Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Building Change Detection for Remote Sensing Images Using a Dual-Task Constrained Deep Siamese Convolutional Network Model

In recent years, building change detection methods have made great progress by introducing deep learning, but they still suffer from the problem of the extracted features not being discriminative enough, resulting in incomplete regions and irregular boundaries. To tackle this problem, we propose a dual-task constrained deep Siamese convolutional network (DTCDSCN) model, which contains three subnetworks: a change detection network and two semantic segmentation networks. DTCDSCN can accomplish both change detection and semantic segmentation at the same time, which can help to learn more discriminative object-level features and obtain a complete change detection map. Furthermore, we introduce a dual attention module (DAM) to exploit the interdependencies between channels and spatial positions, which improves the feature representation. We also improve the focal loss function to suppress the sample imbalance problem. The experimental results obtained with the WHU building data set show that the proposed method is effective for building change detection and achieves state-of-the-art performance in terms of four metrics on the WHU building data set: precision, recall, F1-score, and intersection over union.
What the Constant Velocity Model Can Teach Us About Pedestrian Motion Prediction

Pedestrian motion prediction is a fundamental task for autonomous robots and vehicles to operate safely. In recent years many complex approaches based on neural networks have been proposed to address this problem. In this work we show that – surprisingly – a simple Constant Velocity Model can outperform even state-of-the-art neural models. This indicates that either neural networks are not able to make use of the additional information they are provided with, or that this information is not as relevant as commonly believed. Therefore, we analyze how neural networks process their input and how it impacts their predictions. Our analysis reveals pitfalls in training neural networks for pedestrian motion prediction and clarifies false assumptions about the problem itself. In particular, neural networks implicitly learn environmental priors that negatively impact their generalization capability, the motion history of pedestrians is irrelevant and interactions are too complex to predict. Our work shows how neural networks for pedestrian motion prediction can be thoroughly evaluated and our results indicate which research directions for neural motion prediction are promising in future.
Span-based Joint Entity and Relation Extraction with Transformer Pre-training

We introduce SpERT, an attention model for span-based joint entity and relation extraction. Our key contribution is a light-weight reasoning on BERT embeddings, which features entity recognition and filtering, as well as relation classification with a localized, marker-free context representation. The model is trained using strong within-sentence negative samples, which are efficiently extracted in a single BERT pass. These aspects facilitate a search over all spans in the sentence. In ablation studies, we demonstrate the benefits of pre-training, strong negative sampling and localized context. Our model outperforms prior work by up to 2.6% F1 score on several datasets for joint entity and relation extraction.
Talking with and about older adult patients: The socializing power of patient- centered communication in an optometry teaching clinic

In a teaching clinic, healthcare students and their supervisors talk with their patients in the examination room and they talk about their patients during teaching consultations outside the examination room. Effective doctor-patient communication helps to establish management plans that are appropriate for both doctors and their patients. Amid a pressure to provide more patient-centered care, communicating effectively with older adult patients is particularly crucial because the occurrence of health problems and the likelihood of age-based communication barriers and negative attitudes increase with age. This project is a qualitative, collective case study of eye examinations, case presentations and participant interviews. This study took place in the Primary Care Clinic at the University of Waterloo, School of Optometry. Participants included 8 fourth-year optometry students, 5 supervising optometrists, and 10 patients between 60 and 85 years of age. The study involved audio-recording and analyzing eye examinations of older adult patients, case discussions about these patients, and interviews of older adult patients, optometry students and their optometrist supervisors. Data were analyzed using a constant-comparative approach, consistent with grounded theory. This study identified some of the discursive features of and reflections about patientcentered communication during the talk with and about older adult patients. During the eye examinations, optometry students incorporated five types of verbal communication that were consistent with a patient-centered model: Patient Agenda, Social Talk, Analogies, Patient Agency, and Health Promotion & Prevention. Although these successful attempts to incorporate patient-centered
Consistent Initialization of the Laplace Transform

Consistent initialization of the Laplace transform has been a fundamental and long-standing issue. The consistency of the L- approach has been questioned, yet it is a popular approach since the L+ approach requires a priori computation of the 0+ initial conditions, which becomes a diligent task from the available methods. Also, the L+ Laplace transform of the impulse becomes zero, thus involving an inconsistency. In contrast to these direct approaches, some studies propose convoluted methods to address the issue. Here, a direct, facile, and first-principles novel approach for the L+ transform is proposed. It computes the consistent 0+ initial conditions and solution based on singular-nonsingular decomposition of the system model. The inconsistency associated with the L+ Laplace transform of discontinuous functions and impulse is not involved in the nonsingular part. The emergence of discontinuity is easily elucidated from the singular part, and the solution yields the same 0+ initial values as the initial conditions used. Further, physical first-principles can be used in the midst of the computation to validate the results to ensure error-free execution.
Interictal intracranial EEG for predicting surgical success: the importance of space and time.

