Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The microorganism-plant system for remediation of soil exposed to coal mining

Introduction. Coal mining causes a radical transformation of the soil cover. Research is required into modern methods and complementary technologies for monitoring technogenic landscapes and their remediation. Our study aimed to assess soil and rhizosphere microorganisms and their potential uses for the remediation of technogenic soils in Russian coal regions. Study objects and methods. We reviewed scientific articles published over the past five years, as well as those cited in Scopus and Web of Science. Results and discussion. Areas lying in the vicinity of coal mines and coal transportation lines are exposed to heavy metal contamination. We studied the application of soil remediation technologies that use sorbents from environmentally friendly natural materials as immobilizers of toxic elements and compounds. Mycorrhizal symbionts are used for soil decontamination, such as arbuscular mycorrhiza with characteristic morphological structures in root cortex cells and some mycotallia in the form of arbuscules or vesicles. Highly important are Gram-negative proteobacteria (Agrobacterium, Azospirillum, Azotobacter, Burkholderia, Bradyrizobium, Enterobacter, Pseudomonas, Klebsiella, Rizobium), Gram-positive bacteria (Bacillus, Brevibacillus, Paenibacillus), and Grampositive actinomycetes (Rhodococcus, Streptomyces, Arhtrobacter). They produce phytohormones, vitamins, and bioactive substances, stimulating plant growth. Also, they reduce the phytopathogenicity of dangerous diseases and harmfulness of insects. Finally, they increase the soil’s tolerance to salinity, drought, and oxidative stress. Mycorrhizal chains enable the transport and exchange of various substances, including mineral forms of nitrogen, phosphorus, and organic forms of C3 and C4 plants. Microorganisms contribute to the removal of toxic elements by absorbing, precipitating or accumulating them both inside the cells and in the extracellular space. Conclusion. Our review of scientific literature identified the sources of pollution of natural, agrogenic, and technogenic landscapes. We revealed the effects of toxic pollutants on the state and functioning of living systems: plants, animals, and microorganisms. Finally, we gave examples of modern methods used to remediate degraded landscapes and reclaim disturbed lands, including the latest technologies based on the integration of plants and microorganisms.
High Performance Reconfigurable Fuzzy Logic Device for Medical Risk Evaluation

To date cardiovascular diseases (CVD) account for approximately 35% of all deaths worldwide. Many of these deaths are preventable if the risk of developing them can be accurately assessed early. Medical devices in use today cannot determine a patient's risk of developing a CVD condition. If accurate risk assessment was readily available to doctors, they can track rising trends in risk levels and recommend preventative measures for their patients. If patients had this risk assessment information before symptoms developed or life-threatening conditions occurred, they can contact their doctors to inquire about recommendations or seek help in emergency situations.This thesis research proposes the idea of using evolutionary programmed and tuned fuzzy logic controllers to diagnose a patient's risk of developing a CVD condition. The specific aim of this research seeks to advance the flexibility and functionality of fuzzy logic systems without sacrificing high speed and low resource utilization. The proposed system can be broken down into two layers. The bottom layer contains the controller that implements the fuzzy logic model and calculates the patient's risk of developing a CVD. The controller is designed in a context switchable hardware architecture the can be reconfigured to assess the risk of different CVD diseases. The top layer implements the evolutionary genetic algorithm in software, which configures the fuzzy parameters that optimize the behavior of the controller. The current implementation inputs patient's personal data such as electrocardiogram (ECG) wave features, age and body mass index (BMI) and outputs a risk percentage for Sinus Bradycardia (SB), a common cardiac arrhythmia. We validated this system via Matlab and Modelsim simulations and built the first prototype on a Xilinx Virtex-5 FPGA platform. Experimental results show that this 3-input-1-output fuzzy controller with 5 fuzzy sets per variable and 125 rule propositions produces results within an interval of approximately 1us while reducing hardware resource utilization by at least 25% when compared with existing designs.
Socio-ecological assessment of cane rat (thryonomys swinderianus temminck, 1827) farming in Oyo State, Nigeria

