Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Nonlinear strain models in the analysis of quantum dot molecules

Strain effects are fundamental to optoelectromechanical properties of low-dimensional semiconductor nanostructures such as quantum dots (QDs). Nevertheless, their influence is typically analyzed with simplified linear models based on the minimization of uncoupled, purely elastic energy functionals with respect to displacements. The applicability of such models is limited to the study of isolated idealized quantum dots, and both coupled and nonlinear effects need to be accounted for in the analysis of more realistic structures. In this paper, generalizations of the existing models for bandstructure calculations are discussed in the context of strain effects. Examplifications are given for hexagonal WZ semiconductor nanostructures. 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
N-gram Indexing for Protein Sequence Databases

Motivation: Though the sequence databases of proteins and DNAs are increas- ing in size exponentially, still exhaustive sequence search systems are commonly used in conducting biological researches. However, due to the advancement of information technology, many information retrieval algorithms have been de- veloped to search strings in large-scale text databases and are proved to be successful. We propose that these algorithms could also be applied to the bio- logical data. Results: Four n-gram indexing methods (tri-gram, tetra-gram, penta-gram, and hexa-gram) were applied to extract indices from protein sequences of the PIR-NREF database, and their retrieval effectiveness and speed were mea- sured. Penta-gram method showed the best results that its retrieval effective- ness matches for BLASTP and its retrieval speed was about 38 times faster than BLASTP program. Availability: Our protein sequence search service is accessible at http://proses.kisti.re.kr. Contact: Jinsuk Kim (jinsuk@kisti.re.kr)
Sibling influences on adolescent substance use: The role of modeling, collusion, and conflict

Abstract The longitudinal associations of older sibling substance use as well as dyadic sibling conflict and collusion to younger sibling substance use were examined in a community-based sample of 244 same-sex sibling pairs. Indirect effects of older siblings on younger sibling substance use were hypothesized via younger sibling deviant peer affiliation and conflict with friends. Adolescents, parents, friends, and teachers completed measures of substance use, conflict, and deviant peer involvement. Observational data were used for both measures of collusion and conflict. Findings suggest that older sibling substance use has a direct effect on younger sibling use, but relationship dynamics and reinforcement played a significant role as well. Specifically, collusion and conflict in the sibling relationship both had indirect effects through younger siblings’ deviant peer affiliation. Findings validate the powerful socializing role of both siblings and peers, and elucidate the complex mechanisms through which socialization occurs. Furthermore, data underscore the importance of considering how multiple dimensions of socialization operate in the elaboration of antisocial behavior.
How Far is Traffic from User Equilibrium ? ATRF 2017 , Auckland , New Zealand

The interplay between road infrastructure, traffic conditions and travel choices is in the core of any infrastructure initiative, traffic control strategy or policy change. While the traditional traffic analysis framework assumes full awareness of travel costs and relies on the definition of user equilibrium state, there are few studies in the literature that test the existence of such equilibrium state. This study evaluates the widely applied shortest path assumption and so user equilibrium state from two aspects; (i) user perspective: similarity between actual and shortest paths, (ii) network perspective: node loads that result from actual and shortest paths. This study uses the GPS trajectory data set of approximately 20,000 taxis from Shenzhen, China to estimate the travel costs and reveal the actual routes followed in the network. It also considers two types of shortest paths that are based on free flow and estimated travel time. User perspective analysis concludes that most travellers do not choose the shortest path based on neither free flow nor estimated travel time. On the other hand, network perspective examination demonstrates similar network-wide patterns with actual routes and shortest paths based on estimated travel time. INTRODUCTION Understanding the complex interaction between road infrastructure, traffic conditions and travel choices (e.g. route choice, departure time) has been a long-standing challenge to understand mobility patterns in cities. The path travellers follow in the complex traffic networks has been arguably the most influential decision that dynamically redefines the relation between the supply provided by road infrastructure and the demand generated by travel plans of drivers. Nearly all techniques that aim for congestion alleviation build on accurate estimations of travel demand and thus on underlying route choices. The mainstream understanding of this complex interplay builds on the definition of user equilibrium (UE) state, namely Wardrop’s first principle: "the journey times in all routes actually used are equal and less than those which would be experienced by a single vehicle on any unused route" (1). While UE assumes that travellers have the perfect knowledge of travel costs along the network, and choose the routes that minimize their travel costs, stochastic user equilibrium (SUE) states that travellers might not be fully informed about network conditions, and therefore choose the routes that minimize their perceived travel costs. Shortest path algorithm is the straightforward way to establish UE conditions; however, there is a vast literature of discrete choice models that could be exploited to reach SUE conditions. The most appreciated models are Multinomial
Smart Grid Cyber Security: An Overview of Threats and Countermeasures

