Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A highly sensitive multi-element HgCdTe e-APD detector for IPDA lidar applications

A 16 element HgCdTe e-APD detector has been developed for lidar receivers that has significant improvements in sensitivity in the spectral range from < 1μm to 4 μm. A demonstration detector consisting of a 4x4 APD detector array, with 80 μm square elements, a custom CMOS readout integrated circuit (ROIC), a closed cycle cooler-Dewar, and support electronics has been designed, fabricated, and tested. The custom ROIC design provides > 6 MHz bandwidth with low noise and 21 selectable gains. Ninety-six arrays were fabricated with 69% of the arrays meeting the dark current spec in the center 4 pixels at 10 V bias where the APD gain was expected to be around 150. Measurements to 12 V on one array showed APD gains of 654 with a gain normalized dark currents of 1.2 fA to 3.2 fA. The lowest dark current array showed a maximum dark current of 6.2 pA at 10 V and 77 K. The 4.4 μm cutoff detector was characterized at an operating temperature of 77K with a 1.55 μm, 1μs wide, laser pulse. The photon conversion efficiency at unity gain was 91%. The mean measured APD gain at 77 K was 308 at 11V, the responsivity was 782 μV/pW, the average NEP was 1.04 fW/Hz1/2. The bandwidth was 6.8 MHz, and the broadband NEP was 2.97 pW. This detector offers a wide spectral response, dynamic range, and substantially improved sensitivity and lifetime for integrated path differential absorption (IPDA) lidar measurements of atmospheric trace gases such as CO2 and CH4.
Evolution of fibrosis during HCV recurrence after liver transplantation – influence of IL‐28B SNP and response to peg‐IFN and ribavirin treatment

The IL‐28 gene is associated with sustained viral response (SVR) after treatment with peg‐IFN and ribavirin in liver transplant recipients with chronic hepatitis C genotype 1 infection. We analysed the importance of recipient and donor IL‐28B genotype for response to treatment and fibrosis progression in 54 liver transplant recipients. Fibrosis stage (F) was defined as mild when F ≤ 2 and severe when F ≥ 3 in a liver biopsy or according to liver elasticity analysis. We found a significantly lower prevalence of IL‐28B SNP CC in the recipients (22%) than in the donors (67%), P < 0.0001. SVR was seen in 61% of the recipients with mild and 27% with severe fibrosis pretreatment, P = 0.01. Recipients with IL‐28 CC and non‐CC had mild fibrosis in 64% and 38% prior to treatment, P = 0.13. At follow‐up, after treatment, significantly more recipients with CC had mild fibrosis than non‐CC recipients (75% versus 32%, P = 0.0072), and all with CC and SVR had mild fibrosis. The strongest baseline factor predicting SVR was genotype. Hence, 13/19 (68%) genotype non‐1 patients reached SVR versus only 9/35 (26%) genotype 1 patients, P = 0.0022. In summary, we found that liver transplant recipients with IL‐28B CC tended to have less advanced fibrosis prior to and significantly less after SOC treatment and that all recipients with IL‐28B CC who achieved SVR had mild fibrosis at follow‐up. A significantly higher SVR rate was achieved in recipients with mild than severe fibrosis pretreatment and with genotype non‐1 than 1 infection. Our findings indicate that treatment for post‐transplant HCV recurrence should be offered before advanced fibrosis is seen in the recipient.
Estimates for the extinction time for the Ricci flow on certain 3-manifolds and a question of Perelman

