Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Irrigated sugarcane crops improve the quality of soil organic carbon over time

The substitution of native vegetation in agricultural systems can cause several changes in the chemical and physical soil attributes, and in the dynamics of soil organic carbon. This study aimed to evaluate changes in soil physical attributes and carbon stock in soil organic matter fractions in irrigated sugarcane crops, as a function of land use and straw management practices over time, in the North of Minas Gerais State, Brazil. Four sugarcane fields with different ages and management systems were studied: Cane 6, Cane 7, Cane 8, and Cane 10. The data obtained were compared with a native vegetation area located near the sugarcane fields, and used as reference for unmanaged soil. In each system, soil samples were collected in the 0-10, 10-20, and 20-30 cm depth layers, to determine the physical attributes, the total organic carbon, and the physical fractions of the soil organic matter. We found that the sugarcane management with the maintenance of a part of the straw on the soil surface contributes to the preservation of the soil structure and the most stable fractions of organic carbon over time. However, in the regions with high annual mean temperature and in the irrigated systems, the soil tillage for the renewal of the sugarcane fields significantly decreases the total soil organic carbon.
Prevalence and family factors associated with loneliness during COVID-19: A cross-sectional study from South India

Background: Loneliness can affect anyone at any point in their life. It can be detrimental to the wellbeing and quality of life of individuals and communities. In the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, loneliness is considered as a public health crisis. Hence, the objectives of the study were to estimate the prevalence of loneliness and family related factors associated with loneliness among general population in south India. Materials and Methods: The study employed a crosssectional online survey design. The data was collected in the first phase of the lockdown in 2020 from adults in Southern India. Socio-demographic profile and family related variables were collected using a semistructured proforma. Loneliness was assessed by UCLA loneliness scale. Results: Of 573 total respondents to the survey, aged between 18-65 years, 43% were male and 57% were female. The overall prevalence of loneliness was 63% (358/573). No significant gender differences were observed in the prevalence of loneliness. Family discord was associated with higher rates of loneliness (p less than 0.01). Other factors associated were younger age and being single. Conclusion: Rates of loneliness during the COVID-19 lockdown were high in Southern India. Findings suggest that interventions should prioritize younger people. Increasing social support and improving interpersonal skills, which in turn would help reduce family discord and may reduce the impact of COVID-19 on loneliness.
Strategic modularisation and performance implications in the Brazilian automotive industry

This research revolves around strategy determinants and performance implications of modular production - a production method that has been increasingly adopted by global manufacturing firms. A conceptual framework is proposed and then tested using data from a large-scale survey of 103 automobile firms in Brazil. The conceptual framework examines the relationships between the strategic modularisation and its determinants on both the industry level and the firm level. Furthermore, the framework studies the impact of modularisation to firm performance as well as how the moderating effects of codesign, physical proximity, and face-to-face communication on the modularisation/performance relation.
An Update on Zoonotic Cryptosporidium Species and Genotypes in Humans

Simple Summary Cryptosporidium is a parasite that infects humans and a broad range of animals. There are few diagnostic features that can be used to identify and differentiate between species and therefore DNA-based detection and genetic typing methods are required. This is important as some species are transmitted from animals to humans (a process called zoonotic transmission) and understanding this is central to control. These DNA-based tools have greatly facilitated our current understanding of which of the many Cryptosporidium species and genotypes that have been identified are capable of infecting humans. More studies need to be conducted in areas where the potential for zoonotic transmission is greatest and recently developed genetic tools should be applied more extensively to further our understanding of the zoonotic transmission of this important parasite. Abstract The enteric parasite, Cryptosporidium is a major cause of diarrhoeal illness in humans and animals worldwide. No effective therapeutics or vaccines are available and therefore control is dependent on understanding transmission dynamics. The development of molecular detection and typing tools has resulted in the identification of a large number of cryptic species and genotypes and facilitated our understanding of their potential for zoonotic transmission. Of the 44 recognised Cryptosporidium species and >120 genotypes, 19 species, and four genotypes have been reported in humans with C. hominis, C. parvum, C. meleagridis, C. canis and C. felis being the most prevalent. The development of typing tools that are still lacking some zoonotic species and genotypes and more extensive molecular epidemiological studies in countries where the potential for transmission is highest are required to further our understanding of this important zoonotic pathogen. Similarly, whole-genome sequencing (WGS) and amplicon next-generation sequencing (NGS) are important for more accurately tracking transmission and understanding the mechanisms behind host specificity.
User selection with perfect and no primary CSIT in MIMO cognitive radio networks

