Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Estimating Large Area Forest Carbon Stocks—A Pragmatic Design Based Strategy

Reducing uncertainty in forest carbon estimates at local and regional scales has become increasingly important due to the centrality of the terrestrial carbon cycle in issues of climate change. In Victoria, Australia, public natural forests extend over 7.2 M ha and constitute a significant and important carbon stock. Recently, a wide range of approaches to estimate carbon stocks within these forests have been developed and applied. However, there are a number of data and estimation limitations associated with these studies. In response, over the last five years, the State of Victoria has implemented a pragmatic plot-based design consisting of pre-stratified permanent observational units located on a state-wide grid. Using the ground sampling grid, we estimated aboveground and belowground carbon stocks (including soil to 0.3 m depth) in both National Parks and State Forests, across a wide range of bioregions. Estimates of carbon stocks and associated uncertainty were conducted using simple design based estimators. We detected significantly more carbon in total aboveground and belowground components in State Forests (408.9 t ha−1, 95% confidence interval 388.8–428.9 t ha−1) than National Parks (267.6 t ha−1, 251.9–283.3 t ha−1). We were also able to estimate forest carbon stocks (and associated uncertainty) for 21 strata that represent all of Victoria’s bioregions and public tenures. It is anticipated that the lessons learnt from this study may support the discussion on planning and implementing low cost large area forest carbon stock sampling in other jurisdictions.
Peatland Microbial Communities and Decomposition Processes in the James Bay Lowlands, Canada

Northern peatlands are a large repository of atmospheric carbon due to an imbalance between primary production by plants and microbial decomposition. The James Bay Lowlands (JBL) of northern Ontario are a large peatland-complex but remain relatively unstudied. Climate change models predict the region will experience warmer and drier conditions, potentially altering plant community composition, and shifting the region from a long-term carbon sink to a source. We collected a peat core from two geographically separated (ca. 200 km) ombrotrophic peatlands (Victor and Kinoje Bogs) and one minerotrophic peatland (Victor Fen) located near Victor Bog within the JBL. We characterized (i) archaeal, bacterial, and fungal community structure with terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism of ribosomal DNA, (ii) estimated microbial activity using community level physiological profiling and extracellular enzymes activities, and (iii) the aeration and temperature dependence of carbon mineralization at three depths (0–10, 50–60, and 100–110 cm) from each site. Similar dominant microbial taxa were observed at all three peatlands despite differences in nutrient content and substrate quality. In contrast, we observed differences in basal respiration, enzyme activity, and the magnitude of substrate utilization, which were all generally higher at Victor Fen and similar between the two bogs. However, there was no preferential mineralization of carbon substrates between the bogs and fens. Microbial community composition did not correlate with measures of microbial activity but pH was a strong predictor of activity across all sites and depths. Increased peat temperature and aeration stimulated CO2 production but this did not correlate with a change in enzyme activities. Potential microbial activity in the JBL appears to be influenced by the quality of the peat substrate and the presence of microbial inhibitors, which suggests the existing peat substrate will have a large influence on future JBL carbon dynamics.
Molecular Stratification of Diagnostically Challenging High-Grade Gliomas Composed of Small Cells

Purpose: There is considerable morphologic overlap between various entities of high-grade gliomas, and, therefore, a further planning of their optimal treatment is a controversial issue. The aim of this study was molecular stratification of morphologically ambiguous high-grade gliomas composed from small cells. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with commercially available probes was used for this purpose. Experimental Design: We analyzed a set of 114 high-grade small-cell gliomas that were difficult to interpret diagnostically because of their distinct cytological origin. FISH assay with locus probes for EGFR, p16, PTEN, and 1p and 19q was done. Results: Morphologically uniform high-grade gliomas composed of small cells varied greatly in terms of molecular features and clinical outcome. Four clinically relevant subsets of patients whose tumors showed distinctly different molecular profiles were identified as follows: (a) 13 patients whose tumors exhibited no discernable molecular alterations (5-year survival rate, 83%); (b) 20 patients whose tumors harbored either 1p/19q codeletion or isolated deletion of 19q unaccompanied by other molecular abnormalities (5-year survival rate, 59%); (c) 35 patients whose tumors showed p16 and/or PTEN deletions unaccompanied by EGFR amplification (5-year survival rate, 8%); and (d) 46 patients whose tumors harbored EGFR amplification (5-year survival rate, 0). Conclusions: The FISH method provides clinically useful information in the molecular analysis of morphologically ambiguous malignant small-cell gliomas that could potentially enhance the quality of patient care.
Goal Setting and Monetary Incentives: When Large Stakes Are Not Enough

