Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The portuguese Vitis vinifera L. germplasm: genetic relations between wild and cultivated vines

Portuguese wild vine populations are in an apparent geographic fringe of the species distribution. Despite, Portugal offers a unique richness in autochthonous cultivated varieties that contributes to the overall diversity of worldwide grapevine. In the different Portuguese agro-ecosystems, grapevine plays an important role either as a border culture or an extensive crop. During the last years wild vine populations have been identified but only in southern riverside ecosystems. To conclude if the local wild vine germplasm is involved in the origin of cultivated grapevine we used the OIV recommend six nuclear and four chloroplastidial microsatellite loci to genotype and to established phylogenetic relationships between wild plants and cultivated grapevines. Both native sylvestris and vinifera subspecies have a high genetic diversity and a sizeable number of rare alleles. Portuguese wild vine populations showed a high level of intra-population diversity with most of the genetic diversity conserved within each population. Wild vines seem to form a continuum and there is no clear population division. Despite, a low, but still significant, genetic differentiation can be detected among the analyzed populations. There seem to be a close genetic relation between the wild plants and cultivated varieties. Both subspecies mostly share the A and B chlorotypes, tipical of the Iberian germplasms. In some cases we found a close genetic relation between cultivated varieties and wild plants. Finally, some native grapevine cultivars have a higher genetic diversity that reveals introgression of foreign gene pool. This study contributes to establish the range of existing genetic variability in the Portuguese native grapevine and wild vines germplasm. It also provides a baseline for future monitoring of the genetic diversity of the species in Portugal and contributes with data to construct a core collection to preserve the existing variability and delineate conservation strategies for the wild vines.
Classifying food items by image using Convolutional Neural Networks

Grocery items image classification is a well researched problem. However, until the recent announcements from Amazon regarding their ”Just walk out” technology used in Amazon Go, most Computer Vision techniques used in the state of the art research did not involve neural networks. However, recently a research group from the University of Freiburg released the most complete grocery items image dataset openly available. They also developed the most accurate classification model for that dataset using convolutional neural networks. I this research I propose a model to classify the The Freiburg Groceries Dataset that is more accurate than the state of the art.
Special Section: JGI Scholar’s Award, Category B Preferred electronic gaming machine environments of recreational versus problem gamblers: An in-venue mixed methods study

The aim of the current study was to examine the different EGM environmental preferences of recreational compared to problem gamblers in Australia. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 59 EGM gamblers recruited from EGM venues in Queensland and New South Wales, Australia. Interview data were organised using a thematic analysis into 42 major environmental features that gamblers identified as being of importance in choosing where and what to play. The frequency with which certain environmental characteristics were mentioned was analysed quantitatively, along with demographic information and PGSI status. Results showed that the most common reason for selecting the gambling platform was social, and in-venue gambling was largely but not exclusively preferred for this reason. The most frequently mentioned reason for selecting the provider was based on being close to home and enjoying the service at the venue. Finally, games were frequently selected based on features such as free spins, minimum bet sizes, graphics and in-game sounds. The survey results identified that persons experiencing gambling problems more frequently mentioned the availability of a number of game choices and the perceived potential for winning as important aspects in choosing an EGM environment. This study provides some preliminary evidence on what features of the EGM environment are important to players, and most conducive to safer gambling environments. The findings from this study will inform policy initiatives for player protection through the development of safer EGM gambling environments.
Migration of Acetaldehyde and Formaldehyde from PET into Plain Water Bottles under Environmental Stress

Bottled water consumption is an increasing world-wide phenomenom. Most bottled water is bottled in polyethyl teraphthalete (PET) packages that can leak formaldehyde and acetaldehyde generated during synthesis. The presence of these toxic compounds was analyzed with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and derivatization with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH). No significant results were found but many future implications for bottled water packaging were discovered.
Low‐energy electron production by relativistic runaway electron avalanches in air

