Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Carbon Balance and Management

Background: A simulation model that relies on satellite observations of vegetation cover from the Landsat 7 sensor and from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) was used to estimate net primary productivity (NPP) of forest stands at the Bartlett Experiment Forest (BEF) in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Results: Net primary production (NPP) predicted from the NASA-CASA model using 30-meter resolution Landsat inputs showed variations related to both vegetation cover type and elevational effects on mean air temperatures. Overall, the highest predicted NPP from the NASA-CASA model was for deciduous forest cover at low to mid-elevation locations over the landscape. Comparison of the model-predicted annual NPP to the plot-estimated values showed a significant correlation of R2 = 0.5. Stepwise addition of 30-meter resolution elevation data values explained no more than 20% of the residual variation in measured NPP patterns at BEF. Both the Landsat 7 and the 250meter resolution MODIS derived mean annual NPP predictions for the BEF plot locations were within ± 2.5% of the mean of plot estimates for annual NPP. Conclusion: Although MODIS imagery cannot capture the spatial details of NPP across the network of closely spaced plot locations as well as Landsat, the MODIS satellite data as inputs to the NASA-CASA model does accurately predict the average annual productivity of a site like the BEF. Published: 17 October 2007 Carbon Balance and Management 2007, 2:9 doi:10.1186/1750-0680-2-9 Received: 8 April 2007 Accepted: 17 October 2007 This article is available from: http://www.cbmjournal. com/content/2/1/9 © 2007 Potter et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Dynamic Assessment in Patients Following Bone-Patellar Tendon-Bone Autograft Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction§

Background: The knee’s passive movement is insufficient to determine function in patients following ACL reconstruction. Hypothesis: We hypothesize that there are kinematic differences in the lower extremities (LE) during stair climbing and ground level walking following ACL surgery between the intact and reconstructed sides. Study Design: This was a retrospective cohort study. Eleven patients with an average age of 15.3 years at the time of their ACL reconstructive surgery (BPTB autograft) participated in the study. Methods: Patients were followed for at least 2 years post surgery. The subjects underwent a non-weight bearing ability test to reproduce predetermined knee joint positions. Their LE’s velocity and joint kinematics were then measured during level ground walking and on a set of custom designed stairs as they ascended and descended. Results: During level ground walking the maximum internal rotation at the ankle during the swing phase on the reconstructed side increased significantly from 2. 3º to 19.9 º compared to the unreconstructed limb (P=0.04). The leading reconstructed knee during stair ascent exhibited less knee flexion as compared to the unreconstructed knee for each step (1st step: 74.2º vs 81.5º; 2nd step:93.6º vs 97.6º; 3rd step: 48º vs 53.5º; 4th step: 72.5º vs 78.1º; p<0.05). Conclusions: A two-year follow-up study in adolescents who had a bone-patellar tendon-bone autograft demonstrated that they had normal knee proprioception and 3D joint rotations of the LE, while showing an alteration of the ankle and knee kinematics during walking or ascending stairs.
Object exploration using whisker sensors

This paper describes the progress of a project to locate, recognize and manipulate objects using information from whisker sensors. Object surface information is gathered by measuring the angle of deflection of a rigid whisker as it slides over the object surface. In order to successfully reconstruct the surface shape of an object, the whisker tip has to be in contact with the object. Ambiguous information is produced when the contact position is along the whisker length. We have developed a novel sensing algorithm that solves this problem. Using the algorithm it is possible to determine whether the contact position is at the whisker tip or along the whisker length simply by rotating the mobile robot on the spot. We present the design of the mobile robot and the whisker sensor together with some practical results. We also show how to estimate the contact position when the contact is along the whisker length. A single whisker sensor is mounted on a mobile robot to explore the objects it touches. Experimental results show that the whisker sensor is capable of gathering the surface shape information of an object, and the test algorithm can be used to confirm the contact as either at the tip or along the whisker length.
Rank stability and rank similarity of web link-based ranking algorithms

