Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Development of passive evaporative cooling systems for tomatoes Part 1: construction material characterization

The management of large volumes of agroforestry residues constitutes one of the global environmental challenges today. These residues tend to accumulate in the environment, resulting in water, air and land pollution. In response to rising costs associated with waste disposal and increasing environmental demands, the sustainable conversion of wastes into useful products is becoming increasingly important. In the same vein, the quality and shelf life of tomatoes are compromised within a few days if not properly stored and preserved. Although, a number of researchers have worked extensively on the development of evaporative cooling systems in an effort to tackle this menace, finding durable construction materials remains a challenge. The broad objective of this study, therefore, was to develop passive evaporative coolers for tomatoes, using cement and clay-bonded composites from eggshell and sawdust as fabrication materials. In phase one of the study herein reported, relevant engineering properties of laterite-sawdust, cement-sawdust and cement-eggshell ash-sawdust at mixing ratios of 9:1, 4:1 and 16:4:5 respectively were investigated, with laterite alone and concrete serving as the controls. The results obtained showed a significant reduction ( p <0.05) in density (36.1%-46.8% for clay-bonded and 53.5%-54.8% for cement-bonded samples), a significant increase in porosity ( p <0.05), and a significant decrease in thermal conductivity of the composite materials as a result of the sawdust and egg shell ash incorporation. There were, however, slight increase in moisture absorption and decrease impact energy absorption capacity of the composite materials. These minor issues notwithstanding, sawdust and burnt egg shell are considered to be suitable potential construction materials for the fabrication of evaporative coolers for tomatoes.
Periodontitis and systemic diseases: a record of discussions of working group 4 of the Joint EFP/AAP Workshop on Periodontitis and Systemic Diseases.

BACKGROUND There has been an explosion in research into possible associations between periodontitis and various systemic diseases and conditions. AIM To review the evidence for associations between periodontitis and various systemic diseases and conditions, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pneumonia, chronic kidney disease, rheumatoid arthritis, cognitive impairment, obesity, metabolic syndrome and cancer, and to document headline discussions of the state of each field. Periodontal associations with diabetes, cardiovascular disease and adverse pregnancy outcomes were not discussed by working group 4. RESULTS Working group 4 recognized that the studies performed to date were largely cross-sectional or case-control with few prospective cohort studies and no randomized clinical trials. The best current evidence suggests that periodontitis is characterized by both infection and pro-inflammatory events, which variously manifest within the systemic diseases and disorders discussed. Diseases with at least minimal evidence of an association with periodontitis include COPD, pneumonia, chronic kidney disease, rheumatoid arthritis, cognitive impairment, obesity, metabolic syndrome and cancer. The working group agreed that there is insufficient evidence to date to infer causal relationships with the exception that organisms originating in the oral microbiome can cause lung infections. CONCLUSIONS The group was unanimous in their opinion that the reported associations do not imply causality, and establishment of causality will require new studies that fulfil the Bradford Hill or equivalent criteria. Precise and community-agreed case definitions of periodontal disease states must be implemented systematically to enable consistent and clearer interpretations of studies of the relationship to systemic diseases. The members of the working group were unanimous in their opinion that to develop data that best inform clinicians, investigators and the public, studies should focus on robust disease outcomes and avoid surrogate endpoints. It was concluded that because of the relative immaturity of the body of evidence for each of the purported relationships, the field is wide open and the gaps in knowledge are large.
Early establishment of hematopoietic chimerism following allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation in comparison with allogeneic bone marrow transplantation

Abstract: To characterize the process of the establishment of complete chimerism after allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (allo‐PBSCT), we determined the origin of leukocytes in peripheral blood (PB) obtained from 23 patients in the very early period after allo‐PBSCT using amplification of mini‐ or microsatellite regions of genomic DNA. Donor‐specific alleles were amplified from the PB obtained at day 8 post‐transplant for 19 allo‐PBSCT patients. Among the 19 patients, 12 showed only donor‐specific alleles (complete chimerism) while 7 did both donor and host‐specific alleles (mixed chimerism). Although donor specific alleles were amplified in 10 of 12 patients who received allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (allo‐BMT) similarly to allo‐PBSCT, all of these ten showed mixed chimerism. When the chimeric state was examined in PB samples obtained serially at 2–3‐day intervals post‐transplant, host‐specific alleles in allo‐PBSCT patients were not detectable in the PB much earlier than those in allo‐BMT patients. These findings indicate that the appearance of donor‐derived cells associated with the disappearance of host‐derived cells in the circulation occurs earlier after allo‐PBSCT as compared with allo‐BMT, leading to the rapid establishment of complete chimerism.
Sensor network security: a survey

