Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Empirical in-stream flow assessment tools for British Columbian channels

Empirical hydraulic distribution equations have been proposed as simple and inexpensive alternatives to traditional data-intensive flow assessment methodologies. Two proposed depth and three proposed velocity empirical equations were compared to measured hdraulic distributions for two channels in the Interior Region of British Columbia. Empirical velocity distributions adequately reproduced the measured velocity distribution for both channels. An empirical depth distribution was able to replicate measured depth distributions at a relatively undisturbed channel (Harris Creek) but were unable to predict the measured depth distribution following morphological change at a channel recently disturbed by forest fire (Fishtrap Creek). Furthermore, the empirical distributions were compared to modelled depth and velocity distributions produced by a 2-dimensional hydrodynamic model (River2D). The empirical distributions provided reasonable representation of the hydraulic distributions for flows < 3 m3 s−1. At flows approaching bankfull the empirical methods, in particular the velocity equations, were unable to adequately reproduce the distributions produced in River2D. Additionally, a joint frequency depth-velocity distribution was paired with habitat suitability indices to quantify available habitat across a range of flows at Harris Creek using reach average hydraulic conditions generated by River2D. The statistical habitat model produced similar habitat values to River2D at low flows and was able to recreate the general shape and trends of the habitat indices. As well, a proposed at-a-station hydraulic geometry simulator was used alongside a channel regime model to approximate reach average channel conditions at Harris Creek. The proposed hydraulic simulator was able to accurately predict reach average depth (mean error of 1.06%) and velocity (4.47%) for discharges ranging from daily low flow to bankfull flow. The
The Effectiveness of Transdiagnostic Treatment on Anxiety Sensitivity and Prospective and Retrospective Memory of Employees with Depressive Syndromes: A Quasi-Experimental Study

Background: Depression, a complex and often debilitating mood disorder, transcends its clinical definition to impact various aspects of an individual's life, including their professional pursuits. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of transdiagnostic treatment on anxiety sensitivity and prospective and retrospective memory of employees with depressive symptoms. Methods: This quasi-experimental study used a pretest-posttest design with a control group. The study included a total of 36 participants who were employees experiencing depression in the sixth and eighth municipal districts of Tehran in 2021. These participants were selected using a random sampling approach and allocated randomly into 2 groups: the experimental group (n = 18) and the control group (n = 18). The data collection process involved the utilization of questionnaires designed to assess depression, anxiety sensitivity, and prospective and retrospective memory. In the experimental group, a series of ten 90-minute sessions of transdiagnostic treatment was administered, while the control group received no such intervention. The collected data was analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) using SPSS version 24. Results: The results showed that transdiagnostic treatment significantly decreases physical (F = 66.47, P < 0.001, η2 = 0.69), cognitive (F = 57.29, P < 0.001, η2 = 0.66), social (F = 26.05, P < 0.001, η2 = 0.47), prospective memory (F = 50.18, P < 0.001, η2 = 0.63), and retrospective memory (F = 31.39, P < 0.001, η2 = 0.52) in employees with depressive symptoms. Conclusions: The findings of this study highlight the significant and positive impact of transdiagnostic treatment on individuals experiencing depressive symptoms. The results demonstrate substantial reductions in various domains, including physical, cognitive, social, prospective memory, and retrospective memory domains. These outcomes, characterized by substantial effect sizes, highlight the effectiveness of transdiagnostic treatment in addressing the multifaceted challenges associated with depression in employees.
Theoretical Analysis of Piezoelectric Semiconductor Thick Plates with Periodic Boundary Conditions

Piezoelectric semiconductors, being materials with both piezoelectric and semiconducting properties, are of particular interest for use in multi-functional devices and naturally result in multi-physics analysis. This study provides analytical solutions for thick piezoelectric semiconductor plates with periodic boundary conditions and includes an investigation of electromechanical coupling effects. Using the linearization of the drift-diffusion equations for both electrons and holes for small carrier concentration perturbations, the governing equations are solved by the extended Stroh formalism, which is a method for solving the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of a problem. The solution, obtained in the form of a series expansion with an unknown coefficient, is solved by matching Fourier series expansions of the boundary conditions. The distributions of electromechanical fields and the concentrations of electrons and holes under four-point bending and three-point bending loads are calculated theoretically. The effects of changing the period length and steady-state carrier concentrations are covered in the discussion, which also reflects the extent of coupling in multi-physics interactions. The results provide a theoretical method for understanding and designing with piezoelectric semiconductor materials.
Lumbar Pain in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis and Knowledge about Physiotherapeutic Methods for Combating Pain