The conventional sources of animal protein for human consumption are far below the required needs; hence remedial measures are being extended to wildlife farming. The socio-ecological factors affecting cane rat farming in Oyo State, Nigeria were studied to identify measures that could enhance productivity. A three-stage design sampling techniques was employed and the data collected were analyzed using descriptive, inferential statistics, proximate and profit margin analysis. Survey carried-out in 2004 revealed that a total of thirty-five cane rat farmers were operating in the urban and semi urban areas of Oyo State covering the four agricultural zones. Farm visit were done four times per season and direct observation were made on stock management and common forage and feedstuffs. The results revealed that 80% of the farmers started their farms with their personal savings while the remaining 20% started with either grants or government support. The number of cane rats in each farm ranged from 3 to 68, gestation period ranged from 154±4 days to 160±4 days from the day of paring while average litter size was 4.75±1.06. The mortality rate ranged from 35% at the first six months of farm operation to 22% and 15% at the end of 2005 and 2006 respectively. The average weight of litter at parturition ranged from 172± 1.20 to 179±0.20g while the average weight at leaning ranged from 467±4.13 to 691±2.11g. Pre-weaning mortality significantly decreased from 28% in 2005 to 10% in 2006 whilst post-weaning mortality significantly increased from 13% to 39%. Feeding under captive condition revealed that forage (Pennisetum purpureum and Panicum maximum) and feedstuffs (palm kernel cake, dried maize grain, compounded concentrate, commercial concentrate and wheat offal) were fed to the cane rat. However, Pennisetum purpureum was mostly available to farmed called rat irrespective of season and farm location. Proximate analysis of the forage and feedstuffs during dry and wet seasons showed significant different (p<0.05).
DigiMove Analysis for Manufacturing SMEs to Identify Their Current Status and next Digitalisation Steps

: The digitalisation level of Finnish manufacturing companies must be improved in order to remain in Finland and keep the manufacturing industry competitive. Digitalisation was found to have a positive correlation with the business result. This was discovered by analysing the digitalisation level of 43 manufacturing companies in Finland. The analysis was performed with the DigiMove matrix, which contains the following six digitalisation subjects: i) Manufacturing, ii) Products and services, iii) Digital skills of production staff, iv) Foresight, v) Customer interface, and vi) Administrative functions. It also contains five maturity levels: i) General, ii) Improved, iii) Advanced, iv) Forerunner, and v) Future opportunity. Each cell in the matrix contains the description of the expected digital solutions to be used and implemented. These descriptions were discussed in detail with each company in the workshop, and their actual level of digitalisation was jointly defined. In addition to the instant analysis map created in the workshop, each company also received recommendations for their next digitalisation steps within a week. Subsequently, 43 DigiMove statistical analyses were conducted with the companies’ public financial data, and a positive correlation was found between digitalisation and the financial result.
Effect of Roller Pump Pulse in the Arterial Needle Area during Hemodialysis

Vascular access is a lifeline for hemodialysis patients. Its lifetime is affected by many hemodynamic factors such as pressure, flow regime and wall shear stress. During hemodialysis, changes in hemodynamic parameters occur due to the flow from needles inserted into the vascular system. Primarily, there is a change in shear stress that affects the vascular wall. Pathological effects of high or low WSS are known. The effect of jet from a venous needle on hemodynamics parameters was studied, but the influence of the arterial needle on hemodynamics parameters is not sufficiently studied. To understand its possible effects, we performed in vivo and in vitro studies. Methods. In vivo experiment: The existence of flow reversal around the suction needle was visualized in a group of 12 randomly selected patients using ultrasound velocity profiling (Doppler ultrasonography) during hemodialysis. In vitro experiment: The flow field was measured using the stereo particle image velocimetry method (stereo PIV). Two regimes were studied. In the first regime, the fluid in the extracorporeal circuit was pumped by a peristaltic pump. In the second regime, the continuous pump was used in the extracorporeal circuit. The conditions were set to resemble those in vascular access during a hemodialysis session. Flow volume was set to 600 mL/min for vascular access and 200 mL/min for the extracorporeal circuit. Results. The main finding of this study was that the wall in the region of the arterial needle was stressed by backflow through the arterial needle. Since this was a variable, low-shear stress loading, it was one of the risk factors for the development of stenosis. Cyclic flow reversal was apparent in all of the included hemodialysis patients. The stereo PIV in vitro experiment revealed the oscillating character of wall shear stress (WSS) inside the model. High shear stress was documented upstream of the injection point of the arterial needle. An area of very low WSS was detected right behind the injection point during a pulse of the peristaltic pump. The minimal and maximal values of the WSS during a pulse of the peristaltic pump in the observed area were −0.7 Pa and 6 Pa, respectively. The distribution of wall shear stress with the continual pump used in the extracorporeal circuit was similar to the distribution during a pulse of the peristaltic one. However, the WSS values were continual; the WSS did not oscillate. WSS ranged between 4.8 Pa and 1.0 Pa.
Petrogenesis of Triassic Caojian A-type rhyolites and associated I-type granites in the southeastern Tibetan Plateau: rejuvenation of crystal mush

