Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ranked-Based Vector Median Filter

In this paper a new class of noise attenuating and edge enhancing filters for color image processing is proposed. The new filtering design is based, like the vector median filter, on the minimization of aggregated weighted distances between pixels in a filtering window. The weights which are assigned to the sequence of the sorted distances are decreasing functions of their ranks. In this way, the largest distances are taken to the aggregated distance with smallest weight, which ensures much better noise reduction properties of the described filter. Additionally, the proposed method has a unique ability to strengthen the edges of the noisy image objects. This unique deblurring property can be useful in many applications which require reliable impulse noise reduction and efficient edge sharpening of color images.
Effect of dietary zinc (II) chelate complex and zinc (II) enriched soybean meal on selected parameters of in vivo caecal fermentation in laying hens (Lohman Brown).

The study was conducted on 18 laying hens from Lohman Brown at 23 weeks of age. There were two research groups and one control group with six animals each. In the last four weeks of age, the animals were fed follows: Control group (Group C) complete diet; Group I diet containing zinc added via the biosorption process and; Group II: diet containing zinc as an organic chelate complex. The levels of short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) such as acetate, propionate, iso-butyrate, butyrate, iso-valeriate and valeriate were determined. It was observed that using a diet with additives obtained via biosorption does not have a negative influence on fermentation processes in the hen’s caecum.
Shock Events in the Solar System: The Message from Minerals in Terrestrial Planets and Asteroids

Impacts are central to the origin and evolution of planets of the Solar System. The shapes of craters, which can reach up to 1,000 km in diameter on the Moon, provide critical information on the large-scale dynamics of the impact and related shock. Minerals formed at high pressure and temperature found in shocked terrestrial rocks and meteorites give additional and complementary insights on the shock process at a smaller scale, typically from a few micrometers to a few millimeters. Local flaws in rocks, such as voids and mineral interfaces, are the preferential sites for the formation of high-pressure melts and minerals. Calculations based on the physics of shocks and the thermodynamics and kinetics of mineral transformations provide orders of magnitude for the duration, transient pressure, and prevailing temperature conditions of shock events. Case studies on shocked terrestrial and extraterrestrial materials illustrate the links between these parameters and impact duration. Many of the high-pressure min.
A Software Engineering Framework for Context-Aware Service-Based Processes in Pervasive Environments

Context-awareness is considered to be the cornerstone technique for developing pervasive computing applications that are flexible, adaptable, and capable of acting autonomously on behalf of the user. However, context-awareness introduces various software engineering challenges. The separation of concerns is a promising approach in the design of the context-aware adaptive processes (CAAPs) where the core logic is designed and implemented separately from the context handling and adaptation logics. In this respect, this chapter presents a conceptual framework for developing CAAPs and software infrastructure for efficient context management that together address the known software engineering challenges and facilitate the design and implementation tasks associated with such context-aware applications. DOI: 10.4018/978-1-60960-735-7.ch006
The role of pollen identification in examining butterfly pollination networks

Pollinator-plant mutualisms have resulted with developed plant characteristics designed to encourage pollinators to provide pollination services. These mutualisms are particularly noteworthy as 87% of all flowering plants and 75% of all crop plants are positively influenced by animal pollination. According to this pollination syndrome model, most pollinators would be considered specialized with respect to their entire floral community, as they most frequently visit flowers with particular characteristics. However, there is increasing evidence indicating that pollinators are more generalized than once believed. Understanding the structure of pollination networks is key to uncovering the true level of specialization within that network; thus I investigated whether the incorporation of pollen analysis can provide a more accurate representation of the total pollinator-plant interactions than visual surveys alone. I analyzed pollen on 75 butterfly specimens collected from five meadows in the Madrean Sky Islands and compared the pollinator-plant interactions recorded in the pollen to the interactions observed in the field. I found that the pollen data provided a record of more pollinator-plant interactions than the observation data. The pollen data revealed that most species were more generalized than they appeared in the observation data, because I was able to identify additional floral interaction partners that visual surveys missed. The incorporation of pollen data created a more complex network structure, and as a result should be taken into consideration when conducting network studies to allow for more clarity on the level of pollinator specialization within the network.
Evaluation of Herbal Methionine Source in Broiler Diets

