Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Motion boundary emphasised optical flow method for human action recognition

This study proposes a three-stream model using two different types of deep convolutional neural networks (CNNs): (i) a spatial stream with a CNN on images; (ii) a ResNet (residual network) on optical flows; and, (iii) a ResNet on the concatenation of motion features. This model is applied to four datasets: (i) UCF Sports; (ii) Youtube Sports; (iii) SBU action interaction; and (iv) a subset of the UCF-1M Sports. Using two optical flow estimation methods: (i) a motion boundary emphasised Epicflow (Edge Preserving Interpolation Correspondences for Optical Flow) method, (MBEpicflow); and (ii) the Flownet 2 method, a learning optical flow estimation method. It was found that (i) the proposed MBEpicflow outperforms the Flownet 2 method on the SBU dataset, while the Flownet 2 performs equally well or better than the MBEpicflow method on the other three datasets, and these results are the best when compared with those obtained using other approaches on all datasets evaluated. These results showed the importance of accurate optical flow plays in human action recognition, an aspect which has been seldom addressed. Moreover, it showed that if some measure of the global behaviours of motion is incorporated, the generalisation performance is often improved by 1–2%.
First Report of Hemp Leaf Spot Caused by a Bipolaris Species on Hemp (Cannabis sativa) in Kentucky

Upon reintroduction of hemp (Cannabis sativa) in 2014, reports of a leaf spot disease became increasingly common in Kentucky. Outdoor-grown plants became severely affected with necrosis and blight symptoms, and many crops were rejected by processors either as a result of leaf and bud necrosis or as a result of reduced levels of cannabidiol. Morphological data and sequences of ITS and partial 28S rDNA identified the pathogen as Drechslera gigantea. Phylogenetic analysis grouped all isolates in a clade within Bipolaris. Dicot and monocot weed hosts within symptomatic fields were also identified. We refer to the disease as Bipolaris leaf spot, but the common reference is hemp leaf spot. This is the first report of a Bipolaris pathogen infecting C. sativa. Widespread distribution, disease severity, and extreme yield losses makes this one of the most important diseases of hemp in Kentucky.
Effect of Supplementation with Jackfruit and Pineapple Juice for Fermentation of Banana Pseudo-Stem Core Juice

The study was undertaken to assess the effect of supplementation of Jackfruit and pineapple juice for fermentation of banana pseudo-stem core juice using yeast (Saccharomyces ellipsoideus, NCIM-3200) and lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacillus plantarum, MTCC 6161). The result indicated that yeast fermented pseudo-stem core juice blended with jackfruit juice and pineapple juices showed maximum reduction in TSS, pH, reducing sugar and total sugar with the highest alcohol (6.60%) and overall acceptability (14.75/20.0). LAB fermented pseudo-stem core juice blended with both jackfruit and pineapple juice was observed with highest lactic acid bacterial counts and titrable acidity (0.83%) compared to other LAB fermented treatments.
Process Innovation as a Moderator Linking Sustainable Supply Chain Management with Sustainable Performance in the Manufacturing Sector of Pakistan

Purpose: The aim of this research paper is to significantly contribute to empirical research on the impact of sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) practices on sustainable performances of firms, with the moderating effect of process innovation (PI), in the manufacturing sector in Pakistan. This paper also theorizes comprehensive SSCM practices and sustainable performance models of firms and evaluates them empirically. Two aspects of SSCM experiences have been integrated into the model: internal management and external management practices of a firm’s sustainability impact assessment. Research methodology: Using the data from 297 manufacturing firms in Pakistan, this research paper analyzes the influence of sustainable supply chain management practices on sustainable performances of firms with the moderation of process innovation in the said relationship. In this study, we used partial least-squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) for data analysis. Results: The findings demonstrate that both internal management and external management SSCM practices have a positive and significant impact on a firm’s sustainable performance, thus supporting hypotheses (H1–H4). Moreover, process innovation as a moderator has a statistically significant relationship between hypotheses H5 and H5c. Originality: For Pakistani firms, comprehensive performance models of SSCM practices are proposed and empirically evaluated. The results of this study help to support the hypotheses that internal and external SSCM practices are necessary for the service sector. Process innovation plays an important role if managed and implemented properly. A number of internal and external SSCM approaches and implications are recommended, along with firm size as a moderator.
Internal marketing, service quality and perceived customer satisfaction

