Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
CARBON MONOXIDE PRODUCTION IN RESPONSE TO INCREASED REFORESTATION AND TRAFFIC IN EASTERN UNITED STATES

This report presents results from field and theoretical studies designed to evaluate the central research hypothesis that increases in forests and vehicle inventories will augment carbon monoxide levels in eastern United States. In support of this hypothesis, results from a field investigation are reported to discern the degree of photochemical activity inside and outside a mixed deciduous forest ecosystem impacted by local vehicular traffic. The studied forest emitted large amounts (> 40 micrograms per sq m per min) of isoprene, which was the dominant biogenic hydrocarbon found in the ambient air. These fluxes gave rise to ambient isoprene levels reaching daytime maximum values of 20 parts per billion. Approximately 50% of isoprene was locally consumed through chemical reactions involving free radicals, and ensuing reactions formed oxidants such as ozone and carbon monoxide. It is concluded that the combined effect of elevated concentrations of gases such as nitrogen oxides, introduced to the rural atmosphere by vehicular traffic, can give rise to enhanced formation of oxidants.
No . 066 June 23 , 2017 Theory of Deep Learning II : Landscape of the Empirical Risk in Deep Learning by

Previous theoretical work on deep learning and neural network optimization tend to focus on avoiding saddle points and local minima. However, the practical observation is that, at least in the case of the most successful Deep Convolutional Neural Networks (DCNNs), practitioners can always increase the network size to fit the training data (an extreme example would be [1]). The most successful DCNNs such as VGG and ResNets are best used with a degree of “overparametrization”. In this work, we characterize with a mix of theory and experiments, the landscape of the empirical risk of overparametrized DCNNs. We first prove in the regression framework the existence of a large number of degenerate global minimizers with zero empirical error (modulo inconsistent equations). The argument that relies on the use of Bezout theorem is rigorous when the RELUs are replaced by a polynomial nonlinearity (which empirically works as well). As described in our Theory III [2] paper, the same minimizers are degenerate and thus very likely to be found by SGD that will furthermore select with higher probability the most robust zero-minimizer. We further experimentally explored and visualized the landscape of empirical risk of a DCNN on CIFAR-10 during the entire training process and especially the global minima. Finally, based on our theoretical and experimental results, we propose an intuitive model of the landscape of DCNN’s empirical loss surface, which might not be as complicated as people commonly believe. This work was supported by the Center for Brains, Minds and Machines (CBMM), funded by NSF STC award CCF 1231216. 1 ar X iv :1 70 3. 09 83 3v 2 [ cs . L G ] 2 2 Ju n 20 17
Mechanical Properties of 3C-SiC Films for MEMS Applications

There is a technological need for hard thin films with high elastic modulus and fracture toughness. Silicon carbide (SiC) fulfills such requirements for a variety of applications at high temperatures and for high-wear MEMS. A detailed study of the mechanical properties of single crystal and polycrystalline 3C-SiC films grown on Si substrates was performed by means of nanoindentation using a Berkovich diamond tip. The thickness of both the single and polycrystalline SiC films was around 1-2 µm. Under indentation loads below 500 µN both films exhibit Hertzian elastic contact without plastic deformation. The polycrystalline SiC films have an elastic modulus of 457 + 50 GPa and hardness of 33.5 + 3.3 GPa, while the single crystalline SiC films elastic modulus and hardness were measured to be 433 + 50 GPa and 31.2 + 3.7 GPa, respectively. These results indicate that polycrystalline SiC thin films are more attractive for MEMS applications when compared with the single crystal 3C-SiC, which is promising since growing single crystal 3C-SiC films is more challenging.
Preliminary Validity of the Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory With Filipino Immigrant Parents