Spectrum is one of the most precious resources in the field of wireless communication field. As the number of users and demand for fast data transmission increases, the current spectrum resources become insufficient. Cognitive radio (CR) networks are one of the promising ways to increase the efficiency of spectrum use. While a licensed primary user (PU) occupies a certain bandwidth, CR users try to utilize the same bandwidth under the condition that interference is minimized and the licensed user is able to achieve its required data rate. It is desirable to allow as many CR users into the bandwidth as possible, thus maximizing spectrum efficiency. However, with a large number of secondary users (SUs), interference becomes significant. Hence, only a portion of the CR users can be served in most cases. This work involves the study of user selection (US) strategies for a multipleinput multiple-output (MIMO) CR downlink network, where the r-antenna underlay CR SUs coexist with the PU, and all terminals are equipped with multiple antennas. Two main scenarios are considered: (1) the t-antenna cognitive base station (CBS) has perfect or partial channel state information at the transmitter (CSIT) from the CBS to the PU receiver (RX), and (2) the CBS has absolutely no PU CSIT. For these scenarios, multiple SU selection schemes that are applicable to both best-effort PU interference mitigation and hard interference temperature constraints are proposed and evaluated. Also, in this dissertation scheduling methods for non-orthogonal resource sharing between device-to-device (D2D) and cellular-user equipment (C-UE) in a multi-carrier multi-antenna network are examined. The cellular eNodeB (eNB) allocates a pool of subchannels that may be used autonomously by D2D user equipment (UE) for D2D discovery and communication. Then, the scheduling of C-UE uplink transmissions in the same subchannel pool based on a best-effort C-UE-to-D2D interference mitigation method that does not require knowledge of C-UE to D2D UE channels is proposed. The selection criterion is a combination of the number of spatial streams, subchannels, and transmit power needed by C-UE to achieve their target data rate.
Aerodynamic and Structure Considerations in Centrifugal Compressor Design: Blade Lean Effects

Optimization procedures are demanded by turbomachinery industries that enable to enhance compressor efficiency and wide operating ranges. Most of the design processes focuseither on aerodynamics or structure. However, the compressor design is an integration between aerodynamics and structure.This paper presents some recent developments of the aerodynamic and structural integral design system. The design process including the meanline design, through-flow optimization and three-dimensional viscous analysis was used in the centrifugal compressor design. The aerodynamic and structural design need to be optimized at the same time. Normally most of the favorable aerodynamic features do not correspond with the structural reliability of the compressor wheel. The optimization between aerodynamic performance and structural reliability is critical to provide the maximal potential of the compressor performance. The main purpose of the current study is to discuss the importance of the aerodynamic and structural optimizations through a centrifugal compressor wheel lean effects. The study demonstrated that the integral design of the aerodynamics and structure is very important. © 2012 ASME
SABADT: Hybrid Intrusion Detection Approach for Cyber Attacks Identification in WLAN

With the advancement of technology, the use of wireless media and devices are increasing every day. In particular, the use of wireless local area networks (WLAN) has increased rapidly in recent years and is expected to increase further. The current state of wireless local area network technologies makes the network vulnerable to attacks ranging from passive listening to active intervention. Intrusion detection systems (IDSs) are being developed against these kinds of attacks. The IDSs play an important role in WLAN security by detecting and preventing malicious activities. However, most techniques used in IDSs cannot cope with dynamic and complex attacks. The aim of this study is to reduce the deficiencies in present IDSs for WLANs and build a more effective system which can detect unknown and complex attack variants dynamically. In this context, a methodology has been proposed. The proposed methodology basically has two contributions. The first contribution is the Feature Selection Approach (FSAP) to increase the speed of attack detection by reducing the number of used features. The second contribution is the hybrid attack detection technique, SABADT (Signature and Anomaly Based Attack Detection Technique), which detects attacks fast and with high accuracy. The proposed methodology is implemented on the KDD’99 and UNSW-NB15 datasets. The obtained results are compared with existing machine learning techniques. The detection model is created by using KDD’99, UNSW-NB15 training dataset and tested on the KDD’99 and UNSW-NB15 training dataset. The obtained 99.65% and 99.17% accuracy rates are quite high when compared to leading methods in the literature. In addition, common attack tools were used to obtain a mix of normal activities and current attack behaviors in order to test on novel attacks within the scope of the study. These different types of attacks were captured with the Wireshark tool. Some of the captured attacks were used only in the testing phase. Here, the attacks were detected with an accuracy rate of 99.69%.
On the Road to Improved Scheduling: Reducing the Effects of Variation in Duration