Purpose This study aims to explore the extent to which internal marketing influences employees’ perceived ability to deliver service quality in the Islamic banking industry in Oman. Additionally, the influence of perceived service quality on perceived customer satisfaction is established. Design/methodology/approach Data was obtained from retail banking branch employees at the customer front line of Islamic banks in Oman using electronic and person-administered surveys, and 272 responses were deemed suitable for data analysis. The measurement and structural models were measured through structural equation modelling. Findings The findings show that internal promotion, internal process and internal purpose are enablers of employees’ perceived ability to deliver service quality in the Islamic banking industry of Oman. In addition, service quality was found to have a strong positive influence on perceived customer satisfaction in Islamic banks. Research limitations/implications This study demonstrates that internal product, internal price, internal promotion, internal process and internal purpose are influencers of service quality, and the latter has a direct relationship with perceived customer satisfaction in Islamic banking. Practical implications The findings can guide the Islamic banking sector in Oman on how internal marketing can foster service quality, ultimately leading to positive perceived customer satisfaction experiences. Originality/value The internal marketing mix model is predominately a Western model, which has been tested primarily in mature Western markets. This study reflects on ten internal marketing mix elements, which have been tested for the enablement of service quality and perceived customer satisfaction in Oman.
Umweltforschungsplan des Bundesministeriums fr Umwelt, Naturschutz und Reaktorsicherheit

The Water Framework Directive sets the ambitious goal of attaining “good status” for Europe’s rivers, lakes, groundwater bodies and coastal waters by 2015 in accordance with a clearly defined timeline. In March 2010 the various EU member states submitted their Water Framework Directive river basin management plans to the European Commission, which will now determine whether these plans and programmes meet Water Framework Directive requirements and will allow for achievement of the relevant environmental objectives. Water body management poses a major challenge in densely populated countries such as Germany. The present text describes the relevant facts and outcomes concerning river basin management planning in Germany, the key planning steps of this process and the conclusions and results yielded by these activities. Furthermore, the text provides an overview of current water body status in Germany and in so doing answers the following questions: What exactly does “good status” entail and which requirements come into play for this classification? What is the status of German water bodies today? How can we attain the mandated environmental objectives? Which measures are in the pipeline? Which actors will carry out these measures and how much will they cost?
Marxism and Political Economy in Education: An Interpretation of Jean Anyon's Critical Pedagogy

Jean Anyon (1941-2013) is a critical pedagogical researcher and social activist in the United States. All her life, she devoted herself to taking education as a breakthrough, exposing the ugliness of capitalist countries and promoting the equality of society and education. She uses Marxist theory to analyze the relationship between social class and school knowledge, hidden curriculum; education and mainstream ideology; and conflicts and resistances in education, emphasizing the theoretical and practical significance of Marxism in today's education. In order to find the deepest problem of education, Jean Anyon demonstrates the relationship between school education and macroeconomic policy from the perspective of political economics; the dialectical relationship between education reform and economic reform; and explains the reasons for education failure by quoting David Harvey's concept of "deprivation accumulation". Facing the cruel situation, Jean Anyon did not lose confidence, but found the "radical possibility" and put forward the concept of social change centered on education reform.
Polymer Drugs and Polymeric Drugs X: Slow Release of 5-Fluorouracil from Biodegradable Poly(γ-Glutamic Acid) and its Benzyl Ester Matrices

We prepared poly(γ-glutamic acid)(γ-PGA) benzyl ester(γ-PBG) by the esterification of γ-PGA and benzyl bromide and evaluated the degradation behavior and its usefulness as a drug delivery system (DDS) matrix using 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) as a model drug. γ-PBG degraded in an acidic solution gradually for up to 130 days, and degraded very slowly in a phosphate buffer solution (pH 7.4). After 150 days, the weight loss of the γ-PBG film was only 10% in a phosphate buffer solution. A slow release of 5-FU from γ-PBG films was achieved. The release rate was affected by the pH of the outer solution and the loading drug. We observed an initial burst-release on the first day, after that, the release of 5-FU was diffusion-controlled. γ-PBG may be a novel biodegradable material that may be useful in the pharmaceutical, biomedical, and agricultural fields.
The hazardous impacts of multiple repeated cesarean deliveries on adhesion formation and obstetric outcomes

Aim: The aim of this study was to determine whether the impact of repeat cesarean deliveries (CD) and abdominal adhesions on maternal and fetal complications exists in patients with a history of one previous CD and ones with three or more prior CD. Material and Methods: A total of one hundred-one pregnant women with a history of at least one previous CD were included in this prospective observational study. Participants were divided into two groups, patients with a single CD were added to the control group (n=56) and patients with a history of three or more CD were included in the study group (n=45). Preoperative scar characteristics and hemoglobin levels, intraoperative adhesion severity and grade were evaluated by using Linsky and Nair classifications for adhesion. In addition, duration of surgery, maternal complications and fetal status by using APGAR scoring system was analyzed, respectively. Results: Demographic features were comparable between the groups. The differences among the groups were found to be statistically significant in terms of adhesion intensity and grade (1.13 vs 0.42, p<0.01 and 1.80 vs 0.89, p<0.01, respectively), hemoglobin change (1.42 vs 0.83 mg/dL, p=0.011) and operation duration (47.60 vs 36.82 min, p<0.01). In addition, APGAR scores were significantly lower in the multiple repeat cesarean group (1.min; 8.31 vs 8.64, p=0.02 and 5.min 9.37 vs 9.64, p=0.04, respectively). Conclusion: Multiple repeat CD was associated with poor obstetric outcomes and complications. Careful preoperative evaluation and preparation might be useful in reducing complications, especially in patients with a history of three or more CD.
Systematic Pattern Synthesis for Single Antennas Using Characteristic Mode Analysis

