Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Experimental and Theoretical Investigation of the Thermophysical Properties of Cobalt Oxide (Co3O4) in Distilled Water (DW), Ethylene Glycol (EG), and DW–EG Mixture Nanofluids

Solid particles scattered in a base fluid for a standard no larger than 100 nm, constituting a nanofluid, can be used to improve thermophysical characteristics compared to the base fluid. In this study, theoretical and experimental investigations were carried out to estimate the density, viscosity, and effective thermal conductivity of Co3O4 in distilled water (DW), ethylene glycol (EG), and DW–EG mixture nanofluids. Co3O4 nanoparticles with diameters of 50 nm were dispersed in different base fluids (i.e., EG, DW, 60EG:40DW, 40EG:60DW, 20EG:80DW) with varying concentrations of 0.025–0.4 vol.%. Thermal conductivity was estimated by the hot-wire technique, and viscosity was determined using a viscometer apparatus. According to the measurements, the viscosity of Co3O4 nanofluids decreased with increasing temperature, and increased with increasing volume fraction. The results revealed that the thermal conductivity of Co3O4 nanofluids increased with increasing temperature and volume concentrations. Moreover, the measurements found that the maximum thermal conductivity of 10.8% and the maximum viscosity of 10.3% prevailed at 60 °C in the volume fraction of 0.4%. The obtained viscosity and thermal conductivity results of the present experiments on Co3O4 nanofluids were compared with previous results. The results showed good agreement with theoretically proposed models to predict nanofluids’ viscosity and thermal conductivity. Thus, the thermal conductivity results of Co3O4 nanofluids are promising with respect to the use of nanofluids in solar thermal applications.
Armed conflicts, 1946–2013

In 2013, the Uppsala Conflict Data Program (UCDP) recorded 33 armed conflicts with a minimum of 25 battle-related deaths, up by one from 2012. Seven of these were recorded as wars, that is conflicts leading to 1,000 or more battle-related deaths in a calendar year. There have been 144 armed conflicts (47 wars) since 1989 and 254 armed conflicts (114 wars) since 1946. For the past ten years the amount of active armed conflict has fluctuated between 31 and 37. Six peace agreements were signed during the year 2013, two more than in the previous year. For the first time, this article also provides data on trends in battle-related deaths since 1989. These data do not show a clear time-trend. However, there is a particular difficulty in mapping the conflict in Syria, for which no credible battle-related deaths in 2013 can yet be reported.
Post-Traumatic Growth and Resilience among Hospitalized COVID-19 Survivors: A Gendered Analysis

The literature on behavioral outcomes associated with the COVID-19 pandemic is inundated with mental health burdens such as depression and stress disorders. The current study investigated gender invariance on resilience and post-traumatic growth (PTG) as positive psychological changes associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 381 survivors of the COVID-19 infection completed measurements of resilience, PTG, violence and stigma experience, and mental health problems like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation, multivariate regression, and a latent profile analysis. The results revealed that more than half of the participants had high scores on resilience (53.6%) and PTG (60.9%). The positive psychological changes, although independent of each other, were moderated by gender, and influenced by the negative experiences of participants such as stigma, violence, and PTSD. Latent profile analyses revealed three classes of participants, two of which were characterized by high scores on mental health problems and PTG. The clusters were invariant across gender. Surviving COVID-19 contributed to resilience and PTG. These can be targeted for intervention programs to mitigate the mental health burden occasioned by the pandemic.
Monopole Taxonomy in Three-Dimensional Conformal Field Theories

