Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Windbreaks as part of climate-smart landscapes reduce evapotranspiration in vineyards, Western Cape Province, South Africa

Under the conditions of climate change in South Africa, ecological and technical measures are needed to reduce the water consumption of irrigated crops. Windbreak hedges are long-rated systems in agriculture that significantly reduce wind speed. Their possibilities to reduce evapotranspiration and water demand are being investigated at a vineyard in the Western Cape Province, South Africa. Detailed measurements of meteorological parameters relevant for the computation of reference and crop-specific evapotranspiration following the FAO 56 approaches within a vineyard in the Western Cape Province of South Africa have shown the beneficial effect of an existing hedgerow consisting of 6 m high poplars (Populus simonii (Carrière) Wesm. ). With reference to a control station in the open field, the mean wind speed in a position about 18 m from the hedgerow at canopy level (2 m) was reduced by 27.6% over the entire year and by 39.2% over the summer growing season. This effect leads to a parallel reduction of reference evapotranspiration of 15.5% during the whole year and of 18.4% over the growing season. When applying empirical crop-specific Kc values for well-irrigated grapes, the reduction of evapotranspiration is 18.8% over the summer growth period. The introduced tree shelterbelts are a suitable eco-engineering approach to reduce water consumption and to enhance water saving in vineyards.
The Level of Trait Emotional Intelligence among Politeknik METrO Johor Bahru Staff

Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire-Short Form (TEIQue-SF) has been used widely in the Western context. The purpose of this study is to identify the level of trait emotional intelligence among Politeknik METrO Johor Bahru (PMJB) staff. This study includes 42 staff from both academic and administrative departments in PMJB with a response rate of 93%. The data collected is analysed using Statistical Packages for Social Science version 18 (SPSS v.18) to produce the mean score for each dimension in Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaires – Short Form. This questionnaire includes 30 items that were used to predict four dimensions in trait emotional intelligence which are emotionality, sociability, self-control, and well-being. The results revealed that PMJB staff possessed high level of trait emotional intelligence especially in terms of wellbeing. Hence, the findings on this study will contribute to literature regarding the trait emotional intelligence in Malaysian context and more research on this topic should be studied in the future.
Heterogeneous Feature Fusion-Based Recognition Framework with LBP

: A technique is proposed to extract system requirements for a maritime area surveillance system, based on an activity recognition framework originally intended for the characterization, prediction and recognition of intentional actions for threat recognition. To illustrate its utility, a single use case is used in conjunction with the framework to solicit surveillance system requirements. Face recognition has received a great deal of attention from the scientific and industrial communities over the past several decades owing to its wide range of applications in information security and access control, law enforcement, surveillance and more generally image understanding. In this paper we combine KLDA (combination of LBP and GABOR features) with gradient face features(which are more resistive to the noise effects) for more effective recognition process. Specifically, we make three main contributions: (i) we present a simple and efficient pre-processing chain that eliminates most of the effects of changing illumination while still preserving the essential appearance details that are needed for recognition; (ii) we introduce Local Ternary Patterns (LTP), a generalization of the Local Binary Pattern (LBP) local texture descriptor that is more discriminate and less sensitive to noise in uniform regions, and we show that replacing comparisons based on local spatial histograms with a distance transform based similarity metric further improves the performance of LBP/LTP based face recognition; and (iii) we further improve robustness by adding Kernel PCA feature extraction and incorporating rich local appearance cues from two complementary sources – Gabor wavelets and LBP – showing that the combination is considerably more accurate than either feature set alone.
An Evaluation of the Relationships between Personality Traits, Job Satisfaction and Job Performance: An Empirical Study of Jordanian Hospitals

The aim of this study is to examine the effects of personality traits (Big-Five personality) on both job satisfaction and job performance, and to evaluate how job satisfaction affects job performance in the case of the hospital sector. The collected data from 1200 employees in 52 hospitals in Jordan was analyzed, using structural equation modeling. The study finds out that the conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and openness traits exert positive effects, while neuroticism personality produces a negative effect on job satisfaction. Further, personality traits have a significant correlation with job performance. Job satisfaction has also significant effects on job performance. The empirical analyses yield results consistent with these arguments, personality traits assessed as predictors of job satisfaction and job performance. This study provides guidelines for the hospital sector to emphasize the attribute of employees that could affect and enhance their job satisfaction and performance. Implications for research and practice are correspondingly discussed.
Efficient Data Sharing and Delivery Mechanism in Mobile Devices