The aim of this paper is to test the effectiveness of wage-irrelevant goal setting policies in a laboratory environment. In our design, managers can assign a goal to their workers by setting a certain level of performance on the work task. To establish our theoretical conjectures we develop a model where assigned goals act as reference points to workers’ intrinsic motivation, creating a sense of gain when attained and a sense of loss when not attained. Consistent with our theoretical framework, we find evidence that managers set goals that are challenging but attainable for an average-ability worker. Workers respond to these goals by increasing effort, performance and by decreasing on-the-job leisure activities with respect to the no-goal setting baseline. We study the interaction between goal setting and monetary rewards by considering different values for the monetary incentives involved in completing the task. Interestingly, we find that goal setting is especially effective when monetary incentives are strong. These results suggest that goal setting may foster workers’ intrinsic motivation and increase their level of performance beyond what is achieved using solely monetary incentives.
Mesoscale equipartition of kinetic energy in quantum turbulence

The turbulence of superfluid helium is investigated numerically at finite temperature. Direct numerical simulations are performed with a “truncated HVBK” model, which combines the continuous description of the Hall-Vinen-Bekeravich-Khalatnikov equations with the additional constraint that this continuous description cannot extend beyond a quantum length scale associated with the mean spacing between individual superfluid vortices. A good agreement is found with experimental measurements of the vortex density. Besides, by varying the turbulence intensity only, it is observed that the intervortex spacing varies with the Reynolds number as Re−3/4, like the viscous length scale in classical turbulence. In the high-temperature limit, Kolmogorov's inertial cascade is recovered, as expected from previous numerical and experimental studies. As the temperature decreases, the inertial cascade remains present at large scales while, at small scales, the system evolves towards a statistical equipartition of kinetic energy among spectral modes, with a characteristic k2 velocity spectrum. The accumulation of superfluid excitations on a range of mesoscales enables the superfluid to keep dissipating kinetic energy through mutual friction with the residual normal fluid, although the later becomes rare at low temperature. It is found that most of the superfluid vorticity can concentrate on these mesoscales at low temperature, while it is concentrated in the inertial range at higher temperature. This observation should have consequences on the interpretation of decaying turbulence experiments, which are often based on vortex line density measurements.
Decompressive craniectomy in traumatic brain injury after the DECRA trial. Where do we stand?

Purpose of reviewThe results of the multicentre, randomized, controlled trial to test the effectiveness of decompressive craniectomy in adults with traumatic brain injury and high intracranial pressure (Decompressive Craniectomy, DECRA) were published in 2011. DECRA concluded that decompressive craniectomy decreased intracranial pressure (ICP) but was associated with more unfavourable outcomes. Our review aims to put the DECRA trial into context, comment on its findings and discuss whether we should include decompressive craniectomy in our clinical armamentarium. Recent findingsThe key message that DECRA conveys is that decompressive craniectomy significantly lowers ICP and shortens the length of the stay in the ICU. However, neither mortality nor unfavourable outcome was reduced when adjusting the significant baseline covariates. SummaryThe claim that decompressive craniectomy increases unfavourable outcome is overstated and not supported by the data presented in DECRA. We believe it premature to change clinical practice. Given the dismal outcome in these patients, it is reasonable to include this technique as a last resort in any type of protocol-driven management when conventional therapeutic measures have failed to control ICP, the presence of operable masses has been ruled out and the patient may still have a chance of a functional outcome. The main lesson to be learned from this study is that an upper threshold for ICP must be used as a cut-off for selecting decompressive craniectomy candidates.
Genetic Divergence in Domesticated and Non-Domesticated Gene Regions of Barley Chromosomes

