Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Generation-Augmented Retrieval for Open-Domain Question Answering

We propose Generation-Augmented Retrieval (GAR) for answering open-domain questions, which augments a query through text generation of heuristically discovered relevant contexts without external resources as supervision. We demonstrate that the generated contexts substantially enrich the semantics of the queries and GAR with sparse representations (BM25) achieves comparable or better performance than state-of-the-art dense retrieval methods such as DPR. We show that generating diverse contexts for a query is beneficial as fusing their results consistently yields better retrieval accuracy. Moreover, as sparse and dense representations are often complementary, GAR can be easily combined with DPR to achieve even better performance. GAR achieves state-of-the-art performance on Natural Questions and TriviaQA datasets under the extractive QA setup when equipped with an extractive reader, and consistently outperforms other retrieval methods when the same generative reader is used.
Natural history data on the mole salamander (Ambystoma talpoideum) in Indiana

Mole salamanders, Ambystoma talpoideum, are found primarily in the Coastal Plain of the southeastern United States and are not known to occur in Indiana. From 20-24 March 2004, we captured 24 mole salamanders in a bald c~s (Taxodium distichum) swamp in Posey County, Indiana (USA) using minnow traps. We provide baseline data regarding size, sex ratios, migration dates, and breeding status. Our data are similar to those found in other studies on populations within the core of the mole salamander's distribution. This likely represents a disjunct population on the northern limits of the species range. Future surveys need to be conducted to determine if additional populations exist that can bridge the distributional gaps between Indiana, llIinois and Kentucky.
One Approach to the Problem of the Existence of a Solution in Neural Networks

Artificial neural networks are widely used to solve various applied problems. For the successful application of artificial neural networks, it is necessary to choose the correct network architecture, to select its parameters, threshold values of the elements, activation functions, etc. The problem of evaluating the neural network parameters, based on a study of the probabilistic behavior of the network is much promising. The study in the direction of developing probabilistic methods for perceptron-type pattern recognition systems is considered in different works. The concept of the characteristic function of the perceptron introduced by S. V Dayan was used by him to prove theorems on the existence of a perceptron solution. At the same time, issues of choosing a network architecture, theoretical assessment, and optimization of neural network parameters remain relevant. In this paper, we propose a mathematical apparatus for studying the relationship between the probability of correct classification of input data and the number of elements of hidden layers of a neural network. To evaluate the network performance and to estimate some parameters of the neural network such as the number of associative elements depending on the number of classification classes the mathematical expectation and variance of weights at the input of the output layer are considered. A theorem on the necessary and sufficient condition for the existence of a solution for a neural network is proved. By a solution of neural networks, the ability to recognize images with a probability other than zero is meant. The results of the proved theorem and its corollaries coincide with the results obtained by F. Rosenblat and S. Dayan for the perceptron in a different way.
Survey on Phishing attack Detection and Mitigation

- Phishing is one of the riskiest social engineering techniques that crush users where attackers gain access to our critical information system. It is an easy and efficient method to deceit people using internet. Phishing can be done through the use of e-mail communication with an embedded hyperlink. Due to the intricacy of the current phishing attack, the detection and extenuation of phishing attack is a grand challenge. Static detection rules that are earlier used are not effective in the real world due to the dynamics of phishing attacks. Later a new technique for Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) and then it is leveraged with Software-Deﬁned Networking (SDN) to identify phishing activities through e-mail and web-based communication. Those methods are mentioned in this paper.
Herbicide Induced Hunger? Conservation Agriculture, Ganyu Labour and Rural Poverty in Central Malawi

