Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Contribution of Hurricane Ike storm surge sedimentation to long-term aggradation of coastal marshes in southeastern Texas and southwestern Louisiana

Coastal marshes and wetlands are vital natural resources that offer habitats for plants and animals, serve as ecological filtration for soil and water pollutants, and act as protection for coastlines. Fishing, both commercial and sport, has a large economic impact in the study area – the Gulf Coast between Galveston Bay, TX and Oak Grove, LA. The objective of this research was to determine the contribution of Hurricane Ike storm surge sedimentation to long-term marsh aggradation in Texas and Louisiana coastal marshes. The research hypothesized that Hurricane Ike’s storm surge deposit would be equal to decades and possibly even a century’s worth of the average annual non-storm sedimentation. A quantitative field study was performed. The storm surge deposit was examined in a series of 15 transects covering approximately 180 km east of Hurricane Ike’s landfall. Nine of the 15 transects were re-surveyed a year after the initial measurement to assess preservation of the deposit. The results demonstrate that Hurricane Ike contributed between 10 to 135 years’ worth of sediment to coastal marshes along the coasts of Texas and Louisiana, and the sediment deposits have been preserved for over two years.
3D finite element model for mechanical and chemo-mechanical deformation in sedimentary basins

Sedimentary basins result from deposition of an appreciable amount of sediments which are transformed into rock through natural phenomena involving mechanical and chemo-mechanical deformation. Purely mechanical deformation prevails in the upper layers of basins, whereas chemo-mechanical deformation dominates at depth, where eifective stresses and temperature are higher. The aim of the present contribution is to provide a comprehensive 3D framework for modeling both mechanical and chemo-mechanical compaction in sedimentary basins. Extending concepts previously proposed for the modeling of purely mechanical compaction in finite poroplasticity, chemo-mechanical deformation induced by lntergranular Pressure-Solution (IPS) is addressed by means of additional viscoplastic terms in the state equations of the porous material. Special attention is given on the analysis of the eifects of large irreversible porosity changes on the poromechanical properties of the sediment material. The sedimentary basin is modeled as a fully saturated poro-elasto-visco-plastic material undergoing large strains. The numerical simulation is performed through the finite element method. An oceanic sedimentary basin is modelled as a horizontal infinite layer where sediments deposition occurs over tens of mil/ions of years. The evolution on time of the porous material constitutive model is presented and analyzed in conjunction with the overall behavior of the sedimentary basin.
A Preliminary Study of the Relationship Between Built Environment of Open Space and Cognitive Health of Older People

Many older people are facing various risks of cognitive impairment, while outdoor activities in open spaces may be helpful for their cognitive health. However, the effect of open spaces on cognitive health is unclear. This study aims to investigate the relationships between the cognitive health of older people and the built environment of open spaces. A questionnaire survey of 60 older people aged 60 and above was conducted. Results identified three major components of the built environment of open spaces, namely, planning, supporting facilities, and building services. According to the correlation and regression analysis, it is revealed that 8 BEOS items, including green ratio, a width of the pathway, maintenance of the whole garden, the color of green space, diversity of plants, location, and font of signage, artificial light of sitting area were positively related to memory, while only the size was negatively associated with memory. Only the green ratio could positively predict the concentration. The judgment was positively influenced by the green ratio, width of pathways, maintenance of the whole garden, color of green space and diversity of plants. A BEOS – cognitive health model for older people was built in this study. The results highlighted the importance of plants for cognitive health. Several recommendations, such as not-so-large sizes and diverse plants with vivid colors and signages with big fonts, etc., were proposed to improve the built environment of the open spaces and support the declining cognitive health of older people.
Plan-view evolution of wave-dominated deltas

Ocean waves are a powerful sediment transport mechanism in the coastal zone. This thesis investigates how waves shape deltaic landforms and how small scale river mouth processes affect large-scale delta morphology. I have developed and applied models of plan-view delta shape and their channel dynamics. Simple parameterizations and key insights from these models have allowed us to transcend spatial scales from river mouths to delta plains and make morphologic predictions around the globe for every delta on Earth. I have applied models of delta morphology to backtrack the late Holocene evolution of the Ebro River delta in Spain and estimate timescales and magnitude of past climate change and human impacts. Currently, many deltas around the world face large sediment deficits because of river damming. I model deltaic response to reductions in sediment load and offer frameworks to predict future deltaic change in these dynamic and threatened coastal regions.
Rolling bearing fault diagnosis method based on MTF-MFACNN

