Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Influence of solder volume and interfacial reaction on the undercooling and solidification microstructure of BGA structure Cu/Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu/Cu joints

The solder joint's volume and interfacial reaction during the soldering significantly affect its solidification behavior and microstructure feature; further, the microstructure of the solder matrix and the intermetallic compounds (IMC) have a direct impact on the performance and reliability of the solder joint. In this study, the effects of the solder volume and interfacial reaction on the undercooling behavior and solidification microstructure of ball grid array (BGA) structure Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu/Cu (SAC/Cu) single-sided and Cu/Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu/Cu (Cu/SAC/Cu) double-sided joints with different solder diameters (0.76, 0.50 and 0.30 mm) were investigated by reflow soldering process using a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). DSC reflow results show that the undercooling of both SAC/Cu single-sided and Cu/SAC/Cu double-sided joints decreases with the increase of solder ball diameter. However, there is no big difference in undercooling value between SAC/Cu and Cu/SAC/Cu joints with the same joint size (or solder ball size). Microstructural analysis shows that the primary solidification phase of 0.30-mm-diameter double-sided solder joints is Ag3Sn, instead of Cu6Sn5 in the solder joints with diameter of 0.50 and 0.76 mm, which leads to decrease of the undercooling of 0.30 mm solder joints to a value only a little higher than the undercooling of 0.50 mm solder joints. The undercooling of solder joints is influenced by several factors, mainly including the type of substrate material (UBM), solder dimension and primary solidification phase.
The role of occipital pre-stimulus alpha oscillations in selective attention

In everyday life relevant and distracting information often coincide and we rely on selective attention to efficiently discriminate between the pertinent information and the irrelevant noise. Existing research relates selective attention to neural oscillations in alpha frequency predominantly using spatial paradigms with one or no distractors, presented simultaneously with the target. In the current thesis the role of pre-stimulus alpha oscillations was investigated in the context of a visual search. First, the effect of visual stimulation on alpha oscillations and behavioural performance was investigated. No effects of stimulation were found and alpha oscillations were not successfully entrained. The relationship of spontaneous pre-stimulus alpha oscillations with performance was then explored. We demonstrated a negative correlation between the power of alpha oscillations and performance, indicating that high power is related to fast reaction times. Lastly, the effect of pre-stimulus alpha oscillations in the context of varying task demands was investigated. The results indicated that high alpha power is beneficial for performance when the target is presented simultaneously with multiple distractors, but not when presented with a singleton distractor. Moreover, the predictability of task demands resulted in modulation of pre-stimulus alpha oscillations, with higher power in anticipation of high task demands, as compared to low task demands.
Perception of specific military skills – the impact of perfectionism and self-efficacy

Abstract We investigated the development of specific military skills in Norwegian cadets during the three-year military academy training as well as the impact of perfectionism and self-efficacy on the development of these skills. Latent growth-curve models were performed with perfectionism as a time-invariant predictor and with self-efficacy as a time-varying predictor. There were significant increases in the Individual Coping Capacity (ICC) and Cooperation in Difficult Situations (CDS) subscales but not in the Motivation to Achievement (MA) subscale. The initial skill levels were not related to the growth of the skills. Both adaptive and maladaptive perfectionism predicted initial values of ICC and CDS, explaining 5% of the variance in the initial ICC levels and 12% of the variance in the initial CDS levels. Perfectionism variables did not explain the development of the three types of military skills over time. Moreover, self-efficacy significantly predicted ICC at all time points and CDS and MA at all time points except at T3. We therefore concluded that cadets with high adaptive perfectionism scores are likely to have higher initial skill levels and that self-efficacious cadets are expected to show a greater development of military skills during military academy training.
On the Effectiveness of Smart Growth Programs in Curbing Urban Sprawl +

