Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Scale and Rotation Invariant Shape Features for Animal Identification

Nowadays animal identification is an emerging area, due to extinction and endangering of animals. In order to identify an animal in an image, the image has to be described or represented by certain features. Shape is an important visual feature of an image. We can identify the animals using shape properties of different animals like dog, deer, camel, elephant etc. The main objective of this paper is to identification of animal. First label the multiple animals in image by using component labeling method. After labeling each animal by using image operation extract scale and rotation invariant shape features of the animal images, then creation of feature vectors for every animal in animal database to get the feature database. Finally using K-means clustering method used for identification of animal that achieves efficient animal identification System.
International Comparative and Competitive Advantage of Post-Soviet Countries in Tourism

In this study, the comparative and competitive advantage of Post-Soviet countries in the tourism sector is examined. Firstly, whether the tourism sector of the countries included in the sample developed between 1995 and 2018 was examined. Revealed Comparative Advantages Index which is developed by Balassa and Expanded Balassa Index were used to analyze the comparative and competitive advantage of countries, respectively, which are the main purpose of the study. The results of the study, which are calculated based on the data obtained from the database of the World Bank, provide information especially regarding the advantageous position of Georgia regarding Balassa Index. In addition to Georgia, Armenia, Kyrgyz Republic, Moldova, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Estonia and Uzbekistan have international comparative advantage and when the situation of the countries is evaluated over the EB index it is concluded to, Tajikistan and Georgia have strong, Kyrgyz Republic and Moldova have medium, Latvia, Estonia, Armenia, Lithuania and Belarus have weak competitive advantage. The research is important in terms of the policies that Post Soviet countries will form within the scope of tourism sectors.
CULTIVAR AS ONE OF THE FACTORS AFFECTING THE ANTHOCYANIN CONTENT AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY IN STRAWBERRY FRUITS

Anthocyanins belong to polyphenolic compounds with significant antioxidant effects. Anthocyanins in strawberries are the best known and quantitatively the most important polyphenolic compounds and antioxidant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory as well as antineurodegenerative biological properties are attributed to them. In seven strawberry cultivars (Alba, Anthea, Asia, Clery, Joly, Korona, Sonáta) the anthocyanin content and antioxidant activity were determined spectrophotometrically. The highest anthocyanin content was determined in cv. Sonáta (212.735 mg.kg fresh weight), the highest value of antioxidant activity was identified in fruits of cv. Asia (94.953%). Statistically significant differences (α = 0.05) between strawberry cultivars in values of anthocyanin content as well as antioxidant activity were confirmed. Middle strong statistical dependence between anthocyanin content and antioxidant activity was confirmed (P-value = 2.348 . 10).
Successive line-locked C iv doublets in quasar SDSS J115122.14+020426.3

Rodríguez Hidalgo et al. (2013, ApJ, 775, 14) have reported the transition of a C iv mini-broad absorption line (mini-BAL) into a BAL in quasar SDSS J115122.14+020426.3 (hereafter J1151+0204). Based on the two-epoch spectra obtained from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, we further investigate the three BAL systems (systems A, B and C) in J1151+0204. First, we confirm that the absorption-line variability in J1151+0204 is most likely caused by the change in ionization in response to the continuum variation, according to at least the following observational factors: coordinated strengthening is detected between multiple absorption troughs, and the continuum shows obvious weakening. According to photoionization simulations, asynchronized variability between the continuum and absorption lines indicates that the mini-BAL (system A) of J1151+0204 actually represents the state of a higher ionization level and lower C iv column density of the outflow, while its BAL identifies the state of a lower ionization level and higher C iv column density. Second, we find a rare case of a quintuple, which is due to four successive line-locked C iv doublets, within system C. This indicates that these outflow clouds have achieved a high degree of clumpiness, and that the radiative forces play a significant role in the acceleration process of these clumpy outflow clouds.
Effective Communication Strategies of Sustainable Hospitality: A Qualitative Exploration

Sustainability is a pivotal issue for the development of hospitality. The industry has attempted multiple ways to achieve this goal, with effective communication being one of the most prevalent ones. However, the communication effect which hospitality has obtained in terms of persuading customers to practice sustainability is imperfect. This study draws upon the communication literature and textually analyzes hospitality professionals’ perception worldwide to generate a typology for hospitality practitioners to follow while conducting communication with customers on sustainability. The findings suggest two strategies and seven tactics that are of value to help hospitality achieve better communication. Thus, this study can extend the current communication theories on how to undertake sustainable hospitality communication and elucidate its operation in the industry.
Non-invasive detection of severe PH in lung disease using magnetic resonance imaging

