Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Deep feature extraction of retinal images for diabetic retinopathy enhanced diagnosis

Most people of working age groups globally around are affected by diabetic retinopathy, which is the most common cause of preventable vision impairment. Recent studies have improved our comprehension of the need for more effective and affordable methods of identifying, managing, diagnosing, and treating retinal disease in clinical eye care practice. The development of computer-aided diagnosis tools must consider the significance of diabetic retinopathy screening programmes and the challenge of obtaining a valid early diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy at an affordable price. Retinal image analysis using computer-aided disease diagnosis may make it easier to screen the population for diabetes mellitus on a mass scale and may also assist physicians to make better use of their time. The creation of image processing models using big data analysis may run into many technical challenges, including the visualization analysis needed by image processing technologies, the semantic expression, and storage of large image samples, the complexity of the algorithms needed for feature extraction, recognition, and prediction analysis using big data, as well as the time and memory requirements.
Operationalising a modified Delphi study to progress quality care process nursing metrics for acute care

Background Despite representing the largest occupational group within the healthcare workforce, evidence suggests that due to the complexity of nursing practice, nurses’ contribution remains ‘invisible’. Quality Care Metrics aligned to standards can offer valuable numerical information that quantify input, output and dimensions of nursing care processes in complex clinical and interprofessional milieus. Aims and objectives Progress an evidence-based metric system to measure the quality and clinical safety of nursing care within acute care in Ireland. The objectives were to: classify quality care process nursing metrics and corresponding indicators pertinent to acute care; reach agreement on a selected set of robust metrics and corresponding indicators; and implement the findings of the study. Design A modified four-round Delphi study. Methods The modified Delphi study integrated a four-round survey of 422 nurses, face-to-face meetings with a patient representative and key stakeholders within acute services with a final consensus meeting inclusive of a panel of 26 expert nurse clinicians. Results There was consensus on 11 quality care process nursing metrics and 53 corresponding indicators for the acute care setting. Despite the rating of ‘critical’ in the Delphi rounds, a concern was reported by participants on the subjective nature of three of the developed metrics: ‘patient experience’, ‘patient engagement’ and ‘professional and ethical approach to care’ based on the absence of objective measurement tools that include patient input. Conversely, this led to the conundrum for the panel of experts at the final consensus meeting who were divided in their views on objectively observing, recording and subsequent auditing of those three developed metrics in real-time clinical practice. Conclusion This paper describes the operationalisation of a modified Delphi technique that progressed a set of 11 quality care process metrics and 53 corresponding indicators. The challenge now is the implementation of these quality care process metrics so that nurses’ contribution to patient-centred care is tangible in acute care.
Complete chloroplast genome of Isoetes japonica (Isoetaceae)

Abstract Isoetes japonica A. Braun is a heterosporous quillwort living in low-altitude areas in Japan. In the present study, the complete chloroplast genome of I. japonica was assembled and annotated. This chloroplast genome is a circular structure of 145,517 bp in length, comprising a pair of inverted repeat (IR) regions of 13,204 bp each, a large single copy (LSC) region of 91,868 bp, and a small single copy (SSC) region of 27,241 bp. The chloroplast genome contains 135 genes, including 78 protein-coding genes, 36 tRNA genes, and 8 rRNA genes. Phylogenetic analysis showed that I. japonica is sister to I. sinensis and I. yunguiensis. These results provide additional resources for the future studies on Isoetes species.
Tomography of silicate dust around M-type AGB stars I. Diagnostics based on dynamical models

