Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of concentration and exposure time on copper accumulation in Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms. (Pontederiaceae)

Different factors can influence the absorption and storage of substances in plant biomass. In this study, we evaluated the effect of copper concentration in growth medium and plant exposure time on copper accumulation in Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms. (Pontederiaceae) roots and leaves under controlled conditions. Plants were subjected to four treatments of copper concentrations of 1, 3 and 5 μg. mL -1 , with a control treatment of 0 μg. mL -1 , and evaluated at seven-day intervals over 21 days. Copper concentration in biomass was analysed by atomic absorption spectroscopy with flame atomisation. The results showed that copper concentration in the growth medium and time of exposure had a significant effect on the amount of copper accumulated by E. crassipes roots and leaves, with roots more efficient compared to leaves. It is likely that E. crassipes has mechanisms for the translocation of metal from the root system to the leaves. Symptoms of copper toxicity were observed in the vegetative parts of the plants at the end of the experiments. This study demonstrates that E. crassipes presents great potential in the absorption and accumulation of copper under laboratory conditions, indicating its effectiveness for applications in phytoremediation processes.
A Case Study on Pre-Service Secondary School Mathematics Teachers' Cognitive-Metacognitive Behaviours in Mathematical Modelling Process.

The aim of the present study is to investigate pre-service secondary mathematics teachers' cognitive-metacognitive behaviours during the mathematical problem-solving process considering class level. The study, in which the case study methodology was employed, was carried out with eight pre-service mathematics teachers, enrolled at a university in Erzincan, Turkey. We collected data via think aloud protocols in which metacognitive supports are provided and not provided and with unstructured metacognitive protocols related to the process. The metacognitive support provided to the pre-service teachers and this case caused an increase in the numbers of cognitive-metacognitive behaviours in class level in general. Any pattern was not encountered for the sequences of cognitive-metacognitive behaviours in the process of mathematical modelling during the stages in which metacognitive support was given and was not given but some little patterns were detected. It was noticed that there was no relationship with respect to the metacognitive support and without metacognitive support between and frequencies of cognitive-metacognitive behaviour mathematical modelling progress. The 1st and 2nd grade-pre-service teachers claimed that the metacognitive support contributed to them such factors as understanding and detailing, the 3rd and 4th graders expressed that it enabled them to follow, reach alternative ways of solution. The participants, during the stage in which the metacognitive support was provided, demonstrated more success during the process of mathematical modelling compared with the first stage.
Cystectomy survival outcomes: A single centre experience in Australia

Objective: Survival following cystectomy is influenced by gender, age and initial pathology. We report on variation in biopsy versus final surgical pathology and its impact on survival, five year survival of those undergoing cystectomy for bladder urothelial carcinoma, and evaluate any difference between gender and age.Methods: Patients were selected from our hospital cancer database who underwent a cystectomy for bladder urothelial carcinoma between 1987 and 2015. Patients were considered as having bladder cancer if they had muscle invasive cancer, non-muscle invasive cancer or carcinoma in situ on their final biopsy pathology. Pathology was recorded at last cystoscopy before surgery and based on surgical specimen.Results: One hundred and twenty-five patients were included, 71% male, and 29% female, with a median age at cystectomy of 67.1 years. Fifty-seven point nine percent of patients had no change between their biopsy and cystectomy histopathology and 18.3% of patients were downgraded, 16.6% of patients were upgraded, and 7.1% had incomplete pathology data. Median survival was 4.6 years and overall five year survival 58.2%. There was no significant difference in survival between genders and no difference when comparing between gender and age > 70 and < 70 years. There was no statistical difference in survival between patients who had their final pathology upgraded, downgraded, or confirmed.Conclusions: We found lower rates of variation in biopsy versus surgical pathology than reported elsewhere and did not observe a significant association with survival. Our survival outcomes are similar to those within the literature. Gender did not impact on survival, even when comparing between age > 70 and < 70 years.
Ionic Liquid as Catalyst and Reaction Medium – A Simple, Efficient and Green Procedure for Knoevenagel Condensation of Aliphatic and Aromatic Carbonyl Compounds Using a Task‐Specific Basic Ionic Liquid

