Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Quantitative and qualitative effects of different silver nanoparticles concentrations on the pathogenicity and reproductive of root-knot nematode, M. incognita infecting susceptible sugarbeet variety

Sugarbeet (Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris) is the most economically valuable crop species in the order Caryophyllales. Root knot nematodes interrupt the physiology of the plant and able to cause economic importance great losses in production and quality of sugarbeet crop. Chemical nematicides are usually preferred for their effective control; the problems associated with nematicides application turned the workers vision to focus new alternative agents for nematode management programs. In this study, High throughput microcrystalline cellulose decorated silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) by different concentrations were evaluated as a nematicidal substance in outdoors pots experiment. The chosen tested concentrations were 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60 ppm/ml of Ag-NPs with four replicates/ each concentration along with two methods of application [one time application (AT1) and application two times (AT2)], applied to sugarbeet pots infested with Meloidogyne incognita. Applying Ag-NPs directly to infested sugarbeet pots achieved significant suppression at p ≤ 0.05 of root-knot nematode, M. incognita in terms of reducing numbers in soil, reproductive factor, and knot disease severity%. Efficacy % that related to untreated pots and relative efficacy% that proportionated to pots treated with Ethoprop 10% G get higher potential as of Ag-NPs of concentrations get higher. Time of application AT2 enhanced the efficacy of Ag-NPs at low concentration (under 50 ppm/ml) and occasionally above 50 ppm/ml. Effects of different Ag-NPs concentrations and times of application on yield components i.e. Root yield plant(g), Top yield plant(g) and sugar yield plant(g) of infested sugarbeet plant with root-knot nematode, M. incognita, were related to degree of Ag-NPs concentration to suppress nematodes activity. Different concentrations of Ag-NPs increased yield components i.e. Root yield plant(g), Top yield plant(g) and sugar yield plant(g) even at low concentration (20 ppm/ml) in comparison with control treatment (0.0 ppm/ml). The same trend for quality as sucrose, total soluble solids (T.S.S) and purity percentages of sugarbeet infested with root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita in pots experiment. Avoidable loss percentage in roots and sugar yields plant(g) as an economic expression responded positively to different levels of Ag-NPs concentrations and to time of application AT2 in low concentration ˂50 ppm/ml. This study has demonstrated a potential environmentally friendly alternative for the management of the root-knot nematodes.
Fatigue evaluation of piping systems with limited vibration test data

The safety-related piping in a nuclear power plant may be subjected to pump- or fluid-induced vibrations that, in general, affect only local areas of the piping systems. Pump- or fluid-induced vibrations typically are characterized by low levels of amplitudes and a high number of cycles over the lifetime of plant operation. Thus, the resulting fatigue damage to the piping systems could be an important safety concern. In general, tests and/or analyses are used to evaluate and qualify the piping systems. Test data, however, may be limited because of lack of instrumentation in critical piping locations and/or because of difficulty in obtaining data in inaccessible areas. This paper describes and summarizes a method to use limited pipe vibration test data, along with analytical harmonic response results from finite-element analyses, to assess the fatigue damage of nuclear power plant safety-related piping systems. 5 refs., 2 figs., 11 tabs.
Day-Ahead Forecast of Electric Vehicle Charging Demand with Deep Neural Networks

The increasing penetration rate of electric vehicles, associated with a growing charging demand, could induce a negative impact on the electric grid, such as higher peak power demand. To support the electric grid, and to anticipate those peaks, a growing interest exists for forecasting the day-ahead charging demand of electric vehicles. This paper proposes the enhancement of a state-of-the-art deep neural network to forecast the day-ahead charging demand of electric vehicles with a time resolution of 15 min. In particular, new features have been added on the neural network in order to improve the forecasting. The forecaster is applied on an important use case of a local charging site of a hospital. The results show that the mean-absolute error (MAE) and root-mean-square error (RMSE) are respectively reduced by 28.8% and 19.22% thanks to the use of calendar and weather features. The main achievement of this research is the possibility to forecast a high stochastic aggregated EV charging demand on a day-ahead horizon with a MAE lower than 1 kW.
ISOLATION OF ACTINOMYCETES FROM THE SEDIMENTS OF PICHAVARAM MANGROVE FOREST, SOUTH INDIA AND ANALYSING THEIR ANTIBACTERIAL EFFICACY