Abstract Herbicide use is increasing in sub-Saharan Africa. While herbicides promise improved weed-control, labour savings and even reduced land degradation – they are promoted to enable Conservation Agriculture (CA) adoption – there are concerns about their health and environmental risks. Yet, their socio-economic implications have been largely ignored. We investigated the effects of herbicide use on casual labour relations (ganyu) in Central Malawi using a survey of 275 households. In rural Malawi doing ganyu is the main coping strategy during the hunger season/growing season. We find that where CA promotion incentivised herbicide use, herbicides became common and substituted much in-season ganyu hiring. Consequently, many households were unable to find work and ended up hungry. While herbicides mainly benefited the better-off who could afford them, these benefits occurred at the expense of the poor and food insecure. Agricultural development initiatives should be aware that herbicides are likely to reduce agricultural labour opportunities and rural wages. Where alternative labour opportunities are limited, this may contribute to social differentiation, hunger and the individualisation of poverty. Our study demonstrates the potential hazards of neglecting the social equity implications of technology promotion – a lesson pertinent to the sustainable intensification agenda, including the promotion of CA.
CuVPP: Filter-based Longest Prefix Matching in Software Data Planes

Programmability in the data plane has become increasingly important as virtualization is introduced into networking and software-defined networking becomes more prevalent. Yet, the performance of programmable data planes on commodity hardware is a major concern, in light of ever-increasing network speed and routing table size. This paper focuses on IP lookup, specifically the longest prefix matching for IPv6 addresses, which is a major performance bottleneck in programmable switches. As a solution, the paper presents CuVPP, a programmable switch that uses packet batch processing and cache locality for both instructions and data by leveraging Vector Packet Processing (VPP). We thoroughly evaluate CuVPP with both real network traffic and file-based lookup on a commodity hardware server connected via 80 Gbps network links and compare its performance with the other popular approaches. Our evaluation shows that CuVPP can achieve up to 4.5 million lookups per second with real traffic, higher than the other trie- or filter-based lookup approaches, and scales well even when the routing table size grows to 2 million prefixes.
Phase stabilities of MgCO3 and MgCO3-II studied by Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and DFT

Carbonates are the major hosts of carbon on Earth’s surface and their fate during subduction needs to be known in order to understand the deep carbon cycle. Magnesite (MgCO3) is thought to be an important phase participating in deep Earth processes, but its phase stability is still a matter of debate for the conditions prevalent in the lowest part of the mantle and at the core mantle boundary. Here, we have studied the phase relations and stabilities of MgCO3, at these P, T -conditions using Raman spectroscopy at high pressures (∼148 GPa) and after heating to high temperatures (∼3600 K) in laser-heated diamond anvil cell experiments (LH-DAC). The experimental Raman experiments were supplemented by X-ray powder diffraction data, obtained at a pressure of 110 GPa. Density functional theory-based model calculations were used to compute Raman spectra for several MgCO3 high pressure polymorphs, thus allowing an unambiguous assignment of Raman modes. By combining the experimental observations with the DFT-results, we constrain the phase stability field of MgCO3 (magnesite) with respect to the high pressure polymorph, MgCO3-II. We further confirm that Fe-free MgCO3-II is a tetracarbonate with monoclinic symmetry (space group C2/m), which is stable over the entire P, T -range of the Earth’s lowermost mantle geotherm.
Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Infections in Patients With Renal Disorders: A Review

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection is a rapidly escalating global health burden. It is not only restricted to patients in the hospital settings but has also rooted deeply in the community settings. With increasing prevalence of life style and kidney diseases, the prevalence of MRSA infections is also expected to rise. MRSA infection plays a major role in renal disorders due to its direct vascular access (VA) thereby making patients undergoing dialysis and renal transplant more vulnerable to infections. Prolonged hospital stay, close proximity to MRSA-infected individual, exposure to broad-spectrum antibiotics, surgery and presence of foreign bodies such as central venous catheters predispose an individual to MRSA infection. Current panel of antibiotic treatment includes vancomycin, teicoplanin, linezolid, daptomycin, tigecycline and ceftaroline. However, emergence of resistant strains and several undesirable features pertaining to safety and tolerability of these drugs have led to limited options available for the management of multidrug-resistant MRSA infection in patients with renal disorders. Therefore, there is an increasing need for developing a new potent antibacterial agent with established renal safety that decreases the mortality and morbidity rates in MRSA-infected renal patients. World J Nephrol Urol. 2019;8(1):8-13 doi: https://doi.org/10.14740/wjnu384
The Digital Terrain Model (DTM) and the evaluation of known and the search for new craters in the Chiemgau meteorite impact strewn field