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the intensity and frequency of low back pain (LBP) in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) and patients’ knowledge of physiotherapeutic methods for combating LBP. Methods: This study included all MS patients attending consecutive follow-up visits for treatment related to MS between March and May 2023. Only current pain sensations in the lumbar spine were taken into account. The inclusion criteria were age 18–60 years, a definite diagnosis of MS according to the 2017 McDonald criteria, treatment with disease-modifying drugs (DMTs), and consent to participate in the study. This study was carried out using an original survey questionnaire and a Visual Analogue Scale. PwMS were divided into three age groups: 18–30 years, 31–50 years, and over 50 years. Results: Ninety PwMS (68 women and 22 men) were included in the study. The mean duration of the disease was 9.5 ± 4.9 years, and the mean EDSS was 3.5 ± 1.6. Most patients had a relapsing-remitting form of the disease. Overall, 68.9% of PwMS felt low back pain (n = 62). The relationship tested was statistically significant (p < 0.001), and the strength of the relationship was high (rc = 0.695). The average level of low back pain among PwMS was 4.7 out of 10 on the VAS. The prevalence of LBP was higher in female patients (p < 0.001), patients with a secondary progressive form of MS (p < 0.001), and patients with a longer duration of disease (p < 0.05). The most widely used methods for treating LBP were kinesitherapy and manual therapy. Conclusions: LBP is common in patients with multiple sclerosis. Female sex, a secondary progressive form of MS, and a longer duration of disease increase the risk of LBP. It is important to implement properly planned physiotherapy activities and educate patients on how to combat LBP.
Tuning electrical and optical properties of InAs/GaAs1−x Sb x quantum dots

Understanding the electrical and optical properties of InAs/GaAs(Sb) quantum dots (QDs) is essential for designing and improving the performance of related semiconductor QD devices. In this paper, the effects of In segregation, QD size, capping layer thickness and Sb composition on the electrical and optical properties of type I and type II InAs/GaAs1−x Sb x ( 0⩽x⩽1 ) QDs are systematically investigated and general regularities are summarized. The comparisons of electron distribution probabilities, interband and intraband transition energies and absorption coefficients show that In segregation and QD size have a strong influence on the electron energy level positions of InAs QDs and that the trade-offs between absorption peak energy, absorption intensity and radiative lifetime of InAs/GaAs1−x Sb x QDs can be optimized by adjusting the thickness and Sb composition of the GaAs1−x Sb x capping layer. The results obtained are promising for the applications in the pre-design and performance feedback of the QD devices such as QD lasers, QD infrared detectors and intermediate band solar cells.
Cell Replacement Therapy for Brain Repair: Recent Progress and Remaining Challenges for Treating Parkinson’s Disease and Cortical Injury

Neural transplantation represents a promising approach to repairing damaged brain circuitry. Cellular grafts have been shown to promote functional recovery through “bystander effects” and other indirect mechanisms. However, extensive brain lesions may require direct neuronal replacement to achieve meaningful restoration of function. While fetal cortical grafts have been shown to integrate with the host brain and appear to develop appropriate functional attributes, the significant ethical concerns and limited availability of this tissue severely hamper clinical translation. Induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cells and tissues represent a more readily scalable alternative. Significant progress has recently been made in developing protocols for generating a wide range of neural cell types in vitro. Here, we discuss recent progress in neural transplantation approaches for two conditions with distinct design needs: Parkinson’s disease and cortical injury. We discuss the current status and future application of injections of dopaminergic cells for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease as well as the use of structured grafts such as brain organoids for cortical repair.
Prediction of Erosive Processes in the Río Piedras and Flecha de El Rompido Salt Marsh (Huelva, Spain) Using Iterative Models and GIS

Global warming is an essential factor to consider when studying tidal wetlands. The Río Piedras and Flecha de El Rompido salt marsh is one of the main wetlands in Andalusia, Spain. From the mid-1950s to the present day, Land Use Changes (LUCs) have caused significant alterations to the landscape. These changes, along with the effects of climatic variables and human activity, have led to an unprecedented impact on the environment. In this study, a patented method is used to obtain the total cubic meters of eroded soil and the average erosion prediction between 2015 and 2021 in the marshland area. Additionally, the various factors contributing to this phenomenon and the influence of intertidal processes are discussed. The results demonstrate how the enhanced integration of LIDAR technologies, digital elevation models, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS), in conjunction with regression models, has proven highly useful in describing, analyzing, and predicting the volumetric change process in the study area. In conclusion, the methodology used is helpful for any type of coastal marshes influenced by tidal processes and climate change.
Intelligent Protein Design and Molecular Characterization Techniques: A Comprehensive Review