We study monopole operators at the infrared fixed points of Abelian and non-Abelian gauge theories with N_f fermion flavors in three dimensions. At large N_f, independent monopole operators can be defined via the state-operator correspondence only for stable monopole backgrounds. In Abelian theories, every monopole background is stable. In the non-Abelian case, we find that many (but not all) backgrounds are stable in each topological class. We calculate the infrared scaling dimensions of the corresponding operators through next-to-leading order in 1/N_f. In the case of U(N_c) QCD with N_f fundamental fermions (and in particular in the QED case, N_c =1), we find that the monopole operators transform as non-trivial irreducible representations of the SU(N_f) flavor symmetry group.
Structural Features and Immunomodulatory Effects of Water-Extractable Polysaccharides from Macrolepiota procera (Scop.) Singer

Macrolepiota procera (MP) is an edible mushroom used in the treatment of diabetes, hypertension and inflammation. However, the structure and biological effects of its polysaccharides (PSs) are unclear. This study investigates the structural features of a PS complex from MP (MP-PSC), its immunomodulatory activities and effects on probiotic and pathogenic bacteria. MP-PSC was obtained by boiling water, and PSs were characterized by 2D NMR spectroscopy. The immunomodulatory effects on blood and derived neutrophils, other leukocytes, and murine macrophages were studied by flow cytometry, chemiluminescence, spectrophotometry, and ELISA. The total carbohydrate content of MP-PSC was 74.2%, with glycogen occupying 36.7%, followed by β-D-glucan, α-L-fuco-2-(1,6)-D-galactan, and β-D-glucomannan. MP-PSC (200 μg/mL) increased the number of CD14+ monocyte cells in the blood, after ex vivo incubation for 24 h. It dose-dependently (50–200 μg/mL) activated the spontaneous oxidative burst of whole blood phagocytes, NO, and interleukin 6 productions in RAW264.7 cells. MP-PSC exhibited a low antioxidant activity and failed to suppress the oxidative burst and NO generation, induced by inflammatory agents. It (2.0%, w/v) stimulated probiotic co-cultures and hindered the growth and biofilm development of Escherichia coli, Streptococcus mutans and Salmonella enterica. MP PSs can be included in synbiotics to test their immunostimulating effects on compromised immune systems and gut health.
Chelator-Free Copper-64-Incorporated Iron Oxide Nanoparticles for PET/MR Imaging: Improved Radiocopper Stability and Cell Viability

We have developed chelator-free copper-64-incorporated iron oxide (IO) nanoparticle (NPs) which have both magnetic and radioactive properties being applied to positron emission tomography (PET)-magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We have found that the IO nanoparticles composed of radioactive isotope 64Cu may act as a contrast agent being a diagnostic tool for PET as well as a good T2 MRI nanoprobe due to their good r2/r1 ratio. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the 64Cu incorporation at the core of core-shell-structured IO NPs exhibits a good in vivo stability, giving us an insightful strategy for the design of a contrast agent for the PET-MRI system.
Frequency of β-Casein Gene Polymorphisms in Jersey Cows in Western Japan

Simple Summary Reports presenting survey results for β-casein gene polymorphisms have increased, but none have been about Jersey cows in Asia. This study examined the CSN2 gene variants for 590 Jersey cows in Okayama Prefecture, located in the western region of Japan. Blood samples were collected at eight farms, and nucleotide substitutions were determined by sequencing exon 7 regions of chromosome 6 of the CSN2 gene. Blood biochemical analyses were also performed to clarify if A1A1, A1A2, and A2A2 cows differ in their metabolic profiles. The frequency of the A2 allele found in this study was numerically higher than those reported for Holsteins, crossbreeds, and Mexican and Danish Jerseys. The β-casein genotypes did not affect the metabolism of the major nutrients. Abstract This study aimed to investigate β-casein gene polymorphisms in Jersey cows in Japan. Blood samples were collected from 590 cows from eight Jersey farms in Okayama Prefecture, western Japan. Sequence analysis of exon 7 regions in chromosome 6 of the CSN2 gene revealed the genotype and allele frequencies of the β-casein variants. Considering that variant B belongs to the A1 group and variant I to the A2 group, plasma metabolite concentrations were compared among the A1A1, A1A2, and A2A2 group-based genotypes. The most frequent genotype was A2A2 (0.558), followed by A2B (0.190) and A2I (0.103). No variants of A3, F, G, H1, or H2 were found. The frequencies of group-based genotypes were A1A1 (0.032), A1A2 (0.303), and A2A2 (0.665). Although farm-to-farm differences were observed in the plasma concentrations of urea nitrogen, calcium, and phosphorus, no differences were found between the A1A1, A1A2, and A2A2 group-based genotypes; hence, the β-casein genotypes did not affect the metabolism of major nutrients. Owing to the high frequency of the A2 variant, Jersey cows can be considered an attractive breed for marker-assisted selection to create A2A2 herds.
Simulation Study on Hot Stamping Forming of the Drive Axle Housing of Heavy Truck

