Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Modelling impacts of climate and weather extremes on wheat cropping systems across New South Wales

Investigating the relationships between climate extremes and crop yield can help us understand how unfavourable climatic conditions affect crop production. In this study, two statistical models, multiple linear regression and random forest, were used to identify rainfall extremes indices affecting wheat yield in 3 different regions of the New South Wales wheat belt. The results show that the random forest model explained 41%-67% of the year-to-year yield variation, whereas the multiple linear regression model explained 34%-58%. In the two models, 3-month timescale Standardized precipitation index of Jun.-Aug. (SPIJJA), Sep.-Nov. (SPISON), and consecutive dry days (CDD) were identified as the three most important indices which can explain yield variability for most of the wheat belt. Our results indicated that the inter-annual variability of rainfall in winter and spring was largely responsible for wheat yield variation, and pre-growing season rainfall played a secondary role. Frequent shortages of rainfall posed a greater threat to crop growth than excessive rainfall in eastern Australia. We concluded that the comparison between multiple linear regression and machine learning algorithm proposed in the present study would be useful to provide robust prediction of yields and new insights of the effects of various rainfall extremes, when suitable climate and yield datasets are available.
Multiple Coulomb scattering of ultrarelativistic charged particles incident at small angles to crystallographic surfaces

It is shown that if an ultrarelativistic charged particle intersects crystallographic planes at a sufficiently small angle . cap alpha. , the mean square angle of its deviation in the plane perpendicular to the crystallographic plane decreases in comparison with the case of an amorphous material or of a crystal in the case of large . cap alpha. The effect depends on the temperature, and its magnitude can reach 10--20%.
Extracellular-vesicles delivered tumor-specific sequential nanocatalysts can be used for MRI-informed nanocatalytic Therapy of hepatocellular carcinoma

Background: Conventional therapeutic strategies for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains a great challenge, therefore the alternative therapeutic modality for specific and efficient HCC suppression is urgently needed. Methods: In this work, HCC-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) were applied as surface nanocarrier for sequential nanocatalysts GOD-ESIONs@EVs (GE@EVs) of tumor-specific and cascade nanocatalytic therapy against HCC. By enhancing the intracellular endocytosis through arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD)-targeting effect and membrane fusion, sequential nanocatalysts led to more efficient treatment in the HCC tumor region in a shorter period of time. Results: Through glucose consumption as catalyzed by the loaded glucose oxidase (GOD) to overproduce hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), highly toxic hydroxyl radicals were generated by Fenton-like reaction as catalyzed by ESIONs, which was achieved under the mildly acidic tumor microenvironment, enabling the stimuli of the apoptosis and necrosis of HCC cells. This strategy demonstrated the high active-targeting capability of GE@EVs into HCC, achieving highly efficient tumor suppression both in vitro and in vivo. In addition, the as-synthesized nanoreactor could act as a desirable nanoscale contrast agent for magnetic resonance imaging, which exhibited desirable imaging capability during the sequential nanocatalytic treatment. Conclusion: This application of surface-engineering EVs not only proves the high-performance catalytic therapeutic modality of GE@EVs for HCC, but also broadens the versatile bio-applications of EVs.
A Comparative Investigation on Optimization Techniques for Optimal Penetration of Distribution Generators in Power System Application

In deregulation of power system, different regulatory units, environmental concerns and economic concerns have lead to the penetration of Distributed Generation (DG) in power system. When DGs are penetrated, various parameters like DG technology, optimal size, optimal location, and its impact on various operating characteristics such electrical losses, voltage profile, stability and reliability of power system are to be monitored. The performance of DG penetration depends largely upon the selection of the optimal parameter values. Special optimizing techniques used to evaluate optimal value of parameter in context of heuristic nature of variable. A literature review has been carried out on different optimal technique used to optimize parameter values. The authors have reviewed various definitions related to DG and conventional and non conventional technologies on which DG are based. Various issues regarding DG integration have been discussed. Exhaustive reviews of many optimization techniques have been done for optimal location and size of DG.
Experimental Investigation of Local Dynamics in a Bolted Lap Joint Using Digital Image Correlation

