Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Horizontal arrangements: strategy for reducing the asymmetry information for dairy farmers in Paraná, Brazil

An empirical investigation was conducted to study whether dairy farmers involved in horizontal arrangements (HA) have lower information asymmetry than those who do not participate in HA. Our assumption is that greater access to information results in fewer risky decisions in production systems. One hundred and twenty semi-structured questionnaires were applied to dairy farmers located in four different geographical regions in Parana State, Brazil. Exploratory factor analysis was used to define factors related to information asymmetry in dairy agribusiness system (DAS) and four factors were defined. In a second step, the 120 dairy farmers were split into two groups: the first one involved in HA and the second one not involved in HA. Mean test (t-student) were performed to compare these groups between factors. Significant differences (P<0.05) were observed for factors related to transaction information and for general market information, and dairy farmers participating in HA achieved the greatest values. Finally, it can be concluded that dairy farmers who participate in HA have higher access to information, which can create an environment with lower information asymmetry and, consequently, be subject to lower risks than dairy farmers who do not participate in HA
A Machine Learning Based Visible Light Communication Model Leveraging Complementary Color Channel

Recently witnessed a great popularity of unobtrusive Visible Light Communication (VLC) using screen-camera channels. They overcomes the inherent drawbacks of traditional approaches based on coded images like bar codes. One popular unobtrusive method is the utilizing of alpha channel or color channels to encode bits into the pixel translucency or color intensity changes with over-the-shelf smart devices. Specifically, Uber-in-light proves to be an successful model encoding data into the color intensity changes that only requires over-the-shelf devices. However, Uber-in-light only exploit Multi Frequency Shift Keying (MFSK), which limits the overall throughput of the system since each data segment is only 3-digit long. Motivated by some previous works like Inframe++ or Uber-in-light, in this thesis, we proposes a new VLC model encoding data into color intensity changes on red and blue channels of video frames. Multi-Phase-Shift-Keying (MPSK) along with MFSK are used to match 4-digit and 5-digit long data segments to specific transmission frequencies and phases. To ensure the transmission accuracy, a modified correlation-based demodulation method and two learning-based methods using SVM and Random Forest are also developed.
Design Method and Verification of Electroosmosis-Vacuum Preloading Method for Sand-Interlayered Soft Foundation

The design method of electroosmosis-vacuum preloading for soft foundation treatment is not systematic and complete, thereby restricting the application of the technology in engineering. A design method for the electroosmosis-vacuum preloading treatment of sand-interlayered soft foundation is therefore presented. A compressible electrical prefabricated vertical drain is developed, and a vacuum sealing and draining system is designed for the application of the electroosmosis-vacuum preloading in sand-interlayered soft foundation. Calculation formulas of site resistance considering the interlayer and interface resistivity of the electrode are established to design the power supply and electrical circuit. A simple numerical simulation method is proposed to predict the ground settlement treated by electroosmosis-vacuum preloading. A field test of electroosmosis-vacuum preloading is designed using the suggested method, and comparison tests between the electroosmosis-vacuum preloading and the vacuum preloading are performed to verify the proposed technique. The test results show that the proposed design method is reasonable for the design of electroosmosis-vacuum preloading in engineering.
NUMERICAL ANALYSIS OF TIME-DEPENDENT BEHAVIOUR FOR THE LEANING TOWER OF PISA

This study investigates the signiˆcance of the creep characteristic in the deformation behaviour of the Pisa Tower through the simulation of creep tests as well as plane strain analyses conducted under non-creep and creep conditions. Creep eŠects account for up to 1.7 degrees of tilting and one meter of settlement. In addition, creep increases the mean eŠective stresses and decreases the deviatoric stresses in the clay layers. An extensive model parameter sensitivity study shows that the deformation behaviour of the Tower is not controlled by any speciˆc model parameter, but each model parameter becomes more sensitive under high stress level. The total tilt of 5.5 degrees could not be achieved by simply changing the values of model parameters. Other factors may have also contributed to the deformation of the tower, which could not be considered by the current model.
Unravelling the mechanisms for recovery from sodium loads in CA1 hippocampal neurons

