Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Using Vegetation Indices to Characterize Vegetation Cover Change in the Urban Areas of Southern China

Vegetation is essential for the provision of ecosystem services. To ensure that ecosystem services are provided, urban planning must consider vegetation cover in both urban core areas and in peripheral areas. This study explored changes in vegetation cover in both urban core and peripheral areas (buffers of 5, 10 and 15 km from the urban core areas) and the relationships between these changes and urban development. To compare the differences in vegetation cover between the urban core and peripheral areas, we developed two vegetation indices, the vegetation influence strength index (VISI) and the vegetation restoration index (VRI), using normalized difference vegetation index datasets and nighttime stable light data from 50 cities in southern China. Using these two indices, we clustered the cities into four types based on their vegetation cover characteristics. The city types varied among the different regions of the study area and cities of the same type tended to occur together geographically. In addition, the two indices showed temporal changes during the study period: A downtrend from 1992 to 2000, an uptrend from 2000 to 2005, and stability from 2005 to 2013. Furthermore, in all cities, the range of the VISI was larger in the peripheral areas than in the urban core areas. However, the range of the VRI was smaller in the peripheral areas than in the urban core areas. As the distance to the urban core areas increased, the fluctuation range of both the VISI and VRI decreased, suggesting that there was less vegetation disturbance farther from the urban core areas. We also showed that changes in vegetation cover were related to differences in urbanization rates, gross domestic products, population densities, and stages of urban development among the cities. These results provide scientific support for urban planning and sustainable development in rapid urbanization areas.
Theoretical and experimental investigation of the effect of sulci on light propagation in brain tissue

The effect of the layered surface tissues of the head on the measurement of brain oxygenation by near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) has been investigated by both time-of-flight measurement and Monte Carlo simulation on models consisting of three or four separate layered homogeneous media. The clear cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) layer surrounding the brain has previously been shown to significantly affect light distribution, and in the head the brain surface is deeply folded with many CSF filled sulci. Therefore the most sophisticated model has four layers including a clear 'CSF' layer containing slots imitating sulci on the brain. Simpler models are also used and the light distributions in each are compared to examine the effect of the CSF layer. The mean optical pathlength of each model calculated from the temporal point spread function (TPSF) of the time-of-flight measurement agrees well with the Monte Carlo prediction. The fractional pathlength in each of the layers and the spatial sensitivity profile, which indicates the volume of tissue interrogated, are calculated by the Monte Carlo method. Results show that the light distribution in the head is highly affected by the existence of the clear CSF layer, and the optical pathlength and spatial sensitivity profile in the models with a clear layer are quite different from those without. However the presence of the sulci hardly affect the light distribution, the results from the sophisticated brain model with sulci being almost the same as those of the model with a simple CSF layer.
Comparison between Single and Multi-Objective Evolutionary Algorithms to Solve the Knapsack Problem and the Travelling Salesman Problem

One of the main components of most modern Multi-Objective Evolutionary Algorithms (MOEAs) is to maintain a proper diversity within a population in order to avoid the premature convergence problem. Due to this implicit feature that most MOEAs share, their application for Single-Objective Optimization (SO) might be helpful, and provides a promising field of research. Some common approaches to this topic are based on adding extra—and generally artificial—objectives to the problem formulation. However, when applying MOEAs to implicit Multi-Objective Optimization Problems (MOPs), it is not common to analyze how effective said approaches are in relation to optimizing each objective separately. In this paper, we present a comparative study between MOEAs and Single-Objective Evolutionary Algorithms (SOEAs) when optimizing every objective in a MOP, considering here the bi-objective case. For the study, we focus on two well-known and widely studied optimization problems: the Knapsack Problem (KNP) and the Travelling Salesman Problem (TSP). The experimental study considers three MOEAs and two SOEAs. Each SOEA is applied independently for each optimization objective, such that the optimized values obtained for each objective can be compared to the multi-objective solutions achieved by the MOEAs. MOEAs, however, allow optimizing two objectives at once, since the resulting Pareto fronts can be used to analyze the endpoints, i.e., the point optimizing objective 1 and the point optimizing objective 2. The experimental results show that, although MOEAs have to deal with several objectives simultaneously, they can compete with SOEAs, especially when dealing with strongly correlated or large instances.
Advances in semiconductor nanowire growth on graphene

