Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Simulation software and virtual environments for acceleration of agricultural robotics: Features highlights and performance comparison

Research efforts for development of agricultural robots that can effectively perform tedious field tasks have grown significantly in the past decade. Agricultural robots are complex systems that require interdisciplinary collaborations between different research groups for effective task delivery in unstructured crops and plants environments. With the exception of milking robots, the extensive research works that have been carried out in the past two decades for adaptation of robotics in agriculture have not yielded a commercial product to date. To accelerate this pace, simulation approach and evaluation methods in virtual environments can provide an affordable and reliable framework for experimenting with different sensing and acting mechanisms in order to verify the performance functionality of the robot in dynamic scenarios. This paper reviews several professional simulators and custom-built virtual environments that have been used for agricultural robotic applications. The key features and performance efficiency of three selected simulators were also compared. A simulation case study was demonstrated to highlight some of the powerful functionalities of the Virtual Robot Experimentation Platform. Details of the objects and scenes were presented as the proof-of-concept for using a completely simulated robotic platform and sensing systems in a virtual citrus orchard. It was shown that the simulated workspace can provide a configurable and modular prototype robotic system that is capable of adapting to several field conditions and tasks through easy testing and debugging of control algorithms with zero damage risk to the real robot and to the actual equipment. This review suggests that an open-source software platform for agricultural robotics will significantly accelerate effective collaborations between different research groups for sharing existing workspaces, algorithms, and reusing the materials. Keywords: agricultural robotics, precision agriculture, virtual orchards, digital agriculture, simulation software, multi-robots DOI: 10.25165/j.ijabe. 20181104.4032 Citation: Shamshiri R R, Hameed I A, Pitonakova L, Weltzien C, Balasundram S K, Yule I J, et al. Simulation software and virtual environments for acceleration of agricultural robotics: Features highlights and performance comparison. Int J Agric & Biol Eng, 2018; 11(4): 15–31.
Biological Activity of Silver Nanoparticles and Their Applications in Anticancer Therapy

Nanotechnology delivers materials and nanoparticles (NPs) with high biological poten- tial, useful in bioengineering, nanomedicine, and human health protection. Silver nanoparticles (NPs), because of their wide spectrum of activities and physical and chemi- cal properties, are nowadays extensively researched. However, careful studies on living organism should be performed, with strong attention to biocompatibility. Multiple cel- lular effects, displayed after AgNP treatments, show interesting potential of metal-based NPs, not only in bio-nanotechnology but also in molecular medicine and anticancer ther- apy. AgNPs are promising anticancer agents, influencing the cell cycle, inhibiting cancer proliferation, and inducing oxidative stress and propagation of programmed cellular death (apoptosis). Additionally, they protect against bacterial, fungal, and viral infections. During chemo- and radio-therapies, such antimicrobial protection will be desir- able because of the decreased immunological resistance of cancer patients. In conclusion, AgNPs often present in the human environment should be studied for novel findings and better characteristic. This article discusses advantages of AgNP’s “eco-friendly” production, followed by green synthesis, with particular consideration of antimicrobial and anticancer properties. Cellular processes, induced after AgNP treatments, are focused on antiproliferative, pro-oxidative, and pro-apoptotic activities of NPs.
APPLICATION OF THREE NOVEL SPECTROPHOTOMETRIC METHODS MANIPULATING RATIO SPECTRA FOR RESOLVING A PHARMACEUTICAL MIXTURE OF CHLORPHENOXAMINE HYDROCHLORIDE AND CAFFEINE

Three spectrophotometric methods are presented for the determination of a binary mixture of Chlorphenoxamine hydrochloride (CPX) and Caffeine (CAF) in laboratory prepared mixture and pharmaceutical dosage form without prior separation. Method (I) is an extended ratio subtraction method (EXRSM) coupled with ratio subtraction method (RSM), which depends on subtraction of the plateau values from the ratio spectrum. Method (II)is a ratio difference spectrophotometric method (RDSM), which depends on the difference in value between two different wavelengths of the ratio spectrum. Method (III) is a mean centering of ratio spectra (MCR). Mathematical explanation of the three methods is illustrated. Calibration curves of the three methods are linear over the concentration ranges of 4-24 µgml-1 and 2-24 µgml-1 for CPX and CAF, respectively. The three methods proved to be simple, specific, accurate and precise. Solvent used is double distilled water. The three methods are validated as per the ICH guidelines where accuracy, precision, repeatability and robustness are found to be within the acceptable limits.
Nutrient Recovery From Cyanobacteria Biomasses Using Purple Nonsulfur Bacterium Rhodopseudomonas palustris

