Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Modelling Nitrogen Deposition on a Local Scale—A Review of the Current State of the Art

Abstract. Local ammonia emissions from agricultural activities are often associated with high nitrogen deposition in the close vicinity of the sources. High nitrogen (N) inputs may significantly affect the local ecosystems. Over a longer term, high loads may change the composition of the ecosystems, leading to a general decrease in local biodiversity. In Europe there is currently a significant focus on the impact of atmospheric N load on local ecosystems among environmental managers and policy makers. Model tools designed for application in N deposition assessment and aimed for use in the regulation of anthropogenic nitrogen emissions are, therefore, under development in many European countries. The aim of this paper is to present a review of the current understanding and modelling parameterizations of atmospheric N deposition. A special focus is on the development of operational tools for use in environmental assessment and regulation related to agricultural ammonia emissions. For the often large number of environmental impact assessments needed to be carried out by local environmental managers there is, furthermore, a need for simple and fast model systems. These systems must capture the most important aspects of dispersion and deposition of N in the nearby environment of farms with animal production. The paper includes a discussion on the demands on the models applied in environmental assessment and regulation and how these demands are fulfilled in current state-of-the-art models.
Branch Location Strategies and Financial Service Access in Thai Banking

We argue that the effect of financial crises on bank branch location choices provides an unexplored channel by which crises affect access to credit for long periods of time. We estimate a dynamic structural model of oligopolistic location choice for Thai banks allowing for complementarity in payoffs for branches in the same market, as well as competitive effects between rival banks. We predict the evolution of branch locations under the counterfactual scenario of no financial crisis in 1997. We find that there would have been 20.0% more branches and 9.3% more markets with at least one branch after ten years in the absence of the crisis. Furthermore, access to loans would have increased by 13.7
Evaluation of a Virtual Agent in Guiding Users from the Non-Clinical Population in Self-Attachment Intervention

To address the issue of mental health, therapy chatbots have been developed in recent years to deliver methods such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. Self-Attachment is an alternative form of therapy intended to assist individuals so they can regulate their emotional state through developing and maintaining a bond with their childhood self. In this project, we create a chatbot to suggest Self-Attachment protocols based on a user’s emotion and description of recent events leading to that emotion. The chatbot will assist in the scaling of the delivery of Self-Attachment protocols. We utilise a rule-based model within this chatbot to determine which suggestions should be presented to users and ensure that dialogue presented to users is safe and fully controllable to avoid the possibility of harming the user through potentially harmful dialogue being presented by the model. We discuss a trial of the chatbot we performed with 9 participants from the non-clinical population with prior knowledge of Self-Attachment protocols, which shows the chatbot can provide suitable suggestions for Self-Attachment protocols. The chatbot is evaluated by 3 clinicians who had not previously practised Self-Attachment protocols. We also discuss a survey produced during this project, where users were asked to rewrite prompts to be more empathetic. We discuss how it has contributed to the formation of a dataset that can be utilised to enhance the chatbot’s responses to be more empathetic and engaging.
Multi-emotion Recognition and Dialogue Manager for VR-based Self-attachment Therapy

Despite increase in mental health awareness, there is still a large portion of people not receiving treatment. There are various side effects associated with drugs and not everyone has access to therapy, whether due to cost or availability. Self-administrable therapies allow for greater ease of access and as such, a novel virtual reality based self-attachment therapy is currently being developed. One of its main goals is for the user to develop a bond and reparent a child avatar representing one’s childhood self. To do so efficiently, the emotions, felt by the user when discussing their childhood, should be transferred to this child avatar. This project aims to train an emotion recognition model to allow the detection of multiple emotions. In addition, it aims to implement the self-attachment theory scenario to manage the dialogue between a user and a virtual therapist. The two parts of the project are to be integrated within the proposed virtual reality application. The devised multimodal and multi-emotion recognition model trained on CMUMOSEI dataset, achieves state-of-the-art results on happiness detection and competitive results for other emotions. The scenario was implemented using FAtiMA toolkit and together with the emotion recognition model was successfully integrated within the virtual reality application.
Mathematical determination of electrical resistivity and Knight shift of liquid metals

In the present work Harrison’s first principle technique, based on the concept of orthogonalised plane waves, has been successfully applied to compute various electronic and core interactions in order to obtain the Fourier transform of the crystal potential, termed as the form factor. The computed form factors have been consequently used to compute the physical properties through formulae developed by various authors in the past few decades.
Sensitivity analysis in classification using Bayesian smoothing spline ANOVA probit regression

