Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Rheological characteristics analysis of shear thickening fluids based on response surface methodology

This paper analyzed the influence of various components and the external environment on the rheological properties of shear thickening fluid (STF). The single-factor experimental study was carried out with the silica particle size, the mass fraction of silica particles, the continuous phase’s average molecular weight, and the temperature as the influencing factors. Obtain the influence of various factors on the initial viscosity, critical shear rate, thickening period and thickening ratio of STF samples. According to the crossover relationship between the shear stress and the intermolecular force when the shear thickening occurs, the STF’s critical shear rate criterion is constructed. By introducing the mechanical balance between small molecules, the relationship between the particles’ volume fraction and the distance between particles in the suspension system is established. The influencing factors and formulas of the STF’s critical shear rate and shear capacity are deduced, which supports the conclusions obtained in the single-factor experiment. Based on the single-factor experiment conclusion, the mass fraction of silica particles, the average molecular weight of the continuous phase and the temperature are used as the influencing factors, and the critical shear rate, shear thickening ratio and maximum viscosity are the responses indicators. According to the Box-Behnken response surface methodology (RSM) design, 15 analysis experiments with three factors and three levels are carried out. Obtain the rheological characteristics of the STF and regression equation between each factor, based on the three-dimensional response surface graph and F-value in ANOVA result. We found that among the interaction effects, the interaction between the continuous phase’s average molecular weight and the temperature has the most significant impact on the critical shear rate of the STF. The interaction between the silica particles’ mass fraction and the continuous phase’s average molecular weight significantly impacts the shear thickening ratio of the STF. The interaction between silica particles’ mass fraction and the temperature has the most significant impact on the maximum viscosity of the STF. Finally, according to the response surface methodology experimental results and ideal STF rheological characteristics standard in engineering applications, when the mass fraction of silica particles is 35%, the average molecular weight of the continuous phase is 387, and the temperature is 20 °C. The critical shear rate of the STF system is 5.84 1/s, the shear thickening ratio is 102.8, and the peak viscosity is 1191.7 Pa·s, reaching the optimal theoretical value within the value scope.
Slip conditions of floor surface finish in selected public places in Kumasi, Ghana

Abstract Data from the Accident Centre of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra, Ghana, indicate that between January 2016 and December 2017, there were 19.7% injuries due to falls with 13.7% resulting in deaths. These injuries and deaths may be due to floor surface finishes that have the tendency to cause slip fall and also exacerbated by the floor condition and footwear in contact. In this exploratory studies, tests are conducted on six selected floor surfaces and five footwear soles under dry, wed and dust or oil contaminated conditions for their slip potentials. The tests were performed with pendulum test apparatus. The footwear sole material surfaces that show better performance are leather, commando and rubber. They have Pendulum Test Value (PTV) of about 30, indicating moderate risk in slip fall and 1 in 20,000 probability of fall. Dust contamination as applied to other floor surfaces show commando sole performing above 35 PTV with all floor surfaces. Porcelain tiles, when wet, are able to maintain above low slip potential with leather, commando and rubber camp soles but with high slip probability with others. Also, Porcelain tiles have high slip probability when contaminated with dust. From the findings, it is clear that slip fall can occur if the foot wear is not appropriate with the surface conditions. In developing countries, selecting the appropriate slip-resistant footwear is severely challenged, because of non-existent of data. Further investigation is needed for various footwear soles available leading to developing database for public education in avoiding slip falls.
The opportunity for and intensity of sexual selection in a seed bug depend on host plant dispersion

In fields of the coastal plain of Georgia (USA), the seed bug, Neacoryphus bicrucis, feeds and mates exclusively on ragwort. The distribution of ragwort, Senecio tomentosus, is either dispersed, with small numbers of plants spread over large areas, or clustered, with large numbers of plants concentrated into relatively small areas. In dispersed habitat, the density of seed bugs is always low (< 20/0.25 m2) as is the proportion of adults who are mating (20%). In clustered habitat, adult densities are occasionally high (30–75/0.25 m2) as are mating rates (> 67%). In both habitats, mating males are in better condition (= mass – mass expected from length) than non-mating males. In clustered habitats, aggression between males occurs frequently and determines residency in areas of high ragwort abundance to which females are especially attracted for mating and oviposition. A mark-recapture study revealed that males move about more in dispersed than clustered habitats, possibly searching for mates. Variance in male mating efficiency (copulations/sightings) matches random expectations in dispersed habitats but is significantly higher than that in clustered habitats, suggesting greater opportunity for sexual selection. A multivariate analysis of selection intensity using mark-recapture data revealed that longer wings and shorter bodies are favored in dispersed habitat, suggesting selection on ability to search for mates. In clustered habitat, selection favors a longer body, antennae, and legs. This finding suggests selection favoring dominance in aggressive interactions, as legs and antennae are used to grapple with opponents and to seize females during aggressive courtship.
Determining Behavioral to Uptake and Its Predictors toward Cervical Cancer Screening among Women: A Case-Control Multistage Study

