Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Instabilities of the liquid and mushy regions during solidification of alloys

The solidification of melts can be profoundly influenced by convection. In alloys, compositional convection can be driven by solute gradients generated as one component of the alloy is preferentially incorporated within the solid, even when the thermal field is stabilizing. In this paper, two modes of compositional convection during solidification from below are uncovered using a linear-stability analysis: one, which we shall call the ‘mushy-layer mode’, is driven by buoyant residual fluid within a mushy layer, or porous medium, of dendritic crystals; the other, which we shall call the ‘boundary-layer mode’ is associated with a narrow compositional boundary layer in the melt just above the mush-liquid interface. Either mode can be the first to become unstable depending on the thermodynamical and physical properties of the alloy. The marginally stable eigenfunctions suggest that the boundary-layer mode results in fine-scale convection in the melt above the mushy layer and leaves the interstitial fluid of the mushy layer virtually stagnant. In contrast, the mushy-layer mode causes perturbations to the solid fraction of the mushy layer that are indicative of a tendency to form chimneys, which are vertical channels of reduced or zero solid fraction that have been observed experimentally. Particular attention is focused on the mushy-layer mode and its dependence upon the thermodynamical properties of the alloy. The results of this analysis are used to make a number of interpretations of earlier experimental studies such as the observations that some systems are less prone to form chimneys and that the regions of melt in these systems evolve to supersaturated conditions, while the melt evolves to unsaturated conditions once chimneys have formed. In addition, good quantitative agreement is found between the results of the linear-stability analysis and the experimental results of Tait & Jaupart (1992) for the onset of the mushy-layer mode of convection.
Toolchain for free flight measurement and code validation purposes - Test and evaluation session

During the development of new numerical methods or in the validation process of a computational tool for a specific aerodynamic phenomenon, the comparison with experimental data is compulsory. Especially in helicopter aeromechanics, often experimental data is not available in the required depth or is very expensive to conduct. To overcome the lack of data the Institute of Aerodynamics and Gasdynamics (IAG) at the University of Stuttgart has developed a flying measurement platform. This model helicopter is able to collect the necessary flight test data on a model scale. These tests are embedded in a modular tool chain, which serves for validation purposes of the used fluid-structure coupling at IAG. In this tool chain the raw experimental data is obtained with the model helicopter and post-processed with a Kalman-filter. Numerical setups were built up to compute the structural dynamics and flight dynamics with the commercial comprehensive code CAMRAD II, and the fluid dynamics with the FLOWer flow solver. A coupling process assures that a free flight trim of the complete helicopter with elastic main rotor blades is computed. As an example, a free flight of the helicopter in ground proximity is regarded and results are shown.
Determinants of Farm Revenue in Pakistan

Will small farm viability decline with the reduction of average farm size in Pakistan? This paper addresses the determinants of rural household and farm-related income. Using the 2001 PIDE Household Survey, the approach developed captures the potential interactions between farm returns and household, farm, and factor market characteristics (schooling, family size, land tenure and operational size, access to water, credit, and capital). Econometric results show: (a) returns to additional schooling and the revenue elasticity of operated acres increase with farm size; (b) medium and large farm renters would be willing to pay more than observed rents, implying an incentive to increase farm size at the prevailing rental values; (c) owner-operated farms, landowners who also leases in, and fixed rental tenants earn higher revenues than sharecropping tenants. The difference, however, between landowner/fix-renter income and sharecropper income varies with family and farm size, as well as water use. While these results favour farm size increase, the results also show that off-farm and non-farm income sources are relatively more important for small farmers, contributing to their viability.
Minimally invasive persistent air leak management

Persistent air leak (PAL) management is a complex clinical entity with a variety of underlying etiologies and treatment options. Imprecise use of nomenclature associated with this condition has confounded the situation. Guidelines on the subject are antiquated and do not include modern therapeutic modalities. Bronchoscopic options, namely endobronchial valves, have revolutionized PAL treatment in patients who are poor surgical candidates. The paucity of high-quality data has prohibited revision of older guidelines. Development of evidence-based treatment algorithms is necessary to advance the quality and consistency of care for this serious clinical problem.
The Problem of Attitude Prediction Based on Sentiment Implicatures

We introduce a novel rule-based approach to attitude prediction based on sentiment implicatures. It is based on a verb lexicon specifying so-called polarity frames where the semantic roles of the verb might cast positive or negative polar effects on the argument ﬁllers. Verbs that subcategorize for clausal complements are further classiﬁed according to their signature, i.e., whether they assert factuality on the subclause. An empirical evaluation revealed that (naive) human annotators determine polar effects rather selectively. This is in contrast to the rigorous behaviour of our current rules. This raises the need for a more sophisticated theory of attitude prediction.
Reducing perceived stress through an orientation program for nursing students entering their first nursing course

