Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Multiple model control and maximum entropy control of flexible structures, implementation and evaluation

This thesis presents the results of an independent implementation of two control design techniques from the literature. The bIaxhum Entropy Method, due to Hyland, is based on the use of a the-varying plant with a minimal set of known stochastic parameten (modal decorrelation times or modal fiequency variances). Robustness is achieved by minimizing the output 2-nom in a probablistic sense, but is not guaranteed. The Multiple Model Method uses a set of N specific plants and minimizes the output 2-nom over the ensemble. Both approaches are implemented with improvements for usability and efficiency. A variant of 'Hm design is w d and extended as a basis for cornparison. AU methods are for Linear Time-Invariant systems. The met hods are applied to t hree control problems of increasing complexity-a mas-spring system; a single. cantilevered gyrodynamic beam; and a linear model of the DemoDICE system, a ground-based prototype of a fiee-flying control research facility planned for the Space Shuttle Mid-de&. Controllers are designed for each plant using the three methods? then tested for robust performance. Results indicate that the Multiple Model design technique is very promising, while the M a x i ~ u m Entropy technique is usefd &O, though not performing as well. The R, technique was only a good competit or when the control architecture had the same input for disturbance and actuation, which is the case on the DemoDICE system. In addition to the main work on control, a number of ancillary pieces of analysis are added to the DICE/gyrodynamics canon, including a transformation to velocity control for Control Moment Gyroscopes and a Jordan Canonical Form for the DemoDICE h e a r model.
Severe Clozapine Poisoning Treated by Extracorporeal Blood Purification Therapy

Clozapine is a frequently used antipsychotic that, in case of overdose, can cause severe adverse side effects, such as hematological, cardiovascular, and neurological complications. As there is no specific antidote or reversal agent available, extracorporeal techniques such as CytoSorb hemoadsorption might represent a viable option, having already been used in a variety of intoxication scenarios with favorable rates of success. A 56-year-old male was admitted with generalized epileptic seizures and arrhythmias following ingestion of clozapine in a suicide attempt (5,000 mg). Subsequently, conventional supportive care was initiated. To accelerate drug removal, continuous veno-venous hemodiafiltration including the application of CytoSorb hemoadsorption therapy was started. Serial measurements confirmed rapid reduction of clozapine plasma levels. The patient remained hemodynamically stable throughout this period. Furthermore, there were no cardiac arrhythmias detected and liver values were normal. The patient improved and was successfully extubated 3 days after admission with good vigilance and no residual neurological abnormalities. This is the first clinical case report on the use of CytoSorb hemoadsorption in severe clozapine intoxication which helped quickly and efficiently reduce clozapine levels to nontoxic serum levels while preserving organ function. Therefore, CytoSorb might represent an alternative treatment modality to be considered for potentially lethal clozapine intoxications.
A Review of Biodegradable Polymer Blends and Polymer Composite for Flexible Food Packaging Application

The introduction of plastic materials has revolutionised our society. However, excessive use of traditional, non-biodegradable plastic materials, especially for packaging applications, has created many environmental issues. During the past few decades, many biodegradable polymers, bio-based and petroleum-based, have been developed to address the above problem. Several research has been carried out on various biodegradable polymer blends and composites. However, their widespread application is still limited. This paper gives an overview and progress made on biodegradable polymers for flexible packaging applications, a critical analysis of their performance characteristics and recommendations on priority areas for further research. This Paper shows that, among the polyesters, though PHAs is most attractive concerning biodegradability, its low elongation at break, narrow processing temperature and high production cost limit their use for flexible packaging application. For flexible packaging applications, PBS (Polybutylene succinate) is better than PLA (Polylactic acid) and PHAs (Polyhydroxyalkonates), considering thermal characteristics and tensile elongation. In addition, PBS is biodegradable in compost, soil, lake and seawater, though its rate of biodegradation is reported to be slower compared to PHAs.
Heart Failure Prevalence Rates and Its Association with Other Cardiovascular Diseases and Chronic Kidney Disease: SIMETAP-HF Study

