Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Secondary organic aerosol (SOA) yields from NO3 radical + isoprene based on nighttime aircraft power plant plume transects

Abstract. Nighttime reaction of nitrate radicals (NO3) with biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOC) has been proposed as a potentially important but also highly uncertain source of secondary organic aerosol (SOA). The southeastern United States has both high BVOC and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions, resulting in a large model-predicted NO3-BVOC source of SOA. Coal-fired power plants in this region constitute substantial NOx emissions point sources into a nighttime atmosphere characterized by high regionally widespread concentrations of isoprene. In this paper, we exploit nighttime aircraft observations of these power plant plumes, in which NO3 radicals rapidly remove isoprene, to obtain field-based estimates of the secondary organic aerosol yield from NO3 + isoprene. Observed in-plume increases in nitrate aerosol are consistent with organic nitrate aerosol production from NO3 + isoprene, and these are used to determine molar SOA yields, for which the average over nine plumes is 9 % (±5 %). Corresponding mass yields depend on the assumed molecular formula for isoprene-NO3-SOA, but the average over nine plumes is 27 % (±14 %), on average larger than those previously measured in chamber studies (12 %–14 % mass yield as ΔOA ∕ ΔVOC after oxidation of both double bonds). Yields are larger for longer plume ages. This suggests that ambient aging processes lead more effectively to condensable material than typical chamber conditions allow. We discuss potential mechanistic explanations for this difference, including longer ambient peroxy radical lifetimes and heterogeneous reactions of NO3-isoprene gas phase products. More in-depth studies are needed to better understand the aerosol yield and oxidation mechanism of NO3 radical + isoprene, a coupled anthropogenic–biogenic source of SOA that may be regionally significant.
Etude expérimentale et modélisation de la précipitation [gamma]' dans le superalliage N18

Les excellentes proprietes mecaniques des superalliages leurs sont conferees par la precipitation de la phase gamma prime issue des divers traitements thermiques. L'etape de trempe qui succede a l'elaboration par metallurgie des poudres des disques de turboreacteur en superalliage a base de nickel, conditionne fortement l'etat mecanique et microstructural final du materiau. L'objectif de ce travail est de developper et de valider un modele qui decrit la cinetique de precipitation de la phase gamma prime afin d'optimiser la microstructure resultant de cette trempe. Une serie de demarches experimentales a permis d'analyser et d'identifier le comportement du materiau au cours de ce traitement thermique. L'influence de la vitesse de refroidissement sur la microstructure finale et sur l'allure de la fraction volumique transformee est etudiee experimentalement par dilatometrie de trempe et observation electronique a transmission. Ces observations montrent que la coalescence s'effectue suivant la loi de lsw et que l'on retrouve la sequence de transformation morphologique sphere cube octocube dendrite observee dans le cas des transformations anisothermes. La dilatometrie permet egalement de mettre en evidence le domaine de precipitation de la phase gamma prime. De la meme facon, l'influence de la temperature de mise en solution sur la microstructure et sur la fraction volumique f#v est analysee. De plus, les enregistrements dilatometriques permettent d'apprecier la dissolution de la phase gamma prime en cours de chauffage a partir de microstructures variees. Enfin, la microstructure du n18 en cours de refroidissement est suivie par hyper-trempe a environ 10#5 k/s dans un four concu specialement pour cette etude. Une famille tres fine de phase gamma prime est mise en evidence par met et diffusion de neutrons aux petits angles. L'ensemble des resultats obtenus permettent de valider le modele base sur la theorie classique de nucleation et les lois de coalescence de lsw et permet de rendre compte de la capacite du calcul a decrire la precipitation intragranulaire (secondaire et tertiaire) au cours de traitements thermiques divers
A new unbiased minimum variance observer for stochastic LTV systems with unknown inputs

This paper is devoted to the state and input estimation of a linear time varying system in the presence of an unknown input (UI) in both state and measurement equations, and affected by Gaussian noises. The classical rank condition used in this kind of approach is relaxed in order to be able to be used in a wider range of systems. A state observer, that is an unbiased estimator with minimum error variance, is proposed. Then a UI observer is constructed, in order to be a best linear unbiased estimator, it follows a unique construction whether the direct feedthrough matrix is null or not. In a sense the proposed approach, generalizes and unifies the existing ones. Besides, a stability result is given for linear time invariant systems, which is a novelty for unbiased minimum variance observers relaxing the classical rank condition.
Progression Analysis and Stage Discovery in Continuous Physiological Processes Using Image Computing

