Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Guided and Leaky Wave Characteristics of Periodic Defected Ground Structures

In recent years, there has been significant research interest in microwave applications of defected ground structures. In this paper, three kinds of Periodic Defected Ground Structures are analyzed to assess their effects on surface and leaky waves. To achieve this purpose, the finite element method accompanied by Periodic boundary conditions is used to show the propagation characteristics of these periodic structures. Also, the existence of surface wave reduction property is investigated and finally the simulation Results are compared to the experimental results with reasonable agreement.
Identification of a Tuberculosis Cluster through Epidemiological and Geographical Tracing of a Patient with Multidrug-resistant Tuberculosis in Lopburi Province, Thailand, 2014

In May 2014, a suspected multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) outbreak in Lopburi Province was investigated following the national guidelines for tuberculosis (TB) outbreak investigation and assessed the quality of patient care based on the International Standards for TB Care. The case finding focused on TB cases diagnosed during December 2012 to August 2014. Medical charts were reviewed at Khok Samrong Hospital and contacts of a MDR-TB case who was lost to follow up were traced back. Study findings found an epidemiologically linked cluster of TB cases with five geographically related cases and four cases were from the same family. Factors that might have contributed to this TB outbreak were identified as well, including delay in diagnosis and sub-standard care, low socioeconomic status, delay in conducting contact tracing, and an ineffective TB database system. Diagnosis, treatment and prevention activities should be improved to prevent further TB outbreaks in the communities.
Internal friction study of Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 ceramics with various Zr/Ti ratios and dopants

The Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 (PZT) ceramics with Zr/Ti ratios of 30/70, 52/48 and 70/30 and the PZT(52/48) ceramics doped with La, Ta and Co at various percent were prepared by a standard solid-state reaction method, respectively. Internal friction and modulus were measured as a function of temperature at low frequencies by using a inverted torsion pendulum. Two internal friction peaks (P1 and P2), related to oxygen vacancies and domain walls, respectively, were observed in all the undoped PZT ceramics with different Zr/Ti ratios. In addition, a minimum in modulus associated with a phase transition internal friction peak appearing at Curie temperature was observed in all samples. The effects of the Zr/Ti ratios and some dopants (such as La, Ta and Co) on the internal frictions were investigated. The internal friction results indicate the changes of the concentration of oxygen vacancies and the domain structure with the variations of Zr/Ti ratios and dopants, which will be helpful in the utilities of the PZT ceramics.
The Effects of SOX on Firms Audited by Big-4 versus Non-Big-4 Audit Firms

This study examines the effectiveness of the 2002 Sarbanes Oxley Act (SOX). We investigate the earnings management (EM) of companies during the pre-SOX period (i.e., the scandal period), and the post-SOX period (but prior to the enactment of the Dodd-Frank Act). We find that EM of companies audited by the Big-4 peaked during the scandal period, and declined during the post-SOX period. However, the EM of firms audited by Non-Big 4 audit firms did not experience a decline in the post-SOX period. Further tests suggest that SOX had greater reduction in EM for companies audited by Big-4 audit firms as compared to those audited by Non-Big 4.
Abstrak Lipase merupakan enzim yang dapat menghidrolisa dan mensintesa trigliserida dan banyak digunakan di berbagai industri. Lipase yang digunakan merupakan enzim murni. Di Indonesia ketersediaan lipase murni terbatas dan selama ini masih harus diimpor sehingga harganya relatif masih mahal. Salah 

