Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A study of future communications concepts and technologies for the national airspace system — Part III

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Glenn Research Center (GRC) is investigating current and anticipated wireless communications concepts and technologies that the National Airspace System (NAS) may need in the next 50 years. NASA has awarded three NASA Research Announcements (NAR) studies with the objective to determine the most promising candidate technologies for air-to-air and air-to-ground data exchange and analyze their suitability in a post-NextGen NAS environment. This paper will present progress made in the studies and describe the communications challenges and opportunities that have been identified as part of the study.
Imaging new lesions

Since 1981, when multiple sclerosis (MS) lesions were first visualized in vivo using MRI, understanding of MS disease processes has expanded dramatically. Serial postcontrast imaging shows that MS inflammatory activity is much more frequent than clinical relapses1 and that lesion evolution can take different paths.2 In clinical trials, reduction of new lesion formation predicts clinical efficacy of disease-modifying drugs.3 Despite these advances, key questions remain unanswered: What initiates development of an MS lesion? Which lesions represent severe irreversible tissue damage, and which are likely to remyelinate? What is the most sensitive way to detect new lesions?
Genetic semantic graph approach for multi-document abstractive summarization

The aim of automatic multi-document abstractive summarization is to create a compressed version of the source text and preserves the salient information. Existing graph based summarization methods treat sentence as bag of words, rely on content similarity measure and did not consider semantic relationships between sentences. These methods may fail in determining redundant sentences that are semantically equivalent. This paper introduces a genetic semantic graph based approach for multi-document abstractive summarization. Semantic graph from the document set is constructed in such a way that the graph nodes represent the predicate argument structures (PASs), extracted automatically by employing semantic role labeling (SRL); and the edges of graph correspond to semantic similarity weight determined from PAS-to-PAS semantic similarity, and PAS-to-document set relationship. The PAS-to-document set relationship is represented by different features, weighted and optimized by genetic algorithm. The salient graph nodes (PASs) are ranked based on modified graph based ranking algorithm. In order to reduce redundancy, we utilize maximal marginal relevance (MMR) to re-ranks the PASs and use language generation to generate summary sentences from the top ranked PASs. Experiment of this study is carried out using DUC-2002, a standard corpus for text summarization. Experimental results reveal that the proposed approach performs better than other summarization systems.
Comorbid Dementia and Cancer in Residents of Nursing Homes

Background: Life expectancy is increasing continuously, which increases the likelihood of developing dementia or cancer. Both dementia and cancer are serious conditions that give manifold symptoms. The interaction of these conditions is however complex and less explored. Objectives: The aim of this study was to identify the prevalence of cancer and differences regarding neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) and medication among nursing home (NH) patients with and without dementia and cancer. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study of Norwegian NH patients (N = 1825). Participants were categorized according to degree of dementia (Clinical Dementia Rating > 1) and cancer diagnoses. Differences in NPS and other symptoms, as well as the use of medication, were explored. Results: Eighty-four percent of NH patients had dementia, and 5.5% had comorbid dementia and cancer. Patients with comorbid dementia and cancer received significantly more analgesics compared with patients without cancer but with dementia (P < .05). Compared with patients without dementia but with cancer, patients with comorbid dementia and cancer had significantly more NPS, including sleep disturbances and agitation. Conclusions: Patients with comorbid dementia and cancer receive more analgesics than patients with dementia but still display more agitation and sleep disturbances than patients with cancer and patients with neither dementia nor cancer, suggesting that symptoms may not be treated adequately. Implications for Practice: The results indicate a considerable strain for patients with comorbid dementia and cancer and highlight essential challenges for the clinician who is responsible for treatment and care. Nurses should pay attention to agitation and sleep disturbances among patients with comorbid dementia and cancer.
Robust Capon beamforming

The Capon beamformer has better resolution and much better interference rejection capability than the standard (data-independent) beamformer, provided that the array steering vector corresponding to the signal of interest (SOI) is accurately known. However, whenever the knowledge of the SOI steering vector is imprecise (as is often the case in practice), the performance of the Capon beamformer may become worse than that of the standard beamformer. We present a natural extension of the Capon beamformer to the case of uncertain steering vectors. The proposed robust Capon beamformer can no longer be expressed in a closed form, but it can be efficiently computed. Its excellent performance is demonstrated via a number of numerical examples.
RsdEditor: a graphical user interface for specifying metacomputer components

