Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Silver and copper nanowire-based nanocomposite for transparent electrodes: deposition methods and applications in solar cells

ABSTRACT The solution-phase fabrication of photovoltaic cells has drawn a wide attention in the area of flexible electronics owing to their cost-effective and easy fabrication methodology. In addition to the different other layers, the transparent conducting layers have demonstrated a very important role in the fabrication of various flexible devices such as display panel, organic light-emitting diodes, and transparent heater. The most commonly used material for transparent electrodes (TEs) are indium tin oxide (ITO), aluminium zinc oxides (AZO), which required highly expensive vacuum-based harsh deposition methods. To reduce the overall fabrication cost of the thin film solar cells, researcher have devoted great efforts to replace the expensive ITO/AZO by applying silver nanowire (AgNW) or copper nanowire (CuNW)-based nanocomposite as TEs in photovoltaic cells. The emphasis is given on the deposition techniques so that the nanowire-based composite electrode can be deliberately prepared by surface engineering for desired applications. The utilization of AgNW or CuNW-based nanocomposite prepared by different methods of deposition have been explored in the field of photovoltaics as TE. The exhaustive analysis on the deposition methods to prepare nanowire-based TE will benefit the researcher to further achieve new advancement in the field of flexible electronics.
Dual Band Metasurface Integrated With Wideband Power Combiner for RF Energy Harvesting

This letter presents a novel dual-band metasurface (MS) structure with a Chebyshev transformer-based wideband power combiner for RF energy harvesting (RFEH). The unit cell (UC) of MS formed by embedding an electric-inductive capacitive resonator (EICR) in a single square loop (SSL) provides dual-band characteristics at 2.2 and 4.6 GHz, respectively. The wideband power combiner in corporate feed architecture, represented by the circuit schematic, channels the power to a 50-<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\Omega $ </tex-math></inline-formula> load, mimicking the input impedance of any standard rectifier. The system is studied using numerical simulation followed by fabrication of the prototype and its validation with experiment. The proposed system provides close to 90% radiation to ac conversion efficiency at 50-<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\Omega $ </tex-math></inline-formula> load in dual-band.
Percutaneous laser microdiscectomy in the treatment of thoracic intervertebral disc protrusions

One of the causes of thoracalgia is a protrusion of the thoracic intervertebral discs (IVD). Treatment of these protrusions is often ineffective. Objective: To improve the outcomes of treatment of thoracalgia caused by protrusions of the thoracic IVD, using the method of puncture laser microdiscectomy (PLM). Materials and methods. A retrospective analysis of treatment outcomes of 64 patients with thoracalgia at the "Endoscopic Neurosurgery" Medical Center in the period from 2000 to 2023 was carried out. The patients ranged in age from 24 to 67 years. There were 48 (75.5%) men, 16 (24.5%) women. Puncture laser microdiscectomy was performed in 42 patients under the control of a C-Arm operating fluoroscope (Philips, the Netherlands), 22 - under CT-assisted method (Toshiba, Japan). Results. In 10 cases, PLM was performed on two IVDs. The rate of positive results of treatment of thoracic IVD by the PLM method is 89%. The rate of excellent results was 71.4% in the group of operations under operating fluoroscope control, in the operations group under CT assisted method - 72.7%. Complications were registered only in 3 patients operated on under the fluoroscope control. Conclusions. Puncture laser microdiscectomy in case of thoracic IVD protrusions is an effective method for treatment of persistent thoracalgia. Performing PLM under CT assisted method does not increase the efficacy of the surgery, but it allows avoiding complications.
Theoretical design of blue phosphorene/arsenene lateral heterostructures with superior electronic properties

