Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
UvA-DARE ( Digital Academic Repository ) Diagnosis and treatment of common infectious diseases in severely ill sub-Saharan African patients

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THE INFLUENCE OF BLOOD GLUCOSE LEVEL ON TEAR BREAK UP TIME AMONG YOUNG ADULTS WITH DIABETES NUR AIN MAT NOH DEPARTMENT OF OPTOMETRY AND VISUAL SCIENCE, KULLIYYAH OF ALLIED HEALTH

Background: It has been reported that diabetics are more likely to develop tear film dysfunction compared to non-diabetics. Even so, there has been very little research reported on the correlation between blood glucose level and quality of tears. Objective: The purpose of the study was to investigate the influence of blood glucose level on TBUT among young adults with diabetes. Methods: A cross-sectional study consisting of 37 diabetic patients within the age range of 19-39 years was carried out at International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) Optometry Clinic, Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia. The subjects were tested for random blood glucose level (RBS) and undergone tear break up time (TBUT) test. Nonparametric test was used namely Spearman correlation to determine the association between RBS and TBUT. Results: TBUT median (interquartile range) value was 7.5 (11.55) seconds. Meanwhile, the negative association was found between (RBS) and TBUT in diabetics (r = -0.126). However, the correlation was not statistically significant (p>0.05). Tear film break up time was not associated with the random blood glucose level. Conclusion: Tear film break up time seems to be not affected by blood glucose level.
Condition monitoring for track circuits: A multiple-model approach

Preventive maintenance is a maintenance strategy where maintenance is performed prior to failure. A promising preventive maintenance strategy is condition-based maintenance, which schedules maintenance based on the current or predicted future condition of the assets. An adequate implementation of this strategy avoids breakdowns and reduces maintenance costs. Condition-based maintenance requires condition monitoring, which is the process of translating sensor data into information on the health state of the monitored objects. Condition monitoring consists of two tasks: classifying what faults are present and predicting the remaining useful life of the monitored asset. Over the past few years, ProRail (the Dutch rail infrastructure manager) has increased the amount of monitoring devices, but does not yet use the collected data optimally for condition monitoring. In this thesis, we aim at closing this gap and present a condition monitoring approach that effectively combines the available sensor data with system knowledge. In particular, we focus on condition monitoring for track circuits, which are devices used to detect whether a train is present on a section of the track. To classify faults and to predict the remaining useful life of track circuits, a multiple-model approach is used. A multiplemodel approach can be seen as a state estimation and prediction method for a specific class of hybrid systems, where for each mode, the system can be described using a continuous linear state space model. This modeling methodology is well suited to describe systems subject to structural changes, such as faults. We show that the track circuit case fits into the multiplemodel framework and we develop models for each fault state of the track circuit based on system knowledge and monitoring data. To predict the remaining useful life, a Monte Carlo approach is used in order to take known uncertainties into account and to provide decision makers with estimates of the prediction uncertainty. In a simulation-based case study, the approach is able to correctly classify 99 % of the cases and therewith outperforms a long short-term neural network developed for the same problem, which is a state of the art condition monitoring method for track circuits. Furthermore, an average prediction accuracy for the remaining useful life of 81 % is achieved. In addition, the approach is able to quantify the uncertainty around these predictions and the underlying factors causing the uncertainty. Master of Science Thesis W.P. Verbeek
Longa Duração Piecewise Exponential Model for Long Term Survival Data

The Piecewise Exponential Model (PEM) is a very utilized model, mainly in survival analysis. When using this model, one considers a partition of the time axis into a finite number of intervals and, after that, a constant failure rate is considered to each interval. Therefore the PEM approximates a continuous function, the failure rate, through line segments. For this reason, the PEM is a very flexible model and, although it is a parametric model, it is often considered as non parametric one. The present work proposes a Bayesian dynamic approach that allows one to obtain the exact smoothed distribution for the parameters representing the failure rate. Moreover, the partition of the time grid (and, consequently, the number of intervals), will be considered as an unknown quantity to be estimated. This entire approach will be used to model the cure fraction in a population, which occurs when a part of the individuals in a study is considered cured and, therefore, will never experience the event of interest. For comparison purposes, the fixed time grid will also be considered. Lastly, in order to illustrate this approach, an application will be shown.
THE ROLE OF SOIL AND INTERFACE NONLINEARITIES ON TH E SEISMIC RESPONSE OF CAISSON SUPPORTED BRIDGE PIERS