Web search algorithms that rank Web pages by examining the link structure of the Web are attractive from both theoretical and practical aspects. A link-based search algorithm A is rank-stable if minor changes in the link structure of the input graph, which is usually a subgraph of the Web, do not aaect the ranking it produces; algorithms A; B are rank-similar if they produce similar rankings. These concepts were introduced and studied recently for various existing search algorithms. Rank-stability and rank-similarity are of special interest on the class of authority connected graphs. Such graphs conceptually correspond to thematically related collections, in which most pages pertain to a single, dominant topic of interest. This paper studies the rank-stability and rank-similarity of three link-based ranking algorithms-PageRank, HITS and SALSA-in authority connected graphs. For this class of graphs, we show that neither HITS nor PageRank is rank stable. We then show that HITS and PageRank are not rank similar on this class, nor is any of them rank similar to SALSA.
On convergence constrained precoder design for iterative frequency domain MIMO detector

This paper proposes a novel linear precoder design technique for single carrier single-user multiple input multiple output (MIMO) systems with frequency-domain (FD) soft cancellation (SC) minimum mean squared error (MMSE) iterative equalization where the convergence properties of the equalizer are taken into account. The proposed precoder design technique, convergence constrained precoding (CCP), minimizes the transmission power while it achieves the target mutual information for each stream after the iterations at the receiver side. We show that the optimality criterion for the proposed design can be formulated as a convex optimization problem. The results demonstrate that our proposed technique outperforms the existing linear precoding techniques by ensuring the convergence with a reduced transmission power. Furthermore, we show that with CCP we can adjust transmission according to convergence properties of the iterative equalizer in a more flexible way than, e.g., minimum sum mean squared error (MinSumMSE) and maximum information rate (MaxRate) precoding.
Interannual variation and trends in air pollution over Europe due to climate variability during 1958–2001 simulated with a regional CTM coupled to the ERA40 reanalysis

A three-dimensional Chemistry Transport Model was used to study the meteorologically induced interannual variability and trends in deposition of sulphur and nitrogen as well as concentrations of surface ozone (O3), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and particulate matter (PM) and its constituents over Europe during 1958–2001. The model was coupled to the meteorological reanalysis ERA40, produced at the European Centre for Medium-range Weather Forecasts. Emissions and boundary conditions of chemical compounds and PM were kept constant at present levels. The average European interannual variation, due to meteorological variability, ranges from 3% for O3, 5% for NO2, 9% for PM, 6–9% for dry deposition, to about 20% for wet deposition of sulphur and nitrogen. For the period 1979–2001 the trend in ozone, due to climate variability is increasing in central and southwestern Europe and decreasing in northeastern Europe, the trend in NO2 is approximately opposite. The trend in PM is positive in eastern Europe. There are negative trends in wet deposition in southwestern and central Europe and positive trends in dry deposition overall. A bias in ERA40 precipitation could be partly responsible for the trends. The variation and trends need to be considered when interpreting measurements and designing measurement campaigns.
Service Function Chaining Resource Allocation: A Survey

Service Function Chaining (SFC) is a crucial technology for future Internet. It aims to overcome the limitation of current deployment models which is rigid and static. Application of this technology relies on algorithms that can optimally mapping SFC to substrate network. This category of algorithms is referred as "Service Function Chaining Resource Allocation (SFC-RA)" algorithms or "VNF placement (VNFP)" algorithms. This paper presents a survey of current researches in SFC-RA algorithms. After presenting the formulation and related problems, several variants of SFC-RA problem are summarized. At last, we discussed several future research directions.
Distinct K Currents Result in Physiologically Distinct Cell Types in the Inferior Colliculus of the Rat

