Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Spin transport properties in Dirac spin gapless semiconductors Cr2X3 with high Curie temperature and large magnetic anisotropic energy

2D honeycomb-Kagome (HK) lattices have attracted extensive attention in recent years due to the peculiar electronic and magnetic properties such as the Dirac band, the half-metallicity, and the high Curie temperature. In this Letter, we theoretically investigate the spin transport properties of a recently proposed 2D Dirac spin gapless semiconductor (also known as a Dirac half-metal with zero energy gap in one spin channel) of the Cr2S3 monolayer with the HK lattice. The excellent spin filtering effect and negative differential resistance effect are found at a bias voltage, and interestingly, a temperature difference can also drive the spin filtering effect. These peculiar transport properties can be understood from the Dirac spin gapless semiconductivity and the spin-dependent transmission spectrum. In addition, we predict that, similar to Cr2S3 and Cr2Se3, 2D Cr2Te3 is also a Dirac spin gapless semiconductor with the above room-temperature Curie temperature and a large magneto-crystalline anisotropic energy (MAE). Under a tensile biaxial strain, the MAE can be greatly increased, and the easy magnetization axis is still along the in-plane. All these results are achieved by the first-principles combined with nonequilibrium Green's function method. The present work will stimulate theoretical and experimental studies on spintronic devices and spin caloritronic devices based on more 2D Dirac HK lattices.
Quantitative estimation of total phenolic, flavonoids, tannin and chlorophyll content of leaves of Strobilanthes Kunthiana (Neelakurinji)

Strobilanthes kunthiana (Nees) (Neelakurinji) is a shrub that is found in the shola forests of the Western Ghats in South India. Present study was to estimate total phenolic, flavanoids, tannin and chlorophyll content of leaves of Strobilanthes kunthiana. Total phenolic content was assessed using FolinCiocalteu’s method. Estimation of Total Flavanoids was carried out by aluminium chloride colorimetric method. Tannic acid was used as a standard and the total tannin content were expressed as tannic acid equivalents (TAE). Absorbance was measured using a spectrophotometer at 700nm. The chlorophyll content in the sample was estimated by Arnon’s method. These studies showed that the aqueous extract of leaves of Strobilanthes kunthiana have statistically significant amount of phenolic, flavonoid and tannin content as compared to ethanolic extract.
Linguistic Profiling and Discrimination in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

This article examines the linguistic profiling in the video game The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt with an interest in its possible useful appliance for a large gaming community with little knowledge of a fantasy world such as The Witcher’s. I work with the phenomenon of linguistic profiling as proposed by John Baugh, which will be used in conjunction with the dialects and accents used in The Witcher 3. Besides this, I use an interview of the translation and adaptation team from the game developers (CD Projekt Red) to showcase what considerations they made when choosing and distributing accents and dialects in the English version of the game. This paper concludes with detailing the problematic uses of accents and dialects in the game, while also highlighting the benefits to new players when orienting them in the Witcher world, which is the overall advantageous result from the accent distribution in the game.
Recent progress and challenges toward ultrahigh-speed transmission beyond 10 Tbit/s with optical Nyquist pulses

We present recent progress and challenges toward ultrahighspeed optical time-division multiplexed (OTDM) transmission with a single-channel bit rate beyond 10 Tbit/s using optical Nyquist pulses. First, we review the technological progress made on OTDM/ETDM and digital coherent transmission over the last 20 years and highlight the challenges that must be met to achieve a higher bit rate and a higher spectral efficiency. We then present our proposed scheme that consists of an optical Nyquist pulse and its OTDM transmission and show that coherent Nyquist pulses are very attractive in terms of realizing an extremely high bit rate and high spectral efficiency simultaneously. We describe our recent demonstrations of a single-channel 10.2 Tbit/s (2.56 Tbaud) DQPSK transmission over 300 km using non-coherent Nyquist pulses, and a 15.3 Tbit/s (1.28 Tbaud) 64 QAM transmission over 160 km using coherent Nyquist pulses, in which the highest bit rate we achieved was 15.3 Tbit/s with a spectral efficiency as high as 8.7 bit/s/Hz. We also present a 12.8 Tbit/s (1.28 Tbit/s/ch × 10 ch) transmission of 320 Gbaud DQPSK Nyquist pulses over 1500 km. These results indicate that Nyquist pulses are advantageous not only for achieving an extremely high bit rate but also for realizing a WDM transmission with a 1 Tbit/s channel capacity over long distances.
Rice Physiological Response with Bacillus subtilis and Saccharomyces cerevisiae Inoculation into Soil under Reclaimed Water–Fresh Water Combined Irrigation