In this article, a systematic and generally applicable method to synthesize patterns for single antennas is proposed based on characteristic mode analysis (CMA). Both the theoretical analysis and real implementations are taken into consideration. To obtain a desired pattern, we first calculate the weighting coefficient of each mode using the correlation between the characteristic field and the desired pattern. Afterward, the synthesized current and the feeding vector are solved using CMA, providing feeding information, such as feeding numbers, locations, amplitude, and phase. The feeding vector is nonsparse, making practical feeding impossible. In this circumstance, the theory of compressed sensing is applied so that the number of ports can be greatly reduced, and the synthesized pattern is still highly correlated with the desired one. The method is applied to 2-D and 3-D structures, where a mobile handset and a scaled model of the shipboard are utilized as representatives. The prototype of the handset antenna was fabricated and measured, with the desired pattern achieved, having null in the boresight direction and being almost omni-directional on the plane of the chassis. The measured results agree well with the simulated ones. With the synthesized pattern, the handset antenna is robust to the user effects. The method can be generally applied to pattern synthesis for planar and 3-D antennas.
VU Research Portal Dimerization and signaling of the chemokine receptors CXCR3 and CCX-CKR

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Examining the Influence of Saliency in Mobile Interface Displays

: Designers spend more resources to develop better mobile experiences today than ever before. Researchers commonly use visual search efficiency as a usability measure to determine the time or effort it takes someone to perform a task. Previous research has shown that a computational visual saliency model can predict attentional deployment in stationary desktop displays. Designers can use this salience awareness to co-locate important task information with higher salience regions. Research has shown that placing targets in higher salience regions in this way improves interface efficiency. However, researchers have not tested the model in key mobile technology design dimensions such as small displays and touch screens. In two studies, we examined the influence of saliency in a mobile application interface. In the first study, we explored a saliency model’s ability to predict fixations in small mobile interfaces at three different display sizes under free-viewing conditions. In the second study, we examined the influence that visual saliency had on search efficiency while participants completed a directed search for either an interface element associated with high or low salience. We recorded reaction time to touch the targeted element on the tablet. We experimentally blocked high and low saliency interactions and subjectively measured cognitive workload. We found that a saliency model predicted fixations. In the search task, participants found highly salient targets about 900 milliseconds faster than low salient targets. Interestingly, participants did not perceive a lighter cognitive workload associated with the increase in search efficiency.
Collision of two epidemics: prevalence of diabetes in tuberculosis patients in urban Ludhiana

Background: Co-association between tuberculosis (TB) and diabetes has been observed for more than 2000 years. The burden of the both diabetes and tuberculosis is very high in India. Diabetes in TB patient decreases the success of anti-tubercular therapy and overall cure rates, which causes social and economic burden to country. The objective of the study was to find out the prevalence of diabetes mellitus in patients with tuberculosis under RNTCP treatment. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in DOTS centers under Civil Hospital TU of Ludhiana, Punjab. 300 TB cases, above 18 years of age were included and screened for diabetes. Patients were interviewed regarding demographic profile and family history of diabetes. Height, weight, blood pressure, BMI and waist hip ratio were recorded. Results: The prevalence of diabetes in tuberculosis patients was found to be 21.3% (known diabetics- 6.3%, new diabetes cases- 15%). There was a statistically significant association of diabetes with older age and high BMI. Conclusions: Specific guidelines for management of the dual disease may help in improving the overall success of treatment.
Modulacion a través de la dieta del confort intestinal de los pollitos

Las enfermedades entéricas, como la coccidiosis, el síndrome de malabsorción, colibacilosis y la enteritis necrótica, son causa de pérdidas significativas en producción y calidad del pollo broiler. En la actualidad, estas enfermedades entéricas se controlan en la práctica mediante el uso de agentes anti-microbianos en el alimento y/o el agua de bebida (Dekich, 1998). Los agentes anti-microbianos incluyen los coccidiostáticos, los promotores de crecimiento anti-microbianos (PCAM) y medicamentos específicos. Sin embargo, la creciente preocupación de los consumidores sobre el posible traslado de la resistencia antibiótica a los patógenos causantes de enfermedades humanas, ha provocado la prohibición de la mayoría de los PCAM y el uso restringido de medicamentos en la Comunidad Europea. Si no se desarrolla ningún producto alternativo, este movimiento podría llevar a un aumento en la incidencia de enfermedades entéricas con un efecto adverso en el bienestar animal y la producción.
The e-learning future in Algeria