Scheduling in onsite construction is based on commitments. Not kept commitments are resulting in non-completions which lead to waste. Moreover, it is important that commitments are made realistic to avoid both positive and negative variation in duration. Negative variation is destructive to plans and schedules, and is resulting in delays; while positive variation is destructive to productivity by creating unexploited gap between activities and thus inducing unexploited capacity. By registering non-completion at three construction sites, the magnitude of activities inducing negative variation has been mapped. In total 5424 activities has been registered whereof 1450 activities ended up as non-completions; thus, did 27% of the scheduled activities not finish on scheduled. Both positive and negative variation can be minimized by improving the quality of the commitments. Moreover, positive variation can be exploited by A) ensuring that the crew finishing an activity to early can continue their work and B) ensuring that any connecting activity can start as fast as possible.
From aMCI to AD: The Role of Visuo-Spatial Memory Span and Executive Functions in Egocentric and Allocentric Spatial Impairments

A difficulty in encoding spatial information in an egocentric (i.e., body-to-object) and especially allocentric (i.e., object-to-object) manner, and impairments in executive function (EF) are typical in amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Since executive functions are involved in spatial encodings, it is important to understand the extent of their reciprocal or selective impairment. To this end, AD patients, aMCI and healthy elderly people had to provide egocentric (What object was closest to you? ) and allocentric (What object was closest to object X? ) judgments about memorized objects. Participants’ frontal functions, attentional resources and visual-spatial memory were assessed with the Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB), the Trail Making Test (TMT) and the Corsi Block Tapping Test (forward/backward). Results showed that ADs performed worse than all others in all tasks but did not differ from aMCIs in allocentric judgments and Corsi forward. Regression analyses showed, although to different degrees in the three groups, a link between attentional resources, visuo-spatial memory and egocentric performance, and between frontal resources and allocentric performance. Therefore, visuo-spatial memory, especially when it involves allocentric frames and requires demanding active processing, should be carefully assessed to reveal early signs of conversion from aMCI to AD.
Comparison and Evaluation of China’s Urban Social Security Financing System Before and After the Reform

The sustainability of China’s urban social security financing system has recently been seriously questioned. This article divides the financing system’s development into two periods (before and after reform). It compares the capital collection and the distribution and circulation structures and reviews the financing system before and after reform. In this study, we also discuss and explain the ‘empty account’ phenomenon, which severely undermines the financing system’s sustainability. We allege that the money accumulation system adopted after reform, which correlates personal accounts with the social pool, is not running as designed but as a ‘pay-as-you-go’ system. After evaluating the efficiency and cost performance of both periods, testing the financing system’s sustainability and correlating the system during both time periods with economic and social development, we find that the financing systems’ operation after reform corresponds with theories proved by case studies in other advanced states.
CAD models for shielded multilayered CPW

Conformal mapping technique is used to obtain CAD oriented closed form analytical expressions for characteristic impedance per unit length capacitance and relative effective dielectric permittivity of top and bottom shielded multilayered coplanar waveguides. Analytical expressions are deduced for a wide verity of CPW structures. >
Analysis of aperture-coupled microstrip-Antenna and circuit structures using the transmission-line-matrix method

The transmission-line-matrix method is a numerical technique for solving Maxwell's equations in the presence of complex environments. A general-purpose simulation program, based on the three-dimensional symmetrical-condensed TLM model, is presented. Previous applications of the simulation program include the analysis of half-space and remote-sensing problems, and calculation of the radar cross section of finite-sized conducting materials and objects. The simulation program is applied to the characterization of aperture-coupled microstrip structures. Numerical results, pertaining to the analysis of aperture-coupled microstrip lines, offset-aperture-coupled microstrip lines, and aperture-coupled microstrip-patch antennas, indicate the accuracy and utility of the program for analyzing aperture-coupled microstrip configurations. A discussion of the accuracy and efficiency of the approach is included, with limitations and possible improvements. >
The Industry 4.0, the Corporate Social Responsibility and the Impacts of Brand in the Digital Transformation

The interest of my research is Digital Transformation and Corporate Social Responsibility as an involvement for the Brand. In this way the “product platform” contributes to the improvement of competitive position of the Business Unit and Branding”, between the marketing process: Customer Relationship Management—Product Development Management—Customer Satisfaction. Weberian vision of ideal type as a concept—ideal limit to illustrate the significant elements of its own empirical content, tends to identify an overcoming from the role of consumer as target to the analysis of the techniques of profiling the humanization of the customer with his needs, fears and aspirations. The research project consists of three parts. In the first a deepening on the wide literature of international scope, above all “made in USA” regarding the market orientation—Industry 4.0—platform: the origin, the internal organization, the management, the communication strategies. In the second part focuses instead on brand analysis, to reconstruct the main social and economic projects while assessing the internal analytical coherence, ideological value and deducing the most significant operational indications. The third, on the other hand, explores corporate social responsibility through small and medium-sized enterprises with market orientation, a socially responsible management-driven approach, strategic enterprise orientation and business management, resulting from different synergistic combinations.
The Study on Compound Drought and Heatwave Events in China Using Complex Networks

