Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
SPECTROPHOTOMETRIC METHODS FOR DETERMINATION OF SOFOSBUVIR AND DACLATASVIR IN PURE AND DOSAGE FORMS

Objective: Two simple, sensitive and accurate spectrophotometric methods have been developed for the determination of sofosbuvir (SOF) and daclatasvir (DAC) in pure forms and pharmaceutical formulations. Methods: The proposed methods are based on the oxidation of SOF and DAC by a known excess of cerium(IV) ammonium nitrate in sulphuric acid medium followed by determination of unreacted cerium(IV) by adding a fixed amount of indigo carmine (IC) and alizarin red S (ARS) dyes followed by measuring the absorbance at 610 and 360 nm, respectively. The experimental conditions affecting the reaction were studied and optimized. Results: The beer’s law was obeyed in the concentration ranges of 0.2-3.0, 0.2-4.0 for SOF and 0.5-4.5 and 0.5-5.0 μg/ml for DAC using IC and ARS methods, respectively with a correlation coefficient ≥ 0.9991. The calculated molar absorptivity values are 2.354 × 104, 1.933 × 104 for SOF and 1.786 × 104 and 2.015 × 104 L/mol. cm for DAC using IC and ARS methods, respectively u. The limits of detection and quantification are also reported. Intra-day and inter-day precision and accuracy of the methods have been evaluated. Conclusion: The methods were successfully applied to the assay of SOF and DAC in tablets and the results were statistically compared with those of the reference method by applying Student’s t-test and F-test. No interference was observed from the common tablet excipients. The accuracy and reliability of the methods were further ascertained by performing recovery studies using the standard addition method.
An overview of constructing geometric models of buildings using point clouds

Building Information Modelling (BIM) and the associated numerical simulations have widely been recognised as useful components of building design support tools, and are readily applied in the design and the construction of new buildings. Meanwhile, their applications in existing buildings are often constrained by the lack of as-built geometric models, the generation of which often depends on two aspects: the spatial data (e.g., point cloud data) representing the building of interest and the means of constructing geometric models using the spatial data. The former can readily be obtained using laser scanning techniques. However, the generation of geometric models is mainly a manual process in practice, which is often time consuming. To improve the efficiency, extensive research has been carried out to investigate approaches for automating the geometric modelling process and improving the quality of the models obtained. This article provides a review of the approaches and the tools available in the literature for generating geometric models of buildings using point cloud data. The strengths and weaknesses of those approaches and the potential benefits of combining some of them are critically discussed.
APPLYING PARTICLE SWARMOPTIM IZATION TO JOB-SHOP SCHEDULING PROBLEM

A new heuristic algorithm is proposed for the problem of finding the minimum makespan in the job-shop scheduling problem. The new algorithm is based on the principles of particle swarm optimization (PSO). PSO employs a collaborative population-based search, which is inspired by the social behavior of bird flocking. It combines local search (by self experience) and global search (by neighboring experience), possessing high search efficiency. Simulated annealing (SA) employs certain probability to avoid becoming trapped in a local optimum and the search process can be controlled by the cooling schedule. By reasonably combining these two different search algorithms, a general, fast and easily implemented hybrid optimization algorithm, named HPSO, is developed. The effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed PSO-based algorithm are demonstrated by applying it to some benchmark job-shop scheduling problems and comparing results with other algorithms in literature. Comparing results indicate that PSO-based algorithm is a viable and effective approach for the job-shop scheduling problem.
Microstrip ring bandpass filters with new interdigital side-coupling structure

In this paper, dual-mode microstrip ring bandpass filters with new interdigital side-coupling structure are presented. The interdigital side-coupling scheme has much lower insertion and return losses than any other side-coupling structure. Dual-mode microstrip ring bandpass filters with one or two local resonant split (LRS) circuits centered at 2.2 and 2.05 GHz show 3-dB bandwidths of only 70 and 75 MHz, the insertion losses of -2.75 and -2.12 dB, and return losses of -19.48 and -19.65 dB, respectively.
Applied Technology in a Composite and Definable SaaS Billing Mechanism Supporting Optimized Utilization of Resource

