Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Application of spectrophotometry to detect the urea in milk sample

Food adulteration is a global concern, and developing countries are under serious threat owing to a lack of supervision and laws. Specially, milk adulterants can cause severe health risks, resulting in fatal diseases. Conventional and qualitative detection techniques are limited due to the more sophisticated way of milk adulteration and involve complexity in the processes. This paper used ultraviolet-visible-near infrared (UV-Vis-NIR) spectrophotometric measurements technique to detect the urea concentration in the milk sample. Urea concentration was taken initially at the steps of 5% and then with 10% to mix with pure milk to measure the adulteration. Results showed that the absorbance spectrum increased proportionally in the Vis and NIR regions when we increased or added the amount of urea to milk. The proposed spectrophotometry method will be a successful basis for the screening of optical wavelength to help the researcher to find out the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) phenomenon where the light and matter interaction is maximum.
Convergence Analysis for Operator-Splitting Methods Applied to Conservation Laws with Stiff Source Terms

We analyze the order of convergence for operator splitting methods applied to conservation laws with stiff source terms. We suppose that the source term $q(u)$ is dissipative. It is proved that the $L^1$ error introduced by the time splitting can be bounded by $O( \D t \Vert q(u_0 )\Vert _{L^1} )$, which is an improvement of the $O( Q \D t )$ upper bound, where $\D t$ is the splitting time step, $Q$ is the Lipschitz constant of $q$, or $Q= \max_{u} \vert q'(u) \vert$ in case $q$ is smooth. A generic model with a special form of stiff source is also investigated. We propose a nonuniform temporal mesh to eliminate the effect of the initial layer introduced by the stiff source term. Our results are derived by using parabolic regularizations, rather than using Kuznetsov's approximation theory, which has been employed as a standard approach for error analysis to the dimensional- or time-splitting methods. Numerical examples are presented to illustrate the theoretical results.
Photovoltaic Effect of Lead-Free Piezoelectric Ceramics, (Bi0.5Na0.5)0.935Ba0.065TiO3 and Pb0.88(Ln)0.08Ti0.98Mn0.02O3 (Ln = La, Eu)

The photovoltaic effect in ferroelectrics have been experimentally investigated focusing on ceramics of (Bi 0.5 Na 0.5 ) 0.935 Ba 0.065 TiO 3 and Pb 0.88 (Ln) 0.08 Ti 0.98 Mn 0.02 O 3 (Ln = La, Eu), using two types of light excitation in four experimental setups and those experiments determine better performance of lead-free than lead ceramics.
Resource accounting for a circular economy: evidence from a digitalised waste management system

ABSTRACT The transition to a circular economy requires accounting for all resource streams in the economy to facilitate the maintenance of these resources at their highest value and utility for as long as possible. In this paper, we investigate the role of resource accounting tools and practices in driving the transition to a circular economy by measuring resource streams and taking measures to promote circularity in those resource streams. In particular, we focus on (1) the role of digitalised resource accounting systems in enabling the identification and reporting of resource streams, and (2) the effect of using such information to incentivize household recycling behavior to promote more circularity in resource streams. Our empirical setting is the development of a digitalised waste management system in Western Norway. Our research design has three empirical pillars: qualitative interviews of managers in the industry, historical data analyses of waste generation and recycling, and two illustrative large-scale natural quasi-experiments on more than 170,000 households' recycling behavior. Our study illuminates the development of the resource accounting system and demonstrates the effect of using resource accounting information to incentivize households' recycling behavior through experimentation with a “pay-as-you-throw” (PAYT) system. Our findings show the manner in which the resource accounting system enabled measurement of resource streams and the use of that resource information to promote circularity among households. Furthermore, our experiments reveal the effectiveness of using resource accounting data for incentivizing recycling behavior. Thus, our study illuminates the role of accounting in the transition to a circular economy.
A single-shot nonlinear autocorrelation approach for time-resolved physics in the vacuum ultraviolet spectral range