In-plane integration of various two-dimensional materials has recently emerged as an exciting approach to the tailoring of desired properties for novel nanoelectronic devices. Type-II lateral heterostructure (LHS) semiconductors with direct bandgap are urgently desired in photovoltaic, photocatalytic and optoelectronic devices. In this work, we design novel AsmPn LHSs with excellent stability composed of blue phosphorene and arsenene along the zigzag interline. In contrast to the wide indirect band gaps of pristine blue phosphorene and arsenene, all LHSs considered here except As2P2 possess narrower, direct gaps. As2P2 is an indirect-gap semiconductor with quasi-type-II band alignment, while the other LHSs are direct-gap semiconductors and have type-II alignment with the electrons (holes) located in monolayer blue phosphorene (arsenene). In addition, it is found these LHSs have high carrier mobilities of up to cm2 V−1 s−1. Interestingly, several attractive characteristics of BP/arsenene LHSs, including direct bandgap and high mobility, can be well preserved even if the component ratios and tensile strains are changed. As4P4 undergoes a transition from type-II to type-I-like band alignment at when we apply tensile strain along the x direction, while a transition from type-II to type-I alignment is observed at if the tensile strain is applied along the y direction. Furthermore, we have found that the energy gaps of LHSs can be effectively manipulated via the strain, width and component ratio. Our predictions highlight the potential applications of blue phosphorene/arsenene LHSs in electronics, photovoltaics, optoelectronics and photocatalysis.
Rank-Based Procedures for Repeated Measure Designs

Repeated measure designs are among the most popular designs. A subject’s responses for such designs are generally correlated, so multivariate procedures are often used for the analysis. However, if one knows the correlation structure then more powerful univariate procedures can be used. Liang and Zeger (1986) proposed an iterative-reweighted least squares (IRLS) procedure that utilizes a \working" correlation model which need not be the correct structure. This has led to the wide spread use of these designs. We present a rank-based procedure for such designs. In general, it can be thought of as an IRLS robust procedure, i.e., the estimates solve a system of general estimating equations (GEEs). Depending on the weight structure used, either highly e‐cient or high breakdown analyses can be obtained and, further, diagnostic procedures are easily formulated to help difierentiate between the two flts. The geometry of the procedure is similar to that of LS in that the rank-based norm is substituted for the Euclidean norm, so interpretation is readily straightforward. Often a linear model is appropriate for such designs and in this case the rankbased estimates which solve the GEEs are asymptotically equivalent to R estimates. Examples and some simulation results are presented.
Caregiver support and burden drive intention to engage in a peer-to-peer exchange of services among caregivers of dementia patients

Introduction The number of people diagnosed with dementia is increasing, creating significant economic burden globally. With the progression of the disease, patients need a caregiver whose wellbeing is important for continuous care. Providing respite as a service, through sharing the responsibility of caregiving or support for the caregiver, is a costly initiative. A peer-to-peer online support platform for dementia caregivers, motivated by the sharing economy, putting exchange of knowhow, resources, and services at its center, has the potential to balance cost concerns with a search for respite. The aim of this research is to assess caregivers’ intention to engage in peer-to-peer exchange. Methods A survey including sociodemographic, technology use, and caregiving variables, structured questionnaires (Zarit caregiver burden, WHO brief quality of life scale, ADCS-ADL and chronic stress scale) were administered, January 2018–May 2019, in the dementia outpatient clinic of a university hospital, to a convenience sample of n = 203 individuals identifying themselves as primary caregivers. A path analysis exploring the drivers of an intention to engage in peer-to-peer service exchange was conducted. Results In the path model, caregivers experiencing higher caregiver burden showed higher intention to engage (0.079, p < 0.001). Disease stage had no effect while patient activities of daily living, chronic social role related stressors of the caregiver and general quality of life were significant for the effect on the caregiver burden. Existing household support decreased the caregiver burden, affecting the intention to engage. Caregivers who can share more know-how demonstrate a higher intention to engage (0.579, p = 0.021). Caregiver technology affinity (0.458, p = 0.004) and ability and openness to seek professional help for psychological diagnoses (1.595, p = 0.012) also increased intention to engage. Conclusion The model shows caregiver burden to be a major driver, along with caregiver characteristics that reflect their technology affinity and openness to the idea of general reciprocity. Existing support for obtaining knowhow and exchanging empathy have a direct effect on the intention to engage. Given the scarcity of caregiver support in the formal care channels, the identified potential of enlarging informal support via a peer-to-peer exchange mechanism holds promise.
About Phase: Synthetic Aperture Radar and the Phase Retrieval Problem

