Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
New Approach in COD Fractionation Methods

Conventional quality parameters such as Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) or Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) give information about the quantity of organic matter present in wastewater, but do not give a clear indication of the biodegradability of the pollutants flowing in the WWTP. Detailed knowledge can be obtained by dividing the total COD into fractions. Fractionation and balancing of COD can be determined in various ways and with varying accuracy. Good wastewater characteristics are obtained on the basis of COD fractionation in accordance with ATV-A 131 guidelines, especially when the wastewater characteristics are in high compliance with the assumptions of the method. The article proposes a modification of the ATV-A131 method that increases the accuracy of determining the COD fraction. In order to reduce errors in the calculation of COD fractions, the value of fraction XS was calculated on the basis of the biochemical degradation rate determined in studies (k) for raw wastewater, whereas the SI fraction was calculated from the difference between SCOD and BODTot of filtered treated wastewater. BODTot of the treated wastewater was calculated taking into account the rate of biochemical degradation determined in the studies (k) for treated wastewater. The shares of individual COD fractions in raw wastewater calculated on the basis of the standard and modified procedure differed by approx. 10% in the case of suspension fractions. Modification of the methodology to determine the COD of the treated wastewater SS fraction significantly influenced the contents of all fractions in treated wastewater.
The Pleistocene Gomphotheriidae (Proboscidea) from Peru

The present workwas made possible through a joint Research Project from AECI, Spain-Argentina (2000-2001); Projects PB94-0071 and PB97-1250 from DGICYT, Spain; Grants from the Universidad Nacional del Centro, and the Project PIP-02773, CONICET, Argentina.
On the High‐Energy Spectral Component and Fine Time Structure of Terrestrial Gamma Ray Flashes

Terrestrial gamma ray flashes (TGFs) are very short bursts of gamma radiation associated to thunderstorm activity and are the manifestation of the highest‐energy natural particle acceleration phenomena occurring on Earth. Photon energies up to several tens of megaelectronvolts are expected, but the actual upper limit and high‐energy spectral shape are still open questions. Results published in 2011 by the AGILE team proposed a high‐energy component in TGF spectra extended up to ≈100 MeV, which is difficult to reconcile with the predictions from the Relativistic Runaway Electron Avalanche (RREA) mechanism at the basis of many TGF production models. Here we present a new set of TGFs detected by the AGILE satellite and associated to lightning measurements capable to solve this controversy. Detailed end‐to‐end Monte Carlo simulations and an improved understanding of the instrument performance under high‐flux conditions show that it is possible to explain the observed high‐energy counts by a standard RREA spectrum at the source, provided that the TGF is sufficiently bright and short. We investigate the possibility that single high‐energy counts may be the signature of a fine‐pulsed time structure of TGFs on time scales ≈4 μs, but we find no clear evidence for this. The presented data set and modeling results allow also for explaining the observed TGF distribution in the (Fluence × duration) parameter space and suggest that the AGILE TGF detection rate can almost be doubled.
Quantifying sediment mass redistribution from joint time-lapse gravimetry and photogrammetry surveys

Abstract. The accurate quantification of sediment mass redistribution is central to the study of surface processes, yet it remains a challenging task. Here we test a new combination of terrestrial gravity and drone photogrammetry methods to quantify sediment redistribution over a 1-km2 area. Gravity and photogrammetry are complementary methods. Indeed, gravity changes are sensitive to mass changes and to their location. Thus, by using photogrammetry data to constrain this location, the sediment mass can be properly estimated from the gravity data. We carried out 3 joint gravity-photogrammetry surveys, once a year in 2015, 2016 and 2017 over a 1-km2 area in southern Taiwan featuring both a wide meander of the Laonong River and a slow landslide. We first removed the gravity changes from non-sediment effects, such as tides, groundwater, surface displacements and air pressure variations. Then, we inverted the density of the sediment, with an attempt to distinguish the density of the landslide from the density of the river sediments. We eventually estimate an average loss of 4.7 ± 0.4 × 109 kg of sediment from 2015 to 2017, mostly due to the slow landslide. Although the gravity devices used in this study are expensive and need week-long surveys, new instrumentation progresses shall enable dense and continuous measurements at lower cost, making this method relevant to improve the estimation of erosion, sediment transfer and deposition in landscapes.
An Empirical Study of Online Discussion Forums by Library and Information Science Postgraduate Students using Technology Acceptance Model 3

