Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Geochronology and Sr–Nd–Hf isotope constraints on the petrogenesis of teschenites from the type-locality in the Outer Western Carpathians

Abstract The Teschenite Association Rocks (TAR) in the Outer Western Carpathian (OWC) flysch form a classic suite of alkaline intrusions where teschenite and picrite were first defined. They represent continental intraplate volcanism that produced a wide range of melano- to mesocratic rocks emplaced during the Early Cretaceous rifting within the southern margin of the European Plate. Geochemical modelling indicates that they may be a product of ~2–5 % partial melting of the metasomatised, asthenospheric mantle. The variations in REE (low / heavy REE content, LaN/YbN = 11–34) are consistent with deep melting of garnet peridotite. Initial ε(Nd)i = 5.0–6.3 and ε(Hf)i = 4.9–10.0 preclude the significant mature crust involvement. Instead, a linear array formed by the 143Nd/144Nd and 176Hf/177Hf isotopic ratios points to a genesis from the mixed, HIMU–OIB source with the more depleted, MORB-type component. Mantle metasomatism was most likely caused by the Variscan subduction–collision processes as indicated by the depleted mantle Nd model ages. The isotope and trace element ratios of the TAR resemble the European Asthenospheric Reservoir (EAR) — the common mantle end-member for the widespread Cenozoic volcanic rocks in Europe. This confirms a long-term existence of the EAR mantle component beneath the Central Europe, at least since the Early Cretaceous. In situ laser-ablation ICP-MS U–Pb dating of titanite indicates short duration of mafic alkaline magmatism in the OWC, lasting from 123.7 ± 2.1 to 117.9 ± 1.8 Ma. Emplacement of the TAR is correlated with the maximum lithospheric thinning that triggered adiabatic decompression and partial melting of the upwelling asthenospheric mantle. Magmatism ceased most likely due to transition to the dominantly compressive regime associated with the major stress field reorganization directly preceding the Carpathian– Alpine Orogeny.
Implicit Causality in younger and older adults

Abstract The study asked whether there are age-related differences in the Implicit Causality values (IC-values) of transitive verbs in younger and older adults. The results are expected to support either linguistic accounts or world-knowledge accounts of the origin of Implicit Causality. Using the traditional sentence-completion task (John VERBs Mary, because …) 124 verbs were investigated in a group of students around age 23 and in a group of older people around age 81. Compared to the students, the older people produced higher proportions of Object-reference with verbs showing Subject-reference in general and higher Subject-reference with verbs showing Object-reference in general. Verb-class analysis in terms of semantic role patterns showed that the IC-values of SE-verbs and ES-verbs were less different in the two groups than those of SE-AP-verbs, AP-verbs, and APpres-verbs. The differences in the two latter classes are significant. The relatively broad similarity in the IC-values of the two age groups supports linguistic accounts of the origin of IC-values. The observed differences, however, point to variation in the perspective on interpersonal events in younger and older adults. It is hypothesized that the latter observation reflects an impact of world knowledge on IC-values in that the social life situations of younger and older adults shape expectations regarding who is causing an interpersonal event somewhat differently in the two age groups.
Comparative Pathomorphological, Mycological and Molecular Examination of Turkey Poults with Different Immunological Status Experimentally Infected with Aspergillus fumigatus

Abstract The aim of this study was to determine the pathological, mycological and molecular findings in turkey poults with different immunological status experimentally infected with Aspergillus fumigatus. The investigation was carried out 1, 3, 7, 14 and 21 days after intratracheal inoculation of 5.056×107 spores of A. fumigatus to 14-day-old turkey poults in group G-1, as well as to turkey poults in group G-2 which were treated prior to infection with dexamethasone. A. fumigatus was isolated on day 1 p.i. in both groups, but the number of positive samples was bigger in group G-1. A. fumigatus was isolated from the respiratory organs of group G-1as early as on day 1 and 3 p.i. in 4 out of 12 examined specimens (33%). On day 7 p.i. A. fumigatus was possible to isolate from the respiratory organs of 50% of infected birds, on day 14 in 83.33% and on day 21 p.i. A. fumigatus was isolated in 6 out of 6 sacrificed turkey poults (100%). In dexamethasone-treated group A. fumigatus isolates from the respiratory organs on day 1 and 3 p.i. were same as in group G-1, whereas on days 7 and 14 p.i. the number of turkey poults positive to A. fumigatus increased in comparison with the untreated G-1 group. The histopathological lesions in turkey poults treated with dexamethasone developed earlier, were more intensive and extensive. The mycological and nested PCR results revealed a higher number of samples positive for the presence of A. fumigatus DNA in the group G-2, pretreated with dexamethasone.
Learning to Rank Homepages For Researcher-Name Queries

