Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
All-optical control of ferromagnetic thin films and nanostructures

All-optical magnetic state switching Magneto-optical memory storage media, such as hard drives, use magnetic fields to change the magnetization of memory bits, but the process is slow. Light can often reveal information about the magnetization state of a sample, such as its field direction. Lambert et al. show that under the right circumstances, light can also switch the magnetization state of a thin ferromagnetic film. Using light pulses instead of magnetic fields led to ultrafast data memory and data storage. Science, this issue p. 1337 The all-optical control of magnetization in thin ferromagnetic films is demonstrated. The interplay of light and magnetism allowed light to be used as a probe of magnetic materials. Now the focus has shifted to use polarized light to alter or manipulate magnetism. Here, we demonstrate optical control of ferromagnetic materials ranging from magnetic thin films to multilayers and even granular films being explored for ultra-high-density magnetic recording. Our finding shows that optical control of magnetic materials is a much more general phenomenon than previously assumed and may have a major impact on data memory and storage industries through the integration of optical control of ferromagnetic bits.
Impact of Safe Drinking Water Act amendments of 1986 on selected utilities in North Carolina

Organic and microbial contaminants that are currently or are planned to be regulated under the 1986 amendments to the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) were investigated in the following water supplies of the Urban Water Consortium established by The Water Resources Research Institute of The University of North Carolina: Burlington, Orange Water and Sewer Authority (OWASA), Durham, High Point, Raleigh and Winston-Salem. A review of the NPDES permits in each of these water supply sources confirmed that only the water supplies for Raleigh and Winston-Salem are vulnerable to industrial waste from direct discharges (six and seven sources, respectively). Those listed for Raleigh, however, are classified as minor industrial dischargers by an EPA rating system. At High Point, vulnerability is not so much from industrial discharges as from the potential for accidental contamination due to leakage from several oil storage depots. Very few contaminants that are or will be regulated by the SDWA were uncovered in these NPDES permits. It appears that the SDWA amendments' requirement for removal of disinfection by-products will have a much greater impact on the six cities studied than will the regulations regarding SOCs and VOCs.
Opportunities and Barriers to UDL-Based Course Designs for Inclusive Learning in Undergraduate Engineering and other STEM Courses

Understanding the needs of students with disabilities (SWD) is crucial for inclusive learning in college education. Universal Design for Learning (UDL)-based methodologies are recognized as a best practice to improve the accessibility for SWD. Although we see increased technology usage and changes in course design after COVID-19, it is still unclear if UDL-based practices will continue to be adopted and persist in their use, and where the future opportunities are for more inclusive engineering education for all students, and for SWD in particular. In this study, we surveyed faculty and undergraduate students (predominantly in engineering) about their experiences with 16 UDL-based course design practices and their perceived usefulness at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). These practices span the three UDL guidelines (representation, engagement, action-expression) and essential accessibility features. We also surveyed instructors about their knowledge of UDL and the barriers to implementing these practices in engineering/STEM courses. We also identified the differences in responses between underrepresented groups in engineering and the general student population, as well as differences between students and faculty. The survey design allowed students with physical, mental, and/or emotional disabilities to self-report as a SWD. Additionally, we identify students as Students with Access Challenges and Accommodation Needs (SACAN) if they faced conditions that prevented them from attending class at some point while not having an officially recognized disability by the university or if they are a SWD. Preference regarding feedback methods, class formats, and demographic questions such as gender and major were also included. Our preliminary survey results from 148 students (including 50 SWD, 77 SACAN) of more than 20 majors showed that: 1) The five most useful UDL practices among all students are: searchable recorded lectures, flexible deadlines, transcripts for videos, official discussion platform, and alternative learning formats to lectures (i.e: textbooks, and slides); 2) Female students experience UDL practices in their courses significantly less (False Discovery Rate (FDR) controlled p < 0.03 for 13 practices); 3) Female students and SWD are significantly more uncomfortable giving direct feedback to instructors (chisq p < 0.006); 4) SWD experience recorded lectures
Accumulation distribution in terre adélie, antarctica: effect of meteorological parameters

