Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A simple equation for the melt elevation feedback of ice sheets

Abstract. In recent decades, the Greenland Ice Sheet has been losing mass and has thereby contributed to global sea-level rise. The rate of ice loss is highly relevant for coastal protection worldwide. The ice loss is likely to increase under future warming. Beyond a critical temperature threshold, a meltdown of the Greenland Ice Sheet is induced by the self-enforcing feedback between its lowering surface elevation and its increasing surface mass loss: the more ice that is lost, the lower the ice surface and the warmer the surface air temperature, which fosters further melting and ice loss. The computation of this rate so far relies on complex numerical models which are the appropriate tools for capturing the complexity of the problem. By contrast we aim here at gaining a conceptual understanding by deriving a purposefully simple equation for the self-enforcing feedback which is then used to estimate the melt time for different levels of warming using three observable characteristics of the ice sheet itself and its surroundings. The analysis is purely conceptual in nature. It is missing important processes like ice dynamics for it to be useful for applications to sea-level rise on centennial timescales, but if the volume loss is dominated by the feedback, the resulting logarithmic equation unifies existing numerical simulations and shows that the melt time depends strongly on the level of warming with a critical slowdown near the threshold: the median time to lose 10 % of the present-day ice volume varies between about 3500 years for a temperature level of 0.5 °C above the threshold and 500 years for 5 °C. Unless future observations show a significantly higher melting sensitivity than currently observed, a complete meltdown is unlikely within the next 2000 years without significant ice-dynamical contributions.
Discovery of subroutines in genetic programming

A fundamentalproblem in learning from observation and interaction with an environment is defining a good representation, that is a representation which captures the underlying structure and functionality of the domain. This chapter discusses an extension of the genetic programming (GP) paradigm based on the idea that subroutines obtained from blocks of good representations act as building blocks and may enable a faster evolution of even better representations. This GP extension algorithm is called adaptive representation through learning (ARL). It has built-in mechanisms for (1) creation of new subroutines through discovery and generalization of blocks of code; (2) deletion of subroutines. The set of evolved subroutines extracts common knowledge emerging during the evolutionary process and acquires the necessary structure for solving the problem. ARL was successfully tested on the problem of controlling an agent in a dynamic and non-deterministic environment. Results with the automatic discovery of subroutines show the potential to better scale up the GP technique to complex problems.
Accessibility and Graphical Passwords

In this brief paper, we explore the issue of accessible authentication with respect to click-based graphical passwords. These schemes normally rely on complex visual presentation and fine motor control for pointing. We take the approach of identifying the semantic structure, and show how the same kind of scheme could work with alternative interaction modalities. In particular, we explore the use of audio passwords that work similarly to click-based graphical passwords, and report on a simple informal study of their characteristics. We conclude that modality independent authentication is a reasonable concept, but that great care is needed because the modalities employed in implementation will affect both usability and security.
Differences Between Tight and Loose Cultures: A 33-Nation Study

The differences across cultures in the enforcement of conformity may reflect their specific histories. With data from 33 nations, we illustrate the differences between cultures that are tight (have many strong norms and a low tolerance of deviant behavior) versus loose (have weak social norms and a high tolerance of deviant behavior). Tightness-looseness is part of a complex, loosely integrated multilevel system that comprises distal ecological and historical threats (e.g., high population density, resource scarcity, a history of territorial conflict, and disease and environmental threats), broad versus narrow socialization in societal institutions (e.g., autocracy, media regulations), the strength of everyday recurring situations, and micro-level psychological affordances (e.g., prevention self-guides, high regulatory strength, need for structure). This research advances knowledge that can foster cross-cultural understanding in a world of increasing global interdependence and has implications for modeling cultural change.
On-chip memory space partitioning for chip multiprocessors using polyhedral algebra

One of the most important issues in designing a chip multiprocessor is to decide its on-chip memory organisation. While it is possible to design an application-specific memory architecture, this may not necessarily be the best option, in particular when storage demands of individual processors and/or their data sharing patterns can change from one point in execution to another for the same application. Here, two problems are formulated. First, we show how a polyhedral method can be used to design, for array-based data-intensive embedded applications, an application-specific hybrid memory architecture that has both shared and private components. We evaluate the resulting memory configurations using a set of benchmarks and compare them to pure private and pure shared memory on-chip multiprocessor architectures. The second approach proposed consider dynamic configuration of software-managed on-chip memory space to adapt to the runtime variations in data storage demand and interprocessor sharing patterns. The proposed framework is fully implemented using an optimising compiler, a polyhedral tool, and a memory partitioner (based on integer linear programming), and is tested using a suite of eight data-intensive embedded applications.
SPECTRAL SYMMETRY IN II1-FACTORS

