Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Overview of the evaluation of the state of rock weathering by visual inspection

This paper is intended as a contribution to the discussion of the reliability of assessing the state of weathering of rocks by visual inspection. The study was made by using both shales and greywackes belonging to the Baixo Alentejo Flysch Group, in the south of Portugal. Samples of these two rock materials, with different states of weathering, were collected during a fieldwork programme. This was followed by a laboratory testing programme, which included mineralogical analysis by X-ray diffraction and physical tests. The authors asked a group of qualified people to classify the rock samples under study by ordering them in a sequence according to their state of weathering. A comparison was then made between the qualitative classification of those assessors and that obtained by using the void ratio given by the quick absorption test, a quantitative index parameter which is usually seen as a good way to characterize the state of weathering of the rock material. The conclusions that are made in the paper about the results of the study show many divergent opinions among the assessors. It emphasizes the qualitative feature of visual evaluations of the state of weathering of rocks usually makes them quite subjective. This subjectivity becomes more important as the heterogeneity of the rock material increase, giving rise to quite different evaluations, even for a rock with the same state of weathering.
Effect of The Composition of TiO2 Additives on The Physical and Magnetic Properties Crystal Structure and Microstructure of BaFe12O19 Magnetic Ceramics

<p>In this research, the manufacture of barium hexaferrite (BaFe<sub>12</sub>O<sub>19</sub>) magnetic ceramics and the addition of titanium dioxide (TiO<sub>2</sub>) additives with variations of 0%: 0.3%: 0.6% and 0.9% used the powder metallurgical method. The characterization used in this study is the measurement of density, porosity, X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM), and Impulse Magnetizer K-Series. Based on the results of density and porosity measurements, the highest values were 4.95 g/cm3 and 5.45%, respectively. XRD results showed the formation of a BaFe<sub>12</sub>O<sub>19</sub> phase with some impurities at 0% (Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>), 0.3% and 0.9% (Ti<sub>6</sub>O<sub>11</sub>), and 0.6% (Ti<sub>4</sub>O<sub>7</sub>). The SEM results showed that the morphology of TiO<sub>2</sub>-BaFe<sub>12</sub>O<sub>19</sub> was quite homogeneous, and the size and cavity ranged from 0.5 – 1.5 μm and 0.25 – 0.9 μm, respectively. VSM results show Mr, Ms, Hc, and Bhmax values of 1,489 kG, 3,235 kG, 1,758 kOe, and Bhmax of 0,867 MGOe, respectively. The results of the Impulse Magnetizer K-Series show the maximum and lowest magnetic flux values of 272.65 gauss and 218.10 gauss at 0.6% and 0% variation, respectively. </p>
Special Sensory Function Deficit among Patients with Post-COVID-19 Visiting a Tertiary Care Centre

ABSTRACT Introduction: Several patients who recover from COVID-19 infection continue to have persistent symptoms even after recovery from the disease. The special sensory functions such as taste, smell and hearing are affected by COVID-19 infection even after recovery from the illness. The aim of the study was to find out the prevalence of special sensory deficits among patients with post-COVID-19 visiting a tertiary care centre. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among adult patients who recovered from COVID-19 visiting a tertiary care centre from 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2022. After obtaining ethical approval from the Research Ethics Board of Health, data on patients who were diagnosed with COVID-19 one year ago was obtained from the surveillance register from the Ministry of Health. They were contacted by phone call and invited to the centre to participate in the study. Appropriate clinical examination and tests were carried out to assess the special sensory deficits. A convenience sampling technique was used. The point estimate was calculated at a 95% Confidence Interval. Results: Among 271 patients, the prevalence of sensory function deficit was 39 (14.39%) (10.21-18.57, 95% Confidence Interval). Conclusions: The prevalence of special sensory deficits after recovery from COVID-19 infections was found to be similar to the findings of other studies.
DEVELOPING FLOOD VULNERABILITY MAP FOR NORTH KOREA