The inferior colliculus (IC) processes auditory information ascending from the brainstem. The response of the IC to this information and its ability to transform it is partly determined by the types of ionic currents that generate the intrinsic discharge patterns of IC neurons and their susceptibility to changes in the external environment. We have used whole-cell patch-clamp techniques on IC neurons in rat brain slices to characterize the potassium currents present and to correlate them with the firing patterns observed. Neurons in the IC can be classified into six physiologically distinct cell types. Each of these cell types has a firing pattern that is generated by a unique potassium current and set of cellular parameters. Sustained-regular cells show mainly delayed rectifier K+ channels. Onset cells have a unique high-threshold tetraethylammonium-sensitive K+ current. Pause–build cells have an A-current. Rebound-regular cells have calcium-dependent rebound depolarizations. Rebound-adapting cells have both an apamin-sensitive calcium-dependent K+ current and a calcium-dependent rebound depolarization. Transient-rebound cells have a charybdotoxin-sensitive calcium-dependent K+ current and a calcium-dependent rebound. Our data suggest that there would be similarities as well as differences among IC neurons in their responses to excitatory or inhibitory inputs. Furthermore, some cells are likely to show little or no plasticity and behave as simple relays of temporal and intensity information, whereas others are likely to transform their inputs.
Efficiency of the Polish Banking Industry: Foreign Versus Domestic Banks

The present paper investigates the efficiency of the Polish banking industry between 1997-2001. Our preferred methodology is Data Envelopment Analysis, which allows us to distinguish between cost, allocative, technical, pure technical, and scale efficiency. Additionally, we perform a number of tests to investigate whether domestic and foreign banks come from the same population. Finally, we attempt to shed light on the determinants of efficiency. Our results indicate that bank efficiency has not improved during the years analyzed. Whereas greenfield banks have achieved higher levels of efficiency than domestic banks, foreign banks that acquired domestic institutions have not succeeded in enhancing their efficiency.
On the beliefs off the path : An experimental investigation of equilibrium refinement ∗

We report the results of an experiment designed to shed light on beliefs off equilibrium paths. The experiment implements an incomplete information club game. A unique outcome results in all perfect Bayesian equilibria, but beliefs and actions off the equilibrium path are unconstrained under all concepts except extensive form rationalizability (EFR) and logit equilibrium. 90% of subject’s decisions confirm with PBE in information sets with unique predictions (i.e. sequential rationality is not violated). The observations in the remaining information sets correspond neatly with the unique predictions of EFR and logit equilibrium, and we argue that models of hierarchical thinking (e.g. EFR) or bounded rationality (e.g. logit equilibrium) are required to explain beliefs off equilibrium paths. JEL classification: C72, C91, D62
Bidirectional Tree-Structured LSTM with Head Lexicalization

Sequential LSTM has been extended to model tree structures, giving competitive results for a number of tasks. Existing methods model constituent trees by bottom-up combinations of constituent nodes, making direct use of input word information only for leaf nodes. This is different from sequential LSTMs, which contain reference to input words for each node. In this paper, we propose a method for automatic head-lexicalization for tree-structure LSTMs, propagating head words from leaf nodes to every constituent node. In addition, enabled by head lexicalization, we build a tree LSTM in the top-down direction, which corresponds to bidirectional sequential LSTM structurally. Experiments show that both extensions give better representations of tree structures. Our final model gives the best results on the Standford Sentiment Treebank and highly competitive results on the TREC question type classification task.
Biometric image processing and recognition

Biometric-based identification and verification systems are poised to become a key technology, with applications including controlling access to 'buildings and computers, reducing fraudulent transactions in electronic commerce, and discouraging illegal immigration. There are at least eight image-based biometrics that are being actively considered. In image-based biometrics, the biometric signature is acquired as an image and the image is processed using techniques from computer vision, image understanding, and pattern recognition. We consider two promising image-based biometrics, faces and fingerprints. For each, we provide a critical assessment of the state of the art, suggest future research directions, and identify technological challenges.
PENGARUH PENYAJIAN LAPORAN KEUANGAN DESA, LINGKUNGAN PENGENDALIAN dan MORALITAS INDIVIDU TERHADAP PENCEGAHAN FRAUD YANG TERJADI DALAM PENGELOLAAN ALOKASI DANA DESA(Studi Kasus di Desa Sukamantri, Desa Sukamanah, Desa Sukaresmi dan Desa Gunungjaya Kecamatan Cisaat Kabupaten Sukabumi)