The present paper examines the seismic performance of caisson foundations under a new design philosophy, where soil "failure" is allowed to prot ec the superstructure. To investigate the effectiv ness of such an approach, a caisson–column supported bri dge structure is used as an example. Two alternatives are compared: one complying with conve ntional capacity design, with over-designed foundation so that the soil is marginally plastifie d; the other following the new design philosophy, w ith under-designed foundation, "inviting" the plastic “hinge” into th e soil (Anastasopoulos et al. 2010 ). The two alternatives are then subjected to an artificia l accelerogram appropriately calibrated so that bot h systems would exhibit the same spectral response in a li ear elastic regime, allowing thus the seismic performance of the two systems to be achieved on a "fair" basis. Key performance measures of the systems are then compared, such as: accelerations, spectral response, displacements, pier base rotatio ns and settlements. It is shown that separation of the caisson from the supporting soil and extensive soi l plastification contribute beneficially to the seism c performance of both the foundation and the superstructure.
Differential Response of Brinjal ( Solanum melongena Linn . ) Varieties to Salinity Stress in Relation to Seed Germination and Osmolytes Accumulation

The effect of NaCl stress was studied in nine commercial hybrid varieties of brinjal under various levels (0 – 200 mM) of salinity (NaCl). NaCl stress decreased germination percentage, shoot length and root length and biomass production in all the nine varieties. Among the nine varieties maximum reduction in germination, seedling growth and biomass production was observed in MEBH 10 and minimum in MHBJ 112. Therefore, for further study MEBH 10 was considered as salt sensitive and MHBJ 112 was considered as salt tolerant varieties. Increased NaCl stress decreased chlorophyll content, and increased malondialdehyde level (MDA; lipid peroxidation), free proline, glycine betaine (GB) and total soluble sugars (TSS) content in both varieties. The magnitude of increase in accumulation of MDA, free proline, GB and TSS was highest in variety MHBJ 112 than MEBH 10. The MDA content was drastically decreased at 200 mM level of NaCl in both the varieties. The decreased in germination percentage, growth of the seedlings and increased osmolyte accumulation (proline, GB and TSS) showed that MHBJ 112 is salt tolerant and MEBH 10 is salt sensitive variety. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Development of a structured breast phantom for evaluating CADe/Dx schemes applied on 2D mammography

The need for diagnostic accuracy in breast cancer screening has motivated the use of computational schemes known as computer-aided diagnosis (CADe/Dx). However standardization of the evaluation criteria regariding these schemes is still a challenge, since they depend on the access to large and diversified image databases representing both benign and malignant cases. With this feature in view this work aimed at the development of a structured breast phantom able to generate many images patterns achieved not only by the variation of size, shape, contrast but mainly the distribution of simulated lesions. To assure the realism of images, phantom non-uniformity was an essential requirement in order to mimic breast structures, differing from the phantoms commonly developed for quality control purposes. Therefore this phantom was made in layers composed by PVC film submerged in paraffin gel with a non-uniform distribution. Such distribution allowed simulating more or less dense regions, according to the material concentration. The percent density estimative of the simulated breast was determined with the LIBRA® software, resulting in the four categories of BIRADS® density classification. Nodules were simulated using two 3D printed models, one for circumscribed and another for spiculated lesions. For simulating microcalcifications, granulated hydroxyapatite was used distributed in four clusters. Phantom characteristics were studied comparing attenuation coefficients of the materials used and breast tissues. The texture and noise of the phantom images were also compared in relation to the clinical ones. Results showed that the developed phantom allowed generating an image pattern similar to that obtained in real mammograms and suitable for supplying an image database to be used as a ground truth for CAD and CADx schemes validation/evaluation.
REINFORCEMENT LEARNING ALGORITHMS IN THE COMPUTER GAME FLAPPY BIRD

Nowadays, machine learning and artificial intelligence have become very attractive because of its ability, sometimes more and sometimes less, to provide an almost optimal solution to problems where searching for the optimal solution would take too long. Although more solutions to these difficult problems are researched (for example by using quantum computers), artificial intelligence, as a part of machine learning, is one of the few which works and is applicable today. In this thesis, we focus on reinforcement learning algorithms, that represents a specific category in the field of machine learning precisely because of its unique approach based on a trial-error basis. We implement and test Q-learning on the game Flappy Bird where significant results are achieved by appropriate setting of state space, act policy, etc. We introduce a new approach maximizing k-future rewards policy which decreases learning time and increases maximal and average score significantly. The best results are achieved by using the algorithm combined with modified Deep Q-learning. We place particular emphasis on the use of neural networks with reinforcement learning focusing on the use of a feedforward neural network instead of the originally proposed convolutional.
Indium Tin Oxide ( ITO ) films on flexible substrates for organic light emitting diodes