In this work, a single-shot temporal metrology scheme operating in the vacuum-extreme ultraviolet spectral range has been designed and experimentally implemented. Utilizing an anti-collinear geometry, a second-order intensity autocorrelation measurement of a vacuum ultraviolet pulse can be performed by encoding temporal delay information on the beam propagation coordinate. An ion-imaging time-of-flight spectrometer, offering micrometer resolution has been set-up for this purpose. This instrument enables the detection of a magnified image of the spatial distribution of ions exclusively generated by direct twophoton absorption in the combined counter-propagating pulse focus and thus obtain the second-order intensity autocorrelation measurement on a single-shot basis. Additionally, an intense VUV light source based on high-harmonic generation has been experimentally realized. It delivers intense sub-20 fs Ti:Sa fifth-harmonic pulses utilizing a loose-focusing geometry in a long Ar gas cell. The VUV pulses centered at 161.8 nm reach pulse energies of 1.1 μJ per pulse, while the corresponding pulse duration is measured with a second-order, fringe-resolved autocorrelation scheme to be 18 ± 1 fs on average. Non-resonant, two-photon ionization of Kr and Xe and three-photon ionization of Ne verify the fifth-harmonic pulse intensity and indicate the feasibility of multi-photon VUV pump/VUV probe studies of ultrafast atomic and molecular dynamics. Finally, the extended functionality of the counter-propagating pulse metrology approach is demonstrated by a single-shot VUV pump/VUV probe experiment aiming at the investigation of ultrafast dissociation dynamics of O2 excited in the Schumann-Runge continuum at 162 nm.
The Computation Methods of the fractal Dimension of Surface Profiles

M-B fractal function and its parameters were analyzed.Then,this article compares various methods currently used for computing the fractal dimension of surface profiles on the basis of M-B fractal model as the normal profiles,such as yard-stick method,box dimension method,variation method,root mean square method,power spectrum method,and structure function method.The results indicate that structure function method has better stability and precision so that it can be adopted to calculate fractal dimension of surface.
The aestheticization of business processes: Visualizing their Gestalt for collective thinking

Business processes, simply defined by Davenport as ‘structures for action’, organize the creation of value in a company. In addition to being carried out visibly, processes also have an inner dimension which remains hidden in the existing mechanistic metaphor of process management models. Aesthetic business processes draw from systems theory and Gestalt theory in order to uncover this inner dimension. The aim of this phenomenological investigation presented here is to describe the super-summative nature of business processes, in other words, to understand them holistically as a Gestalt. Mechanical Engineering students at a university of applied sciences analyzed business processes at different companies to discover patterns which they then visualized with the process participants at those companies. They used Christopher Alexander’s pattern language as a paradigm to make implicit knowledge buried in those business processes explicit. Using this technique, aesthetic business processes were identified as patterns. The format of the patterns served as a tool for collective thinking and as a form of expression for the Gestalt of aesthetic business processes in their visualization. A pattern language as an overview of the many ways to combine business process patterns has yet to be reconstructed based on this investigation. The shared visualizations highlighted the nature of the business processes and made it possible to see, in a metaphorical way, their significant interactions.
Chromosome 1 trisomy confers resistance to aureobasidin A in Candida albicans

Introduction Candida albicans is a prevalent opportunistic human fungal pathogen. However, there are currently very few antifungal treatments available. Inositol phosphoryl ceramide synthase is an essential and fungal-specific protein that also provides a novel and promising antifungal target. Aureobasidin A is a widely used inhibitor of inositol phosphoryl ceramide synthase, however the mechanism of resistance to aureobasidin A is largely unknown in pathogenic fungi. Methods Here we investigated how C. albicans adapted to low and high concentrations of aureobasidin A. Results and discussions We identified trisomy of chromosome 1 as the predominant mechanism of rapid adaptation. Resistance to aureobasidin A was unstable because of the inherent instability of aneuploids. Importantly, chromosome 1 trisomy simultaneously regulated genes which were associated with aureobasidin A resistance that are on this aneuploid chromosome as well as on other chromosomes. Furthermore, the pleiotropic effect of aneuploidy caused altered resistance not only to aureobasidin A but also to other antifungal drugs including caspofungin and 5-flucytosine. We posit aneuploidy provides a rapid and reversible mechanism of development of drug resistance and cross resistance in C. albicans.
Analysis of Dynamic and Acoustic Radiation Characters for a Flat Plate Under Thermal Environments

