Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Mapping Winter Wheat Biomass and Yield Using Time Series Data Blended from PROBA-V 100- and 300-m S1 Products

Monitoring crop areas and yields is crucial for food security and agriculture management across the world. In this paper, we mapped the biomass and yield of winter wheat using the new Project for On-Board Autonomy-Vegetation (PROBA-V) products in the North China Plain (NCP). First, the daily 100-m land surface reflectance was generated by fusing the PROBA-V 100-m and 300-m S1 products. Our results show that the blended data exhibited high correlations with the referenced data (0.71 ≤ R2 ≤ 0.94 for the red band, 0.50 ≤ R2 ≤ 0.95 for the near-infrared band, and 0.88 ≤ R2 ≤ 0.97 for the shortwave infrared band). The time-series Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) derived from the synthetic reflectance was then clustered for winter wheat identification. The overall classification accuracy was between 78% and 87%, with a kappa coefficient above 0.57, which was 10%–20% higher than the classification accuracy using the 300-m data. Finally, a light use efficiency model was employed to estimate the biomass and yield. The estimation results were closely related to the field-measured biomass and yield, with high R2 and low root mean square errors (RMSE) (0.864 ≤ R2 ≤ 0.871 and 168 ≤ RMSE ≤ 191 g/m2 for biomass; and 0.631 ≤ R2 ≤ 0.663 and 41.8 ≤ RMSE ≤ 62.8 g/m2 for yield). This paper shows the strong potential of using PROBA-V 100-m data to enhance the spatial resolution of PROBA-V 300-m data and because the proposed framework in this study was based only on the relatively high spatio-temporal resolution PROBA-V data and achieved favorable results, it provides a novel approach for crop areas and yields estimation utilizing the relatively new data set.
On foreclosure rates and the house price index: A cross-sectional analysis

This paper attempts to firmly establish the dependence of house price index on foreclosure rates, a prerequisite to substantiating “let-sink” foreclosure policy. In our paper, we first examine a simple linear regression model to show that there are omitted variables in the model, and therefore, more variables other than just foreclosure rates have to be considered. We then continue with the multiple linear regression model by looking at the influence of foreclosure rates, education, property tax, income tax, stimulus, and legal system upon house price index. By using this model, we show that most variables do not have statistical significance, individually or jointly, except for foreclosure rates and legal system. Finally, we reject the null hypothesis and conclude that house price index is significantly dependent upon foreclosure rates and the state legal foreclosure system. ON FORECLOSURE RATES AND THE HOUSE PRICE INDEX: A CROSS-SECTIONAL ANALYSIS 2
Correlation of HOXD3 promoter hypermethylation with clinical and pathologic features in screening prostate biopsies

Molecular markers that can discriminate indolent cancers from aggressive ones may improve the management of prostate cancer and minimize unnecessary treatment. Aberrant DNA methylation is a common epigenetic event in cancers and HOXD3 promoter hypermethylation (H3PH) has been found in prostate cancer. Our objective was to evaluate the relationship between H3PH and clinicopathologic features in screening prostate biopsies.
Seasonal variation of phosphorus limitation of bacterial growth in a small lake

A series of bioassay experiments were performed from spring to autumn in a small dimictic lake (Deep Pond, Massachusetts) to examine the potential for bacterial growth limitation by organic carbon (glucose), inorganic nutrients (ammonium or phosphate), or both. The experiments demonstrated that phosphorus was the primary element limiting bacterial growth in Deep Pond during a large part of the summer. Significant increases (relative to controls) in bacterial cell volumes, protein production rates, and abundances were observed during 24‐h incubations for samples amended with phosphate alone. Organic carbon was near colimitation for most of the samples, however, and dramatic increases in bacterial abundance and rates of protein production were obtained only when both substances (phosphate and glucose) were added together. There was no evidence for nitrogen limitation of bacterial growth during the study. Temperature was not an important determinant for bacterial production rates above 12°C, but below 12°C temperature acted to mute the effect of nutrient and organic carbon additions on production rates. Bacterial growth was not significantly increased by the addition of any combination of glucose, ammonium, or phosphate below 12°C. A significant, albeit complex, effect of the microbial community on the bacterial response to nutrient/carbon enrichment was apparent in the samples. Substrate/nutrient supply and biomass removal by bacterivores both appeared to play a role in the outcome of the experiments.
Crowd modeling and simulation technologies