Objective: The aim of the present investigation is to isolate actinomycetes from the sediments of Pichavaram mangrove forest, South India, and to screen for their antibacterial efficiency. Methods: Actinomycetes were isolated by culturing the samples in Starch Casein Agar medium; they were screened primarily for their antibacterial efficiency against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial organisms. Solvent extraction was done with 50% (percentage) ethyl acetate, crude extracts of actinomycetes were prepared at different concentrations using dimethyl sulfoxide and treated against the bacterial organisms. Antibacterial assay was done in Mueller–Hinton agar medium. Results: Thirteen actinomycetes were isolated; among them, four actinomycete isolates (Pichavaram mangrove actinomycete 2 [PMA2], PMA6, PMA9, and PMA13) exhibited antibacterial activity. Conclusion: Isolate PMA2 exhibited very strong antibacterial activity and isolate PMA13 is weakly active against the tested bacterial organisms.
BİREYLERİN SÜRDÜRÜLEBİLİR TÜKETİM DAVRANIŞLARININ ÖLÇÜLMESİNE YÖNELİK BİR ÖLÇEK GELİŞTİRME ÇALIŞMASI

Surdurulebilir tuketim, son yillarda gerek literaturde gerekse uygulamada uzerinde sikca durulmaya baslanan ve cesitli yonleriyle irdelenen konulardandir. Tuketimin surdurulebilirligi icin toplumsal bilincin yukseltilmesi cesitli kamu kurumlari, hukumetler ve sivil toplum kuruluslarinin hedefleri ve planlari arasinda yer almaktadir. Literaturde bireylerin surdurulebilir tuketim davranisi sergileme duzeylerinin olculmesine yonelik yeterli sayida ve kapsamda olcegin bulunmadigi gorusunden hareketle bireylerin surdurulebilir tuketim davranislarinin olculmesi amaciyla bir olcek gelistirilmeye calisilmistir. Literatur taramasindan, uzman goruslerinden ve akademisyenlerle yapilan gorusmelerden elde edilen ifadelerle bir ifade havuzu olusturulmus ve gelistirilmeye calisilan olcegin gecerlilik ve guvenilirlik analizleri cesitli istatistiksel yontemler yardimiyla yapilmistir. Olcek gelistirme surecinde izlenen cesitli asamalar sonucunda 17 madde ve 4 boyuttan olusan surdurulebilir tuketim davranisi olcegi gelistirilmistir. Olcekte yer alan surdurulebilir tuketim davranisi boyutlari cevre, ihtiyac disi tuketim, tasarruf ve yeniden kullanilabilirlik olarak adlandirilmistir. Bu boyutlardan cevre, tasarruf ve yeniden kullanilabilirlik arasinda ayni yonde, ihtiyac disi tuketim ile diger boyutlar arasinda ters yonde bir iliski oldugu belirlenmistir.
A Preprocessing Method for Active Appearance Models

Active Appearance Models (AAMs) are parametric facial models which have been widely used for facial features localization. In order to localize facial features, AAMs used an optimization method which finds local minima. As a result, AAMs cannot always localize facial features exactly when initial locations of facial features are far from the ground truth locations of them. To solve this problem, we propose a simple preprocessing method which finds initial locations of facial features such as eyes, nostrils, and lip corners. Experimental results showed that the proposed method was robust to moderate pose variation, illumination condition changes, complex background, and glasses wearers.
From program to design: How architects use briefing documents

Architects often express dissatisfaction with the briefing documents consisting of long and detailed lists of technical requirements for each space within a perspective building. While this information is essential, it fails to transmit the feel for the project essential to the architect as the starting point for design. Architects therefore repeat much of the effort of preparing the brief – interviews with client and users, precedent studies, excursions to recent projects – in their preparation for design. This suggests the question: how much of this effort can be saved through better selection and presentation of briefing information. This study will use a comparison of the briefing process in several countries, Denmark, The Netherlands, and The United Kingdom, to attempt to improve our understanding of the relationship between briefing and design. The article concludes with a series of recommendations for improving briefing documents and the briefing process. The most important of these are that programs must convey not only the technical requirements of the spaces listed, but also the feel – both of individual spaces and the project as a whole. Programs should also convey the actions, culture and attitudes of the users of the facility. However, even with these inclusions, architects still need time and work to get the program (both as document and as idea) ‘in their fingers’. The program cannot be presented as a literal text, instead it will always be analyzed by the architect, and this analysis seems to be an essential part of the design process.
Personality (Dys)Function and General Instability