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) use small nodes with constrained capabilities to sense, collect, and disseminate information in many types of applications. As sensor networks become wide-spread, security issues become a central concern, especially in mission-critical tasks. In this paper, we identify the threats and vulnerabilities to WSNs and summarize the defense methods based on the networking protocol layer analysis first. Then we give a holistic overview of security issues. These issues are divided into seven categories: cryptography, key management, attack detections and preventions, secure routing, secure location security, secure data fusion, and other security issues. Along the way we analyze the advantages and disadvantages of current secure schemes in each category. In addition, we also summarize the techniques and methods used in these categories, and point out the open research issues and directions in each area.
Function inlining under code size constraints for embedded processors

Function inlining is a compiler optimization that generally increases performance at the expense of larger code size. However, current inlining techniques do not meet the special demands in the design of embedded systems, since they are based on simple heuristics, and they generate code of unpredictable size. This paper presents a novel approach to function inlining in C compilers for embedded processors, which aims at maximum program speedup under a global limit on code size. The core of this approach is a branch-and-bound algorithm which allows one to quickly explore the large search space. In an application study, we show how this algorithm can be applied to maximize the execution speed of an application under a given code size constraint.
Copy number variation has little impact on bead-array-based measures of DNA methylation

MOTIVATION Integration of various genome-scale measures of molecular alterations is of great interest to researchers aiming to better define disease processes or identify novel targets with clinical utility. Particularly important in cancer are measures of gene copy number DNA methylation. However, copy number variation may bias the measurement of DNA methylation. To investigate possible bias, we analyzed integrated data obtained from 19 head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) tumors and 23 mesothelioma tumors. RESULTS Statistical analysis of observational data produced results consistent with those anticipated from theoretical mathematical properties. Average beta value reported by Illumina GoldenGate (a bead-array platform) was significantly smaller than a similar measure constructed from the ratio of average dye intensities. Among CpGs that had only small variations in measured methylation across tumors (filtering out clearly biological methylation signatures), there were no systematic copy number effects on methylation for three and more than four copies; however, one copy led to small systematic negative effects, and no copies led to substantial significant negative effects. CONCLUSIONS Since mathematical considerations suggest little bias in methylation assayed using bead-arrays, the consistency of observational data with anticipated properties suggests little bias. However, further analysis of systematic copy number effects across CpGs suggest that though there may be little bias when there are copy number gains, small biases may result when one allele is lost, and substantial biases when both alleles are lost. These results suggest that further integration of these measures can be useful for characterizing the biological relationships between these somatic events.
Enhanced activation of the left inferior frontal gyrus in deaf and dyslexic adults during rhyming

Hearing developmental dyslexics and profoundly deaf individuals both have difficulties processing the internal structure of words (phonological processing) and learning to read. In hearing non-impaired readers, the development of phonological representations depends on audition. In hearing dyslexics, many argue, auditory processes may be impaired. In congenitally profoundly deaf individuals, auditory speech processing is essentially absent. Two separate literatures have previously reported enhanced activation in the left inferior frontal gyrus in both deaf and dyslexic adults when contrasted with hearing non-dyslexics during reading or phonological tasks. Here, we used a rhyme judgement task to compare adults from these two special populations to a hearing non-dyslexic control group. All groups were matched on non-verbal intelligence quotient, reading age and rhyme performance. Picture stimuli were used since this requires participants to generate their own phonological representations, rather than have them partially provided via text. By testing well-matched groups of participants on the same task, we aimed to establish whether previous literatures reporting differences between individuals with and without phonological processing difficulties have identified the same regions of differential activation in these two distinct populations. The data indicate greater activation in the deaf and dyslexic groups than in the hearing non-dyslexic group across a large portion of the left inferior frontal gyrus. This includes the pars triangularis, extending superiorly into the middle frontal gyrus and posteriorly to include the pars opercularis, and the junction with the ventral precentral gyrus. Within the left inferior frontal gyrus, there was variability between the two groups with phonological processing difficulties. The superior posterior tip of the left pars opercularis, extending into the precentral gyrus, was activated to a greater extent by deaf than dyslexic participants, whereas the superior posterior portion of the pars triangularis extending into the ventral pars opercularis, was activated to a greater extent by dyslexic than deaf participants. Whether these regions play differing roles in compensating for poor phonological processing is not clear. However, we argue that our main finding of greater inferior frontal gyrus activation in both groups with phonological processing difficulties in contrast to controls suggests greater reliance on the articulatory component of speech during phonological processing when auditory processes are absent (deaf group) or impaired (dyslexic group). Thus, the brain appears to develop a similar solution to a processing problem that has different antecedents in these two populations.
Ultrasmooth, Large‐Area, High‐Uniformity, Conductive Transparent Single‐Walled‐Carbon‐Nanotube Films for Photovoltaics Produced by Ultrasonic Spraying