The heavy mass loss observed in evolved asymptotic giant branch stars is usually attributed to a two-step process: atmospheric levitation by pulsation-induced shock waves, followed by radiative acceleration of newly formed dust grains. Detailed wind models suggest that the outflows of M-type AGB stars may be triggered by photon scattering on Fe-free silicates with grain sizes of about 0.1 - 1 $\mu$m. Due to the low grain temperature, these Fe-free silicates can condense close to the star, but they do not produce the characteristic mid-IR features that are often observed in M-type AGB stars. However, it is probable that the silicate grains are gradually enriched with Fe as they move away from the star, to a degree where the grain temperature stays below the sublimation temperature, but is high enough to produce emission features. We investigate whether differences in grain temperature in the inner wind region, which are related to changes in the grain composition, can be detected with current interferometric techniques, in order to put constraints on the wind mechanism. To investigate this we use radial structures of the atmosphere and wind of an M-type AGB star, produced with the 1D radiation-hydrodynamical code DARWIN. The spectral energy distribution is found to be a poor indicator of different temperature profiles and therefore is not a good tool for distinguishing different scenarios of changing grain composition. However, spatially resolved interferometric observations have promising potential. They show signatures even for Fe-free silicates (found at 2-3 stellar radii), in contrast to the spectral energy distribution. Observations with baselines that probe spatial scales of about 4 stellar radii and beyond are suitable for tracing changes in grain composition, since this is where effects of Fe enrichment should be found.
Simulation of quantum transport in double‐gate MOSFETs using the non‐equilibrium Green's function formalism in real‐space: A comparison of four methods

Quantum effects play an important role in determining the double‐gate (DG) MOSFETs characteristics. The non‐equilibrium Green's function formalism (NEGF) in real‐space (RS) representation provides a rigorous description of quantum transport in nanoscale devices. Unfortunately, the traditional NEGF framework has the disadvantage of being heavy in computations. Methods that reduce the computations exist in the literature like the recursive Green's Function (RGF) algorithm, the contact block reduction (CBR) method, and Gauss elimination (GE) method. Comparison of the simulation time of the traditional NEGF, the RGF algorithm, the CBR method, and the GE method was always theoretical and based on approximate estimates. In this work, we carry out a real comparison between the four methods by implementing them inside the same simulator, using them to simulate the same device dimensions and parameters on the same machine. It is demonstrated that the RGF algorithm or the GE method introduce about one order of magnitude reduction in simulation time below that traditional NEGF, whereas the CBR method yields the smallest simulation time with about two orders of magnitude reduction. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The third Uhuru catalog of X-ray sources

A new edition of the catalog of X-ray sources observed with Uhuru is presented. About 125 days of data have been analyzed for the 3U catalog, yielding a total of 161 X-ray sources. The distribution of sources is similar to that obtained for earlier editions of this catalog. Location error regions for many of the sources previously listed in the 2U catalog have been significantly reduced in size.
The High-Sensitivity Phase Interrogation of Bloch Surface Wave Sensor Based on 1-D Photonic Crystal

The Bloch surface wave (BSW) is excited in a 1-D photonic crystal and supports a rather steep resonance dip, much sharper than that of traditional surface plasmon resonance (SPR). A highly sensitive sensor based on BSW was fabricated by electron beam evaporation, the structure was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and ellipsometry spectrometer, and the sensitivity in wavelength and phase interrogation was achieved experimentally by an optical system based on a Mach–Zehnder interferometer. The wavelength sensitivity and the phase sensitivity can reach 219 nm/RIU and $1.16\times10$ 4 deg/RIU, respectively. After comparison, we demonstrate that the phase interrogation has a higher sensitivity than the wavelength interrogation and is more suitable for BSW sensors. Experimental results show that the detection limit of the sensor is $8.62\times10$ −7 RIU in phase interrogation, which proves that the sensor could become a valuable and promising tool to replace traditional SPR sensors for the application of ultralow concentration detection. This sensor, only composed of TiO2 and SiO2 materials, has the advantages of mechanical and chemical stability, easy fabrication, and low cost, which can be used as an alternative to traditional SPR sensors in the fields of biomedicine, chemical analysis, and environmental monitoring.
Crystal Structures and Microwave Dielectric Properties of Novel MgCu2Nb2O8 Ceramics Prepared by Two-Step Sintering Technique