3 Abstract: A study was conducted to evaluate an herbal methionine replacement product in diets for young broiler chicks. A corn-soybean meal diet that was complete in all respects but methionine was prepared and divided into three aliquots. One was supplemented with 0.30% DL methionine and another was supplemented with the herbal methionine replacement product. Each of these was then blended with the unsupplemented basal diet to provide diets with 0, 0.05, 0.10, 0.15, 0.20, 0.25 and 0.30% of either DL methionine or the herbal methionine replacement product. Each diet was fed to twelve pens of five male broiler type chicks each in electrically heated battery brooders. The diets and tap water were provided for ad libitum feeding from day of hatch to 18 d of age. Analysis of the diets indicated that the methionine activity of the diets with DL methionine was close to expected values but no apparent increase in analyze d methionine activity in diets supplemented with the herbal methionine replacement product. Body weight gain and feed conversion of birds fed the diets with DL methionine were significantly superior to that of birds fed the diets with the herbal methionine replacement product. No significant differences were observed between birds fed the two products for weight of digestive or immune organs when expressed as a percentage of body weight. These data suggest that the herbal methionine replacement product is not suitable for use as a methionine source in diets for young broiler chicks.
Low Power and Low Voltage Operational Amplifier Master thesis (60pt)

Reducing the supply voltage of operational ampli ers and analog circuitry in general, is of great importance as it will ensure the future coexistence of analog and digital circuits on the same silicon die. While digital circuits greatly bene t from the reduction in feature size and supply voltage, analog circuits on the other hand only bene t marginally because minimum size transistors cannot be used due to noise and o set requirements. This trend towards low voltage and low power, e ects the fundamental limits of operational ampliers. The gain and bandwidth are restricted by minimum voltages and currents. Also the dynamic range is degraded by these strict limits. Upwards, the dynamic range is lowered due to the reduced signal headroom as a result of reduced supply voltage. Downwards, the dynamic range is limited by larger noise voltages due to smaller supply currents. The only way to make the operational ampli er survive the trend towards lower supply voltages without deteriorate its characteristics, is by developing very e cient operational ampli er topologies that combines low voltage and low power operation and contemporary be as simple as possible to save die area. This thesis presents some of the main aspects of low voltage and low power operational ampli ers and their ability to work from rail to rail on both input and output. The input referred o set voltage was also characterized. Theory around input and output stages are studied. A low voltage operational ampli er was processed in 0. 35μm CMOS. Measurements were done on the operational ampli er and compared with the simulation results.
Certain Single-Valued Neutrosophic Graphs

Neutrosophic sets are the generalization of the concept of fuzzy sets and intuitionistic fuzzy sets. Neutrosophic models give more flexibility, precisions and compatibility to the system as compared to the classical, fuzzy and intuitionistic fuzzy models. In this research paper, we present certain types of single-valued neutrosophic graphs, including regular single-valued neutrosophic graphs, totally regular single-valued neutrosophic graphs, edge regular single-valued neutrosophic graphs and totally edge regular single-valued neutrosophic graphs. We also investigate some of their related properties
HEMAGGLUTININ AND NEURAMINIDASE FROM INFLUENZA VIRUS HS-SUBTYPE OR N1-SUBTYPE AND USES THEREOF

