Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Review of SERS for Biomaterials Analysis Using Metal Nanoparticles

Surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) was first discovered in 1974 by an unexpected Raman signal increase from Pyridine adsorbed on rough Ag electrode surfaces by the M. Fleishmann group. M. Moskovits group suggested that this phenomenon could be caused by surface plasmon resonance (SPR), which is a collective oscillation of free electrons at the surface of metal nanostructures by an external light source. After about 40 years, the SERS study has attracted great attention as a biomolecule analysis technology, and more than 2500 new papers and 500 review papers related to SERS topic have been published each year in recently. The advantages of biomaterials analysis using SERS are as follows; 1 Molecular level analysis is possible based on unique fingerprint information of biomolecule, 2 There is no photo-bleaching effect of the Raman reporters, allowing long-term monitoring of biomaterials compared to fluorescence microscopy, 3 SERS peak bandwidth is approximately 10 to 100 times narrower than fluorescence emission from organic phosphor or quantum dot, resulting in higher analysis accuracy, 22) 4 Single excitation wavelength allows analysis of various biomaterials, 5 By utilizing near-infrared (NIR) SERSactivated nanostructures and NIR excitation lasers, auto-fluorescence noise in the visible wavelength range can be avoided from in vivo experiment and light damage in living cells can be minimized compared to visible lasers, 6 The weak Raman signal of the water molecule makes it easy to analyze biomaterials in aqueous solutions. For this reason, SERS is attracting attention as a next-generation non-invasive medical diagnostic device as well as substance analysis. In this review, the principles of SERS and various biomaterial analysis principles using SERS analysis will be introduced through recent research papers.
Photoinduced increase of electron transfer efficiency of QDs based hybrid structures

The effect of photoinduced processes on CdSe/ZnS quantum dots surface on the functionality of TiO2 nanoparticles/quantum dots hybrid structures was investigated. It is shown that preliminary irradiation of quantum dots makes it possible to achieve a threefold increase in the efficiency of electron transfer from quantum dot to TiO2 nanoparticle in these structures. It has been demonstrated that photoinduced processes affect both the quantum yield of quantum dots luminescence and the reactive oxygen species generation by structures under visible light.
Empty Fruit Bunches as Sustainable Source for Cellulose Nanocrystal Extraction

Nowadays, enormous interest has been manifested in utilizing biomass wastes as a renewable resource for energy and advanced material production besides promoting waste reduction. The aim of this study is to elucidate the potential applicability of empty fruit bunches (EFB) as native botanic material for the extraction of cellulose nanocrystals (CNC). Raw empty fruit bunches were subjected to two different pretreatment steps, namely alkali-treatment and bleaching to extract cellulose. Acid hydrolysis was then implemented to extract cellulose nanocrystals in aqueous suspension. In order to extract high purity cellulose nanocrystals, it is crucial to remove natural recalcitrance such as hemicellulose and lignin resides in the empty fruit bunch fibres. Chemical composition analysis using Designer Energy Ltd. Method proved that cellulose nanocrystals produced have high cellulose content up to 73.74 %. Besides, the effects of pre-treatment and acid hydrolysis toward the quality of cellulose samples produced were investigated by various characterisation methods. Scanning electron microscopy equipped with energy dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX) showed that the cellulose nanocrystals exhibit spherical-like shape with an average diameter of around 56.1 to 105 nm. The size of cellulose nanocrystals was further confirmed by dynamic light scattering (DLS) technique, which showed that the major size distribution of the cellulose nanocrystal samples was in the range from 80.59 to 456.8 nm. X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) exhibited that cellulose nanocrystals extracted has a relatively high crystallinity index of 83.4862 %. Hemicellulose and lignin compounds were successfully removed in the absence of peaks at 1593.97 and 1237.91 cm in Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectrum. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was used to identify the thermal stability of cellulose nanocrystals, which demonstrated the decomposition of cellulose nanocrystals between 60 to 800 °C. In this study, cellulose nanocrystals with high purity and crystallinity have been successfully derived from empty fruit bunch biomass wastes and through an environmentally benign approach.
The Analysis of Thermal Properties of Selected Rock Materials by Thermovision Methods

