Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Electrical Properties of Bamboo Fiber Reinforced Polypropylene Composite: Effect of Coupling Agent

ABSTRACT Electrical properties of blends from Polypropylene (PP) and bamboo fiber have been studied at various amounts of fiber compositions. Blending of bamboo with nonpolar polymer such as PP is expected to improve the dielectric performance of bamboo fiber by reducing the polarity. This paper presents the results of dielectric properties of bamboo fiber-reinforced PP composites. Special attention has been paid to analyze the influence of coupling agent (Maleic Anhydride Polypropylene) on the dielectric properties of the resulting composites. The temperature dependence of dielectric properties on the composites has also been studied. Capacitance (C), dielectric loss or tan δ (D), Impedance (Z) and conductivity (G) with frequency were measured at different temperatures. Polypropylene has a major role on environmental pollution as it is not biodegradable. So, this study aims to use such polymers to be incorporated with bamboo fiber to achieve high dielectric constant with low loss in polymer composites for embedded capacitor applications. Polypropylene is used as a host matrix due to its higher mechanical strength and ease of processing at low temperature.
Asymmetry Measures of Dermoscopic Images for Automated Melanoma Detection

Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer and early detection is critical for successful treatment. Dermoscopy is an effective tool for assessing the likelihood of a suspicious lesion being malignant. In this study, we focus on improving the detection of lesion asymmetry, one of the key factors of automated melanoma recognition. We employ two approaches: irregularity of the lesion contour assessed with measures that compare lesion quadrants with respect to area, color, and melanin content, and size theory using one-dimensional measuring functions to determine asymmetry. Measuring functions were mapped into size functions and compared using bottleneck distances, which were then used as classification features. Annotated dermoscopic images were used to train and assess classifiers for both methods. Our results show that the combined methods exhibit 95% lesion classification accuracy and suggest that size functions may be suitable for detecting melanoma directly. Our findings confirm that smartphone-based systems can be valuable assistive devices with substantial benefits for both individual healthcare and public health outcomes. This technology has the potential to enhance patient accessibility, particularly in low-resource settings and areas with limited healthcare access.
The Role of White Matter Disconnection in the Symptoms Relating to the Anarchic Hand Syndrome: A Single Case Study

The anarchic hand syndrome refers to an inability to control the movements of one’s own hand, which acts as if it has a will of its own. The symptoms may differ depending on whether the brain lesion is anterior, posterior, callosal or subcortical, but the relative classifications are not conclusive. This study investigates the role of white matter disconnections in a patient whose symptoms are inconsistent with the mapping of the lesion site. A repeated neuropsychological investigation was associated with a review of the literature on the topic to identify the frequency of various different symptoms relating to this syndrome. Furthermore, an analysis of the neuroimaging regarding structural connectivity allowed us to investigate the grey matter lesions and white matter disconnections. The results indicated that some of the patient’s symptoms were associated with structures that, although not directly damaged, were dysfunctional due to a disconnection in their networks. This suggests that the anarchic hand may be considered as a disconnection syndrome involving the integration of multiple antero-posterior, insular and interhemispheric networks. In order to comprehend this rare syndrome better, the clinical and neuroimaging data need to be integrated with the clinical reports available in the literature on this topic.
Comparison of Initial Risk Stratification Methods in Predicting Treatment Outcome in Differentiated Thyroid Cancer

Introduction: Differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) is the commonest endocrine malignancy. With accurate risk stratification, low-risk patients can be treated with less intensive treatment and follow-up. We reviewed outcomes of DTC in our hospital and evaluated different staging methods in predicting survival. Methods: This was a retrospective review including 321 patients with DTC treated in our hospital from 1994 to 2005. The cases were assessed for risk of recurrence using different risk stratification methods available at the time. Disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) of each method were analysed by comparing their Kaplan– Meier plots with log rank tests. The Harrell C-index was used to evaluate the discriminative ability of different risk stratification methods in identifying lowor high-risk cases. Results: The 10-year DFS and OS were 90.9% and 93%, respectively. Comparing the C-indices, the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) had the highest discriminative power for predicting recurrence (C-index = 0.694, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.599-0.79) and OS (C-index = 0.825, 95% CI = 0.725-0.924). The MD Anderson Cancer Center (MDA) came in second for predicting recurrence (C-index = 0.669, 95% CI = 0.584-0.753) and OS (C-index = 0.769, 95% CI = 0.690-0.849). The commonly used American Joint Committee on Cancer and the International Union Against Cancer/Tumour, Node, Metastasis system (AJCC/UICC TNM) staging ranked third for predicting recurrence (C-index = 0.651, 95% CI = 0.561-0.740) and OS (C-index = 0.747, 95% CI = 0.630-0.863). Conclusions: All risk stratification methods were reliable tools for initial risk stratification in DTC. We recommend the use of AJCC/UICC TNM or MDA methods for their practicality.
Network bandwidth reservation method combining machine learning and linear programming