Researchers constitute the ‘kernel’ entities in scientific digital library portals such as CiteSeerX 1 , DBLP 2 and Academic Search 3 . In addition, to the primary tasks related to search and browsing of research literature, digital libraries involve other tasks such as expertise modeling of researchers and social network analysis involving researcher entities. Most information required for these tasks needs to be extracted using the publications associated with a particular researcher along with the information provided by researchers on their homepages. To enable the collection of these homepages, we study the retrieval of researcher homepages from the Web using queries based on researcher names. We posit that researcher homepages are characterized by specific contentbased and structural features which can be effectively harnessed for identifying them. We use topic modeling as a means to identify features that are discipline-independent while learning the ranking function for homepage retrieval. On a large dataset based on researcher names from DBLP, we show that our ranking function obtains an increase in success rate from 3.2% to 21.28% at rank 1 and from 29.6% to 66.3% at rank 10 over the baseline retrieval model that uses a similarity function based on query-content match. We also obtain modest performance with our small set of (about 125) discipline-independent features on identifying the researcher homepages in the WebKB dataset.
Seeding the UEFA Champions League participants: evaluation of the reforms

Abstract We evaluate the sporting effects of the seeding system reforms in the Champions League, the major football club tournament organized by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). Before the 2015–2016 season, the teams were seeded in the group stage by their ratings. Starting from the 2015–2016 season, national champions of the Top-7 associations are seeded in the first pot, whereas other teams are seeded by their rating as before. Taking effect from the season 2018–2019, the team’s rating no longer includes 20% of the rating of the association that the team represents. Using the prediction model, we simulate the whole UEFA season and obtain numerical estimates for competitiveness changes in the UEFA tournaments caused by these seeding reforms. We report only marginal changes in tournament metrics that characterize ability of the tournament to select the best teams and competitive balance. Probability of changes in the UEFA national association ranking does not exceed several percent for any association.
Putting Blended Learning to Work: a case study from a multinational oil company

Abstract Blended learning can be operationalised in many different ways. At Shell International Exploration and Production, a form of blended learning focusing on learning while in the workplace through work‐based activities within technology‐supported courses has been evolving since 2000, with approximately 100 different learning events reflecting this form in 2004. After a review of the general approach to blended learning (‘putting learning to work’) that steers blended learning at Shell EP and the rationale for work‐based activities that serve as the tools for ‘putting learning to work’ within these courses, a case study of the course ‘Production System Optimisation’, including a variety of types of evaluation data, is described. With this case as a point of reference, some reflections on the implications of work‐based activities as a key tool for blended learning conclude the article.
Effectiveness and Cost of Interactive Videodisc Instruction in Defense Training and Education

Abstract : In response to Congressional direction, a quantitative, analytical review (a meta-analysis ) was completed of interactive videodisc instruction applied in Defense training and in the related settings of industrial training and higher education. Over all instructional settings and applications, interactive videodisc instruction was found to improve achievement by about 0.50 standard deviations over less interactive, more conventional approaches to instruction. This improvement is roughly equivalent to increasing the achievement of students at the 50th percentile to that of students currently at the 69th percentile. It was equally effective for knowledge and performance outcomes. It was less costly than more conventional instruction. Overall, interactive videodisc instruction demonstrated sufficient utility in terms of effectiveness, cost, and acceptance to recommend that it now be routinely considered and used in Defense training and education.
Computers and Education: the software production problem

Following an analysis of the stages in software production this paper argues that team production remains the only satisfactory method of providing high quality software but that the key to a higher quantity of reasonable quality computer-assisted learning production lies in the development of support technology adequate to permit individual teachers to develop software within their existing curriculum framework. Three promising approaches—software toolboxes, CAL program shells and software CAL analysts—are described.
Rheological Characterizations of Dispersions of Clay Particles in Viscoelastic Polymer Solutions

Abstract In this work, we consider model fluids which are dispersions of clay particles in aqueous solutions of carboxymethyl cellulose. Their rheological properties are measured in both steady and oscillatory shear flows. We present the experimental results obtained for different polymer concentrations and for three different molecular weights of the polymer. The clay is a bentonite sample and the particle concentration is fixed to a value of 5 %. The mechanical properties of these materials is the result of a competition between different mechanisms: association-dissociation of aggregates of particles, adsorption of polymer on the particles and desorption of solvent molecules from the particles, bridging of the particles by long polymer chains.
Tracing Communicative Patterns: A comparative ethnography across platforms, media and contexts

Abstract This article outlines a research design for a qualitative comparative study of communication across platforms, media and contexts – in China, the US and Denmark. After addressing the limitations in previous research on digital media in everyday life, we argue in favour of a comparative ethnography of communication that emphasizes the study of intermediality by taking a people-centred approach. The methodological design combines network sampling and maximum variation sampling with communication diaries and elicitation interviews. This design makes it possible to collect small and deep communicative trace data, to capture individuals’ unique linking of all the communication tools and channels available to them and, in turn, to identify the role of the internet as it interacts and intersects with other forms of communication.
A lightweight key generation scheme for end-to-end data authentication in Industrial Control Systems

