Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Spectrograph with a composite holographic dispersive element

Aberration-corrected holographic gratings are widely used in spectral instruments. They allow to achieve high resolution and uniformly distributed diffraction efficiency as well as to combine several functions in a single optical element. However, their performance is limited. In particular, when the optical system has a large aperture the hologram replay conditions vary significantly across its’ surface. Due to this variation the hologram aberration properties and its efficiency change locally thus leading to decrease of the resolution and efficiency of the entire system. In the present research we consider a composite volume phase holographic optical element used as a disperser in a spectrograph design. Such an optical element represent a hologram recorded by stitching of several elementary fields or zones. The refraction index modulation depth, the fringes tilt and the hologram spatial frequency may vary locally in each of the elementary fields to match the changing reconstruction conditions. This approach allows to implement a better aberrations correction and to maximize the overall diffraction efficiency. We demonstrate an exemplary spectrograph design with a composite hologram for the visible range of 400-800 nm. It is shown, that in the design as fast as f/2.1 the maximum aberrations can be decreased by factor of 1.19 and 2 in the X and Y directions, respectively, while the average diffraction efficiency increases by 15.6% at shorter wavelenghts. We continue the study by investigation of the composite hologram technological feasibility and demonstrate that it can be recorded with a standard precision of the moving sources positioning, achievable stroke of the auxiliary deformable mirror and reasonably high accuracy of the photosensitive layer’s parameters.
Expression Patterns and Gene Analysis of the Cellulose Synthase Gene Superfamily in Eucalyptus grandis

Cellulose is the world’s most abundant renewable energy resource, and a variety of cellulose synthase genes are involved in the biosynthesis of cellulose. In the process of cellulose synthesis, all cellulose synthases are interrelated and act synergistically. In this study, we analyzed the contents of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin in the different parts and tissues of E. grandis. The results showed that the cellulose content had greater differences among three different heights. On this basis, we carried out the transcriptome-wide profiling of gene expression patterns using RNA sequencing. A total of 2066 differentially expressed genes were identified for three pairwise comparisons between three different heights, most of which were related to the programmed photosynthetic membrane and photosystem. A total of 100 transcripts of CSs (58 CesA and 42 Csl) were obtained from transcriptome libraries. The expression pattern of these genes indicated that different CS genes had a wide range of expression profiles. A phylogenetic analysis of 135 reference CS genes showed that the CSs of E. grandis were clustered into six major groups (CesA1-9, CslA, CslB/H, CslD, CslE, and CslG). Based on the weighted gene co-expression network analysis, a dual-directional regulation mechanism between Csl and CesA proteins in the cellulose biosynthesis was identified. The gene expression profile analysis, using qRT-PCR in different tissues of E. grandis, demonstrated that the CSs were highly expressed in xylem, and CesAs had a higher relative expression than Csls. The analysis of sequence similarity combined with the expression pattern indicated that the CesA1, 3, and 6 transcripts were associated with the biosynthesis of the secondary cell wall, and CesA4, 5, and 7 transcripts were more likely to associate with the biosynthesis of the primary cell wall. Finally, the qRT-PCR analysis confirmed the expression of 11 selected CSs in three different parts of E. grandis.
Causal Discovery using Dimensionality Reduction Partial Association Tree

Decision tree is a model to classify data based on labelled attribute values. This model is a supervised learning approach through which one can classify a new entry into an appropriate class. If we want to know the cause behind this classification then decision tree cannot provide the same. When we infer causes behind the classification then they will provide a rich knowledge for better decision making. Causal Bayesian Networks, Structural Equation Models, Potential Outcome Models are the some of the models that are used to get causal relationships. These models need experimental data. But it is not possible/ it is very expensive to conduct full experiments. So a model is needed to identify causes from effects from observational data rather than experimental data. In this paper a novel approach is proposed for causal inference rule mining which can infer the causes from observational data in a faster way and also scalable. Statistical tools and techniques named partial association test, correlation are used to develop the model. A new way of constructing a tree called Dimensionality Reduction Partial Association Tree (DRPAT) is introduced. Sometimes the existing causality cannot be extracted where low associated dimensions are involved in data and hiding the underlying causality and this model extracts causal association in case of hidden causality in data. The model is applied on “Cardiovascular Disease dataset” sourced from Kaggle Progression System. The result is a Partial Association Tree. From this tree one can get a set of causal rules which can form a basis for better data analytics and then the better decision making.
Sensitivity Analysis of Influencing Factors of Supercritical Methane Flow and Heat Transfer in a U-Tube