Abstract. According to research to date, sprawl negatively affects the lives of millions of Americans annually. Fortunately, in the U.S., several states have designed and enacted growth management programs to curb its expansion. But have they been effective? Following up on work by just a handful of other research teams, we control for land area, population, fuel cost, per capita income, passenger-miles of public transportation use, congestion, and crime rates as factors causing change in land area in a 1982-2005 panel data of 85 metropolitan areas. We examine so-called “smart growth” programs by state from their effective dates of implementation rather than their enactment dates. We find that anti-sprawl policies only in the State of Washington seem to curb sprawl. Additions to highway mileage induces sprawl in metropolitan areas regardless of the status of state smart growth programs. In contrast, additions to principal arterials roadways appear to increase sprawl only in states without smart growth programs. So transportation planners in smart growth states may be “damned if they do and damned if they don’t” since not only does highway building cause sprawl but so does the non-build alternative since it results in greater congestion, which also seem to induce sprawl there. Finally, we find evidence that reducing central-city violent crime rates and increasing fuel costs also appear to most effective in reducing sprawl.
Defense against Metastasis Oxide Release and Sinusoidal Cytotoxicity : A Natural Hepatic B 16 Melanoma Cell Arrest in the Mouse Liver Induces Nitric

The formation of liver metastases involves interactions between intravascular cancer cells and the hepatic microvasculature. Here we provide evidence that the arrest of intravascular B16F1 melanoma cells in the liver induces a rapid local release of nitric oxide (NO) that causes apoptosis of the melanoma cells and inhibits their subsequent development into hepatic metastases. B16F1 melanoma cells (5 3 10) labeled with fluorescent microspheres were injected into the portal circulation of C57BL/6 mice. The production of NO in vivo was detected by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy ex vivousing an exogenous NO-trapping agent. A burst of NO was observed in liver samples examined immediately after tumor cell injection. The relative electron paramagnetic resonance signal intensity was 6676 143 units in mice injected with tumor cells versus 28 6 5 units after saline injection (P< 0.001). Two-thirds of cells arrested in the sinusoids compared with the terminal portal venules (TPVs). By double labeling of B16F1 cells with fluorescent microspheres and a TdTmediated UTP end labeling assay, we determined that the melanoma cells underwent apoptosis from 4–24 h after arrest. The mean rate of apoptosis was 2-fold greater in the sinusoids than in the TPVs at 4, 8, and 24 h after injection (P < 0.05–0.01). Apoptotic cells accounted for 15.9 6 0.8% of tumor cells located in the sinusoids and 7.16 0.9% of tumor cells in the TPVs. The NO synthase inhibitor NG-nitroL-arginine methyl ester completely blocked the NO burst (P< 0.001) and inhibited the apoptosis of B16F1 cells in the sinusoids by 77%. However, the rate of tumor cell apoptosis in the TPVs was not changed. There were 5-fold more metastatic nodules in the livers of NG-nitroL-arginine methyl ester-treated mice (P < 0.05). The inactive enantiomer NG-nitroD-arginine methyl ester had no effect on the initial NO burst or on apoptosis of tumor cellsin vivo. Both annexin V phosphatidylserine plasma membrane labeling and DNA end labeling of apoptotic cells were demonstrated after a 5-min exposure (a time equivalent to the initial transient NO induction in vivo) of B16F1 cells to a NO donor in vitro. These results identify the existence of a natural defense mechanism against cancer metastasis whereby the arrest of tumor cells in the liver induces endogenous NO release, leading to sinusoidal tumor cell killing and reduced hepatic metastasis formation.
A Probabilistic Approach to ToF and Stereo Data Fusion

Current 3D video applications require the availability of high quality depth information. Depth information can be acquired real-time by stereo vision systems and ToF cameras. Both solutions present critical issues, that can be overcome by their combined use. In this paper, a heterogeneous acquisition system is considered, made of two high resolution standard cameras (stereo pair) and one ToF camera. The stereo system and the ToF camera must be properly calibrated together in order to operate jointly. Therefore this work introduces first a generalized multi-camera calibration technique which does not exploit only the luminance (color) information, but also the depth information extracted by the ToF camera. A probabilistic ad hoc fusion algorithm is then derived in order to obtain high quality depth information from the information of both the ToF camera and the stereo-pair. Experimental results show that the proposed calibration algorithm leads to a very accurate calibration suitable for the fusion algorithm, that, in turn, allows for precise extraction of the depth information.
Assessment of Knowledge and Practice towards Hepatitis B among Medical and Health Science Students in Haramaya University, Ethiopia