Heat accumulation means denotes the of a material to collect and store inside a specific amount of thermal energy, which can be then returned for a period time from the material. There are many investigations devoted to finding a method to collect heat when there is an excess and to use it when there is a deficit. The parameter determining whether the returned heat long for a term will have an impact on the room temperature, is the time of emission of stored energy. For the specified amount of stored energy, the emission time cannot be too short (in such a case too much heat in the unit time is returned) or too long (in this case a too small amount of heat in the time unit is returned, for example insufficient for heating rooms). The main aim of this research is to investigate the behavior (during cooling) of natural rock materials. On the basis of research and performed calculations the evaluation of tested materials to serve as the heat accumulator was performed. This analysis would allow them to be applied for the production of components, including precast, working at elevated temperatures, in which the accumulation and transfer of heat is important (eg. housing furnaces and fireplaces).
Cigarette Smoking and Risk of Bladder Cancer: A Meta Analysis

igarette smoking is a major risk factor that generates the urinary bladder cancer in about 50 to 65% males and 20 to 30% females. Cigarette and cigar smoking are significantly associated determinants for developing urinary bladder cancer. The convincing evidence was the cigarette smoking status, frequency and duration which substantially increased the risk of bladder cancer. Cigarette smoking and heavy pipe smoking significantly increase the risk in both males and females.
Catalytic Conversion of Methane at Low Temperatures: A Critical Review

The current study reviews the recent development in the direct conversion of methane into syngas, methanol, light olefins, and aromatic compounds. For syngas production, nickel-based catalysts are considered as a good choice. Methane conversion (84%) is achieved with nearly no coke formation when the 7% Ni-1%Au/Al2O3 catalyst is used in the steam reforming of methane (SRM), whereas for dry reforming of methane (DRM), a methane conversion of 17.9% and CO2 conversion of 23.1% are found for 10%Ni/ZrOxMnOx/SiO2 operated at 500oC. The progress of direct conversion of methane to methanol is also summarized with an insight into its selectivity and/or conversion, which shows that in liquid-phase heterogeneous systems, high selectivity (>80%) can be achieved at 50oC, but the conversion is low. The latest development of nonoxidative coupling of methane (NOCM) and oxidative coupling of methane (OCM) for the production of olefins is also reviewed. The Mn2O3–TiO2–Na2WO4/SiO2 catalyst is reported to show the high C2 yield (22%) and a high selectivity toward C2 (62%) during the OCM at 650oC. For NOCM, 98% selectivity of ethane can be achieved when a tantalum hydride catalyst supported on silica is used. In addition, the Mo-based catalysts are the most suitable for the preparation of aromatic compounds from methane.
P‐1.5: Fabrication of Self‐Aligned Top‐Gate Amorphous InGaZnO Thin‐Film Transistors with Submicron Channel Length

A method based on photoresist trimming technique was developed to fabricate self‐aligned top‐gate amorphous indium‐gallium‐zinc oxide (a‐IGZO) thin‐film transistors (TFTs) with submicron channel length. In this scheme, a hard mask layer was adopted to further reduce the channel length defined by the photoresist trimming process. With this method, the self‐aligned top‐gate a‐IGZO TFT with channel length of about 0. 6µm is fabricated. Moreover, the fabricated device shows a field effect mobility of 6.8 cm2/Vs, a subthreshold swing of 0.29V/decade, and high ON/OFF current ratio up to 108.
Multiple Kernel Clustering Based on Self-Weighted Local Kernel Alignment

: Multiple kernel clustering based on local kernel alignment has achieved outstanding clustering performance by applying local kernel alignment on each sample. However, we observe that most of existing works usually assume that each local kernel alignment has the equal contribution to clustering performance, while local kernel alignment on different sample actually has different contribution to clustering performance. Therefore this assumption could have a negative effective on clustering performance. To solve this issue, we design a multiple kernel clustering algorithm based on self-weighted local kernel alignment, which can learn a proper weight to clustering performance for each local kernel alignment. Specifically, we introduce a new optimization variable-weight-to denote the contribution of each local kernel alignment to clustering performance, and then, weight, kernel combination coefficients and cluster membership are alternately optimized under kernel alignment frame. In addition, we develop a three-step alternate iterative optimization algorithm to address the resultant optimization problem. Broad experiments on five benchmark data sets have been put into effect to evaluate the clustering performance of the proposed algorithm. The experimental results distinctly demonstrate that the proposed algorithm outperforms the typical multiple kernel clustering algorithms, which illustrates the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.
Prognostic factors of key outcomes for motor neuron disease in a multiracial Asian population

BACKGROUND Knowledge of prognostic factors related to the survival of Motor Neuron Diseases (MND) remains scarce in Southeast Asia. PURPOSE To determine potential prognostic factors for survival, need for feeding and ventilation support in MND patients in a multi-racial Asian population. METHODS One hundred and four MND patients from the Singapore General Hospital (SGH) between January 2004 and December 2017 were reviewed. All relevant clinical data, demographic information were collected. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression model were performed to identify potential prognostic factors for crucial outcomes (survival, need for feeding support and ventilation support). RESULTS Mean age of onset was 59.54 ± 10.91 years, Mean age of onset in Malays was significantly younger than that of other ethnic groups (Malay: 54.18 ± 12.95 years; Non-Malay: 60.39 ± 10.38 years, p = 0.035). Fifty six of the male and 33of the female were diagnosed with ALS (90.3% vs. 78.6% p = 0.048). Mean overall survival duration from symptom onset was significantly longer in female than male patients (female: 39.2 ± 29.04 months; male: 29.4 ± 24.06 months, P = 0.03). In the multivariable Cox regression model, bulbar onset (aHR = 5.28, p = 0.035) correlated with poor survival outcome while longer duration from onset to second symptom (aHR = 0.96, P = 0.037) indicated better survival. CONCLUSIONS Bulbar onset was a significant risk predictor for survival. Slower disease progression correlated with better outcomes. Age of onset may differ among ethnic groups. Male patients are more likely to develop Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and have shorter survival duration.
Assessment of Factors Behind Dropouts in Secondary School in Tanzania: A case study of Meru District in Tanzania