In this work, novel MgCu2Nb2O8 (MCN) ceramics were synthesized by the two-step sintering (TSS) technique, and the phase composition, crystal structures, and microwave dielectric properties were comprehensively studied. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman analysis demonstrated that MCN ceramics are multi-phase ceramics consisting of MgNb2O6 and CuO phases. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was utilized to investigate the chemical composition and element valence of MgCu2Nb2O8 ceramics. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis demonstrated dense microstructures in the MCN ceramics prepared at a sintering temperature of 925 °C. The microwave dielectric properties were largely affected by the lattice vibrational modes and densification level of the ceramics. The outstanding microwave dielectric properties of εr = 17.15, Q × f = 34.355 GHz, and τf = −22.5 ppm/°C were obtained for the MCN ceramics sintered at 925 °C, which are results that hold promise for low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) applications.
Stable multi-wavelength erbium-doped fiber laser based on a photonic crystal fiber Sagnac loop filter

A multi-wavelength erbium-doped fiber laser based on a Sagnac loop filter which is formed by a birefringent and highly nonlinear photonic crystal fiber (PCF), a 3-dB optical coupler and two polarization controllers is proposed. The PCF Sagnac loop filter is used as a comb filter and power-stabilizing and -equilibrizing component in the multi-wavelength erbium-doped fiber laser. Stable multi-wavelength lasing at room temperature is achieved, owing to the contributions of both the birefringent property and the four-wave mixing effect of the PCF.
Utilization of Punica granatum carpellary membrane for removal of arsenic trivalent ions from aqueous medium

The present study focuses on adsorption of arsenic trivalent ions from water on pristine Punica granatum carpellary membrane (PPC) under different conditions including initial arsenic ions concentration in water, dose of PPC, pH, and time of contact. Scanning electron microscope, atomic emission spectroscopy, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller and energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) techniques were used for confirmation of adsorption process. EDX spectrum of PPC did not exhibit any arsenic peak. However, additional arsenic peak was visible in EDX of PPC after adsorption which confirmed the adsorption of arsenic on adsorbent. Batch adsorption studies were performed to analyze the adsorption of arsenic trivalent ions on the adsorbent surface in various conditions. Optimum removal of arsenic was achieved at 60 mg/L of arsenite solution on 0.06 g/L of adsor- bent dose at pH 5.0 for 120 min of contact time. Maximum adsorption (Langmuir) capacity was found to be 83.33 mg/g on the surface of PPC with 0.998 R 2 value. Pseudo-second-order kinetic model was found to be the best fitted model with 0.998 R 2 value. Pseudo-second-order calculated adsorption capacity at equilibrium (48.70 mg/g) was closed to experimental value (52.63 mg/g) also confirmed the best fitted model.
Tesseral Harmonics of Jupiter from Static Tidal Response

The Juno Orbiter is measuring the three-dimensional gravity field perturbation of Jupiter induced by its rapid rotation, zonal flows, and tidal response to its major natural satellites. This paper aims to provide the contributions to the tesseral harmonics coefficients Cnm, Snm, and the Love numbers knm to be expected from static tidal response in the gravity field of rotating Jupiter. For that purpose, we apply the method of Concentric Maclaurin Ellipsoids. As we are interested in the variation of the tidal potential with the longitudes of the moons, we take into account the simultaneous presence of the satellites Io, Europa, and Ganymede. We assume coplanar, circular orbits with normals parallel to Jupiter’s spin axis. The planet-centered longitude of Io in the three-moon case is arbitrarily assumed φ = 0. Under these assumptions we find maximum amplitudes and fluctuations of 3.5 × 10−8 ± 15% for C22. For the Love numbers, the largest variation of 10% to 20% is seen in k42 and k62, whereas the values k2, k33, and k44 fall into narrow ranges of 0.1% uncertainty or less. In particular, we find , where is the static tidal response to lone Io. Our obtained gravity field perturbation leads to a maximum equatorial shape deformation of up to 28 m. We suggest that should Juno measurements of the knm deviate from those values, it may be due to dynamic or dissipative effects on Jupiter’s tidal response. Finally, an analytic expression is provided to calculate the tesseral harmonics contribution from static tidal response for any configuration of the satellites.
Optimal stochastic unraveling of disordered open quantum systems: Application to driven-dissipative photonic lattices

