Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The effect of low-k ILD on the electromigration reliability of Cu interconnects with different line lengths

We have compared the electromigration performance of Cu electromigration structures with varying line lengths imbedded in two different ILD materials. In the regime of high jL where there is no significant back-stress, we observed that three of the key electromigration parameters (i.e., MTF, n, and /spl sigma/) are constant and approximately equivalent between the two materials. In the regime of lower jL where there is significant back-stress, both materials exhibit similar trends, however, the Cu with low-k material performed relatively worse in terms of MTF and similarly in terms of n and /spl sigma/. That is, while the MTF of Cu with both materials increased with decreasing jL, the MTF of Cu with low-k material was less than that of the Cu with SiO/sub 2/-based material due to lower back-stress at a given jL. Further, while a regime of complete immortality was observed for the SiO/sub 2/-based material, no regime of immortality was observed for the low-k material. The values of n and /spl sigma/ were comparable for both materials, and were constant in the absence of significant back-stress but increased in the presence of significant back-stress. Due to the higher MTFs in the regime of high backstress, MTF is more sensitive to j and L, thereby increasing n as per Black's Law. The increase in /spl sigma/ is a consequence of heightened sensitivity to process variations such as via barrier integrity and CD variation.
Grothendieck ring of semialgebraic formulas and motivic real Milnor fibers

We define a Grothendieck ring for basic real semialgebraic formulas, that is for systems of real algebraic equations and inequalities. In this ring the class of a formula takes into consideration the algebraic nature of the set of points satisfying this formula and contains as a ring the usual Grothendieck ring of real algebraic formulas. We give a realization of our ring that allows to express a class as a $\Z[\frac{1}{2}]$-linear combination of classes of real algebraic formulas, so this realization gives rise to a notion of virtual Poincare polynomial for basic semialgebraic formulas. We then define zeta functions with coefficients in our ring, built on semialgebraic formulas in arc spaces. We show that they are rational and relate them to the topology of real Milnor fibres.
Comprehensive Analysis of the Functions, Prognostic and Diagnostic Values of RNA Binding Proteins in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Background: Increasing evidence has suggested that RNA binding protein (RBP) dysregulation plays an important part in tumorigenesis. Here, we sought to explore the potential molecular functions and clinical significance of RBP and develop diagnostic and prognostic signatures based on RBP in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Methods: The Limma package was applied to identify the differently expressed RBPs between HNSCC and normal samples with |log2 fold change (FC)|≥1 and false discovery rate (FDR)<0.05. the immunohistochemistry images from the Human Protein Atlas database The diagnostic signature based on RBP was built by LASSO-logistic regression and random forest and the prognostic signature based on RBP was constructed by LASSO and stepwise Cox regression analysis in training cohort and validated in validation cohort. All these analyses were performed using the R software.Results: A total of 84 aberrantly expressed RBPs were obtained, comprising 41 up-regulated and 43 down-regulated RBPs. Seven RBP genes (CPEB3, PDCD4, ENDOU, PARP12, DNMT3B, IGF2BP1, EXO1) were identified as diagnostic related hub gene and were used to establish a diagnostic RBP signature risk score (DRBPS) model by the coefficients in LASSO-logistic regression analysis and shown high specificity and sensitivity in the training (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC] = 0.998), and in all validation cohorts (AUC > 0.95 for all). Similarly, seven RBP genes (MKRN3, ZC3H12D, EIF5A2, AFF3, SIDT1, RBM24 and NR0B1) were identified as prognosis associated hub genes by least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) and stepwise multiple Cox regression analyses and were used to construct the prognostic model named as PRBPS. The area under the curve of the time-dependent receiver operator characteristic curve of the prognostic model were 0.664 at 3 years and 0.635 at 5 years in training cohort and 0.720, 0.777 in the validation cohort, showing a favorable predictive effificacy for prognosis in HNSCC.Conclusions: Our results demonstrate the values of consideration of RBP in the diagnosis and prognosis for HNSCC and provide a novel insights to understand potential role of dysregulated RBP in HNSCC.
The specific absorption rate in a spherical head model from a dipole with metallic walls nearby

The head of the user of a mobile telephone is modeled by a lossy dielectric sphere excited by the near field of a dipole antenna and the effects of a metallic wall placed close to this system are analyzed. Three wall orientations are used and the changes in specific absorption rate (SAR) with wall or antenna distance from the sphere are investigated. When the wall is closer than 100 mm to the dipole-sphere system, it can have a strong influence on the input impedance of the antenna and can cause significant increases in the SAR in the head. When a constant radiated power of the dipole antenna is assumed, the maximum value of SAR averaged over 10 g of tissue within the sphere is increased by 60% when the wall is as close as 30 mm from the surface of the sphere. For a dipole excited by a constant current source, the increase is less than 10% and occurs when the wall is 120 mm from the surface of the sphere. Although the distances and configurations analyzed may not represent the way the majority of people use mobile telephones, it is important to examine unusual situations to determine the extent of the SAR enhancement problem.
Title Dynamic optimization of multiattribute resource allocation inself-organizing clouds