[1] This paper investigates the production of low-energy (few eV) electrons by relativistic runaway electron avalanches. This work is motivated by a growing body of literature that claims that runaway electron avalanches produce an anomalous growth of low-energy electrons and hence an anomalously large electrical conductivity, a factor of 50 larger than expected from standard calculations. Such large enhancements would have a substantial impact on properties of runaway electron avalanches and their observable effects. Indeed, these purportedly large conductivities have been used to argue that runaway electron avalanches result in a novel form of electrical breakdown called “runaway breakdown. ” In this paper, we present simple analytical calculations, detailed Monte Carlo simulations, and a review of the experimental literature to show that no such anomalous growth of low-energy electron populations exists. Consequently, estimates of the conductivity generated by a runaway electron avalanche have been greatly exaggerated in many previous papers, drawing into question several of the claims about runaway breakdown.
Green Fluorescent Protein as a Tissue Marker in Transgenic Maize Seed

ABSTRACT Seed tissues (endosperm, embryo, and pericarp) are often separated into tissue-enriched fractions by wet- or dry-milling methods for use in food, feed, and industrial products. Seed tissue markers that are sensitive and readily quantifiable would be useful to optimize fractionation processes. To meet this need for tissue markers, we set out to produce and characterize different transgenic maize lines, each containing green fluorescent protein (GFP) in either endosperm or embryo. We examined mRNA transcripts using expressed sequence tag (EST) profiles of several major seed proteins and selected several with strong seed tissue preferences. Stably transformed maize lines were produced, and visual observation of fluorescence confirmed the presence of GFP in the desired tissues. To establish the utility of this grain for evaluating the effectiveness or separation efficiencies of fractionation processes, transgenic kernels were hand-dissected into pericarp, endosperm, and embryo fractions and the GFP c.
Staircases as cantilevers or arches ?-a question for limit analysis

The questions of determining the load capacity and possible modes ofload transfer are considered for "cantilever" staircases, i.e. where the treads appear to cantilever from a side wall, but where such a description is inadequate or inappropriate on closer inspection. Altemative modes of action are proposed in terms of arch actions in a flight oftreads with discontinuous thrust lines. The discontinuities are balanced by torsional moments from the side wall. The questions are then addressed via limit analysis as an optimization problem with an implicit appeal to the lower bound theorem ofplasticity. The problem is posed as a non-linear one and solutions, as exemplified for granite staircases in Castle Drogo, are presented based on a generalized reduced gradient algorithm using a spreadsheet formal.
Mechanical and morphological properties of poly-3-hydroxybutyrate/poly(butyleneadipate-co-terephthalate)/layered double hydroxide nanocomposites

Nanocomposites of poly-3-hydroxybutyrate/poly(butyleneadipate-co-terephthalate)/layered double hydroxide (PHB/PBAT/LDH) were prepared from a binary blend of PHB/PBAT and stearate-Zn3Al LDH via a solution casting method using chloroform as solvent in this study. The pristine Zn3Al LDH was synthesized from nitrate salts solution at pH 7 by using coprecipitation technique and then was modified by stearate anions surfactant via ion exchange reaction. As a result, the basal spacing of the LDH was increased from 8.77 to 24.94 A after the modification. Intercalated nanocomposites were formed due to the presence of diffraction peak in XRD diffractograms. The infrared spectrum of stearate-Zn3Al LDH exhibited the existence of stearate anions in the synthesized Zn3Al LDH. Mechanical properties with 2wt% stearate-Zn3Al LDH loading nanocomposites showed 56wt% improvements in elongation at break compared to those of the blend.
The Self-Excitation Damping Ratio: A Chatter Criterion for Time-Domain Milling Simulations

Regenerative chatter is known to be a key factor that limits the productivity of high speed machining. Consequently, a great deal of research has focused on developing predictive models of milling dynamics, to aid engineers involved in both research and manufacturing practice. Time-domain models suffer from being computationally intensive, particularly when they are used to predict the boundary of chatter stability, when a large number of simulation runs are required under different milling conditions. Furthermore, to identify the boundary of stability each simulation must run for sufficient time for the chatter effect to manifest itself in the numerical data, and this is a major contributor to the inefficiency of the chatter prediction process. In the present article, a new chatter criterion is proposed for time-domain milling simulations, that aims to overcome this drawback by considering the transient response of the modeled behavior, rather than the steady-state response. Using a series of numerical investigations, it is shown that in many cases the new criterion can enable the numerical prediction to be computed more than five times faster than was previously possible. In addition, the analysis yields greater detail concerning the nature of the chatter vibrations, and the degree of stability that is observed.
Automatic Alignment and Annotation Projection for Literary Texts