Cervical cancer is a primary cause of mortality cancer among Indonesian women. Notwithstanding these threats, cervical cancer screening services have low uptake. Additionally, there was a lack of case-control study with multistage regarding positively behavioral and its determinants for cervical cancer screening. This study was to ascertain the behavioral to uptake and its predictors toward cervical cancer screening. A case-control study was done in the Kediri with sample size was 410 using multistage random sampling (ratio 1:1) from nine community health service. Data were obtained through questionnaires and assessed using Chi-square, Independent t-test, and multiple logistic regression with adjusted odds ratio (AOR). The behavioral to conduct cervical cancer screening was associated with knowledge (AOR= 1.61), husband support (AOR= 1.38), social support (AOR= 5.03), external motivation (AOR= 1.24), internal motivation (AOR= 1.37), perceived susceptibility (AOR= 1.49), perceived barrier (AOR= 0.74), perceived benefit (AOR= 0.73), perceived severity (AOR= 1.36), self-efficacy (AOR= 1.30), perceived threat (AOR= 1.26), and intention to screening (AOR= 3.06) with p value <0.05 after adjusted covariate factors. The knowledge, husband and social support, external and internal motivation, all domains of health belief, and intention to uptake screening were found strongly associated with behavioral to uptake cervical cancer screening.
An Unintended Consequence of Product Upgrades: How Upgrades Can Make Current Consumers Feel Left Behind

In today’s advanced economies, consumers are constantly exposed to an increasing number of upgraded products. This research examines consumer response to a brand's launching of an upgraded product and identifies the consumer's ownership status of a previous version of the product as a key dimension that can influence their reaction. Contrary to common intuition, the research demonstrates that while the release of an upgraded product is received positively by nonowners of a previous version, this is not always the case for owners. The authors propose that owners respond unfavorably because the new upgrade increases perceived distance between the owners and the brand as the brand progresses forward with the enhanced products. That is, when the new product replaces an existing product the consumers own, consumers perceive that the brand is moving away from them. This negative effect of an upgrade is attenuated if the owners are provided with an extra source of connection to the brand. The authors investigate this phenomenon in five studies and discuss the implications of their findings.
Effects of impoundments on stream crayfish assemblages

Life-history timing, trophic interactions, and colonization potential of stream benthos are linked to a stream’s flow regime. Modifications to flow regimes often alter the composition of benthic assemblages. We assessed the impacts of relatively large storage dams (>15 m in height, >400-ha impoundments) on crayfish assemblages in southern Appalachian Mountain streams, Alabama, USA. We sampled crayfishes at multiple sites in flowing sections upstream and downstream of dams in 3 impounded streams and along similar lengths of 2 unimpounded streams in the Bear Creek and Cahaba River drainages. We analyzed at 2 scales: within and between drainages. This multi-scale approach allowed us to assess the effects of impoundments on crayfish assemblages in 1 drainage and then assess whether impoundment effects could be generalized across drainages. We compared crayfish assemblages between impounded and unimpounded streams and examined changes in crayfish assemblages with distance from impoundments, considering land-use history as a potential confounding factor. Adult densities averaged 45% higher, and sizes 10% smaller, in downstream sections of unimpounded streams compared with impounded streams. Densities and sizes of adults in upstream sections did not differ between unimpounded and impounded streams. In both drainages, unimpounded stream crayfish assemblage structure gradually shifted along the stream length, with species present upstream differing from those present downstream. Conversely, in all impounded streams, species assemblages did not differ between upstream and downstream sections, illustrating that dams diminish crayfish diversity. Nonetheless, finer-scale assessments showed that crayfish density and richness increased with distance downstream of impoundments. This suggests that assemblage recovery is possible with increasing distance downstream of impoundments. Additionally, we detected fewer crayfish assemblage differences between impounded and unimpounded streams in the Cahaba River drainage than the Bear Creek drainage. In the Cahaba River drainage, urbanization and the presence of an invasive crayfish species in both streams may have hindered our ability to distinguish impoundment effects on crayfishes. Our results show that large dams negatively affect crayfishes and may affect hundreds of crayfish species in thousands of stream km, possibly altering stream systems by interfering with the numerous ecosystem functions influenced by crayfishes.
Effect of Eel Cookie Supplementation on the Hemoglobin Status of Pregnant Women with Anaemia: A Pilot Study