: With the advance growth of smart phones, peer-peer, ad hoc. data sharing has became an emerging mechanism often here by a new source of content sharing system is must . at present it’s not up to the level using smart phones the data sharing is done but the life time of device is not constant . so in this paper we are proposing a new system for content sharing with proposed forward protocols and message carriers. our approach related to the efficient sharing mechanism and delivery by using smart devices where the resolving and evaluation is the main part . We implement a sample application on commercial smart phones, peer to peer . we validate its efficiency to analyze the practical feasibility of the content sharing application. Which approximately results in increasing CPU overhead and reduces the battery lifetime of a Smartphone?
Reproductive Management by the Continuous Body Temperature Measurement in Cattle: Focusing on the Reproductive Hormonal Change

Proper reproductive management, breeding and calving is essential for the good farm management. Recently the conception rate of cattle is decreasing. One reason is the weak estrous behavior which makes difficult to breed at the appropriate time. Therefore, the efficient detection system of estrus without observation has been desired. On the other hands, calving accidents such as the dystocia and stillbirth directly affect farm management. Farmers need to monitor cows at any hour of day or night to avoid accidents. Therefore, the automatic detection of calving has been also desired. Estrus and calving are regulated by reproductive hormones. The measurement of hormonal levels is the most precise way to understand the estrus and calving. However, the measurement of hormones costs and is difficult at the farm. Recently, various studies demonstrated the relationship between hormonal levels and the body temperature. Here, we used the continuous vaginal temperature measurement to detect the estrus and the calving timing. First, we evaluated the estrus detection by the vaginal temperature and the effect of hormone administration on the vaginal temperature. We found that the vaginal temperature rose at the estrus and by utilizing and measuring this, we could detect estrus with high accuracy. In addition, the vaginal temperature change reflected the progesterone level. These findings successfully demonstrated that the vaginal temperature measurement is effective for detecting estrus. Second, we evaluated the utility of the continuous vaginal temperature measurement using commercial thermometer for detecting the calving timing. The vaginal temperature decreased around 24 h prior to the calving time. Interestingly, the prolonged duration of calving was also associated with calving assistance and dystocia. Our findings indicated that the continuous measurement of vaginal temperature could become a good indicator for predicting not only the onset of calving but also the calving accidents. Thus, the vaginal temperature well reflects the reproductive hormone, progesterone level. The measurement of vaginal temperature would be a good tool for reproductive management in cattle.
On Scale Effects and Mesh Independence in Dynamic Fracture Analysis by Means of the Discrete Element Method

Numerical predictions of the failure load of large structures, accounting for size effects, require the adoption of appropriate constitutive relations. These relations depend on the size of the elements and on the correlation lengths of the random fields that describe material properties. Previously, the authors proposed expressions for the tensile stress-strain relation of concrete, whose parameters are related to standard properties of the material, such as Young’s modulus or its specific Fracture Energy and to size. Simulations conducted for a typical concrete showed that as size increases, the effective stress-strain diagram becomes increasingly linear, with a sudden rupture, while at the same time the CVs of the relevant parameters decrease to negligible values, situation that renders Linear Elastic Fracture Mechanics (LEFM) applicable. However, it was later observed that a hither to unknown problem arises in the analysis of non-homogeneous materials, leading to lack of mesh objectivity: the need to know a priori the degree of fracturing. This should also affect finite element analysis, requiring a careful evaluation of the energy dissipated by fracture or other mechanisms in the course of the loading process. In the paper a tentative criterion is proposed to account for the effect in non-linear dynamic fracture analysis.
Working Papers on Innovation and Space

While interactive learning and inter-organisational relations are fundamental building blocks in RIS theory, the framework is rarely related to investigations of regional knowledge network structures, because in RIS literature relational structures and interaction networks are discussed in a rather fuzzy and generic manner with the ‘network term’ often being used rather metaphorically. This paper contributes to the literature by discussing theoretical arguments about interactions and knowledge exchange relations in the RIS literature from the perspective of social network analysis. More precise, it links network theoretical concepts and insights to the well-known classification of RIS types by Cooke (2004). We thereby exemplarily show how the RIS literature and the literature on regional knowledge networks can benefit from considering insights of the respective other.
Reinforcing cementitious material using single-walled carbon nanotube - nylon 66 nanofibers

Based on the increase in tensile strength and toughness (43% and 30%, respectively), the feasibility of the hybrid nanofibers containing Single-walled carbon nanotubes and Nylon 66 on reinforcing cementitious materials has been clarified. The well-linking effect of nanofibers in the microstructure of hardened cement pastes has been found by scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis and well-explained for the increase in mechanical strengths. Besides, field emission transmission electron microscope (FE-TEM) analysis has also been conducted to analyze the properties of the hybrid nanofibers.
CERAD – Neue Normwerte für eine der wichtigsten neuropsychologischen Testbatterien verfügbar

