Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Molecular Partition Functions in Terms of Local Properties

The classical partition function for a polyatomic molecule is obtained in a form which has, for each atom, a factor that corresponds to free translational motion of the atom in an effective volume defined by the average vibrational amplitudes of the atom and the geometrical configuration of the neighboring atoms. A method is given for calculating the appropriate volume elements for any choice of internal coordinates. The treatment includes harmonic vibrations, internal rotations, and ``reaction coordinates. '' Quantum mechanical corrections introduce additional factors which shrink the volume elements for high‐frequency vibrations.Since the principal factors in this form of the partition function are determined by local properties largely characteristic of the bonds in the vicinity of each atom, many of these factors remain practically constant and can be omitted in calculations which compare the reactants in a chemical reaction with the products or with the ``activated complex. ''
Topology and Quantized Response in Complex Spectral Evolution.

The spectral winding on the complex energy plane is a unique topology for non-Hermitian systems under the periodic boundary condition (PBC). Despite considerable efforts devoted to non-Hermitian topological systems, the implications of different nonzero winding numbers of such point-gap topology for realistic lattice systems are still unknown. By looking into the complex PBC-OBC spectral evolution as a result of continuous PBC-OBC interpolation, we uncover a physically appealing correspondence between the spectral winding number and response quantization. Specifically, the ratio of the change in one quantity depicting signal amplification to the variation in one impurity parameter is found to display fascinating plateaus, with their quantized values given by the spectral winding numbers.
Novel Parameterization for Gauss–Newton Methods in 3-D Pose Graph Optimization

Pose graph optimization (PGO), or equivalently pose synchronization, that is synchronizing rotations and positions, is the state-of-the-art formulation for simultaneous localization and mapping in robotics. In this article, we first present a new manifold Gauss–Newton method for solving the rotation synchronization problem. In this article, we derive an efficient implementation of the method and develop a convergence theory thereof. A structural parameter appears in the proof, which has a significant influence on the convergence basin. In this article, we show that this structural parameter is the norm of the inverse of the reduced graph Laplacian and obtains the explicit relation of this parameter for special graph structures. We also present another method that directly solves the pose synchronization using both relative rotation and translation observations. Experimental results show that our rotation synchronization method can be successfully used to initialize iterative PGO solvers. Furthermore, we show that our pose synchronization algorithm outperforms state-of-the-art solvers in high-noise cases.
Modeling urban socio-ecological drivers of human– carnivore coexistence

Achieving human–carnivore coexistence is a growing challenge in an increasingly crowded world. In many cases, humans are already sharing landscapes with carnivores, but conditions promoting coexistence are not well understood. Coyotes (Canis latrans) are adaptable meso carnivores and their activities increasingly overlap with those of humans in urban environments. Does this overlap constitute coexistence? How do social variables situated within their rightful ecological contexts influence the potential for conflict? In this study, we explore aggregated social and land cover variables contributing to coexistence between humans and coyotes. We surveyed residents in four North Carolina cities on their perceptions, interactions and preferred management actions related to coyotes. We then modeled spatial patterns in urbanite interactions with and perceptions regarding coyotes and investigated how land cover characteristics may correlate with those perceptions. Our results suggest prior interactions and select land cover types may drive human coexistence with coyotes and contribute contextual understanding of urban socio-ecological systems to prevent conflict and effectively promote coexistence. Additional research that expands upon this study and explores spatial as well as temporal dimensions of human–wildlife coexistence is needed in diverse contexts.
A CMOS Test Chip With Simple Post-Processing Steps for Dry Characterization of ISFET Arrays