North Korea suffers from natural hazards, especially flooding, almost every year. One of the main reasons for natural hazards in North Korea is the clearing of forested areas for energy, logging, and agricultural land. These activities increase the likelihood of hazards such as landslides and flooding, and consequently make North Korea more vulnerable to natural hazards. A hazard vulnerability map can provide useful information for the development of hazard prevention policies. This study developed a flood vulnerability map, especially for flooding, for North Korea. The map includes five categories for the degree of vulnerability. It was found that roughly one third of the study area was vulnerable to flooding (very high and high vulnerable categories) and more than half of the cleared forest areas are vulnerable to flooding.
rHDP: An Aspect Sharing-Enhanced Hierarchical Topic Model for Multi-Domain Corpus

Learning topic hierarchies from a multi-domain corpus is crucial in topic modeling as it reveals valuable structural information embedded within documents. Despite the extensive literature on hierarchical topic models, effectively discovering inter-topic correlations and differences among subtopics at the same level in the topic hierarchy, obtained from multiple domains, remains an unresolved challenge. This paper proposes an enhanced nested Chinese restaurant process (nCRP), nCRP+, by introducing an additional mechanism based on Chinese restaurant franchise (CRF) for aspect-sharing pattern extraction in the original nCRP. Subsequently, by employing the distribution extracted from nCRP+ as the prior distribution for topic hierarchy in the hierarchical Dirichlet processes (HDP), we develop a hierarchical topic model for multi-domain corpus, named rHDP. We describe the model with the analogy of Chinese restaurant franchise based on the central kitchen and propose a hierarchical Gibbs sampling scheme to infer the model. Our method effectively constructs well-established topic hierarchies, accurately reflecting diverse parent-child topic relationships, explicit topic aspect sharing correlations for inter-topics, and differences between these shared topics. To validate the efficacy of our approach, we conduct experiments using a renowned public dataset and an online collection of Chinese financial documents. The experimental results confirm the superiority of our method over the state-of-the-art techniques in identifying multi-domain topic hierarchies, according to multiple evaluation metrics.
Finding Tiny People: Long-range outdoor sensing for establishing joint attention in human-robot interaction

In this thesis, we present two novel methods for a robot to determine whether a distant human wants to interact. The first method finds periodic signals in camera streams and clusters them into potential human waving gestures. We demonstrated this on a ground robot by waving at the robot from long distances of up to 45 meters to attract its attention. The robot then approached to close range to confirm the gesture with other, more precise but distance-limited methods, such as human detection. The second contribution is a robot behaviour for establishing joint attention with a human by exploiting trajectory signals. If a human is detected on an intercept course with the robot, the robot can vary its trajectory to probe the intent of the human. If the human corrects its trajectory to maintain the intercept, this can be considered a strong signal that the human wants to interact with the robot. We show that under modest assumptions, an arbitrary level of confidence in human intent can be achieved by iterating the behaviour. In addition to contributions to human-robot interaction, we present a novel outdoor robot dataset captured at Simon Fraser University campus. The dataset consists of hundreds of gigabytes of trail data recorded using a ground-based robot equipped with six cameras and two laser scanners.
Geochemistry and implication of the Linzizong volcanic succession in Cuomai area,central-western Gangdese,Tibet

