Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Global Supply Chain Capabilities in Malaysian Textile and Apparel Industry

In today’s dynamic business environment, the competition is no more between firms; however, between supply chains to gain competitive advantages. This leads to global supply chain. In the global supply chains, the potential of global supply chain capabilities for growth is very promising. Despite the incredible expansion of the industry, particularly Malaysian textile and apparel supply chain, there has been relatively a handful academic study that looked specifically in the area of global supply chain capabilities and performance. This resulting in very little attention has been paid to the power of global supply chain capabilities by researchers and practitioners. This study is derived from the concept of resource based view in supply chain management. This study aims to investigate the relationship between global supply chain capabilities and supply chain performance in Malaysian textile and apparel industry. By thorough reviewing the supply chain management literatures, this study found that there is a relationship between global supply chain capabilities, namely relational capability, technological capability, and organizational culture capability, and supply chain performance. From the underpinning theory and thorough literature review of the study area, this study provides a unique theoretical framework intended to aid researchers and practitioners to develop a more comprehensive understanding of the linkages between global supply chain capabilities and supply chain performance.
A comparative study between open lichtenstein mesh repair and laparoscopic totally extra peritoneal repair of inguinal hernia

Inguinal hernias constitute the most common form of abdominal wall hernias. The incidence of inguinal hernia remains indefinite; however, nearly about 500,000 cases come to medical attention each year. Twenty or more years ago, international and US surveys were conducted, wherein, the nonsurgically treated inguinal hernia prevailed among 5% of men and similarly, same number of men had history of hernia repair. The lifetime risk of inguinal hernia is estimated to be 27% and 3% for men and women respectively.
A new method to measure galaxy bias by combining the density and weak lensing fields

We present a new method to measure the redshift-dependent galaxy bias by combining information from the galaxy density field and the weak lensing field. This method is based on Amara et al. (2012), where they use the galaxy density field to construct a bias-weighted convergence field kg. The main difference between Amara et al. (2012) and our new implementation is that here we present another way to measure galaxy bias using tomography instead of bias parameterizations. The correlation between kg and the true lensing field k allows us to measure galaxy bias using different zero-lag correlations, such as / or / . Our method measures the linear bias factor on linear scales under the assumption of no stochasticity between galaxies and matter. We use the MICE simulation to measure the linear galaxy bias for a flux-limited sample (i
New constraints on fault architecture, slip rates, and strain partitioning beneath Pyramid Lake, Nevada

A seismic compressed high-intensity radar pulse (CHIRP) survey of Pyramid Lake, Nevada, defines fault architecture and distribution within a key sector of the northern Walker Lane belt. More than 500 line-kilometers of high-resolution (decimeter) subsurface imagery, together with dated piston and gravity cores, were used to produce the first comprehensive fault map and attendant slip rates beneath the lake. A reversal of fault polarity is observed beneath Pyramid Lake, where down-to-the-east slip on the dextral Pyramid Lake fault to the south switches to down-to-the-west displacement on the Lake Range fault to the north. Extensional deformation within the northern two thirds of the basin is bounded by the Lake Range fault, which exhibits varying degrees of asymmetric tilting and stratal divergence due to along-strike segmentation. This structural configuration likely results from a combination of changes in slip rate along strike and the splaying of fault segments onshore. The potential splaying of fault segments onshore tends to shift the focus of extension away from the lake. The combination of normal- and oblique-slip faults in the northern basin gives Pyramid Lake its distinctive “fanning open to the north” geometry. The oblique-slip faults in the northwestern region of the lake are short and discontinuous in nature, possibly representing a nascent shear zone. In contrast, the Lake Range fault is long and well defined. Vertical slip rates measured across the Lake Range and other faults provide new estimates on extension across the Pyramid Lake basin. A minimum vertical slip rate of ∼1.0 mm/yr is estimated along the Lake Range fault. When combined with fault length, slip rates yield a potential earthquake magnitude range between M6.4 and M7.0. Little to no offset on the Lake Range fault is observed in the sediment rapidly emplaced at the end of Tioga glaciation (12.5–9.5 ka). In contrast, since 9.5 ka, CHIRP imagery provides evidence for three or four major earthquakes, assuming a characteristic offset of 2.5 m per event. Regionally, our CHIRP investigation helps to reveal how strain is partitioned along the boundary between the northeastern edge of the Walker Lane and the northwest Basin and Range Province proper.
Development of an Integrated System for Ozone Treated Harvested Rainwater in Perspective of Green Building Scenario of Malaysia