ISFETs (ion sensitive field effect transistors) are ion solid-state sensors based on MOSFETs (metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors) applied in many areas including ion imaging, detection of viruses and bacteria and DNA sequencing. ISFETs implemented in standard CMOS technology adopt the inherent Si3N4 passivation as the sensing layer, and benefit from a high integration level with no need of post-processing steps. However, this implementation is associated with non-idealities such as output temporal drift, capacitive attenuation of the input signal and random offsets in the threshold voltage due to trapped charges. Most of these non-idealities, which require better understanding, are characterized through biasing a reference electrode immersed in a solution in contact with the passivation layer. To remove electrochemical effects from the measurements, this paper proposes a dry test where the wet test setup is replaced with a sputtered gold thin film that provides electrical contact with the ISFETs. Dry tests were performed in arrays of n-ISFETs and p-ISFETs from chips fabricated in a standard 180 nm high voltage CMOS technology. The intra-die threshold voltages of the n-ISFETs and p-ISFETs presented, on average, similar offsets, but their die-to-die fluctuation was high. Wet tests on an n-ISFET and a p-ISFET of two non-metalized chips indicated sensitivities of 38 mV/pH and 46 mV/pH, respectively. The dry test introduced herein allows the electrical parameters of ISFETs to be determined without the interference of chemical contributions as well as the charges trapped in the passivation layer to be estimated.
Protective Effect of Rice Bran Oil against β-Amyloid Protein-Induced Memory Impairment and Neuronal Death in Mice

 This study was undertaken to investigate the protective effect of rice bran oil (RBO) on amyloid β protein (Aβ) (25-35)-induced memory impairment and brain damage in an ICR mouse model. Memory impairment was produced by intracerebroventricular microinjection of 15 nmol Aβ (25-35) and assessed using the passive avoidance test. Treatment with RBO at 0.1, 0.5, or 1 mL/kg (p.o. daily for 8 days) protected against Aβ (25-35)-induced memory impairment. Furthermore, Aβ (25-35)-induced decreases in glutathione and increases in lipid peroxidation and cholinesterase activity in brain tissue were inhibited by RBO, and Aβ (25-35)induced increases of phosphorylated mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and inflammatory factors, and changes in the levels of apoptosis-related proteins were significantly inhibited by RBO. Furthermore, Aβ (25-35) suppressed the PI3K/Akt pathway and the phosphorylation of CREB, but increased phosphorylation of tau (ptau) in mice brain; these effects were significantly inhibited by administration of RBO. These results suggest that RBO inhibits Aβ (25-35)-induced memory impairment by inducing anti-apoptotic and anti-inflammatory effects, promoting PI3K/Akt/CREB signaling, and thus, inhibiting p-tau formation.
Multi-Resident Non-Contact Vital Sign Monitoring Using Radar: A Review

Vital signs are inarguably accepted as important key constituents to improve the health condition. Worldwide medical institutions and clinical observations have emphasized the need for continuous monitoring of vital signs such as heart rate (HR) and respiration rate (RR) for better health management. Radars are investigated as one of the potential technologies for non-contact continuous monitoring of vital signs. This paper provides a comprehensive technological review on the current state-of-art of non-contact vital sign (NCVS) measurements using radar. We highlight the need to move towards higher frequency for high accuracy in a multi-resident environment and analyze the implications of mmWave exposure on human health and the effect of environmental attenuation. Significant challenges associated with hardware and signal processing algorithm are discussed in detail. Finally, we conclude the review with future directions and challenges associated with the detection of vital signs in a multi-resident indoor environment.
This paper is included in the Proceedings of the 14th USENIX Symposium on Operating Systems Design and Implementation

