Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Modeling Trees with a Space Colonization Algorithm

[CATALA] Aquest TFG tracta la implementacio d'un algorisme de generacio procedural que construeixi una estructura reminiscent a la d'un arbre de clima temperat, i tambe la implementacio del pas de l'estructura a un model tridimensional, acompanyat de l'eina per a visualitzar el resultat i fer-ne l'exportacio
Factors Affecting Financial Reporting Quality of Business Firms in Debre Markos Town

This study investigates the factors which affecting financial reporting quality of business firms In Debre Markos Town. The study adopts a mixed methods research approach by combining data gathering instruments of research questions, in-depth interviews and document analysis. The questionnaire data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlations, and logistic regression analysis and data from interview and document reviews were interpreted qualitatively. The findings of the study show that, that all the variables in the study affect the financial reporting quality; however, the degree of effect of each variable was different. Study found financial reporting quality is significantly and positively influenced by information technology, regulatory enforcement and audit trend. Regulatory enforcement and audit trend factors were positively and strongly correlated with financial reporting quality. Information technology factors has moderate and positive relationships. Business ethics and user’s needs has weak and positive correlation. The study suggests that improving usage of information technology, make frequent auditing and maintain regulatory enforcement uses helps to improve their financial reporting quality.
Augmented Reality

In this paper describe the general ideal feature of Augmented Reality (AR) plus central conception of this type of technology. At this time it is also describe the major ground of AR and is also useful in that particular ground and tells about the very important AR devices. Future guidelines are also discussed and AR depended future technologies explain. A few uniqueness of Augmented Reality systems and devices will be talk about and this paper also will explain about AR overview.
Automating Network Operation Centers with Superhuman Performance

Today's Network Operation Centres (NOC) consist of teams of network professionals responsible for monitoring and taking actions for their network's health. Most of these NOC actions are relatively complex and executed manually; only the simplest tasks can be automated with rules-based software. But today's networks are getting larger and more complex. Therefore, deciding what action to take in the face of non-trivial problems has essentially become an art that depends on collective human intelligence of NOC technicians, specialized support teams organized by technology domains, and vendors' technical support. This model is getting increasingly expensive and inefficient, and the automation of all or at least some NOC tasks is now considered a desirable step towards autonomous and self-healing networks. In this article, we investigate whether such decisions can be taken by Artificial Intelligence instead of collective human intelligence, specifically by the Machine Learning method of Reinforcement Learning (RL), which has been shown in computer games to outperform humans. We build an Action Recommendation Engine (ARE) based on RL, train it with expert rules or by letting it explore outcomes by itself, and show that it can learn new and more efficient strategies that outperform expert rules designed by humans. ARE can be used in face of network problems to either quickly recommend actions to NOC technicians or autonomously take actions for fast recovery. “This work has been submitted to the IEEE for possible publication. Copyright may be transferred without notice, after which this version may no longer be accessible. ”
THE APPLICABILITY OF THE ARMY PHYSICAL FITNESS TEST IN THE CONTEMPORARY OPERATING ENVIRONMENT

Abstract : The purpose of this study was to determine if there is any validity to using the current Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT) to gauge Soldier readiness for combat. The study was conducted in four stages. The APFT tasks; pushup, sit-up, and run were analyzed to determine what body actions and associated muscles were used to conduct them and in what manner. In the second stage, a set of combat oriented tasks from the Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) physical training guide was analyzed on the same basis as the APFT tasks. In the third stage, the top six tasks from a survey of Intermediate Level Education (ILE) majors were then analyzed on the same basis as the APFT tasks and the TRADOC tasks. Finally, these three sets of tasks were compared based on body actions and their associated muscles and whether they were used to perform isometric, concentric, or eccentric contractions as an element of endurance or strength. The results showed that the APFT has major shortfalls in testing elements of both the TRADOC tasks and the 'combat tasks' from the survey. Most notably, the APFT tests endurance almost exclusively, while the TRADOC tasks and the 'combat tasks' require strength.
Analysis of translating hydrofoil power generation systems (hydrokites)

