Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Content Based Image Retrieval using Color, Multi Dimensional Texture and Edge Orientation

Many image retrieval systems use global features to retrieve images such as color and texture. But the previous results provide too many false positives while using these global features to search for similar images. Content-based image retrieval system works with the entire image and searching is based on comparison of the query image with image database. CBIR uses the visual information of an image such as color, texture and edge to represent and index the image. These contents can be obtained by applying color, texture and edge based techniques. These techniques are applied on both query image and database to get an image from the database more accurately. Color images are indexed by error diffusion block truncation coding (EDBTC). To improve the accuracy of color histogram based matching YCbCr color space is added into EDBTC indexing scheme. Texture analysis is more important because it is used to improve the discriminatory ability of the extracted image features. The speed of edge based retrieval and texture based retrieval can be enhanced by using canny edge detection and gray level co-occurrence matrix. GLCM is used to extract second order statistical texture feature of image. These proposed techniques are used to improve the accuracy of the result.
Institutional Determinants of International Equity Portfolios - A Country-Level Analysis

Despite large potential gains, international equity investment is less diversified across countries than predicted by the international version of the traditional capital asset pricing model (ICAPM). This paper provides empirical evidence on the impact of capital market frictions on international equity portfolios using data on bilateral equity holdings. Two important findings are reported: First, besides a home bias in equities, a 'friendship bias' can be observed for some country pairs. Second, indirect barriers such as the degree of financial market development and especially information asymmetries have strong explanatory power, whereas direct barriers such as capital flow restrictions have no impact.
Spacetime and Physical Equivalence

In this paper I begin to lay out a conceptual scheme for: (i) analysing dualities as cases of theoretical equivalence; (ii) assessing when cases of theoretical equivalence are also cases of physical equivalence. The scheme is applied to gauge/gravity dualities. I expound what I argue to be the contribution of gauge/gravity dualities to questions about: (iii) the nature of spacetime in quantum gravity; (iv) broader philosophical and phyiscal discussions of gauge/gravity dualities. (i)-(ii) proceed by analysing duality through four contrasts. A duality will be a suitable isomorphism between models: and the four relevant contrasts are as follows: (a) Bare theory: a triple of states, quantities, and dynamics endowed with appropriate structures and symmetries; vs. interpreted theory: which is endowed with, in addition, a suitable pair of interpretative surjections from the triples to a domain in the world. (b) Extendable vs. unextendable theories: which can, respectively cannot, be extended as regards their domains of applicability. (c) External vs. internal intepretations: which are constructed by coupling the theory to another interpreted theory, respectively from within the theory itself. (d) Theoretical vs. physical equivalence: which distinguish formal equivalence from the equivalence of fully interpreted theories. I also discuss three meshing conditions: between symmetries and duality, between symmetries and interpretation, and between duality and interpretation. The meshing conditions lead to a characterisation of symmetries as redundant or as physical, and to a characterisation of physical equivalence as a commutativity condition between two maps. I will apply the above scheme to answering questions (iii)-(iv) for gauge/gravity dualities. I will argue that the things that are physically relevant are those that stand in a bijective correspondence under gauge/gravity duality: the common core of the two models. I therefore conclude that most of the mathematical and physical structures that we are familiar with in these models (the dimension of spacetime, tensor fields, Lie groups, and the classical-quantum distinction) are largely, though crucially never entirely, not part of that common core. Thus, the interpretation of dualities for theories of quantum gravity compels us to rethink the roles that spacetime, and many other tools in theoretical physics, play in theories of spacetime.
Aflatoxins in roasted peanut in Khartoum a hidden and notorious risk to children

Aflatoxins are secondary metabolites of about twenty species of the genus Aspergillus. The most important of these species is Aspergillus flavus which was reported for the first time and referred as responsible for the X – turkey disease in 1960 in Great Britain which later on named aflatoxicosis. These toxins pose a limitless risk to man and his domestics by causing a number of diseases and carcinomas. However, since the production of these toxins is rather inevitable accordingly an interdisciplinary management is the answer for managing them. The management of these toxins includes preharvest and postharvest measures such as good agricultural practices (GAP), check of imports, exports, food and feed stuffs, specifying tolerable and action limits and curing by suitable methods.This experiment aimed at having a rapid check for the total aflatoxins in roasted peanut in samples (five groups and 25 in total) collected from the three main cities of the triangular capital Khartoum (Khartoum proper, Khartoum North and Omdurman). Rapid check of aflatoxins has a lot of merits and edge over the other laboratory methods. Twenty five samples of roasted peanut were checked using Aflacheck® test kids (the method used enabled checking 10 ppb total aflatoxins in test samples). Readings revealed that the contamination percentage was 60% for each of the sample groups collected from the two sites in Khartoum proper and 100% for the sample groups collected from two sites in Khartoum north and Omdurman, separately. Statistical analysis showed a significant difference in contamination (at 5% confidence level) between the results from Khartoum proper from one side and the samples collected from Khartoum North and Omdurman areas in the other side. However, the overall contamination percentage was 84%. These results,collectively, are alarming (0 tolerance) fora deadly health risk of this roasted peanut contaminated with aflatoxins to consumers of who the majority are children.
Photographic surface photometry of the Southern Milky Way - VIII. High-resolution $U,\; V$ and R surface photometries of the Southern Milky Way