SaaS applications are different from traditional software for their delivery mode and for their business model called Pay-as-You-Go, which allows service vendors to provide services to customers with appropriate services which are exactly needed to fulfill the requirements. As a result, there is a need of a new metering and billing mechanism to implement such business model. The paper proposes a composite and definable SaaS billing mechanism supporting optimized utilization of resource with the instruction of the related model and process. The mechanism supports metering and billing SaaS subscription through user license, duration time, use times, use resource, function used, or the composition of them. Therefore it is suitable for customized tenants of most SaaS applications.
Stereotactic radiosurgery for limited brain metastasis using three different techniques: helical tomotherapy, volumetric modulated arc therapy, and cone-based LINAC radiosurgery

Purpose Specific radiation delivered to tumors by stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) has become widely used in the treatment of brain metastasis. This study aimed to compare radiation therapy planning and its parameters from SRS using three different modalities: helical tomotherapy (HT), volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT), and cone-based linac radiosurgery (Cone-based). Materials and Methods Each contouring dataset of patents who experienced one to four brain metastasis received SRS in our center was re-planned to create radiation therapy planning in all three treatment systems (HT, VMAT, and Cone-based). The parameters of conformity index (CI), homogeneity index (HI), CI50, and gradient index (CGI) were analyzed to compare the effects of the three techniques. Decision score analysis was used to evaluate the performance on dosimetric and organs-at-risk parameters among the different techniques by applying the Cone-based technique as a benchmark. Results A total of 21 patients with 39 lesions were included in this study. The results from the decision score analysis demonstrated statistically identical CI, CI50, and CGI values between Cone-based and VMAT for single lesions. For multiple lesions, VMAT also provided better CI when compared to Cone-based technique while HT exhibited the poorest dosimetric parameters. Moreover, VMAT exhibited the lowest BrainV5Gy value and displayed the shortest beam-on time calculation. Conclusion We have conducted a comprehensive comparison of SRS planning approaches. The Cone-based technique revealed the highest HI value, while VMAT provided the best estimated beam-on time value. HT displayed a feasible SRS modality for single lesions, but not for multiple lesions.
THE STRENGTH OF THE LIFTING ACTION IN MAN

The maximum isometric force exertable on a horizontal bar situated in a frontal plane was found to vary, for eight young male subjects and for the different lifting conditions observed, from 15 to 120 kg. Increase of foot placement distance from 30 cm to 50 cm effected the largest reduction in lifting force. The reduction produced by increase of grasp height from 12½ cm to 50 cm was very much less, and the effect of type of grasp (overhand or underhand) and type of lifting action (using or not using knee extension) was generally small. It appeared that the magnitude of the lifting force was largely determined by the magnitude of the force moment which the body mass could exert to counterbalance the reaction of the lifting force upon the body. The nature of the muscular activity associated with this stabilization of the body during lifting operations is discussed.
25.1 Invited Paper: High Resolution Autostereoscopic 3D Display with Scanning Multi‐Electrode Driving Liquid Crystal (MeD‐LC) Lens

An autostereoscopic display with full resolution of2D and 3D images with wide viewing angle potential was proposed by combining an “active scanning film” and fast response OLED. In order to realize the active scanning film to project the images to different directions sequentially, Multi‐Electrode Driving Liquid Crystal (MeD‐LC) Lens was utilized. Comparing with traditional LC lens structures, MeD‐LC lens could not only be switched on/off, but also horizontally moved to “scan” and project images. Additionally, MeD‐LC lens was more competitive in respect of structure simplicity and various curvature generations.
Application of a Sampling Based on the Combined Objectives of Parameter Identification and Uncertainty Analysis of an Urban Rainfall-Runoff Model