Humans adapt to a dynamic environment while maintaining psychological equilibrium. Systems theories of personality hold that generalized processes control stability by regulating how strongly a person reacts to various situations. Research shows there are higher order traits of general personality function (stability) and dysfunction (general personality pathology [GPP]), but whether they capture individual differences in reactivity is largely theoretical. We tested this hypothesis by examining how general personality functioning manifests in everyday life in two samples (Ns = 205 and 342 participants and 24,920 and 17,761 observations) that completed an ambulatory assessment protocol. Consistent with systems theories, we found that (a) there is a general factor reflecting reactivity across major domains of functioning and (b) reactivity is strongly associated with stability and GPP. Results provide insight into how people fundamentally adapt to their environments (or not) and lay the foundation for more practical, empirical models of human functioning.
Anti-resonant reflecting guidance mechanism in ring-core fibers for the first-order orbital angular momentum modes generation

Vortex beams have attracted attention due to their unique properties and wide applications. In this paper, a novel scheme for generating the first-order orbital angular momentum (OAM) modes based on anti-resonant reflecting guidance mechanism in ring-core fibers (RCFs) is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. By directly fusion splicing with the standard single-mode fiber (SMF), anti-resonant reflecting guidance of guided-core modes in RCF can be basically motivated. Consequently, the excited modes can well transmit inside the low-refractive-index central core of the RCFs with exhibiting a Gaussian field distribution (defined as the anti-resonant mode, AR mode). Because of different mode coupling coefficients under external pressure on the RCF, these AR modes can be coupled to the HE11 and HE21 modes, respectively. Results show that, by adjusting the polarization state of injected light beams as well as the pressure on the RCF, OAM modes with topological charge numbers of both the positive (L = +1) and negative (L = -1) can be separately generated at efficiencies of 63.2% and 61.7%, respectively
Simulated annealing in the design of thinned arrays having low sidelobe levels

This paper addresses the problem of designing thinned linear and planar arrays with low peak sidelobe levels. It is seen that the optimisation method known as simulated annealing is effective in designing such arrays. We show that simulated annealing performs well on this synthesis problem by comparing the performance of the arrays designed with those designed by means of a genetic algorithm and using a probabilistic analysis.
Poles–zeros analysis and broadband equivalent circuit for on‐chip spiral inductors

Poles and zeros of the transfer function determine the performance and the key features of the circuit network, such as phase, gain, and bandwidth. In this paper, the contribution of the poles and zeros to the transfer function has been shown. The factors ηp and ηz are proposed to account for the poles contribution to the peak and the zeros contribution to the valley of transfer function, respectively. A novel broadband equivalent circuit combining the physics‐based circuit model and behavioral macro‐model (black‐box) network is proposed for accurately characterizing on‐chip spiral inductors. The physics‐based elements are extracted using the linear dependence of a set of characteristic functions on variables (such as ω2) or other functions in a certain frequency range. The macro‐model network described by rational functions is determined using vector fitting approaches. The proposed modeling method is validated by the on‐chip spiral inductor fabricated with 0.13‐µm SiGe BiCMOS aluminum process. Excellent agreements are obtained between the measured data and calculation for the proposed model up to 40 GHz. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Relationships between Average Radar Power and Steady-State Track Accuracy

Abstract : This report describes a methodology used for relating resources consumed by tracking a maneuvering target to the track accuracy achieved. The methodology accounts for beam shape loss, missed detections, and, in the care of a fire control radar, reacquisition of the target when it has moved outside the beam. This report presents normalized computational results for the minimum radar power required as a function of the track accuracy, along with the optimal revisit frequencies and the signal-to-noise ratios.
Formulasi Sediaan Emulgel Antioksidan Mengandung Ekstrak Etanol Kulit Batang Kayu Manis (Cinnamomum burmanni Nees ex. Bl.)