The dynamics of structures with joints commonly show nonlinearity in their responses. This nonlinear behaviour can arise from the local dynamics of the contact interfaces. The nonlinear mechanisms at an interface are complicated to study due to the lack of observability within the contact interface itself. In this work, Digital Image Correlation (DIC) is used in combination with a high-speed camera to observe the local motion at the edge of the interface of a bolted lap joint. Results demonstrate that it is possible to use this technique to monitor the localised motion of an interface successfully. It is observed that the two beam parts of the studied lap joint separate when undergoing bending vibrations, and that there is a clear asymmetry in the response of the left and the right end of the interface. Profilometry indicates that the asymmetry in the response is due to the mesoscale topography of the contact interface, highlighting the importance of accounting for surface features in order to model the nonlinearities of a contact interface accurately. ∗Address all correspondence to this author.
Coping Measurement in the Sports Context: A Systematic Review

This paper consists in a systematic review of the literature concerning the measurement of coping in athletes, based on the identification of the related instruments developed and adapted to the sporting context and their psychometric properties. Therefore, were explored the databases Scopus, Web of Science, PsycInfo, Scielo and Virtual Health Library to promote a systematization of the survey of articles published between 2008 and 2017. Thus, 65 empirical articles were identified with measuring instruments of the coping construct in sports, with an emphasis on competitive situations. Among this, 65 identified instruments, 10 were developed and adapted specially for athletes and presented good psychometric properties that ensured accuracy and reliability. It is imperative to highlight the need to expand the number of longitudinal and qualitative studies on coping in sports, as well as the development of instruments.
Der Einfluss einer verbesserten Usability auf Konversionsraten

Conversion rate optimization is one of the top priorities for numerous online businesses. Companies want to optimize the number of purchases, email sign ups, registrations or other website performances. Nevertheless, when trying to increase the conversion rate they often neglect the usability aspect of the website. In this thesis, we examine whether improvements in the usability of a website also lead to an increased conversion rate. In order to analyze this issue, we decided to run a series of A/B tests on the job searching portal Profesia.sk. After locating a usability issue, we proposed and developed a solution. Furthermore, we split the traffic in two halves and displayed the improved version of the website only to one half of the users. After reaching a significant sample size, we stopped the experiment and compared the conversion rates of both versions. By using the A/B testing method, we were certain that the differences in conversion rates were caused by modifications that we made and not due to seasonal trends or coincidence. In the majority of our experiments, we considered a conversion to be sending an application to a job offer. The results of the experiments proved that there is a correlation between usability and conversion rate. Although in some experiments there was only a negligible shift in the conversion rate, especially in experiments which handled a serious usability flaw, the improved versions performed significantly better. In this thesis, we showed that enhancing usability leads to a higher conversion rate.
The Main Nutrient Components and Health Care Function of Sweet Potato

Sweet potato is the main crop for food, fodder and industrial material in the world. It is planted in more than 100 countries which are in the tropics and subtropics. Sweet potato is rich in nutrition and nutrient balance. Its nutrient value is no fewer than rice and wheat flour. This paper focused on the main nutrient components and their chemical composition of sweet potato roots and vines, and made a brief introduction on the health care function and medicinal value for different nutrient components such as carotene, VB1,VB2, VC, VE, editable fiber, minerals (K, Ca, Fe, P and Se), dehydroepiandrosterone, slime protein, quasi female hormone et al., in order to make people learn more about the diversity and healthy care function of nutrient components of sweet potato.
DETERMINING THE PRESENCE OF THE FIG MOSAIC VIRUS (FMV) IN THREE VARIETIES OF Ficus carica L. IN COSTA RICA

