Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Phase Equilibria of the V-Ti-Fe System and Its Applications in the Design of Novel Hydrogen Permeable Alloys

The precise liquidus projection of the V-Ti-Fe system are crucial for designing high-performance hydrogen permeation alloys, but there are still many controversies in the research of this system. To this end, this article first uses the CALPHAD (CALculation of PHAse Diagrams) method to reconstruct the alloy phase diagram and compares and analyses existing experimental data, confirming that the newly constructed phase diagram in this article has good reliability and accuracy. Second, this obtained phase diagram was applied to the subsequent development process of hydrogen permeation alloys, and the (Ti65Fe35)100−xVx (x = 0, 2.5, 5, 10, 15, 25) alloys with dual-phase {bcc-(V, Ti) + TiFe} structure were successfully explored. In particular, the alloys with x values equal to 2.5 at. % and 5 at. % exhibit relatively high hydrogen permeability. Third, to further increase the H2 flux permeation through the alloys, a 500-mm-long tubular (Ti65Fe35)95V5 membrane for hydrogen permeation was prepared for the first time. Hydrogen permeation testing showed that this membrane had a very high H2 flux (4.06 mL min−1), which is ca. 6.7 times greater than the plate-like counterpart (0.61 mL min−1) under the same test conditions. This work not only indicates the reliability of the obtained V-Ti-Fe phase diagram in developing new hydrogen permeation alloys, but also demonstrates that preparing tubular membranes is one of the most important means of improving H2 flux.
Divisive Normalization and Neuronal Oscillations in a Single Hierarchical Framework of Selective Visual Attention

Divisive normalization models of covert attention commonly use spike rate modulations as indicators of the effect of top-down attention. In addition, an increasing number of studies have shown that top-down attention increases the synchronization of neuronal oscillations as well, particularly in gamma-band frequencies (25–100 Hz). Although modulations of spike rate and synchronous oscillations are not mutually exclusive as mechanisms of attention, there has thus far been little effort to integrate these concepts into a single framework of attention. Here, we aim to provide such a unified framework by expanding the normalization model of attention with a multi-level hierarchical structure and a time dimension; allowing the simulation of a recently reported backward progression of attentional effects along the visual cortical hierarchy. A simple cascade of normalization models simulating different cortical areas is shown to cause signal degradation and a loss of stimulus discriminability over time. To negate this degradation and ensure stable neuronal stimulus representations, we incorporate a kind of oscillatory phase entrainment into our model that has previously been proposed as the “communication-through-coherence” (CTC) hypothesis. Our analysis shows that divisive normalization and oscillation models can complement each other in a unified account of the neural mechanisms of selective visual attention. The resulting hierarchical normalization and oscillation (HNO) model reproduces several additional spatial and temporal aspects of attentional modulation and predicts a latency effect on neuronal responses as a result of cued attention.
Anoxic events in the Early Cretaceous succession of Pădurea Craiului. Correlation and comparison with other Carpathian areas

Abstract Major fluctuations in carbon-isotope composition (−2.8 to +5.4‰), as well as in oxygen-isotope composition (−10.2 to −2.1‰), are documented for Hauterivian–Albian shallow-water platform carbonate deposits in Pădurea Craiului (Apuseni Mountains, Romania). A composite carbon- and oxygen-isotope curve reveals the OAE1a and OAE1b as the main oceanic anoxic events (OAEs). Black shales or organic-rich levels, generally associated with such events, are poorly developed in Pădurea Craiului, testifying to slightly different responses to the carbon cycle perturbation between shallow- and deep-water environments. Palaeotemperatures of about 16–35 °C can be envisaged for the Late Hauterivian and Barremian in Pădurea Craiului, similar to those inferred from belemnite stable-isotope data from the Bersek Quarry (Gerecse Mountains, Hungary). For the Early Aptian interval, the δ13C variation pattern in Pădurea Craiului is similar to that documented in the Rochovica section from the Slovak Western Carpathians, developed in a deeper-water environment, although the interval of variation in Pădurea Craiului corresponds better to other shallow-water environment sections in the western Tethys.
The Evolution of Modern Human Diversity: A Study of Cranial Variation

1. Introduction 2. The modern human origins debate Part I. Multiregional Evolution as the Source of Human Cranial Diversity: 3. The morphological basis of the multiregional model 4. The regional expression of the East Asian and Australian continuity traits 5. Temporal distribution of the 'Regional Continuity Traits' in late Pleistocene hominids 6. The independence of expression of the 'Regional Continuity Traits' 7. Multiregional evolution as the source of recent regional cranial diversity a review Part II. The Evolution of Modern Human Cranial Diversity from a Single Ancestral Source: 8. Cranial variation in Homo sapiens 9. Morphological differentiation from a single ancestral source 10. Geographical differentiation from a single ancestral source 11. The evolution of modern human cranial diversity 12. Final conclusions References Index.
Contrastive Learning for LIDAR Point Cloud Segmentation

