Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Downlink ergodic sum capacity maximisation for massive distributed antenna systems with SWIPT protocol

Funding information National Natural Science Foundation of China, Grant/Award Number: 61771257 Abstract The paper investigates simultaneous wireless information and power transfer (SWIPT) in massive distributed antenna systems, where the remote radio heads (RRH) equipped with a large number of antennas are arbitrarily distributed over the coverage area and each terminal operates via a power-splitting (PS) device. Utilising the harvested energy, each terminal transmits its pilot signals for channel estimation. A closed-form lower bound expression on the downlink ergodic capacity is derived for each terminal and then downlink ergodic sum capacity maximisation problem with respect to RRH-terminal association, channel estimation duration, PS ratios and power allocation (PA) is designed. The designed problem is proved to be a mixed-inter nonlinear programming with combinatorial variables, which is generally hard to solve due to its NP-hardness. To this end, a hierarchical iterative algorithm is developed by utilising decomposition technique. Moreover, the convergence and computational complexity of this algorithm are analysed as well. Numerical results manifest the feasibility and effectiveness of this algorithm, and also show that it can achieve the maximum downlink ergodic sum capacity for massive distributed antenna systems with SWIPT protocol.
Rock Water as a Key Resource for Patchy Ecosystems on Shallow Soils: Digging Deep Tree Clumps Subsidize Surrounding Surficial Grass

Mediterranean mountainous areas of shallow soil often display a mosaic of tree clumps surrounded by grass. The combined role and dynamics of water extracted from the underlying rock, and the competition between adjacent patches of trees and grass, has not been investigated. We quantified the role rock water plays in the seasonal dynamics of evapotranspiration (ET), over a patchy landscape in the context of current and past seasonal climate changes, and land‐cover change strategies. Soil water budget suggests deep water uptake by roots of trees (0.8–0.9 mm/d), penetrating into the fractured basalt, subsidized grass transpiration in spring through hydraulic redistribution. However, in summer trees used all the rock water absorbed (0.79 mm/d). A 15‐year data set shows that, with increasing seasonal drought‐severity (potential ET/precipitation) to >1.04, the vertical water flux through the bottom of the thin soil layer transitions from drainage to uptake in support of ET. A hypothetical grass‐covered landscape, with no access to deep water, would require 0.68–0.85 mm/d more than is available, forcing shortened growing season and/or reduced leaf area. Long‐term decreasing winter precipitation and increasing spring potential ET suggest drying climate, so far with stable vegetation mosaic but progressively earlier peak of grass leaf area. Intervention policies to increase water yield by reducing tree cover will curtail grass access to rock moisture, while attempting to increase tree‐related products (including carbon sequestration) by increasing forest cover will limit water availability per tree leaf area. Both changes may further reduce ecosystem stability.
Photovoltaic electrocoagulation process for remediation of chromium plating wastewaters

AbstractThe proposed photovoltaic electrocoagulation (PV-EC) process combines the autonomous and environmentally friendly photovoltaic (PV) solar energy with the capability of iron electrocoagulation (EC) to effectively reduce both trivalent and hexavalent chromium ions from electroplating effluents. The PV array can be connected directly to the EC reactor without batteries increasing, in this way, the system sustainability and eliminating the environmental threat of improper battery disposal. The PV-EC system is made versatile according to the instantaneous solar irradiation by adjusting the wastewater flow rate to the current intensity supplied by the PV array. The experiments were conducted in Kavala Institute of Technology (latitude 40° 55′, longitude 24° 22′, and altitude 138 m above the sea level). All operating parameters affecting the efficiency of the proposed process, such as wastewater conductivity, pH, flow rate, current density, electroprocessing time, and solar irradiance, were studied and o.
The Spectral Reflectance Response of ‘Riviera’ Common Bermudagrass to Increasing Saline Irrigation Concentrations