: Network bandwidth reservation is an expected service under software-defined network environment, where users directly reserve network resources in an on-demand manner. To provide extensive bandwidth reservation services, instantaneous response to user requests, and high user request acceptance ratio are required. In this study, we propose a novel bandwidth reservation method to meet these two requirements by combining machine learning (ML) and linear programming (LP), for unpredictable bandwidth demands in which the use time is indicated strictly. In the proposed method, a user request is instantaneously judged through ML, and network resource allocation, including traffic routing, is optimally determined through LP. We demonstrate that the proposed method provides a suboptimal acceptance ratio with a difference of less than 1% compared to the optimal solution, and an instantaneous response of less than 0.1 ms under a general computation environment.
Preparation of polymeric microcapsules using modified calcium carbonate as a template

Microcapsules consisting of acrylamide, methyl methacrylate and styrene were prepared via in-situ polymerization on the surface/inside pores of modified calcium carbonate particles as templates, followed by the dissolution of the carbonate cores in hydrochloric acid solution. The capsules were further modified via copolymerization with diallyldimethylammonium chloride (DADMAC) and N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) using similar templates in an attempt to improve their properties. The microcapsules were characterized using confocal laser fluorescence microscopy (CLSM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The adsorption and release properties of these capsules were studied. Results showed that the adsorption of dye on capsules did not occur as both Langmuir and Freundlich models were unfitting despite the high linear regression values. The addition of DADMAC improved the absorbtion of methylene blue while slightly decreasing the cumulative amount released. On the contrary, although NIPAM did not make a significant difference to the adsorption of the cationic dye it did however accelerate the release at 37 ◦C, implying the thermal responsive behaviour induced by
A novel active current co‐efficient extraction‐based control for grid‐tied solar photovoltaic system

In this paper, a novel active current co-efﬁcient extraction (ACCE)-based control method is presented for a three-phase grid-interfaced voltage source inverter (VSI). Since the VSI performance largely depends on the reference current generation method, it is of signiﬁ-cance to identify the active current co-efﬁcient of the load current contaminated with harmonics, as it is a key governing factor that decides the shape of the compensating current. The proposed ACCE structure functions with minimal mathematical operators like prod-uct, sum, and integrators and thereby identiﬁes the fundamental current with computational effectiveness. Besides, in comparison to existing prevalent state-of-the-art methods, the proposed ACCE structure is devoid of any low-pass ﬁlter and zero-crossing detector, and hence serves the following two distinctive purposes: (i) Ensures minimum steady-state oscillations and (ii) exhibits improved dynamic performance under disturbances in the grid and load. The proposed structure effectively confronts the various power quality challenges while injecting the active power into the utility grid. Further, the incremental-conductance-based maximum power point tracking algorithm is equipped to extract the maximum pos-sible power from the photovoltaic array.
Estrogen Disrupting Pesticides in Nebraska Groundwater: Trends between Pesticide-contaminated Water and Estrogen-related Cancers in An Ecological Observational Study

Estrogen disrupting pesticides (EDP) are pesticides that modify estrogen activities in estrogen-producing vertebrates. A substantial amount of these pesticides has been detected in human tissues, and they function directly to disrupt estrogen synthesis or effector cells. This study examines EDP’s ecological distribution across Nebraska counties and its association with estrogen-related cancers (ERC). To determine the ecological distribution of selected EDP, county-level choropleth maps were created. Moreover, EDP was tested in separate linear models with different ERC to determine the association between ERC and EDP across Nebraska counties. Exposure data for this county-level study was obtained from the quality assessed agrichemical contaminant Nebraska groundwater database between 1 January 1974 and 31 December 2012. Acetochlor, atrazine, and its metabolites, deethylatrazine (DEA), and de-isopropyl atrazine (DIA) were the most frequently detected EDP in Nebraska groundwater. Moreover, Nebraska county-level potential confounder for ERC such as physically unhealthy days, % adult smoking, % obese adult, % uninsured, and % binge drinking were obtained from County Health Rankings 2010. ERC, which is the outcome variable (breast cancer, uterine cancer, and prostate cancer), were obtained from the Nebraska State profile of the National Cancer Institute. This was expressed as county-level age-standardized incidence cancer rates between 1 January 2013 and 31 December 2017. Data characteristics were determined using percentages, mean, median, 25th and 75th percentile, minimum and maximum values. The relationship between county-level cancer rates and % wells positive for pesticides after adjusting for the county level potential confounders were analyzed in a linear regression model. Water supply wells positive for atrazine and DEA were observed to cluster in the South and South East counties of Nebraska. Furthermore, breast cancer and prostate cancer incidence rates were higher in the southeast of Nebraska with more atrazine and DEA. However, breast cancer and prostate cancer were not significantly associated in a linear regression model with any of the observed EDP. In contrast, uterine cancer was statistically associated with % water supply wells positive for acetochlor (β = 4.01, p = 0.04). While consistent associations were not observed between ERC and EDP from the GIS and the linear regression model, this study’s results can drive future conversation concerning the potential estrogenic effects of acetochlor, atrazine, and its metabolites on the incidence of breast, uterine and prostate cancer in the State of Nebraska.
Single Incision, Dual Window Approach for a Comminuted Distal Radius Fracture