For many classification problems, in addition to providing accurate classification results, very often it is equally important to determine which predictors are contributing to the results, and by how much. This motivates this article, where a new sensitivity analysis framework is developed for classification problems to address this issue. The effectiveness of this framework is illustrated through simulation studies and application to real data. Notice that this framework can be coupled with different classification methods. However, in practice it is recommended to pair it with a classification method called Bayesian smoothing spline ANOVA probit regression (BSSANOVA). When compared with other existing methods through numerical experiments, BSSANOVA performs extremely well for both classification and sensitivity analysis.
Deflection of RC beams under simultaneous load and steel corrosion

This paper presents the results of a series of tests aimed at characterising the serviceability and ultimate limit state deflection of reinforced concrete beams subjected to steel corrosion while under load. Reinforcement corrosion was accelerated by impressing a DC current on the main tension steel while the load was applied through a static, spring-loaded support frame. Central deflections of beams subjected to 23% and 34% of the design ultimate load, under 4-point loading over a span of 1050 mm and accelerated corrosion, were monitored over a period of approximately 30 days. These beams were then tested to failure to assess the effects of reinforcement corrosion on performance at the ultimate limit state. Uncorroded beams were used as control samples and tested in parallel with the corroded samples. The results show the importance of assessing the structural effects of reinforcement corrosion under simultaneous load and corrosion conditions, as would occur in situ. In this situation, when 6% of the mas.
Lessons Learned During Large-Scale Implementation Project Focused on Workplace Lactation Practices and Policies

Purpose This practice-based research funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) focuses on the translation of evidence-based practices and policies into real-world applications. To the best of our knowledge, this is the largest study to research the implementation process for lactation accommodations and policies for work sites. Design or Approach Pre-/post-test evaluation of work-site lactation accommodations, and 6-month follow-up with business that worked on the project. Setting/Participants 34 businesses across New Hampshire. Method The team developed work-site selection criteria to award mini-grants; developed trainings and a toolkit; and worked with 34 businesses over a 3-year period. Pre-/post-implementation data were collected using the CDC work-site scorecard. A 6-month follow-up phone interview was conducted with each site. Results We assessed the CDC scorecard and evaluated the challenges of implementing lactation spaces by industry. In our 6-month follow-up, we found that spaces were still being utilized and we identified specific research to inform practical evidence-based applications and lessons learned when implementing a work-site lactation space. Conclusion We successfully provided financial/technical support to develop or improve 45 lactation spaces, with policies and practices to support mothers and families for 34 businesses. We identified key takeaway lessons that can be used to guide the development of lactation spaces and policies in work sites. Sites self-report that these work-site changes were sustainable at 6-month follow-up.
Theorising about the lifecycle of IT use: An appropriation perspective

This paper argues that theorising about the whole lifecycle of IT use is underdeveloped. Theories that explain one or more phases of lifecycle of IT use are discussed and critiqued and a candidate theory for understanding the whole lifecycle identified: the Model of Technology Appropriation (MTA). The MTA incorporates many of the strengths of the other models but has a shortcoming with respect to explaining the how and why of changes in patterns of use over the lifecycle. To address this weakness, theories of change are examined and incorporated with the MTA. It is argued that the resulting model provides a more complete description and explanation of the IT use lifecycle.
Study on Determination of I-V Curve of Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell

Many studies reported that dye-sensitized solar cells have more significant capacitance characteristics than the silicon solar cell. In this study, it was found the capacitance characteristics of dye-sensitized solar cell changes with the imposed bias voltage. The bias voltage is indispensable in the standard measurement for the conversion efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cell. The influence of changed capacitance during the measurement on the conversion efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells was investigated. The analysis on the EIS spectra and equivalent circuit shows that the capacitance of dye-sensitized solar cells is small and the deviation cell I-V characteristics from the steady-state value is minor when the applied bias is small; while under a condition with a large applied bias, the capacitance characteristics of dye-sensitized solar cell grew rapidly and the I-V characteristics deviated from the steady-state value significantly increased. This phenomenon is helpful for the accurate measurement of the quantum conversion efficiency and photoelectric conversion efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells.
Loss of zinc transporters ZIP1 and ZIP3 augments platelet reactivity in response to G protein-coupled receptor agonists and accelerates thrombus formation in vivo

