Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Role and importance of posterior malleolus fixation in trimaleolar fractures

Introduction - ankle fractures are third when it comes to frequency, right after hip and wrist joint fractures. Posterior malleolus fractures are common, comprising 7% to 44% of all ankle fractures, and are very rare on their own; that is a Volkmann triangle fracture. Ankle is a supporting joint in the human body, and fractures generally occur within rotation of the body with different fixed foot positions. The posterior malleolus is a very important structure in distal tibiofibular joint. Material and methods - we retrospectively present a group of 21 patients who had a fracture of the ankle and were surgically treated at the Clinic for Orthopedics and Traumatology in Niš during the period from January 2013 to December 2015. The basic criterion for surgical treatment was the size of the fragment, > 25% from tibial joint surface and dislocation >2mm. We systemized all ankle fractures according to the Lauge Hansen system, which is based on the mechanism of injury. We evaluated treatment results according to the Olerud-Molander classification, followed by subjective and objective signs. We systemized posterior malleolus fractures into three types, according to the Haraguchi classification. Results - etiological causes of the fractures are: a fall at the same level - sport, skating in 11 (52.3%) patients, a fall from a height in 6 (28.6%) and traffic accident in 4 (21.1%) patients. According to the Lauge Hansen classification, there were 15 (71.4%) patients with a SER-type fracture, 4 (19%) of the PER type, and 2 (9.6%) of the PA type. End result of the treatment was excellent in 13 (61.9%) patients, good in 7 (33.4%) and poor in 1 (4.7%) patient. Post-traumatic arthritis (PTA) was assessed one year after the surgery and level 1 and 2 were present in 12 (57.1%) patients.
Design optimization of conventional heat pumps: application to steady-state heating efficiency

A physically-based heat pump model was connected to an optimiztion program to form a computer code for use in the design of high-efficiency heat pumps. The method used allows for the simultaneous optimization of selected design variables, taking proper account of their interactions, while constraining other parameters to chosen limits or fixed values. For optimiztion of the steady-state heating efficiency of conventional heat pumps, ten variables were optimized while heating capacity was fixed; the results may, however, be scaled to other capacities. Calculations were made for a range of component efficiencies and heat exchanger sizes. The results predict substantial improvement in heating performance due to both optimal system configurations and the use of improved components. Sensitivity analyses show that there is considerable latitude for deviating from the optimum design to make use of available component sizes and for accomodating the compromises needed for good cooling performance.
Managing Processor Adaptation for Energy Reduction and Temperature Control

While technology is delivering increasingly sophisticated and powerful chip designs, it is also imposing alarmingly high energy requirements on the chips. One way to address this problem is to manage the energy dynamically using adaptive Low-Power Techniques (LPTs) in the processor. The first part of this thesis presents the design and evaluation of the first energy-management framework that deals with multiple generic LPTs and that tackles both energy efficiency and temperature control in a unified manner. We call this general approach Dynamic Energy Efficiency and Temperature Management (DEETM). The goal of the framework is two-fold: maximize energy savings without extending application execution time beyond a given tolerable limit, and guarantee that the temperature remains below a given limit while minimizing any resulting slowdown. The framework successfully meets these goals. For example, it delivers a 40% energy reduction with only a 10% slowdown. The second part of the thesis discusses how to further improve the algorithm for energy efficiency. We observe that applications change their demands on the hardware as they execute. This suggests that certain hardware adaptations can be made to save energy at little performance cost. In the context of a general purpose system with multiple LPTs, we address the twin problems of when to adapt, and what LPT to use to adapt. We demonstrate that rather than adapting the processor at time intervals, it is better to do it at the grain of subroutines: the reaction of a subroutine to system adaptation is usually highly predictable, and the best adaptation for a subroutine can be easily remembered and reused later. Using this insight, we design architectural support for an adaptive processor to decide what specific LPTs to activate and when to activate them. Targeting different environments, we propose a framework of different schemes to exploit an adaptive processor, where these decisions are made off- or on-line. Overall, the schemes perform better than an approach based on fixed-time intervals similar to the original DEETM: in a system with three LPTs, energy savings increase by 40–63% with less performance degradation.
When love matters. Experience and brand love as antecedents of loyalty and willingness to pay a premium price in streaming services