Background: The faculty of an introductory nursing course noted that students expressed, over several years, apprehension regarding expectations such as studying for exams and how to better organize their time. Nursing students are known to experience a greater amount of anxiety than non-nursing students. This anxiety interferes with their ability to be successful in their selected major. Purpose and methods: The purpose of this study was to determine if an orientation program would reduce the perceived anxiety of students who have been admitted to their first nursing course, and of their families and significant others. Spielberger’s State-Trait Anxiety Questionnaire was administered to measure changes in stress levels before and after exposure to an orientation program designed for incoming nursing students and their significant others. Results and conclusions: The results indicated that the anxiety levels of the participants were significantly reduced after the orientation program. The results are important as a decrease in the anxiety levels of nursing students could be directly correlated to their success.
Retrieval of cloud droplet concentration of liquid-water clouds from ground based remote sensing observation

The environment in which clouds develop is crucial for the cloud microphysics and therefore the cloud radiative properties. The impact of aerosols on climate via modification of cloud radiative properties is called the aerosol indirect effect. Twomey (1977) recognized the connection between increasing concentration of aerosols acting as cloud condensation nuclei and thus increasing cloud droplet number concentration, decreasing droplet size and increasing cloud reflectance. Among different cloud types, low-level clouds such as stratocumulus affect mostly solar radiation reaching the surface because their radiative temperature is not much different of the underlying surface. These clouds are also mostly affected by changing aerosol loading in the atmospheric boundary layer. Satellite measurements have shown evidence of the impact of the local enhancement of the atmospheric aerosol on cloud reflectivities known as the ’ship tracks’ effect (Radke et al. 1989, Durkee et al. 2000). Brenguier et al. (2000) found experimental evidence of the first indirect aerosol effect in Scu clouds from in-situ measurements during ACE-2. Observation of the aerosol indirect effect is difficult because the effect depends on microphysical and macrophysical, thus dynamical properties of stratocumulus clouds. In order to assess the aerosol indirect effect continuous monitoring of cloud properties is needed. Presently this can be realized by remote sensing observation. One of the most important characteristic of cloud is the cloud droplet number concentration. The methods to retrieve such cloud properties rely model simulations, which describe clouds in a simplified manner by only using a few parameters. This paper presents a method to retrieve the droplet concentration for boundary layer, nonprecipitating, water clouds using collocated ground-based remote sensing observations from radar, ceilometer and microwave radiometer. Section 2 describes the method to retrieve droplet concentration with the necessary assumptions. Section 3 introduces radar signal analysis with the result based on Large-EddySimulation of Stratocumulus data. Section 4 presents
Baseline-Dependent Responses of Soil Organic Carbon Dynamics to Climate and Land Disturbances

Terrestrial carbon (C) sequestration through optimizing land use and management is widely considered a realistic option to mitigate the global greenhouse effect. But how the responses of individual ecosystems to changes in land use and management are related to baseline soil organic C (SOC) levels still needs to be evaluated at various scales. In this study, we modeled SOC dynamics within both natural and managed ecosystems in North Dakota of the United States and found that the average SOC stock in the top 20 cm depth of soil lost at a rate of 450 kg C ha−1 yr−1 in cropland and 110 kg C ha−1 yr−1 in grassland between 1971 and 1998. Since 1998, the study area had become a SOC sink at a rate of 44 kg C ha−1 yr−1. The annual rate of SOC change in all types of lands substantially depends on the magnitude of initial SOC contents, but such dependency varies more with climatic variables within natural ecosystems and with management practices within managed ecosystems. Additionally, soils with high baseline SOC stocks tend to be C sources following any land surface disturbances, whereas soils having low baseline C contents likely become C sinks following conservation management.
Benefits segmentation of a summer travel market: the case of Rocha, Uruguay

This research entails a data-driven segmentation of the tourist market of Rocha Department in Uruguay. It segments visitors that travel to Rocha from the city of Montevideo in the summer months according to benefits sought. Four distinctive segments were derived according to this criterion based on an online survey. Results were obtained using factor and cluster analysis on the gathered data. Segments were profiled according to sociodemographics, travel behavior, and expenditure in Rocha. We conclude with marketing implications and suggestions for future research. The outputs of this research can be used by Rocha ́s destination marketers to design better integrated marketing communications to reach these four segments more effectively.
Two-warehouse production policy for different demands under volume flexibility

