Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
UAV-based remote sensing of the Super-Sauze landslide : Evaluation and results

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) equipped with digital compact cameras can be used to map landslides quickly and at a high ground resolution. Images taken by a radio-controlled mini quad-rotor UAV of the SuperSauze, France landslide have been used to produce a high-resolution ortho-mosaic of the entire landslide and digital terrain models (DTMs) of several regions. The UAV capability for imaging fissures and displacements on the landslide surface has been evaluated, and the subsequent image processing approaches for suitably georectifying the data have been assessed. For Super-Sauze, horizontal displacements of 7 to 55 m between a high-resolution airborne ortho-photo of May 2007 and a UAV-based ortho-mosaic of October 2008 have been measured. Fixed areas of persistent deformation have been identified, producing fissures of different distributions and orientations comparable to glacial crevasses, and relating directly to the bedrock topography. The UAV has demonstrated its capability for producing valuable landslide data but improvements are required to reduce data processing time for the efficient generation of ortho-mosaics based on photogrammetric DTMs, in order to minimise georeferencing errors.
A Comparison of Arms-Length verses Non-Arms-Length Residential Home Sales : The Impact of Small Scale Investors

This study analyzes price changes between distressed, foreclosed residential homes and those of similar nondistressed homes in the Raleigh-Cary Metro area of North Carolina. Empirical studies provide clear evidence of a foreclosure price discount when homes transition into foreclosure; however, little research has been conducted on the post transition process and how homes emerging from foreclosure compare with similar arms-length properties. Using a panel data methodology, homes falling into foreclosure were followed until they exited foreclosure. Uniquely, the homes were tracked through four discrete time periods including the first arms-length sale before foreclosure until the first arms-length sale after emerging from foreclosure. Results show that foreclosed home prices depreciated faster, or were discounted more, than similar non-arm’s length homes during the same period. However, by the first arms-length sale following the REO sale, foreclosed home prices were comparable to those of similar nonforeclosures. Small scale real estate investors were found to be a major contributor in hastening this mean reversion in prices. These small “mom-and-pop” investors took on average 254 days to purchase, rehabilitate and sell a foreclosed home after purchasing it out of REO inventory, with median home price appreciation rates 32.8% higher than Federal Housing Finance Agency Home Price Index (HPI) for the same area. The results reveal the importance of small-scale investors in internalizing the costs needed to rehabilitate distressed residential homes. Such efforts work to curtail falling prices in adjacent properties and to stabilize home prices in weak housing markets.
Parallel Algorithm for Mining Outliers in Large Database

Data mining is a new but important database application. Outlier detection is a kind of data mining, which until now doesn’t have any method of low cost. Knorr suggested Nested-Loop (NL) algorithm, whose time complexity is quadratic to the size of dataset. With detailed explanation and analysis, a modified version (MNL) and a parallel version (PNL) are described here. The cost is reduced to half in MNL while the cost in PNL is even quadratic to the reciprocal of the number of processors. There is also a comparison between MNL (running in sequential) and PNL (running in parallel).
Reading and Adult English Language Learners: A Review of the Research.

This review discusses a volume that is itself a review and an annotated bibliography of research on reading development for adults learning English. This volume is especially useful for practitioners, graduate students, researchers and policy makers, for it provides an understanding about (a) what is known about how adult English language learners learn to read in English; (b) the types of activities that facilitate this process and (c) what still needs to be researched. The book is divided into four sections: (1) Factors Influencing Adult Literacy Development in English; (2) the Process of Learning to Read in a Second Language; (3) Reading to Learn; and (4) Summary of Findings and Implications for Practice and Research. I find the book very wellorganised, structured with cogent headings and well worth a read as a quick reference to the recent research conducted on reading strategies employed by adult English language learners.
Evaluation of rapeseed meal as a protein source to replace soybean meal in growing pigs