Abstract Along the 1040 km extending from Cape Prud’homme (lat. 66°41’S., long. 139°55’ E.), near Dumont d’Urville station, to Dome C (lat. 74°39’S., long. 124°10’E.), the variations in annual accumulation can be analysed by a division of the entire data set into three sub-sets depending on the types of measurements and the character of the spatial distribution. Along the first 33 km, from the coast to stake E40, annual measurements show considerable inter-annual variability, 52% of which can be explained by the spatio-temporal homogeneity of the balance distribution. However, we obtain a better result (64%) for the fluctuation homogeneity standardized using the standard deviation. This means that there is a strong space-time dis-tribution structure, characterized by an equal variation of the balance around the mean value specific to each location. This is so in spite of the existence of considerable surface roughness (sastrugi), the influence of which should be reduced by averaging values around each stake. From stake E40 to stake R60, a distance of 170 km, the almost periodic oscillations in the accumulation with a wavelength close to 40 km can be explained by the formation of a gravity-inertia wave, disturbing the geostrophic equilibrium, occurring at the break in slope 200 km from the coast. The very low values of accumulation for stakes D55 and D58S show that the oscillations were almost stationary during the study period (about 25 years). Finally, along the 840 km from stake R60 to Dome C we can observe a decrease in accumulation resulting from the decrease in mean temperature.
Syria at Bay: Secularism, Islamism and "Pax Americana"

1. Wrested from Slumber2. Bashar and Breaches in the Leadership3. The Pillars of Regime Legitimacy4. The Negative Balance5. Che not Usama: Syrian Society and Western Ideals6. Excursus: Secularism in Syria7. Is Baathism Bankrupt? 8. Opposition, Islam, and the Regime9. Syria the Rogue State? 10. Contradictory US Policy11. Political Options for the European Union12. Conclusion
Aalborg Universitet Weighted Sum-Rate Maximization Using Weighted MMSE for MIMO-BC Beamforming

This paper studies linear transmit filter design for Weighted Sum-Rate (WSR) maximization in the Multiple Input Multiple Output Broadcast Channel (MIMO-BC). The problem of finding the optimal transmit filter is non-convex and intractable to solve using low complexity methods. Motivated by recent results highlighting the relationship between mutual information and Minimum Mean Square Error (MMSE), this paper establishes a relationship between weighted sum-rate and weighted MMSE in the MIMO-BC. The relationship is used to propose a low complexity algorithm for finding a local weighted sum-rate optimum based on alternating optimization. Numerical results studying sum-rate show that the proposed algorithm achieves high performance with few iterations.
Shillong plateau earthquakes in northeast India region: complex tectonic model

The complex tectonic model of the Shillong plateau (SP), the source area of the 1897 great earthquake in the northeast India region, is examined using the high precision data of a 20-station digital seismic network that is in operation in the SP since 2001. The dominating thrust/strike-slip faulting earthquakes in the western plateau although could be explained by the ‘pop-up’ tectonic model 1 , the seismological data, however, show that the north dipping Dapsi and the south dipping Brahmaputra faults are the possible boundary faults, not the Dauki and Oldham faults as were proposed in the model. The more intense normal/strike-slip faulting earthquakes in the eastern plateau (Mikir massif), on the other hand, are generated by a long and deep rooted Kopili fault by transverse tectonics, and this could be the more vulnerable source area for an i mpending large/great earthquake in the region.
Physiochemical, site, and bidirectional reflectance factor characteristics of uniformly moist soils. [Brazil, Spain and the United States of America]

The author has identified the following significant results. The bidirectional reflectance factor (0.5 micron to 2.3 micron wavelength interval) and physiochemical properties of over 500 soils from 39 states, Brazil and Spain were measured. Site characteristics of soil temperature regime and moisture zone were used as selection criteria. Parent material and internal drainage were noted for each soil. At least five general types of soil reflectance curves were identified based primarily on the presence or absence of ferric iron absorption bands, organic matter content, and soil drainage characteristics. Reflectance in 10 bands across the spectrum was found to be negatively correlated with the natural log of organic matter content.
Frontal passage and cold pool detection using Oklahoma Mesonet observations