A self-adjoint element in a finite AW*-factor is spectrally symmetric , if its spectral measure under the quasitrace is invariant under the change of variables t −→ −t. We show that if A is an AW*-factor of type II 1 , a self-djoint element in A, without full support, has quasitrace zero, if and only if it can be written as a sum of at most three commuting spectrally symmetric elements.
The trade balance and the real exchange rate

John K. Hill examines how the trade balance and the real exchange rate interact after an economic disturbance. Hill explains how, for disturbances likely to have a significant effect on the trade balance, real exchange rate movements are more the result of a shift in the trade balance than the cause of it. The impetus for change in the trade balance is the disturbance itself. Exchange rate movements are accommodative and, by themselves, account for only part of the total change in the trade balance. Hill concludes that to ask "How far must the dollar fall to balance the trade account? " is to seriously overestimate the extent of needed dollar depreciation.
Adult consumers’ understanding and use of information on food labels: a study among consumers living in the Potchefstroom and Klerksdorp regions, South Africa

Abstract Objective To identify the information that adult consumers use on food labels, the difficulties they experience when using food labels and their reasons for not always using food labels. The relationship between their understanding of the information on the food label and their ability to make informed food choices was also investigated by means of their being required to perform labelling tasks. Design A cross-sectional and descriptive research approach was followed. Data were collected by means of the administration of questionnaires. Setting Selected supermarkets in Potchefstroom and Klerksdorp in the North West Province, South Africa. Subjects Questionnaires were administered to 174 consumers of African descent and Caucasians, ≥18 years of age, who were involved in purchasing household food products. Results The information that is mostly used on food labels includes the expiry date, the list of ingredients and nutritional information, such as fat and cholesterol content. The difficulties associated with food labels were indicated mainly as being the font size of the print, whereas the reasons for not reading food labels were related to product attributes (‘taste and price are more important than is the nutritional content of the food product’), demographic characteristics (‘lack of education and nutritional knowledge’) and situational factors (‘experiencing time constraints’). Conclusions Results from the present study indicated that the expiry date was the most important information on a food label used by consumers. Scores from the labelling tasks showed that the respondents did not always understand how to use the information on food labels in order to make informed food choices. Barriers to consumer understanding and the use of food labels are highlighted. Improvements on current food labels in South Africa are suggested. Guidelines for consumer education regarding the use of food labels are also provided.
Quadrature noise in light propagating through a cold 87Rb atomic gas

We report on the study of the noise properties of laser light propagating through a cold 87Rb atomic sample held in a magneto-optical trap. The laser is tuned around the F g = 2 → F e = 1, 2 D1 transitions of 87Rb. We observe quadrature-dependent noise in the light signal, an indication that it may be possible to produce squeezed states of light. We measure the minimum and maximum phase-dependent noise as a function of detuning and compare these results to theoretical predictions to explore the best conditions for light squeezing using cold atomic Rb.
More than a Decade of Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors in the Treatment of Solid Tumors: What We Have Learned and What the Future Holds

The use of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in the treatment of solid tumors is the expected standard of care for many types of tumors. Since the description of signal transduction pathways, followed by the development of small molecules designed to inhibit those pathways, there has been significant improvement not only in progression-free survival and overall survival but also in aiming toward chemotherapy-free treatment of solid tumors to maximize quality of life. This article reviews available TKIs and discusses toxicity, dosing, and resistance.
Evolutionary design of efficient and robust switching image filters

This paper proposes an evolutionary approach based on Cartesian Genetic Programming to the design of image filters for impulse burst noise. The impulse burst noise belongs to more serious image distortions that cause a loss of information in a series of pixels together. The results introduced herein represent a continuation of our research in the design of high-quality image filters. Whilst the previous experiments considered only basic impulse burst noise in which a burst corrupting a series of pixels could take a single value, this paper is devoted to the filtering of more realistic noise of this type where the pixels in a burst can take different values. In order to increase the probability of removing the noise pixels while retaining other pixels unchanged, the concept of switching filter will be applied. In our case it means that the filter system is designed by evolution of both a filter circuit and a noise detector. We show that the proposed method is able to design an efficient and robust impulse burst noise filter that exhibits better filtering properties in comparison with several conventional approaches and, moreover, it is also suitable for a high-speed image processing.
Evaluating the importance of nodes in complex networks based on principal component analysis and grey relational analysis