We present photometries of the Southern Milky Way () in the U , V and R -passbands. The resolution is . Together with the B -photometry (Kimeswenger et al. 1993 = Paper VII), this paper gives final results of the Bochum Super–Wide–Angle–Camera photographs obtained in 1971 at La Silla, calibrated by means of accompanying photoelectric observations. The techniques employed and procedures used for the reductions are the same as described in Paper VII, and the references quoted therein. Therefore, this paper is restricted to those points, where either modifications proved to be necessary or additional information will help to judge the accuracy obtained. For this purpose, the chapters are arranged in the same manner as in Paper VII.
Conformism and Self-Selection in Social Networks

I present a model of conformism in social networks that incorporates both peer effects and self-selection. I find that equilibrium behaviors are linked through the Laplacian matrix of the equilibrium network. I show that conformism has positive social value and that social welfare can be bounded by network centrality and connectivity measures. I apply the model using empirical data on high school student participation in extracurricular activities. I find that the local effects of conformism (i.e. endogenous peer effect for a fixed network structure) range from 7.5% to 45%, depending on the number of peers that an individual has. Simulations show that the optimal policies of an inequality-averse policy-maker change in relation to the size of a school. Small schools should encourage shy students to integrate more with other students, while large schools should focus on promoting role models within the school.
Interspecific differences in depth preference: regulation of larval transport in an upwelling system

Dispersal is fundamental to understanding the ecology and evolution of species and effectively managing resources, but information on dispersal is rare for the vast majority of marine life that develops as miniscule larvae in the plankton. Until recent evidence to the contrary, it was widely suspected that larvae developing in productive upwelling regimes along eastern ocean margins are susceptible to cross-shelf transport by strong, dynamic currents and often are unable to replenish populations. We now show that interspecific differences in depth preference likely play a role in regulating differences in offshore migration from adult populations. Two open-coast species (Petrolisthes cinctipes and Pachygrapsus crassipes) did not undertake endogenously timed tidal vertical migrations but an estuarine species (Hemigrapsus oregonensis) did, which would facilitate seaward dispersal. Surprisingly, none of the 3 species undertook diel vertical migrations in the laboratory, even though all do in the field. Diel vertical migrations in marine and freshwater species elsewhere in the world are cued by light and reduce fish predation, but they may be cued by turbulence in upwelling regimes, thereby reducing transport from adult popula- tions. Thus, larvae of species that hatch in different locations and develop at different distances from the shore exhibit diverse larval swimming behaviors that regulate transport in dynamic upwelling regimes in previously undescribed ways, which has implications for population connectivity, local adaptation and resource management.
Knowing, gathering and eating: Knowledge and attitudes about wild food in an Isan village in Northeastern Thailand

In societies undergoing ~onomicand social transformation, the level of knowledge about local resources, and attitudes toward them, can be affected by a variety of factors including cultural identity, identification with local traditions, cultural transformations, economic status, education level, age and gender. To address the topic of what factors affect traditional wild plant use and knowledge in Northt'astern Thailand we interviewed and tested malt' and female villagers in different age categorics. Each interviewee was asked to identify and provide information about photographs of 40 wild food items. Additional information was obtained through ethnographic research in the village. The results indicate that there are gender differences in the use and procurement of wild food items. However, most villagers, despite their economic level, still prefer wild food over cultivated food. Using a knowledge and attitude test, it was also found that women arc bctter able to identify ilems correctly, but that there arc no gender differences in knowledge of other factors pertaining to the wild food items. Additionally, adults consistently scorcd higher th.1O children. Consequently age, and thus indirectly, exposure to traditional subsistence practices, also is related to knowledge about wild food resources. Our results suggest knowledge about wild food is being lost within the community despite retention of the taste for thesc items and desire to retain them in Ihe diet.
An Examination of Ethnic Hierarchies and Returns to Human Capital in the UK