Occurrences of harmful cyanobacterial blooms are a worldwide environmental problem in most eutrophic lake ecosystems. But what should be noticed is that cyanobacteria can be used as a useful resource due to the wide range of metabolites they produce. Nutrient partitioning using purple nonsulfur bacteria (PNSB) has the potential to biologically concentrate nutrients. The present study evaluated the kinetics of nutrients released from decomposed field blue green algae (BGA) biomasses. The potential of nutrient acquisition from decomposed BGA biomasses for culturing Rhodopseudomonas palustris (R. palustris) was investigated via fed-batch experiments. Results indicated that R. palustris stimulated in algae substrates with algae biomasses ranging from 3.33 to 10 g/L. Removal efficiencies of N and P in the stationary phase of growth were at least 40% and 95%, respectively, of all the nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) released. Additionally, the cellular contents like total lipid and poly-beta-hydroxybutyrate (PHB), as well as the fatty acids produced by R. palustris, were consistent. Hence, practice based on the bacterial production for the nutrient recovery from BGA biomasses provides a new insight in field algae disposal. It will lower the chances of secondary pollution due to algae decay and produce giant cells of R. palustris and surely will prosper the industries applying R. palustris.
Lorentz- and CPT-violating models for neutrino oscillations

A class of calculable global models for neutrino oscillations based on Lorentz and CPT violation is presented. One simple example matches established neutrino data from accelerator, atmospheric, reactor, and solar experiments, using only 2 degrees of freedom instead of the usual five. A third degree of freedom appears in the model, and it naturally generates the MiniBooNE low-energy anomalies. More involved models in this class can also accommodate the LSND anomaly and neutrino-antineutrino differences of the MINOS type. The models predict some striking signals in various ongoing and future experiments.
The projection method for fluid flows in complex geometries

Abstract In this paper, we develop a numerical method for solving two dimensional viscous flow problems in the presence of obstacles in unsteady regime. In fact, the present study is based on a Chorin type Projection method [1] of first order in time and second order of accuracy in space, on a staggered grid [9]. Here we consider flows with incompressibility and solid constraints for an horizontal fluid flow [3]. Results of this study are presented for the Navier-Stokes equations in order to show the efficiency of the method for complex fluid flows.
Building a systematic framework for an entrepreneurial university

Article history: Received 20 March 2017 Received in revised form 22 May 2017 Accepted 14 June 2017 The importance of creating an entrepreneurial university is vital to achieving sustainable national economic growth. Despite numerous studies conducted to elaborate an entrepreneurial university conceptualization, framework and measurement, the results are mostly fragmented and remain at an embryonic stage. The research reported here proposes a systematic framework for an entrepreneurial university as the preliminary stage for further development in research and practice.
Maternal mortality and severe morbidity in rural Indonesia Part 2: Implementation of a community audit

INTRODUCTION: In the absence of unifying conceptual frameworks, there have been calls to identify and share practical experiences of community participation in health (CPH) to document the contexts and dynamics of participatory practice. OBJECTIVES: This article describes the process of a community-based review of care in obstetric emergencies from rural Indonesia. METHODS: Four village-based groups were convened to review a series of cases of maternal death and disability and to develop recommendations for health planning. Narrative analysis of the reviewers’ discussions was employed to describe and explain whether and how participation occurred. RESULTS: Participation was complex, dynamic and evolved over the course of the study. Although blame and defensiveness characterised the early discussions, over time the reviewers became less condemning of individuals and more so of systems and services, situating individual behaviours within wider health and social systems. Participants also increasingly shared personal experiences, generating rich and explicit reviews of care. Eliciting this information was contingent on skilful facilitation, assuring anonymity and instilling a ‘permission to criticise’ among participants. Sufficient time was also required to convey the necessary principles and reassurances. Despite evidence of learning outcomes, implementation and evaluation of the recommendations were not possible so sustainability and empowerment were likely to be limited. CONCLUSIONS: Despite its potential and relevance, the adoption of meaningful CPH activities may be threatened by wider socio-economic and political conditions, as well as by prevailing evidence hierarchies. We recommend policy and research to establish a firmer foundation for this progressive, yet obscured, public health concept.
Addition of cell wall degrading enzyme and wheat bran on fermentation characteristics and in vitro gas production of ensiled rice straw

