Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
CONCRETE FILLED CFRP CYLINDRICAL SHELLS FOR BRIDGE COLUMNS IN SEISMIC ZONES

A promising approach to effectively use of fiber-reinforced-polymer composites in new construction is as structurally-integrated formwork in hybrid concrete/FRP structural components. This paper summarizes research developments on a concept that combines filament wound Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) cylindrical shells/tubes filled on-site with concrete for composite columns. The CFRP shell provides the functions of formwork and external reinforcement, while the concrete core supplies the main compression force mechanism and allows for the anchorage of connection elements. Ductile and elastic (strength) designs were developed for applications in seismic zones. Analytical and design models were developed and the performance for both column design approaches was experimentally validated through large-scale lateral load tests. Introduction The use of advanced composite materials, or Fiber Reinforced Polymers (FRP), in civil infrastructure has become increasingly important as they offer unique mechanical and chemical characteristics in terms of strength, stiffness, and durability. These advantages have already become apparent in their application for the rehabilitation (retrofit and repair) of existing buildings and bridges. However, the full potential of FRPs to replace traditional structural materials, such as steel and concrete, in new design and construction remains to be realized. This is primarily due to economic reasons related to the high materials and manufacturing costs and simplistic design approaches which replace conventional structural components with FRP components on a member-by-member basis and which utilize design criteria developed for conventional structural materials and not specifically for FRPs. The advantages of FRPs can only be effectively used when structural designs and construction concepts combine these “new” materials with conventional structural materials such as concrete and steel to form new composite structural members that are designed based on the mechanical characteristics of the new composite member. Recent research has shown that a promising way to technically and economically use FRP composites in new construction is through structurally-integrated formwork in hybrid concrete/FRP structural components. Once such concept is the use of thin prefabricated filament-wound carbon/epoxy (CFRP) cylindrical shells filled on-site with concrete. The CFRP shell serves the dual function of reinforcement and stay-in-place formwork for the concrete core. The concrete provides compression force transfer, Associate Professor, Dept. of Civil and Env. Engr. , Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824-1226, USA
Supporting Preschoolers’ Mental Health and Academic Learning through the PROMEHS Program: A Training Study

There is compelling evidence that early school intervention programs enhance children’s development of life skills, with a positive knock-on effect on their behaviors and academic outcomes. To date, most universal interventions have displayed gains in children’s social-emotional competencies with a limited reduction in problem behaviors. This may depend on programs’ curricula focused to a greater extent on preschoolers’ social-emotional competencies rather than problem behaviors. Promoting Mental Health at Schools (PROMEHS) is a European, school-based, universal mental health program explicitly focused on both promoting students’ mental health and preventing negative conduct by adopting a whole-school approach. In this study, we set out to evaluate the effectiveness of the program for Italian and Portuguese preschoolers. We recruited 784 children (age range = 4–5 years), assigning them to either an experimental group (six months’ participation in the PROMEHS program under the guidance of their teachers, who had received ad hoc training) or a waiting list group (no intervention). We found that PROMEHS improved preschoolers’ social-emotional learning (SEL) competencies, prosocial behavior, and academic outcomes. The more practical activities were carried out at school, the more children’s SEL competencies increased, and the more their internalizing and externalizing behaviors decreased. Furthermore, marginalized and disadvantaged children were those who benefited most from the program, displaying both greater improvements in SEL and more marked decreases in internalizing problems compared to the rest of the sample.
Treatment of net washing wastewater by Fenton process

The discharge of wastewater from net washing is one of the most significant problems in the marine ecosystem because of its high organic and saline content. Sea water quality is deteriorated every day due to the high amount of organic matter produced in the aquaculture sector. The aim of this study was to investigate the treatability of net washing wastewater by Fenton process. The efficiency of advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) in the treatability of net washing wastewater was evaluated
Horse Manure and Lignocellulosic Biomass Characterization as Methane Production Substrates

This paper aimed to study the value of horse manure through anaerobic digestion. The study involved characterization of different components of horse waste and the evaluation of their biochemical composition, physicochemical characterization and the influence of the composition of horse waste on biochemical methane potential. More specifically, two bedding mixtures were studied: the first one was composed of wheat straw (WS), wood chips (WC) and horse manure (HM) with a volumetric composition of 85%, 14% and 1%, respectively; and the second one was a mixture of WS and HM with a volumetric composition of 99% and 1%, respectively. The analysis was carried out on the two bedding mixtures and on each substrate separately with 406 samples from May 2017 to October 2019. Biochemical methane potential tests conducted on these samples showed that the composition and structure of the substrate influenced the BMP. WS had the highest mono-digestion methane production with 176.1 NmL·gVS−1. The second bedding mixture (99% WS, 1% HM) showed a production of 189.4 NmL·gVS−1 compared to 127 NmL·gVS−1 by bedding mixture 1 (85% WS, 14% WC, 1% HM). The difference was due to a dilution effect on methane production caused by the presence of WC rich in lignin.
Effects of Cognitive and Metacognitive Prompts on Learning Performance in Digital Learning Environments