Fraud is one of the deliberate actions against a situation or a truth hidden from a material fact that can harm others and profitable themselves. The aim of this research is to examine the effects of presentation of village financial statements, control environment and individual morality on fraud prevention in the management of Village Allocation Fund (ADD). The sample in this research is village apparatus and Badan Permusyawaratan Desa (BPD) in Sukamantri Village, Sukamanah Village, Sukaresmi Village and Gunungjaya Village, Cisaat District of Sukabumi Regency with 55 persons. The data is collected by questionnaire with Likert Scale. This research is categorized as descriptive research with quantitative approach. The analysis tool to test the hypothesis is the multiple linear regression analysis by using SPSS 23.0 for Windows program. Results of this research indicates that the variable presentation of village financial statements have no effect on fraud prevention, the control environment variables have an impact on fraud prevention and the individual morality variables have an impact on fraud prevention.
Review of nifedipine GITS in the treatment of high risk patients with coronary artery disease and hypertension

Nifedipine is a dihydropyridine calcium-channel blocker (CCB) introduced approximately 30 years ago for the prophylaxis of angina symptoms, and then later utilized as an anti-hypertensive agent. In the 1990s, several meta-analyses and a case-control study were published which raised concern regarding increased mortality and increased risk for myocardial infarction with short-acting nifedipine. Further evaluation of these meta-analyses and case control study underscores some important limitations and the need to further elucidate the role of this class of medications in high-risk patients. Until 2000, there was a paucity of data on the long-term effects as well as the long-term outcomes of CCBs in the treatment of stable coronary disease or in patients with manifestations of the disease such as hypertension or angina. While it has been well established that nifedipine and other dihydropyridines lower blood pressure and improve symptoms of angina, several studies were designed to evaluate the effect of dihydropyridines on “hard” outcomes, specifically cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events. In this review, we describe the clinical studies evaluating the use of nifedipine when compared to placebo as well as other anti-hypertensive therapies in an attempt to identify the most appropriate place in therapy for this class of medications and to further clarify its utilization in high-risk patients.
Clay ingestion enhances intestinal triacylglycerol hydrolysis and non-esterified fatty acid absorption

Consumption by animals and humans of earthy materials such as clay is often related to gut pathologies. Our aim was to determine the impact of kaolinite ingestion on glucose and NEFA transport through the intestinal mucosa. The expression of hexose transporters (Na/glucose co-transporter 1 (SGLT1), GLUT2, GLUT5) and of proteins involved in NEFA absorption (fatty acid transporter/cluster of differentiation 36 (FAT/CD36), fatty acid transport protein 4 (FATP4) and liver fatty acid binding protein (L-FABP)) was measured (1) in rats whose jejunum was perfused with a solution of kaolinite, and (2) in rats who ate spontaneously kaolinite pellets during 7 and 28 d. Also, we determined TAG and glucose absorption in the kaolinite-perfused group, and pancreatic lipase activity, gastric emptying and intestinal transit in rats orally administered with kaolinite. Glucose absorption was not affected by kaolinite perfusion or ingestion. However, kaolinite induced a significant increase in intestinal TAG hydrolysis and NEFA absorption. The cytoplasmic expression of L-FABP and FATP4 also increased due to kaolinite ingestion. NEFA may enter the enterocytes via endocytosis mainly since expression of NEFA transporters in the brush-border membrane was not affected by kaolinite. After uptake, rapid binding of NEFA by L-FABP and FATP4 could act as an intracellular NEFA buffer to prevent NEFA efflux. Increased TAG hydrolysis and NEFA absorption may be due to the adsorption properties of clay and also because kaolinite ingestion caused a slowing down of gastric emptying and intestinal transit.
Usability and Sociability in Online Communities: A Comparative Study of Knowledge Seeking and Contribution