Paparan sinar ultraviolet (UV) terhadap kulit dan memicu terjadinya stress oksidatif akibat pembentukan Reactive oxigen species (ROS). Hal tersebut dapat menimbulkan terjadinya kerusakan kulit, penuaan dini, dan kanker kulit. Kulit batang kayu manis (KBKM) diketahui memiliki aktivitas sebagai antioksidan dan tabir surya sekaligus yang dapat meredam efek radiasi sinar UV. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui aktivitas antioksidan ekstrak KBKM dan memformulasinya dalam bentuk sediaan. Ekstraksi KBKM dilakukan secara maserasi menggunakan pelarut etanol 96%. Uji aktivitas antioksidan dilakukan dengan metode DPPH secara in vitro. Emulgel dibuat dengan variasi jenis dan konsentrasi gelling agent yaitu HPMC (1 dan 2%) serta karbomer (0,25 dan 0,5%). Hasil penelitian menunjukkan nilai IC 50 ekstrak KBKM adalah 10,398 μg/mL ± 0,075. Formula emulgel mengandung ekstrak KBKM 1%; emulgator natrium lauril sulfat dan setostearil alkohol (1:9) 7,5%; gelling agent karbomer 0,25% stabil berdasarkan hasil uji organoleptis, pH, viskositas, sentrifugasi, freeze thaw, dan stabilitas dipercepat.
Resolution Improvement in Fabry-Perot Displacement Sensor Based on Fringe Counting Method

This paper presents an improved Fringe Counting Method (FCM) technique in order to enhance the displacement resolution of a Fabry-Perot Displacement Sensor (FPDS). A simulation model of a FPDS based on the improved FCM has been developed and simulated for nanometer displacement range by using MATLAB mathematical software. Unlike conventional FCM that analyzed the number of fringes produced over one time period, the improved FCM analyzed the number of fringes for one largest Free Spectral Range (FSR). In this work, the initial length of Fabry-Perot Interferometer (FPI) cavity has been set at 75 μm due to limitation of the machining precision equipment. For the displacement analysis, the improved FCM technique is used as an algorithm. The research results prove that this FPDS could detect displacement at 10nm resolution over a working range of 40 nm. It showed that the improved FCM technique managed to enhance the capability of the conventional FCM in detecting nanometer displacement.
Evaluation of Partial Digestion as a Strategy for Elemental Analysis of Inorganic Samples by Inductively Coupled Plasma–Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP OES)—A Proof of Concept Study

Abstract This study discusses the application of microwave-assisted sample preparation for inorganic samples using concentrated or diluted HNO3 solutions followed by determination of Al, Ca, Cu, Cr, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, P, Pb, S, Si, and Zn using inductively coupled plasma–optical emission spectrometry (ICP OES). Aiming the total digestion (reference procedure), samples were decomposed in a heating block using a mixture of 2 mL of 40% v v−1 HF and 5 mL of 14 mol L−1 HNO3. Four digestion mixtures composed by (1) 14, (2) 7.0, (3) 4.0, and (4) 2.0 mol L−1 HNO3 plus 3 mL of concentrated H2O2 were evaluated as alternatives for microwave-assisted digestion of six inorganic samples (partial digestion). Considering all evaluated procedures, quantitative recoveries were obtained applying reference and partial digestion procedures. Therefore, the use of HNO3 dilute solutions as an alternative for HF is a feasible procedure for quantitative analysis of zinc oxide, kaolin, zinc residue, and zinc sulfide. However, tailored procedures must be taken into consideration, since quantitative determination depends on digestion mixture, sample matrix, and analytes.
Design and Performance of Insect-Scale Flapping-Wing Vehicles

Micro-air vehicles (MAVs)—small versions of full-scale aircraft—are the product of a continued path of miniaturization which extends across many fields of engineering. Increasingly, MAVs approach the scale of small birds, and most recently, their sizes have dipped into the realm of hummingbirds and flying insects. However, these nontraditional biologically-inspired designs are without well-established design methods, and manufacturing complex devices at these tiny scales is not feasible using conventional manufacturing methods. This thesis presents a comprehensive investigation of new MAV design and manufacturing methods, as applicable to insect-scale hovering flight. New design methods combine an energy-based accounting of propulsion and aerodynamics with a one degree-of-freedom dynamic flapping model. Important results include analytical expressions for maximum flight endurance and range, and predictions for maximum feasible wing size and body mass. To meet manufacturing constraints, the use of passive wing dynamics to simplify vehicle design and control was investigated; supporting tests included the first synchronized measurements of real-time forces and three-dimensional kinematics generated by insect-scale flapping wings. These experimental methods were then expanded to study optimal wing
Apodised fibre bragg grating design for gain flattening of EDFA