In recent years, the widespread application of artificial intelligence algorithms in protein structure, function prediction, and de novo protein design has significantly accelerated the process of intelligent protein design and led to many noteworthy achievements. This advancement in protein intelligent design holds great potential to accelerate the development of new drugs, enhance the efficiency of biocatalysts, and even create entirely new biomaterials. Protein characterization is the key to the performance of intelligent protein design. However, there is no consensus on the most suitable characterization method for intelligent protein design tasks. This review describes the methods, characteristics, and representative applications of traditional descriptors, sequence-based and structure-based protein characterization. It discusses their advantages, disadvantages, and scope of application. It is hoped that this could help researchers to better understand the limitations and application scenarios of these methods, and provide valuable references for choosing appropriate protein characterization techniques for related research in the field, so as to better carry out protein research.
Innovative Automated Diabetic Retinopathy Severity Grading for Advanced Clinical Insights

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a hazardous eye disorder that affects the retina and may lead to vision loss and blindness, especially in diabetics. Early identification is critical for a good outcome, however diabetic retinopathy can only be diagnosed through time-consuming and labor-intensive colour fundus pictures. In order to overcome this challenge, this study proposes a Deep Learning-based strategy that useIntelligent Diabetic Retinopathy Grading through Enhanced Neural Networks (IDR-ENN)to classify retinal pictures into distinct stages of diabetic retinopathy. The proposed approach was trained on a dataset that included 2200 photos from the testing set and 11000 coloured retinal images from the training set. The simulation results suggest that the IDR-ENNbased algorithm can achieve excellent levels of accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity.In this study, we propose a method to significantly reduce the computational time for diabetic retinopathy detection. A novelIDR-ENN approach achieves a remarkable 85% reduction in training computational time for diabetic retinopathy detection. The paper's overall conclusion underlines the potential of deep learning to improve the diagnosis and grading of diabetic retinopathy, which might have a significant impact on the prevention of blindness caused by this disease.
SDG7 and the systematic downplaying of affordability in the discourse on energy prices

in the US congress, this study also points to geopolitical implications for other countries. 5) Originality/Value : This is the first study that we are aware of that examines the possible incongruity between international discourses and SDG7. We provide evidence that national discourse on energy in parliaments and news media of US, UK and Ireland are focusing relatively more on clean energy at the expense of affordable energy. This study also adds to the emerging debate on whether affordable energy and clean energy are of equal importance or whether one is superior to the other. This study also points towards the need for a macroeconomic evaluation and cost consideration when it comes to creation of ‘green jobs’.
Electronic Calculations of Sno2 Using Gga+U With Different Pseudopotentials and Relativistic Treatment

The most complicated calculation in Density Functional Theory (DFT) is for exchange and correlation potential. In this work “Generalized Gradient Approximation, Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof and Local density approximation along with Hubbard parameter U functionals are used for exchange and correlation potential approximation. The suitable pseudopotential and Hubbard U value for SnO2 calculation are detected computationally so that the results can be used for further calculation of electronic properties like lattice constant, band plot, TDOS and PDOS plots, magnetic properties etc. From these calculations ultra-soft pseudopotential with Schrodinger relativistic treatment having Hubbard U values Up =7eV and Ud =9eV improved the electronic properties. Utilizing these parameters, the calculated band gap is 3.628 eV with 0.77% of difference in comparison with the experimental data. Then the results from the TDOS and PDOS plots are discussed and analyzed. Symmetry nature of TDOS shows SnO2 has no magnetic behavior.
Insights into the mechanisms of fault-related folding provided by volumetric structural restorations using spatially varying mechanical constraints