E-learning is an important trend globally that is believed to enhance the acquisition of knowledge by students within and outside the classroom to improve their academic pursuit. The Online Discussion Forum (ODF) is one of the tools that are used for e-learning in Nigerian universities. It facilitates interaction among postgraduate students as they can communicate and share information sources with one another to promote learning. However, the optimum use of this forum is determined by anchor factors in TAM 3 such as computer self-efficacy, perceptions of external control, computer anxiety and computer playfulness. A conceptual model based on TAM 3 was proposed and empirically tested. Using a survey research design and an online questionnaire for 121 Library and Information Science (LIS) postgraduate students, the paper demonstrated that computer self-efficacy, perceptions of external control, computer anxiety and computer playfulness have significant influence on the use of ODF. The paper therefore proposes that Online Discussion Forums should be encouraged for learning in postgraduate education.
A survey of simulation-based methods for pricing complex American type options

This paper gives an overview of simulation-based methods which have been developed for the valuation of “complex” American type options that cannot be valued analytically. The authors focus on one especially promising approach which we call “bounded recursive stochastic simulation” (BRSS) after having stripped off some time consuming but dispensable working steps. Then, we test the BRSS-approach by comparing it with three other simulation-based methods. Because of its superiority with regard to accuracy, computational costs, and flexibility, the paper describes the BRSS-approach in detail, thus, providing scientific know-how for efficient numerical option pricing.
Research on Unmanned Vehicle Positioning Technology Based on Multi-sensor Fusion

This paper is based on multi-sensor fusion technology of unmanned vehicle position to research and design a kind of scheme could choose to use adaptive visual data, GPS, INS, solved the problem of poor application effect of multiple scenarios on unmanned vehicles. This paper will integrate ORB_SLAM2 monocular vision and INS, compared with the traditional method to IMU and visual data separated filtering, we designed a general nonlinear optimization framework could bring visual feature points and the noise of the IMU data into it to optimize the camera position. Not only could scale and sensor bias be accurately estimated, could also improve the robustness and position precision of the unmanned vehicle. When the GPS signal is better, the algorithm combines the GPS data with the kalman filtering algorithm, which could be used to estimate the position of the GPS data more accurately, and can also assist the construction of visual map. In addition, it also shows good performance in data delay handling. By test in Euroc datasets and real vehicle, effect is good, in large scale outdoor scenarios also has higher position accuracy and robustness, the error is less than 0.1 meters, and has a strong practical value.
The feasibility of modelling rocks in engineering applications with the use of discrete element method

This paper represents the motivation behind modelling rocks and the technique. Several possible agricultural engineering and other applications are introduced. The need for tracing each grain makes the discrete element method (DEM) ideal for the task. There are several types of rock aggregates, which need different models and parameter sets. Grains were represented with clumps and crushed rocks were approximated with convex polyhedral particles. The behaviours of the models were tested in simulations.
Hitachiite, Pb5Bi2Te2S6, a new mineral from the Hitachi mine, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan

Abstract Hitachiite, Pb5Bi2Te2S6, is a new mineral discovered in the Hitachi mine, located in the Ibaraki Prefecture of Japan. The mean of 21 electron microprobe analyses gave: Pb 52.01, Bi 23.06, Fe 0.69, Sb 0.17, Te 13.74, S 9.71, Se 0.54, total 100.04 wt. %. The empirical chemical formula based on 15 apfu is (Pb4.75Fe0.23)Σ4. 98(Bi2.09Sb0.03)Σ2. 12Te2.04(S5.73Se0.13)Σ5. 86, ideally Pb5Bi2Te2S6. Synchrotron single-crystal X-ray diffraction experiments indicated that hitachiite has trigonal symmetry, space group P${\bar 3}$m1, with a = 4.2200(13) Å, c = 27.02(4) Å and Z = 1. The four strongest diffraction peaks shown in the powder X-ray pattern [d, Å (I)(hkl)] are: 3.541(35)(012), 3.391(59)(013), 3.039(100)(015) and 2.114(56)(110). The calculated density (Dcalc) for the empirical chemical formula is 7.54 g/cm3. The crystal structure of hitachiite has been refined using synchrotron single-crystal X-ray diffraction data, to R = 7.38% and is based on ABC-type stacking of 15 layers (five Pb, two Bi, two Te, and six S layers) along the [001] direction, and with each layer ideally containing only one kind of atom. The stacking sequence is described as Te–Bi–S–Pb–S–Pb–S–Pb–S–Pb–S–Pb–S–Bi–Te. The discovery of hitachiite implies that the minerals of the Bi2Te2S–PbS join might form a homologous series of Bi2Te2S·nPbS.
An Tactile ERP-Based Brain–Computer Interface for Communication

ABSTRACT A classical visual event relative potential (ERP) brain–computer interface (BCI) system relies on visual stimuli to choose commands. Users obtain most information about their surroundings visually as well. This large amount of information can aggravate visual burden and fatigue. In our study, we proposed a novel approach to evoke ERP with a tactile stimulus. To achieve this approach, we first designed a wireless stimulus module with vibrators to provide a tactile stimulus for the system. The vibrators were located on the subject’s arm to imitate the joint motion of a robotic arm. Then, the ERP feature and the parameters of classifiers were obtained through offline experimental data analysis. Based on the analysis, the suitable electrode channels, stimulus onset asynchrony (SOA), and filter upper limit were different for different subjects. According to those outcomes, a unique classifier was designed for each subject. Finally, 10 healthy BCI-naive subjects participated in online experiments to evaluate the performance of our tactile BCI system; they achieved an accuracy range from 78.67% to 100% with an average of 89.1% and an instantaneous transmission rate (ITR) range from 7.77 to 28.70 bits/min with an average of 14.77 bits/min. The accuracy of different subjects and SOAs remained relatively stable, the ITR fluctuated mainly due to the different SOAs, and we achieved balance between ITR and accuracy.
Downregulation of AC061961.2, LINGO1-AS1, and RP11-13E1.5 is associated with dilated cardiomyopathy progression

// Zhibing Qiu 1, * , Bin Ye 2, * , Li Yin 1 , Wen Chen 1 , Yueyue Xu 1 and Xin Chen 1 1 Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210006, Jiangsu Province, China 2 Department of Anesthesiology, Yangzhou Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Yangzhou 225002, Jiangsu Province, China * These authors have contributed equally to this work Correspondence to: Xin Chen, email: chenxinCX66@163.com Keywords: dilated cardiomyopathy; differentially expressed gene; lncRNA; Weighted Gene Coexpression Network Analysis Abbreviations: DCM: dilated cardiomyopathy; DEGs: differentially expressed genes; DELs: DE lncRNAs; WGCNA: Weighted Gene Coexpression Network Analysis Received: September 30, 2017 Accepted: December 05, 2017 Published: January 02, 2018 ABSTRACT Purpose: This study aimed to explore lncRNAs implicated in dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) using high-throughput sequencing. Methods: From February 2016 to May 2017, ten samples of failing hearts collected from the left ventricles of DCM patients undergoing heart transplants, and ten control samples obtained from normal heart donors were included in this study. After sequencing, raw data were processed, and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and lncRNAs between samples from patients with DCM and controls were screened, followed by functional enrichment analysis and Weighted Gene Coexpression Network Analysis (WGCNA). Five key lncNRAs were validated through real-time PCR. Results: After processing sequence data, 1398 DEGs were identified between DCM and control groups, including 267 lncRNAs. WGCNA identified seven modules that were significantly correlated with DCM. The top 50 genes in the three modules (black, dark-green, and green-yellow) were significantly correlated with the DCM disease state. Four core enrichment lncRNAs, such as AC061961.2, LINGO1-AS1, and RP11-557H15.4, in the green-yellow module were associated with functions of neurotransmitter secretion. Five core enrichment lncRNAs, such as KB-1299A7.2 and RP11-13E1.5, in the black module co-regulated functions associated with the regulation of blood circulation and heart contraction. AC061961.2, LINGO1-AS1, and RP11-13E1.5 were confirmed to be downregulated in DCM tissues by real-time PCR. Conclusion: The present study suggests that downregulation of AC061961.2, LINGO1-AS1, and RP11-13E1.5 is associated with DCM progression, and these may serve as key diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets for DCM.
Fracture-controlled fluid transport supports microbial methane-oxidizing communities at Vestnesa Ridge

