Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Performance Analysis of Adaptive Neuro Fuzzy Inference System Control for MEMS Navigation System

Characterized by small volume, low cost, and low power, MEMS inertial sensors are widely concerned and applied in navigation research, environmental monitoring, military, and so on. Notably in indoor and pedestrian navigation, its easily portable feature seems particularly indispensable and important. However, MEMS inertial sensor has inborn low precision and is impressionable and sometimes goes against accurate navigation or even becomes seriously unstable when working for a period of time and the initial alignment and calibration are invalid. A thought of adaptive neuro fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) is relied on, and an assistive control modulated method is presented in this paper, which is newly designed to improve the inertial sensor performance by black box control and inference. The repeatability and long-time tendency of the MEMS sensors are tested and analyzed by ALLAN method. The parameters of ANFIS models are trained using reasonable fuzzy control strategy, with high-precision navigation system for reference as well as MEMS sensor property. The MEMS error nonlinearity is measured and modulated through the peculiarity of the fuzzy control convergence, to enhance the MEMS function and the whole MEMS system property. Performance of the proposed model has been experimentally verified using low-cost MEMS inertial sensors, and the MEMS output error is well compensated. The test results indicate that ANFIS system trained by high-precision navigation system can efficiently provide corrections to MEMS output and meet the requirement on navigation performance.
An Investigation of Factors Affecting Marketing Information Systems ’ Use Farnoosh Khodakarami

Using an exploratory case study approach, this article examines factors that contribute to effective use of marketing information systems. Research results indicate that system integration, flexibility, and ease of learning are important measures of system quality that affect the use of marketing information systems and user satisfaction. Availability of customer information and use of appropriate formats for presenting information significantly impact user satisfaction. For marketing information systems to be effective, they should meet the information processing requirements of the organization and be aligned with broader organizational systems and strategies.
Measuring cardiac strain using Laplacian smoothing splines

A scheme for obtaining strain maps from a set of MRI scans of the heart is presented. Using a technique known as the Spatial Modulation of Magnetization a set of MRI scans are generated with tag-lines distributed over the walls of the heart. As the heart moves, these tag-lines will move accordingly. Active contours or snakes are then used to extract the tag-lines from each MRI image, and the motion of the tag-lines determined. Laplacian smoothing splines are then used to estimate the displacement of points between the tag-lines. The strain experienced through out the heart is then a simple function of the associated displacement. Regional strain analysis is of vital importance in diagnosing different forms of heart disease, such as myocardial infarction or ``heart attack''. The method presented in this paper makes the analysis of cardiac strain feasible.
Lost in a Plethora of Concerns? Match, Mismatch and Hypnotism: the Case of the New Zealand Public Sector

The paper is centred on the theme that the significance attached to attaining higher ‘efficiency’ standards in monetary/ numeric terms to attain better ‘economy’ in New Zealand may have led to a change in concept of ‘ethics. ’ This is due to higher stress attached during the New Zealand public sector reform to attaining higher efficiency and economic supremacy compared to before the reform. Again, an endeavour to attain economic supremacy at the macro level does not lead to attaining higher efficiency standards at the specific organisational levels and vice versa. The authors suggest that the hypnotic state of the authors has been brought by a dearth of research in regard to the match/mismatch of these three Es, that is, economy, efficiency and ethics. Following this hypnotic state of authors’ future research is suggested in regard to the conceptual schema of existence of these three Es in New Zealand public sector.
SUPPRESSION OF ARBUSCULAR MYCORRHIZA'S DEVELOPMENT BY HIGH CONCENTRATIONS OF PHOSPHOROUS AT TAGETES PATULA L.

A pot experiment with hydroponic culture was conducted to study the effect of phosphorous content in rhizosphere on colonization rate of French marigold's (Tagetes patula L.) root system with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Plants were watered with Hoagland's nutrient solution, in four variants: with normal phosphorous content, with double P content, with half and a quarter of the normal phosphorous content described in the recipe. Inoculation was realized with three different species of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi: Glomus intraradices, Gl.etunicatum and Gl.claroideum. Root samples were collected, washed, cleared with KOH and stained with aniline blue to distinguish the specific mycorrhizal formations. After the growing period, we measured the plant development indexes (plant height, shoot and root fresh and dry weight, total leaf area, number and weight of flowers per plant) and mycorrhization's characteristics (rate of colonization and arbuscular richness) to find a correlation between concentration of phosphorous in medium, plant's and mycorrhiza's development. High phosphorous contents in nutrient solution determined a better growth and development of plants, resulting in an increased plant height, shoot and root fresh and dry weight, respectively, number and weight of flowers. A negative correlation was found between P and mycorhization, demonstrating the inhibitor effect on colonization and development of mycorrhizal fungi. Between plant development indexes and nutrient content there is a positive relation. Between plant height and total leaf area, shoot dry weight and root dry weight we found a very strong positive correlation. Also, shoot fresh weight and root fresh weight vary according to a positive correlation curve. Results show that an excessive fertilization with phosphates, even if it increases plants' productive performances, reduces in the same time the biodiversity of symbiotic fungi from soil and the development and extent of arbuscular mycorrhizal formations in root system of the host plants.
Capillary Filling in Nanochannels—Modeling, Fabrication, and Experiments