For several known and a few newly proposed meteorite craters in the Chiemgau meteorite impact strewn field the LiDAR data of the Digital Terrain Model DTM have been processed to reveal various maps and cross sections based on a high-resolution mesh down to 1 m and contour interval down to 0.2 m. The data processing highlights particular crater features that remain hidden in fieldwork and on conventional topographic maps and even may debunk mistaken structures. ********************************************************************** Faculty of Philosophy I, University of Würzburg, Germany, kernstson@ernstson.de
1 STATISTICAL TOOLS IN RENEWABLE ENERGY MODELING : PHYSICAL BASED , NON-SEPARABLE SPATIOTEMPORAL COVARIANCE

Covariance functions are powerful statistical tools for the understanding and analysis of the variability and uncertainty in natural systems. The category of non-separable spatiotemporal covariances offers advanced options and added flexibility in modeling the joint space/time structure of real-world processes that lie in the heart of renewable energy modeling. This work offers a review of covariances generated from physical models alongside with visual representations for the illustration of their characteristic features. In addition, methods are presented to further develop and expand the collection of such functions.
Clay-humus stability of soil organic matter and microbial biomass under conservation tillage and residue management practices of rice-wheat cropping system: A review

Soil tillage can affect the stability and formation of soil aggregates by disrupting soil structure. Frequent tillage deteriorates clay-humus stability of soil organic matter and microbial biomass causing them to be susceptible to decay. Different types of tillage systems affect soil physical properties and organic matter content, in turn influencing the formation of aggregates. The objective of this review paper was to evaluate the effect of conventional tillage on clay-humus stability of soil organic matter and microbial biomass, soil aggregates and aggregate associated carbon in an inceptisol of western Uttar Pradesh, India under rice-wheat cropping system and to identify the optimal conservation tillage and residue management practices in this system. Moreover, irrespective of tillage practices, residue retention resulted in 22.56% and 25.61% higher WSC as compared to the non-residue treatments in surface and sub-surface soil, respectively. Residue incorporation increased the SOC stock by 3.1Mgha–1 or 6.8%. Average annual SOC sequestration was 78 kg ha year. The average difference in C input due to residue incorporation was 2.3Mgha year. The MBC contents in both surface and sub-surface soil were significantly higher in plots receiving 100% RDN as CF+ VC @ 5tha and 75% RDN as CF+ VC @ 5tha treated plots compared to 100% RDN as CF fertilizer and unfertilized control plots. The values of LFC in surface soil (0-15 cm) were 81.3, 95.7, 107.8, 128.8, 155.2, 177.8 and 52.7 mgkg in ZT and FIRB without residue retention, ZT and FIRB with 4 and 6 tha residue retention and CT treatments. SOC storage decreased with soil depth, with a significant accumulation at 0-20cm depth. Across treatments, aggregate-associated C at a depth of 0–10cm was higher in the conservation agriculture (CA) treatment than in the conventional tillage (CT) treatment. The advantage of the CA treatment weakened with soil depth, while the amount of aggregate-associated C remained higher for the CT treatment. There were more macro-aggregates in the CA treatment than in the CT treatment, while CT treatment had more micro-aggregates. The sum of macro-aggregate contributing rates for clay-humus stability of soil organic C (SOC) was significantly superior to that of the micro-aggregates. Water-stable aggregates increased by 34.5% in the CA with residue retention treatment, effectively improving the soil structure. Furthermore, 0.25–1.00 and 1–2mm aggregates had the highest SOC microbial biomass storage and responded rapidly to the various tillage treatments. Hence, they can serve as indicators for the long-term influence of different tillage treatments on the distribution of aggregates and clay-humus stability of SOC.
Template-based control of prosthetic feet