Introduction Hepatitis B (HB) is a serious infection that affects liver and caused by hepatitis B virus (HBV). HB is a serious global public health problem and the health professionals are most at risk. It is contagious and easy to be transmitted from one infected individual to another by blood to blood contact, mother to child, unprotected sexual intercourse, sharing of eating utensils and other barber shop and beauty salon equipment. The aim of this study was to assess knowledge and practices about transmissions and prevention of hepatitis B among medical and health science students on clinical attachment in Haramaya University. Methods and Findings A cross sectional study was conducted among 322 health science and medical students who are starting clinical attachment (year II, III, IV, V and IV) from February 1–15, 2013. Self-administered structured questionnaire was used to collect information. Out of 322 distributed questionnaires, 322 were returned with a response rate of 100.0%. Majority of the students (91%) were in the age group 20–24 and 232 (72%) of the respondents were male. Majorities (95.3%) of students were not fully vaccinated against Hepatitis B and 48.4% of the students were not aware about the availability of post exposure prophylaxis for HB. Mean scores for knowledge and practice were 11.52±2.37 and 2.76±1.1 respectively. Significant and positive linear correlations between knowledge-practice (r = 0.173, p = 0.002) was observed. Study department was significantly associated with mean knowledge and practice of study respondents. Conclusion This study indicates that lack of awareness about Hepatitis B, its route of transmission and modes of prevention among the medical students entering into the profession. Similarly, 95.3% the students were not fully vaccinated against Hepatitis B, which makes them vulnerable to the disease.
The Relationship between Note-Taking Method and Grade Point Average When Controlling for ACT Score and Self-Regulation Ability in Undergraduate Students.

iii DEDICATION. iv LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS OR SYMBOLS.v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.vii LIST OF TABLES. x CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION . 1 NATURE OF STUDY. 2 RESEARCH QUESTIONS AND HYPOTHESES.3 THE LITERATURE. 4 OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS. 7 SCOPE.8 LIMITATIONS. 8 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY. 9 CHAPTER 2: REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE.11 THE IMPORTANCE OF NOTE-TAKING IN THE COLLEGE CLASSROOM . 11 A BRIEF HISTORY OF NOTE-TAKING RESEARCH PRIOR TO 1990.12 THE ROLE OF NOTE-TAKING IN LEARNING: STUDENT BEHAVIORS AND COMPETING THEORIES. 18
Understanding Expert Search Strategies for Designing User-Friendly Search Interfaces

Web search engines face an extremely heterogeneous user population from web novices to highly skilled experts. Currently, the search strategies of the experienced web searchers are largely unknown and this paper addresses this issue by an observational study. Seven computer scientists were observed during and interviewed after performing their own work-related web search tasks. The observations indicated that experts have effective means for enhancing the searching, such as: using multiple search terms and operators, frequent query editing, using multiple windows, versatile result saving, and using the 'Find' functionality. On the other hand, even the experts had misconceptions about the default operator and the ordering of the returned documents. Based on the results we suggest that search user interfaces should: 1) suggest alternative search terms, 2) explain search operators in natural language, 3) provide search history, and 4) facilitate users’ orientation to the results. The suggestions are formulated as concrete solutions in a prototype user interface. The aim is to transfer the advanced strategies to the disposal of all users, not just experts.
Digital Microfluidic Processing of Mammalian Embryos for Vitrification

Cryopreservation is a key technology in biology and clinical practice. This paper presents a digital microfluidic device that automates sample preparation for mammalian embryo vitrification. Individual micro droplets manipulated on the microfluidic device were used as micro-vessels to transport a single mouse embryo through a complete vitrification procedure. Advantages of this approach, compared to manual operation and channel-based microfluidic vitrification, include automated operation, cryoprotectant concentration gradient generation, and feasibility of loading and retrieval of embryos.
Detection of Underwater Acoustic Signal from Ship Noise Based on WPT Method