We propose an image computing-based method for quantitative analysis of continuous physiological processes that can be sensed by medical imaging and demonstrate its application to the analysis of morphological alterations of the bone structure, which correlate with the progression of osteoarthritis (OA). The purpose of the analysis is to quantitatively estimate OA progression in a fashion that can assist in understanding the pathophysiology of the disease. Ultimately, the texture analysis will be able to provide an alternative OA scoring method, which can potentially reflect the progression of the disease in a more direct fashion compared to the existing clinically utilized classification schemes based on radiology. This method can be useful not just for studying the nature of OA, but also for developing and testing the effect of drugs and treatments. While in this paper we demonstrate the application of the method to osteoarthritis, its generality makes it suitable for the analysis of other progressive clinical conditions that can be diagnosed and prognosed by using medical imaging.
PRIVACY PRESERVING PUBLIC AUDITING FOR SHARED DATA WITH LARGE GROUPS IN THE CLOUD

Using Cloud Storage, users can remotely store their data and enjoy the on demand high quality applications and services from a shared pool of configurable computing resources, without the burden of local data storage and maintenance. However, the fact that users no longer have physical possession of the outsourced data makes the data integrity protection in Cloud Computing a formidable task, especially for users with constrained computing resources. Moreover, users should be able to just use the cloud storage as if it is local, without worrying about the need to verify its integrity. Thus enabling public auditability for cloud storage is of critical importance so that users can resort to a third party auditor (TPA) to check the integrity of outsourced data and be worry-free. In this paper, we propose a novel privacy-preserving mechanism that supports public auditing on shared data stored in the cloud. In particular, we exploit ring signatures to compute verification metadata needed to audit the correctness of shared data. With our mechanism, the identity of the signer on each block in shared data is kept private from public verifiers, who are able to efficiently verify shared data integrity without retrieving the entire file.
Evolutionary diversification of the trypanosome haptoglobin-haemoglobin receptor from an ancestral haemoglobin receptor

The haptoglobin-haemoglobin receptor of the African trypanosome species, Trypanosoma brucei, is expressed when the parasite is in the bloodstream of the mammalian host, allowing it to acquire haem through the uptake of haptoglobin-haemoglobin complexes. Here we show that in Trypanosoma congolense this receptor is instead expressed in the epimastigote developmental stage that occurs in the tsetse fly, where it acts as a haemoglobin receptor. We also present the structure of the T. congolense receptor in complex with haemoglobin. This allows us to propose an evolutionary history for this receptor, charting the structural and cellular changes that took place as it adapted from a role in the insect to a new role in the mammalian host. DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.7554/eLife.13044. 001
IT outsourcing risk management at British Petroleum

The paper reports the results of a study of three successive IT outsourcing contracts at British Petroleum (BP). We offer an operational definition of IT outsourcing risk and use it to assess the risk exposure associated with each contract. We then examine how the management at BP dealt with outsourcing risk. Our results show that careful and deliberate risk management can substantially attenuate the level of risk exposure, and that IT outsourcing risks can be managed.
The development and validation of a short form of the STERLinG: A practical, valid and reliable tool to evaluate teacher competencies to encourage reflective learning

Background: To optimize response rates, it is important to have brief, comprehensive instruments. Aims: We have developed and validated a short form of an instrument for measuring students’ perceptions of teachers’ competencies to encourage students’ reflective learning in small groups (the STERLinG). Methods: Based on statistical and content criteria, the original 36-item STERLinG was reduced to 15 items: three scales with five items each. This mini-STERLinG was validated. Confirmatory factor analysis was performed and internal consistencies were calculated. Results: The instrument was completed by 501 respondents (63%). The original instrument structure was confirmed with 62.6% explained variance. Reliabilities were high with 0.91 for the entire mini-STERLinG and 0.87, 0.85 and 0.81 for its subscales. Conclusions: The mini-STERLinG was found to be a feasible, valid and reliable instrument.
Nutrição, crescimento e sua modelagem em povoamentos de eucalipto em resposta à disponibilidade de água e nutrientes

In order to improve the nutritional management of the eucalypt culture it is possible, besides the soil nutrient analysis, to use nutritional diagnosis based on tissue analysis. Thus, there is a need for reference values (concentrations or rations among nutrient concentration) and adequate methods to interpret the results. Therefore, the present work aims were: to evaluate the influence of plant age, sampling period, and management of water and nutrients on foliar nutrient concentration and their ratios in young clonal eucalypt stands. It was used data from a fertirrigation experiment as well as data from clonal
Defcon

The aim of the CIG 2009 Defcon AI competition is to see which bot is the best Defcon player. Each bot plays 30 matches against each other bot, in a series of one-on-one matches with bots playing in each of the possible starting territory configurations. The game will run on a limited-information mode (i.e., bots cannot see units hidden by the fog of war) and the victory timer will start no later than 4 hours into the game (additionally to the usual game ending conditions). For each match, the resulting score (standard rules: 2*kills - own casualties) is recorded for each player. In the end, the player with the highest cumulative score wins. Screenshots are available at http://www.introversion. co.uk/defcon/about/screenshots.html. The Defcon API has been developed by Imperial College and Introversion Software to allow easy access to all the functions and data required to write a fully functional AI for Introversion's thermonuclear war simulation Defcon. Interfaces to C++, Java and LUA are available, and the original implementation of the Defcon AI is provided as a starting point. The API is available for free from http://www.doc. ic.ac. uk/~rb1006/projects:api, and it works with the demo version of Defcon, which can be downloaded from http://www.introversion. co.uk/defcon/downloads/.
The Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC) Scale.

