Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Representation of the urban terrain and its use in quantifying the hydrologic response

In urban stormwater models, large pipes and channels are simulated with hydraulic methods, but contributing subcatchments are usually modeled with hydrologic methods that neglect the presence of smaller pipes and streets. Specifically, subcatchments are parameterized from digital elevation models (DEMs) that do not resolve such features. This paper presents a new model called the U-McIUH (Urban Morpho-climatic Instantaneous Unit Hydrograph), which defines the IUH as the probability density function of travel times to the catchment outlet. Flow paths are extracted from a specially processed DEM that includes the properties of contributing surfaces and artificial conduits. This information is utilized to compute travel times using kinematic wave-based expressions that depend on the upstream contribution and the rainfall intensity. The model generates the response to a storm through a quasi-linear convolution of the rainfall pulses and their respective IUH. The application of the model to a real catchment shows a good reproduction of observed hydrographs. Results suggest that the nonlinearity of the catchment response is important and that artificial elements represented in the urban terrain play a major role in determining the hydrologic response.
Nighttime formation of peroxy and hydroxyl radicals during the BERLIOZ campaign: Observations and modeling studies

[1] Traditionally, tropospheric radical chemistry is discussed in terms of the daytime photochemically produced hydroxyl radical (OH). Radicals, however, are also important during nighttime: this is especially true for ozone and the nitrate radical (NO3), which both act as key initiators of the degradation of alkenes such as biogenic monoterpenes. These reactions lead to the formation of peroxy radicals (HO2 and RO2) and hydroxyl radicals at night. We present recent observations of nighttime concentrations of NO3, RO2, HO2, and OH by differential optical absorption spectroscopy (DOAS), matrix isolation electron spin resonance (MIESR), laser-induced fluorescence (LIF), and a chemical amplifier (CA) in the framework of the Berliner Ozonexperiment (BERLIOZ) campaign at Pabstthum, Germany, together with modeling studies of nocturnal radical chemistry. Modeled RO2 mixing ratios reached 40 ppt while the measured ROx level went up to 22 ppt at the same time. Modeled and measured HO2 mixing ratios were up to 6 and 4 ppt, respectively. In the case of OH, a nocturnal concentration of (1.85 ± 0.82) × 105 cm−3 was measured during one night. At this time, the model yielded an OH level of (4.1 ± 0.7) × 105 cm−3. This overestimation by the model could point to a missing nocturnal sink of OH. Nitrate radical reactions with terpenes were found responsible for producing 77% of the RO2 radicals, 53% of the HO2, and 36% of the OH radicals during night. Nighttime ozonolysis formed 12% of the RO2, 47% of the HO2, and 64% of the OH radicals. Another 11% of the RO2 radicals were formed by OH–volatile organic compound (VOC) reactions. A positive linear correlation of RO2 and NO3 was observed and could be reproduced in model calculations originating from the loss of both radicals by reaction with NO and the NO3-initiated RO2 production. The contribution of nighttime OH to the atmosphere's oxidation capacity (oxidation rate of VOCs, CO, and CH4) was found negligible (<0.5%).
The role of self-esteem in the relationship between parental support and monitoring and adolescents’ social initiative among adolescents in mainland China

ABSTRACT Previous literature demonstrates that parental support and parental monitoring play an essential role in adolescents’ social competence and their self-esteem. In addition, the relationship between self-esteem and adolescents’ social initiative has been examined. However, little is known about the underlying mechanism of the associations among parental support, parental monitoring, and social initiative. The purpose of this research project was to examine the role of self-esteem in the relationship between parental connection and adolescents’ social initiative among adolescents in mainland China. Self-report data were acquired for this research project from the 589 adolescents who attended secondary schools in Hangzhou and participated in the Cross-National Study of Adolescence. Results of structural equation modelling indicated that adolescents’ self-esteem mediated the association between paternal, not maternal, connection and adolescents’ social initiative. There was no direct effect between maternal connection to adolescents’ social initiative. Limitations and suggestions for future research are discussed.
Exploring Rural-Urban Differences in Polygenic Associations for Exploring Rural-Urban Differences in Polygenic Associations for Health among Older Adults in the United States Health among Older Adults in the United States

