Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Multimodal Attention in Recurrent Neural Networks for Visual Question Answering

Visual Question Answering (VQA) is a task for evaluating image scene understanding abilities and shortcomings and also measuring machine intelligence in the visual domain. Given an image and a natural question about the image, the system must ground the question into the image and return an accurate answer in a natural language. A lot of progress has been done to address the challenges of this task by combining latest advances in image representation and natural language processing. Several recently proposed solutions include attention mechanisms designed to support “reasoning”. These mechanisms allow models to focus on specific part of the input in order to generate the answer and improve its accuracy. In this paper we present a novel LSTM architecture for VQA that uses multimodal attention to focus over specific parts of the image and also on specific question words to generate the answer. We evaluate our model on the VQA dataset and demonstrate that it performs better than state of the art. We also make a qualitative analysis of the results and show the abilities and shortcomings of our model.
Integrated effect of crop sowing date and herbicide stress on fitness of Bromus diandrus Roth

Bromus diandrus Roth is a common weed species that has increased in no-tillage dry-land cereal fields in NE Spain because of the limited control options. The fitness response of plants with different emergence times (ETs) and its influence on demography has huge implications in weed management. With this subject, three ETs (F1, F2 and F3) of B. diandrus were established through three crop-sowing dates (D1, Oct.; D2, Nov.; D3, Dec.) for each of the three years in a barley-wheat-wheat rotation. In barley, the herbicides applied were not specific for B. diandrus , whereas in wheat the specific herbicide mesosulfuron-methyl plus iodosulfuron-methyl-sodium was applied. Plant density after treatments and fitness characteristics were estimated for each weed ET. Weed density decreased for later ETs and fitness was density-dependent, showing significantly higher values when a non-specific herbicide was applied, except in number of caryopses per spikelet. The increasing fitness shown by plants with later ETs and the linear relationships of vegetative biomass vs reproductive biomass and fecundity were disrupted by the herbicide mesosulfuron-methyl plus iodosulfuron-methyl-sodium. Plants that had survived this herbicide when wheat was growing had lower values for all the characteristics analysed. After three seasons, as a consequence of decreasing seed recruitment, a practical depletion of the B. diandrus population was achieved in F2 and F3 (<2.8 and <1 plants/m 2 , respectively) but not in F1 (60.5 plants/m 2 ). This study shows the importance of delayed crop sowing to optimize the control of B. diandrus in cereal fields with no tillage. Normal 0 21 false false false ES X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Tabla normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:. 0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}
Event-Related Brain Potentials Depict Cognitive Disturbances in Children with Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

Mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) is a common cause of short-term cognitive disturbances in children that rarely are related to objective neurophysiological markers. With the aim of correlating cognitive processing with event-related brain potential variation, visual Continuous Performance Tests (CPT) were administered to 15 children with MTBI and a matched control group. All the patients had suffered post-traumatic loss of consciousness lasting less than 15 minutes, and they were evaluated within 5-to-15 days post-trauma. A few additional neuropsychological tests were also administered to both groups. Behavioral results showed that the injured children achieved poorer scores for phonological and verbal fluency tasks and no interference effect in a computerized version of the Stroop test. They had fewer correct responses on CPT-AX, where a warning signal preceded targets. The N90, P240 and P390 ERP components varied significantly between groups while performing CPT-AX. Present findings could be interpreted as reflecting disturbances that impede injured children from using contextual information efficiently. The higher amplitude of the slow late positivity observed in the control group might reflect updating memory preparatory processes that could increase subsequent cognitive operational competence. The ERP assessment could be helpful to demonstrate early neurophysiological disturbances subsequent to a MTBI in children.
Identification of Salmonella high risk pig farms in belgium suing semi-parametric quantile regression

Since consumption of pork contaminated with Salmonella is an important source of human Salmonellosis in Belgium, policy makers implement the identification of the 10% most Salmonella problematic pig herds. These herds are then encouraged to take control measures to reduce the Salmonella infection burden. To identify high risk herds, serological data were collected, reported as Sample to Positive ratios (SP-ratios). Objectives of the current study are to identify the 10% highest risk herds and to investigate risk factors associated with high Sa/monel/a prevalence. We propose to identify risk herds using semiparametric quantile regression. The risk factor analysis is conducted using Generalized Linear Mixed Models. Finally, practical rules to identify risk farms are deduced.
Long-term earthquake forecasts based on the epidemic-type aftershock sequence (ETAS) model for short-term clustering

