Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of MnO2 Crystalline Structure on the Catalytic Oxidation of Formaldehyde

ABSTRACTManganese oxides prove to be a promising catalyst for formaldehyde (HCHO) elimination in catalytic oxidation. In this study, MnO2 with different crystalline structure (α-MnO2, β-MnO2, γ-MnO2, and δ-MnO2) were synthesized by hydrothermal method to investigate their catalytic performances towards the abatement of formaldehyde. The prepared catalysts were characterized and analyzed by the X-ray diffraction (XRD), hydrogen-temperature programmed reduction (H2-TPR), BET specific surface area, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and ammonia-temperature programmed desorption (NH3-TPD). In addition, the apparent activation energy was also calculated by using Arrhenius plots. Among the above four prepared catalysts, the γ-MnO2 has the best destruction and removal efficiency (DRE), which was approaching to 100% for HCHO at 155°C. The catalytic activity of γ-MnO2 is associated with abundant mesopores, higher reducibility of surface oxygen species, and more oxygen vacancies as compared to other types of crystalline MnO2.
High Concentration Perchlorate Degradation in Microbial Fuel Cell

In this study, microbial fuel cell was used to degrade 300 mg/L of perchlorate in the cathode chamber. Total of 77% and 47% of perchlorate were degraded with the addition of bacteria mixture and 30 mg/L of Fe/Ni nanoparticles respectively in the cathode chamber.
In situ water vapor and ozone measurements in Lhasa and Kunming during the Asian summer monsoon

The Asian summer monsoon (ASM) anticyclone circulation system is recognized to be a significant transport pathway for water vapor and pollutants to enter the stratosphere. The observational evidence, however, is largely based on satellite retrievals. We report the first coincident in situ measurements of water vapor and ozone within the ASM anticyclone. The combined water vapor and ozonesondes were launched from Kunming, China in August 2009 and Lhasa, China in August 2010. In total, 11 and 12 sondes were launched in Kunming and Lhasa, respectively. We present the key characteristics of these measurements, and provide a comparison to similar measurements from an equatorial tropical location, during the Tropical Composition, Cloud and Climate Coupling (TC4) campaign in July and August of 2007. Results show that the ASM anticyclone region has higher water vapor and lower ozone concentrations in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere than the TC4 observations. The results also show that the cold point tropopause in the ASM region has a higher average height and potential temperature. The in situ observations therefore support the satellite‐based conclusion that the ASM is an effective transport pathway for water vapor to enter stratosphere.
Assessment of Stability, Adaptability and Yield Performance of Bread Wheat (Triticum Aestivum L.) Cultivars in South Estern Ethiopia

Abstract The success of crop improvement and production activities can be enhanced with scientific information generated form genotype-environment interactions. GEI reduces the association between phenotype and genotype which result in relative ranking and stability differences of genotypes across environments. This study were conducted with the objective to identify stable, and adaptable bread wheat genotypes under various environments. Eighteen genotypes were tested across nine environments for two years on randomized block design of three replication. Plot size of 1.2 m × 2.5 m and 20cm spacing between rows were used. All recommended agronomic practices and managements were applied uniformly. Data were collected on plot basis and converted to ton ha-1. and analyzed with appropriate statistical software for stability parameters. Combined analysis over nine environments showed, variety Tuse (HAR-1407) ranked first in mean yield(3.11ton × ha-1), and K-6295–4A ranked second (3.01 ton × ha-1) and Dashen came third(2.98 ton ha-1). Analysis of AMMI model showed that the first principal component, PCA 1 explained 53.72% of the interaction sum of squares while the second principal component, PCA 2 explained 17.61% interaction sum of squares. Ecovalence(Wi) analysis showed that G2 (Sofumar(HAR-1889)), G4 (Kubsa(HAR-1685)), G5 (Tura(HAR-1407)), G7 (Galema (HAR-604)), G12 (Wabe (HAR-710)), almost equally the lowest ecovalence that evidenced less fluctuation across environment and found to be stable.
ORB feature extraction and matching in hardware

The ORB (Oriented FAST (Features from Accelerated Segment Test) and Rotated BRIEF (Binary Robust Independent Elementary Features)) feature extractor is the state of the art in wide baseline matching with sparse image features for robotic vision. All previous implementations have employed general-purpose computing hardware, such as CPUs and GPUs. This work seeks to investigate the applicability of special-purpose computing hardware, in the form of Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), to the acceleration of this problem. FPGAs offer lower power consumption and higher frame rates than general hardware. A working implementation on an Altera Cyclone II (a low-cost FPGA suitable for development work, and available with a camera and screen interface) is described.
An Invasive Initial Approach may Benefit Frail Patients with an Acute Coronary Syndrome

