Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Smart Semantic Query of Design Information in a Case Library

This paper is aimed to establish a smart query mechanism based on the semantic relationship among design cases in a case library, Case Base for Architecture (CBA). A case is composed with three levels of design information: “general”, “analytical” and “recommendation”. The data mining technique is applied to analyse the case information of CBA and extract a list of keywords of design concepts and knowledge from the analytic information and recommendation. By clustering and ranking the semantic relations of those keywords on the strength of machine and addressing them to selected design cases, we can organise the semantic relations among cases. Based on the results, we build a primary query interface to help users to retrieve and inspire their associative reasoning for design thinking. The semantic query mechanism is presented and discussed.
INVESTIGTION OF TRANSVERSE BEAM INSTABILITY INDUCED BY AN IN-VACUUM UNDULATOR AT SPEAR 3 *

Vertical beam instabilities have been observed at SPEAR3 when a newly installed in-vacuum undulator (IVUN) is operated at a set of narrow gap settings. The source of the instabilities is believed to be vertically deflecting trapped modes inside the IVUN tank that are excited by the beam. We have used beam-based measurements to characterize the frequencies and strengths of the excited modes using both our bunch-bybunch feedback system and a spectrum analyzer. Using numerical simulations of our IVUN structure, we have found modes with high shunt impedance near the measured frequencies. Recently, we have successfully measured these IVUN modes during our current downtime. In this paper, we will report on the measurements, simulations, and plans to damp these modes.
WP3-NA3: In-situ chemical, physical and optical properties of aerosols

This document provides a standardized protocol for long-term cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) measurements using a cloud condensation nuclei counter (CCNC) at aerosol monitoring stations such as those of the ACTRIS research infrastructure networks. The ultimate aim of defining standardized operations procedure (SOP) is to provide homogeneous data sets of high-quality CCN measurements to the world data centre for aerosols. The resulting SOP is the product of intense scientific exchange and discussions between the CCNC users among the ACTRIS partners as well as other CCNC experts. Any feedback for improvements of this SOP can be directed to the authors Martin Gysel (martin.gysel@psi.ch) and Frank Stratmann (frank.stratmann@tropos.de)
Analysis of Switched Capacitor Based Three Phase Quasi Switched Boost Inverter

In this paper, a three phase Switched Capacitor (SC) based quasi Switched Boost Inverter (qSBI) is proposed, which is based on traditional qSBI topology. Under the same operating conditions, the proposed SC based qSBI topology can provide higher boost with the lower switch stress when it is compared to other conventional qSBI-based topologies, only by adding an additional passive element like capacitor and a diode. The operating principle is explained along with the Simple Boost Pulse Width Modulation control (PWM) technique. The design of passive elements is presented and performance of the inverter topology is compared with other conventional topologies. The MATLAB/SIMULINK based simulation is carried out to validate the theoretical concepts. Keywords— quasi Switched Boost Inverter; Switched Boost Inverter; Shoot through; Pulse Width Modulation
Direct numerical simulations of shock-scalar mixing interaction

Due to the short residence time of air in supersonic combustors, achieving efficient mixing in compressible turbulent reactive flows is crucial for the design of supersonic ramjet (Scramjet) engines. In this respect, improving the understanding of shock-scalar mixing interactions is of fundamental importance for such supersonic combustion applications. In these compressible flows, the interaction between turbulence and shock wave is reciprocal, and the coupling between them very strong. Amplification of velocity fluctuations and substantial changes in turbulence characteristic length scales are the most important outcomes of this interaction, which may deeply influence scalar mixing between fuel and oxidizer [1]. A basic understanding of the physics of such complex interactions has already been obtained through the analysis of relevant simplified flow configurations, including (i) shock wave propagating through density-stratified media [2], (ii) shock wave-mixing layer interaction [3], and (iii) shock wave-vortex interaction [4]. The primary goal of the present study is to extend previous analyses to the case of shock-scalar mixing interaction, which is directly relevant to supersonic combustion applications. The turbulent mixing of a passive (i.e., inert) scalar in the presence of a shock wave are thus investigated with a special focus on the transport equations of the variance and mean scalar dissipation rate (SDR) of the mixture fraction.
Commercialization of Non-timber Forest Products : Contribution to poverty reduction in Dolakha district , Nepal

