Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Terahertz Nano-Imaging with s-SNOM

Spectroscopy and imaging with terahertz radiation propagating in free space suffer from the poor spatial resolution which is a consequence of the comparatively large wavelength of the radiation (300 μm at 1 THz in vacuum) in combination with the Abbe diffraction limit of focusing. A way to overcome this limitation is the application of near-field techniques. In this chapter, we focus on one of them, scattering-type Scanning Near-field Optical Microscopy (s-SNOM) which − due to its versatility − has come to prominence in recent years. This technique enables a spatial resolution on the sub-100-nm length scale independent of the wavelength. We provide an overview of the state-of-the-art of this imaging and spectroscopy modality, and describe a few selected application examples in more detail.
Study of optical heterodyne mixing characteristics in an A1InAs/GaInAs transferred‐substrate double heterojunction bipolar transistor

The beat‐frequency dependency of the optical heterodyne mixing characteristics of a transferred‐substrate A1InAs/GaInAs double heterojunction bipolar transistor (DHBT) have been investigated from 1 to 25 GHz in 1‐GHz steps at a center wavelength of 1319 nm. The experimental results show a high‐speed but low‐responsivity response followed by a low‐speed but high‐responsivity response. The 3‐dB bandwidth of the low‐speed response is 3 GHz. Various ways of increasing the high‐frequency responsivity are discussed. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 42: 74–77, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.20213
Assessment of an LSDV-Vectored Vaccine for Heterologous Prime-Boost Immunizations against HIV

The modest protective effects of the RV144 HIV-1 vaccine trial have prompted the further exploration of improved poxvirus vector systems that can yield better immune responses and protection. In this study, a recombinant lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV) expressing HIV-1 CAP256.SU gp150 (Env) and a subtype C mosaic Gag was constructed (LSDVGC5) and compared to the equivalent recombinant modified vaccinia Ankara (MVAGC5). In vitro characterization confirmed that cells infected with recombinant LSDV produced Gag virus-like particles containing Env, and that Env expressed on the surface of the cells infected with LSDV was in a native-like conformation. This candidate HIV-1 vaccine (L) was tested in a rabbit model using different heterologous vaccination regimens, in combination with DNA (D) and MVA (M) vectors expressing the equivalent HIV-1 antigens. The four different vaccination regimens (DDMMLL, DDMLML, DDLMLM, and DDLLMM) all elicited high titers of binding and Tier 1A neutralizing antibodies (NAbs), and some regimens induced Tier 1B NAbs. Furthermore, two rabbits in the DDLMLM group developed low levels of autologous Tier 2 NAbs. The humoral immune responses elicited against HIV-1 Env by the recombinant LSDVGC5 were comparable to those induced by MVAGC5.
French perspective on emerging climate change issues

This paper addresses the special issue of Building Research & Information (2003, 31[3–4]). These papers provide an assessment of the preparations for climate change by authors from six countries. Given the early stages of development for this field, it is not surprising that the authors display a tentative approach as they readily acknowledge more research, data and development are needed. A common feature of these texts is the recurrent use of modal verbs (may, might, could) and of probability-related names, adverbs or expressions (uncertainty, likely, expected to, remains to be determined, etc.). Nevertheless, these authors agree on the steps of a three-fold argument that has been strengthened by the work of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change:
Engineering of Cytolethal Distending Toxin B by Its Reducing Immunogenicity and Maintaining Stability as a New Drug Candidate for Tumor Therapy; an In Silico Study