Predicting post-operative seizure freedom using functional correlation networks derived from interictal intracranial EEG has shown some success. However, there are important challenges to consider. 1: electrodes physically closer to each other naturally tend to be more correlated causing a spatial bias. 2: implantation location and number of electrodes differ between patients, making cross-subject comparisons difficult. 3: functional correlation networks can vary over time but are currently assumed as static. In this study we address these three substantial challenges using intracranial EEG data from 55 patients with intractable focal epilepsy. Patients additionally underwent preoperative MR imaging, intra-operative CT, and post-operative MRI allowing accurate localisation of electrodes and delineation of removed tissue. We show that normalising for spatial proximity between nearby electrodes improves prediction of post-surgery seizure outcomes. Moreover, patients with more extensive electrode coverage were more likely to have their outcome predicted correctly (ROC-AUC >0.9, p<<0.05), but not necessarily more likely to have a better outcome. Finally, our predictions are robust regardless of the time segment. Future studies should account for the spatial proximity of electrodes in functional network construction to improve prediction of post-surgical seizure outcomes. Greater coverage of both removed and spared tissue allows for predictions with higher accuracy.
Operator Entanglement in Local Quantum Circuits II: Solitons in Chains of Qubits

We provide exact results for the dynamics of local-operator entanglement in quantum circuits with two-dimensional wires featuring ultralocal solitons, i.e. single-site operators which, up to a phase, are simply shifted by the time evolution. We classify all circuits allowing for ultralocal solitons and show that only dual-unitary circuits can feature moving ultralocal solitons. Then, we rigorously prove that if a circuit has an ultralocal soliton moving to the left (right), the entanglement of local operators initially supported on even (odd) sites saturates to a constant value and its dynamics can be computed exactly. Importantly, this does not bound the growth of complexity in chiral circuits, where solitons move only in one direction, say to the left. Indeed, in this case we observe numerically that operators on the odd sublattice have unbounded entanglement. Finally, we present a closed-form expression for the local-operator entanglement entropies in circuits with ultralocal solitons moving in both directions. Our results hold irrespectively of integrability.
Inclusion theorems for grand Lorentz spaces

In this paper, we consider some inclusion theorems for grand Lorentz spaces $L^{p,q)}\left( X,\mu \right) $ and $\Lambda _{p),\omega }$ where $\mu $ is a finite measure on $\left( X,\Sigma \right) . $ Moreover, we consider the problem of the convergence of approximate identities in these spaces.
Immunoassay 25 25 2 Development and Clinical Application in Arthritis of a New Immunoassay for Serum Type IIA Procollagen NH 2 Propeptide

Type II collagen, the most abundant protein of cartilage matrix, is synthesized as a procollagen molecule including the N-(PIINP) and C-(PIICP) propeptides at each end. Type II procollagen is produced in two forms as the result of alternative RNA splicing. One form (IIA) includes and the other form (IIB) excludes a 69-amino acid cysteine-rich globular domain encoded by exon 2 in PIINP. During the process of synthesis, these N-propeptides are removed by specific proteases and released in the circulation, and their levels are believed to reflect type II collagen synthesis. In this chapter we describe the development of a specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the measurement of the IIA form of PIINP (PIIANP) in serum based on a polyclonal antibody raised against recombinant human exon 2 fusion protein of type II procollagen. We show that this ELISA is highly specific for circulating PIIANP and has adequate technical precision. In patients with knee osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, serum PIIANP was decreased by 53% (p < 0.0001) and 35% (p < 0.001), respectively, suggesting that type IIA collagen synthesis is altered in these arthritic diseases. The measurement of serum PIIANP may be useful for the clinical investigation of patients with joint diseases.
Cytotoxicity and genotoxicity evaluation of stevioside on CCD 18 Co and HCT 116 cell lines

Recent findings showed that stevioside can demonstrate anti-cancer property in selected cell lines. In this study, the cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of stevioside were examined on human colon carcinoma cell, HCT 116 (targeted cell) and human colon derived CCD18Co myofibroblast cell lines (non-targeted cell) using the MTT (3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)2,5-diphenyltettrazolium bromide) assay and alkaline comet assay, respectively. Result demonstrated that stevioside induced cell death on both HCT 116 and CCD18Co cell lines only at the highest concentration, 200 μM by causing not more than 20 and 30 percent of cell death on CCD18Co and HCT 116 cell lines, respectively (p<0.05). The DNA strand break measured via alkaline comet assay showed that it did not cause DNA damage at the same concentration on CCD18Co as well as in HCT 116 cell lines (p>0.05). In conclusion, stevioside did not exhibit cytotoxic and genotoxic effect on HCT 116 and CCD18Co cell lines respectively hence secured its uses as a non-caloric sweetener.
of Bank Marketing Internet banking service quality and its implication on e-customer satisfaction and e-customer loyalty Muslim