This study analyses and compares the contributions of the enterprise-based non-timber forest product (NTFP) management approach with the traditional management approach to the household income of NTFP collectors. The study findings show that, in the absence of an NTFP-based enterprise, users do not consider NTFP collection as a lucrative work and they are not assured of timely sale of the NTFPs harvested by them. On the other hand, when the community forest user group has a secure market linkage, the participation and thereby earning of the poorest users from NTFP collection increases remarkably. The study concludes that the establishment of direct NTFP market linkages by establishing local enterprises could be one of the approaches to reducing poverty.
Multi-fidelity Structural Design for Pedestrian Safety with particular reference to the FlexPLI

Detailed finite element (FE) models enable accurate prediction of highly dynamic load cases as defined for pedestrian safety in the automotive structural development. However, high manual modeling effort and computational cost, especially for structural optimization, need to be managed [2]. Focusing on pedestrian lower leg injuries (Figure 1), this thesis develops a method to identify trends and sensitivities of for a given structure quickly with low computational and manual effort.
Effect of pH on growth rates of rumen amylolytic and lactilytic bacteria

The relationship between the pH of the medium and specific growth rates, in well-buffered media at 38.5 degrees C, was determined for three strains of Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens and for one strain each of Streptococcus bovis, Selenomonas ruminantium subsp. lactilytica. Megasphaera elsdenii, Veillonella alcalescens, and Propionibacterium acnes. The pH optima for growth were between 6.1 and 6.6 for all six species, and the upper pH limits were between 7.3 and 7.8. The lower limit pH values for growth on glucose were 5.4 for B. fibrisolvens, near 5.0 for V. alcalescens, and between 4.4 and 4.8 for the other four species. These values fall within the minimum pH ranges found when these species are grown in poorly buffered medium with nonlimiting glucose concentrations. Acid sensitivity per se could cause the washout of B. fibrisolvens, but not of the other five species, from the rumens of animals on high-starch diets.
Zero-shot learning using dictionary definitions

Zero-shot learning (ZSL) models use semantic representations of visual classes to transfer the visual knowledge learned from a set of source classes to a disjoint set of target classes. In this paper, we propose to learn these representations from dictionary definitions using an LSTM model. We explore several variants over our baseline, including the addition of an attention mechanism and pretraining on various tasks. We found that neither the attention mechanism nor pretraining of the LSTM model on pure NLP tasks had any effects on the model’s accuracy. However, pretraining the model on the more related task of image retrieval yielded large gains in accuracy, suggesting a promising direction for future research.
In utero exposures and breast cancer: a study of opposite-sexed twins.

It has been suggested that hormonal exposures in utero influence the risk of cancer later in life (1). Estrogens are well-established risk factors for breast cancer there is a pronounced association between birthweight and antenatal estrogen exposure Several epidemiologic that preeclampsia, a perinatal by low maternal estrogen levels, is associated with a decreased risk of breast cancer, results in different of the association between birthweight and breast cancer risk Twin association between
Religiosity and Ethical Ideologies as They Pertain to Business Ethics : Through the Lens of the Theory of Planned Behavior

This study measures ethical intentions of students utilizing the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). The direct and moderating effects of religiosity, and also the direct and mediating effects of ethical ideologies (idealism and relativism) are considered in this study. An online survey was used to collect data from 300 college students. Utilizing SmartPLS, the results indicate that along with attitude, idealism and relativism have the strongest influence on ethical intentions. While there is evidence of partial mediation by idealism and relativism on the religiosity-intention relationship, there is no evidence of a moderating effect by religiosity on the attitude-intention relationship.
Univariate Extreme Value Theory , GARCH and Measures of Risk