BACKGROUND This study provides a replication of the Falls Efficacy Scale (FES) and a head-to-head comparison with the Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC) Scale designed to include a wider continuum of activity difficulty and more detailed item descriptors. METHODS Items for the newly developed 16-item ABC Scale were generated by 15 clinicians and 12 elderly outpatients. Psychometric testing involved 60 community seniors (aged 65-95) self-classified as either high or low in mobility confidence according to their perceived need for a walking aid and personal assistance to ambulate outdoors. RESULTS Both the FES and ABC scales were found to be internally consistent and demonstrated good test-retest reliability, convergent and criterion validity. Scalogram analyses indicated a stronger cumulative scale in the case of the ABC and skewness in the distribution of FES scores. While both scales were able to discriminate between the two mobility groups, the ABC scale was a more efficient discriminator and yielded a wider range of responses. CONCLUSIONS The present study provided additional psychometric support for the FES. However, the greater item responsiveness of the ABC scale makes it more suitable to detect loss of balancing confidence in more highly functioning seniors. Greater situation-specificity of items may also assist clinicians in targeting appropriate interventions.
SPATIAL BEHAVIOUR IN PEDESTRIAN AREAS

The author discusses the routes chosen by pedestrians when walking through an urban setting. These certain paths and routes can be regarded as the most convenient lines of communication within a given setting which link its most important nodal points. Such routes are arranged in such a fashion that pedestrians are able to navigate the setting with a minimum of conscious decision-making. Pedestrian routes usually fulfil the following criteria: (a) the route is the shortest one connecting point of departure (crossing or bus stop) with the point of destination (entrance or crossing), (b) the route must avoid physical objects or stationary groups of people, (C) the route must not involve sharp and rapid changes in direction, (D) the adopted route is the quickest and most convenient one to use, (e) the route must not lead across areas on which it is difficult to walk, (F) the selected route must not involve rapid changes in elevation of the walking surface, especially for older people and those with luggage or pushing prams, (g) the route is likely to provide interest such as shop windows, and lastly, (h) the importance of the location of the route in relation to the nearness of kerbs and walls. /TRRL/
Guest Editorial Special Issue: Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) Communications

The idea of using multiple transmit and receive antennas in wireless communication systems is one of the most important breakthroughs in communication theory during the last decade. Popularly referred to as MIMO technology, this concept can greatly improve data throughput and link performance in wireless networks. In principle, a MIMO system can operate in, or anywhere between, one of the two possible modes. If the transmitter knows the channel, then one can use spatial beamforming techniques to steer RF energy in the direction of the receiver. On the other hand, if the transmitter does not know the channel, one can use space-time coding which effectively distributes the transmitted power uniformly in all directions, and in addition augments the data with structure that can be used to combat from fading dips. Sometimes, space-time coding methods are grouped into two categories: those that focus on throughput improvement (e.g. Bell-Labs layered space-time architecture, BLAST), and those that solely aim at improving link performance (including, most notably, orthogonal block coding and transmit diversity schemes); however, this classification is simplistic and many of the currently best known schemes do not fall under any of these two groups. Space-time coding, beamforming and their various combinations are becoming relatively well understood in the research community—as evidenced by the literal explosion of research papers and books (e.g. [1,2]) on the topic. Nevertheless, researchers are continuing to explore the more intricate aspects of combined coding over space and time. The goal of this special issue has been to collect a few edge-cutting, high-quality papers that not only capture the state-of-the-art of the field but also highlight open problems and current research topics. We are delighted to present eight papers that survived a very competitive peer review process. Broadly speaking, the papers can be grouped into four categories: two papers that deal with coding for MIMO, two papers on MIMO channel modeling and simulation, two papers on signal processing for MIMO and finally two papers on cross-layer design for MIMO systems. The first paper, 'Iterative receivers for coded MIMO signaling', by Biglieri, Nordio and Taricco, is a tutorial on iterative (turbo) processing for systems that con-catenate a GF(2) channel code with a complex-valued multidimensional (matrix) channel. The authors present the topic using a first-principle approach, and they also describe how iterative coding and demodulation for MIMO models work and how they can be analyzed by using EXIT charts, a powerful …
Performance Analysis Of Modified Social Emotional Optimization Algorithm