We show that the Ricci flow becomes extinct in finite time on any Riemannian 3-manifold without aspherical summands. In this note we prove some bounds for the extinction time for the Ricci flow on certain 3-manifolds. Our interest in this comes from a question that Grisha Perelman asked the first author at a dinner in New York City on April 25th of 2003. His question was "what happens to the Ricci flow on the 3-sphere when one starts with an arbitrary metric? In particular, does the flow become extinct in finite time? " He then went on to say that one of the difficulties in answering this is that he knew of no good way of constructing minimal surfaces for such a metric in general. However, there is a natural way of constructing such surfaces and that comes from the min-max argument where the minimal of all maximal slices of sweep-outs is a minimal surface; see, for instance, (2). The idea is then to look at how the area of this min-max surface changes under the flow. Geometrically the area measures a kind of width of the 3-manifold and as we will see for certain 3-manifolds (those, like the 3-sphere, whose prime decomposition contains no aspherical factors) the area becomes zero in finite time corresponding to that the solution becomes extinct in finite time. Moreover, we will discuss a possible lower bound for how fast the area becomes zero. Very recently Perelman posted a paper (see (9)) answering his original question about finite extinction time. However, even after the appearance of his paper, then we still think that our slightly different approach may be of interest. In part because it is in some ways geometrically more natural, in part because it also indicates that lower bounds should hold, and in part because it avoids using the curve shortening flow that he simultaneously with the Ricci flow needed to invoke and thus our approach is in some respects technically easier. Let M 3 be a smooth closed orientable 3-manifold and let g(t) be a one-parameter family of metrics on M evolving by the Ricci flow, so
Direct extrapolation of a causal signal using low-frequency and early-time data

In this paper, we provide three direct procedures to extrapolate the early-time and the low-frequency response of a causal signal simultaneously in the time-and frequency domain. Compared with the extrapolation by orthonormal basis functions, direct extrapolation is straightforward and we do not need to evaluate the basis functions and search for the optimal scaling factor and the optimal number of basis functions. We show that the extrapolation introduced by Adve and Sarkar is equivalent to a Neumann-series solution of an integral equation of the second kind. It is further shown that this iterative Neumann expansion is an error-reducing method. We propose to solve this integral equation efficiently by employing a conjugate gradient iterative scheme. The convergence of this scheme is also demonstrated. We provide the matrix equations and show the equivalence to the integral equations, and demonstrate that the method of singular value decomposition (SVD) of solving the matrix equation provides accurate and stable results. Finally, a number of illustrative numerical examples are presented and the performances of the three direct methods are compared.
Abrasive wear of railway sections of steel with a different pearlite morphology in railroad switches

Purpose: The analyse of pearlite morphology changes as a result of hot rolling process and isothermal annealing. Design/methodology/approach: Physical modelling of isothermal annealing for a transition point of 520-620°C was carried out using a Gleeble simulator. A scanning electron microscope was used for a quantitative evaluation of the microstructure. Tests of resistance to abrasive wear were carried out at the Amsler stand. Findings: The obtained test results confirm that these methods can be effectively used in shaping the pearlitic structure and properties of the steel. Practical implications: In physical modelling of tests of resistance to abrasive wear for the steel grade R260 after hot rolling and isothermal annealing it has been proved that this feature is a function of the steel structure and properties in the given operation conditions. The resistance to abrasive wear of steel R260 with a pearlitic structure and different pearlite morphology decreases with the increase of load and slide. Originality/value: An advantageous pearlitic morphology of steel (block sections) with interlamellar distance in the order of 0.12-0.13 μm, ensuring hardness of about 340-350 HB, is facilitated by a hot rolling process combined with isothermal annealing.
The Health Action Process Approach as a motivational model for physical activity self-management for people with multiple sclerosis: a path analysis.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the Health Action Process Approach (HAPA) as a motivational model for physical activity self-management for people with multiple sclerosis (MS). DESIGN Quantitative descriptive research design using path analysis. PARTICIPANTS One hundred ninety-five individuals with MS were recruited from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and a neurology clinic at a university teaching hospital in the Midwest. OUTCOME MEASURES Outcome was measured by the Physical Activity Stages of Change Instrument, along with measures for nine predictors (severity, action self-efficacy, outcome expectancy, risk perception, perceived barriers, intention, maintenance self-efficacy, action and coping planning, and recovery self-efficacy). RESULTS The respecified HAPA physical activity model fit the data relatively well (goodness-of-fit index = .92, normed fit index = .91, and comparative fit index = .93) explaining 38% of the variance in physical activity. Recovery self-efficacy, action and coping planning, and perceived barriers directly contributed to the prediction of physical activity. Outcome expectancy significantly influenced intention and the relationship between intention and physical activity is mediated by action and coping planning. Action self-efficacy, maintenance self-efficacy, and recovery self-efficacy directly or indirectly affected physical activity. Severity of MS and action self-efficacy had an inverse relationship with perceived barriers and perceived barriers influenced physical activity. CONCLUSIONS Empirical support was found for the proposed HAPA model of physical activity for people with MS. The HAPA model appears to provide useful information for clinical rehabilitation and health promotion interventions.
Plasticity of the Melanocortin System: Determinants and Possible Consequences on Food Intake

