Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Agronomic and nutritional responses of Carajas elephant grass fertilized with protected and non-protected urea

The objective of this study was to assess the agronomic and nutritional responses of the elephant grass cultivar Carajas when subjected to fertilization with protected and conventional urea. A randomized block design with 4×2+1 factorial arrangement was adopted. The treatments consisted of four doses (100, 200, 400, and 800 kg N ha-1), two nitrogen sources (conventional and protected urea), and one additional treatment without fertilization. The experiment was carried out from October 2015 to March 2016, in a semi-arid region with a dystrophic yellow latosol type soil. The application of conventional urea was done with each of the multiple cuts performed per year, whereas the protected urea was applied in a single dose. Total senescence rate (TSR), leaf and stem elongation, height, tiller density, total forage biomass, green leaf and stem biomass, and dry matter all increased with increasing N doses. However, the phyllochron, live material/dead material ratio, and agronomic efficiency all decreased with N increasing dose. Plants fertilized with protected urea presented greater TSR and phyllochron. Mineral matter content was higher in plants fertilized with conventional urea. Neutral detergent fiber content was maximized at a dose of 437.63 kg N ha-1. The protected urea resulted in a higher value of leaf/stem ratio at the 400 kg N ha-1 dose, whereas ether extract and crude protein at the 800 kg N ha-1. With application of conventional urea, the highest crude protein value occurred at a dose of 100 kg N ha-1. The morphogenesis, structure, production, and chemical composition of elephant grass ‘Carajas’ were all positively influenced when nitrogen doses were increased, with the recommended optimal dose for use being 400 kg N ha-1 for both sources. The use of protected urea is recommended because of its slow release and need for only a single application.
In-service training and job performance of librarians in university libraries in south south zone Nigeria

There is a dearth of literature in the relationship between in-service training and job performance of librarians in Nigerian Universities in the South South zone of Nigeria. This study examines the relationship between in-service training and job performance of Librarians in University Libraries in Nigeria. A sample size of 172 Librarians was drawn from 11 University Libraries in the zone. One hypothesis was formulated to guide the study. The statistical analyses used were Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) and simple Regression Analysis. The result showed a significant relationship between in-service training and job performance of Librarians (r = 0.2757); r2, = 0.076, df = 170. Critical r = 0.195. The result also showed that in-service training can significantly predict the job performance of librarians in Nigeria (F = 13.943; df = 1,170; critical f = 3.84; x = 0.05). Recommendations are made based on these results. KEY WORDS: In-service training; job performance; librarians; university libraries; relationship
Two further problems with Trait Theory

We present two illustrations highlighting erroneous conclusions that follow from an uncritical acceptance of Trait Theory. First, a size analogy demonstrates how, by focusing on shared variance among variables, researchers may ignore important unique variance and interactions among personality facets. Second, Trait Theory, when combined with the self-report theory of item responding, leads to faulty conclusions about faking when using personality assessment for personnel selection. We conclude by discussing implications of these illustrations for reactions to our article (Hogan & Foster, 2016) and for the field of Personality Psychology.
The Impact of Institutional Investors on Firms Accounting Flexibility: Evidence from Jordan

In this paper the existence of the impact of the institutional investor on the firm’s accounting flexibility in generating discretionary accruals was verified. For this purpose balanced data cross-sectional regression model for all 70 th Jordanian manufacturing companies listed at Amman Stock Exchange ( ASE ) over eleven years from 2000 to 2010 was utilized. In the regression model discretionary working capital accruals ( DWCA ), proxy for earnings manipulation, was set as the dependant variable. Independent variables were; the percentage of the institutional investors ownership of common stock in firm as a proxy of the institutional investors (IIP), the managerial ownership (MAO), firm’s size (SIZE), leverage ratio (LEV), and return on sales ratio (ROS). The econometric model was estimated. The results of various analysis and tests carried out in this study confirm the monitoring role of the institutional investors and the role played by the institutional investor in alleviating the practices of earnings management.
New Methods for Applying Kalman Filter Concept into a Distributed Hydrological Model

Two kinds of Kalman filter applications to a distributed hydrological model are introduced and discussed with their results. Both two applications are fundamentally for updating the spatially distributed storage amount, but the state value in the filter is different from the total storage amount and the discharge. To avoid the computational burden, the distributed storage amounts are updated at once by a specific ratio which is calculated from the state value. Monte Carlo simulation is adopted for the prediction algorithm of the filter.
A Structural Equation Model for Emerging Needs and Changing Role of Social Media Usage as Financial Service Platform

