Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Fully Automated Point-Based Robotic Neurosurgical Patient Registration Procedure

In this study, we have introduced a framework for an automatic patient registration procedure using freely distributed fiducial markers within a robot application in neurosurgery. The localization procedures in the image space and in the physical space are fully automated. We have developed a novel algorithm for finding the point pair correspondence between freely distributed fiducial markers in the image and in the physical space. The algorithm introduces a similarity matrix to maximize the possibility of successful point pairing and to remove the potential outlier points. The correspondence algorithm has been tested in 900, 000 computer simulations and also on the real data from five laboratory phantom CT scans and twelve clinical patient CT scans, which were paired with 1415 readings captured with an optical tracking system. Testing of simulated point scenarios showed that the correspondence algorithm has a higher percentage of success when a larger number of fiducial markers and a lower number of outlier points were present. In the 24055 tests on the clinical data, there has been a 100 % success rate.
Comparative Appraisal of some Specification Error Test

This research work compared the power of some specification error test using bootstrapping experiment to generate the data for each of the models at different sample sizes (n) 20, 30, 50, and 80 respectively, each with 100 replications(r). The models in this research consist of three omitted variables. For the models considered, the experiment reveals that the Ramsey Regression Equation Specification Error Test (RESET test) is more efficient than that of Q test in detecting the error of omitted variable in specification error.
Effect of growth media modifications on cell biomass and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) production from Shewanella frigidimarina

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are chemically present as esters, ethers, glycerides glycolipids, phospholipids, phosphonolipids, glycosphingolipids, sulpholipids and lipoproteins in storage oils and membranes lipids. Marine microorganisms such as Shewanella frigidimarina are important sources of polyunsaturated fatty acids with promising biomedical applications, commercial value and the potential ability to be used in the bioremediation of environments contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons. The growth media dependency of S. frigidimarina in terms of its growth behavior in response to modifications made to the media as well as its potential to produce PUFAs was evaluated. S. frigidimarina was cultured in conventional shake-flasks and controlled bioreactors with a batch-type procedure using different media compositions. The media used included artificial sea water, modified artificial sea water 1, modified artificial sea water 2, Luria Bertani, modified Luria Bertani, sodium pyruvate-yeast (PYS) and marine broth. The highest cell biomass was obtained from artificial sea water media with an optical density (OD600) value of 0.15 and subsequent studies were carried out using this medium. To evaluate the potential for PUFA production, RNA transcripts of polyketide synthases (PKS) genes were isolated and reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) with S. frigidimarina specific primers carried out. The results of the successful RNA extraction and subsequent RT-PCR revealed that modifications made to growth media compositions can affect the potential for PUFA production.
Analysis of atmospheric CH4 in Canadian Arctic and estimation of the regional CH4 fluxes

Abstract. The Canadian Arctic (> 60∘ N, 60–141∘ W) may undergo drastic changes if the Arctic warming trend continues. For methane (CH4), Arctic reservoirs are large and widespread, and the climate feedbacks from such changes may be potentially substantial. Current bottom-up and top-down estimates of the regional CH4 flux range widely. This study analyzes the recent observations of atmospheric CH4 from five arctic monitoring sites and presents estimates of the regional CH4 fluxes for 2012–2015. The observational data reveal sizeable synoptic summertime enhancements in the atmospheric CH4 that are distinguishable from background variations, which indicate strong regional fluxes (primarily wetland and biomass burning CH4 emissions) around Behchoko and Inuvik in the western Canadian Arctic. Three regional Bayesian inversion modelling systems with two Lagrangian particle dispersion models and three meteorological datasets are applied to estimate fluxes for the Canadian Arctic and show relatively robust results in amplitude and temporal variations across different transport models, prior fluxes, and subregion masking. The estimated mean total CH4 flux for the entire Canadian Arctic is 1.8±0.6 Tg CH4 yr−1. The flux estimate is partitioned into biomass burning of 0.3±0.1 Tg CH4 yr−1 and the remaining natural (wetland) flux of 1.5±0.5 Tg CH4 yr−1. The summer natural CH4 flux estimates clearly show inter-annual variability that is positively correlated with surface temperature anomalies. The results indicate that years with warmer summer conditions result in more wetland CH4 emissions. More data and analysis are required to statistically characterize the dependence of regional CH4 fluxes on the climate in the Arctic. These Arctic measurement sites will aid in quantifying the inter-annual variations and long-term trends in CH4 emissions in the Canadian Arctic.
Physical properties of the WASP-44 planetary system from simultaneous multi-colour photometry