Aiming at the national energy-saving and emission reduction requirements, lightweight of the heavy truck is imminent. Several parameters related to hot stamping forming process of heavy truck drive axle housing are studied in this paper. The results show that the existing two-step stamping with air cooling molding process, can be improved into one-step hot stamping process. The initial temperature of the blank, stamping speed and other parameters related to the forming process were optimized. The results provides useful reference for improving the existing forming process of the drive axle housing, and it is also helpful for realizing the lightweight design of drive axle housing.
Investigating major cause of crashes on Indian expressways and developing strategies for traffic safety management

Abstract Distraction is one of the most prominent driver characteristics which accounts for several road crashes and is a major cause of concern for almost all road safety institutions. The main objective of this study was to explore and identify various causes of a crash on Yamuna Expressway. Furthermore, another objective includes the detailed study of driver’s fault, including in-vehicular distraction and identifying the most and least distracting activity. Moreover, other driver characteristics like fatigue, the reaction of the driver when someone suddenly comes on the way, etc. were also analyzed for their contributions towards crash occurrence. In this study, supervised machine learning techniques viz. Classification and Regression Tree (CART) was used to predict the possibility of crash occurrence. The model results show that using a cell phone in case of adverse weather conditions has the highest likelihood of crash occurrence. Moreover, among other distraction tasks adjustment of radio/compact disc (CD), while driving has the least likelihood of a crash. Further, it was also found that the reaction of the driver when someone comes suddenly on the way (e.g. animal, another crossing vehicle/pedestrian) and long driving hours leading to headache/backache/fatigue also affect the possibility of crash occurrence. Model results were then validated using the testing dataset and it was found that the model is equally efficient in predicting crashes as it was with the training dataset. This study provides insight into several important driver characteristics and will be helpful in developing educational and enforcement strategies thereby reducing crash risk.
The Acceleration and Modulation of Multiple Charged Anomalous Cosmic Rays Revisited

A termination shock numerical model is used to study the effects of higher ionic states on the modulation of anomalous cosmic ray (ACR) Oxygen, especially on the high energy range of the spectrum. In the model, the ionic state is scaled as a function of energy in accordance with SAMPEX observational results. The acceleration and modulation effects of these higher ionic states on the ACR Oxygen rollover (cut-off) spectrum are modelled, discussed and compared to observations by the Voyager 1 spacecraft. Instead of the expected exponential roll-over, these observations seem to exhibit a cut-off spectrum which is almost a power law for ACR Oxygen. The model is also applied to ACR Neon and Nitrogen.
Kinematic Compatible Design and Analysis of a Back Exoskeleton via a Hyper Redundant Hybrid Mechanism