AbstractUrban rainfall-runoff modeling is important to analyze the health of urban water systems. The Storm Water Management Model (SWMM) developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) is one of the most widely used rainfall-runoff models. In this paper, SWMM was integrated with a sampling based on a combined objective, aiming at (1) reducing the uncertainty of model parameters distribution in the sampling-based method, and (2) reducing uncertainty bounds of model outputs to obtain more accurate predictions. The Latin hypercube sampling (LHS) method was selected as the sampling strategy, and the Nash-Sutcliffe (NS) coefficient, correlation coefficient (R), percent bias (%BIAS), root mean square error (RMSE), and a combination with the previous four objectives were used to get behavioral parameter sets, respectively. A case study was made in an experimental catchment of Macau, China, to test the efficiency of different objectives on reducing uncertainty of the rainfall-runoff model. Results .
Principles of gas-solid flows

Gas-solid flows are involved in numerous industrial processes and occur in various natural phenomena. This authoritative book addresses the fundamental principles that govern gas-solid flows and the application of these principles to various gas-solid flow systems. The book is arranged in two parts. Part 1 deals with basic relationships and phenomena, including particle size and properties, collision mechanics, momentum transfer, heat and mass transfer, basic equations, and intrinsic phenomena in gas-solid flows. Part 2 discusses gas-solid flow systems of industrial interest such as gas-solid separators, hoppers and standpipes, dense-phase fluidized beds, fluidized beds, pneumatic conveying systems, and heat and mass transfer in fluidization systems. As a comprehensive text on gas-solid flows, which includes end-of-chapter problems, this book is aimed at students, but will also be useful to a broad range of engineers and applied scientists. Solutions manual available.
Macroeconomic Variables and Foreign Portfolio Investment Volatility in Nigeria

Haider, Khan and Abdulahi (2016). Negative and insignificant relationship between foreign portfolio investment and the stock market development had been observed by Abel, Ebele and Ndi (2009). Insignificant effect on foreign portfolio investment had been noticed by Levchenko and Mauro (2007). paper is the with of and on the and of Abstract: The study aims to check the impact of macroeconomic variables on foreign portfolio investment (FPI) volatility in Nigeria using time series data from January, 2014 to December, 2019 obtained from the Central Bank of Nigeria. The test revealed that previous month’s volatility in FPI, inflation rate and all share indexes were significant determinants of FPI volatility in Nigeria. Based on the findings, it was recommended among other things that these factors that influence foreign portfolio investment oscillation should be regulated by the appropriate government agencies to ensure more serene investment clime.
Comparison of mathematical model predictions to experimental data of fatigue and performance

As part of the"Fatigue and Performance Modeling Workshop,"six modeling teams made predictions for temporal profiles of fatigue and performance in five different scenarios. One scenario was based on a laboratory study of fatigue and performance during 88 h of extended wakefulness with or without nap opportunities. Another scenario was based on a field study of alertness in freight locomotive engineers. Two scenarios were based on laboratory studies with various conditions of chronic sleep restriction and recovery. There was a theoretical scenario for future ultra-long-range flight operations as well. Experimental data were available for all scenarios except the latter. The model predictions were compared with the experimental data; after linear scaling using mixed-effects regression, mean square errors were computed to quantify goodness-of-fit. The six models were also compared among each other on the basis of these mean square errors. The present paper provides detailed information about the results of these comparisons. The models were capable of predicting the data for some scenarios fairly well. However, predicting the data for the two scenarios involving chronic sleep restriction was more problematic. Differences among the predictions from the six models were relatively small, suggesting that these models have a broad common basis. More experimental research is needed to yield new insights for the further development of fatigue and performance models. Language: en
Prevalence and antibiotic resistance of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in beef at a commercial slaughterhouse in Moro, Kwara State, Nigeria