A central challenge for the complex network analysis is how to identify key nodes. Although there are many evaluation methods, most of them use single-criteria (degree or shortest path), which is often confronted with the problem of incomplete information on the structure of the complex network. Different criteria often lead to significantly different results. Therefore, this paper proposes a multi-criteria evaluating method (PCGRAE) based on principal component analysis (PCA) and grey relational analysis (GRA) specifically. PCA is applied to confirm the weight for evaluating criteria, GRA is used to calculate the importance of node, and a novel measure of complex network robustness is presented to assess the accuracy of PCGRAE. According to the evaluation results with simulated and real networks, PCGRAE has good performance on discrimination and precision to evaluate the importance of nodes.
Two cycles with single embryo transfer versus one cycle with double embryo transfer: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND With the aim of reducing the number of multiple pregnancies after IVF we investigated the effectiveness of two cycles with single embryo transfer (SET) and one cycle with double embryo transfer (DET) after IVF and calculated the cost-effectiveness of both strategies. METHODS A randomized controlled trial was performed in 107 women, aged <35 years, in their first IVF cycle, with at least one good quality embryo. They were randomized to the SET (n = 54) or DET (n = 53) group using a computer-generated random block number table, stratified for primary or secondary infertility. RESULTS The cumulative live birth rates per woman randomized of two consecutive cycles of SET [41%; 95% confidence interval (CI) 27-54] versus one cycle of DET (36%; 95% CI 23-49) were comparable, whereas the multiple pregnancy rate was significantly higher: 37% (95% CI 15-59) in the DET and 0% in the in the SET group (P = 0.002). Combining the medical costs of the IVF treatments (where 1.5 more SET cycles were required to achieve each live birth) and of pregnancies up to 6 weeks after delivery, the total medical costs of DET per live birth were 13,680 and 13,438 for SET. CONCLUSIONS Two cycles with SET were equally effective as one cycle with DET, and the medical costs per live birth up to 6 weeks after delivery were the same. However, if lifetime costs for severe handicaps are included, more than 7000 per live birth will be saved after implementing SET. Because of the high probability of multiple pregnancies in this group of IVF patients, only SET should be performed.
Management of endometrial modifications in perimenopausal women

Perimenopause has a variable length and time of onset and is characterized by its variability in hormonal levels. The histological changes in the perimenopausal endometrium may be represented by nonproliferative or proliferative benign or malignant lesions. A commonly encountered manifestation of endometrium lesions during menopausal transition is the abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB). The clinical management of AUB must follow a standardized classification system for optimal results. The medical and surgical treatment must be adapted according to age, risk factors, symptoms, and cycle irregularities. Use of alternative therapies and proper diet may result in improved long-term outcomes.
Carbon nanotube junctions and devices

In this thesis Postma presents transport experiments performed on individual single-wall carbon nanotubes. Carbon nanotubes are molecules entirely made of carbon atoms. The electronic properties are determined by the exact symmetry of the nanotube lattice, resulting in either metallic or semiconducting behaviour. Due to their small diameter, electronic motion is directed in the length direction of the nanotube, making them ideal systems to study e.g. one-dimensional transport phenomena. First, we present mK-temperature current-voltage characteristics of an individual single-wall carbon nanotube showing Coulomb blockade and resonant tunnelling through individual molecular levels. We then report electrical transport measurements on carbon nanotubes with naturally occurring intramolecular junctions. We find that a metal-semiconductor junction behaves like a rectifying diode, whereas the conductance of a metal-metal junction behaves like a tunnel junction with associated power-law dependencies described by a Luttinger liquid model for tunnelling between the two nanotube segments. In order to further study carbon nanotube intramolecular junctions, we developed an atomic force microscope (AFM) manipulation technique, by means of which carbon nanotube junctions such as buckles and crossings are created. The electronic transport properties of these manipulated structures show that they form electronic nanometer-size tunnel junctions. Thereafter, room-temperature single-electron transistors are realized within metallic carbon nanotubes. The devices feature a short (down to 20 nm) nanotube section that is created by AFM manipulation. Coulomb charging is observed at room temperature. We observe unconventional power-law dependencies in the transport properties for which we develop a resonant-tunnelling Luttinger-liquid model. Finally, the low-frequency electronic noise properties of metallic carbon nanotubes are investigated. The noise power exhibits a 1/f frequency dependence that is three orders of magnitude smaller at 8 K than at 300 K. As a demonstration of how these noise properties affect nanotube devices, we present a preliminary investigation of the noise characteristics of an intramolecular carbon nanotube single-electron transistor.
Choice of reconstructed tissue properties affects interpretation of lung EIT images

Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) estimates an image of change in electrical properties within a body from stimulations and measurements at surface electrodes. There is significant interest in EIT as a tool to monitor and guide ventilation therapy in mechanically ventilated patients. In lung EIT, the EIT inverse problem is commonly linearized and only changes in electrical properties are reconstructed. Early algorithms reconstructed changes in resistivity, while most recent work using the finite element method reconstructs conductivity. Recently, we demonstrated that EIT images of ventilation can be misleading if the electrical contrasts within the thorax are not taken into account during the image reconstruction process. In this paper, we explore the effect of the choice of the reconstructed electrical properties (resistivity or conductivity) on the resulting EIT images. We show in simulation and experimental data that EIT images reconstructed with the same algorithm but with different parametrizations lead to large and clinically significant differences in the resulting images, which persist even after attempts to eliminate the impact of the parameter choice by recovering volume changes from the EIT images. Since there is no consensus among the most popular reconstruction algorithms and devices regarding the parametrization, this finding has implications for potential clinical use of EIT. We propose a program of research to develop reconstruction techniques that account for both the relationship between air volume and electrical properties of the lung and artefacts introduced by the linearization.
AdS/CFT CORRESPONDENCE, CONFORMAL ANOMALY AND QUANTUM CORRECTED ENTROPY BOUNDS

The role of conformal anomaly in AdS/CFT and related issues is clarified. The comparison of holographic and QFT conformal anomalies (with the account of brane quantum gravity contribution) indicates the possibility for brane quantum gravity to occur within the AdS/CFT setup. Three-dimensional quantum induced inflationary (or hyperbolic) brane-world is shown to be realized in the frames of AdS3/CFT2 correspondence where the role of 2d brane cosmological constant is played by effective tension due to two-dimensional conformal anomaly. The dynamical equations to describe 4d FRW universe with the account of quantum effects produced by conformal anomaly are obtained. The quantum corrected energy, pressure and entropy are found. The dynamical evolution of entropy bounds in the inflationary universe is estimated and its comparison with quantum corrected entropy is done. It is demonstrated that entropy bounds for quantum corrected entropy are getting the approximate ones and occur for some limited periods of evolution of the inflationary universe.
Temporal Conjunctive Queries in Expressive DLs with Non-simple Roles

In Ontology-Based Data Access (OBDA), user queries are evaluated over a set of facts under the open world assumption, while taking into account background knowledge given in the form of a Description Logic (DL) ontology. Motivated by situation awareness applications, temporal conjunctive queries (TCQs) have recently been proposed as a useful extension of traditional OBDA to support the processing of temporal information. This paper extends the existing complexity analysis of TCQ entailment to very expressive DLs underlying the OWL 2 standard, and in contrast to previous work also allows for queries containing transitive roles.
Hexanucleotide Repeat Expansion in C9ORF72 Is Not Detected in the Treatment-Resistant Schizophrenia Patients of Chinese Han

Hexanucleotide (GGGGCC) repeat expansion in C9ORF72 (HRE) causes frontotemporal lobar degeneration, frontotemporal dementia–amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. HRE was also seen in the genomes of patients suffering from several other degenerative diseases. However, whether it is present in the treatment-resistant schizophrenia patients remains unknown. Genotyping 386 patients suffering from treatment-resistant schizophrenia using the method of Repeat-Primed PCR, we reported here that no HRE was detected in the patients of Chinese Han.
Generation of locally optimal trajectories against moving obstacles using Gaussian sampling

Differential Dynamic Programming (DDP) can effectively solve an optimal control problem; however, it cannot deal with temporally changing environments such as an appearance of a moving obstacle. In this paper, we present the segmentation of locally optimal trajectories under an environment with a moving obstacle. The agent finds locally optimal trajectories by sampling Gaussian samples according to its existing incomplete policy. After one episode of the agent movement is over and if this episode performs better than the previous one, the policy is reinforced by learning the trajectories of the episode. We show that the algorithm successfully generates the locally optimal trajectories to avoid moving obstacles, and the performance of the resulting policy is improved as the episode progresses. These results would help apply reinforcement learning to robotics in two respects: learning the policy with a small number of iteration by reusing DDP policy, and taking action against changing environments. Because a real-world robot has to deal with a variant environment and has a limit of iterations for policy learning, these two results would help to settle the reinforcement learning issues for robotics.
A new transition density calculation method for XOR gate

With remarkable growth of the integration density in IC design, power is being given comparable weight to speed and area. The transition density is a very important parameter for power estimation in power optimization. Previous researches on the transition density for random signals are based on the probability or another parameter named non-transition density, which usually lead to the larger experimental errors. In this paper, a novel method for the signal transition density calculation is presented for 2-XOR gate. Experimental results show that the proposed method is more accurate than the published methods. Comparing to the EDA tools, the average experimental error of our method is less than 1.356%.