Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Tectona grandis Linn. f. secondary metabolites and their bioactive potential: a review

Tectona grandis Linn. f. (teak) is one of the most appreciated high-quality timber all over the world due to its economic value and wide array of applications. This tropical hardwood presents outstanding characteristics like pleasing aesthetic appearance, strength, lightness, ease of working, dimensional stability, and decay resistance. The latter quality is mainly ascribed to its extractives, which contain biologically active compounds (mainly quinones and anthraquinones) that confer a natural resistance against termites and fungi. This review focuses on teak secondary metabolites and the bioactivity potential of heartwood extractives. Furthermore, it covers the generalities of the teak tree and gives an overview on the approaches aimed to valorize the wastes from woodworking enterprises as a possible source of functional extractives and as an eco-friendly raw material. Notwithstanding the efforts made to elu-cidate the compounds present in teak wood, further research is needed to un-derstand the chemical bases of its natural resistance to decay. Moreover, there is a lack of economic, technical, and ecotoxicity feasibility studies regarding extractives as a source of bioactive molecules for pharmaceutical, food, or cosmetics purposes.
The Impact of Rapid Adoption of Online Assessment on Students’ Performance and Perceptions: Evidence from a Distance Learning University

One of the most sensitive changes faced by universities due to the COVID-19 crisis was the remote assessment of student learning. This research analysed the case of a massive distance learning university that rapidly changed the final assessment (N=126,653 undergraduate students in 2020) from face-to-face exams to entirely online exams. The research focused on the influence of online assessment on academic performance and students’ perception of the new method. Two data sources were used: the contrast of academic performance indicators (assessment, success and achievement rates, and average marks obtained) between the online examination call and the previous ones with face-to-face examinations; and a questionnaire to a sample of students (n=714) on their perception of the online assessment experience. The results show that all the academic performance indicators in the 28 Bachelor Degrees offered at the university increased when the final assessment method turned to online due to the pandemic crisis; and that a majority of students are more favourable to online assessment methods. The discussion places these findings in a context of rapid change, and concludes by identifying the possible implications of online assessment for student retention, organisational challenges, as well as possible further studies.
Modified seismic design of concentrically braced frames considering flexural demand on columns

Special concentrically braced frames (SCBFs) are considered as one of the most economical and effective lateral force‐resisting systems in structures located in the regions of high seismicity. Steel braces in a braced frame undergo large axial deformations in tension and compression to dissipate the seismic energy. However, past studies have shown that SCBFs exhibit the soft‐story hinge mechanisms and unpredictable failure patterns under earthquake loading conditions. These inelastic responses along with the use of continuous structural sections as columns over consecutive floors induce flexural demand that is not considered in the current design practice. In this study, the evaluation of seismic performance of nine SCBFs designed as per the current practice has been carried out for three different story heights (i.e., three‐story, six‐story, and nine‐story) and three types of brace configurations (namely, chevron, split X, and single X). Three additional design techniques are also explored based on (i) the inclusion of column moments in the design; (ii) the theory of formation of plastic hinges; and (iii) the design of braces considering the forces computed at their post‐buckled stages. Nonlinear dynamic analyses of these study frames have been evaluated numerically using a computer software Perform‐3D for a suite of 40 ground motions representing the design basis earthquake and maximum considered earthquake hazard levels. Analyses results showed that the SCBFs designed as per the modified procedures achieved the desired performance objectives without the formation of soft‐story mechanism. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A novel objective function for optimal DG allocation in distribution systems using meta-heuristic algorithms

ABSTRACT Meta heuristic algorithms have been introduced as a powerful method to solve the nonlinear optimization problems. These algorithms have been employed in many complex engineering problems due to their high capability in finding the solutions and reaching the optimal results within a short period of time. Optimization of distributed generation units in distribution systems, which have profoundly impacted on the system losses and voltage profile, is one of these nonlinear problems. In this study, a novel objective function was proposed for optimization procedure by meta-heuristic algorithms. The related objective function consists of the total cost of distributed generation units, cost of the purchased natural gas, cost of distribution system power losses, and penalty for greenhouse gas emissions. The electrical, cooling, and heating loads were considered in this study. In the distribution system, the waste and fuel cell were used to supply the required heating and cooling loads. The meta-heuristic algorithms including Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), Genetic Algorithm (GA), and Imperialist Competitive Algorithm (ICA) were employed to find the optimal location and size of distributed generation units in a distribution system. A detailed performance analysis was done on 13 bus radial distribution system. The performances of three algorithms were compared with each other and results showed that the PSO was the fastest; and had the best solution and optimum results. Furthermore, the PSO reached the optimum solution in a fewer number of iterations than the GA and ICA algorithms.
Natural Variability Has Concealed Increases in Western US Flood Hazard Since the 1970s