Abstract Introduction Complex distal radius fractures often involve a fragment of the volar-ulnar articular surface and the radial styloid. The volar ulnar corner of the distal radius is an important constraint to volar translation of the carpus and thus requires stable fixation to prevent wrist displacement. The traditional volar Henry approach often requires undue tension on the median nerve while retracting for access to the ulnar aspect of the radius. To protect the median nerve from iatrogenic injury and to improve exposure of the surgical site, we propose a single incision, dual window approach to the distal radius for complex bi-columnar fractures. Methods This technique combines the trans-Flexor Carpi Radialis (FCR) approach with a subcutaneous dissection to the ulnar aspect of the wrist. This window utilizes the interval between the ulnar neurovascular bundle and the carpal tunnel contents. Results This technique allows the surgeon to work through either window and thus visualize and directly fixate the various fracture fragments. We have treated complex articular distal radius fractures associated with ulnar communition with this novel technique and it has provided direct reduction with improved fragment access. The surgical technique, a case presentation and results are detailed in this report. Conclusion This case report has demonstrated that complex bi-columnar fractures of the distal radius can be effectively approached and fixated with a single incision dual window approach.
Creating Wildflower Habitats in Golf Course Out-Of-Play Areas

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. For more information on obtaining other UF/IFAS Extension publications, contact your county’s UF/IFAS Extension office. U.S. Department of Agriculture, UF/IFAS Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A & M University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Nick T. Place, dean for UF/IFAS Extension. Habitat loss from urbanization and agricultural intensification is reducing populations of pollinators, including native bees and monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus), all over the world (Goulson et al. 2015). Recent evidence indicates that features of urban landscapes such as warmer temperatures and less viable habitat reduce the number and/or diversity of pollinators that live in these spaces (Biesmeijer et al. 2006; Kremen et al. 2007; Winfree et al. 2011; Blackmore et al. 2014; Hamblin et al. 2017). Similarly, monarch butterfly population declines have been estimated at over 80% since 2005 (Brower et al. 2018).
Performance analysis of a lever piezoelectric energy harvester for roadway applications

A novel lever piezoelectric energy harvester (LPEH) was designed for installation in an actual roadway for energy harvesting. The model incorporates a lever module that amplifies the applied traffic load and transmits it to the piezoelectric ceramic. To observe the piezoelectric growth benefits of the optimized LPEH structure, the output characteristics and durability of two energy harvesters, the LPEH and a piezoelectric energy harvester (PEH) without a lever, were measured and compared by carrying out piezoelectric performance tests and traffic model experiments. Under the same loading condition, the open circuit voltages of the LPEH and PEH were 20.6 and 11.7 V, respectively, which represents a 76% voltage increase for the LPEH compared to the PEH. The output power of the LPEH was 21.51 mW at the optimal load, which was three times higher than that of the PEH (7.45 mW). The output power was linearly dependent on frequency and load, implying the potential application of the module as a self-powered speed sensor. When tested during 300,000 loading cycles, the LPEH still exhibited stable structural performance and durability.
A non‐reciprocal bandpass diplexer

This letter presents a non‐reciprocal diplexer with integrated functions of a conventional bandpass diplexer and two isolators. This is achieved by spatio‐temporally modulating the resonator frequencies in a coupled‐resonator diplexer. Due to the high channel‐to‐channel isolation, the diplexer channels can be independently modulated without affecting each other. A microstrip diplexer example is demonstrated with good agreement between the measurement and the simulation. The fabricated diplexer has two non‐reciprocal bandpass channels at 829 and 997 MHz, with a minimal insertion loss of 4.9 and 6.1 dB, and a 20‐dB isolation bandwidth of 38 and 37 MHz, respectively. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first time that a non‐reciprocal diplexer has been presented.
Solution‐Processed Extremely Efficient Multicolor Perovskite Light‐Emitting Diodes Utilizing Doped Electron Transport Layer