A total of 112 crossbred pigs [(Yorkshire × Landrace) × Duroc] with an average body weight (BW) of 27.98 ± 1.28 kg were used to evaluate the effects of replacing soybean meal (SBM) with rapeseed meal (RSM) as a source of protein on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, blood characteristics, and fecal noxious gas emission in growing pigs. The pigs were blocked and stratified based on BW into one of four dietary treatments in a 6-week trial. Each treatment consisted of 7 replicate pens with 4 pigs per pen (2 barrows and 2 gilts). Treatments were 1) maize-SBM based diet, 2) diet containing 2% RSM, 3) diet containing 4% RSM, and 4) diet containing 6% RSM. Supplementation with RSM resulted in no differences in growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and noxious gas emission, as compared with SBM supplementation during the experimental period (p > 0.05). Pigs fed with increased dietary RSM (0, 2, 4, and 6% of feed) had linear decreases in average daily gain (ADG) (p = 0.010) and nitrogen digestibility (p = 0.036) and a linear increase in blood creatinine concentration. In conclusion, RSM fed pigs had no detrimental effects on their growth performance, nutrient digestibility, blood characteristics, and fecal noxious gas emissions, as compared with SBM fed pigs. Thus, RSM is a good alternative to SBM as a protein source in growing pigs’ diets.
Maximum-likelihood tap selection for equalization of land mobile radio channels

Mobile radio transmission channels characterized by dominating delay paths can be modelled by the linear intersymbol filter with a few significant taps. For such channels, tap-selectable equalization can be used for the receiver complexity reduction. In this paper, a maximum-likelihood method to select channel taps with significant power is presented and its error performance is analyzed. The scheme performs the CFAR (Constant False Alarm Rate) detection when the receiver noise power level is known. We give an analytic derivation of the error probability that exactly quantifies the the effect of noise power estimation.
Effect of strain rate on the seismic performance of reinforced concrete structure *

The mechanical properties of reinforced steel and concrete materials under dynamic loading are quite different as compared with those under quasi-static loading. Thus the rate-sensitivities of materials should be given a rational consideration in the seismic performance assessment of reinforced concrete (RC) structures under seismic loading rate. In this paper, the influences of strain rate effect on the dynamic behaviours of RC structure are numerically investigated. Based on an effective approach for considering strain rate effect in the nonlinear analyses of RC structures, the rate-independent and rate-dependent models of an exemplar RC frame structure designed according to the Chinese seismic design code (GB50011-2010) are established on the OpenSees platform and earthquakes with different dynamic characteristics are selected as seismic inputs. By comparing the seismic responses of the rate-independent and rate-dependent models through the incremental dynamic analyses, it is indicated that both the types and intensities of ground motions have an influence on the seismic strain rate. Moreover, the strain rate effect has a considerable impact on both the global and local responses of RC structure under seismic excitations. Moreover, it is suggested that the strain rate effect should be taken into account in the structural performance assessment, especially under pulse-like earthquakes with high-intensity levels.
Development of L2 writing: fluency and proficiency

This article is about L2 writing and its development, and it examines fluency in relation to proficiency. Fluency in L2 writing can be understood in two ways: the fluency of the written texts (or the outcome) or the fluency of the writing process. Traditionally, fluency measures have been based on the former. The fluency of the writing process, in contrast, is still an under-researched issue. University students studying English or Swedish as their major subject were asked to write (or type) two texts (a narrative and an argumentative text), and a keystroke-logging programme was used to record the writing process, including pauses and all revisions. The texts produced were assessed for their proficiency on a standard six-point scale. The fluency of the writing process was measured by both traditional (offline) and new (on-line) measures. The findings suggest that fluency measures (of both types) correlate with L2 writing proficiency only to some extent, and thus the relationship is not necessarily a linear one.
White Range occupancy in North American birds 1 1 2 3 4 5 Ecological correlates of geographic range occupancy 6 in North American birds 7 8 9 10