Lipase merupakan enzim yang dapat menghidrolisa dan mensintesa trigliserida dan banyak digunakan di berbagai industri. Lipase yang digunakan merupakan enzim murni. Di Indonesia ketersediaan lipase murni terbatas dan selama ini masih harus diimpor sehingga harganya relatif masih mahal. Salah satu permasalahan dalam penyediaan lipase adalah pemurnian lipase memerlukan biaya tinggi. Oleh karena itu, penelitian tentang pemurnian lipase dengan biaya murah dan efisien perlu dilakukan. Salah satunya adalah dengan menggunakan teknik Imobilized metal-affinity chromatography (IMAC) karena IMAC mempunyai selektifitas tinggi, mudah dielusi dan mudah proses regenerasi kolom. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah menentukan jenis ion logam sebagai ligan dan menentukan konsentrasi imidazol dalam running buffer yang sesuai untuk pemurnian lipase. Matrik zirconia agarose dibuat dengan teknik emulsi. Permukaan matrik dimodifikasi dengan imino diacetic acid (IDA). Ion logam yang digunakan untuk adsorpsi lipase adalah Ca2+ dan Cu2+. Pada penelitian ini dipelajari pengaruh dari ion logam dan konsentrasi imidazol dalam running buffer (2 mM, 4 mM, dan 6 mM). Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa kapasitas adsorpsi dari Cu2+ amobil dalam mengikat lipase adalah 2 kali lebih tinggi dibandingkan dengan Ca2+. Penambahan imidazol dalam pada running buffer (2 mM) dapat meningkatkan aktivitas spesifik lipase dari produk (17,57 U/mg) dan enzim yang teradsorbsi lebih mudah untuk dielusi. Kondisi paling baik pada pemurnian enzim lipase adalah penggunaan Cu2+ sebagai ligan dan running buffer yang mengandung 2 mM imidazol pada pH 7.
Effect of Açaí Powder and Chitosan Incorporation on Bread Quality

The food industry trend is to produce foods with better nutritional quality. Within this proposal, the objective of this work was to study the inclusion of açaí powder and chitosan in bread formulations and to evaluate their quality. For the development of the bread formulations, the central rotational design was used putting the açaí power and chitosan as independent variables. Flour quality analyzes were performed (water hydration properties), dough and bread quality analyzes (fermentation time optimization, maximum expansion factor, crumb structure, crust and crumb color and specific volume). The quality analyzes were studied through regression and correlation analysis and response surface methodology at the 5% level of significance. After the determination of the optimized condition of açaí powder and chitosan was carried out the evaluation of the centesimal composition and scanning electron microscopy. The results showed that both açaí powder and chitosan significantly influence the flour properties. It was verified that the açaí powder promotes greater modifications in the physical parameters of the dough and the bread than the chitosan, which was confirmed by correlation analysis. The optimum conditions the inclusion of açaí power and chitosan was of 8.5 g and 0.75 g respectively. There was a improvement in the nutritional quality of the bread optimized, in comparison to the control, with the increase of the protein content and ashes. Microscopy showed an interaction between starch and chitosan, as well as the harmful effect of açaí powder on
How Influenza A Virus Causes "Epidemics" and "Pandemics" among the Populations?

Influenza is a major cause of sickness and death around the world and is one of the most important infectious diseases confronting the world today. Influenza A virus is the leading cause of seasonal epidemic and pandemic flu globally. Both epidemic and pandemic flu are found to be associated with the high morbidity and mortality rates worldwide, but that pandemic is thought to have accounted for about 50 million or more deaths and is obviously a matter of great concern, can cause a severe, easily transmissible disease among the community and everyone at risk of infection. The purpose of this study is to describe the mechanisms by which the influenza A viruses can cause epidemic and pandemic flu worldwide. In conclusion the extensive infection is mainly because the influenza A virus, like other RNA viruses, has capability to undergo a continuous antigenic variation either via a point mutation causing gradual change in the shape of the HA surface antigens known as ''Antigenic drift'' and it is found to be responsible for seasonal epidemics or through a genetic reassortment that leads to a major change in the surface antigens known as ''Antigenic shift'' and generation of entirely novel strains among the population with no pre-existing immunity as a result sporadic pandemics will occur.
USING A MICROFABRICATED HYDROGEL TO STUDY THE EFFECT OF EXTRINSIC FACTORS ON DRUG RESPONSE