The availability of freshwater is a growing concern throughout the world as it is an increasingly valuable and limited resource. Alternative water resources such as recycled water low in quality and high in salinity are now frequently used to irrigate turfgrass. However, irrigating with highly saline water can affect the growth, performance, appearance, and quality of turfgrass. Bermudagrass (Cynodon sp.) is the most commonly used turfgrass throughout the southern United States. In this study, the spectral reflectance and visual response of ‘Riviera’ common bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) were evaluated by consecutively irrigating with 12 salinity concentrations (4–48 dS·m−1) in increments of 4 dS·m−1 via manual overhead irrigation for 30 days. The experiment was replicated in time in a controlled environment with four replications for each salinity treatment and control. ‘Riviera’ maintained a leaf firing (LF) value above 5 (rated on a scale from 1 to 9) when irrigated with 28 dS·m−1 for 30 days. Also, the LF value did not fall below 2 when irrigated with a salinity concentration of 48 dS·m−1 for 30 days, suggesting high salinity tolerance of ‘Riviera’. However, in this study, the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) had a lower ability to detect the increase in salinity stress due to the limited area measured by the NDVI measuring device used. An increase in sodium ion concentration was observed in the shoot with increasing salinity concentrations. The NDVI was highly correlated (r = 0.93) to LF, indicating the usefulness of NDVI as a tool to measure the magnitude of salinity stress. The multiple linear regression analysis revealed that the data showed a linear response to salinity stress with LF (r2 = 0.86) and NDVI (r2 = 0.76) decreasing linearly as the salinity concentration and days of treatment increased. This study provides an accurate depiction of the spectral and visual responses of ‘Riviera’ when exposed to multiple salinity concentrations with narrow increments.
Ineligible Anyway: Evidence on the Barriers to Pell Eligibility for Prisoners in the Second Chance Pell Pilot Program in Pennsylvania Prisons

Abstract Since the mid-1990s scholars, practitioners and policy-makers have consistently identified the ban on Pell eligibility for prisoners as the primary cause for the decline of post-secondary education programs in prisons nationwide. In 2015, the Second Chance Pell (SCP) pilot program authorized reinstatement of Pell eligibility for prisoners with the goal of providing post-secondary educational opportunities in prisons. However, SCP programs used fewer than half of the available Pell grants in the first three years of the program. We analyze novel data from a sample of individuals in Pennsylvania prisons to estimate population-level eligibility for SCP. We find demand in excess and uptake far below availability, which is a consequence of multiple barriers to eligibility. In the absence of significant reforms designed to address collateral ineligibility for Pell grants among the population of incarcerated individuals, there will be systematically low utilization of Pell-funded higher education programming in prisons.
Interaction of Dislocations with Carbides in BCC Fe Studied by Molecular Dynamics

Abstract Iron carbide (Fe3C), also known as cementite, is present in many steels and has also been seen as nanosized precipitates in steels. We examine the interaction of edge dislocations with nanosized cementite precipitates in Fe by molecular dynamics. The simulations are carried out with a Tersoff-like bond order interatomic potential by Henriksson et al. for Fe-C-Cr systems. Comparing the results obtained with this potential for a defect free Fe system with results from previously used potentials, we find that the potential by Henriksson et al. gives significantly higher values for the critical stress, at least at low temperatures. The explanation was found to be the difference in the core structure of the edge dislocation. The results show that edge dislocations can unpin from cementite precipitates of sizes 1 nm and 2 nm even at a temperature of 1 K, although the stresses needed for this are high. On the other hand, a 4 nm precipitate is not sheared by edge dislocations at low temperatures (≤100 K) on our simulation timescale.
Conceptual design of the detection chain for the X-IFU on Athena

CNES (French Space Agency) is in charge of the development of the X-IFU instrument for Athena. The main sensor array detection chain sub-system of the X-IFU instrument is one of the major sub-subsystem of the instrument, as the main contributor to the performance. This sub-system involves major partners of the X-IFU instrument, e.g GFSC, SRON, VTT, APC, and IRAP. The purpose of this paper is to present the baseline of the definition of the X-IFU detection chain in the frame at end of phase A/beginning of phase B. The readout is based on Time Domain Multiplexing (TDM). There are strong design issues which couple the different sub-components of the detection chain (the main sensor array, the cold electronics stages, and the warm electronics). The detection chain environment (thermal, mechanical and EMI/EMC environment) also requires a transverse analysis. This paper focuses on those aspects while providing design description of the sub-components of the detection chain.
How Variations in Behavior and Phenotype Affect In-Group Stereotyping and Belonging Among African American Adolescents and Emerging Adults

The present study based on social identity theory and phenotypic bias models examined how variations in phenotype and behavior related to in-group belonging and stereotyping for African American adolescents and emerging adults. Although ethnic-racial typicality is often considered as either phenotypic or behavioral, little research has investigated the interaction of these two dimensions. Forty African American high school students (Mage = 15.38, SD = 0.81) and 42 college students (Mage = 19.55, SD = 1.35) watched animated clips of African American male characters varying in typicality. Participants rated the character’s stereotypical traits, academic potential, and likelihood of intraracial group belonging. Results showed that characters who were stereotypical in behavior were rated with higher averages of stereotypical traits, lower averages of counterstereotypical traits, and more likely to belong than were characters with less-typical behaviors. There was also an interaction between a character’s behavior and phenotype for judgments of academic potential among high school students, but not college students. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings for African American youth are discussed.
Sinusoidal PWM Techniques in Rotor Pole Segmentation to Reduce Permanent Magnet Synchronous Machine Torque Ripple