Little is known about the genetic divergence in the chromosomal regions with domesticated and non-domesticated genes. The objective of our study is to examine the effect of natural selection on shaping genetic diversity of chromosome region with domesticated and non-domesticated genes in barley using 110 SSR markers. Comparison of the genetic diversity loss between wild and cultivated barley for each chromosome showed that chromosome 5H had the highest divergence of 35.29%, followed by 3H, 7H, 4H, 2H, 6H. Diversity ratio was calculated as (diversity of wild type – diversity of cultivated type)/diversity of wild type×100%. It was found that diversity ratios of the domesticated regions on 5H, 1H and 7H were higher than those of non-domesticated regions. Diversity ratio of the domesticated region on 2H and 4H is similar to that of non-domesticated region. However, diversity ratio of the domesticated region on 3H is lower than that of non-domesticated region. Averaged diversity among six chromosomes in domesticated region was 33.73% difference between wild and cultivated barley, and was 27.56% difference in the non-domesticated region. The outcome of this study advances our understanding of the evolution of crop chromosomes.
AGB stars of the intermediate-age LMC cluster NGC 1846 II. Dredge up along the AGB

Aims. We investigate the change in the surface abundance of 12 C during the evolution along the AGB, aiming to constrain third dredge-up models. Methods. High-resolution, near-infrared spectra of a sample of AGB stars in the LMC cluster NGC 1846 were obtained. A cluster sample ensures a high level of homogeneity with respect to age, metallicity, and distance. The C/O ratio and the ratio of 12 C/ 13 Cw ere measured and compared with our evolutionary models. Results. For the first time, we show the evolution of the C/ Oa nd 12 C/ 13 C ratios along a cluster AGB. Our findings allow us to check the reliability of the evolutionary models and, in particular, the efficiency of the third dredge up. The increase in both C/ Oa nd 12 C/ 13 C in the observed O-rich stars is reproduced by the models well. However, the low carbon isotopic ratios of the two C-stars in our sample indicate the late occurrence of moderate extra mixing. The extra mixing affects the most luminous AGB stars and is capable of increasing the abundance of 13 C, while leaving unchanged the C/O ratio, which has been fixed by the cumulative action of several third dredge-up episodes. We find indications that the F abundance also increases along the AGB, supporting an in situ production of this element.
Diversifying Nigeria\'s petroleum industry

Nigeria's extreme reliance on crude oil earnings has triggered structural difficulties for its economy and exacerbated the neglect of other productive sectors of the economy. The paper suggests, therefore, the deepening of the country's economic reform initiatives to include effective diversification of the petroleum sector and development of the agriculture and solid minerals sectors for the global markets. NESG Economic Indicators Vol. 13 (4) 2007 pp. 41-49
Does the Specific Matrix of Cultural Values and Ethnic- Religious Diversity Hinder Economic Development in African Region?

This study empirically probes the role of culture in fostering or hindering economic performance in Africa. Our results show that cultural values appear to some extant have statistically significant and operationally meaningful economic effects. We also test the effect of ethnic and religious diversity which discourage economic growth. Using the OLS method, we appraised the baseline endogenous economic growth model to incorporate cultural variables. Cultural attitudes toward trust and selfdetermination were found to affect economic development significantly. However, respect was associated with unexpected signs of an inverse relationship with economic growth. Further, the cultural motivational index (CMI) was also negatively associated with growth. -----------------------------------------------------------------------* Corresponding author. Tel: +92 345 9389538 E-mail address: khanhust@yahoo.com.
Hypoxia-Ischemia or Excitotoxin-Induced Tissue Plasminogen Activator- Dependent Gelatinase Activation in Mice Neonate Brain Microvessels