Gonzalo L. Alonso Salinas1*, Marcelo Sanmartin-Fernandez1, Marina Pascual Izco1, Luis M. Rincon1, Pablo Pastor Pueyo1, David del Val Martin1, Alvaro Marco del Castillo1, Roberto Martín Asenjo2, Alba M Martin Acuña1, Asuncion Camino1, Manuel Jimenez-Mena1 and Jose L. Zamorano1 1Cardiology Department, Ramon y Cajal Hospital. University of Alcala. Madrid. Spain 2Cardiology Department, Hospital October 12. Madrid. Spain
Geomorphometric comparison of DEMs built by different interpolation methods

One of the most important stages of creating DEMs is the selection of a suitable interpolation algorithm. In this paper I decided to take a look at the most popular methods of data interpolation: Inverse Distance Weighting, Natural Neighbour, Spline, Radial Basis Functions, Local Polynomial and Kriging. As the research area served fragment (20 km2) of the Silesian Upland with diversified relief. I analysed visual effects (3D view and profiles), summarized the basic geomorphometric statistics (heights, local relief, slopes, aspects, curvatures) and an assessment of the vertical accuracy of developed models (RMSE and result conformity) have made. After conducted studies it can be stated, that the best interpolation methods for analyse of the relief are Natural Neighbour and Kriging, because they do not create any artefacts.
Interactive Polymedia Pixel and Protocol for Collaborative creative content generation on urban digital media displays

This research is an investigation into a creative and technical 'pixel' element that may facilitate Urban Digital Media, a field that inhabits the intersection between architecture, information and culture in the arena of technology and building. It asks how contemporary requirements of public space in our everyday life, such as adaptability, new modes of communication and transformative environments that offer flexibility for future needs and uses, can be addressed by a new form of public display, assembled through the use of an advanced pixel, described as an interactive Polymedia Pixel with situated media device protocol. The weakness of many current media facades for building-scale interactive installation environments lies in the dearth of quality creative content and unresponsiveness in terms of potential human factors, richness of locative situation and contextual interaction (Sauer, 2004). Media facades have evolved from simple 2D visual displays to 3D voxel arrays for depicting static and moving images with a spatial depth dimension (Haeusler, 2009). As a subsequent step in this development, the research investigates a display that reacts to the need for empathetic and responsive urban digital media; integrates multiple modalities; smart energy-saving; and collaborative community engagement. The Polymedia Pixel, which is presented in its research and development in this paper, contributes to the evolution of building-scale interactive installation environments. The paper firstly discusses the attributes of the Polymedia Pixel in order to address the above mentioned weaknesses of public displays. In responding to these necessities, the prototype of the developed Polymedia Pixel with its technology is outlined. The Polymedia Pixel reserach aims to address
Assessment of habitat and water quality of the Portuguese Febros River and one of its tributaries

A physical, chemical and biological characterisation of river systems is needed to evaluate their ecological quality and estab­lish restoration programs. Aquatic benthic macroinvertebrates have proven to be among the most reliable and cost-effective assessment tools for water and habitat quality in streams throughout the world. Ouring one year of seasonal surveys, the state of the Febros River and one of its tributaries, Jaca Creek, were evaluated in terms of habitat, physical, chemical and biological water quality, using benthic macroinvertebrates as ecological indicators. These watercourses suffer pollution from agriculture, industry and urban areas. Both watercourses were moderately to severely degraded, showing spatial and temporal vari abi lit y in macroinvertebrate communities and water quality. The overal! poor river conditions were particularly bad in the upper part of Jaca Creek, which is affected by industry. This upriver site showed higher temperatures, conductivity and dissolved solids than al! other sites studied. The best conditions were found in the Gaia Biological Park area, where the habitat quality was evaluated to be high and biotic indices indicated excel! ent and good water quality in the spring and summer, respectively. However, even this site had biological indicator scores denoting severe degradation in autumn and winter. Macroinvertebrate diversity was low, with populations dominated by pollution-tolerant taxa like Chironomids, particularly in the summer and autumn samples. Abundances were mostly higher in the spring and lower in winter. Percentages of Ephemeroptera and Trichoptera (EPT) were low (totaIling 3l % on average), and Plecoptera was completely absent in the samples. The EPT percentage and the percentage of Chironomidae were related to temperature and Biochemical Oxygen Oemand (BOO). In comparison to earlier studies, the Febros River improved in both habitat and biological quality. The present study should help to identify specific measures necessary to restore habitat and water quality to reference conditions.
Evidence for impacts by jellyfish on North Sea herring recruitment

