Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A new discrete-time robust stability condition (

A new robust stability condition for uncertain discrete-time systems with convex polytopic uncertainty is given. It enables to check stability using parameter-dependent Lyapunov functions which are derived from LMI conditions. It is shown that this new condition provides better results than the classical quadratic stability. Besides the use of a parameter-dependent Lyapunov function, this condition exhibits a kind of decoupling between the Lyapunov and the system matrices which may be explored for control synthesis purposes. A numerical example illustrates the results. c © 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Inventory planning for spare parts networks with delivery time requirements

Motivated by real life, we introduce a new inventory model for spare parts where we explicitly take delivery time requirements into account. In this single-echelon, multilocation network, demand of a customer can be satisfied from multiple warehouses, but only if the customer can be reached from a warehouse within a time limit that is specified in the service contract of the customer. A delivery to a customer from a warehouse other than the closest one is referred to as a lateral transshipment. We develop a fast and accurate approximate algorithm to evaluate the performance of the network under given base stock levels and propose a fast and effective heuristic to set base stock levels. Numerical experiments show that planning with lateral transshipments can lead to cost savings up to 47% when compared to planning without lateral transshipments. Furthermore, we show the importance of taking lateral transshipments into account when designing a spare parts network.
Parallelizing Applications With a Reduction Based Framework on Multi-Core Clusters

Data mining has emerged as an important class of high performance applications. At the same time, most parallel platforms today are clusters of multi-core machines. Thus, one of the major challenges today is achieving programmabilityandperformancefor data mining applications on multi-core machines and cluster of multi-core machines. FREERIDE (FRamework for Rapid Implementation of Datamining Engines) is a middleware developed based on the observation that the processing structure of a large number of data mining algorithms involves generalized reductions. FREERIDE offers a high-level interface and implements both distributed memory and shared memory parallelization. In this thesis, the Wavelet Transformation algorithm is considered and it is shown how it can be modeled as a generalized reduction structure. It is parallelized using the FREERIDE middleware. It is shown that the algorithm can be parallelized in a communication and storage efficient manner. By this method, a good parallel efficiency with a speedup of around 42 on 64 cores is achieved. The second algorithm considered is a challenging new data mining algorithm, information theoretic co-clustering. This algorithm is parallelized using FREERIDE middleware. It is shown that the main processing loops of row clustering and column clustering of the the Co-clustering algorithm essentially fit into a generalized reduction structure. A good parallel efficiency is achieved and a speedup of nearly 21 is reported on 32 cores.
Development of Mathematical Models for Detecting Micron Scale Volumetric Defects in Thin Film Coatings

Abstract The focus of the present research is to investigate possibilities of volumetric defect detection in thin film coatings on glass substrates by means of high definition imaging with no complex optical systems, such as lenses, and to determine development and construction feasibility of a defectoscope employing the investigated methods. Numerical simulations were used to test the proposed methods. Three theoretical models providing various degrees of accuracy and feasibility were studied.
Biofuel policies and the environment: the effects of biofuel feedstock production on climate, water quality and biodiversity

In this paper we examine the multiple environmental effects of policies promoting biofuel production from agricultural crops. We develop theoretical and empirical frameworks and provide an integrated economic and ecological modelling approach: an economic model of farmers’ decision making is combined with a biophysical model predicting the effects of farming practices on crop yields and multiple environmental effects. The analysed environmental effects include GHG emissions over the life cycle, nitrogen and phosphorus runoff, herbicide runoff and the quality of wildlife habitats. Model is applied to crop production in Finland. We found that the overall environmental performance of alternative land use types is mainly driven by the value of CO2-eq emissions and nutrient runoff damage. Herbicide use intensity and resulting herbicide runoff damage have only a marginal effect on the environmental performance of alternative land use types. Incorporation of biodiversity benefits favour rape and reed canary grass over cereals. Social welfare ranking of alternative land use types is mainly driven by profitability of land use rather than the social valuation of environmental effects.
Sustainable competitive positional advantage of English dailies: a research proposal