Back exoskeletons can reduce low-back pain and injury for workers engaged in manual handling operations. However, conventional back exoskeletons are incompatible with human trunk kinematics, arousing uncomfortable human-exoskeleton interaction and limiting natural human movement. This article proposes a novel back exoskeleton design to solve this problem. A hyper redundant hybrid mechanism is synthesized as the exoskeleton mechanism to be compatible with the multi-DOF anatomy of the human spine. We establish the kinematic model of the coupled human-exoskeleton system and analyze the kinematic incompatibility problem. The movement of the human back is characterized by a multi-joint lumbar spine combined with a rigid thoracic spine. The proposed back exoskeleton is composed sequentially of five six-DOF passive parallel mechanisms with one cable actuation, generating active assistance in the sagittal plane and passive assistance in the coronal and transverse planes. The kinetics of the coupled human-exoskeleton system is analyzed to show effective assistance. Experimental tests on kinematic compatibility are finally implemented to demonstrate that the proposed exoskeleton allows the wearer to perform natural movements in all directions with large ranges of motion.
Optimization of Power Allocation for LDPC Coded Modulation on Fading Channels

This contribution studies adaptive power allocation of low-density parity check-code (LDPC) coded modulation on fading channels, where in this case, the symbols within a codeword suffer from different signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs). We consider adjusting the transmission power for each symbol within the codeword so as to improve the transmission performance, through an optimization based on Gaussian approximation. Specially, we first give the expression of the optimization problem, and further propose the solution based on Lagrangian method. Numerical results demonstrate the performance gain brought by the proposed power allocation method.
Microfluidic Approaches for Affinity-Based Exosome Separation

As a subspecies of extracellular vesicles (EVs), exosomes have provided promising results in diagnostic and theranostic applications in recent years. The nanometer-sized exosomes can be extracted by liquid biopsy from almost all body fluids, making them especially suitable for mainly non-invasive point-of-care (POC) applications. To achieve this, exosomes must first be separated from the respective biofluid. Impurities with similar properties, heterogeneity of exosome characteristics, and time-related biofouling complicate the separation. This practical review presents the state-of-the-art methods available for the separation of exosomes. Furthermore, it is shown how new separation methods can be developed. A particular focus lies on the fabrication and design of microfluidic devices using highly selective affinity separation. Due to their compactness, quick analysis time and portable form factor, these microfluidic devices are particularly suitable to deliver fast and reliable results for POC applications. For these devices, new manufacturing methods (e.g., laminating, replica molding and 3D printing) that use low-cost materials and do not require clean rooms are presented. Additionally, special flow routes and patterns that increase contact surfaces, as well as residence time, and thus improve affinity purification are displayed. Finally, various analyses are shown that can be used to evaluate the separation results of a newly developed device. Overall, this review paper provides a toolbox for developing new microfluidic affinity devices for exosome separation.
Workable and Robust Concrete using High Volume Construction and Demolition Waste in Sub Tropical Climate

Full fledged use of construction & demolition (C&D) waste in the construction industry is inevitable. Concrete technologists across the world are engaged to scale its properties and potential uses since last 65 years. The general consensus for the mechanical property is to some extent is acceptable however the workability and durability properties are still under a scanner and needs to be improved. The present paper reports the optimistic results of series of experimental work carried out using high range replacement of normal aggregates (NA) with recycled aggregates (RA) (50  80%) from C&D waste for producing sustainable and durable concrete (water cement ratio 0.4) using C&D waste. Multiple strategies were used in research to enhance workability and durability properties of concrete produced by using C&D waste. Firstly the RA was used as an internal curing (IC) agent to enhance the micro structure and Interfacial Transition Zone (ITZ) of concrete. Secondly by apparently lowering the water cement ratio by using additional low-lime fly ash similar to class F of ASTM C 618 mainly to improve workability, packing of concrete, later age strength and durability. The results show that water diffusion in concrete with RA being used as an IC agent was delayed leading to decrease in shrinkage and micro cracks development; also increase the hydration, compressive strength and improvement of durability indexes such carbonation depth and electrical resistivity is seen. The Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) result illustrated the considerable improvement in the microstructure. By adopting these strategies which are economical & sustainable, mixtures show additional benefits that should permit their broader application.
Impact of Sustainable Product Design on Elderly Ergonomics