Introduction Severe pulmonary hypertension (mean pulmonary artery pressure ≥35 mmHg) in chronic lung disease (PH-CLD) is associated with high mortality and morbidity. Data suggesting potential response to vasodilator therapy in patients with PH-CLD is emerging. The current diagnostic strategy utilises transthoracic Echocardiography (TTE), which can be technically challenging in some patients with advanced CLD. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic role of MRI models to diagnose severe PH in CLD. Methods 167 patients with CLD referred for suspected PH who underwent baseline cardiac MRI, pulmonary function tests and right heart catheterisation were identified. In a derivation cohort (n = 67) a bi-logistic regression model was developed to identify severe PH and compared to a previously published multiparameter model (Whitfield model), which is based on interventricular septal angle, ventricular mass index and diastolic pulmonary artery area. The model was evaluated in a test cohort. Results The CLD-PH MRI model [= (−13.104) + (13.059 * VMI)—(0.237 * PA RAC) + (0.083 * Systolic Septal Angle)], had high accuracy in the test cohort (area under the ROC curve (0.91) (p < 0.0001), sensitivity 92.3%, specificity 70.2%, PPV 77.4%, and NPV 89.2%. The Whitfield model also had high accuracy in the test cohort (area under the ROC curve (0.92) (p < 0.0001), sensitivity 80.8%, specificity 87.2%, PPV 87.5%, and NPV 80.4%. Conclusion The CLD-PH MRI model and Whitfield model have high accuracy to detect severe PH in CLD, and have strong prognostic value.
A Cost-efficient Model for Predicting Cerebral Aβ Burden Using MRI and Neuropsychological Markers in the ADNI-2 Cohort: Comparisons in Predictability among Machine Learning Models

Substantial studies have focused on early detection of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Cerebral amyloid beta (Aβ), is hallmark of AD, can be observed in vivo via positron emission tomography imaging using amyloid tracer or cerebrospinal fluid assessment, but costly expensive. The current study aims to identify and compared predictability in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) markers and neuropsychological markers to predict cerebral Aβ status in AD cohort using machine learning (ML) approaches. The predictability in candidate markers for cerebral Aβ status was examined by analyzing 724 participants from the ADNI-2 cohort. Demographic variables, structural MRI markers, and neuropsychological test scores were used as input in several ML algorithms to predict cerebral Aβ positivity. Out of five combination of candidate markers, neuropsychological markers with demographics showed the most cost-efficient result. A feature selection model could distinguish abnormal levels of Aβ with the predictability of 0.85, indicating the same performance with MRI-based models. The result has first to identified the predictability in MRI markers using ML approaches, and secondary to demonstrate the neuropsychological model with demographics could predict Aβ positivity, suggesting a more cost-efficient method for detecting cerebral Aβ status compared to MRI markers.
PROFILING OF HORMONES IN PLANT TISSUES: HISTORY, MODERN APPROACHES, USE IN BIOTECHNOLOGY

the latest literature on the history of development and the current state of methodological approaches to the identification and quantification of phytohormones in plant tissues. Phytohormones play a key role in the regulation of physiological processes throughout the life cycle of plants — from seed germination to aging. In tissues of plants, their concentrations are very low (from 10 –9 M to 10 –6 M), so the development of fast, highly efficient, comprehensive, and at the same time reliable approaches to the determination of phytohormones is extremely urgent. A brief description of the main classes of phytohormones was given in the article and it was described their functional activity. The substantiated and checked sequence of procedures on the extraction of plant hormones, their separation from interfering substances, quantification methodology for indol-3-acetic, abscisic, gibberellic (GA 3 ), salicylic acids and five cytokinins that combines a high-performance liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry are presented. Four chromatographic methods of profiling were described in the article. The conditions for detecting phytohormones of different classes and ionization of these substances in a mass spectrometer were given. The importance of phytohormones profiling in plant tissues for appliсation in biotechnological approaches, in particular in metabolic engineering, for the formation of stress resistance in crops were discussed. cytokinins,
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from human and environmental surfaces in a research laboratory

This study aimed to investigate the susceptibility pattern of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from human and environmental surfaces in a research laboratory. A total of 320 samples from nostril (n=80), hand (n=80), door knob (n=80) and table surface (n=80) were collected for 16 weeks, before and after work. A total number of 256 samples were found positive for Staphylococcus aureus. Out of 80 randomly selected isolates, 50 (62.5%) isolates were resistant to methicillin (MRSA). Hence, the precautionary measures should be taken on self and environmental hygiene as MRSA may be transferred from humans and environmental surfaces.
Dryland management regimes alter forest habitats and understory arthropod communities