In this paper we combine ARMA-(asymmetric) GARCH and EVT methods, applying them to the estimation of extreme quantiles (i.e., beyond the 95%) of univariate portfolio risk factors. In addition to Value at Risk we consider the tail conditional expectation (or expected shortfall). A comparison is also made with methods based on conditional normality (e.g., RiskMetrics), conditional t-distribution as well as the empirical distribution function. The paper is partially self-contained as it details the ARMA-(asymmetric) GARCH model as well the GMM-estimator used. It introduces the most important theoretical results of univariate EVT, discusses risk measures on a general level as well as the notion of coherent measure of risk.
Value Lab: a Collaborative Environment for the Planning of Future Cities

This paper describes how the Value Lab is a) developed and b) used in education, research and workshops for (1) Interactive urban design and scenario planning that includes methods to support concurrent collaborative urban design over distances, and scenario planning based on defined case studies; (2) Visualization techniques for the detection and prediction of changes in urban environments; (3) Knowledge transfer to synthesize, interact with and communicate essential knowledge and findings from an array of disciplines for decision making, education, training, demonstration, and public discussions.
APPLYING DISTRIBUTIONAL RESULTS OF STOCHASTIC QUANTITATIVE PRECIPITATION NOWCASTS

Most current quantitative precipitation nowcasting (QPN) methodologies are deterministic in nature and convey little realistic information regarding the uncertainty in the forecast. For flood and streamflow forecasting applications it is important to understand and accurately represent this uncertainty (Smith and Austin, 2000). This will allow a greater deal of confidence in the use of precipitation forecasts for hydrological purposes. This paper presents results obtained using a stochastic Bayesian precipitation nowcasting scheme. The nowcast methodology utilises an integrodifference equation (IDE) methodology and, as such, allows the use of other observed meteorological parameters (e.g. Doppler winds) as a constraint on the stochastic process. This produces a physically based statistical nowcast. The scheme produces a range of nowcasting solutions using a series of initial fields of radar reflectivity, resulting in a distribution of shortperiod forecasts. This paper examines the nature and interpretation of the distribution of QPNs. Areal precipitation forecasts may be used as input to a simple lumped hydrological models to investigate the impact of the nowcast distribution on streamflow forecasts. This investigation will provide information on how forecast uncertainty can be propagated through such models, and how one may best handle distributions of QPNs of this nature in a hydrological context.
First Year Report

Functional Programming brings with it the promise of highly-declarative code, efficient, parallelisable execution, modularity and reusability. This promise has already materialised in multiple fields of application. Yet when it comes to programming with effects —common in interactive software— sticking to a purely functional style, and obtaining all the benefits of doing so, is arguably much harder. Writing interactive software comprises a wide range of subproblems, such as describing both static and dynamic user interfaces, connecting them to the rest of the program, or keeping both in synchrony while minimising data propagation and keeping response time low. These and other related concerns have been explored by the functional programming community, and proposals to address them abound. However, the lack of multiple examples of large real-world applications has limited the understanding of the impact of those solutions at a larger scale. In this text I explore the area of interactive application programming in functional languages, presenting what I consider to be the most relevant open problems, together with a review of the existing literature. A narrower selection of open problems is then identified, and I propose a possible way to address them. Finally, I describe what I have done already, what remains to be completed, and a potential plan for my PhD studies that includes a draft outline of my thesis.
Perlite mining and reclamation in the No Agua Peaks, Taos County, New Mexico