A study on vibration and acoustic radiation characters of an isotropic rectangular thin plate under thermal environments is presented in this paper. It is assumed that thermal loads caused by thermal environments just change the structure stress state. Thermal stresses induced by uniform temperature rise of the plate are determined with the thermo-elastic theory. Then the stress state is used in the following dynamic analysis as a pre-stressed factor. It is observed that thermal loads influence the natural frequencies evidently, especially the fundamental natural frequency. The order of mode shapes stays the same. Dynamic response peaks float to lower frequency range with the increment of structure temperature. Acoustic radiation efficiency of the plate subjected to thermal loads decreases in the mid-frequency band. For validation, numerical simulations are also carried out. It can be found that the combined approach of finite element method (FEM) and boundary element method (BEM) is more appropriate for radiation problems.
Effects of environment and metacommunity delineation on multiple dimensions of stream fish beta diversity

Introduction Beta diversity represents changes in community composition among locations across a landscape. While the effects of human activities on beta diversity are becoming clearer, few studies have considered human effects on the three dimensions of beta diversity: taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic. Including anthropogenic factors and multiple dimensions of biodiversity may explain additional variation in stream fish beta diversity, providing new insight into how metacommunities are structured within different spatial delineations. Methods In this study, we used a 350 site stream fish abundance dataset from South Carolina, United States to quantify beta diversity explainable by spatial, natural environmental, and anthropogenic variables. We investigated three spatial delineations: (1) a single whole-state metacommunity delineated by political boundaries, (2) two metacommunities delineated by a natural geomorphic break separating uplands from lowlands, and (3) four metacommunities delineated by natural watershed boundaries. Within each metacommunity we calculated taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic beta diversity and used variation partitioning to quantify spatial, natural environmental, and anthropogenic contributions to variations in beta diversity. Results We explained 25–81% of the variation in stream fish beta diversity. The importance of these three factors in structuring metacommunities differed among the diversity dimensions, providing complementary perspectives on the processes shaping beta diversity in fish communities. The effect of spatial, natural environmental, and anthropogenic factors varied among the spatial delineations, which indicate conclusions drawn from variation partitioning may depend on the spatial delineation chosen by researchers. Discussion Our study highlights the importance of considering human effects on metacommunity structure, quantifying multiple dimensions of beta diversity, and careful consideration of user-defined metacommunity boundaries in beta diversity analyses.
Evaluating a Project Extension for Community Health Outcomes Pediatric Behavioral Health Series in a Rural and Frontier State: An Exploratory Investigation

Background: Idaho, a predominately rural state, has a high prevalence of mental illness with minimal access to care. Barriers in diagnosis and treatment of pediatric behavioral health disorders could be mitigated with an accessible and effective specialty training program. Methods: A 10-session Project Extension for Community Health Outcomes (ECHO) series was designed to expand provider knowledge about pediatric behavioral health conditions and improve perceived clinical practice skills. Pre- and postseries evaluation surveys and individual session evaluations were used to assess the program. Results: A total of 148 individuals attended at least 1 of the 10 sessions. Participants reported high satisfaction with individual sessions and indicated that attendance positively impacted their knowledge and competency. Participants also reported that the knowledge and skills gained from the series would benefit more than half of their patients or clients. Conclusion: The short ECHO series appears to be a viable and valuable option to provide Idaho providers with effective specialty training that is well attended and well received.
Effects of Classroom Instruction on Student Performance on, and Understanding of, Linear Equations and Linear Inequalities

