Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Simulation of degradation of dielectric breakdown field of thermal SiO/sub 2/ films due to voids in Si wafers

Degradation of the dielectric breakdown field of thermal SiO/sub 2/ film caused by voids that are formed during growth of silicon single crystal has been a serious problem with reliability of MOS devices. To understand the degradation of breakdown field, local thinning of oxide film grown on pits (i.e., voids exposed at the wafer surface) is simulated using a simple model, and the degradation of breakdown field expected from the thinning is compared with experimental reports. In the model, oxide film grown on the inner surface of a sphere is calculated by assuming that deformation of oxide film is visco-elastic and that oxidation reaction rate is reduced by compressional normal stress acting on the Si/SiO/sub 2/ interface. The calculated results show appreciable thinning of oxide film, which explains the low breakdown field observed experimentally. It also helps to understand the unique degradation characteristics reported for pits and voids: lower breakdown field for thicker oxide film and recovery of breakdown field by chemical etching. No clear pit size dependence observed in the experiments suggests that the oxide thinning is localized at corners of voids.
Regulatory Breakdowns in Oversight of U.S. Stockbrokers

the past two years, The Wall Street Journal has worked to obtain, organize and analyze data about the employment and disciplinary histories of the more than 630,000 stockbrokers in America. Because the bulk of the registration and disciplinary process is performed by private enterprise, obtaining this data required us to file public records requests with all 50 states. After an extensive period of data collection, cleaning and organization, we wrote a series of stories tracking the migratory patterns of troubled brokers; disclosing how bad actors avoided paying arbitration awards by closing up shop; revealing more than a thousand cases in which brokers failed to disclose serious red flags such as criminal histories and bankruptcies; and detailing how brokers who repeatedly failed one of the industry's entrance exams had worse than average disciplinary records. In this paper, we describe the data, how we got it and what we did with it, along with some of the results of our stories. (1)
Commercial Buildings in Town. The Influence of Discount Shops on the Trade Structure of a Small Town

Changes taking place in the spatial structure of trade in cities have been very dynamic in recent decades. The goal of the research was to determine the dynamics and direction of changes in shaping the traditional commercial structure of small towns, in the context of discount shops location. The subject matter of the research constituted more than ten towns in southern Poland. Traditional shops located there were analysed in terms of their location, the profile and length of their activity. Studies on global trade development processes are available, as well as detailed research results on individual trade assumptions. On the other hand, there is a research gap regarding studies involving the location of commercial buildings, especially in small towns. The research results are a valuable source of information for representatives of various scientific disciplines as well as city authorities. The presented research provides knowledge and constitutes the basis for further research for representatives of various research fields. The areas with the most intensive commercial activity in the last 30 years were correlated with the number of inhabitants. For a selected group of towns, their binding urban planning documentation was verified with respect to specifications facilitating or excluding the establishment of discount shops. The conclusions reached on the basis of the research do not confirm a popular view that discount shops have a negative effect on urban space. The performed analyses indicate that there is no simple relation between a discount shop location and the decreasing number of traditional shops in the investigated cities. The presented research results gain an additional advantage—they form an archive of the development of commerce structure in towns in the period starting with the fall of the centrally planned economy and finishing with the COVID–19 pandemic. The presented material forms a basis for further urban studies which will use the experience gained at this stage
Musical hallucinations in cerebrovascular disease

Purpose Musical hallucinations (MH) are a subset of complex auditory hallucinations in which individuals perceive music in the absence of an external auditory stimulus. It is a rare phenomenon, first described by Ballinger in 1846, with diverse presentations from familiar childhood melodies to a simple pitch which evolved into the harmonies Robert Schumann incorporated in his sole Violin Concerto. Views This uncommon phenomenon has diverse etiologies, including psychiatric and neurological backgrounds, which guide its classification and methods of treatment. The pathophysiological basis of MH remains understood incompletely, potentially resulting from lesions anywhere along the auditory pathway, from the external auditory canal to the auditory cortex. The strong association between MH and hearing impairment has led researchers to hypothesize that MH represent a “release phenomenon,” in which sensory deprivation, eliminating the afferent input to the auditory sensory network, instigates spontaneous activity within a system – comparable to the Charles Bonnet syndrome, in which visual impairment precipitates the development of visual hallucinations (so called auditory Charles Bonnet syndrome), and phantom limb syndrome, in which amputees experience sensations in a limb that is not no longer there. In this paper, we report on six cases of MH in patients with cerebrovascular disease, who presented to the neurology department at the Poznan University of Medical Sciences from 2015 to 2018. Conclusions We discuss the findings of computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging of six cases of MH in patients with cerebrovascular disease, and the treatment leading to its resolution. We briefly review the literature on MH in patients with cerebrovascular diseases, discussing their suggested pathophysiology, clinical presentations and response to medical treatment.
Two kinds of decay time constants for interfacial space charge in polyethylene-laminated dielectrics