Abstract The orogenic process and crustal growth of the Changning–Menglian Palaeo-Tethys orogenic belt in the southeastern Tibetan Plateau is not fully understood. Triassic Caojian rhyolites and granites occur extensively in this orogenic belt and represent important constraints for this issue. This study aims to examine the relationships between the Triassic Caojian rhyolites and granites and to gain a better understanding of their possible petrogenesis. The study used zircon U–Pb geochronology, trace element analyses and Sr–Nd–Hf isotope data to better understand the relationships and possible origin of the rhyolites and granites. Recent zircon U–Pb ages indicated that the Caojian rhyolites were emplaced at 227.2 Ma, whereas age estimates for Caojian granites were slightly older (233.4–236.9 Ma). The Caojian rhyolites are enriched in large-ion lithophile elements and high-field-strength elements, with elevated FeOtot/MgO and Ga/Al ratios. However, they are significantly depleted in Ba, Sr, Eu, P and Ti. These geochemical characteristics indicate that they have an A-type affinity. Furthermore, the Caojian granites comprise biotite monzogranites and granodiorites and show unfractionated composition. Mineralogically, the Caojian granites were found to contain diagnostic I-type minerals such as hornblende. Geochemical data suggest that the petrogenesis of the Triassic Caojian rhyolites is characterized by rejuvenation of crystal mush represented by the Triassic Caojian granites. The necessary thermal input was supplied by mafic magma. This magmatic evolution was likely related to lithospheric delamination and upwelling of the asthenosphere during the Mid- to Late Triassic, forming post-collisional I-type granites and A-type volcanics in the Changning–Menglian Palaeo-Tethys orogenic belt.
Automation Information Sharing and Shared Situation Awareness

Abstract : Increasingly, the trend for military and other organisations is an increase in automation to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of staff in the workplace. In the military context, automated tools assisting in battlefield visualisation and mission planning may be implemented for these very purposes. Automation may, however, impact on the performance of military teams and affect the situation awareness (SA) necessary for good team functioning. This review examines the potential impacts and benefits of automation on information sharing, SA, planning, and team performance, as well as the concept of measuring SA. Several potential methods for measuring both shared and individual SA in various military contexts (ie. during field exercises, Command Post Exercises and in laboratory-based experiments) are then briefly outlined. It concludes with a brief discussion of the need for further examination of the impact of automation, the need for training of staff, and the reality of the benefits imparted by the tools themselves.
Tandem Interconnections of LPC and CVSD Digital Speech Coders.