For over a dozen years the Oklahoma Mesonet network has provided surface observations at over 100 stations. These observations are used to analyze mass fluxes, frontal passages, and cold pools. Case studies are detailed and a 15-year climatology of frontal passages and cold pools was computed in this research. Updrafts, downdrafts, and precipitation are most strongly correlated in the summer months and least correlated in the winter months. Wet spring and summer days had the highest average convergence and divergence values while dry summer and fall days had the lowest average convergence and divergence. Frontal passages and cold pools are tracked throughout the Mesonet in various case studies, four of which are covered herein. Those cases are 1) 13 June 1997, 2) 15-16 June 2002, 3) 20 May 2011, and 4) 24-25 May 2011. The methodology is able to represent front location and cold pool areas quite well despite the low resolution of the Mesonet grid. The climatology of front and cold pool data yielded many similarities. Winter has the largest magnitude changes in ∆T, ∆P, and ∆h/cp while spring and fall had the largest magnitude change in ∆qv. Summer has the lowest with the exception of spring ∆T. Correlations between these variables are lowest in the more convectively active summer season. Convergence is roughly equal ahead of fronts from spring through fall; however, divergence is present in summer frontal passages earlier and stronger compared to the other seasons. Fronts and cold pools are most likely to occur in summer and spring with summer having the highest percentage of fronts which lead to cold pools. Fronts and cold pools are substantially more likely to occur during the late afternoon and early evening in the summer; other seasons had a slighter nocturnal increase in frequency. Western Oklahoma had higher frequencies of frontal passages and cold pools than Eastern Oklahoma with frontal passages having the stronger signal. These findings help identify seasonal, diurnal, and geographic distributions of fronts and cold pools and can be used in modeling studies to better the understanding of cold pool processes and parameterizations.
The physical geography of South America

The Physical Geography of South America presents an enduring statement of the continent's fascinating environments. Written by international specialists, it addresses themes ranging from tectonism and climate change to biotoc endemism; analyzes specific regions from the Amazon forests to the Patagonian steppes; and evaluates human impacts on the environment over time.
Les méthodes géophysiques pour la caractérisation des couvertures d’installation de stockage de déchets

Parmi l’ensemble des materiaux constitutifs d’une couverture d’installation de stockage de dechets, l’argile et le GeoSynthetique Bentonitique (GSB), couramment utilises, peuvent presenter des defauts qu’il est necessaire de caracteriser afin de prevoir les eventuels travaux de remise en etat partielle ou totale du site. L’objectif de cette these est de determiner la capacite des methodes geophysiques de Tomographie de Resistivite Electrique (TRE), de Polarisation Spontanee (PS) et d’Automatic Resistivity Profiling (ARP) a caracteriser les couvertures. Pour cela, un site experimental constitue de deux couvertures, au sein desquelles des defauts ont ete volontairement crees, a ete mis en place. Le suivi temporel effectue sur la couverture sans GSB a montre que les conditions meteorologiques du mois precedant les mesures ont une incidence sur la detection des defauts. De plus, les variations de comportement hydrique et electrique detectees en TRE au sein du materiau de couverture ont notamment pu etre attribuees a l’existence d’heterogeneites de composition. La presence de GSB rend plus difficile la detection des defauts quelle que soit la methode utilisee. Cependant, il semble que le temps passant l’evolution du GSB permette une detection plus aisee. Enfin, les prospections effectuees sur une installation de stockage de dechets dangereux ont mis en evidence la necessite de coupler plusieurs methodes geophysiques. L’heterogeneite des materiaux de couverture et de l’etat du GSB, mise en evidence par la TRE, a ete confirmee par des observations in situ sur des sondages a la tariere manuelle.
Hybrid images

We present hybrid images, a technique that produces static images with two interpretations, which change as a function of viewing distance. Hybrid images are based on the multiscale processing of images by the human visual system and are motivated by masking studies in visual perception. These images can be used to create compelling displays in which the image appears to change as the viewing distance changes. We show that by taking into account perceptual grouping mechanisms it is possible to build compelling hybrid images with stable percepts at each distance. We show examples in which hybrid images are used to create textures that become visible only when seen up-close, to generate facial expressions whose interpretation changes with viewing distance, and to visualize changes over time within a single picture.
A Review of Capital Budgeting Practices: Developed and Developing Country Context

