Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
SUBSTRATE FORM DETERMINES THE FATE OF BRYOPHYTES IN RIPARIAN BUFFER STRIPS

Studies on the effectiveness of forest buffer strips left along streams after logging have long overlooked the biota of the buffers themselves, despite their high species richness. We investigated mosses and liverworts (bryophytes), abundant and species-rich groups in boreal forests, before and 2.5 years after logging along 15 small streams. In each site, two 1000-m 2 (20 3 50 m) plots along the stream were inventoried; one plot in an area subjected to clear-cutting, and another in a buffer strip (10 m wide on each side of the stream). Ten plots along small streams in forest reserves in the same region were used as references. We found that less than half as many bryophyte species per plot disappeared after logging in the buffer strips compared to the clearcuts. The changes in bryophyte cover and in species composition were smaller in the buffer strips, and the species that were negatively affected in the clearcuts were less affected in the buffer strips. However, there was a significant change in species composition in the buffer strips compared to the ref- erences. Substrate form and taxonomic group were important factors in understanding this turnover. Many species growing on substrates with a convex form (e.g., logs, tree bases, and mesic ground) decreased or disappeared, while species on concave substrates were rather unaffected. This held for both mosses and liverworts, although liverworts were generally more sensitive than mosses. The difference in response of assemblages on convex vs. concave substrates makes changes in microclimate due to logging a likely explanation. The species in most need of protection (i.e., the red-listed species) were among the ones with strongest declines in the 20 m wide buffer strips. In order to function optimally for bryophyte conservation, forests along small streams need to be protected from high wind- throw frequency and strong edge effects. Increasing the width of buffer strips at sites with known or potential values (e.g., large amounts of woody debris or boulders) should be considered a better strategy than using narrow buffer strips with a fixed width.
Extracting impervious surfaces from medium spatial resolution multispectral and hyperspectral imagery: a comparison

Remote sensing estimation of impervious surfaces is significant in monitoring urban development and determining the overall environmental health of a watershed, and has therefore recently attracted increasing interest. The main objective of this study was to develop a general approach to estimating and mapping impervious surfaces by using medium spatial resolution satellite imagery. We have applied spectral mixture analysis (SMA) to Earth Observing 1 (EO‐1) Advanced Land Imager (ALI) (multispectral) and Hyperion (hyperspectral) imagery in Marion County, Indiana, USA, to calculate the fraction images of vegetation, soil, high albedo and low albedo. The effectiveness of the two images was compared according to three criteria: (1) high‐quality fraction images for the urban landscape, (2) relatively low error, and (3) the distinction among typical land use and land cover (LULC) types in the study area. The fraction images were further used to estimate and map impervious surfaces. The accuracy of the estimated impervious surface was checked against Digital Orthophoto Quarter Quadrangle (DOQQ) images. The results indicate that both ALI and Hyperion sensors were effective in deriving the fraction images with SMA and in computing impervious surfaces. The SMA results for both ALI and Hyperion images using four endmembers were excellent, with a mean root mean square error (RMSE) less than 0.04 in both cases. The ALI‐derived impervious surface image yielded an RMSE of 15.3%, and the Hyperion‐derived impervious surface image yielded an RMSE of 17.5%. However, the Hyperion image was more powerful in discerning low‐albedo surface materials, which has been a major obstacle for impervious surface estimation with medium resolution multispectral images. A sensitivity analysis of the mapping of impervious surfaces using different scenarios of Hyperion band combinations suggests that the improvement in mapping accuracy in general and the better ability in discriminating low‐albedo surfaces came mainly from additional bands in the mid‐infrared region.
Household Labor Supply and Welfare Participation in Sweden

We formulate and estimate a structural, static model of household labor supply and multiple welfare program participation. Given the complicated nature of both the income tax schedule and the benefit rules for different welfare programs, we use a detailed micro simulation model to generate accurate budget sets for each work-welfare combination. We also use high-quality data on earnings and other types of incomes obtained both from employers and from income tax records. The results suggest that labor supply among two-parent families in Sweden is quite inelastic. A policy simulation designed to increase labor supply incentives for low income families generated substantial positive welfare effects, despite only minor changes in labor supply and in welfare participation.
Ownership Conversion by Nursing Homes and the Quality of Care

