Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Multiparameter FWI imaging in the Gulf of Mexico

Resolving illumination issues caused by the complex salt bodies in the Gulf of Mexico has been a continual challenge for seismic acquisition, processing and imaging. The long offset and rich azimuthal coverage provided by ocean-bottom node data have seen this technique become commonplace in such environments. Processing of such data requires a lengthy workflow resulting in down-going and up-going wavefields that are often migrated independently using wave-equation-based algorithms such as reverse time migration (RTM). Multi-parameter full-waveform inversion (MP-FWI) imaging is a novel approach to seismic processing and imaging that uses the full wavefield to simultaneously determine a variety of earth parameters, including velocity and reflectivity, using minimally processed field data. The conventional processing workflow is not required since the algorithm is able to utilise aspects of the wavefield that have traditionally required attenuation prior to imaging such as ghost and multiple energy. The derived reflectivity volume is naturally formed from both up-going and down-going wavefields allowing the benefits of both to be captured in a single output. Here, we demonstrate the application of this technology for salt imaging using a deep-water OBN survey in the Gulf of Mexico and compare the results to conventional processing and imaging workflows.
INVESTIGATIONS OF F0 CONTROL: PITCH TARGETS VS. PITCH REGISTER

This study examines speakers’ control of F0 by evaluating target - and register -control hypotheses. The target -control hypothesis holds that speakers adjust individual pitch targets to produce variations in F0, while the register -control hypothesis holds that speakers adjust pitch register (in which the pitch targets are defined) to vary F0. These hypotheses are evaluated with empirical F0 trajectories, examining correlations between F0 peaks and valleys. The results found that the peaks and valleys are not independently controlled, and that they are positively correlated. This suggests that speakers may control F0 by adjusting pitch register rather than by changing targets, and with a greater extent of manipulation of register ceiling or floor compared to span.
Proteus: Programmable Protocols for Censorship Circumvention

We present the Proteus system for censorship circumvention. Proteus provides a programmable protocol environment in which new communication protocols can be expressed as concise and comprehensible specification files. This design allows clients and proxies to quickly respond to new censorship strategies just by installing new specification files. Proteus improves on prior programmable designs by improving host safety from malicious specifications, providing a specification language that is complete and comprehensible to non-specialists, and supporting multiple simultaneous protocols at a proxy for versioning and localization. This paper represents work in progress and provides an overview of the Proteus design, as well as examples showing that it can express existing encrypted protocols.
Security Concerns in Modern Micro-architectures

In the last two decades, the evolving cyber-threat landscape have brought to center stage the contentious tradeoﬀs between security and performance of modern microprocessors. The guarantees provided by the hardware to ensure no violation of process boundaries have been shown to be breached in several real-world scenarios. While modern CPU features such as superscalar, out-of-order, simultaneous multi-threading, and speculative execution play a critical role in boosting system performance, they are central for a potent class of security attacks termed transient micro-architectural attacks. These attacks leverage shared hardware resources in the CPU that are used during speculative and out-of-order execution to steal sensitive information. Researchers have used these attacks to read data from the Operating Systems (OS) and Trusted Execution Environments (TEE) and to even break hardware-enforced isolation. Over the years, several variants of transient micro-architectural attacks have been developed. While each variant diﬀers in the shared hardware resource used, the underlying attack follows a similar strategy. This chapter presents a panoramic view of security concerns in modern CPUs, focusing on the mechanisms of these attacks and providing a classiﬁcation of the variants. Further, the authors discuss state-of-the-art defense mechanisms towards mitigating these attacks.
Reconstructing historical sea-level trends for the Croatian coast of the Adriatic Sea using salt-marsh foraminifera