Background Anaemia in pregnancy is a major global health problem. Iron and folic acid (IFAS) and animal-based supplement consumption could improve the hemoglobin status of pregnant women. This study is aimed at determining the effect of eel cookie supplementation on hemoglobin levels of pregnant women. Methods This pilot study with pretest–posttest design was conducted in Tamanjaya Public Health Center, Geopark Ciletuh, Sukabumi District, West Java Province, Indonesia. A total of 40 voluntary pregnant women were divided into two groups: an intervention group that received 11 pieces of eel cookies and control group that received the same number of cookies without eel. The women's hemoglobin level was analysed using t-test, Mann-Whitney, Wilcoxon, and analysis of covariance tests. Results After consuming the eel cookies for 1 month, there was a significantly greater increase in the hemoglobin levels in the intervention group than those in the control group, which were 1.69 and 0.69 g/dL, respectively. Improvement in percentage of mean hemoglobin was higher in the intervention group than in the control group, which was 17.21% and 6.53%, respectively. Conclusions Supplementation with eel cookies and IFAS for 1 month could improve the hemoglobin status in pregnant women with anaemia.
Reliability assessment of electric power systems using genetic algorithms

The first part of this dissertation presents an innovative method for the assessment of generation system reliability. In this method, genetic algorithm (GA) is used as a search tool to truncate the probability state space and to track the most probable failure states. GA stores system states, in which there is generation deficiency to supply system maximum load, in a state array. The given load pattern is then convoluted with the state array to obtain adequacy indices. In the second part of the dissertation, a GA based method for state sampling of composite generation-transmission power systems is introduced. Binary encoded GA is used as a state sampling tool for the composite power system network states. A linearized optimization load flow model is used for evaluation of sampled states. The developed approach has been extended to evaluate adequacy indices of composite power systems while considering chronological load at buses. Hourly load is represented by cluster load vectors using the k-means clustering technique. Two different approaches have been developed which are GA parallel sampling and GA sampling for maximum cluster load vector with series state revaluation. The developed GA based method is used for the assessment of annual frequency and duration indices of composite system. The conditional probability based method is used to calculate the contribution of sampled failure states to system failure frequency using different component transition rates. The developed GA based method is also used for evaluating reliability worth indices of composite power systems. The developed GA approach has been generalized to recognize multi-state components such as generation units with derated states. It also considers common mode failure for transmission lines. Finally, a new method for composite system state evaluation using real numbers encoded GA is developed. The objective of GA is to minimize load curtailment for each sampled state. Minimization is based on the do load flow model. System constraints are represented by fuzzy membership functions. The GA fitness function is a combination of these membership values. The proposed method has the advantage of allowing sophisticated load curtailment strategies, which lead to more realistic load point indices.
Dimensional Changes of Record Base for Complete Denture

Aims: The aims of this study are to compare the dimensional changes of record base from heat and cold cured acrylic resin, with the latter cured by two techniques, and to study the regions vulnerable to dimensional changes. Materials and Methods: The adaptation of the record base on edentulous maxillary casts were tested by sectioning the record base–stone casts sets transversely and measuring the gaps with travelling microscope. The gaps represent the crest of the ridge, midline, and the deepest points of buccal sulcus. Results: Record base made from cold cured acrylic resin showed significantly higher dimensional changes than that from heat curd acrylic resin. There were no significant difference between the bench–curd and thermopress curing for cold cured acrylic resin. No significant differences found between the ridge crest and midline , but both show significantly less dimensional changes than the buccal vestibules. Conclusions: Curing cold cured acrylic resin by thermopress machine would not improve dimensional stability. And to improve the dimensional stability, the denture base that is made from heat cured acrylic resin may be used as a record base.
Chitosan-Based Films with 2-Aminothiophene Derivative: Formulation, Characterization and Potential Antifungal Activity

In this study, films of chitosan and 2-amino-4,5,6,7-tetrahydrobenzo[b]thiophene-3-carbonitrile (6CN), a 2-aminothiophene derivative with great pharmacological potential, were prepared as a system for a topical formulation. 6CN-chitosan films were characterized by physicochemical analyses, such as Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electronic microscopy (SEM). Additionally, the antifungal potential of the films was evaluated in vitro against three species of Candida (C. albicans, C. tropicalis, and C. parapsilosis). The results of the FTIR and thermal analysis showed the incorporation of 6CN in the polymer matrix. In the diffractogram, the 6CN-chitosan films exhibited diffraction halos that were characteristic of amorphous structures, while the micrographs showed that 6CN particles were dispersed in the chitosan matrix, exhibiting pores and cracks on the film surface. In addition, the results of antifungal investigation demonstrated that 6CN-chitosan films were effective against Candida species showing potential for application as a new antifungal drug.
Evidence That Tumor Microenvironment Initiates Epithelial-To-Mesenchymal Transition and Calebin A can Suppress it in Colorectal Cancer Cells