A rolling bearing fault diagnosis method based on the Markov transition field (MTF) and multi-scale feature aggregation convolutional neural network (MFACNN) is proposed to address the problems of excessive parameter number, slow training speed, and insufficient generalization of traditional CNNs. Firstly, the original vibration signal is input into the MTF and converted into two-dimensional images with time correlation. Then, in order to effectively aggregate feature information at different scales and levels, a MFA module is presented to capture rich information from feature maps at different scales and assign different weights to these features for fusion. Secondly, while ensuring the lightweight of the model, utilizing feature information of different resolutions, a lightweight feature fusion module is put forward to fuse multiple feature maps together to improve the performance and efficiency of the model. On this basis, an MFACNN model is constructed. Finally, the two-dimensional images are input into MTF-MFACNN and experimentally validated using two different datasets. The results show that the proposed method has faster calculation speed, higher fault recognition accuracy, and stronger generalization performance compared to other methods.
Deformation processes during the last stages of the continental collision

Prof. M. Burkhard, Faculté des sciences de l'Université de Neuchâtel, directeur de thèse Prof. D. Marquer, Faculté des sciences de l'Université de Besançon, directeur de thèse Prof. A. Kalt, Faculté des sciences de l'Université de Neuchâtel, rapporteur interne Prof. S. Schmid, Faculté des sciences de l'Université de Bâle, rapporteur externe Dr C. Sue, Faculté des sciences de l'Université de Neuchâtel, rapporteur interne Dr. B. Fügenschuh, Faculté des sciences de l'Université de Bâle, rapporteur externe
Factors that Influence Social Media Marketing Activity and the Effect on Business Performance of The SMEs in Bandung

The extensive use of social media has prompted research on factors influencing its adoption for marketing among SMEs in Bandung and its impact on business performance. Social media has become pervasive and significantly shapes marketing strategies in the digital era. This study investigates factors influencing social media adoption and its effect on business performance. Key variables include perceived usefulness, ease of use, compatibility, cost, social media for marketing, and business performance. Quantitative data selected from 100 SMEs in Bandung. Data were collected via a survey and analyzed using SEM-PLS constructed by 26 questionaire items. A theoretical model has been created by combining elements from TAM and UTAUT2, with certain adaptations, to examine how this impact relates to business performance. Findings reveal that perceived usefulness, ease of use, compatibility, and cost positively influence SMEs' adoption of social media for marketing activities. The study also demonstrates that using social media for marketing positively impacts business performance. Ultimately, promoting sincerity in raising awareness about the benefits of SMM to Indonesian SMEs can encourage its adoption for their overall advantage. Keywords: Perceived Usefulness, Ease of Use, Compatibility, Social Media Marketing, Business Performance
Energy and water fluxes at the soil atmosphere interface of water repellent soils

Water repellency (WR) is a phenomenon known from many soils around the world and can occur in arid as well as in humid climates; few studies, however, have examined the effect of soil WR on the soil-plant-atmosphere energy balance. The aim of our study was to estimate the effects of soil WR on the calculated soil-atmosphere energy balance, using a solely model-based approach. We made out evapotranspiration to have the largest influence on the energy balance; therefore the effect of WR on actual evapotranspiration was assessed. To achieve this we used climate data and measured soil hydraulic properties of a potentially water-repellent sandy soil from a site near Berlin, Germany. A numerical 1D soil water balance model in which WR was incorporated in a straightforward way was applied, using the effective cross section concept. Simulations were carried out with vegetated soil and bare soil. The simulation results showed a reduction in evapotranspiration of 30–300 mm year−1 (9%–76%) at different degrees of WR compared to completely wettable soil, depending on the severity degree of soil WR. The energy that is not being transported away by water vapor (i.e., due to reduced evapotranspiration) had to be transformed into other parts of the energy balance and thus would influence the local climate.
Evaluating students’ experience of simulation technology in an Australian initial teacher education program

International research illustrates the effectiveness of simulation in professional education. For pre-service teachers, such technology offers the ability to contextualise pedagogy and curriculum within the complexity of the classroom environment. Novice practitioners benefit from developing decision-making skills in a risk-free context, whilst receiving immediate feedback on their performance. The University of Newcastle has therefore embedded simSchool, a virtual classroom gaming platform) in its undergraduate teacher education programs. This paper reports pre-service teaching students’ sense of teacher efficacy before and after using simSchool, based on students’ responses to surveys before (n. 398) and after (n. 233) use of the technology. Analysis examined changes in teacher efficacy, as well as potential differences between students based on previous experience. Results will form the basis for more informed integration of simulation technology, and more targeted support for students to optimise their experience and learning.
The lower Karoo Supergroup geology of the southeastern part of the Gemsbok Sub-basin of the Kalahari Basin, Botswana