The main objective of this study was to examine factors behind dropouts in secondary schools. The study was conducted at Meru District Council in Tanzania. The study was mainly qualitative and partly quantitative which used questionnaires and interviews as well as documentary review for data collection. A total of 177 respondents were involved in the study. This included 70 students from selected schools, 70 parents and guardians, 36 teachers and 1 District Education Officer (secondary). The study revealed that there are several factors which contribute to dropout in secondary schools in Meru district council. These include early pregnancy, long distance to school, peer pressure, disability, unfriendly environment, sexual harassment, poor performance and petty trade. In addition, lack of enough classrooms, shortage of qualified teachers, lack of teaching and learning materials, absence of food/ lunch in schools and re- integrating young mothers also contribute to dropout in schools. It was found that dropping out increase poverty, illiteracy, crimes and early pregnancies. From the findings of the study, it is recommended that students should commit themselves in their studies and avoid dangerous activities. Teachers should emphasize on the importance of students being educated, parents and guardians should maintain good contact with schools management so as to know students’ academic development and the government should improve learning environment and provide education which is suitable in terms of quality.
Diagnosis and Epidemiology of Agoraphobia and Social Phobia

Summary: The subdivisions of phobias are based on empiric findings, mostly those of Marks, who delineated four subtypes of phobias: agoraphobia, social phobia, animal phobia, and specific phobias. Most of the research has been devoted to agoraphobia and, to a much lesser extent, social phobia. The revisions of the international classifications of mental disorders have provided operationalized diagnostic criteria for these disorders, allowing a more precise definition of cases that preclude all epidemiologic studies. Despite these definitions, some diagnostic problems still remain regarding more precise delineation of fears and phobias and assessment of the level of impairment in nonclinical samples. To date, results are available from recent epidemiologic studies that have been conducted in the general population in different countries. These studies have found that phobic disorders are the most common mental disorders in the community. Most of them have reported the highest rate for simple phobia and then agoraphobia, even when a wide variation in prevalence rates has been observed. Regarding risk factors, a clear preponderance of females has been found for simple phobia and agoraphobia, and a less pronounced preponderance for social phobia. Simple phobia begins early in life, whereas agoraphobia occurs in young adulthood. The age of onset of social phobia, according to the Epidemiologic Catchment Area data, has a bimodal distribution. Epidemiologic and clinical studies have consistently found a high comorbidity rate within phobic disorders and with other anxiety disorders. Other comorbidity patterns of phobic disorders with depressive disorders and substance use and abuse have been reported in many studies. Comorbid diagnoses appear to have a major influence in the explanation of risk factors such as impairment and quality of life. An epidemiologic study of agoraphobia and social phobia has been conducted in a French general population. Prevalence rates, age at onset, and comorbidity are reported. Suicidality, family history, and health services use in women are analyzed with and without adjustment for depression.
Influence of Acid-Treatment on Waste Lignin for Synthesis of Carbon Nanoparticle

Waste lignin (WL) obtained from paper mills, was studied for its potential application in preparing carbon nanoparticles (CNPs) with high porosity. This was done by impregnation of 0, 5, 10 and 20% concentrations of phosphoric acid under various carbonization temperatures (600, 700, 800 and 900°C). The physicochemical properties of CNPs were characterized through nitrogen sorption, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Nitrogen sorption revealed that the condition using 10% concentration of phosphoric acid treatment at a carbonization temperature of 700°C formed carbon nanoparticles with a highly porous structure (Surface area 27.65 m2/g and pore volume 0.07 cm3/g). Additionally, in order to high surface area, porosity and concentrated carbon nanoparticle.
P‐5.1: Enhanced Nickel Oxide Hole Injection Layer via the rGO Combustion Method for Perovskite QDs Light‐Emitting Diodes