Flood hazard across the western United States (US) has generally shown decreasing trends in recent decades. This region's extreme streamflow is highly influenced by natural variability, which could either mask or amplify anthropogenic streamflow trends. In this study, we utilize a technique known as dynamical adjustment to assess historical (1970–2020) annual maximum 1‐day streamflow (Qx1d) from unregulated basins across the western US with and without the impact of natural variability. After removing natural variability, the fraction of basins with a positive (>5%) trend in Qx1d shifts from 25% to 53%. Basins with increasing (decreasing) Qx1d trends after dynamical adjustment exhibit weak (strong) drying, and furthermore are associated with intensifying precipitation extremes and/or large decreases in snowpack. Increasing flood hazard will likely emerge for such basins as the current phase of natural decadal variability shifts, and anthropogenic signals continue to intensify.
Quality Assurance in Risk Management

This thesis investigated the inherent relationship quality assurance has with risk management processes, specifically focused on the construction industry perception of risk and uncertainty. On the evidence gathered, there is currently a lack of awareness and knowledge about quality assurance in risk management as a means of creating reliable risk analyses in the New Zealand construction industry. Risk assessments reported by those project managers who were interviewed were not representative of what eventually happened in the projects they managed. A triangulation research approach was adopted, where a literature analysis, a case study and a survey were used in critical analysis of the relationship between quality assurance, risk, and uncertainty as revealed in the research background chapter. The three methods scrutinise this relationship in different ways and eventually addressed all the research questions posed. A literature analysis was undertaken to establish the perception and definition of the terms risk and uncertainty before the standards and processes to quantify uncertainty were scrutinised in further detail. This allowed understanding of current concerns to be realised, so these could be tested in the thesis. A case study of a real-life New Zealand construction project was analysed in specific detail ensuring the literature analysis and the survey were grounded in current industry practice. The aim of this case study analysis was to understand the behaviour of people in the industry in comparison to how they are said to perform in the literature. The case study analysis essentially identified the existence of uncertainty in a project and attempted to understand how uncertainties are being controlled. An online Qualtrics survey was used to further test the perception and processes used for uncertainty management in the industry. The results showed that the New Zealand construction industry does not typically understand the difference between risk and uncertainty on their own. Technique use proved to be comprehensive with quantification of uncertainty occurring through formal techniques whether purposeful or not. The participants noted that complexity and lack of knowledge were the reasons behind the lack of understanding and that the existence of simple processes or formulas could enable the increase of reliable risk analyses in the construction industry.
Multi-objective Optimization Of Vehicle Occupant Restraint System By Using Evolutionary Algorithm With Response Surface Model

This research reports a vehicle occupant restraint system design by using evolutionary multi-objective optimization with response surface model. The vehicle occupant restraint systems are composed of restraint equipment, such as an airbag, a seat belt and a knee bolster. The optimization aims to improve the safety of the system by evaluating some indexes based on some safety regulations. Estimation models of the safety indexes are introduced for accelerating the optimization. The estimation models, which are called the response surface models, are constructed by using Gaussian Process, which is a kind of machine learning method. The Gaussian Process constructs the estimation model from sampling results, which are calculated by using multi-body dynamics simulation. Some helpful information for designing the restraint systems, such as trade-off information of safety performance and contribution of design variables for the safety performance, is obtained by analysing the Pareto optimal solutions.
Cognitive development of imitation of intransitive gestures: an analysis of hand and finger errors

ABSTRACT The dual-route model proposes that imitation of meaningful gestures relies on a lexical route whereas imitation of meaningless gestures relies on a sub-lexical route. The aim of the present study was to investigate the development of imitation of intransitive meaningful and meaningless gestures in children from 6 to 9 years old by exploring hand and finger errors. Despite lower performance, children showed similar patterns than adults with better imitation of meaningful compared to meaningless gestures. Concerning body part errors, children made more errors than adults. Moreover, children produced more hand errors than adults for meaningful gestures whereas they were no difference for meaningless gestures. These results suggest that the two routes are present but are still maturing. Moreover, several specific and non-specific factors may have impacted imitation skills. Further studies are needed to disentangle the role of these factors in imitation of intransitive gestures during development from childhood to adulthood.
Underpricing anomaly in initial public offerings: A research on 2021 initial public offerings performed in Borsa Istanbul