This article focuses on the returns to human capital of migrants and minorities in the UK. The question of whether skills and qualifications are properly utilized is very pertinent given the global competition for skilled migrants and the aim of European and British markets to attract such workers. Using data from Understanding Society (2009 to 2017) we find that there is a clear evidence of ethnic hierarchies with black Caribbean and black African minorities generally most disadvantaged, while other white UK-born have the best outcomes compared to the white British. Western migrants generally do very well, but new EU migrants have high levels of employment, and low returns to their qualifications and relatively high levels of over-qualification. Foreign qualifications are generally discounted, and more so for migrants with less certain legal status or low language skills. Public sector employment plays an important role and is associated with the higher economic placement of migrants and minorities in the UK. There are some worrying trends however. Highly skilled migrants, particularly black migrants as well as those from Eastern Europe, come in with high qualifications, but their jobs do not match their skill levels.
Therese Ramberg Sivertsen; Risk of brown bear predation on semi-domesticated reindeer calves – Predation patterns, brown bear–reindeer interactions and landscape heterogeneity

As large carnivore populations are recovering in northern boreal ecosystems of Europe and North America, there is a need to understand how these changes in predator communities influence prey populations and ecosystems. Moreover, human-wildlife conflicts are frequently causing challenges where large carnivores coexist with humans, often due to predation on livestock. In Sweden the brown bear (Ursus arctos) distributional range largely overlaps with the reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) herding area, but knowledge of potential losses to bear predation has been scarce. Also, little information exists on the behavioral interactions between semi-domesticated reindeer and brown bears in Fennoscandia. In this thesis I present data from two forest reindeer herding districts in Northern Sweden, showing that brown bear predation on reindeer neonates can be considerable on forested calving grounds. Also, brown bear predation was very limited in time, concentrated to the first weeks following birth of the reindeer calves. Moreover, using GPS location data to compare brown bear and reindeer resource selection on the reindeer calving ground, indicated that brown bear behavioral adjustments to search for reindeer possibly dominate over antipredator responses by reindeer in terms of altered resource selection on a daily and seasonal basis. Nevertheless, a closer investigation of the spatial distributions of reindeer calf kill sites suggested that use of clear-cuts, higher elevations and areas closer to large roads may reduce risk of bear predation. However, even though clear-cuts may provide advantages for survival in the short term, logging may eventually yield negative effects for the reindeer, as abundance of young forest increase, which is a preferred habitat by brown bears. Finally, using data on reindeer movements and brown bear density from seven herding districts in Sweden I show that reindeer females experiencing higher risk of bear predation, deviate more from optimal foraging and increase movement rates, which may lead to lower body condition and, in turn, possible consequences for population dynamics.
Translocations affecting human immunoglobulin heavy chain locus

Translocations involving human immunoglobulin heavy chain (IGH) locus are implicated in different leukaemias and lymphomas, including multiple myeloma, mantle cell lymphoma, Burkitt’s lymphoma and diffuse large B cell lymphoma. We have analysed published data and identified eleven breakpoint cluster regions (bcr) related to these cancers within the IgH locus. These ~1 kbp bcrs are specific for one or several types of blood cancer. Our findings could help devise PCR-based assays to detect cancer-related translocations, to identify the mechanisms of translocations and to help in the research of potential translocation partners of the immunoglobulin locus at different stages of B-cell differentiation.
Estimating the Impact of the Balassa-Samuelson Effect in Transition Economies

Abstract: The Balassa-Samuelson (BS) effect is usually considered as the prime explanation of the continuous real exchange rate appreciation of the central and east European (CEE) transition countries against their western European counterparts. This paper tries to explain relative price differentials observed over the past decade between four CEE economies - Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland - and Euro area in terms of productivity growth differentials. Using panel estimation techniques, we find strong empirical evidence in favour of the BS hypothesis. Furthermore, relaxing some of the assumptions (i.e. PPP holds for tradable goods) results in little support of BS hypothesis. Our estimates of the BS term suggest that the Balassa-Samuelson effect in these 4 CEE countries does not have to be as sizeable as other studies propose. ;
HISTORIC REVIEW ON MODERN HERBAL NANOGEL FORMULATION AND DELIVERY METHODS

Chemistry deals with herbal constituents are often coined as phytochemistry. Herbal constituents have profound improvements in drug discovery for several existing diseases. Many of these constituents are restricted from pharmaceutical discoveries due to two important reasons: pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics. There are many new technological strategies and comparisons have been studied to improve the herbal discoveries in the pharmaceutical market. This review paper will highlight historical evidence of nanogels which is the most important strategy applied to several herbal medicines with high patience compliance, delivery rate, and efficiency. Nanogels are nanoparticles combined with cross-linked polymer networks with desirable features to carry hydrophilic or hydrophobic drugs in a more stable condition. Nanogels are highly preferred substances for herbal medicine in terms of stability and rapid response to the external stimuli factors. Nanogel can facilitate the herbal products with higher cellular penetration than existing and hence, it proves to be the new dimension for both oral and transdermal drug delivery for several unmet diseases like cancer, diabetes, and chronic disorders. By the way, including the recent technological constituents to herbal drugs, it can possess high bioavailability, low toxicity and enhance the sustained release mechanism with suitable delivery modes.
A Study on impact of smartphone addiction on academic performance

