Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Modification and improvement of aging resistance for HNBR/graphite composites

Abstract Modification and improvement of aging resistance for the hydrogenated nitrile butadiene rubber (HNBR) in higher temperature medium has been attracting the attention of scientists. In this article, graphite modified HNBR composites were prepared, and effect of graphite with sizes of 13 μm and 700 nm on the vulcanization parameters, mechanical properties, thermo-oxidative aging, thermal conductivity and dynamic mechanical properties of hydrogenated nitrile rubber composites were investigated, respectively. The results showed that the scorch time (T10) and positive vulcanization time (T90) of the HNBR/graphite composites were prolonged with increasing graphite content and the torque difference (MH-ML) gradually increased under the effect of physical and chemical cross-linking of graphite. With nano-graphite content of 15 phr, the HNBR composite has improved tensile strength by 47%, thermal conductivity by 24% and aging factor by 3.27 times compared to the blank sample. The energy storage modulus of HNBR/graphite composites enhanced by 37% with nano-graphite, while the corresponding glass transition temperature (Tg ) shifted toward higher temperatures. The lamellar structure of graphite particles in the rubber matrix is beneficial to improvement of the mechanical properties and aging resistance of the HNBR composite owing to the strengthening and sp2 hybridized structure of graphite particles. Graphical Abstract
Public Value in the Perception of Citizens from the Perspective of Smart Cities

This study addresses the public value theory from the perspective of smart cities and aims to propose the validation of a framework from the citizen’s perception and the principles of public value generation from the perspective of smart cities. For its development, the principles of the OECD were related to the characteristics of smart cities for the elaboration of a questionnaire, using the five-point Likert scale, which was applied to 256 residents of the city of Natal. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis technique. The results show that even when the citizen has not contributed to the elaboration of the principles for the generation of public value, he/she recognizes the importance of the theme for the delivery of better public services. As a contribution to managers and society, it is suggested more investment in education and knowledge of citizens about the importance of their participation and use of digital services, raising the level of user maturity to the level of maturity of government actions. As an academic contribution, the scale theoretically represented and statistically validated contributes to the continuity of studies on public value, as a key element for governance in smart cities. As an opportunity for future research, the application of the tool in other cities is suggested to establish comparisons, as well as research involving the maturity of respondents, as users of digital government services and their knowledge of public value, for a better alignment between government and citizen.
China and Africa: the new water world

Dambisa Moyo’s 2010 publication Dead Aid notes that, in the past 50 years, more than $1 trillion in official development assistance (ODA) has been transferred to Africa. Moyo argues that the African countries that are dependent on ODA have made less economic progress when compared with African nations that have supported a model of trade-based financing. One of these forms of trade-based financing is ‘other official flows’ (OOF). China provides overseas assistance to the water sector in Africa both as ODA and as OOF. China’s involvement in the African water sector is clearly visible, with projects ranging from the construction of city water supply systems to its involvement in rural water well drilling. International literature recognizes the importance of China’s investments and private sector presence as one of the main catalysts behind rapid water infrastructure growth in Africa. China’s history of lifting 500 million Chinese out of poverty over the last 30 years by providing essential water and sanita.
An Unexpected Dual-Emissive Luminogen: Tunable Aggregation-Induced Emission with Cyan-White-Red Colors, Stable Inherent Chirality, and Enhanced Chiroptical Property

Herein we report a novel chiral bismacrocycle with unexpected dual emission and tunable aggregation-induced emission colors. A facile four-step synthesis strategy is developed to construct this rigid bismacrocycle, (1,4)[8]cycloparaphenylenophane (SCPP[8]), which possesses a 1,2,4,5-tetraphenylbenzene core locked by two intersecting polyphenylene-based macrocycles. The luminescent behavior of SCPP[8] shows the unique characteristics of both aggregation-caused quenching effect and aggrega-tion-induced emission (AIE) effect, inducing remarkable redshift emission including near white-light emission. SCPP[8] is configurationally stable and possesses a novel shape-persistent bismacrocycle scaffold with a high strain energy (up to 127.83 kcal/mol). In addition, SCPP[8] displays enhanced circularly polarized luminescence properties due to AIE effect.
Dietary Alpha-Linolenic Acid Supports High Retinal DHA Levels

The retina requires docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) for optimal function. Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) and DHA are dietary sources of retinal DHA. This research investigated optimizing retinal DHA using dietary ALA. Previous research identified 19% DHA in retinal phospholipids was associated with optimal retinal function in guinea pigs. Pregnant guinea pigs were fed dietary ALA from 2.8% to 17.3% of diet fatty acids, at a constant level of linoleic acid (LA) of 18% for the last one third of gestation and retinal DHA levels were assessed in 3-week-old offspring maintained on the same diets as their mothers. Retinal DHA increased in a linear fashion with the maximum on the diet with LA:ALA of 1:1. Feeding diets with LA:ALA of 1:1 during pregnancy and assessing retinal DHA in 3-week-old offspring was associated with optimized retinal DHA levels. We speculate that the current intakes of ALA in human diets, especially in relation to LA intakes, are inadequate to support high DHA levels in the retina.
Building a synthesis of economic costs of biological invasions in New Zealand