1 1 2 3 4 5 Ecological correlates of geographic range occupancy 6 in North American birds 7 8 9 10 Allen H. Hurlbert 1 * and Ethan P. White 2,3 11 12 13 1 National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, 14 735 State Street, Suite 300, Santa Barbara, CA 93101 USA 15 Email: hurlbert@nceas.ucsb. edu 16 *Corresponding author 17 18 2 Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, 19 University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721 USA 20 21 3 Department of Biology and The Ecology Center, Utah State University, 22 Logan, UT 84322 USA 23 Email: epwhite@biology.usu. edu 24 25 26 27 28 29 Abstract: 210 words 30
Circulating factors in heart failure

Galectin-3 is a versatile protein orchestrating several physiological and pathophysiological processes in the human body. In the last decade, considerable interest in galectin-3 has emerged because of its potential role as a biotarget. Galectin-3 is differentially expressed depending on the tissue type, however its expression can be induced under conditions of tissue injury or stress. Galectin-3 overexpression and secretion is associated with several diseases and is extensively studied in the context of fibrosis, heart failure, atherosclerosis and diabetes mellitus. Monomeric (extracellular) galectin-3 usually undergoes further “activation” which significantly broadens the spectrum of biological activity mainly by modifying its carbohydrate-binding properties. Self-interactions of this protein appear to play a crucial role in regulating the extracellular activities of this protein, however there is limited and controversial data on the mechanisms involved. We therefore summarize (recent) literature in this area and describe galectin-3 from a binding perspective providing novel insights into mechanisms by which galectin-3 is known to be “activated” and how such activation may be regulated in pathophysiological scenarios. Galectin-3 activation and inhibition 189
REGCMPNT A Fortran Program for Regression Models with ARIMA Component Errors

RegComponent models are time series models with linear regression mean functions and error terms that follow ARIMA (autoregressive-integrated-moving average) component time series models. Bell (2004) discusses these models and gives some underlying theoretical and computational results. The REGCMPNT program is a Fortran program for performing Gaussian maximum likelihood estimation, signal extraction, and forecasting with RegComponent models. In this paper we briefly examine the nature of RegComponent models, provide an overview of the REGCMPNT program, and then use three examples to show some important features of the program and to illustrate its application to various different RegComponent models.
Distribution and Antifungal Susceptibilities with VITEK 2 system of Yeast Isolated from Blood Cultures

® flukonazol ve vorikonazol için antifungal duyarlılık durumu VITEK 2 Compact AST YS06 kartı (BioMérieux, France) ile belirlenmiştir. Bulgular: Çalışmaya alınan 175 maya suşunun 68'inin Candida albicans, 107'sinin C.albicans dışı Candida türü olduğu saptanmıştır. C.albicans dışı maya suşlarının 67'si Candida parapsilosis, 13'ü Candida glabrata, sekizi Candida famata, altısı Candida tropicalis, beşi Candida krusei, üçer tanesi Candida lusitaniae ve Candida kefyr, iki tanesi Candida guilliermondii olarak tanımlanmıştır. C.albicans suşlarının % 5.8'i amfoterisin B' ye, % 2.9'u flukonazol'e dirençli olarak bulunurken diğer antifungallere direnç saptanmamıştır. C.albicans dışı Candida suşlarının %8.4'ü amfoterisin B, %1.8'i flusitozine, %7.4'ü flukonazole, %2.8'i vorikonazole direçli, %17.7'si flukonazole doza bağlı duyarlı olarak bulunmuştur. VITEK 2 AST YS06 kartı ile C.famata suşları için eşik değer bulunmadığı için antifungal duyarlılığı çalışılamamıştır. Sonuç: Bu çalışmada, C.albicans dışı Candida türlerinin izolasyon sıklığının yüksek bulunması Candida suşlarının tür düzeyinde tanımlanmasının önemli olduğunu göstermiştir. Bununla birlikte mayalarda tür düzeyinde tanı konması ve invitro antifungal duyarlılık sonuçlarının bildirilmesi, tanı ve tedavi politikalarında yol gösterici olabilecektir. Anahtar Kelimeler: Antifungal duyarlılık, Candida spp. , otomatize sistem, tanımlama Abstract Backgrounds: The aim of this study is to investigate the identification and antifungal susceptibilities with Distribution and Antifungal Susceptibilities with VITEK 2 system of Yeast Isolated from Blood Cultures
Rediscovery of Crenicichla yaha (Teleostei: Cichlidae)