Abstract : The study described in this report was concerned with the limitations on the performance of tandem interconnections of LPC and CVSD digital speech coders. Such interconnections were systematically studied so as to identify sources of speech quality degradation and schemes for improving the performance of such tandem interconnections were investigated. In the LPC-to-CVSD connection, the major source of speech quality degradation appears to be the minimum phase nature of the output waveform of conventional LPC synthesizers. The resulting 'peaky' waveform causes increased slope overload distortion in the CVSD coder, thereby degrading the overall performance. To alleviate this problem, a flexible approach to modifying the phase of LPC synthetic speech was developed. Both objective and subjective tests of the phase modification system show significant but not dramatic improvements in quality for the overall LPC-to-CVSD tandem. In the CVSD-to-LPC connection, the major source of degradation is the quantization error introduced by the CVSD coder. This quantization noise distorts the spectrum estimate obtained in the LPC analysis by broadening the bandwidths of the formant resonances. To improve the LPC spectrum estimate, the LPC analysis was modified as follows: Individual pitch periods in voiced frames were located and averaged to reduce the noise relative to the signal.
High Speed Wireless Networking for 60GHz

This thesis examines the problem of providing high data-rate wireless connectivity to users in indoor environments. The goal is to be able to reach Gbps/user rates even when there are multiple users present. The technology that we study is to use the 60 GHz spectrum whose special propagation properties make it ideally suited to this task. The approaches developed include using multiple spatially distributed smart antennas in a room or multiple co-located antennas to provide coverage where needed and when needed. All the antennas are connected to a single access point which allows us to dynamically change spectrum and link allocation among the users (as they move or as their needs change). The innovations in this work include the exploitation of the special properties of 60 GHz and the corresponding design of algorithms for efficient spectrum allocation. We use detailed simulations to demonstrate that very high data rates are indeed achievable.
Rotation-Invariant and Relation-Aware Cross-Domain Adaptation Object Detection Network for Optical Remote Sensing Images

In recent years, object detection has shown excellent results on a large number of annotated data, but when there is a discrepancy between the annotated data and the real test data, the performance of the trained object detection model is often degraded when it is directly transferred to the real test dataset. Compared with natural images, remote sensing images have great differences in appearance and quality. Traditional methods need to re-label all image data before interpretation, which will consume a lot of manpower and time. Therefore, it is of practical significance to study the Cross-Domain Adaptation Object Detection (CDAOD) of remote sensing images. To solve the above problems, our paper proposes a Rotation-Invariant and Relation-Aware (RIRA) CDAOD network. We trained the network at the image-level and the prototype-level based on a relation aware graph to align the feature distribution and added the rotation-invariant regularizer to deal with the rotation diversity. The Faster R-CNN network was adopted as the backbone framework of the network. We conducted experiments on two typical remote sensing building detection datasets, and set three domain adaptation scenarios: WHU 2012 → WHU 2016, Inria (Chicago) → Inria (Austin), and WHU 2012 → Inria (Austin). The results show that our method can effectively improve the detection effect in the target domain, and outperform competing methods by obtaining optimal results in all three scenarios.
(DCT-FY08) Target Detection Using Multiple Modality Airborne and Ground Based Sensors

Abstract : Automated 3D modeling of building interiors is useful in applications such as virtual reality. We have developed architecture and associated algorithms for fast, automatic, photo-realistic 3D models of building interiors. We have developed an ambulatory human operated backpack system made of a suite of sensors such as laser scanners, cameras, orientation measurement units (OMU)s which are used to both localize the backpack, and build the 3D geometry and texture of building interiors. We have developed a number of localization algorithms based on merging laser, camera and OMU sensor information, and compared their performance using a high end IMU sensor which serves as the ground truth. We have shown our average position error for a kilometer path to be 50 cm or 0.1%. Once the backpack is localized, a 3D point cloud can be generated and 3D meshing or plane fitting algorithms are applied to generate texture mapped 3D models. We have generated 3D models for multiple floors of 8 buildings over the past few years
EDUCATIONAL SHORT VIDEOS TO UTILIZE IN THE BIOCHEMISTRY LABORATORY: OPINIONS OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

This research aimed to reveal the opinions of the university students who conducted original educational videos context for the experiments in the Biochemistry laboratory course. Participants were fourth year students (N=40) of the Mathematics and Science Education Department, in Chemistry Education Program. A case study was used and carried out during the Spring term of 2014 at the Faculty of Education of Dokuz Eylul University in Izmir, Turkey. The students designed and took participation in educational short videos. Besides, each group students prepared poster presentations of their video at the end of the 14-week implementation process. To collect data, semi-structured interviews were used. The interview results of the research showed that learning was more meaningful and valid through this laboratory course because the students attended the course with interest and favor and motivated positively. Eventually, the educational short videos can be a powerful convincing learning tool for students. Keywords: active learning, educational short video, biochemistry laboratory, multimedia learning, science education.
Integrability and bifurcation of a three-dimensional circuit differential system

