Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A comparison of combustion characteristics of waste cooking oil with diesel as fuel in a direct injection diesel engine

Abstract The use of waste cooking oil (WCO) as an alternative to diesel in engines has advantages from both economic and environmental standpoints. Typical of vegetable oils, WCO has a higher viscosity, leading to a general perception that its use is likely to have an adverse effect on the fuel injection system and consequent combustion process. In the present investigation, tests were carried out to determine engine performance and combustion analysis as well as emissions for both WCO and diesel. It was observed that because of the shorter ignition delay the premixed combustion phase of WCO was less intense than that of diesel. However, because of the corresponding smaller combustion volume, the peak pressures were on average 1.5 bar higher and occurred 1.1°-3.8° earlier than for diesel. This early peaking characteristic requires careful attention to ensure that, while running with WCO, the peak pressure takes place marginally after top dead centre for efficient operation. In terms of emissions of CO, NO and SO2, the level was higher for WCO compared with diesel.
Effect of Low Nanodiamond Concentrations and Polymerization Techniques on Physical Properties and Antifungal Activities of Denture Base Resin

Background: Denture base resin has some drawbacks. This study investigated the impact of nanodiamonds (ND) and autoclave polymerization on the surface characteristics, translucency, and Candida albicans adherence in polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) denture base resin after thermocycling. Methods: Heat-polymerized PMMA discs (15 × 2 mm) with a total sample size n = 160 were studied. Specimens were categorized into two main groups (N = 80): conventional water-bath-polymerized PMMA (CP/PMMA) and autoclave-polymerized PMMA (AP/PMMA). Each group was subdivided according to the ND concentration into four groups (n = 20): unmodified PMMA as a control, and 0.1%, 0.25%, and 0.5% ND–PMMA. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to inspect the morphology of the ND and the ND–PMMA mixtures before heat polymerization. The specimens were exposed to thermal cycling (5000 cycles at 5 and 55 °C), then surface roughness was measured with a non-contact optical interferometric profilometer, contact angle with an automated goniometer, and translucency using a spectrophotometer. Colony-forming units (CFU) were used to determine the adherence of Candida albicans cells to the specimens. ANOVA and Tukey post hoc tests for pairwise comparison were utilized for the statistical analysis (α = 0.05). Results: Surface roughness was significantly reduced with ND addition to CP/PMMA (p ˂ 0.001), while the reduction was not statistically significant in AP/PMMA (p = 0.831). The addition of ND significantly reduced the contact angle, translucency, and Candida albicans count of CP/PMMA and AP/PMMA (p ˂ 0.001). The incorporation of ND in conjunction with autoclave polymerization of PMMA showed significant reduction in all tested properties (surface roughness, contact angle and Candida albicans adherence) except translucency (p = 0.726). Conclusions: ND addition to PMMA and autoclave polymerization improved the surface properties with respect to antifungal activities, while the translucency was adversely affected.
A novel 10-transistor low-power high-speed full adder cell

A novel high-speed low-power 10-transistor 1-bit full-adder cell is proposed in this paper. The critical path consists of an inverter, an XOR or XNOR gate and one pass transistor. The cell offers higher speed, lower power consumption and lower area than the standard implementations of the 1-bit full-adder cell. A prototype of the proposed adder cell in 0.35um technology has a delay time of 0.2417ns. It also exhibits low average dissipation of 4.936*10/sup -5/ watt at frequency of 100MHz. Simulation results have shown better performance over the standard implementations.
RESPONSE OF MANFALOUTY POMEGRANTE TREES TO SPRAYING WITH GA3 AND ANTIRANSPIRANT GREEN MIRACLE UNDER UPPER EGYPT CONDITIONS