Based on the ETAS (epidemic-type aftershock sequence) model, which is used for describing the features of short-term clustering of earthquake occurrence, this paper presents some theories and techniques related to evaluating the probability distribution of the maximum magnitude in a given space-time window, where the Gutenberg-Richter law for earthquake magnitude distribution cannot be directly applied. It is seen that the distribution of the maximum magnitude in a given space-time volume is determined in the longterm by the background seismicity rate and the magnitude distribution of the largest events in each earthquake cluster. The techniques introduced were applied to the seismicity in the Japan region in the period from 1926 to 2009. It was found that the regions most likely to have big earthquakes are along the Tohoku (northeastern Japan) Arc and the Kuril Arc, both with much higher probabilities than the offshore Nankai and Tokai regions.
Dividends, Leverage and Endogeneity: A Simultaneous Equations Study on Malaysia

Drawing upon preceding empirical studies on the potential endogeneity of both debt and dividends in developed markets, this study investigates two-way causal relationships that can exist between payout decisions and debt policies in Malaysian listed companies. The analysis is performed by applying a simultaneous equations model (SEM) on a sample of 267 listed firms on the Main board of Bursa Malaysia during 2006–2014. The main findings indicate that when dividend is treated as endogenous, there is a positive impact on leverage. However, leverage is found to have a simultaneous negative impact on dividends. The findings also show that liquidity and performance positively affect dividends, although they have a negative effect on leverage. Additionally, this study documents an inverse relation between tangibility and debt, a direct relation between reputation and debt, and also confirms that larger firms tend to pay out a higher percentage of dividends per share.
Virtual Learning Process Environment: Cohort Analytics for Learning and Learning Processes

— Traditional higher-education classrooms allow lecturers to observe students’ behaviours and responses to a particular pedagogy during learning in a way that can influence changes to the pedagogical approach. Within current e-learning systems it is difficult to perform continuous analysis of the cohort’s behavioural tendency, making real-time pedagogical decisions difficult. This paper presents a Virtual Learning Process Environment (VLPE) based on the Business Process Management (BPM) conceptual framework. Within the VLPE, course designers can model various education pedagogies in the form of learning process workflows using an intuitive flow diagram interface. These diagrams are used to visually track the learning progresses of a cohort of students. This helps assess the effectiveness of the chosen pedagogy, providing the information required to improve course design. A case scenario of a cohort of students is presented and quantitative statistical analysis of their learning process performance is gathered and displayed in real-time using dashboards.
Estimation of net carbon exchange using eddy covariance CO2 flux observations and a stochastic model

[1] In this paper we use a stochastic model to estimate annual net carbon exchange (NCE) from eddy covariance data taken from various sites. The stochastic model is comprised of a signal and a noise component. The signal component is characterized using a semiparametric model relating CO2 flux to light, temperature and time fitted to the eddy covariance observations. The noise component is characterized from the resultant model residuals using empirical cumulative probability distributions. The estimates for NCE are then derived from multiple runs of the joint signal-noise model within a Monte Carlo framework. This model-based approach to estimating NCE is evaluated using synthetic data and found to give a reasonable partitioning of the signal and noise in these data. Building on this, we derive estimates of NCE from observed annual eddy covariance data sets for various sites. For the six sites analyzed, the noise to signal ratio for the annual NCE estimates lies between 5 and 17% highlighting the potential value of eddy covariance observations for this application.
Polymorphisms of drug-metabolizing enzyme CYP 2 J 2 in Wa population from Yunnan Province of China

Genetic variations in CYP2J2 are known to contribute to inter-individual and inter-ethnic variability in response to clinical drugs, but there is no information about the genetic polymorphisms of CYP2J2 in the Wa population. We used DNA sequencing to investigate the whole CYP2J2 gene in 100 unrelated healthy Wa individuals. SIFT and PolyPhen-2 were used to predict the protein function of the novel non-synonymous mutation in CYP2J2 coding regions. Fst anlyasis and Chi-square test were used to compare genotyping data of CYP2J2 in our study Wa population with other populations around the world. We identified 14 different CYP2J2 polymorphisms in the Wa Chinese population, including three novel variant (15016G>A, 19109C>T and 33885A>T). Variant 15016G>A was predicted to be possibly damaging on protein function by SIFT and PolyPhen-2. Using the Chi-square test, we found rs11572245 in the different frequency distributions when the Wa population was compared to other eleven populations. The frequencies of rs1155002 in the Wa people are higher than most of Asia populations, but lower than most of Europe populations. Our results provide basic information about CYP2J2 alleles in Wa, which may help to optimize pharmacotherapy effectiveness by providing personalized medicine to this ethnic group.
Characteristics of Indoor and Outdoor Fine Phthalates during Different Seasons and Haze Periods in Beijing