Abstract. We report a rare observation of a mini-fracture in near-surface sediments (30 cm below the seafloor) visualized using a rotational scanning X-ray of a core recovered from the Lomvi pockmark, Vestnesa Ridge, west of Svalbard (1200 m water depth). Porewater geochemistry and lipid biomarker signatures revealed clear differences in the geochemical and biogeochemical regimes of this core compared with two additional unfractured cores recovered from pockmark sites at Vestnesa Ridge, which we attribute to differential methane transport mechanisms. In the sediment core featuring the shallow mini-fracture at pockmark Lomvi, we observed high concentrations of both methane and sulfate throughout the core in tandem with moderately elevated values for total alkalinity, 13C-depleted dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), and 13C-depleted lipid biomarkers (diagnostic for the slow-growing microbial communities mediating the anaerobic oxidation of methane with sulfate – AOM). In a separate unfractured core, recovered from the same pockmark about 80 m away from the fractured core, we observed complete sulfate depletion in the top centimeters of the sediment and much more pronounced signatures of AOM than in the fractured core. Our data indicate a gas advection-dominated transport mode in both cores, facilitating methane migration into sulfate-rich surface sediments. However, the moderate expression of AOM signals suggest a rather recent onset of gas migration at the site of the fractured core, while the geochemical evidence for a well-established AOM community at the second coring site suggest that gas migration has been going on for a longer period of time. A third core recovered from another pockmark along the Vestnesa Ridge Lunde pockmark was dominated by diffusive transport with only weak geochemical and biogeochemical evidence for AOM. Our study highlights that advective fluid and gas transport supported by mini-fractures can be important in modulating methane dynamics in surface sediments.
A pr 2 01 8 Learning-Based Task Offloading for Vehicular Cloud Computing Systems

Vehicular cloud computing (VCC) is proposed to effectively utilize and share the computing and storage resources on vehicles. However, due to the mobility of vehicles, the network topology, the wireless channel states and the available computing resources vary rapidly and are difficult to predict. In this work, we develop a learning-based task offloading framework using the multi-armed bandit (MAB) theory, which enables vehicles to learn the potential task offloading performance of its neighboring vehicles with excessive computing resources, namely service vehicles (SeVs), and minimizes the average offloading delay. We propose an adaptive volatile upper confidence bound (AVUCB) algorithm and augment it with load-awareness and occurrenceawareness, by redesigning the utility function of the classic MAB algorithms. The proposed AVUCB algorithm can effectively adapt to the dynamic vehicular environment, balance the tradeoff between exploration and exploitation in the learning process, and converge fast to the optimal SeV with theoretical performance guarantee. Simulations under both synthetic scenario and a realistic highway scenario are carried out, showing that the proposed algorithm achieves close-to-optimal delay performance.
Diversity orphological traits , allometric relationship and competition of two eed-feeding species of beetles in infested pods essica

