Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of Climate Change on Peatland Reservoirs: A DOC Perspective

Peatland reservoirs are global hotspots for drinking water provision and are likely to become more important as demand per capita rises and the climate changes. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) is associated with harmful disinfection byproducts and reduced aesthetic quality, and its removal is the major treatment cost. Littoral zones are known to be disproportionately important for DOC production through macrophyte inputs, and such communities are predicted to expand with warming in northern regions. However, little is known about autochthonous DOC contributions and their response to climatic change. Here we exposed mesocosms to elevated CO2 (eCO2), warming and a combined treatment across a trophic gradient. Regression analysis indicated that while sediments, macrophytes, and phytoplankton are important DOC sources (P < 0.05), benthic algal biomass showed the strongest relationship with DOC (P < 0.05), suggesting it is an underestimated source. DOC removal indicators, namely phenol oxidase (depolymerization) and respiration (mineralization) were inversely related to DOC concentration in oligohumic (P < 0.05) and oligotrophic (P < 0.1) systems, suggesting heterotrophic processes are important in DOC removal. DOC concentrations increased across all systems (P < 0.05), irrespective of trophic status, due to increased photoautotrophic inputs (macrophyte, pelagic, and benthic algae) under eCO2, warming, and combined scenarios, with inhibited depolymerization and mineralization under eCO2, even when combined with warming (P < 0.05 and P < 0.05 excepting the oligo‐mesotrophic reservoir P < 0.1 respectively). Increased DOC loads of all fractions, regardless of provenance, are predicted in a future climate and, thus, investment in techniques to remove a greater range of DOC fractions is proposed to help “future proof” drinking water supplies.
Toward Understanding the Environmental Control of Hydrogel Film Properties: How Salt Modulates the Flexibility of Chitosan Chains

Chitosan is a pH-responsive self-assembling polysaccharide that can be electrodeposited to form a hydrogel film. During electrodeposition a host of dynamic processes occur simultaneously over a hierarchy of length scales. Experiments have shown that the microstructure and properties of the deposited gels are highly dependent on the solution conditions and imposed electrical signals. However, detailed mechanisms are not understood. Here we use molecular dynamics simulations to explore the conformational dynamics of individual chitosan chains composed of 20 glucosamine units in aqueous solution. Simulations yield a total persistence length of about 5 nm, in agreement with the lower range of the experimental estimates and supporting a worm-like-chain model. The surprisingly high flexibility arises from the glycosidic linkage sampling an appreciable population of anti-ψ conformation which is associated with backbone bending and higher flexibility. Significantly, the presence of added salt increases the anti-ψ.
mexhaz: An R Package for Fitting Flexible Hazard-Based Regression Models for Overall and Excess Mortality with a Random Effect

We present mexhaz, an R package for fitting flexible hazard-based regression models with the possibility to add time-dependent effects of covariates and to account for a two level hierarchical structure in the data through the inclusion of a normally distributed random intercept (i.e., a log-normally distributed shared frailty). Moreover, mexhaz based models can be fitted within the excess hazard setting by allowing the specification of an expected hazard in the model. These models are of common use in the context of the analysis of population-based cancer registry data. Follow-up time can be entered in the right-censored or counting process input style, the latter allowing models with delayed entries. The logarithm of the baseline hazard can be flexibly modeled with B-splines or restricted cubic splines of time. Parameters estimation is based on likelihood maximization: in deriving the contribution of each observation to the cluster-specific conditional likelihood, Gauss-Legendre quadrature is used to calculate the cumulative hazard; the cluster-specific marginal likelihoods are then obtained by integrating over the random effects distribution, using adaptive Gauss-Hermite quadrature. Functions to compute and plot the predicted (excess) hazard and (net) survival (possibly with cluster-specific predictions in the case of random effect models) are provided. We illustrate the use of the different options of the mexhaz package and compare the results obtained with those of other available R packages.
Shock-tube study of the formation of iron, carbon, and iron–carbon binary nanoparticles: experiment and detailed kinetic simulations