Dryland forests, those characterised as having low precipitation and soil nutrients, account for over a quarter of forests globally. Increasing their productivity often relies on irrigation and fertilisation, but the impacts on the wider habitat are largely unknown. Understory invertebrates, in particular, play key roles in forest systems (e.g. nutrient cycling), but their responses to dryland forest management practices are untested. We investigated the impacts of irrigation, fertilisation and a combination of both on soil chemistry, understory vegetation, tree growth and understory arthropod communities in a Eucalyptus plantation to establish linkages between dryland management and ecosystem responses. Fertilisation increased all soil nutrients (N, NO3N, P and K) with similar effects on the chemical composition of understory grasses. Fertilisation also caused declines in foliar silicon concentrations, an important herbivore defence in grasses. Irrigation increased growth of both understory plants (+90%) and trees (+68%). Irrigation increased the abundance of ground‐dwelling arthropods by over 480% relative to control plots, but depressed higher level taxon arthropod diversity by 15%, declining by a further 7% (−22%) in combined treatment plots. Irrigation also caused a surge in the abundance of Collembola (+1300%) and Isopoda (+323%). Fertilisation drove increases in the abundance of Isopoda (+196%) and Diptera (+63%), whereas fertilisation combined with irrigation increased populations of Thysanoptera (+166%) and Acarina (+328%). Airborne arthropods were less affected, but fertilisation increased the abundance of Apocrita (+95%) and depressed populations of Thysanoptera (−77%). Diptera abundance was positively related to understory vegetation growth, whereas the abundance of other groups (Collembola, Isopoda, Thysanoptera and Acarina) correlated positively with tree growth. We proposed that the large increases in populations of key detritivores, Collembola and Isopoda, were linked to increased leaf litter from enhanced tree growth in irrigated and combined treatment plots. Our findings suggest that dryland management can increase both plant productivity and abundance of arthropods, but cause arthropod diversity at the higher taxon level to decline overall.
Can Amphibians Help Conserve Native Fishes

Native fish populations have continued to decline worldwide despite advances in management practices. As such, new approaches are needed to complement the old. In many flowing and standing waters, larval amphibians are the dominant vertebrate taxa. This can be important to fisheries due to amphibians’ ability to influence macroinvertebrate communities, alter benthic habitat, and supply nutrients in aquatic systems. These changes can, in turn, affect the ecology and fitness of other aquatic organisms such as fishes. Due to their large effects in some systems, it is suggested that fisheries managers carefully consider actions that may affect amphibian populations and actively conserve them in some cases. Preservation of riparian areas and amphibian-associated microhabitats may even be used as a tool to positively impact freshwater fisheries by conserving amphibians that help maintain aquatic systems. Therefore, knowledge of local amphibian life histories and behaviors may be important in conserving associat.
Significances of Peripheral Inflammatory Cells and Neutrophil/Platelet-Lymphocyte Ratio in Breast Cancer after Resection

Introduction: Breast cancer had become top leading cause of death in Taiwan and endangered women’s health worldwide. Therefore, we try to invest the peripheral inflammatory cell counts and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) from our routine practice for the predictor of prognosis of breast cancer after resection. Patients and Methods: There were 574 breast cancer patients accepted surgical resection and registered in Cancer Registry Center of our hospital. Patient’s basic profiles, peripheral neutophil, lymphocyte and platelet count were measured for study. The scales of NLR and PLR were derived from the lower and higher normal range in cell count from neutrophil, lymphocyte and platelet respectively. Therefore, the scales for NLR and PLR were ≤1.62, 1.63 - 2.57, ≥2.58 and ≤224, 225 - 253, ≥254 respectively for analysis. Results: Poor 5-yr survival rate was found if higher cell counts of neutrophil and platelet (p ≤ 0.05). Three scales of NLR were ≤1.62, 1.63 - 2.57, ≥2.58, and their 5-year survival rates were 94%, 91% and 84% respectively (p = 0.019). In the subgroup of HER-2 (negative), and 3-Negative breast patients had a higher NLR of poor prognosis. But higher PLR was found less in 3-Negative and non in 3-Positive patients (p = 0.039). The PLR was ≤224, 225 - 253, ≥254 and their 5-year survival rates were 92%, 87%, and 64% respectively (p = 0.001); Multivariate Cox regression model for predictor of breast cancer patients who have 3.39 (PLR ≥ 254) and 2.45 (NLR ≥ 2.58 ) times risk (p = 0.02 and p = 0.002) of poor prognosis respectively. Conclusion: Peripheral inflammatory cell counts are easily to take in our clinical practice and have a potential role as predictors of prognosis. We have to pay attention to the trends of peripheral inflammatory cell count and their ratio in our clinical practice where possible.
Bridging unter Antikoagulation und Thrombozytenaggregationshemmung

When bridging anticoagulation, the risk of bleeding - compared to the thromboembolic risk - is often underestimated. Bridging is only indicated in case of high (and possibly moderate) thromboembolic risk. When bridging patients with indication for dual antiplatelet therapy, an interdisciplinary case discussion should take place to assess the risk.
Automatic extraction of canopy and artificial reference temperatures for determination of crop water stress indices by using thermal imaging technique and a fuzzy-based image-processing algorithm