The technology revolution has been a quantum leap in the creation of new teaching methods to bring special advantages to people who may find it difficult to enroll in the traditional education system. Algeria is among the countries that have adopted e-learning to optimize the use of modern technologies. Our study aims primarily at highlighting the experience of Algeria by following up the methods of e-learning and showing the most important features of this type of education.
Relations between Interannual Variability of Regional-Scale Indonesian Precipitation and Large-Scale Climate Modes during 1960–2007

Regional-scale precipitation responses over Indonesia to major climate modes in the tropical Indo–Pacific Oceans, namely canonical El Niño, El Niño Modoki, and the Indian Ocean dipole (IOD), and how the responses are related to large-scale moisture convergences are investigated. The precipitation responses, analyzed using a high-spatial-resolution (0.5° × 0.5°) terrestrial precipitation dataset for the period 1960–2007, exhibit differences between the dry (July–September) and wet (November–April) seasons. Canonical El Niño strongly reduces precipitation in central to eastern Indonesia from the dry season to the early wet season and northern Indonesia in the wet season. El Niño Modoki also reduces precipitation in central to eastern Indonesia during the dry season, but conversely increases precipitation in western Indonesia in the wet season. Moisture flux analysis indicates that corresponding to the dry (wet) season precipitation reduction due to the canonical El Niño and El Niño Modoki anomalous divergence occurs around the southern (northern) edge of the convergence zone when one of the two edges is located near the equator (10°S–15°N) associated with their seasonal migration. This largely explains the seasonality and regionality of precipitation responses to canonical El Niño and El Niño Modoki. IOD reduces precipitation in southwestern Indonesia in the dry season, associated with anomalous moisture flux divergence. The seasonality of precipitation response to IOD is likely to be controlled by the seasonality of local sea surface temperature anomalies in the eastern pole of the IOD.
Effect of Line Energy Density and Wall Thickness on the Top Surface Quality of AlSi10Mg Sample Fabricated via Selective Laser Melting

The effect of line energy density (LED) and wall thickness on the top surface quality of AlSi10Mg sample fabricated by selective laser melting (SLM) has been investigated in this paper. It is observed that the surface morphology has great evolution which the molten track turns to regular and then to irregular with the increase in LED. The line roughness (Ra) and peak height (Rz) decrease first and then increase as the LED increases. The optimal LED for low Ra/Rz increases from 0.1389 J/mm to 0.30 J/mm with the wall thickness increases from 0.1 mm to 2 mm. This work can provide a guide of manufacturing complexy geometrical thin-walled parts with a fine top surface quality.
Bacterial microbiota associated with ants of the genus Tetraponera

Tropical arboreal ants mainly feed as 'secondary herbivores', relying mostly on nitrogen-poor homopteran exudates as food. It has been speculated that this nitrogen-limitation of their diet may be overcome by nutritional upgrading with the help of symbiotic bacteria. We examined the bacterial diversity associated with several representatives of three species groups of the arboreal ant genus Tetraponera based on genes encoding 16S rRNA, citrate synthase and a structural protein of the dinitrogenase complex ( nifH ). The bacterial microflora showed group-specificity, suggest- ing long-term association between ants and bacteria. In all specimens of four species of the nigra group, we detected bacteria closely related to Bartonella (order Rhizobiales). Ants of the allaborans group harboured bacteria belonging to the enterobacteria. In Tetraponera pilosa of the third species group, we found the enterobacterium Pantoea agglo- merans . In spite of the different phylogenetic affiliation of the bacteria identified in the three species groups, the presence of nifH in most species suggests a role in nitrogen metabolism of the bacterial microbiota. We also detected a high infection rate with the intracellular bacterium Wolbachia in all Tetraponera species groups. Besides the widespread bacteria found in Tetraponera , we discovered a diverse group of bacteria represented by single sequences. © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2007, 90 , 399-412. ADDITIONAL KEYWORDS: 16S rRNA - gut flora - Formicidae - nitrogen fixation - Rhizobiales - symbiosis - TGGE.
Socio-technological Factors and Changing Urban Spaces

In the Information Age, it is becoming crucial to understand the socio-technological factors and their possible outcomes so as to fulfill the upcoming spatial needs of the society. Thus, it is aimed to put forward how socio-spatiality is changing along with the developments in new information and communication technologies (nICTs) in the twenty-first century, and how socio-technological factors are affecting urban space in terms of the formation of new urban functions/uses or spaces that will habit/suit/house these dynamics within the city. The outcome of the study shows that there are three phases by which urban (public) space is expected to change according to the impact of socio-technological factors.