A theory of sustainable competitive positional advantage has been proposed as an important tool for identifying the sustainable competitive position of products and services in the minds of consumers. In order to verify this theory, one of the growing sectors, print media has been selected. It is observed that there are more than twenty English dailies brands available at the National and State level in India. The researcher has proposed the study in line with the conceptual and research propositions postulated by Sunder G. Bharadwaj et al. (1993). The objective of the study is to identify and describe the sustainable competitive positional advantage of various English dailies in general and cost leaderships (price) as well as differentiations in particular based on demographics, psychographics, reading activity, opinion and interest. In addition, the study is attempted to draw perceptual maps of top of mind brands of English dailies based on cost leadership and differentiation dimensions. The study has been designed based on a new marketing scale (A. Selvarasu and C. Kathiravan, 2007). There are eight variables adopted from Todd McCauley and Mary Nesbitt (2004), namely, Motivators , Inhibitors , Personality , News Content , Advertisement Content , Innovation , Quality , and Service Excellent to describe competitive advantage of English dailies. All the eight variables of English dailies have been redefined using four variables of sustainability, namely, rare , valuable , inimitable and non-substituable (Barney, 1991 and Coyney, 1986). The overall scores for SCPA have been computed at three levels such as low score , medium score and high score of English dailies in accordance with approach of competitive advantage as cost leadership, differentiation and focus (Michael Porter, 1980-1985). personality, news content, advertisement content, innovation, quality, service excellent, rare, valuable, inimitable and non-substitutable.
Influence of serum epidermal growth factor on mechanical ventilation and survival in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome

Background: The mortality rate of acute respiratory distress syndrome has remained high. Studies have shown that concentrations of some of the inflammatory mediators, as well as some of the growth factors in serum and/or bronchoalveolar lavage, are higher in nonsurvivors. Objectives: We hypothesized in a previous study that it is possible that the serum level of epidermal growth factor (EGF) in nonsurvived patients would be higher than that of survived patients. Patients & methods: Data was evaluated for 30 patients diagnosed with acute respiratory distress syndrome on mechanical ventilation. Blood samples were taken before initiating mechanical ventilation as well as 2, 4 and 8 h after. Results: Serum EGF concentration was reduced (p < 0.05) in survivors 2 h after initiating mechanical ventilation. In addition, the differences between PaO2/FiO2 and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score at the start and the end of the study was significant (p < 0.05). The serum EGF concentration increase.
A New Metaheuristic Inspired by the Vapour-Liquid Equilibrium for Continuous Optimization

In this article, a novel optimization metaheuristic based on the vapour-liquid equilibrium is described to solve highly nonlinear optimization problems in continuous domains. During the search for the optimum, the procedure truly simulates the vapour-liquid equilibrium state of multiple binary chemical systems. Each decision variable of the optimization problem behaves as the molar fraction of the lightest component of a binary chemical system. The equilibrium state of each system is modified several times, independently and gradually, in two opposite directions and at different rates. The best thermodynamic conditions of equilibrium for each system are searched and evaluated to identify the following step towards the solution of the optimization problem. While the search is carried out, the algorithm randomly accepts inadequate solutions. This process is done in a controlled way by setting a minimum acceptance probability to restart the exploration in other areas to prevent becoming trapped in local optimal solutions. Moreover, the range of each decision variable is reduced autonomously during the search. The algorithm reaches competitive results with those obtained by other stochastic algorithms when testing several benchmark functions, which allows us to conclude that our metaheuristic is a promising alternative in the optimization field.
THE IMPACTS OF ZINC ON LIVER AND SERUM PROTEINS AND CHOLESTEROL LEVELS OF FISH (CIRRHINUS MRIGALA)