Zinc (Zn2+) is considered as an important mediator for thrombosis and haemostasis. However, our understanding of the transport mechanisms that regulate Zn2+ homeostasis in platelets is limited. Zn2+ transporters, ZIPs and ZnTs, are widely expressed in eukaryotic cells. Using mice globally lacking ZIP1 and ZIP3 (ZIP1/3 DKO), our aim was to explore the potential role of these well-known Zn2+ transporters in maintaining platelet Zn2+ homeostasis and in the regulation of platelet function. While ICP-MS measurements indicated unaltered overall Zn2+ concentrations in platelets of ZIP1/3 DKO mice, we observed a significantly delayed and less efficient Zn2+ release upon thrombin-stimulated platelet activation. This resulted in a hyperactive platelet response not only in response to thrombin, but also towards other G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) agonists. Immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation (ITAM)-coupled receptor agonist signalling, however, was unaffected. Augmented GPCR responses were accompanied by enhanced Ca2+ signalling and PKC activation. Further functional analysis of ZIP1/3 double deficient mice revealed enhanced platelet aggregation, bigger thrombus volume under flow ex vivo and faster in vivo thrombus formation. The current study thereby identifies ZIP1 and ZIP3 as important regulators for the maintenance of platelet Zn2+ homeostasis and function.
OPTIMIZATION OF THE WATER-COOLED CHILLER PLANT SYSTEM OPERATION

This paper describes a case study of the model-based condenser water temperature setpoint control for a chiller plant with multiple chillers and cooling towers. The plant was modeled using the Modelica Buildings library. Both the supervisor control and local feedback loop controls were modeled to more realistically represent the real system. The total energy consumptions and computing times under different optimization strategies were compared. The result shows that the daily optimization can provide similar energy saving with significantly less computing time compared to the hourly optimization.
A Dynamic Tax Model Based on Destination Lifecycle for Sustainable Tourism Development

This study proposes a dynamic model for identifying the optimal amount of tourism taxes at the different stages of a destination’s lifecycle. Based on the Ramsey-Cass-Koopmans model of economic growth, we reformulate the Cobb-Douglas function to incorporate new variables to estimate the optimal level of tax that could maximize the total output of the tourism industry while maintaining below the critical point of the destination’s carrying capacity. We illustrate the model with an empirical study using time series data collected from 31 administrative regions in mainland China from 2000 to 2016. The results suggest that the proposed model has satisfactory goodness of fit, and the estimated tax amount was congruent with the trends of tourism development at the destinations. The study offers practical implications for destination policymakers.
Anatomical connectivity along the anterior-posterior axis of the human hippocampus: new insights using quantitative fibre-tracking

The hippocampus supports multiple cognitive functions including episodic memory. Recent work has highlighted functional differences along the anterior-posterior axis of the human hippocampus but the neuroanatomical underpinnings of these differences remain unclear. We leveraged track-density imaging to systematically examine anatomical connectivity between the cortical mantle and the anterior-posterior axis of the in-vivo human hippocampus. We first identified the most highly connected cortical areas and detailed the degree to which they preferentially connect along the anterior-posterior axis of the hippocampus. Then, using a tractography pipeline specifically tailored to measure the location and density of streamline endpoints within the hippocampus, we characterised where, within the hippocampus, these cortical areas preferentially connect. Our results were striking in showing that different parts of the hippocampus preferentially connect with distinct cortical areas. Furthermore, we provide evidence that both gradients and circumscribed areas of dense extrinsic anatomical connectivity exist within the human hippocampus. These findings inform conceptual debates in the field by unveiling how specific regions along the anterior-posterior axis of the hippocampus are associated with different cortical inputs/outputs. Overall, our results represent a major advance in our ability to map the anatomical connectivity of the human hippocampus in-vivo and inform our understanding of the neural architecture of hippocampal dependent memory systems in the human brain. This detailed characterization of how specific portions of the hippocampus anatomically connect with cortical brain regions may promote a better understanding of its role in cognition and we emphasize the importance of considering the hippocampus as a heterogeneous structure.
Effects of Single-Sex and Coeducational Schooling on the Gender Gap in Mathematics Achievement in Public Schools in Beirut-Lebanon

In education, there has been several debates regarding student achievement and success; among these is the subject of gender gap in math. Even though schools have tried to minimize the gap throughout the years, males still outperformed females in math, particularly at the upper level. The purpose of this study was to compare the students’ mathematics achievement in coeducational and single-gender schools. Within this framework, the researcher examined class type and gender using the 9 and 12 grades of Lebanese official exams scores of students in the area of mathematics. It has been suggested in the literature that differences in the size of the mathematics gap across countries may be explained by differences in the prevalence of single-sex schooling. The Lebanese education system is interesting both for the fact that a sizeable proportion of children attends single-sex schools, and because these single-sex schools are part of the general and public educational system, rather than serving a particular socio-economic group. We exploit this fact to test whether the gender composition of schools affects the mathematics achievement between genders. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected to validate the results found. The sample consisted of nine public school principals and seventeen teachers. Three instruments were used: official exam scores of grade 9 and grade 12 students collected from schools, Brain dominance test, and workshop brochures which are informative paper documents presented by the ministry of education. Findings showed significant difference in math achievement for boys and girls in single-sex schools and co-educational schools in favor of coeducational setting for boys and in favor of single-sex setting for girls, significant difference between males and females with the left hemisphere of the brain in favor of males and a significant difference between males and females concerning the right hemisphere in favor of female, and teachers have not been exposed to professional development opportunities regarding implementing instructional strategies for boys and girls in different educational settings. Recommendations for further studies were suggested as to investigate students’ perceptions towards mathematics in both types of schooling.
Stage at diagnosis and survival among adolescents and young adults with lymphomas following the Affordable Care Act implementation in California