Die Natriumhomoostase ist von grundlegender Bedeutung fur das zentrale Nervensystem. Obwohl es wahrend neuronaler Aktivitat zu Fluktuationen in der intrazellularen Natriumkonzentration kommt, wird diese im Mittel durch die Na+/K+- ATPase (NKA) konstant gehalten. Natrium ist daruber hinaus ein hochbewegliches, ungepuffertes Ion. Neuste Arbeiten haben gezeigt, dass Diffusion einen Mechanismus zur Ruckfuhrung lokaler Natriumerhohungen auf ein Grundniveau darstellen kann. Die vorliegende Arbeit ist ein Beitrag zum Verstandnis des Natriumtransports aus Somata und Dendriten hippocampaler CA1-Pyramidenzellen der Maus. Durch lokale Druckapplikation von Glutamat wurden intrazellulare Erhohungen der Natriumkonzentration wahrend physiologischer neuronaler Aktivitat nachgebildet und per Weitfeldimaging aufgezeichnet. Es konnte gezeigt werden, dass transiente Natriumerhohungen im Soma mit einer Rate von 8 mM min-1 auf das Ursprungsniveau zuruckgefuhrt wurden. Durch Perfusion mit Ouabain als spezifischem NKA-Inhibitor lies sich dieser Vorgang vollstandig blocken, wahrend Inhibition der Glykolyse mit Natriumfluorid (NaF) zu einer Verminderung des Transports fuhrte. Dies zeigt, von welch bedeutender Wichtigkeit die NKA zur Aufrechterhaltung einer stabilen Natriumkonzentration ist. Im Vergleich zum Soma erreichte die Natriumextrusionsrate in Dendriten mehr als den zehnfachen Wert und blieb auch bei Gabe von Ouabain oder NaF unverandert. Globale Glutamatapplikation zur Natriumerhohung in der gesamten Zelle fuhrte zu einer Elimination der Konzentrationsgradienten als treibender Kraft diffusiver Prozesse. Dabei konnten vergleichbare Extrusionsraten in Dendriten und Soma festgestellt werden, die wiederum durch NaF verringert wurden. Die Aufrechterhaltung einer stabilen Natriumkonzentration in Dendriten und der Ausgleich lokaler Natriumtransienten wird hauptsachlich durch Diffusion gewahrleistet. Eine physiologische Funktion der Zelle wird somit auch bei temporarer Energiedeprivation ermoglicht. Ist das Natriumniveau allerdings in weiten Teilen der Zelle erhoht, stellt die NKA vielmehr das masgebliche System zur Regelung des Natriumhaushaltes dar. Natrium wird zwar in letzter Konsequenz stets durch die NKA aus der Zelle transportiert, der rasche Ausgleich lokaler Natriumerhohungen durch Diffusion in benachbarte Zellareale sorgt jedoch fur eine ortliche Verteilung des Energiebedarfs.
A Voice-Activated Web-based Mandarin Chinese Spoken Document Retrieval System

This paper presents a working voice-activated web-based Mandarin Chinese spoken document retrieval system. This system has integrated technologies of both spoken document retrieval and voice-activated WWW browser. The target database to be retrieved consists of tens of hours of radio and television Mandarin Chinese broadcast news. Extensive experiments have been conducted and a prototype system has been successfully implemented
Relaxing Assumptions, Improving Inference: Utilizing Machine Learning for Valid Causal Inference∗

Despite its ubiquity, the linear regression suffers from several well-known flaws. First, specification choices can affect inference. Second, the regression is a correlative tool, generally not returning an average causal effect. Third, the method assumes no interference among observations. We introduce a method that addresses these shortcomings. First, the method combines a machine learning approach to control for background covariates and learn patterns of interference with a regression to estimate the coefficient on the treatment variable of theoretical interest. Second, the method models the treatment variable as well as the outcome, allowing recovery of a causal effect. The method applies whether the treatment variable is a binary, continuous, or a count variable. We give assumptions under which the method’s estimate is consistent for the average causal effect, and we provide diagnostics to assess these conditions. We show that its standard errors are asymptotically valid and semiparametrically efficient. A simulation study shows that the proposed method performs favorably relative to several recent machine learning methods, and application to real-world datasets illustrates the method’s utility.
SURVIVAL OF FRANCHISING FIRM: A STUDY OF SELF-SERVICE LAUNDRY FRANCHISOR