The present investigation was aimed to observe the impacts of Zinc (Zn) on the protein levels in liver, serum and cholesterol of Cirrhinus mrigala fingerlings and experiments were designed having control without Zn and three treatments T1, T2 and T3 containing Zn at concentrations 0.01, 0.02, 0.04 ppm, respectively in triplicates. The decreasing trends were observed in the protein levels of liver tissue in C. mrigala with an increase in the concentrations of Zn from T1 then T2 to T3 i.e. 16.40% (56.00±0.45 μg/g), 32.83% (44.26±0.52 μg/g) and 47.76% (34.86±0.81μg/g), respectively w. r. t. control (T0) 67.10±0.45 μg/g for 45 days. The decline in liver proteins was found to be maximally i.e. up to 47.76% in liver proteins. The declines in serum protein level were observed in T1, T2 and T3 i.e. 4.76% (8. 00 ± 2.54 μg/g), 11.90% (7.33 ± 4.34 μg/g) and 24.06% (6.34±0.72 μg/g) at concentrations 0.01, 0.02, 0.04 ppm of Zn, respectively w. r. t. control (T0) 8.40±0.58(μg/g). After 45 days, the levels of cholesterol were increased with an increase in the concentrations of Zn in treatments T1, T2 and T3 and it was increased up to 69 % at 0.04ppm (T3). In conclusion, the levels of liver and serum proteins decrease while cholesterol increases when C. mrigala is subjected to Zn metal toxicity.
Oxygen isotopes of combustion CO2

Oxygen isotopic signature of CO2 from combustion processes M. Schumacher, R. E. M. Neubert, H. A. J. Meijer, H. G. Jansen, W. A. Brand, H. Geilmann, and R. A. Werner Centre for Isotope Research, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands Max-Planck-Institute for Biogeochemistry, Hans-Knoell-Straße 10, 07745 Jena, Germany Institute of Plant Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zürich, Universitätsstrasse 2, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland now at: Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, AWIPEV Research Base, 9173 Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard, Norway Received: 21 July 2008 – Accepted: 17 September 2008 – Published: 5 November 2008 Correspondence to: M. Schumacher (marcus.schumacher@awi.de) Published by Copernicus Publications on behalf of the European Geosciences Union.
Developing algorithms for the analysis of retinal Optical Coherence Tomography images

Vision loss, with a prevalence loss greater than 42 million in the United States is one of the major challenges of today’s health-care industry and medical science. Early detection of different retinal-related diseases will dramatically reduce the risk of vision loss. Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) is a relatively new imaging technique which is of great importance in the identification of ocular and especially retinal diseases. Thus, the efficient analysis of OCT images provides several advantages. In this thesis, we propose a series of image processing and machine learning techniques for the automated analysis of OCT images. The proposed methodology in chapter 2 localizes different retinal layers using a modified version of active contour models. In chapter 3, we propose a method which classifies OCT images based on different pathological conditions using novel methods, e.g., transfer learning and new texture detection techniques. The proposed methods along with the clinically meaningful extracted characteristics provide numbers of applications and benefits, e.g., saving a considerable amount of time and providing more-efficient and -accurate indices for the diagnosis and treatment of different ocular diseases to ophthalmologists and finally reducing the overall risk of vision loss.
A Glimpse into the Research Space of Location Based Services

Location Based Services are becoming an integral part of the wider telecommunication scenario. However, the approaches to provide Location Based Services and the research issues in this area are diverse and broad. In this paper, the present state of the Location Based Service systems has been analyzed. The analysis confirmed the heterogeneity of the research problems associated with Location Based Services as well as the array of solutions to address these problems. On one hand, the study carried out will enable one to get some idea about essential features for the implementation of a Location Based Service system. On the other hand, it is strongly believed that this study will assist researchers and the industry to get a sense of the multidimensional research space of Location Based Services which will be helpful for later exploration of this field.
Morphological differentiation of indigenous goats in different agro-ecological zones of Vhembe district, Limpopo province, South Africa

