Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Analysis of the Fracture of Reinforced Concrete Flat Elements Subjected to Explosions. Experimental Procedure and Numerical Validation

Many of the material models most frequently used for the numerical simulation of the behavior of concrete when subjected to high strain rates have been originally developed for the simulation of ballistic impact. Therefore, they are plasticity-based models in which the compressive behavior is modeled in a complex way, while their tensile failure criterion is of a rather simpler nature. As concrete elements usually fail in tension when subjected to blast loading, available concrete material models for high strain rates may not represent accurately their real behavior. In this research work an experimental program of reinforced concrete fiat elements subjected to blast load is presented. Altogether four detonation tests are conducted, in which 12 slabs of two different concrete types are subjected to the same blast load. The results of the experimental program are then used for the development and adjustment of numerical tools needed in the modeling of concrete elements subjected to blast.
Top- Based Adaptive Enumeration in Constraint Programming

Constraint programming effectively solves constraint satisfaction and optimization problems by basically building, pruning, and exploring a search tree of potential solutions. In this context, a main component is the enumeration strategy, which is responsible for selecting the order in which variables and values are selected to build a possible solution. This process is known to be quite important; indeed a correct selection can reach a solution without failed explorations. However, it is well known that selecting the right strategy is quite challenging as their performance is notably hard to predict. During the last years, adaptive enumeration appeared as a proper solution to this problem. Adaptive enumeration allows the solving algorithm being able to autonomously modifying its strategies in solving time depending on performance information. In this way, the most suitable order for variables and values is employed along the search. In this paper, we present a new and more lightweight approach for performing adaptive enumeration. We incorporate a powerful classification technique named Top- in order to adaptively select strategies along the resolution. We report results on a set of well-known benchmarks where the proposed approach noticeably competes with classical and modern adaptive enumeration methods for constraint satisfaction.
Evidence from Panel Unit Root and Cointegration Tests that the Environmental Kuznets Curve Does Not Exist

The Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis - an inverted U-shape relation between various indicators of environmental degradation and income per capita - has become one of the 'stylised facts' of environmental and resource economics. This is despite considerable criticism on both theoretical and empirical grounds. Cointegration analysis can be used to test the validity of such stylised facts when the data involved contain stochastic trends. In the present paper, we use cointegration analysis to test the EKC hypothesis using a panel dataset of sulfur emissions and GDP data for 74 countries over a span of 31 years. We find that the data is stochastically trending in the time-series dimension. Given this, and interpreting the EKC as a long run equilibrium relationship, support for the hypothesis requires that an appropriate model cointegrates and that sulfur emissions are a concave function of income. Individual and panel cointegration tests cast doubt on the general applicability of the hypothesised relationship. Even when we find cointegration, many of the relationships for individual countries are not concave. The results show that the EKC is a problematic concept, at least in the case of sulfur emissions. Copyright Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society Inc. and Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2003.
The Spitzer Mass Stratification Instability in Dense Star Clusters by Wesley

Globular clusters containing a sub-population of sufficiently massive heavier stars will develop the so-called Spitzer mass stratification instability. In their approach to thermal equilibrium with the surrounding lighter stars, the heavier stars slow down and sink into the central region of the cluster. The sub-population heats as it falls into the core, losing energy to lighter stars through random two-body interactions. As the lighter stars absorb energy, they attain larger orbits. Over time the heavier sub-population will collect in the core where few lighter stars remain. Eventually, the heavier sub-population will have become so energetic and isolated that the lighter stars are not able to rapidly conduct heat away. Therefore, the dynamical evolution of stars in the heavier subpopulation decouples from that of the lighter stars. The heavier sub-population later undergoes a gravothermal collapse. It is possible to represent the dynamical evolution of globular clusters by a series of quasistationary equilibrium models whose velocities are periodically perturbed according to calculated rates representing the average effect of stellar encounters. Here we present an implementation of the so-called Hénon Monte Carlo method for modeling the evolution of a stellar cluster containing a subpopulation of heavier stars. We observe the effects of Spitzer’s instability in numerous calculations, and confirm that the instability occurs under the conditions that Spitzer proposed. Thesis Supervisor: Frederic A. Rasio Title: Assistant Professor of Physics
Symbiosis in Plasmonic Nanoparticles