ABSTRACT We studied the concentrations, seasonal distributions, sources, exposures, and health risks of phthalates in indoor and outdoor PM2.5 in Beijing. The results showed that phthalate concentrations during haze periods were significantly higher than during non-haze periods both indoors and outdoors, with higher concentrations for the former, which reached a maximum of 1995.56 ng m–3. Phthalates are mainly derived from the use of indoor plasticized products, the outdoor plastic products industry, and other sources of fuel emissions. Lifelong exposure to fine (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) through inhalation and dermal absorption was calculated, and the results indicated a risk of cancer, with DEHP carcinogenic risk levels of 4.09 × 10–6 and 10.50 × 10–6 for adults and children, respectively. The highest DEHP carcinogenic risk group was 1–2-year-old children, and the risk decreased afterward with age.
Early X-ray emission from Type Ia supernovae originating from symbiotic progenitors or recurrent novae

One of the key observables for determining the progenitor nature of Type Ia supernovae is provided by their immediate circumstellar medium, which according to several models should be shaped by the progenitor binary system. So far, X-ray and radio observations indicate that the surroundings are very tenuous, producing severe upper limits on the mass-loss from winds of the progenitors. In this study, we perform numerical hydrodynamical simulations of the interaction of the supernova (SN) ejecta with circumstellar structures formed by possible mass outflows from the progenitor systems and we estimate numerically the expected numerical X-ray luminosity. We consider two kinds of circumstellar structures: (a) a circumstellar medium formed by the donor star's stellar wind, in case of a symbiotic binary progenitor system; (b) a circumstellar medium shaped by the interaction of the slow wind of the donor star with consecutive nova outbursts for the case of a symbiotic recurrent nova progenitor system. For the hydrosimulations, we used well-known Type Ia supernova explosion models, as well as an approximation based on a power-law model for the density structure of the outer ejecta. We confirm the strict upper limits on stellar wind mass-loss, provided by simplified interpretations of X-ray upper limits of Type Ia supernovae. However, we show that supernova explosions going off in the cavities created by repeated nova explosions, provide a possible explanation for the lack of X-ray emission from supernovae originating from symbiotic binaries. Moreover, the velocity structure of circumstellar medium, shaped by a series of nova explosion matches well with the Na absorption features seen in absorption towards several Type Ia supernovae.
Quasiconical free interaction between a swept shock and a turbulent boundary layer

Previous observations that fin-generated interactions are quasiconical in nature were further confirmed by surface pressure measurements spanning Mach 2.5-3.5, which encompassed unseparated through strongly separated interactions. For strongly separated interactions in which the shock wave is bifurcated into a X. -foot structure, the conical free interaction hypothesis was validated through an appropriate scaling of the far-field surface pressure distribution. The behavior of the \-foot structure, such as the decrease of the slope of the separation shock with interaction strength, was explained by invoking the conical free interaction hypothesis. Through the conical free interaction hypothesis, it was further shown that the triple-shock intersection behaves in a complicated manner with changes in interaction strength.
Are There Non-linear Effects of Banking Relationships and Ownership Concentration on Operational Performance? Empirical Evidence from Portuguese SMEs Using Cross-section Analysis and Panel Data

This paper provides new evidence for the relationship between the stability of the banking relationship, ownership concentration and operating profitability, supporting non-linear effects between those variables in the context of small and medium enterprises (SMEs). From a sample of 4,163 Portuguese SMEs and cross-section data and panel data, we found evidence for a U-shaped quadratic relationship between the stability of the banking relationship and operational performance. This result indicates that the consolidation of new banking relationships, the difficulties experienced by SMEs in overcoming the problems of adverse selection and moral hazard reflect negatively on their operating profitability. However, when the banking relationship is solidified, and banking institutions acquire information, supervision and monitoring costs decrease, credit constraints are lower and contractual conditions are tailored to the needs of the company, with positive impacts on operating profitability. In turn, the quadratic specification established between ownership concentration and operating profitability suggests that the expropriation hypothesis prevails for low levels of control rights and the supervision hypothesis prevails for high levels.
Zinc levels in Febrile Seizure: A Case-Control Study

Objective: Febrile seizure is the most common type of seizure in children. Their incidence is 2-5%. There are different hypotheses about relationship between neurotransmitters and trace elements (such as zinc) and febrile seizure. Zinc, as a major element of some enzymes, plays an important role in the central nervous system (CNS) and can affect some inhibitory mechanisms of CNS. The aim of the present study was to determine whether there were any changes in serum zinc level in children with febrile seizure in comparison with febrile children without seizure.Materials & Methods: This case-control study was performed on 100 patients aged 6 months to 6 years. This study was conducted between October 2011 to October 2012, on 50 children with febrile seizures (case) and 50 febrile children without seizures (control), that were referred to KS Hegde hospital, Mangalore. Two groups were matched for age and sex. The serum zinc levels in the both groups were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry method.Results: The mean Zinc levels were 132.0414. 7 ? g/dl among the cases and 155.0917. 57 ? g/dl among the controls, with a p value of 0.264. The mean serum zinc level was significantly lower in the febrile seizure group compared to the control groups but however the value was not statistically significant.Conclusion : Our findings r The mean serum zinc level was significantly lower in the febrile seizure group compared to the control groups but however the value was not statistically significant. It can emphasize the hypothesis that there is no relation between serum zinc level and febrile seizure in children.
Matched asymptotic analysis of self-similar blow-up profiles of the thin film equation