In this Modern Era, the Major usage of social media is changing its old traditional mainstream from entertainment to the world of opportunity to work and trade. In the Emerging banking industry where customers' interaction plays a major and necessary role, Now a days, these digital communication is becoming a Predominant and strong communication channel between Customers and financial institutions. Digital Medias are considered as the most valuable tools for potential customers or clients get connected to the bank towards accessing their financial services in a most fashionable manner. Hence, the Emergence of Social Media as a major digital Platform which plays a major and replacing traditional way of getting financial services to a most modern way of accessing such financial services and its related information. In this paper, the researcher tries to portray the emerging importance of social media as a technological innovative platform which in turn plays a major role in Digital Banking and its related services. One way the researcher tries to bring the growing importance and need of these social media as innovative technological platform readily developing in banking sector where in customer could be able to access and do financial transactions in a most simpler and economical manner.
FACIAL EXPRESSION RECOGNITION BASED ON IMPROVED LBP OPERATOR AND K-MEANS CLUSTERING

For facial expression features extraction and automatic clustering, a method is proposed. This method integrates improved LBP operator and K-means clustering. Firstly, facial features are located by integral and variance projection. Improved LBP operator with changed threshold is figured out. Secondly, K-means clustering produces expression templates. Then K nearest neighbor algorithm recognizes facial expression. Meanwhile, the expression templates will be updated by the result itself, optimizing expression templates dynamically. The algorithm is simple and low computational-complexity. It updates the train results dynamically. Results show that this classification method is accurate.
Development of Integrated Holistic Teaching Guide Module for Technical and Vocational Education Teacher Trainees

The development of quality human capital is a process of transforming humans potential; knowledgeable, honorable, skilled and resilient. The failure to develop quality human capital can inhibit a lot of country potential growth. Without quality human capital, the country will turn into declined, even a civilization might be impaired. Success teachers who able to explore and disseminate knowledge, daring to try something new, creative and innovative, and have superior personal qualities, through their teaching and learning (T&L) in developing a critical mentality generation is the critical success factors in shaping a bright future generation. Therefore, through this research, the ‘Integrated Holistic Teaching (IHT) Guide Module’ had been developed to provide awareness and appreciation among Technical and Vocational (TVE) teacher trainees on the importance of IHT approach. This holistic approach focuses on the application and the instillation of the 'Belief and Devotion to God’ (BDG) value in the T&L of TVE subjects, without disturbing the existing syllabus objectives. Three modules expertise had been appointed and agreed to be responsible for checking the modules content, answer the questionnaire of module validity and lastly, give comments on module content which had been developed based on Rusell Model of Module Development 1974. Finally, data analysis was performed using the Tuckmen and Waheed validity formula which showed a high level of 94.67 %. Thus, the BDG values in T&L has been translated well in the form of modules. In other words, the development of IHT guide module meets the Malaysian National Education Philosophy (MNEP) goals, to create a balance and harmonious humans intellectual, spiritual, emotional and physical which based on the BDG values. Keywords: Teachers quality, teaching modules, Integrated Holistic Teaching Approach, ‘Belief and Devotion to God’ value
A Mass-Preserving Geometry-Based Reinitialization Method for the Level Set Function

In this paper we describe and evaluate a geometric mass-preserving redistancing procedure for the level set function on general structured grids. The proposed algorithm is adapted from a recent finite-element-based method and preserves the mass by means of a localized mass correction. A salient feature of the scheme is the absence of adjustable parameters. The algorithm is tested in two and three spa- tial dimensions and compared with a state-of-the-art PDE-based redistancing method using structured Cartesian grids. Through the use of quantitative error measures of interest in level set methods, we show that the overall performance of the proposed geometric procedure is better than state-of-the-art PDE- based reinitialization schemes. We also show that the algorithm is well–suited for the highly–streched curvilinear grids used in CFD simulations.
Ignition probability of organic soils