Pair-wise competition produces asymmetric consequences for the interacting species, resulting in reduction of species fitness at the individual scale; however, little is known of the effects of competition on the allometric patterns of insects. In this study, we explored how competition, by means of pod infestation, affects the development of female and male individuals in the co-occurring bruchine beetles Merobruchus terani and Stator maculatopygus. We found differences between M. terani and S. maculatopygus in all morphometric traits, but no significant differences between males and females in either species. We also found, with an increasing degree of pod infestation, a positive trend in the pronotum, elytron and body weight of M. terani and a negative trend in morphological traits and body weight of S. maculatopygus. A negative allometry was maintained, suggesting that with increasing body weight, the body structures enegalia tenuifolia ruchinae egative allometry did not increase proportionally. On the other hand, we found that increasing the degree of pod infestation produced a wider variation in the individuals’ body size than in low levels of infestation. Finally, we discuss how pod infestation can trigger competition between species, with both positive and negative impacts, even though the species function similarly in resource exploitation. © 2017 Sociedade Brasileira de Entomologia. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. This is an open he CC access article under t
Modelling soil erosion due to natural rainfall in Manitoba

Two water erosion sites, representing two soil fypes, a Gretna clay and Ir¿ry sandy loam, were monitored in 1991 and 1992. Data collection commenced in mid-April and ended in mid-September. Each site had four standard Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) erosion plots measunng 22.13 by 4.57 m on a uniform 9% slope. At each site four continuous crop-management system were represented; fallow, corn, wheat and
Evaluating touchless capacitive gesture recognition as an assistive device for upper extremity mobility impairment

Introduction This paper explores the feasibility of using touchless textile sensors as an input to environmental control for individuals with upper-extremity mobility impairments. These sensors are capacitive textile sensors embedded into clothing and act as proximity sensors. Methods We present results from five individuals with spinal cord injury as they perform gestures that mimic an alphanumeric gesture set. The gestures are used for controlling appliances in a home setting. Our setup included a custom visualization that provides feedback to the individual on how the system is tracking the movement and the type of gesture being recognized. Our study included a two-stage session at a medical school with five subjects with upper extremity mobility impairment. Results The experimenting sessions derived binary gesture classification accuracies greater than 90% on average. The sessions also revealed intricate details in participant’s motions, from which we draw two key insights on the design of the wearable sensor system. Conclusion First, we provide evidence that personalization is a critical ingredient to the success of wearable sensing in this population group. The sensor hardware, the gesture set, and the underlying gesture recognition algorithm must be personalized to the individual’s need and injury level. Secondly, we show that explicit feedback to the user is useful when the user is being trained on the system. Moreover, being able to see the end goal of controlling appliances using the system is a key motivation to properly learn gestures.
Research on Ground Current of High-Power Series Chopper Circuit

The ground current equivalent circuit of the series chopper circuit is proposed. The ground current of the following two switching modes is analysed: The IGBT of the upper chopper circuit is turned on when the IGBT of the lower chopper circuit is in the off state; The IGBT of the upper chopper circuit is turned off when the IGBT of the lower chopper circuit is in the off state. The ground current paths of the two switching modes are analyzed, and the mechanism of ground current crosstalk between the upper and lower chopper circuits in the series chopper circuit is obtained. The analysis is verified by simulation and experimentation.
Cooling Load Reduction in a Single–Family House, an Energy–Efficient Approach

Energy depletion is considered one of the greatest challenges facing the planet. One way towards solving this challenge involves architectural adaptations to the local climate to decrease energy use. This study looks at the city of Erbil, located in northern Iraq. The city has seen rapid population growth that has resulted in an increased demand for housing. Unfortunately, most of the new houses are designed without considering the local climate conditions. As a result, people depend extensively on air conditioning systems that result in higher energy consumption. This study proposes implementing passive cooling techniques in residential buildings to decrease cooling energy consumption. Our methodology consisted of an energy simulation using the DesignBuilder program’s comparative thermal dynamic analysis. Using this simulation, we assessed the effects of passive cooling techniques on the reduction rate of cooling loads in an air-conditioned house. The simulation results illustrate that the proposed passive techniques lower the cooling load significantly, from 6997 kW/h to about 4461 kW/h during the peak-cooling load in July. This represents a 47.28% reduction of the total cooling load. The significance of this impact suggests that architects should be more mindful about utilizing passive cooling methods in residential buildings, reducing the consumption of energy for residents and prompt accomplishing environmental friendly buildings.