By leveraging virtual machine (VM) technology which provides performance and fault isolation, cloud resources can be provisioned on demand in a fine grained, multiplexed manner rather than in monolithic pieces. By integrating volunteer computing into cloud architectures, we envision a gigantic self-organizing cloud (SOC) being formed to reap the huge potential of untapped commodity computing power over the Internet. Toward this new architecture where each participant may autonomously act as both resource consumer and provider, we propose a fully distributed, VM-multiplexing resource allocation scheme to manage decentralized resources. Our approach not only achieves maximized resource utilization using the proportional share model (PSM), but also delivers provably and adaptively optimal execution efficiency. We also design a novel multiattribute range query protocol for locating qualified nodes. Contrary to existing solutions which often generate bulky messages per request, our protocol produces only one lightweight query message per task on the Content Addressable Network (CAN). It works effectively to find for each task its qualified resources under a randomized policy that mitigates the contention among requesters. We show the SOC with our optimized algorithms can make an improvement by 15-60 percent in system throughput than a P2P Grid model. Our solution also exhibits fairly high adaptability in a dynamic node-churning environment.
Real-Time Offset Transitioning Algorithm for Coordinating Traffic Signals

A traffic signal offset transitioning algorithm is introduced that can be viewed as an integrated optimization approach designed to work with traditional coordinated-actuated systems. The proposed approach assumes a fixed cycle length (selected by either time of day or some traffic-responsive technique). The splits are determined by each local controller subject to maximum and minimum constraints traditionally imposed by coordinated-actuated signal systems. End-of-green offsets at each intersection are continually adjusted by the proposed algorithm with the objective of providing smooth progression of a platoon through an intersection using the volume and occupancy profile of advance detectors. The algorithm was implemented in a hardware-in-the-loop simulation and evaluated with a set of National Transportation Communications for Intelligent Transportation Systems Protocol (NTCIP) National Electrical Manufacturers Association controllers. The offsets were manipulated with NTCIP messages. The unique aspect of this algorithm is the cycle-based procedure used to tabulate volume and occupancy profiles, which can then be used to adjust the offsets in a traditional coordinated-actuated signal system. This automatic tuning process is analogous to an engineer or technician standing beside the cabinet and tuning the offset so that the coordinated phase turns green at the appropriate time to facilitate smooth progression of the upstream platoon. Because only the offsets are tuned, it is unlikely that this algorithm will be able to achieve the global optimum parameters or rapid adaptation possible with model-based approaches; nevertheless, this algorithm has the advantage of working within the framework of traditional coordinated-actuated signal systems that are familiar to system operators.
MONET: multiwavelength optical networking

This paper presents an overview of the multiwavelength optical networking (MONET) program and summarizes its vision. The program objective is to advance, demonstrate, and integrate network architecture and economics, advanced multiwavelength technology, and network management and control to achieve high capacity, reconfigurable, high performance, reliable multiwavelength optical networks, with scalability to national scale, for both commercial and specialized government applications. The paper describes the major research thrusts of the program including network elements, networking demonstration plans, network control and management, and architecture and economics.
Bimanual interaction, passive-haptic feedback, 3d widget representation, and simulated surface constraints for interaction in immersive virtual environments

The study of human-computer interaction within immersive virtual environments requires us to balance what we have learned from the design and use of desktop interfaces with novel approaches that allow us to work effectively in three dimensions. This dissertation presents empirical results from four studies into different techniques for indirect manipulation in immersive virtual environments. These studies use a testbed called the Haptic Augmented Reality Paddle (or HARP) system to compare different immersive interaction techniques. The results show that the use of hand-held windows as an interaction technique can improve performance and preference on tasks requiring head movement. Also, the use of a physical prop registered with the visual representation of an interaction surface can significantly improve user performance and preference compared to having no physical surface. Furthermore, even if a physical surface is not present, constraining user movement for manipulating interface widgets can also improve performance. Research into defining and classifying interaction techniques in the form of a taxonomy for interaction in immersive virtual environments is also presented. The taxonomy classifies interaction techniques based on three primary axes: direct versus indirect manipulation; discrete versus continuous action types; and the dimensionality of the interaction. The results of the empirical studies support the classification taxonomy, and help map out the possible techniques that support accomplishing real work within immersive virtual environments.
Farmers' perception and preference of Islamic Banking in Turkey