Zunächst begeisterte ihn weniger die gegenständliche Malerei als vielmehr der abstrakte Expressionismus. Erst später konzentrierte er sich auf einen für ihn mittlerweile zum Markenzeichen gewordenen symbolisch-figurativen Stil. HansPeter, stets mit einem leicht verschmitzten Lächeln auf den Lippen, geht immer auch mit offenen Ohren umher, um Neuigkeiten zu erhaschen und diese mit gespitztem Stift gleich zu Papier zu bringen. Mit klaren, auf das Wesentliche reduzierte Formen, kräftigen Farben und Kontrasten setzt er symbolträchtige Figuren in Szene – kombiniert und kommentiert er seine Szenerien. Seine Kopffußfiguren haben nicht selten einen witzigen, ironisch angehauchten, mit einer Prise Sarkasmus versehenen Charakter.
Stochatic Decomposition Result of an Unrelaible Queue with Two Types of Services

The single server queue with two types of heterogeneous services with generalized vacation for unreliable server have been extended to include several types of generalizations to which attentions has been paid by several researchers. One of the most important results which deals with such types of models is the “Stochastic Decomposition Result”, which allows the system behaviour to be analyzed by considering separately distribution of system (queue) size with no vacation and additional system (queue) size due to vacation. Our intention is to look into some sort of united approach to establish stochastic decomposition result for two types of general heterogeneous service queues with generalized vacations for unreliable server with delayed repair to include several types of generalizations. Our results are based on embedded Markov Chain technique which is considerably a most powerful and popular method wisely used in applied probability, specially in queueing theory. The fundamental idea behind this method is to simplify the description of state from two dimensional states to one dimensinal state space. Finally, the results that are derived is shown to include several types of generalizations of some existing well- known results for vacation models, that may lead to remarkable simpliﬁcation while solving similar types of complex models.
ePubWU Institutional Repository

Jovicic, Sonja (2018) Literacy skills, equality of educational opportunities and educational outcomes: an international comparison. INEQ Working Paper Series, 8. WU Vienna University of Economics and Business, Vienna. This version is available at: https://epub.wu. ac.at/6061/ Available in ePubWU: February 2018 ePubWU, the institutional repository of the WU Vienna University of Economics and Business, is provided by the University Library and the IT-Services. The aim is to enable open access to the scholarly output of the WU.
Simulation of colitis with the use of food fat

In recent decades, the consumption of fats, especially animal fats, has increased significantly. It has been established that high-fat nutrition leads not only to the development of obesity, liver steatosis, type 2 diabetes mellitus, but also underlies the pathogenesis of dysbiotic syndrome. The latter is the main pathogenetic mechanism of the most widespread noncommunicable diseases. It has been established that the biological effect of various dietary fats largely depends on their fatty acid composition and, in particular, on the content of saturated fatty acids, especially palmitic acid. It was shown that triglycerides containing palmitic acid are difficult to hydrolyze by lipase of lipoproteins, which complicates their utilization by tissues. The authors studied the effect of dietary fats with different fatty acid composition on the condition of the mucous membrane of the colon of rats. The inflammatory process in the colon mucosa (colitis) develops only after consuming butter and palm oil. Partially, it is increased after the consumption of ordinary sunflower oil (the level of only one marker increases MA). The development of colitis is inversely related to the degree of decrease in the antioxidantprooxidant API index. Thus, the consumption of palm oil causes the strongest decrease in the API index and the highest increase in the level of inflammation markers.
Relationship between Particulate Matter (PM10) and Airway Inflammation Measured with Exhaled Nitric Oxide Test in Seoul, Korea

Purpose Particulate matter (PM) is increasing every year in Asia. It is not fully understood how the airway is affected when inhaling PM. We investigated the correlation between particulate matter with a diameter of less than 10 μm (PM10) and fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) to determine whether PM causes airway inflammation. Material and Methods. We analyzed patients who visited our outpatient clinic and tested FeNO from January 2016 to December 2017 at the Korea University Guro Hospital. PM10 data were provided by the government of the Republic of South Korea, and measuring station of PM10 is located 800 meters from the hospital. We analyzed the correlation between PM10 and FeNO by a Pearson correlation analysis and by a multivariate linear regression analysis. To identify the most correlated times, we analyzed the correlation between the FeNO and PM10 daily average from the day of visit to 4 days before visit. Results FeNO positively correlated with PM10 at two days before hospital visit in the Pearson correlation (Pearson correlation coefficient = 0.057; P-value = 0.023) and in the multivariate linear regression analysis (B = 0.051, P-value = 0.026). If the PM10 increased by 100 μg/m3, the FeNO result was expected to rise to 8.3 ppb in healthy people without respiratory disease. Conclusion The positive correlation was found in both healthy people and asthmatic patients. Therefore, PM10 can increase airway inflammation.
A global strategy for spectral inversion from a model library.