Introduction and objectives: Heart failure (HF) is a major health problem that causes high mortality and hospitalization rates. This study aims to determine the HF prevalence rates in populations aged both ≥18 years and ≥50 years and to assess its association with cardiovascular diseases and chronic kidney disease. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted in a primary care setting, with a population-based random sample of 6588 people aged 18.0–102.8 years. Crude and adjusted prevalence rates of HF were calculated. The associations of renal and cardiometabolic factors with HF were assessed in both populations using univariate, bivariate and multivariate analysis. Results: The HF crude prevalence rates were 2.8% (95%CI: 2.4–3.2) in adults (≥18 years), and 4.6% (95%CI: 4.0–5.3) in the population aged ≥ 50 years, without significant differences between males and females in both populations. The age- and sex-adjusted prevalence rates were 2.1% (male: 1.9%; female: 2.3%) in the overall adult population, and 4.5% (male: 4.2%; female: 4.8%) in the population aged ≥ 50 years, reaching 10.0% in the population aged ≥ 70 years. Atrial fibrillation, hypertension, low estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke, sedentary lifestyle, and diabetes were independently associated with HF in both populations. A total of 95.7% (95%CI: 92.7–98.6) of the population with HF had an elevated cardiovascular risk. Conclusions: This study reports that HF prevalence increases from 4.5% in the population over 50 years to 10% in the population over 70 years. The main clinical conditions that are HF-related are sedentary lifestyle, atrial fibrillation, hypertension, diabetes, low eGFR, stroke, and CHD.
Study on the gain and photon detection efficiency drops of silicon photomultipliers under bright background conditions

The use of silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) in imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes is expected to extend the observation times of very-high-energy gamma-ray sources, particularly within the highest energy domain of 50-300 TeV, where the Cherenkov signal from celestial gamma rays is adequate even under bright moonlight background conditions. Unlike conventional photomultiplier tubes, SiPMs do not exhibit quantum efficiency or gain degradation, which can be observed after long exposures to bright illumination. However, under bright conditions, the photon detection efficiency of a SiPM can be undergo temporary degradation because a fraction of its avalanche photodiode cells can saturate owing to photons from the night-sky background (NSB). In addition, the large current generated by the high NSB rate can increase the temperature of the silicon substrate, resulting in shifts in the SiPM breakdown voltages and consequent gain changes. Moreover, this large current changes the effective bias voltage because it causes a voltage drop across the protection resistor of 100-1000 {\Omega}. Hence, these three factors, namely the avalanche photodiode (APD) saturation, Si temperature, and voltage drop must be carefully compensated for and/or considered in the energy calibration of Cherenkov telescopes with SiPM cameras. In this study, we measured the signal output charge of a SiPM and its variation as a function of different NSB-like background conditions up to 1 GHz/pixel. The results verify that the product of the SiPM gain and photon detection efficiency is well characterized by these three factors.
Exploring the impact of LIV at Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment

Lorentz Invariance Violation (LIV) is a fundamental violation of space-time symmetry, implying that physical laws vary under Lorentz transformation. The neutrinos are weakly interacting fundamental particles which can act as a probe for understanding the violation of Lorentz invariance symmetry. Here, we consider intrinsic LIV effects that can exist even in a vacuum. We use an effective field theory known as Standard Model Extension (SME) as a framework to treat the LIV as a small perturbation to the standard matter Hamiltonian. The effective Hamiltonian can be implemented to investigate how the presence of LIV parameters modifies the neutrino oscillation probabilities. We particularly study the effect of CPT-Violating LIV terms on the mass-induced neutrino oscillations. In this work, we explore the impact of LIV on neutrino oscillation probabilities in matter taking DUNE as a case study. We observe a significant effect on neutrino oscillations in the presence of a non-zero LIV parameter. We further investigate the impact of LIV parameters on the CP-measurement sensitivity at DUNE.
Patterns of Sun Protection Behaviours among Australian Adolescents and Adults over a Six-Year Period

