Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Synthesis, Antimicrobial Assay and SARs of Pyrazole Included Heterocyclic Derivatives

Abstract As pyrazoles are familiar for showing various biological properties, a series of novel isocoumarin tethered carbothioamide linked pyrazole derivatives were prepared successfully in the presence of environmental favor conditions and evaluated for their pathogenic resistance against four bacteria and two fungi, showing significant activity against different microbial except compound 5d. Among the active compounds, 5f displayed highest antimicrobial property. In fact, 5b and 5l motifs showing good inhibitory activity. Further, a detailed structure activity relationship also discussed, which revealed that the presence of electron withdrawing -NO2 group in 5f compound may delivered highest biological property, while the amino group attached in compound 5d delivered inactive antibacterial property. Moreover, computer aided studies of biologically effective compounds to determine the interactions and docking score with the crystal structure of Escherichia coli 24 kDa DNA gyrase subunit B in complex with clorobiocin. It was observed that the amino acid residues present in the active binding site of the protein1KZN can frequently interact with targets. Graphical Abstract
A software tool for estimation of PCB substrate utilisation efficiency statistics from scanned images

Purpose – Routing efficiency provides an estimate of the compactness of a specific PCB layout in comparison with the theoretical minimum size for the circuit design. This work describes a methodology for estimating the routing efficiency of existing PCB layouts from scanned images of either a manufactured PCB or the relevant PCB artwork. Measuring and maximising routing efficiency offers a powerful tool in the drive to minimise the size and cost of a PCB, as it provides a quantitative measure of the need to include costly features such as multiple signal layers and blind (or partial) vias.Design/methodology/approach – The methodology was proven as a manual method, before implementation as a software tool. This work describes the image processing techniques used to recognise traces and vias and describes how this information is processed to derive substrate utilisation statistics.Findings – An initial survey suggests that trace routing efficiency has declined through time, indicating that many layouts are .
Influence of Off‐Sun‐Earth Line Distance on the Accuracy of L1 Solar Wind Monitoring

Upstream solar wind measurements from near the L1 Lagrangian point are commonly used to investigate solar wind‐magnetosphere coupling. The off‐Sun‐Earth line distance of such solar wind monitors can be large, up to 100 RE. We investigate how the correlation between measurements of the interplanetary magnetic field and associated ionospheric responses deteriorates as the off‐Sun‐Earth line distance increases. Specifically, we use the magnitude and polarity of the dayside region 0 field‐aligned currents (R0 FACs) as a measure of interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) BY‐associated magnetic tension effects on newly‐reconnected field lines, related to the Svalgaard‐Mansurov effect. The R0 FACs are derived from Advanced Magnetosphere and Planetary Electrodynamics Response Experiment measurements by a principal component analysis, for the years 2010–2016. We perform cross‐correlation analyses between time‐series of IMF BY, measured by the Wind spacecraft and propagated to the nose of the bow shock by the OMNI technique, and these R0 FAC measurements. Typically, in the summer hemisphere, cross‐correlation coefficients between 0.6 and 0.9 are found. However, there is a reduction of order 0.1–0.15 in correlation coefficient between periods when Wind is close to (within 45 RE) and distant from (beyond 70 RE) the Sun‐Earth line. We find a time‐lag of around 17 min between predictions of the arrival of IMF features at the bow shock and their effect in the ionosphere, irrespective of the location of Wind.
Augmented Gradient Method for Head Dependent Modelling of Water Distribution Networks

When analysing a pressure deficient network, it is crucial that the pressure dependent nature of nodal outflows be taken into account. The head dependent analysis (HDA) produces an accurate representation of the nodal outflows and network hydraulic performance. This is essential when modelling pipe leakages, network redundancy and reliability. These are vital aspects often considered in the optimization of a water distribution system (WDS). This paper describes an approach for head dependent analysis in which an embedded function for the head-outflow relationship is incorporated in the Gradient Method (GM). The procedure is capable of simulating both normal and deficient network operating conditions effectively. Results based on networks from the literature show that the proposed method is robust and converges smoothly and rapidly.
The use of genetic algorithm/fuzzy system and tabu search for short-term unit commitment

This paper presents a hybrid genetic algorithm/fuzzy system and tabu search method (GAFS-TS) for solving short-term thermal generating unit commitment problems (UC). The UC problem involves determining the start-up and shutdown schedules for generating units to meet the forecasted demand at minimum cost. The commitment schedule must satisfy other constraints such as the unit generating limits, reverse and individual units. This system makes three important improvements to the genetic algorithm. First, it generates a set of feasible unit commitment schedules and then puts the solution to TS. The GAFS has good global optima search capabilities, but poor local optima search capabilities. The TS method, has good local optima search capabilities. Through this combined approach an optimal solution can be found. Numerical simulations were carried out using four cases; six, ten, twenty and thirty thermal units power systems over a 24-hour period. We compared the produced schedule with several other methods, such as dynamic programming (DP), standard genetic algorithm (SGA) and traditional tabu search (TTS). The results show that we cannot only reach each time interval optimal commitment schedule, but also reduce the computing time.
Three-dimensional analytical solution of the Laplace equation suitable for semiconductor detector design