The cytolethal distending toxin (CDT), Haemophilus ducreyi, is one of the bacterial toxins that have recently been considered for targeted therapies, especially in cancer therapies. CDT is an A-B2 exotoxin. Its catalytic subunit (CdtB) is capable of inducing DNA double strand breaks, cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in host eukaryotic cells. The sequence alignment indicates that the CdtB is structurally homologyr to phosphatases and deoxyribonucleases I (DNase I). Recently, it has been found that CdtB toxicity is mainly related to its nuclease activity. The immunogenicity of CDT can reduce its effectiveness in targeted therapies. However, the toxin can be very useful if its immunogenicity is significantly reduced. Detecting hotspot ectopic residues by computational servers and then mutating them to eliminate B-cell epitopes is a promising approach to reduce the immunogenicity of foreign protein-based therapeutics. By the mentioned method, in this study, we try to reduce the immunogenicity of the CdtB- protein sequence. This study initially screened residue of the CdtB is B-cell epitopes both linearly and conformationally. By overlapping the B-cell epitopes with the excluded conserve residues, and active and enzymatic sites, four residues were allowed to be mutated. There were two mutein options that show reduced antigenicity probability. Option one was N19F, G74I, and S161F with a VaxiJen score of 0.45 and the immune epitope database (IEDB) score of 1.80, and option two was N19F, G74I, and S161W with a VaxiJen score of 0.45 and IEDB score of 1.88. The 3D structure of the proposed sequences was evaluated and refined. The structural stability of native and mutant proteins was accessed through molecular dynamic simulation. The results showed that the mutations in the mutants caused no considerable changes in their structural stability. However, mutant 1 reveals more thermodynamic stability during the simulation. The applied approaches in this study can be used as rough guidelines for finding hot spot immunogen regions in the therapeutic proteins. Our results provide a new version of CdtB that, due to reduced immunogenicity and increased stability, can be used in toxin-based drugs such as immunotoxins.
Sequencing, Scheduling and Tooling Single-Stage Multifunctional Machines in a Small Batch Environment

Single-Stage multifunctional Machining Systems (SSMSs) are an important integral part of automated, flexible manufacturing systems. However, the SSMS frequently becomes the bottleneck of the entire manufacturing system by virtue of protracted internal set-up requirements. A key aspect of achieving full SSMS utilization is the ability to reduce as much as possible these demands at the expense of increasing external set-up. As of today, fixturing devices have not received much attention in the modeling literature. Nevertheless, fixturing devices are in some cases a limited resource which, may affect the shop scheduling decisions and the shop performance and as such can not be omitted. This study presents a {0–1} programming model which takes the fixturing device's limitation in to consideration when determining the weekly sequence of jobs to be produced. The model tries to minimize the non-productive machine time. Based on this model, a heuristic procedure is developed and tested using data of four production weeks obtained from a hi-tech company that produces medical imaging systems.
A formula for the resonance frequencies of circular microstrip patch antennas satisfying CAD requirements

A formula for the resonance frequencies of circular microstrip patch antennas for 30 TMnm modes is developed by the curve-fitting technique from computed data of existing theory. The formula is found to be within about ± 1.3% error of the theoretical results. For this formula, it is not necessary to compute the zeros of the derivative of the Bessel function. The formula is expressed in a simple algebraic form to be appropriate for the computer-aided design (CAD) of microstrip antennas. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Expectations of employees toward the workplace and environmental satisfaction

– The purpose of this paper is to prove the linkage between environmental satisfaction and work outcomes; to investigate how employees perceive characteristics of their physical environment and what they expect of their workplace; and to consider the usefulness of gap approach in measuring employees' expectations. , – A questionnaire measuring workplace characteristics was developed. The questionnaire design is based on the propositions of SERVQUAL. The employee population used in this study was limited to office workers in manufacturing headquarter facilities or office settings in Michigan, USA. Of the 409 completed questionnaires, 384 were analyzed for this study. , – Satisfaction with the workplace was positively associated with job satisfaction. Using linear regression analysis, no significant difference was found between perception‐based measures and gap measures for explaining work environment satisfaction. However, results propose that physical environmental status below expectation levels leads to dissatisfaction, but exceeding expectation levels does not increase satisfaction levels. , – The items used in this study regarding physical environmental characteristics are not exclusive enough to concisely encompass workplace characteristics. Future studies need to develop a more sophisticated measure. , – The results from the gap model highlighted which aspects of the workplace employees would like to see improved. The gap measurement is effective for use in managerial decisions to improve and diagnose physical environmental features. , – This study explored both perception and expectation levels of employees of the workplace in relation to satisfaction with workplace.
An ultrafast optical modulator based on SiGe HBT

