Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Highly sensitive gas sensor based on graphene/microfiber hybrid waveguide with Mach-Zehnder interferometer

A high sensitivity NH3 gas sensor based on graphene/microfiber hybrid waveguide (GMHW) is reported for the first time. Enhanced by the graphene, a very high sensitivity of 0.3ppm is achieved for GMHW-based NH3 gas sensing. This work may open a window for development of novel GMHW-based gas sensors with high sensitivity, small footprint, easy fabrication and low cost.
Lessons From Katrina and Rita: What Major Disasters Can Teach Transportation Planners

Two devastating hurricanes, Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita, hit the United States in 2005. This article examines lessons transportation planners can learn from these disasters to improve their own emergency response preparations and to avoid repeating problems in the future. In the case of Hurricane Katrina, automobile evacuation appeared to function adequately. However, there was no effective plan to evacuate transit-dependent residents despite estimates of there being over 200,000 people in the New Orleans area that did not have access to reliable personal transportation. From a transportation planning perspective, the greatest mistake in the case of Katrina was the failure to deploy buses to evacuate these residents without charge. In the case of Hurricane Rita, which hit the Louisiana and Texas coasts a month after Katrina, free bus transportation was provided for nondrivers and more residents responded to evacuation instructions. This resulted in severe highway traffic congestion. County officials later admitted that their plans had not anticipated the high volume of traffic. Mistakes in this case included failure to implement counterflow lanes as announced, failure to manage fuel distribution, failure to provide basic services along the evacuation route, and failure to give buses priority in traffic. Planners can help prevent future disasters by demanding that emergency response plans devote as much attention to non-automobile evacuation as to automobile evacuation, and by developing ways to prioritize use of critical transportation resources during emergencies. Planners need to anticipate the needs of nondrivers, understand and address why many people ignore evacuation orders, and make an extra effort to offer comfort (such as washrooms and information stations) along evacuation routes.
Characterization and Modeling of Elastomeric Joints in Miniature Compliant Mechanisms

Accurate analysis models are critical for effectively utilizing elastomeric joints in miniature compliant mechanisms. This paper presents work toward the characterization and modeling of miniature elastomeric hinges. The modeling portion is achieved using finite element analysis (FEA). Also presented is a 2-dimensional pseudo rigid body (PRB) analytical model for these hinges. Characterization was carried out in the form of several experimental bending tests and tension tests on representative hinges in 5 different configurations. The results of these experiments were then compared to the same tests modeled using FEA. We have represented the experimental results using FEA to within 12% error. This allows the use of FEA to model more complicated mechanisms’ behavior with some assurance of accuracy. Based on these tests and FEA models, a simplified 2-dimensional PRB analytical model was developed, consisting of a torsional spring, a linear spring, and another torsional spring in series. These analytical models enable us explore large design spaces efficiently. The accuracy of this model for geometries without corner effects has been verified to within 3% error when compared to FEA models in bending, and 17% in tension.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Rethinking and Envisioning Sustainable HCI and the Role of Interaction Design

In this position paper we present our perspective on future developments in sustainable HCI, how our own research projects inform our viewpoints and how this relates to the agenda of the CHI 2013 workshop on ‘Post-Sustainability’. Our research focuses on finding ways to envision a more sustainable future, on clarifying the role of interaction design and HCI in this sustainable future.
Continual process improvement based on reference models and process mining

The dissertation at hand takes as its subject business processes. Naturally they are subject to continual improvement and are a major asset of any given organization. An optimally-designed process, having once proven itself, must be flexible, as new developments demand swift adaptations. However, many organizations do not adequately describe or utterly fail to describe these processes, though doing so is a prerequisite for their improvement. Very often the process model created during an information system’s implementation either is not used in the first place or is not maintained, resulting in an obvious lack of correspondence between the model and operational reality. Process mining techniques prevent this. They extract the process knowledge inherent in an information system and visualize it in the form of process models. Indeed, continual process improvement depends greatly on this modeling approach, and reference models, such as ITIL and CobiT, are entirely suitable and powerful means for dealing with the efficient design and control of processes. Process improvement typically consists of a number of analysis, design, implementation, execution, monitoring, and evaluation activities. This dissertation proposes a methodology that supports and facilitates them. A procedural model is used that continually controls the correspondence of the real processes with both business requirements and IT systems, thereby identifying, or helping to identify, potential improvements. An empirical analysis both revealed the challenges and the potential benefits of these processes mining techniques’ successful use and spurred the development of new analysis in this domain. This in turn led to the detailed consideration of specific aspects of the data preparation for process mining algorithms. Here the focus is on the provision of enterprise data and RFID events. This dissertation as well examines the importance of analyzing the execution of reference processes to ensure compliance with modified or entirely new business processes. Moreover, a contribution to the development of a compliance application is made. The methodology involved a number of cases’ practical trials; the results demonstrate its power and universality. This new approach ushers in an enhanced continual inter-departmental and inter-organizational improvement process.
Team-based learning in economics: Promoting group collaboration, diversity and inclusion