Two-hundred and thirty-one students in 6 Grade 9 classes in 2 secondary schools in Thailand attempted 54 pencil-and-paper tasks related to linear equations and linear inequalities immediately before and after they participated in 13 lessons on those topics. Students' written responses, and transcripts of pre- and postteaching interviews with 18 interviewees (a high-performer, a middle-performer, and a low-performer, from each of the 6 classes), were analyzed, the aim being to identify changes in student understanding. At the postteaching stage, students improved their performance and had a better understanding of associated concepts than they had at the preteaching stage. However, many remained confused about the meaning of an inequality and about what solutions to an inequality represented. Six months later, students in low- and medium-stream classes performed only slightly better than they had performed at the preteaching stage.
Crash Recovery Techniques for Flash Storage Devices Leveraging Flash Translation Layer: A Review

The flash storage is a type of nonvolatile semiconductor device that is operated continuously and has been substituting the hard disk or secondary memory in several storage markets, such as PC/laptop computers, mobile devices, and is also used as an enterprise server. Moreover, it offers a number of benefits, including compact size, low power consumption, quick access, easy mobility, heat dissipation, shock tolerance, data preservation during a power outage, and random access. Different embedded system products, including digital cameras, smartphones, personal digital assistants (PDA), along with sensor devices, are currently integrating flash memory. However, as flash memory requires unique capabilities such as “erase before write” as well as “wear-leveling”, a FTL (flash translation layer) is added to the software layer. The FTL software module overcomes the problem of performance that arises from the erase before write operation and wear-leveling, i.e., flash memory does not allow for an in-place update, and therefore a block must be erased prior to overwriting upon the present data. In the meantime, flash storage devices face challenges of failure and thus they must be able to recover metadata (as well as address mapping information), including data after a crash. The FTL layer is responsible for and intended for use in crash recovery. Although the power-off recovery technique is essential for portable devices, most FTL algorithms do not take this into account. In this paper, we review various schemes of crash recovery leveraging FTL for flash storage devices. We illustrate the classification of the FTL algorithms. Moreover, we also discuss the various metrics and parameters evaluated for comparison with other approaches by each scheme, along with the flash type. In addition, we made an analysis of the FTL schemes. We also describe meaningful considerations which play a critical role in the design development for power-off recovery employing FTL.
$\mathcal {H}_{\infty }$ Control of Constrained Markov Jump Systems With Intermittent Mode Information Loss

This article investigates <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mathcal {H}_\infty$</tex-math></inline-formula> control for continuous-time Markov jump systems subject to joint input–state constraint and intermittent mode information loss. The considered constraint, which is defined as a quadratic function of the system state and control input, is very general since it covers the input constraint, state constraint, or other constraints for physical quantities of interest. The mode information loss is described by a Bernoulli stochastic process. As a result, the system mode and controller mode form a special case of hidden Markov model. By means of an mode-dependent Lyapunov function, a sufficient condition is presented, which can guarantee that the closed-loop system is exponentially mean square stable with a certain <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mathcal {H}_\infty$</tex-math></inline-formula> noise attenuation performance under the joint input–state constraint. Finally, an example is presented to analyze the influence of some important parameters and illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme.
Optical biosensing of human immunodeficiency virus on a gold coated surface