Jellyfish (Scyphozoa) prey on and consume many of the same food items as do larvae of herring Clupea harengus and could therefore have a detrimental impact on larval survival. A reduc- tion in the spawning stock biomass of herring may release jellyfish from competition for prey with herring and exacerbate any impact by jellyfish on herring survival. Both jellyfish abundance and the spawning success of herring fluctuate from year to year and increase under similar environmental conditions. The abundance of medusae (diameter = 1 to 47 cm, June to August) at herring spawning areas in the North Sea was correlated positively with the abundance of recently hatched herring lar- vae ( 0.60, p < 0.05). Management of North Sea herring may benefit from the inclusion of
Multimodal biomedical measurement methods to study brain functions simultaneously with functional magnetic resonance imaging

Multimodal measurements are increasingly being employed in the study of human physiology. Brain studies in particular can draw advantage of simultaneous measurements using different modalities to analyse correlations, mechanisms and relationships of physiological signals and their dynamics in relation to brain functions. Moreover, multimodal measurements help to identify components of physiological dynamics generated specifically by the brain. This thesis summarizes the study, design and development of non-invasive medical instruments that can be utilized in conjunction with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A key challenge in the development of measurement methods is posed by the extraordinary requirements that the MRI environment poses all materials need to be MR-compatible and the selected instruments and devices must not be affected by the strong magnetic field generated by the MRI scanner nor the MRI by the instruments placed within its scanning volume. The presented methods allow simultaneous continuous measurement of heart rate (HR) and metabolism from the brain cortex as well as pulse wave velocity (PWV) and blood pressure measurements in synchrony with electroencephalography (EEG) and MRI. Furthermore, the thesis explored the reliability and accuracy of the responses gathered by the developed instruments and, using new experimental methods, estimated the propagation of near-infrared light in the human brain. The goal of the novel multimodal measurement environment is to provide more extensive tools for medical researchers, neurologists in particular, to acquire accurate information on the function of the brain and the human body. Measurements have been performed on more than 70 persons using the presented multimodal setup to study such factors as the correlation between blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) data and low-frequency oscillations (LFOs) during the resting state.
Effect of elevated heat sealing pressure on the gas tightness of press-formed paperboard trays

The quality of press-formed paperboard trays and its effect on the leakproof heat-sealability of the lidding film is known to depend on the quality of the sealed trays and the parameters of the sealing process. In this study, the elevation of the sealing pressure and its effect on the leak-proof heat-sealing of press-formed trays with reduced surface quality were investigated. Trays with varying quality were manufactured and heat-sealed with a lidding film, using three different sealing pressures. The quality of the sealed trays was evaluated using oxygen content measurements, leak detection by a coloring solution, and microscopic analysis. The results showed that using a higher, elevated pressure resulted in a lower oxygen content in the packages during the analysis. The results also showed that even a high sealing pressure was not enough to achieve a leakproof seal if the quality of the sealed trays was not in a satisfactory level, for example as a result from a low forming force.
Pharmacodynamics Function of Athletic Fatigue Relief Health Food

This study explored the relaxation effect of health food on the fatigue mice after exercise and discussed the pharmacodynamics function of it by measuring loaded-swimming time of mice as well as content of serum urea, hepatic glycogen and blood lactic acid. It was found that, the loaded-swimming time of mice in experimental group was much longer than control group and the difference was statistically significant (p<0.05); the serum urea value of mice was much lower than usual after swimming (p<0.05) while the hepatic glycogen value was much higher (p<0.05); blood lactic acid value was lower than control group and it was still lower after half an hour and the difference was statistically significant (p<0.05). Compound ginseng extract can effectively prolong loaded swimming time of mice, reduce serum urea content of mice after exercise, increase hepatic glycogen reserve of mice after medication and reduce lactic acid production of mice after exercise. Therefore, fatigue relief health food like compound ginseng extract can effectively strengthen body’s adaptive capacity to exercise loads and resist fatigue.
Improvement in Switching Speed of Nematic Liquid Crystal Microlens Array with Polarization Independence

The switching speed of a polarization-independent microlens array fabricated with a nematic liquid crystal (NLC) in the configuration of a plano-convex lens is improved by the reactive mesogen (RM) mixed in an alignment layer. Due to the NLC rotating directions predetermined by the polymerized RM, the direct switching from a vertical alignment to a spiral one is obtained without going through a metastable splay state, which gives rise to slow response in the vertically aligned NLC microlens with polarization independence.
Colony of Robots for Exploration Based on Multi-Agent System

In this paper a colony of robots for closed environments exploration is presented. This small colony of robots, conformed by mobile robots and a quadcopter, is based on heterogeneous Multi-Agent System (MAS). The objective of the system is to quickly recognize a closed three-dimensional environment, without access to references such as a Global Positioning System (GPS), to perform exploration of each unit with different characteristics and perform a joint recognition. All communications work wirelessly with a system responsible of data collection, tracking and managing ll collected information. Finally, it provides a basis for multi-agent robots which allow recognition, mapping and information gathering in places where units are efficiently deployed the entire colony’s abilities.
Do Board Evaluations Measure Board Effectiveness?