In this study an integrated system for rainwater harvesting and ozone treatment has been developed for continuous supply of drinkable water. In the perspective of Malaysian scenario ozone treatment of rainwater is still considered a new approach. This pilot project is launched to justify the reliability, the effectiveness and the economic aspect of ozone treated rainwater. The samples of rainwater were analyzed for both physiochemical and microbiological parameters before and after the ozone treatment. The injection of ozone has shown prominent improvement in both parameters and also the quality up gradation of the original rainwater. The results are encouraging and suggest that the technique is promising to fulfil both requirements continuous supply of rainwater as well as accomplish successful ozone treatment. The system can readily be installed at any location and measurements assure that it could certainly provide an alternative water source when conventional piped supply is unavailable. In the perspective of Green Building scenario this integrated approach of ozone treated harvested rainwater might be able to reduce the impact of environmental factors. Keywords: Ozone treatment, Rainwater quality improvement, Water quality, Disinfection with ozone, Green building concept.
Stingless bee honey and its potential value: A systematic review

Email: razinah@ukm.edu. my eISSN: 2550-2166 / © 2017 The Authors. Published by Rynnye Lyan Resources Food Research (2018) : pp pp Journal homepage: http://www.myfoodresearch. com M IN I R E V IE W Stingless bee honey and its potential value: a systematic review Yaacob, M. , Rajab N.F. , Shahar, S. and Sharif, R. Nutritional Sciences Programme, School of Healthcare Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia 2 Biomedical Science Programme, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia 3 Dietetics Programme, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia 4 Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia
REVIEWS Interventions for Stigma Reduction-Part 1: Theoretical Considerations

The contributors to the Working Group that produced this paper are like countless others who are confronted by programme realities in developing countries, such as the pressure to respond to the challenge of stigma in environments of extreme poverty, the issues of scant resources and the requirements to adapt objectives accordingly, and the competing demands for relief and emergency aid. It is in such contexts that researchers have the responsibility of making evidence-based recommendations and yet, regarding stigma interventions, they are confronted by a domain almost devoid of reliable evidence. Without examples of comparable situations that can be reviewed, it may be possible to make progress only through recourse to theoretical concepts. Broad guidelines, based on respected theories, may prove to be a sound foundation on which intervention programmes can be designed. In this article, the discrete components of stigma that should be targeted in stigma intervention programmes are identified. It is also recommended that since stigma affects different levels in society simultaneously, stigma programmes should be multi-targeted and designed with an intention to adjust interactions between groups at different societal levels. This article lays the foundation for a companion article that presents a generally applicable method by which plans for stigma interventions can be assessed (Interventions for Stigma Reduction – Part 2: Practical Applications).
Perception of quality in certified organic pineapples by farmers in Kayunga district, Central Uganda: Implications for food security

In East Africa, Uganda is one of the major producers of organic pineapples for export. These pineapples are mainly produced in central Uganda and have to meet stringent quality standards before they can be allowed on international markets. These quality standards may put considerable strain on farmers and may not be wholly representative of their quality interpretation. The aim of this paper is therefore, to determine the Ugandan organic pineapple farmers’ quality perception, the activities they carry out in order to attain that quality and challenges (production, postharvest & marketing) faced on the same. Qualitative semi-structured interviews were carried out among 28 organic pineapple farmers in Kayunga district, central Uganda. Findings suggest that quality of organic pineapples is mainly perceived in terms of product attributes particularly appearance followed by food security provision. Certification plays a minor role in what farmers describe as organic quality. High production input costs (labour and coffee husks) coupled with a stagnant premium are some of the major challenges faced by farmers in attaining organic quality. The paper argues that currently there are concealed negative food security effects embroiled in these pineapple schemes. It is recommended that the National Organic Agricultural Movement of Uganda (NOGAMU) works with all relevant stakeholders to have the farmer premium price raised and an official organic policy enacted.
Face recognition with semi-supervised learning and multiple classifiers

Face recognition using labeled and unlabelled data has received considerable amount of interest in the past years. In the same time, multiple classifier systems (MCS) have been widely successful in various pattern recognition applications such as face recognition. MCS have been very recently investigated in the context of semi-supervised learning. Very few attention has been devoted to verifying the usefulness of the newly developed semi-supervised MCS models for face recognition. In this work we attempt to access and compare the performance of several semi-supervised MCS training algorithms when applied to the face recognition problem. Experiments on a data set of face images are presented. Our experiments use nonhomogenous classifier ensemble, majority voting rule and compare between a three semi-supervised learning models: the self-trained single classifier model, the ensemble driven model and a newly proposed modified co-training model. Experimental results reveal that the investigated semi-supervised models are successful in the exploitation of unlabelled data to enhance the classifier performance and their combined output. The proposed semi-supervised learning model has shown a significant improvement of the classification accuracy compared to existing models.
Algebraic and topological structures on rational tangles