Snapshot Isolation (SI) enables online analytical processing (OLAP) queries to observe a snapshot of the data at the time the query is issued, despite concurrent updates by online trans-actional processing (OLTP) transactions. The conventional implementation of SI creates a new version of a data item when it is updated, rather than overwriting the old version. Versions are garbage collected when they can no longer be read by any OLAP query. Frequent updates during long-running OLAP queries therefore create signiﬁcant space ampliﬁca-tion, and garbage collection can give rise to latency spikes for OLTP transactions. These problems are exacerbated on modern low-latency drives that can persist millions of updates per second. We observe that analytic queries often consist in large part of commutative processing of data items resulting from range scans in which each item in the range is read exactly once. We introduce Online Commutative Processing (OLCP), a new model for processing analytical queries, that takes advantage of this observation. Under OLCP, analytical queries observe the same snapshot of the data as they would under conventional SI, but space ampliﬁcation and garbage collection costs are largely and oftentimes nearly entirely avoided. When an item in such a range is updated, the old version of the item is propagated to the OLCP queries that might need it instead of being kept in the store. We demonstrate OLCP’s expressiveness by showing how to formulate, among others, the TPC-H benchmark queries in OLCP. We implement OLCP in KVell+, an extension of KVell, a key-value store for NVMe SSDs. Using YCSB-T, TPC-CH and production workloads from Nutanix, we run a wide range of analytics queries concurrently with write-intensive transactions. We show that OLCP incurs little or no space ampliﬁcation or garbage collection overhead. As a
Neuropathic Pain in Guillain-Barre Syndrome: Association with Rehabilitation Outcomes and Quality of Life

Background: Neuropathic pain contributes significantly to the morbidity and affects the quality of life adversely in Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS). Objective: To study neuropathic pain profile in GBS and association with rehabilitation outcomes and effect on the quality of life. Methods: Observational study conducted in rehabilitation setting of a tertiary care hospital among adult GBS patients of less than 3 months duration. Assessment was done at the time of admission and discharge with Pain-detect questionnaire (PD-Q), Neuropathic pain scale (NPS), SF 36 survey, Medical Research Council (MRC) score, INCAT sensory sum score (ISS), Overall Disability sum-score (ODSS), Hughes disability score (HDS), Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale (HADS), and Fatigue Severity scale (FSS). Neuropathic pain was managed as per routine protocol and rehabilitation program was individualized. Results: 32 participants (26 males) with median age of 34.50 years were included. Eighteen (56.25%) patients had neuropathic pain on PD-Q at admission. The median intensity of pain on NPS scale was 47 at admission which decreased significantly to 14 at discharge. Pain group showed significant association with sensory impairment, CSF protein, and emotional domains of QOL while no association with disability. Conclusion: Neuropathic pain is associated with sensory impairment in GBS and markedly affects the quality of life, especially emotional, family, and social activities.
The Role of Socio-demographic Variables, Sexual Relationship, Marital Stability, Marital Communication and Marital Conflict Resolution in Marital Satisfaction among Married Individuals in Nifas Silk Lafto Sub-City of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2016

Background : Intact and harmonious marital relationships are required not only for the mental health of the individual but also for children and thus, for the society in the broader sense. But unsatisfying and stressful marital relations lead to increased emotional disturbances and marital disruption. This study aimed to assess the role of socio-demographic, sexual relationship, marital stability, marital communication and marital conflict resolution in marital satisfaction among married individuals. Methods: The target population for this study was all heterosexual married individuals, legally bound by the state of marriage as husband and wife. Quantitative research design and a systematic sampling technique along with a simple random sampling technique were employed to select 326 households. Frequency and percentages, means, standard deviations, Pearson correlation, independent sample T-test, one-way ANOVA and hierarchical multiple linear regressions were all used to compute sample statistic. DOI: 10.7176/JCSD/62-02 Publication date: October 31 st 2020
CSI Fingerprinting Localization With Low Human Efforts