The widely spreading Linzizong volcanic succession(LVS)is regarded as the magmatism response to the continental collision between India and Asia,which are essentially important in discovering the initial collisional time and processes.However,the present research on LVS is only limited on the typical cross-section of LVS in Linzhou basin to the northeast of Lhasa City,while that in the central-western part of Gangdese belt is rare.This study,based on the regional geological mapping results,present a systemic work of petrology,major,trace and Sr-Nd-Pb isotopic geochemistry on the Nianbo Formation of LVS in Cuomai area(65~70Ma)in central-western Gangdese belt.The Cuomai Nianbo Formation is calc-alkalic to high-potassic calc-alkalic series,rhyolitic lavas,with much higher silica contents and higher alkaline compositions in comparing with the Nianbo Formation in Linzhou basin.This suggests a typical volcanic series which are occurring in the tectonic setting with postcollisional thickening continental crust.The Cuomai volcanics are enriched in Rb,Ba,Th,U,and Pb,depleted in Nb,Ta,Ti,and P,which are similar to that in Linzhou basin,both of which indicate the arc-related volcanics.The Cuomai Nianbo rocks have much enriched Sr-Nd-Pb isotopes,with 87Sr/86Sr ranging from 0.709 to 0.727,eNd(0)ranging from-9.7 to-6.9,which revealing an large portion involvement of mature continental materials in the source region of the magmas,relative to the LVS in Linzhou basin.This also suggests the inhomogeneous distribution of the continental basement in southern Gangdese belt.If the age of the lower most part of LVS can be used to represent the initial collisional time between India and Asia,then one can conclude that this initial collisional time is asynchronous,with that in central-western Gangdese(Cuomai,65~70Ma)earlier than that in the eastern part(Linzhou basin,60~65Ma).
Serological identification of MERS-CoV in camels of Wasit province, Iraq

Background: Since the first human case of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) caused by Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in 2012, several evidence bases have shown one-humped camels as the main reservoir host, from which infection is transmitted to humans. Aim: Serological investigation of MERS in dromedary camels in Wasit province (Iraq), detection severity of infection, and association to some risk factors. Methods: A total of 455 dromedary camels were selected randomly from two main districts in Wasit province, Iraq, during January and April (2023). Sera of all study camels were examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and titers of positive study animals were categorized according to their severity. Results: Serological testing yielded 37.58% positive animals for MERS infection. According to the severity of positive ODs (titer), a total of 53.22%, 30.99%, 12.28%, and 3.51% showed mild, moderate, strong, and very strong infections, respectively. Regarding risk factors, significant elevation in seropositivity was seen in camels of >3–6 and >6 years old and reduced in camels of £3 years old with an elevated risk of MERS with increased age. Regionally, seropositivity and relative risk were increased in the camels of Shaykh Sa’d when compared with Al-Numaniyah. Regarding sex, no significant variation was detected between seropositive females and males; however, male camels appeared at higher risk than females. Association between the severity of MERS infection and risk factors revealed that there was a significant increase in mild and moderate infections in female camels of >6 years old; whereas strong and very strong infections were seen in male camels of 33–6 years old. Mild and very strong infections were recorded in Shaykh Sa’d; while moderate and strong infections in Al-Numaniyah. Conclusion: The study indicated a longstanding existence of MERS-CoV in camels of Wasit province; therefore, recent infections or active viral excretion are required for confirmation by molecular approaches.
Influence of particle size on sludge dewaterability

One of the primary objectives of wastewater treatment is the removal of solids. Once re moved, the resultant sludge must be treated and disposed of in some innocuous manner. Sludge handling systems commonly used rep resent a large and important cost center of wastewater treatment because its associated capital and operating costs may be as high as one-fourth to one-half of the total cost of wastewater treatment.1 In many wastewater treatment facilities, the bottleneck of the sludge handling system is the dewatering operation; it is also the least-under stood sludge handling operation, as evidenced by the numerous anomalies that exist in the literature. Although many factors are known to influence the dewatering characteristics of sludge, no clear understanding of their relative importance can be garnered from the literature. Through the research reported herein, an at tempt was made to properly evaluate these factors and place them in perspective.
Knowledge and Attitude Regarding Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Among Pregnant Women in Tabuk City, Saudi Arabia: An Exploratory Study