A complex combination of genes and environment influence health and, as a result, both genes and environment can play a role in shaping health disparities. We consider distinctions in these influences across rural and urban settings, expanding upon work that shows lower genetic associations in rural compared to urban places by studying an older age group and examining more than the typical outcomes of alcohol/substance abuse. Using a sample of 14,994 adults from the 1992 through 2016 waves of the Health and Retirement Study, our results suggest genetic associations for BMI and heart conditions are significantly lower in rural compared to urban settings. We do not find evidence in support of this association for depression and smoking. In sum, the results suggest the gene-environment interaction may play a role in the well-documented disparities across rural and urban places within the United States, further highlighting the importance of the social, economic, and built environments for individual health.
Using response time to evaluate noise fluctuations and Lombard speech in auralizations

This work presents developments on the usage of a viable measure of listening effort, that is the response time, in the framework of auralization. The approach is confirmed to be informative and suitable to evaluate the current means of acoustical renderings. In particular the manipulation of the noise signals and of the speakers’ spectrum is introduced in the auralization process. It is shown that, even in conditions where speech intelligibility is kept constant, the response time can disclose the listener effort according to the required processing load to achieve the given accuracy of reception. Applications to the acoustical design of rooms for speech communication are discussed.
Septic Obturation of a Knee Endoprosthesis Caused by Aspergillus clavatus

Aspergillus clavatus is a rare opportunistic fungal pathogen that can be isolated from various environmental sources, including soil and animal feces. Although infrequent, infections caused by A. clavatus can be severe in immunocompromised patients. Here, we present a case of a prosthetic joint infection (PJI) in a 74-year-old female patient caused by A. clavatus. The patient presented with left knee pain, and septic loosening of the left knee endoprosthesis was diagnosed. She underwent surgical revision with the implantation of an antibiotic spacer and microbiologic testing. The results came back positive for both Staphylococcus lugdunensis and A. clavatus (which is found in only a fraction of a percent of PJIs). She was treated with oral antimicrobials for 3 months postoperatively. This case report vividly illustrates a clinical scenario that underscores the significance of rigorous microbiologic testing procedures, accurate pathogen identification, unwavering vigilance in testing protocols, and a cautious approach that avoids succumbing to the seductive simplicity of Occam’s razor.
Nonlinear Identification for Control by Using HARMAX Models

The purpose of this article is to perform a comparison between two identification models: a nonlinear one referred to as HARMAX and a classical linear one, of Box-Jenkins (BJ) type. The first model modifies a classical ARMAX model by applying Hammerstein polynomials on input, output, and noise signals. Identification of models was performed by means of Multi-Step Least Squares Method, as described into the article. The simulations on a real-world plant, namely ASTANK2, a fluidic system with two inputs, two outputs and nonlinear static characteristic, have proven that the HARMAX model performs better than the BJ model and provides more accurate useful models to be integrated into closed loop configurations.
Plant Extracts as Skin Care and Therapeutic Agents