Hypoxia-ischemia (HI) and excitotoxicity are validated causes of neonatal brain injuries and tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) participates in the processes through proteolytic and receptor-mediated pathways. Brain microvascular endothelial cells from neonates in culture, contain and release more t-PA and gelatinases upon glutamate challenge than adult cells. We have studied t-PA to gelatinase (MMP-2 and MMP-9) activity links in HI and excitotoxicity lesion models in 5 day–old pups in wild type and in t-PA or its inhibitor (PAI-1) genes inactivated mice. Gelatinolytic activities were detected in SDS-PAGE zymograms and by in situ fluorescent DQ-gelatin microscopic zymographies. HI was achieved by unilateral carotid ligature followed by a 40 min hypoxia (8%O2). Excitotoxic lesions were produced by intra parenchymal cortical (i.c.) injections of 10 µg ibotenate (Ibo). Gel zymograms in WT cortex revealed progressive extinction of MMP-2 and MMP-9 activities near day 15 or day 8 respectively. MMP-2 expression was the same in all strains while MMP-9 activity was barely detectable in t-PA−/− and enhanced in PAI-1−/− mice. HI or Ibo produced activation of MMP-2 activities 6 hours post-insult, in cortices of WT mice but not in t-PA−/− mice. In PAI-1−/− mice, HI or vehicle i.c. injection increased MMP-2 and MMP-9 activities. In situ zymograms using DQ-gelatin revealed vessel associated gelatinolytic activity in lesioned areas in PAI-1−/− and in WT mice. In WT brain slices incubated ex vivo, glutamate (200 µM) induced DQ-gelatin activation in vessels. The effect was not detected in t-PA−/−mice, but was restored by concomitant exposure to recombinant t-PA (20 µg/mL). In summary, neonatal brain lesion paradigms and ex vivo excitotoxic glutamate evoked t-PA-dependent gelatinases activation in vessels. Both MMP-2 and MMP-9 activities appeared t-PA-dependent. The data suggest that vascular directed protease inhibition may have neuroprotection potential against neonatal brain injuries.
Electronic stimulators for surface neural prosthesis

This paper presents the technological advancements in neural prosthesis devices using Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES). FES refers to the restoration of motor functions lost due to spinal cord injury (SCI), stroke, head injury, or diseases such as Cerebral Palsy or Multiple Sclerosis by eliciting muscular contractions through the use of a neuromuscular electrical stimulator device. The field has developed considerably since its inception, with the miniaturisation of circuity, the development of programmable and adaptable stimulators and the enhancement of sensors used to trigger the application of stimulation to suit a variety of FES applications. This paper discusses general FES system design requirements in the context of existing commercial and research FES devices, focusing on surface stimulators for the upper and lower limbs. These devices have demonstrated feasible standing and stepping in a clinical setting with paraplegic patients, improvements in dropped foot syndrome with hemiplegic patients and aided in the restoration of grasping function in patients with upper limb motor dysfunction.
2 Knowledge of Others ’ Perceptions : Practical Accuracy Among the Well-Acquainted 4 1 . 2 . 1 Discrepant Perceptions

OF THE DISSERTATION The Knowledge of Others’ Perceptions (KOP) Model: Practical Accuracy Among the Well-Acquainted by Brittany Charlotte Solomon Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology Washington University in St. Louis, 2015 Professor Joshua Jackson, Chair Simine Vazire, Co-Chair It is possible that people, especially those who are well-acquainted, have information about others that goes beyond their own impressions. While previous studies primarily focus on the accuracy of a perceiver’s own impressions of a target, they may miss information about the perceiver’s knowledge of a target’s identity and reputation. The present study is based on the notion that there may be more to knowing a person than having an accurate perception of his/her personality in the traditional sense. From a practical standpoint, it might also be important to know when others’ impressions of a close other, such as a friend or co-worker, differ from one’s own impressions and to understand the nature of such perceptual discrepancies. In the current study, two constructs that reflect a relatively novel type of other-knowledge were investigated: knowledge of identity and knowledge of reputation. Specifically, the knowledge of others’ perceptions (KOP) model is introduced and used to examine the extent to which well-acquainted friends achieve such knowledge. First, identity accuracy and reputation accuracy were examined (i.e., accurate perceptions of a target’s self-views and of how others view the target, respectively). Second, identity insight and reputation insight were examined (i.e., accurate perceptions of a target’s self-views and of how others view the target, above and beyond a perceiver’s own impressions of the target). Finally, characteristics of the target, perceiver, and dyad were tested as potential moderators to shed light on the circumstances under which knowledge of identity and reputation are likely to occur.
Usability Studies on Interactive Health Information Systems; Where Do We Stand?