Fig is a fruit tree with medicinal and nutritional properties. In Costa Rica, the production of this crop has been promoted in order to stimulate the agricultural diversification. However, conscious of the international problematic caused by the presence of the Fig Mosaic Virus (FMV) assays have been performed to the variety “Brown Turkey”, present in Costa Rica, which presented negative results for pathogenicity. Consequently, it was considered necessary to establish standardized protocols which allow the microscopic and molecular diagnostics of other figs varieties in the country. In this context, the present research evaluates the efficiency of using diagnostic tools including diagnosis through symptoms, Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and using molecular assays through PCR with previous retro transcription (RTPCR) which detected a 302 bp fragment of the FMV RNA-1 in two varieties of fig, corresponding to "Brogiotto Bianco" and "Negro San Juan", using the cultivar “Brown Turkey” as a negative control for the pathogenicity. Through these assays it was possible to determine the differences from a cytological and molecular level in the varieties when compared to the control; evidencing the characteristic symptoms of the studied virus and the amplification of the viral fragment, and hence, indicating that these positive material require a viral removal process before being introduced in the country.
Exploring COVID-19 Daily Records of Diagnosed Cases and Fatalities Based on Simple Nonparametric Methods

Containment strategies to combat epidemics such as SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 require the availability of epidemiological parameters, e.g., the effective reproduction number. Parametric models such as the commonly used susceptible-infected-removed (SIR) compartment models fitted to observed incidence time series have limitations due to the time-dependency of the parameters. Furthermore, fatalities are delayed with respect to the counts of new cases, and the reproduction cycle leads to periodic patterns in incidence time series. Therefore, based on comprehensible nonparametric methods including time-delay correlation analyses, estimates of crucial parameters that characterise the COVID-19 pandemic with a focus on the German epidemic are presented using publicly available time-series data on prevalence and fatalities. The estimates for Germany are compared with the results for seven other countries (France, Italy, the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Spain, Switzerland, and Brazil). The duration from diagnosis to death resulting from delay-time correlations turns out to be 13 days with high accuracy for Germany and Switzerland. For the other countries, the time-to-death durations have wider confidence intervals. With respect to the German data, the two time series of new cases and fatalities exhibit a strong coherence. Based on the time lag between diagnoses and deaths, properly delayed asymptotic as well as instantaneous fatality–case ratios are calculated. The temporal median of the instantaneous fatality–case ratio with time lag of 13 days between cases and deaths for Germany turns out to be 0.02. Time courses of asymptotic fatality–case ratios are presented for other countries, which substantially differ during the first half of the pandemic but converge to a narrow range with standard deviation 0.0057 and mean 0.024. Similar results are obtained from comparing time courses of instantaneous fatality–case ratios with optimal delay for the 8 exemplarily chosen countries. The basic reproduction number, R0, for Germany is estimated to be between 2.4 and 3.4 depending on the generation time, which is estimated based on a delay autocorrelation analysis. Resonances at about 4 days and 7 days are observed, partially attributable to weekly periodicity of sampling. The instantaneous (time-dependent) reproduction number is estimated from the incident (counts of new) cases, thus allowing us to infer the temporal behaviour of the reproduction number during the epidemic course. The time course of the reproduction number turns out to be consistent with the time-dependent per capita growth.
A comparison of sib-pair linkage tests for disease susceptibility loci

: An analytical study is conducted of the properties of statistical tests to detect linkage between a disease locus and a very polymorphic marker locus when data on sib pairs are available. In most instances the most powerful test is the test based on the mean number of marker alleles shared identical by descent by the two members of a sib pair, and the most efficient sampling strategy is almost always to sample only pairs with both sibs affected. We show it is valid to use the information from all possible sib pairs as though they came from separate families when data on sibships of size three or larger are available, though more power may be obtained if different weights are given to the different sibship sizes.
Big Data and Technology Evolution in the IoT Industry