Background Gastroenteritis due to foodborne disease is a leading cause of death in developing countries. In Nigeria, there is an increasing demand for beef. Yet, there is no surveillance for Escherichia coli O157:H7 contamination of raw beef and little is known about the carriage of this pathogen in Nigeria’s livestock. Methods A total of 415 samples, including 180 cow carcass swabs, 180 caecal content samples, 16 water samples, 25 hand swabs and 14 knife swabs were collected at a large abattoir in the Moro region of Kwara State, Nigeria. The samples were enriched in modified tryptone broth containing novobiocine, and plated onto Sorbitol–MacConkey agar (Oxoid SR0172E) supplemented with 0.05 mg l−1 cefixime and 2.5 mg l−1 potassium tellurite (Oxoid) (CT-SMAC). Indole-producing isolates were confirmed serologically by serotyping with antisera specific for the O157 and H7 antigens. The E. coli O157:H7 isolates were further tested for their susceptibility to antibiotic agents using the disc diffusion method. Commercially available Gram-negative multi-discs (Oxoid) comprising nitrofurantoin (30 µg), ampicillin (5 µg), ceftazidime (30 µg), gentamicin (10 µg), ciprofloxacin (5 µg), augmentin (30 µg), ofloxacin (5 µg) and cefuroxime (30 µg) were tested. Results Overall, 16 (3.9 %) samples were contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, of which 10 (5.6 %) were isolated from carcass swabs, 4 (2.2 %) from caecal content samples and 2 (12.5 %) from water. All isolates were multidrug-resistant (MDR), with resistance to ampicillin, ceftazidime and cefuroxime being the most common. Conclusion This study provides evidence to suggest that E. coli O157:H7 exists in the beef production chain. The pathogen reveals a high frequency of multidrug resistance, suggesting that consumers and handlers of such meat are at risk of contracting antibiotic-resistant E. coli O157:H7-associated foodborne disease. Routine monitoring of antibiotic resistance is critical to uncovering novel therapeutic strategies that will help inform clinical practice guidelines.
Thermoelastic contact problem of a magneto-electro-elastic layer indented by a rigid insulating punch

Abstract In this study, the plane thermoelastic frictional contact problem between a magneto-electro-elastic (MEE) layer and a rigid cylindrical or flat punch is discussed. Punches are assumed to be perfect electromagnetic and thermal insulators; they slide over the layer with a small constant speed, and due to the friction, heat flux occurs. The general stress, displacement, and electromagnetic expressions for the contact problem are derived using the theory of thermoelasticity. Applying the boundary conditions, the contact problem is reduced to a Cauchy-type singular integral equation, which is then solved numerically using the Gauss-Jacobi integration formula.
Optimised small scale reactor technology, a new approach for the Australian biodiesel industry

With growing concern over peak oil and global warming many are urgently seeking alternatives to petro-diesel to fuel growing economies. Biodiesel, a diesel equivalent derived from vegetable oils and animal fat, is one such alternative. Large scale uptake of biodiesel, however, is limited by the availability of low cost, sustainable feedstocks. In the context of feedstock limitations in Australia, this thesis examines the complete biodiesel system from feedstock to end consumer via production technology. The result of this investigation was the identification of integrated small scale biodiesel production (less than 5 million L/yr) as an economically viable niche for the Australian biodiesel industry. This is especially the case in remote locations. To this end, a new production model, based upon small scale operations in regional industry hubs, was presented and validated with a case study in South Western Australia. This production model presents a new approach for the Australian biodiesel industry. Having established the economic sustainability of the small scale production model, this work lays a foundation for its technical viability by optimising the reactor technology at the heart of biodiesel production. The following two questions are examined in the pursuit of reactor technology optimisation for small scale production: •What is the most suitable catalyst for small scale production? •Can an accurate model of the reactor be developed to facilitate optimisation? The first question necessitated a detailed review of biodiesel production technology. The fruit of this review was the identification of homogeneous catalysed technology as the most suitable method for small scale biodiesel production. The second question required a reactor model that could determine the level of conversion on the basis of reactor temperature and residence time (flow-rate). Further investigation into the homogeneous catalysed reaction medium suggested a two part model, with the first focusing on flow characteristics to maintain dispersion of the reacting phases, and the second on kinetics to determine conversion. Due to the multiphase nature of the reaction medium, the first part was developed as a Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) model of the flow through Bluediesel PTY LTD’s tubular reactor in ANSYS CFX. This model drew heavily on literature in the field of oil and water flows and was verified with flow visualization studies of the reactor. The second part of the model was built in MATLAB on the basis of biodiesel kinetic studies and was verified with data from Bluediesel PTY LTD’s plant. This model was ran at a number of operating conditions and configurations to determine the minimum total cost of a small scale reactor while maintaining suitable levels of conversion. This optimisation work represents the first application of CFD modelling to a biodiesel reactor and can be used as a basis for further work in this area.
Quantifying Emotional Similarity in Speech