The focus of this chapter is on how the symbiotic relationship existing in nature can easily be translated to the nanoscale systems, particularly in plasmonic nanoparticles. Here, we discuss the synthesis and properties of bimetallic nanoparticles, consisting of plasmonic silver (Ag) with ferromagnetic cobalt (Co). The symbiotic properties in the Co-Ag bimetallic plasmonic nanoparticles are discussed in the chapter where Ag and Co are the beneficiary elements due to the presence of each other. These bimetallic plasmonic nanomaterials demonstrate multi-functionalities which are not just limited to well-known bio-sensing or magneto-optical effects but also expand to highly unexpected and exotic properties such as extreme oxidation resistance, ferroplasmons, improved quality factor, and tunable radiative quantum efficiency.
S WARM O PTIMIZATION ( PSO )

Information about the status of disease (prognosis) for patients with hepatitis is important to determine the type of action to stabilize and cure this disease. Among some system, fuzzy system is one of the methods that can be used to obtain this prognosis. In the fuzzification process, the determination of the exact range of membership function will influence the calculation of membership degree and of course will affect the final value of fuzzy system. This range and function can usually be formed using intuition or by using an algorithm. In this paper, Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm is implemented to form the triangular membership functions in the case of patients with hepatitis. For testing process, this paper conducts four scenarios to find the best combination of PSO parameter values . Based on the testing it was found that the best parameters to form a membership function range for the hepatitis data is about 0.9, 0.1, 2, 2, 100, 500 for inertia max, inertia min, local ballast constant, global weight constant, the number of particles, and maximum iterations respectively.
DIFFERENTIAL EFFECTS OF ORGANIC COMPOUNDS ON CUCUMBER DAMPING-OFF AND BIOCONTROL ACTIVITY OF ANTAGONISTIC BACTERIA

The influence of the organic compounds tryptic soy broth, cellulose, glucose and chitosan on cucumber damping-off caused by Pythium aphanidermatum and biocontrol efficacy of the biocontrol agents (BCAs) Paenibacillus macerans and P. polymyxa were examined in a seedling emergence bioassay. Results showed that the organic compounds differentially affected both pathogen and BCAs. Tryptic soy broth, glucose and chitosan increased Pythium damping-off of cucumber, compared to the control treatment without organic compounds, whereas cellulose had no effect. Both Paenibacillus species had biocontrol effects against Pythium damping-off compared with the corresponding treatments with P. aphanidermatum alone, but the biocontrol efficacy depended on the type of organic compounds added. Both BCAs counteracted damping-off in treatments with TSB and chitosan. However, P. polymyxa counteracted damping-off in combination with either glucose amendment or without organic compound amendment, while P. macerans increased damping- off in combination with either cellulose amendment or without organic compound amendment. Dampingoff did not correlate with Pythium biomass estimated by ELISA, nor with background microbial communities as examined using biomarker fatty acids.
Morphological Variability Among Moringa oleifera (Lamark) Populations in Egypt

HIS PAPER aims at studying the morphological variation . among Moringa oleifera Lam. populations in 8 sites in Egypt. Most of the measured tree variables differed significantly among the studied sites. The population of Qanatir Horticulture Research Institute had the maximum size (853.8 m tree) and diameters of canopy (9.9 m tree), and stem at breast height level (63.4 cm tree); while those of Sheikh Zuweid had the minimum size (5.6 m tree) and height (2.0 m tree). Many branching modes of the main trunk were observed, where sympodial branching was the dominant in most sites. M. oleifera leaves in Botanical Garden of Faculty of Education (Ain Shams University) were the longest (59.6 cm) and those in Sheikh Zuweid were the shortest (24.5 cm). On the other hand, the pods of the trees in Qanatir Horticulture Research Institute were the longest (50.4 cm). In addition, the pods of Botanical Garden of Faculty of Education (Ain Shams University) contained the maximum number of seeds (21.8 seed pod), while the heaviest seeds were those of Sheikh Zuweid (270.0 mg seed). Variations in the morphological attributes of M. oleifera (trees, leaves, pods and seeds) may be not only related to environmental conditions, particularly the soil properties, but also to genetic differences within species. A further study on the genetic variation among the populations of this plant should be carried out.
Multiple Banking Practices and its Impact on the Corporate Borrowers : A Case Study of Bangladesh