Fingerprinting indoor localization systems exploit wireless signal propagation features to estimate the location of wireless devices, where the major challenge in practice is the all-consuming training process: it requires site survey to establish the mapping between the signal feature and the location where the feature is observed. In this paper, we present a Wi-Fi localization scheme based on channel state information (CSI) of wireless signals, which manages to relieve time-consuming site survey. In particular, we first propose how to automatically generate the theoretical fingerprints database based on the signal propagation model and geometric methods. Localization with the theoretical fingerprints database yields accuracy close to existing methods. Second, we improve localization accuracy by parsing the user’s trajectory instead of restricting to the single spot, where human movement features introduce more information for localization. Third, we present an automatic update scheme for the theoretical fingerprints database to improve time efficiency for localization, which can save 94 – 98% processing time for utilizing the CSI fingerprints database. We implement a prototype with COTS devices and conduct comprehensive experiments to verify proposed mechanisms. Results show that our design achieves 80% localization errors within $0.3m$ , which is $3\times $ accuracy compared with the state-of-the-art design leveraging CSI.
Development of a Novel Formaldehyde OTFT Sensor Based on P3HT/Fe2O3 Nanocomposite Thin Film

The formaldehyde (HCHO) is considered as a major cause of sick building syndrome (SBS). The majority of conventional HCHO sensors have some drawbacks such as sensitivity, long sampling time and high operating temperature. In this report, a novel organic thin film transistor (OTFT) HCHO sensor based on poly-3-hexylithiophene (P3HT)/ferric oxide (Fe2O3) nanocomposite thin films was developed by the spraying process. The results showed that the P3HT/Fe2O3 nanocomposite thin film OTFT sensor has the improved response and reproducibility compared with the single P3HT thin film OTFT, which may be ascribed to porous surface morphology of the nanocomposite thin film partially.
A Novel Low-Cost, High-Resolution Camera System for Measuring Peat Subsidence and Water Table Dynamics

Peatlands are highly dynamic systems, able to accumulate carbon over millennia under natural conditions, but susceptible to rapid subsidence and carbon loss when drained. Short-term, seasonal and long-term peat surface elevation changes are closely linked to key peatland attributes such as water table depth (WTD) and carbon balance, and may be measured remotely using satellite radar and LiDAR methods. However, field measurements of peat elevation change are spatially and temporally sparse, reliant on low-resolution manual subsidence pole measurements, or expensive sensor systems. Here we describe a novel, simple and low-cost image-based method for measuring peat surface motion and WTD using commercially available time-lapse cameras and image processing methods. Based on almost two years’ deployment of peat cameras across contrasting forested, burned, agricultural and oil palm plantation sites in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia, we show that the method can capture extremely high resolution (sub-mm) and high-frequency (sub-daily) changes in peat surface elevation over extended periods and under challenging environmental conditions. WTD measurements were of similar quality to commercially available pressure transducers. Results reveal dynamic peat elevation response to individual rain events, consistent with variations in WTD. Over the course of the relatively severe 2019 dry season, cameras in deep-drained peatlands recorded maximum peat shrinkage of over 8 cm, followed by partial rebound, leading to net annual subsidence of up to 5 cm. Sites with higher water tables, and where borehole irrigation was used to maintain soil moisture, had lower subsidence, suggesting potential to reduce subsidence through altered land-management. Given the established link between subsidence and CO2 emissions, these results have direct implications for the management of peatlands to reduce high current greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Camera-based sensors provide a simple, low-cost alternative to commercial elevation, WTD and GHG flux monitoring systems, suitable for deployment at scale, and in areas where existing approaches are impractical or unaffordable. If ground-based observations of peat motion can be linked to measured GHG fluxes and with satellite-based monitoring tools, this approach offers the potential for a large-scale peatland monitoring tool, suitable for identifying areas of active carbon loss, targeting climate change mitigation interventions, and evaluating intervention outcomes.
Comparison of Model Predictive Control (MPC) and Linear-Quadratic Gaussian (LQG) Algorithm for Electrohydraulic Steering Control System

The paper compares the performance of two embedded controllers applied in electrohydraulic steering systems – model predictive controller (MPC) and linear-quadratic Gaussian (LQG) controller with Kalman filtering for state estimation. Both controllers are designed on the basis of single input multiple output “black box” model obtained via identification approach. The controllers are implemented into industrial logic controller for mobile applications and their workability is experimentally checked with a laboratory model of a steering system for non-road mobile machinery. The results corresponding to investigation of performance of the closed-loop system are presented.
Modelling of extended de-weight fuzzy control for an upper-limb exoskeleton