Nearly five percent of nursing homes converted from not-for-profit (NFP) to for-profit (FP) or FP to NFP between 1999 and 2004 because of changes to Medicare reimbursement. This paper examines the choice to convert and its effect on quality. Conversions were found to be associated with changes in quality after adjusting for the endogeniety of conversion. NFP to FP conversions were associated with a decrease in the use of physical restraints while the proportion of residents with pressure ulcers in facilities that converted from FP to NFP increased. Further, quality had significantly declined since the implementation of the reimbursement change. † Acknowledgements: I thank Andrew Abere, David Grabowski, Roger Klein, Carolyn Moehling, and Martin Perry for helpful comments in all stages of the research. ‡ Contact Information: Miami University – Department of Economics, Oxford, OH 45056. E-mail: bowblijr@muohio.edu
Factors Affecting Credit Card Debts: A Study among Executives in Sri Lanka

This study explores credit card revolving debt and credit card instalment debt behaviours among credit card holders and examines how demographic and socio economic factors, attitude factors, personality factors and security factors influenced revolving credit and instalment plan of credit cards and discerned the specific roles of each kind of factors. The study was conducted by using online mail-in questionnaires, which were sent to credit card holders who was using or had used either revolving credit or instalment plans. The findings of this research indicate respondent’s debt behaviour is influenced by demographics and socio economics variables are significantly. Going depth further, it proves that the Females preference for security improve the credit card transitions. Moreover, females who have distrust characteristics would be a heavy revolver or heavy instalment plan consumers than males. Another finding of this research says Age above 35 years are using credit card daily for power and prestige. People who use credit cards more than 5 years, have less usage indicates that people would not frequently consume credit cards long time.
Experimental Evaluation of Mechanical Properties and Fracture Behavior of Carbon Fiber Reinforced High Strength Concrete

Concrete without reinforcement is brittle which is intensified in high strength concrete. Fibers have been utilized to improve the tensile and bending performance of concrete. Fibers primarily control the propagation of cracks and limit the crack width. Carbon fiber reinforced concretes are reliable structural materials with superior performance characteristics compared to conventional concrete. The addition of carbon fiber in concrete has been found to improve several properties, primarily cracking resistance, ductility and fatigue life. This paper reports a study on the mechanical and fracture properties of high strength concrete reinforced with different volume fractions of carbon fiber. Four different volume fractions between the range of 0.25% and 1.00% were chosen. Carbon fiber improved the compressive strength, load bearing capacity, fracture energy and toughness of concrete. Fiber volume fraction was more prominent factor in this regard. Fracture parameters showed better performance beyond 0.50% fiber inclusion.
Fertility Theories: Can They Explain the Negative Fertility-Income Relationship?

In this chapter we revisit the relationship between income and fertility. There is overwhelming empirical evidence that fertility is negatively related to income in most countries at most times. Several theories have been proposed in the literature to explain this somewhat puzzling fact. The most common one is based on the opportunity cost of time being higher for individuals with higher earnings. Alternatively, people might differ in their desire to procreate and accordingly some people invest more in children and less in market-specific human capital and thus have lower earnings. We revisit these and other possible explanations. We find that these theories are not as robust as is commonly believed. That is, several special assumptions are needed to generate the negative relationship. Not all assumptions are equally plausible. Such findings will be useful to distinguish alternative theories. We conclude that further research along these lines is needed.
Rare Bleeding Disorders are not so Rare in Pakistan

Background: Consanguinity remains common in several populations around the world, and varies from country to country. In Pakistan, close consanguineous unions continue to be extremely common as in South West Asia. Here, we describe the frequency of Rare Bleeding Disorders (RBDs), their types and clinical features among patients seeking advice for bleeding tendencies from a single centre in Pakistan. Patients and Methods: Pre-designed data sheets were filled by incorporating patient’s demographics, family history, present and past history of bleeding episodes with the associated signs and symptoms. In female cases, maternal and obstetrical history was taken. Blood samples were collected for Complete Blood Count (CBC) and coagulation assays. Results: Out of 600 patients diagnosed with inherited coagulation bleeding disorders, 64 subjects had RBDs (11%). Among them, 35(55%) were male and 29(45.31%) were female. Median age of patients was 9.8 years, (range, 12 days to 37 years). History of consanguinity was present in 85% of cases and significant family history of bleeding in 54% of patients. The most common deficiency was FXIII (n=18, 28%) and FVII deficiency (n=18, 28%) followed by fibrinogen deficiency (n=15, 23%), FV deficiency (n=5, 8%), FX deficiency (n=4, 6%), FXI deficiency (n=2, 3%) respectively. There were one case of each combined FV and VIII deficiency and vitamin K dependent factor deficiency (2%). Clinical bleeding episodes were classified into four categories according to severity: grade III and II bleeding were noted in 53%, and 47% patients, respectively. Menorrhagia (81%), gum bleeding (46.8%), easy bruising (42.1%), umbilical cord bleeding (35.9%), epistaxis (32.8%), hematomas (31.2%), hemarthrosis (26.6%) and delayed wound healing (25%) were the main clinical manifestations. Fresh frozen plasma/cryoprecipitate was used in the management of most patients. Conclusion: The study shows that autosomal recessive disorders are common in the setting of consanguineous marriages. Further studies of the association between phenotype and genotype in this subset of patients are needed.
Exploration of Key Success Factors that Influence Business Performance: The Experiences of Women Micro-entrepreneurs from Mazovia Voivodeship of Poland