As a collective and highly dynamic social group, the human crowd is a fascinating phenomenon that has been frequently studied by experts from various areas. Recently, computer-based modeling and simulation technologies have emerged to support investigation of the dynamics of crowds, such as a crowd's behaviors under normal and emergent situations. This article assesses the major existing technologies for crowd modeling and simulation. We first propose a two-dimensional categorization mechanism to classify existing work depending on the size of crowds and the time-scale of the crowd phenomena of interest. Four evaluation criteria have also been introduced to evaluate existing crowd simulation systems from the point of view of both a modeler and an end-user. We have discussed some influential existing work in crowd modeling and simulation regarding their major features, performance as well as the technologies used in this work. We have also discussed some open problems in the area. This article will provide the researchers with useful information and insights on the state of the art of the technologies in crowd modeling and simulation as well as future research directions.
Developing dynamic strategies for multi-issue automated contracting in the agent based commercial grid

Multiple-issue negotiations between autonomous software agents allow the alignment of resource consumers' demand profiles and the specific service capabilities of resource providers. To address the inefficiencies of negotiations on imperfect markets, the negotiation model suggested here includes both self-interested negotiations driven by a heuristic strategy and a joint-gains approach to win/win-negotiations. The market based grid service allocation mechanism is based on negotiating agents that are aware oj their environment and leverage strategically relevant knowledge to maximize utility. The "GeneLab " simulation environment uses a genetic algorithm to find strong negotiation strategies and suitable knowledge processing rules.
Epidermal growth factor receptor as a potential therapeutic target in triple-negative breast cancer.

BACKGROUND No proven targeted therapy is currently available for the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is frequently overexpressed in TNBC. We studied the activity of EGFR antagonists alone, and in combination with chemotherapy, in TNBC cell lines. MATERIALS AND METHODS EGFR and phosphorylated EGFR were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Sensitivity to EGFR inhibitors alone and in combination with chemotherapy was assessed. Effects of gefitinib on EGFR signalling and cell cycle were also examined. RESULTS EGFR was overexpressed in the TNBC compared with the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2)-positive cell lines. Phosphorylation of EGFR was detected in the TNBC cells in response to epidermal growth factor stimulation and was blocked by gefitinib treatment. However, the TNBC cell lines were less sensitive to EGFR inhibition than the HER-2-positive cell lines. Response to gefitinib was associated with reduced phosphorylation of both mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) and Akt and induction of G(1) arrest. Gefitinib enhanced response to both carboplatin and docetaxel in the TNBC cells, and the triple combination of gefitinib, carboplatin and docetaxel was synergistic. CONCLUSIONS Although the TNBC cells are less sensitive to EGFR inhibition than the HER-2-positive cell lines, gefitinib enhanced response to chemotherapy. Gefitinib combined with carboplatin and docetaxel warrants further investigation in TNBC.
Phase separation in random cluster models II: the droplet at equilibrium, and local deviation lower bounds

We study the droplet that results from conditioning the subcritical Fortuin-Kasteleyn planar random cluster model on the presence of an open circuit Gamma_0 encircling the origin and enclosing an area of at least (or exactly) n^2. We consider local deviation of the droplet boundary, measured in a radial sense by the maximum local roughness, MLR(Gamma_0), this being the maximum distance from a point in the circuit Gamma_0 to the boundary of the circuit's convex hull; and in a longitudinal sense by what we term maximum facet length, MFL(Gamma_0), namely, the length of the longest line segment of which the boundary of the convex hull is formed. We prove that that there exists a constant c > 0 such that the conditional probability that the normalised quantity n^{-1/3}\big(\log n \big)^{-2/3} MLR(Gamma_0) exceeds c tends to 1 in the high n-limit; and that the same statement holds for n^{-2/3}\big(\log n \big)^{-1/3} MFL(Gamma_0). To obtain these bounds, we exhibit the random cluster measure conditional on the presence of an open circuit trapping high area as the invariant measure of a Markov chain that resamples sections of the circuit boundary. We analyse the chain at equilibrium to prove the local roughness lower bounds. Alongside complementary upper bounds provided in arXiv:1001.1527, the fluctuations MLR(Gamma_0) and MFL(Gamma_0) are determined up to a constant factor.
Perfectionistic Strivings are Neither Adaptive, Healthy, Positive, Functional, nor Advisable: Findings From Six Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles

i CO-AUTHORSHIP STATEMENT . ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS . iv TABLE OF CONTENTS . v LIST OF TABLES . x LIST OF FIGURES . xi CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION AND LITERATEUR REVIEW . 1 1. The Tragedy of Ernest Hemingway: A Case Study . 1 1.1. Defining Perfectionism . 3 1.2. Perfectionism and the Five-Factor Model. 4 1.3. The Intergenerational Transmission of Perfectionism . 5 1.4. Are Perfectionistic Strivings Adaptive? 6 1.4. 1. Do Perfectionistic Strivings Exacerbate Perfectionistic Concerns? 7 1.4. 2. Is Controlling for Perfectionistic Concerns Perilous? 7 1.4. 3. Is Self-Oriented Perfectionism Uniquely Related to Narcissistic Grandiosity? 8 1.4. 4. Are Perfectionistic Strivings Risk Factors for Depression Beyond Neuroticism? 9 1.4. 5. Does Self-Oriented Perfectionism Play a Role in Social Disconnection? 9 1.4. 6. Are Perfectionistic Strivings Related to Suicide Ideation? 10 1.5. References . 11 CHAPTER TWO: PERFECTIONISTIC STRIVINGS AND CONCERNS INTERACT . 21 2. Abstract . 21 2.
Efficient 3D Object Detection by Fitting Superquadrics to Range Image Data for Robot's Object Manipulation

Fast detection of objects in a home or office environment is relevant for robotic service and assistance applications. In this work we present the automatic localization of a wide variety of differently shaped objects scanned with a laser range sensor from one view in a cluttered setting. The daily-life objects are modeled using approximated superquadrics, which can be obtained from showing the object or another modeling process. Detection is based on a hierarchical RANSAC search to obtain fast detection results and the voting of sorted quality-of-fit criteria. The probabilistic search starts from low resolution and refines hypotheses at increasingly higher resolution levels. Criteria for object shape and the relationship of object parts together with a ranking procedure and a ranked voting process result in a combined ranking of hypothesis using a minimum number of parameters. Experiments from cluttered table top scenes demonstrate the effectiveness and robustness of the approach, feasible for real world object localization and robot grasp planning.
Prosocial implicit trait policies underlie performance on different situational judgment tests with interpersonal content

ABSTRACT This study tests the hypothesis that situational judgment tests (SJTs) with interpersonal content reflect implicit beliefs about the utility of prosocial action for job effectiveness and that agreeable people are more likely to believe that prosocial action is effective. Two hundred ninety-four undergraduates completed four different SJTs with interpersonal content and a measure of Agreeableness. Results show that the effectiveness of response options in these SJTs is positively correlated with the level of prosociality they express and that because of their prosocial elements, scores on different SJTs are correlated with one another and with Agreeableness. These results shed light on the construct-related validity of SJTs with interpersonal content and point to the possibility that they can assess prosociality in job settings different from those described in their items.
Expressing degree of activation in synthetic speech

This paper presents the design, implementation, and evaluation of a system capable of expressing a continuum of emotional states in synthetic speech. A review of the literature and an analysis of a naturalistic database of emotional speech provided detailed descriptions of the link between acoustic parameters and the three emotion dimensions activation, evaluation, and power. We formulated a set of emotional prosody rules and implemented them in a German text-to-speech (TTS) system. A perception study investigated how well the resulting synthesized prosody fits with emotional states defined through textual situation descriptions. Results show that degree of activation is perceived as intended
A Review of Propensity Score Application in Healthcare Outcome and Epidemiology

