Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Mesocosm Experiments at a Tunnelling Construction Site for Assessing Re-Use of Spoil Material as a By-Product

Mechanized excavation of tunnels with Earth Pressure Balance-Tunnel Boring Machines requires the use of foaming agents. The latter contain the anionic surfactant sodium lauryl ether sulphate (SLES) as the main compound. The re-use as a by-product of excavated soil containing foaming agents (spoil material) can pose a risk for soil and particularly for aquatic ecosystems if they are close to the spoil material final destination site. This work reports the chemical results (SLES residual concentrations) and ecotoxicological effects (battery of five tests) of 28 day-mesocosm studies performed at a tunnelling construction site. The soil mesocosms were set up with two different lithologies, which contained four different foaming agent products at the highest amounts used for excavation. The decrease in SLES concentrations and the ecotoxicological tests were performed in soil and its water extract (elutriate) at different times (0, 7, 14, 28 d). Elutriates were prepared in order to simulate a possible SLES leaching from soil to water. The results showed a decrease in SLES over time and different ecotoxicological responses depending not only on the initial amount of each product, but also on the soil lithology and organism tested (aquatic or terrestrial). This study showed how only site-specific ecotoxicological evaluations can ensure a safe management of the spoil material, making possible the re-use of soil and avoiding production of waste.
Network Protection Against Node Attacks Based on Probabilistic Availability Measures

We consider a network security and configuration management problem of locating service controllers so as to maximize availability of services in case of targeted attacks on the network infrastructure. Assuming that the attacker has full knowledge of the network topology but can only try to predict controller locations, we model the attacker’s behavior introducing a set of probabilistic network availability measures and formulating an optimization problem model that determines the potentially most dangerous attacks the attacker might launch. We also formulate a counter-part optimization model that allows the network operator to derive the optimal placement of controllers, which maximizes availability of services with respect to a given set of network attacks. We explain the models and illustrate our considerations using a running small, intuitive network example. And we also perform extensive numerical experiments with a realistic network data to evaluate and compare the potential effectiveness of different attack strategies, and the effectiveness of the counter-measures that the network operator can adopt.
Optimization of Turbine Tilt in a Wind Farm

Wind farm power production is signiﬁcantly aﬀected by upstream turbines creating wakes of slower wind speeds that overlap the rotor swept areas of downstream turbines. By optimizing the tilt angle of the turbines in a farm, wakes may be deﬂected away from downstream turbines, increasing the overall energy production. In this study, we optimized the tilt angle of turbines in a wind farm to maximize energy production. We used an analytic wake model modiﬁed for gradient-based optimization to consider wake deﬂection from tilt. We considered optimizing the tilt angle of each turbine assuming that it remained ﬁxed for the lifetime of the farm. We also considered active tilt control. In a test case using the Princess Amalia 60-turbine wind farm, optimizing ﬁxed tilt angles resulted in a 2.77% increase in the annual energy production(AEP) while using active tilt control resulted in an 13.64% increase in AEP.
Modeling Preconception Perceptions of Pregnancy and Birth: A Qualitative Study of Women Living in Italy

Background: Preconception health planning is a recognized resource for optimization of physical and mental-emotional health prior to pregnancy, though few women and providers demonstrate high awareness of preconception health. Furthermore, concerns, fear, and risk perceptions are often absent from the discussion, despite their potential impact on pregnancy and birth decision-making. These themes remain understudied in Italian populations. Methods: Researchers conducted in-depth interviews in 2017 with 43 reproductive-aged women living in or around Florence, Italy, and currently using the Italian health care system. An expanded grounded theory approach was used to explore pregnancy and birth perceptions. HyperRESEARCH facilitated open and axial coding for thematic analyses.Results: Themes emerged in the form of three continuous spectrums across which women view pregnancy and birth decision-making in the preconception period. First, participants identified strong social and healthcare support for pregnancy and birth, which at times was perceived as excessive or limiting (Supported vs. Controlled). Second, participants contrasted Italian preferences for natural and holistic processes with the medical model of prenatal care and birth (Natural vs. Medical). Third, participants constructed pregnancy and birth through risk narratives, placing a high priority on safety (Safe vs. Risky). While women described a culture of social support and natural lifestyle preferences, they also emphasized complications and risk, treatment of pregnant women as sick or fragile, seemingly rigorous prenatal care, and birth choices contingent on as-of-yet unexperienced complications. High levels of social and medical control surrounding pregnancy correlated with high levels of perceived risk. Conclusions: Findings offer opportunities for practitioners to address pregnancy- and birth-related concerns and misinformation through an integrated model demonstrating both the destructive role of risk and control as well as the possibility of a more positive emphasis on safety and support.
Ion Conductivity of Membrane in Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell

고분자전해질 연료전지에서 전해질막의 이온전도도에 미치는 상대습도, 전류밀도, 온도의 영향에 대해 연구하였다. 전해질막의 물의 함량과 물의 이동은 이온전도도에 많은 영향을 미친다. 전기삼투와 역확산만으로 물 이동을 모사하고 해석하였다. 이온전도도는 셀 밖에서 측정 장비로 막 상태에서 그리고 막전극합체로 구동상에서 측정되었다. 상대습도 증가에 따라 막 내 물 함량이 증가하였고 물 함량 증가에 따라 이온전도도도 상승하였다. 전류밀도 증가에 따라 전기삼투와 역확산에 의한 물의 양이 증가해 물 함량이 선형적으로 증가하였고 그 결과 전류밀도 증가에 따라 이온전 도도가 선형적으로 상승하였다. 온도가 50 oC에서 80 oC로 증가함에 따라 이온전도도는 약 40% 증가하였다.
Addition of peroxiredoxin 6 (PRDX6) to IVF fertilization medium maintains motility and longevity of human spermatozoa

This study aims to investigate the protective effects of peroxiredoxin 6 on the total motility and progressive motility of human spermatozoa. Semen samples with normal parameters were collected from 23 males and supplemented with different concentrations of peroxiredoxin 6. All the semen samples were measured according to the WHO 5th manual, and the motile spermatozoa were extracted using IVF fertilization medium supplemented with different peroxiredoxin 6 concentrations. Total motility and progressive motility were observed at different timepoints of culture at room temperature. After peroxiredoxin 6 supplementation, all groups had a significant increase in total motility and progressive motility compared to the control group. The difference in total motility and progressive motility between the 0 and 10 mM groups was observed at 24 and 48 h of culture at room temperature. At 24 h, the total motility increased by 30% in the control group (16.03 ± 11.91 vs. 11.51 ± 7.84), and progressive motility increased by 21% (10.53 ± 9.4 vs. 8.31 ± 6.04). A similar trend was observed in the 48 h group. In addition, we also found that peroxiredoxin 6 had a well protective effect on sperm kinetic parameters at 10 mM. The findings of this study suggest that peroxiredoxin 6 can enhance sperm total motility and progressive motility in IVF fertilization medium. Peroxiredoxin 6 may have potential benefits for sperm preparation in assisted reproductive technology.
RU-Net for Heart Segmentation from CXR

Cardiovascular disease is one of the top causes of death in the world. In order to release heavy workload for doctor, automated segmentation methods using deep learning are proposed by researchers. Due to limitation of medical images, we proposed a novel model RU-Net based on the combination of U-Net and Residual Network for heart segmentation. We replaced Res path from direct skip connection from encoder to decoder. We use Jaccard similarity coefficient to compare the result of our method and U-Net with public dataset called Japanese Society of Radiological Technology (JSRT). The experiment result demonstrates the accuracy of our method.
Survivorship assessment for Spodoptera littoralis susceptible and field population after insecticide sublethal dose treatment