While capillary filling in channels of micrometers scale is experimentally verified to obey Washburn's law well, the speed of capillary filling in nanochannels is noticeably lower than described by Washburn's formula. This article reports the theoretical and experimental results on capillary filling in open-end and closed-end nanochannels. Nanochannels of 45 nm and 80 nm depth, 10 μm width, were etched in silicon and bonded to a glass cover. Experiments on filling of non-electrolytic liquid in silicon nanochannels were carried out. The filling processes were observed and recorded. To estimate the influence of electrokinetics, a mathematical model to calculate the electroviscous effect was established. This model shows that the contribution of the electroviscous effect in the reduction of filling speed is small. This result also agrees well with previous theoretical work on the electroviscous effect. That means that besides the electroviscous effect, there are other phenomena that contribute to the reduction of capillary filling speed in a nanochannel, such as air bubbles formation. Experimental investigation of capillary filling in open-end and closed-end nanochannels with different lengths was performed. The filling processes of ethanol and isopropanol and the behavior of the trapped air were recorded and evaluated. Analytical models based on the continuum assumption were used to evaluate the experimental data. We observed that the filling process consists of two stages. At the initial stage, experimental data agree well with the theoretical model, but with a higher apparent viscosity. In the final stage, condensation of the liquid phase and dissolution of the gas phase lead to total filling of the nanochannel. The observed phenomena are important for understanding the behavior of multiphase systems in nanochannels.
Hydrological controls on diurnal ice flow variability in valley glaciers

[1] This paper uses a combination of field data and three-dimensional modeling to investigate the spatial variability in basal conditions required to induce observed fluctuations in diurnal ice velocity at Haut Glacier d'Arolla, Switzerland. A network of surface velocity markers was observed at intervals of as little as four hours over diurnal cycles in both winter and late summer. Winter motion showed limited diurnal variability, presumably due to the absence of supraglacial meltwater inputs. By contrast, diurnal fluctuations in ice motion were recorded in summer across the lower and upper glacier. In the lower glacier, surface velocities were intimately linked to hydrological forcing in the vicinity of a subglacial channel. Previously observed diurnal excursions of meltwater away from the channel should reduce areas of basal drag adjacent to the channel thereby impacting on ice dynamics. Using a first-order ice flow approximation, we investigated the distribution of basal shear traction adjacent to the channel necessary to replicate the observed surface velocity field during periods of rapid ice motion. The modeling suggests that the observed variations in diurnal velocity will only occur with extensive reductions in basal drag across a transverse zone of up to 560 m across, well beyond the immediate vicinity and previously observed extent of diurnal excursions of meltwater away from the subglacial channel.
EFFECT OF SUBSTRATES CONTAINING COMPOSTS WITH THE PARTICIPATION OF MUNICIPAL SEWAGE SLUDGE ON FLOWERING AND MACRONUTRIENT CONTENT IN THE LEAVES OF GARDEN PANSY (Viola × wittrockiana Gams.)

The aim of the study was to assess the impact of substrates containing composts made from municipal sewage sludge and straw or sawdust on flowering, leaf greenness index and macronutrient content in the leaves of ‘Fancy Carmine with Blotch’ garden pansy. Two composts, with the following compositions: K I – 70% municipal sewage sludge, 30% rye straw; K II – 70% municipal sewage sludge, 30% coniferous tree sawdust, were used for the preparation of substrates. Six substrates of peat and compost at 25, 50 and 75% (by volume) were prepared. The control object was a peat substrate, pH 5.8–6.0, supplemented with Azofoska at 2.5 g·dm -3 . It has been found that leaf greenness index of pansy increased with an increasing share of compost. Composts involving municipal sewage sludge at the level of 50% had a more positive influence on the abundance of pansy flowering than at 25 and 75%. The content of to tal nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and sulfur in the leaves increased with increasing the dose of compost. The content of total phosphorus in the leaves at the end of pansy cultivation in compost substrates ranged optimally for this species. In the experiment conducted in 2006, pansies contained more total nitrogen, potassium and sulfur than the flowering pansies planted in 2005.
Obesity-Related Comorbidities: One Actress, Multiple Scenes