A B S T R A C T In this paper, an inventory model of two-warehouse is considered, which evaluates the impact of a reduction rate in the selling price with volume flexibility. In real life, there are many products, which may decay or deteriorate or become obsolete. Therefore, one alternative is to clear the stock by selling a large amount of items at reduced prices. Taking this concept into account, this paper considers a fixed demand rate at the beginning of planning until the certain time point occurs, while demand is assumed to follow the pattern of nonlinear and non-decreasing power function of the reduction rate. The total cost function includes warehouse and rented warehouse holding costs, set up cost and the production cost. Numerical illustrations are given to exemplify the model and the proposed model is solved using a Genetic Algorithm (GA) with sensitivity analysis.
Nonrandom patterns of roost emergence in big brown bats, Eptesicus fuscus

Abstract In most colonial species of bats individuals emerge en masse from day roosts each evening to begin foraging. Although some aspects of emergence behavior are understood, one previously unexplored area is the specific order in which individuals emerge. The goal of our research was to determine if big brown bats, Eptesicus fuscus, fitted with passive integrated transponder tags emerge from roosts in buildings each evening in a nonrandom order. We assessed relative and absolute order of emergence to determine if order is concordant across nights and whether individuals consistently emerge in close association with specific roost mates. We found significant concordance in rank order among nights at all roosts. At 5 roosts concordance decreased as time between dates increased. Association rates between individuals were low, and temporal analyses revealed that associations rapidly degraded over time, indicating that bats do not emerge each evening consistently with the same group of roost mates. We discuss how social structure, information transfer, and/or individual energetic needs could be responsible for the observed nonrandom patterns of emergence. Our results suggest that emergence order represents behavioral information that traditionally has been overlooked and that might be useful for characterizing aspects of the ecology and social behavior of bats and other species with cryptic behavior.
FindYourHelp: an expert finder module on Virtual Learning Environments

Este artigo discute a criacao de um modulo adicional para o ambiente Moodle, que permita a identificacao automatica de especialistas que contribuam em seus foruns de discussao. O diferencial da solucao desenvolvida consiste em aplicar tecnicas de mineracao de textos como forma complementar a analise de participacao dos estudantes ja existente no ambiente. Um estudo de viabilidade da solucao foi desenvolvido e evidenciou a aplicabilidade da ferramenta em relacao a seus objetivos iniciais.
Seasonal Changes in Some Hematological Parameters in Association with Acted in Oxygen Transport in Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus L)

In this study, seasonal changes in some blood parameters related to oxygen transport in adult tilapia ( Oreochromis niloticus L.) were detected. Blood samples were collected from caudal vein of each fish. Red blood cell (RBC), mean cell volume (MCV), mean cell hemoglobin (MCH), mean cell hemoglobin concentration(MCHC), hematocrit (Hct), methemoglobin (Hi), serum iron concentration (SI), total iron binding capacity (TIBC), unsaturated iron binding capacity (UIBC), serum transferrin (TRF), transferrin saturation (TRF %) levels were determined. RBC, length and weight of fish were found to be linear relation. It was found that there were linear relations between SI, RBC, Hct, Hb, TIBC, UIBC, TRF and %TRF. Negative relation was found between oxygen level in the water RBC, Hb, MCH, SI, TIBC, UIBC, TRF and %TRF parameters. There is a linear relation among MCH, MCHC and Hi levels, which is statistically insignificant (P>0.05). Negative correlation was found between Hi and other parameters, which are detected. But Hi was found to be differ significantly when compared with SI, TIBC, UIBC, TRF and %TRF by statistical analysis (P>0.05). The data obtained indicated that all parameters were found to be effected significantly by the seasonal changes (P<0.05). In addition, these parameters were determined to be lower in autumn and winter than in spring and summer. However, blood parameters of all the fish tested were detected within the normal values.
WatSup model: a high resolution water supply modelling system.

The WatSup™ (Watsup Model Systems Ltd) model is a high resolution model of dendritic water supply networks formed by interconnected modules. Each module, e.g. a house, office, etc, can have multiple users using elemental demands, which can be stochastic or deterministic, to produce representative flows. Elemental demands represent water using devices, e.g. a toilet, and are modelled as flow against time. Stochastic elemental demands have modeller defined variability and can include queuing. Deterministic elemental demands occur at fixed times. Modules, which can include local storage, are interconnected to form networks with the flows being aggregated at each node. Network and system faults can be introduced as stochastic processes, flow limits and hydraulic constraints are observed and queued demands carried forward until satisfied. A novel double sweep algorithm is used to distribute flows within the model. The WatSup model uses an advanced object-oriented numerical engine to provide a robust, fast modelling system with a time step of one second.
Statistical assessment of the effect of a Wave Energy Converter in Falmouth Bay, UK

