Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Modeling Lane-Changing Behavior in Freeway Off-Ramp Areas from the Shanghai Naturalistic Driving Study

The objective of this study is to investigate lane-changing characteristics in freeway off-ramp areas using Shanghai Naturalistic Driving Study (SH-NDS) data, considering a four-lane freeway stretch in various traffic conditions. In SH-NDS, the behavior of drivers is observed unobtrusively in a natural setting for a long period of time. We identified 433 lane-changing events with valid time series data from the whole dataset. Based on the logit model developed to analyze the choice of target lanes, a likelihood analysis of lane-changing behavior was graphed with respect to three traffic conditions: free flow, medium flow, and heavy flow. The results suggested that lane-changing behavior of exiting vehicles is the consequence of the balance between route plan (mandatory incentive) and expectation to improve driving condition (discretionary incentive). In higher traffic density, the latter seems to play a significant role. Furthermore, we found that lane-change from the slow lane to the fast lane would lead to higher speed variance value, which indicates a higher crash risk. The findings contribute to a better understanding on drivers’ natural driving behavior in freeway off-ramp areas and can provide important insight into road network design and safety management strategies.
New Types of Nonlinear Waves and Bifurcation Phenomena in Schamel-Korteweg-de Vries Equation

We study the nonlinear waves described by Schamel-Korteweg-de Vries equation . Two new types of nonlinear waves called compacton-like waves and kink-like waves are displayed. Furthermore, two kinds of new bifurcation phenomena are revealed. The first phenomenon is that the kink waves can be bifurcated from five types of nonlinear waves which are the bell-shape solitary waves, the blow-up waves, the valley-shape solitary waves, the kink-like waves, and the compacton-like waves. The second phenomenon is that the periodic-blow-up wave can be bifurcated from the smooth periodic wave.
An Energy-Efficient Design Paradigm for a Memory Cell Based on Novel Nanoelectromechanical Switches

the the chapter Abstract In this chapter, we explain NEMsCAM cell, a new content-addressable memory (CAM) cell, which is designed based on both CMOS technologies and nanoelectromechanical (NEM) switches. The memory part of NEMsCAM is designed with two complementary nonvolatile NEM switches and located on top of the CMOS-based comparison component. As a use case, we evaluate first-level instruction and data translation lookaside buf - fers (TLBs) with 16 nm CMOS technology at 2 GHz. The simulation results demonstrate that the NEMsCAM TLB reduces the energy consumption per search operation (by 27%), standby mode (by 53.9%), write operation (by 41.9%), and the area (by 40.5%) compared to a CMOS-only TLB with minimal performance overhead.
How Important are Financing Constraints? The Role of Finance in the Business Environment

What role does the business environment play in promoting or restraining firm growth? Recent literature points to a number of factors as obstacles to growth. Inefficient functioning of financial markets, inadequate security and enforcement of property rights, poor provision of infrastructure, inefficient regulation and taxation, and broader governance features such as corruption and macroeconomic stability are all discussed without any comparative evidence on their ordering. Using firm-level survey data on the relative importance of different features of the business environment, the article finds that although firms report many obstacles to growth, not all the obstacles are equally constraining. Some affect firm growth only indirectly through their influence on other obstacles, or not at all. Analyses using directed acyclic graph methodology and regressions find that only obstacles related to finance, crime, and policy instability directly affect firm growth. The finance result is shown to be the most robust. The results have important implications for the priority of reforms. Maintaining policy stability, keeping crime under control, and undertaking financial sector reforms to relax financing constraints are likely to be the most effective routes to promote firm growth.
Behandlungstrauma und Schizophrenie