In this paper a novel configuration of optical modulator is presented. It combines the effect of fast electron-hole plasma injection obtained with a SiGe HBT together with the usage of a distributed Bragg reflector. Numerical simulations performed on a non-optimized device shows that the presence of the SiGe HBT enhances significantly the performances obtained with a similar device realized with and all-silicon pin diode. Switching speed higher than 1 GHZ have been numerically simulated.
All-optical label recognition for time-domain signal using multistage switching scheme based on SOA-MZIs

Proposed is a novel all-optical packet label recognition scheme for a time-domain signal, where all-optical 1×2 switching units are connected in a tree configuration. An optical probe pulse comes out of one of the output ports according to the label bit pattern. Feasibility of the all-optical label recognition was demonstrated for a two-bit label using SOA-MZI all-optical switches.
Converging to Convergence

Empirical tests in the 1990s found little evidence of poor countries catching up with rich unconditional convergence - since the 1960s, and divergence over longer periods. This stylized fact spurred several developments in growth theory, including AK models, poverty trap models, and the concept of convergence conditional on determinants of steady-state income. We revisit these findings, using the subsequent 25 years as an out-of-sample test, and document a trend towards unconditional convergence since 1990 and convergence since 2000, driven by both faster catch-up growth and slower growth of the frontier. During the same period, many of the correlates of growth - human capital, policies, institutions, and culture - also converged substantially and moved in the direction associated with higher income. Were these changes related? Using the omitted variable bias formula, we decompose the gap between unconditional and conditional convergence as the product of two cross-sectional slopes. First, correlate-income slopes, which remained largely stable since 1990. Second, growth-correlate slopes controlling for income - the coefficients of growth regressions - which remained stable for fundamentals of the Solow model (investment rate, population growth, and human capital) but which flattened substantially for other correlates, leading unconditional convergence to converge towards conditional convergence.
Variable impedance cardiography waveforms: how to evaluate the preejection period more accurately

Impedance method has been successfully applied for left ventricular function assessment during functional tests. The preejection period (PEP), the interval between Q peak in ECG and a specific mark on impedance cardiogram (ICG) which corresponds to aortic valve opening, is an important indicator of the contractility state and its neurogenic control. Accurate identification of ejection onset by ICG is often problematic, especially in the cardiologic patients, due to peculiar waveforms. An essential obstacle is variability of the shape of the ICG waveform during the exercise and subsequent recovery. A promissing solution can be introduction of an additional pulse sensor placed in the nearby region. We tested this idea in 28 healthy subjects and 6 cardiologic patients using a dual-channel impedance cardiograph for simultaneous recording from the aortic and neck regions, and an earlobe photoplethysmograph. Our findings suggest that incidence of abnormal complicated ICG waveforms increases with age. The combination of standard ICG with ear photoplethysmography and/or additional impedance channel significantly improves the efficacy and accuracy of PEP estimation.
Identification of Neuropathic Pain Severity based on Linear and Non-Linear EEG Features