Here we review the recent research activities on the epitaxial growth of semiconductor nanowires (NWs) on graphene substrates. Semiconductor NWs with quasi one-dimensional structure have become an active research field due to their various interesting physical properties and potentials for future electronic and optoelectronic device applications, such as transistors, sensors, solar cells, light emitting diodes, and lasers. At almost the same time graphene, a two-dimensional material made of carbon, was discovered and has gained an ever increasing interest during the last few years owing to its remarkable properties, including excellent electrical conductivity, optical transparency, and mechanical strength and flexibility. A hybrid structure by epitaxially growing semiconductor NWs on graphene could provide a new avenue for the development of future advanced NW-based flexible electronic and optoelectronic devices. We address the challenges for the growth of semiconductor NWs on graphene, with a special focus on the III–V semiconductors, and highlight some potential applications of the NW/graphene hybrid system. (© 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
ADAPTIVE ALTERNATIVE PATH AND RATE BASED CONGESTION CONTROL FOR 6LOWPAN, WSN TOWARDS INTERNET OF THINGS

Internet of Things (IoT) is a common Global platform to connect various heterogeneous devices over Internet which enable Machine-to-Machine (M2M) communication by embedding intelligent software in the objects to deploy high-quality and effective smart devices to offer different types of services. Congestion will be increased with the rate of increasing devices in the IoT networks. In congestion control mechanisms based on rate adjustment, dropping a packet will cause entire packet re-transmission due to packets are usually fragmented. In case of an alternative path approach, finding an optimal path with minimum hop count, low buffer occupancy, maximum link quality, low packet dropping rate and maximum through put is not easy to establish in every circumstance. In this paper, we propose an Adaptive Hybrid Congestion Control Protocol (AHCCP) for RPL based IoT sensor networks. In this protocol, initially the packets are sensed by an end IoT devices are categorized into various priorities depending on traffic type. Based on congestion status source will choose either rate based or alternative path for data transmission. This protocol will be implemented in NS3 and compare the results with game theory based congestion control protocol in terms of PDR, throughput, packet loss and energy efficiency.
Au encapsulated into Al-MCM-41 mesoporous material: in situ synthesis and electronic structure

Au supporting mesoporous material Al-MCM-41 composites were successfully prepared by encapsulation of the in situ synthesized gold nanoparticles into Al-MCM-41; herein palygorskite clay was used as the Si and Al sources and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as the template and coupling agent. The obtained Al-MCM-41 possessed a well-defined two-dimensional hexagonal structure with a relative large specific surface area and pore size distribution of 3.9 nm, which was ideal to house very small Au nanoparticles (∼3 nm). Using this in situ encapsulation route, the highly ordered Al-MCM-41 was simultaneously generated with the gold nanoparticles incorporated into the pores and the Au3+ species well dispersed in the frameworks. The electronic structure and optical properties of Au/Al-MCM-41 were investigated in detail. The partial reduction of Au3+ species by incorporation of Al3+ from clay sources was confirmed by XPS results and DFT calculations, and the higher catalytic activities of Au/Al-MCM-41 over Au-MCM-41 were evaluated.
Avaliação do efeito de polietilenoglicóis no perfil de extratos de Mikania glomerata Spreng., Asteraceae, e Passiflora edulis Sims, Passifloraceae

Polyethylene glycols (PEG) are hydrosoluble polymers able to reducing dielectric constant of solvents like water and thus are used as cosolvents to enhance the aqueous solubility of several drugs. Actually, the PEG have been successful applied to obtain extracts of plant raw material once can facilitate the extraction of substances with polarities similar to those extracted by hydroethanol solvents. In this study, the objective was to evaluate the effect of PEG concentration and molecular weight (400 and 4000 g/mol) on the extraction of total flavonoids from Passiflora edulis Sims, Passifloraceae, and coumarin from Mikania glomerata Spreng. , Asteraceae. The results showed that increasing PEG concentration promoted an increase in the extractive capacity of total flavonoid and coumarin from Passiflora edulis and Mikania glomerata respectively. This behavior was attributed to changes in dielectric constant. Despite raising the extractive capacity, the solvent containing PEG required high plant/solvent ratio to reach levels similar to hydroethanol solvents used, except for the extraction of total flavonoids from Passiflora edulis using PEG 4000 g/mol.
PRATD: A Phased Remote Access Trojan Detection Method with Double-Sided Features

Remote Access Trojan (RAT) is one of the most terrible security threats that organizations face today. At present, two major RAT detection methods are host-based and network-based detection methods. To complement one another’s strengths, this article proposes a phased RATs detection method by combining double-side features (PRATD). In PRATD, both host-side and network-side features are combined to build detection models, which is conducive to distinguishing the RATs from benign programs because that the RATs not only generate traffic on the network but also leave traces on the host at run time. Besides, PRATD trains two different detection models for the two runtime states of RATs for improving the True Positive Rate (TPR). The experiments on the network and host records collected from five kinds of benign programs and 20 famous RATs show that PRATD can effectively detect RATs, it can achieve a TPR as high as 93.609% with a False Positive Rate (FPR) as low as 0.407% for the known RATs, a TPR 81.928% and FPR 0.185% for the unknown RATs, which suggests it is a competitive candidate for RAT detection.
Reproductive performance of northern Australia beef herds. 8. Impact of rainfall and wild dog control on percentage fetal and calf loss