Three dimensional high-definition point clouds containing semantic information are crucial in several applications, such as autonomous driving. In urban traffic scenarios, these point clouds are known to be affected by extreme class imbalance, the large planar surfaces being the dominant features, such as the drivable road area, while traffic signs, for instance, appear only rarely, making the training of deep learningbased segmentation methods especially difficult. To this end, we create our own multi-spectral dense LIDAR data set and conduct an ablation study, the results of which highlight the importance of tackling class imbalance, as well as the usability of LIDAR reflectance values in addition to point coordinates, as evidentiated by the final model achieving 0.3792 mIoU, a 67% relative gain over the baseline method. We also experiment with two different LIDAR sensors operating on different wavelengths (905 nm and 1550 nm), the results of the experiments showing that the sensor with a shorter wavelength performed better, suggesting that objects and materials commonly faced in urban traffic scenarios might be easier to differentiate at this end of the spectrum. To address the burden of manual labeling, and the need for large-scale data sets to train such networks, we successfully adapt label-efficient supervised contrastive methods as well from the image processing literature to learn point cloud latent representations usable for the downstream task of point cloud semantic segmentation.
Test-Time Adaptation for Segmentation

The thesis proposes novel single-image test-time adaptation methods for image segmentation based on a deep neural network. Test-time adaptation improves the robustness of the deep neural network to data shift using a single unlabelled image with no other data available. The methods are evaluated on two different deep segmentation networks, including a recent segmentation model trained on 1 billion segmentation masks, the SegmentAnything Model. The best approach reduces the segmentation error of the two models caused by synthetic corruptions by 15.47 % and 25.12 %.
Rock Floors in Arid and in Humid Climates. I

This paper, after an introduction regarding the fundamental elements of the cycle of erosion, institutes a comparison between the barren mountain sides and the desert rock floors (pediments) of arid regions and the forested mountain slopes and the fertile peneplains of humid regions, with the object of discovering how far these contrasted landscapes are comparable with each other and of denning the various factors on which their contrasts depend. For humid regions the familiar principles of weathering and streams are followed; for arid regions the principles of degradation set forth by Lawson and the examples described by Bryan are accepted as guides. Sequences of forms are sketched for both regions, beginning with those which are largely consequent upon the deformation of a peneplain of massive granite, and ending with those which are wholly consequent upon the far advanced degradation of the deformed mass. It is concluded that a close analogy exists between the two sequences, and that their difference of appearance is due to their difference of climate. The plant cover of humid regions permits the accumulation of abundant soil even on fairly steep slopes; and of still deeper soil on lowlands of degradation; yet under the soil cover of mountain slopes boulders of decomposition are found grading into solid rock, which are closely homologous with the visible boulders resting on the bare rock of arid mountains. Similarly, under the heavy soil cover of a granite peneplain is a buried foundation of decomposed rock which is truly homologous with the gravel-veneered rock floors or pediments of arid degradation.
A Simultaneous Equation Demand Model for Block Rates

This paper examines the problem of simultaneous-equations bias in estimation of the water demand function under an increasing block rate structure. The Hausman specification test is used to detect the presence of simultaneous-equations bias arising from correlation of the price measures with the regression error term in the results of a previously published study of water demand in Tucson, Arizona. An alternative simultaneous equation model is proposed for estimating the elasticity of demand in the presence of block rate pricing structures and availability of service charges. This model is used to reestimate the price and rate premium elasticities of demand in Tucson, Arizona for both the usual long-run static model and for a simple short-run demand model. The results from these simultaneous equation models are consistent with a priori expectations and are unbiased.
Upper atmosphere tides and the vertical motion of ionospheric sporadic layers at Arecibo

The vertical motion of ionospheric sporadic layers in the 80- to 140-km altitude region is examined by using a numerical solution for ion trajectories in a wind system composed of diurnal and semidiurnal tides similar to those observed at Arecibo. The confluence of the two tides in the 100- to 110-km altitude region is shown to produce a variety of layer motion possibilities including ‘quasi-stagnation’ of the layer as well as rapid upward or downward motions. Experimental layer trajectories are presented which confirm the basic theoretical results and which indicate the continuous opportunity for layers to form in the tidal wind system. The availability of metallic ions for layer formation is discussed as is the observed presence of layers below 90-km altitude.
Longitudinal study of self-awakening and sleep/wake habits in adolescents