ABSTRACT An experimental and computational study of the formation of pure iron nanoparticles, carbon nanoparticles (soot), and binary carbon-coated iron nanoparticles during the pyrolysis of iron pentacarbonyl–argon, ethylene–argon, and iron pentacarbonyl–ethylene–argon mixtures, respectively, behind reflected shock waves is carried out. The shape and size distribution of these nanoparticles are examined on a Zeiss Ultra plus ultrahigh-resolution field-emission scanning electron microscope. The binary iron–carbon particles were also investigated by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and high-angle annular dark-field imaging (HAADF STEM) on a FEI Osiris transmission electron microscope equipped with a Bruker SuperX detector. Detailed kinetic simulations of the formation of these three types of particles are performed, which predict the concentration, average size, and size distribution of particles.
Performance evaluation of hollow fiber renewal liquid membrane for extraction of uranium(VI) from acidic sulfate solution

Abstract The performance of the hollow fiber renewal liquid membrane (HFRLM) in the continuous and recycling modes for the extraction of uranium(VI) from the acidic sulfate solution has been investigated. Alamine 336 diluted in kerosene was used as a carrier in liquid membrane (LM) phase. In the batch experiments, the effects of sulfuric acid, extractant and uranium(VI) concentration were studied and the optimum concentration of the donor and LM phases were determined 0.15 mol L−1 and 0.0125 mol L−1, respectively. Various parameters affecting the HFRLM performance including the lumen and shell side flow rate, organic/aqueous volume ratio, acceptor phase type and concentration of carrier and acceptor phase were studied. The mass transfer flux increases with increasing the lumen side flow rates and the shell side flow rate did not have any significant effect. The uranium transfer flux increases with increasing O/A ratio, acceptor and Alamine 336 concentration, and reaches a maximum value at 1/20, 0.5 mol L−1 and 0.0125 mol L−1, respectively. Further increase in these parameters result in uranium transfer decrement. The results show that liquid membrane phase is a rate-controlling step. Among the investigated acceptor phases, 0.5 mol L−1 NH4Cl result in 60.35% uranium(VI) recovery in the recycling mode.
Effect of acetylated cellulose nanocrystals on solid‐state foaming behaviors of chain‐extended poly(butylene adipate‐co‐terephthalate)

Fully biodegradable chain‐extended poly(butylene adipate‐co‐terephthalate) (CPBAT)/acetylated cellulose nanocrystals (ACNCs) nanocomposites were prepared by the melt compounding process. The dispersibility of CNCs in deionized water was improved through the surface acetylation, which was observed by atomic force microscope and transmission electron microscope. The chain extender was added to the PBAT matrix to improve the melt strength and viscoelasticity of PBAT. The ACNC nanoparticles which served as bionano‐reinforcing fillers were introduced into CPBAT to further improve the crystallization behaviors and rheological properties of CPBAT/ACNCs nanocomposites. Finally, the CPBAT/ACNCs nanocomposite foams were prepared via batch supercritical CO2 foaming process. The cell structure and morphology of various CPBAT/ACNCs foams were investigated by scanning electron microscope. It was found that the introduction of ACNC nanoparticles led to a reduction of cell size, an increase in cell density and in the uniform cell distribution owing to the heterogeneous cell nucleation effect of ACNCs. Meanwhile, the volume expansion ratio (VER) of CPBAT foams reached to 9.21 times, the highest VER reported for PBAT foam in the current literature. Also, the thermal conductive properties of nanocomposites and foams also were studied by a laser thermal conductivity analyzer.
Uncontrolled logic: intuitive sensitivity to logical structure in random responding

Abstract It is well established that beliefs provide powerful cues that influence reasoning. Over the last decade research has revealed that judgments based upon logical structure may also pre-empt deliberative reasoning. Evidence for ‘intuitive logic’ has been claimed using a range of measures (i.e. confidence ratings or latency of response on conflict problems). However, it is unclear how well such measures genuinely reflect logical intuition. In this paper we introduce a new method designed to test for evidence of intuitive logic. In two experiments participants were asked to make random judgments about the logical validity of a series of simple and complex syllogistic arguments. For simple arguments there was an effect of logical validity on random responding, which was absent for complex arguments. These findings provide a novel demonstration that people are intuitively sensitive to logical structure.
Analysis of Performance Limiting factors in H2-O2 Alkaline Membrane Fuel Cell