The major cause for skin cancer is the excessive and unprotected exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UVR), which can be prevented by engaging in sun protection behaviours. As longitudinal studies on both adolescents’ and adults’ performances of sun protection behaviours are limited, the current study aimed to investigate changes in sun protection in these population segments in Western Australia, a region with high annual UVR. During six summer seasons (2015/16 to 2020/21), cross-sectional surveys were conducted among 1806 adolescents (14 to 17 years old) and 1808 adults (18–45 years old), investigating the frequency of five sun protection behaviours (wearing clothing, applying sunscreen, wearing a hat, wearing sunglasses, and seeking shade) and sun avoidance (staying indoors). Over the six-year period, staying indoors increased in both groups. Among adolescents, a decrease in wearing clothing and sunglasses and an increase in seeking shade was demonstrated, and hat and sunscreen use remained relatively stable. Among adults, an increase in sunscreen use was shown, whereas all other sun-related behaviours remained consistent over the six-year period. The results from this study can provide directions for health communications focusing on improving sun protection behaviours among both adolescent and adult populations.
Ambient conditions to reproduce gamma-ray glow energy spectra assuming cosmic ray as source

The electric field of thunderclouds modifies components and energy spectra of the cosmic-ray air shower resulting in an enhancement of gamma-ray fluxes on the ground, known as a gamma-ray glow. The Gamma-Ray Observation of Winter THunderclouds (GROWTH) collaboration has measured this phenomenon for several years in the Hokuriku area of Japan. The present work examines the ambient conditions required to produce spectral features of the previously detected gamma-ray glows. We use Monte Carlo simulations of particle interactions in the atmosphere with the cosmic-ray electron spectrum as input from the EXcel-based Program for calculating Atmospheric Cosmic-ray Spectrum (EXPACS). We focus on three parameters, the strength and length of the electric field and the size of a null-field attenuation region below the electrified region. The average spectrum of observed gamma-ray glows in winter thunderstorms of Japan requires an electric field intensity close to the Relativistic Runaway Electron Avalanche (RREA) threshold of 0.284 MV/m. The vertical size of the electric field region should be in the range of 0.5—1 km. The estimated attenuation region size is 300–500 m, necessary to reduce the low-energy photon flux of the average gamma-ray glows. The whole space of phase capable of generating the gamma-ray glow spectra uses only cosmic-ray electron shower as input. Thus, the interaction between cosmic-ray and the thundercloud is capable of producing the signal detected at the ground.
Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices (KAP) on Antibiotic Use and Disposal Ways in Sidama Region, Ethiopia: A Community-Based Cross-Sectional Survey

Antibiotic resistance has been among the top public health threats elsewhere. Scientific information on knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) at the community level towards antibiotic use and disposal ways is a vital step for effective intervention. This study aimed at determining the levels of KAP and associated risk factors for antibiotics in and around Hawassa City, southern Ethiopia. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted, and data were collected using a structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, chi-square test, and logistic regression were used to analyze and interpret the results. A total of 504 participants with a mean age of 35.32 ± 9.03 years were included in the study. Most of the participants were urban dwellers (59.5%); more than half (55.6%) of the participants were male; most of the participants (62.7%) were at least college graduates; about half were employed (52.4%); about 41.7% of the participants had a large family size (≥7) with a mean family size of 5.7 ± 2.7; the average family monthly income was ETB 7213.71 ± 3673, and over three-fourth (74.8%) of the study participants were married. In addition, about 83.13% of the study participants heard about antibiotics; almost all of them (99.8%) had ever used antibiotics at some point in their life (75% of which used antibiotics within 6 months), and all of them could name at least one common type of antibiotic. Moreover, most of the participants (86.5%) did not receive any training related to antibiotics, and 29.4% of them obtained antibiotics without a prescription. Most participants had poor knowledge (64%), negative attitudes (60.4%), and poor practices (55%) towards antibiotic use, resistance, and disposal methods. Significant and positive linear correlations between knowledge and attitude (r = 0.539, P ≤ 0.001), knowledge-practice (r = 0.532, P ≤ 0.001), and attitude-practice (r = 0.786, P < 0.001) were also observed. Most of the sociodemographic variables were significantly associated with the mean KAP scores of the study participants. Living in a rural area, having a large family size, and being female, married, illiterate, and farmer resulted in a very low level of knowledge. Similarly, living in a rural area, having a small family size, and being older and married resulted in a negative attitude. Furthermore, having a smaller family size, having a low family monthly income, and being married, illiterate, and self-employed resulted in poor practice. A very low level of KAP towards antibiotics among people living in and around Hawassa City calls for urgent and effective intervention strategies.
Biracial Identity in Adult Military Children