perlite mining is an important extraction industry in new mexico and the united states as a whole. in 2010, there were nine operating perlite mines owned by seven companies in six western states, with new mexico leading the united states in perlite production. over 375,000 metric tons of perlite were reported to have been produced in the united states in 2010, with an estimated ore value of $19.6 million. currently there are three permitted and operating perlite mines in new mexico: two in taos county and one in socorro county. perlite is mined in taos county at no agua peaks, an approximate 6.5 km2 area of rhyolitic domes among a succession of late cenozoic volcanic and sedimentary rocks that overlie the precambrian metamorphic and igneous rocks along the west side of the taos plateau. the new mexico energy, minerals and natural resources department’s (emnrd) mining and minerals division (mmd) regulates, permits and oversees mineral extraction activities, and requires reclamation to a defined post-mining land use. Contemporaneous reclamation of a fine perlite dump (mill reject material) at the el grande mine, operated by dicaperl mineral corporation, consisted of re-contouring, stabilization, control of surface water runoff, covering of waste material with a suitable growth media, and seeding to promote re-vegetation. on-going test plot studies to monitor revegetation success and develop new reclamation techniques are being conducted at the no agua Mine, operated by Harborlite Corporation, in preparation of final or contemporaneous reclamation.
Conflict-free and Pareto-optimal Allocations in the One-sided Assignment Game: A Solution Concept Weaker than the Core

In the one-sided assignment game any two agents can form a partnership and decide how to share the surplus created. Thus, in this market, an outcome involves a matching and a vector of payoffs. Contrary to the two-sided assignment game, stable outcomes often fail to exist in the one-sided assignment game. We introduce the idea of conflict-free outcomes: they are individually rational outcomes where no matched agent can form a blocking pair with any other agent, neither matched nor unmatched. We propose the set of Pareto-optimal (PO) conflict-free outcomes, which is the set of the maximal elements of the set of conflict-free outcomes, as a natural solution concept for this game. We prove several properties of conflict-free outcomes and PO conflict-free outcomes. In particular, we show that each element in the set of PO conflict-free payoffs provides the maximum surplus out of the set of conflict-free payoffs, the set is always non-empty and it coincides with the core when the core is non-empty. We further support the set of PO conflict-free outcomes as a natural solution concept by suggesting an idealized partnership formation process that leads to these outcomes. In this process, partnerships are formed sequentially under the premise of optimal behavior and two agents only reach an agreement if both believe that more favorable terms will not be obtained in any future negotiations.
Compensation of thermally induced modal distortions in Faraday isolators

Two methods of compensation of thermal lensing in high-power terbium gallium garnet (TGG) Faraday isolators have been investigated in detail: compensation by means of an ordinary negative lens and compensation using FK51 Schott glass possessing a negative dn/dT. Key thermooptic constants for TGG crystals and FK51 glass were measured. We find that the contribution of the photoelastic effect to the total thermal lens cannot be neglected for either TGG or FK51. We define a figure of merit for compensating glass and show that for FK51, an ordinary negative lens with an optimal focus is more efficient, but requires physical repositioning of the lens for different laser powers. In contrast, the use of FK51 as a compensating element is passive and works at any laser power, but is less effective than simple telescopic compensation. The efficiency of adaptive compensation can be considerably enhanced by using a compensating glass with figure of merit more than 50, a crystal with natural birefringence or gel.
An N-terminal domain of the tetracycline resistance protein increases susceptibility to aminoglycosides and complements potassium uptake defects in Escherichia coli

Expression of extrachromosomal tet genes increased the susceptibility of gram-negative bacteria to specific aminoglycoside antibiotics. The magnitude of the increase in susceptibility was dependent on the amount and the class of the tet gene product (designated Tet) and the bacterial species in which the tet gene was expressed. Truncated Tet proteins that contained more than the first 33, but not more than the first 97, N-terminal amino acids of Tet also increased the susceptibility to aminoglycosides and complemented the potassium uptake defects in Escherichia coli. The primary structure of this N-terminal Tet fragment has the hydropathic characteristics of a multimeric, transmembrane structure and is highly conserved in three different classes of Tet proteins.
Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent phosphorylation of the Ca2+-ATPase, uncoupled from phospholamban, stimulates Ca2+-pumping in native cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum.