The lack of an integral characterization of chronic neuropathic pain (NP) has led to pharmacotherapy mismanagement and has hindered advances in clinical trials. In this study, we attempted to identify chronic NP by fusing psychometric (based on the Brief Inventory of Pain – BIP), and both linear and non-linear electroencephalographic (EEG) features. For this purpose, 35 chronic NP patients were recruited voluntarily. All the volunteers answered the BIP; and additionally, 22 EEG channels positioned in accordance with the 10/20 international system were registered for 10 minutes at resting state: 5 minutes with eyes open and 5 minutes with eyes closed. EEG Signals were sampled at 250 Hz within a bandwidth between 0.1 and 100 Hz. As linear features, absolute band power was obtained per clinical frequency band: delta (0.1~4 Hz), theta (4~8 Hz), alpha (8~12 Hz), beta (12~30 Hz) and gamma (30~100 Hz); considering five regions: prefrontal, frontal, central, parietal and occipital. As non-linear features, approximate entropy was calculated per channel and per clinical frequency band with addition of the broadband (0.1~100 Hz). Resulting feature vectors were grouped in line with the BIP outcome. Three groups were considered: low, moderate, and high pain. Finally, BIP-EEG patterns were classified in those three classes, achieving 96% accuracy. This result improves a previous work of a SVM classifier that used exclusively linear EEG features and showed an accuracy between 87% and 90% per class to predict central NP after spinal cord injury.
Identification and determination of growth hormones of Kappaphycus alvarezii cultivated in Ekas Bay East Lombok

The extract of red marine algae contained growth-enhancing properties which is associated to age and their morphotypes. Kappaphycus alvarezii cultured in Ekas Bay, Lombok, Indonesia was studied and aimed to determine the content of growth-promoting substances in the young and old thallus of brown and green morphotypes of K. alvarezii. The content of K. alvarezii thallus growth substances was determined by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). This study showed that the old thallus in the brown K. alvarezii strain contained auxin 8.43 ppm and the young thallus 2.89 ppm, while the old thallus in the green strain K. alvarezii contained auxin 10.92 ppm and the young thallus contained 16.28 ppm. This study concluded that auxin was the only growth promoter detected in K. alvarezii seeds in both young and old thallus in green and brown morphotypes.
Physical forces driving chlorophyll-a variability in the South Java Sea Shelf: a spatio-temporal analysis

The wind and current are two physical forces that strongly influence the biogeochemistry in coastal waters. Both of these forces could enhance the Chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) concentration through the upwelling process. Here we examine the contribution of the wind and current to the Chl-a variability in the South Java upwelling system in terms of wind stress and bottom stress respectively using satellite-derived and reanalysis data from 2002 to 2017. Ten longitudinally cells were used for further analysis. A long-term Chl-a shows a strong longitudinal gradient of Chl-a with the highest value on the shelf. Seasonal and Inter-annual Chl-a analysis shows the evidence of the monsoonal winds and other forcing effects relevant to the previous studies. Wind stress (τwx ) has a strong seasonal variation which is upwelling- favorable during southeast monsoon coincide with higher Chl-a suggesting wind as the main forces during that time, while bottom stress (τbx ) has more complicated variations, but it’s seen that τwx mostly downwelling-favorable or eastward circulations. There were about 39.92- 52.94% of positive Chl anomalous events generated by the combination of upwelling- favourable τwx and downwelling-favorable τbx , higher than other combinations. In terms of Oceanographic drivers, the wind has a higher effect on enhancing Chl-a through a negative correlation. τwx leads the Chl-a anomalies by about 15 – 24 days with a correlation coefficient of more than 0.6.
Automatic 12-Leading Electrocardiogram Classification Network with Deformable Convolution

Electrocardiogram (ECG) is an electrical signal that helps monitor the physiology of the heart. A complete ECG record includes 12 leads, each reflecting features from a different angle of the heart. In recent years, various deep learning algorithms, especially convolutional neural networks (CNN), have been applied to detect ECG features. However, the conventional CNN can only extract the local features and cannot extract the data correlation across the leads of ECG. Based on deformable convolution networks (DCN), this article proposes a new neural network structure (DCNet) to detect ECG features. The network architecture consists of four DCN blocks and a classification layer. For the ECG classification task, in a DCN block, the combination of normal convolution and deformable convolution with better effect was testified by the experiments. Based on the feature learning capability of DCN, the architecture can better extract the characteristics between leads. Using the public 12-leading ECG data in CPSC-2018, the diagnostic accuracy of this architecture is the highest, reaching 86.3%, which is superior to other common network architectures with good results in ECG signal classification.Clinical relevance—In this paper, we proposed an effective automatic ECG classification model that can reduce medical staff workload.
Strength Degradation Model for Low-Rise Reinforced Concrete Walls Derived from Dynamic and Quasi-Static Tests