ABSTRACT This study sought to explore adult biracial individuals and their perceived racial identities and their own military dependent identities in military communities. Utilizing a social constructivist grounded theory methodology, the study participants consisted of 21 Black/White self-identifying biracial former military dependent children. Results show a core category, and two key categories were discovered from the analysis. The core category indicated that biopsychosocial and ecological factors across time influence biracial military identity development. These individuals have an intersecting and outsider identity that influences their community identity. The participants used different coping behaviors to ecological stressors they experienced that shaped their identity. The implications and recommendations for practice, training, and future research are discussed for this study.
On-Board Unit (OBU)-Supported Longitudinal Driving Behavior Monitoring Using Machine Learning Approaches

Driving behavior recognition can provide an important reference for the intelligent vehicle industry and probe vehicle-based traffic estimation. The identification of driving behavior using mobile sensing techniques such as smartphone- and vehicle-mounted terminals has gained significant attention in recent years. The present work proposed the monitoring of longitudinal driving behavior using a machine learning approach with the support of an on-board unit (OBU). Specifically, based on velocity, three-axis acceleration and three-axis angular velocity data were collected by a mobile vehicle terminal OBU; through the process of data preprocessing and feature extraction, seven machine learning algorithms, including support vector machine (SVM), random forest (RF), k-nearest neighbor algorithm (KNN), logistic regression (LR), BP neural network (BPNN), decision tree (DT), and the Naive Bayes (NB), were applied to implement the classification and monitoring of the longitudinal driving behavior of probe vehicles. The results show that the three classifiers SVM, RF and DT achieved good performances in identifying different longitudinal driving behaviors. The outcome of the present work could contribute to the fields of traffic management and traffic safety, providing important support for the realization of intelligent transport systems and the improvement of driving safety.
Lignocellulose Derived Nanocellulose, Its Properties, and Applications - A Review

Natural fibers are abundant in natural resources. Natural fibers have been used in various applications. Natural fibers have been proved to be extremely useful in multiple fields in the world. Natural fibers possess great mechanical and optical properties. Nanocellulose fibers are obtained from plants and it has many applications. It can be used as a nanocomposite. They can be extracted by performing various techniques. It is used as a barrier due to its crystalline structure, which makes it difficult for molecules to flow through. Nanocellulose fibers are biodegradable, strong, lightweight, low density, and renewable since they have been produced from natural resources. They have immense applications in electricals, nanotechnology, medicine, drug delivery, aerospace, adsorbents, papermaking, and dental. The following review will focus on the properties of lignocellulose-derived nanocellulose, cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), and cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) and their applications in nanotechnology.
Is Exercise during Pregnancy a Risk for Gestational Age and Preterm Delivery? Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Traditionally, one of the primary concerns regarding exercise during pregnancy has been the potential of reducing gestational age and increasing the likelihood of preterm delivery. The aim of this study was to perform a systematic review about the effects of physical activity (PA) during pregnancy on gestational age and preterm delivery. A systematic review and two meta-analyses were performed (Registration No. CRD42022370770). Data sources from online databases were searched up to November 2022. The review exclusively included studies involving pregnant populations and interventions consisting of PA implemented during pregnancy. The primary outcomes analysed were gestational age, measured in weeks, and the occurrence of preterm deliveries. A total of 57 studies were analysed through two independent meta-analyses for the first one, no association was found between moderate exercise during pregnancy and gestational age (Z = 0.45, p = 0.65, ES = 0.08, 95% CI = −0.06−0.04, I2 = 42%, P heterogeneity = 0.001), showing the exercise group had a higher gestational age. In addition, no differences were found between groups in terms of number of preterm deliveries (RR = 0.96, (95% CI = 0.77–1.21, Z = 0.33, p = 0.74; ES = 0.07; I2 = 31%, P heterogeneity = 0.05)). The findings of this study indicate that there is no association between exercise during pregnancy and reduced gestational age or increased risk of preterm delivery in healthy pregnancies.
Correlation Functions in Pure Gauge Theories Propagators and vertices in Lattice QCD

