment

O "mulching" tem assumido importante papel na cobertura dos solos, no entanto existem alguns procedimentos tecnicos a serem ajustados para as novas condicoes modificadas para o estabelecimento da necessidade total adequada de agua a cultura. E necessario, ainda, observar os processos de distribuicao da agua no solo e a conformacao do bulbo molhado que justifiquem a utilizacao de tais tecnicas. Por conseguinte, este trabalho teve por objetivo quantificar o consumo real de agua pela cultura do melao rendilhado em ambiente protegido sob "mulching" e verificar a distribuicao espacial de agua ao redor do sistema radicular, em duas classes de solo, franco-arenoso e argiloso. O "mulching" permitiu a economia de 27 mm de agua ao reduzir a evaporacao de agua. Em termos de volume, cada planta recebeu, em media, a quantia de 175,2 L de agua nos 84 dias de cultivo, enquanto nos tratamentos com "mulching", a necessidade hidrica foi de 160,2 L de agua por planta. A utilizacao do "mulching" favoreceu a reducao na variabilidade da umidade ao longo do ciclo da cultura e permitiu maior distribuicao de agua no solo, com maior intensidade no argissolo. O Argissolo proporcionou a retencao de 43 mm a mais que o Latossolo na camada que abrange ate 50 m de profundidade e reduziu 5,6 mm a variacao de umidade do solo durante o ciclo da cultura, comparado ao Latossolo.
Autosynchronous circuits design methodology

This paper refers with autosynchronous state machines from basic parameters and timing properties determination to design methodology description. Firstly the timing conditions are determined based on comparison with synchronous state machines timing. Next section describes design methodology. In this section the additional parts like stable state detector and local clock generator are introduced. Furthermore the examples of state machines designs with One-hot and Gray state assignments are described. Results are the simulation models of these state machines and their verification.
Molecular Mechanisms of Entrainment in the Neurospora Circadian Clock

Light and temperature are 2 of the most important environmental influences on all circadian clocks, and Neurospora provides an excellent system for understanding their effects. Progress made in the past decade has led to a basic molecular understanding of how the Neurospora clock works and how environmental factors influence it. The purpose of this review is to summarize what we currently know about the molecular mechanism of light and temperature entrainment in Neurospora.
Cloudbits: supporting conversations through augmented zero-query search visualization

The retrieval of additional information from public (e.g., map data) or private (e.g., e-mail) information sources using personal smart devices is a common habit in today's co-located conversations. This behavior of users imposes challenges in two main areas: 1) cognitive focus switching and 2) information sharing. In this paper, we explore a novel approach for conversation support through augmented information bits, allowing users to see and access information right in front of their eyes. To that end, we investigate the requirements for the design of a user interface to support conversations through proactive information retrieval in an exploratory study. Based on the results, we 2) present CloudBits: A set of visualization and interaction techniques to provide mutual awareness and enhance coupling in conversations through augmented zero-query search visualization along with its prototype implementation. Finally, we 3) report the findings of a qualitative evaluation and conclude with guidelines for the design of user interfaces for conversation support.
Integrating shape-from-shading & stereopsis

This thesis is concerned with inferring scene shape by combining two specific techniques: shape-from-shading and stereopsis. Shape-from-shading calculates shape using the lighting equation, which takes surface orientation and lighting information to irradiance. As irradiance and lighting information are provided this is the problem of inverting a many to one function to get surface orientation. Surface orientation may be integrated to get depth. Stereopsis matches pixels between two images taken from different locations of the same scene - this is the correspondence problem. Depth can then be calculated using camera calibration information, via triangulation. These methods both fail for certain inputs; the advantage of combining them is that where one fails the other may continue to work. Notably, shape-from-shading requires a smoothly shaded surface, without texture, whilst stereopsis requires texture - each works where the other does not. The first work of this thesis tackles the problem directly. A novel modular solution is proposed to combine both methods; combining is itself done using Gaussian belief propagation. This modular approach highlights missing and weak modules; the rest of the thesis is then concerned with providing a new module and an improved module. The improved module is given in the second research chapter and consists of a new shape-from-shading algorithm. It again uses belief propagation, but this time with directional statistics to represent surface orientation. Message passing is performed using a novel method; it is analytical, which makes this algorithm particularly fast. In the final research chapter a new module is provided, to estimate the light source direction. Without such a module the user of the system has to provide it; this is tedious and error prone, and impedes automation. It is a probabilistic method that uniquely estimates the light source direction using a stereo pair as input.
Development and Preliminary Evaluation of an Internet-Based Healthy Eating Program: Randomized Controlled Trial