Context Dingoes and hybrid domestic dogs (wild dogs) are lethally managed, principally by large-scale baiting programs, to protect Australia’s AU$11.4 billion beef cattle industry from predation. This strategy is promoted by pest management agencies as best practice. Aim To investigate the impact of baiting frequency and rainfall on percentage fetal and calf loss. Methods Using 64 property-years of data from 31 properties located across Queensland and the Northern Territory, 14 171 mating outcomes were investigated to assess whether annual rainfall, relative to 124-year mean annual rainfall, and the frequency that wild dogs were lethally controlled on each property, influenced predicted fetal and calf loss. Key results No effect of baiting frequency on fetal and calf loss in mature cows was observed. Predicted fetal and calf loss was significantly higher in dry and very wet years than in moderate-rainfall years (P < 0.001). Losses were observed to be higher in first-lactation cows when baiting was either: not conducted, conducted every 2–5 years or several times per year (P < 0.05) when compared with baiting annually, suggesting that factors other than baiting frequency are likely to have a stronger impact on calf loss. Conclusions Only limited empirical evidence was found to support lethal control. Further investigations may clarify whether the calves of first-lactation cows experience increased predation risk and whether the effect that dry conditions have on cow nutrition, milk supply and, consequently, the vigour of the cow and calf, may also increase predation risk. Implications Lethal control of wild dogs to protect calves is mostly unnecessary.
Measuring Students’ Perceptions of Teacher Involvement in Mathematics Homework Assignments: A Scale Development

This study aimed to develop a scale to determine students’ perceptions of teacher involvement in mathematics homework assignments. An item pool (n = 30) was generated based on a literature review. Based on expert feedback, the number of items was reduced to 21 scored on a 5-point Likert-type scale. A draft named the “Scale of Teacher Involvement in Mathematics Homework Assignments (STIMHA)” was developed after the items were reviewed by a linguist. A pilot study was conducted with six middle school students to check for comprehensibility. The items were revised and finalized based on their feedback. The main study sample consisted of 751 middle school students from four schools in Demirci/Manisa in Turkey during the 2017−2018 academic year. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS 24.0) and Analysis of Moment Structures (AMOS 21.0). Validity and reliability were established.
Applying the information acceptance model to predict purchase intention in social media

E-WOM has become an essential marketing tool, as an online marketplace compete to dominate the online space. This paper assesses the relationship of e-WOM and its relationship towards purchase intention. The theoretical model based on the information acceptance model suggesting information (quality, credibility, usefulness, and adoption), needs of information and attitude towards information are the primary variables that influence purchase intention. This is a descriptive research; closed-ended questionnaires were distributed with 294 respondents with college students as the main demographic. The findings of this research show that the usefulness of information does play a significant influence toward purchase intention, but the attitude towards information does not significantly influence information usefulness. This study implies that some companies which compete in the online space should primarily focus on how useful their information is deemed by the consumers.
In situ SeO2 promoted synthesis of CdSe/PPy and Se/PPy nanocomposites and their utility in optical sensing for detection of Hg2+ ions

Avoiding the use of any external oxidising agent or initiator for the polymerisation process, pyrrole was successfully polymerised to polypyrrole (PPy) using SeO2 as an internal oxidant which leads to the in situ synthesis of selenium and cadmium selenide polypyrrole (Se/PPy and CdSe/PPy) nanocomposites by chemical and microwave methods. PPy formation during the reaction was monitored by UV-Visible absorption spectroscopy. XRD measurements indicated the formation of the confirmed CdSe/PPy and Se/PPy nanocomposites. SEM images show the aggregation of small particles in the form of large globules with smooth surfaces. HRTEM images reveal the presence of spherical CdSe and Se nanoparticles homogeneously embedded in the polypyrrole matrix with interplanar distances of 0.35 nm and 0.4 nm for the (111) and (100) atomic planes, respectively. The as-synthesized CdSe/PPy and Se/PPy nanocomposites were tested for the detection of heavy metal ions. CdSe/PPy and Se/PPy successfully detected mercury ions at 25, 50 and 100 ppm. This article also describes the use of pre-synthesized Se/PPy nanocomposites as precursors for the synthesis of CdSe/PPy nanocomposites.
Electrospinning of Nanofibres: Towards New Techniques, Functions, and Applications