Kaverinet al (Journal of Virology 81: 12911-12917, 2007). * He etal (Clinical and Vaccine Immunology 14:617-623, 2007). * Hanson etal (Respiratory Research 7:126:1-10, 2006). * Kaverinet al (Journal of General Virology 83:4297-2505, 2002.* Genbank ABI36428, hemagglutinin Influenza A virus (A/Indonesia CDC669/2006(H5N1)), Apr. 25, 2008. * Genbank ABW'90134, hemagglutinin Influenza A virus (A Viet Nam/1203/2004(H5N1))), isolate="escape mutant m15(20), Nov. 14, 2007. * Smirnov, Y. et al. An Epitope Shared by the Hemagglutinins of H1. H2, H5, and H6 Subtypes of Influenza AVirus, ACTAVirologica, vol. 43, No. 4, Aug. 1, 1999, pp. 237-244, XP009095964, Academia Prague, CS. Sheng, Wu Gong Cheng Xue Bao, Chinese Journal of Biotechnology, vol. 23, No. 2, Mar. 2007, pp. 292-296. Luo, Hai-Feng et al., “Characterization of a Broad-Spectrum Neu tralization Monoclonal Antibody Against Haemagglutinin of H5 Subtype Avian Influenza Virus. ” Bingdu Xuebao—Chinese Journal of Virology, Zhongguo Weishengwu Xuchui, Beijing, CN, vol. 23. No. 2, Mar. 1, 2007, pp. 85-90, XP001525.197 (abstract only), 1 page. Hanson, Brendon J. et al., “Passive Immunoprophylaxis and Therapy with Humanized Monoclonal Antibody Specific for Influenza A H5 Hemagglutinin in Mice. ” Respiratory Research, vol.7. No. 126, Jan. 1, 2006, pp. 1-10, XP002547473. Extended European Search Report, Reference: HB/P42052EP. Applin No. 0883,0693.1-1222/22
Controlling bruchid pests of stored cowpea seeds with dried leaves of Artemisia annua and two other common botanicals

Insecticidal activities of dried Artemisia annu a L. leaves were evaluated against bruchid ( Callosobruchus maculatus F.) pests in comparison with those of Azadirachta indica, Ocimum gratissimum and a conventional grain storage insecticide, Actellic® 2% dust. Each treatment was added to a mixture of 250 g cowpea seeds and 25 adult bruchids and laid out in a completely randomized design with four replicates. Irrespective of the concentration tested, all three plant materials significantly (P < 0.05) increased mortality rate of adult insects earlier than the control. Higher concentrations of the botanical pesticides equally resulted in an increased reduction in the number of surviving bruchids and reduction to seed damage through a lower number of eggs laid and weevil perforation index (WPI) after 90 days. Comparatively, A. annua was more effective than the other plant materials at all levels evaluated though it was not as effective as Actellic 2% dust. Moreover, differences amongst the efficiency rates and interactions between A. annua and A. indica in three treatment combinations produced a significant (P < 0.05) effect on two of the parameters evaluated. Taken together, all plant materials evaluated here were seen to have significant insecticidal properties and could therefore, be used as environmentally friendly products for controlling bruchid pests during storage of cowpeas with no adverse effects on eventual mammalian consumers as observed during an animal feeding trial in this study. Key words: Actellic 2% dust, botanical pesticides, Callosobruchus maculatus, Vigna unguiculata, weevil perforation index.
Reconsidering asset allocation involving illiquid assets

Alternative assets are gaining increasing importance in investors' portfolios. One of their defining characteristic is their poor liquidity, which often translates into an inherent smoothing process of the returns. For asset allocation purposes, this feature has to be seriously addressed as it leads to a severe underestimation of the variance of returns and their correlation with other (standard) assets. In this paper, in order to deal with practical issues, we extend previous researches that model the smoothing process as a moving-average one in several directions: (i) we propose a correction for the case of numerous illiquid assets; (ii) we investigate the implications of the standard practice of fitting autoregressive models in place of moving-average models for the correction of the returns variance; and (iii) we provide a generalisation to the case where the returns process is jointly governed by smoothing and true (economically) time-dependent behaviour. All the theoretical results are illustrated empirically with applications to US real estate and venture capital indexes.
Market orientation of the Swedish pork sector-The case of the demutualization of Swedish Meats