As franchising becomes a well-known and prominence business platform in the worldwide, it has attracted the researcher and policy maker attention. Encouraging entrepreneurs to involve in franchising business positively increase the possibilities of them to survive in the competitive market. However, little study is currently known about the factors influencing the survival ability of franchisor. Thus, a series of three case studies by using the protocol discussion with Malaysian self-service laundry franchisor were undertaken to investigate the factors influencing their abilities to survive. From the findings, three propositions are discovered, namely (i) brand; (ii) franchising cost; and (iii) age of franchising. In brief, the present study has contributed new knowledge in franchising literature in relation with survival ability of franchisor business and will benefit the policy makers and future studies.
Simulating rainfall IDF curve for flood warnings in the Ca Mau coastal area under the impacts of climate change

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the rainfall intensities and their limits for durations from 0.25 to 8 h with return periods from 2 to 100 years for Ca Mau City in Vietnam. ,First, the quality of the historical rainfall data series in 44 years (1975–2018) at Ca Mau station was assessed using the standard normal homogeneity test and the Pettitt test. Second, the appraised rainfall data series are used to establish the rainfall intensity-duration-frequency curve for the study area. ,Based on the findings, a two-year return period, the extreme rainfall intensities (ERIs) ranged from 9.1 mm/h for 8 h rainstorms to 91.2 mm/h for 0.25 h. At a 100-year return period, the ERIs ranged from 18.4 mm/h for 8 h rainstorms to 185.8 mm/h for 0.25 h. The results also show that the narrowest uncertainty level between the lower and upper limits recorded 1.6 mm at 8 h for the two-year return period while the widest range is at 42.5 mm at 0.25 h for the 100-year return period. In general, the possibility of high-intensity rainfall values compared to the extreme rainfall intensities is approximately 2.0% at the 100-year return period. ,The results of the rainfall IDF curves can provide useful information for policymakers to make the right decisions in controlling and minimizing flooding in the study area.
Extraction of Subtractive Features of Prismatic Parts from STEP File for CAD/CAM Integration

Automation plays an important role in the manufacturing systems to increase the productivity with high flexibility in the production process. This may leads to the requirement of an information model to control the industrial machinery and processes. The information model contains the common product data. Hence, the data extraction is mandatory to extract the product data from the product model. This paper explains the extraction of product data through feature extraction process. A simplified system is developed to extract the data from the STEP file of a product model for subtractive features of prismatic parts. Using extracted data, the controller dependent NC codes were developed. The extracted data is also useful as reference data for checking the quality of manufactured parts by comparing with the data measured by coordinate measuring machine (CMM). In this paper, the integration concept is explained with the experiments conducted to produce the prismatic parts using the generated codes.
THE USE OF 3D GEOVISUALIZATION AND CROWDSOURCING FOR OPTIMIZING ENERGY SIMULATION

Abstract. As the world continues in the quest to fight global warming and environmental pollution by gradually moving to renewable sources of energy, there is also a need to reduce building energy consumption by refurbishing old and historic buildings to meet the required energy standards. While this approach may differ from city to city across the globe, the refurbishment of old and historic buildings would make a significant impact. That is why it is necessary to educate building owners or occupants by simulating the existing energy consumption and proposing appropriate refurbishment strategies. Because the accuracy of energy simulation is directly proportional to the amount of data available and its reliability, there is a need to find creative ways of supplying incomplete or missing building information. The present paper describes a concept that enables individual building occupants or owners to provide this missing information. Implemented and tested with the 3D city model of Aachen, the proof-of-concept enables individual building owners or occupants to perform energy simulations based on energy information supplied.
Evaluation of antioxidant activities of methanol extracts and cassane diterpenoids from Erythrophleum suaveolens [(Guill. et Perr.)