The main purpose of this paper is to analyse existing literature the use of capital budgeting practices by firms in a comparative perspective to see whether any differences between developed and developing countries context. Trends towards sophisticated techniques have continued in developed and developing countries; though, developed countries, most of the firms are using sophisticated capital budgeting techniques however, that even though over time the use of the simple techniques method has declined as a primary tool for investment evaluation. In context of developing countries most frequently employ with non ‐ discounted cash flow techniques and discounted cash flow techniques. The study notes there still remains a difference between developed and developing countries and theory ‐ practice gap in the sophisticated capital budgeting techniques, and simple capital budgeting techniques. What this study suggestions is that the difference between developed and developing countries firms is smaller than might have been expected based upon the differences in the level of economic height, at least with respect to the use of sophisticated techniques as investment appraisal tool.
J an 2 01 1 Heun Functions and their uses in Physics

Most of the theoretical physics known today is described by using a small number of differential equations. If we study only linear systems, different forms of the hypergeometric or the confluent hypergeometric equations often suffice to describe this problem. These equations have power series solutions with simple relations between consecutive coefficients and can be generally represented in terms of simple integral transforms. If the problem is nonlinear, one often uses one form of the Painlevé equation. There are important examples, however, where one has to use more complicated equations. An example often encountered in quantum mechanics is the hydrogen atom in an external electric field, the Stark effect. One often bypasses this difficulty by studying this problem using perturbation methods. If one studies certain problems in astronomy or general relativity, encounter with Heun equation is inevitable. This is a general equation whose special forms take names as Mathieu, Lamé and Coulomb spheroidal equations. Here the coefficients in a power series expansions do not have two way recursion relations. We have a relation at least between three or four different coefficients. A simple integral transform solution also is not obtainable. Here I will try to introduce this equation whose popularity increased recently, mostly among theoretical physicists,and give some examples where the result can be expressed in terms of solutions of this equation.
Effectiveness and Acceptability of Progestogens in Combined Oral Contraceptives

Methods The objective of this review was to evaluate currently available low-dose OCs containing ethinylestradiol and different progestogens in terms of contraceptive effectiveness, cycle control, side effects and continuation rates. The Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, MEDLINE and EMBASE databases were searched. Randomized trials reporting clinical outcomes were considered for inclusion and were assessed for methodological quality and validity.
Upper Klamath Lake Basin nutrient-loading study; assessment of historic flows in the Williamson and Sprague rivers

