Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
SCATTER: Service Placement in Real-Time Fog-Assisted IoT Networks

Internet of Things (IoT) networks dependent on cloud services usually fail in supporting real-time applications as there is no response time guarantees. The fog computing paradigm has been used to alleviate this problem by executing tasks at the edge of the network, where it is possible to provide time bounds. One of the challenging topics in a fog-assisted architecture is to task placement on edge devices in order to obtain a good performance. The process of task mapping into computational devices is known as Service Placement Problem (SPP). In this paper, we present a heuristic algorithm to solve SPP, dubbed as clustering of fog devices and requirement-sensitive service first (SCATTER). We provide simulations using iFogSim toolkit and experimental evaluations using real hardware to verify the feasibility of the SCATTER algorithm by considering a smart home application. We compared the SCATTER with two existing works: edge-ward and cloud-only approaches, in terms of Quality of Service (QoS) metrics. Our experimental results have demonstrated that SCATTER approach has better performance compared with the edge-ward and cloud-only, 42.1% and 60.2% less application response times, 22% and 27.8% less network usage, 45% and 65.7% less average application loop delays, and 2.33% and 3.2% less energy consumption.
ASSESSMENT OF SUITABLE LANDFILL SITE USING GEOSPATIAL TECHNIQUES: A CASE STUDY OF RAIPUR URBAN REGION, CHHATTISGARH, INDIA

Currently, the solid waste management work of Raipur is being done in a completely traditional way, which is very expensive and time consuming. The site selection method using Geospatial techniques can function as a decision support tool for enhanced efficient and effective management of municipal solid waste. This Study’s aim was to develop landfill siting by crossing major barriers such as political, economic and environmental pressures for the execution of a suitable site criteria by employing combination of geospatial technique and Weighted Linear Combination (WLC) of Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) in Raipur urban area. The preliminary step of the methodology was geospatial operation and Study that disqualified all areas unsuitable for landfill siting. The insularity of suitable criteria for landfill site was generated based on published information on solid waste management, existing laws and regulatory necessities, as well as the existing local conditions. The different suitability criteria considered are soil, land use land cover, digital elevation model (DEM), surface waters, transport network, lithology and geological structures. Criteria were mapped using the geospatial technique; each criterion was identified and weighted by score for overlay to create suitability maps using GIS. The final results showed that there are more locations for landfills for Raipur urban area. In the present Study there are sporadic areas identified as suitable sites for landfill location. In the site suitability analysis 74.79% area found not suitable for landfill siting, 20.93% least suitable and 3.25% moderate suitable. Out of the remaining area, 1.03% area is found most suitable.
AIS Transactions on Human-Computer Interaction AIS

: In this study, we examine the influence that gamification elements have on collaboration processes in terms of whether they increase intention to continue to use the system based on meaningful engagement and hedonic motivation as well as outcome quality. Therefore, we review gamification models and principles for information systems and consolidate them in a preliminary framework. We then evaluate how one can supplement the collaboration process for collaborative story writing with gamification elements based on the framework. Additionally, we consider specific gamification elements to successfully accomplish the process. To do so, we conducted action design research in a common iterative structure. First, we observed and reflected on the analog collaborative writing process. Next, we derived design principles and remodeled and implemented the process via a Web application instantiation to evaluate them. In the evaluation, we identified the developed design principles’ ability to reach higher hedonic motivation and meaningful engagement, which led to an enhanced intention to continue to use the system. Additionally, we found the potential to manage the shift toward digital collaboration processes that motivate people to participate and produce promising outcomes that do not vary much from outcomes in an analog setting.
Evaluation of electrospun polyurethane scaffolds loaded with cerium oxide for bone tissue engineering