When detecting underwater acoustic signals, the ship noise is often treated as stationary stochastic noise. The traditional methods such as Fast Fourier transform (FFT) methods are not quite effective for the problem. In this paper, wavelet package transform (WPT) method is presented to solve that. The fractal characteristics of ship radiated noise are discussed. Some simulation examples are given for testing the performance of the proposed algorithm and the results show using WPT with rigrsure threshold selection, the ship noise is deleted well. Com-pared with traditional FFT method, WPT method owns better effectiveness on detecting signals from ship noise.
Using Model Parameters Describing Affective Dynamics to Predict Romantic Relationship Dissolution

In a previous paper demonstrating the utility of intraindividual process dynamics in predicting relationship dissolution Castro-Schilo and Ferrer (2013) applied dynamic factor analysis (DFA) models to intensive multivariate data from romantic dyads. This paper helped to demonstrate the utility of using intraindividual process data to predict future, intraindividual outcomes. We revisit their example, highlighting conditions when DFA models may not be appropriate for such applications due to insufficient measurement invariance to justify comparison of intraindividual dynamics of the latent variables at the interindividual level. We then propose that the application of intraindividual network dynamics models can be employed as an alternative approach to capture multivariate dynamics while avoiding the problem of measurement invariance by focusing on manifest, rather than latent, variable dynamics. Results are framed in the context of an empirical example of romantic dyad dynamics predicting future dissolution of romantic relationships, and the broader application of incorporating intraindividual dynamics in interindividual analyses.
Investigating Syntactic Complexity in EFL Learners' Writing across Common European Framework of Reference Levels A1, A2, and B1

The study investigates the linguistic basis of Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) levels in English as a foreign language (EFL) learners’ writing. Specifically, it examines whether CEFR levels can be distinguished with reference to syntactic complexity (SC) and whether the results differ between two groups of EFL learners with different first languages (Sindhi and Finnish). This sheds light on the linguistic comparability of the CEFR levels across L1 groups. Informants were teenagers from Pakistan (N = 868) and Finland (N = 287) who wrote the same argumentative essay that was rated on a CEFR-based scale. The essays were analysed for 28 SC indices with the L2 Syntactic Complexity Analyzer and Coh-Metrix. Most indices were found to distinguish CEFR levels A1, A2, and B1 in both language groups: the clearest separators were the length of production units, subordination, and phrasal density indices. The learner groups differed most in the length measures and phrasal density when their CEFR level was controlled for. However, some indices remained the same, and the A1 level was more similar than A2 and B2 in terms of SC across the two groups.
Entropies, Guessing and Cryptography

1 ABSTRACT Arikan 2] has proved a lower bound on the th moment of the number of guesses required to determine X given Y; which uses the R enyi entropy of order 1=(1+): We give a randomized improvement of Arikan's lower bound. Baumer 5] has proved the relationship 1 1 ? 2 ? H(XjY) ; between 1 |the probability of error if the plaintext X is to be estimated (with one guess allowed) given the ciphertext Y |and H(XjY) the Shannon entropy of X given Y: We obtain the tighter upper bound 1 1? P y2Y P Y (y)2 ? H 2 (XjY =y) ; This new bound depends on the R enyi entropy of order 2 instead of the Shannon entropy. We conjecture that the new bound extends tò 1 ? ` P y2Y P Y (y)2 ? H 2 (XjY =y) ; for`jXj; wherè is the probability of error if the plaintext is to be estimated with`guesses allowed. We derive the related upper bound`1 ? ` P y2Y P Y (y)2 ? H 2 (XjY =y) ; where itself is closely related to the R enyi entropy of order 2: This upper bound can be adapted to yield a guarantee regarding the success probability of a cryptanalyst using the optimal sequence of guesses for X given Y; namely the bound P succ (`jY) P y2Y P Y (y) 2 ? H 2 (XjY =y) ? 1? logìog jXj : We discuss the application of this bound to authentication codes where it improves a lower bound of Simmons on deception probability. A suitable security measure for secret key cryptosystems subject to guessing attacks is the number of guesses required to determine X with probability : We discuss the relationship between this quantity (which is typically called thèwork factor' in the cryptography literature) and R enyi entropy. Speciically, we demonstrate that, in the context of guessing attacks, both the average number of guesses and the Shannon entropy can be misleading measures of security.
The Relationship between Constitution of Traditional Chinese Medicine in the First Trimester and Pregnancy Symptoms: A Longitudinal Observational Study