The melanocortin system is one of the most important neuronal pathways involved in the regulation of food intake and is probably the best characterized. Agouti-related peptide (AgRP) and proopiomelanocortin (POMC) expressing neurons located in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus are the key elements of this system. These two neuronal populations are sensitive to circulating molecules and receive many excitatory and inhibitory inputs from various brain areas. According to sensory and metabolic information they integrate, these neurons control different aspects of feeding behavior and orchestrate autonomic responses aimed at maintaining energy homeostasis. Interestingly, composition and abundance of pre-synaptic inputs onto arcuate AgRP and POMC neurons vary in the adult hypothalamus in response to changes in the metabolic state, a phenomenon that can be recapitulated by treatment with hormones, such as leptin or ghrelin. As described in other neuroendrocrine systems, glia might be determinant to shift the synaptic configuration of AgRP and POMC neurons. Here, we discuss the physiological outcome of the synaptic plasticity of the melanocortin system, and more particularly its contribution to the control of energy balance. The discovery of this attribute has changed how we view obesity and related disorders, and opens new perspectives for their management.
The gender wage gap by education in Italy

This paper studies the gender wage gap by educational attainment in Italy using the 1994–2001 ECHP data. We estimate wage distributions in the presence of covariates and sample selection separately for highly and low educated men and women. Then, we decompose the gender wage gap across all the wage distribution and isolate the part due to gender differences in the remunerations of the similar characteristics. We find that women are penalized especially if low educated. When we control for sample selection induced by unobservables, the penalties for low educated women become even larger, above all at the bottom of the wage distribution.
Testing the Psychometric Properties of a Chinese Version of the Level of Expressed Emotion Scale

This study tested the psychometric properties of a Chinese version of the level of expressed emotion scale in Hong Kong Chinese patients with severe mental illness and their family caregivers. First, the semantic equivalence with the original English version and test-retest reliability at 2-week interval of the Chinese version was examined. After that, the reproducibility, construct validity, and internal consistency of the Chinese version were tested. The Chinese version indicated good semantic equivalence with the English version (kappa values = 0.76–0.95 and ICC = 0.81–0.92), test-retest reliability (r = 0.89–0.95, P < 0.01), and internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.86–0.92). Among 262 patients with severe mental illness and their caregivers, the 50-item Chinese version had substantial loadings on one of the four factors identified (intrusiveness/hostility, attitude towards patient, tolerance, and emotional involvement), accounting for 71.8% of the total variance of expressed emotion. In confirmatory factor analysis, the identified four-factor model showed the best fit based on all fit indices (χ 2/df = 1.93, P = 0.75; AGFI = 0.96; TLI = 1.02; RMSEA = 0.031; WRMR = 0.78) to the collected data. The four-factor Chinese version also indicated a good concurrent validity with significant correlations with family functioning (r = −0.54) and family burden (r = 0.49) and a satisfactory reproducibility over six months (intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.90). The mean scores of the overall and subscale of the Chinese version in patients with unipolar disorder were higher than in other illness groups (schizophrenia, psychotic disorders, and bipolar disorder; P < 0.01). The Chinese version demonstrates sound psychometric properties to measure families' expressed emotion in Chinese patients with severe mental illness, which are found varied across countries.
4-Methoxybenzamidinium acetate