Biological invasions are a major component of anthropogenic environmental change, incurring substantial economic costs across all sectors of society and ecosystems. There have been recent syntheses of costs for a number of countries using the newly compiled InvaCost database, but New Zealand—a country renowned for its approach to invasive species management—has so far not been examined. Here we analyse reported economic damage and management costs incurred by biological invasions in New Zealand from 1968 to 2020. In total, US$69 billion (NZ$97 billion) is currently reported over this ∼50-year period, with approximately US$9 billion of this considered highly reliable, observed (c.f. projected) costs. Most (82%) of these observed economic costs are associated with damage, with comparatively little invested in management (18%). Reported costs are increasing over time, with damage averaging US$120 million per year and exceeding management expenditure in all decades. Where specified, most reported costs are from terrestrial plants and animals, with damages principally borne by primary industries such as agriculture and forestry. Management costs are more often associated with interventions by authorities and stakeholders. Relative to other countries present in the InvaCost database, New Zealand was found to spend considerably more than expected from its Gross Domestic Product on pre- and post-invasion management costs. However, some known ecologically (c.f. economically) impactful invasive species are notably absent from estimated damage costs, and management costs are not reported for a number of game animals and agricultural pathogens. Given these gaps for known and potentially damaging invaders, we urge improved cost reporting at the national scale, including improving public accessibility through increased access and digitisation of records, particularly in overlooked socioeconomic sectors and habitats. This also further highlights the importance of investment in management to curtail future damages across all sectors.
Design of a Vision Based Bottle Cap Inspection System

Inspection plays a major role in any production process. The acceptance or rejection decision of the production lot depends on the inspection results. In recent years, the developments in machine vision techniques have made inspection easier. This paper aims at bottle cap inspection using machine vision techniques. Bottle neck may have defects such as absence of the cap, absence of the tamper ring and improper assembly of cap and tamper ring. This paper deals with checking of the above mentioned defects with a single image of the finished product. This system uses backlight technique. The image of the product obtained using camera is processed using image processing software and then the results obtained are used to accept or reject the particular product. This technique could be implemented in industries for a batch produced series of bottle coming in a conveyor. By using machine vision techniques it is ensured that not even a single defect related to bottle cap is left from observation. Thus the bottle cap inspection becomes easy, accurate and done in less time.
Evaluation of three indices to assess the esthetic result of single implant-supported crowns

Introduction: Different indices have been proposed in the literature to assess the esthetic outcome of single implant-supported crowns in the anterior maxillary area. The Pink Esthetic Score/White Esthetic Score (PES/WES) rates different soft tissue as well as restorative parameters. The higher the score, the better the esthetic result reaching a maximum of 20 points. Meijer described the Implant Crown Aesthetic Index (ICAI) assigning penalty points to nine selected parameters. A modification of this scoring system was proposed by Vilhjálmsson allowing a total of 18 points for the least esthetic result. The Complex Esthetic Index (CEI) was proposed by Juodzbalys and Wang and consists of the evaluation of five different parameters for three components: soft tissue, radiographic and restorative. The results are expressed as a percentage. To the extent of our knowledge, the specificity and sensitivity of the PES/WES, the modified ICAI and the CEI remain unknown as well as the correlation of each index with the patient’s self-reported perception of their treatment. Materials & Methods: The initial part of the study included the recruitment of 25 subjects. The patients were asked to complete a questionnaire to assess their satisfaction with the implantsupported crown appearance. Two photographs were taken and a radiograph exposed. An independent examiner completed the three indices for the 25 patients. The second part of the study consisted on the scoring of the indices by 5 faculty members from 4 different specialties (orthodontics, periodontics, prosthodontics and oral surgery). The participants evaluated four different cases twice in a two-week period to assess reproducibility. All the data was collected and the statistical analysis completed using SPSS. Results: The Area Under the Curve (AUC) for the PES/WES was 0.53, for the modified ICAI 0.7 and for the CEI 0.56. The intra-observer agreement was strong for all indices evaluated (p<0.001). PES/WES demonstrated a higher consistency although the difference was not statistically significant. There were no differences between specialists. The scores obtained for PES/WES, modified ICAI and CEI at TUSDM can be correlated with those published in the
Are human resource professionals strategic business partners?: Evidence from Hong Kong