Background The HealthValues Healthy Eating Programme is a standalone Internet-based intervention that employs a novel strategy for promoting behavior change (analyzing one’s reasons for endorsing health values) alongside other psychological principles that have been shown to influence behavior. The program consists of phases targeting motivation (dietary feedback and advice, analyzing reasons for health values, thinking about health-related desires, and concerns), volition (implementation intentions with mental contrasting), and maintenance (reviewing tasks, weekly tips). Objective The aim was to examine the effects of the program on consumption of fruit and vegetables, saturated fat, and added sugar over a 6-month period. Methods A total of 82 females and 18 males were recruited using both online and print advertisements in the local community. They were allocated to an intervention or control group using a stratified block randomization protocol. The program was designed such that participants logged onto a website every week for 24 weeks and completed health-related measures. Those allocated to the intervention group also completed the intervention tasks at these sessions. Additionally, all participants attended laboratory sessions at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months. During these sessions, participants completed a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ, the Block Fat/Sugar/Fruit/Vegetable Screener, adapted for the UK), and researchers (blind to group allocation) measured their body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), and heart rate variability (HRV). Results Data were analyzed using a series of ANOVA models. Per protocol analysis (n=92) showed a significant interaction for fruit and vegetable consumption (P=.048); the intervention group increased their intake between baseline and 6 months (3.7 to 4.1 cups) relative to the control group (3.6 to 3.4 cups). Results also showed overall reductions in saturated fat intake (20.2 to 15.6 g, P<.001) and added sugar intake (44.6 to 33.9 g, P<.001) during this period, but there were no interactions with group. Similarly, there were overall reductions in BMI (27.7 to 27.3 kg/m2, P=.001) and WHR (0.82 to 0.81, P=.009), but no interactions with group. The intervention did not affect alcohol consumption, physical activity, smoking, or HRV. Data collected during the online sessions suggested that the changes in fruit and vegetable consumption were driven by the motivational and maintenance phases of the program. Conclusions Results suggest that the program helped individuals to increase their consumption of fruit and vegetables and to sustain this over a 6-month period. The observed reduction in fat and sugar intake suggests that monitoring behaviors over time is effective, although further research is needed to confirm this conclusion. The Web-based nature of the program makes it a potentially cost-effective way of promoting healthy eating.
Tracking control for output-constrained nonlinear switched systems with a barrier Lyapunov function

This article focuses on the tracking control problem for switched nonlinear systems in strict-feedback form subject to an output constraint. In order to prevent transgression of the constraint, a barrier Lyapunov function is employed, which grows to infinity when its arguments approach domain boundaries. Under the simultaneous domination assumption, a continuous controller for the switched system is constructed. Furthermore, asymptotic tracking is achieved without violation of the constraint, and all closed-loop signals keep bounded, when a mild requirement on the initial condition is satisfied. Finally, a simulation example is provided to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed results.
A survey and classification of web phishing detection schemes

Phishing is a fraudulent technique that is used over the Internet to deceive users with the goal of extracting their personal information such as username, passwords, credit card, and bank account information. The key to phishing is deception. Phishing uses email spoofing as its initial medium for deceptive communication followed by spoofed websites to obtain the needed information from the victims. Phishing was discovered in 1996, and today, it is one of the most severe cybercrimes faced by the Internet users. Researchers are working on the prevention, detection, and education of phishing attacks, but to date, there is no complete and accurate solution for thwarting them. This paper studies, analyzes, and classifies the most significant and novel strategies proposed in the area of phished website detection, and outlines their advantages and drawbacks. Furthermore, a detailed analysis of the latest schemes proposed by researchers in various subcategories is provided. The paper identifies advantages, drawbacks, and research gaps in the area of phishing website detection that can be worked upon in future research and developments. The analysis given in this paper will help academia and industries to identify the best anti-phishing technique. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Biostatistics 102: quantitative data--parametric & non-parametric tests.