The title compound, C8H11N2O+·CH3CO2 −, was synthesized by a reaction between 4-methoxybenzamidine (4-amidinoanisole) and acetic acid. In the cation, the amidinium group forms a dihedral angle of 11.65 (17)° with the mean plane of the benzene ring. The ionic components are associated in the crystal via N—H+⋯O− hydrogen bonds, resulting in a one-dimensional structure consisting of dimers and catemers and orientated approximately along the c axis.
Weight concerns among adolescent boys

Abstract Objective To investigate weight concerns among adolescent boys and relationships with health indicators and family factors. Design Analysis of the 2010 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children survey of 10–17-year-olds. Setting Schools in the Republic of Ireland. Results Among 6187 boys, 25·1 % reported a desire to lose weight (weight ‘loss’ concern) and 7·7 % reported a desire to gain weight (weight ‘gain’ concern). Both types of weight concerns were associated with poor self-rated health, life satisfaction and happiness, and with more frequent emotional and physical symptoms. Family factors were associated with boys’ weight concerns. In adjusted analyses, the risk of weight ‘loss’ concerns decreased with daily family breakfasts (OR=0·80; 95 % CI 0·66, 0·97). The risk of weight ‘gain’ concerns decreased with frequent family evening meals (OR=0·77; 95 % CI 0·60, 0·99). Ease of communication with mother was associated with a decreased risk of weight ‘loss’ and weight ‘gain’ concerns among boys (OR=0·74; 95 % CI 0·60, 0·90 and OR=0·61; 95 % CI 0·44, 0·82, respectively). An open father–son relationship and having a father present in the home decreased the risk of weight ‘loss’ concerns (OR=0·69; 95 % CI 0·57, 0·82 and OR=0·81; 95 % CI 0·67, 0·98, respectively). Conclusions Body weight concerns were reported by a sizeable minority of boys and were associated with negative health outcomes. The findings support the need to promote frequent family meals and facilitate open communication in families.
On adaptive decision rules and decision parameter adaptation for automatic speech recognition

Recent advances in automatic speech recognition are accomplished by designing a plug-in maximum a posteriori decision rule such that the forms of the acoustic and language model distributions are specified and the parameters of the assumed distributions are estimated from a collection of speech and language training corpora. Maximum-likelihood point estimation is by far the most prevailing training method. However, due to the problems of unknown speech distributions, sparse training data, high spectral and temporal variabilities in speech, and possible mismatch between training and testing conditions, a dynamic training strategy is needed. To cope with the changing speakers and speaking conditions in real operational conditions for high-performance speech recognition, such paradigms incorporate a small amount of speaker and environment specific adaptation data into the training process. Bayesian adaptive learning is an optimal way to combine prior knowledge in an existing collection of general models with a new set of condition-specific adaptation data. In this paper, the mathematical framework for Bayesian adaptation of acoustic and language model parameters is first described. Maximum a posteriori point estimation is then developed for hidden Markov models and a number of useful parameters densities commonly used in automatic speech recognition and natural language processing.
Sumset and Inverse Sumset Inequalities for Differential Entropy and Mutual Information

