Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Characteristics of PBTI and Hot Carrier Stress for LTPS-TFT With High-κ Gate Dielectric

In this letter, the characteristics of positive bias temperature instability (PBTI) and hot carrier stress (HCS) for the lowtemperature poly-Si thin-film transistors (LTPS-TFTs) with HfO2 gate dielectric are well investigated for the first time. Under room temperature stress condition, the PBTI shows a more serious degradation than does HCS, indicating that the gate bias stress would dominate the hot carrier degradation behavior for HfO2 LTPSTFT. In addition, an abnormal behavior of the Imin degradation with different drain bias stress under high-temperature stress condition is also observed and identified in this letter. The degradation of device’s performance under high-temperature stress condition can be attributed to the damages of both the HfO2 gate dielectric and the poly-Si grain boundaries.
Linkages between ENSO/PDO signals and precipitation, streamflow in China during the last 100 years

This paper investigates the single and combined impacts of El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) on precipitation and streamflow in China over the last century. Results indicate that the precipitation and streamflow overall decrease during El Nino/PDO warm phase periods and increase during La Nina/PDO cool phase periods in the majority of China, although there are regional and seasonal differences. Precipitation and streamflow in the Yellow River basin, Yangtze River basin and Pearl River basin are more significantly influenced by El Nino and La Nina events than is precipitation and streamflow in the Songhua River basin, especially in October and November. Moreover, significant influence of ENSO on streamflow in the Yangtze River mainly occurs in summer and autumn while in the Pearl River influence primarily occurs in the winter and spring. The precipitation and streamflow are relatively greater in the warm PDO phase in the Songhua River basin and several parts of the Yellow River basin and relatively less in the Pearl River basin and most parts of Northwest China compared to those in the cool PDO phase, though there is little significance detected by Wilcoxon signed-rank test. When considering the combined influence of ENSO and PDO, the responses of precipitation/streamflow are shown to be opposite in northern China and southern China, with ENSO-related precipitation/streamflow enhanced in northern China and decreased in southern China during the warm PDO phases, and enhanced in southern China and decreased in northern China during the cool PDO phases. It is hoped that this study will be beneficial for understanding the precipitation/streamflow responses to the changing climate and will correspondingly provide valuable reference for water resources prediction and management across China.
Accretion-Induced Collimated Fast Wind Model for η Carinae

I propose a scenario to account for the fast polar outflow detected to be blown by η Carinae in 2000. The scenario also accounts for the lack of this flow in 1998 and 1999. The scenario is based on the binary nature of η Carinae. The collision of the winds blown by the two stars, in particular near periastron passages, slows down ~5% of the wind blown by η Carinae, i.e., the massive primary star, such that it stays bound to the system. I assume that most of this mass is accreted back through the equator by η Carinae during apastron passage, when its orbital velocity is much lower. The mass accretion rate of this back-flowing material may become ~25% of the wind's mass-loss rate near apastron passages. If the back-flowing matter has enough specific angular momentum, it can form an accretion disk and may lead to the formation of a polar collimated fast wind (CFW) on top of the stellar wind. The gaps and uncertainties in this scenario, which should be closed and refined in future theoretical works, as well as several predictions that can be tested with observations in the near future, are discussed.
Optimal Choice of Weights for Sparse Recovery With Prior Information

Compressed sensing deals with the recovery of sparse signals from linear measurements. Without any additional information, it is possible to recover an s-sparse signal using m > s log(d/s) measurements in a robust and stable way. Some applications provide additional information, such as on the location the support of the signal. Using this information, it is conceivable that the threshold amount of measurements can be lowered. A proposed algorithm for this task is weighted l1-minimization. Put shortly, one modifies standard 11-minimization by assigning different weights to different parts of the index set [1, . d]. The task of choosing the weights is, however, non-trivial. This paper provides a complete answer to the question of an optimal choice of the weights. In fact, it is shown that it is possible to directly calculate unique weights that are optimal in the sense that the threshold amount of measurements needed for exact recovery is minimized. The proof uses recent results about the connection between convex geometry and compressed sensing-type algorithms.
Real-time image-based tracking of planes using efficient second-order minimization

The tracking algorithm presented in this paper is based on minimizing the sum-of-squared-difference between a given template and the current image. Theoretically, amongst all standard minimization algorithms, the Newton method has the highest local convergence rate since it is based on a second-order Taylor series of the sum-of-squared-differences. However, the Newton method is time consuming since it needs the computation of the Hessian. In addition, if the Hessian is not positive definite, convergence problems can occur. That is why several methods use an approximation of the Hessian. The price to pay is the loss of the high convergence rate. The aim of this paper is to propose a tracking algorithm based on a second-order minimization method which does not need to compute the Hessian.
Crossmodal Modulation as a Basis for Visual Enhancement of Auditory Performance