Analysis of Translating Hydrofoil Power Generation Systems (Hydrokites) Kelsey McConnaghy Supervising Professor: Dr. Mario W. Gomes The hydrokite is a novel hydro-power system that is based on emerging kite windenergy systems which are currently being designed for use at high altitudes. The hydrokite system is comprised of a hydrofoil and a support system, and is designed to capture kinetic energy from the flow of a river while reducing negative impacts on the river ecology by minimally interfering with the rivers natural flow (i.e. no dams or river diversions are needed). This work presents some initial results which demonstrate the power performance capabilities of the hydrokite. Two different steady-state models for this system were studied to determine the effects of model parameters on power generation. A dynamic model was also developed and preliminary results are presented. These simplified initial models provide an upper bound for the power performance of an actual system as well as providing an understanding of the effects that parameter changes have on the system performance. This initial work shows that such a system could be a feasible, low impact method for generating renewable energy from low-head hydro sources.
Diversity of nitrogen-fixing bacteria in agricultural field soil along the Yamuna River, Delhi, India

Nitrogen-fixing bacteria play an important role in sustaining soil health. The diversity was studied in nitrogen-fixing bacteria using the nif H gene along the Yamuna River in Delhi-National Capital Region. The nif H gene is a part of the nif regulon, which codes for an Fe-protein of the nitrogenase enzyme complex, responsible for the reduction of dinitrogen (N 2 ) to ammonia (NH 3 ) during biological nitrogen fixation. Soil samples were collected from agricultural fields near the Yamuna River. Terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of soil DNA using the TReFID software package showed community comprising different nitrogen-fixing bacterial phyla, dominated by the Proteobacteria (26.87%) and Actinobacteria (2.9%). The relative abundance of these two phyla increased downstream along the river while the relative abundance of the Cyanobacteria decreased. The maximum overall microbial diversity index was lower downstream and during the summer season. It was concluded that the seasonal variation in temperature and moisture and the increases in the pollution of the water directly affected the microbial diversity as well as the relative abundance of the nitrogen-fixing bacterial population in agricultural fields along the Yamuna River.
STEPS: Slip Time Earthquake Path Simulations Applied to the San Andreas and Toe Jam Hill Faults to Redefine Geologic Slip Rate Uncertainty

Geologic slip rates are a time‐averaged measurement of fault displacement calculated over hundreds to million‐year time scales and are a primary input for probabilistic seismic hazard analyses, which forecast expected ground shaking in future earthquakes. Despite their utility for seismic hazard calculations, longer‐term geologic slip rates represent a time‐averaged measure of the tempo of strain release and do not measure variability across earthquake cycles. We have developed a numerical approach called STEPS (Slip Time Earthquake Path Simulations), which is built upon field‐based observations and explicitly incorporates realistic variations in displacement per event and variability in the recurrence interval between earthquakes. The STEPS approach, which simulates strain release through time, relies on representing earthquake cycles as stairsteps, rather than straight‐line paths, connecting per earthquake time‐displacement coordinates. We simulate earthquake histories based on these input constraints using two examples: the Carrizo section of the San Andreas fault and the Toe Jam Hill fault of the Seattle fault zone. We find that modeled slip rate distributions agree with slip rates reported for the sites of interest by the original investigators, while providing a slip rate distribution that reflects the variability of earthquake frequency and displacement. The STEPS approach provides an estimate of fault slip rate uncertainty based on a synthetic suite of plausible time‐displacement paths resulting from individual earthquakes, rather than measurement uncertainties associated with offset features. When considering this simulated earthquake behavior between measurements, the uncertainty associated with earthquake paths is greater than that calculated by the long‐term rate.
Antenna-array pattern nulling using a differential evolution algorithm: Original Articles