Background: Tumor microenvironment (TME) has a pivotal impact on tumor progression, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is an extremely crucial initial event in the metastatic process in colorectal cancer (CRC) that is not yet fully understood. Calebin A (an ingredient in Curcuma longa) has been shown to repress CRC tumor growth. However, whether Calebin A is able to abrogate TME-induced EMT in CRC was investigated based on the underlying pathways. Methods: CRC cell lines (HCT116, RKO) were exposed with Calebin A and/or a FAK inhibitor, cytochalasin D (CD) to investigate the action of Calebin A in TME-induced EMT-related tumor progression. Results: TME induced viability, proliferation, and increased invasiveness in 3D-alginate CRC cultures. In addition, TME stimulated stabilization of the master EMT-related transcription factor (Slug), which was accompanied by changes in the expression patterns of EMT-associated biomarkers. Moreover, TME resulted in stimulation of NF-κB, TGF-β1, and FAK signaling pathways. However, these effects were dramatically reduced by Calebin A, comparable to FAK inhibitor or CD. Finally, TME induced a functional association between NF-κB and Slug, suggesting that a synergistic interaction between the two transcription factors is required for initiation of EMT and tumor cell invasion, whereas Calebin A strongly inhibited this binding and subsequent CRC cell migration. Conclusion: We propose for the first time that Calebin A modulates TME-induced EMT in CRC cells, at least partially through the NF-κB/Slug axis, TGF-β1, and FAK signaling. Thus, Calebin A appears to be a potential agent for the prevention and management of CRC.
Influence of Core Temperature on Psychomotor Performance during Cold Weather Military Training

Purpose: Cold environments may deteriorate psychomotor performance due to slowing of neuronal signals, distractions caused by pain and discomfort, and loss of manual dexterity. The extent to which core temperature (Tc) influences psychomotor performance in the cold has not been established. Therefore, psychomotor performance and Tc were assessed during a cold weather military training exercise to evaluate this relationship. Methods: Thirty-six military personnel (age: 26 ¡ 4 yr; ht: 175 ¡ 8 cm; wt: 79.1 ¡ 11.1 kg) participating in cold weather training volunteered for this study. Participants completed a 10-min immersion in cold (1 C̊) water, followed by 60 min of rewarming. Physiological, perceptual, and psychomotor assessments were made throughout the training. For analysis, participants were divided into groups based on their lowest achieved core temperature (,35.0 C̊ 5 HYP; 35.0–36.0 C̊ 5 CS-M; .36.0 C̊ 5 CS-S). Psychomotor performance was then compared among the groups to determine the influence of Tc on performance. Results: Although cold water immersion deteriorated performance, no differences were observed among the three groups at any time point during the training for simple reaction time (HYP: 298 ¡ 49 ms; CS-M: 313 ¡ 55 ms; CS-S: 326 ¡ 53 ms; p 5 0.677). Conclusion: Findings suggest that cold water immersion deteriorates psychomotor performance which, even in the presence of mild hypothermia, is not directly influenced by Tc. Additional observations reveal large variations in Tc among a homogenous group in response to cold water immersion.
Aspects of a tree improvement programme for Shorea Macrophylla (de Vriese) Ashton in Sarawak, Malaysia

The findings and information in this thesis are intended for the Forest Department of Sarawak, as guidelines in establishing a tree improvement programme of Shorea macrophylla for future propagation and for reforestation. The approach of clonal selection of plus trees for vegetative propagation by shoot cuttings from cut stumps has been demonstrated; and clonal vegetative propagation could be the best solution to provide a long term solution to the irregular supply of planting stocks of Shorea macrophylla to support reforestation activities in the state. For the first time, this study has demonstrated that RAPDs (random amplification of polymorphic DNA5) can be used as a predictive tool to detect and monitor the genetic diversity of Shorea macrophylla. The estimated level of genetic diversity by Shannon's diversity index for the whole stand of Shorea macrophylla in Compartment 8206 is 0.405 (H0), indicating that the genetic base is diverse. Whilst the Shannon's diversity index for the plus trees is 0.309 (H0) which represented 76.4% of the proportion of the diversity in the whole stand. This implies that the plus trees are good for breeding because they are genetically diverse and phenotypically superior. The minimum sample size required to achieve an effective level of genetic diversity for Shorea macrophylla using RAPDs is estimated to be 30. However, the reliability of this estimate has yet to be tested. The one-meter cut stumps of Shorea macrophylla of age 4 to 14 year old can produce coppice shoots. The coppiced shoots produced are good materials for vegetative propagation by leafy stem cuttings. The mean number of living shoots produced per cut stump were: age 5 with 6.2 shoots, age 10 5.3 and age 14 7.1 shoots. The peak shoot production period was noted 140 days after felling the trees. Two distinct coppicing patterns could be detected: for the