Optical biosensors are compact analytical tools that have a biorecognition element combined with a transducer system, which emits an optical signal that is directly proportional to the analyte concentration. Biorecognition elements are generally biological materials such as tissues, cells, nucleic acids, antigens, antibodies, and enzymes. Optical biosensors utilize the interaction of optical fields with the analyte for optical detections. They offer some advantages over conventional analytical methods due to their fast detection abilities, high sensitivity, real time analysis, specificity, portability, and cost effectiveness. These properties capacitate optical biosensors to perform efficiently in fields like clinical diagnostics and healthcare, environmental analysis and monitoring as well as biotechnological industry. There are many configurations of optical biosensors that have been invented, which are surface plasmon resonance based (SPR), optical waveguide based, and optical resonator based. In the current study, a home-built surface plasmon resonance based optical biosensor was used to detect the presence of HIV on a gold coated surface. The results showed that the virus was detected after binding to the antibody on the surface of the gold coated slide as demonstrated by the change in transmittance intensity between the sample that had the virus and the one with no virus. These outcomes and those obtained in the previous studies in our lab will lead to the development of a multiplex optical biosensing device for the detection of HIV, HIV viral load testing as well as the detection of HIV drug resistance mutations in any given sample.
Helmholtz Reciprocity: its validity and application to reflectometry

Many measurements of reflection properties of materials or components depend for their validity on the Helmholtz Reciprocity Principle. Yet this principle is widely misunderstood, and is stated in textbooks in various forms which have different meanings. This paper examines Helmholtz's own statements of his Reciprocity Principle, which restrict its applicability to corresponding states of polarization for incident and emergent fluxes. This interpretation contrasted with those of more generalised statements, which either allow any incident and emergent states of polarization or which merely require an interchange of unrestricted incident and emergent states of polarization. A comprehensive set of measurements on five matt and two glossy white standard materials has enabled luminance factors to be compared for (0°/45°) and (45°/0°) conditions as well as for the special conditions (0°/57°) and (57°/0°) involving Brewster's Angle for the glossy samples. Each of these nine comparisons has been carried out with all 15 possible combinations of s- and p-plane polarized and unpolarized light. The 135 tests of reciprocity demonstrate that significant and sometimes large discrepancies occur for non-corresponding states of incident and emergent polarizations, whereas no significant discrepancies occur for corresponding states of polarization.
Baseline tumor growth rate highlights the heterogeneity of well differentiated gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors and predicts for increases in Ki67 index over time

Refined risk stratification for gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEP‐NETs) has the potential to improve comparisons of study populations across clinical trials and facilitate drug development. Tumor growth rate (TGR) is a radiological metric with demonstrated prognostic value in well differentiated grade 1 and 2 (G1–2) GEP‐NETs, but little is known about TGR in G3 NETs. In this retrospective study of 48 patients with advanced G1–3 GEP‐NET, we calculated baseline TGR (TGR0) from radiological images of metastases acquired prior to first‐line therapy and evaluated its association with disease characteristics and outcomes. The median pretreatment Ki67 proliferation index for G1–3 tumors combined was 5% (range = 0.1%–52%) and median TGR0 was 4.8%/month (m) (range = 0%–45.9%/m). TGR0 correlated with pretreatment Ki67 across G1–3 pooled and within G3 GEP‐NET. Patients with higher TGR0 (>11.7%/m) tumors, which were primarily G3 pancreatic NETs, exhibited decreased time to first therapy (median, 2.2 vs. 5.3 months; p = .03) and shorter overall survival (median, 4.1 years vs. not reached; p = .003). Independent of therapies given, higher TGR0 GEP‐NETs experienced a greater incidence of Ki67 increase (100 vs. 50%; p = .02) and greater magnitude of Ki67 change (median, 14.0 vs. 0.1%; p = .04) upon serial biopsy. Importantly, TGR0, but not grade, predicted for future Ki67 increase in this series. Given the heterogeneity of well differentiated GEP‐NETs, future clinical trials may benefit from stratification for TGR0, particularly in G1–2 tumors, in which TGR0 does not correlate with Ki67. TGR0 has the potential to noninvasively identify patients with previously undiagnosed grade progression and those in whom more or less frequent monitoring may be appropriate. Additional research is needed to determine the prognostic and predictive value of TGR0 in larger and more homogeneously treated cohorts, and to ascertain if post‐treatment TGR has value in previously treated patients starting a new line of therapy.