Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Existence of Solutions for a Class of p-Laplacian Type Equation with Critical Growth and Potential Vanishing at Infinity

In this paper, we study the existence of positive solution for the following p-Laplacain type equations with critical nonlinearity \begin{equation*} \left\{ \renewcommand{\arraystretch}{1.25} \begin{array}{ll} -\Delta_p u + V （x)|u|^{p-2}u = K(x)f(u)+P(x)|u|^{p^*-2}u, \quad x\in\mathbb{R}^N,\\ u \in \mathcal{D}^{1,p}(\mathbb{R}^N), \end{array} \right. \end{equation*} where $\Delta_p u = div(|\nabla u|^{p-2} \nabla u),\ 1 < p < N,\ p^* =\frac {Np}{N-p}$, $V(x)$, $K(x)$ are positive continuous functions which vanish at infinity, $f$ is a function with a subcritical growth, and $P(x)$ is a bounded, nonnegative continuous function. By working in the weighted Sobolev spaces, and using variational method, we prove that the given problem has at least one positive solution.
A Novel Force-Sensing Smart Textile: Inserting Silicone-Embedded FBG Sensors into a Knitted Undergarment

A number of textile-based fiber optic sensors have recently been proposed for the continuous monitoring of vital signs. However, some of these sensors are likely unsuitable for conducting direct measurements on the torso as they lack elasticity and are inconvenient. This project provides a novel method for creating a force-sensing smart textile by inlaying four silicone-embedded fiber Bragg grating sensors into a knitted undergarment. The applied force was determined within 3 N after transferring the Bragg wavelength. The results show that the sensors embedded in the silicone membranes achieved enhanced sensitivity to force, as well as flexibility and softness. Additionally, by assessing the degree of FBG response to a range of standardized forces, the linearity (R2) between the shift in the Bragg wavelength and force was found to be above 0.95, with an ICC of 0.97, when tested on a soft surface. Furthermore, the real-time data acquisition could facilitate the adjustment and monitoring of force during the fitting processes, such as in bracing treatment for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis patients. Nevertheless, the optimal bracing pressure has not yet been standardized. This proposed method could help orthotists to adjust the tightness of brace straps and the location of padding in a more scientific and straightforward way. The output of this project could be further extended to determine ideal bracing pressure levels.
Toward an Intelligent Blockchain IoT-Enabled Fish Supply Chain: A Review and Conceptual Framework

The fish industry experiences substantial illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) activities within traditional supply chain systems. Blockchain technology and the Internet of Things (IoT) are expected to transform the fish supply chain (SC) by incorporating distributed ledger technology (DLT) to build trustworthy, transparent, decentralized traceability systems that promote secure data sharing and employ IUU prevention and detection methods. We have reviewed current research efforts directed toward incorporating Blockchain in fish SC systems. We have discussed traceability in both traditional and smart SC systems that make use of Blockchain and IoT technologies. We demonstrated the key design considerations in terms of traceability in addition to a quality model to consider when designing smart Blockchain-based SC systems. In addition, we proposed an Intelligent Blockchain IoT-enabled fish SC framework that uses DLT for the trackability and traceability of fish products throughout harvesting, processing, packaging, shipping, and distribution to final delivery. More precisely, the proposed framework should be able to provide valuable and timely information that can be used to track and trace the fish product and verify its authenticity throughout the chain. Unlike other work, we have investigated the benefits of integrating machine learning (ML) into Blockchain IoT-enabled SC systems, focusing the discussion on the role of ML in fish quality, freshness assessment and fraud detection.
The production of elastic waves by explosion pressures; II, Results of observations near an exploding charge

A high fidelity recording system has been used to observe the elastic wave motion at vertical separations from an exploding charge ranging from 15 to 300 feet. The motion near the charge has a predominant frequency of about 1000 cps for rigid material and a duration of a few milliseconds. The motion becomes increasingly complex and low frequency components become dominant as the point of observation recedes from the source. A secondary wave which may be a bound wave associated with the fluid in the drill hole was observed.
The Impact of Attitude, Subjective Norms and Perceived Behavioral Control on Intention to Make Hibah: A Study among Muslims in Klang Valley

Financial management and planning is a crucial part of a person’s life as it has tremendous impact on their livelihood and socioeconomic status. Islam has provided various instruments and principles for the spending and distribution of one’s wealth, but th e actual implementation of these instruments is still under-utilized. Hibah, which is a voluntary grant of property made by a person to another is one such instruments that could alleviate the many problems relating to inheritance and property distribution among Muslims in the country. Unfortunate, the awareness on the importance and the usage of hibah is quite low in Malaysia. Thus, this study is undertaken to provide an insight into what influences the hibah making intention of Muslims in Klang Valley using the Theory of Planned Behaviour. The findings shows that all three variables employed in this study are proven to have significant relationship with intention to make hibah and among the three, perceived behavioural control has the strongest relationship and is the most influential determinant of intention to make hibah. The findings reveal several implications especially on the angles from which wealth management companies could tailor the information provided to Muslims on the benefits and ease of making hibah.
Algebraic Matroids and Realizability of Tropical Varieties up to Scaling