This paper attempts to verify the existence and impact of multiple banking practices on corporate borrowers of Bangladesh. In doing so we have analyzed multiple borrowing with respect to availability of credit and interest rate charged. As methodology of the study, we have conducted literature survey and empirical analysis. The results of the analysis show that there is widespread practice of multiple borrowing among the corporate borrowers in Bangladesh. Finally, the results of the statistical analysis reveal that such practice enables firms to borrow at comparatively lower interest expense, but to suffer from limited access to credit.
Microwave Synthesis, spectroscopic characterization and DFT investigation of 4-(4-(2-(4-substitutedphenyl)-4-oxothiazolidin-3-yl)benzyl)oxazolidin-2-one derivatives

A series of some novel 4-(4-(2-(4-substitutedphenyl)-4-oxothiazolidin-3-yl)benzyl)oxazolidin2-one (6-10) derivatives were designed and synthesized under microwave irradiation. The synthesized compound was purified by crystallization using ethanol. The structure of the synthesized compound was assigned on the basis of the spectral data. IR spectrum showed the expected absorption frequencies and signals of this compound. To identify the stable structure, conformational analysis was performed using B3LYP/6-31 G(d,p) level of calculation. For the stable conformer the bond parameters were calculated by the same basis set. Results obtained at this level of theory were used for a detailed interpretation of the FT-IR spectra. The energy gap of the molecule was found using HOMO and LUMO calculation. Atomic charges of the carbon, nitrogen and oxygen were calculated using same level of calculations. The optimized geometric parameters and the theoretical vibrational frequencies were found to be in good agreement with the corresponding experimental data and with the results found in the literature.
Aging and Economic Participation of Older Population in Rural Malaysia

One of the most significant demographic changes of the twenty first century is the aging of the world’s population. Population ageing or the increasing proportion of older population has become a challenge not only for developed countries but developing ones as well. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the participation of the older population in rural Malaysia in the economic activities. This paper also seek to analyze reasons why some of the older population in the area do not want to continue working. The design used in this study was a combination of the sociological method of face-to-face interviews, and the anthropological method of participant-observation. Results show that nearly half of the respondents still involve in economic activities whilst majority of them do not work because they feel no strong desire for working and are not physically capable.
Experimental Investigation on Corrosion of Cast Iron Pipes

It is well known that corrosion is the predominant mechanism for the deterioration of cast iron pipes, leading to the reduction of pipe capacity and ultimate collapse of the pipes. In order to assess the remaining service life of corroded cast iron pipes, it is imperative to understand the mechanisms of corrosion over a long term and to develop models for pipe deterioration. Although many studies have been carried out to determine the corrosion behavior of cast iron, little research has been undertaken to understand how cast iron pipes behave over a longer time scale than hours, days, or weeks. The present paper intends to fill the gap regarding the long-term corrosion behaviour of cast iron pipes in the absence of historical data. In this paper, a comprehensive experimental program is presented in which the corrosion behaviour of three exservice pipes was thoroughly examined in three simulated service environments. It has been found in the paper that localised corrosion is the primary form of corrosion of cast iron water pipes. It has also been found that the microstructure of cast irons is a key factor that affects the corrosion behaviour of cast iron pipes. The paper concludes that long-term tests on corrosion behaviour of cast iron pipes can help develop models for corrosion-induced deterioration of the pipes for use in predicting the remaining service life of the pipes.
Role of the Central Circulation in Regulation of Cutaneous Gas Exchange