Alkalische-Membran-Brennstoffzellen (AMFCs), die ohne Flussigelektrolyt betrieben, sind eine vielversprechenden Alternative zu Polymer-Elektrolyt-Membran-Brennstoffzellen (PEMFCs). Sie brauchen beispielsweise keine Edelmetall Katalysatoren fur die Sauerstoff-Reduktion und die Wasserstoff-Oxidation. Obwohl die Leistungsdichte von AMFCs in den letzten Jahrzehnten um eine Grosenordnung verbessert werden konnte, sind sie derzeit ungefahr halb so leistungsfahig wie herkommliche PEMFCs, wenn Sie Platin/Kohlenstoff (Pt/C) als Katalysator an Anode und Kathode einsetzen und bei vergleichbaren Betriebsbedienungen genutzt werden. Es gibt zahlreiche Untersuchungen zu den Ursachen dieser geringen Leistungsfahigkeit von AMFCs. Dabei sind jedoch experimentelle Nachweise rar und eine systematische Analyse samtlicher Einflussfaktoren auf die Verluste der Leistungsfahigkeit auf Brennstoffzellen-Ebene existiert bisher nicht. Gegenstand der bisherigen Untersuchungen sind vor allem die Beitrage des Stoffubergangs, der Kinetik und der ohmschen Verluste zum Gesamtverlust der Leistungsfahigkeit. Die Uberspannung Verlust durch Massenubertragungsverluste in AMFC wird abgeschatzt durch die Bestimmung der einzelnen Grenzstrom und danach durch die Gesamtgrenzstrom. Im Wesentlichen wird sie, Grenzstromdichte aus den Transportwiderstanden des Wassers von Stromungskanal zur Katalysator-Schicht und der Rucktransport von wasser von Anode zu Kathode durch die Membran bestimmt. Darauffolgend wird der Rucktransport von Wasser von Anode zu Kathode uber den Fluss von Wasser durch die Membran bestimmt. Daruber hinaus, werden Diffusionskoeffizient, Loslichkeit und Permeabilitat von Sauerstoff im Ionomer mittels Messungen an Rotierenden Scheibenelektrode (RDE) bestimmt. Die kinetischen Verluste werden identifiziert uber die abhangigkeit der kinetik parameter von Katalysator-Beladung, Diffusions-kontrollierter Grenzstromdichte und Sauerstoff-Konzentration durch RDE methode. Diese ergebnisse wurde benutzt, um kinetischen Verluste im AMFC zu extrahieren.Durch einer modifizierten Membran-Elektroden-Einheit (MEA), der ionische Widerstand von eine Katalysator-Schicht in der MEA bestimmt werden. Abschliesend werden Stoffubergangs-, ohmsche und kinetische Verluste in AMFCs mit denen von PEMFCs verglichen. Die erzielten Resultate ergeben damit und erfolgreichen gezielte optimierung einen detaillierten Einblick in die derzeitigen Limitierungen der Leistungsfahigkeit von AMFCs.
STEALTH SCANNING METHOD OF ANALYZING BOTNET

: Generally botnet means it is a number of many device connected to an internet that will involve the working of more number of devices on a single BOT. The characteristics of Botnet mainly involve the detection and disruption of many programs that are mainly constructed using many clients. The main networks of Botnet involve the communication of peer to peer communication network which also performs the same function as the model of client server. This model is used to perform both as a distributed command and server of acentralized custom. Our work focus on the the scanning of the botnet that includes the method to visualize, correlate the behavioural characteristics of botnet in this network of internet related as global internet.
Long-Term Performance of Pavement Structures with Cold In-Place Recycled Base Course