Crossmodal Modulation as a Basis for Visual Enhancement of Auditory Performance Cheng L. Qian Master of Applied Science Graduate Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering University of Toronto 2009 The human sensory system processes many modalities simultaneously. It was believed that each modality would be processed individually first, and their combination deferred to higher-level cortical areas. Recent neurophysiological investigations indicate interconnections between early visual and auditory cortices, areas putatively considered unimodal, but the function remains unclear. The present work explores how this cross-modality might contribute to a visual enhancement of auditory performance, using a combined theoretical and experimental approach. The enhancement of sensory performance was studied through a signal detection framework. A model was constructed using principles from signal detection theory and neurophysiology, demonstrating enhancements of roughly 1.8dB both analytically and through simulation. Several experiments were conducted to observe effects of visual cues on a 2-alternative-forced-choice detection task of an auditory tone in noise. Results of the main experiment showed an enhancement of 1.6dB. Better enhancement also tended to occur for more realistic relationships between audio to visual stimuli.
Secure State UML: Modeling and Testing Security Concerns of Software Systems Using UML State Machines

: In this research we present a technique by using which, extended UML models can be converted to standard UML models so that existing MBT techniques can be applied directly on these models. Existing Model Based Testing (MBT) Techniques cannot be directly applied to extended UML models due to the difference of modeling notation and new model elements. Verification of these models is also very important. Realizing and testing non functional requirements such as efficiency, portability and security, at model level strengthens the ability of model to turn down risk, cost and probability of system failure in cost effective way. Access control is most widely used technique for implementing security in software systems. Existing approaches for security modeling focus on representation of access control policies such as authentication, role based access control by introducing security oriented model elements through extension in Unified Modelling Language (UML). But doing so hinders the potential and application of MBT techniques to verify these models and test access control policies. In this research we introduce a technique secure State UML to formally design security models with secure UML and then transform it to UML state machine diagrams so that it can be tested, verified by existing MBT techniques. By applying proposed technique on case studies, we found the results that MBT techniques can be applied on resulting state machine diagrams and generated test paths have potential to identify the risks associated with security constraints violation.
A Framework toward Optimal Operation of Service Overlay Networks Assuring Inter-domain QoS ∗

This paper develops a design framework toward the profitable operation of generic service overlay networks (SON) assuring inter-domain QoS. The building blocks of the framework, namely, the QoSbandwidth demand mapping and the topology optimization are elaborated in detail. Moreover, some preliminary results are presented to demonstrate the gains of using the developed framework.
Schubert polynomials and degeneracy locus formulas

In our previous work arXiv:1305.3543, we employed the approach to Schubert polynomials by Fomin, Stanley, and Kirillov to obtain simple, uniform proofs that the double Schubert polynomials of Lascoux and Schutzenberger and Ikeda, Mihalcea, and Naruse represent degeneracy loci for the classical groups in the sense of Fulton. Using this as our starting point, and purely combinatorial methods, we obtain a new proof of the general formulas of arXiv:0908.3628, which represent the degeneracy loci coming from any isotropic partial flag variety. Along the way, we also find several new formulas and elucidate the connections between some earlier ones.
A Randomized Placebo-controlled Trial of Clonidine Impact on Sedation of Mechanically Ventilated ICU Patients

Clonidine has sedative and analgesic properties. Randomized studies examining these properties in mechanically ventilated ICU patients are scarce. This study was designed to assess the impact of clonidine on sedative agent use in mechanically ventilated patients. In a prospective, randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled study in a general ICU of a university medical center in Tehran, Iran, 40 patients, over 18 years on mechanical ventilation for 3 days or more randomized into 2 equal groups of clonidine and placebo. Clonidine arm received usual sedation and enteral clonidine 0.1 mg TID and escalated to 0.2 mg TID on the second day if hemodynamics remained stable. Ramsay Sedation Score was used to assess sedation. Opioids and midazolam were used in all patients. 10 patients in clonidine and 3 in placebo arms had history of drug abuse (P = 0.018). The mean of sedatives used in the clonidine/placebo arms (mg/day) were; MED (Morphine Equivalent Dose) 91.4 ± 97.9/112.1 ± 98.8 P=0.39, midazolam 7.1 ± 7.9/8.3 ± 9.2 P=0.66 and propofol 535.8 ± 866.7/139.1 ± 359.9 P=0.125. After adjusting for addiction and propofol, clonidine reduced MED use by 79.6 mg/day (P=0.005) and midazolam by 5.41 mg/day (P = 0.05). Opioids and midazolam need reduced by clonidine co-administration regardless of history of drug abuse. Acceptable side effect profile and the lower cost of clonidine could make it an attractive adjunct to sedative agents in ICU.
Conservative management of persistent postnatal urinary and faecal incontinence: randomised controlled trial