Purpose This paper aims to test the effects of brand experience and brand love on brand loyalty and willingness to pay a premium price in streaming television services. Design/methodology/approach Structural equation modelling was used to assess the proposed theoretical model drawing on data from 220 subscribers of a well-known TV streaming brand services (Netflix). Findings The results revealed that brand experience and brand love have a significant direct impact on brand loyalty and willingness to pay a premium price in streaming TV services. Also, the impact brand experience has on brand loyalty and on willingness to pay a premium price is partially mediated by brand love. Practical implications In the streaming television industry, brand managers can create more meaningful experiences that create strong and emotional bonds with users, thereby increasing loyalty levels and intention to pay a premium price. Also, brand managers should consider focusing their efforts to young consumers, as they have a stronger attachment to technology than older generational groups. Originality/value This paper enriches the existing literature on brand experience in the entertainment television industry and provides evidence of the role of experience and brand love on brand loyalty and willingness to pay a premium price in services.
The grasping and manipulation of irregularly shaped objects with application to semiconductor industry

The expansion of moncrystalline silicon wafer production in the semiconductor industry has created the need for the automation of a manual process where irregularly shaped polysilicon nuggets are loaded into large crucibles under specified process constraints. This thesis presents the end effector component of an automation system developed to perform the crucible filling task. Mechanical, electrical, and pneumatic systems are used to expand the manipulation ability of a robot used for the system. The key component of the end effector is the gripper. The gripper must be able to grasp a high percentage of the irregular polysilicon nuggets. The gripper described in this thesis grasps nuggets using a triangular array of 13 mm diameter compliant vacuum cups. The three cups operate off of a single vacuum source, and the regulation of the pressure and air flows in the gripper system is described. Experimental results have shown that the gripper can grasp 98.1% of the nuggets. A bulk filling bin design is also presented in this thesis. The bin is used to pour groups of nuggets that have no positioning requirements into the center of the crucible. The operation and pouring characteristics of the bin are described. Thesis Supervisor: Dr. Steven Dubowsky Professor of Mechanical Engineering
DOES INTRINSIC RELIGIOSITY MODERATE BETWEEN THE SELF-ASSESSMENT SYSTEM AND TAX EVASION? A RESEARCH-BASED ON GENDER

ABSTRACTThis study aims to examine the effect of the self-assessment system on tax evasion and the effect of intrinsic religiosity moderation on the relationship between the self-assessment system and tax evasion. This study also differences in the influence of gender on the effect of the self-assessment system on tax evasion. This research method uses moderated regression analysis (MRA) and an independent sample t-test. The results show that the self-assessment system had a negative effect on tax evasion. Meanwhile, intrinsic religiosity does not moderate the relationship between the self-assessment system and tax evasion. There are no gender differences at the level of the self-assessment system, intrinsic religiosity, and tax evasion.ABSTRAKPenelitian ini bertujuan untuk menguji pengaruh self-assessment system terhadap tax evasion dan efek moderasi religius intrinsik pada hubungan self-assessment system dengan tax evasion. Penelitian ini juga menganalisis perbedaan gender pada tingkat self-assessment system, religius intrinsik dan tax evasion. Metode penelitian ini menggunakan analisis moderated regression analysis (MRA) dan independent sample t-test. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa self-assessment system berpengaruh negatif terhadap tax evasion. Religius intrinsik tidak memoderasi hubungan self-ssessment system dengan tax evasion. Tidak terdapat perbedaan gender pada tingkat self-assessment system, religius intrinsik dan tax evasion.
Analysis of voiceprint and other biometrics for criminological and security applications

This Thesis examines the role and limitations of voice biometrics in the contexts of security and for crime reduction. The main thrust of the Thesis is that despite the technical and non-technical hurdles that this research has identified and sought to overcome, voice can be an effective and sustainable biometric if used in the manner proposed here. It is contended that focused and continuous evaluation of the strength of systems within a solid framework is essential to the development and application of voice biometrics and that special attention needs to be paid to human dimensions in system design and prior to deployment. Through an interdisciplinary approach towards the theme reflected in the title several scenarios are presented of the use of voice in security / crime reduction, crime investigation, forensics and surveillance contexts together with issues surrounding their development and implementation. With a greater emphasis on security-oriented voice verification (due to the diversity of the usage scenarios and prospect of use) a new framework is presented for analysis of the reliability and security of voice verification. This research calls not only for a standard evaluation scheme and analytical framework but also takes active steps to evaluate the prototype system within the framework under various conditions. Spoof attacks, noises, coding, distance and channel effects are among the factors that are studied. Moreover, an additional under-researched area, the detection of counterfeit signals, is also explored. While numerous technical and design contributions made in this project are summarised in chapter 2, the research mainly aims to provide solid answers to the high-level strategic questions. The Thesis culminates in a synthesis chapter in which realistic expectations, design requirements and technical limitations of the use of voice for criminological and security applications are outlined and areas for further research are defined.
Prevalence of bovine tuberculosis and characterization of the members of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex from slaughtered cattle in Rwanda