Abstract The recent advances in technology had an exceptional impact on the performance optimization and the provisioning of more flexible Industrial Control Systems (ICS). Nevertheless, most ICS communication protocols, as they are currently and widely implemented, are extremely vulnerable to various cyber attacks. This paper proposes a lightweight application-oriented data authentication scheme applicable to existing ICS infrastructures by adopting the characteristics and computational advantages of hash functions and hash chains. Extensive experimental results on a Phoenix Contact industrial controller, which runs the control logic of a real ICS implemented in a Romanian gas transportation network, demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed scheme and its immediate applicability to existing installations.
Omnidirectional sensing for human interaction

Conventional TV cameras are limited in their field of view. A real-time omnidirectional camera which can acquire an omnidirectional (360 degrees) field of view at video rate could be applied in a variety of fields such as autonomous navigation, telepresence, virtual reality and remote monitoring. We have developed several different types of omnidirectional image sensors and multiple image sensing system which consists of an omnidirectional image sensor and binocular vision. In this paper, we introduce the outlines of our developed sensors and show examples of application to human-robot interaction.
Plate Coupling Mechanism of the Central Andes Subduction: Insight from Gravity Model

Abstract The Central Andes experienced major earthquake (Mw =8.2) in April 2014 in a region where the giant 1877 earthquake (Mw=8.8) occurred. The 2014 Iquique earthquake did not break the entire seismic gap zones as previously predicted. Geodetic and seismological observations indicate a highly coupled plate interface. To assess the locking mechanism of plate interfaces beneath Central Andes, a 2.5-D gravity model of the crust and upper mantle structure of the central segment of the subduction zone was developed based on terrestrial and satellite gravity data from the LAGEOS, GRACE and GOCE satellite missions. The densities and major structures of the gravity model are constrained by velocity models from receiver function and seismic tomography. The gravity model defined details of crustal and slab structure necessary to understand the cause of megathrust asperity generation. The densities of the upper and lower crust in the fore-arc (2970 – 3000 kg m−3) are much higher than the average density of continental crust. The high density bodies are interpreted as plutonic or ophiolitic structures emplaced onto continental crust. The plutonic or ophiolitic structures may be exerting pressure on the Nazca slab and lock the plate interfaces beneath the Central Andes subduction zone. Thus, normal pressure exerted by high density fore-arc structures and buoyancy force may control plate coupling in the Central Andes. However, this interpretation does not exclude other possible factors controlling plate coupling in the Central Andes. Seafloor roughness and variations in pore-fluid pressure in sediments along subduction channel can affect plate coupling and asperity generation.
Optimisation of System Dynamics Models Using a Real-Coded Genetic Algorithm with Fuzzy Control

Abstract This paper presents a new real-coded genetic algorithm with Fuzzy control for the Real-Coded Genetic Algorithm (F-RCGA) aggregated with System Dynamics models (SD-models). The main feature of the genetic algorithm presented herein is the application of fuzzy control to its parameters, such as the probability of a mutation, type of crossover operator, size of the parent population, etc. The control rules for the Real-Coded Genetic Algorithm (RCGA) were suggested based on the estimation of the values of the performance metrics, such as rate of convergence, processing time and remoteness from a potential extremum. Results of optimisation experiments demonstrate the greater time-efficiency of F-RCGA in comparison with other RCGAs, as well as the Monte-Carlo method. F-RCGA was validated by using well-known test instances and applied for the optimisation of characteristics of some system dynamics models.
A Vane Rheometer for Fresh Mortar: Development and Validation

This paper presents the development of a vane rheometer to estimate mortar plastic viscosity and yield stress. The rheological parameters were developed from measurements using a procedure to convert the vane torque and rotational velocity data into shear stress versus shear rate relationships. The used procedure considered the locally sheared material as a Bingham fluid and computed the characteristic shear rate from Couette analogy. The apparatus was tested with three experimental programs in which many rheological parameters of mortar compositions were calculated. The obtained results validated the rheometer test procedure and confirmed that the test results are reproducible.
Automatic Feature Construction for General Game Playing

The goal of General Game Playing is to construct an autonomous agent that can effectively play games it has never encountered before. The agent is only provided with the game rules, without any information about how to win the game. Since no human intervention is allowed, the agent needs to deduce important concepts automatically from the game rules. A central challenge is the automatic construction of an evaluation function that can estimate the winning chances for any position encountered during game-tree search. An evaluation function is a weighted combination of features : numerical functions that identify important aspects of a position. This thesis presents a method to generate a set of features for General Game Playing, based on previous work on knowledge-based feature generation. Moreover, a method is developed that quickly selects features for inclusion in the evaluation function. The feature construction method is combined with TD(λ) reinforcement learning to produce a complete evaluation function. It is shown that the method could successfully generate an evaluation function for many general games, and an empirical evaluation of its quality is presented.
Modeling resource allocation negotiations