In this paper we present a method to obtain the three-dimensional (3-D) solution of the Laplace equation in closed form suitable for semiconductor detector design, The method applies to planar geometry cases (microstrip detectors, pixel detectors, drift detectors, etc.) with possible mixed boundary conditions on the surfaces of the wafer. The solution inside the detector volume is expressed by a series of elementary functions, The method requires lower CPU time and memory than methods based on 3-D discretization, in particular for the study of 3-D carrier trajectories inside the volume of semiconductor detectors and for inter-electrode capacitance calculations.
Performance measurements in the implementation of CIM in small and medium enterprises: An empirical analysis

If a company has a strategic goal of achieving better productivity and quality, it is not only necessary to have action programmes that support productivity and quality, but also score-keeping system in manufacturing must integrate both the strategy and the actions. Performance measurements must appraise, reinforce and reward improvements in terms of action programmes being used to pursue productivity and quality. Performance improvement in small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can be achieved through the implementation of computer-integrated manufacturing (CIM). Many SMEs do not consider the implications of long-term benefits of CIM, but only consider short-term financial benefits when they decide about the implementation of CIM. They simply ignore the strategic benefits and intangibles. However, performance measurements considering financial, non-financial, tangible and intangible costs, and benefits have not received significant attention from SMEs while deciding on CIM. Nevertheless, CIM plays an increasingly important role in all aspects of competitiveness both in terms of product development and production techniques in SMEs. Therefore, considering the importance of investment in CIM by SMEs, an attempt has been made in this paper to study the implications of performance measurements on the implementation decisions. A framework has been developed to study the investment justification on CIM in SMEs with the help of an empirical study conducted in British SMEs. Finally, the conclusions are presented.
Photoelectric control: the effectiveness of techniques to reduce switching frequency

Photoelectric switching has the potential to save energy by turning off lighting when daylight illuminances are adequate. However one problem with this control type is frequent switching, annoying occupants. This paper examines three types of control algorithm which can reduce the number of switching operations. Under differential switching, the lighting is switched on if the illuminance falls below a critical value Eon, but not switched off again until the illuminance reaches a substantially higher value Eoff. Another option is the use of a time delay. The final control mode is solar reset where the lighting can only be switched off at certain set times of day. Operation of the various controls was simulated using model room illuminance data recorded every minute. The analysis reveals that solar reset gives the fewest switching operations but at the cost of increased energy consumption. A time delay, where the daylight illuminance has to exceed a target value for a set time before switching off can occur, gives the fewest switch offs for a given lighting energy use. However differential switching ensures that switching off occurs at a favourable adaptation level. The paper outlines ways to predict lighting energy use under the different control strategies.
A Convolutional-Attentional Neural Framework for Structure-Aware Performance-Score Synchronization

Performance-score synchronization is an integral task in signal processing, which entails generating an accurate mapping between an audio recording of a performance and the corresponding musical score. Traditional synchronization methods compute alignment using knowledge-driven and stochastic approaches, and are typically unable to generalize well to different domains and modalities. We present a novel data-driven method for structure-aware performance-score synchronization. We propose a convolutional-attentional architecture trained with a custom loss based on time-series divergence. We conduct experiments for the audio-to-MIDI and audio-to-image alignment tasks pertained to different score modalities. We validate the effectiveness of our method via ablation studies and comparisons with state-of-the-art alignment approaches. We demonstrate that our approach outperforms previous synchronization methods for a variety of test settings across score modalities and acoustic conditions. Our method is also robust to structural differences between the performance and score sequences, which is a common limitation of standard alignment approaches.
A catalog of Southern California earthquakes, and associated electronic data processing programs

Epicenters, origin times, and other pertinent data on approximately 9000 earthquakes in the Southern California region, determined by the Seismological Laboratory at Pasadena for the period from January 1, 1934 to May 17, 1963, have been entered on IBM punched cards. This card catalog may be used as input for programs run on the IBM 7090, and has been converted to punched tape for input to the Bendix G-15D in use at the Laboratory. Programs now operational on the G-15D will produce from the catalog lists of earthquakes which satisfy given criteria of geographical location and/or magnitude range. A system of G-15D programs for calculating from the catalog the distribution of seismicity over the region is described.
Como a temperatura afeta a dinâmica populacional de Tenuipalpus heveae (Acari, Tenuipalpidae) em clones de seringueira?