Propensity score approaches in outcomes and epidemiological research are most often used for sample selection by matching, analysis of causal effect by stratification, or risk adjustment by combining propensity score and regression models. Several computing tools are available including SAS, S-PLUS/R, and SPSS to develop and implement propensity score approaches in a variety of applications. This paper reviews the history, statistical definitions, and application of the propensity score in non-randomized observational studies, pre-estimation for randomized designs, and poorly randomized experiments. Several distinct propensity score matching methods, both simple and sophisticated are described in detail to enable users to choose the most appropriate solutions to fit their study objectives. Special cases of propensity score applications discussed include multi-treatment studies, multi-control designs, and missing data processing, where the definitions, estimations and utilization of propensity scores are far different from the general, treatment-control approach. Finally, a discussion of the limitations of propensity score applications in health services and pharmaceutical outcomes research is included.
The prognosis and pathogenesis of severe lupus glomerulonephritis.

BACKGROUND The International Society of Nephrology/ Renal Pathology Society classification (ISN/RPS) of lupus glomerulonephritis (GN) divides diffuse GN (>/=50% involvement) into diffuse segmental (IV-S) and diffuse global GN (IV-G). This division tests whether the pathogenesis and clinical outcomes are the same as when similar patients are classified using the World Health Organization (WHO) classification into severe segmental (WHO III >/=50%) and diffuse global (WHO-IV) GN. METHODS Thirty-nine renal biopsies with WHO class IV and 44 with WHO III >/= 50% were reclassified using the ISN/RPS and were correlated with pathogenesis and outcome. RESULTS There were 22 biopsies with ISN/RPS class IV-S. ISN/RPS class IV-G comprises two morphologically discrete classes of renal biopsies: 39 biopsies originally classified as WHO class IV (WHO-IV) and 22 that switched from WHO III >/=50% to ISN/RPS class IV-G (IV-Q). We will analyze IV-S, IV-Q and WHO-IV separately. WHO-IV had significantly more immune aggregate deposition than IV-S and IV-Q. WHO-IV had lower serum complements C3 (P = 0.05) and C4 (P = 0.05) than patients with IV-Q. Patients with WHO-IV had more remissions (56%) than IV-Q (23%) (P = 0.01), and stable renal function at the last follow-up was less frequent in patients with IV-Q (18%) than IV-S (50%, P = 0.05) and WHO-IV (62%, P = 0.001). Renal survival and renal survival without end-stage renal disease were different when the patients were diagnosed as WHO classes III >/=50% and IV, but the outcomes for ISN/RPS class IV-S and IV-G (WHO-IV plus IV-Q) were not different. CONCLUSIONS WHO III >/=50% and WHO-IV lupus GN are not congruent with ISN/RPS IV-S and IV-G. The ISN/RPS minimizes pathological and outcome differences between classes IV-S and IV-G which results in the loss of informational content from the renal biopsies. ISN/RPS does not detect pathogenetic or clinical differences among patients with severe lupus GN.
Heparan Sulfate in Perlecan Promotes Mouse Atherosclerosis: Roles in Lipid Permeability, Lipid Retention, and Smooth Muscle Cell Proliferation