Assumption for 1 sample T test: Data are normally distributed. We have discussed in the last article on how to check the normality assumption of a quantitative data. One issue being highlighted was that these formal normality tests are very sensitive to the sample size of the variable concerned. As seen here, table II shows that the normality assumptions for both the systolic and diastolic blood pressures are violated but basing on their histograms (see figure 1), normality assumptions are feasible.
Design for circuit quality: yield maximization, minimax, and Taguchi approach

A relationship between yield optimization, deterministic minimax design, and the Taguchi 'on-target' design with variability reduction is established. It is shown that all these and other design approaches can be combined into one coherent methodology, using the same statistical optimization algorithms and the same generic gradient evaluation formulas. A specific choice is controlled by the selection of the generalized membership function w(.) of the acceptability region, and a sequence of the values of the smoothing parameter beta . Moreover, any 'intermediate' approach between the basic types introduced can be defined in a sense similar to the one used in Zadeh's (1968) fuzzy set theory. As a result, circuit quality can be optimized within the same basic methodology, using different design strategies and investigating different trade-offs, e.g., between the performance and yield. Test examples, as well as a practical CMOS circuit are investigated. Convolution smoothing techniques, and the stochastic approximation approach to statistical optimization are utilized. <<ETX>>
The Factor VIIIa C2 Domain (Residues 2228–2240) Interacts with the Factor IXa Gla Domain in the Factor Xase Complex*

Factor VIIIa functions as a cofactor for factor IXa in the phospholipid surface-dependent activation of factor X. Both the C2 domain of factor VIIIa and the Gla domain of factor IXa are involved in phospholipid binding and are required for the activation of factor X. In this study, we have examined the close relationship between these domains in the factor Xase complex. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay-based and surface plasmon resonance-based assays in the absence of phospholipid showed that Glu-Gly-Arg active site-modified factor IXa bound to immobilized recombinant C2 domain (rC2) dose-dependently (Kd = 108 nm). This binding ability was optimal under physiological conditions. A monoclonal antibody against the Gla domain of factor IXa inhibited binding by ∼95%, and Gla domainless factor IXa failed to bind to rC2. The addition of monoclonal antibody or rC2 with factor VIIIa inhibited factor IXa-catalyzed factor X activation in the absence of phospholipid. Inhibition was not evident, however, in similar experiments in the absence of factor VIIIa, indicating that the C2 domain interacted with the Gla domain of factor IXa. A fragment designated C2-(2182–2259), derived from V8 protease-cleaved rC2, bound to Glu-Gly-Arg active site-modified factor IXa. Competitive assays, using overlapping synthetic peptides encompassing residues 2182–2259, demonstrated that peptide 2228–2240 significantly inhibited both this binding and factor Xa generation, independently of phospholipid. Our results indicated that residues 2228–2240 in the factor VIIIa C2 domain constitutes an interactive site for the Gla domain of factor IXa. The findings provide the first evidence for an essential role for this interaction in factor Xase assembly.
Shielding effectiveness estimation for concrete slabs based on measured frequency dependent dielectric constant

In this work, a curve-fitting method is introduced to estimate the frequency dependent dielectric constants from experiment data of permittivity, then a transmission model of rebar embedded concrete is given. By using the vector fitting (VF) method, the shielding effectiveness (SE) of rebar embedded concrete in time domain can be obtained, then simulations of SE to UWB and HPM are given. From the simulation results, we can draw the conclusion that the narrower the pulse width of UWB and the higher the carrier frequency of HPM, the better shielding effectiveness.
Public Debt and Growth: Evidence from Central, Eastern and Southeastern European Countries