The present study aims to better understand how and to what extent the different dimensions of Big Data can offer insights on technology evolution. By using a patent analytics perspective, in this paper, we introduce a novel approach based on co-words analysis using the abstracts of 170,279 European patents in the Internet of Things (IoT) field published from 2011 to 2019. In so doing, we map and visualize an industry’s technology structure, development, and trends, as well as disentangle the IoT technology conceptual structure, highlighting its core and boundary concepts. This is the first study that applies a decomposition framework to clarify the determinants of IoT inventions, showing relevant changes in the focus of IoT technology overtime. By shedding light on the evolutionary dynamics of the field, this research offers a valuable contribution to the technology innovation literature.
Sensorial quality test in Cymbopogon citratus – Stapf. L

The lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus – Stapf. L) is a perennial grass belonging to family Poaceae and grouped under genus Cymbopogon. It is of indigenous origin and is a medicinal and aromatic plant. In general aromatic, flavors, flavonoids, and essential oil give aroma/smell to the lemongrass extract. The lemongrass has a very extensive required in food, therapeutic and flavoring making during ambient conditions. But it is not stored as fresh for a long time at ambient condition because of it rotten after long periods. The main characteristic losses to facilitate transpire next to storage is transform in color, texture, and flavor. The herbs, sealed in polyethylene bags, were stored at 4 °C for 12 days. The sensory valuation of quality characteristics color, texture, and flavor, on a scale of 1 to 5 was done in the 1st, 5th, 8th and 12th day. The results indicated that aroma of lemongrass powder extract scores in the initial day 7.25; later on a sensory profile was showed by the aroma of lemongrass powder extract score decrease from 7.82 to 7.50 during the 5th day using e-nose followed by 9 points Hedonic score method. The taste acuity possesses in all the days represent as 1% lemongrass powder altitude was improved in quality for preparation of tea/extract as resolute by the basis of 9 points Hedonic score method. This was also maintained and evaluate sensory test in triplicates manner along the storage period there were no statistically significant differences for any of the parameters understudies in the days has been determined.
Dialog Act Classification for Vietnamese Spoken Text

— Systems, which use the conversational interface to interact with users such as chat-bots, virtual personal assistants, recommendation systems and automatic customer care systems and so on, are getting popular in our life. A significant challenge in designing and building those systems is how to effectively determine the user intents from the user’s speech interactions. In particular, determining dialog act is the first step in determining user intent. Dialog act recognition has widely studied in many different languages but in Vietnamese, there are few studies. In this paper, we present an attempt on dialog act recognition for Vietnamese conversational text. We adopt a machine learning approach by using maximum entropy model on Vietnamese conversational dataset labelled dialog act based on ISO 24617-2 standard. The achieved result is 70.80% that satisfy for practical applications.
Mathematics and string theory

Non-commutative differential geometry, whose foundations were laid by A. Comaes, is u new area. of mathematical research with a big potential for development. A natural field of application for the ideas of non-commutative geometry is the study of geometric _ structum_ azising from quantum physics. A natural tool to study these is the Pfafflan on infinite dimensional spaces [JL]. Quantization of classical spaces leads to examples of both "finite (p-summable) and ixffinite dimensional (O-surmnable) non-con_nutative (quantum)
VTR 8: High Performance CAD and Customizable FPGA Architecture Modelling

KEVIN E. MURRAY, University of Toronto, Canada OLEG PETELIN, University of Toronto, Canada SHENG ZHONG, University of Toronto, Canada JIA MIN WANG, University of Toronto, Canada MOHAMED ELDAFRAWY, University of Toronto, Canada JEAN-PHILIPPE LEGAULT, University of New Brunswick, Canada EUGENE SHA, University of Toronto, Canada AARON G. GRAHAM, University of New Brunswick, Canada JEAN WU, University of Toronto, Canada MATTHEW J. P. WALKER, University of Toronto, Canada HANQING ZENG, University of Toronto, Canada PANAGIOTIS PATROS, University of New Brunswick, Canada JASON LUU, Intel Programmable Solutions Group, Canada KENNETH B. KENT, University of New Brunswick, Canada VAUGHN BETZ, University of Toronto, Canada
Problems to be solved and Technological Evolution of Magnetic Recording Media