In 2007, the largest slaughterhouse in Sweden, the farmer cooperative Swedish Meats, demutualized. That was the end of cooperative dominance in the Swedish meat industry. Paper VI claims that Swedish Meats demutualized because members no longer perceived the benefits from dealing with the cooperative to exceed the costs. This was possibly due to decreased market transaction costs (external transaction costs) and increased internal transaction costs, e.g. agency costs, caused by the problems of Vaguely Defined Property Rights (VDPR). This thesis explores why the demutualization came about following the hypothesis that lack of market orientation caused lower profitability and poorer member benefits. Market orientation is analyzed using one external and one internal perspective. The external perspective reflects that market orientation requires correct market intelligence regarding consumer needs and correct market signals to the upstream actors. This perspective is discussed using the results from Paper I, II and III in this thesis. Paper I shows that even though pork is an overall low involvement product, branded pork has more involved consumers enabling producers to apply a differentiating strategy. It is indicated that Swedish Meats was successful in communicating that consumers should buy Swedish meat. The potential of differentiating the supply of pork with the help of branding also enabled suppliers to overcome difficulties associated with situational factors, which influence consumer choice. Paper II provides a comparison between results regarding consumers’ purchasing decisions studied at the Point-ofPurchase versus in other settings. As the supermarket category manager is the gatekeeper to the pork consumer, the supplier market orientation is dependent on the category manager’s decision-making. This is discussed in Paper III. The market intelligence collected from the consumer and retailer has to be considered when the cooperative members make strategic decisions regarding product development and marketing. This internal perspective of market orientation is discussed using the results from paper IV, which indicates that the problems of VDPR aggravated the cooperative’s ability to respond to the market conditions.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease is a disease of multiple heterogeneous conditions changing over time: a Bayesian probability model-based meta-analysis of the ECLIPSE data

Since 2011, patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have been classified into four categories (A to D). Investigators of the Evaluation of COPD Longitudinally to Identify Predictive Surrogate End-points (ECLIPSE) study reported stability and changeover time in the distribution of A-B-C-D categories of ECLIPSE cohorts. The rule of change, however, in the distribution seems different among different cohorts, and remains to be clearly defined. We analyzed the ECLIPSE data by Bayes probability model and obtained a mathematical expression of a set of matrices for the rule of change to define the rule of change in the distribution of A-B-C-D categories. Applying the matrices to each category group in the ECLIPSE revealed that there are common distributions of categories among the category groups. We extended this result to each COPD patient as the distribution of A-B-C-D categories of changing conditions over time. Our proposal is optimizing the care and treatment for each COPD patient by targeting the current condition classified with the A-B-C-D categories.
Cavitation Erosion Resistance Of FeAl Intermetallic Alloys And Al2O3 – Based Ceramics

The problem of the devastation of fluid-flow machinery components is very complex, because it consists of processes of erosion and corrosion. The most dangerous factor is the cavitation phenomenon, which is very difficult to eliminate through the use of design solutions. Usage of materials with greater resistance to cavitation erosion seems to be an obvious effective method of prevention. Such materials as FeAl intermetallic alloys and ceramic materials may be considered as reasonable candidates for this purpose. In the presented work, cavitation erosion resistance of FeAl intermetallic alloys and Al2O3 – based ceramic materials, was investigated and compared.
Putting the “E” in SPIDER: Evolving Trends in the Evaluation of Environmental Enrichment Efficacy in Zoological Settings

In their seminal paper on environmental enrichment, Mellen and MacPhee (2001) proposed a set of broad goals for enrichment in zoological settings, as well as a framework for enrichment programs. Since that time, the philosophy and practice of environmental enrichment in zoos has continued to grow. Here we review evaluations of enrichment efficacy in the literature since 2001, looking for trends in species, target behaviors, enrichment strategies, and analytic techniques and discussing progress toward the SPIDER vision and outstanding needs in the field. We selected 94 peer-reviewed and 121 non-peer-reviewed articles for review, representing enrichment strategies across a wide range of species. The number of peer-reviewed articles published per year was relatively stable, such that the cumulative number of articles has continued to rise over the thirteen-year review period. We echo the call issued by a number of authors for continued and improved evaluation of enrichment efficacy, and add a recommendation for further exploration of single-subject experimental designs. We also call for focus on a broader array of species and on specific areas of application including reintroduction.
TRANSMISSION ZERO DESIGN GRAPH FOR DUAL-MODE DUAL-BAND FILTER WITH PERIODIC STEPPED-IMPEDANCE RING RESONATOR