In this paper, we present a novel template modelbased control approach for control of ankle prosthesis. This method which is called FMCA (force modulated compliant ankle) employs ground reaction force to modulate ankle joint impedance. Inspired by our previous studies and also findings in human gaits, we know that leg force could play an important role in legged locomotion control. Here, we employed this method first on a simulation model using a neuromuscular model of human walking and then on a prosthetic foot. We showed that the same controller can assist subjects to generate normal gait patterns in walking at different speeds. Using template models which are resulted from an abstraction of complex biological models provide one simple controller which be used at different walking conditions. I. MOTIVATION AND PROBLEM DEFINITION Generating a universal bioinspired control approach to assist healthy or impaired people in different gait conditions (e.g., speed) is challenging in gait assistance. In contrary to trajectory-based approaches [1], model-based methods [2] could potentially address the applicability of the controller in different situations. Among them, neuromuscular models [3] are useful tools for approximating human behavior to provide the required torque in assistive devices. The main barrier in using such models is their complexity which hinders researchers to apply them on systems with few degrees of freedom such as ankle prostheses. To resolve this issue, in this paper, we introduce FMCA (force modulated compliant ankle) as a template based control method to control ankle prosthesis. The simulation and (pilot) experimental results support the functionality and generalization property of this approach. Here, we considered three different motion speeds which can be controlled by a unique controller.
Organic seed priming and foliar nutrition with medicinal herbs to enhance seedling vigour and yield potential in maize (Zea mays L.)

Experiment was conducted during 2013 at Agricultural Research station, Vaigaidam to identify the effect of organic priming and foliar nutrition with herbal leaf extracts of chicory (Cichorium indybus L.), clerodendron (Clerodendran inerme L.), noni (Morinda tinctoria L.) and calotropis (Calotropis procera L.) on seedling vigour and productivity potential in maize. Maize seeds were soaked in fresh leaf extracts of Cichorium indybus L. ), (5, 10 and 15 %), Morinda tinctoria, Clerodendran inerme and Calotropis procera (1, 2 and 3 % ) in double the volume of herbal extract for 12 h. Seeds soaked in water (12 h) formed the control. Maize seed priming with 1 % leaf extract of Morinda tinctoria, significantly increased the germination (94 %), rate of germination (16.26) and dry matter production (2.74 g) compared to control. The electrical conductivity (0.190 dSm), leachate amino acids (27.52 g), sugars (30.72 g) and lipid peroxidation (0.110 g) were minimum in leaf 1% extract of Morinda tinctoria but the dehydrogenase, catalase and peroxidase enzyme activity were higher (0.357, 2356 units and 0.390 mg, respectively). Combined effect of seed priming with 1% leaf extract of Morinda tinctoria and foliar nutrition spray with noni ( 2% extract) at 40 and 60 Days After Sowing increased the plant height in both kharif and rabi seasons (207 cm and 212 cm), maximum plant dryweight (266 g and 273 g), more leaf area index (11.10 and 12.03), higher crop growth rate (38.25 g and 40.80 g) and relative growth rate (25.20 mg and 26.12 mg). Tassel initiation was early (47 days and 46 days) and produced lengthier cobs (20.75 cm and 21.60 cm), more number of seeds (507 and 523), higher yield (6655 kg/ha and 6710 kg/ha) with maximum 100 seed weight (28.93 g and 28.93 g). The present study revealed that subjecting the maize to 12 h seed priming in 1 % leaf extract and foliar nutrition with 2% leaf extract of Morinda tinctoria at 40 and 60 Days after Sowing increased the seedling vigour and yield attributing factors in maize.
The effect of long term antibiotic treatment on bacteriological cure and somatic cell count at subclinical mastitis due to Staphylococcus aureus in lactating dairy cows.