Transparent conducting (TC) ﬁlms of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) have the potential to replace conventional TC oxides in a wide variety of optoelectronic devices. [1–5] TC-SWNT ﬁlms are particularly attractive for photovoltaics (PV) due to their high transparency over much of the solar spectrum, excellent electrical conductivity, and the potential for inexpensive roll-to-roll processing. SWNT ﬁlms have been used, by us and others, in cadmium telluride, [6] copper indium gallium diselenide, [7] and organic PV (OPV) devices. [8–10] In several reports, SWNTelectrodes for OPV have been prepared by ﬁltering a sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-stabilized dispersion of SWNTs to form a thin ﬁlm. [9,10] The ﬁlm can be released by dissolution of the ﬁlter, and then transferred to a transparent substrate. [11] This so-called ‘‘transfer method’’ produces highly transparent ﬁlms with excellent conductivity, but the ﬁlms possess irregular morphologies and signiﬁcant roughness, which can lead to short-circuits and overall poor reproducibility during device fabrication. [12] Moreover, the process is not scalable. TC-SWNT ﬁlms have also been produced for optical and electrical studies by air-brush spraying using surfactant-stabilized SWNT inks. Such ﬁlms are inhomogeneous because SWNTs sprayed from surfactant solutions agglomerate on heated substrates. To move TC-SWNT electrodes beyond the proof-of-concept stage for PV and other optoelectronic applications, methods are required for producing large-area, transparent, conducting SWNT ﬁlms that are smooth and homogeneous
Application of Neural Network for fault diagnosis of cracked cantilever beam

This paper discusses neural network technique for fault diagnosis of a cracked cantilever beam. In the neural network system there are six input parameters and two output parameters. The input parameters to the neural network are relative deviation of first three natural frequencies and first three mode shapes. The output parameters of the neural network system are relative crack depth and relative crack location. To calculate the effect of crack depths and crack locations on natural frequencies and mode shapes, theoretical expressions have been developed. Strain energy release rate at the crack section of the beam has been used for calculating the local stiff nesses of the beam. The local stiff nesses are dependent on the crack depth. Different boundary conditions are outlined which take into account the crack location. Several training patterns are derived and the Neural Network has been designed accordingly. Experimental setup has been developed for verifying the robustness of the developed neural network. The developed neural network system can predict the location and depth of the crack in a close proximity to the real results.
The Fly Nose-Function and Evolution

Stensmyr, M.C. 2004. The Fly Nose – Function and Evolution. Doctoral dissertation. ISSN 1401-6249, ISBN 91-576-6756-X This thesis summarizes and discusses the results of four separate studies on fly olfaction. The aim of the thesis has been to investigate how odor information is decoded by the fly peripheral olfactory system, how this code has evolved and how it is used by the insects in their daily life. Here I show that insect odorant receptors (ORs), as indicated by the response profile of olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs), are narrowly tuned to specific compounds. The ligands of the system are volatile chemicals characteristic for favored or rejected traits of preferred or avoided resources. These compounds each carry important information. By relying on key-ligands even a narrowly tuned system comprising a fairly small number of ORs can be used to locate and evaluate a large number of resources in complex odor environments. This conclusion is supported by experimental data contained in the four publications comprising this thesis. In the first study we show that fruitfly ORNs respond most selectively to generic fruit and fungal volatiles, typical for favored characteristics of the flies’ preferred resources. In the second study we show how the olfactory code has evolved among the eight close relatives of D. melanogaster. The evolutionary pattern we observe illustrates how drastic alterations in odor space and food choice can have direct effects on specific ORNs tuned to important key-ligands. The concept of key-ligand tuning is further nicely illustrated in the third and fourth study by the deceptive pollination system of the dead horse arum. This plant copies in remarkable detail a cadaver in order to attract carrion blowflies. Of particular importance is the chemical mimicry, through which the plant copies three specific cadaver volatiles. Our study shows that these three compounds are the sole mean through which blowfly identify carrion, even though carrion produces a large range of volatile chemicals. The odor mimicry is accompanied by further adaptations reinforcing the carrion mimicry, among which heat is most important. Our study provides rare evidence for a direct functional role of plant thermogeny as we show that the generated heat (up to 20°C above ambient temperature) is important for fine tuning the behavior of the flies.
A 10-MHz eGaN Isolated Class-Φ2 DCX

