Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Goodness of Fit Tests for Multivariate Counting Process Models with Applications

In this paper, we develop some distribution‐free tests for checking the adequacy of the parametric forms of the intensity processes of a multivariate counting process model. The proposed tests, based in Khmaladze's transformations, are derived from the transforms of weighted aggregated martingale residual processes. The transformed processes converge weakly to independent Gaussian martingales under the assumed model. The distribution‐free tests, such as Kolmogorov–Smirnov and Cramer–von Mises type tests, are appropriately defined to account for deviations in each of the transformed aggregated martingale residual processes. Consistency of the tests are discussed. The tests are applicable to multiplicative intensity models such as a competing risks model as well as to non‐multiplicative intensity models such as a constant relative or excess mortality model. A small simulation study is conducted and an illustration to a real data example is provided.
Aspects of extra dimensional supersymmetric unified theories

Although one does not know (yet) which phenomenon unitarizes WLWL scattering at the TeV scale, indirect data currently favors the Higgs boson. Since such a scalar particle is susceptible to become as heavy as the Planck mass, how can one explain its lightness ? Supersymmetry (SUSY), broken at the TeV scale, can do this stabilization, providing in the same time models of Grand Uni fied Theories (GUTs). These SUSY GUTs, combined with extra spatial dimensions compacti fied on an interval, can be particularly simple. Moreover they can be seen as the low energy limit of some string theory. This thesis is devoted to the study of such models of SUSY GUTs on flat and warped orbifolds, trying to cover the range from models to experimental constraints. We studied, developed and extended certain aspects of two interesting frameworks of this type: a framework with gauge-Higgs uni fication, and the framework of holographic grand uni fication. We investigated several aspects of the low-energy implications, including mass spectra, flavour constraints, dark matter and LHC phenomenology
High-speed Ge photodetector monolithically integrated with large cross-section silicon-on-insulator waveguide

We demonstrate a compact, high speed Ge photodetector efficiently butt-coupled with a large cross-section silicon-on-insulate (SOI) waveguide in which the Ge p-i-n junction is placed in the horizontal direction to enable very high speed operation. The demonstrated photodetector has an active area of only 0.8×10 μm2, greater than 32 GHz optical bandwidth, and a responsivity of 1.1 A/W at a wavelength of 1550 nm. Very importantly the device can readily be integrated with high performance wavelength-division-multiplexing filters based on large cross-section SOI waveguide to form monolithic integrated silicon photonics receivers for multichannel terabit data transmission applications.
Research on vessel segmentation and extraction based on 2-D Gabor features and U-Net

This paper proposed a vessel segmentation method based on Gabor features and U-Net. According to the eigenvectors of Hessian matrix of each pixel in the image, the vessel direction of each point was obtained to set the direction of Gabor filter, and the Gabor features of different vessel width at each point were extracted to establish the 6-D vectors of each point. By reducing the dimension of the 6-D vector, the 2-D vector of each point was obtained and fused with the original image G channel. U-Net was used to classify the fused image to segment vessels. The experimental results of this method in DRIVE dataset showed that this method had a good effect on the detection of small vessels and vessels at the intersection.
Utilization of sulfur function in directed catalytic C-H transformation: site-selective substitution on indole and naphthalene skeletons

Abstract Sulfur-containing functional groups, among various coordinating functions, have recently attracted attention as useful directing groups for the direct catalytic C-H transformation of aromatic and heteroaromatic compounds. Herein we briefly summarize our recent work on the site-selective substitution on indole and naphthalene skeletons using thioether directing groups under either Cp*Rh(III) or Cp*Ir(III) catalysis. The thioether groups can readily be removed and transformed to other functional groups. The reactions developed appear to be of importance in pharmaceutical and materials chemistry. Graphical abstract
Fabrication of Very Small Aperture Laser (VSAL) from a Commercial Edge Emitting Laser

In this paper we report a method for producing very small aperture lasers (VSALs) from low-cost, commercial index guided edge emitting diode lasers. The detailed fabrication procedure is provided and the VSALs are characterized. Both high power and high aperture power to background noise power ratio are obtained even with a small aperture. This fabrication method can be applied to most commercial diode lasers without knowledge of the detailed geometry and is highly reproducible.
Bloch oscillations and Zener breakdown in an optical lattice