Magnetic recording medium using metal thin film has been developed by both wet and dry plating deposition. In this paper, dry deposition, especially, physical vapor deposition is focused. Preliminary sputtered disk for longitudinal magnetic recording was developed in the 1970s. In the five patents spanning the evolution of longitudinal recording media from its early stages to the end of its development, the transforming of a single magnetic layer into a multilayer was proposed to reduce media noise and thermal fluctuation. This was a trend that included at least three inventive principles such as “Segmentation of the recording layer and underlayer,” “Move to a new dimension,” and “Composite materials. ”
Effect of Previously Assigned Goals on Self-Set Goals and Performance

Abstract : Subjects were assigned goals, ranging from easy to impossible, on one trial and then allowed to choose their own goals on the next trial. Subjects felt a high degree of freedom of choice on the latter trial and tended to choose harder goals if their earlier assigned goals had been easy and to choose goals if their previously assigned goals had been hard. Despite these changes, subjects were heavily influenced in their self-set goals by their previously assigned goals. Performance on both trials was determined by ability, goal level, goal squared (quadratic trend), goal acceptance, and by a goal-ability interaction. (Author)
Effect of red seaweed Kappaphycus alvarezii based feed additive on feed intake, nutrient utilization and nitrogen balance in lactating crossbred cows

The present study was conducted to see the effect of supplementation of Kappaphycus alvarezii based seaweed product on feed intake, nutrient digestibility and nitrogen balance in crossbred cattle. In this study, 18 lactating crossbred (Karan fries) cows were divided into 3 groups of 6 animals each based on milk yield, body weight, parity and days in milk. The cows in treatment T1 were fed rations as per their nutrient requirements. The cows in treatments T2 and T3 were fed the similar rations in control (T1), however, the diets were supplemented with K. alverazii based sea weed powder (K. alvarezii powder: Gracilaria salicornia powder: K. alvarezii sap powder in 1: 1: 1 ratio) @ 1.5 and 3% of ration (on dry matter basis), respectively. The study lasted for 150 days. The feed intake, digestibility of nutrients and nitrogen balance were not influenced by sea weed powder supplementation.
Particle-laden Taylor–Couette flows: higher-order transitions and evidence for azimuthally localized wavy vortices

Abstract We extend upon the known flow transitions in neutrally buoyant particle-laden Taylor–Couette flows by accessing higher suspension Reynolds numbers $(Re_{{susp}} \sim O(10^3))$ in a geometry with radius ratio $\eta = 0.917$ and aspect ratio $\varGamma = 21.67$. Flow transitions for several particle volume fractions ($0 \leq \phi \leq 0.40$) are investigated by means of flow visualization experiments, in a flow driven by a rotating inner cylinder. Despite higher effective ramp rates, we observe non-axisymmetric patterns, such as spirals, in the presence of particles. A novel observation in our experiments is the azimuthally localized wavy vortex flow, characterized by waviness present on a fraction of the otherwise axisymmetric Taylor vortices. The existence of this flow state suggests that in addition to the already established, destabilizing effect of particles, they may also inhibit the growth of instabilities. Flow topologies corresponding to higher-order transitions in particle-laden suspensions appear to be qualitatively similar to those observed in single-phase flows. A key difference, however, is the visible reduction in the appearance of a second, incommensurate frequency at higher particle loadings, which could have implications for the onset of chaos. Simultaneous torque measurements allow us to estimate an empirical scaling law between the Nusselt number ($Nu_{\omega }$), the Taylor number ($Ta$) and the relative viscosity ($\chi ^{e}): Nu_{\omega } \propto Ta^{0.24} \chi ^{e \, 0.41}$. The scaling exponent of $Ta$ is non-trivially independent of the particle loading. Apparently, particles do not trigger a qualitative change in the nature of angular momentum transfer between the cylinders.