We present ground-based broad-band photometry of two transits in the WASP-44 planetary system obtained simultaneously through four optical (Sloan g', r', i', z') and three near-infrared (NIR; J, H, K) filters. We achieved low scatters of 1-2 mmag per observation in the optical bands with a cadence of approximate to 48 s, but the NIR-band light curves present much greater scatter. We also observed another transit of WASP-44 b by using a Gunn r filter and telescope defocussing, with a scatter of 0.37 mmag per point and an observing cadence around 135 s. We used these data to improve measurements of the time of mid-transit and the physical properties of the system. In particular, we improved the radius measurements of the star and planet by factors of 3 and 4, respectively. We find that the radius of WASP-44 b is 1.002 +/- 0.033 +/- 0.018 R-Jup (statistical and systematic errors, respectively), which is slightly smaller than previously thought and differs from that expected for a core-free planet. In addition, with the help of a synthetic spectrum, we investigated the theoretically predicted variation of the planetary radius as a function of wavelength, covering the range 370-2440 nm. We can rule out extreme variations at optical wavelengths, but unfortunately our data are not precise enough (especially in the NIR bands) to differentiate between the theoretical spectrum and a radius which does not change with wavelength.
Some factors influencing forced hydrolysis of FeCl 3 solutions

Phase composition, size and shape of iron oxide particles produced by forced hydrolysis of Fe + ions depended on the concentrations of FeCl3 and HCl, and on the presence of 0.005 M quinine hydrogen sulphate (QHS). After 7 days of forced hydrolysis, a-Fe2O3 was produced from the 0.01 M FeCl3 solution, the mixture of h-FeOOH and a-Fe2O3 was produced from 0.02 M FeCl3 solution, whereas h-FeOOH was produced from the 0.1 M FeCl3 solution. Forced hydrolysis of the 0.1 M FeCl3 + 0.1 M HCl solution yielded a-Fe2O3. In the presence of 0.005 M QHS, the formation of h-FeOOH and a-Fe2O3 was partially or completely suppressed in dependence on the conditions of forced hydrolysis of Fe + ions. Specific shapes of hFeOOH particles (cigar-type, X-, Y-, and star-shapes) were not obtained in the presence of 0.005 M QHS. The bundles of hFeOOH needles with irregular ends were obtained instead. Also, in the presence of 0.005 M QHS, the formation of a-FeOOH is favoured. The preferential adsorption of sulphate groups and a possible influence of quinine group at the very beginning of FeCl3 hydrolysis were suggested as responsible for the effects observed. D 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Genetic structure of Botryllus schlosseri (Tunicata) populations from the Mediterranean coast of Israel

Botryllus schlosseri, a subtidal cosmopolitan tunicate species, is abundant in many rocky shores along the Mediterranean and other European seas. A highly polymorphic microsatellite locus (BS-811) elucidated Botryllus population genetics in 3 localities along the Israeli coast (at Shikmona, Caesarea and Michmoret, 12 to 36 km apart from each other, north to south, respectively) during 8 seasonal samplings (2 yr). Four other loci were studied only in the Michmoret population. The analy- sis on 1156 scorable colonies revealed a high number of alleles per locus (up to 15 to 38 alleles), unique alleles for each population (8 to 13 alleles per locus), high heterozygous deficiency, rapid sea- sonal changes in allele frequencies at all sites, and the existence of natural chimeric colonies. Locus BS-811, which was studied in all 3 localities, revealed 34 to 40 alleles per locality, and a total of 64 alleles, of which 48% were unique to one or other of the localities. Only 24 colonies from the 1156 studied were heterozygous on this locus. These results are discussed together with recent outcomes from B. schlosseri populations sampled in New Zealand, the east and west coasts of the USA and the Adriatic Sea, Croatia.
Chemical Constituents Pre-Analysis and Antioxidant Activity of the Puffball Calvatia candida from Foshan