The aim of this paper is to quantify the long run and short run relationship between debt and economic activity in Central, Eastern and Southeastern European countries. In order to investigate the impact of public debt on economic growth, the paper uses pooled mean group estimator (PMG) for the period between 2000 and 2011. A battery of panel unit root as well as panel cointegration tests is used prior to performing the dynamic panel analysis based on PMG estimator. According to the empirical results, in the long-run debt significantly influences the GDP growth having a negative sign as expected and pointing out that government gross debt lowers the GDP growth. In the short run, debt has statistically significant negative influence on the GDP growth as well, controlling for other determinants of growth (trade openness, total investment and industry value added). Designing policy frameworks that encourage export, promote industrial development and create better environment for long-term investment should foster sustainable growth. Therefore, we find that a credible fiscal consolidation strategy is needed combined with policies to promote lasting growth in order to reach debt-stabilizing levels.
Parallel Maritime Traffic Clustering Based on Apache Spark

Maritime traffic patterns extraction is an essential part for maritime security and surveillance and DBSCANSD is a density based clustering algorithm extracting the arbitrary shapes of the normal lanes from AIS data. This paper presents a parallel DBSCANSD algorithm on top of Apache Spark. The project is an experimental research work and the results shown in this paper is preliminary. The experiment conducted in the paper shows that the proposed method can work well with maritime traffic data although the performance is not satisfying. A discussion about the method’s limitation and potential issues is shown at the end of the paper. key words: Maritime Surveillance; Clustering; Apache Spark
The relationship between epicardial adipose tissue thickness and oxidative stress parameters in patients with isolated polycystic ovary syndrome

Abstract Purpose: The aim of this study is to evaluate the correlation between epicardial adipose tissue thickness and oxidative stress parameters in patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome. Methods: The study included 35 patients with PCOS and 35 healthy women. Transthoracic echocardiography was used to measure the epicardial adipose tissue thickness (EATT) of all patients. For all patients, serum TOS, TAS, hs-CRP, and insulin levels were measured according to the literature, and the HOMA-IR values were calculated. Independent samples t-test, Pearson’s correlation analysis, multivariate logistic regression analysis, and receiver operator characteristic curve (ROC) analysis were used in the statistical analysis. Results: Between the patient group and the control group, EATT was significantly higher in the PCOS group compared to the control group (5.4 ± 1.4 mm and 3.9 ± 1.6 mm, respectively; p < 0.001). Similarly, TOS, TAS, and hs-CRP levels were significantly higher in the PCOS group compared to the control group (p < 0.01 for all). The correlation analysis showed a significant positive correlation between EATT and TAS and hs-CRP (r = 0.349, p < 0.01 and r = 0.352, p < 0.01, respectively). Multivariate regression analysis showed a significant correlation between PCOS and EATT, TAS, and diastolic blood pressure (p < 0.05 for all). Conclusions: Epicardial adipose tissue may play a major role in PCOS pathogenesis by leading to an increase in oxidative stress.
PENINGKATAN PRODUKTIVITAS DAN EFISIENSI AIR DALAM PERTANIAN MADURA

Peningkatan produktivitas, efisiensi tanah dan air dalam pertanian wilayah beriklim kering dalam globalisasi diperlukan strategi manajemen sumber daya pertanian. Strategi optimalisasi manajemen produksi dalam mengatasi permasalahan lingkungan, kesehatan dan pangan perlu dilakukan sehingga mampu eksis pada kondisi perubahan iklim, degradasi tanah dan air serta konversi lahan. Penelitian diskriptif analitik terhadap sumberdaya lahan sawah, tegal dan kebun di Madura serta eksperimen untuk mengevaluasi efisiensi air telah dilakukan. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa lahan pertanian Madura pada probabilitas cekaman 0, 2 dan 4, selama periode produksi 3, 8 dan 12 bulan menghasilkan produktivitas biomas sebesar 7, 23 dan 32 t ha -1 th -1 dengan penggunaan air sebanyak 1455, 1125 dan 677 mm ha -1 th -1 . Produktivitas lahan sawah sebanyak 7,5 t ha -1 pada WUE 11.07 kg mm -1 , produktivitas lahan 24.4 t ha -1 dalam periode produktif 6-10 bulan pada WUE 21.69 kg mm -1 sedangkan lahan kebun produktivitas sebanyak 35.5 t ha -1 pada WUE 24.29 kg mm -1 .
Compliant joint modification and real-time dynamic walking implementation on bipedal robot cCub