Emil Kraepelin entwickelte um die Wende vom 19. zum 20. Jahrhundert den Begriff der »dementia praecox« (lat.: »vorzeitige Verblödung«). Er war »Erbpsychiater« und »Rassenhygieniker«. Unter »dementia praecox« fasste er Psychosenmit ungünstigemVerlauf zusammen.Klar grenzte er davon das»manischdepressive Irresein« ab, dem er einen günstigen Verlauf zuschrieb. Damit begründete er die »Dichotomie der ›endogenen Psychosen‹«. Auch Kraepelin musste jedoch eingestehen, dass es eine Gruppe von »Zwischenfällen« gab, die sich weder in die eine noch in die andere Kategorie einordnen ließen. Vielmehr standen sie zwischen den beiden Gruppen von Psychosen. Sie sollten später von Kasanin als »schizoaffektive Psychosen« benannt werden. 1911 erfand der Schweizer Psychiater Eugen Bleuler (2014 [1911]) den Begriff »Schizophrenie«. Er bildete das Kunstwort aus demNeu-Altgriechischem »schizein« (= »spalten«) und »phrenos« (»Zwerchfell«, »Seele«). Schon damals war er sich bewusst, dass es die eine Schizophrenie nicht gibt. Vielmehr überschrieb er sein Buch, das der Störung ihren Namen gab, mit dem Titel Dementia praecox oder die Gruppe der Schizophrenien Er operationalisierte noch einmal die »Kernsymptome«, die für das Stellen einer Diagnose der »Schizophrenie« erforderlich sind. ImWesentlichen sind es Wahn undHalluzinationen. An den Wahn werden folgende Anforderungen gestellt: Es muss bis heute entweder einer mit bizarren Inhalten sein (was sich unter »bizarr« subsumieren lässt, hat sich im Laufe der letzten 100 Jahre verändert und verändert sich immer schneller) – oder aber es muss ein Verfolgungswahn sein (»paranoider Wahn«), zumindest aber ein Wahn mit »stimmungsinkongruenten« Inhalten.
Objects Detection by Singular Value Decomposition Technique in Hybrid Color Space: Application to Football Images

In this paper, we present an improvement non-parametric background modeling and foreground segmentation. This method is important; it gives the hand to check many states kept by each background pixel. In other words, generates the historic for each pixel, indeed on certain computer vision applications the background can be dynamic; several intensities were projected on the same pixel. This paper describe a novel approach which integrate both Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) of each image to increase the compactness density distribution and hybrid color space suitable to this case constituted by the three relevant chromatics levels deduced by histogram analysis. In fact the proposed technique presents the efficiency of SVD and color information to subtract background pixels corresponding to shadows pixels. This method has been applied on colour images issued from soccer video. In the other hand to achieve some statistics information about players ongoing of the match (football, handball, volley ball, Rugby.) as well as to refine their strategy coach and leaders need to have a maximum of technical-tactics information. For this reason it is prominent to elaborate an algorithm detecting automatically interests color regions (players) and solve the confusion problem between background and foreground every moment from images sequence.
Assessing the Relationship between Air Mass Age and Summer Ozone Episodes Based on Photochemical Indices

Although pollutant sources are usually in urban and industrialized areas, poor air quality is frequently encountered in downwind rural areas. This study utilized a tethered balloon to measure the pollutant concentrations in a downwind side (Caotun) of the Taichung Basin during the summer of 2002. Furthermore, an annular denuder system (ADS) was used to measure PM2.5 and gaseous pollutant concentrations. Concentrations of 55 VOCs species were measured continuously by a network of photochemical assessment monitoring stations in central Taiwan. This study discusses the correlation between the ozone concentration and the routes of an air mass during ozone episodes. Backward trajectory, ratio of particulate matter and photochemical indices were used to examine the aging degree of an air mass. During ozone episodes, the trajectory distribution had a clear sea-land breeze mechanism with a relatively slow wind speed, and the air mass primarily entered through the western coastal industrial area. Analytical results demonstrate that daytime ozone concentrations accompany HNO3 concentrations by photochemical reactions and depend on the previous night's HNO2 concentration. The sulfur and nitrogen conversion ratios, and the photochemical indices (ethylbenzene/m, p-xylene, n-pentane/t-2-pentene and NO2/NO) increased with the ozone concentration. The downwind photochemical indices were strongly correlated with ozone concentration and were higher than those upwind. These phenomena indicate that the air mass during ozone episodes belongs to the ”more aged” category.
SUSTAINED RELEASE TABLETS OF SORAFENIB-SILIBININ COMBINATIONS FOR THE TREATMENT OF HEPATOCELLULAR CARCINOMA

