Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Low-Power Electrical Impedance Spectroscopy device to assess plants physiological state based on LoRaWAN wireless networks

Diseases that affect the vegetable tissues are promoted by both biotic and abiotic factors. These are characterized by a fast spreading rate and an absence of symptomatology, causing a negative impact both in the worldwide economy and in the plant ecosystem. The standard procedure to detect diseases and respective symptoms is restricted to a visual symptoms observation and performed only by skilled and trained personnel. Additionally, and regardless of a possible lack of capable personnel, plant visual observation is only effective in the last stages of the diseases. It becomes clear that the lack of equipment with analysis and characterization capabilities of the physiological state of vegetable tissues on-site, leaves room for the emergence of new devices. These systems should be able to analyze the physiological state and diagnose plant diseases under different environmental conditions. Also, the absence of maintenance requirements and systematic routines are some desired characteristics for new devices, all the while being transparent to the plant growth and development. In this thesis a complete system to diagnose plant diseases is proposed. The developed system is able to analyze the physiological state of plants based on Electrical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) technique. The system transfers collected data and results via Long Range Wide Area Network (LoRaWAN) wireless protocol, while having specific procedures to ensure low power consumption. In this sense, its current profile and energy consumption analysis are also presented in this work.
The Effects of Spinal Stabilization Exercises on the Spatial and Temporal Parameters of Gait in Individuals With Lower Limb Loss

The purpose of this study was to determine whether improvements in the spatial and temporal parameters of gait would be observed after 8-week spinal stabilization training program in individuals with lower limb loss. The study used a repeated measures pretest-posttest design of outcome measures in outpatient community-dwelling adults. Thirty-four individuals with lower limb loss were recruited from three prosthetic facilities located in Nassau County, Long Island, NY. Subjects participated in 8-week spinal stabilization training consisting of six exercises including abdominal bracing, heel slides, marching in place, bent-knee fall-outs, bridging, and quadruped arm/leg lifts. Primary outcome measures of spatial and temporal parameters of gait including base of support (BOS), step length, stride length, velocity, and cadence were determined with the GAITRite system. In addition, the reliability of the GAITRite system for measurement of gait characteristics in individuals with lower limb loss as determined with a test-retest procedure yielded reliability coefficients ranging from 0.884 to 0.977. After spinal stabilization exercise training, based on a paired t-test analysis, there were significant improvements in selected gait parameters including amputated side step length and stride length, sound side stride length, and velocity, whereas changes in sound side step length, amputated and sound side BOS, and cadence were not changed significantly. Except for BOS, there were no differences in gait characteristics between individuals with transfemoral and transtibial amputations after spinal stabilization training as demonstrated by independent t-test analysis. This study suggests that spinal stabilization exercise training may be effective in improving selected spatial and temporal parameters of gait as a part of an overall rehabilitation program in individuals with lower limb loss through strengthening of the core muscles of the trunk, especially the transverse abdominis and multifidus.
The Occurrence of Bacillus Sordellii in Icterohemoglobinuria of Cattle in Nevada

It was anticipated that the identification of Bacillus sordellii (Hall and Scott) and Clostridium oedematoides (Meleney and others)1 would soon be followed by the recognition of this strongly pathogenic and toxigenic species in other localities and I now wish to record its occurrence in a fatal cattle disease in Nevada. It may be emphasized also that while this is only the third locality from which B. sordellii has been reported, it is the first instance in which it has been found associated with cattle, both the South American and the New York strains having been recovered from human material, though in the New York cases the organism was definitely traced to surgical catgut. The Nevada strains were sent to me by L. R. Vawter of the University of Nevada at Reno, who has been engaged for several years with Edward Records in the study of a disease in cattle in Nevada, colloquially called "red water disease,', or more technically "icterohemoglobinuria,,, whose etiology was for a long time obscure, but they have apparently proved it to be caused by a specific pathogenic anaerobic bacillus to which they have given the trinomial "Clostridium hemolyticus bovis. " 2 I have examined two strains of this organism furnished by Dr. Vawter and it seems to be a new and distinct species not yet recognized elsewhere but it should probably be given a valid binomial designation, say "Bacillus hemolyticus. " The strains which I have just identified as B. sordellii were recognized by Vawter as distinct from the common cause of icterohemoglobinuria and from other better known pathogenic anaerobes as the following excerpt from his letter dated February 13, 1929, shows.
Active flow control with unsteady Coanda actuation on a high-lift configuration