Flexible electronics opens up new possibilities in applications such as flat panel displays, solar cells, RFID tags, low cost sensors and other disposable electronics devices. For flexible polymer light emitting diodes (PLEDs), transparent and conducting electrodes are required on flexible plastic substrates. In this work we report the results on the growth of smooth ITO films using RF magnetron sputtering. To avoid any thermal distortion, ITO films are deposited at low temperature on various plastic substrates (Mylar and Transphan). ITO films with room temperature conductivity of the order of 10 Ω-cm having a work function of 4.6 eV were obtained. Atomic force microscopy measurements on these films show a low average roughness of ~1.5 nm (over a scan area of 1500 nm x 1500 nm). While the films deposited at low substrate temperature were amorphous in nature, some crystallinity was observed for those deposited at higher temperatures. These ITO films could be comfortably bent to an angle of 30 and did not reveal any degradation in properties with time. PLEDs were successfully fabricated on these ITO coated plastics with low turn-on voltage.
FPGA BASED IMPLEMENTATION OF IEEE 802 . 11 a PHYSICAL LAYER MUSTAFA

FPGA BASED IMPLEMENTATION OF IEEE 802.11a PHYSICAL LAYER MUSTAFA İNCE M.S. in Electrical and Electronics Engineering Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Abdullah ATALAR December 2010 Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) is a multicarrier transmission technique, in which a single bitstream is transmitted over a large number of closely-spaced orthogonal subcarriers. It has been adopted for several technologies, such as Wireless Local Area Networks (WLAN), Digital Audio and Terrestrial Television Broadcasting and Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) systems. In this work, IEEE802.11a WLAN standard was implemented on Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) for being familiar with the implementation problems of OFDM systems. The algorithms that are used in the implementation were firstly built up in MATLAB environment and the performance of system was observed with a simulator developed for this purpose. The transmitter and receiver FPGA implementations, which support the transmission rates from 6 to 54 Mbps, were designed in Xilinx System Generator Toolbox for MATLAB Simulink environment. The modulation technique and the Forward Error Coding (FEC) rate used at the transmitter are automatically adjusted by the desired bitrate as BPSK, QPSK, 16QAM or 64QAM and 1/2, 2/3 or 3/4, respectively.
Trust in responsive regulation theory : a critical appraisal from a trust perspective

Trust plays an important role in Responsive Regulat ion Theory (RRT). This study critically appraises RRT from a trust perspective, using insig ht from recent trust research. Three points of critique are made. First, in RRT cooperation is equated with trust, which is outdated. Furthermore, trust based on the benign big gun is d eterrence-based trust, which nowadays is not considered trust, but low distrust. Second, wit hin he pyramid, trust and control are treated as substitutes, while recent research shows that tr ust and control are better conceptualized as complements. Third, processes of trust building and repair are underplayed. Too little attention is paid to interpersonal and reflexive co mpetencies and RRT assumes no influence of regulator generalized (dis)trust in regulatees. The conclusion is that the central role for trust in responsive regulation is as valid in 2012 as it was in 1992. Introducing insights from recent trust research helps to improve RRT.
Effect of Pressure on Electrical Conductivity and Formation Factor in Sandstone

Apart from changes due to variations in viscosity of a conducting fluid, electrical conductivity is mostly independent of pressure. However, in a porous medium deforming under changing conditions of stress and pore pressure during injection or production, the opening and closing of crack like pores can lead to changes in conductivity. We build on the theoretical work of Stesky(1986) by incorporating a crack modulus as defined by Gao and Gibson (2012) into the original equation. We show that this model is capable of describing the observed trends from pore pressure cycling experiments. Further experimental work is required to validate this model but the parameters can in theory be estimated from both electrical and sonic data. The integration of these two datasets is of interest due to its role in mass quantification during carbon capture and storage (CCS). Drawing on two different datasets offers to combat nonuniqueness of modeled crack parameters.
Effects of domestic cooking on enzyme activities, bioactives and antioxidant capacities in mini-ear supersweet corn