Objective: The aim of this study was to develop polymer coated sustained release tablet using sorafenib and silibinin combination for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma.Methods: The qualitative analysis such as weight variation, friability, hardness, interaction studies, disintegration and in vitro release were performed to validate formulated tablets. We have maintained the acceptable official limits for weight variation, friability, hardness and disintegration time according to prescribed pharmacopoeial recommendation. In vitro drug release studies were performed using USP-II (paddle type) dissolution apparatus. The MTT assay was performed for assessment of Cell viability of drug combination for tablet formulation. Molecular docking studies have been performed to determine the combinatorial mode of action for the tablet formulation.Results: Friability and weight variation were less than 1% for each formulation, which were within range of prescribed pharmacopoeial recommendation. The hardness of 20 tablets showed 5-6.5Kg/cm2 for all formulations 5-6.5Kg/cm2. The optimized formulation resulted in 98% drug release after 28 h. The present study reports the synergistic effects of drug combination to inhibit cell growth in HepG2 cell line. Molecular docking studies showed that sorafenib has high binding affinity for B-Raf vascular endothelial growth factor receptor β and protein kinase B. Silibinin showed binding affinity with MAP kinase-11, protein phosphatase 2 A and tankyrase.Conclusion: The present study reports for the first time a novel formulation for sustained release and reduced toxicity of sorafenib with enhanced inhibitory effect of the drug combination on cancerous hepatic cell line as well collaborative mechanism of action for the formulation.
Analytical theory of optical bistability in plasmonic nanoresonators

We present approximate analytical expressions describing the optical bistability phenomenon in a plasmonic-gap-waveguide-based nonlinear device. The device is formed by a metal–dielectric–metal (MDM) waveguide perpendicularly coupled to a stub structure that is filled with an optically nonlinear medium. Among the recently reported studies on nonlinearity-induced bistability in plasmonic nanostructures, our work stands out because of its pure analytic approach and the considered device geometry. The scattered-field technique that we employ here is hinged on the concepts of circuit theory and the characteristic-impedance model for single-mode MDM waveguides. By properly accounting for surface-plasmon damping, multiple reflections, and the Kerr effect, we obtain a fairly accurate parametric relation connecting the input and output intensities of the device. The impact of changing the operating wavelength and geometrical parameters of the stub on the bistable switching thresholds and the hysteresis loop width is demonstrated using a number of numerical examples. The derived relation is useful for rapid design optimization of plasmonic switches and memories.
Microscopic theory of quantum anomalous Hall effect in graphene

We present a microscopic theory to give a physical picture of the formation of the quantum anomalous Hall (QAH) effect in magnetized graphene coupled with Rashba spin-orbit coupling. Based on a continuum model at valley K or K � , we show that there exist two distinct physical origins of the QAH effect at two different limits. For large exchange field M, the quantization of Hall conductance in the absence of Landau-level quantization can be regarded as a summation of the topological charges carried by skyrmions from real-spin textures and merons from AB sublattice pseudospin textures, while for strong Rashba spin-orbit coupling λR, the four-band low-energy model Hamiltonian is reduced to a two-band extended Haldane model, giving rise to a nonzero Chern number C = 1 at either K or K � . In the presence of staggered AB sublattice potential U, a topological phase transition occurs at U = M from a QAH phase to a quantum valley Hall phase. We further find that the band
Implications for the agriculture sector of a green economy transition in the Western Cape Province of South Africa : a system dynamics modelling approach to food crop production

The Western Cape Provincial government in South Africa has introduced a green economy framework, ‘Green is Smart’, to create a more sustainable economy. This framework stipulates plans for the Western Cape Province to implement more sustainable farming practices for food crop production. While sustainable farming practices will have benefits for the environment, they will also impact food crop production and will require financial investments from stakeholders. To comprehend fully the problem at hand, and to understand better the implications of a green economy transition for the food crop production system, system dynamics modelling was undertaken. The model’s findings highlight that sustainable farming practices will only be financially and environmentally viable if they match the yields of conventional farming practices.
REMOVAL OF CUPRIC IONS IN AQUEOUS SOLUTION BY ADSORPTION ON BARKS OF DACRYODES EDULIS AND MANGIFERA INDICA.