Introduction . Purpose and Scope. Study Area . Study Approach . Acknowledgments . Data Analyses. Streamflow and Climate Data . Trend Tests . Double-Mass Curve Comparisons.1 Precipitation.1 Nearby-Basin Runoff.1 Computed Runoff . 1 Two-Sample Tests . 1 Potential Effects of Land-Use Activities on Streamflow . 1 Irrigation and Drainage.1 Timber Harvest.2 Summary. References Cited. FIGURES 1. – 2. Maps showing: 1. Location and extent of study area and locations of U.S. Geological Survey streamflow-gaging stations and National Weather Service precipitation gages, Upper Klamath Lake Basin, Oregon . 3 2. Mean annual precipitation in the Upper Klamath Lake Basin, Oregon (1961–90) . 4 3. –19. Graphs showing: 3. Annual runoff for the Williamson River below Sprague River, Oregon, water years 1918–96. 6 4. Monthly runoff statistics for the Williamson River below Sprague River, Oregon, water years 1918–96. 7 5. Monthly runoff statistics for the Sprague River, Oregon, water years 1922–96 . 7 6. Monthly computed runoff statistics for the upper Williamson River above the Sprague River confluence, Oregon, water years 1922–96 . 7. Annual precipitation, water years 1902–96, and cumulative annual precipitation, water years 1914–96, for Klamath Falls, Oregon . 9 8. Comparison of (A) annual precipitation at Klamath Falls with annual precipitation at Crater Lake and (B) cumulative annual precipitation at Klamath Falls with cumulative annual precipitation at Crater Lake, Oregon, water years 1931–96 . 11 9. Comparison of Williamson River (11502500) cumulative annual runoff to Klamath Falls, Oregon, cumulative annual precipitation and Sprague River (11501000) cumulative annual runoff to Klamath Falls, Oregon, cumulative annual precipitation, water years 1928–96 . 11 10. Comparison of cumulative annual runoff for the Williamson River, Oregon (11502500), with cumulative annual runoff for the Big Marsh Creek, Oregon (14061000), water years 1928–58, and cumulative annual runoff for the Rogue River, Oregon (14328000), water years 1928–96. 12 11. Comparison of cumulative annual runoff for the Rogue River, Oregon (14328000), with cumulative annual runoff for Salmon Creek, Oregon (14146500), water years 1934–93, and cumulative annual runoff for Big Marsh Creek, Oregon (14061000), water years 1928–58.13 12. Comparison of cumulative runoff for the Williamson River, Oregon (11502500), with cumulative runoff for the Rogue River, Oregon (14328000), February–May and July–September, water years 1924–96. 14 13. Comparison of cumulative observed annual runoff with cumulative computed annual runoff for the Williamson River, Oregon (11502500), and cumulative residuals, water years 1918–96 . 15 4/8/99—11:12:25 III RISLEY/KLAMATH NUTRIENTLOADING/TOC.DOC UNPUBLISHED REPORT SUBJECT TO REVISION—DO NOT QUOTE OR RELEASE—FOR USGS USE ONLY
Study of the baryon-antibaryon low-mass enhancements in charmless three-body baryonic B decays

The angular distributions of the baryon-antibaryon low-mass enhancements seen in the charmless three-body baryonic B decays B^+ \to p pbar K^+, B^0 \to p pbar K_S^0, and B^0 \to p Lambdabar pi^- are reported. Searches for the pentaquarks Theta^+ and Theta^{++} in the relevant decay modes and possible glueball states in the p pbar systems are presented. The analysis is based on a 140 fb^{-1} data sample recorded on the Upsilon(4S) resonance with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy e^+e^- collider.
Automatic Forest Fire Monitoring and Measurement using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

[Forest fire fighting is a very important issue in which Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) can play an important role. The paper presents the use of UAVs as tools for forest fire monitoring. Fire monitoring is defined as the computation in real-time of the evolution of the fire front shape and potentially other parameters related to the fire propagation. The paper shows how an UAV can automatically obtain this information by means of on-board infrared or visual cameras. Particularly, UAVs with hovering capabilities like helicopters are very useful, as they can move to vantage points of view of the fire. Moreover, it is shown how multiple UAVs can collaborate in fire monitoring activities, allowing to cover bigger fires or to obtain complementary views of a fire. The paper presents results obtained in experiments considering actual controlled forest fires in quasi-operational conditions, involving a fleet of three UAVs. ]
An Iterative Method for Computing the Pseudospectral Abscissa for a Class of Nonlinear Eigenvalue Problems

We consider the following class of nonlinear eigenvalue problems: $\left(\sum_{i=1}^m A_i p_i(\lambda)\right) v= 0,$ where $A_1, \ldots,A_m$ are given $n \times n$ matrices and the functions $p_1, \ldots, p_m$ are assumed to be entire. This does not only include polynomial eigenvalue problems but also eigenvalue problems arising from systems of delay differential equations. Our aim is to compute the $\epsilon$-pseudospectral abscissa, i.e., the supremum of the real parts of the points in the $\epsilon$-pseudospectrum, which is the complex set obtained by joining all solutions of the eigenvalue problem under perturbations $\{ \delta A_i \}_{i=1}^{m}$, of norm at most $\epsilon$, of the matrices $\{ A_i \}_{i=1}^{m}$. Under mild assumptions, guaranteeing the existence of a globally rightmost point of the $\epsilon$-pseudospectrum, we prove that it is sufficient to restrict the analysis to rank-one perturbations of the form $\delta A_i = \beta_i u v^*$, where $u \in \mathbb{C}^n$ and $v \in \mathbb{C}^n$ wit.