Filipinos are an understudied minority affected by significant behavioral health disparities. We evaluate evidence for the reliability, construct validity, and convergent validity of the Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory (ECBI) in 6- to 12-year-old Filipino children (N = 23). ECBI scores demonstrated high internal consistency, supporting a single-factor model (preintervention α = .91; postintervention α = .95). Results document convergent validity with the Child Behavior Checklist Externalizing scale at pretest (r = .54, p < .01) and posttest (r = .71, p < .001). We conclude that the ECBI is a promising tool to measure behavior problems in Filipino children.
Combining SDM-Based Circuit Switching with Packet Switching in a Router for On-Chip Networks

A Hybrid router architecture for Networks-on-Chip “NoC” is presented, it combines Spatial Division Multiplexing “SDM” based circuit switching and packet switching in order to efficiently and separately handle both streaming and best-effort traffic generated in real-time applications. Furthermore the SDM technique is combined with Time Division Multiplexing “TDM” technique in the circuit switching part in order to increase path diversity, thus improving throughput while sharing communication resources among multiple connections. Combining these two techniques allows mitigating the poor resource usage inherent to circuit switching. In this way Quality of Service “QoS” is easily provided for the streaming traffic through the circuit-switched sub-router while the packet-switched sub-router handles best-effort traffic. The proposed hybrid router architectures were synthesized, placed and routed on an FPGA. Results show that a practicable Network-on-Chip “NoC” can be built using the proposed router architectures. 7 × 7 mesh NoCs were simulated in SystemC. Simulation results show that the probability of establishing paths through the NoC increases with the number of sub-channels and has its highest value when combining SDM with TDM, thereby significantly reducing contention in the NoC.
Clinical impact of unclassified variants of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes

Women who carry a pathogenic mutation in BRCA1 or BRCA2 have high risks of developing breast and ovarian cancers. The functional effect of many missense variants on BRCA1 and BRCA2 protein function is not known. Here, the authors construct a historical cohort of 4030 female first-degree relatives of 1345 unselected patients with ovarian cancer who have been screened for BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations. The authors compared the risks by the age of 80 years for all cancers combined in female first-degree relatives of women with a pathogenic mutation, women with a variant of unknown significance (unclassified variant) and non-carriers. The cumulative risk of cancer among the relatives of patients with a pathogenic mutation was much higher than the risk in relatives of non-carriers (50.2% vs 28.5%; HR=2.87, p<10−4). In contrast, the cumulative risk of cancer among relatives of patients carrying an unclassified variant was similar to the risk of cancer for relatives of non-carriers (27.6% vs 28.5%; HR=1.08, p=0.79). The authors used three different algorithms to predict the pathogenicity of unclassified variants and compared their penetrance with non-carriers. In this sample, only Align Grantham Variation Grantham Deviation appeared to predict penetrance based on first-degree relatives.
Prediction of citation counts for clinical articles at two years using data available within three weeks of publication: retrospective cohort study

Objective To determine if citation counts at two years could be predicted for clinical articles that pass basic criteria for critical appraisal using data within three weeks of publication from external sources and an online article rating service. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting Online rating service, Canada. Participants 1274 articles from 105 journals published from January to June 2005, randomly divided into a 60:40 split to provide derivation and validation datasets. Main outcome measures 20 article and journal features, including ratings of clinical relevance and newsworthiness, routinely collected by the McMaster online rating of evidence system, compared with citation counts at two years. Results The derivation analysis showed that the regression equation accounted for 60% of the variation (R2=0.60, 95% confidence interval 0.538 to 0.629). This model applied to the validation dataset gave a similar prediction (R2=0.56, 0.476 to 0.596, shrinkage 0.04; shrinkage measures how well the derived equation matches data from the validation dataset). Cited articles in the top half and top third were predicted with 83% and 61% sensitivity and 72% and 82% specificity. Higher citations were predicted by indexing in numerous databases; number of authors; abstraction in synoptic journals; clinical relevance scores; number of cited references; and original, multicentred, and therapy articles from journals with a greater proportion of articles abstracted. Conclusion Citation counts can be reliably predicted at two years using data within three weeks of publication.
Sensitization and chronic beryllium disease at a primary manufacturing facility, part 3: exposure-response among short-term workers.