Martin Tchoumou 1 , Kimbassa Mahoungou Fréderic Guenol 1 and Mouelet Cédric 2 . 1. Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University Marien NGOUABI, Brazzaville, CONGO. 2. Normal Superior School, University Marien NGOUABI, Brazzaville, CONGO. Manuscript Info Abstract . Manuscript History
How important are mangroves as a carbon source for decapod crustacean larvae in a tropical estuary

In order to evaluate the importance of mangrove leaf detritus as a food source for deca- pod crustacean larvae, stable isotopes (δ 13 C and δ 15 N) were measured in the tissue of these larvae and other selected organisms. Decapod crustacean larvae and planktonic adult decapods, Lucifer faxoni and Acetes americanus, were sampled in the Itamaraca estuarine system, Brazil. For comparison with stable isotope values in the estuary, plankton and POM samples were also taken on the adjacent con- tinental shelf. In the Itamaraca estuarine system, δ 13 C of decapod larvae and the holoplanktonic decapods L. faxoni and A. americanus ranged from about -17 to -23‰ (mean: -19.8 ± 1.5‰). This indicates that the contribution of mangrove carbon (δ 13 C: -26.8‰) to larval nutrition was generally negligible. Among decapod larvae, porcellanid zoeae showed relatively low δ 13 C values, while penaeid shrimp postlarvae showed the highest δ 13 C. Porcellanid zoeae were thus the only decapod larvae with a considerable percentage (13 to 40%) of mangrove carbon in their tissue. However, these low values may also be due to a negative isotope shift that occurs during embryogenesis. Feed- ing experiments with zoeae of Petrolisthes armatus (Anomura: Porcellanidae) and Sesarma rectum (Brachyura: Grapsidae) showed assimilatory shifts of up to 1.0 ± 0.2‰ for 13 C and up to 1.4 ± 0.6‰ for 15 N. Analysis of embryonic isotope fractionation for 5 decapod crustacean species, P. armatus, S. rectum, Aratus pisonii, Uca thayeri, and U. maracoani, showed that larval tissue was 13 C-depleted by up to 3.8‰ and 15 N-depleted by up to 2.3‰ in relation to parental tissue.
Linear oscillations of a compressible hemispherical bubble on a solid substrate

The linear natural and forced oscillations of a compressible hemispherical bubble on a solid substrate are under theoretical consideration. The contact line dynamics is taken into account by application of the Hocking condition, which eventually leads to nontrivial interaction of the shape and volume oscillations. Resonant phenomena, mostly pronounced for the bubble with the fixed contact line or with the fixed contact angle, are found out. A double resonance, where independent of the Hocking parameter, an unbounded growth of the amplitude occurs, is detected. The limiting case of weakly compressible bubble is studied. The general criterion identifying whether the compressibility of a bubble can be neglected is obtained.
Physikalische Maßnahmen als unverzichtbarer Beitrag in der Schmerztherapie // Physical Procedures as Indispensable Contribution in Pain Therapy

Physical Procedures as Indispensable Contribution in Pain Therapy. Modern concepts of pain treatment use a multimodal approach [1]. In this context physical therapies are part of the multimodal concept. Use of drugs as well as care without medication-based treatment depend primarily on diagnosis of acute or chronic pain. Acute phase of pain treatment is the domaine of drug therapy, whereas physical therapies provide support. Cryotherapy and compression are the most important therapies in acute phase of pain. In acute phase, the so-called „pain memory“ is irrelevant in contrast to chronic pain, lasting at least between 3–6 months. J Miner Stoffwechs Muskuloskelet Erkrank 2016; 23 (4): 120–3.
Realization of Colored Multicrystalline Silicon Solar Cells with SiO2/SiNx:H Double Layer Antireflection Coatings

We presented a method to use SiO2/SiNx:H double layer antireflection coatings (DARC) on acid textures to fabricate colored multicrystalline silicon (mc-Si) solar cells. Firstly, we modeled the perceived colors and short-circuit current density () as a function of SiNx:H thickness for single layer SiNx:H, and as a function of SiO2 thickness for the case of SiO2/SiNx:H (DARC) with fixed SiNx:H (refractive index at 633 nm, and thickness = 80 nm). The simulation results show that it is possible to achieve various colors by adjusting the thickness of SiO2 to avoid significant optical losses. Therefore, we carried out the experiments by using electron beam (e-beam) evaporation to deposit a layer of SiO2 over the standard SiNx:H for mm2 mc-Si solar cells which were fabricated by a conventional process. Semisphere reflectivity over 300 nm to 1100 nm and I-V measurements were performed for grey yellow, purple, deep blue, and green cells. The efficiency of colored SiO2/SiNx:H DARC cells is comparable to that of standard SiNx:H light blue cells, which shows the potential of colored cells in industrial applications.
Patterns of larval development in Cretaceous pipid frogs