Based on review of chemical composition of the genus of Calvatia sp. , the chemical constituents of the puffball Calvatia candida from Foshan were analyzed by pre-test tube method, and its antioxidant activities were evaluated by the biochemical assay of hydroxyl and DPPH radicals scavenging activity in vitro. The results show that, the puffball Calvatia candida from Foshan contain alkaloids, steroids and terpenoids, and have potent antioxidant activities with IC50 values of 241.55 (for ·OH) and 418.63 (for DPPH) μg/mL, respectively.
THE SPS INDIVIDUAL BUNCH MEASUREMENT SYSTEM

The Individual Bunch Measurement System (IBMS) allows the intensity of each bunch in an LHC batch to be the measured both in the PS to SPS transfer lines and in the SPS ring itself. The method is based on measuring the peak and valley of the analogue signal supplied by a Fast Beam Current Transformer at a frequency of 40MHz. A 12 bit acquisition system is required to obtain a 1% resolution for the intensity range of 5x10 9 to 1.7x10 11 protons per bunch, corresponding to the pilot and ultimate LHC bunch intensities. The acquisition selection and external trigger adjustment system is driven by the 200MHz RF, which is distributed using a single-mode fibre-optic link. A local oscilloscope, controlled via a GPIB interface, allows the remote adjustment of the timing signals. The low-level software consists of a real-time task and a communication server run on a VME Power PC, which is accessed using a graphical user interface. This paper describes the system as a whole and presents some recent uses and results from the SPS run in 2000.
Earnings Forecasts of Firms Experiencing Sales Decline

Many studies show that earnings forecasts of poor-performance firms contain large errors (Kothari et al. [2005], Brown [2001], Hwang et al. [1996], and Elgers and Lo [1994]). Why are these forecasts so inaccurate? This article demonstrates that inflexible costs, as captured through operating and financial leverage above the industry's normal range, are associated with large forecast errors during sales decline. The results are useful in helping investment managers better evaluate analyst forecast ability, and help analysts improve their forecasts by better anticipating the impact of inflexible costs on earnings
Different antimicrobial effects of raspberry depending on the method of active components isolation

Raspberry fruit exhibits numerous beneficial effects for veterinary and human medicine. One of those effects is antimicrobial activity, because of its diverse chemical composition. Adequate processing of plant material is the most important part of examining their activities. Processing conditions affect the separation of chemical substances in the test sample i.e. different methods can lead to separation of different active principles. Raspberry juice was produced by filtration. Raspberry pomace, the residue from the pressing of raspberries for juice production was extracted with ethanol and ether. The aim of this study was to determine the most suitable extraction procedure in order to obtain extract with the highest antimicrobial potential. The results of well diffusion method indicate that raspberry juice and ethanol extract of raspberry pomace have shown higher antimicrobial potential in comparison to ether extract.
A Power Efficient Method to Prevent Sybil Attack in Wireless Sensor Network

- Security is important for many sensor network applications. A particularly harmful attack against sensor and ad hoc networks is known as the Sybil attack , where a node illegitimately claims multiple identities. In a Sybil attack, a malicious user obtains multiple fake identities and pretends to be multiple, distinct nodes in the system. The attacks occur during interactions between the trading peers as a transaction takes place. In this paper we are creating a powerful centralized authority Global Inspector and powers are given to that so that it can identify the Sybil attack by SybilTrust mechanism. The paper based on internal attack in the network. Transmission should be through the GI only. We also show the impact of the attack through an example and simulation results. The algorithm is implemented in Network Simulator
A Supply Function Equilibrium Model with Forward Contracts - An Application to Wholesale Electricity Markets