A new method based on the differential evolution (DE) algorithm is proposed for antenna-array pattern synthesis with prescribed nulls. The array excitation amplitudes are the only controlling parameters, and the objectives are to synthesize array patterns with nulls imposed on directions of interferences while keeping the sidelobe levels (SLLs) below prescribed levels. Many factors such as the excitation dynamic range ratio, null depth level, null width, and SLLs are taken into account in the synthesis. Simulation results of several typical problems are compared with published results to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J RF and Microwave CAE 14: 57–63, 2004.
Measuring Cognitive Distraction in the Automobile

Three experiments were undertaken to measure and understand cognitive distraction while driving. The experiments involved participants performing different mental tasks including: listening to the radio or a book on tape; conversing with a passenger; using a hand-held or hands-free cell phone; using a speech-to-text based email system; or using an auditory version of the Operation Span (OSPAN) task. In the first (control) experiment, participants performed tasks while seated at a computer monitor to establish the cognitive workload of each task. The second experiment involved a driving simulator with a lead vehicle. Brake reaction time and following distance were measured during the performance of the tasks. In the third experiment, participants drove an instrumented vehicle in a residential area while performing the tasks. High definition cameras were used to record eye movement data at critical locations, such as, pedestrian crosswalks, two- and four-way stops, and stoplights. Data was used to create a rating system for cognitive distraction with listening to the radio at 1.21 and using a speech-to-text system at 3.06. The data suggests that the introduction of voice-based systems may increase driver distraction.
Procurement Guide for the Preparation and Use of Performance Specifications

Abstract : The use of performance specifications to acquire defense products will reduce overall costs and will permit greater contractor operational freedom to build the product, while motivating process control and continuing process improvement. The aim of this Pamphlet is to assist DOD personnel, including specification developers, end-item users, and procurement personnel, in the development of specific essential product characteristics to be used in the acquisition of defense system and equipment at reduced cost. The objective of this Pamphlet is to describe a process for using performance specifications, which can assist in the transition from TDP-based procurement to performance specification and Best Value acquisitions. This is not a textbook on writing such specifications; rather, this Pamphlet is intended to encourage users and acquisition personnel to focus on specific essential product requirements as a way to streamline the acquisition process
Wing Articulation of Micro Air Vehicles to Reduce Gust Sensitivity

Abstract : Micro air vehicles are relatively small in size and weight, yielding aircraft that are sensitive to atmospheric wind gusts. In order to reduce gust sensitivity of micro air vehicles, articulation of the main wings attachment to the fuselage to allow flapping is considered. A general and extensible flight dynamic model for articulated micro air vehicles is created where each rigid body of the system is treated as a separate rigid body with 6 degrees of freedom. The system is coupled together by appropriate constraint forces and moments which are determined with a nonlinear constraint controller with guaranteed stability properties so that connection constraints are always obeyed. An attractive feature of the technique is that conventional rigid 6 degree of freedom flight dynamic models can relatively easily be modified to create a multibody flight dynamic simulation tool. This tool is used to investigate gust response for a micro air vehicle. Gusts acting on articulated micro air vehicles result in complex dynamic response which is explored.
Stem Cell Therapy for Modulating Neuroinflammation in Neuropathic Pain

Neuropathic pain (NP) is a complex, debilitating, chronic pain state, heterogeneous in nature and caused by a lesion or disease affecting the somatosensory system. Its pathogenesis involves a wide range of molecular pathways. NP treatment is extremely challenging, due to its complex underlying disease mechanisms. Current pharmacological and nonpharmacological approaches can provide long-lasting pain relief to a limited percentage of patients and lack safe and effective treatment options. Therefore, scientists are focusing on the introduction of novel treatment approaches, such as stem cell therapy. A growing number of reports have highlighted the potential of stem cells for treating NP. In this review, we briefly introduce NP, current pharmacological and nonpharmacological treatments, and preclinical studies of stem cells to treat NP. In addition, we summarize stem cell mechanisms—including neuromodulation in treating NP. Literature searches were conducted using PubMed to provide an overview of the neuroprotective effects of stem cells with particular emphasis on recent translational research regarding stem cell-based treatment of NP, highlighting its potential as a novel therapeutic approach.
A Coordination Protocol for Wireless Sensor and Actor Networks