A developmental series of nearly 250 tadpoles of Shomronella jordanica from the Early Cretaceous (Hauterivian) of the Shomron (Samaria) region of central Israel, a small collection (12) of Thoraciliacus rostriceps tadpoles from the Early Cretaceous (Aptian) of Makhtesh Ramon, Israel, and 13 tadpoles from the Late Cretaceous (Campanian/Maastrichtian boundary) of Stompoor, Marydale, South Africa were studied. These were compared with published data on the develop− ment of Paleogene (Middle Eocene–Early Oligocene) pipids from Patagonia, and with normal development of the con− temporary pipid frog Xenopus. The comparisons of the developmental series of the Cretaceous and contemporary pipid frogs provided data on changes in the developmental pattern, namely of the degree of ossification and other developmen− tal events. In general, it seems that ossification has become considerably delayed in the course of pipid evolution, whereas most anatomical features typical for free living pipid larvae were well established as early as in the Early Cretaceous. Comparisons with the developmental series of specimens from the Late Oligocene Palaeobatrachidae (closely related to the Pipidae) from Bechlejovice near Děcin, Czech Republic revealed that some morphological differences between the two families might be explained by their developmental mode (e.g., formation of the opisthocoelous vertebral centrum in Shomronella). The uncinate process on three anterior pairs of ribs in Shomronella is the character retained in primitive anurans, and indicates close phylogenetic relations of early pipoids to discoglossoids.
A Nonparametric Search for Information Effects from USDA Reports

Two nonparametric tests are employed to investigate the potential information value of USDA crop and livestock reports. If daily returns on days that reports are released (announcement days) differ when compared to non-announcement days for a sizeable number of commodities from a set of seven futures markets studied, we deem the report to contain market-moving information. The question of report value has been unsettled in the literature with results varying somewhat across studies and across reports. This study finds market-moving value in five of the USDA reports investigated, with six other reports showing little or no market-moving value in the markets examined. While most of our results confirm and add robustness to earlier results, there are some differences both for certain reports and certain commodities.
POINT CLOUD PROCESSING FOR SMART SYSTEMS

High population as well as the economical tension emphasises the necessity of effective city management – from land use planning to urban green maintenance. The management effectiveness is based on precise knowledge of the city environment. Point clouds generated by mobile and terrestrial laser scanners provide precise data about objects in the scanner vicinity. From these data pieces the state of the roads, buildings, trees and other objects important for this decision-making process can be obtained. Generally, they can support the idea of “smart” or at least “smarter” cities.Unfortunately the point clouds do not provide this type of information automatically. It has to be extracted. This extraction is done by expert personnel or by object recognition software. As the point clouds can represent large areas (streets or even cities), usage of expert personnel to identify the required objects can be very time-consuming, therefore cost ineffective. Object recognition software allows us to detect and identify required objects semi-automatically or automatically.The first part of the article reviews and analyses the state of current art point cloud object recognition techniques. The following part presents common formats used for point cloud storage and frequently used software tools for point cloud processing. Further, a method for extraction of geospatial information about detected objects is proposed. Therefore, the method can be used not only to recognize the existence and shape of certain objects, but also to retrieve their geospatial properties. These objects can be later directly used in various GIS systems for further analyses.
The Role of Convenience and Risk in Consumers' Means of Payment

Using data from a 2004 survey of the Canadian public, the authors study the role of convenience and risk in consumers' use of cash relative to debit and credit cards. The authors find that consumers who perceive debit cards and credit cards to be more convenient and less risky than cash use them more frequently. Even at low levels of perceived risk, consumers shift substantially away from cash and towards alternative payment methods. However, the authors' results reveal that there exists a lower bound for which cards can substitute for cash. Also, as other studies have shown, the relative use of cash is higher among older, less-educated, lower-income consumers.