Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Using stable isotopes to understand seasonal and interannual dynamics in moisture sources and atmospheric circulation in precipitation

Stable isotopes in precipitation are useful tracers to strengthen understanding of climate change and hydrological processes. In this study, the moisture sources of 190 precipitation events in Beijing were analysed using the Hybrid Single‐particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory model, based on which we studied the relation between variations in precipitation δ18O and dynamics in moisture sources and atmospheric circulation in seasonal and interannual timescales. Categorization of 7 groups of moisture sources was performed, among which oceanic moisture sources presented lower δ18O in precipitation than continental moisture sources. The results show that seasonal variations of precipitation δ18O were caused by changes of moisture sources. In summer, moisture from proximal oceans dominated vapour transport to Beijing due to increasing monsoon strength and resulted in a relatively small variation of precipitation δ18O. At the interannual timescale, the variations of δ18O in summer precipitation were related to dynamics in oceanic moistures, showing depleted values when the contribution of oceanic moistures, especially the proportion of long‐distance oceanic moisture, was high. Further analysis indicated that changes of oceanic moisture sources were controlled by the strength of summer monsoons. These findings address the complexity of moisture sources in midlatitude monsoon areas and suggest that isotopic signals in precipitation have the potential to deduce changes in moisture sources and atmospheric circulation and can therefore serve for palaeoclimate reconstruction.
Shallow Parsing with PoS Taggers and Linguistic Features

Three data-driven publicly available part-of-speech taggers are applied to shallow parsing of Swedish texts. The phrase structure is represented by nine types of phrases in a hierarchical structure containing labels for every constituent type the token belongs to in the parse tree. The encoding is based on the concatenation of the phrase tags on the path from lowest to higher nodes. Various linguistic features are used in learning; the taggers are trained on the basis of lexical information only, part-of-speech only, and a combination of both, to predict the phrase structure of the tokens with or without part-of-speech. Special attention is directed to the taggers' sensitivity to different types of linguistic information included in learning, as well as the taggers' sensitivity to the size and the various types of training data sets. The method can be easily transferred to other languages.
Epidemiologic Analysis of Factors Associated with Local Disappearances of Native Ranid Frogs in Arizona

Abstract: We examined factors that may independently or synergistically contribute to amphibian population declines. We used epidemiologic case–control methodology to sample and analyze a large database developed and maintained by the Arizona Game and Fish Department that describes historical and currently known ranid frog localities in Arizona, U.S.A. Sites with historical documentation of target ranid species (n= 324) were evaluated to identify locations where frogs had disappeared during the study period (case sites) and locations where frog populations persisted (control sites). Between 1986 and 2003, 117 (36%) of the 324 sites became case sites, of which 105 were used in the analyses. An equal number of control sites were sampled to control for the effects of time. Risk factors, or predictor variables, were defined from environmental data summarized during site surveys and geographic information system data layers. We evaluated risk factors with univariate and multifactorial logistic‐regression analyses to derive odds ratios (OR). Odds for local population disappearance were significantly related to 4 factors in the multifactorial model. Disappearance of frog populations increased with increasing elevation (OR = 2.7 for every 500 m, p < 0.01). Sites where disappearances occurred were 4.3 times more likely to have other nearby sites that also experienced disappearances (OR = 4.3, p < 0.01), whereas the odds of disappearance were 6.7 times less (OR = 0.15, p < 0.01) when there was a source population nearby. Sites with disappearances were 2.6 times more likely to have introduced crayfish than were control sites (OR = 2.6, p= 0.04). The identification of factors associated with frog disappearances increases understanding of declines occurring in natural populations and aids in conservation efforts to reestablish and protect native ranids by identifying and prioritizing implicated threats.
Qualitative Evaluation of the Canadian Fabry Disease Initiative