This study proposes the novel formulation of measuring emotional similarity between speech recordings. This formulation explores the ordinal nature of emotions by comparing emotional similarities instead of predicting an emotional attribute, or recognizing an emotional category. The proposed task determines which of two alternative samples has the most similar emotional content to the emotion of a given anchor. This task raises some interesting questions. Which is the emotional descriptor that provide the most suitable space to assess emotional similarities? Can deep neural networks (DNNs) learn representations to robustly quantify emotional similarities? We address these questions by exploring alternative emotional spaces created with attribute-based descriptors and categorical emotions. We create the representation using a DNN trained with the triplet loss function, which relies on triplets formed with an anchor, a positive example, and a negative example. We select a positive sample that has similar emotion content to the anchor, and a negative sample that has dissimilar emotion to the anchor. The task of our DNN is to identify the positive sample. The experimental evaluations demonstrate that we can learn a meaningful embedding to assess emotional similarities, achieving higher performance than human evaluators asked to complete the same task.
SOCIAL MEDIA AND PARENTING SUPPORT: A SYSTEMATIC SCOPING REVIEW (2010-2019)

The internet plays a central role in much of contemporary parenting, which includes parent participation in social media networks. When people use social media to support parenting activities, they may seek information as well as social support, and in turn may provide information and social support to others. This study presents a systematic scoping review of empirical research on social media use for parenting support activities, whether parent-initiated and organic in origin or externally-initiated and intervention-focused. This review identified 70 relevant empirical articles published across a decade (2010-2019) and explored research trends (e.g., trajectory, study populations, research type and social media platforms) and parenting support topics. Findings show that health-related parenting support has been studied most frequently, followed by general parenting support and school-related support. This study yields insights into research gaps and potential areas for further research of parenting support via social media.
Artificial intelligence reads battery state-of-health in three minutes

This work is a response to the growing need for quick testing battery reliability. Accurate quick battery testing is important as current chargers and analyzers do not provide an accurate state-of-health reading. This paper examines the development of firmware based on fuzzy logic which significantly affects the introduction of precise quick battery testing. The paper describes the Cadex 7200 battery analyser with QuickTest function.
Length-weight relationship and condition factor of endemic fish Bilih (Mystacoleucus padangensis Blkr.) in Lake Singkarak, West Sumatra, Indonesia

Bilih (Mystacoleucus padangensis) is an endemic species of Lake Singkarak and has important economic value. Overfishing of Bilih fish using non-selective fishing gear has led to a decline in its population. High demand, resulting in decreased production and size of Bilih fish. This research aims to determine this endemic fish's length-weight relationship and condition factor as basic data to the effort conservation. The fish was captured with experimental gillnet mesh sized 5/8, ¾, and 1 inch in Sumani, Batu Taba, Paninggahan, and PLTA intake stations. The total length and the weight of Bilih fish ranged from 40 – 95 mm and 10 – 74 mg, respectively. The highest length and weight of Bilih were 80.3 mm, and 45.0 mg were found at the Sumani station. The growth pattern of male and female fish was a negative allometric characteristic. The length-weight relationship of male and female fish was W = 0.00137 L2.368 and W = 0.00179 L2.312, respectively. Condition factors of males and females are 1.02 and 1.004, respectively. The result of condition factor value for males is higher than the female. The water quality values are within the normal range that supports fish life.