As more demands are made on telecommunications and other applications of photonics such as sensing, demand for the complexity and functionality of the interconnecting devices increases. Fibre Bragg Gratings (FBG) for optical filters and switching are an inherent part of such systems. In this paper we report the experimental study of gain of telecommunication Erbium Doped Fiber Amplifier (EDFA). For particular pump power, the gain of Erbium Doped Fiber Amplifier for the wavelength range of 1529 nm - 1559 nm was measured and found that the gain of the Erbium Doped Fiber Amplifier is very uneven exhibiting peaks with different widths around 1532 nm and 1550 nm. On analysis of the results, filter of desired characteristic is suggested which could support for flattening the gain of EDFA for fixed pump power, so that the EDFA could be used for WDM applications. Three parameters which described the apodised grating profile were used to define the search space and the transfer matrix method is used to numerically evaluate the transmission spectrum.
Cycloidal Rotor Propulsion System With Plasma Enhanced Aerodynamics

A cyclorotor consists of a set of blades rotating about an horizontal axis that is parallel to the blade span. The designation of cycloidal rotor is related to the cycloidal path described by the rotating blades during forward flight. In the following paper we study, trough the use of numerical tools, the PECyT (Plasma Enhanced Cycloidal Thruster) system as a way of improving the performance of classical cycloidal rotors. PECyT consists in the introduction of Dielectric Barrier Discharge (DBD) plasma actuators in the CR blades. Such system act as an active flow control that is able to delay the stall onset at high angles of attack, thus increasing the aerodynamic efficiency of each blade.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Enhancing Rice Production in Uganda: Impact Evaluation of a Training Program and Guidebook Distribution in Uganda

This paper provides an overview of rice sector development in Uganda and examines the effects of two technology dissemination programs on the enhancement of rice production in Eastern and Northern Uganda. One program was a JICA training program that provided on-the-job training at demonstration plots 3–4 times a year, while the other was to distribute a rice cultivation guidebook to households that were randomly selected. The training program was shown to have improved rice productivity. In contrast, there were no significant effects resulting from the distribution of the guidebook on technology adoption or rice production. Although the distribution of the guidebook was less costly and easier to implement than the training program, distribution of the guidebook alone cannot be a substitute for conventional training programs
Broadband Submesoscale Vorticity Generated by Flow around an Island

: An array of moorings deployed off the coast of Palau is used to characterize submesoscale vorticity gen-eratedbybroadbandupper-oceanﬂowsaroundtheisland. Palauisasteep-sidedarchipelagolyinginthepathofstrongzonalgeostrophiccurrents,buttidesandinertialoscillationsareenergeticaswell.Vorticityiscorrespondinglybroadband,with both mean and variance O ( f ) in a surface and subsurface layer (where f is the local Coriolis frequency). However, while subinertialvorticity is linearly relatedto the incidentsubinertialcurrent, therelationshipbetweensuperinertial velocity and superinertial vorticity is weak. Instead, there is a strong nonlinear relationship between subinertial velocity and super- inertial vorticity. A key observation of this study is that during periods of strong westward ﬂow, vorticity in the tidal bands increases by an order of magnitude. Empirical orthogonal functions (EOFs) of velocity show this nonstationary, super- inertial vorticity variance is due to eddy motion at the scale of the array. Comparison of kinetic energy and vorticity time series suggest that lateral shear against the island varies with the subinertial ﬂow, while tidal currents lead to ﬂow reversals inshore of the recirculating wake and possibly eddy shedding. This is a departure from the idealized analog typically drawn on in island wake studies: a cylinder in a steady ﬂow. In that case, eddy formation occurs at a frequency dependent on the scale of the obstacle and strength of the ﬂow alone. The observed tidal formation frequency likely modulates the strength of submesoscale wake eddies and thus their dynamic relationship to the mesoscale wake downstream of Palau.