Due to the existence of a Dean vortex in a U-tube, the flow and heat transfer process of supercritical methane is complex, and its thermophysical property are greatly influenced by different factors. Based on computational fluid dynamics theory, the numerical simulation of the turbulent flow and heat transfer characteristics of supercritical methane in a U-tube with an inner diameter of 10 mm and a radius of curvature of 27 mm carried out by using the finite volume method. On the basis of verifying the reliability of the model, the influences of inlet mass flux (G), heat flux on the tube wall boundary (q), pressure on the outlet (P), and gravity acceleration factors (g) on heat transfer characteristics were analyzed. The calculation results show that the sensitivity of the effects of G, q, P, and g on the heat transfer coefficient is, from large to small, in the order of P, G, g, and q. Compared with a horizontal straight tube, a U-tube can significantly improve heat transfer in the elbow part, but the presence of the elbow reduces heat transfer in the subsequent straight pipe section. The research in this paper has significance as a reference for the construction of the LNG gasification process.
PENERAPAN WATERFALL MODEL PADA PERANCANGAN SISTEM PELAYANAN DAN INFORMASI DENGAN PENDEKATAN OOAD MENGGUNAKAN UML

Pelayanan publik berdasarkan standar pelayanan sebagai tolak ukur yang dipergunakan sebagai pedoman penyelenggaraan pelayanan dan acuan penilaian kualitas pelayanan sebagai kewajiban dan janji penyelenggara kepada masyarakat dalam rangka pelayanan yang berkualitas, cepat, mudah, terjangkau, dan terukur untuk saat ini dapat dikatakan belum merata, hanya untuk orang-orang tertentu yang mendapatkan akses ini mudah dalam mendapatkan suatu informasi, keberadaan teknologi saat ini menjadi jawaban dalam menyamaratakan suatu kecepatan pelayanan dengan memanfaatkan hasil teknologi internet. Dalam Penelitian ini akan membangun sebuah sistem pelayanan yang terbuka dengan megunakan model pengembangan system waterfall salah satunya jenis model pengembangan aplikasi dan termasuk kedalam classic life cycle (siklus hidup klasik), yang mana menekankan pada fase yang saling berurutan dan sistematic. model pengembangan ini, dapat dilogikakan seperti air terjun, dimana setiap tahap dikerjakan secara berurutan mulai dari awal hingga ke akhir. dan untuk desainnya menggunakan metode OOAD yang merupakan perpaduan antara struktur data dan perilaku dalam satu kelompok menggunakan tool UML yang untuk menggambarkan usecase diagram.
Expression, Purification and in Silico Characterization of Mycobacterium Smegmatis Alternative Sigma Factor SigB

Sigma factor B (SigB), an alternative sigma factor (ASF) is very similar to primary sigma factor SigA (σ70) but dispensable for growth in both Mycobacterium smegmatis (Msmeg) and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). It is involved in general stress responses including heat, oxidative, surface, starvation stress and macrophage infections. Despite having an extremely short half-life, SigB tends to operate downstream of at least three stress-responsive Extra Cytoplasmic Function (ECF) sigma factors (SigH, SigE, SigL) and SigF involved in multiple signalling pathways. There is very little information available regarding the regulation of SigB sigma factor and its interacting protein partners. Hence, we cloned the SigB gene into pET28a vector and optimized its expression in three different strains of E. coli, viz; (BL21(DE3), C41(DE3) and CodonPlus(DE3)). We also optimized several other parameters for the expression of recombinant SigB including IPTG concentration, temperature, and time-duration. We achieved the maximum expression of SigB at 25 °C in the soluble fraction of the cell which was purified by affinity chromatography using Ni-NTA and further confirmed by Western blotting. Further, structural characterization demonstrates the instability of SigB in comparison to SigA is carried out using homology modelling and structure function relationship. We have done protein-protein docking of RNA polymerase (RNAP) of Mycobacterium smegmatis (Msmeg) and sigB. This effort provides a platform for pulldown assay, structural and other studies with the recombinant protein to deduce the SigB interacting proteins, which might pave the way to study its signalling networks along with its regulation.
Psychological Distress in End-stage Renal Disease Patients: Prevalence and Associated Factors. a Literature Review