Natural ingredients have been used for centuries for skin treatment and care. Interest in the health effects of plants has recently increased due to their safety and applicability in the formulation of pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. Long-known plant materials as well as newly discovered ones are increasingly being used in natural products of plant origin. This review highlights the beneficial effects of plants and plant constituents on the skin, including moisturizing (e.g., Cannabis sativa, Hydrangea serrata, Pradosia mutisii and Carthamus tinctorius), anti-aging (e.g., Aegopodium podagraria, Euphorbia characias, Premna odorata and Warburgia salutaris), antimicrobial (e.g., Betula pendula and Epilobium angustifolium), antioxidant (e.g., Kadsura coccinea, Rosmarinus officinalis, Rubus idaeus and Spatholobus suberectus), anti-inflammatory (e.g., Antidesma thwaitesianum, Helianthus annuus, Oenanthe javanica, Penthorum chinense, Ranunculus bulumei and Zanthoxylum bungeanum), regenerative (e.g., Aloe vera, Angelica polymorpha, Digitaria ciliaris, Glycyrrihza glabra and Marantodes pumilum), wound healing (e.g., Agrimonia eupatoria, Astragalus floccosus, Bursera morelensis, Jatropha neopauciflora and Sapindus mukorossi), photoprotective (e.g., Astragalus gombiformis, Calea fruticose, Euphorbia characias and Posoqueria latifolia) and anti-tyrosinase activity (e.g., Aerva lanata, Bruguiera gymnorhiza, Dodonaea viscosa, Lonicera japonica and Schisandra chinensis), as well as their role as excipients in cosmetics (coloring (e.g., Beta vulgaris, Centaurea cyanus, Hibiscus sabdariffa and Rubia tinctiorum), protective and aromatic agents (e.g., Hyssopus officinalis, Melaleuca alternifolia, Pelargonium graveolens and Verbena officinalis)).
Economic and Social Impacts of Costa Rica's Ecotourism Boom

From a range of diverse political perspectives, proponents have presented ecotourism as a market-based activity that will provide income and empowerment to local communities while promoting environmental conservation. The experiences of Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula, where relative isolation has limited the presence of transnational corporate capital, suggest that the impacts of community-based ecotourism expansion are far from certain and are the outcomes of struggles over access to land and natural resources, economic benefits, and representations of the environment. Ecotourism, while potentially offering new economic opportunities to Latin America’s poor majority, may also reproduce preexisting patterns of stratification, particularly where state policies have favored larger and foreign ecotourism enterprises. Ecotourism may also engender processes of ideological resistance and reconfiguration that transform existing relationships of nationality, class, and gender.
Know the Risk: Stroke With Patent Foramen Ovale

The presence of patent foramen ovale (PFO) is noted to be higher in patients with a history of cryptogenic stroke, especially in younger patients <55 years old. PFO has shown to be a relatively common occurrence in the population, in 25-30% of individuals. Our case is one of right middle cerebral artery (MCA) infarct due to thromboembolism from a PFO. A 44-year-old white right-handed woman with a history of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, tobacco abuse, and obesity presented with complaints of new onset headache, dizziness, and left arm and leg heaviness, suspicious for right MCA lesion. She was admitted with stroke-like symptoms, National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) of 8 for left-sided weakness, sensory loss, and ataxia. Computed tomography (CT) head was negative for hemorrhage, and there was no large vessel occlusion on computed tomography angiogram (CTA). She was aspirin-loaded and started on dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT). Ultimately, brain MRI showed right MCA ischemic stroke, and full stroke assessment showed small PFO on the transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE). She was continued on aspirin and clopidogrel DAPT for 21 days, followed by aspirin monotherapy. Unfortunately, her left-sided deficits did not completely resolve, and she was discharged to rehab. She has had recurrent stroke and is currently considered for PFO repair. A patient's past medical history, last known well time, and exacting symptoms with the NIHSS at onset should be thoroughly obtained at the first medical contact. CT imaging should rule out hemorrhage prior to prompt antiplatelet or thrombolytic administration. In addition, when there are absence of risk factors and the cause remains unknown, it is especially important to obtain TTE with Doppler to assess for right-to-left atrial shunt indicating PFO and potentially contributing thromboembolic etiology. Stroke precautions involving swallow evaluation, aspiration and fall precautions, serial NIH for changes, sequence of imaging, and physical therapy (PT) and occupational therapy (OT) should entail. A stroke neurologist should also be involved at presentation, with the stroke alert protocol shown to improve patient outcomes. Additional risk factors, such as PFO, should also be addressed, often with a multimodal team of providers and careful weight given to the risks and benefits of invasive procedure.
Distributed Load Balancing Based on Modified Local Voting Protocol