Unlike Wireless sensor networks (WSANs) are composed of static, low-resources, densely distributed, sensors and, mobile, resource-rich, sparsely distributed actors. In this kind of networks, sensors are responsible for monitoring and gathering information about physical phenomenon, while actors are responsible for performing appropriate actions according to the information provided by sensors. In this paper we propose a sensor-sensor coordination protocol for WSAN based on clustering. In this protocol each actor builds a Voronoi region containing its nearest sensors. Furthermore, this protocol groups nodes detecting the same event in a cluster in order to ensure that only the nearest actor to the event area is informed about the event.
Urea-N Recycling in Lactating Dairy Cows

Title of dissertation: UREA-N RECYCLING IN LACTATING DAIRY COWS Sarah Katherine Dinh, Doctor of Philosophy, 2007 Dissertation directed by: Professor Richard A. Kohn Department of Animal and Avian Sciences This study was designed to determine the effect of rumen degradable protein (RDP) and rumen undegradable protein (RUP) on urea-N recycling and microbial N flow. Eight mid-lactation Holstein cows were assigned to a repeated 4 x 4 Latin square. The diets were isoenergetic with RDP and RUP concentrations arranged in a factorial design (10.0 and 12.5% RDP and 5.6 and 8.1% RUP as a percentage of dry matter). The 10.0% RDP diets resulted in greater milk yield and lower milk protein concentration than the 12.5% RDP diets. High RUP diets tended (P = 0.1) to increase bacterial N flow in the liquid fraction. The NRC 1989 model predicted flow of microbial N and total N from the rumen more accurately than the NRC 2001. The NRC 2001 model predicted a higher RDP requirement and a lower RUP requirement for all four diets compared with the NRC 1989 model. Both models reflect the dietary changes that were intended by increasing the RDP and RUP in a factorial manner. There was no effect of RUP or RDP on the g/d of urea-N transferred from the blood to the gut or returning to the ornithine-urea cycle. However, plasma urea-N (PUN) incorporated into rumen microbial protein tended (P = 0.14) to increase with the low RDP diets. Rate of transfer of PUN to the gut appeared to be independent of PUN concentrations. Expression of urea transporter (bUT-B2) gene in the rumen epithelial did not change due to diet. As dietary protein intake increased, a constant amount (g/d), or decreasing fraction (g/g), of PUN was transferred to the gut. The apparent saturation of urea transporters in the gut prevented excess PUN from recycling to the gut on high-protein diets. Thus, the energy costs for N excretion is less than that which would have resulted if a constant percentage of PUN recycled. UREA-N RECYCLING IN LACTATING DAIRY COWS By Sarah Katherine Dinh Dissertation submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School of the University of Maryland-College Park in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy 2007 Advisory Committee: Professor Richard A. Kohn, Chair Dr. Ransom L. Baldwin, VI Assistant Professor Brian J. Bequette Professor Thomas W. Castonguay Professor Richard A. Erdman  Copyright by Sarah Katherine Dinh 2007
IL-10 Promotes Glioma Cell Growth and Invasion via Upregulation of KPNA2 In vitro

