Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Digital Soil Mapping of the Purdue Agronomy Center for Research and Education

This research work concentrate on developing digital soil maps to support field based plant phenotyping research. We have developed soil organic matter content (OM), cation exchange capacity (CEC), natural soil drainage class, and tile drainage line maps using topographic indices and aerial imagery. Various prediction models (universal kriging, cubist, random forest, C5.0, artificial neural network, and multinomial logistic regression) were used to estimate the soil properties of interest.
Ruminal characteristics, blood pH, blood urea nitrogen and nitrogen balance in Nili-Ravi buffalo (bubalus bubalis) bulls fed diets containing various level of ruminally degradable protein

Abstract Four ruminally cannulated Nili-Ravi buffalo bulls were used in a 4 x 4 Latin Square Design to determine the influence of varying level of ruminally degradable protein (RDP) on ruminal characteristics, blood pH, blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and nitrogen (N) balance. Four isonitrogenous and isocaloric diets were formulated (NRC, 2001). The control diet contained 50 % RDP. The medium (MRDP), high (HRDP) and very high (VHRDP) ruminally degradable protein diets had 66, 82 and 100 % RDP, respectively. Increasing the level of dietary RDP resulted in linear decrease in ruminal pH. Dietary RDP had a quadratic effect on total bacterial and protozoal count with maximum microbial count at 82 % RDP diet. Increasing dietary RDP resulted in linear increase in DM digestibility. Increasing the level of dietary RDP resulted in linear decrease in crude protein and neutral detergent fiber digestibilities. Blood pH remained unaltered across all diets. A linear increase in ruminal NH3-N and BUN was noticed due to increasing level of dietary RDP. A positive N balance was noticed across all experiment diets. The findings suggest that buffalo bulls can utilize up to 82 % RDP of total CP (16 %) with optimum results.
Optimal Energy Storage Allocation for Mitigating the Unbalance in Active Distribution Network via Uncertainty Quantification

Voltage unbalance (VU) in an active distribution network (ADN) could result in increased network losses and even system instability. The additional uncertainties embedded in ADN might lead to serious VU problems with the proliferation of single-phase distributed energy resources (DERs). This paper proposes a two-stage uncertainty quantification and unbalance mitigation (UQUM) framework to cope with the corresponding VU problems and quantify and mitigate the impacts of variable DERs on VU. In Stage one, the global sensitivity analysis based on the Rosenblatt transformation (RT-based GSA) method is proposed to quantify the impacts of nonlinearly correlated DERs with tail dependence on VU. The RT-GSA method can identify critical DERs with significant impacts on VU. In Stage two, the joint allocations of fixed and mobile energy storage devices (ESDs) are considered in which an optimal mitigation strategy is proposed to alleviate VU and effectively compensate the critical DER fluctuations (identified in Stage one). Based on the given DER data and the available ESD capacity, the effectiveness of the proposed UQUM framework is verified in a 123-bus three-phase unbalanced ADN and the corresponding results are discussed.
Automated Detection and Characterization of ESD-Induced Soft Failures Using Image- and Audio-Based Methods

Audio- and image-based soft failure detection methods are developed, which can detect both severe failures (such as system hang) and subtle ones (such as glitch or a momentary disturbance on display). Incorporating the developed detection methods with a robotic ESD (electrostatic discharge) tester, we developed a fully automated soft failure investigation tool. Using this fully automated tool, we obtained failure-specific susceptibility maps for a camera (our target device). These susceptibility maps not only illustrated the sensitive locations of the device, they also showed what type of soft failure is correlated with which locations.
#BBQBecky & #PermitPatty: African-American Humor & Resistive Discourse on Twitter

Humor has always been a social tool by which to navigate the slings and arrows of human existence. This has been exceptionally true for historically marginalized groups, such as African-Americans. Throughout U.S. history, “Black humor” has served to challenge authority, resist domination, lampoon the powerful and assuage injustices. It has served and both balm and weapon for a cultural group that has often found itself on the outside looking in, while being punished for being in that position. However, even within marginalized groups, canonical examples of cultural humor have been largely produced by a small segment of the population (i.e.,comedians, writers, poets, musicians). Social media, Twitter especially, has removed the barriers of production and gatekeeping of humor. Therefore, by examining responses to a cultural moment by “non-elite” African-Americans on Twitter, as the this paper does, helps to elucidate some evident trends, narratives, rhetorical strategies and tropes that may possibly be considered universal hallmarks of “Black Humor” as resistive discourse. Furthermore, these hallmarks can perhaps be understood to be the preeminent forms by which African-Americans create community, resist oppression and challenge hegemonic norms.
Recommender system based on personal kansei evaluation tendency