RsdEditor is a graphical user interface which produces specifications of computational resources. It is used in the RSD (Resource and Service Description) environment for specifying, registering, requesting and accessing resources and services in a metacomputer. RsdEditor was designed to be used by the administrators and users of metacomputing environments. At the administrator level, the GUI is used to describe the available computing and networking components of a metacomputer. At the user level, RsdEditor can be used to specify which characteristics of the computational resources are needed to execute a meta-application. This paper is organized as follows: it first introduces RsdEditor. It then briefly describes the RSD environment, and finally, it highlights various features and implementation issues of RsdEditor.
Comparative Analysis of Charging Modes of Series-Resonant Converter for an Energy Storage Capacitor

This paper discusses charging modes of series-resonant converter (SRC) for an energy storage capacitor in terms of charging time, losses of switch, normalized peak resonant current, normalized peak resonant voltage, and switch utilization in three operational modes. Principles of operation on the full-bridge SRC with capacitor load are explained, and charging characteristics in discontinuous and continuous operational modes are analyzed. Based on the analysis and the simulation focused on the aforementioned five performance indexes, ms = 0.5 is evaluated to be the optimized operating frequency ratio for charging an energy storage capacitor. A 1.8-kJ/s SRC prototype is assembled with the TI 28335 DSP controller and a 40-kJ 7-kV capacitor. Design rules based on the comparative analysis are verified by experiment.
A low-complexity and high-performance concatenated coding scheme for high-speed satellite communications

This paper presents several concatenated coding scheme for high-speed satellite communications. The NASA Standard (255, 223) Reed-Solomon (RS) code over GF(2/sup 8/) is used as the outer code and a Reed-Muller (RM) code is used as the inner code. A simple trellis diagram with parallel structure for the RM code is devised. This concatenated scheme achieves high-performance with high decoding speed and low complexity.
Active Brownian Filamentous Polymers under Shear Flow

The conformational and rheological properties of active filaments/polymers exposed to shear flow are studied analytically. Using the continuous Gaussian semiflexible polymer model extended by the activity, we derive analytical expressions for the dependence of the deformation, orientation, relaxation times, and viscosity on the persistence length, shear rate, and activity. The model yields a Weissenberg-number dependent shear-induced deformation, alignment, and shear thinning behavior, similarly to the passive counterpart. Thereby, the model shows an intimate coupling between activity and shear flow. As a consequence, activity enhances the shear-induced polymer deformation for flexible polymers. For semiflexible polymers/filaments, a nonmonotonic deformation is obtained because of the activity-induced shrinkage at moderate and swelling at large activities. Independent of stiffness, activity-induced swelling facilitates and enhances alignment and shear thinning compared to a passive polymer. In the asymptotic limit of large activities, a polymer length- and stiffness-independent behavior is obtained, with universal shear-rate dependencies for the conformations, dynamics, and rheology.
Comparing Bank Lending Channel in India and Pakistan

This paper investigates the presence and significance of bank lending channel of the monetary policy transmission in India and Pakistan using the Structural Vector Auto Regression (SVAR) approach. The results of econometric analysis support the presence of a significant bank lending channel in these countries. Changes in the monetary policy instruments affect the credit variable (private sector claims) which in turn transmits the shocks to the real side of the economy, i.e. output and prices. The output returns back to initial level in long run, while the effect of monetary policy changes on prices are persistent. I also find that compared to the bank lending in other developing countries the channel in these countries is different and more vital. Another finding is that apart from interest rates, money also seems to play an important role in these economies and its shocks are significantly transmitted to the real macroeconomic activities through changes in the credit variable.
How to Overcome the Digital Divide? The Determinants of Internet Diffusion

We document the existence and the persistence of the digital divide and investigate the determinants of the Internet diffusion in both developing and developed countries. Our study innovates on the following: i) we use a data set that covers more countries and years than the earlier studies ii) We use the GMM estimator which requires milder assumptions to be consistent than the traditionally used panel data estimators in technology diffusion studies. We find that i) the digital divide is likely to persist over time, ii) the Internet diffusion process is dynamic which makes static estimators inconsistent, iii) Internet adoption starts later but goes faster in developing countries, iv) inflows of the foreign investment and better human capital boost the diffusion of Internet for the developing countries only and v) GDP per capita has a negative impact on Internet diffusion in the developing countries and a positive impact in developed countries. This last finding seems surprising but it is consistent with the conditional convergence hypothesis as well as with the resource curse theory.
A Fusion Approach for Exploring the Key Factors of Corporate Governance on Corporate Social Responsibility Performance