Introduction: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) refers to any stage of glucose intolerance that begins or is first noticed during pregnancy. GDM has long been an issue in Saudi Arabia. When a pregnant woman who does not already have diabetes is unable to produce enough insulin, GDM develops. GDM patients not only run the danger of developing a number of health issues for themselves but also for the health of their developing fetus. The first step in GDM screening during pregnancy is raising awareness of the condition. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted to assess knowledge and attitudes with regard to GDM among pregnant women in Tabuk City, Saudi Arabia. The sample size was 539 females from obstetrics and gynaecology clinics in civil and military hospitals. Data collection was done using a valid questionnaire. Results: A total of 539 women were included in the study, spanning various age groups from under 20 to above 40 years, with pregnancy occurrences ranging from one to four times. Most participants exhibited strong understanding, with 410 (76.1%) demonstrating awareness of GDM, and 382 (70.9%) having a clear grasp of its definition. Additionally, a majority displayed positive attitudes toward managing GDM. Conclusion: The Saudi women who participated in this study showed good knowledge of GDM and its risk factors, as well as a good attitude regarding the management of GDM and lifestyle modification to reduce its complications. The participants gave adequately logical answers about the sources of information about GDM and about the barriers to effective GDM management. A highly significant association was noticed between knowledge and attitude regarding GDM among the participants (p = <0.001).
Interdependence between the Water Levels of Kotte Canal and Kelani River using Copulas

The interdependence of water levels of the Colombo canal system and the Kelani River is important for flood management in the city of Colombo. This study aims at deriving the interdependence between the water levels of the Kotte canal and the Kelani River using the Copula method. The advantage of the Copula method is that it is not necessary to assume that the water levels are independent or normally distributed or have the same of marginal distribution. Since there was a dependency between the two water levels (Kendall’s rank correlation (τ) p-value Sri Lankan Journal of Applied Statistics 2015;16(2): 135-146
Hydraulic Resistance by the River Red Gum, Eucalyptus camaldulensis, in Ephemeral Desert Streams

Channel roughness in desert streams is generated by the colonisation of beds and banks by trees including the river red gum, Eucalyptus camaldulensis. Open growing densely over the bed surface, these trees contribute channel roughness which is distributed through the flow; the efsects are heightened by substantial barriers of flood-transported debris which lodge against trunks and branches, offering additional obstruction to water movement. Bed scour often occurs around such obstacles. Field mapping of channels in the Barrier Range, western NSW where E. camaldulensis growth is common, has permitted the quantification of channel roughness. Results suggest that just under half of the total channel roughness may be contributed by in-channel vegetation, the remainder coming from boundary friction effects. Site-to-site variations in vegetation density are great and assessment offlood discharges and sediment jluxes in these streams without due incorporation of a roughness correction could result in substantial errors of overprediction. The characteristic year-round dryness of streams in the arid and semi-arid zones of Australia and seasonal dryness in parts of the monsoonal tropics results in the growth of vegetation in and near channels where moisture is available from channel sands and underlying sediments. The river red gum, Eucalypfus camaldulensis, is a common large tree species
Copper, Chromium, Nickel, Lead and Zinc Levels and Pollution Degree in Firing Range Soils

Small‐arms firing ranges are an important source of metal contaminants in the ecosystems located near these facilities, owing to the constant fall and alteration of the ammunition remnants on the soil, particularly in nearby berms. The objectives of this study were to analyse the pollution of chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) in rifle/pistol shooting range soils, to estimate their availability and to evaluate the influence of the ammunition used. The concentrations of Pb, Zn, Cu, Cr and Ni range from 55 to 6·309, 34 to 264, 19 to 98, 40 to 79 and 11 to 33 mg kg−1, respectively. The moderate acidity and organic matter content favour the availability of Pb, followed by Cu > Zn > Ni > Cr. The values of different contamination indexes (Igeo, pollution index and integrated pollution index) suggest that Pb soil contamination is moderate to heavy, especially in the berm area and moderate for Cu and Zn. Lead ammunition is the main source of pollution, but another one was identified owing to the concentrations of Fe, Cr and Ni detected. Further studies are needed to verify their long‐term potential adverse effects. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Fog-Driven Approach for Distributed Intrusion Detection System in Auditing the Data Dased on Blockchain-Cloud Systems