: In the present paper, we propose a recommender system that considers the current user behavior tendencies to evaluate relevant contents. In, the proposed model, the user preference factors are estimated based on the collected kansei evaluations and image features of recommended contents. The features are acquired from the image of the content by using a deep neural network, and the user evaluation for each feature is estimated by applying the gradient boosting decision tree. In addition, we analyze the relationship between the user evaluation and the image feature, and search for the users with the similar evaluation tendency with regard to changes in the feature. Based on the obtained results, we recommend the individuals that are presumed to be highly rated by other users. In addition, we estimate the features that are the factors of the user preference corresponding to recommendation results and present the common features as images. The effectiveness of the proposed model is verified by performing a simulation using the user evaluation data.
Radar Sensing-Throughput Tradeoff for Radar Assisted Cognitive Radio Enabled Vehicular Ad-Hoc Networks

In cognitive radio enabled vehicular ad-hoc networks (CR-VANETs), the secondary users, i.e., the secondary intelligent vehicles have the ability to perceive the driving environment and use the unoccupied spectrum of primary users for data transmission. In this paper, we consider the radar assisted CR-VANETs, in which the secondary users firstly sense the surroundings using radar modules periodically and Swerling 0, Swerling 2 and Swerling 4 target models are considered respectively. Note that the secondary users access the spectrum of primary users and communicate with their corresponding receivers when no one is detected by the low range radar module. Moreover, we design the joint radar sensing and data transmission frame structure and formulate the radar sensing-throughput tradeoff problem mathematically. It is proved that the formulated tradeoff indeed has the optimal radar sensing time which yields the maximum throughput for the secondary networks. Numerical results and simulations verify that the optimal radar sensing time achieving the maximum throughput for Swerling 0 target model is <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">${0.05}\; \text{ms}$</tex-math></inline-formula> when the radius of the radar sensing region is 320 meters, the densities of the primary users and secondary users are <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\lambda _p=0.01 / m^2$</tex-math></inline-formula> and <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\lambda _s=0.2 / m^2$</tex-math></inline-formula>, the received radar SNR is 10 dB and the detection probability is 99.9%. For the Swerling 2 and Swerling 4 target models, the optimal radar sensing times achieving the maximum throughput is <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">${0.14}\; \text{ms}$</tex-math></inline-formula> and <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">${0.08}\; \text{ms}$</tex-math></inline-formula> respectively when the detection probability is 99%.
Economic Inequality, War Finance and the Pursuit of Tax Fairness

It is widely acknowledged that a fair tax system is one of the most crucial foundations for any country to pursue stable development and human values. So how does a country accomplish tax fairness? This article argues that war finance and domestic economic inequality are two critical conditions. Historically, wars usually create opportunities for countries to enact progressive tax reforms. However, countries’ war finance choices are conditioned by domestic economic inequality. When inequality is low, the political leadership is more likely to secure a consensus of ‘equality of fiscal sacrifice’ between domestic wealthy elites and ordinary citizens. As a result, the leadership can more successfully enact progressive taxation, money creation and non-military spending cuts to pay for the war. Conversely, when inequality is high, the societal redistributive conflict could be more serious. Unable to strike a bargain of fiscal sacrifices without severe social instability, the leadership is expected to resort to a debt-financing strategy, which stifles tax progressivity and fairness. This article compares the United States’ war finance in the Korean and Vietnam Wars and finds supportive evidence. This article has important implications for the pursuits of tax fairness, democratic accountability, and the prospect for peace.
Suppression of Green and Blue Mold in Postharvest Mandarin Fruit by Treatment of Pantoea agglomerans 59-4

In order to control postharvest spoilage of satsuma mandarin fruits, rhizobacteria were isolated from soil samples. The Pantoea agglomerans strain 59-4 (Pa 59-4) which suppresses the decay of mandarin fruit by green and blue mold, was tested for the control efficacy and its mode of action was investigated. Pa 59-4 inhibited infection by green and blue mold on wounded mandarins, which were artificially inoculated with a spore suspension of Penicillium digitatum and P. italicum with control efficacies of 85-90% and 75-80%, respectively. The biocontrol efficacy was increased by raising the concentration of cells to between 108 and 109 cfu/ml, and pretreatment with the antagonist prevented subsequent infection by green mold. The population of Pa 59-4 was increased more than 10 fold during the 24 hr incubation at 20oC, indicating that colonization of the wound site might prevent the infection by green mold. Despite poor antifungal activity, the Pa 59-4 isolate completely inhibited the germination and growth of P. digitatum spores at 1 × 108 cfu/ml. We argue that the control efficacy was mediated by nutrient competition. Overall, the effective rhizobacterium, Pa 59-4, was shown to be a promising biocontrol agent for the postharvest spoilage of mandarin fruits by green and blue mold.
A New Species of Poachelas from Maputaland, South Africa (Araneae: Corinnidae), with Considerable Range Extension for Poachelas striatus