Nonstoichiometry nickel oxide (NiOx) hole injection layer (HIL) plays an important role in realizing highly efficient and stable perovskite quantum dot light‐emitting diodes (QLEDs). Here, we report the use of solution processed rGO‐doped NiOx thin films as the hole injection layer (HIL) in the perovskite CsPbBr3 QLEDs, with an emphasis on the significantly improved device efficiency. The device (Figure. 1a) consists of multiple layers arranged in the following order: FTO/rGO: NiOx/TFB/CsPbBr3/TPBi/LiF/Al. As shown in Figure. 2, compared to un‐doped NiOx based QLEDs, higher luminance and luminous efficiency are achieved from the rGO: NiOx device. The enhanced efficiency of the QLED can be attributed to the reduced defective oxygen and enhanced hole injection ability of the rGO: NiOx layer. It is found that during the thermal annealing step, the rGO helps reduce the defective oxygen (e.g., OH‐ group) in the nonstoichiometric thin film and improve the hole extraction efficiency. Figure. 2c shows maximum luminance and external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 1009 cd/m2 and 0.19%, which are 68.2% and 51.9% higher compared to the un‐doped NiOx based QLEDs.
Bulky Thiolated Gold Nanomolecules: Synthesis, Characterization, Optical Properties, and Atomic Structure

ii DEDICATION . iv LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AND SYMBOLS . v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . vii LIST OF SCHEMES AND TABLES . xi LIST OF FIGURES . xiii CHAPTER ONE .
15.3: Asymmetric Conductance of Oxide Thin‐Film Transistors Induced by Top‐Gate Effect of Drain Overlap Capacitance

IGZO TFT has been widely used in flat‐panel displays and its good electrical characteristics are the key to make high‐performance products. This paper investigated the influence of Top‐Gate effect caused by drain overlap capacitance on the transfer characteristic and output characteristic of IGZO TFT (W/L=15.6um/8um) by experimental measurements and TCAD simulations.
Text Detection and Recognition for Natural Scene Images Using Deep Convolutional Neural Networks

: Words are the most indispensable information in human life. It is very important to analyze and understand the meaning of words. Compared with the general visual elements, the text conveys rich and high-level moral information, which enables the computer to better understand the semantic content of the text. With the rapid development of computer technology, great achievements have been made in text information detection and recognition. However, when dealing with text characters in natural scene images, there are still some limitations in the detection and recognition of natural scene images. Because natural scene image has more interference and complexity than text, these factors make the detection and recognition of natural scene image text face many challenges. To solve this problem, a new text detection and recognition method based on depth convolution neural network is proposed for natural scene image in this paper. In text detection, this method obtains high-level visual features from the bottom pixels by ResNet network, and extracts the context features from character sequences by BLSTM layer, then introduce to the idea of faster R-CNN vertical anchor point to find the bounding box of the detected text, which effectively improves the effect of text object detection. In addition, in text recognition task, DenseNet model is used to construct character recognition based on Kares. Finally, the output of Softmax is used to classify each character. Our method can replace the artificially defined features with automatic learning and context-based features. It improves the efficiency and accuracy of recognition, and realizes text detection and recognition of natural scene images. And on the PAC2018 competition platform, the experimental results have achieved good results.
Resonant optical trapping in hollow photonic crystal cavities and its potential use for bacterial characterisation

During the last decade, the development of optofluidic chips has become a large field of research. The integration of nano and microstructures with microfluidics layers allowed for the miniaturisation of a number of tools traditionally used in laboratories and optofluidic systems found their main applications in lab-on-a-chip and sensing platforms. At the same time, optical tweezers have become the tool of choice for the trapping and the manipulation of nano and micrometer-sized objects, that can be inert (dielectric or metallic particles) or biological (proteins, bacteria, viruses,.). In this context, nanostructures are the ideal candidate for tweezers miniaturisation, thanks to their ability to strongly confine light in small volumes and hence to generate intense gradient forces. This work reports on the fabrication of an optofluidic chip based on a two-dimensional photonic crystal cavity and on its use in particle and bacteria differentiation. The cavity has a hollow design that maximises the overlap between the confined field and the trapped objects and it supports Self-Induced Back-Action effects that allow for reducing the trapping power (down to few microwatts) and to simultaneously acquire information of the trapped specimen. The system is excited in an end-fire setup and the detection is carried out by recording the light intensity transmitted through the photonic crystal. The fabrication process, that is entirely carried out in the Institue of Physics and in the Center of MicroNanoTechnology cleanrooms, is first detailed. For the cavity design normally used, typical quality factors of 10000 were obtained. Moreover, SU8 mode adaptors were developed to increase the coupling with lensed fibers and a microfluidic membrane presenting two injection channels is proposed for rapid switch between liquids. The trapping and the differentiation of 250 and 500 nm polystyrene is then presented. The differentiation can be achieved qualitatively by direct observation of the transmitted intensity records and quantitatively by the use of histograms and of statistical moments. Finally, the trapping of seven species of living bacteria is shown and their Gram-type is determined by the analysis of the induced transmission increase. This ability to probe the cell wall of bacteria in a fast, label-free and non-destructive way paves the way for applications in biological and biomedical environments.