: Self-awakening is the ability to awaken without external assistance at a predetermined time. Cross-sectional studies reported that people who self-awaken have sleep/wake habits different from those of people who use external means to wake from sleep. However, no longitudinal study has examined self-awakening. The present study investigated self-awakening, both habitual and inconsistent, compared to awakening by external means in relation to sleep/wake schedules for five consecutive years in 362 students (starting at mean age 15.1 ± 0.3 years). Students who self-awakened consistently for five consecutive years (5% of all students) went to bed earlier than those who inconsistently self-awakened (mixed group, 40%) or consistently used forced awakening by external means (56%). Awakening during sleep was more frequent and sleep was lighter in the consistently self-awakened group than in the mixed and consistently forced-awakened groups. However, daytime dozing was less frequent and comfort immediately after awakening was greater for the consistently self-awakened group than for the mixed and consistently forced-awakened groups. These results indicate that the three groups have different sleep/wake habits. Previous studies of self-awakening using cross-sectional survey data may have confounded both consistent and inconsistent self-awakening habits. A longitudinal study is necessary to clarify the relationship between the self-awakening
Predicting Operative Difficulties During Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy using Clinical and Radiological Criteria Based on Intraoperative Findings

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) being the gold standard treatment of symptomatic cholelithiasis preoperative prediction of the risk of conversion is an important aspect of planning laparoscopic surgery. It is important to predict difficult LC preoperatively during surgery rather than to avoid complications during surgery. This study aimed predicting operative difficulties during laparoscopic cholecystectomy using clinical and radiological criteria based on intraoperative findings. This prospective clinical study was conducted at El Zahraa University Hospital within two years duration, on one hundred fifty patients (N=150) presented to out-patients clinic suffering from gall bladder disease and scheduled for laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The results of this study showed that, the benefit of laparoscopic cholecystectomy over open surgery has been extensively accepted. However, many times it is challenging, and the surgeon has to face the difficulty that might lead to injury to adjacent structures leading to an increase in morbidity. Therefore, the preoperative estimate of a difficult LC is essential to predict the difficulty as well as for a better surgical plan. It also helps the surgeon in being better prepared to anticipate the intra operative difficulties that reached among the included patients with rate 1.3% and 21.3% respectively. This study concluded that, gender (male), past history of acute cholecystitis, gallbladder wall thickness (≥4–5 mm), fibrotic gallbladder, and adhesion at Calot’s triangle are significant predictors for difficult LC. Moreover, an awareness about reliable predictors for difficult LC would be helpful for an appropriate treatment plan and application of the resources to anticipate difficult LC.
Modeling Peat Thermal Regime of an Ombrotrophic Peatland with Hummock-Hollow Microtopography

The theory of conductive heat transfer cannot explain different attenuations of the daily amplitude of peat temperatures (T S ) in hummocks (detectable below the 20-cm depth) and hollows (disappearing above the 10-cm depth). Large readily drained macropores in the upper fibric peat determine a large air permeability and hence may enhance heat transfer by air convection in porous media, driven by temperature gradients between hummock sides and interiors. In this study, the ecosys model was used to simulate a peat thermal regime at Mer Bleue peatland, Ontario, Canada. It was hypothesized that adding the air-convective heat transfer to conductive plus water-convective heat transfers would improve simulations of T S . The results for T S , ground heat fluxes, G, and sensible heat fluxes, H, modeled with and without air-convective heat transfer were tested with continuous hourly measurements from 2000 to 2004 using thermocouples, heat flux plates, and eddy covariance. Simulated air-convective heat transfer caused an average increase in G and a corresponding decrease in H of ∼20 W m -2 from the simulated conductive plus water-convective heat transfer. Hastened soil warming in hummocks resulted in better agreement between measured and simulated hummock T S values with (RMSD of 2.23°C) than without air-convective heat (RMSD of 2.54°C). Enhanced hummock T S caused an indirect increase in hollow T S in the model with (RMSD of 1.68°C) compared to without air-convective heat (RMSD of 1.82°C). Our results suggest that air convection is probably an important mechanism of heat transfer in peat hummocks and should be included in peatland biogeochemical models.
Diagnostic accuracy of conventional or age adjusted D-dimer cut-off values in older patients with suspected venous thromboembolism: systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective To review the diagnostic accuracy of D-dimer testing in older patients (>50 years) with suspected venous thromboembolism, using conventional or age adjusted D-dimer cut-off values. Design Systematic review and bivariate random effects meta-analysis. Data sources We searched Medline and Embase for studies published before 21 June 2012 and we contacted the authors of primary studies. Study selection Primary studies that enrolled older patients with suspected venous thromboembolism in whom D-dimer testing, using both conventional (500 µg/L) and age adjusted (age×10 µg/L) cut-off values, and reference testing were performed. For patients with a non-high clinical probability, 2×2 tables were reconstructed and stratified by age category and applied D-dimer cut-off level. Results 13 cohorts including 12 497 patients with a non-high clinical probability were included in the meta-analysis. The specificity of the conventional cut-off value decreased with increasing age, from 57.6% (95% confidence interval 51.4% to 63.6%) in patients aged 51-60 years to 39.4% (33.5% to 45.6%) in those aged 61-70, 24.5% (20.0% to 29.7% in those aged 71-80, and 14.7% (11.3% to 18.6%) in those aged >80. Age adjusted cut-off values revealed higher specificities over all age categories: 62.3% (56.2% to 68.0%), 49.5% (43.2% to 55.8%), 44.2% (38.0% to 50.5%), and 35.2% (29.4% to 41.5%), respectively. Sensitivities of the age adjusted cut-off remained above 97% in all age categories. Conclusions The application of age adjusted cut-off values for D-dimer tests substantially increases specificity without modifying sensitivity, thereby improving the clinical utility of D-dimer testing in patients aged 50 or more with a non-high clinical probability.
Improving care for heart failure patients in primary care, GPs' perceptions: a qualitative evidence synthesis