The problem of load balancing in a distributed network is considered. The network operates in discrete time under the influence of noise in communication channels. The node's load is formulated as a function of the node's operation parameters and the value of this function is exchanged locally among the node's neighbors. Each node, based on comparison of its load and the neighbors' loads, exchanges the tasks with its neighbors so that the load is averaged across the network. The step-size of the load adjustment procedure is chosen via fast gradient like Nesterov algorithm to achieve faster convergence. The algorithm divergence upper bound is estimated. The simulation results suggest faster convergence of the proposed algorithm.
Multiples: Signal or noise?

ABSTRACTMigration and migration inversion are the seismic processing methods for structural determination and subsequent amplitude analysis, respectively. To date, the most well-founded and physically interpretable migration method is based on predicting a coincident source and receiver experiment at depth at time equals zero. We have extended that migration method for heterogeneous media and to accommodate two-way propagation in a local sense at every point from the source to the target reflector and back from the reflector to the receiver and in a global sense, separately for each of the two legs from the source to the reflector and from the reflector to the receiver. That provides the first migration method that avoids high-frequency assumptions in the imaging principle and how it is implemented, and hence, it is equally effective at all frequencies at the target or reservoir. This advance for two-way wave propagation migration then provides a tool to quantitatively, unambiguously, and definitively def.
Joint Path Selection and Resource Allocation in Multi-Hop mmWave-based IAB Systems

Recently proposed by 3GPP, Integrated Access and Backhaul (IAB) technology promises to deliver a cost-efficient and flexible solution for network densification in 5G/6G systems. Since IAB architecture is based on multi-hop topology and advanced functionalities, such as multi-connectivity transmission and multi-routing, the potential utilization of IAB systems raises an issue of efficient system design. In this paper, we develop an optimization framework capable of jointly selecting transmission paths and allocating radio resources in compliance with half-duplexing and interference constraints. The presented numerical results illustrate that directional mm Wave beams employed at the wireless backhaul are essential for capacity boosting, thus allowing to fully exploit the radio resources in self-backhauled systems. We also establish that the multi-hop IAB topology provides advantages in terms of end-to-end user throughput as compared to single-hop systems.
Observation and Quantification of Water Penetration into Frost Damaged Concrete by Neutron Radiography / Beobachtung und quantitative Bestimmung der Wasseraufnahme von Frost geschädigtem Beton mit Hilfe der Neutronenradiographie

Abstract Concrete can be damaged either by mechanical or enviro nmental loads or by combined loads in practice. It iswell known that strength and elastic modulus of concrete can be reduced significantly by frost action. Butdamage in the composite structure of concrete by freeze-thaw cycles will also increase uptake of water andaqueous salt solutions by cap illary suction. By moisture movement servi ce life of real concrete structures canbe reduced due to ingress of dissolved nocuous comp ounds and by hydrolysis. Neutron radiography has beenapplied to investigate the influence of frost damage on water penetration into concrete. By means of thisadvanced method it is possible to visualize penetration of water into the porous stru cture of concrete and intocracks formed by frost action. Further evaluation of the test data allows determining time-dependent mois-ture profiles quantitatively with high resolution. After concrete is damaged by freeze-thaw cycles water pen-etration into ordinary concrete is accelerated. It can be shown that frost damage is not equally distributed inspecimens exposed to freeze-thaw cycles. Thermal gradients lead to more serious damage near the surface.The beneficial effect of air entrainment on frost resistance has been demonstrated. After 50 freeze-thawcycles, air entrained concrete showed no measurable in crease in water absorption. But layers near the surfaceof concrete absorbed slightly more water after 200 freeze-thaw cycles although the dynamic elastic modulusremained constant. Results presented in this paper help us to better understand mechanisms of frost damageof concrete. The influence of thermal gradients on frost damage has been elucidated in particular.
Damage types, causes of damage and herd leaving ages in dairy cattle under the scope of livestock insurance and subject to compensation in some districts of Izmir Province of Turkey