ABSTRACT A new species of the tracheline sac spider genus Poachelas Haddad & Lyle, 2008 (Araneae: Corinnidae), presently known only from southern Africa, is described. The genus has been represented by three species, all of which are suspected to be closely associated with grasses. The new species described here, P. refugus sp. n. , is known only from females collected at the type locality, Tembe Elephant Park in Maputaland, South Africa. New collecting records of the type species of the genus, P. striatus Haddad & Lyle, 2008, described from three localities in the central Free State Province of South Africa and with a distribution range of about 100 km, are presented. The species is widespread throughout the province, and is also recorded from the Eastern Cape, Northern Cape and Mpumulanga provinces for the first time, expanding its range to approximately 900 km.
Managing innovation performance: Results from an industry‐spanning explorative study on R&D key measures

Correspondence Peter M. Bican, Friedrich-AlexanderUniversität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Chair of Technology Management, Nuremberg, Germany. Email: peter.bican@fau.de Research on R&D performance measures applied in firms is still scarce. Based on the established “R&D laboratory as a system” thinking, systematically derive and identify R&D department level key performance measures. Through a mixedmethod approach, grounded in (1) literature and (2) text analysis, 154 R&D performance measures were developed. Amongst those, an (3) online expert survey, as well as (4) three independent focus group workshops with >40 industry experts from more than ten industries identified and validated ten key R&D performance measures. All industry experts involved are members of an innovation network, additionally accounting for innovation network effects. In contrast to earlier research, some of the measures like degree of anticipation of internal customer needs were perceived both by the survey respondents and the focus groups as key measures, indicating that behavioral measures should not be excluded per se. However, the importance of external validity of R&D performance or indicators to measure performance in relation to activities outside the R&D department were not confirmed. Hence, we partly confirm the relevance of the original “R&D Lab” measures, contributing a more granular level, thereby drawing implications for future research and practice.
Endocrine correlates of dominance in chicks of the blue-footed booby (Sula nebouxii): testing the Challenge Hypothesis

Two-chick broods of the blue-footed booby develop a dominance relationship during the junior chick’s first 2 weeks of life, when behaviour of the subordinate chick is conditioned through aggression by its 4-day-older sibling. We used natural and experimental situations to test the Challenge Hypothesis, which predicts a rise in testosterone to regulate aggression only in socially unstable situations, and to investigate the role of corticosterone in the development of submissive behaviour in subordinates. In unmanipulated broods during the first 12 days, we found no differences among singletons, dominants and subordinates in testosterone levels, and corticosterone levels did not differ significantly. In experimental pairings of singleton/dominant and singleton/subordinate, testosterone was not detected and corticosterone increased significantly in dominants and singletons, but not in subordinates. These results indicate that the Challenge Hypothesis does not apply to these young birds. Whether or not circulating corticosterone regulates aggression in chicks awaits further experimentation.
Attraction of Neomegalotomus parvus (Westwood)(Heteroptera: alydidae) to cow urine and ammonia

O percevejo alidideo Neomegalotomus parvus (Westwood) nao e facilmente detectado no campo e a descoberta de atraentes pode ser uma forma adequada para monitorar a especie. A atracao de N. parvus a armadilhas (transparentes, verde transparente e amarela) iscadas com urina de vaca e amonia foi estudada em dois experimentos em campo. Armadilhas foram colocadas proximas a um terraco com plantas de feijao-guandu (Cajanus cajan L.). Agua corrente, solucao aquosa de NaCl 10% (p/v), urina de vaca e amonia (solucao aquosa de NH4OH 1%) foram testadas como atraentes em armadilhas amarelas, transparentes e transparentes verdes foram utilizadas. Armadilhas verdes iscadas com urina capturaram mais insetos do que armadilhas amarelas e transparentes (3,2 e 7,2 vezes mais, respectivamente), e mais insetos do que armadilhas da mesma cor com apenas agua (zero insetos) ou solucao de NaCl (14,5 vezes mais). Armadilhas iscadas com amonia capturaram mais insetos do que armadilhas com agua: 14,4; 4,7 e 6,7 vezes mais em verde transparente, amarela e transparente, respectivamente, ou solucao de NaCl: 3,9; 7,6 e 6,2 vezes, respectivamente. Amonia ou urina de vaca sao atrativas para N. parvus e podem ser testadas para monitorar o percevejo no campo.
Selecting a Secure Cloud Provider - An Empirical Study and Multi Criteria Approach