Conventionally, humanoid robots consist of non-backdrivable stiff joint structures with high gain controllers, aiming at high precision. Although this feature enabled researchers to represent outstanding engineering prototypes, the resulting large mechanical impedance output makes these robots inherently unsafe when interacting with humans. Moreover, the same issue also limits their abilities to safely interact with the environment and reduces their energy efficiency. In order to cope with these problems, we developed a compliant robot called cCub, as a part of the European project AMARSi (Adaptive Modular Architectures for Rich Motor Skills). Having completed the design and realization of the lower body of the cCub robot, we developed an integrated framework, including the compliant experimental platform, a simulation environment and a walking pattern generator. Furthermore, we also conducted real-time dynamic walking experiments on cCub demonstrating that dynamically equilibrated walking cycles can be executed in this new highly passive compliant humanoid platform. These preliminary results validate the feasibility of the walking generator and the motion capability of the compliant robot.
Investigation of Lipid Peroxidation Products and Antioxidant Enzyme Activities in End-Stage Renal Disease Patients

Background: Intravenous application of iron preparations which is a routine treatment of anemia in hemodialysis patients with end-stage renal disease can lead to iron overload in the body. Redox-active iron can catalyze the formation of hydroxyl radicals and initiation of lipid peroxidation, increase oxidative stress and speed up the development of complications in these patients. Objective: In this study, we determined the markers of lipid peroxidation, protein oxidation and antioxidant enzyme activities (superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione S-transferase) in serum of patients with end-stage renal disease on hemodialysis, who had received repeated treatment of iron supplementation. Patients and Methods: The study included 29 patients undergoing regular hemodialysis treatment. These patients were divided into three groups according to the serum ferritin levels: group I (serum ferritin between 100 and 300 mg/L); group II (serum ferritin between 301 and 600 mg/L), and group III (serum ferritin above 601 mg/L). Results: The serum of patients with the highest concentration of serum ferritin and iron contained significantly higher level of lipid peroxidation products, total hydroperoxides and malondialdehyde and advanced oxidation protein products and the lowest concentration of sulfhydryl groups, reduced glutathione and total antioxidant capacity. Conclusion: Based on the obtained results, it can be concluded that iron supplementation in hemodialysis patients and consequently body iron overload of exacerbated oxidative stress have already been present in these patients.
Municipal Election Timing and Local Growth Controls

In this paper, I argue that the timing of city council elections plays a important role in shaping municipal land use policy. When elections are held off-cycle (i.e. on a date separate from high-profile national elections) interest groups that oppose new growth are more likely to turn out and vote. This stems from an asymmetry over the costs and benefits of growth: new housing development yields concentrated costs and diffuse benefits, so opposition groups are more likely to mobilize when doing so is costly. Using an extensive dataset on municipal election timing, I demonstrate that cities with off-cycle elections have higher home prices and issue fewer building permits than comparable cities with on-cycle elections. This finding holds both in a crosssectional matching analysis and a difference-in-difference analysis of cities that shifted their election timing. The most recent version of this paper is available at: https://sites.lsa. umich.edu/ornstein/election-timing/ ∗PhD Candidate, University of Michigan. Many thanks to Liz Gerber, Clayton Nall, and all the participants at the 2017 APSA Pre-Conference on Local Political Economy for their helpful comments.