Recent studies have demonstrated phosphorylation of the cardiac and slow-twitch muscle isoform (SERCA2a) of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+-ATPase (at Ser38) by a membrane-associated Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase (CaM kinase). Analysis of the functional consequence of Ca2+-ATPase phosphorylation in the native SR membranes, however, is complicated by the concurrent phosphorylation of the SR proteins phospholamban (PLN) which stimulates Ca2+ sequestration by the Ca2+-ATPase, and the ryanodine receptor-Ca2+ release channel (RYR-CRC) which likely augments Ca2+ release from the SR. In the present study, we achieved selective phosphorylation of the Ca2+-ATPase by endogenous CaM kinase in isolated rabbit cardiac SR vesicles utilizing a PLN monoclonal antibody (PLN AB) which inhibits PLN phosphorylation, and the RYR-CRC blocking drug, ruthenium red, which inhibits phosphorylation of RYR-CRC. Analysis of the Ca2+ concentration-dependence of ATP-energized Ca2+ uptake by SR showed that endogenous CaM kinase mediated phosphorylation of the Ca2+-ATPase, in the absence of PLN and/or RYR-CRC phosphorylation, results in a significant increase (approximately 50-70%) in the Vmax of Ca2+ sequestration without any change in the k0.5 for Ca2+ activation of the Ca2+ transport rate. On the other hand, treatment of SR with PLN AB (which mimics the effect of PLN phosphorylation by uncoupling Ca2+-ATPase from PLN) resulted in approximately 2-fold decrease in k0.5 for Ca2+ without any change in Vmax of Ca2+ sequestration. These findings suggest that, besides PLN phosphorylation, direct phosphorylation of the Ca2+-ATPase by SR-associated CaM kinase serves to enhance the speed of cardiac muscle relaxation.
Hypermethylation of the PTTG1IP promoter leads to low expression in early-stage non-small cell lung cancer

Despite the clinical requirement for early diagnosis, the early events in lung cancer and their mechanisms are not fully understood. Pituitary tumor transforming gene 1 binding factor (PTTG1IP) is a tumor-associated gene; however, to the best of our knowledge, its association with lung cancer has not been reported. The present study analyzed PTTG1IP expression in early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) samples and investigated its epigenetic regulatory mechanisms. The results revealed that the mRNA level of PTTG1IP in NSCLC tissues was significantly downregulated by 43% compared with that in adjacent tissues. In addition, overexpression of this gene significantly inhibited cell proliferation. According to data from The Cancer Genome Atlas, a significant negative correlation was identified between the PTTG1IP gene methylation level and expression level in lung adenocarcinoma and lung squamous cell carcinoma cases. Reduced representation bisulfite sequencing (RRBS) analysis of six paired early-stage NSCLC tissue samples indicated that the CpG island shore of the PTTG1IP promoter is hypermethylated in lung cancer tissues, which was further validated in 12 paired early-stage NSCLC samples via bisulfite amplicon sequencing. Following treatment with 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine to reduce DNA methylation in the promoter region, the PTTG1IP mRNA level increased, indicating that the PTTG1IP promoter DNA methylation level negatively regulates PTTG1IP transcription. In conclusion, in early-stage NSCLC, the PTTG1IP gene is regulated by DNA methylation in its promoter region, which may participate in the development and progression of lung cancer.
Mother‐to‐infant transmission of SIV via breast‐feeding in rhesus macaques

Abstract: To decipher the mechanisms involved in oral transmission of human immunodeficiency virus/simian immunodeficiency virus (HIV/SIV) through breast‐feeding, we have developed an animal model using SIV‐infected lactating rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) and their infants. Five of eight macaque infants became infected during a 10‐month study course after SIV inoculation of lactating dams. In a second study, three of four chronically infected female macaques transmitted virus to their infants through breast‐feeding within 4 months of birth. Transmission of virus to infants did not correlate with viral loads in either milk or plasma. Infants were infected with homogeneous virus populations, while milk samples near the time of transmission were more diverse. These studies suggest that specific viral phenotypes are selectively transmitted through breast‐feeding.