The basic ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hydroxide, [bmIm]OH, efficiently catalyzes Knoevenagel condensation without requirement of any organic solvent. A wide range of aliphatic and aromatic aldehydes and ketones easily undergo condensations with diethyl malonate, malononitrile, ethyl cyanoacetate, malonic acid and ethyl acetoacetate. The reactions proceed at room temperature and are very fast (10–30 min). However, the most significant feature of this methodology is the condensation of aliphatic aldehyde with diethyl malonate, which is not very easy to achieve by conventional reagents, and was not addressed adequately in literature providing a general and convenient procedure. (© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2006)
THREE-DIMENSIONAL SIMULATIONS OF MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMIC WAVES IN MAGNETIZED SOLAR ATMOSPHERE

We present results of three-dimensional numerical simulations of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) wave propagation in a solar magnetic flux tube. Our study aims at understanding the properties of a range of MHD wave modes generated by different photospheric motions. We consider two scenarios observed in the lower solar photosphere, namely, granular buffeting and vortex-like motion, among the simplest mechanism for the generation of waves within a strong, localized magnetic flux concentration. We show that granular buffeting is likely to generate stronger slow and fast magnetoacoustic waves as compared to swirly motions. Correspondingly, the energy flux transported differs as a result of the driving motions. We also demonstrate that the waves generated by granular buffeting are likely to manifest in stronger emission in the chromospheric network. We argue that different mechanisms of wave generation are active during the evolution of a magnetic element in the intergranular lane, resulting in temporally varying emission at chromospheric heights.
Restaurant Industry Risk Dimensions and their Influence on Operating Cash Flows

This paper fills a critical void by investigating underlying dimensions that influence the restaurant industry’s cash flows. First, this study develops a set of restaurant industry risk factors (constructs). Next, it is found that the three factor model accounts for 32% of the variation in restaurant industry operating cash flows. The model remains robust after conducting regression analysis with backward elimination procedure. As a result, this paper provides further support to the claim that industry effects are important determinants of explaining the variation in profits (McGahan & Porter, 1997).
Martingale and Relaxation-Projection Methods for Utility Maximization with Portfolio Constraints and Stochastic Income

The problem of maximizing the expected utility from terminal wealth in the presence of a stochastic endowment and constraints on the portfolio choices is examined. We model short-sale and borrowing constraints, as well as incomplete markets, as special cases of constraints. The existence of optimal policies is established under fairly general assumptions on the security price coefficients and the individual's utility function. This result is obtained by using martingale techniques to reformulate the individual's dynamic optimization problem as an equivalent static one.
Finite element analysis of diffusion effects on convective heat and the mass transfer of two fluids in a vertical channel

In this paper the thermo diffusion and diffusion thermo effects on convective heat and mass transfer along a vertical channel filled with micropolar and viscous fluids have been presented. The coupled system of governing equations is solved numerically using the Galerkin finite element method subjected to the boundary and interface conditions. The effects of the pertinent parameters on the velocity, angular velocity (micro rotation), temperature and diffusion profiles are studied in detail and presented graphically. Furthermore, the rate of heat transfer, mass transfer and shear stress near both walls is entered in tables. It is found that rate of heat transfer enhances vigorously on the hot wall and reduces slowly on the cold wall under the diffusion thermo effect. The rate of mass transfer is higher near the left wall and reduces rapidly on the right wall due to the thermo diffusion effect.
A Closed Loop Research Platform that Enables Dynamic Control of Wing Gait Patterns in a Vertically Constrained Flapping Wing - Micro Air Vehicle