SYNOPSIS. Although primarily limited by the rate of diffusion of oxygen and carbon dioxide across the integument, cutaneous gas exchange is also affected by adjustments in the absolute flow of blood to the skin, the pattern of distribution of blood within the cutaneous vascular bed, and the effects of central vascular shunting on gas partial pressures of arterial blood perfusing the skin. The interplay of these various factors, particularly in animals with heterogeneous arterial supply to the skin and/or with highly variable intracardiac shunts, potentially is complex, only poorly understood, and worthy of considerable future experimentation.
What does the matter created in high multiplicity proton-nucleus collisions teach us about the 3-D structure of the proton?

The study of multiparticle correlations and collectivity in the hot and dense matter created in collisions of heavy-ions as well as those of smaller systems such as proton--heavy-ion collisions has progressed to the point where detailed knowledge of the three-dimensional structure of the proton is needed to confront experimental data. We discuss results from a simple proof-of-principle initial state parton model which reproduces many features of the data on proton--heavy-ion collisions that are often ascribed to hydrodynamic flow. We outline how this model can be further improved with particular emphasis on missing elements in our understanding of the dynamical spatial and momentum structure of the proton.
Treatment of Primary Settled Wastewater Using Anaerobic Sequencing Batch Reactor Seeded with Activated EM

The biologic treatment process using effective microorganisms (EM) in an anaerobic sequencing batch reactor (ASBR) for primary settled wastewater treatment was investigated. Activated EM was formed from raw EM to increase its efficiency by ensuring that the microorganisms were in an exponential phase of growth. A bench-scale ASBR (volume 2.6 l) was seeded with activated EM and the characteristics of the influent and effluent wastewater were investigated under different temperatures and reaction times. This system achieved good removal efficiency for all the analyzed parameters. The removal efficiency of the chemical oxygen demand (COD), soluble COD, biochemical oxygen demand, total suspended solids, ammonia, and total phosphorus increased with increasing reaction time and temperature, and reached 72.1%, 61.5%, 75.7%, 80.9%, 50.4%, and 62.5% respectively, at a reaction time of 24 h and at 35 °C. The system showed good removal of total coliform and salmonella and a reduction in ammonia and sulfate-reducing bacteria. Biogas can also be obtained using this system. Keywords : Anaerobic treatment; ASBR; Effective microorganisms; Pathogens; Wastewater treatment
Design parameters for magneto-elastic soft actuators

Novel soft actuators can be designed from ferrogels by combining the elastic behavior of a polymer matrix with the magnetic properties of a magnetic filler. A thorough understanding of the mechanical behavior of ferrogel actuation is essential for optimizing actuator performance. For actuation by linear magnetostriction, the influence of geometrical parameters on the onset and magnitude of hysteretic loss, the range for the continuous deformation ratio, the rate of change of the deformation ratio with respect to the field strength, and the saturation elongation were modeled. These results demonstrate that geometrical design parameters such as specimen length, aspect ratio, and distance from the magnetic field source can be used to tune the performance of ferrogels.
TÜRKİYE’DE NÜKLEER SANTRALLERİN KURULMASI VE NÜKLEER ENERJİ KULLANIMI KONUSUNDAKİ ÖĞRETMEN ADAYLARININ TUTUMLARI PROSPECTIVE TEACHERS’ ATTITUDES TOWARDS THE USE OF NUCLEAR ENERGY AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF NUCLEAR PLANTS IN TURKEY

In this study we explored Turkish prospective teachers’ attitudes towards the use of nuclear energy and construction of nuclear plants, a recent topic of discussion in Turkish medya. We conducted a survey including thirteen demographic and twenty 5-point Likert-scale items. In order to evaluate the reliability of the Likert-scale, we administrated the survey to 124 randomly choosen prospective teachers. The factor analysis an the principal components analysis revealed a reliabilty of . 88. The accepted α value in the variance analysis between groups was . 05. Later, we administred the survey to a total of 506 prospective teachers from the social and the science teaching programs in the Faculty of Education at Ondokuz Mayıs University. Study analysis revealed meaningful differences among participants academic levels and socio-economic levels. Majority of our participants (51%) expressed that they did not have any formal knowledge on nuclear energy. Participants, who responded that they have same formal knowledge expressed that the mass media environmental courses and textbooks were the sources of their knowledge.
Construction of a stochastic model of track geometry irregularities and validation through experimental measurements of dynamic loading