Spodoptera littoralis (Lepidoptera noctuidae) (Boisd) is the most economic and series pest in Egypt with highly fecundity and dangerous attacking many crops. Insecticide efficiency trials showed failure and need more investigation periodically by many subject area. Susceptible laboratory reared population and field collected batches were subjected to bioassay of time mortality of the life survivors recording is the data producer by treating larvae with sublethal dose (LC 30 ) of insecticides candidates for this testing. Time-mortality data are improved method involves proportional survival and hazards modeling, known as Cox regression. The survival analysis of S. littoralis treated with sublethal dose of some insecticides exhibit slight differences in the median survival time (LT 50 ) observed for each insecticide, where the higher values was 224.4 hour for metaflumezone and the smallest was 170.1 for pyridalyl in susceptible population while in field, the higher was 336 for indoxacarb and the smallest was 144 hour for imidacloprid. The median survival time was 265 for susceptible control and 375 hour for field control. Log rank test exhibit significant differences among treatments for susceptible (Log-rank test, Z = 259.91, d.f. = 4, p< 0.001) and field (Log-rank test, Z = 297.48, df. = 4, p< 0.001). Hypothesis testing were computed for testing the survival curves, and every two hazard rates equality, at all times less than the maximum observed. Survival curves within insecticide groups and within population and control were differ according to p-values are less than 0.05, verify the null hypothesis is success to be rejected. Some hazard rates decreases with time in both population. The hazard ratios of insecticides in relation to control was 95% confidence intervals of the susceptible and field calculated were smaller than one prove great indication that field population were dying at a significantly slower rate than susceptible, and males population of some insecticides have more chance to die at any point in time more than males from the susceptible. The results for field population were achieved only 1% of population survived at 555 hour, from 20 to 30 % at 336 hour, from 30 to 40% and from 40 to 50 % after treatment for all pesticide tested, where population stages were old moths, emerged moth, pupae and 5 th instar larvae respectively. This result evidenced that all insecticide tested at low concentrations treatment through a long period of exposure, must stimulate a continuous mortality and the time mortality assay using Kaplan–Meier and Cox regression analysis methodology were accurate and provide clear decision about pesticide toxicity, efficiency status and differences.
Many-to-Many Matching-Theory-Based Dynamic Bandwidth Allocation for UAVs

The efficient and reliable cooperation of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is crucial for the UAV-enabled Internet-of-Things (IoT) services. However, one utmost challenge is how to effectively solve the many-to-many bandwidth allocation problem between UAVs and users (UEs) in a highly dynamic network, where the uncertain Non-Line-of-Sight (NLoS) links and the UE’s mobility can seriously impair the stability of network topology. In this article, a task-driven dynamic multiconnectivity matching game framework with multiple service requirements is proposed to maximize the system throughput while ensuring the UEs’ delay requirement. A three-layers auction-based dynamic many-to-many full matching algorithm is proposed to achieve the global network bandwidth resource optimization and update all UEs’ channel access strategies. A simplified matching algorithm is proposed to achieve the efficient local resource exchange and the dynamic matching quota adjustment between unstable single connectivity (SC) UEs and multiple connectivity (MC) UEs, which can achieve the suboptimal with a lower complexity solution in contrast to the full matching algorithm. Both the full matching and simplified matching algorithms are proved theoretically to achieve the stable solutions. Simulation results show that the system throughput of both proposed algorithms can improve 55% and 38% compared with that of the conventional many-to-one matching, respectively. Both proposed algorithms have the lower complexity than the conventional centralized optimization algorithm, and the complexity of simplified matching algorithm is only 40% of the full matching algorithm. Moreover, the UE’s satisfaction is increased by 28% compared with the case without considering the delay factor into the utility function.
A Bimodal Diagnostic Cloud Fraction Parameterization. Part II: Evaluation and Resolution Sensitivity