Sweet corn is a rich source of bioactives. Naulthong (Zea mays L. var saccharata Bailey) is new hybrid bicolor mini-ear supersweet corn. The Naulthong corn was prepared in whole-ear and cut-piece forms, boiled (ca. 100oC), atmospheric-steamed (ca. 100oC), and pressure-steamed (ca. 15 lb/in2, 121oC) for 4-20 min, and subsequently determined for lipoxygenase (LOX) and peroxidase (POD) activities. It was found that both enzyme activities were inactivated more effectively in kernels than in cobs. It was worth noting that LOX activity was completely inactivated by the three cooking methods at 8 min, regardless of serving form, while POD in cobs needed longer times of 12 and 16 min to inactivate for cut-piece and whole-ear corn, respectively. The corn on the cob of both serving styles was cooked at the selected cooking times using the three cooking methods, then, the edible part (corn kernels) was investigated for physical and chemical attributes. It was found that all cooked kernels had visually brighter color with higher redness (a*) and yellowness (b*, p≤0.05). There was no significant difference in lightness (p>0.05). Boiling caused more effective heat transfer and leaching, resulting in the lowest firmness and total soluble solids (p≤0.05). The two steaming methods showed no significantly different color and firmness. In both serving forms, atmospheric-steamed kernels had higher lutein, zeaxanthin, ferulic acid, total phenolic contents, and antioxidant capacities than those of pressure-steamed and boiled kernels. Boiling resulted in reduction of antioxidant capacities by means of DPPH and ABTS assays, but not for FRAP assay. Steaming at normal pressure, rather than at high pressure, is endorsed for corn cooking in order to maximize health benefits from the delivery of bioactives.
Organizational Role Alliance in Quality Management Effectiveness Perceptions

The objective of this study was to determine if differences exist between managers and non-managers in their perceptions of the quality management achievement in their organizations. A secondary objective was to determine if the areas of misalignment were associated with lower quality management achievement scores than the scores indicated for the areas in alignment. A survey instrument, designed to measure the level of quality management achievement, was administered to the 130 employees of three companies, all part of one corporation. Sample t tests and the Whitney-Mann U tests were used to compare the responses between management and non-management groups. Although there were differences in responses for several of the individual questions, in aggregate, there were no misalignments found between managers and non-managers in their perceptions of the effectiveness of their organization’s quality management system for any of the seven constructs evaluated by this study. This may indicate that a successfully implemented quality management program increases the degree of alliance between managers and non-managers in an organization. Moreover, there is the possibility that the implementation of an effective quality management system can produce results visible enough to counteract the natural misalignment between managers and non-managers. The findings of this study provide practical guidelines to increase alliance in an organization and suggest that investing in improving quality management may provide organizational advantages not previously attributed to quality management achievement.
Validation of massively parallel free-surface SPH simulations of gravity-driven flow and partitioning dynamics at complex fracture intersections

Flow velocities of water in porous geological media generally do not exceed a few millimeters per day. However, tectonic stresses commonly induce the formation of discontinuities, i.e. fractures, which allow much higher flow velocities. In the case of vertical, gravity-driven flows, this leads to a pronounced deviation from classical volume-effective descriptions and complicates the prediction of water movement for example in the context of nuclear waste repository sites, mining industry and in general water resources management. On fracture-scales the spatial and temporal distribution of flow modes and its influence on travel time distributions is still not very well understood. The complex interplay of flow modes such as droplets, rivulets, turbulent and adsorbed films and its relation to the geometrical properties of the system is difficult to model and requires efficient numerical methods. We conducted laboratoryscale percolation experiments of multiphase (free-surface) flow through synthetic fracture systems. The setup allows us to obtain travel time distributions and identify characteristic flow mode distributions on wide aperture fractures intercepted by horizontal fracture elements. The effect of flow mode formation on fracture partitioning dynamics is demonstrated.
Identification of urban structures on regular squared grids with the help of spatial calculus

Pixel classification into landscape categories is a common task since the development of remote sensing. Many approaches such as Markov field classification are often used, and enable to create urban atlases. However, these techniques are not adequate to analyse urban structures at the city scale, as they are local. This paper presents a post-processing method to transform labelled pixels into urban structures. The method identifies urban 'morphotypes' that are assembled into urban structures. Then the graphical language of 'chorems' is used to represent the structures graphically.