The study was carried out to differentiate indigenous female goats in different agro-ecological zones based on their morphological traits. 551 mature female goats from semi-arid, dry sub-humid and humid agro-ecological zones were considered in this study. The morphological traits analysed were Body Weight, Body Length, Shoulder Height, Hip Height and Heart Girth. Stepwise discriminant analysis was used to check the discriminating power of the variables. Canonical discriminant procedure was applied to determine differences between indigenous goats in different zones. The analysis showed that all the variables measured have discriminating power. In canonical discriminant analysis, the first canonical variable determined was significant and accounted for 91.87% of the variation, but the second canonical variable was not significant and accounted 8.13% of the variation. The pairwise Mahalanobis distances between indigenous goats in semi-arid and dry sub-humid as well as between semi-arid and humid were significant. The pairwise distance between goats in dry sub-humid and humid was not significant. Discriminant model function correctly allocated 60.31% (semi-arid), 58.06% (humid) and 38.46% (dry subhumid) of indigenous goats into their original agro-ecological zone.
Profile of female students of engineering universities in Mexico and Spain

Gender studies in higher education have emerged in parallel to reflections and rising feminist movement. The main objectives of academic feminism are related to women's visibility improvement as well as soft skills developersâ€™ roles. But a gap in TECH studies can be detected. Women studies in higher education are mostly related to life and social sciences,behavioral, journalism and information, business and management and law, in contrast to engineering, architecture,manufacturing, construction, ICT or any kind of TECH studies. Thus, the main objective of this work is related to survey design in order to develop a qualitative research to inquire about TECH higher education, female population profile, both at UdGCUALTOS (Guadalajara, Mexico) and UPC (Barcelona, Spain). This profile can provide some influent identity elements, related to perceptions and expectations of women-TECH, deemed appropriate from their professions as engineers. From these results, it should be possible to draw gender alternatives for future generations in TECH environments.Keywords: Gender studies, women students, engineering, higher education, expectations.
CHARACTERIZATION OF 18S RIBOSOMAL RNA FRAGMENT FROM Solanum tuberosum L. var. Granola POTATO

Potato ( Solanum tuberosum L.) is a prime horticultural commodity. One of the varieties of potato that widely cultivated in Indonesia is Granola . This study characterized the variety Granola based on the 18S sequences of rRNA gene fragment. The 18S sequences were used to distinguish the Granola and determine the differentiating characters from other Solanum based on those sequences data. The characterization was completed in three main steps including DNA isolation from potato leaf using Doyle & Doyle method, amplification of the 18S gene fragment, and DNA sequencing. The amplification of 18S gene fragment by a PCR method obtained 528 bp sequences. The BLAST search using NCBI web service confirmed that Granola potato has 99% matching sequence with S. tuberosum . The phylogenetic reconstruction further indicates the S. tuberosum var. Granola used in this study deeply nested with the reference sequence X67238.1, a potato from Europe.
Nonlinear Dynamical analysis of an AFM tapping mode microcantilever beam

We focus in this paper on the modeling and dynamical analysis of a tapping mode atomic force mi- croscopy (AFM) microcantilever beam. This latter is subjected to a harmonic excitation of its base displacement and to Van der Waals and DMT contact forces at its free end. For AFM design purposes, we derive a mathe- matical model for accurate description of the AFM microbeam dynamics. We solve the resulting equations of motions and associated boundary conditions using the Galerkin method. We find that using one-mode approxi- mation in tapping mode operating in the neighborhood of the contact region one-mode approximation may lead to erroneous results.
A STUDY ON THE FRICTION BEHAVIOUR OF SPUNBOND NONWOVENS USED WITH DIFFERENT WEIGHTS