We consider asymptotically self-similar blow-up profiles of the thin film equation consisting of a stabilising fourth order and destabilising second order term. It has previously been shown that blow up is only possible when the exponent in the second order term is above a certain critical value (dependent on the exponent in the fourth order term). We show that in the limit that the critical value is approached from above, the primary branch of similarity profiles exhibits a well-defined structure consisting of a peak near the origin, and a thin, algebraically decaying tail, connected by an inner region equivalent (to leading order) to a generalised version of the Landau--Levich `drag-out' problem in lubrication flow. Matching between the regions ultimately gives the asymptotic relationship between a parameter representing the height of the peak and the distance from the criticality threshold. The asymptotic results are supported by numerical computations found using continuation.
Study of Copper Phytotoxicity on Maize Plants (Zea mays L.) Irrigated by Water Treated with Copper Sulfate as Algaecide

: The phytotoxicity of Copper Sulfate used as algaecide in irrigation water on maize plants tissues (Zea mays L.) and its accumulation in soil has been studied, using two irrigation modes: Basin Irrigation and Sprinkler Irrigation. Disinfected seeds were inoculated in plastic columns containing clay loam soil. Experimental plants in columns were irrigated with water treated by copper sulfate (CuSO 4 , 1ppm), and control crops by tap water. The morphological effect of copper (Cu) on the growth of maize plants was followed weekly during two months in comparison with control plants. Experimental plants showed a decrease of leaves surfaces by 8%, without any foliar toxicity symptoms or significant effect on shoot height. However, the use of copper sulfate in irrigation water have decreased the total dry mass by a value greater than 11%, which is closer to 10%, This latest occurs when the element is at the critical toxic concentration in plant tissues. The bioaccumulation of copper in maize tissues (roots, shoots, and leaves) was measured in both irrigation modes. Average total masses of Cu in plants irrigated by basin and sprinklers modes showed an increase of Cu masses by 35% and 46%, respectively, compared to their corresponding control plants. In basin, copper bioaccumulation has occurred in root tissues through roots uptake, whereas by sprinkler method, the bioaccumulation has occurred in roots and leaves through roots uptake and leaves diffusion. Furthermore, the deposition of copper on leaves and shoots by sprinkler irrigation reduces greater than 8% the growth of plants in comparison with basin irrigation mode, and thus, increased further the phytotoxicity rate. The vertical distribution of total copper in soils irrigated by copper treated water was also examined. At the end of irrigation period (two months), retention profiles showed that the concentrations of retained copper in the upper 0.2 cm of the soil are 28.23 ppm and 22.35 ppm when basin and sprinkler irrigation are applied respectively, and then decrease for the following depths. Therefore, this study has confirmed that the use of copper sulfate in irrigation water leads to copper bioaccumulation in plant tissues and with time, to its accumulation in soil. Consequently, this entails an increase of phytotoxicity rate. It proved as well the impact of irrigation modes on copper bioaccumulation rate and uptake pathways. Finally, this document showed the need to look for another alternative of copper sulfate as algaecide.
Nitrogen fixation by Trichodesmium spp.: An important source of new nitrogen to the tropical and subtropical North Atlantic Ocean

The broad distribution and often high densities of the cyanobacterium Trichodesmium spp. in oligotrophic waters imply a substantial role for this one taxon in the oceanic N cycle of the marine tropics and subtropics. New results from 154 stations on six research cruises in the North Atlantic Ocean show depth‐integrated N2 fixation by Trichodesmium spp. at many stations that equalled or exceeded the estimated vertical flux of NO3− into the euphotic zone by diapycnal mixing. Areal rates are consistent with those derived from several indirect geochemical analyses. Direct measurements of N2 fixation rates by Trichodesmium are also congruent with upper water column N budgets derived from parallel determinations of stable isotope distributions, clearly showing that N2 fixation by Trichodesmium is a major source of new nitrogen in the tropical North Atlantic. We project a conservative estimate of the annual input of new N into the tropical North Atlantic of at least 1.6 × 1012 mol N by Trichodesmium N2 fixation alone. This input can account for a substantial fraction of the N2 fixation in the North Atlantic inferred by several of the geochemical approaches.