Abstract Women-owned businesses are one of the fastest growing categories of firms in the world, but they are greatly understudied in countries from the Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) [Zapalska et al., 2005]. The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between business success predictors and the performance of female-owned micro-enterprises from the Mazovia Voivodeship in Poland during the period 2011–2013, using an Internet-based survey questionnaire. The data were collected by the CAWI (computer assisted web interview) and CATI (computer assisted telephone interview) methods. Exploratory factor analysis, correlation coefficients analysis and multivariate regression models were deployed to investigate the empirical data. This study contributes to the limited body of literature on factors that positively affect the business performance of female entrepreneurial undertakings, using the context of the Polish experiences. Drawing on Gartner’s [1985] typology and “the resource-based view of the firm” theory, a theoretical research model was developed and verified empirically using three multivariate regression models. “Model A” displayed the highest explanatory power of the predicted dependent variable “Composite business performance” (R2 = 42,3). Our findings suggest that the most successful female business owners in the region were ideally 30–39 years old; completed a university education; had at least three years of business experience; displayed above average entrepreneurial orientation; and adopted a business strategy to deal with competitors. Moreover, the better performing women-owned micro-enterprises hired qualified and experienced employees (“hman capital”); offered products or services to domestic and international customers; were able to attract business sector clients; and had sufficient resources (“financial capital”). It is recommended that this research be replicated in other countries from the CEE region (e.g. Czech Republic) for comparative purposes.
Integrating the automotive supply chain: where are we now?

Real world supply chains differ not only in their current standard of performance, but also in the most effective actions required to move each towards world class supply. A generic approach for the identification of the appropriate re‐engineering programmes based on the uncertainty circle principle is presented. A total of 20 European automotive supply chains have been analysed via a “quick scan” audit procedure. The output is a clear portrayal of the present “health status” of those supply chains. Some 10 per cent of these are performing at the present day level of “best practice”, with a further 20 per cent within sight of this goal. Specific re‐engineering requirements are identified for the remaining 70 per cent dependent on present maturity levels.
Fabrication, Characterization and Thermal Properties of Nanowires

The physical properties of nanomaterials are novel and completely different from those in conventional bulk materials. The new discovered properties of nanomaterials not only reflected in electronic transports but also exhibited in optics and magnetism. For past decades, intensive and broad studies on nanoscience and nanotechnology were initialized all over the world. Nanoparticles (or quantum dots) are the first candidate of nanomaterials for such a study. In past the most important findings in nanoparticles are phonon softening, electronic energy level splitting and red shift etc. However due to their small size and dispersed characteristic, only few limited applications have been developed, the examples are the quantum dots in matrix for opto-electronics, dispersed nanoparticles for drug carries and thermal therapy of cancers etc. For above reasons, the study of nanowires (NWs) stimulates a great interest in their fundamental scientific researches and potential applications. The size effects, in general, have two aspects: one is the Quantum Size Effect (QSE), which originates from the variation of electronic density-of-states in nanostructure. QSE can thus derive a drastic change of transport and thermodynamic properties from those of the bulks. In contrast to Quantum Size Effect (QSE), the physical properties changed due to vast surface atoms, grain boundaries and structural deficiency are categorized to NonQuantum Size Effect (NQSE), with no doubt this also inevitably plays an important role in the novel properties of nanowires. For examples, thermal and electrical conductivity of nanowires are significantly reduced as a result of electron/phonon scatterings occurring at grain boundaries of nanoscale crystallization. One of the most important characteristics of nanowire is its substantial small thermal conductivity. Thus, from manipulated materials to low-dimensional nanowires, it provides an innovative strategy to improve heat-electricity conversion efficiency for thermoelectric materials. In the content of this chapter, two main sections will be included, the first section is the fabrication and characterization of nanowires, and the second section is the measurement techniques and setups for Seebeck coefficient, electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity. For nanowire fabrication, two categories of fabrication method will be included. The first category is called the Bottom-up method, in which the nanowires were formed selfassembly. The second category of nanowire fabrication is the Top-down method, in which many patterning and etching processes are required for forming individual nanowires.
The Quest for Banking Stability in the Euro Area: The Role of Government Interventions