This paper presents a modular NLP pipeline for the creation of a parallel literature corpus, followed by annotation transfer from the source to the target language. The test case we use to evaluate our pipeline is the automatic transfer of quote and speaker mention annotations from English to German. We evaluate the different components of the pipeline and discuss challenges specific to literary texts. Our experiments show that after applying a reasonable amount of semi-automatic postprocessing we can obtain high-quality aligned and annotated resources for a new language.
Evaluation of metallothionein content in giant mudskipper Periophthalmodon schlosseri collected from west coast of Peninsular Malaysia to assess environmental metal pollution

*Corresponding author: Tijjani Rufa’i Buhari, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43300, Selangor, Malaysia. Tel: +2348094079355 Fax: 0644025560 E-mail: trbuhari@yahoo.com; trbuhari@nwu.edu. ng Foundation Project: Supported by Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia under Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (Vot: 5523641). The journal implements double-blind peer review practiced by specially invited international editorial board members.
Recent Progress in Broadband Antennas

Seven antennas with broadband radiation characteristics are presented: an equiangular spiral antenna with a shallow conducting cavity, a curl antenna above an EBG reflector, a fan-shaped antenna, a cross fan-shaped antenna, a BORPARP antenna, a trapezoidal log-periodic antenna, and a log-periodic dipole array. Special attention is paid to the input impedance of these antennas.
A novel retrieval of daytime atmospheric dust and volcanic ash heights through a synergy of AIRS infrared radiances and MODIS L2 optical depths

Abstract. We present a novel method to retrieve daytime atmospheric dust and ash plume heights using a synergy of infrared hyper-spectral radiances and retrieved visible optical depths. The method is developed using data from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), both of which are on NASA's Aqua platform, and lends itself to also a χ2 height derivation based on the smallest bias between observations and calculations in the thermal infrared window. The retrieval methodology is validated against almost 30 months of dust centroid heights obtained from the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIOP) data, and against ash plume heights obtained from the Advanced Along-Track Scanning Radiometer (AATSR) after the Puyehue Cordon Caulle volcanic eruption of June 2011. Comparisons are also made against Goddard Chemistry Aerosol Radiation and Transport (GOCART) climatological aerosol heights. In general there is good agreement between the heights from the CALIPSO data and the AIRS/MODIS retrieval, especially over the Atlantic and Mediterranean regions; over land one there are more noticeable differences. The AIRS/MODIS derived heights are within typically 25% of the CALIOP centroid heights.
A Review of Using EEG and EMG Psychophysiological Measurements in User Experience Research

Application of psychophysiological measurement tools in user experience studies is continuously growing. The development, on one hand, originates from the advantages the tool’s capabilities bring to the user experience world. On the other hand, the continuous development of systems and devices and the corresponding need for more interactive systems motivate the user experience domain to navigate possible options of improvement. The thesis reviews the use of electroencephalography (EEG) and electromyography (EMG) measurements in user experience research. Both types of measurements come to the UX domain with their unique advantages. Facial EMG is the most suitable tool to monitor the valence of emotion as well as aspects such as stress and focus. The use of EMG is dependent on the context of use and it is important to take those aspects into consideration when taking it into use. In addition EMG can be used as part a user experience design component. Its application could be implemented as interaction or biofeedback mechanisms. From the emotion evaluation point of view, EEG is mostly used with respect to attention and withdrawal towards a system. Various aspects of emotion such as engagement, excitement, attention and focus can be evaluated using the tool. EEG can also be used as part of a user experience design component. Applications could be as a brain computer interface or feedback mechanisms for systems that can adjust themselves on the basis of such data. The study is conducted as a narrative literature review. Background study was extensively done on user experience, psychophysiology, emotion studies, the nervous system and corresponding measurement tools. On the basis of continuous knowledge development, previous studies were assessed, classified, summarized and synthesized. Advantages, limitations, use contexts, application areas and future potentials of EEG and EMG were studied extensively. Results of the study have implications on user experience research domain, as well as industries that intend to produce products with rich user experience.
The role culture and personality play in an authentic online group learning experience

