Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Is Micro-Finance Achieving Its Goal Among Smallholder Farmers in Africa? Empirical Evidence from Kenya Using Propensity Score Matching

With access to formal credit proving almost impossible to smallholder farmers, group based lending is steadily becoming popular in Africa. However, little is documented on the role of such programmes. In this paper, we employ propensity score matching method to evaluate effects of micro-finance credit (MFC) on borrower’s productive performance in Kenya. Our findings reveal that participation in MFC credit improves household productive incomes by a range of between US$ 200 and US$ 260 in a single production period. However, participation in the MFC among smallholder farmers is constrained by low literacy levels, gender differentials in asset endowment, poor road infrastructure, and maintenance of indigenous group structures as key factors for policy intervention
Design and Implementation of Modern Controls for Drive and Suspension of a High Speed Double Conical Bearingless Motor on a Real-Time System

In this work, modern control approaches for drive and suspension of a high speed double conical bearingless motor are designed. Firstly, the air gap flux density and the forces acting on the rotor are analytically calculated. Subsequently, an elaborate model of the magnetically levitated rotor is developed, which considers the non-collocation of position sensors and levitation windings as well as the presence of angular motion. Three different control approaches are designed and simulated. The first approach comprises a state controller augmented with integral action, with which the closed loop dynamics are freely defined after pole placement. The other two approaches concern Linear Quadratic Gaussian and Model Predictive control. The pole placement control approach is tested successfully on the test bench with the real motor. Sinusoidal disturbance forces, with the rotational frequency, can cause large rotor orbits and may drive the inverters to their limits. For this reason, two synchronous filtering control strategies are developed. Using Imbalance Force Compensation, the rotor can be driven with low orbits at relatively low speed and using Imbalance Force Rejection, the rotor can be driven with low levitation currents at high speed. The control performance is evaluated by measurements and the measured frequency response of the closed loop system is presented. Kurzfassung In dieser Arbeit wird der Entwurf von modernen Regelungen für Antrieb und Lagerung von einem hochtourigen doppelkonischen lagerlosen Motor besprochen. Zunächst werden die Luftspaltflussdichte und die auf den Rotor wirkenden Kräfte analytisch berechnet und anschließend wird ein ausführliches Modell des magnetisch schwebenden Läufers entwickelt, das die Positionsunterschiede von Lagesensoren und Schwebewicklungen, sowie die Existenz von Winkelbewegungen enthält. Anhand dieses Modells werden drei unterschiedliche Regelungen ausgelegt und simuliert. Der erste Ansatz umfasst einen mit Integralanteil erweiterten Zustandsregler, mit dem die Dynamik des geschlossenen Regelkreises frei nach Polvorgabe bestimmt wird. Die anderen Ansätze sind lineare-quadratische Gaußsche und modellbasierte prädiktive Regelungen. Die Regelung durch Polvorgabe wird erfolgreich auf dem Prüfstand am echten Motor getestet. Sinusförmige Störkräfte mit der Drehfrequenz können große Rotorumlaufbahnen verursachen und die Wechselrichter an ihre Grenzen treiben. Aus diesem Grund werden zwei Regelstrategien mit synchroner Filterung entwickelt. Bei niedriger Geschwindigkeit wird der Rotor durch Unwuchtkraftkompensation mit kleinen Exzentrizitäten angetrieben, und bei hohen Drehzahlen wird er durch Unwuchtkraftunterdrückung mit niedrigen Schwebeströmen angetrieben. Die Leistungsfähigkeit des Reglers wird durch Messungen ausgewertet, und die gemessene Frequenzantwort des geschlossenen Regelkreises wird dargestellt.
Chapter 2 Body Movement Analysis and Recognition

In this chapter, a nonverbal way of communication for human–robot interaction by understanding human upper body gestures will be addressed. The human– robot interaction system based on a novel combination of sensors is proposed. It allows one person to interact with a humanoid social robot with natural body language. The robot can understand the meaning of human upper body gestures and express itself by using a combination of body movements, facial expressions, and verbal language. A set of 12 upper body gestures is involved for communication. Human–object interactions are also included in these gestures. The gestures can be characterized by the head, arm, and hand posture information. CyberGlove II is employed to capture the hand posture. This feature is combinedwith the head and arm posture information captured from Microsoft Kinect. This is a new sensor solution for human-gesture capture. Based on the body posture data, an effective and realtime human gesture recognition method is proposed. For experiments, a human body gesture dataset was built. The experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed approach.
Psychological, behavioral, and immune changes after a psychological intervention: a clinical trial.