The application of salt-marsh foraminifera to reconstruct historical sea-level trends was investigated for the Croatian coast of the Adriatic Sea using a transfer function approach. This technique, whilst well practised from north Atlantic sites along the shores of America and UK, has previously evaded any published study in the Mediterranean region. A total of 70 surface samples were collected across separate transects established at two micro-tidal salt-marsh sites from the central Croatian coastline to establish a modern dataset of foraminifera. In addition, environmental variables were also investigated including salinity, pH, organic matter, particle size, distance (from open water) and altitude, relative to the Croatian national datum. Three sediment cores were sampled for fossil foraminifera and composite chronologies involving short-lived radionuclides, radiocarbon dating and pollution indicators from XRF. Age-depth models were created using classical and Bayesian approaches. Quantitative analysis of the foraminiferal assemblages revealed on average three faunal zones in which characteristic species occurred. This comprised a faunal zone composed almost exclusively of agglutinated species; J. macrescens, T. inflata and M. fusca extending between mean tidal level (MTL) and beyond MHWST (higher altitude). A second faunal zone was more variable and comprised of a mixed assemblage of agglutinated species described above in addition to calcareous species; Ammonia spp. , Elphidium spp. , Haynesina germanica and Quinqueloculina spp. This zone spanned a large vertical range above and below MTL. In a third faunal zone calcareous species dominated and was restricted to the lower altitudes of the salt-marsh environments. Further quantitative measures were employed to test the hypothesis that foraminiferal distributions were controlled by altitude. Partial ordination techniques revealed altitude as a statistically significant control confirming their suitability as proxies for sea-level in transfer function reconstructions. An analysis of species environment relationships revealed strong linear response suggesting the use of PLS regression models. Transfer functions were then developed for both site specific and a total combined dataset, where small r2 jack values largely reflected the short environmental gradients despite relatively low predictions errors (RMSEP jack = <0.11). The total combined dataset was chosen and screened to remove sample outliers improving model performance (r2 jack = 0.54 and RMSEP jack = 0.08). Finally, the transfer function model was applied to core sediments to reconstruct mean sea-level where an inflexion observed at AD 1940 showed acceleration comparable to other proxy reconstructions. Indeed this trend was similar to instrumental data from Trieste tide-gauge records. Similarly the transfer function reconstruction identifies the dramatic increases in MSL observed in both tide-gauge (Split and Trieste) and satellite observations since the early 1990s.
Growth performance and nutrient digestibility of Thai native compared with Lowline Angus crossbred beef cattle fed with regional feedstuffs

Cassava starch residue and oil palm meal are massive industrial by-products which can be used as animal diet in Thailand. The aim of this study was to investigate voluntary feed intake, nutrient digestibility, and growth performance of Thai native cattle compared with Lowline Angus x Thai native crossbred beef cattle fed with those two local feedstuffs as supplement. Yeast fermented cassava starch residue mixed with oil palm meal prior fed to beef cattle at 1.50% BW, while rice straw was given in ad libitum during 6 months of experimental period. It was found that total intake and intakes of roughage and supplement did not different among breed of beef cattle. Growth rate and final body weight of Thai native cattle were greater than the crossbred but that caused by differences in initial body weight (covariate effect), then growth performance was similar between cattle group. Feed per gain of Thai native cattle (11.6 g/g) did not different from the crossbred (12.1 g/g). Moreover, Thai native cattle and Lowline Angus x Thai native crossbred beef cattle had similar in nutrient digestibility including dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, crude fat, and fiber fractions. Therefore, Lowline Angus x Thai native crossbred beef had similar ability of local feed resources utilization and growth performance as Thai indigenous cattle.
Assessment of Factors Affecting Dredged Volume Estimation in Assessment of Factors Affecting Dredged Volume Estimation in Hydrographic Survey Applications: Case Study of New Suez Canal Hydrographic Survey Applications: Case Study of New Suez Canal

 Abstract — An accurate bathymetric survey is a principal issue in dredging projects because it has a direct impact on the estimated dredging quantities, project process and cost. In this research, various factors affecting the accuracy of bathymetric survey and hence dredging volume quantities have been investigated. The data obtained from single-beam echo sounder surveys after the deepening and widening of Great Bitter Lakes in the New Suez Canal project, which was recently carried out in Egypt, have been used.
Tailoring Photoluminescence from MoS2 Monolayers by Mie-Resonant Metasurfaces

We experimentally investigate coupling of the photoluminescence (PL) from monolayers of MoS2 to Mie-resonant metasurfaces consisting of silicon nanocylinders. By a systematic variation of the nanocylinder diameter, we sweep the metasurface resonances over the excitonic emission band of monolayer MoS2. We observe strong enhancement, as well as spectral and directional reshaping of the emission. By a comprehensive optical characterization, we unveil the different physical factors, including electronic, photonic, and mechanical influences, responsible for the observed PL changes. Importantly, we show that by geometrical tuning of the nanocylinder resonances, the emission can be tailored from occurring under very large angles to being directed out of the substrate plane. Our results highlight the need and potential of controlling not only the photonic, but also electronic and mechanical environmental factors for tailoring PL from TMD monolayers by integrating them in nanophotonic architectures.
Metagenomics Characterization of Ixodes ricinus Intestinal Microbiota as Major Vector of Tick-Borne Diseases in Domestic Animals