Boreholes drilled in the Tshabong area of southern Botswana have delineated two southwest-trending valleys infilled with Lower Karoo Supergroup strata. The valleys occur beneath a cover of Kalahari beds and are separated by positive topography related to pre-Karoo quartzites. The base of the Karoo strata comprises a thick glacial sequence (Dwyka Group) in which two lithostratigraphic formations can be recognized. These formations are tillites of a basal Malogong Formation overlain by the heterolithic Khuis Formation, with lithofacies indicative of a number of glacial environments, including glacial re-advances. Preserved palynomorphs in these rocks indicate a marine setting. The overlying Ecca Group strata are also divisible into two formations, again of regional extent. A thin sandstone sequence at the base of the lower Kobe Formation is interpreted as evidence for a basal Ecca marine transgression. Overlying rocks contain freshwater palynomorphs. The upper Otshe Formation is made up of deltaic sediments. Locally, the Ecca Group is overlain by a thin sequence of Beaufort Group argillites. Palynology indicates that the Dwyka Glaciation in the southeastern part of the Gemsbok Sub-basin lasted from about 303 Ma to about 280 Ma, that is from the Late Carboniferous to the Early Permian. The overlying Ecca Group ranges in age from the Early to Late Permian. The palynology has confirmed the presence of Beaufort Group strata in southern Botswana.
The spatial structure of economic linkage of Wuhan metropolitan area

The spatial structure of metropolitan area is the most integrated and most diverse part of urban system.It is composed by different ranks of spatial elements such as cities(nodes),spatial flows (functional linkages),channels(linkage axis) and action fields(the attraction range of each city) and so on.The spatial structure of metropolitan area is represented as the spatial combination relationship of three factors including point(city and urban system),line(economic linkage channels) and surface(urban hinterland). Based on the statistical data of Wuhan metropolitan area in recent years,using SPSS mathematical statistical technique and GIS spatial analysis function,we build an economic linkage intensity model and investigate the dynamic characteristics of the spatial competition and its range of Wuhan metropolitan area.It is found out that:(1) there are some main linkage directions in the external economic linkage of central cities,and its temporal inertia and spatial polarization are also very obvious;(2) the external economic linkage intensity of central cities is distance decay,which leads to a regional layered spatial structure.Then from the aspects of point,line and surface,we build and compute some useful indices which are the centralities of economic linkage node(central city),the network connectivity of economic linkage channels(transportation network) and the regional organization of economic linkage range(urban hinterland). With the aid of these indices,we can quantifiably analyze and point out the hierarchical characteristics of the economic linkage spatial structure of Wuhan metropolitan area.It is concluded that:(1) the centrality hierarchy of central city is quite different,their spatial distribution is uneven and has close relationship with transportation location;(2) the development and service function of linkage channel is hierarchical,and two inter-city transportation channels have been formed significantly;and(3) the influence range of economic linkage is closely related to external economic linkage intensity of central cities,and it is also greatly affected by its regional natural condition and administrative regionalization.
Digital Storytelling as Sociotechnical Imaginary: The performative power of journalistic innovation discourse

This article zooms in on the sociotechnical imaginaries within the discourse on digital storytelling as journalistic innovation in the Netherlands. It analyzes how digital storytelling is discussed since 2015 on the online platforms of the Dutch Journalism Fund and the Dutch Association of Journalists, two central intermediary organizations within the Dutch journalistic landscape that play a vital role in the debate about journalistic innovation and journalism’s future. My analysis shows that this discourse provides a rather one-dimensional and uniform sociotechnical imaginary that presents the future as one in which digital-savvy news consumers can only be engaged through a more captivating way of reporting, allowing for more interactivity and forms of storytelling that draws them into the story on an experiential and emotional level. The techno-centric focus reinforces the already prevalent understanding of journalistic innovation as primarily a matter of mastering and exploiting the digital affordances of new technological tools and platforms without questioning or problematizing how this impacts journalism’s professional ethics and subsequently its cultural authority.
Storminess and Environmental Changes in the Mediterranean Central Area