A wide range of approaches exists to account for subgrid cloud variability in regional simulations of the atmosphere. This paper addresses the following questions: 1) Is there still benefit in representing subgrid variability of cloud in convection-permitting simulations? 2) What is the sensitivity to the cloud fraction parameterization complexity? 3) Are current cloud fraction parameterizations scale-aware across convection-permitting resolutions? These questions are addressed for regional simulations of a 6-week observation campaign in the U.S. southern Great Plains. Particular attention is given to a new diagnostic cloud fraction scheme with a bimodal subgrid saturation-departure PDF, described in Part I. The model evaluation is performed using ground-based remote sensing synergies, satellite-based retrievals, and surface observations. It is shown that not using a cloud fraction parameterization results in underestimated cloud frequency and water content, even for stratocumulus. The use of a cloud fraction parameterization does not guarantee improved cloud property simulations, however. Diagnostic and prognostic cloud schemes with a symmetric subgrid saturation-departure PDF underestimate cloud fraction and cloud optical thickness, and hence overestimate surface shortwave radiation. These schemes require empirical bias-correction techniques to improve the cloud cover. The new cloud fraction parameterization, introduced in Part I, improves cloud cover, liquid water content, cloud-base height, optical thickness, and surface radiation compared to schemes reliant on a symmetric PDF. Furthermore, cloud parameterizations using turbulence-based, rather than prescribed constant subgrid variances, are shown to be more scale-aware across convection-permitting resolutions.
A Two-stage Robust Optimal Allocation Model of Distributed Generation Considering Capacity Curve and Real-time Price Based Demand Response

Demand response, the reactive power output of distributed generation (DG), and network reconfiguration have significant impacts on a DG allocation strategy. In this context, a novel real-time price-based demand response formulation is integrated into the allocation model of DG. The tariff is regulated by the difference between the load and active power of renewable energy. Meanwhile, network reconfiguration and the capacity curve describing the active and reactive power limits of DG are included in the optimization model for promoting the allocation of DG. With these measures, the optimal allocation model of DG is established with the goal of maximizing the net annual profit while guaranteeing the efficient utilization of renewable energy. In addition, the uncertainties of renewable energy are considered on the basis of a two-stage robust optimization method. Finally, the entire optimization model is solved by the column and constraint generation algorithm in the IEEE 33-bus distribution system and a practical 99-bus distribution system. Numerical simulations show that the proposed model is effective in terms of improving both the usage of renewable energy and net annual profit.
The BEAMISH hot water drill system and its use on the Rutford Ice Stream, Antarctica

Abstract During the 2018/19 Antarctic field season, the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) Basal conditions on Rutford Ice Stream: BEd Access, Monitoring and Ice Sheet History’ (BEAMISH) project drilled three holes through the Rutford Ice Stream, West Antarctica. At up to 2154 m, these are the deepest hot water drilled subglacial access holes yet created, enabling the recovery of sediment from the subglacial environment, and instrumenting the ice stream and its bed. The BEAMISH hot-water drill system was built on extensive experience with the BAS ice shelf hot-water drill and utilises many identical components. With up to 1 MW of heating power available, the hot water drill produces 140 L min−1 of water at 85°C to create a 300 mm diameter access hole to the base of the ice stream. New systems and processes were developed for BEAMISH to aid critical aspects of deep access drilling, most notably the creation of cavities interlinking boreholes at 230 m below the surface and enabling water recirculation throughout the deep drilling operations. The modular design of the BEAMISH drill offers many benefits in its adaptability, redundancy, and minimal logistical footprint. These design features can easily accommodate the modifications needed for future deep, clean access hole creation in the exploration of subglacial environments.
Games in Environmental Sustainability Education

Sustainability education must not stop with creating awareness, it should promote mindfulness, be persuasive, and also adapt to the needs of young learners (Janakiraman et al., 2018). Knowledge, when provided as an activity and experience that is situated in scenarios, will help learners develop situated understandings (Gee, 2008). In environmental sustainability education (ESE), digital games can serve as effective pedagogical tools because they can encourage exploration and experimentation when teachers and parents use them purposefully. This brief examines the following questions: (a) Were there any differences in the environmental attitudes between students who played a game and students who did not play the game based on the New Ecological Paradigm scale? (b) What were the perceptions of participants who played the game regarding their environmental attitudes and behaviors?
HOTS study primary teacher education UNNES students based on self-regulated learning