We study the dynamics of ultracold atoms in an optical lattice under constant bias. After recapitulating the ideas underlying Bloch oscillations and Zener's formula for interband transitions, the Bloch-Zener scenario is tested by means of accurate numerical solutions to the time-dependent Schr? dinger equation. It is shown how two shortcomings of the traditional Zener formula can be removed: the common weak-binding approximation can be circumvented by combining Kohn's insight into the structure of complex energy bands with the Dykhne-Davis-Pechukas description of transitions in terms of adiabatic excursions on analytically continued eigenvalue surfaces, and a usually neglected Stokes phenomenon comes into play when accounting for the finite width of the Brillouin zone. Treating Bose-Einstein condensates in optical lattices within the standard mean-field approximation at zero temperature, the ideal Bloch-Zener scenario turns out to be remarkably stable against the condensate's nonlinear self-interaction. Yet, under appropriate conditions a Bloch-oscillating Gross-Pitaevskii wavepacket reveals characteristic signatures of that nonlinearity, such as sudden phase jumps, slight shifts of the oscillation frequency or non-classical breathing modes. It is suggested that such experimentally detectable signatures will play an important role in future high-precision experiments aiming at the exploration of many-body dynamics in periodic potentials with condensates in optical lattices.
The Algebra of Semigroups of Sets

We study the algebra of semigroups of sets (i.e. families of sets closed under finite unions) and its applications. For each $n > 1$ we produce two finite nested families of pairwise different semigroups of sets consisting of subsets of $\mathsf{R}^n$ without the Baire property.
Newly constructed ancient towns in China: creating ‘heritage’ in theme parks

ABSTRACT China has been experiencing a boom in newly constructed ancient towns (NCAT). Under the influence of recent central policies, requiring heritage activation and cultural revitalisation, NCATs that were viewed as theme parks providing entertaining experiences have become a new type of heritage site. With a case study of Gubei Water Town, it is shown that under the name of revitalising traditional culture, ‘heritage’ is created following the decisions of the tourism developer based on tourist preference. We suggest that themed environments may aggravate the exclusion of local communities and reduce the possibility for bottom-up negotiations in the process of heritage interpretation. Also, the convergence of NCATs and ancient towns may speed up the decline in cultural diversity in China.
Relative Impact of Pain and Disease Activity on Improvements in Fatigue

Background/Objective Fatigue is common in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We assessed the relative impact of pain and disease activity on improvements in fatigue in 2 phase 3 baricitinib clinical trials. Methods RA-BEAM (NCT01710358) and RA-BEACON (NCT01721044) were randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies in adults with moderate to severe RA. RA-BEAM assessed baricitinib + methotrexate (MTX) and adalimumab + MTX in patients with prior inadequate response/intolerance (IR) to MTX (MTX-IR). RA-BEACON assessed patients with IR to ≥1 biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (bDMARD-IR). Measures included the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy—Fatigue scale, Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI) for RA, and pain visual analog scale (VAS). Analyses were implemented separately for each study. Results Significant improvements were seen in disease activity and pain, which were greater with baricitinib versus adalimumab. A statistically significant improvement was seen in fatigue with both active treatments versus placebo. Moderate correlations were observed between improvements in disease activity and fatigue and between improvements in pain and fatigue in both MTX-IR and bDMARD-IR patients. Reductions in pain (≥50%) and remission or low disease activity (CDAI ≤10) had significant associations with fatigue improvement at week 24. In mediation analysis, improvements in fatigue attributable to CDAI and pain VAS in MTX-IR patients were 31% and 52%, respectively, for baricitinib, and 30% and 47%, respectively, for adalimumab. In bDMARD-IR patients, improvement in fatigue was attributed 48% to CDAI and 48% to pain VAS. Conclusions In both MTX-IR and bDMARD-IR patients, a large proportion of improvements in fatigue across treatment arms were accounted for by improvements in pain and disease activity.
Effect of Bias Stress in Inkjet-Printed Polymer Thin-Film
 Transistors: Generation and Annihilation of Subgap Density of
 States

Here, we report investigations of the effects of bias stress on the density of states (DOS) in polymer thin-film transistors (PTFTs). As the active channel layer, these PTFTs employed an inkjet-printed semiconducting film of P8T2Z-C12 [poly (tetryldodecyloctathiophene-alt-didodecyl bithiazole)]. In positive bias stress tests, the threshold voltage (VT) of the inkjet-printed PTFT shifted in the positive direction. However, this shift was largely recovered when the PTFT was released from the bias stress. We analyzed the effect of the bias stress manifested by the VT shift using the full energy range of the subgap DOS versus the duration of the bias stress, which we obtained by applying various DOS extraction techniques.
Subnanosecond magnetization reversal in magnetic nanopillars by spin angular momentum transfer

Sub-ns magnetization switching has been triggered by spin momentum transfer in pulsed current in pillar shaped CoFe∕Cu∕CoFe trilayers. By analyzing the change in magneto-resistance induced after the application of individual short current pulses (100ps–10ns), we measured the probability of magnetization reversal as a function of the current pulse magnitude, polarity and duration, at various temperatures between 150 and 300K. At all studied temperatures, the reversal process can take place within a few 100ps. The energy cost of the reversal scales favorably with the switching speed and decreases in the 1pJ range when using 100ps current pulses at 300K. Significantly higher switching speeds are obtained at lower temperatures, which is opposite to a thermal activation of the reversal.
Applications of polymer-based nanomaterials in vaccine, drug delivery, and antibacterial agents