Two kinds of charge decay time constants were experimentally found for interfacial space charge induced by voltage application in an interface between polyethylene and each of other polymers such as EVA, EPR and EPDM. These are named as short time constants and long time constants. The short decay time constants are dependent on the counter dielectric materials, while the long decay time constants are almost independent of the kind of the counter dielectrics and their electrical resistivity. Processes of charge accumulation and decay in the interfaces are discussed.
Internal Savings and Lending Schemes (ISALS) and the empowerment of women in rural Shamva, Zimbabwe

ABSTRACT Lack of women’s empowerment is a reality for women in Zimbabwe, including rural Shamva women. This research presents findings from primary data collected using in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. The research departs from other studies by adopting an empowerment perspective to ISALS scholarship. Using the Sara Longwe Women Empowerment Framework, we explore the impact of ISALS on women’s socio-economic status. ISALS were found to contribute to improved financial wellbeing. As women’s economic fortunes improve, they gain respect and regard in the community. Despite these positive indicators, however, ISALS also was found to be a source of exclusion and polarisation.
Vasomotor Dysfunction in Patients with Ischemia and Non-Obstructive Coronary Artery Disease: Current Diagnostic and Therapeutic Strategies

Many patients who present with symptoms or objective evidence of ischemia have no or non-physiologically-significant disease on invasive coronary angiography. The diagnosis of ischemic heart disease is thus often dismissed, and patients receive false reassurance or other diagnoses are pursued. We now know that a significant proportion of these patients have coronary microvascular dysfunction and/or vasospastic disease as the underlying pathophysiology of their clinical presentation. Making the correct diagnosis of such abnormalities is important not only because they impact the quality of life, with recurring symptoms and unnecessary repeated testing, but also because they increase the risk for adverse cardiovascular events. The mainstay of diagnosis remains an invasive comprehensive physiologic assessment, which further allows stratifying these patients into appropriate “endotypes”. It has been shown that tailoring treatment to the patient’s assigned endotype improves symptoms and quality of life. In addition to the conventional drugs used in chronic stable angina, multiple newer agents are being investigated. Moreover, innovative non-pharmacologic and interventional therapies are emerging to provide a bail-out in refractory cases. Many of these novel therapies fail to show consistent benefits, but others show quite promising results.
CONTRIBUTION TO DETERMINING THE LOAD BEARING CAPACITY OF FRANKI PILES

The results of Static Pile Load Tests on Franki piles carried out in Hungary over nearly five decades have been assembled into a comprehensive database to examine the behaviour of Franki piles in different soils. The aim is to better understand the relationship between bearing capacity and variations in sub soils below the pile toe.
Towards improved construction waste minimisation: a need for improved supply chain integration?

In recent years, economic, political and social pressures to adopt sustainable work practices have led to a renewed emphasis on developing effective waste minimisation measures for major construction projects. This research explored the efficacy of measures used for minimising waste in high profile UK‐based projects. The case studies revealed a diverse range of waste strategies, the broader applicability of which was then explored via a questionnaire survey of waste minimisation specialists. The most effective measures were deemed to be those that fostered “waste minimisation partnerships” throughout the supply chain. Questions remain, however, as to whether the industry is culturally prepared for the collaborative relationships necessary to engender radical improvements in waste minimisation performance.
Polarization multiplexing with solitons

It is shown both analytically and with numerical simulation, and confirmed experimentally in transmission over distances up to approximately 10000 km, that solitons maintain a high degree of polarization over an ultra-long distance transmission system consisting of birefringent dispersion-shifted fiber segments and erbium amplifiers. Based on that fact, the authors propose a polarization/time division multiplexing technique which should allow the single-wavelength bit-rate capacity of an ultra-long distance soliton transmission system to be doubled with little or no significant increase in bit error rate. >
A proof-of-concept study applying machine learning methods to putative risk factors for eating disorders: results from the multi-centre European project on healthy eating

Abstract Background Despite a wide range of proposed risk factors and theoretical models, prediction of eating disorder (ED) onset remains poor. This study undertook the first comparison of two machine learning (ML) approaches [penalised logistic regression (LASSO), and prediction rule ensembles (PREs)] to conventional logistic regression (LR) models to enhance prediction of ED onset and differential ED diagnoses from a range of putative risk factors. Method Data were part of a European Project and comprised 1402 participants, 642 ED patients [52% with anorexia nervosa (AN) and 40% with bulimia nervosa (BN)] and 760 controls. The Cross-Cultural Risk Factor Questionnaire, which assesses retrospectively a range of sociocultural and psychological ED risk factors occurring before the age of 12 years (46 predictors in total), was used. Results All three statistical approaches had satisfactory model accuracy, with an average area under the curve (AUC) of 86% for predicting ED onset and 70% for predicting AN v. BN. Predictive performance was greatest for the two regression methods (LR and LASSO), although the PRE technique relied on fewer predictors with comparable accuracy. The individual risk factors differed depending on the outcome classification (EDs v. non-EDs and AN v. BN). Conclusions Even though the conventional LR performed comparably to the ML approaches in terms of predictive accuracy, the ML methods produced more parsimonious predictive models. ML approaches offer a viable way to modify screening practices for ED risk that balance accuracy against participant burden.
Noise levels and noise sources in acute care hospital wards