Wave energy has the potential to contribute to the UK’s energy mix, producing electricity without producing carbon dioxide. This will have benefits in combatting global climate change, however, the technology may have local negative effects on the environment. A key concern is the potential for underwater noise pollution. Wave energy converters are a novel technology and little is known about the underwater sounds produced. A wave energy converter (WEC; BOLT Lifesaver, Fred Olsen Ltd.) was deployed at the Falmouth Bay marine renewable energy test site (FaBTest). The underwater sound levels were recorded at this site for a two-week baseline period, a five-day installation period and intermittent operational and non-operational activity from March 2012 - November 2013 resulting in 14 months of underwater sound recordings. The wave energy converter sounds are often masked by shipping noise in Falmouth Bay. Previous research suggests the effect of this WEC on underwater sound during power production is minimal [1]. The aim of this paper is to test this using statistical models to quantify the effect of the wave energy converter on underwater sound during installation and operational activity.
Rheological Properties of Barley and Flaxseed Composites

The newly developed barley-flaxseed composites were unique because barley provides the soluble fiber β-glucan that is beneficial for improving food texture and preventing coronary heart disease along with the health benefits of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (w-3 PUFAs) of flaxseed. The new composites of barley with flaxseeds were prepared using prowashonupana, a barley variety containing high β-glucan content, with 10, 20, and 50% flaxseed for enhancing health benefits of functional food. Besides the nutritional aspects of barley-flaxseed composites, they have improved water holding capacities, texture, and useful pasting and viscoelastic qualities measured using a Rapid Visco Analyzer (RVA) followed by an advanced rheometer. The pasting and rheological properties of the barley flour were not greatly influenced by 10% ground flaxseed replacements but showed differences at the 50% replacement level. Shear thinning properties were observed for all the composites. These functional composites could be valuable and applicable for developing new functional food products with health benefits of decreasing heart problems, diabetes, and obesity along with providing desirable texture.
A 5-component model for salt-induced hypertension in Dahl-S and Dahl-R rats

Salt-induced hypertension has been demonstrated in a variety of species including rats, monkeys, chimpanzees and humans. Until recently, the multiple phases of this blood pressure increase due to high salt intake had not been closely studied. This work builds upon a recent study, which developed a grey-box multi-component model of salt-induced hypertension in the Dahl-S rat. The previous 3-component model has been extended here to include additional model dynamics to improve the model fit and add new important elements to the model response. The model was optimised using numerical techniques with experimental data from 4 different protocols with Dahl-S, Dahl-R and FF2 hybrid rats. Results show a marked improvement over the previous model and confirm the merit of the 5-component model structure. A comparison between the model dynamics for different rat strains has also been included.
Mechanisms of hydrogen evolution on chromium

In this work, the mechanisms of hydrogen evolution on the metal chromium in a solution of 0.1 M Na2SO4 + H2SO4, pH 1 to pH 7 were analysed. In the pH < 3 range, hydrogen is evolved according to three different mechanisms, depending on the experimental conditions: electrochemical evolution of H2 by reaction of H ions according to the Volmer-Heyrovsky mechanism, on the bare chromium surface, during chemical dissolution of chromium by the Kolotyrkin mechanism, which does not depend on the electrode potential, and electrochemical hydrogen evolution by the Volmer-Heyrovsky mechanism, but on the passive chromium. At pH values greater than 3, the fourth mechanism of hydrogen evolution is observed, that is electrochemical reaction of water molecules on the surface of oxide covered chromium surface.
Repellent and feeding deterrent activity of a natural formulation from plant extracts on rabbit and human skin against Aedes aegypti

Aedes aegypti mosquito females transmit diseases such as Dengue, Yellow fever, Zika fever and Chikungunya associated with mortality in many developing countries. Zika fever has neither treatment nor vaccine. Personal protection by application of the skin repellents is the major control approach. Though synthetic skin repellents are effective, they are toxic however the natural mosquito repellents such as Ballet® are not effective. The purpose of the study was to develop a natural repellent formulation that can provide 100% repellency. A formulation was developed from a combination of Azadirachta indica, Eucalyptus citriodora, Ocimum basilicum and Chrysanthemum cinerariaefolium extracts. They were applied thinly on rabbit ears and tested with starved Aedes aegypti females. Observations were made on the effect of the test combination, frequency of mosquito landing and blood engorgement. The combination that worked on rabbits was then tested on human skin of volunteers. The formulation provided complete protection, had mosquito paralytic effect and had higher repellent activity than Ballet® (p<0.001). The final formulation that may scale up and applied for human use is a combination of Azadirachta indica, Eucalyptus citriodora, Ocimum basilicum and Chrysanthemum cinerariaefolium