ABSTRACT Thermal stress indicators are one of the most accurate indices for sensing plant water status that can be remotely measured by the means of infrared thermography. In addition to the canopy temperature, these indices need to access the wet and dry reference temperatures which refer to the temperatures of the canopy at well-watered and fully stressed conditions, respectively. The main goal of this study is to measure the canopy as well as reference temperatures automatically by the means of a single thermal image, captured from an olive tree. The temperatures of artificial reference surfaces were extracted by the means of an object detection method based on the edge detection and morphological processes. The temperatures of sunlit and shaded canopy portions were also detected, using a Fuzzy C-means clustering of thermal images with the wet and dry reference temperatures as thresholds. The algorithm was successfully detected the references in 90% of the images and the automatic extracted canopy temperatures were significantly correlated with the manual ones.
Efficacy of Helicoverpa armigera Larvae on Conventional and Genetically Modified (BollgardÂ®) Cotton plants from Marathwada Region (MS) India

Present study was conducted to evaluate cotton bollworm larval behaviour on BollgardÂ® cotton plants compared to conventional plants (Non-BollgardÂ®) and to determine their preferred feeding sites. Data from these studies conducted during pre-flowering and flowering stages are presented. The movement of Helicoverpa armigera was different on BollgardÂ® cotton plants compared to conventional cotton plants at all rating intervals. Cotton plant type ( F =25.47; df =1,10; P F =54.15; df =3,30; P F =41.70; df =1,10; P F =6.79; df =3,30; P F =3.63; df =3,30; P =0.02) was significant for percentages of larvae recovered from sticky traps. The study reports that current scouting protocols and action levels to initiate insecticide treatments for bollworms on non-Bollgard cotton plant are not appropriate for BollgardÂ® cotton plant. Â Scouts should look at white flowers and small bolls in addition to terminals and squares when scouting BollgardÂ® cotton plant because bollworm larvae migrate to those structures in a relatively short time.
Microevolutionary Processes Underlying Macroevolutionary Patterns of Electric Signal Diversity in Mormyrid Fish

This study examines evolutionary causes underlying the maintenance of diversity in electric courtship signals (EODs) emitted by the mormyrid electric fish species Paramormyrops kingsleyae. P. kingsleyae are polymorphic for an EOD feature which characterizes interspecific signal diversity among the rapidly diverged Paramormyrops genus. We collected 338 specimens and recorded EOD signals from 9 populations distributed throughout Gabon, west central Africa, collected in 1999-2009. First, we demonstrate using microsatellite genotyping a significant signature of isolation by distance between populations. Second, utilizing principal components analysis of 21 landmarks measured from EOD waveforms, we find that EOD duration and the magnitude of a small head negative pre-potential (P0) are highly correlated with patterns of spatial and genetic structure. Finally, utilizing a behavioral assay, we demonstrate that P. kingsleyae individuals can discriminate between P0-absent and P0-present EOD waveforms, although genetic and morphological analysis indicate no assortative mating between signal types. Together, these results support the hypothesis that patterns of signal variation in P. kingsleyae have resulted from genetic drift acting upon isolated populations. As P. kingsleyae represents a microcosm of signal diversity among mormyrids, these findings illustrate a potential mechanism by which interspecific patterns of EOD diversity may originate at the population level.
SELF AND PEER EVALUATIONS OF STUDENT PERFORMANCE IN SKILLS BASED DESIGN PROJECTS

Self and peer assessment has been shown to help improve student engagement in assessment tasks, to improve behavior and maintain interest and attention levels, and ultimately to improve student performance. In this study, we critically evaluated the process, reliability, validity, benefits and drawbacks of self and peer assessment in a first year product design project with the aim to also establish a recommended resolution for rubric grade boundaries. Students ( n = 51) carried out five separate week-long design projects. They then undertook self and peer assessments and were assessed by the module tutors, by additional staff (both technical and academic not linked to the project module) and students on other years of the course. All staff had reasonable agreement with tutor grades, although there were mixed results on whether these were a valid means to accurately assess the project outcome – depending on which statistical analysis was adopted. For all staff, > 90% of their assessments were within 10% of the benchmark (agreed) grades, while for student self assessments 84.2% were within 10% and for student peer assessments 60.5% of the overall grades were within 10% of the tutor’s grades. When we analysed the data for individual tutor marks for all assessment criteria, 37.3% of grades were within 5% of each other, 85.8% were within 10% of each other, and the range within which 95% of grades could be bound was 20%, suggesting that the resolution of our rubric grade boundaries should be increased to 20% between grades boundaries for individual criteria in such practical assessment tasks in design. More generally, understanding the reliability and validity of assessment processes can help inform the assessment design to ensure an appropriate resolution is used for criteria.