Background: In late 2005, the federal and provincial governments responded to an increasing demand from physicians and their patients with Fabry disease for access to enzyme replacement therapy (ERT). This response took the form of a nationwide clinical research study, the Canadian Fabry Disease Initiative (CFDI). Patients who enrolled as participants in this longitudinal study received 1 of 2 ERT treatments. The present study used a qualitative evaluative approach to describe the perspectives of various key stakeholders regarding the CFDI and its potential as a model for providing access to expensive drugs for rare diseases. Methods: The CFDI was evaluated from the perspectives of 4 groups of key informants: patients, CFDI investigators, policy-makers and pharmaceutical manufacturers. The qualitative methods strategy used for the study involved semistructured interviews, a holistic-inductive design and content analysis. Results: Eighteen participants were interviewed. The study revealed that stakeholders held the following perceptions about the CFDI. The CFDI was created as a response to a drug reimbursement problem in Canada. Through specialist physicians, the CFDI has provided ERT to patients with Fabry disease across the country. The CFDI established a national database for collecting and monitoring the incidence of Fabry disease and information about ERT. The CFDI represented a collaborative effort among the various stakeholders (federal, provincial, pharmaceutical), but no stakeholder group thought that the CFDI was the correct response to the need for access to ERT. Finally, the CFDI can and should be redesigned, through modification of either its governing structure or its outcome goals. Discussion: The CFDI was a prototype for sharing the costs of expensive therapies for rare diseases. It has provided ERT to many patients with Fabry disease for several years. However, it was poorly designed to meet its outcome goals and has been unable to provide therapy to all individuals with the disease. Therefore, many stakeholders saw this initiative as an inappropriate solution. Conclusions: The CFDI has not met the expectations of key informant groups and some modifications may be necessary. A registry study might better accomplish the CFDI's original goals of providing access to treatment, gathering data and monitoring patients' progress.
A COMBINED ALGORITHM FOR GRAPH-COLORING IN REGISTER ALLOCATION

Our research involves improved algorithms for graph-coloring, in the context of register allocation. We extend the usual algorithm, first proposed by Chaitin, adding two further routines, one a form of semi-randomized greedy allocation of colors, and the second using local search with random restarts, a method developed in the context of logical satisfiability problems. For typical register-set sizes, the extended algorithm can color graphs using significantly less time and spilling significantly smaller numbers of nodes to memory than does the Chaitin algorithm; these advantages become less pronounced, as register-set size decreases, and Chaitin can offer some small measure of better performance for very small sizes. Our algorithm has some interesting additional features. On the one hand, it can be extended to the general graph-coloring problem, outside of the particular application considered. In addition, it makes available adjustable parameters for producing moreor less-optimal executables during compiler runs.
A Novel Approach for Reducing Energy Consumption and Increasing Throughput in Wireless Sensor Network using Network Simulator 2

A wireless sensor network contains collection of sensor nodes which are situated at desired locations to control various real time applications like moisture, climate, stress etc. So, Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) involve greater efficiency to control the environment related applications which are greatly used for military purposes and other life related applications in the field of medical. The wireless sensor nodes mainly make use of the battery systems and thus the wireless network’s life is the main issue of the battery’s power system. Hence, to assist better results for consumption of battery and security mechanism for the wireless sensor network to be energy efficient, anycast forwarding scheme is proposed and used in this paper. In the wireless network each node has multiple next-hop relaying nodes in a candidate set (forwarding set), results in reducing the delay and reducing the consumption of battery power. An active node forwards the packet to the first wakeup node in the forwarding set.
Practical DHT-based location service for wireless mesh networks

Mobility management in Wireless Mesh Networks (WMN) is a hot topic still lacking a final, widely accepted, and deployed solution. The major drawbacks of existing proposals is the fact that they rely on some sort of flooding-based technique and very often they need support from end-users' devices. Flooding in wireless environments leads to increased latency and broadcast storm problems, thus providing low performances. In this paper, we argue that a DHT-based approach can overcome such limitations and provide an effective solution to the mobility management problem. A preliminary evaluation of our DHT-based scheme on a real WMN test-bed shows encouraging results when compared to previous solutions.
Exploration of the ordering for a sequential airport ground movement algorithm

Guiding aircraft around the airport's surface while ensuring conflict-free routings is an important problem at airports. Sequential routing and scheduling algorithms can be advantageous for providing fast online solutions for decision support systems to help controllers. However, the effectiveness of such algorithms can depend upon the sequence of consideration of the aircraft, which is often chosen to be first-come-first-served. This research analyses the effects of different heuristics to find better sequences. Results are presented, utilising real data from Zurich Airport. These show that sophisticated heuristics can substantially improve the solution with comparatively little additional computational time. Furthermore, one approach aims to modify relatively few existing routes as it progresses, in order to minimise the workload of the controllers in communicating changes in an online environment.
Process development for fabrication of silicon semiconductor devices in a low gravity, high vacuum, space environment

Semiconductor microchips are high value per mass products whose fabrication requires many of the resources available in low-Earth orbit. It is hypothesized that orbital fabrication of silicon microchip devices may be more economically attractive than traditional Earth-based fabrication based upon the inherent advantages of the space environment: vacuum, cleanliness, and microgravity. This thesis examines the feasibility of fabricating semiconductor devices in near-Earth orbit through the use of process and economic models. The semiconductor fabrication processes are represented in a detailed, step-by-step, numerical model which uses mass flow, thermodynamics and other operational calculations to create models of important process operational parameters. Wherever possible, these calculations are verified either with measurements or published literature data on existing systems. Advantages of this approach are the ability to easily add new processes and to determine energy, consumable, time, and equipment requirements for each process step. As a confirmation of accuracy, the process flow for a standard 12 level CMOS device is modeled and the generated results are comparable to published literature values. Handling of 37 gram, 200 mm diameter by 0.5 mm thick silicon wafers cannot be accomplished in a high vacuum environment with the vacuum suction method used on Earth. A system for the transport and fixturing of wafers in the orbital environment, in which non-contact forces are exerted on the wafer in six degrees of freedom through magnetic levitation, is modeled in this thesis. It is found that by developing new, dry processes that are vacuum compatible, fabricating semiconductor devices in orbit is both technically and economically feasible. The outcome is a synergistic, orbital-based methodology for micro-
Estimation of cardiac output from left ventricular pressure by a modified modelflow method