Noise in hospital wards has the potential to slow down the recovery of patients. A comprehensive and systematic analysis of noise levels and noise sources has been carried out in two intensive care units and one high dependency unit in two Edinburgh hospitals (UK). Noise levels LAeq,1min and LAFmax were measured at 1 minute intervals for 24 hour periods, and noise sources responsible for LAFmax were identified. High noise levels were found in the three wards, the lowest LAeq,1min being measured in the modern ward tested, where an acoustic ceiling was present. A substantial number of noise sources have been observed and analysed statistically, many of which had never been identified by previous research. It was found that 34% of these are totally avoidable and 28% are partially avoidable. Noise control solutions are presented, with practical solutions affecting 48% of the noise sources, and staff education affecting 14% of the sources. Practical application: The analysis and classification of noise sources obtained has lead to the identification and presentation of practical noise control solutions, some of which can be implemented at the design stage. This is of direct relevance to building services engineers who play a role in the design of hospital wards, and can therefore use this information. It can also be noted that average and maximum noise levels measured in this study could form the basis for the development of noise guidelines in intensive care units and high dependency units, as current limits do not appear to be appropriate for such spaces.
Revisiting the nexus of Internet and political participation: a longitudinal study of environmental petition in China

ABSTRACT The political implications of the Internet remain as a long-debated question. To clarify this puzzle, this study draws on insights from political opportunity structure theory and three prompts for political action in the digital media environment to examine how the development of the Internet is related to environmental petition, a type of citizen-initiated political activity in the state realm in China. Using government statistics from multiple sources, we conducted time-series cross-sectional analyses to estimate the impacts of Internet penetration on environmental petition in China’s 31 provinces over a 13-year period (2003–2015). The findings show that Internet penetration had a long-term negative effect on visit petition but a positive one on letter petition. Implications of the findings and future research directions are discussed.
Measured channel sounding characteristics and their relationship with the performance of a parametric communication system

This paper presents the results of experiments carried out in the Mediterranean Sea using parametric transduction to effect acoustic communication. Short duration, pulsed carrier signals were used to estimate the impulse response of the channel and these observations were related to the performance of a parametric communication system operating under the same conditions. The statistical characteristics and spectra of the amplitude and phase fluctuations were used to analyse the pulsed response over short observation periods. Typically, the amplitude fluctuations experienced by the main path were Ricean in nature with a spectral content in the sub-Hertz range whilst the phase fluctuations tended towards more Gaussian-like behaviour with a comparable frequency spectra. Under these conditions a high data rate differential phase shift keyed (DPSK) telemetry link was established over a 1.7 km path. The ensuing performance of the communication system, characterised by the bit error rate for various symbol rates, is presented and demonstrates the viability of a parametric telemetry system.
The Effect of Nanoparticles on the Real Area of Contact, Friction, and Wear

Although nanoparticle additives have been the topic of multiple studies recently, very little work has attempted to explicitly model the third body contact of nanoparticles. This work presents and uses a novel methodology to model nanoparticles in contact between rough surfaces. The model uses two submodels to handle different scales of contact, namely the nano-sized particles and micrometer-sized roughness features. Silicon nanoparticles suspended in conventional lubricant are modeled in contact between steel rough surfaces. The effect of the particles on contact force and real area of contact has been modeled. The model makes predictions of the coefficient of friction and wear using fundamental models. The results suggest that particles would reduce the real area of contact and, therefore, decrease the friction force. Also, particles could induce abrasive wear by scratching the surfaces. The implications of the model are also discussed, and the arguments and results have been linked to available experimental data. This work finds that particle size and distribution are playing a key role in tribology characteristics of the nanolubricants. [DOI: 10.1115/1.4024297]
Efeito das condições ambientais no nível de ruído emitido por leitões