Erythrophleum suaveolens (Fabaceae), a medicinal plant from Côte d’Ivoire, was investigated for its antioxidant constituents. This led to the isolation of two cassane diterpenoid amides, 6-hydroxy-norcassamide (1) and nor-cassamide (2), from the root barks. Their structures were established according to their spectroscopic analyzes (1D and 2D NMR, HR-ESIMS, IR). The antioxidant capacity of methanol extracts and isolated compounds were measured using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay and the Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Potential (FRAP). A significantly increased DPPH and FRAP activities were observed for all samples. But, the best activity was obtained with methanol crud extract of the root barks from E. suaveolens (ESER).
Exploring resistance factors on the usage of hospital information systems from the perspective of the Markus’s Model and the Technology Acceptance Model

Although information systems provide many benefits to the organization, many organizations are experiencing difficulties with the process of change. Resistance to change is one of the most considerable challenges in this phase. This study aimed to investigate the causes of resistance by healthcare personnel to IT in Adana Numune Hastanesi, which is a state-run hospital located in Adana, Turkey. The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) was expanded by adding factors such as affective commitment, gender, and age. Logistic regression analysis was carried out on the research model through 291 collected survey data using SPSS (version 21). The overall percentage accuracy prediction was 55.3% for parameters of the initial model and 80.8% for the stepwise model after the third step. According to the results, while the factors â€œperceived usefulness of IT,â€ â€œperceived ease of use of IT,â€ and â€œaffective commitmentâ€ were found to have an influence on the resistance of use of IT, demographic factors such as age, gender, position, and tenure were not related. Managers should create an environment for increasing staff commitment by including them in decision-making and process changing. Thus, not only could the manager use the organizationsâ€™ resources productively, but also future change projects could be carried out effectively, roughly, and timely. Therefore, through its committed personnel, the hospital could sustainably compete with its competitors in the market and make more profit
Links between the Ubiquitin-Proteasome System and Cell Death Pathways in Arabidopsis thaliana

The dominant pathway for protein degradation in eukaryotes is the ubiquitin-proteasome system. In an enzymatic cascade with three different enzymes (E1, E2, E3), the small protein ubiquitin is covalently linked to a target protein, and substrates carrying a multi-ubiquitin chain consisting of at least four ubiquitin moieties are rapidly degraded by the 26S proteasome. Programmed cell death (PCD) is the genetically controlled suicide of cells that occurs in all eukaryotes. Examples for PCD in plants are leaf senescence, the hypersensitive response (HR) after pathogen attack and processes during development such as the formation of tracheary elements. Several proteins involved in PCD in animals are regulated by the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. In this work, the ubiquitin-proteasome system was perturbed in the model plant Arabidopsis by expression of UbK48R, a variant ubiquitin that was able to induce cell death in plants. Physiological characterization of the UbK48R-induced cell death could not precisely pinpoint the type of PCD observed. However, DNA degradation at a very late time point during PCD indicated that the UbK48R-induced PCD was related to senescence. It could also be shown that exposure to additional, normally harmless stress factors is able to accelerate the cell death process, and the isolation and characterization of suppressor of UbK48R-induced cell death (sud) mutants indicated changes in distinct, rather specialized pathways. One dominant mutant (sud1) resulted in higher resistance to the proteasome inhibitor MG132, and the recessive sud2 mutation could be positioned in a first-pass mapping to chromosome III between 10.7 Mbp and 18.9 Mbp. A second line of research dealt with the N-end rule pathway, a distinct ubiquitin-dependent protein degradation pathway that connects the fate of a protein with the nature of its amino-terminal residue. This pathway is also involved in leaf senescence. By using model substrates with defined amino acids at the amino terminus, it was shown that the Arabidopsis gene At5g02310 (now PRT6) encodes a ligase of the N-end rule pathway that recognizes and degrades proteins carrying Arg as amino-terminal residue. Model substrates with Leu as amino-terminal residue were, although also short-lived, not degraded by PRT6 or the second known ligase PRT1. Therefore, the existence of at least one more N-end rule ligase in plants was postulated.
Adaptive Optics (rtx1) High-Resolution Imaging of Photoreceptors and Retinal Arteries in Patients with Diabetic Retinopathy