We show that if the Bergman fan of a matroid $M$ is realizable as the ground set of the tropicalization of an ideal over a field $K$, then $M$ is an algebraic matroid over $K$. It follows that there are infinitely many Bergman fans that are not realizable as tropicalizations, with respect to any weight.
Chapter EightRandom Multiaxial Fatigue Loading

A new spectral method of fatigue-life calculation under random multiaxial loading has been shown. The method consists in extension of the known formulae of Miles, Kowalewski, Rajcher, Bolotin and Wirsching and Light, based on the power-spectral density function (PSDF) of stresses under uniaxial random loading. PSDF of the equivalent stress, determined according to linear failure criteria of multiaxial random fatigue, was introduced to the method. It has been shown that while reducing the multiaxial state of stress to the uniaxial one with linear failure criteria, the frequency bands of stress-state components are transformed to the frequency band of equivalent stress without increase of its width. Such a favorable result cannot be obtained if the equivalent stress is calculated according to the nonlinear multiaxial-fatigue-failure criteria. The chapter contains an approach for estimation of fatigue life in the HCF regime. Loading of Gaussian distribution and narrow- and broadband frequency spectra were assumed. Various characteristic states of multiaxial loading were considered. The reduced stress history was determined with use of failure criteria of multiaxial fatigue based on the critical plane. For determination of the criticalplane position, the methods of variance and damage accumulation were applied. During simulation, the authors compared the results obtained by the spectral method in the frequency domain with those from the rain-flow algorithm in the time domain. The chapter also contains the results of fatigue tests for 18G2A structural steel subjected to combined bending with torsion. The tests were performed in order to verify the proposed algorithms for determination of fatigue life. It has been shown that under multiaxial random loading results of fatigue
Color Image Segmentation by Multilevel Thresholding using a Two Stage Optimization Approach and Fusion

In this paper, we propose a new color image segmentation method based on a multilevel thresholding algorithm and data fusion techniques. We have revised the Otsu method for selecting optimal threshold values for both unimodal and bimodal distributions, and tested the performance of the new automatic thresholding method called the TSMO (Two-Stage Multi-level Thresholding) on the color images segmentation. This algorithm is iterative and outperforms Otsu's method by greatly reducing the iterations required for computing the between-class variance in an image. For segmentation, we proceed in two steps. In the first step, we begin by identifying the optimal threshold of the tristimuli (R, G and B). In the second step, segmentation results for the three color components are integrated through the fusion rule, in order to get a final reliable and accurate segmentation result. Experimental segmentation results on medical and textured color images demonstrate the value of combing the thresholding technique and fusion rule for color image segmentation. The obtained results show the robustness of the proposed method.
Nonprofit Fundraising and Social Identity

In this critically appraised topic, Jeff Gold contributes a study of the management practices that frame potential donors for non-profit organizations with their social identity. He identifies six empirical studies published since 2014 that indicate the importance of elements of donor social identity, such as demographics, motivation, and the nature of the donation itself. He concludes that social identity theory is a fine lens for management of donor information. This evidence is important because maintaining donor relations is usually a top priority for nonprofit organizations. Gold discovers evidence in the sciences of management that supports specific recommendations for nonprofit practice, such as keenly tracking: donor profiles, donor segments, and bonding opportunities with donors. ABSTRACT The purpose of this topic paper is to determine whether nonprofits can increase their fundraising capabilities by better managing their donors’ social identities. The nonprofit sector in the United States generated nearly $1.9 trillion in gross output, is estimated to contribute 5.6% toward the country’s $25.5 trillion in gross domestic product (GDP), and contributes immeasurable benefits to society. The industry continues to face challenges as the demand for services has increased and fundraising difficulties persist. This article analyzes peer-reviewed articles focused on nonprofit fundraising using a systematic approach. My findings suggest that one of the keys to effective nonprofit fundraising is the management of information on donors’ social identity. Appropriately, social identity theory is seen as an effective lens with which to meet this challenge. Several essential aspects of donor identities emerge from the research, including their demographic profiles and their motivations to give. In addition, how donors choose to give, what they actually give, and why they select one cause over another are key considerations that contribute to social identity.
A mixed method research study on pre-service primary school teachers’ mathematical disposition