The objective of the study was to determine the frequency of obesity in patients hospitalized in an internal medicine clinic, as well as the main comorbidities. Materials and methods: We conducted a retrospective study in the Internal Medicine Clinic of the Clinical Emergency Hospital of Bucharest, on obese patients hospitalized in the clinic between 01.01. 2015-01.04. 2015. We analyzed data drom the hospital record database. In these patients, the comorbidities associated with obesity were evaluated. Conclusions: During the 3 months period, the total number of admissions in the Internal Medicine Clinic was 1032. From these, 129 patients were obese (12.5%) and represented the group of study. The mean age of the patients in the group of study was 63.73 ± 10.29 years. The distribution by sex in the group of study was: 75 women and 54 men. 18.6 % of the patients had morbid obesity. The distribution of comorbidities in the group of study was: arterial hypertension 82.94%,
Cytoskeleton and Golgi-apparatus interactions: a two-way road of function and structure

The Golgi apparatus is the result of a complex and dynamic interaction between a large variety of molecules that determine its architecture, protein and lipid transports, and those that integrate signals from outside and inside the cell. The cytoskeleton facilitates the functional integration of all these processes. Association and coordination between microtubules and actin filaments, as well as their respective binding and regulatory proteins, are clearly necessary for Golgi structure and function. Protein sorting, membrane fission and fusion, and the motion of Golgi-derived transport carriers are all affected by both cytoskeleton elements.
Sustainability as a Paradigm of Energy Policy

The overall energy concept will be the priority matter in the agendas of the various governments in the coming years. The economic prosperity and development of knowledge of nations inevitably depends on energy. For that reason, it is important that institutions establish policies that promote energy sustainability of countries. But their different energy and territorial situation complicate obtaining a suitable model of indicators which could be used to build policies on energy to promote a sustainable development. In short, in this article the fundamental premises are determined to define a indicators model for energy sustainability of countries. Similarly other subsystems about sustainable development are defined. A starting model for the definition of energy policies has been set to take into account all the variables and their relationships.
Human Capital and Employment Risks Diversification

Both educational expenditures and attainment have increased sharply over the last decades, despite rising prices of education, and stagnating income returns to human capital. This paper emphasizes conditional employment risks diversification as additional motivation for education demand. Job risk protection through education is strongly evidenced in the data, yet is absent from the Human Capital (HC) literature, whereas dynamic HC choices by agents are not considered in standard unemployment Search and Matching models. A benchmark HC model is thus modified to allow for lower job displacement risk, and higher re-employment probability, in addition to higher income for the better educated. Numerical solutions for optimal dynamic investment in human capital are consistent with observed patterns, such as unemployment duration dependence (stigma), post-re-employment income loss (scarring), and cyclical co-movements in education expenditures. The effects of permanent shifts affecting human capital returns in employment risks diversification, and income returns are investigated and shown to be consistent with rising educational expenditures and attainment.
What can trade facilitation do for Ghana

The concept of trade facilitation has gained increased attention during the past decade. In today’s globalized world, the relative cost of inefficient trade procedures has increased. The underlying aim of this study is to investigate whether inefficient trade procedures affect exports. More specifically, whether Ghana can increase its export volumes and/or export diversification by engaging in trade facilitation. It is also investigated whether the impact on agricultural products differs in comparison to other product groups. The gravity equation and bilateral data on sub-Saharan Africa and the EU27 is used in order to quantify the impact of inefficient trade procedures on exports. This study makes use of the official cost to export a standardized 20-foot container as a proxy for trade procedures. The regression analysis suggests that Ghana, by engaging in trade facilitation, would gain in terms of increased export diversification but not in terms of export volumes. It is found that a reduction by 1% of the cost to export would reduce export volumes by 0.4% and increase export diversification by 0.2%. The impact on agricultural products was shown to not differ in comparison to other product groups. The policy simulation, which is based upon three potential scenarios, shows that a reduction of the cost to export would reduce Ghana’s export volumes by 5; 9 and 19% and increase export diversification by 2; 4 and 8%. The field study, carried out in Ghana, suggests that a trade facilitation reform would not increase export volumes or export diversification much. It is suggested that reforms within other areas are of greater importance in order to increase exports from Ghana. Two of those areas are to improve the access to credit in Ghana and to improve the infrastructure in the country. The answer to the question of what trade facilitation can do for Ghana is ‘not much’, at least not within the area of the cost, the documentation or the number of days to export.
Pelagic oxycline and damage potential of hypoxia to the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas suspended in longline aquaculture systems