Background Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is the leading cause of impaired vision in patients with diabetes mellitus. An adaptive optics retinal camera (rtx1™; Imagine Eyes, France) was used to capture images of cones and retinal arteries from patients with DR. Objective Cone parameters (density, interphotoreceptor distance, and regularity) and retinal artery parameters (wall thickness, lumen diameter, WLR, and WCSA) were analyzed in 36 patients with nonproliferative DR (NPDR; 22 with mild NPDR and 14 with moderate NPDR) and in 20 healthy volunteers (the control group). Results Cone density at 2° eccentricities was significantly lower in the DR compared to the control group (19822 ± 4342 cells/mm2 vs. 24722 ± 3507 cells/mm2, respectively). Cone density and regularity decreased with increasing severity of DR. The artery walls were significantly thicker in the DR group. The WLR and WCSA differed significantly between the DR and the control groups (WLR 0.339 ± 0.06 vs. 0.254 ± 0.04; WCSA 5567 ± 1140 vs. 4178 ± 944, respectively). Conclusions Decreased cone regularity and density are seen in patients with mild and moderate NPDR. Abnormalities of retinal arterioles show signs of arteriolar dysfunction in DR. Retinal image analysis with the rtx1 offers a novel noninvasive measurement of early changes in the neural cells and retina vasculature in diabetic eyes.
Did the Sarbane-Oxley Act of 2002 make Firms less Opaque?

We study whether the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) of 2002 made firms less opaque. For identification, we use a difference-in-differences estimation approach and compare EU firms that are cross-listed in the US—and therefore subject to SOX—with comparable EU firms that are not cross-listed. We derive proxies for corporate opaqueness from analyst earnings forecasts. Our findings suggest that, relative to the control group, cross-listed firms became significantly less opaque after the implementation of SOX. We provide evidence that this effect was particularly pronounced for firms operating in informationally sensitive industries. We complement our analysis with a textual analysis of corporate annual reports in order to shed light on how SOX may have affected firms’ reporting behavior.
New species of Gekko (Squamata: Sauria: Gekkonidae) from China: morphological and molecular evidence

A new species of Gekko is described from the south slope of the west Qinling Mts in Gansu, China. Gekko wenxianensis, sp. nov., is characterized by its nostril-rostral contact, moderate sized body with dorsal tubercles extending from the occiput and temporal region to the back and tail base, but lacking on the forelimb and thigh, 6–8 precloacal pores in a continuous series in males, and tail generally with two cloacal spurs on each side. Molecular phylogenetic analyses using 1556 bp of mtDNA (825 bp COI and 731 bp cyt b) from 7 species of Gekko indicate that the new species is the sister taxon of G. japonicus. It is the twelfth species of Gekko recorded from China.
BAYESIAN INVERSION OF CONVENTIONAL ELECTRIC LOGS

Modélisation inverse Bayesienne des diagraphies électriques conventionnelles. L’article présente l’élaboration d’un algorithme probabilistique Bayesien pour la modélisation inverse des données de résistivité apparente enregistrées à l’aide des dispositifs conventionnels (normaux et latéraux) de carottage électrique et l’implémentation de l’algorithme par un logiciel d’inversion efficace et rapide. Les modèles géoélectriques utilisés sont des milieux multistratifiés avec les interfaces de séparation planesparallèles, leurs paramètres étant les profondeurs des interfaces et les résistivités des couches homogènes et isotropes. La formulation Bayesienne du problème inverse permet l’incorporation de l’incertitude associée aux paramètres initiaux du modèle ou aux données géophysiques enregistrées, conduisant à une estimation optimale et la plus probable du modèle d’interprétation. Les essais effectués avec l’algorithme proposé ont montré sa capacité d’optimiser un modèle géoélectrique initial et de produire le meilleur ajustement des données, tout en considérant le bruit géologique et les informations disponibles a priori sur les données ou les paramètres du modèle. Le domaine d’applicabilité de l’algorithme couvre non seulement la modélisation inverse des diagraphies électriques, mais aussi l’interprétation automatique de tous les types de données géophysiques, par une modification convenable du module de modélisation directe. Les procédés classiques d’inversion peuvent être obtenus comme solutions particulières de cette méthode probabilistique générale.