ctive flow control (AFC) with two-dimensional (e.g. Greenblatt & Wygnanski [1], Barros et al. [2] , and Chabert et al.[3]) and three-dimensional (segmented) [7–9] periodic forcing has been proven to bring aerodynamic benefits. These benefits stem from the actuation power reductions obtained compared to steady actuation. The success of periodic actuation is rooted in its exploitation of the flow instabilities, contrary to steady actuation which attempts to alter the flow topology by momentum injection. Despite its proven benefits, simple (ON/OFF) switching periodic actuation often does not deliver large enough aerodynamic gains. This paper experimentally investigates the possible combined benefits that a superimposed steady, unsteady, and spanwise-varied Coanda actuation has on a high-lift configuration. Machine learning control is also investigated as a possible approach to further increase lift gains. For aircraft, circulation control in combination with high-lift devices offers several advantages over traditional high-lift configurations. The basic concept of circulation control involves the Coanda principle, where energy is introduced into the flow by means of a thin jet ejected tangentially from a slot near the trailing edge. The main advantage of circulation control is an increased lift output, which makes shorter take-offs and landings possible. This technology was first patented by Davidson [10] in 1960 and has since been repeatedly investigated (Lachmann [12], Wood & Nielson [13], Nielson & Biggers [15], and Englar [16]). A circulation control wing (CCW) with steady jets, even at very small mass flow rates, has been shown to yield lift coefficients that are comparable or superior to conventional high-lift systems (Sexstone et al. [21], Smith [22]). A particular variation of circulation control is the Coanda flap, where the objective is to keep the flow attached over a highly deflected flap by blowing a jet tangentially over its specially designed upper surface. This concept has been previously investigated and geometrically optimized in several previous studies [23, 24]. Efficiency requirements demand that the lift gained through the use of circulation control be as large as possible in comparison to the momentum coefficient of the blown jet, which is usually acquired by engine bleed. This ratio is referred to as the lift gain factor. An increase in the lift gain factor can be achieved through periodic blowing. Two studies during the mid-1970’s investigated pulsed blowing associated with circulation control (Oyler & Palmer [25], Walters et al. [26]). Results from these experiments indicated that pulsed blowing reduced the mass requirements for CCW. Periodic blowing on a circulation control wing with circular trailing edge has also been examined (e.g. Jones et al. [27]). A 50% reduction in the required mass flow for a required lift coefficient was achieved. Recently, Semaan
MEASURING LOCUS OF CENTER OF GRAVITY

The displacement of the body's center of gravity in normal subjects was calculated by using platform with two load cells and strain gauge, a magnetic data recorder, an X-Y recorder and * digital computer under the following conditions. 1. With feet together (closed feet position) and with feet formed at an angle of 60 degrees (open feet position). 2. In normal standing position and the standing positions with head tilted towards the right, left, downward or upward. The following results were obtained: 1. The total length of the locus followed by the body's center of gravity in forty normal subjects during normal standing with eyes open for 1 minute was 52.0•}18.5 cm with closed feet position and 30.8•}18.6 cm with open feet position There were some differences observed among the values of different head positions. 2. The ratio of the total length with the eyes closed to that of open during normal standing for 1 minute was 1.56±0.56 with closed feet position and 1.99•}1.00 with open feet
Surgery for Severe Acute Necrotizing Pancreatitis Ã¢Â€Â“ Which is the Best Procedure?

Surgical management of acute necrotizing pancreatitis is rapidly evolving with newer minimally invasive techniques replacing traditional open necrosectomy as the preferred surgical procedure at various centres worldwide. But one needs to take in to account multiple factors while choosing the most appropriate procedure for a given patient. Also one needs to plan based on the clinical condition of the patient and the timing of intervention that whether patient will benefit from ‘Step up approach’ or primary necrosectomy. These critical issues have been discussed so as to facilitate clinical decision making and importance of multidisciplinary team is highlighted in order to reduce morbidity and mortality associated with severe acute necrotizing pancreatitis.
Empowering Nursing Assistants to Improve End-of-Life Care

Nursing assistants are integral to palliative care and are often the most deeply involved and consistent care providers to dying patients. Yet the contributions of nursing assistants are often unrecognized and underappreciated. They are frequently marginalized when it comes to professional education activities, particularly in the acute care setting. This article describes an educational initiative based on the Hospice and Palliative Nursing Association nursing assistant core curriculum. A daylong educational intervention was provided to a voluntary convenience sample of nursing assistants from a variety of inpatient units. Presurveys and postsurveys about knowledge, attitudes, and awareness of ethical issues were administered to those attending the class, as well as a control group of nursing assistants. The results of this pilot study showed that a daylong conference on end-of-life care was associated with improved measures of knowledge, attitudes about care of the dying, and awareness of ethical issues. Interesting points of discussion concerned the points of tension identified by nursing assistants in the care of dying patients, the need for ongoing support for these staff members, and the practical issues of how to best educate and integrate nursing assistants into the palliative care team.
Maneuvering the secondary surface morphology of electrospun poly (vinylidene fluoride) nanofibers by controlling the processing parameters