Self-regulated learning (SRL) requires learners’ active participation, i.e., they need to activate cognitive and metacognitive learning strategies. These strategies can be activated and supported by using cognitive and metacognitive prompts. Extensive research concerning the effects of prompts on SRL is necessary to determine connections between these two concepts. Our study investigates the effects of cognitive and metacognitive activities—i.e., prompts—on learning performance during SRL. Therefore, we developed three types of learning environments that use different types of prompts—cognitive or metacognitive prompts—or no prompts. Moreover, we also used a questionnaire to examine prior knowledge and post-knowledge. Pre- and post-tests show that self-confidence in prior knowledge has a significant effect on self-confidence in post-knowledge, cognitive prompts reduce extrinsic motivation, and knowing how to use cognitive learning strategies enables using cognitive prompts more effectively. These results are partially in line with existing research findings on the effects of prompts in SRL.
ERRORS IN THE USAGE OF THE ENGLISH DEFINITE/INDEFINITE ARTICLES AMONG SAUDI UNIVERSITY-LEVEL STUDENTS

This study is an analysis of compositions written by Saudi university-level EFL students. It aims at identifying the types of errors they make in the use of the definite/indefinite articles. To achieve this aim, the researcher employed two methods; contrastive analysis and error analysis in identifying, classifying, analyzing and explaining students' errors. Six types of error were identified, and their frequency computed and then compared across the four levels of the study subjects. These types are: (1) omission of the indefinite article (a, an), (2) writing the indefinite article (a) as part of the noun/adjective following it, (3) substitution of the indefinite (a, an) for the definite article (the), (4) substitution of the definite (the) for the indefinite article (a, an) or Ø, (5) use of the indefinite article (a, an) with unmarked plurals, and (6) use of the indefinite article (a, an) with uncountable nouns. Native language transfer was found to play a role in some of students' errors. The analysis revealed that all errors, except two types, were independent of the students' native language (Arabic). The two types of error which could be traced back to the influence of Arabic, among other sources, were: (1) the omission of the indefinite article (a, an) and (2) the substitution of the definite article (the) for the indefinite article (a, an) or Ø. Developmental factors and common learning strategies like simplification and overgeneralization were found to account for the majority of students' errors. The use of these strategies was evident among the students of the four levels who were found to do well on certain items and to have difficulty with others.
Relationship between the Health Literacy and Self-Medication Behavior of Primary Health Care Clientele in the Hail Region, Saudi Arabia: Implications for Public Health

Background and aim: Because they are unaware of the potential adverse effects of medications, people frequently self-medicate as a form of self-care. This study aimed to investigate the factors associated with health literacy and the propensity to self-medicate among the primary healthcare clientele of the city of Hail, Saudi Arabia. Methods: This research employed a cross-sectional approach with the participation of 383 primary health center clientele of the Hail Region of Saudi Arabia. Participation was enacted via convenience sampling from December 2022 to February 2023. The data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. The investigation utilized descriptive statistics as well as multiple linear regression and correlation for the data analysis. Results: Participants who were aged 30 years and above, single, had a college degree, were non-Saudi, had a white-collar occupation and received information from the internet/Google/YouTube had a significant relationship (p < 0.05) with health literacy. On the self-medication scale (SMS), there were significant relationships with age, marital status, educational level and occupation (p < 0.05). The nationality and source of information factors related to health had a positively significant effect on health literacy (p < 0.01), while middle age (24–29 years) had a positive effect on the self-medication scores (p < 0.01). There was a significant positive correlation between the health literacy screening scale (BRIEF) and the self-medication scale (SMS) scores (r = 421, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Age of 30 years old or above, single status, a college degree, non-Saudi status, white-collar occupation and receiving information from the internet/Google/YouTube were all significant for health literacy. There were also significant relationships with the SMS scores for age, marital status, educational level and occupation. The factors affecting health literacy were older participant age, nationality and the source of information regarding health. Conversely, among the participants, being in the middle-aged group (24–29 years) was a factor that affected their self-medication scores. There was a significant positive correlation between the health literacy screening scale (BRIEF) and the self-medication scale (SMS).
Utilising Emotion Monitoring for Developing Music Interventions for People with Dementia: A State-of-the-Art Review