Botha, Hermanus. M.S., Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Wright State University, 2016. A Closed Loop Research Platform That Enables Dynamic Control Of Wing Gait Patterns In A Vertically Constrained Flapping Wing Micro Air Vehicle. Research in Flapping Wing Micro Air Vehicles(FW-MAVs) has been growing in recent years. Work ranging from mechanical designs to adaptive control algorithms are being developed in pursuit of mimicking natural flight. FW-MAV technology can be applied in a variety of use cases such a military application and surveillance, studying natural ecological systems, and hobbyist commercialization. Recent work has produced small scale FW-MAVs that are capable of hovering and maneuvering. Researchers control maneuvering in various ways, some of which involve making small adjustments to the core wing motion patterns (wing gaits) which determine how the wings flap. Adaptive control algorithms can be implemented to dynamically change these wing motion patterns to allow one to use gait based modification controllers even after damage to a vehicle or its wings occur. This thesis will create and present a hardware research platform that enables hardware-in-the-loop experimentation with core wing gait adaptation methods.
A GE ESTIMATION IN GIANT OTTERS ( P TERONURA BRASILIENSIS ) ( C ARNIVORA : M USTELIDAE ) USING GROWTH LAYER GROUPS IN CANINE TEETH

The canines of six giant otters Pteronura brasiliensis (5 males and 1 female) from the zoological collection of the National Institute of Amazonian Research (INPA) were analyzed for age estimation. Of these, two were from known-age individuals of 2 and 5 years. Ages were read counting the Growth Layer Groups (GLGs) observed in thin sections (30μm) of decalcified teeth. GLGs were present in the dentine but were not conspicuous; age estimates were only reliable when counted in the cementum. Periodicity of GLGs and age estimates were calibrated with the known-age individuals. Results revealed an annual deposition pattern of GLGs in the cementum of giant otter canines, and no apparent differences were found in the GLG patterns observed between males and females, or between captive and free-ranging individuals. The youngest and oldest giant otters analyzed were 2 and 20 years old, respectively. These results suggest that the longevity of captive giant otters is around 20 years. The age determination technique applied here proved to be useful for age estimation in giant otters and can contribute as a powerful tool for future studies on the population dynamics of P. brasiliensis, which is currently classified as endangered. RESUMO: Dentes caninos de cinco machos e uma fêmea de ariranha depositados na Coleção de Mamíferos do Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia foram analisados para estimativa de idade nesta espécie. Desses, dois eram animais de idade conhecida, com idades de 2 e 5 anos. As idades foram lidas contando-se o número de camadas de crescimento (GLGs) observadas em secções finas (30μm) de dentes. Embora se observem GLGs na dentina, essas não são conspícuas. Estimativas confiáveis de idade puderam ser feitas somente no cimento. O padrão de deposição dos GLGs e as idades estimadas no cimento dos caninos de ariranha foram calibrados com os animais de idade conhecida e os resultados revelaram um padrão de deposição de um GLG por ano. Não foram encontradas diferenças no padrão de deposição dos GLGs entre machos e fêmeas e tampouco entre animais cativos e de vida livre. A mais jovem e a mais velha das ariranhas analisadas nesse estudo tinham 2 e 20 anos, respectivamente. Esses resultados sugerem que a longevidade de ariranhas cativas está próxima dos 20 anos de vida. A técnica de determinação de idade aqui utilizada revelou ser útil para estimativa de idade em ariranhas e pode contribuir como uma valiosa ferramenta para futuros estudos de dinâmica populacional dessa espécie ameaçada de extinção.
Reproductive characteristics and differential response to seasonal temperatures of Blue and Great Tits (Cyanistes caeruleus et Parus major) in three neighbouring Mediterranean habitats