ABSTRACT This paper describes the construction of a stochastic model of urban railway track geometry irregularities, based on experimental data. The considered irregularities are track gauge, superelevation, horizontal and vertical curvatures. They are modelled as random fields whose statistical properties are extracted from a large set of on-track measurements of the geometry of an urban railway network. About 300–1000 terms are used in the Karhunen–Loève/Polynomial Chaos expansions to represent the random fields with appropriate accuracy. The construction of the random fields is then validated by comparing on-track measurements of the contact forces and numerical dynamics simulations for different operational conditions (train velocity and car load) and horizontal layouts (alignment, curve). The dynamics simulations are performed both with and without randomly generated geometrical irregularities for the track. The power spectrum densities obtained from the dynamics simulations with the model of geometrical irregularities compare extremely well with those obtained from the experimental contact forces. Without irregularities, the spectrum is 10–50 dB too low.
1 JO Displacement Models for THUNDER Actuators baving General Loads and Boundary Conditions

This paper summarizes techniques for quantifying the displacements generated in THUNDER actuators in response to applied voltages for a variety of boundary conditions and exogenous loads. The PDE models for the actuators are constructed in two steps. In the first, previously developed theory quantifying thermal and electrostatic strains is employed to model the actuator shapes which result from the manufacturing process and subsequent repoling. Newtonian principles are then employed to develop PDE models which quantify displacements in the actuator due to voltage inputs to the piezoceramic patch. For this analysis, drive levels are assumed to be moderate so that linear piezoelectric relations can be employed. Finite element methods for discretizing the models are developed and the performance of the discretized models are illustrated through comparison with experimental data.
Implementation of a Closed-loop Microscopy Pipeline to Stitch and Segment Images of Growing Cell Populations

In time-lapse microscopy experiment to study the temporal information about one or more cells and all their descendants, it is critical not to lose cells from these cell lines at any imaging time-frame. Several challenges exist in such experiments such as growing colony size, colony movement, cell stress due to illumination and, a small field of view of the imaging camera. Typically in such experiments, the imaging protocols are set at the start of the experiment and are not modified during the experiment. In this thesis we design and implement a closed-loop imaging pipeline to update the imaging protocol, at real-time depending on the results from image stitching and image segmentation algorithms on images obtained during the experiment, to image the minimal number of tiles required to image the entire colony at each time-frame. We evaluate our approach by performing a time-lapse microscopy experiment using the new imaging pipeline.
Determination of best blend of zeolite 4 A-metakaolin matrices for heavy metal removal from synthetic wastewater

Nigeria is blessed with abundant solid mineral deposits scattered in different parts of the country. As a measure to curtail the total dependence of imported commercial adsorbent for the treatment of our petroleum wastewater, Kankara kaolin from Katsina state, Nigeria was pretreated and blended with a commercial zeolite 4A from UOP, New Jersey, USA. The determination of the best blend of matrices of zeolites 4A and metakaolin was based on the adsorption capacities of the blends. It was found that Matrix 4 composed from 75% metakaolin and 25% zeolite 4A yielded a unique and best matrix, with removal efficiency of almost 100%, except for lead. The compositions of the spectrum of matrices are: Matrix 1 – 0% metakaolin and 100% zeolite 4A; Matrix 2 – 25% metakaolin and 75% zeolite 4A; Matrix 3 – 50% metakaolin and 50% zeolite 4A; Matrix 4 – 25% metakaolin and 75% zeolite 4A; and Matrix 5 – 100% metakaolin and 0% zeolite 4A. The treatment profile suggested enhanced ion exchange ability as the key lever force.