Performing heavy physical tasks, overhead work and long working hours are some examples of activities that can lead to musculoskeletal problems in humans. To overcome this issue, automated robots such as the upper-limb exoskeleton is used to assist humans while performing tasks. However, several concerns in developing the exoskeleton have been raised such as the control strategies used. In this study, a control strategy known as the extended de-weight fuzz was proposed to ensure that the exoskeleton could be maneuvered to the desired position with the least number of errors and minimum torque requirement. The extended de-weight fuzzy is a combination of the fuzzy-based PD and fuzzy-based de-weight controller systems. The extended de-weight fuzzy was then compared with the fuzzy-based PD and PID controllers, and the performances of these controllers were compared in terms of their deviations and required torques to perform tasks. The findings show that the proposed control strategy performs better than the fuzzy-based PD and PID controller systems.
Short-Term Power Constrained Cell-Free Massive-MIMO Over Spatially Correlated Ricean Fading

This paper considers short-term power constrained cell-free massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) scenarios where a large set of multi-antenna access points (APs) provide service to a group of single-antenna mobile stations (MSs) on a spatially correlated multipath environment. Based on a probabilistic approach, the spatially correlated propagation links are modeled using either Ricean or Rayleigh fading channel models that combine a deterministic line-of-sight (LOS) propagation path with a small-scale fading caused by non-line-of-sight (NLOS) multipath propagation. Assuming the use of minimum mean square error (MMSE) channel estimates, closed-form expressions for the downlink (DL) achievable spectral efficiency of a cellfree massive MIMO network with short-term power constraints (i.e., a vector normalized conjugate beamformer (NCB)) are derived and benchmarked against that provided by the conventional cell-free massive MIMO network with long-term power constraints (i.e., the conventional conjugate beamforming (CB)). These expressions, encompassing the effects of spatial antenna correlation, Ricean/Rayleigh fading and pilot contamination, are then used to derive both pragmatic and optimal max-min peruser power allocation strategies and to gain theoretical insight on the performance advantage provided by the use of short-term power constraints instead of the conventional long-term power constrained approach.
Approaching Change: Exploring Cracks in the Eco-Modern Sustainability Paradigm

Sustainability discourse offers a plethora of perspectives on the type of change needed to ensure a just development within planetary boundaries, and how that change could come about. Calls for radical transformations nonetheless underline the need to examine prevalent discursive structures in society, including challenging the ‘ideology of growth’, in order to formulate new and transformative policy approaches. Based on empirical insights as to how different actors – including grassroots, planners, officials and politicians – in Sweden perceive the transformations needed to reach sustainability goals, this paper explores how narratives of change reproduce, make use of or show cracks in the eco-modern sustainability paradigm.
The effect of lone pairs and electronegativity on the indirect nuclear spin–spin coupling constants in CH2X (X=CH2, NH, O, S): Ab initio calculations using optimized contracted basis sets

The indirect nuclear spin–spin coupling constants of C2H4, CH2NH, CH2O, and CH2S were investigated by means of correlated ab initio calculations at the level of the second order polarization propagator approximation (SOPPA) and the second order polarization propagator approximation with coupled cluster singles and doubles amplitudes—SOPPA(CCSD) using large basis sets, which are optimized for the calculation of coupling constants. It is found that at the self-consistent-field (SCF) level CH2NH and CH2S exhibit triplet instabilities whereas CH2CH2 and CH2O show triplet quasi-instabilities, which renders the SCF results meaningless. Our best results deviate between 0.3 and 2.7 Hz from the experimental values. We find that although the one-bond C–H and Y–H couplings as well as the two- and three-bond H–H couplings are dominated by the Fermi contact term, significant contributions of the orbital paramagnetic and sometimes even spin–dipolar terms are observed for the one-bond C–Y and two-bond C–H and Y–H coupli.