Intrusion detection is a familiar phrase in the information and network security domain. An Intrusion Detection System (IDS) is a device or software that will keep track of the networks, for unlawful movements, and policy breaches that arise within the network. There are different forms of IDS, Host Intrusion Detection System (HIDS) helps in identifying unauthorized activities on the host, Network Intrusion Detection System (NIDS) helps in identifying attacks in the network, whereas Distributed Intrusion Detection System (DIDS) consists of multiple IDS over a large area of network where individual IDS communicates with each other or with the central the authorized central server. The proposed work has a three-layered architecture for DIDS for securing data sharing among different IDS. The bottom layer uses multiple IDS, the fog layer is supported with Blockchain functionality, and the cloud service at the upper layer stores required data permanently for future analysis. The fog computing-based architecture for DIDS tries to implement the application in a scalable and trustless environment using distributed ledger technology. The evaluation of the proposed work is carried out for fog, cloud, and integrated fog-cloud with the Blockchain functionality and without Blockchain functionality in measuring performance metrics related to throughput, service latency, response time, block creation time, and block execution time.
Recent hydrologic change in a Colorado alpine basin: an indicator of permafrost thaw?

Abstract Hydrologic and hydrochemical studies have been conducted in Green Lakes Valley, Colorado Front Range, USA, above 3550 m since 1982. They show a classic seasonal hydrograph dominated by snowmelt and an earlier date for the start of spring flow and for peak flow over the period of record. This is consistent with patterns found at lower elevations in Colorado and throughout western North America. They also show an increasing trend in flows in September and October of 2.6 ±0.7 mm a−1 which is not found elsewhere and cannot be accounted for by increased autumn precipitation and the melting of surface ice. Because this late-season increase is not found at the highest elevations or in basins in which there is no evidence of permafrost, it seems best explained by the thawing of alpine permafrost at intermediate elevations. This is corroborated by an increase in the concentration of base cations and silica, and particularly in Ca2+ and SO4–, in the stream discharge starting in 2000. As with the physical hydrology, the geochemical signals have not been detected at the higher elevations in the basin, though they have previously been associated with streamflow from a small rock glacier in the valley. The combined evidence suggests the degradation of ice-rich permafrost on the north-facing slopes of the valley below 3700 m, where it has been detected at 3 m depth by geophysical surveys.
Measured efficiency of diffraction gratings for Carbon Plume Mapper (CPM)

The Carbon Plume Mapper (CPM) instrument is a high-fidelity imaging spectrometer developed to pinpoint, quantify, and track methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) point source emissions. CPM is an optically fast F/1.8 Dyson spectrometer that operates over the spectral range of 400 – 2500 nm with a spectral sampling of 5.0 nm. Three diffraction grating designs were measured in a testbed to provide a reliable prediction of grating performance in a Dyson system to inform CPM grating design. This paper will detail the gratings, testbed design, measurement process, and data used to assess grating efficiency through wavelength (500-1700 nm) of three grating designs, both full aperture and sub-aperture for two field angles, polarized and unpolarized.
Case Study: Watershed Modeling with Distributed Weather Model Data

This paper presents the results of a modeling study that is part of a collaborative distributed precipitation–snowmelt–runoff modeling study initiated by B.C. Hydro (the electric utilities company in British Columbia). Meteorological data were generated for a 23 year period by a high-resolution boundary layer model using a grid size of 2 min latitude×4 min longitude (3.7×4.7 km) . The distributed daily precipitation and temperature–time sequences generated by this model were used as input to the WATFLOOD/SPL hydrological model, resulting in computed streamflows that were compared to measured streamflow at 32 flow gauging sites and four reservoirs. In this way, through a number of calibration and validation runs, the whole sequence of generating the meteorological data and their subsequent use to drive the hydrological model was tested. The study shows the importance of using both models in combination. Although the boundary layer model used the observed meteorological data to the fullest extent, the hydro.