Torque ripples can cause mechanical stress in electrical machines, among other problems. The present paper proposes three methods to reduce these ripples in the permanent magnets synchronous machine considering rotor poles design. These methods consist in segmenting the rotor poles, with width and distances between segments obtained by Sinusoial PWM techniques. The modulating wave is a sinwave which has the same frequency as the airgap flux density fundamental harmonic. Method 1 contemplates the unipolar SPWM technique, whereas methods 1 and 2 used the bipolar SWPM technique. Furthermore, the equations used to predict the cogging torque behavior are presented and verified by means of a finite element analysis. The torque ripple reduction is achieved due to the elimination of back-electromotive force harmonics and the decrease in the cogging torque peak. Method 1 has proved to be the most effective, reducing the torque ripple by 51.38% and 76.61% for the 4-pole and 8-pole machines, respectively. In addition, the magnet volume utilized has been reduced by 22.55% for the 4-pole machine, but the average torque value has been reduced by 18.7%. It is worth mentioning that the proposed methods do not require skewing to reduce the torque ripple.
Establishment and Validation of a Clinically Predictive Nomogram Model for Thyroid Carcinoma Patients

Objectives To develop a clinically predictive nomogram model which can maximize patients’ net benefit in terms of predicting the prognosis of patients with thyroid carcinoma based on the 8th edition of the AJCC Cancer Staging method. MethodsWe selected 134,962 thyroid carcinoma patients diagnosed between 2004 and 2015 from SEER database with details of the 8th edition of the AJCC Cancer Staging Manual and separated those patients into two datasets randomly. The first dataset, training set, was used to build the nomogram model accounting for 80% (94,474 cases) and the second dataset, validation set, was used for external validation accounting for 20% (40,488 cases). Then we evaluated its clinical availability by analyzing DCA (Decision Curve Analysis) performance and evaluated its accuracy by calculating AUC, C-index as well as calibration plot.ResultsDecision curve analysis showed the final prediction model could maximize patients’ net benefit. In training set and validation set, Harrell’s Concordance Indexes were 0.9450 and 0.9421 respectively. Both sensitivity and specificity of three predicted time points (12 Months,36 Months and 60 Months) of two datasets were all above 0.80 except sensitivity of 60-month time point of validation set was 0.7662. AUCs of three predicted timepoints were 0.9562, 0.9273 and 0.9009 respectively for training set. Similarly, those numbers were 0.9645, 0.9329, and 0.8894 respectively for validation set. Calibration plot also showed that the nomogram model had a good calibration.ConclusionThe final nomogram model provided with both excellent accuracy and clinical availability and should be able to predict patients’ survival probability visually and accurately.
HEAT RELEASE RATE AS A PARAMETER FOR FIRE SPREAD – A CASE STUDY

Indoor fires very often may cause great material damage and endanger human lives. The heat produced by fire affects the heating and ignition of surrounding flammable materials, as well as the heating of the building structure, causing its damage. It is well known that fire spread mostly depends on flammability and quantity of surrounding material, but small differences in the amount of fuel can significantly affect the speed of fire spread, and consequently, rate of heat released by fire. In this paper, the influence of the heat release rate on fire spreading is shown. The Large Eddy Simulation method of Fire Dynamics Simulator software package has been used to investigate the prediction of fire dynamics in a compartment. Numerical results show that the fire dynamics in the compartment is largely dependent on the quantity of fire load mass and the heat release rate during the fire.
Characteristics of autism spectrum disorder and susceptibility to radicalisation among young people: a qualitative study

ABSTRACT Previous studies suggest an overrepresentation of autistic people among terrorist offenders, specifically lone-actors, as compared to the general population. At present, there is little literature which examines core autistic traits and how these may make individuals susceptible to adopting radical ideology. Such findings would support the identification of individuals who may require intervention, and help to minimise the risk of exploitation and criminalisation of individuals with autism. This study was commissioned by a specialist school for autistic children in England to provide guidance for staff on how to identify and manage autistic young people at risk of being radicalised. The study included 34 qualitative interviews with experts in the field. Participants included National Health Service staff, academics, educational staff and counter-terrorism officers, as well as young people with autism from the UK. This paper presents findings relating to the existing evidence; key autistic traits and environmental contexts that may contribute towards a susceptibility to radicalisation; the current safeguarding measures and referral system, and; appropriate interventions across the trajectory into radicalisation, specifically the role of early intervention. Findings will help support clinicians and criminal justice professionals when working with individuals who present with radical ideology and have an autism diagnosis.
Toward a Uniform Classification of Nurse Practitioner Scope of Practice Laws