The emergence of drug resistance remains a major hurdle in cancer treatment. Therefore it is important to identify signaling pathways that lead to the occurrence of resistance, including signaling from the extracellular environment. Here we apply a microfabricated hydrogel as a tool to study the effect of extrinsic factors on drug response. This platform is compatible with high-resolution microscopy, which allows for analysis of cell health on the single cell level. An initial experiment using this hydrogel shows that the 3D organization of breast carcinoma cells is one factor that affects their response to treatment.
A numerical investigation on the structure of the zeros of the degenerate Euler-tangent mixed-type polynomials

In this paper, we obtain a general symmetric identity involving the degenerate Euler-tangent mixed-type polynomials and sums of generalized falling factorials. We use this identity to describe some combinatorial relations between these polynomials and generalized factorial alternating sums. Finally, we observe an interesting phenomenon of ”scattering” of the zeros of degenerate Euler-tangent mixed-type polynomials. c ©2017 All rights reserved.
Heavy Metal (Pb and Cd) Removal Potential of Cactus Powder in Ground Water at Adigrat

The main objective of this study is to investigate the heavy metals (Pb and Cd) removal capability of cactus powder from ground water using FAAS adsorption techniques by considering the influence of contact time, adsorbent dose and temperature. The results revealed that adsorption of Pb and Cd ions increased as the dose of adsorbent increased at a certain limits. The heavy metal removal capability of cactus powder is affected by the present of NaCl salt. The heavy metal removal capability of cactus powder decreased from 65% up to 7% for Pb, and from 70% up to 14% for Cd as the dose of NaCl increased from 1g to 5g. This is due to the formation of outer sphere complex with the NaCl salt which screening the functional group of cactus powder from heavy metals. The heavy metal removal capability of cactus powder also increased with contact time. The adsorption rate initially increased from 20% to 58 % for Pb ion, and 17% to 43% for Cd ion when the contact time increased from 30-120 min. After 120 min, there was no significant change in heavy metal removal of both Pb and Cd ions. This might be due to end point at which adsorption phase reached at equilibrium. The percentage removal of Pb by cactus powder decreased from 65.05% to 29% as the temperature increased from 25℃ to 150℃. In similar condition, the percentage removal of Cd by cactus powder also decreased from 43% to 31% as the temperature increased from 25℃ to 150℃. This decrement in percentage removal of both Pb and Cd ions with increase temperature is due to the weak binding interaction between the active site of cactus powder and (Pb, Cd) ions which support physicosorption process.
Spatial pattern of landscape changes and consequence changes in species diversity between 1956-1999 of Pinus halepensis Miller plantations in Montes de Malaga State Park (Andalusia, Spain)

Changes in forest diversity and the transforma- tion of coniferous plantations into more natural woodlands are of special interest in the Medi- terranean. The aim of this study was to investi- gate changes in land use patterns and vegeta- tion cover from 1956 to 1999 in Pinus halepensis Miller plantations in Montes de Malaga State Park in southern Spain. At the landscape level, a FRAGSTAT analysis was performed using aerial photographs. At the community level, a total of 47 sample plots were analyzed. Field measure- ments indicated the presence of a total of 70 species in the different vegetation types sam- pled. Shannon-Wiener (H), and Simpson’s (D) diversity indices showed the greatest species richness in Aleppo pine plantations (H = 1.54 ± 0.2; D = 3.88 ± 0.6), while Holm oak stands in the forested areas (H = 1.37 ± 0.1; D = 3.35 ± 0.6) and agricultural land (H = 1.33 ± 0.01; D = 2.80 ± 0.03) had lower values. FRAGSTATS analyses at land- scape and community levels indicated increases in patch richness, patch number, and percent of landscape mainly for pine plantations, Holm oak forests and shrub habitats. Replacement of agri- culture by conifer plantations led to the homo- genization of landscape structure. This change has modified the landscape by facilitating the recovery of indigenous tree species including Holm oak, which will likely lead to the future establishment of native forests in this area. Our findings suggest that pine plantations could fa- vour woody species diversity by increasing abundance and species richness in contrast to the situation in non-forested agricultural land.
Analytic computation of beam impedances in complex heterogeneous accelerator geometries