Adolescents and young adults (AYAs, 15‐39 years) are the largest uninsured population in the Unites States, increasing the likelihood of late‐stage cancer diagnosis and poor survival. We evaluated the associations between the Affordable Care Act (ACA), insurance coverage, stage at diagnosis and survival among AYAs with lymphoma. We used data from the California Cancer Registry linked to Medicaid enrollment files on AYAs diagnosed with a primary non‐Hodgkin (NHL; n = 5959) or Hodgkin (n = 5378) lymphoma pre‐ACA and in the early and full ACA eras. Health insurance was categorized as continuous Medicaid, discontinuous Medicaid, Medicaid enrollment at diagnosis/uninsurance, other public and private. We used multivariable regression models for statistical analyses. The proportion of AYAs uninsured/Medicaid enrolled at diagnosis decreased from 13.4% pre‐ACA to 9.7% with full ACA implementation, while continuous Medicaid increased from 9.3% to 29.6% during this time (P < .001). After full ACA, AYAs with NHL were less likely to be diagnosed with Stage IV disease (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 0.84, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.73‐0.97). AYAs with lymphoma were more likely to receive care at National Cancer Institute‐Designated Cancer Centers (aOR = 1.42, 95% CI = 1.28‐1.57) and had lower likelihood of death (adjusted hazard ratio = 0.54, 95% CI = 0.46‐0.63) after full ACA. However, AYAs from the lowest socioeconomic neighborhoods, racial/ethnic minority groups and those with Medicaid continued to experience worse survival. In summary, AYAs with lymphomas experienced increased access to healthcare and better clinical outcomes following Medicaid expansion under the ACA. Yet, socioeconomic and racial/ethnic disparities remain, calling for additional efforts to decrease health inequities among underserved AYAs with lymphoma.
Optical-fiber grating-based beamforming network for microwave phased arrays

A new photonic-based beamforming network that can realize a large number of simultaneous and independent beams in a wide-band phased-array antenna, and which eliminates optical beat-noise interference is presented. It is based on discrete and chirped Bragg-grating true-time delay elements and photodetector arrays at each beam port. This achieves a highly parallel delay-processing structure for signal equalization and eliminates the fundamental optical beat-noise limitation to the realization of large array sizes. Results show a very substantial reduction in the number of interconnects required of 98.4% for a 512-beam array and 99.2% for a 1024-beam array, in comparison to conventional beamforming techniques.
The Oligocene‐Miocene Guadalope‐Matarranya Fan, Spain, as an Analog for Long‐Lived, Ridge‐Bearing Megafans on Mars

Numerous sedimentary fans on Mars have been studied to better understand the early martian hydrological system. Of particular interest is to estimate the duration of fluvial activity from alluvial fan size by dividing deposit volume by bankfull sediment flux. However, such a calculation requires an intermittency factor—a parameter relating sediment discharge from channel‐filling (bankfull) floods to the long‐term mean sediment discharge—which is poorly constrained. Here, we investigated fluvial fan deposits from the Oligocene–Miocene Caspe Formation, Spain, as an analog to fans on Mars because it has exhumed channel belts that create sinuous ridges in the modern topography, similar to those observed on Mars that are used for paleohydraulics. We made measurements of the thicknesses of dune and bar cross sets within exhumed channel belts at nine field sites to reconstruct bankfull channel depth (∼1.4 m) and bankfull sediment flux (∼0.48 m3/s). We estimated total bed‐material sediment volume of the fan (362 km3) from stratigraphic thickness, the area containing exhumed channel belts, porosity and sand fraction. Combined with previous constraints on depositional timespan (∼6 Myr), we calculated a sediment‐transport intermittency factor of 0.004 (range: 0.0004–0.04). Our approach can be applied to Mars by using remote sensing measurements of fluvial ridge morphology, which indicates the possibility of long depositional timespans exceeding millions of years for martian fans.