The Modelflow method (MM) requires the recording of the aortic pressure signal, to compute cardiac output (CO) by simulating a non-linear three-element model of aortic input impedance. We propose an extended MM to be applied to the intraventricular pressure signal, to obtain an independent estimation of CO in the setting of conductance measurements. Hemodynamic tests were performed in 21 patients with heart failure during atrio-biventricular pacing. Comparing CO by extended MM simulation with standard MM, the bias was -0.04 (0.36) l/min, with limits of agreement of -0.77 and 0.70 l/min, and a coefficient of variation of 8.4%. Inpatients without mitral and aortic abnormalities, the continuous CO estimation with the proposed method seems reliable. This method presents an acceptable precision to replace conventional aortic MM estimation in subjects undergoing intraventricular pressure acquisition, such as during conductance catheter evaluation.
Low-Temperature Characteristics of HfOx-Based Resistive Random Access Memory

This letter investigates the low-temperature switching characteristics and conduction mechanism of the Pt/HfOx/TiN resistive random access memory devices. For the first time, Pt/HfOx/TiN devices were demonstrated to be well functional at ultralow temperature (4 K). The switching voltages slightly increase at lower temperature. The failure state in a breakdown sample shows a metallic behavior, while the normal low-resistance states and high-resistance states show a semiconducting behavior. The slope change in the 1/kT plot below 77 K indicates a transition from the nearest-neighboring hopping to the variable range hopping. Different slopes or activation energies are observed at the same resistance level in the same device but after different programming cycles, indicating a cycle-dependent variation of the filament configuration.
When Overweight Is the Normal Weight: An Examination of Obesity Using a Social Media Internet Database

Using a large social media database, Yahoo Answers, we explored postings to an online forum in which posters asked whether their height and weight qualify themselves as “skinny,” “thin,” “fat,” or “obese” over time and across forum topics. We used these data to better understand whether a higher-than-average body mass index (BMI) in one’s county might, in some ways, be protective for one’s mental and physical health. For instance, we explored whether higher proportions of obese people in one’s county predicts lower levels of bullying or “am I fat? ” questions from those with a normal BMI relative to his/her actual BMI. Most women asking whether they were themselves fat/obese were not actually fat/obese. Both men and women who were actually overweight/obese were significantly more likely in the future to ask for advice about bullying than thinner individuals. Moreover, as mean county-level BMI increased, bullying decreased and then increased again (in a U-shape curve). Regardless of where they lived, posters who asked “am I fat? ” who had a BMI in the healthy range were more likely than other posters to subsequently post on health problems, but the proportions of such posters also declined greatly as county-level BMI increased. Our findings suggest that obese people residing in counties with higher levels of BMI may have better physical and mental health than obese people living in counties with lower levels of BMI by some measures, but these improvements are modest.
Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase Polymorphisms Are Not a Risk Factor for Pre-Eclampsia/Eclampsia in Australian Women

In European and Japanese but not in Australian, American, and South African women, the C677T methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) polymorphism has been reported to be a genetic risk factor pre-eclampsia/eclampsia (PE/E). The recently described A1298C MTHFR gene polymorphism also results in reduced MTHFR enzyme activity, although to a lesser extent than the previously described C677T polymorphism. Heterozygotes for both polymorphisms are reported to have an even lower MTHFR enzymatic activity than seen in homozygotes for the C677T genotype. In this current study we determined the allele frequency of the A1298C MTHFR gene polymorphism in an Australian population and examined this polymorphism alone and in combination with the C677T MTHFR polymorphism for an association with PE/E. Neither the A1298C polymorphism alone nor a combination of both polymorphisms showed an association with PE/E in our population of Australian women.
Magnetic control of an electrochemical microfluidic device with an arrayed immunosensor for simultaneous multiple immunoassays.