A specially designed n‐type semiconductor consisting of Ca‐doped ZnO (CZO) nanoparticles is used as the electron transport layer (ETL) in high‐performance multicolor perovskite light‐emitting diodes (PeLEDs) fabricated using an all‐solution process. The band structure of the ZnO is tailored via Ca doping to create a cascade of conduction energy levels from the cathode to the perovskite. This energy band alignment significantly enhances conductivity and carrier mobility in the CZO ETL and enables controlled electron injection, giving rise to sub‐bandgap turn‐on voltages of 1.65 V for red emission, 1.8 V for yellow, and 2.2 V for green. The devices exhibit significantly improved luminance yields and external quantum efficiencies of, respectively, 19 cd A−1 and 5.8% for red emission, 16 cd A−1 and 4.2% for yellow, and 21 cd A−1 and 6.2% for green. The power efficiencies of these multicolor devices demonstrated in this study, 30 lm W−1 for green light‐emitting PeLED, 28 lm W−1 for yellow, and 36 lm W−1 for red are the highest to date reported. In addition, the perovskite layers are fabricated using a two‐step hot‐casting technique that affords highly continuous (>95% coverage) and pinhole‐free thin films. By virtue of the efficiency of the ETL and the uniformity of the perovskite film, high brightnesses of 10 100, 4200, and 16,060 cd m−2 are demonstrated for red, yellow, and green PeLEDs, respectively. The strategy of using a tunable ETL in combination with a solution process pushes perovskite‐based materials a step closer to practical application in multicolor light‐emitting devices.
Structure of the Tectonic Front of the Western Alps: Control of Fluid Pressure and Halite Occurrence on the Decollement Processes

This study focuses on the respective role of (1) the occurrence and the nature of evaporitic layers and (2) the fluid pressure conditions on the decollement processes and the structure of the foreland fold and thrust belt of the Western Alps. The decollement in the Jura Mountains is predominantly localized in halite‐bearing layers. Anhydrite‐bearing units which are not associated to halite are not hosting major decollement. The shift of decollement level between Mid‐Triassic halite unit and Upper Triassic halite unit has induced local tectonic subtractions and, elsewhere, tectonic duplications at depth. Available fluid pressure measurements show that fluids are not overpressured in the Jura. Even below the salt decollement, they remain in hydrostatic conditions. South of the Jura, the absence of halite is correlated with no efficient role of the Triassic layers in terms of decollement. The available pressure measurements show that the decollement is associated with high overpressure. Because of the low friction of halite, the Jura thrust wedge shows a narrow angle (3°–4°). The relatively high friction behavior of the decollement south of the Jura is responsible for stacks of tectonic units associated with a relatively wide angle of the tectonic wedge (12°–13°). The structural change between the Chartreuse and Vercors massifs is not controlled by the properties of the decollement but by the change of thickness of the sedimentary pile involved in the tectonic wedge. The change of thickness is controlled by paleogeographic heritage during Jurassic and Cretaceous times.
Kohlenstoffbasierte Faser-Elektroden für Vanadium Redoxflow Batterien: Einfluss der Oberflächenbeschaffenheit von PAN-basierten Faserelektroden im Fokus von Graphitierungsgrad, Sauerstoffanteil und 3D-Struktur auf das elektrochemische Verhalten

Vanadium Redoxflow Batterien konnen als stationare Energiespeichersystem helfen die Stabilitat in Stromnetzen bei steigendem Anteil von erneuerbaren Energiequellen sicher zu stellen. In dieser Arbeit wird das Elektrodenmaterial beider Halbzellen und der Einfluss einer Oberflachenoxidation auf die Oberflachenstruktur sowie das elektrochemische Verhalten untersucht. Die beiden Halbzellenreaktionen werden getrennt voneinander und im Zusammenspiel in einem Einzelzellaufbau betrachtet.
A psychological profile of extreme Trump supporters

Laura Kinsman & Jeremy A. Frimer Abstract Donald Trump once claimed that he could murder someone in broad daylight and still not lose support, implying an extreme loyalty on the part of his supporters. The psychological foundation of this purported commitment is far from obvious in that many aspects of Trump’s lifestyle, personality, policies, and values are antithetical to those cherished by large segments of his base (e.g., Evangelical Christians, free trade advocates). Political scholars, pundits and the media have offered a number of explanations for the support for Trump that exists within his base. In this chapter, we review three of the more common media explanations, which include tribal loyalties, selective media exposure, and material self-interest, and find some support for each in the scientific literature, with support generally being weaker for the more nefarious explanations (e.g., tribal racism, bloodlust) and stronger for more banal explanations (e.g., information bubbles, perceived self-interest). We also find that many of these tendencies generalize to extreme Trump opposition, meaning that Trump support is in many ways an extrapolation of a long-standing and escalating Culture War.
Accelerating clinical research in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders

Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders are rare relapsing inflammatory central nervous system diseases with a heterogenous immunological and clinical spectrum. International collaborations are required to: (i) reach a better understanding of the disease and its subtypes; (ii) develop laboratory and imaging biomarkers; and (iii) ultimately improve treatments.