Results from a previous experimental program demonstrated that loading rate, strength mechanisms associated with the failure mode, low-cycle fatigue, and cumulative values of displacement, and dissipated energy strongly affect the degradation properties of reinforced concrete (RC) walls for low-rise housing. Thus, data obtained from quasi-static (QS) cyclic tests should not immediately be assumed to represent a conservative lower bound on a specimen's capacity. Aimed at numerically correlating results measured during dynamic and QS-cyclic testing, this paper proposes a strength degradation model. The model is readily applicable to seismic design or assessment of performance of existing and new structures. A seismic demand model is also proposed for correlating the intensity and duration of a given earthquake-induced movement to parameters that define the degradation model. Correlations are deemed useful for interpreting the results of QS-cyclic tests and for calibrating hysteretic and behavioral analytical models obtained from QS testing.
Population parameter, size distribution and sex ratio of the blue shark (Prionace glauca Linnaeus, 1758) caught in the southern of Nusa Tenggara

The blue shark (Prionace glauca Linnaeus, 1758) was a targeted shark caught in the artisanal fisheries in Tanjung Luar, West Nusa Tenggara. This species was caught by drifting longline. The study aims to obtain the parameter population, size distribution and sex ratio of the blue shark from these waters. The research was conducted in Tanjung Luar during 2019-2020, and a total of 1676 blue sharks were caught by drift longline. The data were analyzed by using ELEFAN II. The size blue sharks varied from 73 cm to 397 cm total length (TL), with mean length was 266 cm for males and 72-390 cm with mean length 255,61 cm TL for females. Male was dominated sex ratio. The equation growth for blue shark for male was Lt = 400 (1 – e−0.28 (t-0.2921)) and female was Lt = 390 (1 – e−0.25 (t-0.3307)) . The first captured (Lc ) length for males and females are 267.76 cm and 250.98 cm, respectively. Natural mortality (M) = 0.42/year, the fishing mortality (F ) = 0.50/year. The exploitation rate was > 0.55/year it means that utilization rate of blue sharks in Southern of Nusa Tenggara waters was susceptible to overfishing. This condition needs good management actions for this species.
International Journal of Emerging Electric Power Systems Application of Random Search Technique in Directional Overcurrent Relay Coordination

Recently, using a non-linear programming method authors have demonstrated that based on certain criteria if some non-significant selectivity constraints are relaxed, all remaining constraints happen to be feasible but the solution of coordination problem is not possible with the conventional objective function as optimization procedure leaves the solution space [20]. In coordination studies solution with the conventional objective function provides minimum relay operating times. The present paper describes an additional criterion so that the solution with the conventional objective function can be achieved. This paper also achieves the acceptable speed of the primary protection while attempting to coordinate the maximum relay pairs. Complete results are presented in this paper in this regard. This paper uses the non-linear Random Search Technique to solve the coordination problem, which has been successfully applied in many problem areas.
Comparison of dual-task performance in healthy geriatric individuals from different age groups

Yasemin Martin1, Duygu Şahin2, Filiz Altuğ3, Hanifegül Taşkıran4 1 Private Empathy Consulting Special Education and Rehabilitation Center, Denizli 2 Division of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Institute of Health Science, Hacettepe University, Istanbul 3 School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, Pamukkale University, Denizli 4 Division of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Istanbul Aydin University, İstanbul, Turkey Dual task performance in geriatrics Comparison of dual-task performance in healthy geriatric individuals from different age groups