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the factors that influence farmers' preference for the use of Islamic banks in Turkey and to investigate their knowledge level and perception about Islamic finance.Design/methodology/approachSurvey data used in this study is obtained by drawing a sample of 1902 farmers who are members of the Agricultural Credit Cooperatives Union (ACCU) from 37 provinces of Turkey. Pearson's Chi-square test is used to analyze the association between the demographic features of farmers, conventional bank usage and Islamic bank usage. Binary logistic regression model is used to estimate the factors influencing the preference for Islamic banks. Explanatory variables include knowledge on Islamic banking and finance, perception of compliance to religion, saving ability and cost concern along with the control variables of Islamic bank branch number in the region and age of respondent. Robustness check is conducted via alternative models using ordinary least squares (OLS) and logistic regression.FindingsLess than 10% of the participant farmers use Islamic banks and 59% declare they know nothing about Islamic banking. Age, education level, income level, nonagricultural income level, saving ability, duration of working in agriculture, land size and region are significantly related to farmers' preference of using Islamic banks. Knowledge level, perception of religious compliance, saving ability and cost concern are statistically significant factors that influence the probability of using Islamic banks.Research limitations/implicationsThis study does not include the analysis of the relationship between being religious and using Islamic banks because questions related to the assessment of religious practice were excluded due to the ACCU's sensitivity to investigate personal beliefs. Therefore, future studies can expand the scope of this research by investigating religiousness. The sample is chosen from the ACCU members who are already benefiting from a formal source of credit; therefore, the results should not be attributed to all farmers.Practical implicationsIslamic banks and microfinance institutions' further engagement in the agricultural sector and ACCU's implementation of Islamic finance instruments.Social implicationsIslamic banks' further diversification in the agricultural sector and ACCU's implementation of Islamic finance instruments.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors' knowledge, this paper is the first to investigate the farmers' perception and preference of Islamic banking in Turkey. The sample size of 1902 is much larger and geographically diversified compared to studies in agricultural finance. This study will be valuable for the agricultural finance empirical studies in Turkey as well as an important addition to the emerging literature on Islamic finance.
Railway Bridge Approaches under Heavy Axle Load Traffic: Problems, Causes, and Remedies

This article presents findings from projects conducted by the Transportation Technology Center, Inc. concerning track maintenance problems associated with bridge approaches of railway track. Field tests for determining root causes of, and evaluating remedies for, such problems were conducted at the Facility for Accelerated Service Testing near Pueblo, Colorado, and at a number of revenue service sites in the United States. Investigations covered ballast deck concrete bridges with concrete ties, open deck steel bridges with wood ties, and their approaches.
Crack Pinning in Asphalt Mastic and Concrete: Regular Fatigue Studies

The effects of finely dispersed fillers on the fatigue performance of asphalt binders and asphalt concrete mixes at relatively low temperatures are examined. A series of model binder systems containing glass spheres with narrow particle size distributions were used to study the effect of filler particle size on the fatigue performance of the asphalt mastic. Two mastic systems containing ground limestone fillers, which possessed significantly different gradations, also were tested. Fatigue performance was evaluated by applying a constant torsional strain to each specimen in a dynamic rheometer at 10°C and 40 Hz. Testing at various strain levels allowed the relationship between fatigue life and strain to be determined for the different systems. The results indicate that as the particle size of the filler decreases, the fatigue life of the asphalt mastic increases. This observation is a direct result of the mode of fatigue failure in the asphalt mastics and is in agreement with Evans’s theory on crack pinning for failure in filled brittle solids. Constant stress asphalt concrete fatigue tests on both dense- and gap-graded systems prepared with the two different ground limestone fillers show that the particle size does not significantly affect the fatigue life of the mixes. These results also confirm that crack pinning is the major mechanism responsible for improved fatigue performance.
Calculation of lightning current parameters

The new expression of the lightning current at the striking point is analyzed. The basic four channel-base lightning current quantities are assumed to be known: current peak value, current rise-time, maximum of the current steepness and the charge transfer at the striking point. The algorithm for a fast calculation of the channel-base current parameters is proposed. The numerical example of the current parameters determination is given. The proposed algorithm can be successfully used for the lightning current modelling in power engineering as well as in the research of the radiated lightning electromagnetic pulse and its coupling with the overhead lines and other metallic structures.
VARIABILITY OF SHELL IN GASTROPODS OF THE GENUS BORYSTHENIA LINDHOLM, 1914: TESTING THE STATISTICAL APPROACH IN SEARCH OF TRAITS FOR THE RECENT AND FOSSIL SPECIES DELIMITATION