Evaluating the effects of prescribed fire and wildland fire requires a greater understanding of the fire behavior of organic soils. Determining the ignition limit of organic soils over a wide geographical area is the subject of this study. Side ignitions were attempted with an electrically powered red-hot coil to simulate common ignition by lateral smoldering. Inorganic content was fixed by the sample's origin. Moisture content was altered to establish a moisture range that included the ignition limit. Recorded successes and failures of attempted ignitions were analyzed through logistic regression to give ignition probability based on the moisture and inorganic content and the organic bulk density. These probabilistic results lend themselves to lightning and person caused fire occurrence predictive systems required for wildfire management. A limited comparison of results with Frandsen (1987. Can. J. For. Res. 17: 1540-1544) shows encouraging similarities. Wsumi : L'evaluationdes effets du brutlage dirige et des incendies forestie rs requiert une meilleure comprehension du comporternent du feu dans les sols organiques. La determination des limites de l'ignition dans les sols organiques, A l'interieur d'une vaste region geographique, constitue l'objet de cette etude. Des allumages lat6raux ont ete tentes a l'aide d'une bobine electrique chauffee an rouge de facon a simuler les ignitions laterales communement observees lors des feux couvants. Le contenu inorganique a ete etabli par l'origine de 1'echantillon. Le contenu en humidite a ete altere pour obtenir un registre de teneur en humidite comprenant les limites de l'ignition. Les succes et les echecs des tentatives d'allurnage ont ete enregistres puis analyses par regression logistique de maniere a obtenir les probabilites d'ignition fondees sur la teneur en humidite et le contenu inorganique de meme que sur la densite apparente organique. Ces resultats probabilistes se pretent bien aux systemes de prediction des feux de foudre et de cause humaine, necessaires dans la gestion des incendies forestiers. Une comparaison restreinte des resultats de cette etude avec ceux de Frandsen (1987. Rev' can. rech. for. 17: 1540-1544) montre des ressemblances encourageantes. (Traduit par la R6daction)
Understanding the Effects of Fires on Surface Evapotranspiration Patterns Using Satellite Remote Sensing in Combination with an Energy Balance Model

Forest fires are highly destructive for nature, affecting the landscape, the natural cicle of the vegetation, and the structure and functioning of ecosystems. Beyond that, they also provoke changes in the local and regional meteorology, and particularly in the surface energy flux patterns. In a fire-affected area, changes in the ecosystem structure and species composition modify the evapotranspiration (LE) and the rest of the terms involved in the energy balance equation. Besides, these changes in the local energy balance may persist for decades (Randerson et al., 2006). There is an increasing concern among the scientific community about the effect of forest fires on climate change at this point (Randerson et al. 2006). In this work we focus on the study of the changes in the energy flux patterns after a forest fire, with particular emphasis on the evapotranspiration, which effect on the global system should be further analyzed by the radiative forcing models. The physical characterization of the hydrological processes plays a very important role in the framework of the activities for the management of hydrological resources. Particularly, the soil-vegetation-atmosphere energy exchanges are the basis of an appropriate hydrological balance, and thus, of an appropriate planning of the hydrological resources. The fusion of physical models for estimating the hydrological balance, and particularly the evapotranspiration, with technological advances for the characterization of hydrological, hydro-geological, and atmospheric issues, is of great utility. Although there are several surface-based methods that can accurately measure surface heat fluxes at point locations, it is not feasible to use a network of these systems to create spatially distributed flux maps because of the high variability of real landscapes. As stated by Scott et al. (2000), micrometeorological approaches can only realistically provide measurements representative of a particular type of vegetation cover when there is a reasonably extensive, uniform area of that vegetation immediately upwind of the instruments. The use of remote sensing techniques supplies the frequent lack of ground-measured variables and parameters required to apply the local models at a regional scale. Modelling evapotranspiration is very sensitive to the surface features and conditions. For this reason, a regional model must
An Improved Variable Step Size MPPT Algorithm Based on INC

In order to ensure that photovoltaic (PV) systems work at the maximum power point (MPP) and maximize the economic benefits, maximum power point tracking (MPPT) techniques are normally applied to these systems. One of the most widely applied MPPT methods is the incremental conductance (INC) method. However, the choice of the step size still remains controversial. This paper presents an improved variable step size INC MPPT algorithm that uses four different step sizes. This method has the advantages of INC but with the ability to validly adjust the step size to adapt to changes of the PV’s power curve. The presented algorithm also simultaneously achieves increased rapidity and accuracy when compared with the conventional fixed step size INC MPPT algorithm. In addition, the theoretical derivation and specific applications of the proposed algorithm are presented here. This method is validated by simulation and experimental results.
Multiple Information Hiding using Cubical Approach on Random Grids

The exponential growth of data and our dependence on it has increased security concerns over the protection of data. Various methodologies have been suggested to meet the security services namely; confidentiality, authentication and authorization. The (k:n) secret sharing scheme was recommended to isolate the dependence on a single entity for the safety of data. Random Grids Visual Secret Sharing (RGVSS), a category of a Visual Cryptography Secret Sharing scheme aims at encrypting a secret image into several shares using a simple algorithm. The encrypted information can be revealed by stacking the shares which can be recognized by the Human Visual System (HVS). The proposed VSS scheme exploits the geometrical configuration of the cube without distorting any of the secret information embedded on the shares. The rest of the secrets are decrypted by stacking the cubes and changing the orientation of one of the cube over the fixed one. Each side of the cube encrypts up to four secrets, the first secret can be decrypted by stacking the two cubical shares and rotating the stacked face of the cube at 90 degrees, 180 degrees and 270 degrees, reveals the other three shares respectively The proposed scheme increases the capacity of secret communication avoiding the pixel expansion problem which in turn reduces the overhead of storage and communication significantly without compromising on security and authenticity of the secret information.
Strategic management using VoIP technology: a case study in a call center company