Properly designed and maintained asphalt pavements operate for ten to twenty-five years and have to be rehabilitated after that period. Cold in-place recycling has priority over all other rehabilitation methods since it is done without preheating and transportation of reclaimed asphalt pavement. Multiple researches on the performance of cold recycled mixtures have been done; however, it is unclear how the entire pavement structure (cold recycled asphalt pavement overlaid with asphalt mixture) performs depending on binding agents. The main objective of this research was to evaluate the performance of cold in-place recycled asphalt pavements considering binding agents (foamed bitumen in combination with cement or only cement) and figure out which binder leads to the best pavement performance. Three road sections rehabilitated in 2000, 2003, and 2005 were analysed. The performance of the entire pavement structure was evaluated in terms of the International Roughness Index, rut depth, and pavement surface distress in 2013 and 2017.
New relaxed stability and stabilization conditions for T‐S fuzzy systems with time‐varying delays

This paper investigates the stability analysis and stabilization of T-S fuzzy systems with time-varying delays. First, a new augmented Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional is constructed, delay-dependent stability criteria in terms of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs) are obtained by combining them with the integral inequality technique and the reciprocally convex combination inequality. Based on the state space decomposition method, some piecewise membership functions are employed to approximate the membership functions. The piecewise membership functions can be locally represented in terms of the convex combinations of the supremum and inﬁmum of some local basis functions. The boundary information of the membership functions is adequately taken into consideration in stability analysis, and then some relaxed membership-function-dependent stability results are obtained. Second, state feedback controllers for fuzzy systems with time-varying delays are presented under the imperfect premise-matching technique, whose membership functions and the number of fuzzy rules are allowed to be designed freely, consequently, the ﬂexibility of controller design is improved. Finally, four numerical examples are given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the presented approaches.
Adverse Effects of Two Kinds of Food Additive Mixtures (Flavor Enhancer, Food Preservative or Food Coloring Agent) on Physiological Parameters in Young Male Albino Rats

Background: food additives are substances used in food industry in order to improve the food’s taste, appearance by preserving its flavor and preventing it from souring. Food additives are added to the most junk and fast foods, especially food for kids. Aim of the work: this work was aimed to investigate the adverse effects of some food additives on the biochemical parameters in addition to study the side effects of these food additives in male albino rats. Materials and Methods: this study was performed on twenty four young male albino rats with an average 120-145 g body weight. Animals were divided into four groups (6 /cage); Group I (Control untreated group), Group II (administered orally with sodium nitrite (0.1 mg/kg b.wt./day) and annatto (0.065 mg/kg b.wt./day)), Group III (administered orally with sodium nitrite (0.1 mg/kg b.wt./day) and monosodium glutamate (MSG) (15 mg/kg b.wt./day)) and Group IV (administered orally with annatto (0.065 mg/kg b.wt./day) and monosodium glutamate (15 mg/kg b.wt./day)). Blood samples were collected on the last day of experiment, for biochemical estimations which included levels of serum glucose, total protein (TP), albumin, creatinine, urea, testosterone , thyroid hormones (T3 and T4), activities of AST and ALT in addition to lipid profile. Results: showed marked elevation in levels of fasting glucose, activities of AST, ALT, urea, creatinine, total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG) and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), VLDL and ratios of TC/HDL-C and LDL-C/HDL-C (risk factors) as well as albumin / globulin ratio and serum thyroid hormones (T3 & T4) accompanied with marked decline in levels of serum total proteins, albumin, globulin, albumin/ creatinine ratio, testosterone and HDL-C in all treated groups in comparison to the control group. There was a significant reduction in the body weight in groups that received (NaNO2 with annatto) and (MSG with NaNO2) while treated rats with (MSG and annatto) showed a significant increase in body weight as compared to control rats. Conclusion:Due to the harmful effects of food additives, the use of these compounds must be limited as it resulted in a vehement disturbance in the biochemical and physiological parameters that was grievously pronounced on many hormones.
Variability of wind wave field by realistic mesoscale and submesoscale eddy field