Research into modeling electricity markets is continuing and the subject of many debates. All types of competition (Cournot, Bertrand, supply function) are utilized and have their advantages and disadvantages for electricity markets. It is well-recognized that models cannot address all questions of interest; however they appear as an interesting tool for gleaning insights into the complexity of electricity markets and whether electricity markets may deliver the expected benefits of liberalization. In particular, proving the existence of market power is a very complex task. Market simulation models should not be seen as the ultimate solution but as one powerful tool. While it is extremely difficult to prove if any market participants were manipulating markets, simulation models can show (under certain assumptions) if it would have been profitable to do so. Such models can be used in addition to traditional competition analysis. For instance, a model can estimate different benchmarks (competitive, supply function) against which actual market prices may be compared. This paper provides a practical application of the SFE concept and how such theoretical approach can be used in practice. The model combines the supply function equilibrium approach in an expanded version of the Baldick et al. model (2000) with forward contracting based on the model of Newbery (1998). We also discuss the different options for market modeling with respect to strategic variables and forward contracting. Finally, we present an application of this model to the Dutch electricity market.
Banking Union Optimal Design under Moral Hazard

A banking union limits international bank default contagion, eliminating inefficient liquidations. For particularly low short-term returns, it also stimulates interbank flows. Both effects improve welfare. An undesirable effect arises for moderate moral hazard, since the banking union encourages risk taking by systemic institutions. If banks hold opaque assets, the net welfare effect of a banking union can be negative. Restricting the banking union mandate restores incentives, improving welfare. The optimal mandate depends on moral hazard intensity and expected returns. Net creditor countries should contribute most to a joint resolution fund, less so if a banking union distorts incentives.
Scaling and Visualization of N-Body Gravitational Dynamics with GalaxSeeHPC

In this paper, we present GalaxSeeHPC, a new cluster-enabled gravitational N-Body program designed for educational use, along with two potential student experiences that illustrate what students might be able to investigate at larger N than available with earlier versions of GalaxSee. GalaxSeeHPC adds additional force calculation algorithms and input options to the previous clusterenabled version. GalaxSeeHPC lessons have been developed focusing on two key studies, the structure of rotating galaxies and the large scale structure of the universe. At large N, visualizing the results becomes a significant challenge, and tools for visualization are presented. The canonical lesson in the original version of GalaxSee is the rotation and flattening of a cluster with angular momentum. Model discrepancies that are not obvious at the range of N available in previous versions become quite obvious at large N, and changes to the initial mass and velocity distribution can be seen more readily. For the large scale structure models, while basic clearing and clustering can be seen at around N=5,000, N=50,000 allows for a much clearer visualization of the filamentary structure at large scale, and N=500,000 allows for a more detailed geometry of the knots formed as the filaments combine to form superclusters. For the galactic dynamics simulations, we found that while a flattening due to overall angular momentum can be explored with N=1,000 or smaller, formation of spiral structure requires not only a larger number of objects, typically on the order of 10,000, but also modifications to the default initial mass and velocity distributions used in older versions of GalaxSee.
Comparing the allelopathic potential of exotic and native plant species on understory plants: are exotic plants better armed?

Allelopathy is thought to be a key mechanism in biological invasions. Our study aimed to assess the effects of aqueous extracts of leaves from three different exotic tree species common in Spanish riparian forests on the germination of six herbaceous species common in the understory of these ecosystems. We compared the effects of exotic species with those of a native tree species, the white poplar. Our results showed that germination speed and radicle growth of target species were the variables more sensitive to extracts, while percent germination was barely affected. Mostly, extracts had a negative effect on germination speed and radicle growth of all species, except Chenopodium album. White poplar extracts caused similar or even more negative effects than those of the exotic species. Our results show that allelopathy a complex phenomenon, in which native species are also involved.
Tax effort differentials between Kenya and Nigeria 2002 – 2012