OBJECTIVES Exposure-response relations for beryllium sensitization (BeS) and chronic beryllium disease (CBD) using aerosol mass concentration have been inconsistent, although process-related risks found in most studies suggest that exposure-dependent risks exist. We examined exposure-response relations using personal exposure estimates in a beryllium worker cohort with limited work tenure to minimize exposure misclassification. METHODS The population comprised workers employed in 1999 with six years or less tenure. Each completed a work history questionnaire and was evaluated for immunological sensitization and CBD. A job-exposure matrix was combined with work histories to create individual estimates of average, cumulative, and highest-job-worked exposure for total, respirable, and submicron beryllium mass concentrations. We obtained odds ratios from logistic regression models for exposure-response relations, and evaluated process-related risks. RESULTS Participation was 90.7% (264/291 eligible). Sensitization prevalence was 9.8% (26/264), with 6 sensitized also diagnosed with CBD (2.3%, 6/264). A general pattern of increasing sensitization prevalence was observed as exposure quartile increased. Both total and respirable beryllium mass concentration estimates were positively associated with sensitization (average and highest job), and CBD (cumulative). Increased sensitization prevalence was identified in metal/oxide production, alloy melting and casting, and maintenance, and for CBD in melting and casting. Lower sensitization prevalence was observed in plant-area administrative work. CONCLUSIONS Sensitization was associated with average and highest job exposures, and CBD was associated with cumulative exposure. Both total and respirable mass concentrations were relevant predictors of risk. New process-related risks were identified in melting and casting and maintenance.
The global distribution of acidifying wet deposition.

The acid-base status of precipitation is a result of a balance between acidifying compounds--mainly oxides of sulfur and nitrogen--and alkaline compounds--mainly ammonia and alkaline material in windblown soil dust. We use current models of the global atmospheric distribution of such compounds to estimate the geographical distribution of pH in precipitation and of the rate of deposition of hydrogen ion or bicarbonate ion. The lowest pH values--mainly due to high concentration of sulfuric acid--occur in eastern parts of North America, Europe, and China. A comparison with observed pH values shows fair agreement in most parts of the world. However, in some areas, e.g. western North America, southwestern Europe, and northern China the estimated pH is too low, indicating that we have underestimated the deposition flux of alkaline material, probably mainly CaCO3. Our neglect of organic acids may have contributed to an overestimate of pH especially in certain tropical areas. To illustrate the potential effects of acidifying deposition on nitrogen saturated terrestrial ecosystems we also calculate the deposition of "potential acidity" that takes into account the microbial transformation of ammonium to nitrate in such ecosystems, resulting in the release of hydrogen ion. Compared to the deposition of acidity, with its maxima over Europe, eastern North America, and southern China, the deposition of potential acidity exhibits an additional maximum in India and Bangladesh and in several other smaller hot spots where the cycling of ammonia is enhanced by a dense cattle population. To the extent that soils in these areas of high potential acidity deposition actually become nitrogen saturated a depletion of base cations and other changes in soil chemistry and biology should be expected. Potential problem areas forfuture soil acidification include several regions with sensitive soils in southern, southeastern, and eastern Asia as well as in central parts of South America.
Impact of Current Flow Shape in Tapered (Versus Rectangular) FinFET on Threshold Voltage Variation Induced by Work-Function Variation

Depending on the real fin shape in a FinFET (i.e., rectangular versus tapered fin), the impact of the current flow shape in both rectangular and tapered FinFETs on threshold voltage variation induced by work-function variation is investigated by performing extensive 3-D TCAD simulations. It is found that if a FinFET has two independent (versus single and bulky) current flow in the channel, the extended gate area should be (should not be) included in calculating the ratio of average grain size to gate area (RGG) to agree with a previously validated FinFET RGG plot. Depending on the current flow shape in a FinFET, the RGG calculation should be refined.
Microwave Education in a University Engineering Department