In the framework of the Gaia mission, we developed different methods for the spectral inversion, i.e. the determination of the atmospheric parameters from the observed stellar spectra. These methods were based on statistical fittings taking into account a model library. In this communication, a global strategy allowing the efficient determination of the parameters is proposed. This strategy is based on the following phases, i/ the reduction of the spectra dimension with selected principal components, ii/ the identification of the closest spectrum in the model library using a balanced oblique decision tree, iii/ the refinement of the parameter estimations using an adapted Gauss-Newton algorithm, iv/ the application of a Bayesian correction, based on the Nadaraya-Watson formula allowing the reduction of the biases. Tests on simulated Gaia RVS spectra are discussed.
Development of an Android malware classification tool

Since its release in late 2008, the Android mobile operating system started to gain popularity among the smartphone manufacturers. The possibility to utilize a common code base for its deployment on smartphones, the ability to be modified by developers to achieve their design objectives and the availability of an easy to use API for programming applications, are just some of the keys of its success. In fact, Android has been so successful that today, after more than 10 years since its appearance, it is still the most popular mobile operating system in the world, which according to [1] it holds around 74% of the market share worldwide. This popularity has come with many advantages, such as the development of new features since its first version and the creation of thousands of apps that we may not have seen other way, but it has also brought one important drawback: Android is also the preferred platform for mobile malware developers. As stated by [2], Android devices are 50 times more likely to be infected with malware when compared to its main competitor, iOS. Due to their ubiquity and the role they play on the current lifestyle, mobile phones hold critical information which is really valuable to their owners, such as bank accounts data, photos, videos, messages, etc. which is put at risk each time a new app, which may be an instance of malware, is installed on the device. As convincing mobile users to avoid storing sensitive data on mobile devices does not pose as a real solution, the best approach would be to fight against malware with any available techniques. In this work, we describe an approach purely based on static analysis for the early detection of malware. We train four different AI models with properties extracted from this process and combine them using Ensemble Learning. Then we evaluate its performance by applying 10 Fold Cross validation to prevent overfitting and two measure metrics: accuracy and f-score. With this approach we achieve 98% accuracy in a dataset which consists of more than 800 samples.
DESENVOLVIMENTO DE UM CONVERSOR BIDIRECIONAL ISOLADO

This work presents the development of a 200 W bi-directional and isolated battery charger, which connects a 60 V battery bank to a 230 V DC link. As the main contribution, it is used a modulation strategy that makes unnecessary the use of auxiliary switching circuits, simplifying the circuit. In addition, the proposed converter operates as a voltage step-up converter during the discharge of the batteries, ensuring that the DC link voltage is maintained at a constant value.
Isolation of Coccidioides from Soil and Rodents

Should there be a relatively large number of long durations the graph would be a slowly decreasing curve; on the other hand a relatively large number of short absences would be reflected in a curve decreasing less slowly. It is pertinent to state in this connection that in the event two sickness experiences show equal frequencies of disabilities regardless of duration, graphs such as those described would be particularly useful in showing pictorially any possible differences in the two experiences with respect to duration of disability.
Adaptation and Examination of the Greek General Formative Assessment Framework P.D./152/2013 in Physical Education Teachers

The purpose of this research was to adapt and clarify the criteria of the Greek general assessment framework of the Presidential Decree (P.D.)152/2013 in the physical education subject and to examine the tool‟s validity and reliability. Secondary aims were a) the discrimination of the teachers according to their observed performance, and b) the examination of the effect of school grade in teaching effectiveness. The P.D. 152/2013 includes five categories analyzed in 15 criteria on a mixed four-level rubric (Incomplete, Sufficient, Very Good, Excellent). In the current research, the 10 observable criteria of three categories that relate to teaching were used. The criteria were analyzed in detail, clarified and adapted, according to international literature on physical education (PE) teaching effectiveness. Following the step-bystep upgrade of the rubric‟s levels (the same indicator at all levels but each time with more qualitative characteristics), 41 indicators were developed. In order to examine the validity and reliability of the adapted tool, trained evaluators observed in person 40 PE lessons taught in early and in upper grades by 20 PE teachers. The lessons were assessed in every indicator of the rubric, and classified in one of the four performance levels. Principal Component Analysis, descriptive statistics, chi-squared and ANOVA tests were carried out to examine the construct validity of the tool. The results revealed that the adapted rubric to the PE subject included the three initial categories, seven criteria and 26 indicators and can be considered as a valid and reliable instrument for assessing PE teachers‟ effectiveness.