Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Magnitude- and Shape-Related Feature Integration in Hyperspectral Mixture Analysis to Monitor Weeds in Citrus Orchards

Traditionally, spectral mixture analysis (SMA) fails to fully account for highly similar ground components or endmembers. The high similarity between weed and crop spectra hampers the implementation of SMA for steering weed control management practices. To address this problem, this paper presents an alternative SMA technique, referred to as Integrated Spectral Unmixing (InSU). InSU combines both magnitude (i.e., reflectance) and shape (i.e., derivative reflectance) related features in an automated waveband selection protocol. Analysis was performed on different simulated mixed pixel spectra sets compiled from in situ-measured weed canopy, Citrus canopy, and soil spectra. Compared to traditional linear SMA, InSU significantly improved weed cover fraction estimations. An average decrease in fraction abundance error (Deltaf) of 0.09 was demonstrated for a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of 500 : 1, while for a SNR of 50 : 1, the decrease was 0.06.
Synaptic relationships between dopaminergic afferents and cortical or thalamic input in the sensorimotor territory of the striatum in monkey

The cerebral cortex and the intralaminar thalamic nuclei are the major sources of excitatory glutamatergic afferents to the striatum, whereas the midbrain catecholaminergic neurones provide a dense intrastriatal plexus of dopamine‐containing terminals. Evidence from various sources suggests that there is a functional interaction between the glutamate‐ and dopamine‐containing terminals in the striatum. The aim of the present study was to determine the synaptic relationships between cortical or thalamic inputs and the dopaminergic afferents in the sensorimotor territory of the monkey striatum. To address this issue, anterograde tracing in combination with immunocytochemistry for tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) was carried out by light and electron microscopy.
Positioning of a plane-parallel ionization chamber in clinical electron beams and the impact on perturbation factors

Current dosimetry protocols recommend the use of plane-parallel ionization chambers for the dosimetry of clinical electron beams. The necessary perturbation corrections pwall and pcav are assumed to be unity, independent of the depth of measurement and the energy of the primary electrons. To verify these assumptions detailed Monte Carlo studies of a Roos chamber in clinical electron beams with energies in the range of 6–21 MeV are performed at different depths in water and analyzed in terms of Spencer–Attix cavity theory. Separate simulations for the perturbation corrections pwall and pcav indicate quite different properties of both correction factors with depth. Dose as well as fluence calculations show a nearly depth-independent wall correction factor for a shift of the Roos chamber Δz = −0.017 cm toward the focus. This value is in good agreement with the positioning recommendation given in all dosimetry protocols. Regarding the fluence perturbation pcav the simulation of the electron fluence inside the air cavity in comparison to water unambiguously reveals an in-scattering of low energy electrons, despite the fact, that the cavity is ‘well guarded’. For depths beyond the reference depth zref this effect is superimposed by an increased loss of primary electrons from the beam resulting in pcav > 1. This effect is largest for low electron energies but present for all electron energies involved in this study. Based on the different depth dependences of pwall and pcav it is possible to choose a chamber shift Δz in a way to minimize the depth dependence of the overall perturbation factor p. For the Roos chamber this shift is Δz = −0.04 cm independent of electron energy.
Study on the Impact of the Euro on Trade and Foreign Direct Investment

The introduction of the euro was the world's largest economic â€˜experiment. ' This experiment opens the door to a major advance in our understanding of how aÂ common currency affects economic activity. When it comes to the euro's trade effects the first contribution of this report is to refine â€œthe numberâ€ . Using the latest data and best empirical methodology, we confirm the received wisdom that the euro has promoted trade significantly, with the aggregate impact being in the range of 5% or so. The second main contribution of this report was to advance and refine our understanding of exact how the euro was boosting trade. The euro boosted trade inside the Eurozone since it lowered the relative price of traded goods coming from the Eurozone. The second main channel is the newly-trade goods channel. The third main contribution of the report concerns the euro's pro-FDI effects.
A temperate river estuary is a sink for methanotrophs adapted to extremes of pH, temperature and salinity

Summary River Tyne (UK) estuarine sediments harbour a genetically and functionally diverse community of methane‐oxidizing bacteria (methanotrophs), the composition and activity of which were directly influenced by imposed environmental conditions (pH, salinity, temperature) that extended far beyond those found in situ. In aerobic sediment slurries methane oxidation rates were monitored together with the diversity of a functional gene marker for methanotrophs (pmoA). Under near in situ conditions (4–30°C, pH 6–8, 1–15 g l−1 NaCl), communities were enriched by sequences affiliated with M ethylobacter and M ethylomonas spp. and specifically a M ethylobacter psychrophilus‐related species at 4–21°C. More extreme conditions, namely high temperatures ≥ 40°C, high ≥ 9 and low ≤ 5 pH, and high salinities ≥ 35 g l−1 selected for putative thermophiles (M ethylocaldum), acidophiles (M ethylosoma) and haloalkaliphiles (M ethylomicrobium). The presence of these extreme methanotrophs (unlikely to be part of the active community in situ) indicates passive dispersal from surrounding environments into the estuary.
The evolution of German's values since reunification