This paper describes the broad range of skills acquisition necessary to induct undergraduate and postgraduate students into the area of `Microwave Engineering'. The diversity of skills required by students in the various academic areas is discussed. An approach for attainment is elaborated for Electrical and Electronic students at Queen's University Belfast (QUB). The QUB graduate programmes for MSc and PhD are elaborated. Other educational features novel to QUB are described. These features include a brief review of lead site activity within the UK ECAD scheme; of importance with the advent of GaAs design activity recently announced within Eurochip. Also described is a custom microwave engineering training package designed by the authors to fulfill the requirements for recognised training funded under the European Social Fund. Finally the role to the QUB Microwave Resource Centre as a teaching hospital for neophyte microwave activists is discussed.
Exploring Fast Style Transfer

We investigate enhancements to fast neural style transfer networks by including a perceptual loss term for a pre-set ”object” image (henceforth referred to as ”object loss”), in addition to the existing methods of using perceptual style losses and perceptual content losses. We find that optimizing the transfer network for object loss alone (without style loss) does not produce satisfactory results as the network is unable to learn to transform the input image into one whose perceptual loss features sophisticatedly match that of the reference object image. However, by including the style loss together with the object loss, we find that the object loss is able to change the type of style and content that is applied to the input image. We also investigate visualizations of style transfer networks via feedback, which shows the patterns learnt by the network from the style image, independent of a content image. Figure 1: Style Transfer Example
Determinants of control of high blood pressure. The Oslo Health Study 2000–2001

Objective: To examine determinants of control of high blood pressure in Oslo, Norway. Methods: The Oslo Health Study 2000–2001, a population‐based survey, included 6301 men and 7645 women born in 1924/25, 1940/41, 1955 and 1960 that were screened for high blood pressure and other cardiovascular risk factors. Uncontrolled high blood pressure was defined as systolic >140 mmHg or diastolic >90 mmHg or both. Results: Use of antihypertensive drugs was 4.1% at age 40–45 years, 19.1% at age 60 years and 35.8% at age 75 years. Among pharmacologically treated subjects with diabetes or cardiovascular disease (CVD), one‐third of subjects aged 40–45 years, over one‐half of those aged 60 years and nearly two‐thirds of those aged 75 years had uncontrolled high blood pressure. These proportions were 8–13 percentage points higher in subjects without diabetes or CVD. Among pharmacologically treated men, younger age, use of statins, body mass index below 25 kg/m 2 , and CVD or diabetes were associated with a lower risk of uncontrolled high blood pressure. Among treated women, younger age and cigarette smoking were associated with a lower risk (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The presence of CVD or diabetes and the prescription of cholesterol‐lowering statins were independently associated with better control of blood pressure. Non‐smoking women were more likely to have uncontrolled high blood pressure than their smoking counterparts.
Adaptive image-band interference canceller based on CM (constant modulus) criteria for multimode receivers

The paper proposes a novel receiver scheme which can receive any signal with any carrier frequency by adaptively mitigating image-band interference occurring in heterodyne schemes. In addition, it is shown that normalization of step size by received power makes the scheme stable when the receiver is applied for a severe interference environment such as mobile communication channels.
The Optimal Noise Distribution for Privacy Preserving in Mobile Aggregation Applications

In emerging mobile aggregation applications (e.g., large-scale mobile survey), individual privacy is a crucial factor to determine the effectiveness, for which the noise-addition method (i.e., a random noise value is added to the true value) is a simple yet powerful approach. However, improper additive noise could result in bias for the aggregate result. It demands an optimal noise distribution to reduce the deviation. In this paper, we develop a mathematical framework to derive the optimal noise distribution that provides privacy protection under the constraint of a limited value deviation. Specifically, we first derive a generic system dynamic function that the optimal noise distribution must satisfy and further investigate two special cases for the distribution of the original value (i.e., Gaussian and truncated Gaussian distribution). Our theoretical and numerical analysis suggests that the Gaussian distribution is the optimal solution for the Gaussian input and the asymptotically optimal solution for the truncated Gaussian input.
Gold Nanoparticles for Colorimetric detection of hydrolysis of antibiotics by penicillin G acylase

