Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A survey of applications of second-order sliding mode control to mechanical systems

The effective application of sliding mode control to mechanical systems is not straightforward because of the sensitivity of these systems to chattering. Higher-order sliding modes can counteract this phenomenon by confining the switching control to the higher derivatives of the mechanical control variable, so that the latter results are continuous. Generally, this approach requires the availability of a number of time derivatives of the sliding variable, and, in the presence of noise, this requirement could be a practical limitation. A class of second-order sliding mode controllers, guaranteeing finite-time convergence for systems with relative degree two between the sliding variable and the switching control, could be helpful both in reducing the number of differentiator stages in the controller and in dealing with unmodelled actuator dynamics. In this paper different second-order sliding mode controllers, previously presented in the literature, are shown to belong to the above cited class, and some challenging control problems involving mechanical systems are addressed and solved. Simulations and experimental results are provided throughout the paper.
TRANSMISSION LINE ANALYSIS OF APERTURE-COUPLED REFLECTARRAYS

A fast analysis of aperture-coupled reflectarrays is presented in this work in terms of transmission line model. The circuital approach is adopted to derive the phase design curve as a function of the current flowing on the equivalent impedance of the single radiating element. Computational costs are drastically reduced with respect to standard full-wave methods. Numerical and experimental validations are discussed on slot-coupled reflectarray configurations working at different operating frequencies.
Pine needle effects on in vivo and in vitro digestibility of crested wheatgrass.

In vitro and in vivo digestion trials with lambs were conducted to determine effects of ponderosa pine needles (PN; Pinus ponderosa Laws.) on digestibility of crested wheatgrass (CW; Agropyron desertorum [Link] Schultes) hay. Pine needles contained shikimic acid (15-28 mg/g) and several monomeric phenolics (p-hydroxy benzoid acid, caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid) and flavonoids. Tannin concentration exceeded assay limits (>10%) and terpenes were not found, probably due to the drying procedure. In the in vitro trial, needles were mixed with CW in 10% increments from 0% to 100%. In the in vivo trial, PN were fed to lambs as follows: (1) 0%, (2) 12.5%, (3) 25%, and (4) 50%, with the remainder of the diet as CW. In vitro organic matter digestibility (IVOMD) was regressed on level of PN in the substrate. As the proportion of PN increased, IVOMD declined cubicly (P<0.01). The IVOMD values ranged from 54% for 100% CW to 24% for 100% PN. In vivo digestibility of organic matter, neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber declined linearly (P<0.01) as PN were increased from 0% to 50% of the diet. Apparent crude protein digestibility and N retention by lambs declined cubicly (P = 0.02 and P<0.01, respectively) and urinary N increased cubicly (P<0.01) as dietary PN increased from 0% to 50%. We concluded that PN reduce in vitro and in vivo nutrient digestibility, reduced N retention by lambs, and effects were detectable even at low levels.
Antioxidant properties of essential oils extracted from three species of moroccan junipers

HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access archive for the deposit and dissemination of scientific research documents, whether they are published or not. The documents may come from teaching and research institutions in France or abroad, or from public or private research centers. L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires publics ou privés. Antioxidant properties of essential oils extracted from three species of moroccan junipers Badr Satrani, Mohamed Ghanmi, Nazik Mansouri, Nadine Amusant
How important are caseworkers - and why? New evidence from Swedish employment offices

Caseworkers at the Swedish Public Employment Office (PES) have an important role in helping the unemployed to find a job. In this study, I estimate the effect of caseworkers on jobseekers' future employment rates, earnings, and wages. To take into account that the average characteristics of the unemployed can vary between caseworkers, I only use information from local employment offices that randomly allocate caseworkers to clients. The results indicate that caseworkers have an effect on the jobseekers' future employment and earnings. For example, the probability of being employed within a year is about 13 percent higher if the caseworker is one standard deviation higher in the distribution of caseworkers. Distinctive of a successful caseworker is that they assist in job search rather than assigning their jobseekers to various training programs.
Context dependent species interaction outcomes in ant-plant protection mutualisms

Context Dependent Species Interaction Outcomes in Ant-plant Protection Mutualisms by Scott Alan Chamberlain We often study the outcomes of species interactions, whether they be predation, competition, or mutualism, at one site in a single year. However, we increasingly recognize that species interaction outcomes are not static, but context dependent by varying along many ecological axes. Here, I asked to what extent and along what axes are ant-plant protection interactions, in which plants provide rewards for ants that in turn defend plants from herbivores, context dependent. First, a meta-analytic summary of published studies on ant-plant protection interactions revealed that interaction outcomes are on average mutualistic, and context dependency occurred due to plant reward type (domatia vs food bodies vs extrafloral nectaries), ant species richness, and latitude. Second, in a case study in the Sonoran Desert, extrafloral nectar production caused context dependent mutualistic and antagonistic ant-plant interactions, despite largely commensalistic interaction outcomes. These results suggest some ecological axes resulting in context dependency in mutualisms.
Nutritional composition of fruits of Alangium salviifolium, ssp Sundanum (Miq.) Bloemp.: An underutilized edible fruit plant