We propose an efficient numerical method to compute configuration averages of observables in disordered open quantum systems whose dynamics can be unraveled via stochastic trajectories. We prove that the optimal sampling of trajectories and disorder configurations is simply achieved by considering one random disorder configuration for each individual trajectory. As a first application, we exploit the present method to the study the role of disorder on the physics of the driven-dissipative Bose-Hubbard model in two different regimes: (i) for strong interactions, we explore the dissipative physics of fermionized bosons in disordered one-dimensional chains; (ii) for weak interactions, we investigate the role of on-site inhomogeneities on a first-order dissipative phase transition in a two-dimensional square lattice.
3.5 mm compliant robotic surgical forceps with 4 DOF : design and performance evaluation

Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) is a viable alternative to general surgery with distinct advantages. Robotically assisted MIS, has been demonstrated to achieve higher accuracy and repeatability in comparison with those of manual procedures. Despite these advantages, owing to the nature of some surgical procedures in which dexterous tissue manipulations in deep narrow areas of the human body are necessary, there is a need for further miniaturized tools with smaller bending radii. To cater to this requirement, this study proposes a new compliant mechanism based surgical robotic forceps. It can generate four degrees of freedom at the tip of the forceps including two bending motions in two perpendicular axes, grasping and rotation. A better combination of the stress distribution through the elastic material, grasping force, and range of motion was determined based on a series of finite element analyses. In addition, the manufactured prototype underwent a series of laboratory experiments to evaluate its effectiveness. Details of the mechanism, finite element analysis, prototype implementation, and evaluations are presented in this paper. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT
Transcriptomic Analysis Suggests a Coordinated Regulation of Carotenoid Metabolism in Ripening Chili Pepper (Capsicum annuum var. conoides) Fruits

Carotenoids are not only photosynthetic and photoprotective pigments in plants, but also essential antioxidative nutrients for human health. The fruit is the main plant organ that synthesizes and sequestrates carotenoids. Fruit ripening is a complicated developmental process, during which the rewiring of the metabolic network is tightly coordinated with the re-organization of cellular and organellular structures. Chili pepper (Capsicum annuum) is one of the major crops that accumulates a distinct level of carotenoids, especially capsanthin, in their ripened fruits. To elucidate how different metabolic and developmental scenarios are regulated in ripening chili pepper fruits, we analyzed the carotenoid profiles and transcriptomes of fruits at different ripening stages. Our pigment analysis indicated an opposite correlation between the contents of carotenoid species with β,β-structures (e.g., β-carotene, zeaxanthin, and capsanthin) and of lutein with the β,ε-structure, whereas lutein displayed a high correlation with chlorophylls during ripening. From the chili pepper Zunla-1 genome, a full repertoire of 38 homologous genes encoding enzymes in the carotenoid biosynthetic pathway was identified. The fluctuations in their transcript abundances during ripening suggested different involvement of these genes in the regulation of carotenoid biosynthesis. We further searched genes of which the expression showed high correlations with the accumulation of β-carotene during the ripening process. Moreover, from the transcriptomic analysis, a total of 17 transcription factors that co-expressed with different groups of carotenoid biosynthetic genes were identified.
Optimizing spectroscopic follow-up strategies for supernova photometric classification with active learning