A simple inexpensive method of monitoring hydrolysis of an antibiotic penicillin G (pen G) and subsequent enzyme detection using gold nanoparticles is presented. Gold nanoparticles capped with Cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) are synthesized using chemical route. The particles could be used for detection of Penicillin G acylase (PGA) enzyme by incorporating hydrolysis reaction with pen G. This hydrolysis reaction leads to a shift in the surface plasmon band of gold nanoparticles from 527 nm to 545 nm accompanied by a visual colorimetric change in the solution from red to blue. The process is attributed to aggregation of nanoparticles caused due to displacement of CTAB bilayer by byproducts of the hydrolysis reaction. It is proposed that the presence of 0.007 mg/ml of PGA can be detected by a color change of gold nanoparticles solution without requiring any complicated instrument or highly trained operator to conduct the test. The method could also identify the presence of different penicillins by showing different spectral shifts. Thus the work presented here would be useful not only for the detection of the pharmaceutically important drug Pen G, but also represents a general methodology for the detection of enzymes, eg PGA.
Standardizing measurements of autonomy in the artificially intelligent

The amount of control that an intelligent system has over their actions, whether they are able to act independently from their creator, plays a major factor in describing systems and in distinguishing them from each other. Different levels of autonomy reflect the different abilities of the machines as well as where and how they can play a part in our daily lives. We may begin to comprehend these abilities and possible applications into human society once we can classify the levels of autonomy. The goal of this project is to set a framework for establishing a standard of autonomy in the scientific community by examining past and current methods of measurement as well as exploring different levels of autonomy's ethics and implications. Once this framework is made available to the scientific community, more tests and experiments will be conducted to refine and further ingrain the framework so that classifications of artificial intelligent agents are available universally. If we are to continue improving upon our machines, developing them to be more adept at communicating and accomplishing tasks, then a set of standards must be established for the safety and convenience of mankind.
Effect of the immunosuppressants on hepatocyte proliferation and apoptosis in a young animal model of liver regeneration: An immunohistochemical study using tissue microarrays

Abstract: Hepatocyte proliferation and apoptosis (programmed cell death) occur during the liver parenchyma regeneration and the liver size modeling is mainly controlled by hepatocyte apoptosis. The purpose of the present study was to verify the influence of immunosuppressant drugs on these phenomena by utilizing tissue microarray techniques. Thirty‐six weaning rats (age 21–23 days, weight 30–50 g) were divided into six groups: control, sham, hepatectomy, hepatectomy plus solumedrol, hepatectomy plus CsA, and hepatectomy plus Tac. The animals were killed one day after hepatectomy, and the remnant livers were weighed and harvested for tissue microarray sections. Liver cell proliferation was evaluated by staining for PCNA and apoptosis was detected by the TUNEL method. It was verified that CsA promoted a decrease in the liver weight, Tac and CsA decreased the proliferation index of hepatocytes, and glucocorticoid had no significant effects. The apoptosis index was not altered by hepatectomy or immunosuppressants. Our data indicate that, in the growing rat, CsA and Tac have negative effects on hepatocyte proliferation and have no effect on the hepatocyte apoptosis.
Metallurgical Challenges in Carbon Nanotube-Reinforced Metal Matrix Nanocomposites

The inclusion of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) into metallic systems has been the main focus of recent literature. The aim behind this approach has been the development of a new property or improvement of an inferior one in CNT-dispersed metal matrix nanocomposites. Although it has opened up new possibilities for promising engineering applications, some practical challenges have restricted the full exploitation of CNTs’ unique characteristics. Non-uniform dispersion of CNTs in the metallic matrix, poor interfacial adhesion at the CNT/metal interface, the unfavorable chemical reaction of CNTs with the matrix, and low compactability are the most significant challenges, requiring more examination. The present paper provides a broad overview of the mentioned challenges, the way they occur, and their adverse influences on the physicomechanical properties of CNT-reinforced metal matrix nanocomposites. The suggested solutions to these issues are fully addressed.