The increasing soil salinity levels under reclaimed water irrigation have a negative effect on plant growth. Greenhouse experiments were conducted in 2018 and 2019 under reclaimed water–fresh water combined irrigation. After transplanting (Day 1), rice was irrigated with clean water (tap water) for 10 days to facilitate rice root colonisation. Subsequently, rice was irrigated with reclaimed water for 50 days (Day 11 to 60), and then irrigated with clean water. B. subtilis and S. cerevisiae were mixed with clean water (tap water) and irrigated into soil at Day 61. B. subtilis (20 billion colony-forming units/g) and S. cerevisiae (20 billion colony-forming units/g) were mixed at the following proportions: 5 g and 0 (J1), 3.75 g and 1.25 g (J2), 2.5 g and 2.5 g (J3), 1.25 g and 3.75 g (J4), and 0 and 5 g (J5), respectively; rice treated with reclaimed water (CK) and clean water (J0) with no microorganisms applied were also used. We measured NO3--N and NH4+-N concentrations and electrical conductivity (EC) in the soil at 0–5, 5–15, and 15–25 cm layers; root activity; and malondialdehyde (MDA), soluble sugar, superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT), and glutamine synthetase (GS) activity in leaves at Day 71. B. subtilis and S. cerevisiae combination could promote rice physiological indices, and B. subtilis had a greater effect than S. cerevisiae. There are obvious differences in the physiological performance and soil N between 2018 and 2019 due to the EC of reclaimed water. Redundancy analysis revealed that soil NO3−-N and the mass of B. subtilis applied were major factors influencing leaf physiological indices. Five grams of B. subtilis is recommended to facilitate rice growth after irrigation with reclaimed water. Our research provides a new agronomic measure for the safe utilisation of reclaimed water.
Aleurodiscus Bicornis and A. Formosanus Spp. Nov. (Basidiomycota) With Smooth Basidiospores, and Description of A. Parvisporus From NE China

Three species of Aleurodiscus s.l. characterized in having effused basidiomata, clamped generative hyphae and quasi-binding hyphae, sulphuric positive reaction of gloeocystidia, hyphidia, acanthophyses and smooth basidiospores, are described. They are A. bicornis sp. nov., A. formosanus sp. nov. and A. parvisporus. Aleurodiscus bicornis was found from high mountains of NW Yunnan Province of SW China, grew on branch of Picea sp. Aleurodiscus formosanus was found from high mountains of central Taiwan, grew on branch of gymnosperm. Aleurodiscus parvisporus was previously reported only once from Japan and Sichuan Province of China respectively, and is reported in this study from Jilin Province of China. Phylogenetic relationships of these three species were inferred from analyses of a combined dataset consisting of three genetic markers, viz. 28S, nuc rDNA ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 (ITS), and a portion of the translation elongation factor 1-alpha gene, TEF1. The studied three species are phylogenetically closely related with significant support, corresponds with resemblance of their morphological features.
Investigating groundwater: Middle school students’ mapping data-driven, computer-based models to socio-hydrologic phenomena

Abstract Groundwater is a critical component of the global water cycle and standards-based topic within science education. However, students articulate an array of ideas about groundwater systems, including their natural and human elements. One way to support students’ learning about groundwater systems is through the use of data-driven, computer-based modeling tools in technology-enabled science learning environments. To use models to reason productively about groundwater, students must be able to interpret the relationship between the model and the phenomena it represents. Here, we report findings from a study conducted in 7th-grade classrooms (n = 209) during implementation of a 3-week curriculum module designed around a data-driven, computer-based groundwater modeling tool – the Hydrogeology Challenge. Students completed a series of tasks using the model to reason about and engage in problem-solving about a real-world, scenario-based water challenge. Here, we focus on how students relate – or map – elements of the model to the components of the authentic water-related phenomena they represent. We conducted quantitative and qualitative analyses of student artifacts and interviews. Findings suggest that students could more easily interpret and understand model elements which represent human dimensions of groundwater systems, such as wells, than they could elements that represent natural dimensions and processes, such as contour lines or groundwater flow direction. These findings provide important insights into students’ model-based reasoning about groundwater and teaching and learning about coupled human-hydrological systems.
COMMA: A new LoRaWAN communication optimisation mechanism for mobility adaptation of IoT

Communication protocols for the Internet of Things (IoT) have been optimised to meet the specific requirements of this fast ‐ growing domain. They have been adapted mainly to optimise power consumption, maximise coverage area and facilitate their implementation. One of these protocols is LoRaWAN, which uses the ADR algorithm ( Adaptive Data Rate ) and aims to reduce power consumption by reducing data rate and transmission power. The ADR algorithm has been specifically optimised for static systems, that is, systems where devices do not move or have limited mobility. In this article, we introduce COMMA ( Communication Optimisation Mechanism for Mobility Adaptation ), an adaptive data rate mechanism optimised for everyday mobility of devices and people. We use COMMA in telemedicine, our area of expertise, to develop a medical remote ‐ monitoring platform for mobile patients suffering from chronic diseases.
On the Role of Information Transfer’s Speed in Technological and Biological Computations