It is widely recognized that a firm’s well-established corporate governance (CG) has a considerable impact on its corporate social responsibility (CSR) performance. How to determine the main trigger among CG’s indicators for strengthening CSR performance is thus an urgent and complicated task due to its (i.e., CSR) multi-dimensional and numerous perspectives. In order to solve this critical problem, the study breaks down CSR into four dimensions and further examines the impact of CG’s indicators on each CSR dimension by joint utilization of rough set theory (RST) and decision tree (DT). By doing so, users can realize which one CG indicator is the most essential to CSR performance. Managers can take the results as a reference to allocate valuable and scarce resources to the right place so as to enhance CSR performance in the future. To solidify our research finding, we transform the CSR forecasting model selection into a multiple criteria decision making (MCDM) task and execute a MCDM algorithm. By implementing the MCDM algorithm, users can achieve a much more reliable and consensus decision in today’s highly turbulent economic environment. The proposed mechanism, examined by real cases, is a promising alternative for CSR performance forecasting.
Signal Path Loss through the Human Arm by Galvanic Coupling Intrabody Communication Using Noncontact Electrodes on the Transmission Side

Galvanic coupling intrabody communication (IBC) is a novel technique that uses the human body as a transmission medium, and it is suitable for connecting wearable and implantable sensors and devices. If galvanic coupling IBC transmitters can be used on an insulating layer such as cloth, not only does it become easy to use but also its application range is dramatically increased. In order to examine its communicability, this study analyzed the signal path loss in partially noncontact galvanic coupling IBC using a four-terminal circuit and a finite element model. In addition, the effect of an LC series-parallel interface circuit, which effectively injects the signal into the human body, was examined. The attenuation of the transmitted signal was approximately 20 dB higher than that of contact galvanic coupling IBC at 2 MHz. The addition of the interface circuit improved the attenuation by approximately 20 dB at a resonant frequency of 2 MHz and could compensate its increment of the attenuation.
Valuation of Water Quality in Livestock Regions: An Application to Rural Watersheds in Iowa

Abstract This paper investigates rural residents' perceptions of the risk to water quality from large confinement facilities and their willingness to pay to delay nitrate contamination from these facilities. Rural residents are concerned about the environmental impact of confinement facilities and are willing to pay as much as $82 annually to delay nitrate contamination in their water for 20 years. These contingent valuation results are consistent with the result obtained in similar studies that used hedonic valuation methods.
Simulation study of relief goods delivery and information sharing by epidemic transmission in disaster areas

During large-scale disasters, some regions can become isolated from critical information exchanges due to problems with communication infrastructures. In this paper, we consider information exchange among isolated shelters in such cases using epidemic transmission, which distributes information without infrastructure by direct communication between nodes and their movements. As mobile nodes for epidemic transmission, we consider transport vehicles that are leaving a distribution center to deliver relief goods to shelters. These transport vehicles receive information from the shelters and distribute it to other shelters together with the relief goods. As a result, information is shared by the shelter. Suppose that transport vehicles move along different traveling paths and exchange information at the distribution center. Transport vehicles can also get new information from other transport vehicles while they wait for new relief goods to arrive at the distribution center. Transport vehicles might be able to receive more new information by waiting for a longer time, although such additional waiting time causes a greater delay of the delivery of relief goods. In this paper, we consider the relation between relief goods delivery and information sharing by transport vehicles with epidemic transmission and analyze how the additional waiting time affects the delay of relief goods and the time needed for information sharing by computer simulation.
Microtensile tests with the aid of probe microscopy for the study of MEMS materials

Mechanical tests of thin films require novel and sophisticated methods that can address the geometry and microstructure of the films. A new method of micro-tensile testing of MicroElectroMechanical Systems (MEMS) films has been demonstrated. An improved apparatus has been designed and implemented to measure the elastic tensile properties. (Young's modulus, Poisson's ration and tensile strength) of surface micromachined polysilicon specimans. The tensile specimans are dog-bone shaped ending in a large paddle for convenient electrostatic or, in the improved apparatus, UV adhesive gripping. The test section of the specimens is 400(mu) m long with 2(mu) mx50(mu) m cross section. The method employs Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) acquired surface topologies of deforming specimans to determine (fields of) strain by way of the Digital Image Correlation method (DIC). With this method, high strength of non- linearly behaving materials under different environmental conditions can be tested by measuring the strains directly on the surface of the film with nanometer resolution in in-place and out-of-plane measurements.
Principles of Islamic Finance and Principles of Corporate Social Responsibility: What Convergence?

