Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
On two predictive models for the vertical swell percentage of expansive clays

The general swelling model (termed the W-Model) based on local Israeli research has recently been updated by applying the Excel-solver command (ESC) analysis to new local test results obtained from 897 undisturbed specimens. In this analysis, the goodness-of-fit statistics classify the category of their associated regression only as fair. Thus, it seems necessary to explore the possibility of enhancing the outputs of this regression analysis by following the formulation of another existing model, in the present case that of the U.S. Corps of Engineers (termed the CE-Model), by again applying the ESC analysis to these new local test results. The statistical fit of the new CE-Models is shown to be slightly superior to the W-Models. However, in terms of practical implementation, no preference can be assigned to one of these two models although a preference model is suggested. This study concludes with the analysis of issues concerning equilibrium suction variations with depth, and their dependence on pavement-sealing capacities.
Exchange of Heat in The Process of HMA Compaction

During its laying out, asphalt mix temperature is not homogeneous. The losses of heat, apart from the aspect of mass cooling during transportation, result from climatic and weather conditions (the temperature and air humidity, wind, rainfall, etc.), roller compaction operation and manner (type, frequency of passes, etc.), water (technological and that contained in lower layers of the structure), and profile location. Based on the rights governing heat exchange processes, the distribution of the temperature in a layer may be anticipated. This facilitates proper planning of the compaction process and getting required densities.
LFM-CW signal generator based on hybrid DDS-PLL structure

A new method of predistortion to improve the qualities of the wideband LFM-CW signal generated by a hybrid DDS-PLL generator is introduced. The purpose of the predistortion is to reduce the phase error in the output without any increasing of the complexity. A circuit is designed and realised to generate wideband LFM-CW. With the predistortion, the maximum phase error is depressed to be less than 5°, and the PLSR of the compression with Hamming weighting is improved to be better than °37dB.
The New Blue and Green Water Paradigm: Breaking New Ground for Water Resources Planning and Management

The production of biomass for direct human use—e.g., as food and timber—is by far the largest freshwater-consuming human activity on Earth. However, water policy and development concentrate on a fraction of the water for food challenge, namely, irrigated agriculture, which uses an estimated 25% of the global water used in agriculture, and on the industrial and domestic water supply, which corresponds to less than 10% of direct human water requirements considering only water for food, domestic use, and industry . The reason that biomass production so strongly outclasses other water-dependent processes is that water is one key element involved in plant growth. Simultaneous with the photosynthesis process, when stomata in the foliage open to take in carbon dioxide, large amounts of water are being consumed as transpiration flow and released as vapor from the plant canopy. Furthermore, this productive flow of vapor is accompanied by nonproductive evaporative losses of water from soil, ponded water, and intercepted water from foliage surfaces . Together, vapor fluxes as evaporation and transpiration, here defined as green-water flow, constitute the total consumptive water use in biomass production. Addressing the millennium development goal MDG of halving the proportion of malnourished people in the world by 2015, today amounting to a shocking 800 million people, is thus not only a tremendous agricultural endeavor but is also the world’s largest water-resource challenge. Hunger alleviation will require no less than a new Green revolution during the next 30 years, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. As stated by Conway 1997 , the challenge is to achieve a green-green revolution, which compared with the first green revolution that lifted large parts of Asia out of an imminent hunger crisis in the 1960s and 1970s, will have to be founded on principles of environmental sustainability. As suggested by Falkenmark and Rockstrom 2004 , there is a third green dimension to a new agricultural revolution, since the focus will have to be on upgrading rain-fed agriculture, which entails increasing the use of the portion of rainfall that infiltrates the soil and is accessible by plants to generate vapor flow in support of biomass growth. This triply green revolution will require huge quantities of freshwater as vapor flow from the soil, through plants to the atmosphere. It raises the question of what eradicating hunger will in fact imply for water-resources planning and management.
White matter damage in patients with mild cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease.