Information is commonly considered as a mathematical quantity that forms the basis of computing. In mathematics, information can propagate instantly, so its transfer speed is not the subject of information science. In all kinds of implementations of computing, whether technological or biological, some material carrier for the information exists, so the information’s propagation speed cannot exceed the speed of the carrier. Because of this limitation, for any implementation, one must consider the transfer time between computing units. We need a different mathematical method to take this limitation into account: classic mathematics can only describe infinitely fast and infinitely small computing system implementations. The difference between the mathematical handling methods leads to different descriptions of the behavior of the systems. The correct handling also explains why biological implementations can have lifelong learning and technological ones cannot. The conclusion about learning evidences matches others’ experimental evidence, both in technological and biological computing.
Thermal Tempering Does Not Increase the Survival of Eyed Salmonid Eggs

Eyed salmonid eggs can be subjected to large temperature swings during development, particularly when shipped in ice-filled containers from broodstock facilities to production hatcheries. This study examined the effect of thermal tempering on the survival of brown trout Salmo trutta and rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss eyed eggs to hatch. Eyed eggs at 1°C were either directly placed in 11°C water or allowed to thermally temper from 1°C to 11°C gradually over an hour. In addition, each of the tempering treatments occurred either with or without a 10-minute iodophor disinfection treatment. Tempering had no significant effect on survival-to-hatch in either species (85% - 97%). However, survival was significantly lower in rainbow trout eggs subjected to iodine disinfection (73% - 75%) compared to non-disinfected eggs (91% - 97%), likely because of the close proximity to hatch. The results of this study indicate that slowly raising the temperature (thermal tempering) of brown trout and rainbow trout eyed eggs is unnecessary. Additionally, iodine disinfection of eyed salmonid eggs in close proximity to hatching should be avoided.
Six new species and a new record of Curcuma L. (Zingiberaceae) from Thailand

Abstract. Saensouk S, Boonma T, Saensouk P. 2021. Six new species and a new record of Curcuma L. (Zingiberaceae) from Thailand. Biodiversitas 22: 1658-1685. All six new species and a new record of Curcumawere described with detailed illustrations, photographs, summaries for their distribution, ecology, IUCN conservation status, and followed by a new record and key to 63 species of Curcuma revised and present in Thailand. The study surveyed six new species and a new record of Curcuma to collect, describe, measure, and illustrate the living and spirit specimens under a stereoscopic microscope. Plant materials and photographs were collected in the field from 2018 to 2019. The results of the study described six new species, including Curcuma chantaranothaii Boonma & Saensouk sp. nov., C. charanii Boonma & Saensouk sp. nov., C. rangsimae Boonma & Saensouk sp. nov., C. phrayawan Boonma & Saensouk sp. nov., C. puangpeniae Boonma & Saensouk sp. nov., C. purpurata Boonma & Saensouk sp. nov., and a first new record of C. peramoena. All six new species were recognized to be endemic to Thailand.
Estimating Recycling Return of Integrated Circuits Using Computer Vision on Printed Circuit Boards

The technological growth of the last decades has brought many improvements in daily life, but also concerns on how to deal with electronic waste. Electrical and electronic equipment waste is the fastest-growing rate in the industrialized world. One of the elements of electronic equipment is the printed circuit board (PCB) and almost every electronic equipment has a PCB inside it. While waste PCB (WPCB) recycling may result in the recovery of potentially precious materials and the reuse of some components, it is a challenging task because its composition diversity requires a cautious pre-processing stage to achieve optimal recycling outcomes. Our research focused on proposing a method to evaluate the economic feasibility of recycling integrated circuits (ICs) from WPCB. The proposed method can help decide whether to dismantle a separate WPCB before the physical or mechanical recycling process and consists of estimating the IC area from a WPCB, calculating the IC’s weight using surface density, and estimating how much metal can be recovered by recycling those ICs. To estimate the IC area in a WPCB, we used a state-of-the-art object detection deep learning model (YOLO) and the PCB DSLR image dataset to detect the WPCB’s ICs. Regarding IC detection, the best result was obtained with the partitioned analysis of each image through a sliding window, thus creating new images of smaller dimensions, reaching 86.77% mAP. As a final result, we estimate that the Deep PCB Dataset has a total of 1079.18 g of ICs, from which it would be possible to recover at least 909.94 g of metals and silicon elements from all WPCBs’ ICs. Since there is a high variability in the compositions of WPCBs, it is possible to calculate the gross income for each WPCB and use it as a decision criterion for the type of pre-processing.
Effects of Retailers’ Corporate Social Responsibility on Retailer Equity and Consumer Usage Intention