Depletion in dissolved oxygen (DO) occurred in 2 semi-enclosed shallow bays in Korea in which Crassostrea gigas were suspended for aquaculture. DO depletion started at the bottom and expanded rapidly upwards for days until it was blocked by a temperature-driven density differential. This resulted in the formation of pelagic oxyclines at a depth of 2–4 m in one bay (Hypoxic Site 1, HS-1) and 2–5 m in the other (Hypoxic Site 2, HS-2). Water above the oxycline was normoxic (>4 mg l−1), while water below the oxycline was hypoxic (<1 mg l−1). The oxyclines were accompanied by significant changes in environmental variables and phytoplankton composition, but these changes were not fatal to the oysters. However, the oxyclines themselves caused oyster mortality: complete mortality below the oxyclines and depth-dependent mortality within the oxycline. Interestingly, mortality was observed in a significant number of oysters above the oxyclines compared with the reference site, and greater mortality was ob served in HS-1 than HS-2. These findings suggest the existence of toxic compounds that diffuse up from below the oxycline in shallow waters and exert effects that overshadow those of DO. The higher mortalities in the HS-1 normoxic layer supported this influence from the bottom layer. In a subsequent experiment, we observed additional mortalities among the surviving oysters in the upper normoxic waters after the bays had completely reoxygenated during fall turnover. These data provide useful observations of hypoxia in highly sheltered shallow waters and can be used to guide site selection for oyster longline aquaculture.
Image deblur in gradient domain

This paper proposes a new method for natural-image deblur based on a single blurred image. The natural image prior, a sparse gradi- ent distribution, is enforced using a gradient histogram remapping method in the proposed deblur algorithm. The proposed objective function for blind deconvolution is solved by an alternating minimization method. The point spread function and the unblurred image are updated alternately. The pro- posed method is able to produce high-quality deblurred results with low computational costs. Both synthetic and real blurred images are tested in the experiments. Encouraging experimental results show that the newly proposed method could effectively restore images blurred by complex mo- tion. C 2010 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers. (DOI: 10.1117/1.3505868) Subject terms: motion deblurring; blind image deconvolution; image deconvolution; image enhancement.
A power dense DC-DC converter for a small electric vehicle

A power dense DC-DC converter is required to interface a supercapacitor energy buffer with a higher voltage traction drive in a small electric vehicle application. A converter design and component selection process is described for a bidirectional, 18 kW, dual interleaved boost converter with interphase transformer. The physical construction of the converter is optimised to increase volumetric and gravimetric power density and simplify assembly. The prototype converter achieves a power density of 6.5 kW/kg and 7.9 kW/l. Converter efficiency and thermal results are presented and component mass and loss audits are included. (6 pages)
- Business Within Collaborative Contexts

The paper describes the development of subjects on electronic commerce within a business major in electronic commerce. The paper describes the impact of technology on business processes and provides a framework for teaching how to use technology to improve business processes. The material is taught in parallel with practical work where business students analyze, design and setup a system prototype while becoming familiar with technologies used in electronic business.
Block Modeling with Multiple Fault Network Geometries and a Linear Elastic Coupling Estimator in Spherical Coordinates

Geodetic observations of interseismic deformation provide constraints on the partitioning of fault slip across plate boundary zones, the spatial distribution of both elastic and inelastic strain accumulation, and the nature of the fault system evolution. Here we describe linear block theory, which decomposes surface velocity fields into four components: (1) plate rotations, (2) elastic deformation from faults with kinematically consistent slip rates, (3) elastic deformation from faults with spatially variable coupling, and (4) homogeneous intrablock strain. Elastic deformation rates are computed for each fault segment in a homogeneous elastic half-space using multiple optimal planar Cartesian coordinate systems to minimize areal distortion and triangular dislocation elements to accurately represent complex fault system geometry. Block motions, fault-slip rates, elastic coupling, and internal block strain rates are determined simultaneously using a linear estimator with constraints from both geodetically determined velocity fields and geologic fault-slip rate estimates. We also introduce algorithms for efficiently implementing alternative fault-network geometries to quantify parameter sensitivity to nonlinear perturbations in model geometry.
Are United States Consumers Tolerant of Genetically Modified Foods

Controversy surrounds the introduction of genetically modified foods. One key issue relates to tolerance levels—the impurity rate tolerated before a commodity must be labeled. Currently, the United States has not defined a tolerance level for genetically modified foods. This paper uses data from experimental auctions to test whether consumers prefer foods with 0, 1, or 5% tolerance levels for genetically modified material. We conclude consumers would pay less for food that tolerates genetically modified material, but find no evidence that consumers' place different values on foods with 1 and 5% genetically modified content. Copyright 2004, Oxford University Press.