Background: Mental disorders such as depression, anxiety, stress, and mental pain are well known to affect adults with end-stage chronic kidney disease and those undergoing dialysis. Patients undergoing dialysis also face several other problems related to their daily lives, changes in their financial and professional duties and many challenges that increase the likelihood of developing mental disorders such as depression and anxiety. Objective: The aim of the present study is to investigate the mental strain in CKD as it is reflected in the studies of modern literature as well as to highlight the factors related to it. Mehods: A review of the recent literature was performed. We employed the framework of Whittemore and Knaff according to which there are five stages for the review: problem identification, Literature Search, Data Evaluation, Data Analysis, and presentation. A systematic search was conducted on the following databases: Medline, Scopus, PsychInfo. We reviewed both qualitative and quantitative studies, peer-reviewed, published in the English language in the years 2015-2020. Results and Discussion: The prevalence of mental stress in ESRD varies widely in different studies, ranging from 10% to 29%. Also, according to studies about 30% of patients with CKD experience mental stress. A number of factors, including female gender, low educational attainment, advanced age, retirement, low financial status, comorbidities, family functioning, general well-being, and exercise were noted to be associated with psychological distress. The prevalence of depression varies, with this variation may be affected by both cultural differences in the individual populations under study and different methodological approaches. Conclusion: The effect of gender on mental health has been much debated in recent years, with most researchers agreeing that women undergoing dialysis experience higher levels of stress than men. Comorbidities have also been significantly associated with the presence of psychiatric symptoms, with those who reported suffering from a disease other than CKD to be more affected than those who had CKD alone.
Structure and photocatalytic influence of N-doping ATO nano-tubes on antibacterial activity toward Escherichia coli

The photocatalytic antibacterial properties of anodic titanium oxide (ATO) nanotubes in the anatase structure derived from annealing at 450 C or 550 C or N-doping treatment were tested on Escherichia coli under UV-A, visible light illumination, and dark conditions. Under UV-A illumination and dark conditions, in most cases, E. coli cultures containing ATO nanotubes of different treatments showed either no or slight differences in their growth from the cultures without ATO nanotubes. However, under visible light illumination, the growth of E. coli was inhibited in cultures containing ATO nanotubes. Among the three forms of ATO nanotubes, N-doped ATO nanotubes had the strongest antibacterial activity. While the antibacterial activities of both the annealed and the N-doped ATO nanotubes increased positively correlated to the increase in their total surface area.
Home Energy Management Systems with Branch-and-Bound Model-Based Predictive Control Techniques

At a global level, buildings constitute one of the most significant energy-consuming sectors. Current energy policies in the EU and the U.S. emphasize that buildings, particularly those in the residential sector, should employ renewable energy and storage and efficiently control the total energy system. In this work, we propose a Home Energy Management System (HEMS) by employing a Model-Based Predictive Control (MBPC) framework, implemented using a Branch-and-Bound (BAB) algorithm. We discuss the selection of different parameters, such as time-step, to employ prediction and control horizons and the effect of the weather in the system performance. We compare the economic performance of the proposed approach against a real PV-battery system existing in a household equipped with several IoT devices, concluding that savings larger than 30% can be obtained, whether on sunny or cloudy days. To the best of our knowledge, these are excellent values compared with existing solutions available in the literature.
Structural and dynamical properties simulations of potassium fluoride aqueous system at various temperatures from 298.15 K to 358.15 K

The energy storage systems are dominated by lithium–ion based chemistry. Currently, the focus has shifted to its nearest neighbours and extensive studies have been carried out on sodium and potassium ion-based batteries. Incorporation of potassium fluoride into solar cells (CIGS) improves the conversion efficiency by increasing the majority carrier concentration. In this study, we present results from molecular dynamics simulations of water solutions and clusters containing potassium fluoride with the interatomic interactions described by OPLS-AA force field for understanding the mechanisms of the physical phenomena of these ionic complexes. The structural and dynamical properties of KF solutions have been studied at various temperatures using TIP4P water model and the ions which are modeled as charged Lennard-Jones particles. The analysis of the simulation results showed that the temperature has decisive effects on the physicochemical properties of the KF electrolyte in aqueous solutions.
Chinese Fetal Growth: A Multicenter Cohort Study Based on Fetal Ultrasound Measurements

Abstract Objective To build a reference fetal growth chart for the Chinese population based on fetal ultrasound measurements. Methods This was a multicenter, population-based retrospective cohort study. Longitudinal ultrasound measurement data were collected from 24 hospitals in 18 provinces of China from 1st September through 31st October of 2019. The estimated fetal weight (EFW) was calculated based on head circumference, abdominal circumference, and femur length using Hadlock formula 3. Fetal growth curves were estimated using a two-level linear regression model with cubic splines. All participants were divided into two groups: the northern group (n = 5829) and the southern group (n = 3246) based on the geographical division of China and male fetus group (n = 4775) and female fetus group (n = 4300) based on fetal gender. The EFW was compared by fetal gender and geographical group. All statistical models were adjusted for maternal sociodemographic characteristics. Results A total of 9075 participants with 31,700 ultrasound measurement records were included in this study. Male fetuses demonstrated significantly larger EFW compared to female ones starting at 16 weeks of gestation and extending to delivery (global test P < 0.01). The overall geographic difference in EFW was significant (global test P = 0.03), and week-specific comparisons showed that the northern group had a greater EFW starting at 15 weeks of gestation and extending to 29 weeks of gestation, although this difference did not extend to the time of delivery. The Z-score of EFW confirmed that our Chinese fetal growth charts differed from previously published standards. Conclusion This study provides EFW and ultrasound biometric reference measurements for Chinese fetuses and reveals differences from other fetal growth charts. The chart is worth promoting in more regions of China but should be tested prudently before use.
Three-in-one procedure for failed spinal surgery improved pain, disability scores and serum inflammatory milieu: Three-years follow-up