The ability of voice transmission over TCP/IP package, also called Voice over IP or VoIP, allows voice integration and data in just one structure; this enables a very cheap communication among remote locations. The main goal of this article is to analyze and demonstrate VOIP applications in the corporate market networks, their advantages and applications on the feasibility of tooling use in the corporate world. The method applied in this article is qualitative, semi-structured as a unique case study. The studied company is called KONTAK, a Brazilian organization of the call center segment located in the east region of "Sao Paulo". Intrinsic to the business, the major operation costs are related to telephony management. The results show a reduction in the calling costs among branches, customers and suppliers obtained after the implementation of this technology, as well as a better control of operational processes and organization management strategy in terms of the voice and data technology management. The business feasibility is evidenced by the return on investment (ROI) reached by the company due to this technology.
Simultaneous Estimation of Antihypertensive and Antidiabetic Drugs by HPLC

A simple, fast and economic reversed phase high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method has been successfully developed and validated for simultaneous determination of an antihypertensive and an antidiabetic drug namely, valsartan and glimepiride in pure form (as API). Before the method development with HPLC, a complexation study was carried out with these drugs by DSC which demonstrated no complexation among these drugs. Therefore, a simple HPLC method was developed and validated according to the guidelines of ICH, FDA and USP with respect to accuracy, precision and linearity. For method development a C-18 bonded silica column (250 x 4.6 mm, 5μ, Phenomenex, Inc.) and the mobile phase comprising 3% aqueous acetic acid in acetonitrile (60:40, v/v) at a flow rate of 0.7 ml/min were used. For accuracy, the recovery was found to be more than 99% for each of valsartan and glimepiride. Intra-day and inter-day precisions of the new method were less than the maximum allowable limit (RSD%i£ 2.0) according to FDA guidelines. The method showed linear response with correlation coefficient of 0.9993 for valsartan and 0.9981 for glimepiride. Therefore, the developed method was found to be simpler, accurate, reproducible, efficient and less time consuming and can be successfully applied for the simultaneous estimation of valsartan and glimepiride.
Terrestrial LiDAR-based automated counting of swiftlet nests in the caves of Gomantong, Sabah, Borneo.

High resolution terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) within the Simud Hitam Cave, Gomantong, has proven successful at discriminating the nests of black-nest swiftlets from roosting bats in high, inaccessible locations. TLS data were imported into ArcGIS software, allowing for semi-automated counting of nests based on resolved geometry and laser return intensity. Nest resolution and counting accuracy was better than 2%. Spatial analysis of nest locations has established a maximum packing density of 268 nests/m2 in optimum locations, which correspond to roof slopes of >20 degrees. Co-occurring Rhinolophid bats roost adjacent to, but not within nest locations, preferring roof surfaces close to horizontal.
Fungi associated with apple and pear sooty blotch and flyspeck diseases in Guilan province, Iran

Sooty blotch and flyspeck occur on fruit surfaces and result in economic losses due to less attractive appearance. Sooty blotch fungi form dark mycelial mats whereas flyspeck fungal agents are well characterized with black, sclerotium-like bodies on fruit surface. Whilst more than 60 species have been reported in association with these two fungal diseases, thus far they have not been studied in Iran. In this study specimens showing the symptoms related to sooty blotch and flyspeck were collected from different regions of Guilan province during 2012-14. Morphological characteristics and sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions of rDNA were generated for the isolates and compared to describe species. In this study Microcyclosporella mali, Zasmidium sp. and Zygophiala jamaicensis were identified based on morphological and molecular characteristics. Microcyclosporella mali and Zygophiala jamaicensis are described and illustrated for the first time from Iran.
Differences Lead to Differences: Diversity and Income Inequality Across Countries

This paper will test the relationship between income inequality and ethnic heterogeneity. Although previous research has used ethno-linguistic fractionalization as a control variable in inequality regressions, no research has focused primarily on an alternative measure of heterogeneity – polarization. Using Gini coefficients from the from the World Income Inequality Database and polarization data from Montalvo and Reynal-Querol (2005b), a pooled OLS regression is run using data from 58 countries with 205 total observations. The results of these regressions suggest that ethnic polarization does have a positive effect on income inequality, even controlling for country characteristics and allowing for regional differences.