A two way factorial experiment was designed to study the technique aspects of ensiling rice straw (RS) mixed with Strawzyme (an experimental preparation of cell-wall degrading enzymes) and wheat bran (WB). The WB was added at levels of 0, 3, 6 or 9% (fresh basis), respectively, and the RS was untreated (C-0, C-3, C-6 and C-9), or treated with Strawzyme at level of 1300 g/t DM (T-0, T-3, T-6 and T-9). Addition of WB improved the fermentation quality and nutritive value of RS silage. The pH value, percentage of ammonia N in total N and butyrate content were decreased, and lactate content and in vitro gas production (GP) increased with the increasing levels of WB. Enzyme treatment decreased the neutral detergent fibre, pH, ammonia-N and butyrate, and increased lactate and in vitro GP. There were significant interaction effects on pH, lactate and butyrate content between enzyme and WB. Therefore the silages in T-6 and T-9 showed good quality with lowest pH and highest lactate as well as no any butyrate. Proportion of ammonia N of total N was decreased by 37.9 or 15.5%, and the lactic acid was increased by 67.8 or 5.7%, respectively, when Strawzyme plus 6 or 9% WB was added. It can be concluded that combination of Strawzyme with WB was more effective in the improvement of RS silage quality than addition of WB alone.
Equilibrium Model of Waiting Times for Non-Emergency Procedures in the NSW Public Hospitals∗

This paper studies the determinants of waiting times for elective non-emergency procedures in the NSW public hospitals by estimating a model in which waiting times serve as a mechanism which equilibrates demand for and supply of hospital treatments. The model is estimated on the level of postal code areas using data on all New South Wales (NSW) public hospital admissions in 2004-05, selected postal code area characteristics and area-level provisions of public and private hospital beds. Spatial interactions methods are used to estimate the levels of provision of hospital beds to each geographical area. We find that, consistent with the predictions of the theoretical model, demand for elective hospital procedures is affected negatively and supply of treatments is affected positively by the expected waiting times. Compared to the estimates from other countries, the demand for elective procedures is highly responsive to waiting times.
Computational Intelligence for Biometric Applications: a Survey

Biometric systems consist of devices, procedures, and algorithms used to recognize people based on their physiological or behavioral features, known as biometric traits. Computational intelligence (CI) approaches are widely adopted in establishing identity based on biometrics and also to overcome non-idealities typically present in the samples. Typical areas include sample enhancement, feature extraction, classification, indexing, fusion, normalization, and anti-spoofing. In this context, computational intelligence plays an important role in performing of complex non-linear computations by creating models from the training data. These approaches are based on supervised as well as unsupervised training techniques. This work presents computational intelligence techniques applied to biometrics, from both a theoretical and an application point of view.
The Hare with Amber Eyes: A Hidden Inheritance