Smartphone addiction is increasingly affecting the masses and is negatively impacting the younger generation. Several researches have been done to study the impact of internet and smartphone addiction. However no work has been done to predetermine academic performance from smartphone addiction using data mining techniques. A total of 222 University students participated in the questionnaire. The survey questionnaire consisted of demographic information, internet access pattern and smartphone addiction pattern. Data was analysed using machine learning techniques using classification models. The results further encouraged us to find the correlation between smartphone addiction and academic performance. Pearson’ correlation was used to establish that smartphone usage had a negative impact on academic performance. Additionally other attributes like internet connectivity and active involvement in outdoor sports activities were investigated. Experimental results confirmed a negative correlation of these attributes with academic performance. The findings were of immense use and could be used to reduce the internet addiction amongst the student community and also enhance their academic performance
Breast Cancer: Risk Factors, Diagnosis and Management

Breast cancer remains the most common cancer of women and one of the most common causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide. In spite of major advances in breast cancer diagnosis and treatment, the incidence of breast cancer remains high and the treatment of metastatic breast cancer remains challenging. This review presents an overview of breast cancer with a particular focus on its clinical aspects and therapies.
Mating system of a population of Myracrodruon urundeuva F.F. & M.F. Allemão using the fAFLP molecular marker

The mating system and genetic diversity were studied in a natural population of Myracrodruon urundeuva originating from 30 open-pollinated trees at the Paulo de Faria Ecological Station, SP, Brazil. The progenies were planted on the Teaching and Research Farm of the Ilha Solteira Engineering School, UNESP. Using the fAFLP molecular marker, eleven loci were selected to study the mating system. The mating system was analyzed using the multilocus mixed-mating model. The estimates of genetic divergence between pollen and ovule allele frequencies were significant for eight loci, suggesting nonrandom outcrossing. The estimates of the multilocus outcrossing rate revealed that M. urundeuva possesses a mating system with a predominance of outcrossing events (q = 0.940 ± 0.086). The estimates of coancestry among plants within progenies (q = 0.185) was higher than that expected for half-sib progenies (0.125) and the indirect estimate of the correlation of outcrossed paternity within progeny arrays (rp) was 0.403, suggesting that progenies have a high proportion of full-sibs. Result analysis suggests the need for the application of biometric models that take into account deviations from random outcrossing in the estimations of genetic parameters for quantitative traits and the need for retaining large sample sizes in order to preserve genetic variability.
Long alkyl chain bis-quaternary ammonium-based ionic liquids as biologically active xanthenes dyes

Foram preparados novos exemplos de liquidos ionicos hidrofilicos e hidrofobicos, estaveis frente ao ar e a umidade, derivados de amonio bi-quaternario. Esses liquidos ionicos foram propostos para atuar como pigmentos biologicamente ativos, com caracteristicas fisico-quimicas unicas, como uma alternativa a alguns pigmentos convencionais anionicos derivados de xanteno, como eosina Y, fluoresceina e eritrosina. New examples of air- and moisture-stable, hydrophobic and hydrophilic bis-quaternary ammonium derived ionic liquids have been prepared. These ionic liquids have been proposed to act as biological active dyes with characteristic unique physicochemical properties, providing alternatives to some conventional anionic xanthene dyes such as eosine Y, fluorescein and erythrosine.
An Analysis of the Functional Effectiveness of the Automatic Stabilisers of Fiscal Policy in China

Granger causality Wald test and impulse response analysis were employed to test the functional effectiveness of automatic stabilisers of fiscal policy in China, which revealed that the automatic stabilisers exhibited asymmetries in fiscal revenues and expenditures. In particular, automatic fiscal stabilisers reduced economic fluctuations in fiscal revenue during economic booming and recession. With respect to fiscal expenditures, increases and decreases in central fiscal expenditures occurred during times of economic decline and growth, respectively, and thereby exerted countercyclical smoothing effects on the macro-economy; by contrast, increases and decreases in local fiscal expenditures occurred in accordance with economic developments, amplifying economic expansions or recessions. These differences in spending patterns between central and local governments caused malfunctions in automatic stabilisers that were related to fiscal expenditures. Given the premise that the relationship between central and local fiscal approaches should be rationalised, the fiscal spending policies should focus on investments in the livelihood and improvements in the autonomy of budgetary decisions by local governments.