The present investigation deals with the food and nutritional potential of the wild edible fruit, Alangium salviifolium, ssp sundanum (Miq.) Bloemp. consumed by Kanis, an indigenous tribal community residing in the Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve, Southern Western Ghats. Results indicated that the fruits have a high moisture content of 83.9 ± 1.49g /100g. while the mean carbohydrate content observed was 11.67g in 100g of edible portion. The energy value was 81 kcal/100 g. The ascorbic acid and Vitamin E composition noted were 62.46 mg and 0.71 mg/100g respectively. Potassium and sodium were the most abundant mineral elements analyzed. The current study emphasized the fact that the fruit of Alangium salviifolium, ssp sundanum is a potential source of the flavonoid pigments anthocyanin, and the mean value observed was 157.37 mg/100 g which is well comparable with many commercial anthocyanin-rich fruits.
Sensitive Constrained Optimal PMU Allocation with Complete Observability for State Estimation Solution

In this paper, a sensitive constrained integer linear programming approach is formulated for the optimal allocation of Phasor Measurement Units (PMUs) in a power system network to obtain state estimation. In this approach, sensitive buses along with zero injection buses (ZIB) are considered for optimal allocation of PMUs in the network to generate state estimation solutions. Sensitive buses are evolved from the mean of bus voltages subjected to increase of load consistently up to 50%. Sensitive buses are ranked in order to place PMUs. Sensitive constrained optimal PMU allocation in case of single line and no line contingency are considered in observability analysis to ensure protection and control of power system from abnormal conditions. Modeling of ZIB constraints is included to minimize the number of PMU network allocations. This paper presents optimal allocation of PMU at sensitive buses with zero injection modeling, considering cost criteria and redundancy to increase the accuracy of state estimation solution without losing observability of the whole system. Simulations are carried out on IEEE 14, 30 and 57 bus systems and results obtained are compared with traditional and other state estimation methods available in the literature, to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. Keywords—sensitive; bus; observability; phasor; measurement; pmu; state; estimation; zero; injection; zib
The Effect of Vitamin D 3 on Resistance to Stress-Related Infection in an Experimental Model of Turkey Osteomyelitis Complex 1

Male turkeys immunosuppressed by injection with dexamethasone (DEX) were given supplemental vitamin D3 in their drinking water in two experiments. In Experiment 1, vitamin D3 was supplemented at a dosage of either 2,064 IU/kg (low level) or 4,128 IU/kg (high level) in drinking water provided ad libitum only from Days 1 through 5 after hatch. In Experiment 2, vitamin D3 was provided at the low dosage for the first 5 d after hatch, followed by treatment with the high dosage for 12 h before and 12 h after each stressful event, which included weekly weighings and two DEX treatments. In both experiments, at 5 wk of age half of the birds were given intramuscular injections of 2 mg/kg DEX on 3 alternating d. In Experiment 1, 100 cfu of Escherichia coli was inoculated into the left thoracic airsac at the time of the third DEX injection. All mortalities were examined, and 10 birds per pen were necropsied 2 wk after treatment and examined for lesions of airsacculitis and turkey osteomyelitis complex (TOC). Four birds per pen were bled before necropsy, and white blood cell total counts, differential white blood cell counts, and clinical chemistry values were determined. In Experiment 2, healthy surviving birds were grown for an additional 5-wk period, after (
Unstable os odontoideum contributing to cervical myelopathy and obstructive sleep apnea

Background: Sleep apnea is characterized by repetitive cessation of breathing during sleep. It may be attributed to obstructive, central, or mixed pathologies close to the upper airway resulting in a decreased diameter of the oropharyngeal tract. Case Description: A 36-year-old male with progressive cervicomedullary myelopathy/quadriparesis exhibited obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) attributed to an anteriorly displaced os odontoideum (OO). Atlantoaxial screw-rod stabilization resulted in improvement of both neurological function and OSA. Conclusion: A symptomatic unstable OO may contribute to suboccipital pain, progressive quadriparesis, vertebrobasilar insufficiency, and OSA. Appropriate operative intervention utilizing atlantoaxial screw-rod stabilization may help to resolve these deficits.
Survey of behavioral/emotional problems in an adolescent outpatient service