The breeding ecology of the Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) and Great Tit (Parus major) was studied for 18 years in three different neighbouring habitats in Sicily, comprising oakwoods, reforested pine and a reforested mix of pine and broad-leaved trees. Both Blue and Great Tits laid eggs up to two weeks earlier in oakwoods than in the reforested areas. Our results indicate a statistically greater breeding success for both species in the oakwoods compared to reforested habitats, with the mixed reforested habitat having a greater success than that of reforested pine habitat. We also correlated reproductive characteristics with local air temperature to verify if the laying date of tits advanced over a long period of years. Even though a variable egg-laying trend was recorded in the three habitats, an overall negative trendline was obtained indicating that the onset of nesting advanced through the 18-year study period. On the other hand, the air temperature trend was positive over the same period of time. The model of covariance analysis showed the relationship between egg-laying and March air temperatures remained consistent for both tit species, it was statistically different for each of the three habitats. Nestlings in the oak habitat fledged one day earlier than in reforested habitats and nestlings in the mixed habitat grew faster than nestlings in the pine habitat. Finally, clutch-size and number of fledglings remained consistent over the 18-year period in all three habitats, suggesting that prey availability may not have changed. Caterpillars comprised the primary prey in the oak and mixed habitats, less in the pine, where tits fed chicks with a more diverse food. The findings of this study indicate the importance of broad-leaved forests, whether natural or regenerated, for insectivorous species, and hence the potential conservation role of forestry management planning
Antenna Array for Passive Radar: Configuration Design and Adaptive Approaches to Disturbance Cancellation

We consider the selection of an antenna array configuration, composed of a small number of omnidirectional elements, to be exploited for passive radar sensors. Based on properly identified pattern characteristics and design criteria for practical applications, a suitable planar configuration is selected that allows both angular selectivity and direct signal attenuation. The selected configuration is further optimized in terms of sidelobe level by resorting to appropriate amplitude tapering. Moreover, three different approaches are investigated for antenna-based adaptive disturbance cancellation, and a comparative performance analysis is carried out. Simulation results show that an effective clutter suppression is obtained if the direct signal from the transmitter is attenuated by means of spatial adaptive cancellation, and the multipath echoes from stationary obstacles are removed by means of temporal adaptive cancellation. In particular, the approach based on the Sidelobe Canceller is shown to yield good performance while requiring a limited system complexity.
Naghibi polymorphisms Oxidative stress induced in the workers of natural gas refineries , no role for GSTM 1 and GSTT 1

Oxidative stress has an important role in the pathophysiology of many occupational diseases. In this controlled exposure study, the intensity of oxidative stress biomarkers was assessed in the workers of natural sweet and sour gas refineries (SwGR and SoGR, respectively) and compared with controls. In addition, the role of gluthatione S-transferase M1 (GSTM1)-null and GSTT1-null polymorphisms on the intensity of oxidative stress and liver function tests (LFTs) was investigated. Blood samples were taken and measured for lipid peroxidation (LPO) level, total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and total thiol molecules (TTMs). GSTM1and GSTT1-null genotypes were determined using polymerase chain reaction. LPO was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in the workers of SoGR. TAC was significantly lower in SwGR subjects (p < 0.001). TTMs were significantly lower in SoGR and SwGR subjects. Among LFTs, activities of aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase but not alkaline phosphatase were elevated significantly (p < 0.001) in SoGR subjects. Multivariate linear regression revealed no association between studied polymorphisms, oxidative stress biomarkers, and LFTs. These results indicate that working in the SoGR and SwGR can lead to oxidative stress and abnormal LFTs. Continuous monitoring of natural gas workers for probable ongoing problems is therefore suggested.
Higher Order Cepstral Moment Normalization for Improved Robust Speech Recognition

Cepstral normalization has widely been used as a powerful approach to produce robust features for speech recognition. Good examples of this approach include cepstral mean subtraction, and cepstral mean and variance normalization, in which either the first or both the first and the second moments of the Mel-frequency cepstral coefficients (MFCCs) are normalized. In this paper, we propose the family of higher order cepstral moment normalization, in which the MFCC parameters are normalized with respect to a few moments of orders higher than 1 or 2. The basic idea is that the higher order moments are more dominated by samples with larger values, which are very likely the primary sources of the asymmetry and abnormal flatness or tail size of the parameter distributions. Normalization with respect to these moments therefore puts more emphasis on these signal components and constrains the distributions to be more symmetric with more reasonable flatness and tail size. The fundamental principles behind this approach are also analyzed and discussed based on the statistical properties of the distributions of the MFCC parameters. Experimental results based on the AURORA 2, AURORA 3, AURORA 4, and Resource Management (RM) testing environments show that with the proposed approach, recognition accuracy can be significantly and consistently improved for all types of noise and all SNR conditions.
Uganda Securities Exchange as a Medium of Trade: To What Extent Have the Private and Public Sectors Embraced It?