The objective of this study was to assess the influence of environmental variables on sound level emitted by piglets, and to quantify the sound bands using dB compared to the conditions of thermal comfort established by the literature. The experiment was carried out at a climatic chamber, where five piglets at nursery stage were housed and submitted to a variation of the ambient temperature ranging from 28oC to 38oC and relative humidity ranging from 50% to 80%. Sound level meters were installed to record sound levels, and data loggers to record temperature and relative humidity data. The level of activity was used to quantify the animals' movement by means of image analysis. Correlation and regression analysis were applied in data for statistical analysis. Environmental variables have influence the sound level emitted by piglets when they are exposed to different thermal conditions. The sound levels were established in bands according to the thermal condition in which the animals are submitted. For comfort condition (20 to 23°C), sound level ranges from 70 to 75dB; for alert condition (23 to 30°C), sound level ranges from 60 to 70dB; and for thermal stress condition (above 30°C), it ranges from 55 to 60dB.
Experimental investigations on the punching behaviour of reinforced concrete footings with structural dimensions

Punching tests on 13 specimens under uniform soil pressure were conducted to evaluate the punching shear behaviour of footings with practical dimensions. The test series included square footings with and without punching shear reinforcement. The dimensions of the footings varied between 1.20 × 1.20 m and 2.70 × 2.70 m and the slab thickness varied between 0.45 and 0.65 m, resulting in shear span‐depth ratios aλ/d between approx. 1.25 and 2.00.
Extensive Drug-Resistant Salmonella enterica Isolated From Poultry and Humans: Prevalence and Molecular Determinants Behind the Co-resistance to Ciprofloxacin and Tigecycline

The emergence of extensive drug-resistant (XDR) Salmonella in livestock animals especially in poultry represents a serious public health and therapeutic challenge. Despite the wealth of information available on Salmonella resistance to various antimicrobials, there have been limited data on the genetic determinants of XDR Salmonella exhibiting co-resistance to ciprofloxacin (CIP) and tigecycline (TIG). This study aimed to determine the prevalence and serotype diversity of XDR Salmonella in poultry flocks and contact workers and to elucidate the genetic determinants involved in the co-resistance to CIP and TIG. Herein, 115 Salmonella enterica isolates of 35 serotypes were identified from sampled poultry (100/1210, 8.26%) and humans (15/375, 4.00%), with the most frequent serotype being Salmonella Typhimurium (26.96%). Twenty-nine (25.22%) Salmonella enterica isolates exhibited XDR patterns; 25 out of them (86.21%) showed CIP/TIG co-resistance. Exposure of CIP- and TIG-resistant isolates to the carbonyl cyanide 3-chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP) efflux pump inhibitor resulted in an obvious reduction in their minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) values and restored the susceptibility to CIP and TIG in 17.24% (5/29) and 92% (23/25) of the isolates, respectively. Molecular analysis revealed that 89.66% of the isolates contained two to six plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance genes with the predominance of qepA gene (89.66%). Mutations in the gyrA gene were detected at codon S83 (34.62%) or D87 (30.77%) or both (34.62%) in 89.66% of XDR Salmonella. The tet(A) and tet(X4) genes were detected in 100% and 3.45% of the XDR isolates, respectively. Twelve TIG-resistant XDR Salmonella had point mutations at codons 120, 121, and 181 in the tet(A) interdomain loop region. All CIP and TIG co-resistant XDR Salmonella overexpressed ramA gene; 17 (68%) out of them harbored 4-bp deletion in the ramR binding region (T-288/A-285). However, four CIP/TIG co-resistant isolates overexpressed the oqxB gene. In conclusion, the emergence of XDR S. enterica exhibiting CIP/TIG co-resistance in poultry and humans with no previous exposure to TIG warrants an urgent need to reduce the unnecessary antimicrobial use in poultry farms in Egypt.
Increased Arterial Stiffness Is Associated With Reduced Diastolic Function in Youth With Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes

Background: Increased arterial stiffness is associated with diastolic dysfunction in adults. Data in youth are lacking, so we examined the impact of arterial stiffness on diastolic function in youth. Methods: We obtained diastolic function and augmentation index, pulse wave velocity, brachial artery distensibility, and carotid stiffness on 612 youth [10–24 years, 65% female, 38% normal weight, 36% obese, and 26% with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM)]. Participants were classified as compliant (C) vs. stiff (S) arteries based on seven arterial stiffness parameters [Global Stiffness Index (GSI), S = GSI > 4). Mean differences in covariates were evaluated by Student's t-tests. A stepwise regression analysis was performed to determine if GSI was an independent predictor of diastolic function. Results: Lower diastolic function and more adverse cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors were present in the S group (n = 67) than the C group (n = 545) (p < 0.001). Covariates that were associated with diastolic dysfunction were higher GSI, male sex, higher body mass index (BMI), and systolic blood pressure (SBP) z-score (R2 = 0.18 to 0.25; p ≤ 0.05). Conclusion: Adverse diastolic function is seen in youth with increased arterial stiffness independent of CVD risk factors. Interventions to improve arterial stiffness prior to clinical onset of diastolic dysfunction are needed to prevent development of heart failure.