The demand for smart solutions to support people with dementia (PwD) is increasing. These solutions are expected to assist PwD with their emotional, physical, and social well-being. At the moment, state-of-the-art works allow for the monitoring of physical well-being; however, not much attention is delineated for monitoring the emotional and social well-being of PwD. Research on emotion monitoring can be combined with research on the effects of music on PwD given its promising effects. More specifically, knowledge of the emotional state allows for music intervention to alleviate negative emotions by eliciting positive emotions in PwD. In this direction, the paper conducts a state-of-the-art review on two aspects: (i) the effect of music on PwD and (ii) both wearable and non-wearable sensing systems for emotional state monitoring. After outlining the application of musical interventions for PwD, including emotion monitoring sensors and algorithms, multiple challenges are identified. The main findings include a need for rigorous research approaches for the development of adaptable solutions that can tackle dynamic changes caused by the diminishing cognitive abilities of PwD with a focus on privacy and adoption aspects. By addressing these requirements, advancements can be made in harnessing music and emotion monitoring for PwD, thereby facilitating the creation of more resilient and scalable solutions to aid caregivers and PwD.
In Situ Dilatometry Measurements of Deformation of Microporous Carbon Induced by Temperature and Carbon Dioxide Adsorption under High Pressures

Adsorption-based carbon dioxide capture, utilization, and storage technologies aim to mitigate the accumulation of anthropogenic greenhouse gases that cause climate change. It is assumed that porous carbons as adsorbents are able to demonstrate the effectiveness of these technologies over a wide range of temperatures and pressures. The present study aimed to investigate the temperature-induced changes in the dimensions of the microporous carbon adsorbent Sorbonorit 4, as well as the carbon dioxide adsorption, by using in situ dilatometry. The nonmonotonic changes in the dimensions of Sorbonorit 4 under vacuum were found with increasing temperature from 213 to 573 K. At T > 300 K, the thermal linear expansion coefficient of Sorbonorit 4 exceeded that of a graphite crystal, reaching 5 × 10−5 K at 573 K. The CO2 adsorption onto Sorbonorit 4 gave rise to its contraction at low temperatures and pressures or to its expansion at high temperatures over the entire pressure range. An inversion of the temperature dependence of the adsorption-induced deformation (AID) of Sorbonorit-4 was observed. The AID of Sorbonorit-4 and differential isosteric heat of CO2 adsorption plotted as a function of carbon dioxide uptake varied within the same intervals of adsorption values, reflecting the changes in the state of adsorbed molecules caused by contributions from adsorbate–adsorbent and adsorbate–adsorbate interactions. A simple model of nanoporous carbon adsorbents as randomly oriented nanocrystallites interconnected by a disordered carbon phase is proposed to represent the adsorption- and temperature-induced deformation of nanocrystallites with the macroscopic deformation of the adsorbent granules.
Influence of the Chemical Composition on the Solidification Path, Strengthening Mechanisms and Hardness of Ni-Cr-Si-Fe-B Self-Fluxing Alloys Obtained by Laser-Directed Energy Deposition

Nickel-based Ni-Cr-Si-B self-fluxing alloys are excellent candidates to replace cobalt-based alloys in aeronautical components. In this work, metal additive manufacturing by directed energy deposition using a laser beam (DED-LB, also known as LMD) and gas-atomized powders as a material feedstock is presented as a potential manufacturing route for the complex processing of these alloys. This research deals with the advanced material characterization of these alloys obtained by LMD and the study and understanding of their solidification paths and strengthening mechanisms. The as-built microstructure, the Vickers hardness at room temperature and at high temperatures, the nanoindentation hardness and elastic modulus of the main phases and precipitates, and the strengthening mechanisms were studied in bulk cylinders manufactured under different chemical composition grades and DED-LB/p process parameter sets (slow, normal, and fast deposition speeds), with the aim of determining the influence of the chemical composition in commercial Ni-Cr-Si-Fe-B alloys. The hardening of Ni-Cr-Si-Fe-B alloys obtained by LMD is a combination of the solid solution hardening of gamma nickel dendrites and eutectics and the contribution of the precipitation hardening of small chromium-rich carbides and hard borides evenly distributed in the as-built microstructure.
Long-Term Results with 187 Frozen Elephant Trunk Procedures

The frozen elephant trunk (FET) technique is an established therapeutic option in the treatment of complex aortic diseases. We report our long-term clinical outcomes after FET repair. A total of 187 consecutive patients underwent FET repair at our department between 8/2005 and 3/2023. Indications included acute and chronic aortic dissections and thoracic aneurysms. Endpoints included operative morbidity and mortality, long-term survival, and the need for reinterventions. Operative mortality, spinal cord injury and permanent stroke rates were: 9.6%, 2.7% and 10.2%, respectively. At five years, overall survival was 69.9 ± 3.9% and freedom from aortic-related death was 82.5 ± 3.0%, whereas at ten years, overall survival was 53.0 ± 5.5% and freedom from aortic-related death was 75.8 ± 4.8%. Sixty-one reinterventions on the thoracic aorta were necessary. Freedom from secondary interventions at ten years was 44.7 ± 6.4% overall (63.1 ± 10.0% for acute dissections, 40.8 ± 10.3% for chronic dissections and 28.9 ± 13.1% for aneurysms, respectively). The high reintervention rate for chronic dissections and for aneurysms is related to the pre-existing aortic pathology. Late aortic growth of untreated segments with potentially fatal outcome occurs even after ten years, so careful annual follow-up is mandatory in this patient cohort.
Clinical Outcomes in Dogs Undergoing Cholecystectomy via a Transverse Incision: A Meta−Analysis of 121 Animals Treated between 2011 and 2021