Compact dual-mode dual-band bandpass fllters are realized with a single periodic stepped-impedance ring resonator. Neither extra resonator nor substrate layer is required for implementing the second passband. Based on the transmission line theory, a transmission zero design graph consisting of the transmission zeros together with the resonant frequencies of the resonator is developed against the space separation angle between the input and output ports. Based on this graph, when the line-to-ring feed structure is implemented, the space angle can be determined for the dual-mode dual-band design with designated zeros near the two passbands. It is believed that this is the flrst design graph for designating the transmission poles and zeros of a dual-mode ring resonator fllter before the excitation structure is realized. Three dual-mode dual-band bandpass fllters are carried out for demonstration. All circuits occupy only 60% of the area of the conventional ring resonator bandpass fllter
Inverse problems for damped vibrating systems

Linear damped vibrating systems are defined by three real definite matrices, M40; DX0; and K40; the mass, damping, and stiffness matrices, respectively. It is assumed that all eigenvalues of the system are simple and nonreal so that the eigenvectors (columns of a matrix X c 2 C ) are also complex. It is shown that, when properly defined, the eigenvectors have a special structure consistent with X c 1⁄4 X RðI iYÞ where X R;Y 2 R ; X R is nonsingular and Y is orthogonal. By taking advantage of this structure solutions of the inverse problem are obtained: i.e., given complete information on the eigenvalues and eigenvectors, it is shown how M; D; and K can be found. Three points of view are developed and compared (namely, using spectral theory, structure preserving similarities, and factorisation theory). r 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Nonlinear Control of Chaotic Rikitake Two-Disk Dynamo

In this paper the modern nonlinear theory, bifurcation and chaos theory, is used to investigate and analyze the dynamics of the Rikitake two-disk dynamo system. The mathematical model of the Rikitake sys- tem consists of three nonlinear differential equations, which found to be the same as the mathematical model of the well known Lorenz system. The study showed that the system is experiencing a chaotic behavior at certain value of the control parameter. The experienced chaotic oscillation can be simulates the reversal of the Earth magnetic field. Finally, a nonlinear controller based on the backstepping theory is designed to control the chaotic behaviors. The designed controller was so effective in controlling the unstable chaotic oscillations.
SOCIAL INTERACTIVE QUALITY OF PARENT-CHILD SCAFFOLDING AS A PREDICTOR OF CHILDREN'S EXECUTIVE FUNCTION

The present study examined how specific social interactive patterns of parent-child scaffolding are predictive of the attentional-switching executive functioning (EF) of children, 20 29 months of age (M = 25.0, SD = 2.6, N = 37). Prior research has established that directive and elaborative parental utterances are predictive of children's cognitive performance. A ring puzzle was used to assess parent-child scaffolding. Children were assessed on a battery of EF tasks. Contingency scores produced by sequential analysis of parent-child interactive patterns, wherein directive and elaborative parental utterances contingently followed children's puzzle-solving activities, were predicted to be positively associated with children's EF performance. After controlling for children's age, gender, verbal ability, parental education, frequency of both children's problem solving activities and parental utterance type, hierarchical regression revealed that contingent elaborative utterances, but not contingent directive utterances, were predictive of children's EF. Implications of the results for developmental research are discussed.
THE EMERGENCE OF AGE MANAGEMENT IN EUROPE

This article examines the recent rise in Europe of an interest in age management at both organisational and national policy levels. It discusses the main reasons for this new focus: workforce ageing, the age/employment paradox, the public policy imperatives, the organisational pressures and the goal of equal opportunities or age diversity. Some illustrations are provided of age management organisational strategies. The final part of the article proposes a way forward from the current mainly passive approach to age management towards genuine age diversity in organisations.