Background: Understanding the microbiota of disease vectors can help for developing new strategies to prevent the transmission of vector pathogens. Ixodes ricinus is one of the most notorious tick vectors with increasing importance in Iran and other parts of the world while there is limited data on its microbiota. This study aimed to use metagenomics for identifying the I. ricinus tick’s microbiota of Iran. Methods: A total of 39 adult ticks were collected from Mazandaran (21 females), Gilan (17 females), and Golestan (1 male). Five tick pools prepared from 39 adults of I. ricinus were subjected to metagenomics analysis. The data were analyzed by targeting the V6 region of the 16S rRNA gene by Illumina 4000 Hiseq sequencing. Results: Among hundreds of intestinal microbiota identified by metagenomics, various pathogenic microorganisms distributed in 30 genera and species including those responsible for tick-borne diseases resided in the genera Coxiella, Rickettsia, and Burkholderia were found. Conclusion: Our results indicated that metagenomics identifies bacteria genera and species which cannot be easily recognized by routine methods. The presence of such pathogenic bacteria indicates the importance of possible zoonotic diseases in this region which could affect public health. These results further substantiate the importance of advanced metagenomics analyses to identify neglected tick-borne pathogens which enable researchers to provide efficient mapping roads for the management of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases.
Lichens and Mosses as Biomonitors of Indoor Pollution

Simple Summary Human exposure to pollutants in indoor environments is a relevant health concern. Long-term monitoring data in indoor environments are largely missing due to a lack of adequate measuring devices. Biomonitoring (the use of living organisms to identify/assess potential hazardous exposure to chemicals and their effects) can provide useful information on indoor air quality and effects. Given their ability to intercept pollutants from the atmosphere, lichens and mosses are commonly used as outdoor biomonitors of atmospheric pollution by potentially toxic elements. Their application in indoor environment is recent but represents a promising output of the scientific research. In this review, indoor biomonitoring studies carried out using mosses and lichens have been compared, and critical issues and open matters have been underlined, as well as future perspectives related to their fruitful application in indoor environments. This review highlights the peculiarities of each study and the need for the development of shared harmonised protocols. Abstract Biomonitoring in indoor environments is a recent application, and so far, indoor air quality (IAQ) has been investigated only in a few cases using photosynthesising biomonitors. On the whole, 22 studies have been selected and reviewed, being specifically focused on the assessment of IAQ using biomonitors, such as lichens (9 papers), mosses (10), or their combination (3). In general, indoor samples face an altered light regime, ventilation, and a reduced hydration, which should be taken into consideration during the design and implementation of indoor monitoring. This review highlights critical issues (and some solutions) related to sample devitalisation (moss), hydration during exposure, preparation of the exposure device (mostly lichen and moss bags), duration of the exposure, post-exposure treatments, assessment of the vitality of the samples, as well as data elaboration and interpretation. This review evidences the feasibility and usefulness of lichen/moss monitoring in indoor environments and the need to develop standardised protocols.
Internal migration in the upper mekong delta, viet nam: what is the role of climate related stressors?

The present paper reports on a case study that investigated under what circumstances households use migration to cope with climate variability and food insecurity. Fieldwork was conducted in three communities in Dong Thap Province in the Upper Mekong Delta in Viet Nam. Methods used included a household survey (N=150), participatory research tools and key informant interviews. Ninety per cent of the survey respondents reported that climate-related stressors, such as floods, storms and changes in rainfall patterns, had adversely affected their livelihoods. Those effects, however, were more often qualified as being “moderate” rather than being “severe”, and for the survey population as a whole, no evidence was found that climatic stressors were principal drivers of migration from the area. The Upper Mekong Delta in Viet Nam is undergoing rapid economic development, with increasing migration mostly being driven by demand for labour in industrial centres. However, an analysis differentiated by income groups reveals that poorer households with little or no land are much more likely to be severely affected by climatic stressors than non-poor households. Their ability to cope and adapt locally is limited, and migration, which in most cases tends to be internal, is a common alternative. The present paper shows the importance of disaggregating climate impacts and migration causes for different socioeconomic groups.
University of Birmingham Liquid Metal-Based Tunable Linear Phase Shifters With Low Insertion Loss, High Phase Resolution, and Low Dispersion