This paper discusses the preliminary results of a systematic review of the literature on applied usability studies of health information systems in the period 1990 to 2006. Abstracts were included when they described an evaluation of the usability of a health information system. To gain insight into usability methods applied and their properties we constructed a framework to analyze the studies. The framework includes objectives, designs, number of participants, user-profiles, settings, medical domain, and type of health information systems evaluated. Fifty-two Papers were included in the review. Findings show that from 2002 an increasing trend can be observed of publication of usability studies. Most studies discuss summative usability results on working systems thereby focusing on systems' adoption problems. Formative usability studies lack a uniform way to describe how study results contributed to the system's iterative development cycle.
Robust Semidefinite Programming ∗

In this paper, we consider semidefinite programs where the data is only known to belong to some uncertainty set U . Following recent work by the authors, we develop the notion of robust solution to such problems, which are required to satisfy the (uncertain) constraints whatever the value of the data in U . Even when the decision variable is fixed, checking robust feasibility is in general NP-hard. For a number of uncertainty sets U , we show how to compute robust solutions, based on a sufficient condition for robust feasibility, via SDP. We detail some cases when the sufficient condition is also necessary, such as linear programming or convex quadratic programming with ellipsoidal uncertainty. Finally, we provide examples, taken from interval computations and truss topology design.
Careful Cheating: People Cheat Groups Rather than Individuals

Cheating for material gain is a destructive phenomenon in any society. We examine the extent to which people care about the victims of their unethical behavior—be they a group of people or an individual—and whether they are sensitive to the degree of harm or cost that they cause to these victims. The results of three studies suggest that when a group (rather than a single individual) is the victim of one’s behavior, the incidence of cheating increases only if the harm to the group is presented in global terms—such that the cheating might be justified by the relatively minor harm caused to each individual in the group (Studies #1 and #3). However, when the harm or cost to each individual in the group is made explicit, the tendency to cheat the group is no longer apparent and the tendency to cheat increases when the harm caused is minor—regardless of whether the victim is an individual or a group of people (Study #2). Individual differences in rational and intuitive thinking appear to play different roles in the decision to cheat different type of opponents: individual opponents seem to trigger the subject’s intuitive thinking which restrains the urge to cheat, whereas groups of opponents seem to trigger the subject’s rational mode of thinking which encourage cheating.
Perfect Reconstruction Conditions and Design of Oversampled DFT-Modulated Transmultiplexers

This paper presents a theoretical analysis of oversampled complex modulated transmultiplexers. The perfect reconstruction (PR) conditions are established in the polyphase domain for a pair of biorthogonal prototype filters. A decomposition theorem is proposed that allows it to split the initial system of PR equations, that can be huge, into small independent subsystems of equations. In the orthogonal case, it is shown that these subsystems can be solved thanks to an appropriate angular parametrization. This parametrization is efficiently exploited afterwards, using the compact representation we recently introduced for critically decimated modulated filter banks. Two design criteria, the out-of-band energy minimization and the time-frequency localization maximization, are examined. It is shown, with various design examples, that this approach allows the design of oversampled modulated transmultiplexers, or filter banks with a thousand carriers, or subbands, for rational oversampling ratios corresponding to low redundancies. Some simulation results, obtained for a transmission over a flat fading channel, also show that, compared to the conventional OFDM, these designs may reduce the mean square error.