Abstract : Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) uses relative motion to produce ne resolution images from microwave frequencies and is a useful tool for regular monitoring and mapping applications. Unfortunately, if target distance is estimated poorly, then phase errors are incurred in the data, producing a blurry reconstruction of the image. In this thesis, we introduce a new multistatic methodology for determining these phase errors from interferometry-inspired combinations of signals. To motivate this, we rst consider a more general problem called phase retrieval, in which a signal is reconstructed from linear measurements whose phases are either unreliable or unavailable. We make signi cant theoretical progress on the phase retrieval problem, to include characterizing injectivity in the complex case, devising the theory of almost injectivity, and performing a stability analysis. We then apply certain ideas from phase retrieval to resolve phase errors in SAR. Speci cally, we use bistatic techniques to measure relative phases, and then we apply a graph-theoretic phase retrieval algorithm to recover the phase errors. We conclude by devising an image reconstruction procedure based on this algorithm, and we provide simulations that demonstrate stability to noise.
Robust enhancement technique for color images corrupted by impulsive noise

In the paper, a novel approach to the enhancement of color images corrupted by impulsive noise is presented. The proposed algorithm first calculates for every image pixel the distances in the RGB color space to all elements belonging to the filtering window. Then, a sum of a specified number of smallest distances, which serves as a measure of pixel similarity, is calculated. This generalization of the Rank-Ordered Absolute Difference (ROAD) is robust to outliers, as the high distances are not considered when calculating this measure. Next, for each pixel, a neighbor with smallest ROAD value is searched for. If such a pixel is found, then the filtering window is moved to a new position and again a neighbor, with ROAD measure lower than the initial value is looked for. If it is encountered, the window is moved again, otherwise the process is terminated and the starting pixel is replaced with the last pixel in the path formed by the iterative procedure of the window shifting. The comparison with the filters intended for the removal of noise in color images revealed excellent properties of the new enhancement technique. It is very fast, as the ROAD values can be pre-computed, and the formation of the paths needs only comparisons of scalar values. The proposed technique can be applied for the restoration of color images distorted by impulsive noise and can also be used as a method of edge sharpening. Its low computational complexity allows also for its application in the processing of video sequences.
Fault estimation for continuous‐time Markovian jump systems by a mode‐dependent intermediate estimator

This study focuses on the fault estimation problem for a class of continuous-time Markovian jump systems. A kind of fault estimation approach is proposed, and the established intermediate estimator could estimate the state and fault simultaneously. Particularly, a stochastically intermediate variable depending on operation modes is firstly introduced. Meanwhile, another kind of intermediate variable is constructed by a series of mode-dependent parameters and its probability distribution. Different from the former one, it is independent of system mode and does not need its operation mode available online. Compared with some existing fault estimation methods, the proposed algorithms could bear stochastic failure and have less conservatism. Two practical examples are exploited to demonstrate the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed methods.
The August 2015 mega‐heatwave in Poland in the context of past events

This paper provides a meteorological overview of the 2015 mega‐heatwave (MHW) over Poland and compares the event with other MHWs in the region since World War II (up until 2015). A mega‐heatwave is defined as an event with at least 6 consecutive days with a maximum air temperature in excess of 30°C. These events are analysed here using observational meteorological data from ten major cities in Poland and neighbouring countries, along with 0.25° × 0.25° analysis fields from the Global Forecast System (GFS). Although the various events had different regional characteristics, in general they were caused by the inflow of a hot tropical air mass from the south, and were perpetuated by a high‐pressure system to the east of Poland and in some cases a low‐pressure system to the west. The 2015 MHW was the most extreme of the studied events, lasting from 9 days in Bialystok to 14 days in Warsaw and Poznan.
The Unexpected Rapid Intensification of Tropical Cyclones in Moderate Vertical Wind Shear. Part I: Overview and Observations