Simple Summary Cholecystectomy in small-breed dogs through a conventional midline incision requires a long surgical and anesthesia time due to the difficulty in securing the surgical field. In this study, we compare the surgical results of 121 dogs that underwent cholecystectomy over a 10-year period through a transverse incision with previously reported surgical results, and discuss the advantages of transverse incision. Veterinarians with more than 5 years of surgical experience at the referral animal hospital who participated in this study found that it was possible to shorten the surgical time compared with that taken with a conventional midline incision by securing a proper operation view. Comparing with previous studies of cholecystectomy in which the operation time was reported, the dogs in this study had similar indications and perioperative mortality rate, but a significant reduction in the operation time was confirmed through statistical analysis. The results of our study may help in the treatment of dogs in emergency situations where long anesthesia is a burden. Abstract Although many studies have been conducted on the use of median and transverse incisions in various surgeries in the field of human medicine, related studies in veterinary medicine are lacking. This study aimed to present treatment options for dogs requiring cholecystectomy by reporting the pros and cons of 121 cholecystectomies performed via transverse incision at our hospital over 10 years. In most included cases, nonelective cholecystectomy was performed in an unstable emergency situation. The perioperative mortality rate was 23.14%, which was not significantly different from that of cholecystectomy performed via the conventional midline approach. However, the overall operation time (46.24 ± 6.13 min; range 35–65 min) was shortened by securing an adequate surgical field of view. The transverse incision approach facilitates fast and accurate surgery without increasing the fatality rate in small-breed dogs, in whom securing an adequate surgical field of view is difficult. Thus, transverse incision should be actively considered in dogs undergoing cholecystectomy due to emergency conditions, such as bile leakage or biliary tract obstruction, since prolonged anesthesia can be burdensome. This study may improve cholecystectomy outcomes in small-breed dogs with difficult-to-secure surgical fields.
Deep-Learning-Based Approaches for Semantic Segmentation of Natural Scene Images: A Review

The task of semantic segmentation holds a fundamental position in the field of computer vision. Assigning a semantic label to each pixel in an image is a challenging task. In recent times, significant advancements have been achieved in the field of semantic segmentation through the application of Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) techniques based on deep learning. This paper presents a comprehensive and structured analysis of approximately 150 methods of semantic segmentation based on CNN within the last decade. Moreover, it examines 15 well-known datasets in the semantic segmentation field. These datasets consist of 2D and 3D image and video frames, including general, indoor, outdoor, and street scenes. Furthermore, this paper mentions several recent techniques, such as SAM, UDA, and common post-processing algorithms, such as CRF and MRF. Additionally, this paper analyzes the performance evaluation of reviewed state-of-the-art methods, pioneering methods, common backbone networks, and popular datasets. These have been compared according to the results of Mean Intersection over Union (MIoU), the most popular evaluation metric of semantic segmentation. Finally, it discusses the main challenges and possible solutions and underlines some future research directions in the semantic segmentation task. We hope that our survey article will be useful to provide a foreknowledge to the readers who will work in this field.
A Neuro-Symbolic Cognitive System for Intuitive Argumentation

Making and evaluating arguments is an important cognitive capability that plays a vital role in human cooperation by allowing us to communicate beliefs and persuade others. In this paper, we ask how can machines comprehend arguments. Research in computational argumentation has a rich history of addressing questions about the abstract dynamics of argumentation and how argument structures can be mined from text. However, what is missing is an integrated cognitive system that provides a computational account for how we might intuitively make sense of arguments. Work in cognitive psychology has suggested that when presented with a novel argument, humans interpret the language and produce acceptability/coherence judgments intuitively. In this paper, we introduce SKEPTIC , a computational implementation of the process of intuitive argumentation, combining modern deep neural networks and natural language processing techniques with established cognitive systems principles. We describe an architecture and an algorithm for extracting graph-like argument structures from raw unstructured text as well as retrieving implicit assumptions that support the argument. Being able to extract arguments and their implicit assumptions will be able to help us detect misinformation, reduce polarization, understand social and cultural rationales, and assist with critical thinking and persuasive writing.