The smart grid is the next generation of power and distribution systems. The integration of advanced network, communications, and computing techniques allows for the enhancement of efficiency and reliability. The smart grid interconnects the flow of information via the power line, intelligent metering, renewable and distributed energy systems, and a monitoring and controlling infrastructure. For all the advantages that these components come with, they remain at risk to a spectrum of physical and digital attacks. This paper will focus on digital vulnerabilities within the smart grid and how they may be exploited to form full fledged attacks on the system. A number of countermeasures and solutions from the literature will also be reported, to give an overview of the options for dealing with such problems. This paper serves as a triggering point for future research into smart grid cyber security.
Numerical Analysis of the 4 K Regenerator in a Pulse Tube

The numerical simulation of a 4 K pulse tube cryocooler is difficult due to its complexity of nature. The main difficulty comes from the oscillatory flow combined with the real gas effects. In this paper, the numerical simulation of the 4 K regenerator in a pulse tube cryocooler with a relatively high frequency has been performed with the commercial CFD software, FLUENT [1]. FLUENT takes into account the non-ideal gas properties of He, the properties of the magnetic regenerative material, and the heat transfer inside the heat exchanger and regenerator. Interesting features such as the acoustic work flow, temperature distribution, the volume flow, etc., have been systematically studied. A cooling power of 0.36 W was obtained numerically at the temperature of 4.2 K. The study takes a deeper look into the working mechanism of a 4 K pulse tube cryocooler as well as setting the basis for optimizing a pulse tube cooler driven by a Vuillemier type thermal compressor.
The curse of the where-rabbit: research through design of auditory trajectories

Computation can be considered a fundamental dimension of design, together with other elements like materials, colour, sound, form and function. Positioned between acoustics, computer science and design, sonic interaction design is about shaping the sonic behaviour of artefacts, by designing relevant sonic interactions. In the light of Research through Design (RtD) method of inquiry, recently emerged in HCI, we tackled the design problem of distributing short sequences of sounds in space as well in time, by exploring a non-visual illusion called auditory saltation effect. Spatially distributing auditory displays can be important for many applications, including the signaling of hidden hot spots.
Robust statistical methods for credit risk

Credit risk is a relevant problem faced by banks and financial institutions. The traditional statistical models which are generally used to quantify the credit risk present several drawbacks. First, in their standard versions they are not robust and do not take into account that the data may be corrupted by several outliers. Second, when a parametric model is employed, the variable selection procedure might be severely affected by the so called masking and swamping effects. This work extends robust statistical methods to credit risk analysis, showing how the traditional approach can be greatly improved through robust methods. Abstract La gestione del rischio di credito è un problema particolarmente rilevante per tutte le banche e le istituzioni finanziarie. I modelli statistici tradizionalmente utilizzati per quantificare tale rischio presentano diversi svantaggi. Quando il dataset contiene alcuni outliers il fit che si ottiene attraverso i metodi di stima standard può risultare distorto e inconsistente. Inoltre, il metodo di selezione delle variabili può essere severamente influenzato dagli effetti di masking e/o swamping. L’obiettivo di questo lavoro è quello di estendere i metodi statistici robusti all’analisi del rischio di credito, mostrando come l’analisi può essere fortemente migliorata utilizzando un approccio robusto. A. Corbellini Department of Economics and Management, University of Parma, Via J. F. Kennedy, 6, Parma, e-mail: aldo.corbellini@unipr.it A. Ghiretti Department of Statistics, Computer Science, Applications, University of Florence, Viale Morgagni, 59, Firenze e-mail: ghiretti@disia.unifi. it G. Morelli Department of Economics and Management, University of Parma, Via J. F. Kennedy, 6, Parma, e-mail: gianluca.morelli@unipr.it A. Talignani Department of Economics and Management, University of Parma, Via J. F. Kennedy, 6, Parma, e-mail: andrea.talignani@studenti.unipr.it
PREVALENCE OF BRCA 1 ( 185 delAG AND 5382 insC ) AND BRCA 2 ( 6174 delT ) MUTATIONS IN OVARIAN CANCER OF SOUTH INDIAN COHORT

Ovarian Cancer (OC) an asymptomatic gynaecologic malignancy, has over the decade is the prime form of cancer to affect the postmenopausal women, wherein the highest incidence rate, with an alarming survival rate of only 20 30% which is threatening their existence. Our study analysed the possible causes and identifies the demographic profiles in understanding the potential growth and assessing the frequency of BRCA1 (185delAG and 5382insC) & BRCA2 (6174del T) from South Indian cohort _______________________________ ABSTRACT
REPORTING VERBS IN LITERATURE REVIEW CHAPTERS OF TESOL MASTER’S THESES WRITTEN BY VIETNAMESE POSTGRADUATES