Derived from the class-E resonant converters, the isolated class-Φ2 resonant converters have much reduced voltage stress of the control FET owing to a shunt branch paralleled with the switch to provide low pass path for the second harmonic voltage. With the increase of the input voltage, the reverse conduction time of the power FETs varies seriously and the gate drive voltage can hardly match efficiently with the drain voltage of the synchronous rectifier (SR) FET. This causes the earlier turn-on of the SR FET before zero voltage switching (ZVS) is achieved, which results in high turn-on loss at multi-MHz. Moreover, with the enhancement mode gallium nitride (eGaN) HEMTs, the mismatch between the drive voltage and drain voltage results in high reverse conduction mechanism loss after the SR FET turns off in the switching period of hundreds of nanoseconds. The reverse conduction mechanism of the control eGaN HEMT can be triggered before ZVS turn-on, which causes high reverse conduction loss. It is interesting to find that when the output voltage is controlled to follow the input voltage proportionally, the drive voltage can match well with the drain voltage of the power FETs over a wide input voltage range, which is proved mathematically by the state-space analysis. Then, a voltage following control is proposed to control the isolated resonant converters as dc transformers (DCXs). The turn-on loss of the SR FET and reverse conduction loss of the SR and control FETs can be minimized. An 18-24 V input, 18 W/2 A output, 10-MHz eGaN DCX was implemented to verify the advantages. With the proposed control, the efficiency is improved from 79.9% to 85.5% at 18 W output and 24 V input.
The Rise of China and India and the Commodity Boom: Economic and Environmental Implications for Low-Income Countries

The rapid growth of China and, more recently, of India, is having major effects on every facet of the global economy. The supply of labor-intensive manufactured exports (from China in particular) has been accompanied by a huge expansion in their imports both of raw materials and of skill-intensive manufactured parts and components. This 'offshoring' of intermediates production by large, labor-abundant economies has economic and environmental implications for other developing economies drawn into their trade networks. We sketch a trade-theoretic model showing how the growth of the 'giants' generates adjustment pressures on their trading partners and competitors among developing economies. We discuss in particular how differences in relative factor endowments of resource-rich economies can produce quite different outcomes in the context of product fragmentation and expanding commodity trade. We also explore the effects on production, trade, environment and prospects for future growth, recognizing that commodity extraction and production can have strong environmental impacts, particularly in the context of weak institutions and other market failures. We illustrate these different impacts by considering the cases of Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand and highlight implications for growth, development and policy.
The Hot and Cold Spots in the WMAP Data are Not Hot and Cold Enough

This paper presents a frequentist analysis of the hot and cold spots of the cosmic microwave background data collected by the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP). We compare the WMAP temperature statistics of extrema (number of extrema, mean excursion, variance, skewness and kurtosis of the excursion) to Monte-Carlo simulations. We find that, on average, the local maxima (high temperatures in the anisotropy) are too cold and the local minima are too warm. In order to quantify this claim we describe a two-sided statistical hypothesis test which we advocate for other investigations of the Gaussianity hypothesis. Using this test we reject the isotropic Gaussian hypothesis at more than 99% confidence in a well-defined way. Our claims are based only on regions that are outside the most conservative WMAP foreground mask. We perform our test separately on maxima and minima, and on the north and south ecliptic and Galactic hemispheres and reject Gaussianity at above 95% confidence for almost all tests of the mean excursions. The same test also shows the variance of the maxima and minima to be low in the ecliptic north (99% confidence), but consistent in the south; this effect is not as pronounced in the Galactic north and south hemispheres.
Capacity of Hybrid Wireless Networks with Directional Antenna and Delay Constraint

We study the throughput capacity of hybrid wireless networks with a directional antenna. The hybrid wireless network consists of n randomly distributed nodes equipped with a directional antenna, and m regularly placed base stations connected by optical links. We investigate the ad hoc mode throughput capacity when each node is equipped with a directional antenna under an L-maximum-hop resource allocation. That is, a source node transmits to its destination only with the help of normal nodes within L hops. Otherwise, the transmission will be carried out in the infrastructure mode, i.e., with the help of base stations. We find that the throughput capacity of a hybrid wireless network greatly depends on the maximum hop L, the number of base stations m, and the beamwidth of directional antenna θ. Assuming the total bandwidth W bits/sec of the network is split into three parts, i.e., W<sub>1</sub> for ad hoc mode, W<sub>2</sub> for uplink in the infrastructure mode, and W<sub>3</sub> for downlink in the infrastructure mode. We show that the throughput capacity of the hybrid directional wireless network is Θ(nW<sub>1</sub>/θ<sup>2</sup> L log n) + Θ(mW<sub>2</sub>), if L = Ω(n<sup>1/3</sup>/θ<sup>4/3</sup> log<sup>2/3</sup> n); and Θ((θ<sup>2</sup>L<sup>2</sup> log<sup>2/3</sup> n); and + Θ(mW<sub>2</sub>), if L = o(n<sup>1/3</sup>/θ<sup>4/3</sup> log<sup>2/3</sup> n), respectively. Finally, we analyze the impact of L, m and θ on the throughput capacity of the hybrid networks.