Islamic Finance, among its other features, figures as a financial and economic model based on principles and ethical values in which sustainable development and social responsibility play an essential role. The aim of this study is to illustrate the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) with specific reference to Islamic financial institutions, their principles, values and objectives, in order to understand the underpinning dynamics and identify the convergences between the principles underlying conventional CSR and those of Islamic Finance. Specifically, the ultimate purpose of the comparison is to highlight how CSR may constitute a significant factor of convergence between Islamic and conventional finance systems, going beyond the logic of sustainability in short-term marketing policy and implementing medium- and long-term sustainability. This approach aims at increasing the potential for value creation and the pursuit of economic, social and environmental results for all stakeholders. This convergence should, finally, create conditions favourable to the harmonisation of the regulations and directives relative to CSR in the different countries, and therefore a better integration between Islamic finance institutions and conventional ones in the economic contexts.
Efficiency calibration of a Ge semiconductor detector by the use of gamma rays from thin natural radioactive samples

Three kinds of natural radioactive samples of KCI powder, uranium phosphate minerals and air dust were prepared in order to determine the detection efficiency of a 160 cm] Ge detector. The samples were so thin that the count loss by the self-absorption effects of the gamma rays of energy higher than 0.1 MeV were negligible or could be corrected by calcula­ tions. Few nuclei in the thorium series were included in the uranium phosphate minerals, and hence it was easy to identify many gamma-ray full energy peaks in the measured spectrum. As the uranium phosphate mineral sample is on sale as a teaching material, the acquirement of the sample is easy. In this study, the gamma-ray detection efficiencies at a position 5 cm above the detector window were determined for the gamma rays in the energy range from 0.61 Me V to 2.2 Me V using only Kel and uranium phosphate mineral samples. The detection efficiencies on tlle detector window was also estimated for the strong gamma rays in the energy range from 0.14 Me V to 2.6 Me V that were emitted from these two kinds of samples and tl1e air-dust one. The estimated efficiencies were approximately consistent with those estimated for the 152Eu gamma rays from 0.12 MeV to 1.4 MeV. Environmental samples often include natural radioisotopes. The present detection efficien­ cies will be useful for the quantitative measurements of the natural radioactivity in such samples. The more precise detenni­ nations of weak natural activities such as 7Be in the air dust sample will be possible if the efficiencies on the detector win­ dow are corrected taking into consideration the effects of coincidence summing the cascade gamma rays and x-rays. The discoveries of natural radioisotopes relate to the many succeeding scientific achievements by human beings. Therefore, the efficiency calibration using these samples in experiment classes will be useful for the students when they are learning basic natural science.
Rule groupings in expert systems using nearest neighbour decision rules, and convex hulls

Expert System shells are lacking in many areas of software engineering. Large rule based systems are not semantically comprehensible, difficult to debug, and impossible to modify or validate. Partitioning a set of rules found in CLIPS (C Language Integrated Production System) into groups of rules which reflect the underlying semantic subdomains of the problem, will address adequately the concerns stated above. Techniques are introduced to structure a CLIPS rule base into groups of rules that inherently have common semantic information. The concepts involved are imported from the field of A.I., Pattern Recognition, and Statistical Inference. Techniques focus on the areas of feature selection, classification, and a criteria of how 'good' the classification technique is, based on Bayesian Decision Theory. A variety of distance metrics are discussed for measuring the 'closeness' of CLIPS rules and various Nearest Neighbor classification algorithms are described based on the above metric.
UvA-DARE ( Digital Academic Repository ) Detection of Diffuse Interstellar Bands in the Magellanic Clouds

With the Ultraviolet Visual Echelle Spectrograph mounted at the Very Large Telescope, we have observed at unprecedented spectral resolution the absorption spectrum toward reddened stars in the Magellanic Clouds over the wavelength range of 3500–10500 A ̊ . This range covers the strong transitions associated with neutral and charged large carbon molecules of varying sizes and structures. We report the first detection of diffuse interstellar bands (DIBs) at 5780 and 5797 A ̊ in the Small Magellanic Cloud and the variation of the 6284 A ̊ DIB toward several targets in the Large Magellanic Cloud. The variation of DIBs in the Magellanic Clouds compared with Galactic targets may be governed by a combination of the different chemical processes prevailing in low-metallicity regions and the local environmental conditions. Subject headings: galaxies: ISM — ISM: lines and bands — ISM: molecules — Magellanic Clouds
An Experimental Analysis of the Demand for Payday Loans

Abstract The payday loan industry is one of the fastest growing segments of the consumer financial services market in the United States. We design an environment similar to the one that payday loan customers face and then conduct a laboratory experiment to examine what effect, if any, the existence of payday loans has on individuals abilities to manage and to survive financial setbacks. Our primary objective is to examine whether access to payday loans improves or worsens the likelihood of financial survival in our experiment. We also test the degree to which peoples use of payday loans affects their ability to survive financially. We find that payday loans help the subjects to absorb expenditure shocks and therefore survive financially. However, subjects whose demand for payday loans exceeds a certain threshold level are at a greater risk than a corresponding subject in the treatment in which payday loans do not exist.