ABSTRACT Background None of the various treatment modalities for failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS) is satisfactory. Aim of the study Comparison of subjective and laboratory outcomes of the 3-in-1 procedure to percutaneous screw and rod spinal fixation (PSRF) for FBSS patients determined at the end of Phase II of the study (3-year follow-up after surgery). Patients & Methods This is phase II (follow-up at 3 years) of patients undergoing 3-in-1 procedure (Group B) or PSRF (Group A) as regard pain and disability scores and cytokines levels. Results At phase of the study, pain and disability scores were still significantly lower in all patients with significantly lower scores in group B than in group A. In comparison to the results obtained at the end of Phase I, the 3-in-1 procedure provided better outcome than PSRF only and number of patients graded the outcome as excellent-to-good was significantly higher than in patients of group B than group A. At the end of both phases, serum inflammatory cytokines’ levels were significantly decreased and anti-inflammatory cytokines’ levels were significantly increased in all patients compared to preoperative levels with significant difference in favor of patients of group B. the percentages of change in pain and disability scores at end of Phase II were significantly correlated with the percentage of change of serum anti-inflammatory cytokines’ levels in both groups. Conclusion After 36 m after the 3-in-1 procedure pain scores were significantly decreased with improved disability scores and inflammatory milieu than in patients having FBSS only.
LAMC2 promotes the proliferation of cancer cells and induce infiltration of macrophages in non-small cell lung cancer

Background Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most prevalent cancer worldwide. Tumor microenvironment (TME) plays a very important role in the cancer development. Thus, it is urgent to find the change of TME that contributes to NSCLC carcinogenesis and progression. Methods The bioinformatics analysis approach was applied to evaluate the change of TME and screen the differentially immune cells in NSCLC tissue based on The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data. Meanwhile, the association of differentially immune cells with tumor stage and prognosis of NSCLC was evaluated. Then, we screen the different expression genes between macrophages infiltration high group and low group. After that, the expression of LAMC2 was detected in 48 cases of NSCLC tissues and paired normal tissues. The function of LAMC2 was detected through cell experiments in vitro. Immunohistochemistry assay was used to detect the correlation between LAMC2 expression and macrophages infiltration in NSCLC tissue. LAMC2-related pathways were identified by gene set enrichment analysis. Results Compared with early stage, middle-advanced stage of NSCLC exhibited lower immune score. Macrophages were the main component of different immune cells and correlated with poor outcome. The results of immunohistochemistry indicated that the expression of LAMC2 in NSCLC tissues was higher than paired normal tissues. Down-regulation of LAMC2 inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of NSCLC cells in vitro. Overexpression of LAMC2 was positively associated with macrophages infiltration in NSCLC tissues. Inhibition of LAMC2 expression in NSCLC cells could reduce THP-1 infiltration, and LAMC2 protein could promote the infiltration of THP-1. The Gene Set Enrichment Analysis results showed that high expression of LAMC2 was correlated with focal adhesion and extracellular matrix receptor interaction. Conclusions Immune suppression and macrophages infiltration were correlated with poor outcomes in NSCLC. LAMC2 promoted macrophages infiltration and extracellular matrix remolding in NSCLC. Our studies suggested an oncogenic role of LAMC2 in NSCLC progression and it perhaps serve as a potential immune therapy target for NSCLC.
“We Can’t Wait Anymore”: Young Professionals Engaging in Education for Sustainability

Sustainability-minded young professionals are needed to facilitate movement toward a sustainable planet. Their development has largely been left to Higher Education Institutions charged with equipping future generations of professionals to address current and future intractable problems, with limited research on how they perform in these important roles upon entering professional careers. This study documents how sustainability-minded young professionals engage in education for sustainability, the process by which humans will learn to live sustainably. Grounded theory methods were used to analyze interview and focus group data collected from 10 sustainability-minded young professionals who participated in sustainable energy research experiences as undergraduates. Findings indicate sustainability-minded young professionals engaging in education for sustainability navigate sustainability identities, which is a fluid, contextual process; participate in lifelong sustainability learning; serve as sustainability educators; and adopt a positive stance toward our ability to achieve sustainability.