Both educators and students face challenges in successful collaborative work, particularly when students come from a diverse set of backgrounds and cultures. This is especially the case at business schools, which have some of the most diverse student populations in the UK. One explanation for this could be that culture and personality influence behaviour in group work, creating mismatched expectations. This assumption has led to current research focusing upon student reflections and perceptions of these challenges, while few studies objectively explore what influences actual student behaviours in group work. Therefore, this paper describes a learning analytics study of an activity designed to replicate a group learning experience. In a lab environment, 58 students at a UK business school were placed in small groups to work with a Harvard Business School case study using an online chat to communicate with all members of their group. Student contributions were analysed and compared using Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions (Hofstede, Hofstede, & Minkov, 2010) and the Big Five Ten Item Personality Measure (Gosling, Rentfrom, & Swann, 2003). Our analysis suggests that cultural traits in particular influences and can predict student group work behaviours.
How Much of Bank Credit Risk is Sovereign Risk? Evidence from the Eurozone

We develop a multivariate credit risk model for the term structures of sovereign and bank credit default swaps. First, we separate the probability of joint defaults of large Eurozone sovereigns (systemic risk) from that of sovereign-specific defaults (country risk). Then, we quantify individual banks' exposures to each type of sovereign risk, as well as bank-specific credit risk. Banksi? ½ sovereign risk exposures vary with banksi? ½ size, their holdings of sovereign debt, and expected government support. On average, 45% of French and Spanish banks' credit risk consists in sovereign risk, compared with only 30% for Italian and 23% for German banks. Furthermore, short- to medium-term contracts are particularly informative on sovereign systemic risk.
Customer familiarity with new industrial product technology and its influence on adoption: the case of De Beers diamond extraction equipment

An investigation was conducted into the influence of industry customers’ familiarity with new technology on their decisions when purchasing discontinuous industrial products. This was done in the context where the supplier and customer organisations are entities in the same company. Even in this favourable context, continuous products remained successful despite a better solution being available. Literature on this close type of relationship is sparse, mostly because information on such internal processes is generally regarded as competitive. The case investigated was the DebTech division of De Beers, and their experience with products that they design and manufacture for the global diamond mining industry. Product developer and customer data from applicable projects was analysed, and interviews and observations were conducted. The results indicate that familiarity with the product technology favourably influences perceptions of newness, safety, and the ease of integration of a product. Familiarity increases customers’ propensity to recommend and purchase new-technology products. OPSOMMING Die invloed is ondersoek van vertroudheid met nuwe tegnologie op nywerheidskliente se aankoopbesluite van diskontinue nywerheidsprodukte. Dit is gedoen in die konteks waar die verskaffer- en klientorganisasies entiteite in dieselfde maatskappy is. Selfs in hierdie gunstige opset is ervaar dat kontinue nywerheidsprodukte meer verkoop, al is ’n beter oplossing beskikbaar. Literatuur oor hierdie tipe verhouding is skaars, hoofsaaklik omdat inligting oor sodanige interne prosesse normaalweg as mededingend beskou word. Die geval is ondersoek van die DebTech-afdeling van De Beers se ervaring met produkte wat dit vir die internasionale diamantmynbedryf ontwerp en vervaardig. Produkontwikkelaar- en klientdata van toepaslike projekte is ontleed, aangevul met onderhoude en waarnemings. Die resultate toon dat kliente se vertroudheid met die produktegnologie hulle persepsies van nuutheid, veiligheid, en integreerbaarheid van nuwe-tegnologieprodukte gunstig beinvloed. Tegnologievertroudheid verhoog hulle geneigdheid om nuwe-tegnologieprodukte aan te beveel en te koop. a a a a a a a a a a a a
Multiple stellar populations in massive LMC star clusters

Abstract The recent discovery of multiple stellar populations in massive Galactic globular clusters poses a serious challenge for models of star cluster formation and evolution. A new angle on this problem is being provided by rich intermediate-age clusters in the Magellanic Clouds. In this contribution we describe the discovery of three such LMC clusters with peculiar main-sequence turn-off morphologies. The simplest interpretation of our observations is that each of these three clusters is comprised of two or more stellar populations spanning an age interval of ~300 Myr. Surprisingly, such features may not be unusual in this type of cluster.