A general framework has been developed for computing longitudinal and transverse beam impedances in accelerator pipes consisting of several coaxial tubes with non simple transverse geometry, possibly made of composite materials and/or bearing special features like, e.g. holes or slots, based on the combined use of the Lorentz reciprocity theorem, Debye potentials, extended impedance boundary conditions, and generalized transmission line (waveguide) circuit concepts. The results are applied to the proposed LHC design.
Quasi-Izothermal Compressors And Expanders With Liquid Piston

This paper is a continuation of efforts made by the authors for developing new systems for compression and expansion of gases and vapors, systems in that the development of processes receives a pronounced isothermal character. In the theoretical analysis of the first part of the paper, we analyze the characteristics of polytrope transformations that occur in the installations for compression and expansion of the state of the art. Are highlighted, clearly, the conditions to be satisfied by these transformations to be as close as possible than an isothermal transformation, and the power limitations resulting from such conditions. Next, we review a number of practical achievements and theoretical studies that overcome these limitations by replacing the solid mobile organ via a liquid piston. We also propose several original types of compressors and expanders with liquid piston and a series of installations that take advantage of this type of driving.
Where is Education for All? Parents’ and Teachers’ Perceptions of Schoolboys Becoming Men in Kirinyaga and Nairobi Counties, KENYA

This paper focuses on findings based on analysis of perceptions of teachers and parents on how schoolboys in Kirinyaga and Nairobi counties constructed masculinities as they negotiated manhood in the midst of a clearly defined race towards attaining Education for All (EFA) goals in Kenya, by end of 2015, which is around the corner –metaphorically speaking. The paper is based on a FAWE 1 -sponsored study conducted in 2012 and 2013 titled “Girl-specific education focus and boys’ participation, performance and construction of masculinities in selected Kenyan schools”. The study posted major school-based findings that were shared through the CICE Research Paper Series No.5 whereby, boys emerged as relatively underperforming in the schooling project compared with their female peers. It was, however, not feasible to include findings of the interplay of parents (fathers and mothers) and teachers and the role and interpretations of constructions of masculinities in their respective school communities. This paper therefore undertakes to fill up this void by foregrounding findings in this regard, specifically the shaping of masculinities among schoolboys as men-in-the-making navigating the pathways to manhood. Conducted in an African Kenyan context, this study raises interest in the multifarious interpretations of the basic feminist standpoint theories that present men as a group that is socialised from childhood to benefit from structures of power – social, economic, political, or otherwise- that are designed to oppress women and girls as a gender category. The study design departed from the traditional Kenyan gender research that often foregrounds girls’ education independent of that of boys, and which consequently fails to problematise boys’ schooling and their construction of masculinities in a comparative manner. For many parents (mothers and fathers) and teachers, schooling in itself did not appear to offer realistic masculine modelling for boys compared with the girls and as such, the boys were disillusioned and distracted from schooling as they searched elsewhere for models of successful masculinities to emulate.
Aerosol and cloud effects on solar brightening and the recent rapid warming

The rapid temperature increase of 1°C over mainland Europe since 1980 is considerably larger than the temperature rise expected from anthropogenic greenhouse gas increases. Here we present aerosol optical depth measurements from six specific locations and surface irradiance measurements from a large number of radiation sites in Northern Germany and Switzerland. The measurements show a decline in aerosol concentration of up to 60%, which have led to a statistically significant increase of solar irradiance under cloud‐free skies since the 1980s. The measurements confirm solar brightening and show that the direct aerosol effect had an approximately five times larger impact on climate forcing than the indirect aerosol and other cloud effects. The overall aerosol and cloud induced surface climate forcing is ∼+1 W m−2 dec−1 and has most probably strongly contributed to the recent rapid warming in Europe.
On–off and proportional–integral controller for a morphing wing. Part 1: Actuation mechanism and control design