Abstract. Recent altimeters and numerical studies have shown that wind waves interact strongly with small scale open ocean currents, and subsequently modify their amplitude, frequency, and direction. In the present paper we investigate the interactions of wind waves with a large realistic cyclonic eddy. This eddy is subject to instabilities leading to the generation of specific features both at mesoscale and submesoscale. We use the WAVEWATCH III framework to force wind waves in the eddy before and after instabilities occurred. Our findings show that the spatial variability of wave direction frequency and amplitude is very sensitive to the presence of underlying submesoscale structures resulting from the eddy destabilisation. As the surface current vorticity, the intrinsic frequency of incident waves is key in the wave response of the current modulation. Our findings also suggest that surface current gradients can be retrieved thanks to wave height gradients at scale where traditional altimeter measurements fail.
Predictors of Loss to Follow-up in Patients on Antiretroviral Treatment in Centre Hospitalier Essos, Cameroon

HIV remains one of the major public health issues in Cameroon. Progress has been made in attaining the 90-90-90 according to the UNAIDS target, the Loss to follow-up (LTFU) remains a significant challenge to attain the second and third 90. There is a gap of information concerning assessing predictors and determinants of LTFU in the Cameroonian setting taking into consideration psychosocial, economic, cultural, financial, and treatment-related factors.
A Preliminary Investigation on the Chromosome Aberrations In Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia Using Multiprobe Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization Panel

ÖZ Objective: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a disease related to the overproduction of immature lymphocytes. For diagnosis and classification of ALL, recognizing chromosome aberrations using conventional cytogenetic analysis (CCA) is essential. However, limited ability of CCA to capture cryptical chromosomal aberrations is a major drawback. The aim of this study was to investigate recurrent aberrations in patients with ALL with normal karyotype or unsuccessful karyotyping using the fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) method. Methods: Ten patients with ALL were included in this study. CCA was done according to the standart protocols, and then,
Tooth agenesia might be associated with palatine rugae pattern in a tooth Brazilians population

Tooth and palate development share several molecules during their formation, which could explain some recent studies suggesting that tooth agenesis is associated with palatine rugae pattern. Therefore, the purpose of the se cross sectional study was to investigate the association between palatine rugae phenotypes and tooth agenesis in Brazilian patients. After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria 83 records from orthodontic patients were evaluated. Tooth agenesis cases were diagnosed by evaluation of panoramic radiographs and by anamnesis. The casts and intraoral occlusal photography of each patient were used to evaluated the palatine rugae according to length, shape, direction and unification. All analyses were performed by the same calibrated examiner. All tests were performed with an established alpha of 0.05 (P ≤ .05). Odds ratio calculations and chi-square or Fisher exact tests were used in the statistical analysis. A total of 17 (20.7%) patients with tooth agenesis was observed. The predominant shape of rugae was wavy (66.3%). The absence of secondary or fragmentary rugae was associated with tooth agenesis (p = 0.047; Odds ratio=3.00, Confidence Interval 95%=1.03-9.53). In conclusion, patients with tooth agenesis present a different palatine rugae pattern. The absence of secondary or fragmentary rugae was associated with isolated tooth agenesis in the population studied.
Dynamics of Funding Liquidity and Risk-Taking: Evidence from Commercial Banks

The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of funding liquidity risk on the banks’ risk-taking behavior. To test the hypotheses, we apply the two-step system GMM technique on US commercial banks data from 2002 to 2018. We find that funding liquidity increases the banks’ risk-taking of US commercial banks. Furthermore, banks with higher deposits are less likely to face a funding shortage, and bank managers’ aggressive risk-taking activity is less likely to be monitored. Our findings infer that increases in bank funding liquidity increase both risk-weighted assets and liquidity creation, and deposit insurance creates a moral risk issue for banks taking excessive risks in response to deposit rises. The relationship between funding liquidity and the banks’ risk-taking varies with their capitalization and market conditions; the impact of funding liquidity on risk-taking is pronounced for well-capitalized banks and the Global Financial Crisis 2007. Our tests are robust for the usage of alternate proxy of funding liquidity and by controlling economic conditions. The findings of this study have implications for regulators to develop guidelines for the level of liquidity and risk-taking of commercial banks.