The gastropod mollusc genus Borysthenia Lindholm, 1914 comprises many species throughout Europe, Asia, North Africa and North America but species delimitation, based mainly on shell morphology (only possible concerning the fossil records) is often disputable. Statistical methods used to test if the shell measurements are reliable traits in delimitation of recent and fossil species in gastropod molluscs of the genus Borysthenia. Our analyses based on quantitative study of over 100 specimens of the Borysthenia species both modern and fossil. It is concluded that the dimensional characteristics of their shell are suitable for the differentiation of both recent and fossil (at least of Pontian age) species through the statistical processing of quantitative data. Through the morphological study of type material, taxonomic status of B. jalpuchense Gozhik, 2002 and B. vinogradovkaense Gozhik, 2002 described from the middle-pontian deposits of Ukraine revised. It is suggested that these taxa are considered two distinct though close relative extinct species. Stratigraphic range of B. jalpuchense is expanded up to the Lower Pontian. All the modern individuals of Borysthenia involved are attributed to B. menkeana (Jelski, 1863) due to their exact correspondence to the lectotype of this species.
UvA-DARE ( Digital Academic Repository ) On the behavorial economics of crime

Disclaimer/Complaints regulations If you believe that digital publication of certain material infringes any of your rights or (privacy) interests, please let the Library know, stating your reasons. In case of a legitimate complaint, the Library will make the material inaccessible and/or remove it from the website. Please Ask the Library: http://uba.uva. nl/en/contact, or a letter to: Library of the University of Amsterdam, Secretariat, Singel 425, 1012 WP Amsterdam, The Netherlands. You will be contacted as soon as possible.
Risk Management and Performance of Conventional Banks in Pakistan

The study examines the relationship between risk management and performance of conventional banks in Pakistan. The study has been conducted using Capital adequacy ratio, non-performing loan ratio, Cost per loan ratio, Cash reserve ratio and Z-scoring ratio as the proxies of risk management and Return on asset has been used as the proxy of the bank financial performance. The study has used random sampling technique for the 20 conventional banks for the period 2010 to 2016. The study uses correlation and simple OLS to test the hypothesis. The results reveal that capital adequacy ratio and Z-scoring have positive significant impact on the conventional banks, financial performance, where as Non-performing ratio, cost per loan ratio and cash reserve ratio predicting negative affect on the financial performance of the conventional banks in Pakistan. The study has practical as well as theoretical implications. The results are expected to help policy makers to rehash their policies by encompassing the approaches that facilitate the risk management of banks in Pakistan. The study will also help researchers in strengthening their level of understanding of these relationships. Replication of the study may help to validate the hypothesized model and their consequent application in the organizations that share somewhat similar organizational structures.
Supply chain integration with BIM: a graph-based model

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to propose a methodology to integrate the construction Supply Chain (SC) through the application of Building Information Modeling (BIM) and Supply Chain Management (SCM). It features a renovation case as a proof-of-concept. Design/methodology/approach – After analyzing the relevant gaps in the literature, the research followed a modeling approach. The proposed model merged product-, process- and organizational models in a graph-based model to represent and analyze a BIM-based SCM project. Findings – Presently, the information flows of the construction SC are vague. BIM is an aspiring integrator of information flows for construction. The proposed model for SC integration with BIM, offers an approach to identify the project complexities in relation to organizational structures, roles and interactions and integrate the industry. Practical implications – Currently BIM-enabled SCM is not very widely applied in the industry. However, the authors report the increasing inter.
Clinical Study The Effectiveness of “ Two-Week ” Referrals for Suspected Bone and Soft Tissue Sarcoma

The two-week “wait” target introduced in 2000 requires that patients with suspected cancer referred by general practitioners should be seen within two weeks. We reviewed patients who had been referred under this standard to the North of England Bone and Soft Tissue Tumour Service, to determine if the referral guidelines had been followed, and what proportion of patients referred under the guideline had malignant tumours. 40 patients were referred under the guideline between January 2004 and December 2005. Ten of these patients (2548%) had malignant tumours, compared with 243 of 507 (48%) of those referred from other sources. In 9 of the 40 cases, the patient did not meet the criteria for urgent referral. Although this target has focussed attention on shortening the time to diagnosis and treatment, prioritising patients referred from general practitioners has the potential to disadvantage those with malignant tumours referred from other sources.
Cleaning output of tractography via fiber to bundle coherence, a new open source implementation

• A submitted manuscript is the version of the article upon submission and before peer-review. There can be important differences between the submitted version and the official published version of record. People interested in the research are advised to contact the author for the final version of the publication, or visit the DOI to the publisher's website. • The final author version and the galley proof are versions of the publication after peer review. • The final published version features the final layout of the paper including the volume, issue and page numbers.