264 wood and ivory carvings, none of them larger than a matchbox: potter Edmund de Waal was entranced when he first encountered the collection in the Tokyo apartment of his great uncle Iggie. Later, when Edmund inherited the 'netsuke', they unlocked a story far larger than he could ever have imagined.The Ephrussis came from Odessa, and at one time were the largest grain exporters in the world; in the 1870s, Charles Ephrussi was part of a wealthy new generation settling in Paris. Marcel Proust was briefly his secretary and used Charles as the model for the aesthete Swann in Remembrance of Things Past. Charles' passion was collecting; the netsuke, bought when Japanese objects were all the rage in the salons, were sent as a wedding present to his banker cousin in Vienna. Later, three children - including a young Ignace - would play with the netsuke as history reverberated around them. The Anschluss and Second World War swept the Ephrussis to the brink of oblivion. Almost all that remained of their vast empire was the netsuke collection, smuggled out of the huge Viennese palace (then occupied by Hitler's theorist on the 'Jewish Question'), one piece at a time, in the pocket of a loyal maid - and hidden in a straw mattress. In this stunningly original memoir, Edmund de Waal travels the world to stand in the great buildings his forebears once inhabited. He traces the network of a remarkable family against the backdrop of a tumultuous century. And, in prose as elegant and precise as the netsuke themselves, he tells the story of a unique collection which passed from hand to hand - and which, in a twist of fate, found its way home to Japan.
Risk Factors of Suicide Ideation in Chinese Graduate Students: CHAID Tree Analysis

The present study aims to identify the risk factors and develop a decision tree model of suicide ideation in Chinese graduate students. A chi-square automatic interaction detection tree analysis was conducted in a graduate students sample (N=1036). Measurements included University Personality Inventory (UPI), Symptom Checklist 90 (SCL-90), and Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ). Results showed that suicide incidence of Chinese graduate students was 1.15%, with males’ was higher than females. Seventeen potential variables were considered and only three of them (depression, obsession, and neuroticism) were found to be risk factors of suicide ideation in Chinese graduate students, and the interactions between them constructed a decision tree model. These findings should be helpful for school and mental health providers to detect graduate students with a high possibility of suicide ideation, which will aid in planning of early suicide intervention and prevention for at risk students.
Agricultural yield components of dual purpose wheat cv. BRS Tarum under cutting and nitrogen fertilization handlings

This experiment aimed to study the effects on grain and forage productivity in dual-purpose wheat cv. BRS Taruma under cutting handlings and nitrogen fertilization. The experiment was conducted in area of ​​Rhodic Hapludox in the city of Marechal Cândido Rondon, Parana State, in a randomized block design with 12 treatments and four replications. The treatments consisted of surface nitrogen levels (0, 60, 120 and 180 kg ha-1) and number of cuttings accomplished ​​(0, 1 and 2). The topdressing was split in two applications for handling of just a cutting (27 and 65 days after sowing - DAS), and three applications for handling with two cuttings (27, 65 and 96 days after sowing - DAS). Data were subjected to analysis of variance (p≤0.05). The use of one or two cuttings and the comparison between the first and second cuttings were done by F test (5%) whereas nitrogen doses were studied by regression analysis. For all variables, there was significant interaction of nitrogen doses in surface and the number of cuttings. Grain yield and its yield components were responsive to levels of nitrogen fertilization in surface as well as forage production and its quality, but the same factors were reduced with the use of cuttings. This handling increased the dry matter content and crude protein in grains. Key words: Crop-livestock integration, Triticum aestivum, nitrogen, yield components, proximate composition.
Neck posture and overall body design in sauropods