Many states’ scope of practice laws limits the ability of nurse practitioners to deliver care by requiring physician supervision of their practices and prescribing activities. A robust literature has evolved around examining the role of these scope of practice laws in various contexts, including labor market outcomes, health care access, health care prices, and the delivery of care for specific diseases. Unfortunately, these studies use different, and sometimes conflicting, measures of scope of practice laws, limiting their comparability and overall usefulness to policymakers and future researchers. We address this salient problem by providing a recommended coding of nurse practitioner scope of practice laws over a 24-year period based on actual statutory and regulatory language. Our classification of scope of practice laws solves an important problem within this growing literature and provides a solid legal foundation for researchers as they continue to investigate the effects of these laws.
PATH PLANNING COLLISION AVOIDANCE USING REINFORCEMENT LEARNING

Industrial robots have grown over the years making production systems more and more efficient, requiring the need for efficient trajectory generation algorithms that optimize and, if possible, generate collision-free trajectories without interrupting the production process. In this work is presented the use of Reinforcement Learning (RL), based on the Q-Learning algorithm, in the trajectory generation of a robotic manipulator and also a comparison of its use with and without constraints of the manipulator kinematics, in order to generate collisionfree trajectories. The results of the simulations are presented with respect to the efficiency of the algorithm and its use in trajectory generation, a comparison of the computational cost for the use of constraints is also presented.
A Mixed Approach on Resilience of Spanish Dwellings and Households during COVID-19 Lockdown

The confinement by COVID-19 has meant a re-reading of housing for Spanish households, resulting in the only available and safe space to carry out daily activity. This complex phenomenon has generated a completely different way of inhabiting it, as well as of relating to domestic spaces. For this reason, the home perception and its characteristics must be evaluated, highlighting those perceived as deficiencies, or as preferences in such an unusual context as lockdown, where the experience was different depending on the dwelling characteristics, and the family in question. To deepen in this double perception home-dwelling, a mixed method was used, with two online forms. The first is a quantitative questionnaire, while the second asks the participants for photographs and narratives about such images. More than 1800 surveys and 785 qualitative responses were obtained. From both approaches, the joint discourse arose, allowing an exploratory analysis of the current situation of the Spanish residential park, and the resilience demonstrated in this period by both households and their usual dwellings. This study should facilitate the development of new proposals on housing in contexts similar to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Numerical Simulation of the Distribution of In Situ Cigarette Combustion-Generated Particulate Matter

This paper has established a two-dimensional (2D) mathematical model for the generation, growth, and deposition of cigarette total particulate matter (TPM) in the smoldering state. The model has covered the chemical reactions and mass transfer as well as the mechanism of generation, flow, and condensation of particulate matter inside a burning cigarette. Cigarette smoke was generated by puffing under a constant pressure, and the pressure of the filter outlet was −274 Pa. The peak of the concentration of particulate matter was spatially overlapped with the peaks of pyrolysis and oxidation. Pertaining to the cross section of the cigarette at the same axial position, the peak of the diameter of particulate matter along the radial distribution first appeared in the zone near the edge of the cigarette cross section, and then gradually moved to the center of the cigarette with the cigarette smoke moving away from the combustion cone. The maximum number density of particulate matter calculated by the 2D mathematical model at the same axial position of the cigarette and the corresponding particle diameter, as well as the filtration efficiency of the filter rod, are in good accordance with the experimental data reported in previous studies.
SOURCE APPORTIONMENT OF FINE AIRBORNE PARTICULATE MATTER COLLECTED IN THE MEXICO CITY METROPOLITAN AREA

Samples of fine airborne particulate matter (PM2.0) have been collected at three sites located in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area (MCMA) during July, August, and September 2000. The elemental concentrations of these samples were determined by PIXE so that twelve elements (S, Cl, K, Ca, Ti, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Br and Pb) were consistently detected. These results produced a database, which was statistically analysed; first by Principal Components so to identify the pollution sources, and, subsequently, by Absolute Principal Component Scores analysis in order to estimate the corresponding source apportionment contributions. Other elements such as V and Cr were also detected in around 20% of the samples and, therefore, they were not considered statistically significant. Thus, these elements, as well as some others found only occasionally and in the trace range, were left out of the discussion. All calculations were performed using a standard statistical package following the method developed by Thurston and Spengler. Four main pollution sources were identified and the source apportionments were found in good agreement with other estimations found in the literature. The results were obtained individually for the three sampling sites, but the complete results are presented for just one of the sites in order to simplify this presentation.