Background Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is an endemic disease in Rwanda, but little is known about its prevalence and causative mycobacterial species. The disease causes tremendous losses in livestock and wildlife and remains a significant threat to public health. Materials and methods A cross-sectional study employing a systematic random sampling of cattle (n=300) with the collection of retropharyngeal lymph nodes and tonsils (n=300) irrespective of granulomatous lesions was carried out in six abattoirs to investigate the prevalence and identify mycobacterial species using culture, acid-fast bacteria staining, polymerase chain reaction, and GeneXpert assay. Individual risk factors and the origin of samples were analysed for association with the prevalence. Findings Of the 300 samples, six were collected with visible TB-like lesions. Our findings demonstrated the presence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) in 1.7% (5/300) of sampled slaughtered cattle. M. bovis was isolated from 1.3% (4/300) animals while one case was caused by a rifampicin-resistance (RR) M. tuberculosis. Non-tuberculous mycobacteria were identified in 12.0% (36/300) of the sampled cattle. There were no significant associations between the prevalence and abattoir category, age, sex, and breeds of slaughtered cattle. Conclusions This study is the first in Rwanda to isolate both M. bovis and RR M. tuberculosis in slaughtered cattle indicating that bTB is prevalent in Rwanda with a low prevalence. The isolation of RR M. tuberculosis from cattle indicates possible zooanthroponotic transmission of M. tuberculosis and close human-cattle contact. To protect humans against occupational zoonotic diseases, it is essential to control bTB in cattle and raise the awareness among all occupational groups as well as reinforce biosafety at the farm level and in the abattoirs. Author’s summary Tuberculosis in cattle (bTB) causes financial losses to livestock owners and is a disease transmissible to humans especially those with an occupational risk through exposure to infected animals and animal products. This study aimed to identify the prevalence of bTB and characterize the mycobacterial species from cattle slaughtered in the six abattoirs in Rwanda. Four M. bovis, as well as one rifampicin-resistant (RR) M. tuberculosis, were identified from slaughtered cattle and, thus, the apparent bTB prevalence was 1.7% (5/300). Likely, the RR M. tuberculosis isolate was mostly likely of human origin and transmitted to cattle during close human-cattle contact. It is therefore essential to control bTB in cattle and reinforce the protection of farmworkers and abattoir workers who are always exposed to infected animals.
Students’ Perceptions of Distance Language Learning in Vocational Training

Abstract The coronavirus pandemic has had a significant impact in almost all areas of human activity around the world with education being unquestionably affected as well. Universities and Vocational Training Institutes have been forced to close their doors in an effort to stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus. To ensure pedagogical continuity, distance learning courses have been recommended as immediate alternatives. The purpose of this contribution is to investigate how students of Vocational Training Institutes perceive distance education and effectiveness of online foreign language teaching. To this end, a quantitative research based on an online survey was conducted, which included 206, students of five (5) public Vocational Training Institutes and different specialties. The questions were intended to examine the participants’ views on the use of platforms and the collaborative tools, the utility of the educational materials and activities proposed, the learning outcomes in the target language, and, the benefits and limitations of distance synchronous language learning.
Organisational innovativeness and diffusion of innovation

In the existing literature, studies of innovativeness usually focus on individual characteristics with little concern for aggregated behaviour; the central role of innovativeness, opinion leadership, and geographic location have not been fully reflected in diffusion models; most diffusion models either make simplified as-sumptions to model aggregated trends or concern individual behaviours exces-sively as being ‘toy models’; understandings of the diffusion forces bifurcate into explanations on social contagion effect and self-conformity effect and few diffu-sion models have tried to combine these two streams of thinking. In order to contribute knowledge to these fields, this study seeks to model the diffusion process from an agent-based perspective, with a specific focus on the effects of organisational innovativeness, opinion leadership, and geographic location. The proposed model is a focusing tool that helps interpret and organise the empirical observation. In turn, the model’s results could raise further questions for empiri-cal exploration. The result from the model simulation echoes a number of existing works on in-novation strategies with further quantitative implications for both industry policy makers and managers in organisations. It is found that the statistical distributions of organisational innovativeness and opinion leadership are both important fac-tors in diffusion; the level of information flow between organisations with differ-ent innovativeness levels influences the diffusion process significantly; to cluster organisations in one area changes the interactions between them and increases the diffusion rate, even when the average interaction level of the system is con-trolled. The model also indicates that organisations’ self-effort is the only way for being innovators; that factors that are related to interactions with others are more important for laying in the majority category; and that laggards normally adopt innovations by ‘luck’.
A Review of Detection of Antibiotic Residues in Food by Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy

Antibiotics, as veterinary drugs, have made extremely important contributions to disease prevention and treatment in the animal breeding industry. However, the accumulation of antibiotics in animal food due to their overuse during animal feeding is a frequent occurrence, which in turn would cause serious harm to public health when they are consumed by humans. Antibiotic residues in food have become one of the central issues in global food safety. As a safety measure, rapid and effective analytical approaches for detecting these residues must be implemented to prevent contaminated products from reaching the consumers. Traditional analytical methods, such as liquid chromatography, liquid chromatography mass spectrometry, and capillary electrophoresis, involve time-consuming sample preparation and complicated operation and require expensive instrumentation. By comparison, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) has excellent sensitivity and remarkably enhanced target recognition. Thus, SERS has become a promising alternative analytical method for detecting antibiotic residues, as it can provide an ultrasensitive fingerprint spectrum for the rapid and noninvasive detection of trace analytes. In this study, we comprehensively review the recent progress and advances that have been achieved in the use of SERS in antibiotic residue detection. We introduce and discuss the basic principles of SERS. We then present the prospects and challenges in the use of SERS in the detection of antibiotics in food. Finally, we summarize and discuss the current problems and future trends in the detection of antibiotics in food.
The air pollution tradeoff in India: saving more lives versus reducing the inequality of exposure

Chronic exposure to ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) represents one of the largest global public health risks, leading to millions of premature deaths annually. For a country facing high and spatially variable exposures, prioritizing where to reduce PM2.5 concentrations leads to an inherent tradeoff between saving the most lives and reducing inequality of exposure. This tradeoff results from the shape of the concentration–response (C-R) function between exposure to PM2.5 and mortality, which indicates that the additional lives saved per unit reduction in PM2.5 declines as concentrations increase, suggesting that more lives can be saved by reducing exposures in clean locations than in dirty locations. We estimated this C-R function for urban areas of India, finding that a 10 µgm−3 reduction in PM2.5 in already-clean locations will reduce the mortality rate substantially (4.2% for a reduction from 30 to 20 µgm−3), while a 10 µgm−3 reduction in the dirtiest locations will reduce mortality only modestly (1.2% for a reduction from 90 to 80 µgm−3). Policymakers face a troubling tradeoff between maximizing lives saved and reducing the inequality of exposure. Many air pollution policies impose an upper limit on exposure, thereby cleaning the dirtiest locations and reducing exposure inequality. We explore the implications of this PM2.5/mortality relationship by considering a thought experiment. If India had a fixed amount of resources to devote to PM2.5 concentration reductions across urban areas, what is the lives saved/inequality of exposure tradeoff from three different methods of deploying those resources? Across our three scenarios: (1) which reduces exposures for the dirtiest districts, (2) which reduces exposures everywhere equally, and (3) which reduces exposures to save the most lives—scenario 1 saves 18 000 lives per year while reducing the inequality of exposure by 65%, while scenario 3 saves 126 000 lives per year, but increases inequality by 19%.
IS INDIA FINANCING ITS EMISSIONS THROUGH EXTERNAL DEBT?

The main aim of this study is to analyze the effect of external debt on different types of emissions in India as carbon dioxide emissions, methane emissions, emissions from liquid fuel consumption, emissions from solid fuel consumption, and emissions from gaseous fuel consumption. India has a fast growing in external debt especially after 2008 world financial crisis. India has a similar situation to China and Turkey which also started to increase external debt significantly after 2008 world crisis. This study aims to fill the gap in the literature by analyzing the effect of external debt on emissions. This study is the first study in the literature for India. The second aim of the study is to investigate whether inverted U relationship exists between economic development, and carbon oxide emissions, methane emissions, methane emissions, emissions from liquid fuel consumption, emissions from solid fuel consumption, and emissions from gaseous fuel consumption. This study confirmed inverted-U relationship between methane gas emissions and economic development, and emissions from gaseous fuel consumption and economic development. The positive and significant effect of external debt on carbon dioxide emissions, methane emissions, emissions from gaseous fuel consumption and emissions from solid fuel consumption is confirmed by this study. The analysis is important since after 2008 crisis many countries such as China and Turkey besides India started to borrow external debt heavily to create government investments to boost employment market which collapsed due to global economic crisis. This study carries importance since global greenhouse gas emissions may be financed through external debt in India. Since sustainability is the main issue in current world and reduction of emissions is one of the highest priorities of humanity, necessary measures should be taken into account to reduce financing of emissions through external debt in India. This study recommends further analysis to be done with updated intervals.