Nanofibres, core–shell nanofibres, as well as hollow nanofibres and nanotubes based on polymers, serve as a platform for a broad range of applications as filters, textiles, in photonics, sensors, catalysis, or in medicine and pharmacy. Such nanoobjects become available by techniques such as the well-known electrospinning and the more recently developed co-electrospinning of nanofibres. Electrospinning takes place in the latter case by two or more concentrically arranged dies that yield core–shell fibres or fibres with droplet-like inclusions arranged along the centre of the fibres, where the inclusions are composed of polymers, low-molar-mass synthetic functional units, or molecules of biological origins such as proteins. Furthermore, template methods have been developed using electrospun nanofibres or a porous substrate, which yield core–shell fibres of complex architectures, with or without gradient structures or hollow nanofibres and nanotubes. These techniques are not restricted to polymers of synthetic and natural origin, but are able – based on precursor substances – to deliver nanofibres and nanotubes also composed of metals, glasses, and ceramics. Furthermore, these preparation techniques allow the direct introduction into these nanostructures of specific functional compounds such as semiconductor or catalytic nanoparticles and chromophores, in addition to enzymes, proteins, microorganisms, etc. during the preparation process in a very gentle way. Of particular interest are such nanostructures in medicine and pharmacy, for instance, as scaffolds for tissue engineering or as drug-delivery systems for tumour therapy.
Using social media to enhance student engagement and quality

The educational benefits, which accrue from the enhancement in student engagement, are well documented in the literature. Some of the benefits identified include increased student interest in course content, enhanced academic performance and enhanced student critical thinking skills. This study demonstrates a significant advantage in using social media platforms in student engagement with the course material and lecturers offering the material. Typically, student engagement has been and mainly is achieved as on-campus contact mode or contact at sites of delivery and even online, using platforms created and managed by universities such as Blackboard. In this study, a comparative review of the academic performance of two groups of students enrolled for a similar subject offered at a University of Technology is performed to analyze the effects of using social media as a method to engage students on performance outside the normal communication time. The assumption is that this method of student engagement would enrich the student experience and alter how course content is articulated, presented and absorbed, in essence allowing the student to feel enabled and included in the engagement paradigm. Feedback provided in the engagement with peers and the lecturer leads to clarity and improvement in the quality of the course overall.
An improved practical approach for estimating catchment-scale response functions through wavelet analysis

Catchment-scale response functions, such as transit time distribution (TTD) and evapotranspiration time distribution (ETTD), are considered fundamental descriptors of a catchment’s hydrologic and ecohydrologic responses to spatially and temporally varying precipitation inputs. Yet, estimating these functions is challenging, especially in headwater catchments where data collection is complicated by rugged terrain, or in semi-arid or sub-humid areas where precipitation is infrequent. Hence, we developed practical approaches for estimating both TTD and ETTD from commonly available tracer flux data in hydrologic inflows and outflows without requiring continuous observations. Using the weighted wavelet spectral analysis method of Kirchner and Neal [2013] for δ18O in precipitation and stream water, we specifically calculated TTDs that contribute to streamflow via spatially and temporally variable flow paths in a sub-humid mountain headwater catchment in Arizona, USA. Our results indicate that composite TTDs most accurately represented this system for periods up to approximately one month and that a Gamma TTD was most appropriate thereafter. The TTD results also suggested that some contribution of subsurface water was beyond the applicable tracer range. For ETTD and using δ18O as a tracer in precipitation and xylem waters, a Gamma ETTD type best matched the observations, and stable water isotopes were capable tracers for the majority of vegetation source waters. This study contributes to a better understanding of a fundamental question in mountain catchment hydrology; namely, how tracer input fluxes are modulated by spatially and temporally varying subsurface flow paths that support evapotranspiration and streamflow at multiple time scales.
Selective etching of gold nanorods by ferric chloride at room temperature

The chemical stability of gold nanorods in different environments is important for a variety of practical applications, because the tiny change in shape and size could directly affect the optical properties of the gold nanorods. Herein we report a chemical etching reaction of the gold nanorods induced by ferric chloride at room temperature. In the chemical etching, halide ions act as a ligand to reduce the electron potential of the gold species, which enables ferric ions to oxidize the gold nanorods and results in the etching of the gold nanorods. The redox etching leads to a significant decrease of the gold nanorods in length but little change in diameter, which could be attributed to less surface passivation or higher chemical reactivity of the tips of the gold nanorods. It is believed that the selective shortening not only provides an alternative way to obtain the gold nanorods with desirable aspect ratios and specific optical properties, but also offers a safe way to remove gold nanostructures, which is important for the preparation of hollow nanostructures with gold as a template.