The main objective of this research work is the development of an actuation control concept for a new morphing actuation mechanism made of smart materials, which is built from a shape memory alloy (SMA). Two lines of smart actuators were incorporated to a rectangular wing to modify the upper wing surface, made of a flexible skin, with the intention to move the laminar-to-turbulent transition point closer to the wing trailing edge. After a brief introduction of the morphing wing system architecture and requirements, the actuation lines' design and instrumentation are presented. The integrated controller controls the SMA actuators via an electrical current supply, so that the transducer position can be used to eliminate the deviation between the required values for vertical displacements (corresponding to the optimized airfoils) and their physical values. The final configuration of the integrated controller is a combination of a bi-positional (on–off) controller and a PI (proportional–integral) controller, due to the two heating and cooling phases of the SMA wires' interconnection. This controller must behave like a switch between the cooling and the heating phases, situations where the output current is 0 A, or is controlled by a PI type law. The PI controller for the heating phase is optimally tuned using integral and surface minimum error criteria (Ziegler–Nichols). The controller is numerically tested on the linear identified system in terms of time response, Bode diagram, amplitude and phase stability margins, and root-locus.
A tale of three villages: choosing an effective method for assessing poaching levels in western Serengeti, Tanzania

Abstract Poaching for bushmeat is a major problem for conservation of wildlife populations in many parts of Africa, including the Serengeti ecosystem in Tanzania. However, the severity of the poaching problem is often unclear because of a lack of accurate data. Directly asking people to self-report illegal activity faces the obvious problem of under-reporting. Use of arrest records from anti-poaching patrols may reflect levels of poaching activity but could also be driven by funding and quality of anti-poaching efforts. A third method, assessing poaching by asking about bushmeat consumption, is indirect, possibly subject to under-reporting, and also subject to limits on the accuracy of memory of respondents. We compare rates of poaching derived by self-assessment of poaching activities (based on household interviews), dietary recall of bushmeat consumption over a variety of time frames, and arrest records from anti-poaching units. We apply these three methods to assess poaching activities in three villages bordering protected areas on the western boundary of Serengeti National Park. Our results showed that dietary recall of bushmeat consumption and arrest records indicated similar patterns of poaching across the three villages but self-reporting differed significantly. There appear to be significant advantages to coupling results from dietary recall of bushmeat consumption and arrest records to estimate the level of poaching activity. In situations where reliable data from anti-poaching units are unavailable, cost-effective data collection of bushmeat consumption will provide a viable alternative to assess levels of poaching involvement of villages that border protected areas.
Machine Learning Models for Forecasting of Individual Stocks Price Patterns

Stock investors always consider potential future prices before investing in any stock for making a profit. A large number of studies are found on the prediction of stock market indices. However, the focus on individual stock closing price predictions well ahead of time is limited. In this chapter, a comparative study of machine-learning-based models is used for the prediction of the closing price of a particular stock. The proposed models are designed using back propagation neural networks (BPNN), support vector regression (SVR) with SMOReg, and linear regression (LR) for the prediction of the closing price of individual stocks. A total of 37 technical indicators (features) derived from historical closing prices of stocks are considered for predicting the future price of stock in a time window of five days. The experiment is performed on stocks listed on Bombay Stock Exchange (BSS), India. The model is trained and tested using feature values extracted from the past five-year closing price of stocks of different sectors including aviation, pharma, banking, entertainment, and IT.
Perspective of Dimensional Analysis in Medical Science

Abstract This paper presents several applications of the dimensional analysis method to problems investigated in medical sciences. The method is used to analyze various complex processes without using formal laws governing the same. It is particularly suitable for a general analysis of fluid transfer (liquids and gases) in the human body. This paper mainly serves as an overview of selected applications, mostly those emerging in the recent years, and includes a discussion of the mathematical fundamentals of dimensional analysis together followed by its critical analysis. Containing detailed calculations of two examples, the paper also serves as training material in the area of the computational method of the dimensional analysis algorithm.