No presente estudo foi avaliado o efeito temperatura sobre a dinâmica populacional de Tenuipalpus heveae Baker em cinco clones de seringueira. O estudo foi conduzido de novembro de 2018 a janeiro de 2019 no jardim clonal de seringueiras do campo experimental da Embrapa Acr,e Rio Branco, estado do Acre, nos clones CPAA C18, FDR 5788, FX 3899, PB 312 e RRIM 600. Semanalmente foram retiradas, aleatoriamente, oito folhas do terço inferior da copa de quatro plantas de cada clone. Os ácaros coletados foram montados em lâminas de microscopia em meio de Hoyer. A relação entre a temperatura média e a abundância de T. heveae foi testada por meio de um modelo linear generalizado com distribuição de Poisson. Foi amostrado um total de 2.909 ácaros em 6.720 folíolos analisados. Observou-se um efeito negativo da temperatura sobre a abundância de T. heveae.
"AUTOTOOL", a PC-based object-oriented automotive powertrain simulation tool

An automotive powertrain is composed of engine, transmission, and drivetrain subsystems which can be considered "modules". The associated controllers, including engine fuel-injection controller, transmission controller and cruise controller subsystems, may also be considered "modules". This modular structure lends itself well to the object-oriented programming concept. The advantages of this approach are the improved software reusability and productivity. In this paper, an efficient automotive powertrain simulation tool is developed in the PC environment, using MATLAB/Simulink, which supports the object-oriented programming concept in a visual programming environment. In developing this simulation tool, much attention is given to preserving generic modular properties, so that it can be used for many types of powertrain configurations. In fact, a commercially-available engine simulation toolbox can be registered as a module in this simulation tool. In addition, much attention is given to speed up the required computation time.
Identifying some critical changes required in adopting agile practices in traditional software development projects

Purpose – Agile software development (ASD) is currently an emerging approach in software engineering for improving quality, initially advocated by a group of 17 software professionals who practice a set of “lightweight” methods, and share a common set of values of software development. Owing to the attractive claims of successes of the ASD approach, many traditional projects, which used to practice plan‐driven software development, are gradually transitioning into ASD‐based development. This paper seeks to report the results from a survey‐based ex‐post‐facto study aimed at determining the relative importance, if any, of the changes traditional plan‐driven software development projects have to undergo to adopt ASD practices.Design/methodology/approach – The study was conducted using a web‐based survey with ASD practitioners who had experience of practicing plan‐driven software development in the past. ASD practitioners from a wide range of industrial sectors participated in the study. Similarly, the study .
Embelin Alleviates Severe Airway Inflammation in OVA-LPS-Induced Rat Model of Allergic Asthma

Background Asthma is a chronic lung disease, which causes wheezing, tightness in the chest, shortness of breath and coughing. In the wake of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which affect the lungs, asthma patients are at high risk. Embelin, a natural benzoquinone obtained mainly from Embelia ribes Burm, has excellent biological properties, including protection against acute asthma. However, since asthma is a chronic and multi-factorial inflammatory disease, asthma conferred by a single allergen in an animal may not be clinically significant. Therefore, the purpose of the current study was to evaluate the effectiveness of embelin against ovalbumin (OVA)-lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced severe airway inflammation in experimental animals and to investigate the plausible mechanism of action. Methods Rats (n=36) were divided into six groups. Group I served as a normal control. Groups II–VI were sensitised with severe allergens (OVA and LPS) on day 7, 14 and 21, followed by OVA and LPS challenge for 30 min three times/week for 3 weeks. Group II acted as an asthmatic disease control and received only vehicle. On the other hand, groups III–V received embelin (12.5, 25 and 50 mg/kg, P.O. respectively) while group VI received a standard dexamethasone (2.5 mg/kg, P.O.) for 15 days from day 27. Lung function parameters, including the respiratory rate, tidal volume and airflow rate were measured at the end of the experiment (day 42). The total and differential counts of leukocytes in the blood and bronchoalveolar fluid (BALF) were calculated. Th2-mediated serum pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5 and IL-13 levels were analyzed. At the end of the study protocol, the lung tissues were removed for a histopathology study. Additionally, a molecular docking simulation on embelin and standard dexamethasone was applied to support the in vivo findings. Results Significant inhibition of eosinophils, neutrophils, lymphocytes and monocytes in the blood and the BALF was seen in the groups, which received embelin (25 and 50 mg/kg) and dexamethasone (2.5 mg/kg). Moreover, the lung function parameters were normalised by embelin (25 and 50 mg/kg) treatment significantly. The lung histopathological changes confirmed the protective effect of embelin against severe airway inflammation. The docking findings indicated good binding efficacy of embelin to IL-13. Conclusion Overall, our findings indicate that embelin can alleviate severe airway inflammation in OVA-LPS-induced model of allergic asthma occurring by suppression of Th2-mediated immune response. Due to its promising anti-asthmatic effect, it is recommended that embelin should be investigated in clinical trials against asthma. It should also be further explored against COVID-19 or COVID-like diseases due to its ameliorative effects on cytokines and immune cell infiltration.
The road towards industry 4.0: a comparative study of the state-of-the-art in the Italian manufacturing industry