Exploiting the natural experiment of German reunification, we study whether having experienced socialism has an enduring effect on people's basic values. Using data from the German Socio-Economic Panel, we show that individuals that lived in the German Democratic Republic (GDR) assign different importance to six out of nine life goals. Our evidence suggests two reactions, adaption to policies/conditions in the GDR as well as switching to the opposite values. The strength of the reactions varies with East Germans' appreciation of reunification. Intergenerational transmission seems to contribute to the preservation of socialist in influence across generations; it does not differ between East and West Germany. We show that self-reported values are behaviorally relevant. Differences in values provide a possible explanation for persistent differences in behavior.
To Meet or Not to Meet (Your Case Worker) – that is the Question

We investigate the effects of meetings between the unemployed and their case workers on the transition rate from unemployment to employment using detailed Danish event history data obtained from administrative registers. We find large positive effects of meetings. The transition rate strongly increases in the week the meeting is held, and this effect persists for some weeks after the meeting. The effect size tends to increase with the number of meetings. The effect of the first meeting on the transition rate to work does not depend on the timing of the meeting.
Segment based X-Filling for low power and high defect coverage

Many X-Filling strategies are proposed to reduce test power during scan based testing. Because their main motivation is to reduce the switching activities of test patterns in the test process, some of them are prone to reduce the test ability of test patterns, which may lead to low defect coverage. In this paper, we propose a segment based X-filling(SBF) technique to reduce test power using multiple scan chains, with minimal impact on defect coverage. Different from the previous filling methods, our X-filling technique is segment based and defect coverage aware. The method can be easily incorporated into traditional ATPG flow to keep capture power below a certain limit and keep the defect coverage at a high level.
Applications of optimization to sovereign debt issuance

This thesis investigates different issues related to the issuance of debt by sovereign bodies such as governments, under uncertainty about the future interest rates. Several dynamic models of interest rates are presented, along with extensive numerical experiments for calibration of models and comparison of performance on real financial market data. The main contribution of the thesis is the construction and demonstration of a stochastic optimisation model for debt issuance under interest rate uncertainty. When the uncertainty is modeled using a model from a certain class of single factor interest rate models, one can construct a scenario tree such that the number of scenarios grows linearly with time steps. An optimization model is constructed using such a one factor scenario tree. For a real government debt issuance remit, a multi-stage stochastic optimization is performed to choose the type and the amount of debt to be issued and the results are compared with the real issuance. The currently used simulation models by the government, which are in public domain, are also reviewed. Apparently, using an optimization model, such as the one proposed in this work, can lead to substantial savings in the servicing costs of the issued debt.
On the behaviour of the (1, λ)-es for a conically constrained problem

We consider a conically constrained optimisation problem where the optimal solution lies at the apex of the cone and study the behaviour of a (1,λ)-ES that handles constraints by resampling infeasible candidate solutions. Expressions that describe the strategy's single-step behaviour are derived. Assuming that the mutation strength is adapted in a scale-invariant manner, a simple zeroth-order model is used to determine the speed of convergence of the strategy. We then derive expressions that approximately characterise the step size and convergence rate attained when using cumulative step size adaptation and compare the values with optimal ones.
On the Costs of a Bank-Centered Financial System: Evidence from the Changing Main Bank Relations in Japan

We examine the effects of bank-firm relationships on firm performance in Japan. When access to capital markets is limited, close bank-firm ties increase the availability of capital to borrowing firms, but do not lead to higher profitability or growth. The cost of capital of firms with close bank ties is higher than that of their peers. This indicates that most of the benefits from these relationships are appropriated by the banks. Finally, the slow growth rates of bank clients suggest that banks discourage firms from investing in risky, profitable projects. However, liberalization of financial markets reduces the banks' market power. Copyright The American Finance Association 1998.
Investigation of Chemokine Receptor CCR2V64Il Gene Polymorphism and Migraine without Aura in the Iranian Population