We report a framework for spectroscopic follow-up design for optimizing supernova photometric classification. The strategy accounts for the unavoidable mismatch between spectroscopic and photometric samples, and can be used even in the beginning of a new survey – without any initial training set. The framework falls under the umbrella of active learning (AL), a class of algorithms that aims to minimize labelling costs by identifying a few, carefully chosen, objects that have high potential in improving the classifier predictions. As a proof of concept, we use the simulated data released after the SuperNova Photometric Classification Challenge (SNPCC) and a random forest classifier. Our results show that, using only 12 per cent the number of training objects in the SNPCC spectroscopic sample, this approach is able to double purity results. Moreover, in order to take into account multiple spectroscopic observations in the same night, we propose a semisupervised batch-mode AL algorithm that selects a set of N = 5 most informative objects at each night. In comparison with the initial state using the traditional approach, our method achieves 2.3 times higher purity and comparable figure of merit results after only 180 d of observation, or 800 queries (73 per cent of the SNPCC spectroscopic sample size). Such results were obtained using the same amount of spectroscopic time necessary to observe the original SNPCC spectroscopic sample, showing that this type of strategy is feasible with current available spectroscopic resources. The code used in this work is available in the COINtoolbox.
Analysis of continuous and discrete Wigner approximations for spin dynamics

We compare the continuous and discrete truncated Wigner approximations - TWA and dTWA, respectively - of various spin models' dynamics to exact analytical and numerical solutions. We account for all components of spin-spin correlations on equal footing, facilitated by a recently introduced geometric correlation matrix visualization (CMV) technique. We find that the two approximations capture different aspects of the dynamics of correlations: dTWA captures periodic partial revivals of spin-spin correlations missed in the TWA; but at least for some conditions, TWA better captures the directions in which spins have correlations. We also find that at modestly short times, the dominant error in both approximations is to substantially suppress spin correlations along one direction. In addition to assessing the accuracy of approximations, our comparisons illustrate the utility of CMVs as an intuitive visual tool to understand the full complexity of spin correlations.
Fermi arc reconstruction at junctions between Weyl semimetals

We analyze junctions between noninteracting fermionic topological phases. A closed-form condition for the existence of localized modes at the interface is derived using the transfer matrix approach. These analytical conditions as well as numerical exact diagonalization are used to study interfaces between Weyl semimetals. We observe a Fermi arc reconstruction at the interface, leading to curves of zero energy modes in the interface Brillouin zone. These are stable even in certain cases where the two Weyl semimetals differ only in their Fermi arc connectivities.
Control of flow separation by acoustic excitation

To control the leading-edge flow separation on an airfoil by means of acoustic excitation, the response to the incident sound and the resulting flow instability are studied experimentally and therically on the basis of the linear stability theory, for a flat-plate airfoil, at a chord Reynolds number R c =4 x 10 4 .
What makes supported internships an effective approach to VET?

Internationally, there have been varied attempts to secure the inclusion of young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) in Vocational Education and Training (VET). This paper investigates supported internships (SIs), which are programmes that include college courses in numeracy and literacy, workplace learning, and broader life skill development. Drawing on an empirical study of one SI in England, this paper focuses on the pedagogic structure of SIs to explore how systematic instruction combines with elements of the workplace environment to bring about successful vocational learning for young people with SEND. It considers whether the expansive-restrictive conceptualisation of apprenticeship learning explains successful outcomes within an SI. A case study approach using a qualitative methodology of semi-structured interviews was adopted to explore the experiences of people involved in the SI. These included two job coaches, four colleagues, six interns and three graduates from the SI. Thematic analysis revealed this SI facilitates workplace learning for young people with SEND because it models an expansive (not reductive) approach to internships. Systematic instruction did not result in restrictive learning because of role design and broader organisational features. A key facilitating aspect was that the design of the internship fostered opportunities to develop identity through crossing boundaries. Implications for the design of SIs (to facilitate social inclusion and ensure employment outcomes for young people with SEND) are discussed.