Crenicichla yaha was described from the Urugua-í river (arroyo Urugua-í; and erroneously on one specimen from the Rio Iguazú) in Misiones, Argentina. The species was only known from nine specimens collected in 1986 during an environmental impact study prior to the construction of the Urugua-í hydroelectric dam in 1989. The species has not been collected since and is absent from the artificial lake where ecological conditions have been severely altered and where the diversity and biomass of non-native species are on the increase. We report here the rediscovery of Crenicichla yaha in the Urugua-í basin based on nine specimens collected in December 2016 at two localities outside the influence of the artificial lake. The species is distinct (especially in live coloration) from Crenicichla tesay which was previously treated as conspecific with it or confused with it. Crenicichla yaha is endemic to the Urugua-í river basin, while Crenicichla tesay is endemic to the Iguazú river basin. The original description of Crenicichla yaha was based on long preserved specimens lacking most coloration patterns. We expand the description and diagnosis of the species with the now known coloration patterns based on live specimens including breeding coloration and rediagnose the species by comparisons with the remaining closely related species of the C. mandelburgeri species group which were not known at the time of the original description of C. yaha.
Differences Of Mathematical Reasoning Ability And Emotional Intelligence Students Between Problem Based Learning And Inquiri Learning At Smp Swasta Pelita Medan

This study aims to determine (1) Differences in the ability of mathematical reasoning students between problem-based learning with inquiry learning, (2) Differences in emotional intelligence students between problem-based learning with inquiry learning, (3) Interaction between models of learning and students 'early mathematical abilities of mathematical reasoning ability, and (4) Interaction between learning models and students' early math ability toward emotional intelligence. This research is semi experimental research. The population of this study is the seventh grade students of SMP Swasta Pelita Medan. And the sample of this research is class VII-1 and VII-2. Data analysis was performed by two way analysis of the ANOVA. The results showed that (1) There was a difference in mathematical reasoning ability between students that were given problem based learning with inquiry learning. It can be seen from ANAVA result from Fcount = 11.774 bigger than Ftabel = 3.980. (2) There is no a difference in emotional intelligence between students that are given problem-based learning with inquiry learning. It can be seen from ANAVA result from Fcount = 39.402 bigger than Ftabel = 3,980. (3) There is no an interaction between the learning model and the student's early mathematical ability to the mathematical reasoning ability. (4). There is an interaction between the learning model and the student's early mathematical ability to emotional intelligence.
J un 2 01 9 A novel quantum grid search algorithm and its application

In this paper we present a novel quantum algorithm, namely the quantum grid search algorithm, to solve a special search problem. Suppose k non-empty buckets are given, such that each bucket contains some marked and some unmarked items. In one trial an item is selected from each of the k buckets. If every selected item is a marked item, then the search is considered successful. This search problem can also be formulated as the problem of finding a “marked path” associated with specified bounds on a discrete grid. Our algorithm essentially uses several Grover search operators in parallel to efficiently solve such problems. We also present an extension of our algorithm combined with a binary search algorithm in order to efficiently solve global trajectory optimization problems. Estimates of the expected run times of the algorithms are also presented, and it is proved that our proposed algorithms offer exponential improvement over pure classical search algorithms, while a traditional Grover’s search algorithm offers only a quadratic speedup. We note that this gain comes at the cost of increased complexity of the quantum circuitry. The implication of such exponential gains in performance is that many high dimensional optimization problems, which are intractable for classical computers, can be efficiently solved by our proposed quantum grid search algorithm.
Effect of Surgery on Pulmonary Functions . A Prospective Study