PURPOSE This randomized clinical trial tests the hypothesis that a psychological intervention can reduce emotional distress, improve health behaviors and dose-intensity, and enhance immune responses. PATIENTS AND METHODS We studied 227 women who were surgically treated for regional breast cancer. Before adjuvant therapy, women completed interviews and questionnaires assessing emotional distress, social adjustment, and health behaviors. A 60-mL blood sample was drawn for immune assays. Patients were randomly assigned to either the intervention group or assessment only group. The intervention was conducted in small patient groups, with one session per week for 4 months. The sessions included strategies to reduce stress, improve mood, alter health behaviors, and maintain adherence to cancer treatment and care. Reassessment occurred after completion of the intervention. RESULTS As predicted, patients receiving the intervention showed significant lowering of anxiety, improvements in perceived social support, improved dietary habits, and reduction in smoking (all P <.05). Analyses of adjuvant chemotherapy dose-intensity revealed significantly more variability (ie, more dispersion in the dose-intensity values) for the assessment arm (P <.05). Immune responses for the intervention patients paralleled their psychological and behavioral improvements. T-cell proliferation in response to phytohemagglutinin and concanavalin A remained stable or increased for the Intervention patients, whereas both responses declined for Assessment patients; this effect was replicated across three concentrations for each assay (all P <.01). CONCLUSION These data show a convergence of significant psychological, health behavior, and biologic effects after a psychological intervention for cancer patients.
Schistosoma mansoni: the sustentacular cells of the testes

SUMMARY Studies on the multiple compact testes of Schistosoma mansoni have revealed 2 principal cell types: germinal and non-germinal cells. Two morphological forms representing different stages in the cytomorphosis of the sustentacular cells have been considered. The polymorphic sustentacular cells which are conspicuously stained with potassium permanganate contain abundant ribosomal endoplasmic reticulum, glycogen particles and ribosomal masses in comparison with the germinal component of the testes. Golgi complexes with associated secretory bodies and vacuoles are present in the cells. The cytoplasm of the sustentacular cells interdigitate between other cells in the testes. Based on their morphology, nutritive, supportive and phagocytic functions have been attributed to the sustentacular cells. The possible recycling of nutrients by the cells is discussed. It is suggested that the cells regulate the production of spermatozoa from a nutritive viewpoint and also that the translocation of nutrients from the parenchyma to the testes is facilitated by these cells whose cytoplasm extends directly adjacent to the basal lamina.
Ischaemic postconditioning protects against reperfusion injury via the SAFE pathway.