Heparan sulfate (HS) has been proposed to be antiatherogenic through inhibition of lipoprotein retention, inflammation, and smooth muscle cell proliferation. Perlecan is the predominant HS proteoglycan in the artery wall. Here, we investigated the role of perlecan HS chains using apoE null (ApoE0) mice that were cross-bred with mice expressing HS-deficient perlecan (Hspg2&Dgr;3/&Dgr;3). Morphometry of cross-sections from aortic roots and en face preparations of whole aortas revealed a significant decrease in lesion formation in ApoE0/Hspg2&Dgr;3/&Dgr;3 mice at both 15 and 33 weeks. In vitro, binding of labeled mouse triglyceride-rich lipoproteins and human LDL to total extracellular matrix, as well as to purified proteoglycans, prepared from ApoE0/Hspg2&Dgr;3/&Dgr;3 smooth muscle cells was reduced. In vivo, at 20 minutes influx of human 125I-LDL or mouse triglyceride-rich lipoproteins into the aortic wall was increased in ApoE0/Hspg2&Dgr;3/&Dgr;3 mice compared to ApoE0 mice. However, at 72 hours accumulation of 125I-LDL was similar in ApoE0/Hspg2&Dgr;3/&Dgr;3 and ApoE0 mice. Immunohistochemistry of lesions from ApoE0/Hspg2&Dgr;3/&Dgr;3 mice showed decreased staining for apoB and increased smooth muscle &agr;-actin content, whereas accumulation of CD68-positive inflammatory cells was unchanged. We conclude that the perlecan HS chains are proatherogenic in mice, possibly through increased lipoprotein retention, altered vascular permeability, or other mechanisms. The ability of HS to inhibit smooth muscle cell growth may also influence development as well as instability of lesions.
An Analysis on Correlation of Factors Affecting Bank Share Prices

As weighted shares, price volatility of bank shares has a significant impact on the direction of the share market. In this paper, total equity, after-tax profits per share, GDP and the market index are adopted as the important relevant factors affecting bank share price. Meanwhile, these factors are analyzed and verified through the related test model to see if there is any relevance between them and the bank share prices at the end of the reporting period, so that some reference can be offered to the investors for decision making.
Lifetime Fitness, Sex-Specific Life History, and the Maintenance of a Polyphenism

Polyphenisms—alternative morphs produced through plasticity—can reveal the evolutionary and ecological processes that initiate and maintain diversity within populations. We examined lifetime fitness consequences of two morphs in a polyphenic population of Arizona tiger salamanders using a 27-year data set with 1,317 adults and 6,862 captures across eight generations. Larval salamanders develop into either an aquatic paedomorph that retains larval traits and stays in its natal pond or a terrestrial metamorph that undergoes metamorphosis. To evaluate the adaptive significance of this polyphenism, we compared lifetime reproductive success of each morph and assessed how life-history strategies and spatiotemporal variation explained fitness. We found sex-specific differences in lifetime fitness between morphs. For males, paedomorphs had more reproductive opportunities than metamorphs when we accounted for the potential mating advantage of larger males. For females, in contrast, metamorphs had higher estimated egg production than paedomorphs. Life-history strategies differed between morphs largely because the morphs maximized different ends of the trade-off between age at first reproduction and longevity. Spatiotemporal variation affected larval more than adult life-history traits, with little to no effect on lifetime fitness. Thus, environmental variation likely explains differences in morph production across time and space but contributes little to lifetime fitness differences between morphs and sexes. Our long-term study and measures of lifetime fitness provide unique insight into the complex selective regimes potentially acting on each morph and sex. Our findings motivate future work to examine how sex-specific selection may contribute to the maintenance of polyphenism.
Engineered Repressible Lethality for Controlling the Pink Bollworm, a Lepidopteran Pest of Cotton

The sterile insect technique (SIT) is an environmentally friendly method of pest control in which insects are mass-produced, irradiated and released to mate with wild counterparts. SIT has been used to control major pest insects including the pink bollworm (Pectinophora gossypiella Saunders), a global pest of cotton. Transgenic technology has the potential to overcome disadvantages associated with the SIT, such as the damaging effects of radiation on released insects. A method called RIDL (Release of Insects carrying a Dominant Lethal) is designed to circumvent the need to irradiate insects before release. Premature death of insects’ progeny can be engineered to provide an equivalent to sterilisation. Moreover, this trait can be suppressed by the provision of a dietary antidote. In the pink bollworm, we generated transformed strains using different DNA constructs, which showed moderate-to-100% engineered mortality. In permissive conditions, this effect was largely suppressed. Survival data on cotton in field cages indicated that field conditions increase the lethal effect. One strain, called OX3402C, showed highly penetrant and highly repressible lethality, and was tested on host plants where its larvae caused minimal damage before death. These results highlight a potentially valuable insecticide-free tool against pink bollworm, and indicate its potential for development in other lepidopteran pests.