Theoretical speculations and prescriptive discussions abound in the literature regarding the strategic importance of human resource management. However, evidence based on rigorous empirical studies that the transformation from an administrative service function to strategic partnership has taken place has been less pervasive. Based on a sample of CEOs, line managers and HR executives, this study applies both a quantitative and a qualitative approach to examine the research question whether HR professionals are strategic business partners. Although the overall quantitative results provided a weak support for an affirmative answer to the research question, quantitative analyses and the qualitative findings revealed that while HR executives regarded themselves as strategic business partners, CEOs and line managers were not sure that they played this strategic business role. Plausible explanations and fundamental implications of these findings are discussed in detail.
Biological Control of Fusarium culmorum, Fusarium graminearum and Fusarium poae by Antagonistic Yeasts

The genus Fusarium is considered to be one of the most pathogenic, phytotoxic and toxin-producing group of microorganisms in the world. Plants infected by these fungi are characterized by a reduced consumer and commercial value, mainly due to the contamination of crops with mycotoxins. Therefore, effective methods of reducing fungi of the genus Fusarium must be implemented already in the field before harvesting, especially with alternative methods to pesticides such as biocontrol. In this study we identified yeasts that inhibit the growth of the pathogenic fungi Fusarium culmorum, F. graminearum and F. poae. Tested yeasts came from different culture collections, or were obtained from organic and conventional cereals. The greater number of yeast isolates from organic cereals showed antagonistic activity against fungi of the genus Fusarium compared to isolates from the conventional cultivation system. Cryptococcus carnescens (E22) isolated from organic wheat was the only isolate that limited the mycelial growth of all three tested fungi and was the best antagonist against F. poae. Selected yeasts showed various mechanisms of action against fungi, including competition for nutrients and space, production of volatile metabolites, reduction of spore germination, production of siderophores or production of extracellular lytic enzymes: chitinase and β-1,3-glucanase. Of all the investigated mechanisms of yeast antagonism against Fusarium, competition for nutrients and the ability to inhibit spore germination prevailed.
Structural insights as to how iron-loaded siderophores are imported into Mycobacterium tuberculosis by IrtAB

The ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter, IrtAB, plays a vital role in the replication and viability of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), where its function is to import iron-loaded siderophores. Unusually, it adopts the typical fold of canonical ABC exporters. Here, we report the structure of unliganded Mtb IrtAB and its structure in complex with ATP, ADP, and an ATP analogue (AMP-PNP) at resolutions from 2.9 to 3.5 Å. In the ATP-bound state, the two nucleotide-binding domains (NBDs) form a “head-to-tail” dimer, but IrtAB has an unexpectedly occluded conformation, with the inner core forming a large hydrophilic cavity of about 4600 Å3. Comparison of the structure of the transporter in inward-facing and occluded conformations reveals that the NBD and the intracellular helical region of transmembrane domain (TMD) have an asymmetric allosteric mechanism when ATP binding/hydrolysis such that the one exhibits rigid-body rotation and the other moves in a concerted response as a rigid body. This study provides a molecular basis for the ATP-driven conformational changes that occur in IrtAB and an explanation as to how iron-loaded siderophores are imported into Mtb by IrtAB.
NONLINEAR RESPONSES OF A CANTILEVER WING WITH AN EXTERNAL STORE

Nonlinear responses of a cantilever wing with an external store have been studied. The system has three possible nonlinearities, including structural, aerodynamic, and store-induced nonlinearities. Structural nonlinearities are expressed by nonlinear beam theory with cubic nonlinearity present and aerodynamic nonlinearities are introduced by a quasi- steady, incompressible flow, stall model. The store- induced nonlinearities are related to the retention of the nonlinear kinematical terms present in the formulation of the governing equations of motion. To systematically investigate the response characteristics, bifurcation and phase plane analyses are performed. LCO responses can be easily detected by phase portraits, and additional characteristics could be identified by Poincare maps. The effects of the velocity change are depicted in the bifurcation diagrams. For various cases, limit cycle oscillations are found for velocities less than the flutter velocity as predicted by linearized formulations. Some cases having different store parameters, such as chordwise position, store mass and store inertia, are examined. Depending upon the choice of store parameters, the results show regions of subcritical bifurcation characteristics in which the onset of limit cycle behavior or subsidence to zero depends upon the initial conditions. Other response characteristics of interest are also found.
Blended Phenotype of Pelger-Huet Anomaly with Osteochondroma and Autosomal Recessive Deafness with Enlarged Vestibular Aqueduct