Electrospun polyurethane (PU) scaffolds were developed containing cerium oxide (CeO2). Photomicrograph of the composites revealed the diameter of the PU/CeO2 (264 ± 169 nm) was smaller than the polyurethane scaffold (994 ± 113 nm). The fabricated PU/CeO2 (110° ± 1) scaffold displayed a more hydrophobic nature as depicted by increasing contact angle compared to the pristine PU (105° ± 3). Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) results presented evidence for the cerium oxide presence in the PU matrix through the formation of the hydrogen bond. The surface roughness of PU/CeO2 (301 ± 52 nm) was reduced in comparison with pristine PU (854 ± 32 nm) as estimated in the atomic force microscopy (AFM) analysis. Cerium oxide enhanced the thermal and tensile behaviour of the pristine PU. Coagulation assays indicated delayed clotting time and a less toxic nature to red blood cells of PU/CeO2 than pristine PU. Further, the calcium deposition in the nanocomposites (10.5%) was higher compared to pure PU (2.4%) as showed in bone mineralization testing. Hence with these potent properties, PU/CeO2 holds as a promising candidate for bone regeneration.
Abscisic, gibberellic, and salicylic acids effects on germination indices of corn under salinity and drought stresses

ABSTRACT The expression of genes that control germination-related processes in corn (Zea mays L.) is influenced by environmental factors. Germination of seeds may be facilitated by hormonal priming. The purpose of this investigation was to quantify the effects of different germination temperatures [(5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, and 40°C), NaCl-induced stress (0, −0.4, −0.8, and −1.2 MPa), and priming solutions (control, hydropriming, abscisic acid (ABA), gibberellic acid (GA), and salicylic acid (SA)] (Experiment 1). Effects of germination temperatures, PEG 6000-induced stress (0, −0.4, −0.8, and −1.2 MPa), and priming solutions were also evaluated separately (Experiment 2). In both cases, a completely randomized design with four replications was used. Increasing temperatures from 5 to 25°C gradually improved germination percentage and rate, whereas temperatures > 25°C decreased these indices. After imposing drought (PEG 6000-induced stress) or salinity (NaCl-induced stress) treatments, hormonal priming caused germination to occur at a lower base temperature, compared with the non-priming treatment. However, the effect of hormonal priming was dependent on temperature. At sub-optimal temperatures (< 25°C), the highest germination percentage and rate were recorded after GA priming. At above-optimal temperatures (> 25°C), ABA priming resulted in the highest germination percentage and rate. Moreover, hydrothermal time constant decreased in hormone-treated seeds. Based on coefficient of determination (R2 ) and root mean square error (RMSE), a dent-like model predicted cardinal temperatures more accurately than a beta model did. Generally, GA-, SA-, and ABA-priming were recommended under sub-optimal, optimal, and above-optimal temperatures, respectively.
Recovery of Gold from Ore with Potassium Ferrocyanide Solution under UV Light

In this study, potassium ferrocyanide, a nontoxic cyanide precursor in dark and diffuse reflection environment, was applied as reagent for the leaching of gold. The free cyanide ions could gradually release from potassium ferrocyanide solution under the ultraviolet light. Orthogonal leaching experiments were performed in gold ore to analyze the effect of solution pH, potassium ferrocyanide dosage, and temperature in a potassium ferrocyanide solution system under UV light. Response surface methodology (RSM) was applied to explore the role of potassium ferrocyanide in gold leaching; optimized results showed that the gold recovery reached 67.74% in a high-alkaline environment at a 12.6 pH, 3.8 kg/t potassium ferrocyanide dosage, 62 °C, and irradiance of 10 mW·cm−2. The gold leaching kinetics were monitored by quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) of potassium ferrocyanide solution. The results indicate that the gold extraction process could be divided into two stages: adsorption and leaching, and a rigid adsorption layer formed on the reaction surface. Furthermore, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis of the gold sensor surface after leaching reaction showed that –C≡N appears on the gold sensor surface, and the gold is oxidized to form AuCN complexes.
Study on the 1906 Colombia‐Ecuador Megathrust Earthquake Based on Tsunami Waveforms Observed at Tide Gauges: Release Variation of Accumulated Slip Deficits in the Source Area