AIMS Ischaemic postconditioning (IPostC) is a powerful protective phenomenon that activates prosurvival intrinsic signalling cascades to limit reperfusion injury. We propose that IPostC confers its infarct-sparing effect via activation of the newly described prosurvival Survivor Activating Factor Enhancement (SAFE) pathway, which involves the activation of the cytokine tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) and signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 (STAT-3). METHODS AND RESULTS Isolated ischaemic/reperfused hearts from TNF knockout, TNF receptor-1 knockout, TNF receptor-2 knockout, cardiomyocyte-specific STAT-3-deficient mice or their respective wild-type, (TNF-WT) or (STAT-3-WT), were postconditioned by ischaemic episodes (IPostC) or with exogenous TNFalpha (0.5 microg/L) (TNF-PostC) at the onset of reperfusion. IPostC reduced infarct size (IS) in TNF-WT and TNFR1(-/-) hearts (by 33 and 27%, respectively, P < 0.05), whereas hearts from TNF(-/-) or TNFR2(-/-) failed to be postconditioned. TNF-PostC reduced IS by 37% (P < 0.05) in STAT-3-WT hearts but failed to protect cardiac-specific STAT-3(-/-) hearts. Administration of wortmannin, an inhibitor of PI-3 kinase/Akt, or PD98059, an inhibitor of extracellular regulated kinase 1/2 (Erk1/2), during the postconditioning stimulus did not abolish the infarct-sparing effect of TNF-PostC. AG490, an inhibitor of STAT-3, abrogated the protective effect of TNFalpha. Western blot analysis did not demonstrate the involvement of Akt or Erk1/2 in TNF-PostC, whereas STAT-3 phosphorylation was increased in both IPostC and TNF-PostC. CONCLUSION The protective effect of the SAFE pathway is shown in IPostC, with the activation of TNFalpha, its receptor type 2, and STAT-3. This signalling cascade is activated independently of the well-known Reperfusion Injury Salvage Kinases (RISK) pathway, which involves the kinases Akt and Erk1/2.
Development of domain ontology for e-learning course

The aim of ontology research is to develop knowledge representations that can be shared and reused. Domain ontologies provide shared and common understanding of a specific domain. In this paper, we discuss and analyze some ontology development methodologies. Based on the analysis of these methodologies and IEEE Standard for developing software life cycle processes, we propose a knowledge engineering approach to build domain ontology. Following this approach, using ontology editor Hozo, we have developed C Programming ontology. Also we describe our experience in the development of C Programming ontology, analyze the problems in development of domain ontology and demonstrate the applicability of proposed knowledge engineering approach for the development of e-learning course ontology.
Decision Support for Route Search and Optimum Finding in Transport Networks under Uncertainty

The aim of this paper is to find solution for route planning in road network for a user, and to find the equilibrium in the path optimization problem, where the roads have uncertain attributes. The concept is based on the Dempster-Shafer theory and Dijkstra's algorithm, which help to model the uncertainty and to find the best route, respectively. Based on uncertain influencing factors an interval of travel time (so called cost interval) of each road can be calculated. An algorithm has been outlined for determining the best route comparing the intervals and using decision rules depending on the user’s attitude. Priorities can be defined among the rules, and the constructed rule based mechanism for users’ demands is great contribution of this paper. The first task is discussed in more general in this paper, i.e. instead of travel time a general cost is investigated for any kind of network. At the solution of the second task, where the goal is to find equilibrium in transport network at case of uncertain situation, the result of the first task is used. Simulation tool has been used to find the equilibrium, which gives only approximate solution, but this is sufficient and appropriate solution for large networks. Furthermore this is built in a decision support system, which is another contribution of this work. At the end of the paper the implementation of the theoretical concept is presented with a test bed of a town presenting effects of different uncertain influencing factors for the roads.
Intracellular Ca2+ changes and Ca2+‐activated K+ channel activation induced by acetylcholine at the endplate of mouse skeletal muscle fibres.