Background and Objectives. Migraine is a multifactorial common neurovascular disease with a polygenic inheritance. Inflammation plays an important part in migraine pathophysiology. C-C chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2) is an important chemokine for monocyte aggregation and transendothelial monocyte migration. The aim of our study was to investigate the association of migraine with CCR2V64Il polymorphism in the Iranian population. Methods. We assessed 103 patients with newly diagnosed migraine and 100 healthy subjects. Genomic DNA samples were extracted from peripheral blood and genotypes of CCR2V64Il gene polymorphism were determined. For measuring the severity of headache, every patient filled out the MIGSEV questionnaire. Results. There were no significant differences in the distribution of both 64Il allele and heterozygote (GA) genotype of CCR2 gene polymorphism (P = 0.396; OR = 0.92, 95% CI = 0.50–1.67 and P = 0.388; OR = 0.91, 95% CI = 0.47–1.73, resp.) between case and control groups. There was no significant difference of alleles frequency between three grades of MIGSEV (P = 0.922). Conclusions. In conclusion our results revealed no association between CCR2V64Il polymorphism and susceptibility to migraine and also headache severity in the Iranian population.
Review of Maritime Transport, 2014

The Review of Maritime Transport is a recurrent publication prepared by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) secretariat since 1968 with the aim of fostering the transparency of maritime markets and analysing relevant developments. This document covers data and events from January 2013 until June 2014. It compares the trends in maritime activities in developing and developed countries. Topics include: trends in international shipping, ownership of the world fleet, freight rates and transport costs, port developments, legal issues, and regulatory developments relating to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. The last chapter focuses on maritime transport in small island developing States.
Price-Increasing Monopolistic Competition? The Case of IES Preferences

We introduce a new class of "increasing elasticity of substitution" (IES) preferences to model product differentiation. In a monopolistic competition setting a la Dixit - Stiglitz (1977) we find that, even under constant returns to scale and complete information, a rise in the number of firms can be price-increasing. This result extends to Cournotian competition. Despite the price increase, consumers benefit from a rise in the number of monopolistic competitors because of higher product diversity. Higher prices are therefore associated with higher consumer welfare. Our results suggest a possible explanation to the empirical puzzle posed by the countercyclical movements of price-cost margins following globalisation and market reforms. In addition, they should be of interest for real business cycle literature which investigates the impact of an endogenous market structure.
Determining the Methods for Measuring the Economic and Fiscal Impacts Associated with Organic Crop Conversion in Iowa

This research demonstrates methods for comparing the potential region-wide economic impact value of organic versus conventional crop practices. The impetus for this research was the passage of a county ordinance in Woodbury County, Iowa, allowing a maximum of $50,000 of county property tax abatements for qualifying conventional-to-organic production conversions. This study used Iowa State University Cooperative Extension Service crop enterprise budget information to compare the returns to operators of two productions systems: a conventional corn-soybean rotation versus an organic rotation consisting of corn–soybeans–oats-alfalfa. The research demonstrated that there are very strong differences not only in the superior average returns to organic farming operators when compared to conventional corn–soybean operations, but in the overall economic impacts.
Self-Management in Daily Life with Psoriasis: An Integrative Review of Patient Needs for Structured Education

The aim of this integrative review is to identify and discuss patient needs for education to support self-management in daily life with psoriasis. As psoriasis increasingly gains recognition as a serious chronic autoimmune skin disease with long-term impairment on the life course, and not mainly a cosmetic problem, nurses are highly challenged to develop efficient education to support patient self-management. The paper includes five stages: (1) problem identification, (2) literature search, (3) data evaluation, (4) data analysis and synthesis, and (5) presentation, based on theoretic scaffolding around the concept “need. ” Nineteen of 164 original papers within nursing, medicine and psychology, and reflecting patient perspective were included. To capture the patients' cultural understanding of the implications of the disease and care, we developed an interlevel model indicating that self-experienced burden of disease and its visibility, personal conditions such as illness perception, and the patient's age at onset time are high-impact factors that should be addressed in future structured patient education programmes. The research on patient needs has hitherto focused on adults, but the problems and vulnerability associated with having a chronic and visible disease during adolescence must be acknowledged, and patient education initiatives designed for this young group are recommended.
Capital Flight and Investment Dynamics in Nigeria: A Time Series Analysis (1970-2006)