This research aims to study students’ High Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) in Primary Teacher Education Department of Universitas Negeri Semarang (UNNES) viewed from their Self-Regulated Learning (SRL). The research method in this research is a mixed method of a sequential explanatory model. This research was conducted in the Department of Primary Teacher Education at UNNES for students of class 2020 in the Basic Mathematical Concept course. Data collection techniques using questionnaires, documentation, interviews. Analysis of quantitative data in the form of validity and reliability of the instrument was followed by descriptive analysis. Qualitative data analysis was performed by triangulation and descriptive statistical analysis. Analysis of quantitative data found two categories of the level of SRL, namely medium and high levels. The results of the analysis of student answers were obtained: (1) Students with moderate SRL category interpret the questions into Mathematical language, and the way they identified the problem is less communicative, while the students with high SRL category interpret the questions into Mathematical language communicatively; (2) Based on students’ ability to evaluate, students with moderate SRL category have not been fluent yet, while the students with high SRL category have been fluent in evaluating, and (3) Based on their creativity, students with moderate SRL still need more practices, while students with high SRL category have been fluent. The conclusion of this study is the ability to interpret problems and the habit of examining problem-solving carried out into the differences between the two categories.
Outage Probability Due to Crosstalk from Multiple Interfering Cores in PAM4 Inter-Datacenter Connections

In this work, we propose to use four-level pulse amplitude modulation (PAM4) and multi-core fibers (MCFs) to support very high capacity datacenter interconnect (DCI) links. The limitations imposed by inter-core crosstalk (ICXT) on the performance of 112 Gb/s up to 80 km-long optically amplified PAM4 inter-DCI links with intensity-modulation and direct-detection and full chromatic dispersion compensation in the optical domain are analyzed through numerical simulation for high and low skew-symbol rate product (SSRP). With only one interfering core, we show that those PAM4 inter-DCI links achieve an outage probability (OP) of 10−4 with a maximum ICXT level of −13.9 dB for high SSRP and require an ICXT level reduction of about 8.1 dB to achieve the same OP for low SSRP. Due to using full dispersion compensation, for an OP of 10−4, the maximum acceptable ICXT level shows only a 1.4 dB variation with the MCF length increase from 10 km to 80 km. When considering the ICXT induced by several interfering cores, the maximum ICXT level per interfering core for an OP of 10−4 decreases around 3 dB when doubling the number of interfering cores. This conclusion holds for high and low SSRP regimes. For two interfering cores, we show that a single interfering core with low SSRP is enough to induce a severe reduction of the maximum acceptable ICXT level.
Ti/Au Ultrathin Films For TES Application

Transition-Edge Sensors (TESs) are versatile superconducting microcalorimeters used as single photon detectors in a large range of electromagnetic wavelength, from X-rays to near-infrared. Among the many materials investigated in literature, Ti/Au is one of the most widely used bilayer to fabricate TES thanks to simple deposition process, long term stability material and protection against oxidation of Ti film by Au over layer. Moreover, the critical temperature of Ti/Au can be tuned by trimming the thickness of Ti and Au films. For low energy photon detection, the Ti/Au superconducting layer performs simultaneously as absorber and thermometer. This implies that a TES thickness reduction helps to significantly reduce the thermal capacitance, which has a direct impact on the detector energy resolution. In this paper we present a study of the superconducting properties of Ti/Au films, grown in UHV by thermal evaporation as a function of Ti thickness. The chemical state of Ti and Ti/Au were analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, to evaluate the protective effect of Au film. The film morphology, structure and optical properties were investigated by ellipsometry. The critical temperature showed a marked trend on film thickness and was strongly affected by Au cover layer. Ti film of only 12 nm thick covered with 10 nm Au film showed a remarkable critical temperature of about 300 mK.