Abstract Objectives: To assess the effect of nurse assessment with reinforcement of pelvic floor muscle training exercises and bladder training compared with standard management among women with persistent incontinence three months postnatally. Design: Randomised controlled trial with nine months' follow up. Setting: Community intervention in three centres (Dunedin, New Zealand; Birmingham; Aberdeen). Participants: 747 women with urinary incontinence three months postnatally, allocated at random to intervention (371) or control (376) groups. Intervention: Assessment by nurses of urinary incontinence with conservative advice on pelvic floor exercises at five, seven, and nine months after delivery supplemented with bladder training if appropriate at seven and nine months. Main outcome measures: Primary: persistence and severity of urinary incontinence 12 months after delivery. Secondary: performance of pelvic floor exercises, change in coexisting faecal incontinence, wellbeing, anxiety, and depression. Results: Women in the intervention group had significantly less urinary incontinence: 167/279 (59.9%) v 169/245 (69.0%), difference 9.1% (95% confidence interval 1.0% to 17.3%, P=0.037) for any incontinence and 55/279 (19.7%) v 78/245 (31.8%), difference 12.1% (4.7% to 19.6%, P=0.002) for severe incontinence. Faecal incontinence was also less common: 12/273 (4.4%) v 25/237 (10.5%), difference 6.1% (1.6% to 10.8%, P=0.012). At 12 months women in the intervention group were more likely to be performing pelvic floor exercises (218/278 (79%) v 118/244 (48%), P<0.001). Conclusions: A third of women may have some urinary incontinence three months after childbirth. Conservative management provided by nurses seems to reduce the likelihood of urinary and coexisting faecal incontinence persisting 12 months postpartum. Further trials for faecal incontinence are needed. What is already known on this topic Vaginal delivery is a risk factor for urinary incontinence Three months after childbirth 20-30% of women still experience urinary incontinence Most women do not seek treatment What this study adds Women will use conservative treatments such as pelvic floor exercises or bladder training Conservative management prevents persistent urinary incontinence in about one in 10 women who have postnatal incontinence Coexisting persistent faecal incontinence is also improved
Bmc Palliative Care Factors Associated with Home Death for Individuals Who Receive Home Support Services: a Retrospective Cohort Study

Objectives: To determine the factors associated with a home death among older adults who received palliative care nursing home services in the home. Methods: The participants in this retrospective cohort study were 151 family caregivers of patients who had died approximately 9 months prior to the study telephone interview. The interview focused on the last year of life and covered two main areas, patient characteristics and informal caregiver characteristics. Results: Odds ratios [OR] and 95% confidence intervals [95% CI] were used to determine which of the 15 potential informal caregiver and seven patient predictor variables were associated with dying at home. Multivariate analysis revealed that the odds of dying at home were greater when the patient lived with a caregiver [OR = 7. However the odds were lower for patients who had caregivers with fair to poor health status [OR = 0.22; 95% CI = (0.07, 0.65)] and for patients who used hospital palliative care beds [OR = 0.31; 95% CI = (0.12, 0.80)]. Discussion: The findings suggest that individuals who indicated a preference to die at home and resided with a healthy informal caregiver had better odds of dying at home. Home visits by a family physician were also associated with dying at home. Current government policy in Canada is pressing for more and better care of the terminally ill in the community [1– 3]. Several factors contribute to the re-emergence of home death, including: preference of the terminally ill and their families to remain in the home, recognition of the limited benefits found in medical care, improvements in home based medical technology and pharmacology, and hospital restructuring resulting in the closure of hospital beds [4,5]. Related to this shift is an increasing elderly population which provides an impetus for the development of home based palliative care programs [6,7]. Despite the above, fewer people are able to die at home than would wish to do so. While death at home is preferred by one half or more of terminally ill patients [8,9], approximately 25% of people in Britain currently die at home [10]. Low-Verbatim copying and redistribution of this article are permitted in any medium for any purpose, provided this notice is preserved along with the article's original URL.
Costs and Benefits to Pregnant Male Pipefish Caring for Broods of Different Sizes