Este estudo teve como objetivo identificar os principais problemas comportamentais e emocionais percebidos por adolescentes que frequentam um ambulatorio de saude. Participaram 320 adolescentes que nao estavam em atendimento psicoterapico e que responderam, na sala de espera de um ambulatorio, o Youth Self Report. O principal problema relatado foi Ansiedade/Depressao. Os meninos obtiveram escores mais altos em Problemas Sociais e mais baixos em Comportamento Delinquente; as meninas apresentaram-se com menos problemas no agrupamento Problemas Somaticos e com mais problemas em Ansiedade/Depressao. Quanto a faixa etaria, observou-se que Problemas Sociais esteve associado ao inicio da adolescencia. Quanto a incidencia, menos de um quarto dos adolescentes apresentaram-se com problemas, sugerindo que a adolescencia nao e um periodo de turbulencia. Observou-se que alguns adolescentes necessitam de uma avaliacao mais detalhada, pois relataram comportamentos indicativos de transtornos mentais. Conclui-se a necessidade de profissionais de saude mental integrarem a equipe de saude que atende adolescentes.
Price markups and R&D inputs: The pharmaceutical industry in Finland and the USA

The aim of this paper is to compare the price-cost margins in the pharmaceutical industry in Finland and USA. We employ data on the Finnish and the US pharmaceutical industry. The estimation is theoretically based on a modification of the conventional growth models and its extensions under imperfectly competitive markets. The results show that the estimated price-cost margin is 0.60-0.67 in Finland and 0.51-0.67 in the US with demand driven instruments and lagged R&D expenditure related instrument. When R&D stock is estimated and included as one production input in the model, the price-cost margin drops to 0.43-0.55 in Finland and 0.40-0.58 in the US. Therefore, differences in regulatory environments have not altered the price-cost margins in the pharmaceutical industry within these countries. Either this is due to the inefficient regulation system in Finland or it is due to the differences between market structures and competitive environment.
FINANCIAL DISTRESS AND ACCESS TO CAPITAL IN EMERGING MARKETS

In this paper I study the main determinants of successful reaccess to international capital markets on a set of emerging market countries after a financial crisis. I focus on three components of the reaccess strategy: commitment to pay, ability to pay, and global liquidity. I employ a panel of 49 countries over a nearly 30-year period and apply a simple probit approach to show that, indeed, a sound external position and a sustainable debt profile, accompanied by a favorable global liquidity environment, are the key considerations for creditors considering whether to resume lending.
Spatio-temporal images of single streamer propagation in dielectric barrier discharge

One-dimensional time-dependent numerical simulations are presented to find the discharge mechanism and illustrate the spatio-temporal images of a single streamer in the dielectric barrier discharge (DBD). Calculated results reveal that the three discharge phases of avalanche, streamer, and decay are distinguished depending on the external voltage applied to the electrodes in the DBD. At different over-voltage conditions, the time evolutions of discharge currents show distinct profiles which adequately explain the spatio-temporal variations of the single streamer in the DBD.
Parallel Numerical Algorithm for Solving Advection Equation for Coagulating Particles

In this work we present a parallel implementation of numerical algorithm solving the Cauchy problem for equation of advection of coagulating particles. This equation describes time-evolution of the concentration f(x, v, t) of particles of size v at the point x at the time-moment t. Our numerical algorithm is based on use of total variation diminishing (TVD) scheme and perfectly matching layers (PML) for approximation of advection operator along spatial coordinate x and utilization of the fast numerical method for evaluation of coagulation integrals exploiting low-rank decomposition of coagulation kernel coefficients and fast FFT-based implementation of convolution operation along particle size coordinate v. In our work we exploit one-dimensional domain decomposition approach along spatial coordinate x because it allows to avoid use of parallel FFT implementations which are very expensive in terms of data exchanges and have poor parallel scalability. Moreover, locality of finite-difference operator from TVD-scheme along x coordinate allows to obtain good scalability even for computing clusters with slow network interconnect due to modest volumes of data necessary for synchronization exchanges between times integration steps.
System for Search of Optimal Transport Routes

A problem is analyzed of further development of geographic informational systems with traffic monitoring channel (GIS-TMC) in order to present to the road users effective information about the fastest (the shortest in respect of time) routes and thus to improve use of existing city transport infrastructure. To solve this task it is suggested to create dynamic (automatically updated in real time) street passing durations base, for support of which a city transport monitoring system operating in real time is necessary consisting of a network of sensors, a data collection communications system and a data processing system. It is shown that to predict a street passing duration it is enough to measure speed of transport in the characteristic points of the street. Measurements of traffic density do not significantly improve accuracy of forecast of a street passing time. Analytical formulas are presented meant to forecast a street passing time. Ill. 1, bibl. 6 (in English; summaries in English, Russian, Lithuanian)
Perceived Stress, Wellness, and Mattering: A Profile of First-Year Citadel Cadets