In recent years, nanomaterials, as an emerging material, have attracted extensive concern because of their special structure and function. Polymer-based nanomaterials (PBNs) refer to a class of nanomaterials with polymer molecules as matrix and a nanoscale structure after special treatments such as embedding and adsorption. Due to the properties of polymers are determined by a series of factors such as monomers and polymeric structures, PBNs have a variety of applications, especially in therapy. Current investigations have already demonstrated that PBNs have significant roles as delivery carrier and vaccine adjuvants, nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems and antibacterial materials. However, because of the wide variety of organic molecules, diverse synthesis methods and complex structures, the researches on PBNs stay at the surface stage, which means only a small part of PBNs have been experimentally tested. In this research, the applications of PBNs in therapy field are briefly introduced from the above three aspects including the advantages of PBNs compared with traditional materials, some findings that have been investigated and some researches that are in progress. Safety, nontoxicity, targeting, good stability and other prominent properties are the main reasons that PBNs are suitable for vaccine therapy and drug delivery, showing a great development prospect. The objective of this paper is to summarize some existing examples to prove that PBNs have a very high adaptability in the applications of vaccine treatment and drug delivery, and provide case references and suggestions for future research and investigation.
The effect of stereoscopic acquisition parameters on both distortion and comfort

The purpose of our experiments was to investigate the effect of interaxial camera separation on the perceived shape and viewing comfort of 3D images. Horizontal Image Translation (HIT) and interaxial distance were altered together. Following Banks et al (2009), our stimuli were simple stereoscopic hinges and we measured the perceived angle as a function of camera separation. We compared the predictions based on ray tracing with the perceived 3D shape obtained psychophysically. 40 participants were asked to judge the angles of 250 hinges at different camera separations (interaxial and HIT linked a 20-100mm; angle range: 50°-130°). Comfort data was obtained using a five point Likert scale. Stimuli were presented in orthoscopic conditions with screen and observer Field of View (FOVO) matched at 45°. Our main results are: (1) For the 60mm camera separation, observers perceived a right angle correctly, but at other camera separations right angles were perceived as larger than 90° (camera separations > 60mm) or smaller than 90° (camera separations < 60 mm). (2) The observed perceptual deviations from a right angle were smaller than predicted based on disparity information (ray tracing model) alone. (3) We found an interaction between comfort and camera separation: only at the 60mm camera separation (e.g. at typical human eye separation) do we find a significant negative correlation between angle and comfort. All other camera separations, the disparity (angle) has no systematic effect on comfort. This research is set out to provide a foundation for tolerance limits for comfort and perceptual distortions brought about by various virtual camera separations.
Numerical simulation including model validation of wind flow in alpine terrain in eastern Switzerland

A model for the simulation of wind flow in alpine terrain is presented. The model is based on the Reynolds averaged Navier-Stokes equations using a κ-e turbulence model. Additional terms are implemented in the energy equation to describe dry adiabatic cooling in the atmosphere. The orography and flora of the Earth's surface are described by high resolution data from swisstopo. Boundary and initial conditions are based on mesoscale simulation data from the COSMO-2 weather model of the MeteoSwiss. Various nestings with different grid resolutions are used to simulate wind flow in the region between Vaduz and Landquart located in Liechtenstein and Switzerland, respectively. The model is validated with light detecting and ranging (LIDAR) and cup anemometer velocity measurements from three locations for a specific foehn weather situation. Finally, the model is used to get a first indication of potential locations for the placement of wind turbines.
Preparation of mesoporous poly(fullerene oxide) framework by thermal [3 + 2] cycloadditions and its application as a semiconductor photocatalyst

Abstract We report the formation of an interconnected, three-dimensional, mesoporous polymeric fullerene oxide framework via thermal [3 + 2] cyclo-additions of monomeric C60 and fullerene oxides (C60On), formed upon thermal decomposition of C60Br24, causing the eliminations of bromine atoms in an oxygen atmosphere at an elevated temperature of 200 °C. The newly formed mesoporous fullerene oxide framework is found to be a low bandgap semiconductor capable of acting as a photocatalyst similar to graphitic C3N4. The sunlight-assisted photocatalytic degradation of the methylene blue dye is demonstrated. To have a better understanding of the mechanism of the [3 + 2] cyclo-additions of monomeric C60 and fullerene oxides, a theoretical investigation has been carried out and the energetics of the reaction C60O + C60 → C120O is calculated. Graphical Abstract
MEREC-COBRA APPROACH IN E-COMMERCE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY SELECTION