Abstract The purpose of this study is to assess to what extent implemented board evaluation processes in Norwegian listed companies have contributed to board effectiveness. Board effectiveness has been measured by using three levels of accountability, namely, board performance, conformance to content, and conformance to context. Multiple case studies were performed in nine large listed companies using the board evaluation process as the unit of analysis. The characteristics of the implemented board evaluation process were compared and contrasted with the characteristics of the board evaluation process identified in the literature. From a value creation perspective, the implemented board evaluations appeared to represent value creation for the board members rather than measuring board effectiveness.
Semi-supervised learning: a brief review

Most of the application domain suffers from not having sufficient labeled data whereas unlabeled data is available cheaply. To get labeled instances, it is very difficult because experienced domain experts are required to label the unlabeled data patterns. Semi-supervised learning addresses this problem and act as a half way between supervised and unsupervised learning. This paper addresses few techniques of Semi-supervised learning (SSL) such as self-training, co-training, multi-view learning, TSVMs methods. Traditionally SSL is classified in to Semi-supervised Classification and Semi-supervised Clustering which achieves better accuracy than traditional supervised and unsupervised learning techniques. The paper also addresses the issue of scalability and applications of Semi-supervised learning.
Tourism destination modelling: building a sustainable planning tool for Australian tourism destinations

The Ningaloo Destination Model is a tourism planning tool for the Ningaloo Coast region of Western Australia that assesses the economic, social and environmental impacts of different planning decisions and events. This report describes the features of the tourism destination model, and analyses its application in the region and to other parts of Australia. Destination modelling integrates a number of research methodologies developed through past STCRC projects (on visitor spending and characteristics, social impacts and economic impacts), secondary data and ecological research. The key to this process is a model development technique that uses scenario planning methodologies to facilitate stakeholder engagement and conceptual modelling techniques to facilitate research integration. The report describes the methodologies used for model development and for data collection, provides two case studies demonstrating outputs, and explores applications of the Ningaloo Destination Model to the region, to other locations and to other sectors.
Multilevel logistic regression modelling for crash mapping in metropolitan areas

The spatial nature of traffic crashes makes crash locations one of the most important and informative attributes of crash databases. It is however very likely that recorded crash locations in terms of easting and northing coordinates, distances from junctions, addresses, road names and types are inaccurately reported. Improving the quality of crash locations therefore has the potential to enhance the accuracy of many spatial crash analyses. The determination of correct crash locations usually requires a combination of crash and network attributes with suitable crash mapping methods. Urban road networks are more sensitive to erroneous matches due to high road density and inherent complexity. This paper presents a novel crash mapping method suitable for urban and metropolitan areas that matched all the crashes that occurred in London from 2010-2012. The method is based on a hierarchical data structure of crashes (i.e. candidate road links are nested within vehicles and vehicles nested within crashes) and employs a multilevel logistic regression model to estimate the probability distribution of mapping a crash onto a set of candidate road links. The road link with the highest probability is considered to be the correct segment for mapping the crash. This is based on the two primary variables: (a) the distance between the crash location and a candidate segment and (b) the difference between the vehicle direction just before the collision and the link direction. Despite the fact that road names were not considered due to limited availability of this variable in the applied crash database, the developed method provides a 97.1% (±1%) accurate matches (N=1,000). The method was compared with two simpler, non-probabilistic crash mapping algorithms and the results were used to demonstrate the effect of crash location data quality on a crash risk analysis.
Parental Influences on Health and Longevity: Lessons from a Large Sample of Adoptees

To what extent is the length of our lives determined by pre-birth factors? And to what extent is it affected by parental resources during our upbringing that can be influenced by public policy? We study the formation of adult health and mortality using data on about 21,000 adoptees born between 1940 and 1967. The data include detailed information on both biological and adopting parents. We find that the health of the biological parents affects the health of their adopted children. Thus, we confirm that genes and conditions in utero are important intergenerational transmission channels for long-term health. However, we also find strong evidence that the educational attainment of the adopting mother has a significant impact on the health of her adoptive children, suggesting that family environment and resources in the post-birth years have long-term consequences for children's health.