Cadets (N = 234) at The Citadel (a military college for males and females in the Southeast United States) completed measures of wellness, perceived stress, and mattering during their first semester of training. Overall, wellness scores were negatively skewed. Although there were no differences in perceived stress or mattering between The Citadel cadets and a comparison group of cadets at West Point, The Citadel cadets scored higher than available norm groups on both scales. Implications for wellness programs at military colleges and counseling for beginning cadets are explored. In addition, applicability of the results for nonmilitary college students is discussed.
Object-based image analysis for the delineation of canopy gaps and individual tree crowns using multi-source data : A case study in Haliburton Forest

This thesis assessed object-based image analysis techniques using multi-source remote sensing data in order to automatically delineate canopy gaps and individual tree crowns (ITCs). Image segmentation is much more complex when conducted on data covering deciduous, un-even aged forests like those in Central Ontario. To delineate canopy gaps high spatial resolution multispectral ADS40 aerial imagery and a LiDAR CHM were assessed both separately and jointly. To delineate ITCs two commonly used segmentation approaches were assessed – region growing and watershed segmentation. Ground based measurements and manually delineated data were used as reference to evaluate results. Using multi-source data to delineate canopy gaps produced an average overall accuracy of 99.35%, whereas using the imagery and CHM individually resulted in average overall accuracies of 81.41% and 82.45%, respectively. For the delineation of ITCs, the watershed and region growing segmentations resulted in average overall accuracies of 67.5% and 65.5%, respectively.
Quantitative Tactile Examination Using Shape Memory Alloy Actuators for the Early Detection of Diabetic Neuropathy

Diabetic neuropathy (DPN) is asymptomatic in its early phases but can cause serious complications as it progresses. Most DPN tests are cumbersome and produce only qualitative assessments, and simpler approaches that yield quantitative results are needed. Techniques that allow patients to perform examinations themselves would be especially valuable. In this study, we focused on quantifying the decline in tactile sensation associated with DPN and developed a measurement device that used a thin shape memory alloy (SMA) wire as the actuator. An ON/OFF pulse current caused the wire to shrink and expand. This vibration was amplified by a round-headed pin, allowing even DPN patients with reduced tactile sensitivity to detect the stimuli generated when lightly touching the pin with their fingertips. The tactile stimuli were ranked into 30 levels of intensity. A key advantage of the device is that it can be used by patients themselves, returning quantified results within minutes. Although developed for DPN, the method can be applied to the detection of peripheral neuropathy in general.
Running head: ATTITUDES TOWARDS MALE SEXUAL VIOLENCE Psychosocial correlates of attitudes towards male sexual violence in a sample of financial crime, property crime, general violent, and homicide offenders

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Analyses and comparison of counter-movement jump performance and self-rated recovery in state under-18s Australian Rules Football players during a national championship

Recovery of team sport athletes during multiple competitive games is an important area for strength and conditioning coaches to monitor as it facilitates for athletes to be ready to perform (11,13). Utilising athletic performance data in conjunction with self-rated reporting measures can help determine if in fact a player or team has recovered sufficiently or shown a trend towards recovery prior to a competitive match (11). Positive improvement in recovery variables can provide confidence in the effectiveness of recovery methods used and assist in determining the training schedule in order to positively manipulate the fitness-fatigue relationship (3). Various methods of analysing the recovery of athletes have been reported in the literature and are available to the strength and conditioning coach. These include subjective, self-rated scales and perceived level of recovery questionnaires (11,12,13). Athletic performance measures during exercises such as the counter movement jump (CMJ) have also been analysed, predominantly utilising force plates to obtain kinetic data. (5,13,14). However, such equipment can be difficult to transport, requires continual calibration and is costly to purchase. A linear transducer can provide important information on CMJ variables in the assessment of athletic movements and due to its size and portability could serve as a valuable tool to assist strength and conditioning coaches, (8,10), and potentially enable the monitoring of recovery. Previous studies have investigated the fatigue effects of competitive games in various sports (11,13,14) including Australian Rules Football (AFL) at the senior elite league level (5, 6). To the authors’ knowledge, however, there is yet to be a study investigating the recovery response in AFL players, specifically in players 18 years and under competing in the National Under 18s Championships. Australian Rules football is an extremely physically demanding and fatiguing sport where players participate in games time exceeding 120 minutes duration, covering large distances (~12-18km, position dependent) with many high intensity efforts performed at random times throughout the game (2,6,16). Hence, it would seem pertinent to analyse the fatigue effects of competitive matches in an Australian Rules Under-18’s National Championship and the subsequent recovery from these games. The aim of this study was to analyse and compare two self-rated subjective measures of recovery; they being muscle soreness (MS) of the lower body, overall perceived total recovery (TR), and the performance measure of peak velocity (PV) obtained from a CMJ analysed with a linear transducer. Data collection occurred between rounds four and five of the Australian Football League Under-18’s National Championship, representing a four-day recovery analysis period between matches.