We build upon a Markov-Switching Bayesian Vector Autoregression (MSBVAR) model to study how the credit default swaps market in the euro area becomes an important chain in the propagation of shocks through the entire financial system. The study sheds light on the regime-dependent interconnectedness between the risk of investing in banking and public sector bonds and provides novel evidence that a rise in sovereign debt, due to the countercyclical fiscal policy measures, is perceived by stock market investors as a burden on growth prospects. We also document that government interventions in the banking sector deteriorate the credit risk of sovereign debt. Higher risk premium required by investors for holding riskier government bonds depresses the sovereign debt market, it impairs banks’ balance sheets, and it depresses the collateral value of loans leading to bank retrenchment. The ensuing two-way banking-fiscal feedback loop indicates that government interventions do not necessarily stabilize the banking sector.
One for Some or One for All? Taylor Rules and Interregional Heterogeneity

We document a novel empirical phenomenon: the U.S. Federal Reserve appears to set interest rates partly in response to regional economic disparities. This result is remarkably robust even after controlling for a wide variety of factors, including the central bank’s information set and a battery of explanatory variables. We argue that this finding likely does not reflect an explicit concern about regional differences on the part of policymakers but instead can be explained by a model with non-linear regional Phillips curves. Consistent with the predictions of this model, we find that the Federal Reserve responds disproportionately to fluctuations in low unemployment states. Alternative explanations based on differential effects of monetary policy across regions or regional preferences on the part of voting members of the FOMC cannot account for this finding.
A Procedure for Propeller Design by Inverse Methods

Two different inverse methods are applied to the design of new propellers. The first one is based on a theory of Prandtl and Betz [1], which was revived and successfully applied by Larrabee [3]. This method starts from the optimal circulation distribution for the Propeller blade and gives simple relationships between chord and angle of attack for the optimal propeller under design conditions. The off-design cases are treated by Larrabee using a simple approximate theory. This is a good approximation as long as the off-design cases are not too far from the optimum case. This Propeller theory yields for each radial station of the blade, the lift coefficients for the design case and for the different off-design cases. Once the Propeller theory has delivered the requirements for the Propeller airfoils, the second inverse theory is applied. It computes the propeller profiles from the given velocity distributions. This theory was first published in 1957 and later combined with boundary layer computation methods [4]. This method was recently extended to subsonic compressible flow, using a method of Labrujere et al. [5]. It allows in a very simple way to consider compressibility effects as long as no locally supersonic regions are present.
Detection and handling of occlusion in an object detection system

Object detection is an important technique for video surveillance applications. Although different detection algorithms were proposed, they all have problems in detecting occluded objects. In this paper, we propose a novel system for occlusion handling and integrate this in a sliding-window detection framework using HOG features and linear classification. The occlusion handling is obtained by applying multiple classifiers, each covering a different level of occlusion and focusing on the non-occluded object parts. Experiments show that our approach based on 17 classifiers, obtains an increase of 8% in detection performance. To limit computational complexity, we propose a cascaded implementation that only increases the computational cost by 3.4%. Although the paper presents results for pedestrian detection, our approach is not limited to this object class. Finally, our system does not need an additional dataset for training, covering all possible types of occlusions.
From qualitative to quantitative interpretation: An interpreter’s guide to fluid prediction in Pliocene to Turonian deepwater turbidites from West Africa to Asia Pacific

AbstractTo mitigate exploration risk in deepwater settings, subsurface analysis increasingly has to rely on integration of qualitative with quantitative techniques. To predict pay in turbidite sandstones, proven statistical and analytical methods can routinely be run on well and seismic inversion data. However, quantitative interpretation (QI) should begin with a responsible audit of available well logs and seismic data, succeeded by data conditioning, proceeding with quality control, and placing elastic attribute responses within their geologic context. To address these issues, we evaluate geologic controls on porosity change as manifested by overpressure and compaction on calibration and analysis of elastic attributes. Following calibration of seismic inversion data, we provide tutorial-style interpretations of deepwater clastic reservoirs from the Gulf of Guinea, West Africa, to the Sabah trough, Borneo. Case study examples offer interpreters the potential to use workflows surrounding data mining in ex.