One of the most common anomalies related to price performance in initial public offerings (IPOs) is short-term underpricing and long-term underperformance anomalies. There are many studies on these anomalies conducted in the previous literature. This article's primary purpose is to contribute to this existing academic research by examining the underpricing for the IPOs made in Borsa Istanbul during 2021. For this purpose, 32 initial public offerings performed in Borsa Istanbul in 2021 as of the analysis date are examined. In the analysis, the first day, the first three days and the first seven days after the issuance are described as the short-term. Based on empirical findings, no short-period underpricing is detected for all public offerings performed in Borsa Istanbul in 2021. In other words, it can be concluded that investors can't earn residual (abnormal) returns by purchasing stocks from these public offerings in a short period.
Study on Prevalence of Leprosy in Man at Theni, Tamil Nadu

Background: Leprosy is chronic infectious systemic disease, is a major health problem in some regions, it may be considered an immunological disease. Objective: This work aimed to identify the stigma experienced by these patients. The main goal of this present study is to provide knowledge and health awareness about various health problems Method: Medical record of leprosy cases between Oct 2014 - March 2015 were analyzed at the Department of leprosy, Arokiyaagam, Aundipatty, Theni District. Data were obtained using a specific questionnaire, and entered into the database system. Conclusion: The results of this study point to a high circulation of lepra bacilli in the community in the “elimination era “and also highlight the need for early diagnosis and appropriate treatment at the field level to prevent spread of bacilli and development of disabilities.
Programmable Analog Filter in the Discrete Time for the Control of PWM Power Converters

Abstract The possibility of changing the transfer function of a frequency compensation filter, without modifying its topology, allows to synthesize a feedback regulator of power converters that can be used in a wide variety of applications. By programming the transfer function, the dynamics of the filter can be optimized for each power cell obtaining the desired closed loop behavior. In principle, the filter can be integrated within the power cell and programmed according to specific needs. Digital filters own this characteristic. Common analog filters, instead, does not offer such a possibility, since their transfer function depend upon their topology. A recursive linear filter in the discrete time, with programmable gains, allows its implementation, offering the same advantages of digital controllers, while avoiding some of their limitations. This paper considers a possible solution based upon switched capacitor circuits, made programmable by multiplying digital to analog converters. In some cases, this solution can be an alternative to digital controls. An analytic model in Z-transform domain and relevant forecasts of frequency responses are provided in the paper. A prototype is employed as external feedback network of a buck converter. Dynamic performances and output voltage transient responses to load variations are shown.
The perceived role of staff on the effectiveness of personal selling at Simba Colt and Toyota in Nairobi, Kenya

The purpose of the study was to explore the perceived role of personal selling on the performance of the motor vehicle industry with particular reference to Toyota and Simba Colt in Nairobi Kenya. Specific objectives of the study included determining the influence of provision of information, stimulating demand, reinforcing product awareness and reinforcing brand by on the performance o f the motor vehicle industry. The study will be significant to Toyota and Simba Colt motors and Vehicle companies because they will be able to understand the role of personal selling as a marketing strategy in Motor Vehicle Sector and look for means o f enhancing the performance while addressing the limitations. It will also provide background information to researchers who may want to carry out further research. A review of literature was done to determine whether provision of information, stimulating demand, reinforcing product awareness and reinforcing brand by personal selling influences performance of the motor vehicle industry. The Research Study used descriptive research design in collecting the data from respondents. The study population was six hundred and ninety one (691) from Toyota and Simba Colt Motors, which was divided into several groups with distinct characters as Management, sales staff and customers. Questionnaires were used for collecting data which was then analyzed using statistical tools and presented using tables and percentages. The Research Study established that personal selling provides information to customers, stimulate product demand, build product awareness and reinforce brands. The research study recommends the need to encourage sales persons to share customer knowledge captured across service encounters; personal sells persons to emphasize on salespeople’s satisfaction and commitment; build long-term brand awareness through regular communication and engage in training of their salespeople. Table of
Fading correlation modelling for troposcatter microwave propagation in array antenna detection applications