Background This study investigates the correlation between white matter structural damage and cognitive impairment in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Methods A total of 40 patients with PD were divided into two groups, i.e., a mild cognitive impairment (PD-MCI) and a normal cognitive (PDN) group, and 20 healthy patients were enrolled as the control group. Changes in the white matter structure of patients with PD were evaluated using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), and cognitive function was evaluated using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scale and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Finally, the correlations between the two groups were analyzed. Results The Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale score was significantly higher in the PD-MCI than in the PDN group (P=0.008). The total MoCA and MMSE scores in the PD-MCI group were significantly lower than in the PDN and control groups (P<0.01). Patients in PDMCI group were tested by MMSE scale, and the abnormal score rate was 60.0%. Among them, 8 PD patients with normal MMSE total score were found to have mild cognitive impairment by MoCA evaluation. When compared with the PDN and control groups, the MoCA scores for visual space, which is assessed as part of the MoCA scale and generally represents bilateral parietal function; naming; memory; and attention were significantly lower in the PD-MCI group (P<0.001). When compared with the PDN group, the fractional anisotropy (FA) values for the right parietal and left occipital lobes were significantly lower in the PD-MCI group (P=0.005; P=0.018). The relationship between MoCA value and right parietal white matter and left occipital white matter was 0.555, 0.474, respectively. A Pearson's correlation test was conducted to compare the FA values and MoCA scores of the various brain areas in the PD-MCI group and revealed a significant positive correlation between the MoCA score and the white matter of the right parietal and left occipital lobes (P<0.01). Conclusions Patients with PD experience early cognitive impairment, and the MoCA scale can be used for early screening. In addition, the DTI of white matter can highlight early white matter damage. In the current study, the damaged brain areas displayed by DTI were consistent with areas showing decreased MoCA scores and were positively correlated with the severity of PD.
Introducing a novel FDG synthesis method in Iran based on alkaline hydrolysis

18F-FDG PET/CT is commonly used for evaluation and diagnostic of many types of cancer, such as; tumor diagnosis, treatment monitoring, and radiation therapy planning. Accurate diagnostic is needed in meticulous patient preparation, including restrictions of diet and activity and management of blood glucose levels in diabetic patients, as well as an awareness of the effect of medications and environmental conditions. All of these conditions play important roles toward obtaining good-quality images, which are essential for accurate interpretation. This article introduces the new synthesis and quality control method for obtaining the best quality FDG which is used as radiopharmaceutical. All the reactions are carried out and completed in one reaction vessel without any replacement. The paper is including details of synthesis, quality control and transportation step. It is the first time that the alkaline FDG synthesis is introducing by details in Iran. K E Y W O R D S
Candidate gene (PHA-E) and phytohemagglutinin content in snap bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.): an association study

Abstract Snap bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is low in fat and high in nutrients; however, it also contains toxigenic factors such as phytohemagglutinin (PHA), which is poisonous to humans. Here, we aimed to determine the distribution of PHA in natural populations of snap bean by analyzing a candidate gene (PHA-E) related to PHA content. Functional genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were then scanned to identify SNPs related to PHA content. A total of 150 snap bean varieties were examined. PHA content and PHA-E expression levels were determined 10, 14, 18, 22, 26 and 30 days after anthesis. Then, association analyses were carried out to identify causal SNPs in PHA-E via genotyping and association tests. PHA-E expression was positively-correlated with PHA content. Among 59 detected SNPs, the ratio of synonymous to nonsynonymous changes was 1:8. P190 was identified as a novel SNP associated with PHA content. The allele carrying the GG genotype at P190 was detected in 130 varieties, of which 86 had an above-average PHA content, while the allele carrying the AA genotype at P190 was detected in 20 varieties, of which 17 (85%) had a low PHA content. Analyses of the PHA content and gene expression in fresh pods of 150 snap bean cultivars revealed population-level distribution and genetic variation, providing a unique measure for screening of low-level or nontoxic cultivars and aiding future breeding of new cultivars. Supplemental data for this article is available online at https://doi.org/10.1080/13102818.2021. 1985613.
Improvement in quality of life following a multidisciplinary rehabilitation program for patients with Parkinson’s disease

Background: Parkinson’s disease follows a chronic course, and therefore quality of life is important to assess in relation to rehabilitation programs for persons with the disease. Aim: To examine whether a brief rehabilitation program can promote positive changes in functional status, general self-efficacy, and quality of life and to examine factors associated with changes in quality of life. Methods: Patients with Parkinson’s disease (n=83) completed the General Self-Efficacy Scale and the Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire at the beginning of a rehabilitation program and at three weeks follow-up. Within-person changes were analyzed with paired t-tests. A hierarchical linear regression was conducted to assess the independent associations between the independent variables and changes in quality of life during the three weeks program, while adjusting for the covariance between the independent variables. Results: Patients reported higher functional status (d=0.37, p<0.001), general self-efficacy (d =0.28, p<0.01), and quality of life (d=0.32, p<0.001) at three weeks follow-up, compared to their baseline scores. The regression analysis showed that having a better initial functional status (β =−0.26, p<0.05) and lower quality of life (β =0.51, p<0.001) were associated with more improvements in quality of life. Conclusion: The study suggests that actual functioning in persons with Parkinson’s disease is a better predictor of improved quality of life than self-efficacy beliefs and that those who have lower levels of initial quality of life benefit more from rehabilitation.
Soluble brain homogenates from diverse human and mouse sources preferentially seed diffuse Aβ plaque pathology when injected into newborn mouse hosts.