This is a comprehensive study aiming to examine pre-service primary school teachers’ (PPST) mathematical disposition levels in terms of various variables, and to explain the results thoroughly. It employed the explanatory sequential design among the mixed method research designs. The data were collected through Mathematics Dispositional Functions Inventory (MDFI) and semi-structured interviews. The participants consisted of 361 PPSTs in the quantitative phase, and six PPSTs in the qualitative phase. Quantitative data were analyzed with descriptive and inferential statistics, while qualitative data were analyzed with descriptive analysis. The PPSTs’ mathematical disposition levels did not differ significantly in terms of grade level, high school type, area of education at high school and ability area variables; however, their scores in the attitude toward mathematics lesson factor of MDFI differed significantly in terms of area of education at high school and ability area variables. There were significant, positive, and low-level relationships between PPSTs’ mathematical disposition levels and their levels of mathematics learning experience in primary, middle and high schools, and their perception level of mathematics teaching efficacy. The PPSTs’ scores in attitude toward mathematics lesson factor related to ability area were consistent with their statements in the interviews. The quantitative analysis results regarding mathematics learning experience levels and mathematics teaching efficacy perception levels, defined as continuous variables, overlapped with the qualitative analysis results.
A Red-Light-Responsive DASA–Polymer with High Water Stability for Controlled Release

Photoresponsive polymers hold vast potential in the realm of drug delivery. Currently, most photoresponsive polymers use ultraviolet (UV) light as the excitation source. However, the limited penetration ability of UV light within biological tissues serves as a significant hindrance to their practical applications. Given the strong penetration ability of red light in biological tissues, the design and preparation of a novel red-light-responsive polymer with high water stability, incorporating the reversible photoswitching compound and donor-acceptor Stenhouse adducts (DASA) for controlled drug release is demonstrated. In aqueous solutions, this polymer exhibits self-assembly into micellar nanovectors (~33 nm hydrodynamic diameter), facilitating the encapsulation of the hydrophobic model drug Nile red (NR) within the micellar core. Upon irradiation by a 660 nm LED light source, photons are absorbed by DASA, leading to the disruption of the hydrophilic–hydrophobic balance of the nanovector and thereby resulting in the release of NR. This newly designed nanovector incorporates red light as a responsive switch, successfully avoiding the problems of photodamage and limited penetration of UV light within biological tissues, thereby further promoting the practical applications of photoresponsive polymer nanomedicines.
Social outcome expectations and women's intentions to return to IT employment

Women leaving IT employment for childcare or other reasons, and never returning, is a phenomenon that contributes to the underrepresentation of women in IT. However, potential women returners, women who have recently left IT employment and may or may not return, remain an under-researched group. We studied the effects of social outcome expectations on the intention to return to IT employment for 182 potential women returners from New Zealand, Australia, and the United States. The data were obtained via a survey questionnaire. Expectations of friendly co-workers, work-life balance, and family proximity were included; and the expectations of friendly co-workers had a statistically significant effect on the intentions of potential women returners to return to IT employment. The results highlight the difficulty of creating an environment that encourages potential women returners to return to IT because, unlike work-life balance or family proximity, friendly co-workers is a factor that is difficult to control via managerial interventions. For practice, the results suggest that organisations should promote an environment friendly to women, which in part may be achievable by implementing agile approaches to organizing IT work.
Age-Dependent Alterations in Platelet Mitochondrial Respiration

Mitochondrial dysfunction is an important cellular hallmark of aging and neurodegeneration. Platelets are a useful model to study the systemic manifestations of mitochondrial dysfunction. To evaluate the age dependence of mitochondrial parameters, citrate synthase activity, respiratory chain complex activity, and oxygen consumption kinetics were assessed. The effect of cognitive impairment was examined by comparing the age dependence of mitochondrial parameters in healthy individuals and those with neuropsychiatric disease. The study found a significant negative slope of age-dependence for both the activity of individual mitochondrial enzymes (citrate synthase and complex II) and parameters of mitochondrial respiration in intact platelets (routine respiration, maximum capacity of electron transport system, and respiratory rate after complex I inhibition). However, there was no significant difference in the age-related changes of mitochondrial parameters between individuals with and without cognitive impairment. These findings highlight the potential of measuring mitochondrial respiration in intact platelets as a means to assess age-related mitochondrial dysfunction. The results indicate that drugs and interventions targeting mitochondrial respiration may have the potential to slow down or eliminate certain aging and neurodegenerative processes. Mitochondrial respiration in platelets holds promise as a biomarker of aging, irrespective of the degree of cognitive impairment.
Regression-based surface water fraction mapping using a synthetic spectral library for monitoring small water bodies