This study dealing with the effect of different concentrations of GA3 (0.0, 50, 100 or 150 ppm) and the antitranspirant Green Miracle ( 0.0, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 %) on counteracting fruit splitting, yield and fruit quality of Manfalouty pomegranate trees grown under Upper Egypt conditions. The results showed that spraying GA3 at 50 to 150 ppm and antitranspirant Green Miracle at 0.5 to 2.0 % had no effect on leaf area, T.S. S. , acid. Yet, improved the yield, fruit weight, percentages of moisture in the seeds and peels and vitamin C content. Total and reducing sugars, as well as fruit splitting were tended gradually to decrease with increasing concentrations of GA3 and Green Miracle. In most cases no material effect on such parameters was observed among the higher two concentrations of GA3 and Green Miracle. Whereas, combined application of 100 ppm GA3 and 1.0 % Green Miracle as antitranspirant twice at the first week of July and August is suggested for alleviating fruit splitting % and improving yield and fruit quality of Manfalouty pomegranate trees growing under sandy soils.
Large‐signal modeling of frequency‐dispersion effects in submicron MOSFET devices

In this Letter a large‐signal model for the MOSFET will be presented, along with the parameter extraction for the model using large‐signal time‐domain waveforms. The dc/ac hybrid model described accounts for the discrepancy between dc and large‐signal rf extracted equivalent circuit conductance and transconductance parameters. In addition, the dynamic nature of the modeling process directly characterizes other phenomena associated with high‐power operation such as self‐heating effects. Full verification of the model is provided for an 80 μm/0.18 μm MOSFET. An improvement in the performance of the model over traditional quasi‐static models at rf whilst maintaining the accuracy of the dc model is demonstrated. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 34: 429–432, 2002; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.10485
Effect of Various Types of Superplasticisers on Consistency, Viscosity, Structure and Long-Term Strength of Geopolymer Products

This article presents the results of research on the effect of plasticisers made based on four different compounds—melamine (M), naphthalene (NF), acrylic polymers (AP) and polycarboxylic ethers (PC)—added to the tested mixes in the amount of 2% of the fly ash (FA). The influence of superplasticisers (SPs) on the consistency of the fresh concrete was investigated using a flow table and a penetrometer, and the air voids content was determined by means of a porosimeter. Additionally, the influence of plasticisers on the viscosity of the paste was investigated using a rheometer. Hardened mortar that matured under two different conditions was also tested at elevated and room temperatures. The tested properties were 7-, 28- and 90-days compressive strength and internal microstructure viewed under a microscope. NF had the greatest viscosity-reducing effect while it increased the air void volume in the mix at the same time. The highest early and late strengths were obtained after curing in elevated temperature samples with an acrylic-polymer-based superplasticiser. However, the increased curing temperature of the samples only influenced the early strength results. Its effect was not visible after 90 days. The AP addition also had a significant impact on improving the consistency of the mixture. The addition of plasticisers did not affect the microstructure of the specimens.
Unconditional factor demands and supply response for livestock products: A farm-level analysis of the Southern Rangelands of Kenya

This paper evaluates output supply and input factor demands for livestock products in the Southern rangelands of Kenya. A flexible translog profit function that permits the application of the primal approach to the output supply and factor demand analysis was estimated using household-level data. The results indicate that the own-price elasticities of supply for cattle, sheep and goats were all positive. The own-price elasticities for the supply of sheep and goat products were elastic, while the own-price elasticities for the supply of cattle products wasinelastic. Cross-price and scale elasticities were found to be within the inelastic range in all cases, with goat production complementing both cattle and sheep production. All factor input demand elasticities for cattle, sheep and goats had the expected negative sign and were inelastic. These results offer a valuable opportunity for the development of pro-pastoral price policies that reduce factor market imperfections and thus enhance livestock productivity in the rangelands of Kenya.
Update on the Design of a 1:33 Scale Model of a Modified Edinburgh Duck WEC