Security has become one of the primary factors that cloud customers consider when they select a cloud provider for migrating their data and applications into the Cloud. To this end, the Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) has provided the Consensus Assessment Questionnaire (CAIQ), which consists of a set of questions that providers should answer to document which security controls their cloud offerings support. In this paper, we adopted an empirical approach to investigate whether the CAIQ facilitates the comparison and ranking of the security offered by competitive cloud providers. We conducted an empirical study to investigate if comparing and ranking the security posture of a cloud provider based on CAIQ’s answers is feasible in practice. Since the study revealed that manually comparing and ranking cloud providers based on the CAIQ is too time-consuming, we designed an approach that semi-automates the selection of cloud providers based on CAIQ. The approach uses the providers’ answers to the CAIQ to assign a value to the different security capabilities of cloud providers. Tenants have to prioritize their security requirements. With that input, our approach uses an Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) to rank the providers’ security based on their capabilities and the tenants’ requirements. Our implementation shows that this approach is computationally feasible and once the providers’ answers to the CAIQ are assessed, they can be used for multiple CSP selections. To the best of our knowledge this is the first approach for cloud provider selection that provides a way to assess the security posture of a cloud provider in practice.
Discovering representations for black-box optimization

The encoding of solutions in black-box optimization is a delicate, handcrafted balance between expressiveness and domain knowledge --- between exploring a wide variety of solutions, and ensuring that those solutions are useful. Our main insight is that this process can be automated by generating a dataset of high-performing solutions with a quality diversity algorithm (here, MAP-Elites), then learning a representation with a generative model (here, a Variational Autoencoder) from that dataset. Our second insight is that this representation can be used to scale quality diversity optimization to higher dimensions --- but only if we carefully mix solutions generated with the learned representation and those generated with traditional variation operators. We demonstrate these capabilities by learning an low-dimensional encoding for the inverse kinematics of a thousand joint planar arm. The results show that learned representations make it possible to solve high-dimensional problems with orders of magnitude fewer evaluations than the standard MAP-Elites, and that, once solved, the produced encoding can be used for rapid optimization of novel, but similar, tasks. The presented techniques not only scale up quality diversity algorithms to high dimensions, but show that black-box optimization encodings can be automatically learned, rather than hand designed.
RM- RSA algorithm

Abstract The RSA public key cryptographic strength (either security of encryption and decryption schemes or efficiency of algorithms) depends upon the complexity in factorizing the largest integer into odd primes. For every chosen integer, the RSA’s strength varies. RSA key generation space is the group of non-negative integers relatively prime to φ(n) and encryption, decryption spaces are both equal to the group of integers relatively prime to n. Operational time and data storage are two of its efficiency aspects. To reduce the operational time along with reduction data storage is a difficult task in RSA public key cryptography. In addition that the Security of RSA public key cryptography for an adversary with polynomial bounds computations is another biggest task. In this paper, we are going to propose a new kind of public key cryptographic system, nearly four times more efficient in data storage and operational time to that of RSA and probably one fourth of security complexity of RSA. This new crypto system is possible only based on one of the strong pseudo prime test :Rabin-Miller test. So, name it as RM-RSA. In this way,we are going to compare the efficiency of that RM-RSA and previously our proposed S-RSA in “Solovay-Strassen test in a RSA Pubic key Cryptosystem”.
Solution-Processed La Alloyed ZrOx High-k Dielectric for High-Performance ZnO Thin-Film Transistors

We report La alloyed <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${ZrO}_{x}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> high-<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${k}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> gate insulator (GI) for <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$ZnO$ </tex-math></inline-formula> thin-film transistors (TFTs) by solution-process. The La concentration in <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${ZrO}_{x}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> is varied from 0 to 7.5% for optimum device performance. The atomic force microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis of 5% La alloyed <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${ZrO}_{x}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> GI show smooth surface with higher metal-oxide (M – O) bonds and reduced defect density in the bulk compared with pristine <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${ZrO}_{x}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>. Therefore, <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$ZnO$ </tex-math></inline-formula> TFT using 5% La alloyed <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${ZrO}_{x}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> GI exhibits hysteresis-free device performance, with saturation mobility of <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$11.58 {cm}^{2}/V\cdot s$ </tex-math></inline-formula>, <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$I_{ \mathrm{ON}}/I_{ \mathrm{OFF}}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> ratio of <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$2.67\times 10^{8}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>, threshold voltage of <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$1.25 V$ </tex-math></inline-formula>, and subthreshold swing of <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$249 mV/dec$ </tex-math></inline-formula>. We also achieve highly stable ZnO TFTs under positive bias stress using 5% La alloyed <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${ZrO}_{x}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> GI.
5-Oxo-octanoic acid and 5-oxo-octanal, precursors of coniine

The administration of [6-14C]-5-oxo-octanoic acid or [6-14C]-5-oxo-octanal to hemlock plants (Conium maculatum) resulted in the formation of [1′-14C]coniine, with high incorporations of activity as compared with [1-14C]acetate and [1-14C]octanoic acid, suggesting that they are the immediate precursors of coniine.