Trade-offs between brood size and offspring size, offspring survival, parental condition or parental survival are classic assumptions in life history biology. A reduction in brood size may lessen these costs of care, but offspring mortality can also result in an energetic gain, if parents are able to utilize the nutrients from the demised young. Males of the broad-nosed pipefish (Syngnathus typhle) care for the offspring by brooding embryos in a brood pouch. Brooding males can absorb nutrients that emanate from embryos, and there is often a reduction in offspring number over the brooding period. In this study, using two experimentally determined brood sizes (partially and fully filled brood pouches), we found that full broods resulted in larger number of developing offspring, despite significantly higher absolute and relative embryo mortality, compared to partial broods. Male survival was also affected by brood size, with males caring for full broods having poorer survival, an effect that together with the reduced embryo survival was found to negate the benefit of large broods. We found that embryo mortality was lower when the brooding males were in good initial condition, that embryos in broods with low embryo mortality weighed more, and surprisingly, that males in higher initial condition had embryos of lower weight. Brood size, however, did not affect embryo weight. Male final condition, but not initial condition, correlated with higher male survival. Taken together, our results show costs and benefits of caring for large brood sizes, where the numerical benefits come with costs in terms of both embryo survival and survival of the brooding father, effects that are often mediated via male condition.
Multiterminal DC Wind Farm Collection Grid Internal Fault Analysis and Protection Design

The multiterminal dc wind farm is a promising topology with a voltage-source inverter (VSI) connection at the onshore grid. Voltage-source converters (VSCs) are robust to ac-side fault conditions. However, they are vulnerable to dc faults on the dc side of the converter. This paper analyzes dc faults, their transients, and the resulting protection issues. Overcurrent faults are analyzed in detail and provide an insight into protection system design. The radial wind farm topology with star or string connection is considered. The outcomes may be applicable for VSCs in the multi-VSC dc wind farm collection grid and VSC-based high-voltage direct current (HVDC) offshore transmission systems.
Asymmetric Price E¤ects of Competition

1 We are indebted to Pim Heijnen and Marco Haan for providing us with the gasoline price data and the list of gas stations operating in the Netherlands. Thanks also go to Corine Hoeben for giving us the data on municipal taxes in the Netherlands. Abstract This paper examines how the distribution of prices changes with the number of competitors in the market. Using gasoline price data from the Netherlands we …nd that as competition increases, the distribution of prices spreads out: the low prices go down while the high prices go up, on average. As a result, competition has an asymmetric e¤ect on prices. These …ndings, which are consistent with a theoretical model where consumers di¤er in the information they have about prices, imply that consumers'gains from competition depend on their shopping behavior. In our data, all consumers, irrespective of the number of prices they observe, bene…t from an increase in the number of gas stations. The magnitude of the welfare gain, however, is greater for those consumers that are aware of more prices. We conclude that an increase in the number of gas stations has a positive but unequal e¤ect on the welfare of consumers in the Netherlands.
AIS Electronic Library (AISeL) The influence of external factors on the energy efficiency of public lighting

LED-based technology is transforming public lighting networks, favouring smart city innovations. Beyond energy efficiency benefits, LED-based luminaries provide real time stateful data. However, most of the municipalities manage all their luminaries equally, independently of its state or the environmental conditions. Some existing approaches to street lighting management are already considering elementary features such as on-off control and individual dimming based on movement or ambient light. Nevertheless, our vision on public (street) lighting management, goes beyond basic consumption monitoring and dimming control, encompassing: a) adaptive lighting, by considering other potential influence factors such as work temperature of the luminaries or the arrangement of the luminaries on the street; b) Colour tuning, for public safety purposes and; c) emergency behaviour control. This paper addresses the first component (adaptive lighting) influence factors, in the scope of a real scenario in a Portuguese municipality.
Mood and Weather: Feeling the Heat?

The notion that weather plays a significant role in determininga person’s mood is empirically beyond doubt, but quantifyingthe relationship on a large scale has traditionally beenhampered by difficulties in measuring people’s sentiments. Inthis paper we present the relationship between weather andthe U.S. residents’ sentiments from Twitter data and nationwidemeteorological records. We measure how temperature,humidity, and atmospheric pressure correlate with people’smoods, demonstrating the potential of large-scale online datain humanities fields such as psychology. We also providethese results with infographics, which can help the public understandscientific results easily.
Measurement-induced focusing and the magnitude of loss aversion: The difference between comparing gains to losses and losses to gains

Research has identified loss aversion as a strong and robust phenomenon, but has also revealed some moderators affecting the magnitude of its effect on decision making. In the current article, we draw attention to the fact that even the measurement of loss aversion itself may affect its magnitude by inducing a focus on either losses or gains. In three studies, we provide empirical evidence for such a measurement-induced focus. In all studies we used coin-toss gambles—in which there is a 50/50 chance to win or to lose—to assess gain/loss ratios as a measure of loss aversion. Participants either filled out the loss side or the gain side of this gain/loss ratio. The studies consistently showed that—using within- and between-subject designs and anticipated and real coin-toss gambles—the strength of loss aversion depended on the measurement format (fill-in-the-loss versus fill-in-the-gain); filling in the loss side increased loss aversion. Moreover, loss aversion was more affected by the stakes of the gamble in the fill-in-the-loss format than in the fill-in-the-gain format.