A modified version of the Edinburgh Duck wave energy converter has been studied recently at the University of Edinburgh. From the design point of view the key innovation was a modification of the wetted profile. Wave energy is converted into useful work by the same pitching motion as in the original Duck, but by means of a circular cylinder with an off centred axis of rotation. This recent study was focused on a Duck version designed for vapour compression desalination rather than electricity production. An hydrodynamic numerical model (WAMIT) was used to predict first-order hydrodynamics quantities and to select and optimize configurations. The results obtained showed that it was possible, following the appropriate control strategies, to obtain similar energy absorption capabilities as the in the cam shaped original Duck. A 1:33 scale model was built to validate the numerical predictions. This paper extends the already published numerical predictions and experimental results obtained with this model. Experimental tests in random waves and measurements of the mooring forces for different submerged volumes will be reported for the first time.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Compassion as a Source of Satisfaction and Fear in Professionals Who Work With People

Background Compassion satisfaction and fear of compassion affect the mental health of professionals who work with people. In addition, each of these two variables can be important indicators of the quality of the services such professionals provide. Methods This study examines compassion as a source of satisfaction and fear among 293 professionals work with people, including 158 teachers, 57 police officers, 45 nurses and 44 imams. A personal information form, the Fear of Compassion Scale, and the Compassion Satisfaction Scale were used as data collection tools. Results Neither fear of compassion nor compassion satisfaction varied significantly according to the sampled professionals’ genders, educational levels, monthly incomes or area of residence. However, both these measures did exhibit statistically significant variation by the respondents’ professional roles, ages, numbers of children and marital statuses. A significant negative relationship between the participants’ fear of compassion and their compassion satisfaction was also identified. Conclusion Courses related to kindness and social interaction should be provided in schools, to help the adults of the future.
Circumventing the packaging limit of AAV-mediated gene replacement therapy for neurological disorders

ABSTRACT Introduction Gene therapy provides the exciting opportunity of a curative single treatment for devastating diseases, eradicating the need for chronic medication. Adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) are among the most attractive vector carriers for gene replacement in vivo. Yet, despite the success of recent AAV-based clinical trials, the clinical use of these vectors has been limited. For instance, the AAV packaging capacity is restricted to ~4.7 kb, making it a substantial challenge to deliver large gene products. Areas covered In this review, we explore established and emerging strategies that circumvent the packaging limit of AAVs to make them effective vehicles for gene replacement therapy of monogenic disorders, with a particular focus on diseases affecting the nervous system. We report historical references, design remarks, as well as strengths and weaknesses of these approaches. We additionally discuss examples of neurological disorders for which such strategies have been attempted. Expert opinion The field of AAV-gene therapy has experienced enormous advancements in the last decade. However, there is still ample space for improvement aimed at overcoming existing challenges that are slowing down the progressive trajectory of this field.
Variational 3D Mesh Generation of Man-Made Objects

—Data-driven 3D shape analysis, reconstruction, and generation is an active research topic that finds many useful applications in the fields of computer games, computer graphics, and augmented/virtual reality. Many of the previous mesh-based generative approaches work on natural shapes such as human faces and bodies and little work targets man-made objects. This work proposes a generative probabilistic framework for 3D man-made mesh shapes. Specifically, it proposes a Variational Autoencoder that works directly on mesh vertices and encodes meshes into a probabilistic, smooth, and traversable latent space that can be sampled after training and decoded to generate novel and plausible shapes. Extensive experiments show the representational power of the proposed framework and the underlying latent space. Operations such as random sample generation, linear interpolation, and shape arithmetic can be performed using the proposed method and produce plausible results. An additional advantage of the proposed framework is that it learns to produce a disentangled shape representation which gives finer control over the generated mesh and allows generating shapes with specific qualities without losing the reconstruction power of the autoencoder.
Development and evaluation of a novel large-area single-pixel QWIP for infrared radiometry