Reporting verbs (RVs) are the key feature in academic writing that enables writers to attribute content to another source and allows them to convey both their reported research activities and their evaluation of the cited message. However, little research has been conducted on how they are employed by non-native English students. This paper, therefore, presents a study of RVs used in 24 TESOL Master’s (M.A.) thesis Literature Review (LR) chapters written by Vietnamese students. Employing Hyland’s (2002) classification of RVs in terms of their denotative and evaluative potentials, this study revealed that this group of Vietnamese writers tended to randomly use RVs without being aware of their rhetorical functions. Furthermore, mistakes and nonidiomatic expressions were also identified in this study. Regarding the evaluative potentials of RVs, and the tense and voice uses, these Vietnamese writers were likely to be unfamiliar with using RVs to achieve the communicative purposes of LR chapters. These findings suggest that explicit instructions should be provided to help novice writers effectively use RVs in their M.A. theses.
CHARACTERISTIC HELICOPTER FLIGHT MECHANICS AND MOTION CUEING INTEGRATION INTO THE SIVOR ROBOTIC FLIGHT SIMULATOR : AN OBJECTIVE APPROACH

The following paper will depict the process followed to build a baseline motion cueing setting specific for VTOL and helicopter applications for the SIVOR flight simulator at ITA. This effort is built around three elements: a pilot model, an identified model of the robotic platform and a set of surrogate flight dynamic models representative of helicopter motion. Initially, a description of the platform and simulation environment is presented, followed by the tuning strategy based on numerical optimization and a test case which will serve as a validation for the optimization strategy. A brief description of the SIVOR system identification process is presented along with the structural-pilot-model used to explore a set of three main manoeuvres which are used for washout filter tuning. Optimization results included in the test maneuvers show good agreement with published experimental observations.
Optimal timing for delivery in case of placenta previa: late-preterm or early-term?

We have read with great interest the article by Balayla et al. [1] where the authors compared neonatal outcomes following delivery at 35–36 weeks of gestation (WG) to 37–38 WG in women with placenta previa (PP). Balayla et al. cite the paucity of international guidelines as the reason behind their study and refer to the ones published by the Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine (SMFM) and the Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (RCOG). According to the authors, the SMFM recommends delivery between 36– 37 WG in cases of non-complicated PP (table 1 in the report), citing Spong et al. [2]. However, it is worth noting that Spong et al. clearly mention that their document ‘‘reflects the opinions of the workshop participants, and its contents do not necessarily represent the official views of the SMFM’’ [2]. The authors consider the evidence of the ‘‘recommendations’’ to be level B, even though no Randomized Controlled Trials or cohort studies were cited in the references. Moreover, we could not find the reference for the presumed RCOG guidelines cited by the authors. On the other hand, we identify many problems with the data on which Balayla et al. based their study. Indeed, these data from the CDC’s linked birth-infant death are strictly American and date back to more than 10 years, which clearly affects their external validity. In addition, important information are missing, such as the definition and classification of PP, the reasons behind the deliveries at 35 and 36 WG, the incidence of complications during pregnancy and labor. Finally, the main author, Balayla J., has recently used the same data to publish a similar report that has many overlappings with the current one [3]. Since such data is difficult to interpret, we think it would have been interesting for the authors to perform, at their own university-affiliated center, a retrospective analysis that includes obstetric and neonatal outcomes. Such a study would have allowed them to compare outcomes with another population without PP, delivering at a similar WG (35–36 versus 37–38 weeks), allowing for a proper analysis of neonatal outcomes by WG in PP.
Data-driven deep local imaging using both surface and borehole seismic data

Seismic interferometry(SI) is a proven data-driven redatuming method to create virtual sources for better illumination of the target area. It requires a physical receiver at the position of the created virtual source. With the development of the iterative Marchenko method, one can now use surface data alone to create a virtual source in the subsurface, but an estimate of the direct wavefield from those virtual source positions to the surface is needed, which means an adequately accurate smooth velocity model is nevertherless necessary. We show that when borehole data from a horizontal well is available, one can combine the principles of SI and the Marchenko method to formulate several inversion-based redatuming schemes, such that no prior smooth velocity model is needed at all and that the exact forms of retrieving the reflection responses from above and from below can also be obtained. Furthermore, the internal multiples are accounted for using these exact forms. No surrounding acquisition geometry is required or multi-component well data is needed. We demonstrate the proposed schemes using a synthetic gas cloud example. We then show the retrieved responses and the migrated images using only a local velocity model. The results show that given the same velocity uncertainty, these responses that are redatumed by data produce a better positioned image near the well than a surface seismic image. The proposed schemes can be beneficial for deep boreholes and complex areas with big velocity uncertainties.
A P ] 1 M ay 2 01 9 Boundary control problem and optimality conditions for the Cahn – Hilliard equation with dynamic boundary conditions