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the internet banking service quality and its implication on e-customer satisfaction and e-customer loyalty. Design/methodology/approach – A total of 1,000 questionnaires were distributed for internet banking customers and 520 were returned (resulting 52 percentage of response rate). Findings – The results confirmed that the all four dimensions (personal need, site organization, user friendliness, and efficiency of website) are distinct constructs. The results also indicated that internet banking service quality consisting of four dimensions has appropriate reliability and each dimensions has a positive significant relationship with internet banking service quality. The efficiency of banking website is the important aspect of internet banking service quality. The finding found that the relationship between internet banking service quality, e-customer satisfaction and e-customer loyalty are significant. Practical implications – The results show that the higher level of internet banking service quality significantly impacts to e-customer satisfaction and consequently leads to e-customer loyalty and a lower intention to leave the relationship with bank. Originality/value – This study proposes a model to understand the effect of internet banking service quality on e-customer satisfaction and e-customer loyalty in developing country. The constructs truly reflect the dynamism of customers’ banking relationship and a better understanding the attitude on internet banking will help the bankers in implementing more effective marketing strategies.
Food allergy and intestinal inflammatory conditions: study in animal models

Colitis is one of the most common gastrointestinal ailments among those seeking health care for gastrointestinal disorders, although the potential mechanisms underlying this pathology are multiple, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). In this regard, an increase on permeability and an exacerbated immune reactivity have been proposed as common potential initiator elements in both colitic processes. Food allergy shares some aspects with colitis, and therefore it has been hypothesized that an increased prevalence of colitic disorders could be observed in
GREENHOUSE GAS EXCHANGE OF TROPICAL PEATLANDS – A REVIEW *

This article presents data on greenhouse gas (GHG) exchange of tropical peat soils with emphasis on changes in emissions of gases during and following the conversion of native tropical peatlands to plantations of oil palm and other crops. The relevant GHGs are carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O). Establishment of plantations on peat requires drainage, which, even if controlled, results in peat aeration and subsidence. Subsidence is mainly due to natural consolidation, often augmented by mechanical compaction, and is manifested as increased bulk density. Aeration causes carbon to be released as CO2. Methods for distinguishing and quantifying these processes are discussed. Exchanges of CH4 and N2O are also changed by plantation development and are influenced by management practices but the quantities involved are small and in some cases peat soils even act as a sink and not a source, of these gases. There are seasonal changes in the GHG fluxes related to both water table depth and rainfall, and emissions of CH4 and N2O can be promoted by nitrogen application. GHG exchange of reclaimed peat is dominated by CO2 despite the higher global warming potential of CH4 and N2O. Methods for estimating CO2 fluxes are reviewed and their shortcomings are examined. The importance of adequately distinguishing between emission sources, e.g. root and microbial respiration when evaluating carbon fluxes at the surface of peat soils is emphasised. * Revised version of paper published in the Proc. of the PIPOC 2009 International Palm Oil Congress Agriculture, Biotechnology and Sustainability Conference. MPOB,
Siblings of Adults With Intellectual Disabilities : The Moderating Role of Gender in Coping Strategy , Anxiety , and Relationship Quality

Siblings play an important role in psychological and relational development in the lifecycle, especially if the family includes brothers or sisters with intellectual disability. The main objective of this study was to examine whether the relationships experienced by siblings of people with intellectual disability (ID-sibs) and siblings of people with typical development (TD-sibs) influence their ways of coping with stress and anxiety level, with particular emphasis on gender differences. The participants were 187 adults, of whom 104 (55.6%) were females aged 18 to 76 years (M = 29.42; SD = 11.93). Of our sample, 51.9% (N = 97) had a sibling with an intellectual disability and 48.1% (N = 90) had a sibling with typical development. The participants completed a self-report questionnaire that assessed demographics, sibling-relationship quality, anxiety, and coping orientations to problems experienced. The results show that women report a higher quality of relationship with ID-sibs compared to men and to women who have TD-sibs. The results further indicate that women with ID-sibs had higher levels of anxiety and used Transcendent-Oriented coping strategies more frequently. Lastly, gender moderated the relation between relationship quality and coping strategies in diverse ways in the two groups considered. The implications of the overall results are that sibling-focused interventions should focus on improving negative sibling relationships in order to reduce the impact of difficulties on TD siblings of both genders and that the content and delivery framework of interventions should be shaped accordingly.
Search for supersymmetery in final states with missing transverse energy and 0 , 1 , 2 , or ≥ 3 b jets in 8 TeV pp collisions