A satellite-based investigation is performed of a class of tropical cyclones (TCs) that unexpectedly undergo rapid intensification (RI) in moderate vertical wind shear between 5 and 10 m s−1 calculated as 200–850-hPa shear. This study makes use of both infrared (IR; 11 μm) and water vapor (WV; 6.5 μm) geostationary satellite data, the Statistical Hurricane Prediction Intensity System (SHIPS), and model reanalyses to highlight commonalities of the six TCs. The commonalities serve as predictive guides for forecasters and common features that can be used to constrain and verify idealized modeling studies. Each of the TCs exhibits a convective cloud structure that is identified as a tilt-modulated convective asymmetry (TCA). These TCAs share similar shapes, upshear-relative positions, and IR cloud-top temperatures (below −70°C). They pulse over the core of the TC with a periodicity of between 4 and 8 h. Using WV satellite imagery, two additional features identified are asymmetric warming/drying upshear of the TC relative to downshear, as well as radially thin arc-shaped clouds on the upshear side. The WV brightness temperatures of these arcs are between −40° and −60°C. All of the TCs are sheared by upper-level anticyclones, which limits the strongest environmental winds to near the tropopause.
Isolation and characterization of cellulase overproducing mutants of Trichoderma harzianum

Nine Trichoderma isolates were isolated from agricultural soil samples collected from Fayoum governorates, Egypt. Based on morphological and cultural characteristics, the Trichoderma isolates was identified as Trichoderma harzianum . All the nine Trichoderma isolates showed positive test for cellulose production. The percentage inhibitory effect of all the nine Trichoderma isolates against growth of Rhizoctonia solani was calculated and ranged from 57.6% to 64.9%. The isolate FUGT3 was showed the greatest antagonistic effect to the R. solani (64.9%) whereas isolate FUGT4 showed lowest antagonistic against R. solani . Cellulase producing from Trichoderm isolates was determined spectrophotometry and isolates FUGT3 showed highest CMCase activities (0.32 IU/ml). Molecular phylogenetic analyses indicate that the isolates FUGT3 was closely related to T. harzianum with accession number OL953189. The selected strain FUGT3 was subjected to mutation using UV-radiation and 12 mutants were obtained. These mutants were tested for their cellulase productivity compared to their wild type and the results showed that, the wild strain exhibited the cellulase activity 0.1 IU/ml on carboxy methyl cellulose (1.0%). Upon mutation by UV exposure the Trichoderma mutants produced cellulase 1 IU/ml. The mutants from UV were selected and ISSR analysis of genomic DNA was performed to detect genetic diversity of these mutants with the wild type by using 6 primers. The pattern attained by primers illustrated that all the mutant genotypes depicted entirely different patterns of DNA amplification in comparison to the wild type strain. The obtained mutant Trichoderma strain had high potential to overproduce the cellulase. Antagonistic
Effect of Cognitive Behavioral Counseling Program on Psychological Distress, Coping Strategies, and Sense of Cohesion among Autistic Children’s Mothers