Objectives General practitioners (GPs) play a key role in heart failure (HF) management. Despite multiple guidelines, the management of patients with HF in primary care is suboptimal. Therefore, all the qualitative evidence concerning GPs’ perceptions of managing HF in primary care was synthesised to identify barriers and facilitators for optimal care, and ideas for improvement. Design Qualitative evidence synthesis. Methods Searches of MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science and CINAHL databases up to 20/12/2015 were conducted. The Critical Appraisal Skills Programme's checklist for qualitative research was used for quality assessment. Thematic analysis was used as method of analysis. Results Of 5427 articles, 18 qualitative articles were included. Findings were organised in HF-specific factors, patient factors, physician factors and contextual factors. GPs’ uncertainty in all areas of HF management was highlighted. HF management started with an uncertain diagnosis, leading to difficulties with communication, treatment and advance care planning. Lack of access to specialised care and lack of knowledge were identified as important contributors to this uncertainty. In an effort to overcome this, strategies bringing evidence into practice should be promoted. GPs expressed the need for a multidisciplinary chronic care approach for HF. However, mixed experiences were noted with regard to interprofessional collaboration. Conclusions The main challenges identified in this synthesis were how to deal with GPs’ uncertainty about clinical practice, how to bring evidence into practice and how to work together as a multiprofessional team. These barriers were situated predominantly on the physician and contextual level. Targets to improve GPs’ HF care were identified.
Experiences And Beliefs About Violence And Sexual Health: A Qualitative Analysis Of The Experiences Of Female Migrant Lao Workers At The Border Of Thailand And Laos

Background: It is estimated that 10% of Thailand’s total labor force is estimated to be made up of migrant workers. While the exact number of migrant workers from nearby countries is unknown, border towns and provinces are acknowledged to utilize a large population of undocumented and documented migrant workers. A majority of undocumented and a nearly half of documented migrants were reported to be female. While previous research has explored the health needs of female migrant workers in specific industries, such as the sex work industry and manufacturing industry, few studies have examined the health needs and beliefs of female migrant workers across a variety of industries. Furthermore, there is a paucity of literature of the experiences of female Lao migrant workers who work in Thai border towns. Objectives: The objective of this study is to characterize the health beliefs and needs of female Lao migrant workers (FLMW) in Thailand. Methods: Relational context analysis was conducted from 12 focus groups and 14 in-depth individual interviews (n=26). Results and Discussion: The two primary topics, under which several key themes were identified, were beliefs and experiences of violence and sexual and reproductive knowledge. Violence served as a ritual of atonement to dispel bad karma and often primarily as a punishment occurred during arguments about financial responsibility. FLMW held negative perceptions and beliefs about menstruation but felt confident in their knowledge of contraceptives. Among current and former FLMW who worked as sex workers, women felt encouraged to engage in unsafe sex practices and not learn about sexual and reproductive health in order to be more competitive. Conclusion: These study findings underscore the importance of educational empowerment interventions to address the health needs of FLMW that can further connect them to relevant health and social services. Acknowledgements We thank the research participants, health care providers, community leaders, and members of the local NGOs who kindly partnered with us in this study which was funded by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Rachel Brase received a research fellowship from the Council on Southeast Asia Studies at Yale University and the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences at the Yale School of Public Health that allowed her to take part in the research internship at Mahidol University Center of Excellence in Research on Gender, Sexuality and Health.