Bu calismada, laktasyon donemindeki sutcu ineklerde S. aureus’un neden oldugu subklinik mastitislerin sagaltiminda, uzun sureli antibiyotik kullaniminin bakteriyolojik iyilesme ve somatik hucre sayisi (SHS) uzerine etkisi arastirildi. Calismada materyal olarak, subklinik mastitisli ve S. aureus izole edilen toplam 100 adet meme lobu kullanildi. Subklinik mastitis saptanan meme loblarindan tedavi oncesi ve sonrasi bakteriyolojik muayene ve somatik hucre sayimi icin sut ornekleri alindi. Calismada subklinik enfekte ve S. aureus izole edilen meme loblarina antibiyogram sonucuna gore duyarli oldugu belirlenen amoksisilin+klavulanik asit kombinasyonu meme ici ve intramuskuler (IM) yolla gunde bir kez, 7 gun sureyle uygulandi. Tedaviden once ve tedavi bitiminden 21 gun sonra, aseptik kosullarda ilgili meme loblarindan sut ornegi alinarak, bakteriyolojik iyilesme orani ve somatik hucre sayilari belirlendi. Calisma sonucunda tedavi oncesi ortalama SHS ortanca degeri 300.500 hucre/ml (min-max 1.000-992.000 hucre/ml), tedavi sonrasi 183.000 hucre/ml (min-max 2.000-6.574.000 hucre/ml) ve bakteriyolojik iyilesme orani %66 olarak tespit edildi. Tedavi oncesi ve sonrasi ortalama SHS degerleri bakimindan farkin istatistiki olarak anlamli oldugu belirlendi (p 0.05). Sonuc olarak, uzun sureli kombine antibiyotik tedavisinin S. aureus’a bagli subklinik mastitislerde bakteriyolojik iyilesme oraninda artisa, SHS’nda ise azalmaya yol actigi tespit edildi
Metal ion adsorption by pseudosclerotial plates of Phellinus weirii

Melanized pseudosclerotial plates, com? monly referred to as zone lines, form at colony bound- aries of Phellinus weirii and other white-rot fungi in response to various stimuli. Pseudosclerotial plates of P. weirii produced in the laboratory can sequester metal ions from contact with soil in concentrations up to fifteen times greater than found in the soil. Phellinus weirii accumulated greater ion concentrations for 11 of 13 elements assayed than did Fomitopsis pinicola, a brown rot fungus that produces thick mycelial mats but does not produce melanized pseudosclerotial plates. Ion concentrations for 10 of 13 elements were significantly greater in soil-treated pseudosclerotial plates of P. weirii than in controls. Aluminum and iron concentrations for soil-treated pseudosclerotial plates of P. weirii were 162 and 117 times greater, respec? tively, than that of controls. Ion concentration for untreated mats of P. weirii and F. pinicola were not significantly different in 12 of 13 elements assayed. The metal ion-rich outer layer of the pseudosclerotial plates of P. weirii may help in protecting the fungus from combative antagonistic organisms and enhance
Spatial structure on ocean-exposed sandy beaches: faunal zonation metrics and their variability

Spatial ecological structure is expected to be amplified at interface regions, such as sandy beaches, which form the globe's largest ecotone between the oceans and the land. Yet, the dynamic and unstable nature of sandy shore habitats, coupled with the great mobility and behav- ioural plasticity of beach species, theoretically counteract the development and maintenance of stable spatial structure, such as faunal zonation across the intertidal. We examined spatial struc- ture across the non-vegetated beach-face, using a large data set (3120 replicate samples distrib- uted across 260 cross-shore transects) of intertidal macrobenthos distribution from eastern Aus- tralia. Most (94%) distribution data of the benthic assemblage contained distinct spatial structure, evident as faunal zonation across the shore from the swash to the dunes. A general model recog- nised a tripartite biological division of the shore, but variability in the number of zones was pro- nounced. This variability implies that designs employing low temporal replication may fail to accurately describe the spatial structure on many ocean-exposed sandy beaches. Overall, our data support the prediction of distinct spatial structure based on the prominent interface traits of beach systems as well as the prediction of heterogeneity in spatial structure based on the mobility of beach species and instability of their habitat.
Synthesis and characterization of SiO 2 nanoparticles by sol-gel process S cience Indian

Preparation and characterization of silica (SiO2) nanoparticles via sol-gel process using tetra ethyl ortho silicate (TEOS) and glycolic acid as a precursor are reported here. The effect of mixing modes of the reactants and hence the optimal synthesis conditions for the preparation of silica nanoparticles were investigated. The synthesized SiO2 nanoparticles were characterized by XRD, UVVisible spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Thermo gravimetric, Fluorescence analysis, FESEM and SEM analysis.