Background Glioma is one of the leading causes of death worldwide with high incidence, recurrence and mortality. IL-10 is a cytokine with dual function in many types of tumors. Although IL-10 is overexpressed and promotes tumor progression in human primary brain tumor, the mechanisms are largely unknown. Methods Glioma cells were treated with different dosages of IL-10. The cell growth was detected by CCK8, and the invasion was measured by Transwell. The relative expression of mRNAs was detected by Quantitative real-time PCR (q-PCR). Results We found that IL-10 treatment significantly enhanced glioma cell growth and invasion. And KPNA2 was significantly upregulated after treatment with IL-10. By performing knockdown experiments, we found that the glioma cell growth and invasion were significantly declined. Conclusions The results indicated that knockdown of KPNA2 significantly inhibited the growth and invasion of glioma cells. And IL-10 promotes glioma progression via upregulation of KPNA2. This study will be of important significance and provides a potential target for treatment of patients with glioma.
Design of a novel mixer with high gain and linearity improvement for DRM/DAB applications

This paper focuses on a new design of a down-conversion mixer for a low-IF wideband receiver. Based on the folded structure and differential multiple gated transistor (DMGTR) technique, a novel quadrature mixer with a high conversion gain, a moderate linearity, and a moderate NF is proposed. The mixer is designed and implemented in a 0.18- μ m CMOS process, and can operate in a frequency range from 150 kHz to 1.5 GHz. The circuit performance is confirmed by both simulation and measurement results. The measurement results exhibit a peak conversion gain of 13.35 dB, a high third order input referred intercept point of 14.85 dBm, and a moderate single side band noise figure of 10.67 dB. Moreover, the whole quadrature mixer core occupies a compact die area of 0.122 mm 2 . It consumes a current of 3.96 mA (excluding the output buffers) under a single supply voltage of 1.8 V.
Planning with Uncertainty in Position: an Optimal Planner

Abstract : We propose a resolution-optimal planner that considers uncertainty while optimizing any monotonic objective function such as mobility cost, risk, energy expended, etc. The resulting path is a one that minimizes the expected cost value of the objective function, while ensuring that the uncertainty in the position of the robot does not compromise the safety of the robot or the reachability of the goal.
Characterization and Analysis for Flying COTS Electronics On-Orbit

As part of the Air Force Institute of Technology's efforts to develop and fly a novel imaging chromotomographic spectrometer payload in space, this work accomplished an investigation of hermetic enclosures to house commercial, off-the-shelf (COTS) components. Rationale for expending research efforts herein is attributable to enabling use of electronics which may not be available in a space-qualified form for years and to reduce cost/schedule constraints. Thermal modeling was validated through performance of a design, analysis and test campaign.
Physical-Layer Modeling of UWB Interference Effects

Abstract : The NETEX program is focused initially on understanding the effects of interference from ultra-wideband (UWB) transmitters on legacy military radio receivers, nearly all of which are narrowband (NB) relative to the UWB signal, which can have a bandwidth on the order of 1 GHz. The purpose of this report is to document a set of mathematical models which have been developed to analyze the impact of UWB signals on NB receivers. This analysis work is being done in parallel with a UWB interference testing program being conducted by other parties. There are two main components to the work presented here. The first is a detailed analysis of the power spectral density (PSD) of the UWB signal, which shows the distribution of the UWB transmit power over frequency. The PSD is determined by (1) the spectrum of the basic UWB pulse; and (2) pulse position modulation/dithering and pulse amplitude modulation. A clear understanding of the PSD is important, because the main factor that determines the impact on a NB receiver is the total average UWB interference power within the receiver passband. This is demonstrated by the second main component of the report, which is a set of models describing the impact of UWB interference on several different representative receiver types, both digital and analog. The PSD gives the average power-per-Hz as a function of frequency for the UWB signal. The UWB PSD models developed here allow the PSD to be computed analytically for a wide range of different UWB signal types, and include the effects of pulse-position modulation (PPM), random or periodic pseudo-random dithering of the pulse position, modulation or random (or pseudo-random) coding of the pulse amplitude, modulation symbols that include multiple UWB frames (giving integration gain), and modulation of the actual pulse repetition frequency (PRF) by either a periodic PRF-modulating signal or by a random process such as a data signal.