Objective. We report on the distribution of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) constitution in the first trimester and on the association between TCM constitution and maternal symptoms related to pregnancy. Methods. Participants were followed up until delivery to observe primary measures (gestational hypertension and gestational diabetes mellitus) and secondary measures (signs of miscarriage, miscarriage, nausea and vomiting, and sleepiness and defecation during pregnancy). Descriptive analysis, t-tests, chi-square tests, and logistic regression analysis were used in this study. Results. 61.8% of the participants had unbalanced constitutions. We did not find a significant association between the TCM constitution and gestational hypertension, gestational diabetes, miscarriage, signs of miscarriage, and defecation during pregnancy. And we found that women with unbalanced constitutions in early pregnancy had a greater likelihood of severe nausea and vomiting and poor sleep during pregnancy in the logistic regression analysis. Conclusions. These results have implications for female health care providers and policy makers. Identification of TCM constitution may be helpful for understanding nausea and vomiting and poor sleepiness during pregnancy, especially in the condition that can not be explained by modern medical science, and be helpful for making program to improve these uncomfortable symptoms.
TGR5 signalling inhibits the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines by in vitro differentiated inflammatory and intestinal macrophages in Crohn's disease

Bile acids (BAs) play important roles not only in lipid metabolism, but also in signal transduction. TGR5, a transmembrane receptor of BAs, is an immunomodulative factor, but its detailed mechanism remains unclear. Here, we aimed to delineate how BAs operate in immunological responses via the TGR5 pathway in human mononuclear cell lineages. We examined TGR5 expression in human peripheral blood monocytes, several types of in vitro differentiated macrophages (Mϕs) and dendritic cells. Mϕs differentiated with macrophage colony‐stimulating factor and interferon‐γ (Mγ‐Mϕs), which are similar to the human intestinal lamina propria CD14+ Mϕs that contribute to Crohn's disease (CD) pathogenesis by production of pro‐inflammatory cytokines, highly expressed TGR5 compared with any other type of differentiated Mϕ and dendritic cells. We also showed that a TGR5 agonist and two types of BAs, deoxycholic acid and lithocholic acid, could inhibit tumour necrosis factor‐α production in Mγ‐Mϕs stimulated by commensal bacterial antigen or lipopolysaccharide. This inhibitory effect was mediated by the TGR5–cAMP pathway to induce phosphorylation of c‐Fos that regulated nuclear factor‐κB p65 activation. Next, we analysed TGR5 levels in lamina propria mononuclear cells (LPMCs) obtained from the intestinal mucosa of patients with CD. Compared with non‐inflammatory bowel disease, inflamed CD LPMCs contained more TGR5 transcripts. Among LPMCs, isolated CD14+ intestinal Mϕs from patients with CD expressed TGR5. In isolated intestinal CD14+ Mϕs, a TGR5 agonist could inhibit tumour necrosis factor‐α production. These results indicate that TGR5 signalling may have the potential to modulate immune responses in inflammatory bowel disease.
The Thick Market Effect on Local Unemployment Rate Fluctuations

This paper studies how the thick market effect influences local unemployment rate fluctuations. The paper presents a model to demonstrate that the average matching quality improves as the number of workers and firms increases. Unemployed workers accumulate in a city until the local labor market reaches a critical minimum size, which leads to cyclical fluctuations in the local unemployment rate. Since larger cities attain the critical market size more frequently, they have shorter unemployment cycles, lower peak unemployment rates and lower mean unemployment rates. Our empirical tests are consistent with the predictions of the model. In particular, we find that an increase of two standard deviations in city size shortens the unemployment cycles by about 0.72 months, lowers the peak unemployment rate by 0.33 percentage points, and lowers the mean unemployment rate by 0.16 percentage points.