Background: Parenting children with autism is often accompanied with high levels of psychological distress and negative psychological outcomes. Aim: to evaluate the effect of cognitive behavioral counseling program on psychological distress, coping strategies and sense of cohesion among Autistic Children’s Mothers. Research design : The research design was quasi-experimental. Subjects: A purposive sample of 60 mothers of children with autism was included in this research. Tools: Three different tools were used; Tool I: Part 1: Socio-demographic and clinical data structured interview sheet , and Part 2 : Psychological Stress scale used to assess levels of psychological stress of mothers. Tool II: sense of cohesion (SOC) Scale used to assess levels of cohesion of mothers, Tool III: Coping strategies scale used to assess coping strategies used by mothers. Results: Studied mothers had lower levels of stress, greater sense of cohesion and effective coping mechanism post program than at baseline pre-program. Also there were negative correlations between the studied mothers' sense of cohesion & coping strategies and their psychological stress post program implementation. Conclusion: These findings support the efficacy of the cognitive-behavioral counseling program in reducing stress and increasing mothers' sense of cohesion and coping mechanisms. Recommendations: Integration the current program in psychosocial rehabilitation centers for community mental health nurses to support caregivers in early stages of caring process of children with autism for effective management of their children.
Inference for the general linear multivariages model with missing data in small samples

DIANE 1. CATELLIER. Inference for the General Linear Multivariate Model with Missing Data in Small Samples. (Under the direction ofDr. Keith E. Muller) The General Linear Multivariate Model (GLMM) provides a convenient and statistically well-behaved framework for estimation and testing with complete, multivariate Gaussian data The loss of any data in this setting substantially complicates matters. For the case in which data are missing at random (MAR), reliable methods exist estimation. In contrast, little work has been done in the area of inference, especially in small samples. I describe two new strategies for hypothesis testing for the GLMM in small samples with MAR data. Both strategies use the EM algorithm for estimation, and focus on commonly used test statistics: the Hotelling-Lawley trace (U), the Pillai-Bartlett trace (V), Wilk's Lambda (W), and the Geisser-Greenhouse corrected univariate test (GG). The first approach for providing accurate inference involves adjusting the sample size (N) in the degrees of freedom for the F tests to reflect the actual amount of observed data. Eleven sample size adjustments were examined for each test. Simulations suggest that the preferred adjustment varies with the test statistic. The adjustment which works best for GG is based on the mean number of non-missing responses. V requires a stronger adjustment based on the harmonic mean number of non-missing pairs of responses. W and U work best with an even more aggressive adjustment based on the minimum number of non-missing pairs. The adjusted tests appear to control test size at or below the nominal rate with as few as 12 observations and up to 10% missing data.
Effect of hot water immersion on acute physiological responses following resistance exercise

Purpose: Hot water immersion (HWI) is a strategy theorised to enhance exercise recovery. However, the acute physiological responses to HWI following resistance exercise are yet to be determined. Methods: The effect of HWI on intramuscular temperature (IMT), muscle function, muscle soreness and blood markers of muscle cell disruption and inflammatory processes after resistance exercise was assessed. Sixteen resistance trained males performed resistance exercise, followed by either 10 min HWI at 40°C or 10 min passive recovery (PAS). Results: Post-intervention, the increase in IMT at all depths was greater for HWI compared to PAS, however this difference had disappeared by 1 h post at depths of 1 and 2 cm, and by 2 h post at a depth of 3 cm. There were no differences between groups for muscle function, muscle soreness or any blood markers. Conclusion: These results suggest that HWI is a viable means of heat therapy to support a greater IMT following resistance exercise. Recovery of muscle function and muscle soreness is independent of acute changes in IMT associated with HWI.
IoT Cybersecurity Threats and Detection Mechanisms: A Review

Now a day the internet of thing (IoT) grab the attention of many researchers and companies due to different direction of utilization. The cyber security of IoT become one of the aspects of the critical challenges. There are many intrusion detection systems (IDSs) to solve different issues of IoT-Cyber security threats. In this article, we review the state-of-the-art of IoT-IDS, focusing on the strategy that was devised and executed, the dataset that was utilized, the findings, and the assessment that was undertaken. Additionally, the surveyed articles undergo critical analysis and statements in order to give a thorough comparative review. Machine learning and deep learning methods, as well as new classification and feature selection methodologies, are studied and researched. Thus far, each technique has proved the capability of constructing very accurate intrusion detection models.