Infrared radiometry requires large area, linear detectors of spatially uniform response. Currently the choice of high quality detectors of mid-infrared (>8 μm) radiation is far from ideal for radiometric applications. For example, HgCdTe detectors are widely used but exhibit very large (>20%) spatial non-uniformities in their responsivity whereas thermal detectors such as pyroelectric detectors have relatively low D* values. Quantum Well Infrared Photo-detectors (QWIPs) are now well established for use in state-of-the-art cooled thermal imaging systems, driven by military application. For fundamental optical measurement applications (for example, spectral responsivity standards) the expense and complication of imaging arrays is not required. Some QWIPs are made from layers of GaAs/AlxGa1-xAs material which can be mass grown on large substrate wafers with high spatial uniformity. As such, QWIPs offer the potential to be manufactured as a large area single pixel device, with a uniform spatial response, as well as a high D* value. This paper will detail the development of a single pixel QWIP detector and present the results of an initial evaluation of this detector, carried out at NPL.
Creativity in the Predominantly Inattentive and Combined Presentations of ADHD in Adults

Objective: ADHD and its associated inhibition deficits might promote creativity. However, results in the literature are conflicting, possibly due to the heterogeneity of ADHD. To control for this heterogeneity, creativity, and inhibition were investigated in the predominantly inattentive (ADHD-I) and combined (ADHD-C) presentations. Method: Participants were males/females aged 18 to 51, diagnosed with ADHD-I (n = 21), ADHD-C (n = 19), or without ADHD (n = 43). Self-rated Kaufman Domains of Creativity Scale and evaluator-rated figural Torrance Test of Creative Thinking (TTCT) were used for measuring creativity, Stroop task for inhibition, and Conners’ Adult ADHD Rating Scales for ADHD symptoms. Results: The ADHD-C group reported higher self-rated creativity than other groups and made more original drawings paired to more abstract titles in the figural TTCT than controls. Conclusion: ADHD-C participants were the most creative. This result was more importantly associated with higher degrees of ADHD symptoms rather than poorer inhibition.
Response of Strip Foundation on Spatially Random Elastic Foundation under Variable Column Loads

The spatial variability of soil properties has a considerable impact on foundation response. The effect of random spatial variation of soil properties on the response of a strip foundation under variable column loads is presented in this paper. A single span strip footing on spatially random elastic soil is modeled as an Euler- Bernoulli beam resting on a two-parameter foundation. The two-parameter foundation model used in this analysis incorporates both the normal and shear resistances of soil and their spatial variability, and provides a better representation of the beam-soil interaction than the conventional Winkler model. Variable point loads and moments are applied at the two ends of the footing and the statistics of footing responses such as settlement, bending moment and shear force are obtained by Monte Carlo simulations.
High-Precision and High-Resolution Synchrosqueezing Transform via Time-Frequency Instantaneous Phases

Synchrosqueezing transform (SST) can effectively improve time-frequency precision and resolution by squeezing time-frequency spectra via instantaneous frequencies, and it has been applied in many diverse disciplines; however, the precision of estimated instantaneous frequencies during SST is usually affected by the time-sample interval of the inputted signal; this usually leads to low-precision or inaccurate SST results and limits its further application. To obtain high-precision and high-resolution SST results with high efficiency, we propose a high-precision and high-resolution SST via time-frequency instantaneous phases (HSST); in HSST, time-frequency instantaneous phases with period-jumps removal are used for high-precision instantaneous frequencies estimation and SST. Two synthetic signal examples show that HSST can minimize the impact of the time-sample interval to achieve high-precision and high-resolution SST results with high efficiency. A real 3D seismic data application demonstrates that HSST has fantastic performance in time-frequency precision and resolution enhancement, and it can be widely used in digital signals processing and interpretation fields.
The Gains and the Pains of Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information Systems (IPPIS) Policy Implementation in Nigeria

The study examined the gains and pains of Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) Policy implementation in Nigeria. The paper was qualitative descriptive one. The study found that IPPIS has been able to mitigate problems associated with salary payment of public servants but the feat came with some pains or burdens to both public servants and IPPIS implementers. The study recommends among others that: the IPPIS should decentralize its activity, get more autonomy to operate effectively and the need for the remodification and redesigning of the software to accommodate more organizational flexibility and peculiarity.
DESTRUCTIVE TESTING OF TWO FORTY-YEAR-OLD PRESTRESSED CONCRETE BRIDGE BEAMS