Microwave over-the-horizon (OTH) propagation through troposcatter is a valuable candidate for remote targets detection. Array antenna is promising to handle the contradiction between real-time wide spatial coverage requirement and high antenna gain to capture weak scattering signal. The detection tactics and performance of array receiving systems are significantly affected by the fading correlation between array antennas, but there is no analytical study which considers the fading correlation in troposcatter passive sensing environments for uncooperative targets. In this study, an analytical method based on a scattering transfer function is proposed to derive the channel fading correlation, and the result is a function of transmitter deviation and spatial, temporal, frequency, angular separations of receiving array antennas in uncooperative troposcatter circumstances. In addition, the OTH troposcatter array receiving signal model is derived by exploiting the fading correlation to form the covariance structure of the received array signal, adding up with the signal transmission loss. Existing experimental results validate the derived fading correlations, and the simulation results validate the OTH passive detection performance based on the provided signal model.
Stroke Rehabilitation: Recent Progress and Future Promise

Significant advancements in acute stroke medical management have changed stroke rehabilitation. In addition, an ever-changing health care ecosystem and heightened awareness of continued and new challenges requires that the occupational therapy profession consider new, innovative, and pragmatic approaches to measurement, intervention, and health services research, and clinical practice. The profession must elevate the focus and rigor of research examining occupation and participation after stroke, and their associations with health. Intervention research must progress beyond early phase pilot studies to a robust collection of meaningful large multisite studies that demonstrate the effectiveness of our interventions and the effectiveness of wide-scale implementation to ensure quality and consistent delivery of evidence-based practices in occupational therapy. These studies must address the accessibility of these practices for all people who have sustained stroke, and particularly those people who are most vulnerable to inaccessible stroke rehabilitation service delivery systems.
Design and Implementation Challenges of Maturity Models for Healthcare Organizations: An Experience Report

In the recent years a wide range of generic and domain-specific maturity models (MM) have been developed in order to improve organizational design and learning of healthcare organizations. While many of these studies describe methods on how to measure dedicated aspects of a healthcare organization's maturity, little evidence exists on how to effectively implement and deploy them into practice. This paper therefore delineates the encountered challenges during the design and implementation of three maturity models for distinct improvement areas in hospitals. The findings of this study, on the one hand, may serve as basis for refining existing MM design approaches; on the other hand, it may facilitate further research in domain-specific organizational design with MM.
Insight in Hypoxia-Mimetic Agents as Potential Tools for Mesenchymal Stem Cell Priming in Regenerative Medicine

Hypoxia-mimetic agents are new potential tools in MSC priming instead of hypoxia incubators or chambers. Several pharmaceutical/chemical hypoxia-mimetic agents can be used to induce hypoxia in the tissues: deferoxamine (DFO), dimethyloxaloylglycine (DMOG), 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP), cobalt chloride (CoCl2), and isoflurane (ISO). Hypoxia-mimetic agents can increase cell proliferation, preserve or enhance differentiation potential, increase migration potential, and induce neovascularization in a concentration- and stem cell source-dependent manner. Moreover, hypoxia-mimetic agents may increase HIF-1α, changing the metabolism and enhancing glycolysis like hypoxia. So, there is clear evidence that treatment with hypoxia-mimetic agents is beneficial in regenerative medicine, preserving stem cell capacities. These agents are not studied so wildly as hypoxia but, considering the low cost and ease of use, are believed to find application as pretreatment of many diseases such as ischemic heart disease and myocardial fibrosis and promote cardiac and cartilage regeneration. The knowledge of MSC priming is critical in evaluating safety procedures and use in clinics. In this review, similarities and differences between hypoxia and hypoxia-mimetic agents in terms of their therapeutic efficiency are considered in detail. The advantages, challenges, and future perspectives in MSC priming with hypoxia mimetic agents are also discussed.
Dialysis and Its Management in Younger Age Children in Pakistan

Introduction: Pakistan is an agricultural nation that misses the mark on basic foundation to help ideal consideration of patients with ongoing kidney infection (CKD) and end-stage kidney sickness (ESKD). Objectives: The basic aim of the study is to analyze the dialysis and its management in younger age children in Pakistan. Materials and Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted at Shaikh Zayed Hospital, Lahore during 2021. There were 40 children who was chosen for this review. The mean dialysis term was 2.18±1.36 years (range: 1-7 years). All patients were on dietary protein limitation, 1 g/kg body weight each day. Results: We collected all the demographic data of patients. The data was collected from 200 participants (from OPD, medical wards, dialysis center and kidney transplant OPD). The analysis of the demographic data found reveals the following results regarding age, sex, educational and marital status of the respondents: The mean (SD) age of the participants is 43.95 (1.68) years among the participants. Conclusion: The commonness of CKD would have been a lot higher than the outcome got by this review, had the exploration utilized current degree of creatinine.