With an unprecedented increase in the ageing population in the global context, 47 million people are currently living with dementia worldwide according to the World Health Organisation Report – Dementia: A Public Health Priority (2017). Although there is a number of research that contributed to the design of healthand-safety products for people with dementia, co-designed elderly health care products or research are scarce. This paper aims to fill the gap in research by, firstly, co-designing and developing a series of ten sets of elderly ergonomics board games to delay the deterioration in cognitive function, behavioral changes and functional limitations of elderly with dementia; and secondly, examining the impact of the elderly ergonomics products on their six recognized physical and cognitive domains; namely memory, language, recognition, visuospatial function, numeracy and attention. By utilizing qualitative research methodology, this research employed desktop study, observation, semi-structured face-to-face interviews, and focus groups discussions to understand the experiences of this set of co-designed products on the impact of health development on the ageing population. The paper provides an insight into both psychological and health impact and development of a specially designed health care product design on the dementia cohort in Hong Kong aged 65 to 95. The findings of this research can make significant contributions to the scholarly understanding of the enhancement of elderly’s health and living environment since Hong Kong is confronted with a severe ageing demography.
Generation Y Consumer’s Attitude towards the Uses of Smartphone in Northern Area of Bangladesh

Thi s study has been intended to know the generation Y consumer’s attitude toward the uses of Smartphone in Bangladesh on the basis of different features. It also reveals which attributes are most important considerable for using a Smartphone. This study is quantitative research approach. Both primary and secondary data are used here. The sample size of the study is 300 Smartphone users whose age under 15 - 30 years who regularly operates the Smartphone. Through questionnaire in the respondents were asked about 10 main variables those are usually considered for Smartphone. The collected data are analyzed by various statistical tools and techniques including frequency distribution, reliability test, Chi-square tests, and cross tabulation through the data processing software SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Science) 20.0 version. The outcomes of the study express that 46.0% of respondents spend time on their Smartphone daily 2-4 h, 17.0% of 4-6 h. Gender, occupation, education, and income level of consumer have a strongly significant influence on attitudes toward the usage of Smartphone in Bangladesh. Functional features and apps, power supply, compatibility, and reasonable price are very important factors for choosing the Smartphone by both male and female young consumer. Nearly 61.4% of female user thinks that camera resolution and various options of Smartphone are very important factors for them. This study also indicates that almost 65% of male and female are facing the same problems to use their Smartphone. Nearly 33.90% of customer faced problems of charging of battery, 23.20% of hanging problems, 21.40% of touch problems, and 5.40% of heat problems of Smartphone. In addition to the outcomes of the study may helpful to the user and the marketer for reengineering of Smartphone. The results of the study may generate new thoughts for the researchers and find improvement areas for Smartphone producer and seller to serve better and achieve progress in the long term. Aus. Aca. Busi & Eco. Rev Vol 3(4), October 2017, P 207-223
Effect of the Application of a Green Preservative Strategy on Minced Meat Products: Antimicrobial Efficacy of Olive Mill Wastewater Polyphenolic Extract in Improving Beef Burger Shelf-Life

The mincing process of raw meat favors microbial spoilage as well as chemical and enzymatic oxidation processes. In order to limit this degradative process, preservatives are routinely added to minced meat products. The role of olive mill wastewater polyphenolic extract as a replacement for synthetic preservatives in beef burger was assessed. The antioxidant capacity of the extract experimentally added to beef burger was evaluated using the oxygen radical absorbance capacity method (ORACFL) to assess the shelf-life, while the lipid oxidation was measured by thiobarbituric reactive substance (TBAR) determination. The antimicrobial activity was assayed by means of classical methods and predictive microbiology. The experimental addition of polyphenolic extract led to 62% lower lipid oxidation and 58% higher antioxidant capacity; it also successfully modulated spoilage microbial populations with an average growth reduction of 15% on day 7. Results indicate that olive mill wastewater polyphenolic extracts could be added to raw ground beef meat to act as natural antioxidants and to modulate microbial growth.