In this paper we present the construction of a group Hopf algebra on the class of rational tangles. A locally finite partial order on this class is introduced and a topology is generated. An interval coalgebra structure associated with the locally finite partial order is specified. Irrational and real tangles are introduced and their relation with rational tangles are studied. The existence of the maximal real tangle is described in detail.
Szeg\H{o} kernel asymptotics and Kodaira embedding theorems of Levi-flat CR manifolds

Let $X$ be an orientable compact Levi-flat CR manifold and let $L$ be a positive CR complex line bundle over $X$. We prove that certain microlocal conjugations of the associated Szegő kernel admits an asymptotic expansion with respect to high powers of $L$. As an application, we give a Szegő kernel proof of the Kodaira type embedding theorem on Levi-flat CR manifolds due to Ohsawa and Sibony.
Reduction in serum lipid parameters by incorporation of a native strain of Lactobacillus Plantarum A7 in Mice

Background : Probiotics has recently been considered as an alternative biological method for chemical agents in reduction of plasma cholesterol. However, the results of human and animal studies showed various results and sometimes strain dependency and host specify of probiotic strains have explained as the possible reasons for such variations. Therefore, it seems necessary to find new probiotic agents among the native strains through in-vivo experiments. Methods : Lactobacillus bacteria isolated from fecal samples of infants and Lactobacillus plantarum A7 was selected due to its potent resistance to biliary secretions for evaluation of its effects on cholesterol reduction in mice. Sixteen male rats were fed with a high cholesterol regimen for 14 days (pre-intervention period), and their serum blood samples analyzed for cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL and HDL. Then they randomly divided into two groups (control and treated groups). Treated group received 10 8 CFU/ml of Lactobacillus plantarum A7 with the diet formulation which was used in pre-intervention period for 14 days; while, the control group continued to receive the same formula and did not receive any bacteria (intervention period). Serum samples were analyzed for lipid parameters. Blood, spleen and liver samples of both groups were evaluated for translocation. Results: In pre-intervention period, mean values of cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL and LDL in treated group were 101.3, 105.1, 40.9 and 35.6 mg/dl, respectively and no significance difference was observed between treated and control groups. During intervention period, the mean values of cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL and LDL in treated group were 92, 97.7, 46 and 30.4 mg/dl, respectively and total cholesterol, triglyceride and LDL reduced significantly in treated group but for HDL this difference was not significant. All the translocation tests were negative for either the strain tested. Conclusion: L. plantarum A7 is effective in lowering serum lipid levels in rats. Furthermore, daily usage of 10 8 cells of this strain could be considered safe, regarding its translocation from intestinal lumen to other organs, although more studies on safety must be done in the future. Keywords : Probiotics , Lactobacillus plantarum , Cholesterol
Quantitative prediction of stone fragility from routine single and dual energy CT: proof of feasibility

Andrea Ferrero, PhD1, Juan C. Montoya, BS1, Lisa E. Vaughan, MS2, Alice E. Huang, BS1, Ian O. McKeag1, Felicity T. Enders, PhD2, James C. Williams Jr, PhD3, and Cynthia H. McCollough, PhD1,* 1Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905 2Department of Biomedical Statistics and Informatics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905 3Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202-5120
High Resolution DOA Estimation Algorithm based on Nonuniform L-shaped Array

A parameter estimation algorithm of direction of arrival (DOA), based on a nonuniform L-shaped array, is presented for plane-wave signals. According to relation of the two x-axis and y-axis subarrays, a set of rough but unambiguous direction cosines estimates in x and y direction are obtained. By disambiguating the phase ambiguities another set of precise and unambiguous direction cosines estimates in x and y direction are obtained. Without spectral peak searching, this method has advantages of the small amount of calculation and high precision. Simulation results verify the effectiveness of the algorithm. Keywords-high resolution; array signal processing; parameter estimation; subspace method; phase ambiguity
Archaeometry at the University of Missouri research reactor and the provenance of obsidian artefacts in North America

Descriptions of the history of the Archaeometry Laboratory at the University of Missouri Research Reactor and the procedures used for instrumental neutron activation analysis of archaeological materials are presented. The laboratory was established in 1988 to support students and faculty from the University of Missouri and other universities who were interested in archaeological research involving compositional analysis. The results obtained from the analysis of obsidian sources and artefacts from locations in the continental USA are presented for illustration.
0 Electricity Consumption and Asset Prices