Two specimens from a 40-year-old inverted T-beam prestressed concrete bridge were tested to destruction. These beams matched specimens tested in 1954 as the prototype for this bridge. The tests revealed that the specimens remained strong and ductile even after 40 years and that full composite action was achieved without the use of stirrups. The AASHTO Specifications provided reasonable estimates of the cracking moments and conservative estimates of the ultimate moment. The AASHTO Code also provided reasonable estimates of loss of prestress when compared to measured values. An excellent correlation was found between the specimens tested in this research and the prototype tests of 1954 in terms of load vs. deflection behavior, cracking moments and ultimate moments.
Revisiting ENSO and IOD Contributions to Australian Precipitation

Tropical modes of variability, such as El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), exert a strong influence on the interannual variability of Australian precipitation. Nevertheless, commonly used indices of ENSO and IOD variability display significant co‐variability that prevents a robust quantification of the independent contribution of each mode to precipitation anomalies. This co‐variability issue is often addressed by statistically removing ENSO or IOD variability from the precipitation field before calculating teleconnection patterns. However, by performing a suite of coupled and uncoupled modeling experiments in which either ENSO or IOD variability is physically removed, we show that ENSO‐only‐driven precipitation patterns computed by statistically removing the IOD influence significantly underestimate the impact of ENSO on Australian precipitation variability. Inspired by this, we propose a conceptual model that allows one to effectively separate the contribution of each mode to Australian precipitation variability.
Untargeted Metabolomics Reveals a Complex Impact on Different Metabolic Pathways in Scallop Mimachlamys varia (Linnaeus, 1758) after Short-Term Exposure to Copper at Environmental Dose

Ports are a good example of how coastal environments, gathering a set of diverse ecosystems, are subjected to pollution factors coming from human activities both on land and at sea. Among them, trace element as copper represents a major factor. Abundant in port ecosystem, copper is transported by runoff water and results from diverse port features (corrosion of structures, fuel, anti-fouling products, etc.). The variegated scallop Mimachlamys varia is common in the Atlantic port areas and is likely to be directly influenced by copper pollution, due to its sessile and filtering lifestyle. Thus, the aim of the present study is to investigate the disruption of the variegated scallop metabolism, under a short exposure (48 h) to a copper concentration frequently encountered in the waters of the largest marina in Europe (82 μg/L). For this, we chose a non-targeted metabolomic approach using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled to high resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS), offering a high level of sensitivity and allowing the study without a priori of the entire metabolome. We described 28 metabolites clearly modulated by copper. They reflected the action of copper on several biological functions such as osmoregulation, oxidative stress, reproduction and energy metabolism.
INTERLEUKIN AS BIOMARKER OF RECURRENT APHTHOUS STOMATITIS (RAS): A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW

This review aimed to describe the interleukins and interleukin gene polymorphisms related to and recommended as a RAS biomarker. Articles were searched through PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Cochrane Library databases, using the keywords of “Interleukin” AND “Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis”. The Risk of Bias Assessment tool for Non-randomized Studies (RoBANS) was used, and the writing of this review refers to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. A total of 8 articles met the criteria and showed a low risk of bias assessment. The level of IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, and IL-18 in the acute clinical phase of RAS were higher than in the recovery phase, but IL-10 levels showed decreased. IL-2, IL-6, IL-10 gene polymorphisms were found to be more frequent in RAS patients compared to controls, while IL-12 gene polymorphisms were found to be less associated with RAS pathogenesis. Interleukins at the proteomic level that recommended as a pro-inflammatory biomarker are IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, IL-12, and IL-18, while an anti-inflammatory is IL-10. Only IL-2 can be recommended as a biomarker at the genomic level, as other interleukins still require more investigation.