Abstract Millennial students, shaped by the rapid change in technology and connectivity, pose a challenge in devising new teaching and learning pedagogies. The team-based learning (TBL) approach has been used in several disciplines and is indicated as an effective way to use active learning techniques to help students improve their academic performance. The authors applied the TBL pedagogy to deliver the second term of a final-year core module of an economics undergraduate degree. The TBL intervention aimed to enrich students’ experience in learning, contextualizing, and applying economics to different issues and policies. The empirical analysis suggests that the authors achieved their aims. Their findings indicate that TBL improved students’ academic performance, reduced several achievement gaps, and enriched the students’ learning experience, making it more enjoyable.
Electrical tomographic imaging for bubble column measurement and control

A preliminary study of using electrical resistance tomographic imaging for bubble column measurement and control has been conducted. A number of methods for identifying flow regimes (e.g. bubbly and churn-turbulent flows) have been developed. An optimisation method is used to automatically search for the flow rate corresponding to the maximum interfacial area and determine a set-point for a PID controller. A simple flow-parameter control, based on bubble fluctuation as represented by derivatives of dynamic imaging, is reported. This work is believed to be the first published case of realtime on-line process control using electrical resistance tomography.
Polarization characteristics of the fundamental mode of optical fibers

The polarization properties of the fundamental mode of fibers are described along with concise analytical expressions for the fields of both low and high V fibers It is maintained that the present results correct a longstanding error in the literature connected with the fact that most authors provide only one schematic drawing to characterize the field lines of the fundamental mode. The origin of this error may be due to an incorrect interpretation of the dipole mode terminology invented by W.M. Elasser (1949). It is noted that the present results provide an accurate picture of polarization of the fundamental mode. >
Thirteen new species of Chilecicada Sanborn, 2014 (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Cicadidae: Tibicininae) expand the highly endemic cicada fauna of Chile.

The genus Chilecicada Sanborn, 2014 is shown to be a complex of closely related species rather than a monospecific genus. Chilecicada citatatemporaria Sanborn Cole n. sp. , C. culenesensis Sanborn Cole n. sp. , C. curacaviensis Sanborn Cole n. sp. , C. impartemporaria Sanborn Cole n. sp. , C. magna Sanborn Cole n. sp. , C. mapuchensis Sanborn n. sp. , C. oraria Sanborn Cole n. sp. , C. parrajaraorum Sanborn n. sp. , C. partemporaria Sanborn Cole n. sp. , C. pehuenchesensis Sanborn Cole n. sp. , C. trifascia Sanborn n. sp. , C. trifasciunca Sanborn Cole n. sp. , and C. viridicitata Sanborn Cole n. sp. are described as new. Chilecicada occidentis Walker, 1850 is re-described to facilitate separation of the new species from the only previously known species. Song and cytochrome oxidase I analysis available for most species support the separation of the new taxa from the type species of the genus. Known species distributions and a key to the species of the genus are also provided. The new species increases the known cicada diversity 61.9% to 34 species, 91.2% of which are endemic to Chile.
Study of a Multi Objective Reactive Power Compensation Device Considering Fault Current Limiting

With the increasing demands of power quality, high-quality power supply has become a necessary condition of modern social life. Power quality problems include voltage sag/swell, voltage unbalance and harmonics. To solve the above problem, a multi objective reactive power compensation device considering fault current limiting is designed, which can provide a certain degree of reactive power compensation to solve multi-objective system powered composite power quality problems during the normal working of the power system, and be able to quickly to limit the short-circuit current mode switching when power system under fault conditions. Finally, on the basis of theoretical analysis, experiments and simulations confirmed the correctness and effectiveness of the control strategy.
Automatic MIDI Genre Conversion

It is generally believed that the same piece of music, after a change of melody or associated instrument, could often elicit a different emotion, thus resulting in a change of music style. However, so far there have been rarely systematic studies on the relationships among the tunes, instruments, and aroused feelings. This paper proposes a framework to perform an automatic style conversion for the music represented in a MIDI format. Compared with most existing tools for music compositions where a professional background is usually assumed, we aim to provide a user-friendly system such that, with simply a mouse click, a desired music style transformation could be achieved by automatically adjusting the associated tempo and instruments of the music. Numerous music styles have been tested and results are quite satisfactory. We believe such a framework could be standardized and adopted in nowadays portable devices, such as laptops, tablet PCs, PDA, or smart phones.
Romidepsin and Tamoxifen Cooperatively Induce Senescence of Pancreatic Cancer Cells Through Downregulation of FOXM1 Expression and Induction of ROS/Lipid Peroxidation