Tailoring surface of fibers has been attracting the attention of researchers in different fields and applications. Nowadays, appreciations to the electrospinning technique, polymeric nanofibers are easily producible. The electrospinning process has been prominently investigated and developed during the last decade. The influence of working parameters on the secondary surface morphology of electrospun fibers is very significant. In this study, the effect of processing parameters (applied voltage, flow rate, distance between the tip of the needle and the collector (DTC), diameter of the needle, and rotation speed of the drum collector) on the secondary surface morphology (e.g. porous, grooved, and rough) of electrospun poly (vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) fibers are studied. The results indicate that the secondary surface morphology of electrospun PVDF fibers can be alerted by maneuvering applied voltage, flow rate, DTC, and rotation speed of the drum collector. However, there is no relationship between the secondary surface morphology of electrospun PVDF fibers and the diameter of the needle. Importantly, fibers with different secondary surface morphologies have the ability to be served in different applications such as energy harvesting, oil cleanup, filtration, and so on. We believe this study can be served as a good reference for generating electrospun fibers with the desired structure by controlling the processing parameters.
Dielectric, ferroelectric and ferromagnetic properties of samarium doped multiferroic bismuth ferrite

In this research, un-doped and samarium doped functional bismuth ferrite nanoparticles were synthesized by sol-gel method. The samples were annealed at 600 °C to obtain crystalline phase. The concentration of samarium was varied in bismuth ferrite as Bi1−xSmxFeO3 (where x = 0.05, 0.10 and 0.15). Rietveld refinement was conducted and crystal parameters were extracted. Crystallite size for doped nanoparticles was found to vary from 66 to 44 nm. Doping of 5 and 10% Sm in BFO, the impurity phases were found to suppress totally. The rhombohedral structure of bismuth ferrite with R3c space group has found to transform to orthorhombic structure with Pbam space group in doped samples. The frequency dependence dielectric properties namely dielectric constant, dielectric loss, resistance, reactance, AC resistivity, AC conductivity and modulus of electricity were measured on nanocrystalline solids. The influence in ferroelectric property, P-E hysteresis loop of un-doped and doped samples was also investigated on nanocrystalline solids. The maximum polarization was found to be 0.084 μC cm−2 in Bi0.85Sm0.15FeO3. The coercive field was decreased in doped samples due to suppression of impurity phases and a minimum value was found in Bi0.9Sm0. 1FeO3. The M–H hysteresis loop of synthesized nanoparticles has also been determined. The magnetization of doped samples showed an enhanced saturation magnetization and remnant magnetization of 1.87 and 0.57 emu gm−1 respectively in Bi0.85Sm0.15FeO3 nanoparticles.
Energy harvesting from household heat sources using a thermoelectric generator module

Inefficiency in energy usage has led to the subject of energy harvesting which simply means recycling dissipated waste energy into another useful form of energy. This paper presents the harvesting of waste thermal energy from household heat sources (kerosene stove and generator exhaust pipe) as an electrical energy. Thermoelectric generator (TEG) modules (TGM-161-1.2-2.0) and aluminium heat sinks were constructed and placed close to the heat sources for waste heat harvesting. The hot and cold side temperatures of the TEG modules were measured along with the corresponding output voltages and currents, while the power and energy harvested were estimated. The harvesting of energy from the stove yielded means of 1.532 ± 0.091 V, 0.388 ± 0.003 A, 0.597 ± 0.039 W and 536.87 ± 34.98 J, subject to an average temperature difference of 84.59 ± 3.64 °C. For the generator exhaust pipe, average values of 1.28 ± 0.074 V, 0.285 ± 0.007 A, 0.367 ± 0.029 W and 330.62 ± 26.15 J with an average temperature difference of 62.31 ± 4.88 °C were achieved. The obtained results agreed with previous studies on energy harvesting using TEG modules. This work revealed the potential of waste heat energy harvesting using TEG technology. Keywords: Waste heat; temperature; thermoelectric generators; heat source; energy harvesting
Photochemical Thiolation of Carbon Particles with Mercaptoproyltrimethoxysilane

ABSTRACT Surface modification of carbon black (CB) is an important tool to refashion properties of its composites. CB surface modification is usually practiced through thermal procedures. However, environmental concerns have provided the base to rethink for alternate methods, particularly photochemical methods that are considered comparatively eco-friendly due to reduced chemical and thermal waste. Present investigation is based on a photochemical method for CB surface modification that has effectively modified particle surface with alkoxysilane. This method carries the active centers, generated by photoinitiator, to the shaded areas which otherwise are not possible to reach. Hence, this reaction scheme has prevailed over huge activation barrier without thermal support. A photo-thermal modification method has also been utilized for comparative analysis. Effectiveness of photochemical modification method to alter the surface of CB has been confirmed through different instrumental techniques, including XPS, TGA, FTIR, Raman and SEM. Graphical Abstract
Determination of Primary Mineral Content and Calcium Sources in Forest Soils using Electron Probe Microanalysis Mapping and Cluster Analysis