Compound extreme events can severely impact water security, food security, and social and economic development. Compared with single-hazard events, compound extreme events cause greater losses. Therefore, understanding the spatial and temporal variations in compound extreme events is important to prevent the risks they cause. Only a few studies have analyzed the spatial and temporal relations of compound extreme events from the perspective of a complex network. In this study, we define compound drought and heatwave events (CDHEs) using the monthly scale standard precipitation index (SPI), and the definition of a heatwave is based on daily maximum temperature. We evaluate the spatial and temporal variations in CDHEs in China from 1961 to 2018 and discuss the impact of maximum temperature and precipitation changes on the annual frequency and annual magnitude trends of CDHEs. Furthermore, a synchronization strength network is established using the event synchronization method, and the proposed synchronization strength index (SSI) is used to divide the network into eight communities to identify the propagation extent of CDHEs, where each community represents a region with high synchronization strength. Finally, we explore the impact of summer Atlantic multidecadal oscillation (AMO) and Pacific decadal oscillation (PDO) on CDHEs in different communities. The results show that, at a national scale, the mean frequency of CDHEs takes on a non-significant decreasing trend, and the mean magnitude of CDHEs takes on a non-significant increasing trend. The significant trends in the annual frequency and annual magnitude of CDHEs are attributed to maximum temperature and precipitation changes. AMO positively modulates the mean frequency and mean magnitude of CDHEs within community 1 and 2, and negatively modulates the mean magnitude of CDHEs within community 3. PDO negatively modulates the mean frequency and mean magnitude of CDHEs within community 4. AMO and PDO jointly modulate the mean magnitude of CDHEs within community 6 and 8. Overall, this study provides a new understanding of CDHEs to mitigate their severe effects.
It Keeps the Good Boy Healthy from Nose to Tail: Understanding Pet Food Attribute Preferences of US Consumers

Simple Summary Understanding the importance consumers place on pet food product attributes is relevant for marketing managers in food and specialized pet supplies retailers, as this information allows them to identify how to modify or develop products to match the needs and wants of different consumer groups. The study proposes a model that investigates the importance pet owners place on convenience, natural ingredients, and claims on the packaging (such as value and healthiness) as product attributes. Abstract The study provides insights for marketing managers in specialized pet supplies retailers, as well as for vets and animal welfare organizations. This study proposes a model that investigates the importance pet owners place on convenience, natural ingredients, and value and health claims as product attributes. For this purpose, an online survey with a sample size of 206 pet-owning US residents was conducted. Partial least squares structural equation modelling shows that pet food purchase involvement positively impacts subjective and objective knowledge about pet food. Subjective knowledge appears to be the strongest factor impacting the importance consumers place on all three attributes. This is followed by objective knowledge. Socio-demographic factors such as gender, age, income, and education appear to have a limited impact as predictors for the importance consumers place on the product attributes.
Microfabricated Lamb wave device based on PZT sol-gel thin film for mechanical transport of solid particles and liquids

The fabrication using silicon micromachining and characterization of an acoustic Lamb wave actuator is presented. The intended use of the device is for mass transport and sensor applications. The device consists of dual interdigitated transducers patterned on a thin-film composite membrane of silicon nitride, platinum, and a sol-gel-derived piezoelectric ceramic (PZT) thin film. The acoustic properties of the device are presented along with preliminary applications to mechanical transport and liquid delivery systems. Improved acoustic signals and improved mass transport are achieved with PZT over present Lamb wave devices utilizing ZnO or AlN as the piezoelectric transducer.
Modeling and Forecasting Cases of RSV Using Artificial Neural Networks

In this paper, we study and present a mathematical modeling approach based on artificial neural networks to forecast the number of cases of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The number of RSV-positive cases in most of the countries around the world present a seasonal-type behavior. We constructed and developed several multilayer perceptron (MLP) models that intend to appropriately forecast the number of cases of RSV, based on previous history. We compared our mathematical modeling approach with a classical statistical technique for the time-series, and we concluded that our results are more accurate. The dataset collected during 2005 to 2010 consisting of 312 weeks belongs to Bogotá D.C., Colombia. The adjusted MLP network that we constructed has a fairly high forecast accuracy. Finally, based on these computations, we recommend training the selected MLP model using 70% of the historical data of RSV-positive cases for training and 20% for validation in order to obtain more accurate results. These results are useful and provide scientific information for health authorities of Colombia to design suitable public health policies related to RSV.