Resource allocation problems occur when fixed, limited resources must be allocated among competing alternatives. Disputes arise when decision-makers disagree about relative priorities among objectives. The structure of a resource allocation problem refers to characteristics of its feasible settlement space and efficient frontier. These characteristics define the opportunities the problem affords and the constraints it imposes on negotiators. Models of resource allocation problems were constructed under different assumptions concerning negotiators' judgmental preferences. The analysis demonstrated that structure is a function of both (a) the negotiators' preferences and (b) the level of available resources. Three procedures for resolving resource allocation disputes were simulated. Results suggested that different procedures may or may not lead to the same settlement, depending on problem structure. A procedure may favor one negotiator at one level of resource availability, but a different negotiator at another level. <<ETX>>
The natural language processing module for a voice assisted operator at Telefonica I+D

A natural language processor module has been implemented at Telefonica I+D. This module comprises a semantic parser, a message generator, and a dialog controller which coordinates all the process. The dialog controller is an inference engine that works through a semantic tree. This tree hierarchically organizes the information going from general concepts, towards more specific ones. The dialog strategy at each tree node can be chosen by selecting the node type from among five predefined node types. Output messages are selected by the message generator. There are six different types of messages and two recovery strategies that the message generator can follow. Several output messages for each node in the tree can be defined in order to provide variability. Based on this scheme, a conversational system call ATOS (Automatic Telephone Operator Service) has been designed at Telefonica I+D. We explain the main characteristics of the system and how every module works.
Numerical Analysis of Additively Manufactured, Individual Titanium Implants Designed in a Virtual Environment

Abstract The aim of this study is the design, manufacture, and development of a metallic rehabilitation device (titanium frame structure) that is created with a printing process. Product design is inspired by the Computed Tomography (CT) based reconstruction method, during which a metallic frame structure is designed that perfectly fits the retrieved bone surface. The internal structure of the designed metallic frames is a statically analysed three-dimensional construct which makes it possible to create individual product types. Constructs with different structure are checked by finite element analysis. Our goal is to establish a standardised manufacturing process, in which specific mechanical stressing can be carried out and optimal product type chosen, depending on different cases. At the end of this study, our solution of choice is demonstrated with surgical pictures.
Power control versus capacity of a CDMA system operating over a low Earth orbiting satellite link

Low Earth orbiting satellite (LEOS) communications suffer from the shadowing effects of trees and buildings on both the up-link and the down-link. The shadowed user link to the satellite experiences Rayleigh fading. To combat this, power control is employed, as well as coding and diversity. The authors derive an analytical expression for the total capacity degradation of both up-link and down-link under the constraint of limited satellite power (or power flux density). The down-link in particular suffers from the shadowed users because of the increase in transmit power to accommodate the shadowed user. This, in turn, "robs" power from the non-shadowed user. <<ETX>>
Novel Lead-free biocompatible piezoelectric Hydroxyapatite (HA) – BCZT (Ba0.85Ca0.15Zr0.1Ti0.9O3) nanocrystal composites for bone regeneration

Abstract BCZT (Ba0.85Ca0.15Zr0.1Ti0.9O3) is a recent class of lead-free ferroelectric material associated with high piezoelectric coefficient, making it suitable to inspire hydroxyapatite (HA)-BCZT ceramics for bone materials. Nano-crystalline hydroxyapatite (HA) synthesized using the hydrothermal route was characterized via FT-IR, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). We also rationalized its formation as a function of operating conditions such as dwell time and temperature in this route. The nano-crystalline BCZT powder was synthesized via a sol-gel technique and its structural and morphological characterization were carried out using Raman Spectroscopy, XRD and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). These investigations facilitated the optimization of HA-BCZT compositions and their electrical poling conditions to achieve enhanced piezoelectric effect. The composites (HA-BCZT) sintered at 1350∘C exhibited promising piezoelectric properties. We report the enhanced piezoelectric coefficient (d33) of 7±1 pC/N for 50% HA-BCZT which is significant as compared to that reported in the literature for ~98% BT (barium titanate) -HA composites. We highlight the role of Simulated Body Fluid (SBF) on the intriguing phase-change of Tricalcium Phosphate (TCP) obtained at this sintering temperature, to hydroxyapatite for its essential contribution to promote bone growth. We theoretically support the confirmed in vitro biocompatibility of these composites. Graphical abstract: Novel lead-free biocompatible piezoelectric HA-BCZT nanocrystal composites for accelerated Bone regeneration