The purpose of this paper is to review the extent to which the Uganda Securities Exchange has been embraced as a medium of trade and investment by the public considering that a well-functioning stock market enhances prospects for long-term economic growth. Only seventeen companies are trading on the Exchange in its 17 years of existence. This study sought to explore the extent to which the Exchange has been embraced locally. A cross-sectional design that involved both quantitative and qualitative study approaches was adopted. The study sample was drawn from employees of government departments, listed, and unlisted companies. Data were collected using questionnaires and interview guides. It was established that, as much as the Exchange grew over time, trading was still lukewarm with very many potential companies reluctant to list on the USE. Generally, investors are still apathetic about the Exchange. It is recommended that the Government should support the marketing, automation, and modernisation of the Exchange; and the Exchange should exploit the stock market trading potential to entice more investors to it.
Genetic variability of Tunisian olive cultivars by ISSR and SSR markers

The present work aims to study the genetic diversity of 9 Tunisian varieties from different geographical origins; 'Chemlali', 'Chétoui', 'Jemri', 'Zarrazi', 'Zalmati', 'Oueslati', 'Chemlali Jerba', 'Neb Djmal' and 'Fakhari' based on Inter Simple Sequence Repeat (ISSR) and Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR) markers. An authorized variation of different primers is staked for the detection of polymorphism in varieties. The polymorphism percentage varies from 62.5 % to 100%. The three polymorphic primers also showed variations in the average looking informative bands (AvIb) and resolving power (RP). The primer A3 has the value of the lowest AvIb (0.28), while the primer A2 has the highest value (0.49). For RP, the lowest value (2.31) is distinguished from the primer A3 and the highest (3.96) at the primer A2. In addition, statistical analysis showed a large variation in genetic distance between varieties; the lowest (0.071) is observed in both accessions 'Chétoui' and 'Fakhari', and the greater (0,562) was distinguished between the two cultivars 'Chemlali Jerba' and 'Neb Djmal'. The analysis of the dendrogram "UPGMA" gave us 2 different groups. The geographical origin of varieties has no influence on the obtained clusters: The tested cultivars made genetic affinity groups regardless of their geographic origin. The microsatellites used revealed the presence of 10 bands in total, the primer DCA 9 as GAPU47 show a polymorphism rate of 100 %, while the other two OUB2 and OEX primers showed varying intensity bands between new cultivars studied. The analysis of the dendrogram "UPGMA" gave us 5 different groups; this revealed a significant genetic diversity.
Gateway Selection in Mobile Ad-hoc Networks

The combination of network mobility (NEMO) and the ability to form ad-hoc connections enables the existence of complex, scalable and auto-configured Internetworking topologies. Routing Internet traffic within such a topology becomes a challenge when multiple attachment points to the Internet exist simultaneously. Existing mobile ad-hoc according to the scenarios in which they are deployed. Scenarios such as vehicular networks, wireless sensors networks and remote rescue teams that are currently using mobile ad-hoc networks of have the potential to have multiple attachment points to the Internet. There is no standard method that can assure optimum gateway selection that maximizes Internet connection performance and robustness. This paper proposes a model that utilizes the existence of multiple Internet gateways in a mobile adhoc network in order to increase both the performance and the robustness of the Internet connection. The proposed model performs four tasks in order to achieve its design goals, these tasks being: capability measurement, capability information dissemination, optimum route selection and route enforcement.