Background Seeding of pathology related to Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Lewy body disease (LBD) by tissue homogenates or purified protein aggregates in various model systems has revealed prion-like properties of these disorders. Typically, these homogenates are injected into adult mice stereotaxically. Injection of brain lysates into newborn mice represents an alternative approach of delivering seeds that could direct the evolution of amyloid-β (Aβ) pathology co-mixed with either tau or α-synuclein (αSyn) pathology in susceptible mouse models. Methods Homogenates of human pre-frontal cortex were injected into the lateral ventricles of newborn (P0) mice expressing a mutant humanized amyloid precursor protein (APP), human P301L tau, human wild type αSyn, or combinations thereof. The homogenates were prepared from AD and AD/LBD cases displaying variable degrees of Aβ pathology and co-existing tau and αSyn deposits. Behavioral assessments of APP transgenic mice injected with AD brain lysates were conducted. For comparison, homogenates of aged APP transgenic mice that preferentially exhibit diffuse or cored deposits were similarly injected into the brains of newborn APP mice. Results We observed that lysates from the brains with AD (Aβ+, tau+), AD/LBD (Aβ+, tau+, αSyn+), or Pathological Aging (Aβ+, tau-, αSyn-) efficiently seeded diffuse Aβ deposits. Moderate seeding of cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) was also observed. No animal of any genotype developed discernable tau or αSyn pathology. Performance in fear-conditioning cognitive tasks was not significantly altered in APP transgenic animals injected with AD brain lysates compared to nontransgenic controls. Homogenates prepared from aged APP transgenic mice with diffuse Aβ deposits induced similar deposits in APP host mice; whereas homogenates from APP mice with cored deposits induced similar cored deposits, albeit at a lower level. Conclusions These findings are consistent with the idea that diffuse Aβ pathology, which is a common feature of human AD, AD/LBD, and PA brains, may arise from a distinct strain of misfolded Aβ that is highly transmissible to newborn transgenic APP mice. Seeding of tau or αSyn comorbidities was inefficient in the models we used, indicating that additional methodological refinement will be needed to efficiently seed AD or AD/LBD mixed pathologies by injecting newborn mice.
Physical Determinants of Golf Swing Performance: Considerations for Youth Golfers

ABSTRACT In the sport of golf, club head speed has been associated with higher skill levels in golfers and lower overall scoring. Research has shown that club head speed is an important measure of golf swing performance that can be enhanced with appropriate strength and conditioning interventions. Understanding the determinants of club head speed can help inform the design of testing batteries for talent identification and talent development of youth golfers. This review aims to highlight the current literature surrounding the biomechanical and physical determinants of golf swing performance and to examine the available tests that can be used to test these determinants in youth golfers.
Cost Effective Repair Techniques for Turbine Airfoils. Volume 2

Abstract : A program was conducted to establish cost effective repair procedures for conventionally cast turbine airfoils. Components selected for repair were the TF39 first and second stage turbine vanes and the TF39 first stage turbine blade as determined by a Phase I survey of ALC centers. Processes investigated include Activated Diffusion Healing (ADH) of turbine vanes and Activated Diffusion Bonding (ADB) of turbine blades by the mini-bond process. Pilot line processing of Stage I HPT blades provided an unsatisfactory yield due to a need for process control improvements. Action was taken to revise the Stage I HPT blade program to include use of MTL's new and improved mini-bonder and to try furnace ADB for additional attempts at bonding squealer tips and end caps to blade airfoils to obtain higher yields. TF39 Stage I HPT vanes and TF39 Stage II HPT vanes were successfully processed through ADH repair by the Manufacturing Technology Laboratory and shipped to the General Electric Aviation Service Shop in Cincinnati for final processing and inspection. Representative components of each stage were subjected to 1000 'C' cycles in a TF39 engine test vehicle, inspected, and then evaluated to determine the degree of success for each repair.
A multistandard dual‐mode fully‐integrated miniature, low‐power‐consumption 860–960 MHz CMOS RFID reader for mobile communications, sensing, and networking

A fully‐integrated single‐chip radio frequency identification (RFID) reader consisting of zero‐IF receiver, direct up‐conversion transmitter, sigma‐delta phase‐locked loop synthesizer, and modulation/demodulation (MODEM) module has been developed using 0.18 μm CMOS process.The RFID reader operates from 860–960 MHz in steps of 100/200 kHz, supporting a multiband global standard suitable for USA, Europe, and Korea for both passive and active communication. It is specifically designed to achieve small size, low spur levels, low power consumption, and complete integration while meeting requirements for short‐range applications. The developed reader exhibits transmitting output power of −7.4 dBm controllable over 15 dB range, receiver's P1dB of −7 dBm, sensitivity of −70 dBm, and IF spectral purity of more than 46.4 dBc at frequencies greater than 140.625 Hz away. The complete RFID reader including transmitter, receiver, synthesizer, ADC, DAC, and MODEM occupies 10.9 mm2 and consumes 116.18 mW. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 54:2487–2491, 2012; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.27117
Circuit representation of avalanche region of IMPATT diodes for different carrier velocities and ionisation rates of electrons and holes