Swarm intelligence (SI), an artificial intelligence (AI) discipline, is concerned with the design of intelligent artificial computation systems. These computation systems are designed to solve the complex computational problems. These computation systems are based on nature-inspired computation mechanisms. The most successful artificial computation systems are evolutionary algorithms (EAS). The best evolutionary algorithms (EAS) are, the genetic algorithm (GA)[1], the particle swarm optimization(PSO)[2][3] and the ant colony algorithm(ACO) [10]. Particle Swarm Optimization, a stochastic optimization technique developed by Kennedy and Eberhart in 1995, is based on swarm behaviour of bird flocking or fish schooling. Although GA, PSO and ACO algorithms have lot of advantages but they simply simulate group behaviours and animal foraging. Social Emotional Optimization Algorithm (SEOA)[5] is a new swarm intelligent technique, that simulates human social behaviour. In SEOA, each individual represents one virtual person who communicates through cooperation and competition. This paper focuses on the performance analysis of Modified Social Emotional Optimization Algorithm in comparison with most successful methods of optimization techniques inspired by Swarm Intelligence (SI) : Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) and a novel swarm intelligent population-based optimization algorithm Social Emotional Optimization (SEOA). An elaborate comparative analysis is carried out to endow these algorithms, aiming to investigate whether the Modified Social Emotional Optimization Algorithm improves performance which can be implemented in many areas.
Food and the City: Urban Agriculture and the New Food Revolution

This is the inspiring chronicle of a radical movement against the industrial food behemoth, and a reclaiming of communities to grow, distribute, and eat locally. When you're standing in the midst of a supermarket, it's hard to imagine that you're looking at a failing system. The abundance of food looks impressive but is really just a facade. In fact, there's often no more than a 3-day supply of food available for any given city due to complex, just-in-time national and international supply chains. The system is not only vulnerable, given the reality of food scares, natural disasters and economic upheavals, but also environmentally unsustainable in the long term. One answer is urban agriculture. "Food and the City" examines alternative food systems in cities around the globe that are shortening their supply chains and growing food within city limits. More than just a niche concern of a few activists, urban agriculture is becoming a global movement that cuts across the private and public sectors, economic classes, and cultures.
The YmdB Phosphodiesterase Is a Global Regulator of Late Adaptive Responses in Bacillus subtilis

ABSTRACT Bacillus subtilis mutants lacking ymdB are unable to form biofilms, exhibit a strong overexpression of the flagellin gene hag, and are deficient in SlrR, a SinR antagonist. Here, we report the functional and structural characterization of YmdB, and we find that YmdB is a phosphodiesterase with activity against 2′,3′- and 3′,5′-cyclic nucleotide monophosphates. The structure of YmdB reveals that the enzyme adopts a conserved phosphodiesterase fold with a binuclear metal center. Mutagenesis of a catalytically crucial residue demonstrates that the enzymatic activity of YmdB is essential for biofilm formation. The deletion of ymdB affects the expression of more than 800 genes; the levels of the σD-dependent motility regulon and several sporulation genes are increased, and the levels of the SinR-repressed biofilm genes are decreased, confirming the role of YmdB in regulating late adaptive responses of B. subtilis.
Watershed by image foresting transform, tie-zone, and theoretical relationships with other watershed definitions

To better understand the numerous solutions related to watershed transform (WT), this paper shows the relationships between some discrete de nitions of the WT: the watersheds based on image foresting transform (IFT), topographic distance (TD), local condition (LC), and minimum spanning forest (MSF). We demonstrate that the tie-zone (TZ) concept, that uni es the multiple solutions of a given WT, when applied to the IFT-WT, includes all the solutions predicted by the other paradigms: the watershed line of TD-WT is contained in the TZ of the IFT-WT, while the catchment basins of the former contain the basins of the latter; any solution of LCWT or MSF-WT is also solution of the IFT-WT. Furthermore, the TD-WT can be seen as the TZ transform of the LC-WT.
Working Memory in Wayfinding - A Dual Task Experiment in a Virtual City

This study examines the working memory systems involved in human wayfinding. In the learning phase, 24 participants learned two routes in a novel photorealistic virtual environment displayed on a 220° screen while they were disrupted by a visual, a spatial, a verbal, or-in a control group-no secondary task. In the following wayfinding phase, the participants had to find and to "virtually walk" the two routes again. During this wayfinding phase, a number of dependent measures were recorded. This research shows that encoding wayfinding knowledge interfered with the verbal and with the spatial secondary task. These interferences were even stronger than the interference of wayfinding knowledge with the visual secondary task. These findings are consistent with a dual-coding approach of wayfinding knowledge.