Although progress has been made in chemotherapeutic strategies against pancreatic cancer, overall survival has not significantly improved over the past decade. Thus, the development of better therapeutic regimens remains a high priority. Pancreatic cancer cell lines were treated with romidepsin, an inhibitor of histone deacetylase, and tamoxifen, and their effects on cell growth, signaling and gene expression were determined. Xenografts of human pancreatic cancer CFPAC1 cells were treated with romidepsin and tamoxifen to determine their effects on tumor growth. The inhibition of the growth of pancreatic cancer cells induced by romidepsin and tamoxifen was effectively reduced by N-acetyl cysteine and α-tocopherol, respectively. The combined treatment greatly induced reactive oxygen species production and mitochondrial lipid peroxidation, and these effects were prevented by N-acetyl cysteine and α-tocopherol. Tamoxifen enhanced romidepsin-induced cell senescence. FOXM1 expression was markedly downregulated in pancreatic cancer cells treated with romidepsin, and tamoxifen further reduced FOXM1 expression in cells treated with romidepsin. Siomycin A, an inhibitor of FOXM1, induced senescence in pancreatic cancer cells. Similar results were obtained in knockdown of FOXM1 expression by siRNA. Since FOXM1 is used as a prognostic marker and therapeutic target for pancreatic cancer, a combination of the clinically available drugs romidepsin and tamoxifen might be considered for the treatment of patients with pancreatic cancer.
Parameter Match of Powertrain and Economic Research for Electric City Bus

In order to improve the efficiency and reduce operating costs of electric vehicles, the powertrain parameters matching and economic analyses had been used as the point of research in this paper. The vehicle model was built in CRUISE, and used two kinds of Cycle Run in power consumption simulation, respectively were constant speed and Chinese typical cycle run. According to the matched electric city bus powertrain parameters, the vehicle model simulation results show the power consumption per kilometer was 1.02kWh under the Chinese typical cycle run conditions; the endurance mileage was more than 250km under constant speed 40km/h conditions. Compared with the traditional fuel vehicles in the 8-year service period of city bus, can save operating cost about 84108 $.
Electromagnetic remote control and downscaling advantages and examples for MOEMS

Electromagnetic actuation is applied to MOEMS for industrial applications requiring large and long-range forces. Advantages and drawbacks are outlined while down scaling laws are discussed. Technological improvements and new available materials bring to much smaller dimensions, the limit between Electromagnetism and Electrostatics. Remote control and bi-stability are unique characteristics of electromagnetic actuation. The importance of remote control is stressed so as to allow easy tests and optimization with no technological compatibility problem. These advantages are illustrated on three different electromagnetic MOEMS, developed in LIMMS, a Franco-Japanese research Laboratory based in Tokyo. The first is a resonant 1D magnetic scanner, the second is a magnetic bi-stable matrix array of optical micro-switches and the last is a remarkable application of the properties of thick Magnetostrictive thin layers to a 2D scanner.
Costing and pricing of electricity distribution services

Costing and pricing of the network service is an important aspect of owning and operating a distribution "wires" system in the deregulated England and Wales electricity supply industry. At a time of relative stability in the five-year regulatory price control cycle and with the structure of electricity distribution charges attracting regulatory interest, now may be an appropriate time to examine current practices and to consider the increasingly important relationship between distribution costs, performance and price. This article describes the current costing and pricing methodology, from both a distributor and a user perspective, before briefly discussing how these might develop as regulatory emphasis begins to change from one that is asset based to a regime that focuses more on customer driven network performance.
Comparing Treatment Outcomes Between In-Hospital and Emergency Department Management of Patients With Transient Ischemic Attacks

Introduction A transient ischemic attack (TIA) is a medical emergency, as it is a sudden neurological episode caused by ischemia in a vascular territory in the brain, which lasts less than one hour. TIA definition has shifted from time-based to tissue-based according to modern literature. It is considered a warning sign for an impending stroke. Symptoms could range from weakness on one side of the body, diaphoresis, to slurred speech. In this study, we examined the differences in health outcomes, when patients diagnosed with TIA are treated and discharged home from the ED, versus when admitted to the hospital for additional care. Methods This is a descriptive and retrospective study. We examined all patients’ encounters from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2019 at four emergency department locations. The cohort compared patients diagnosed with a TIA who takes medications (anti-lipid, antiplatelet drugs) versus patients diagnosed with a TIA who are not on any preventive medication. We compared the hospital readmission rate between these two group of patients and the need for additional medical treatments. Our study also considered hospital length of stay (LOS), admission rate, and its impact on patients with comorbidities. Results There were 983 patients included in the study. The patients on TIA prophylactic medications prior to coming to the ED made up (60.7%), and (51.2%) in this group required additional medications during hospital admission. The remaining 162 (39.3%), p=0.001 patients, were not on TIA prophylactic medications prior to presenting in the ED. The patients who required additional medications while in the ED were significantly older (mean +/-SD, 68.6 +/-14.0 years versus 62.18 +/- 17.4 years, p=0.001). Following a multivariate analysis, age greater than 60 (CI: 3.52-3.91, p=0.001) and results of the head CT/MRI investigations for any signs of neurological damage, were all found to be independent predictors of longer hospital stay and treatment outcomes. There were no significant differences in the treatment outcome for patients with TIA based on longer hospital stay and extra medication administration in the ED. Conclusion In our study, we observed that approximately, 75% of the patients who were on TIA prophylactic medications prior to presenting in the ED with symptoms of TIA were admitted to the hospital for further monitoring, compared to other group of patients who were not on TIA medications. We did also noted that there were no differences in mortality outcome between patients treated and discharged from the ED, versus patients admitted to the hospital for additional treatment. Lastly, patients who are 68 years and older, made up two-thirds of patient population admitted in the hospital and required additional medications, compared to younger patients.
Chinese Pharmacopoeia Revisited: A Review of Anti-Depression Herbal Sources