Although mineral dissolution is a fundamental soil forming process, primary mineral content of soils is rarely inventoried or quantified. Concerns about maintenance of forest soil nutrient stocks require better mineralogic data. In particular, to understand recovery from Ca losses induced by acid deposition and sustainability of intensive forest harvest, better inventory of primary Ca minerals is needed. We developed a method based on electron probe micro-analysis to quantify primary mineral concentrations in soil. Samples analyzed from three sites in the glaciated northeastern United States spanned a bulk Ca concentration of 0.03 to 0.94%. Plagioclase was the dominant Ca-bearing mineral at two sites while apatite was the only Ca-bearing mineral found in all three samples and was the dominant calcium source at one site. A variety of other Ca silicate minerals were found in trace amounts. Electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) proved more sensitive in detecting minor and trace Ca bearing minerals than standard XRD procedures. The Ca-bearing minerals detected by EPMA matched those expected based on the lithologic composition of the glacial till and were consistent with measured bulk soil Ca content by lithium-borate fusion. Taking into account the Ca concentration in each mineral and each mineral's abundance in the sample, this inventory provided a complete accounting of Ca sources.
Study of Melt Spinning Processing Conditions for a Polyacrylonitrile Copolymer with a Water/Ethanol Mixture as a Plasticizer

Abstract This paper is concerned with the feasibility of melt spinning of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) copolymer (acrylonitrile/methylacrylate 95.6/4.4 mol% ratio) plasticized with water-ethanol (EtOH) mixtures. The melting point and rheological and stability behaviors of PAN/water/ethanol mixture are reported. The objective is to determine whether this mixture is appropriate for allowing the PAN to be melt spun. The melting point results from differential scanning calorimetry show the Tm of PAN/water/ethanol (70/15/15 wt%) mixture can be reduced to 150 °C from 300 °C. The time-dependent viscosity results showed that this mixture can be processed at 170 °C for more than 100 min without degradation. The steady-shear viscosity results indicated the shear-thinning behavior is observed for this mixture at a temperature ranging from 170 °C to 190 °C. These rheological data are also highly similar to the reference condition and other potential conditions reported in our previous paper, which indicates PAN/water/ethanol (70/15/15 wt%) at 170 °C is a potential condition for PAN melt spinning. The scanning electron microscopy diagrams show the copolymer strand melt extruded from PAN/water (70/30 wt%) mixture contains many more voids and bubbles than the PAN/water/ethanol (70/15/15 wt%) system. In conclusion, PAN/water/ethanol (70/15/15 wt%) at 170 °C is the most benign set condition (i. e. the composition and temperature) for carrying out the PAN melt spinning process.
Fabrication and Characterization Of Poly Lactic Acid (PLA)-Starch Based Bioplastic Composites

In this study, to make a good bioplastic composite, starch-based bioplastic is produced by adding polylactic acid (PLA) to improve its properties. PLA was added into starch-based bioplastic with various concentrations of 0, 3, and 10 wt. %. The extrusion was performed at 90-150 °C and compression moulding process was conducted at 150 °C and pressured at 50 kgf/cm2. Bioplastic composites have been characterized to know its properties. FTIR analysis indicated shifting and increasing spectra of interaction between PLA and starch-based bioplastic. Contact angle and solubility analysis revealed that adding PLA can increase the stability of hydrophobic characteristic and insoluble properties. The combination of PLA and starch-based bioplastic can improve the mechanical properties. In addition, thermal properties of bioplastic composites have a better thermal stability and produce a lower melting point thus the energy needed to melt for bioplastic composites becomes milt as raising PLA composition. The density of bioplastics was in the range of 1.2 - 1.3 g/cm3 that would be good for light bioplastic. The results of this study showed that the combination of starch-based bioplastics and PLA at low concentration (10wt.%) potentially could enhance the properties of bioplastic composites for food packaging.
Dentofacial Anomalies and Oral Hygiene Status in Mentally Challenged Children: A Survey

Mentally compromised patients are found to be associated with various dentofacial anomalies. These patients have physical, mental, sensory, behavioral, cognitive, emotional and chronic medical conditions, which require health rare beyond considered routine. Adequate oral cleaning in them is a task because of impaired musculature. Thus, these children are prone to various oral diseases and dentofacial anomalies that require early diagnosis and treatment. This study is carried out to know the oral hygiene status and dentofacial anomalies in mentally compromised patients with an idea of helping them to have a better oral hygiene status and treat the developed dentofacial changes on time.