Kumaslarin, kullanim yerlerine gore istenen ozelliklere sahip olmalarinin yaninda, kullanim sirasinda maruz kalacaklari surtunmelere karsi yeterince dayaniklilik gosterebilmeleri mutlak suretle gereklidir. Tekstil materyalinin baska bir tekstil materyali ile surtunmesi ve/veya tekstil olmayan bir yuzeye surtunmesi sonucu kumas dayanimi gibi performans karakteristiklerinde kayiplara neden olmasinin yani sira, kumasta bazi fiziksel degisiklikler yaratarak kumas gorunumunu de etkilemektedir. Bu calismada, tasarimi ve imalati yapilmis olan yatay platform prensibine gore calisan deney duzenegi kullanilmistir. Numune olarak, farkli gramajlarda polipropilen (PP) ve poliester (PES) esasli spunbond yontemi (filament serme ve isil baglama) ile uretilmis dokusuz yuzeyler kullanilmistir. Uc farkli gramajda numuneler kullanilarak dokusuz yuzeylerin surtunme ozellikleri incelenmeye calisilmistir. Calisma sonucunda, en yuksek surtunme katsayisi degeri ve yuzey ozelliklerinin olumsuz etkilenme durumunun kumas-asindirici yun kumas surtunme ortaminda, en dusuk surtunme katsayisi degeri ve surtunme yuzeyin fazla olumsuz etkilenmemesi durumunun ise kumas-metal surtunme ortaminda gerceklestigi gozlemlenmistir.
Effects of Long-Acting ÃÂ²2-Agonist and Corticosteroid Inhalation on Diaphragm Muscle in Mice

Background and Objective: Although a combination of inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) and inhaled long-acting β2- agonist (LABA) reduces exacerbation of asthma, whether these affect diaphragm muscle contraction is still unclear. Methods: We investigated the effects of ICS and LABA inhalation separately, endotoxin injection-only, and ICS or LABA inhalation plus endotoxin injection on diaphragm contractile properties and nitric oxide (NO) production during 4 h, using BALB/c mice (n=84). In this study, budesonide was used as the ICS, and formoterol fumarate dehydrate was used as the LABA. After administrations of these drugs, the diaphragm muscles were dissected, and their contractile properties, including force/frequency (F/f) curves and twitch contraction, were measured by electrical pulse stimulation in an isometric condition. A reduced form of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) diaphorase histochemistry was performed to assess NO production, which induces cellular damages in diaphragm muscle fibers. Results: The ICS inhalation did not significantly shift the F/f curves; but the LABA inhalation significantly shifted them upward compared with shams at 1 h (p < 0.01), 2 h (p < 0.01), and 4 h (p < 0.05) after inhalation, that is, it showed an inotropic effect. Although endotoxin injection resulted in a downward shift in F/f curves at 4 h (p < 0.01) and induced NO production, the endotoxin plus either ICS or LABA inhalation prevented downward shifts of the F/f curves and inhibited NO production. Conclusions: These results indicate that the inhalation of LABA potentiates diaphragm muscle contractility more than ICS inhalation and that both ICS and LABA inhalation inhibit NO production induced by endotoxin injection.
What Makes a Good Politician? Reassessing the Criteria Used for Political Recruitment

Certain societal groups are significantly overrepresented within politics, including men, ethnic majority groups, and socioeconomic elites. This has fueled debates regarding meritocracy within political recruitment. While meritocracy is desirable, its definition and measurement are contested. The criteria used in theoretical and empirical academic studies differ from those of political parties and voters, as discussed below. Furthermore, there is bias in favor of the male status quo, with all groups preferring the qualities of existing elites. The definition of a “good” politician is therefore highly subjective. Nonetheless, political traditionalists claim that the “best” candidate should be selected even if this leads to significant gender imbalance in parliaments. Yet, if political recruitment is biased in favor of social elites, the overrecruitment of men may not derive solely from merit (Murray 2014). Without definitive criteria for evaluating prospective candidates and judging those already elected, we cannot determine whether political recruitment is meritocratic.