Background: Upper abdominal surgical procedures are associated with a high risk of postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs), which are defined as pulmonary abnormalities occurring in postoperative period which produce clinically significant, identifiable disease or dysfunction that adversely affects the patients’ clinical course. Despite recent advances in preoperative management, postoperative respiratory morbidity is still a common problem especially following upper abdominal surgery. To study the risks of postoperative complications, a pre-operative medical evaluation of the patients was done by performing pulmonary function test both pre and post operatively and changes on them were studied to predict and reduce morbidity, mortality and length of hospital stay in patients. Aim: To see the impact of upper abdominal surgeries on post-operative lung function in elderly patients with approximate time to recover from such a deterioration in pulmonary function. Methods: We performed a randomly controlled prospective hospital study for 2 years, including eighty patients. Patients ≥ 60 years of age were taken randomly of both the sexes which were of ASA status 2 to 3 , planned for elective, non-laparoscopic, upper abdominal surgeries( cholecystectomy or gastrectomy). The selected individuals were subjected to spirometry preoperatively. After surgery and proper recovery from the anesthesia Spirometry was again carried out in the post-operative period on the first and second post-operative days as was done pre-operatively and the changes in their lung functioning tests were noted. Results: In our study FVC, FEV1 and FEV1/FVC were studied preoperatively and on the first and second post operative day following upper abdominal surgeries. There is significant fall in FVC, FEV1 and FEV1/FVC i.e lung fuction tests on the first and second post operative day following upper abdominal surgeries , the fall being more on first post operative day than the second . However, an ismprovement in all the parameters of pulmonary function was observed beyond the second postoperative day. Conclusion: Following upper abdominal surgeries , there is fall in FVC, FEV1 and FEV1/FVC fall being more on first post operative day than the second. Lung spirometry allows patients with pulmonary abnormality to be objectively screened and could be useful for predicting operative risk related to abnormal pulmonary function and reduce morbidity, mortality and length of hospital stay in patients.
Speech Enhancement: Theory and Practice

With the proliferation of mobile devices and hearing devices, including hearing aids and cochlear implants, there is a growing and pressing need to design algorithms that can improve speech intelligibility without sacrificing quality. Responding to this need, Speech Enhancement: Theory and Practice, Second Edition introduces readers to the basic problems of speech enhancement and the various algorithms proposed to solve these problems. Updated and expanded, this second edition of the bestselling textbook broadens its scope to include evaluation measures and enhancement algorithms aimed at improving speech intelligibility. Fundamentals, Algorithms, Evaluation, and Future Steps Organized into four parts, the book begins with a review of the fundamentals needed to understand and design better speech enhancement algorithms. The second part describes all the major enhancement algorithms and, because these require an estimate of the noise spectrum, also covers noise estimation algorithms. The third part of the book looks at the measures used to assess the performance, in terms of speech quality and intelligibility, of speech enhancement methods. It also evaluates and compares several of the algorithms. The fourth part presents binary mask algorithms for improving speech intelligibility under ideal conditions. In addition, it suggests steps that can be taken to realize the full potential of these algorithms under realistic conditions. Whats New in This Edition Updates in every chapter A new chapter on objective speech intelligibility measures A new chapter on algorithms for improving speech intelligibility Real-world noise recordings (on accompanying CD) MATLAB code for the implementation of intelligibility measures (on accompanying CD) MATLAB and C/C++ code for the implementation of algorithms to improve speech intelligibility (on accompanying CD) Valuable Insights from a Pioneer in Speech Enhancement Clear and concise, this book explores how human listeners compensate for acoustic noise in noisy environments. Written by a pioneer in speech enhancement and noise reduction in cochlear implants, it is an essential resource for anyone who wants to implement or incorporate the latest speech enhancement algorithms to improve the quality and intelligibility of speech degraded by noise. Includes a CD with Code and Recordings The accompanying CD provides MATLAB implementations of representative speech enhancement algorithms as well as speech and noise databases for the evaluation of enhancement algorithms.