Earth ecosystems are not static, and they respond to environ- mental changes, particularly climatic and anthropogenic. Precipitation varying in its extremeness, with shifts to greater or lesser intensity of individual storms and/or to change in the length and frequency of wet and dry periods, can ad- versely affect both urban and rural ecosystems. Here, the authors review long- term precipitation records of the central Mediterranean area and employ a Web geographical information system (GIS)-based analytical approach to compare current rainfall impact with historical data on different spatial and temporal scales. Autumn (September-November) was recognized as the most hazardous season that marks the evidence of a changing climate, with a shift toward more intense rainfalls in recent times. In the first decade of the third millennium, areas of peninsular and insular Italy have been especially affected by extreme rains. A focus was put on the island of Sicily, where extraordinary rain events occurred in September 2009, discussed in the context of upcoming trends and climate histories. An improved knowledge and understanding of the scale at which changes on extremes occur is essential for dealing with the forthcoming challenges regarding soil and water conservation practices. The characteristics of changes in natural rainfall, its role on terrestrial ecosystems, and its effect on
Elevating Android Privacy: A Blockchain-Powered Paradigm for Secure Data Management

—The significance of medical test records in diagnosing and treating illnesses cannot be overstated. These records serve as the foundation upon which medical professionals craft precise treatment strategies tailored to a patient’s unique health condition and ailment. However, in several developing nations, such as Vietnam, a concerning trend persists: medical test records predominantly exist in vulnerable paper format, entrusted to patients for safekeeping. When patients transition between health-care facilities, the responsibility of carrying these paper-based medical histories rests with them, introducing a significant risk factor due to the inherent fragility of paper documents, which can be easily damaged by fire or water. The loss of these crucial records can lead to severe disruptions in the diagnostic and therapeutic journey of patients, potentially compromising their well-being. Despite the emergence of various alternatives to address this vulnerability, Vietnam faces multifaceted challenges. These challenges encompass low technological literacy among patients and substantial infrastructural limitations. In response to these pressing issues, this study endeavors to harness the transformative potential of blockchain technology, smart contracts, and Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) to effectively mitigate the drawbacks associated with paper-based medical test records. Our comprehensive approach includes meticulous cataloging of current hospital practices, the introduction of a purpose-built blueprint for decentralized record sharing, the proposal of an innovative NFT-backed authentication model, the development of a practical proof-of-concept, and comprehensive platform testing. Through these efforts, we aim to revolutionize the management of medical test records in Vietnam, enhancing accessibility, security, and reliability for both patients and healthcare providers.
Benzodiazepine Delorazepam Induces Locomotory Hyperactivity and Alterations in Pedal Mucus Texture in the Freshwater Gastropod Planorbarius corneus

Benzodiazepines, psychotropic drugs, are ubiquitous in the aquatic environment due to over-consumption and inefficient removal by sewage treatment plants. Bioaccumulation with consequent behavioral and physiological effects has been reported in many aquatic species. However, the responses are species-specific and still poorly understood. To improve the knowledge, we exposed the freshwater snail Planorbarius corneus to 1, 5, or 10 µg/L of delorazepam, the most widely consumed benzodiazepine in Italy. Conventional behavioral tests were used to assess the effects on locomotor and feeding behavior. Histological and biochemical analyses were also performed to detect possible changes in the structure and composition of the foot mucus and glands. The results show a paradoxical response with reduced feeding activity and locomotor hyperactivity. Pedal mucus was altered in texture but not in composition, becoming particularly rich in fibrous collagen-like material, and a significant change in the protein composition was highlighted in the foot. In conclusion, exposure to delorazepam induces disinhibited behavior in Planorbarius corneus, potentially increasing the risk of predation, and an increase in mucus protein production, which, together with reduced feeding activity, would severely compromise energy resources.
A Preconditioner for Galerkin-Legendre Spectral All-at-Once System from Time-Space Fractional Diffusion Equation

As a model that possesses both the potentialities of Caputo time fractional diffusion equation (Caputo-TFDE) and symmetric two-sided space fractional diffusion equation (Riesz-SFDE), time-space fractional diffusion equation (TSFDE) is widely applied in scientific and engineering fields to model anomalous diffusion phenomena including subdiffusion and superdiffusion. Due to the fact that fractional operators act on both temporal and spatial derivative terms in TSFDE, efficient solving for TSFDE is important, where the key is solving the corresponding discrete system efficiently. In this paper, we derive a Galerkin–Legendre spectral all-at-once system from the TSFDE, and then we develop a preconditioner to solve this system. Symmetry property of the coefficient matrix in this all-at-once system is destroyed so that the deduced all-at-once system is more convenient for parallel computing than the traditional timing-step scheme, and the proposed preconditioner can efficiently solve the corresponding all-at-once system from TSFDE with nonsmooth solution. Moreover, some relevant theoretical analyses are provided, and several numerical results are presented to show competitiveness of the proposed method.