ABSTRACT Small water bodies (SWBs), such as ponds and on-farm reservoirs, are a key part of the hydrological system and play important roles in diverse domains from agriculture to conservation. The monitoring of SWBs has been greatly facilitated by medium-spatial-resolution satellite images, but the monitoring accuracy is considerably affected by the mixed-pixel problem. Although various spectral unmixing methods have been applied to map sub-pixel surface water fractions for large water bodies, such as lakes and reservoirs, it is challenging to map SWBs that are small in size relative to the image pixel and have dissimilar spectral properties. In this study, a novel regression-based surface water fraction mapping method (RSWFM) using a random forest and a synthetic spectral library is proposed for mapping 10 m spatial resolution surface water fractions from Sentinel-2 imagery. The RSWFM inputs a few endmembers of water, vegetation, impervious surfaces, and soil to simulate a spectral library, and considers spectral variations in endmembers for different SWBs. Additionally, RSWFM applies noise-based data augmentation on pure endmembers to overcome the limitation often arising from the use of a small set of pure spectra in training the regression model. RSWFM was assessed in ten study sites and compared with the fully constrained least squares (FCLS) linear spectral mixture analysis, multiple endmember spectral mixture analysis (MESMA), and the nonlinear random forest (RF) regression without data-augmentation. The results showed that RSWFM decreases the water fraction mapping errors by ~ 30%, ~15%, and ~ 11% in root mean square error compared with the linear FCLS, MESMA unmixings, and the nonlinear RF regression without data-augmentation respectively. RSWFM has an accuracy of approximately 0.85 in R2 in estimating the area of SWBs smaller than 1 ha.
From New Zealand to Mongolia: Co-Designing and Deploying a Digital Library for the World's Children

Abstract:There has been an explosion of Internet users throughout the world. Low-cost computing options are now emerging for developing countries that are changing the world's educational landscape. Given these conditions, there is a critical need to understand the obstacles and opportunities in designing and deploying technologies for children worldwide. This paper discusses seven years of strategies and methods learned in co-designing and deploying the International Children's Digital Library (www.childrenslibrary.org) with children in multiple countries. Our experience with iterative, international co-design and developing world deployment shows that acquiring site-specific knowledge is critical to adapting the methods needed for success. In the case of co-design, a combination of face-to-face and email collaboration is important for building on-going partnerships. With deployment activities, it is important to be prepared for the unexpected—managing complex technologies in rural settings is very difficult. The more site-specific knowledge that can be acquired the more likely there will be a successful outcome.
Clarifying the Role of E-Government Trust in E-Government Success Models: A Meta-analytic Structural Equation Modeling Approach

E-government implementation success is of critical importance for nations. Prior information systems (IS) success models emphasize the effects of information quality, service quality, system quality, and user satisfaction but do not consider e-government trust. This study incorporates e-government trust into the IS success model and empirically tests the model on empirical findings reported in 67 prior studies using meta-analysis methods and structural equation modeling. Our analysis shows that: a) information quality, service quality, system quality, and user satisfaction influence e-government trust, and b) system use mediates the effect of e-government trust on intention to use e-government systems in the future.
3D Model Deformation using Finite Elements

In recent years major effects houses have started to use the finite element method to better model soft bodies. As more computing power has become available this technique has become more feasible in the timeframe of a production. The objectives of this project were to investigate how finite elements are used to model and simulate deformation in visual effects. Specifically, linear elasticity was covered and the beginnings of plastic deformation. A program was created in C++ which allows a user to load a surface mesh and by setting material properties and applying forces, create a simulation. The results show how physically correct animation can be produced using the finite element method although it is mentioned that knowing exact material
Perspectives from the Ground: Early Childhood Educators' Perceptions of Outdoor Play Spaces at Child Care Centers

Abstract:This study asked Early Childhood Educators (ECE) to evaluate the outdoor play space at their childcare center. They were asked what aspects were successful or unsuccessful, and what they would change about their outdoor play space if they could. Methods included focus group interviews with ECE at each of the 14 participating centers and two multi-center workshops. We used a Kruskal-Wallis Test to analyze ECE evaluations relative to the centers' locations, layout, and presence of plant material. Outdoor play spaces with plants had significantly more positive responses from ECE, averaging 11 positive responses versus four for spaces without plants. Coding and analysis of interview notes found that 79 percent of the ECE wanted more sensory stimuli, 64 percent wanted more space, and 57 percent desired more challenging equipment, suggesting that these are important features in outdoor play spaces for young children.
Méthode haute résolution large bande pour la localisation d'objets enfouis

This study deals with the bearing and the range estimation for buried objects problem. We propose a new method that incorporates the exact solution for the scattered field in the MUSIC method, uses the frequential smoothing to decorrelate the signals to estimate the range and the bearing objects. Finally, the performances of the proposed method are validated on experimental data recorded during an underwater acoustics experiments.