—A linear, tunable, and self-compensating phase shifter based on liquid metal (LM) is proposed in this paper using a half-mode substrate-integrated-waveguide (HMSIW). The key phase shifting element is a via-pad-slot (VPS) structure where a thru via is attached to a pad surrounded by an annular slot. This is equivalent to a shunt capacitance and inductance loaded on the HMSIW. Phase shift is achieved when the annular slot is covered by the LM that runs in microfluidic channels on the surface of the HMSIW. This allows easy implementation and convenient manipulation of the LM without incurring excessive losses. A self-compensation structure, based on multiple rows of VPSs, is proposed to achieve a low phase deviation with frequency (low dispersion). The design method to ensure a linear and small phase step over a large phase range is presented. Two phase shifters have been designed and experimentally verified. The phase shifter-I, with two VPS rows, provides a phase shift from 0 to 41° with ±1° phase deviation with frequency over 9.5 - 12.5 GHz. The average phase resolution is 1°. The measured insertion loss (IL) is 0.8 ± 0.1 dB, with a figure-of-merit of 45.6°/dB. The phase shifter-II uses three VPS rows to provide a phase shift from 0° to 180° with a phase resolution of 1.68°. The achieved phase deviation with frequency is within ±2° over 10 - 12.5 GHz and within ±5° over 9 - 13 GHz. The measured IL is 1.1 ± 0.1 dB with a competitively high figure-of-merit of 163.6°/dB. Unlike many other phase shifters, the loss of the proposed phase shifters does not increase with the phase shift. The measurements are in very good agreement with the circuit analysis and simulations. The proposed linear phase shifter has demonstrated high performance and very attractive features such as low IL that does not strongly depend on the phase shift, linear phase change, high phase resolution, and low phase dispersion with frequency. Compared with other LM-enabled phase shifters, it has the advantage of easy implementation and control. This LM-based phase shifter also potentially has high power handling capability .
dNextG: A Zero-Trust Decentralized Mobile Network User Plane

Recent technological and regulatory changes are paving the way to enable decentralized, zero-trust mobile network. Properly secured decentralization allows or improves "inherently distributed'' use cases such as military coalition mobile networks distributed between allies or community-infrastructure networks. While zero-trust security has been flagged by the U.S. NIST as critical to modern networks, decentralized mobile network environment security threats have not been thoroughly studied and mostly focus on distributing only the Radio Access Network (RAN), potentially leading to unreliable Quality of Service (QoS) and low security in the network core. We therefore introduce dNextG, a mobile core network user plane that provides a zero-trust security monitoring framework to enable reliable decentralization even in the presence of malicious internal network nodes. With dNextG, both centralized and decentralized node operators can run User Plane Functions (UPFs) and Base Stations without giving up any node control; instead, nodes maintain a blockchain tracking node average reputation using tamper-resistant connectivity tests that they must periodically perform on each other. We identify various malicious node threats including dropping or modifying traffic and lying about reputation, then design, implement, and evaluate dNextG to overcome these threats and provide a long-term, reliable QoS. We provide an open-source, instantly replicable version of dNextG on POWDER (Platform for Open Wireless Data-driven Experimental Research).
Multiple intelligences : a workshop for teachers

Teachers today deal with many issues in their classrooms from student behaviour problems to curriculum concerns. Many teachers are searching for fresh and innovative ways to approach these issues. One approach that has been moving through the United States and Canada is the Multiple Intelligences approach to teaching. These strategies are based on the Multiple Intelligences theory developed by Howard Gardner in 1983 that all people have within them many "intelligences" or capabilities. This study, which describes a workshop conducted for the teachers and assistants of Lethbridge School District #51, outlines Multiple Intelligences teaching strategies and is designed to help educators feel more comfortable using these strategies in their classrooms. A pre-workshop questionnaire guided the creation of the workshop and a post-workshop questionnaire indicated most participants gained knowledge and confidence as a result of attending the workshop. Recommendations for changes to future Multiple Intelligences workshops were suggested by the participants as well as an interest in further communication to support teachers who wish to use the strategies in their classrooms.
Tertiary control of voltage unbalance compensation for optimal power quality in islanded microgrids

Summary form only given. In multi-bus islanded microgrids, the power quality requirements for different areas and buses can be different. This paper proposes a hierarchical control to realize optimal unbalance compensation for satisfying the power quality requirements in different areas. Primary and secondary controllers are applied to realize unbalance compensation for critical bus (CB) and at the same time, to make distributed generators (DGs) equally share the compensation efforts. Tertiary control, which inherently is an optimization method, is implemented to adjust the compensating effort of each DG considering the voltage unbalance limits in local buses and DG terminals. This method realizes multi-power-quality-level control in a multi-bus islanded system by optimally utilizing DGs as distributed compensators and saves the investment for additional compensation equipment. Hardware-in-the-loop results demonstrate the effectiveness of the method.
THE EFFECT OF PAINTBALL TRAINING ON IMPROVING COGNITIVE FUNCTION IN CHILDREN WITH ATTENTION DEFICIT/HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore the effects of a moderate-to high-intensity paintball game program on fitness, cognitive functions, and ADHD-related behavior in children with ADHD. Method: Fitness level, motor skills, behaviors, and cognitive functions are assessed by standardized tests before and after a 10-week training or control period. Results: Findings show that participation in a paintball game program (improves muscular capacities, motor skills, behavior reports by parents and teachers, and level of information processing. Conclusion: A structured paintball game program may have clinical relevance in the functional adaptation of children with ADHD. This supports the need for further research in the area of physical activity with this population.