The research objective of the paper is to propose a model, based on the Multiple-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) methods, that facilitates a selection process of an adequate strategy directed to the development of e-commerce. For that aim, the MEthod based on the Removal Effects of Criteria (MEREC) is applied for defining the criteria weights. The recently proposed COmprehensive Distance Based RAnking (COBRA) method is used for the final assessment and ranking of the considered alternatives. The applicability of the proposed model is tested by using an example borrowed from the literature. Three alternative development strategies are assessed against five evaluation criteria. The final results proved the applicability and reliability of the proposed MCDM model.
Waste-Coffee-Derived Activated Carbon as Efficient Adsorbent for Water Treatment

Activated carbon prepared from waste coffee was utilized as a potential low-cost adsorbent to remove Rhodamine B from aqueous solution. A series of physical characterizations verify that the obtained activated carbon possesses a layered and ordered hexagonal structure with a wrinkled and rough surface. In addition, high specific surface area, appropriate pore distribution, and desired surface functional groups are revealed, which promote the adsorption properties. Various adsorption experiments were conducted to investigate the effect on the absorption capacity (e.g., of initial dye concentration, temperature and solution pH) of the material. The results showed that the waste-coffee-derived activated carbon with a large surface area of approximately 952.7 m2 g−1 showed a maximum uptake capacity of 83.4 mg g−1 at the pH of 7 with the initial dye concentration of 100 mg L−1 under 50°C. The higher adsorption capacity can be attributed to the strong electrostatic attraction between the negatively charged functional groups in activated carbon and the positively charged functional groups in RB. The kinetic data and the corresponding kinetic parameters were simulated to evaluate the mechanism of the adsorption process, which can fit well with the highest R2. The adsorption results confirmed the promising potential of the as-prepared waste-coffee-derived activated carbon as a dye adsorbent.
A successive state splitting algorithm for efficient allophone modeling

The authors propose an algorithm, successive state splitting (SSS), for simultaneously finding an optimal set of phoneme context classes, an optimal topology, and optimal parameters for hidden Markov models (HMMs) commonly using a maximum likelihood criterion. With this algorithm, a hidden Markov network (HM-Net), which is an efficient representation of phoneme-context-dependent HMMs, can be generated automatically. The authors implemented this algorithm, and tested it on the recognition of six Japanese consonants ( mod b mod , mod d mod , mod g mod , mod m mod , mod n mod and mod N mod ). The HM-Net gave better recognition results with a lower number of total output probability density distributions than conventional phoneme-context-independent mixture Gaussian density HMMs. <<ETX>>
A systematic overview of data federation systems

Data federation addresses the problem of uniformly accessing multiple, possibly heterogeneous data sources, by mapping them into a unified schema, such as an RDF(S)/OWL ontology or a relational schema, and by supporting the execution of queries, like SPARQL or SQL queries, over that unified schema. Data explosion in volume and variety has made data federation increasingly popular in many application domains. Hence, many data federation systems have been developed in industry and academia, and it has become challenging for users to select suitable systems to achieve their objectives. In order to systematically analyze and compare these systems, we propose an evaluation framework comprising four dimensions: (i) federation capabilities, i.e., query language, data source, and federation techniques; (ii) data security, i.e., authentication, authorization, auditing, encryption, and data masking; (iii) interface, i.e., graphical interface, command line interface, and application programming interface; and (iv) development, i.e., main development language, deployment, commercial support, open source, and release. Using this framework, we thoroughly studied 51 data federation systems from the Semantic Web and Database communities. This paper shares the results of our investigation and aims to provide reference material and insights for users, developers and researchers selecting or further developing data federation systems.
Can inflammation predict social media use? Linking a biological marker of systemic inflammation with social media use among college students and middle-aged adults

Drawing on recent evidence that inflammation may promote social affiliative motivation, the present research proposes a novel perspective that inflammation may be associated with more social media use. In a cross-sectional analysis of a nationally representative sample, Study 1 (N = 863) found a positive association between C-reactive protein (CRP), a biomarker of systemic inflammation, and the amount of social media use by middle-aged adults. Study 2 (N = 228) showed that among college students CRP was prospectively associated with more social media use 6 weeks later. Providing stronger evidence of the directionality of this effect, Study 3 (N = 171) showed that in college students CRP predicted increased social media use in the subsequent week even after controlling for current week's use. Additionally, in exploratory analyses of CRP and different types of social media use in the same week, CRP was only associated with using social media for social interaction and not for other purposes (e.g., entertainment). The present research sheds light on the social effects of inflammation and highlights potential benefits of using social media as a context for studying the impact of inflammation on social motivation and behavior.