A tsunami that followed the 1906 Colombia‐Ecuador megathrust earthquake was observed and recorded by several tide gauges. In this study, tide gauge records were first digitized from documents comparing the estimated astronomical tide level changes, and the observed tsunami waveforms were extracted. An inverse analysis was conducted using the observed tsunami waveforms, and we successfully developed a slip distribution model that produced improved tsunami waveforms for tide gauge stations compared with previous studies. Based on a comparison of the developed source model and ruptured areas of other significant earthquakes around Colombia and Ecuador, the 1906 earthquake already ruptured an area affected by the 1979 earthquake, resulting in a substantial release of accumulated slip deficits. In contrast, although the ruptured area of the 1906 earthquake likely covered the source areas of the 1958 and 1942 earthquakes, the release in these areas during the earthquake was moderate and insignificant, and large slip deficits remained after the 1906 earthquake. These results demonstrate that the extent of the release of accumulated slip deficits varied greatly in the source area of the 1906 earthquake.
Mother-Child Reminiscing and First-Graders’ Emotion Competence in a Low-Income and Ethnically Diverse Sample

ABSTRACT Parent-child reminiscing talk about positive and negative events provides children with unique opportunities to develop emotion competence. Very little work has involved families from low-income households and ethnically diverse backgrounds. We examined: 1) event valence (positive vs. negative) and ethnic differences in mother-child reminiscing talk; 2) relations between maternal reminiscing talk and child emotion references; and 3) relations between maternal reminiscing talk and child emotion understanding. Participants were 204 African American, Dominican, Mexican and Chinese mothers and their first-grade children (M age = 79.50 months) from low-income households. Mother-child dyads were videorecorded talking about past positive and negative shared events. Conversations were coded for the emotion content and style of mother reminiscing talk and child emotion references. Child emotion understanding was assessed using an emotion-labeling and emotion perspective-taking task. Mothers differed in their use of emotion content and reminiscing style by event valence and ethnicity. Mothers who used more emotion content during positive and negative events had children who produced more emotion references. Maternal reminiscing style (i.e., use of evaluations and repetitions) related to child emotion references. Maternal emotion content and reminiscing style did not relate to child emotion understanding. Findings highlight the role of mother-child reminiscing talk in the development of children’s emotion competence.
Feature Selection in a Credit Scoring Model

This paper proposes different classification algorithms—logistic regression, support vector machine, K-nearest neighbors, and random forest—in order to identify which candidates are likely to default for a credit scoring model. Three different feature selection methods are used in order to mitigate the overfitting in the curse of dimensionality of these classification algorithms: one filter method (Chi-squared test and correlation coefficients) and two wrapper methods (forward stepwise selection and backward stepwise selection). The performances of these three methods are discussed using two measures, the mean absolute error and the number of selected features. The methodology is applied for a valuable database of Taiwan. The results suggest that forward stepwise selection yields superior performance in each one of the classification algorithms used. The conclusions obtained are related to those in the literature, and their managerial implications are analyzed.
Who Pays the Bill? Assessing Ecosystem Services Losses in an Urban Planning Context

While Ecosystem Services (ES) are crucial for sustaining human wellbeing, urban development can threaten their sustainable supply. Following recent EU directives, many countries in Europe are implementing laws and regulations to protect and improve ES at local and regional levels. However, urban planning regulations already consider mandatory compensation for the loss of nature, and this compensation is often restricted to replacing green with green in other locations. This situation might lead to the loss of ES in areas subject to urban development, a loss that would eventually be replaced elsewhere. Therefore, ES assessments should be included in urban planning to improve the environmental conditions of urban landscapes where development takes place. Using an actual planning and development example that involves a proposed road to a restructured former industrial area in Bochum, Germany, we developed an ad-hoc assessment to compare a standard environmental compensation approach applying ES. We evaluated the impact of the planned construction alternatives with both approaches. In a second step, we selected the alternative with a lower impact and estimated the ES losses from the compensation measures. Our findings show that an ES assessment provides a solid basis for the selection of development alternatives, the identification of compensation areas, and the estimation of compensation amounts, with the benefit of improving the environmental quality of the affected areas. Our method was effective in strengthening urban planning, using ES science in the assessment and evaluation of urban development alternatives.
High performance acid–base junction flow batteries using an asymmetric bipolar membrane with an ion-channel aligned anion exchange layer