In this research, in some districts of Izmir province, damage types, causes of damage, ages at which the damage occured and hot carcass weights of Holstein cattle which are under the scope of state supported livestock insurance and which were slaughtered involuntarily due to various reasons, which died, aborted or whose calves died, were examined. The research data were obtained from the damage reports prepared by Agricultural Insurances Pool (AIP) experts and records kept by slaughterhouses. Damage types that are subject to compensation in dairy cattle are classified by AIP under four groups: involuntary slaughtering, death, abortion and calf death. The distribution percentages of the 215 damage reports into groups of involuntary slaughtering, death, abortion and calf death were found as 53.5, 6.5, 13.5 and 26.5% respectively. The mean herd leaving ages due to death and involuntary slaughtering were found to be 42.6 months and 52.4 months, respectively. In involuntary slaughtering, the causes of damage were separated into five groups as udder disorders, reproduction and calving problems (excluding abortion), digestive tract disorders, foot and leg problems, and injury and other problems. In the 115 cattle that were involuntarily slaughtered, the distribution percentages of the above causes were 51.3, 17.4, 11.3, 7.8 and 12.2%, respectively. The mean carcass weights of involuntarily slaughtered cattle were 224, 216, 198 and 204 kg for winter, spring, summer and autumn, respectively (P<0.10). The overall mean was 216 kg. Although the number of companies active in agricultural insurance is 22, it was observed that the cattle examined in our research were insured by only 4 companies. Livestock insurance is a practice which could help with the healthy development of the livestock sector.
Sequential Inverse Optimal Control of Discrete System

This paper suggests the sequential inverse optimal control (SIOC) approach for discrete-time system. It determines the unknown weight vectors of the cost function in real-time utilizing the input and output of a discrete-time system that is optimally controlled. It systematically calculates the possible solution spaces and their intersections until the intersection space's dimension is reduced to one. The remaining one-dimensional vector at the intersection of the possible solution space is the solution to the IOC problem. In this method, we clarify the conditions on the decrease of the dimension of the intersection space follow with the tackling method of noisy data. The simulation results illustrate the high calculation speed and effective noise-tackling results of our method.
Validity of the Parabolic Wavefront Model for Near-Field MIMO

Motivated by the widespread adoption of the parabolic wavefront model for the analysis and characterization of near-field multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) communication and positioning, this paper presents an extensive analysis of this model's validity. Insightful relationships are derived for the combinations of transmission range, wavelength, and array apertures that ensure that the model is valid to within some desired accuracy. Furthermore, a connection is drawn with the number of spatial degrees of freedom that the model can fundamentally represent.
Developing Interactive Game to Alleviate Stress Level of Depressed Adolescents: A Preliminary Study

Depression is the largest contributor to global disability and the major contributor to suicide. The outbreak of COVID virus further promotes the increased growth of depression worldwide and, consequently, led to a high number of suicide cases reported. This study presents a novel approach to counter depression faced by adolescence through games, in the light of motivating them and improving their self-awareness of depression. The game scenario changed according to the choices the players made in the game. The novelty of this game is the inclusion of a chatbot to interact with players and analyze the stress levels of the players.
Multi-Modal Skin Lesion Classification Based on Dermoscopic Images and Meta-Data

Skin cancer is one of the most dangerous diseases, it can be deadly if not treated at an early stage. The intervention of deep learning has made a significant contribution in the field of dermatology medicine. In this work, we applied deep learning methods represented by Two dimensional Convolutional Neural Network and Multi-layer Perceptron on uni-modal and multi-modal data while taking into consideration two classes (malignant and benign). Additionally, due to the imbalanced data-set, we transformed images into a vector to solve this problem by applying SMOTE method, which is very important in classification problems.