Electricity consumption is a good real-time proxy for economic activities as most modern-day economic activities involve the use of electricity, which cannot be easily stored. Empirically, electricity consumption data is widely available in high frequency at both aggregate and disaggregate level, allowing several exciting asset pricing applications. First, we demonstrate that electricity usage is a better measure of spot consumption as in the CCAPM and that an electricity-based CCAPM does well in both time-series and cross-sectional asset pricing tests. In the U.S., December-to-December total electricity consumption growth matches the equity premium with a relative risk aversion of 17.3 and a more reasonable implied risk-free rate than those obtained from the standard NIPA consumption measures. This result is not driven by the electricity consumption due to production activities and extreme weather fluctuations. Second, we confirm the calendar effect in consumption documented in Jagannathan and Wang (2007) using monthly electricity data and test the model of Constantinides and Duffie (1996) based on incomplete market and uninsurable income shocks using state-level electricity data. Finally, we find that industrial usage of electricity, capturing business cycle variation in real time, does a good job in predicting future stock excess returns at both market and industry level.
Non-linear Corrosion Model for Immersed Steel Plates Accounting for Environmental Factors

The effects of different marine environmental factors on the corrosion behavior of steel plates totally immersed in salt water are studied. A new corrosion wastage model is proposed, based on a non-linear time-dependent function. This model accounts for the effects of various environmental factors, including salinity, temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH and flow velocity. A numerical example is illustrated for ships trading in different routes in the Pacific Ocean.
Comparison of Virulence between Five Strains ofCryptococcusSpecies Complex in a Rat Model

Gyu-Nam Park, Sun-Young Kim, Hye-Ran Kim, Bo-Kyung Jung, Dong-Jun An, Seung-Bok Hong and Kyung-Soo Chang1,†, Department of Clinical Laboratory Science, College of Health Sciences, Catholic University of Pusan, Busan 46252, Korea Department of Pathology, Dongnam Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, Busan 46033, Korea Animal and Plant Quarantine and Inspection Agency (QIA), Gyeongsangbuk-do 39660, Korea Department of Clinical Laboratory Science, Chungbuk Health and Science University, Chungbuk 28150, Korea
Comparative examination of the functional properties of coronary stents

This article introduces measurement methods for investigating functional properties of coronary stent systems. The properties were analysed in theory first, then several different coronary stents were investigated. The object of the measurements were functional stent properties (e.g. recoil, foreshortening) which can be applied to the stent itself; and functional stent-system properties (e.g. crossing profile, overhang), which can be applied to the joint behaviour of the balloon catheter and the attached stent. Each measurement corresponds to the MSZ EN ISO 255392 standard. The collected experience and examination results during this work can provide a basis for further research. The examination of any vasoactive properties of coronary stents gives results that can be used in practice. These investigations can help physicians to select the appropriate stent.
Antimicrobial Resistance of ESBL Producing Coliforms Isolated fromRetail Meat Samples

Extended Spectrum Beta lactamases (ESBLs) are special enzymes which are found in groups and can hydrolyze the third generation cephalosporins. Their Production is the commonest cause of resistance to beta-lactam antibacterial agents among Gram-negative bacteria. There is spread of drug resistance among food animals due to the use of antimicrobials. Pathogens develop resistance in their animal reservoirs and then these resistant strains are transmitted to humans where they may cause infections which are difficult to treat. In this study the antimicrobial resistance due to ESBL producing coliforms in humans and in edible animal meat was examined. The main objective of this study was to determine the fact that a substantial increase in antimicrobial resistance posed by ESBL producing coliforms in humans is due to edible animal meat. Various chicken, meat and beef samples were collected from different sites in Faisalabad. The samples were enriched in Trypticase Soy Broth and were streaked on Nutrient Agar then on MacConkey Agar to check the presence of Gram negative bacteria. Gram Negative isolates were isolated by gram staining and biochemical test (Triple Sugar Iron; TSI). Antibiotic susceptibility testing was performed through disc diffusion method. In which 28% isolates were resistant to Cefixime, 20% to Ceftriaxone, 24% to Clavulanic acid and 30% to Cefotaxime. As the next step, a set of PCR was optimized for amplification of major genes of ESBL conferring resistance to selected antibiotics. As a result 20% Bla (CTX-M), 4% Bla(OXA), 2% Bla(PER) and 1% Bla(Ges) were amplified through PCR. These are the major genes of ESBL which are going to become more and more resistant towards the first, second and third generation cephalosporins.