This dissertation is a result of the work developed throughout the year by the author in association with his supervisors. There were two main objectives: one was to study the gluon and ghost propagators and the strong coupling constant on the lattice, namely their dependences on the finite lattice spacing and on the physical volume; the other was to compute the three-gluon vertex and provide further evidence of the zero crossing of the gluon factor form associated with the three gluon one particle irreducible function, which is expected so that one has a properly defined set of Dyson-Schwinger equations. These were done in the pure Yang-Mills theory. Our results showed no noticeable (or, at most, mild) dependence of the gluon and ghost propagators on the physical volume, at least for the lattices used (above (6.5fm)4 and below (13fm)4); they showed on both propagators a dependence on the lattice spacing in the infrared region, where the dependence is more noticeable in the case of the gluon propagator; they exhibit a supression on the value at the maximum of the running coupling for smaller lattice spacings. In what concerns the three gluon vertex, our results are in favour of a zero crossing of the gluon form factor for momenta in the range p ∈ [220−260]MeV. On the other hand, the data seems to corroborate the predictions of the renormalization group improved perturbation theory in the region of high momentum. The results obtained originated • Two papers in international refereed journals, 1. "Lattice Gluon and Ghost Propagators, and the Strong Coupling in Pure SU(3) YangMills Theory: Finite Lattice Spacing and Volume Effects", Anthony G. Duarte and Orlando Oliveira and Paulo J. Silva, Phys. Rev. D94, 014502 (2016)[1]; 2. "Further Evidence For Zero Crossing On The Three Gluon Vertex", Anthony G. Duarte and Orlando Oliveira and Paulo J. Silva, Phys. Rev. D (accepted) [2]. • An oral presentation in an international conference
Diagnosis of Breast Tumors with Sonographic Texture Analysis Using Run-length Matrix

Background: Early detection and reliable diagnosis of breast cancer could lead to improved cure rates and reduce mortality and management costs. Objectives: To explore the potential of texture analysis based on run-length matrix features for classifying benign and malignant breast tumors in ultrasound imaging. Methods: A total of 70 breast tumors (38 benign and 32 malignant) have used in the proposed computer-aided diagnosis system. Twentyrun-lengthmatrixfeatureshaveextractedfortextureanalysisinthreenormalizations(default,3sigma,and1% -99%). Linear discriminant analysis and principal component analysis have employed to transform raw data to lower-dimensional spaces and increase discriminative power. The features have classiﬁed by the ﬁrst nearest neighbor classiﬁer. Results: The features under 3sigma normalization have designed via Linear discriminant analysis indicated high performance in classifying benign and malignant breast tumors with a sensitivity of 96.87%, speciﬁcity of 100%, accuracy of 98.57%, positive predictive value of 100%, and negative predictive value of 97.43%. The area under receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.992. Conclusions: Run-lengthmatrixfeatureshadahighpotentialtocharacterizeandcouldhelpradiologisttodiagnosisbreasttumors.