1. Enzymatically isolated skeletal muscle fibres were used to investigate the effects of applying acetylcholine (ACh) onto the endplate area on intracellular free calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) measured using the indicator indo‐1 and single channel activity using the patch clamp technique. 2. Using a Tyrode solution containing 5 microM tetrodotoxin (TTX) as extracellular solution, ACh applications (at 0.1 or 1 mM) onto the endplate induced intracellular free calcium transients the mean maximal amplitude of which was 360 +/‐ 30 nM from a mean resting value of 72 +/‐ 7 nM (n = 13). In cells bathed with a K(+)‐rich solution (145 mM K+), applications of ACh (0.1 mM) induced transient rises in [Ca2+]i from a mean resting value of 53 +/‐ 7 nM to a maximum of 222 +/‐ 24 nM (n = 33). 3. In cell‐attached membrane patches at the endplate membrane of muscle fibres bathed in a K(+)‐rich external solution, using a pipette filled with Tyrode solution, external application of 0.1 mM ACh could induce a transient burst opening of channels carrying an outward current of an average amplitude of 4.6 +/‐ 0.2 pA at 0 mV (n = 8). 4. These channels were characterized as Ca2(+)‐activated K+ channels. At 0 mV, in inside‐out patches excised from the endplate membrane area, they displayed a conductance of 60 and 224 pS in the presence of Tyrode and K(+)‐rich solution in the pipette, respectively. Half‐maximum activation was found for a [Ca2+]i close to 4 microM. The channels showed a typical voltage dependence. In outside‐out patches these channels were shown to be blocked by 100 nM charybdotoxin (CTX). 5. In fibres bathed in a Tyrode solution containing TTX (5 microM), CTX had no clear effect on the change in membrane voltage, recorded near the endplate with a single intracellular microelectrode, in response to the application of ACh. 6. Although the physiological relevance of this ACh‐induced K+ channel activation remains unclear, results suggest that, in the presence of a physiological extracellular [Ca2+], Ca2+ entry through the endplate nicotinic receptors can produce a local increase in [Ca2+]i, sufficient to trigger the opening of Ca2+‐activated K+ channels in the adjacent surface membrane.
IMPACT OF TIME ZONES ON FORECASTING OF EXCHANGE MARKET BASED ON DISTRIBUTION OF EXPECTED VALUES

Forecasting of chaotic changes of exchange rates usually is based on historical data and depends on the choice of time intervals. This study seeks to develop new forecasting method based on data of different time zones. This paper demonstrates how the using of London and New York divisions of the trading day allows getting additional information from predicting exchange rates. This was modelled with the help of ensemble of EVOLINO for obtaining of predictions of the distribution of expected values. The obtained results show that double forecasts evaluation reveals a possible trend in the exchange market and enriches the choice of real-time trading strategies. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3846/bm.2016. 29
A novel unidirectional circularly polarized antenna

This paper presents a novel type of unidirectional circularly polarized (CP) antenna. The antenna constructively combines a dipole and a half loop radiator. Theoretical foundation and working principle of the antenna is firstly discussed. A practical design of right-handed circularly polarized antenna with differential feeding is then presented. Measurement results show that the proposed antenna can achieve a 3-dB axial-ratio bandwidth of 24% (from 5.9 to 7.5 GHz), which is within its -10-dB differential reflection bandwidth. Meanwhile, the right-handed circularly polarized gain within the axial-ratio bandwidth is up to 7.0 dBi.
Segment-Based Foreground Extraction Dedicated to 3D Reconstruction

Researches of image-based 3D reconstruction have recently produced a number of good results, but they assume that the accurate foreground to be reconstructed is already extracted from each input image. This paper proposes a novel approach to extract more accurate foregrounds by iteratively performing foreground extraction and 3D reconstruction in a manner similar to an EM algorithm on regions segmented in an initial stage, called segments. After definitively extracting the foregrounds in multi-views based on simply selecting segments corresponding to the real foreground in only one image, further improved foregrounds are extracted by back-projecting 3D objects reconstructed based on the foreground extracted in the previous step into segments of each image in multi-views. These two steps are iteratively performed until the energy function is optimized. In the experiments, more accurate boundaries were obtained, although the proposed method used a simple 3D reconstruction method.
A Scaling Theory for Horizontally Homogeneous, Baroclinically Unstable Flow on a Beta Plane

Abstract The scaling argument developed by the authors in a previous work for eddy amplitudes and fluxes in a horizontally homogeneous, two-layer model on an f plane is extended to a β plane. In terms of the nondimensional number ξ=U/(βλ2), where λ is the deformation radius and U is the mean thermal wind, the result for the rms eddy velocity V, the characteristic wavenumber of the energy-containing eddies and of the eddy-driven jets kj, and the magnitude of the eddy diffusivity for potential vorticity D, in the limit ξ ≫ 1, are as follows: V/U ≈ ξ, kjλ ≈ ξ−1, D/(Uλ) ≈ ξ2. Numerical simulations provide qualitative support for this scaling but suggest that it underestimates the sensitivity of these eddy statistics to the value of ξ. A generalization that is applicable to continuous stratification is suggested that leads to the estimates V ≈ (βT2)−1, kj ≈ βT, D ≈ (β2T3)−1,where T is a timescale determined by the environment; in particular, it equals λU−1 in the two-layer model and N(f∂zU)−1 in a continuous fl.
DroidJust: automated functionality-aware privacy leakage analysis for Android applications