Pelger-Huet anomaly (PHA) is a benign hematological anomaly that is characterized by impaired lobulation of neutrophils with a coarse nuclear chromatin. Skeletal abnormalities may accompany this anomaly. Autosomal recessive deafness-4 (DFNB4) with enlarged vestibular aqueduct (EVA) comprises a phenotypic spectrum of sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). We report a case with SNHL, multiple skeletal anomalies including osteochondroma, developmental delay, and PHA. Molecular studies revealed a heterozygous pathogenic variant in the LBR gene and a homozygous likely pathogenic variant in the SLC26A4 gene. Due to these 2 variants, he was diagnosed with PHA and DFNB4 with EVA. If goiter develops, DFNB4 with EVA is named Pendred syndrome (PDS), so the patient will be followed up for this condition, and in the current literature, there is no case with PDS and PHA co-existence either. PHA may be accompanied by multiple skeletal abnormalities. In our case, there is also concomitance with osteochondroma. Although these are independent and distinct diagnoses, we present this case due to the concomitance of these situations.
Design and fabrication of a bulk micromachined accelerometer for geophysical applications

Using gravitational acceleration (gravity) or its gradient, geophysicists are capable of determining the presence of gas and oil. These gravitational effects are often very small compared to earth’s gravity (typically less than 1:100.000), making measurements rather difficult. Although nowadays measurement systems are present for gravity (gradient) sensing, the use of MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) is quite rare within this field. Realization of such a sensor in MEMS would offer various benefits. These possibilities are investigated, resulting in the design and fabrication of a bulk micromachined accelerometer for geophysical applications. Before designing this accelerometer, first gravity and its gradient itself are investigated. Most commonly used measurement techniques are determined, resolutions are researched and the applicability within MEMS is summarized. From these results a very sensitive MEMS accelerometer is designed and several effects, restraints, read-out mechanisms and optimization methods are investigated. Using bulk micromachining and sidewall coating technology, a process is developed to fabricate such a sensor. Several sensors for geophysical applications are fabricated, leading to important information regarding the fabrication process. Despite the fabrication of the sensors, the process is not robust enough for characterization of the devices. However, using numerical analysis combined with computer simulations, several predictions about the performance of such a MEMS sensor is given, which gives important results regarding the use and opportunities of MEMS in the gravitational field.
Assessing Short-Circuit Robustness of 1200 V SiC MOSFETs: Using Deep Structural and Physical Analysis

Silicon carbide (SiC) transistors are known for their high breakdown voltage capabilities and ability to operate at much higher temperatures relative to silicon (Si) power semiconductors. The first commercial SiC MOSFETs were introduced in 2010 [1], [2]. Currently, third generation devices are in production and leading manufacturers will soon release fourth generation products [3]. However, usage of these devices requires special considerations. Due to its impact in circuit design and device reliability, short-circuit (SC) robustness is of prime importance among them.
Outer Membrane Vesicles (OMVs) of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Provide Passive Resistance but Not Sensitization to LPS-Specific Phages

Outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) released from gram-negative bacteria are key elements in bacterial physiology, pathogenesis, and defence. In this study, we investigated the role of Pseudomonas aeruginosa OMVs in the anti-phage defence as well as in the potential sensitization to LPS-specific phages. Using transmission electron microscopy, virion infectivity, and neutralization assays, we have shown that both phages efficiently absorb on free vesicles and are unable to infect P. aeruginosa host. Nevertheless, the accompanying decrease in PFU titre (neutralization) was only observed for myovirus KT28 but not podovirus LUZ7. Next, we verified whether OMVs derived from wild-type PAO1 strain can sensitize the LPS-deficient mutant (Δwbpl PAO1) resistant to tested phages. The flow cytometry experiments proved a quite effective and comparable association of OMVs to Δwbpl PAO1 and wild-type PAO1; however, the growth kinetic curves and one-step growth assay revealed no sensitization event of the OMV-associated phage-resistant P. aeruginosa deletant to LPS-specific phages. Our findings for the first time identify naturally formed OMVs as important players in passive resistance (protection) of P. aeruginosa population to phages, but we disproved the hypothesis of transferring phage receptors to make resistant strains susceptible to LPS-dependent phages.
Improving the resistance of structures to earthquakes

The past occurrence of earthquakes in New Zealand and the likelihood of a major earthquake in Christchurch are considered. The causes of damage by earthquakes are discussed and typical possible types of damage to building and bridge structures are described with reference to the 1995 Kobe earthquake. The design of building and bridge structures for earthquake resistance by the ductile design approach is covered, including performance criteria, structural configuration, design seismic forces, mechanisms of post-elastic deformation, capacity design, detailing of reinforcement for ductility and control of deflections. Design using base isolation and mechanical energy dissipating devices is also outlined. The extensive use of precast concrete in buildings in New Zealand is described. Finally the seismic assessment and upgrading of old structures and the earthquake resistance of lifelines of communities (transportation, utilities and communications) are briefly considered.