This paper is concerned with a boundary control problem for the Cahn–Hilliard equation coupled with dynamic boundary conditions. In order to handle the control problem, we restrict our analysis to the case of regular potentials defined on the whole real line, assuming the boundary potential to be dominant. The existence of optimal control, the Fréchet differentiability of the control-to-state mapping between appropriate Banach spaces, and the first-order necessary conditions for optimality are addressed. In particular, the condition for optimality is characterized by a variational inequality involving the adjoint variables.
Educational Reforms in Pakistan : Challenges in the implementation of the Reformed English Courses in Teacher Education Programs

The reforms in the education system in Pakistan tha t began in 2000s under the influence of Millennium Education Goals, covered two majors aspe cts: initially, the reforms in the approach of National curriculum for Class I-XII, as the cont e -based curriculum (2003) was reformed into a Standard Based Curriculum in 2006. The requi rements of the new Curriculum further triggered reforms in the curriculum of the Teachers ’ Education in 2010-12. The aim of these amendments was to produce Teachers who could implem ent the reformed curriculum 2006. As a result of these developments, the new degree progra ms, B.Ed Honors (Bachelors in Education) and ADE (Associate Degree in Education) with new En glish courses, have replaced the one year degree program B.Ed and certificate courses CT & PT C in Education. Collective efforts are being made to implement these reforms completely in order to achieve the standards set by National Professional Standards for the Teachers of Pakistan (NPSTP) regarding the teaching of English. Presently, data is required in order to ta ke appropriate decisions and speed up the effective implementation of these courses. The purp ose of this study is to explore the challenges in the field in the effective implementation of Eng lish courses taught at B.Ed (Hons)/ADE program. The design of this Phenomenal study is bas ed on the detailed thematic analysis of the qualitative data. The sample comprised of three fun damental units of the population including Educational Managers who were selected through Simp le Random Sampling technique. A set of questions was deployed as tools for In-depth Interv iew. It was explored that the delivery of these courses is hampered because of the lack of resource s, lack of trained Teacher Educators in English, administrative disorders and the absence o f a monitoring system. The findings are useful for the concerned government officials, poli cy makers and Apex bodies like BoC, STEDA, PITE, universities along with the syllabus designer s, teachers and students.
Assessing Vulnerability and Risk to Heat Wave Events in Germany and Building a Basis for Further Modelling

Heat wave events are silent and slow but devastating disasters. The European 2003 summer heat wave event has caused more than 50.000 fatalities within only a few weeks. With worldwide mostly increasing frequency of heat wave events, there is a clear need to find adequate adaptation strategies. For such strategies it is unavoidable to know where vulnerability and risk is at its highest and how it will change in future times. We identified in our fuzzy logic approach major hot spots of heat wave vulnerability and risk that can be used as discussion basis and starting point for further modelling.
Strategic Public Policy , Migration and Sorting around Population Thresholds *

We analyse whether, when and how local office-holders respond to the economic incentives embedded in exogenously imposed population thresholds leading to an increased number and/or remuneration of local office-holders. Using data from all 589 Belgian municipalities over the period 1977-2014, local politicians are found to influence population growth through policy measures aimed at stimulating net in-migration when approaching important population thresholds. We provide evidence that tax rate reductions and housing policy decisions (i.e., granting additional building permits early in the election cycle to maximise population growth just before the ‘deadline’ to surpass a population threshold) act as key mechanisms. These shifts in public policies are only observed when the incumbent mayor expects to benefit from crossing the population threshold.
The Singular Value Decomposition, Applications and Beyond

The singular value decomposition (SVD) is not only a classical theory in matrix computation and analysis, but also is a powerful tool in machine learning and modern data analysis. In this tutorial we first study the basic notion of SVD and then show the central role of SVD in matrices. Using majorization theory, we consider variational principles of singular values and eigenvalues. Built on SVD and a theory of symmetric gauge functions, we discuss unitarily invariant norms, which are then used to formulate general results for matrix low rank approximation. We study the subdifferentials of unitarily invariant norms. These results would be potentially useful in many machine learning problems such as matrix completion and matrix data classification. Finally, we discuss matrix low rank approximation and its recent developments such as randomized SVD, approximate matrix multiplication, CUR decomposition, and Nystrom approximation. Randomized algorithms are important approaches to large scale SVD as well as fast matrix computations.