An acid–base junction flow battery (ABJFB) is a new type of energy conversion system using neutralization and water dissociation in the presence of acid and base electrolytes. The bipolar membrane (BPM) is a core component in determining the performance of the ABJFB. In particular, the development of an anion exchange layer (AEL) is essential to improve the performance of the BPM. In the present study, we fabricated a novel BPM composed of aligned ion channels of a quaternary aminated poly (2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) (QPPO) layer and a pellicle of the cation exchange layer (CEL). The results showed that the through-plane conductivity of the QPPO membrane prepared under an AC electric field improved from 26.78 to 120.83 mS cm−1, owing to the aligned ion channels. The fabricated BPM based on the aligned QPPO membrane showed the remarkably improved performance of water dissociation and neutralization reactions in the presence of acid and base electrolytes without delamination. The ABJFB assembled with the optimized BPM showed a high power density of 3.85 mW cm−2 under a high strength acid/base of 2 N H2SO4 and NaOH solutions. In addition, we first performed a long-term operation of 60 cycles with a high coulombic efficiency of 98.9%, energy efficiency of 55.5%, and voltage efficiency of 56.1% under 2 N H2SO4 and NaOH at a high current density of 4 mA cm−2.
Microphysical process of precipitating hydrometeors from warm-front mid-level stratiform clouds revealed by ground-based lidar observations

Abstract. Mid-level stratiform precipitations during the passage of warm front were detailedly observed on two occasions (light and moderate rain) by a 355-nm polarization lidar and water-vapor Raman lidar, both equipped with waterproof transparent roof windows. The hours-long precipitation streaks shown in the lidar signal (X) and volume depolarization ratio (δv) reveal some ubiquitous features of the microphysical process of precipitating hydrometeors. We find that for the light rain case, surface rainfall begins as supercooled liquid-drop-dominated hydrometeors fall out of their liquid parent cloud at altitudes above the 0 °C level, and most liquid drops quickly freeze into ice particles (δv > 0.25) during the first 100–200 m of their descent, where humid aerosol particles exist. Subsequently, the falling hydrometeors yield a dense layer with an ice/snow bright band occurring above and a liquid-water bright band occurring below (separated by a lidar dark band) as a result of crossing the 0 °C level. The ice/snow bright band might be a manifestation of local hydrometeor accumulation. Most falling raindrops shrink or vanish in the liquid-water bright band due to evaporation, whereas a few large raindrops fall out of the layer. We also find that a prominent depolarization δv peak (0.10–0.35) always occurs at an altitude of approximately 0.6 km during surface rainfall, reflecting the collision-coalescence growth of falling large raindrops and their subsequent spontaneous breakup. The microphysical process (at ice-bright-band altitudes and below) of moderate rain resembles that of the light rain case, but more large-sized hydrometeors are involved.
Synthesis and functionalization of carbon nanotubes and graphene based supercapacitor for arsenic removal and water desalination: A comparison

In this paper, we report a systematic comparison of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and graphene oxide (GO) adsorption and desalination efficiency at different oxidation level under electrochemical conditions. Particular care has been devoted to the evaluation of the energy storage performance, through a comparison with the capacitive behavior in a typical aqueous electrolyte, a solution 1M of H2SO4. The specific capacitance calculated from the Cyclic Voltammetry (CV) curve at 2mV/sec for as produced purified CNTs (CNTp), highly hydrophilic CNTs (CNTf), partially reduced CNTf (CNTftt) and GO in H2SO4 are respectively 160 F/g, 356 F/g, 298 F/g and 145 F/g. We evaluate for our nanomaterials high capacitive deionization (CDI), we also demonstrate that although surface functional groups are essential to provide better contact between electrode and electrolyte leading to high capacitance, however a more preserved electrical structure allows to obtain higher performance (e.g. 135 F/g and 185 F/g for CNTf and CNTftt, respectively).
Pilot Karar Verme Davranışı: Rasyonel mi? Doğal mı?