Abstract. The stress on the intervertebral discs in the necks of Brachiosaurus brancai, Diplodocus carnegii, and Dicraeosaurus hansemanni are calculated for various hypothetical neck postures. Assuming similar safety factors along the neck and a predominance of static or quasistatic forces, neck postures in which the stress is not more or less constant along the neck are rejected. The necks of two large and long-necked recent mammals, Giraffa camelopardalis and Camelus sp. , are examined in the same way in order to test the method. The method is shown to be suitable for the reconstruction of the habitual posture of longnecked terrestrial vertebrates, even if the distribution of mass along the head and neck and the lever arms of the neck muscles and ligaments are only roughly estimated. Among sauropods, the neck posture differed considerably, being nearly vertical in Brachiosaurus brancai, but more horizontal in Dicraeosaurus hansemanni and especially in Diplodocus carnegii. Therefore, Brachiosaurus brancai appears to have been an extremely specialised high browser, whereas in Diplodocus carnegii and in Dicraeosaurus hansemanni the long neck permitted a large feeding volume. The constrast in neck posture is reflected in the overall body design, especially in tail and limb length. Fur verschiedene Halsstellungen von Brachiosaurus brancai, Diplodocus carnegii und Dicraeosaurus hansemanni wurde der Druck auf den Gelenkknorpel der Zwischenwirbelgelenke berechnet. Halsstellungen, die nicht zu einem mehr oder weniger konstanten Druck entlang des Halses fuhrten, wurden verworfen. Dabei wurden gleiche Sicherheitsfaktoren des Gelenkknorples sowie das Vorherrschen von statischen und quasistatischen Kraften entlang des Halses angenommen. Die Halse zweier langhalsiger Saugetiere, Giraffa camelopardalis und Camelus sp. , wurden in gleicher Weise analysiert, um die Methode zu uberprufen. Diese erwies sich als geeignet, die habituelle Halsstellung eines langhalsigen terrestrischen Wirbeltieres zu rekonstruieren, selbst wenn die Massenverteilung entlang des Halses und die Hebelarme der epaxialen Muskeln, Sehnen und Bander nur grob geschatzt werden konnen. Unter den Sauropoden variierte die Halsstellung erheblich von nahezu vertikal bei Brachiosaurus brancai bis zu eher horizontal bei Diplodocus carnegii. Die Halsstellung von Dicraeosaurus hansemanni lag naher bei der Halsstellung von Diplodocus als von Brachiosaurus. Offenbar war Brachiosaurus darauf spezialisiert, Nahrung aus grosen Hohen aufzunehmen, wahrend Diplodocus und Dicraeosaurus ihre langen Halse zum Abweiden eines weiten Areals nutzten. Die Unterschiede in der Halsstellung spiegeln sich in der Korperform, insbesondere in der Schwanz- und Beinlange, wider. doi: 10.1002/mmng.20020050116
Improving some sequences convergent to Euler-Mascheroni constant

[1] N. Batir, Sharp bounds for the psi function and harmonic numbers,Math.Inequal. Appl. ,No.4,pp.917-925,(2011). [2] C-P Chen, C. Mortici, New sequences converging towards the Euler-Mascheroni constant, Computer and Mathematics with Applications,doi:10.1016/j.camwa. 2011.03. 099,(2011). [3] C-P.Chen,InequalitiesfortheEuler-Mascheroniconstant,Appl.Math.Lett. ,23,pp.161-164,(2010).
Molecular dynamics simulation of lipid-protein ensembles

Lipid membranes that include various proteins interface the inner and outer space in cells and nuclei, and play an important role in processes such as cell division or viral infection. Global electrostatic properties of the system emerge from interaction of hydrophobic and hydrophilic units in lipids and proteins. Available experimental techniques cannot directly observe membrane dynamics at the sub-nanometer level of lipid and peptide components. We therefore study the lipid-lipid and lipid- protein dynamics by means of computer simulation. The theoretical framework builds on ab initio calculations of electron probability densities in order to obtain parameters for molecular dynamics simulation. A coarse grained model approach is adopted, including up to tens of thousands lipid molecules. Complimentary small-scale atomic-level simulations are performed for comparison. Dynamics of lipid bilayer including self-assembly process and adhesion around an α-helix protein fragment are reported. The present work is a step towards developing a more complex computer simulation framework.
THE RESEARCH OF MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTING EVOLUTION IN THE CONTEXT OF ECONOMIC CHANGES

Information about economic processes is created by accounting systems. Financial accounting measures facts that already emerged inside the company but it does not give information about reasons that caused those facts. Therefore, financial accounting results can be improved with the help of management accounting. When companies become more sophisticated, and competition is always increasing, management accounting phenomenon becomes critical. Attention to understand current state of modern management accounting is very closely related with aspiration to know the evolution of management accounting. Performed analysis showed, that most powerful countries had crucial influence in development of management accounting practices. In using the International federation of accountants (IFAC) approach was registered all emerged management accounting methods. DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.5755/j01.em. 17.1. 2247
Towards Dependable Placement of NoC Resources

In this paper we present an approach on how executable formal specifications of Network-on-Chip routing schemes can help on deciding efficient placement of processing resources on 3D-integrated systems. We use a routing scheme specified with the B Action Systems formalism and we execute it with the model checking and animating tool ProB in order to obtain traces of operation executions based on different data flow scenarios.