The sumset and inverse sumset theories of Freiman, Plünnecke, and Ruzsa, give bounds connecting the cardinality of the sumset A + B = {a + b; a ∈ A, b ∈ B} of two discrete sets A, B, to the cardinalities (or the finer structure) of the original sets A, B. For example, the sum-difference bound of Ruzsa states that, |A + B| |A| |B| |A - B|3, where the difference set A - B = {a - b; a ∈ A, b ∈ B}. Interpreting the differential entropy h(X) of a continuous random variable X as (the logarithm of) the size of the effective support of X, the main contribution of this paper is a series of natural information-theoretic analogs for these results. For example, the Ruzsa sum-difference bound becomes the new inequality, h(X+Y)+h(X)+h(Y) ≤ 3h(X-Y), for any pair of independent continuous random variables X and Y. Our results include differential-entropy versions of Ruzsa's triangle inequality, the Plünnecke-Ruzsa inequality, and the Balog-Szemerédi-Gowers lemma. In addition, we give a differential entropy version of a Freiman-type inverse-sumset theorem, which can be seen as a quantitative converse to the entropy power inequality. Versions of most of these results for the discrete entropy H(X) were recently proved by Tao, relying heavily on a strong, functional form of the submodularity property of H(X). Since differential entropy is not functionally submodular, in the continuous case many of the corresponding discrete proofs fail, in many cases requiring substantially new proof strategies. We find that the basic property that naturally replaces the discrete functional submodularity, is the data processing property of mutual information.
Porous poly(vinylidene fluoride) membrane with highly hydrophobic surface

The preparation of very hydrophobic poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) membranes was explored by using two methods. The first one was the modified phase inversion method using a water/N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMAc) mixture instead of pure water as a soft precipitation bath. The second method was a precipitation-bath free method, that is, the PVDF/DMAc casting solution underwent gelation in the open air instead of being immersed into a precipitation bath. The morphology of the surface and cross section of the membranes was investigated by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It was found that the membranes exhibited certain micro- and nanoscale hierarchical roughness on the surface, which brought about an enhanced hydrophobicity of the membrane. The contact angle (CA) of the samples obtained by the second method was as high as 150° with water. The conventional phase inversion method preparing PVDF porous membrane using pure water as precipitation bath usually results in an asymmetric membrane with a dense skin layer having a CA close to that of a smooth PVDF surface. The modified approach avoided the formation of a skin-layer and resulted in a porous and highly hydrophobic surface of PVDF. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 98: 1358–1363, 2005
Lines 1 Market efficiency and forecasting

The interest in predicting stock prices or returns is probably as old as the markets themselves, and the literature on the subject is enormous. Fama (1970) reviews early work and provides some organizing principles. This chapter concentrates selectively on developments following Fama's review. In that review, Fama describes increasingly fine information sets in a way that is useful in organizing the discussion. Weak-form predictability uses the information in past stock prices. Semi-strong form predictability uses variables that are obviously publicly available, and strong form uses anything else. While there is a literature characterizing strong-form predictability (e.g. analyzing the profitability of corporate insider's trades), this chapter concentrates on the first two categories of information. For a while, predicting the future price or value (price plus dividends) of a stock was thought to be easy. Early studies, reviewed by Fama (1970), concluded that a martingale or random walk was a good model for stock prices, values or their logarithms. Thus, the best forecast of the future price was the current price. However, predicting price or value changes, and thus rates of return, is more challenging and controversial. The current financial economics literature reflects two often-competing views about predictability in stock returns. The first argues that any predictability represents exploitable inefficiencies in the way capital markets function. The second view argues that predictability is a natural outcome of an efficient capital market. The exploitable inefficiencies view of return predictability argues that, in an efficient market, traders would bid up the prices of stocks with predictably high returns, thus lowering their return and removing any predictability at the new price (see, for example , Friedman, 1953; Samuelson, 1965). However, market frictions or human imperfections are assumed to impede such price-correcting, or 'arbitrage' trading. Predictable patterns can thus emerge when there are important market imperfections, like trading costs, taxes, or information costs, or important human imperfections in processing or responding to information, as studied in behavioural finance. These predictable patterns are thought to be exploitable, in the sense that an investor who could avoid the friction or cognitive imperfection could profit from the predictability at the expense of other traders. The 'efficient markets' view of predictability was described by Fama (1970). According to this view, returns may be predictable if required expected returns vary over time in association with changing interest rates, risk or investors' risk-aversion. If required expected returns vary over time there may …