PurposeThis paper has two objectives: first, to investigate the state-of-the-art of Industry 4.0 (I4.0) adoption in Italian manufacturing firms and, second, to understand variations in technologies implemented and business functions involved, benefits perceived, and obstacles encountered in I4.0 implementation over a three-year period.Design/methodology/approachThe approach adopted in this research is descriptive, nesting longitudinal features. The paper presents a descriptive survey of 102 Italian manufacturing companies. The authors also evaluated non-response biases. The longitudinal approach was achieved by comparing the responses of the 40 sub-samples in common with a second similar survey launched three years prior, which aimed to identify patterns of evolution in the adoption of the I4.0 paradigm.FindingsSurvey findings demonstrate that Italian manufacturing companies still have limited awareness of I4.0 technologies, and the adoption of I4.0 technologies differs per technology. Company size and information system coverage level are the two factors that impact the company's technology adoption level. The comparative study shows that knowledge and adoption increase in a three-year interval with an unbalanced involvement of business functions regarding the I4.0 transformation. Indeed, companies are still seeking I4.0 solutions to reduce costs and lead times primarily, and the benefits perceived by companies are shown to be related to the number of I4.0 technologies in use. Finally, when companies put the I4.0 technologies into practice, competence is constantly considered the most significant barrier.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper aims at conducting a thorough investigation into the development of I4.0 adoption in manufacturing companies. The main limitation of this study concerns the limited number of subjects involved in the longitudinal study (40) and the focus on a limited geographical area (Italy). In addition, more I4.0 technologies could also be incorporated into the survey protocol to gain further insight into I4.0 development.Originality/valueThe authors provide one of the first attempts to assess the variations of I4.0 implementation concerning technology adoption, business function involvement, and the alteration of benefits and obstacles. Several studies presented in the literature highlight the lack of longitudinal studies investigating the development of the I4.0 paradigm in a specific manufacturing context: this paper is the attempt at filling this gap.
Statistical Verification of a Biochemical Methane Potential Test

The Biochemical Methane Potential (BMP) assay is commonly used for determining the viability of feedstocks for anaerobic digestion (AD). The results from these tests have been adopted for a variety of applications; including preliminary screening, toxicity testing, as well as the design and prediction of biogas production from full-scale operational digesters. The use of the BMP as the foundation for making the aforementioned decisions is problematic because of the variation in BMP protocols available and a lack of statistical analysis to verify accuracy of the results. This paper will detail selected results from a series of BMP assays conducted on several dairy manure and milking center wastewater samples, collected over a period of six weeks from three New Mexico dairy farms. The manure and wastewater samples were characterized individually and also as an array of blends. Each blend was set up in triplicate in serum bottles with the contents of each bottle being tested individually for a series of parameters both pre and post-digestion (pH, alkalinity, chemical oxygen demand (COD), total solids (TS), total volatile solids(VS) and ammonia). At the end of the BMP, a biogas potential ratio was calculated based on the initial VS and COD (mL per mg VS Fed and mL per mg COD Fed derived from pre-digestion analysis. A statistical analysis was completed to compare this method for calculating the biogas potential ratio with a more traditional method.
Behavior of Concrete Segmental Box Girder Bridges with Open Webs

AbstractThe prestressed concrete (PC) box girder bridge with open webs, whose mechanical behavior is halfway between that of the traditional plain web and the lattice box girder bridges is a relatively new bridge form. The concept depends on new structural developments considering complex geometry that combines cast in situ and prefabricated elements. In this paper, the Abra Bridge (or Tavaro Viaduct) in France was measured and analyzed by using the so-called space frame lattice model. The paper discusses the advantages of this bridge type. The paper also presents the use of a space frame lattice computational method for structural analysis. Given the calculated results, to reduce the principal stresses in the webs, the shear stresses are reduced by the vertical preshear force provided by the external prestressed tendons along the whole bridge, which is proposed by the authors. At the same time, the vertical internal prestressed tendons in the webs can be designed to increase the vertical compressive stre.