Havacilik alaninda kazalarin cogunlugu pilotlarin kotu karar verme davranislarindan ve yargisal yetersizliklerinden kaynaklanmaktadir. Pilotlarin karar verme davranislarinin anlasilmasi, karar sureclerinin ve olaylar karsisindaki yargilarinin iyilestirilmesine katki saglayacaktir. Geleneksel karar verme modellerinin her turlu baglamda gecerli olmadigi, ozellikle rasyonel sureclerin bircok faktoru gozardi ettigi bilinmektedir. Pilotlarin karar sureclerinde onemli olan bu faktorler; zaman baskisi, tecrube, koordinasyon, baglamsal karmasiklik, surekli degisen kosullar, eksik ve guvenilmez bilgilerdir. Dogal Karar Verme (DKV) modeli karar sureclerini soz konusu faktorler baglaminda aciklayan bir modeldir. Bu kapsamda arastirmada, pilotlarin karar verme davranisinin DKV sureclerine uygun olup olmadigini anlamak ve alanyazinda tanimli diger karar surecleriyle iliskisi ortaya koymak amaclanmistir. Arastirmanin amacina en uygun oldugu dusunulen karma yontem desenlerinden eszamanli ic ice gecmis tasarim deseni kullanilmistir. Bu desende nicel ve nitel veriler ayni anda toplanmis, nitel veriler NVivo11, nicel veriler ise SPSS24 programlariyla analiz edilmistir. Nitel verilerin elde edildigi calisma grubunu amacli orneklem yontemiyle secilmis birinci ve ikinci kaptan konumundaki 12 pilot olusturmaktadir. Nitel veriler yari yapilandirilmis mulakat neticesinde elde edilmistir. Nicel verilerin orneklem grubunu Istanbul’da 3 farkli havayolu sirketinde calisan 223 pilot olusturmaktadir. Arastirmanin ornekleme yonteminde basit seckisiz ornekleme yontemi kullanilmistir. Olceme araci olarak Sundu ve Yasar (2020) tarafindan gelistirilen DKV olcegi ile Scott ve Bruce (1995) tarafindan gelistirilen ve Tasdelen (2001) tarafindan Turkceye uyarlanan Karar Verme Stilleri olcegi kullanilmistir. Nitel verilerin analizi neticesinde; bilgi kaynagi, karari etkileyen faktorler, dogru karar ve kriteri, karar durumunun yapisi, kararin nasil verildigi, stres kaynaklari adinda alti tema elde edilmistir. Temalar, pilotlarin DKV modeline uygun davranis gosterdiklerini, bilgi kaynagi olarak tecrubelerini, karar sureclerinde ise sezgilerini kullandiklarini vurgulamaktadir. Nicel analiz neticesinde; pilotlarin rasyonel sureclerden cok DKV sureclerini benimsedikleri, DKV’nin sezgisel karar verme ile pozitif anlamli iliskili oldugu gorulmustur. Bulgular neticesinde arastirmacilar, uygulayicilar egitimciler icin onerilerde bulunulmustur.
New method for analysis of electrooptical response in liquid crystal devices with non-monotonous relaxation

ABSTRACT In the design and development of liquid crystal (LC) devices, it is crucial to determine the characteristic times of optical responses in devices driven with applied electric fields. These characteristic times associated with relaxation processes of the LC upon application (on) or removal (off) of an electric field are commonly calculated through measurement of the interval between 10% and 90% of the total change. Signals with non-monotonic oscillatory patterns originating either from the influence of backflow processes or from the variation in the phase shift between the anisotropic refractive indices in the reorientation dynamics complicate such a determination of the response times of LC devices. To obtain response times in LC devices with non-monotonous relaxation processes, we developed a novel numeric method that suppresses the oscillatory component of the signal and allows a direct determination of the characteristic times. The technique was validated with simulations of smooth and noisy data sets and was also applied to experimental data obtained from LC devices based on the LC 4-n-pentyl-4ʹ-cyanobiphenyl (5CB). The obtained results confirm that the method is reliable and applicable to data sets with complicated oscillatory patterns. Graphical abstract