Android applications (apps for short) can send out users' sensitive information against users' intention. Based on the stats from Genome and Mobile-Sandboxing, 55.8% and 59.7% Android malware families feature privacy leakage. Prior approaches to detecting privacy leakage on smartphones primarily focused on the discovery of sensitive information flows. However, Android apps also send out users' sensitive information for legitimate functions. Due to the fuzzy nature of the privacy leakage detection problem, we formulate it as a justification problem, which aims to justify if a sensitive information transmission in an app serves any purpose, either for intended functions of the app itself or for other related functions. This formulation makes the problem more distinct and objective, and therefore more feasible to solve than before. We propose DroidJust, an automated approach to justifying an app's sensitive information transmission by bridging the gap between the sensitive information transmission and application functions. We also implement a prototype of DroidJust and evaluate it with over 6000 Google Play apps and over 300 known malware collected from VirusTotal. Our experiments show that our tool can effectively and efficiently analyze Android apps w.r. t their sensitive information flows and functionalities, and can greatly assist in detecting privacy leakage.
Interactive toxicity of usnic acid and lipopolysaccharides in human liver HepG2 cells

Usnic acid (UA), a natural botanical product, is a constituent of some dietary supplements used for weight loss. It has been associated with clinical hepatotoxicity leading to liver failure in humans. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the interactive toxicity, if any, of UA with lipopolysaccarides (LPS), a potential contaminant of food, at low non‐toxic concentrations. The human hepatoblastoma HepG2 cells were treated with the vehicle control and test agents, separately and in a binary mixture, for 24 h at 37 0C in 5% CO2. After the treatment period, the cells were evaluated by the traditional biochemical endpoints of toxicity in combination with the toxicogenomic endpoints that included cytotoxicity, oxidative stress, mitochondrial injury and changes in pathway‐focused gene expression profiles. Compared with the controls, low non‐toxic concentrations of UA and LPS separately showed no effect on the cells as determined by the biochemical endpoints. However, the simultaneous mixed exposure of the cells to their binary mixture resulted in increased cytotoxicity, oxidative stress and mitochondrial injury. The pathway‐focused gene expression analysis resulted in the altered expression of several genes out of 84 genes examined. Most altered gene expressions induced by the binary mixture of UA and LPS were different from those induced by the individual constituents. The genes affected by the mixture were not modulated by either UA or LPS. The results of the present study suggest that the interactions of low nontoxic concentrations of UA and LPS produce toxicity in HepG2 cells. Published 2012. This article is a US Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
Inherited sterility in codling moth (Lepidoptera : Tortricidae) : Effect of substerilizing doses of radiation on field competitiveness

Environ. Entomol. 28(4): 669-674 (1999) In release-recapture tests conducted in apple orchards in Oroville, WA, a significant relationship was found between the dose of gamma radiation used to treat adult male codling moths, Cydia pomonella (L.), and the number of males recaptured in virgin female-baited sticky traps. Males treated with 100 Gy responded to calling virgin females in larger percentages than those treated with 200 and 250 Gy. However, the percentage of untreated (released) males captured was lower than the percentage of 100 Gy-treated males captured; a possible explanation for this is that untreated males were moving farther away and were less likely to be near the female-baited traps for recapture. Recapture was highest at days 4 and 5 after release, and significantly more males of all treatments were recaptured when dusk temperatures were at or above 16°C. Radiation also had a negative impact on codling moth mating competitiveness in the field. In mating table experiments, successful matings decreased as the dose of radiation increased. Untreated males were the most competitive among released codling moths.