A search for supersymmetry in the jets and missing transverse energy final state is performed in pp collisions at a centre of mass energy of at √ s = 8 TeV. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 3.9 fb−1 collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC. In this search, a kinematic variable, αT, is used as the main discriminator between events with genuine and misreconstructed missing transverse energy. The search is performed in a signal region that is binned in the scalar sum of the transverse energy of jets and the number of jets identified to originate from a bottom quark. No excess of events over the standard model expectation is found. Exclusion limits are set in a simplified model of gluino pair production and decay to a final state of two top-antitop quark pairs and two neutralinos.
Revisiting the De fi nition of a Virtual Manipulative

In 2002, Moyer, Bolyard and Spikell defined a virtual manipulative as an “an interactive, Web-based visual representation of a dynamic object that presents opportunities for constructing mathematical knowledge” (p. 373). The purpose of this chapter is to revisit, clarify and update the definition of a virtual manipulative. After clarifying what a virtual manipulative is and what it is not, we propose an updated definition for virtual manipulative: an interactive, technology-enabled visual representation of a dynamic mathematical object, including all of the programmable features that allow it to be manipulated, that presents opportunities for constructing mathematical knowledge. The chapter describes the characteristics of five of the most common virtual manipulative environments in use in education: single-representation, multi-representation, tutorial, gaming and simulation. Fifteen years ago, colleagues Moyer et al. (2002) proposed a definition for a virtual manipulative. They defined a virtual manipulative as an “an interactive, Web-based visual representation of a dynamic object that presents opportunities for constructing mathematical knowledge” (p. 373). The term “interactive” was used in the definition to distinguish tools that users could interact with from those that were simply static images viewed on the screen. The term “Web-based” was used in the definition to distinguish easily accessible tools on the Internet from those that were being commercially produced as computer programs. The term “visual representation” was used in the definition to highlight that a pictorial image had the potential to accurately represent some mathematical idea. The term “dynamic” was used in the definition to focus on the manipulability of the image representation that could be moved by the user. The term “object” was used to refer to the idealized mathematical object, beyond its physical inscription, that the two-dimensional P.S. Moyer-Packenham (&) Utah State University, Logan, USA e-mail: Patricia.moyer-packenham@usu.edu J.J. Bolyard West Virginia University, Morgantown, USA e-mail: Johnna.bolyard@mail.wvu. edu © Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2016 3 P.S. Moyer-Packenham (ed.), International Perspectives on Teaching and Learning Mathematics with Virtual Manipulatives, Mathematics Education in the Digital Era 7, DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-32718-1_1
Morphological and Physiological Responses of Maize Seedlings under Drought and Waterlogging

Waterlogging and drought are severe constrains that limit maize seedling growth in tropical and subtropical regions. It is significant to determine the differences in morphological and physiological responses of maize to drought and excess soil water, with a view toward better breeding and field management. In the present experiment, different levels of soil water availability were initiated at the one-leaf (V1) stage of two maize cultivars (Denghai9 and Yidan629): Control (CK), Severe Drought (SD), Light Drought (LD), Severe Waterlogging (SW), and Light Waterlogging (LW). The results indicated that waterlogging had more discernible impact on the seedling growth of both cultivars than drought stress. The Relative Growth Rate (RGR) of shoots and roots, along with root length, volume, and surface area were all markedly decreased in both cultivars under waterlogging stress. The malondialdehyde content increased significantly in roots and leaves under waterlogging treatment. In both cultivars, SuperOxide Dismutase (SOD) was mostly activated in roots and leaves at the three-leaf (V3) stage by waterlogging stress, while the Catalase (CAT) activity apparently increased under drought stress. The activity of Peroxidase (POD) distinctly enhanced in both cultivars under drought and waterlogging stress. Ascorbate Peroxidase (APX) showed constant activity with prolongation of waterlogging stress, and Glutathione Reductase (GR) activity notably increased in roots under waterlogging conditions at the six-leaf (V6) stage. We concluded that SOD, POD, APX, and GR were the most important antioxidant enzymes under waterlogging conditions, whereas CAT and POD appeared to play key roles under
Tillage and integrated nutrient management effect the soil properties and yield of rice: A review

Excessive or inappropriate tillage practices cause negative effect on soil properties and yield. Conventional tillage practices affect long term soil properties due to erosion and loss of organic matter in soil. Minimum and zero tillage systems generate higher yield, increase water content, reduce erosion and other forms of land degradation. Continuous use of chemical fertilizer alone creates various problems in the environment. Combined application of manure and chemical fertilizer to soil increase the available N, P, K status of soil and improve the organic carbon content of soil as well as increase crop yield