This study critically examines the implications of capital flight on investment growth in Nigeria between 1970 and 2006, because of the consequential effect it has on economic growth. The time series data properties incorporated were examined using the Augmented Dickey-Fuller (ADF) unit root test and the results revealed that Investment, capital flight, interest rate and exchange rate were stationary at levels excluding exchange rate found to be integrated at first difference. The Augmented Engle-Granger (AEG) co-integration test employed to investigate the dynamic relationship between capital flight and investment level in Nigeria, revealed that there exist long-run interaction. Though, capital flight was found to exert positive but insignificant effect on investment growth during the review period. While, the short-run dynamic interaction as a result of the structural instability in the long-run was captured by the Error Correction Mechanism (ECM) model which was found inestimable due to the high collinearity existing among the incorporated variables. Policy recommendations were proffered base on the research findings.
Primordial Big Bang Nucleosynthesis

Big Bang Nucleosynthesis is the theory of the production of the the light element isotopes of D, He3, He4, and Li7. After a brief review of the essential elements of the standard Big Bang model at a temperature of about 1 MeV, the theoretical input and predictions of BBN are discussed. The theory is tested by the observational determinations of the light element abundances and the current status of these observations is reviewed. Concordance of standard model and the related observations is found over a limited range of the baryon-to-photon ratio, the single true parameter of the standard model. Implications of BBN on chemical evolution, dark matter and constraints on particle properties will be also discussed.
Contra/Diction: How Catholic Doublespeak in Canadian Catholic Secondary Schools Furthers Homophobia

The contradictions underlying the Catholic institutionalization of homophobia in publicly funded Canadian Catholic secondary schools show that many Catholic school districts in Canada are ignoring their legal, professional, and ethical responsibilities to protect all students and to maintain a safe, caring, and inclusive learning environment. This paper discusses the ways in which Catholic school boards tie their policies to the Vatican and sidestep progressive initiatives undertaken by teachers associations in favour of Catholic solutions to contemporary issues in schools. Hope for a more progressive climate in the Catholic secondary school setting can be found in queer Catholic youth activism occurring in secondary schools. This paper proposes that social justice can be learned and offers suggestions for educational stakeholders regarding policy change for particular Catholic educational contexts.
NONPARAMETRIC REGRESSION ESTIMATION OF HOUSEHOLD VMT

The number of vehicle miles traveled (VMT) each year by households is a key variable of interest. It is used in most models of travel demand, as a control variable, a response variable, or both. This study employs nonparametric econometric techniques to examine the effects of household income, vehicle ownership and workers on annual household VMT using the 1995 Nationwide Personal Transportation Survey. The results are density functions and regression surfaces for VMT, in relation to these and other variables, including public transit availability, housing location (urban versus rural), and retirement. As expected, households with more vehicles and workers exhibited much higher annual VMT. However, the effect of vehicle ownership tapers off, with VMT stabilizing at 5 or more vehicles. Interestingly, at low levels of household income, income increases are associated with lower VMT, essentially approximating a convex quadratic form, while controlling for vehicle ownership and workers. These nonparametric regressions perform better than their ordinary-least squares counterparts in many ways: they permit full distributional flexibility of error terms, they result in higher R2 values, and they illuminate complex relationships that would not be contemplated by most analysts. However, they also require more computation, a large sample size in all data regions, and relative few control variables.
Teacher and Principal Assessment Literacy

Perry, Michael, Ed. D. , May 2013 Educational Leadership Teacher and Principal Assessment Literacy: A look at the level of assessment literacy of high school principals and high school teachers in the state of Montana. Chair: Dr. John Matt The implementation of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act in 2002 has increased the emphasis on standardized achievement tests. Principals are asked to lead instruction and improve student achievement through assessment. NCLB has sanctions that could include replacing a school principal. The purpose of this study was to look at the level of assessment literacy of high school principals in the state of Montana. An email was sent to all practicing high school principals (N=169) inviting them to participate in a survey. The survey asked demographic questions regarding years in the classroom, years as principal, overall education, size of school population, and region. The survey was also designed to test their level of assessment literacy using the Classroom Assessment Literacy Inventory (CALI) as used in similar studies. The principals that completed the survey were also asked to have two teachers of English, science, or math take the same CALI. A total of 32 principals and 14 teachers completed the survey. The responses indicated that the level of teacher assessment literacy closely mirrored the results from studies conducted in 1993 and 2003 using the CALI. The results from the principals’ participation showed lower scores in all but one area of the Standards for Teacher Competence on Educational Assessment of Students. The overall score by principals on the CALI was 59% correct in comparison with the teachers’ overall score of just under 63%. Findings included the level of teacher scores on the CALI have not changed significantly in over twenty years. In an era of increased use of assessment, principal scores are lower than that of classroom teachers. The study was conducted in one state of a rural nature when compared to populations nationwide. The results are discussed in terms of use to establish a baseline that can be used in further study of assessment literacy of both classroom teachers and principals in the state of Montana.