This study focused on corporate social responsibility (CSR) to examine how retailers can distinguish themselves in the market and attain sustainability. It thus investigated the correlation between CSR, retailer equity, and consumer usage intention to explain the role of CSR activities. For this study, data were gathered from 357 customers who were doing business (i.e., shopping) with retailers, and they were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Results indicated that retailers’ CSR activities had a positive effect on retailer equity, which then had a significant positive effect on customer usage intention. The results further showed that consumers observe retailer equity when they experience its CSR activities, which increased their intention to shop with the retailer. The findings indicated that retailers’ CSR was an attractive factor making retailers stand out in the market, and attain sustainability, and that CSR improved both retailer equity and customer usage intention. This study has academic implications in that it finds a brand-new outcome variable of retailers’ CSR, such as retailer equity. In addition, it also has practical implications in managing and developing retailers’ CSR as an important marketing strategy.
Harmonic Virtual Impedance Design for Optimal Management of Power Quality in Microgrids

Power quality is an important concern for practical microgrid (MG) applications due to the widespread use of nonlinear loads, and it is characterized by the implicit trade-off between voltage quality in the MG nodes and harmonic current sharing between distributed generators (DGs). Active and passive filters can be used to address this problem. Nevertheless, modification of the control system of the DGs represents a cheaper and more practical solution. To this end, virtual impedances (VIs) can be included in the controller. However, the power quality trade-off is difficult to adjust, especially in the presence of electrical distribution lines. In this article, an optimization algorithm for setting the harmonic VIs of the DGs in a multibus MG is presented. This optimization algorithm can be easily configured for any degree of harmonic current sharing between the DGs, while improving the voltage quality is set as the main objective. Compared to other works presented in the literature, power quality can be managed without relying on time-critical communications since only the values of the harmonic VIs are modified in the optimization problem. The optimization is executed periodically so that the VIs are adapted to changes in the grid. Theoretical developments were validated by simulation in a benchmark model, and in a laboratory environment.
3D Point Cloud-Based Tree Canopy Visualization for a Smart Deployment of Mobile Communication Systems

Mobile communication is one of the most important parameters of smart cities in terms of maintaining connectivity and interaction between humans and smart systems. However, In the deployment process of Mobile Communication Systems (MCS), Radio Frequency (RF) engineers use location depended empirical Signal Strength Path Loss (SSPL) models ending up with poor signal strength and slow data connection. This is due to the fact that empirical propagation models usually are restrained by the environment and do not implement state of the art technologies, including Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV), Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR), Image Processing, and Machine Learning to increase efficiency. Terrains involving buildings, hills, trees, mountains, and human-made structures are considered irregular terrains by telecommunication engineers. Irregular terrains, specifically trees, significantly affect MCS’s efficiency because of their complex pattern resulting in erroneous signal fading via multi-path reflection and absorption. Therefore, a virtual 3D environment is required to extract the required 3D terrain pattern and elevation data from the environment. Once this data is processed in the machine learning algorithm, an adaptive propagation model can be formed and can significantly improve SSPL prediction accuracy for MCS. This chapter presents 3D point cloud visualization via sensor fusion and 2D image color classification techniques, which lead to a novel propagation model for the smart deployment of MCS. The proposed system’s main contribution is to develop an intelligent environment that eliminates limitations and minimizes related signal fading prediction errors. In addition, having better connectivity and efficiency will resolve the communication problem of smart cities. The chapter also provides a case study that significantly outperforms other empirical models with an accuracy of 95.4%.
Contemporary urban social work: a scoping review

ABSTRACT Today, much of social work is carried out in urban environments, posing distinct challenges to the profession. The complexities of urban life and urban surroundings raise new questions for it, especially in relation to increasing fragmentation, growing inequality, segregation, homelessness, social exclusion, and environmental problems. In general, only little research, however, has been conducted on the performance of social work in urban settings, and urban social work remains conceptually indistinct and not well grounded. Yet, in more recent times, increasing migration to urban settings has prompted more interest in the area. This article presents a two-staged scoping review examining how social work in urban settings is conceptualized in literature from European countries. Our first-stage scoping review findings indicate present conceptualizations of urban social work to be strongly shaped by questions concerning migration, diversity, and new forms of mobility. The second-stage review – leaning on the results of the first phase – concentrated on interrogating closer the knowledge base on urban social work and diversity. The findings suggest that urban social work with migrants is highly related to the question of how to recognize superdiversity in social work bridging relations in urban space, improving access to critical information for migrants, and strengthening social workers’ advocacy for structural change. While urban social work appears to continue to be perceived as problematic, the results highlight the importance of respectful encounters and honest dialogue between migrants and non-migrants and between migrants and professionals, along with the specificity of the use of urban space.