Most developing countries are confronted with the need to provide/improve public infrastructure, education, health services and so on toward enhancing economic development. To meet these budgetary demands, these countries are increasingly focusing on domestic resource mobilization toward economic development. In this context,it has become especially crucial for developing countries in sub-Sahara Africa (SSA) to have a modest and efficient taxation system which can essentially supply sufficient internal resources thus, strengthening their domestic revenue bases. This has resulted in many developing countries undertaking various reform programs to improve tax policy and strengthen the taxing capacity of revenue administration. However, apart from the primary objective to meet public spending needs, other reasons for taxation may include; smoothening the cyclical volatility of economic growth; and (re) distributional aspects / improvement of equality. This paper used Tax effort to highlight the differentials in tax system between Kenya and Nigeria for the period 2002 – 2012. Tax effort is tax revenue, as a percentage of gross domestic products (GDP). That is, the tax to GDP ratio. Generally, this ratio is used to identify a country’s overall tax efforts. The tax effort gives a general indication of how a country is raising tax revenue relative to its given economic, structural potential and comparator countries. The discussion in this paper shows that tax structure, quality of revenue authority institutions and size of tax base directly influence tax effort whereas size of informal sector and trade openness are inversely related to tax effort. The discussion further shows that the share of mining has offsetting effects on tax effort. However for developing countries the urge to substitute taxes with resource revenue outweighs the dependence on taxation due political reasons and bargaining power of firms involved.
12 Postural Control While Sitting and Its Association with Risk of Falls in Patients with Parkinson ' s Disease

Ryoichi Hayashi1, Takeshi Hayashi2, Junpei Aizawa3, Hiroaki Nagase4 and Shinji Ohara5 1Department of Neurology, Okaya City Hospital, 2Department of Computer Science and Systems Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering Kobe University 3Department of Material Technology, Nagano Prefecture General Industrial Technology Center, 4Department of Information Technology, Nagano Prefecture General Industrial Technology Center 5Department of Neurology, Matsumoto Medical Center Japan
More than Just a Lack of Knowledge: A Discussion of the Potential Hidden-Impact of Poor Pre-enrolment Science Background on Nursing Student Success in Bioscience Subjects

As medical knowledge and technology becomes more complex, twenty-first century nurses are required to possess an advanced understanding of many bioscience concepts. It is now recognised that without this advanced knowledge, nurses will not be sufficiently prepared to deal with the intellectual and technological demands of today, let alone the future. While the importance of bioscience education to nursing practice has been long recognised, nursing students, as a group, have a well documented struggle with science subjects. This struggle has been largely attributed to the lower university entrance scores required for nursing courses and a lack of previous science study. However, as in any complex system, a multitude of factors are likely to be responsible for the difficulty faced by many nursing students in their science studies. In this paper, we argue that a lack of engagement with science early in a student’s life can significantly influence student’s feelings towards science subjects, the achievement goals that they set themselves, and their interest in learning science. Given the wealth of evidence that high-school students are avoiding science-based subjects, low levels of engagement with science and high-levels of anxiety towards science-based subjects are issues increasingly faced by tertiary science educators. As such, understanding the science background of students, and improving their attitudes and feelings towards science, is a critical first step in helping nursing students learn the science required for their future practice.
Características da carcaça de frangos alimentados com dietas fareladas e peletizadas contendo milheto grão e moído.

________________ 1. Graduando do Curso de Zootecnia da Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco Rua Dom Manoel de Medeiros S/n Dois Irmãos Recife-PE E-mail: medeirosgleise@gmail.com 2. Professora Adjunta do Departamento de Zootecnia da Federal Rural de Pernambuco Rua Dom Manoel de Medeiros S/n Dois Irmãos Recife-PE 3. Aluna do programa de Doutorado Integrado em Zootecnia da Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco Rua Dom Manoel de Medeiros S/n Dois Irmãos Recife-PE 4. Pesquisador Embrapa Suínos e Aves, Concórdia – SC. 5. Zootecnista. 6.Professor da Unidade Acadêmica de Serra Talhada – Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco. 7.Aluna do programa Pós Graduação em Zootecnia da Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco Rua Dom Manoel de Medeiros S/n Dois Irmãos Recife-PE Introdução