Research Article The chief objective in many online communities is to allow for knowledge sharing and learning, which is enabled by technologies such as discussion forums. The value realized from these communities depends on ongoing participation in terms of two key activities i.e., knowledge seeking and contribution. However, a large number of communities fail, as they cannot sustain these activities. This poses the question of how these two activities can be simultaneously promoted. While previous research has separately explicated a number of different antecedents for the two activities, this study adopts a socio-technical perspective of an online community and considers usability and sociability as two salient antecedents applicable to both activities. Usability and sociability are multi-dimensional constructs, where individual's perceptions of the two may be determined by dimensions such as ease of use and social interactivity. This paper proposes that individuals may place different importance on these dimensions when seeking knowledge, compared to contributing knowledge. The research model is tested through a survey of users of a learning-focused community system. Our findings indicate that individuals do, indeed, differ in their emphasis on the identified dimensions when they engage in the two activities. Specifically, ease of use and system reliability are considered as more important for usability, and moderator perception as more important for sociability when individuals seek knowledge. On the other hand, individuals perceive tracking fulfillment as more important for usability and social interactivity as more important for sociability when they contribute knowledge. These differences have implications for future research and practice.
Radio Frequency Interference Detection and Mitigation Algorithms Based on Spectrogram Analysis

Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) detection and mitigation algorithms based on a signal’s spectrogram (frequency and time domain representation) are presented. The radiometric signal’s spectrogram is treated as an image, and therefore image processing techniques are applied to detect and mitigate RFI by two-dimensional filtering. A series of Monte-Carlo simulations have been performed to evaluate the performance of a simple thresholding algorithm and a modified two-dimensional Wiener filter.
SEA SURFACE CURRENT FIELDS IN THE BALTIC SEA DERIVED FROM MULTI-SENSOR SATELLITE DATA

Mesoscale dynamic sea surface features, such as eddies, fronts, or dipoles, are of key importance for our understanding of local dynamics of the marine coastal environment. However, they are often not fully resolved by numerical models currently in use. Series of satellite images (with resolutions ranging from a few meters to hundreds of meters), acquired within a short time period (from less than an hour to a day), can be used to close this gap, if the spatial and temporal extent of those dynamic surface features fits to the spatial and temporal resolution of the sensors and of the data acquisitions, respectively. Moreover, current tracers that are detectable by all applied sensors, need to be present during the whole time of image acquisitions. In this paper we demonstrate the use of multisensor / multi-channel satellite images for the computation of mesoscale surface currents in the Central Baltic Sea. The images were acquired by the Thematic Mapper (TM), the ERS-2 Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), the Envisat Advanced SAR, the Wide-Field Scanner (WiFS), and the Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) during extensive summer algae (cyanobacterial) blooms in July 1997 (Northern Baltic Proper) and in July / August 1999 (Southern Baltic Proper), and after an oil spillage in May 2005 (north of the Bay of Gdansk). Both natural and man-made surface films affect the sea surface and thus are visible on satellite imagery. We show that, in some cases, data from sensors working at different electromagnetic frequency bands (e.g., TM and SAR) can be used to apply high-speed feature-matching (cross-correlation) techniques for motion detection. In other cases, best results were obtained through the calculation of the optical flow between subsequent images acquired by the same sensor (e.g., WiFS, SeaWiFS, or ASAR). Our computed two-dimensional surface current fields show good agreement with, and they also complement, results from numerical model runs. However, limitations of the proposed methods are due to the strong dependence of the visibility of marine surface films on local weather conditions and to the low availability of satellite data.