BACKGROUND Methods based on magnetic bead probes have been developed for immunoassay, but most involve complicated labeling or stripping procedures and are unsuitable for routine use. METHODS We synthesized magnet core/shell NiFe(2)O(4)/SiO(2) nanoparticles and fabricated an electrochemical magnetic controlled microfluidic device for the detection of 4 tumor markers. The immunoassay system consisted of 5 working electrodes and an Ag/AgCl reference electrode integrated on a glass substrate. Each working electrode contained a different antibody immobilized on the NiFe(2)O(4)/SiO(2) nanoparticle surface and was capable of measuring a specific tumor marker using noncompetitive electrochemical immunoassay. RESULTS Under optimal conditions, the multiplex immunoassay enabled the simultaneous detection of 4 tumor markers. The sensor detection limit was <0.5 microg/L (or <0.5 kunits/L) for most analytes. Intra- and interassay imprecisions (CVs) were <4.5% and 8.7% for analyte concentrations >5 mug/L (or >5 kunits/L), respectively. No nonspecific adsorption was observed during a series of procedures to detect target proteins, and electrochemical cross-talk (CV) between neighboring sites was <10%. CONCLUSION This immunoassay system offers promise for label-free, rapid, simple, cost-effective analysis of biological samples. Importantly, the chip-based immunosensor could be suitable for use in the mass production of miniaturized lab-on-a-chip devices and open new opportunities for protein diagnostics and biosecurity.
Online Semi-Supervised Learning with Deep Hybrid Boltzmann Machines and Denoising Autoencoders

Two novel deep hybrid architectures, the Deep Hybrid Boltzmann Machine and the Deep Hybrid Denoising Auto-encoder, are proposed for handling semi-supervised learning problems. The models combine experts that model relevant distributions at different levels of abstraction to improve overall predictive performance on discriminative tasks. Theoretical motivations and algorithms for joint learning for each are presented. We apply the new models to the domain of data-streams in work towards life-long learning. The proposed architectures show improved performance compared to a pseudo-labeled, drop-out rectifier network.
Structured sparsity regularization approach to the EEG inverse problem

Localization of brain activity involves solving the EEG inverse problem, which is an undetermined ill-posed problem. We propose a novel approach consisting in estimating, using structured sparsity regularization techniques, the Brain Electrical Sources (BES) matrix directly in the spatio-temporal source space. We use proximal splitting optimization methods, which are efficient optimization techniques, with good convergence rates and with the ability to handle large nonsmooth convex problems, which is the typical scenario in the EEG inverse problem. We have evaluated our approach under a simulated scenario, consisting in estimating a synthetic BES matrix with 5124 sources. We report results using ℓ<sub>1</sub> (LASSO), ℓ<sub>1</sub>/ℓ<sub>2</sub> (Group LASSO) and ℓ<sub>1</sub> + ℓ<sub>1</sub>/ℓ<sub>2</sub> (Sparse Group LASSO) regularizers.
Frequency Domain Testing of ADCs

Aimed at design and test engineers making the transition from strictly digital devices to devices with both digital and analog content, this tutorial introduces frequency domain analysis for the testing of mixed-signal devices. The author describes dynamic testing of analog-to-digital converters using Fourier analysis, including coherent sampling techniques. He also covers the challenges of implementing these techniques in a real system and analyzing results to identify problems.
Interacting with virtual characters in interactive storytelling

In recent years, several paradigms have emerged for interactive storytelling. In character-based storytelling, plot generation is based on the behaviour of autonomous characters. In this paper, we describe user interaction in a fully-implemented prototype of an interactive storytelling system. We describe the planning techniques used to control autonomous characters, which derive from HTN planning. The hierarchical task network representing a characters' potential behaviour constitute a target for user intervention, both in terms of narrative goals and in terms of physical actions carried out on stage. We introduce two different mechanisms for user interaction: direct physical interaction with virtual objects and interaction with synthetic characters through speech understanding. Physical intervention exists for the user in on-stage interaction through an invisible avatar: this enables him to remove or displace objects of narrative significance that are resources for character's actions, thus causing these actions to fail. Through linguistic intervention, the user can influence the autonomous characters in various ways, by providing them with information that will solve some of their narrative goals, instructing them to take direct action, or giving advice on the most appropriate behaviour. We illustrate these functionalities with examples of system-generated behaviour and conclude with a discussion of scalability issues.
Congestion control for small queues: Analysis and evaluation of a new protocol

A new congestion control protocol is presented, analyzed and experimentally evaluated. It consists of the standard inner-loop ACK-clock and a novel outer-loop adjusting the window size based on congestion signaling from the network. The aim of the new protocol is to maintain the efficiency and fairness properties of TCP, but with significantly smaller bottleneck queues and thereby it takes the sharing with real-time traffic into account. Stability properties of the protocol is proved using a recent fluid-flow traffic model. Experimental comparisons with New Reno and Vegas illustrate the advantages of the new protocol with respect to throughput, delay, utilization, and fairness.