We use a new, mechanically based volumetric structural restoration tool to investigate the mechanics of fault-related folding using natural examples imaged in three-dimensional (3-D) seismic data. The restoration technique is based on a finite element approach that simultaneously restores folding and faulting while allowing rock properties to spatially vary during restoration. We apply these techniques to two types of structures, detachment and shear fault-bend folds, where mechanical layering is a significant factor in their development. Our examples include a detachment anticline from the Caspian Sea and a shear fault-bend fold from the deep-water Niger Delta, both of which contain syntectonic growth horizons that help to constrain the restorations. Restorations of the detachment fold most closely match displacement fields specified in the kinematic forward models when materials are defined as incompressible and rigid, yet the variation of mechanical strength in restorations is perhaps more compatible with the growth of natural structures as recorded by syntectonic growth strata. This analysis shows that the restorations of the detachment fold favor a combination of both kink-band migration and limb rotation folding mechanisms. Numerical simulations of the growth shear fault-bend fold also closely match the displacement field prescribed by the kinematics of shear fault-bend fold models when weak basal units and bedding-plane slip surfaces, enabling flexural slip, are incorporated in the model. The results demonstrate that these techniques can be used to provide full 3-D restorations that closely match established two-dimensional kinematic theories, yet allow constraint of 3-D displacement fields and strain patterns in complex structures.
Fault patterns, fault activity reconstructions and a new source candidate for tsunamis in the Messina Strait, Southern Italy

RV Meter Cruise M86/2 was launched in the Messina Strait. A series of near-surface faults have been discovered for the first time. The fault pattern of the Messina Strait has been built up. Reconstructions of fault activities have been conducted on the newly-discovered fault zone in the outer Messina Strait. Tsunami modelling was done from the new fault zone in the outer Messina Strait to its tsunami potential.
Electrokinetic remediation of organic contamination

Electrokinetics (EK) has emerged as a potential in situ soil remediation, particularly effective in low-permeability soils which are often difficult to treat by other treatment techniques. Although EK has been successfully applied in metal removal, for organic decontamination, it is still a new approach in developing stage. In this review, EK principles applied in the remediation of organic contaminated soils, the strong points as well as limitations, and the influential factors will be presented. Key parameters and performances of recent studies on different enhanced electrokinetic remediation of various organic contaminants are summarized for comparison. The paper also gives an overview on the state-of-art as well as future direction of electrokinetic organic decontamination.
The effects of information and communication technologies on indigenous communities in South Africa : a library and information science perspective

When information and communication technologies (ICTs) are introduced in an indigenous environment, they bring along with them mass media, popular culture and global languages such as English. This may cause conflict with existing local traditions and may sometimes erode cultural stability. Paradoxically, these technologies can also empower the same community with new tools to create new economic, social and political opportunities besides preserving, promoting, and even safeguarding its indigenous cultural identity. This dichotomy begs the question: under which conditions can ICTs empower indigenous communities? This article investigates this question, focusing on the role of ICTs in promoting indigenous peoples' livelihoods in South Africa. It analyses key factors under which information and knowledge can be instrumental for the empowerment of marginalised groups. The article argues that improved access to information coupled with ICT skills can enhance indigenous peoples' capabilities to make strategic life choices and uplift their own livelihoods. Furthermore, the article develops an alternative evaluation framework for ICT interventions in indigenous communities based on Sen's (1999) capability approach. In contrast to the dominant narrative around the 'digital divide', this framework places the human development of indigenous communities other than ICTs at the centre of the analysis. With examples and experiences from two case studies from South Africa and Uganda, the article concludes that there is no direct causal link between ICTs and the social development of indigenous communities, but that in fact this relationship is shaped by a dynamic, multi-dimensional interrelationship between technology and the social context.
A Reduced Switch Hybrid Multilevel Converter With Coordinated Control Method for Current Distortion Mitigation and Capacitor Voltages Balancing

This article presents a reduced switch hybrid multilevel converter (RSHMC). The proposed RSHMC is attractive for medium voltage industrial applications as it can work in a wide range of voltages, and lower switch count compared with other multilevel topologies. Nevertheless, the RSHMC faces challenges of neutral-point (NP) voltage, flying capacitor (FC) voltage balancing, and input current distortion mitigation. Therefore, a four-layer coordinated control (FLCC) method is presented for the RSHMC in this article. First, the relationship between the voltage vector and the current polarity of the RSHMC is analyzed in detail, and the improper vectors are removed. Second, calculate the reference voltage in the $\alpha \beta $ orthogonal coordinates frame. The voltage vectors are rotated to the first sector to reduce the computational burden, and the optimal voltage vector is selected by cost function considering the current tracking. Third, the redundant switching states of the optimal voltage vector are restored to the original sector of the reference voltage. Fourth, the optimized switching state is selected for NP voltage and FC voltage balancing by the cost function considering voltage control. Through the aforementioned FLCC method, fast current tracking, input current distortion mitigation, NP voltage, and FC voltage balancing can be realized simultaneously for the RSHMC. Finally, experiments and simulations verify that the proposed FLCC can effectively balance capacitor voltages and mitigate current distortions. Compared to the conventional MPC method, the current THD value and the computational time are reduced by 45% and 83%, respectively.