We study integrability and bifurcations of a three-dimensional circuit differential system. The emerging of periodic solutions under Hopf bifurcation and zero-Hopf bifurcation is investigated using the center manifolds and the averaging theory. The zero-Hopf equilibrium is non-isolated and lies on a line filled in with equilibria. A Lyapunov function is found and the global stability of the origin is proven in the case when it is a simple and locally asymptotically stable equilibrium. We also study the integrability of the model and the foliations of the phase space by invariant surfaces. It is shown that in an invariant foliation at most two limit cycles can bifurcate from a weak focus.
The Effects of Preterm Birth on Musculoskeletal Health-Related Disorders

Preterm birth is associated with various diseases and conditions which demand multidisciplinary medical care. Approximately 10% of all neonates are born prematurely with an increasing survival rate in almost all Western countries. This ongoing, yet desirable trend is creating new challenges for sufficient medical treatment regimens, which should be upheld throughout the patients’ lives. Orthopedic surgeons are focused on musculoskeletal disorders and the improvement of patients’ ability to cope with the challenges of everyday life. The most common conditions associated with preterm birth are cerebral palsy and a dysregulation of the calcium/phosphorus metabolism, which may lead to fractures. These diseases may vary greatly in their organic manifestation and clinical presentation. This demands multidisciplinary cooperation and parental support. Clinical management is aimed on the early enhancement of a patient’s physical, as well as neurological condition, and to prevent the development of secondary musculoskeletal disorders. In this article, we give an overview of the current literature on the most common musculoskeletal disorders associated with preterm birth and critically discuss state of the art diagnostic standards and treatment algorithms.
Hindbrain Administration of Oxytocin Reduces Food Intake, Weight Gain and Activates Catecholamine Neurons in the Hindbrain Nucleus of the Solitary Tract in Rats

Existing studies show that CNS oxytocin (OT) signaling is important in the control of energy balance, but it is unclear which neurons may contribute to these effects. Our goals were to examine (1) the dose-response effects of acute OT administration into the third (3V; forebrain) and fourth (4V; hindbrain) ventricles to assess sensitivity to OT in forebrain and hindbrain sites, (2) the extent to which chronic 4V administration of OT reduces weight gain associated with the progression of diet-induced obesity, and (3) whether nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) catecholamine neurons are downstream targets of 4V OT. Initially, we examined the dose-response effects of 3V and 4V OT (0.04, 0.2, 1, or 5 μg). 3V and 4V OT (5 μg) suppressed 0.5-h food intake by 71.7 ± 6.0% and 60 ± 12.9%, respectively. 4V OT (0.04, 0.2, 1 μg) reduced food intake by 30.9 ± 12.9, 42.1 ± 9.4, and 56.4 ± 9.0%, respectively, whereas 3V administration of OT (1 μg) was only effective at reducing 0.5-h food intake by 38.3 ± 10.9%. We subsequently found that chronic 4V OT infusion, as with chronic 3V infusion, reduced body weight gain (specific to fat mass) and tended to reduce plasma leptin in high-fat diet (HFD)-fed rats, in part, through a reduction in energy intake. Lastly, we determined that 4V OT increased the number of hindbrain caudal NTS Fos (+) neurons (156 ± 25) relative to vehicle (12 ± 3). The 4V OT also induced Fos in tyrosine hydroxylase (TH; marker of catecholamine neurons) (+) neurons (25 ± 7%) relative to vehicle (0.8 ± 0.3%). Collectively, these findings support the hypothesis that OT within the hindbrain is effective at reducing food intake, weight gain, and adiposity and that NTS catecholamine neurons in addition to non-catecholaminergic neurons are downstream targets of CNS OT.