A parallel resonant circuit representing the small-signal behaviour of the avalanche region of IMPATT diodes is given. The components are calculated in a nonquasistatic manner for different ionisation rates and drift velocities of electrons and holes. With the results, the avalanche frequencies of Si, Ge and GaAs as functions of the avalanche zone width are compared.
Classification of terresrial laser scanning data based on multi-dimensional geometry features

Terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) data collected in urban scenes contain variable point densities, bringing great challenges for automatic extraction of urban objects. Aiming at the problem of the density variation of large-scale TLS data, this paper improves density-adaptive feature, and the number of projection points is replaced by relative density feature. The vertical slice feature is added into our method to form a 20-dimensional feature vector together with traditional 3D features and 2D features. Random Forest is used to identify the class of each point and evaluate the importance of each feature type. The experimental results show that the feature extraction algorithm in this paper can perform semantic segmentation on large-scale TLS data in urban scene more accurately than commonly used feature combinations, especially in man-made terrain, low vegetation, buildings, hard scape and scanning artifact classes, with an overall accuracy of 97.35%.
Field experiments on pilot symbol aided 16 QAM modems for land mobile communications

Field experimental results of the pilot symbol aided 16 QAM for land mobile communication are reported. Its performance is evaluated by determining the 50% value of the bit error rate (BER). The obtained performances are almost the same as the theoretically expected values. These results verify that 16 QAM is a practical modulation scheme for land mobile communication systems.
SPeCS - a spatial decision support collaborative system for environment design

The integration of geographic information systems (GIS), electronic meeting systems (EMS), and workflow concepts, introduces a new approach called SPeCS. Our system intends to support the aspects of multi-criteria spatial analysis within a distributed GIS with tools that can help a group to cope with their activities in this kind of project. It should aid design team members with coordination features that can vary from workflow facilities to tools that can help them achieve resoulutions which shall represent the consensus in a decision-marking process. This work presents a prototype that explores coordination in a spatial collaborative system and supports the geo-referencing of the arguments produced by the discussion involving the members of the design team. The main task of these groups is to produce a proposal for environmental preservations or changes taking into account socio-economic, climate and soil aspects.
A banked wide-angle diffuser with application to electrostatic precipitators

This article introduces a simple and robust method of achieving low-velocity, uniform flow in a wide-angle diffuser upstream of an electrostatic precipitator used to control particulate emissions. A diffuser is inherently vulnerable to boundary layer separation, which greatly deteriorates flow uniformity, adversely affecting electrostatic precipitator performance. Conventionally, two different approaches are used to prevent separation in a diffuser: either reduce the adverse pressure gradient inside the diffuser or increase near-wall fluid momentum to overcome the existing adverse pressure gradient. The present alternative simultaneously incorporates both approaches through the use of an ultra-high porosity cylinder bank and outperforms the predominant technology in terms of flow uniformity.
Aerodynamic and aero-acoustic improvement of electric motor cooling equipment

A radial flow rotor with radially aligned straight blades, used in electric motor cooling, has been considered as datum fan. The aerodynamic performance and acoustic behaviour of the datum fan have been measured, in order to establish a basis for redesign. As replacement for the datum fan, an axial flow shrouded rotor with skewed blades has iteratively been designed, involving computational fluid dynamics and computational aero-acoustics tools. The aim of redesign was reducing fan noise and moderating motor shaft power absorbed by the fan, while retaining the original cooling performance. Special flow features have been taken into consideration in three-dimensional axial rotor design, such as leakage flow in the axial clearance between the rotor shroud inlet and the perforated cover, and strong radial flow as well as deviation due to the motor shield located close downstream. The axial rotor has been manufactured via rapid prototyping. Measurements on the prototype confirmed the achievement of the redesign goal. The effect of axial clearance size on the operation of the axial rotor has been investigated by computational fluid dynamics, computational aero-acoustics and experimental means. It has been pointed out that the axial clearance size is a sensitive parameter in influencing fan aerodynamics and aero-acoustics, for which the major mechanisms, associated with the leakage flow, were qualitatively identified. Both the computational and experimental studies revealed the existence of an acoustically unfavourable clearance size, for which maximum noise emission can be expected. A semi-empirical model was outlined as starting point in prediction of cooling flow rate as a function of axial clearance size as well as other parameters.