Depression, which can be accompanied by many fatal diseases and a low life quality, has become the leading cause of ill health and disability worldwide. However, Chinese Pharmacopoeia, the most authoritative and evidence-based encyclopedia of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), could contain leads and insights into the development of new antidepressant drugs. In this work, nine herbal medicines with ‘dispel melancholy functions’ specifically documented in Chinese Pharmacopoeia have been comprehensively reviewed with respect to clinical trials, and phytochemical and pharmacological aspects. The nine drugs are Rosae Chinensis Flos, Croci Stigma, Albiziae Cortex and Flos, Roase Rugosae Flos, Curcumae Radix, Hyperici Perforati Herba, Cyperi Rhizoma and Bupleuri Radix. The mechanisms of action of their functional antidepressant compounds, including gallic acid, hypericin, kaempferol, crocetin, crocin, quercetin, luteolin, isorhamnetin, curcumin, hyperforin, adhyperforin, catechin, rutin, puerarin, and saikosaponins A and D, have been collected and discussed. These traditional Chinese herbs and their active compounds provide a promising resource to develop effective new antidepressant drugs in future. Moreover, mechanistic investigations, safety verification and large-scale clinical trials are still expected to finally transform such TCM-based antidepressant resources to new drugs for patients suffering from depression.
Shared Decision-Making in Breast Reconstruction for Breast Cancer Patients: A Scoping Review

Abstract For most breast cancer (BC) patients who have undergone a mastectomy, the decision whether to proceed with breast reconstruction (BR) is complicated and requires deliberation. Shared decision-making (SDM) helps to address those needs and promote informed value-based decisions. However, little is known about the SDM status for BR in BC patients. This scoping review describes: 1) basic characteristics of studies on BR SDM in BC patients; 2) factors influencing BR SDM in BC patients; 3) experience and perception of BR SDM in BC patients; and 4) outcome measures reported. This review was performed in accordance with the Arksey and O’Malley methodology. A total of 5 English and 4 Chinese databases were searched, as well as different sources from grey literature. The data extraction form was developed by referring to the objectives and the Ottawa Decision Support Framework (ODSF). Data was analyzed using thematic analysis, framework analysis and descriptive statistics, with findings presented in the tables and diagrams. A total of 1481 records were retrieved and 42 of these included after screening. In 21 (21/42, 50%) of the studies, patient decision aids (PDAs) were utilized, and in 17 (17/42, 40.48%) of the studies, the factors influencing the implementation of SDM were explored. Of these 17 studies, the factors influencing the implementation of SDM were categorized into the following: the patient level (17/17, 100%), the healthcare level (2/17, 11.76%) and the organizational and system level (7/17, 41.18%). A total of 8 (19.05%) of the 42 studies focused on patients’ experiences and perceptions of SDM, and all studies used qualitative research methods. Of these 8 studies, a total of 7 (7/8, 87.50%) focused on patients’ experiences of SDM participation, and 4 (4/8, 50.00%) focused on patients’ perceptions of SDM. A total of 24 studies (24/42, 57.14%) involved quantitative outcome measures, where 49 items were divided into three classifications according to the outcomes of ODSF: the quality of the decision (17/24, 70.83%), the quality of the decision-making process (20/24, 83.33%), and impact (13/24, 54.17%). Although researchers have paid less attention to other research points in the field of SDM, compared to the design and application of SDM interventional tools, the research team still presents some equally noteworthy points through scoping review. For instance, the various factors influencing BC patients’ participation in SDM for BR (especially at the healthcare provider level and at the organizational system level), patients’ experiences and perceptions. Systematic reviews (SRs) should be conducted to quantify the impact of these different factors on BR SDM. Implementation of scientific theories and methods can inform the exploration and integration of these factors.