Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Automated Content Extraction from SAR Data

Segmentation algorithms are often used in many image processing applications like compression, restoration, content extraction, and classification. In particular as for content extraction works carried out in the past decade have demonstrated that multi-frequency fully polarimetric SAR observations are particularly interesting, thanks to physical properties of the backscattered signal at various frequencies and polarizations. To achieve a good classification, the main difficulty is that SAR images are often embedded in heavy speckle. Segmentation of multi/hyperspectral (optical) imagery is obtained by means of algorithms based on image models, which exploit the spatial dependencies of land-covers. Unfortunately, speckle noise hides such spatial dependencies in observed SAR data. With the aim of investigating on a content extraction algorithm capable of discriminating cover classes present in the observed SAR image, heterogeneity features are used here to emphasize spatial dependencies in the data. Thus, observed pixel values are mapped into features, that take "similar" values on "similar" textures. This allows for using the same procedure of the optical case. Obviously, homogeneity/heterogeneity feature and segmentation quality are fundamental for classification accuracy. Here, the problem is tackled through the joint use of information theoretic SAR features and of a segmentation algorithm based on Markov Random Fields (MRFs).
A systematic evaluation of the effect of temperature on coagulation enzyme activity and platelet function.

BACKGROUND Hypothermia is associated with an increased risk of bleeding and is a significant contributing factor to the morbidity and mortality of trauma and complicated surgical procedures. A core temperature of 33 degrees C is associated with a significantly increased risk of death after trauma compared with 37 degrees C. Hypothermia-associated bleeding has been hypothesized to result from dysregulation of enzymatic function, reduced platelet activity, and/or altered fibrinolysis. METHODS We systematically evaluated the effects of temperature on isolated pro- and anticoagulant enzyme processes and platelet activation and adhesion. We also evaluated the effects of temperature on complete coagulation systems (activated partial thromboplastin time and an in vitro, cell-based model of coagulation). RESULTS Enzyme activities were only slightly reduced at 33 degrees C versus 37 degrees C, and this reduction was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Platelet activation was also not significantly reduced at 33 degrees C versus 37 degrees C. Conversely, platelet aggregation and adhesion were significantly reduced at 33 degrees C compared with 37 degrees C (p < 0.05). Below 33 degrees C, however, both enzyme activity and platelet function were significantly reduced. CONCLUSION Our results suggest that bleeding observed at mildly reduced temperatures (33 degrees - 37 degrees C) results primarily from a platelet adhesion defect, and not reduced enzyme activity or platelet activation. However, at temperatures below 33 degrees C, both reduced platelet function and enzyme activity likely contribute to the coagulopathy.
Ecological footprint analysis on tourism carrying capacity at the Zhoushan Archipelago, China

ABSTRACT Tourism has been a dynamic and potential industry in China in the recent two decades. However, the rapid development of tourism has caused tremendous ecological pressure. Evaluation of tourism carrying capacity is imperative to have a comprehensive understanding of tourism’s development and sustainability. Ecological footprint (EF) analysis was applied to quantitatively assess the ecological carrying capacity of tourism in the Zhoushan Municipality during the years 2010–2014, and geospatial technologies were used for regional analysis. Results showed that the tourism EF (TEF) and local EF slowly increased between 2010 and 2014. TEF accounted for a remarkable proportion over this five-year period and reached 20–30% of the regional EF. Amongst the four sub-regions, Dinghai appeared to have a relatively large deficit, whereas Shengsi presented a great ecological carrying capacity surplus, thereby revealing a remarkable local imbalance of development. Although the TEF of Zhoushan was slightly over its carrying capacity, the per capital EF of residents remained below average national and global levels. Proper planning and development of tourism at the regional level are suggested as a sound strategy for sustainable development of the Zhoushan Municipality.
Primitive immune systems: Are your ways my ways?

Summary: Although vertebrate immune systems have been commonly conceived as exquisitely developed to combat pervasiveness by pathogens, they are not infallible. The enigmatic expression of histocompatibility in vertebrates, the manifestation of natural chimerism, autoimmunity, malignancy, and other puzzling outcomes hint that immunity did not arise in evolution to fight infections and that this capacity is a late evolutionary appendage, owing its appearance to the redeployment of a system developed for other reasons. Allorecognition in the colonial tunicate Botryllus schlosseri serves here as a platform for a contending paradigm, advocating that immunity has developed as a surveillance machinery against and for purging of nascent selfish cells (stemmed from a kin organism or from transformed cells within the organism of origin). Defense against pathogens (always representing xenogeneic aliens) appeared later, revealing the multiplicity of newly developed phenomena. Allorecognition events characteristic of the Botryllus primitive immune system, such as fusion versus rejection, the morphological resorption with its expressed hierarchy, and the somatic/germ‐cell parasitic outcomes, provide clues to the evolutionary basis of allorecognition. Recent work on Botryllus immunity that highlights the cost of littering individuality by somatic variants/allogeneic cells is discussed.
Overexpression of chlorophyllide a oxygenase (CAO) enlarges the antenna size of photosystem II in Arabidopsis thaliana.

The light-harvesting efficiency of a photosystem is thought to be largely dependent on its photosynthetic antenna size. It has been suggested that antenna size is controlled by the biosynthesis of chlorophyll b. To verify this hypothesis, we overexpressed the enzyme for chlorophyll b biosynthesis, chlorophyllide a oxygenase (CAO), in Arabidopsis thaliana by transforming the plant with cDNA for CAO under the control of the 35S cauliflower mosaic virus promoter. In the early de-etiolation phase, when the intrinsic CAO expression is very low, the chlorophyll a: b ratio was drastically decreased from 28 to 7.3, indicating that enhancement of chlorophyll b biosynthesis had been successfully achieved. We made the following observations in full-green rosette leaves of transgenic plants. (1) The chlorophyll a : b ratio was reduced from 2.85 to 2.65. (2) The ratio of the peripheral light-harvesting complexes (LHCII) to the core antenna complex (CPa) resolved with the green-gel system increased by 20%. (3) The ratio of the light-harvesting complex II apoproteins (LHCP) to 47-kDa chlorophyll a protein (CP47), which was estimated by the results of immunoblotting, increased by 40%. These results indicated that the antenna size increased by at least 10-20% in transgenic plants, suggesting that chlorophyll b biosynthesis controls antenna size. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on enlargement of the antenna size by genetic manipulations.
BMY 28100, a new oral cephalosporin

BMY 28100, a new oral cephalosporin with a (Z)-propenyl side chain at the 3 position and a p-hydroxyphenylglycyl substituent at the 7 position, was evaluated in comparison with cefaclor and cephalexin and, when appropriate, ampicillin and vancomycin. In vitro, BMY 28100 was more active than the reference cephalosporins against streptococci, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Listeria monocytogenes, Haemophilus influenzae, Propionibacterium acnes, Clostridium perfringens, and Clostridium difficile. BMY 28100 was comparable to cefaclor and more active than cephalexin against Staphylococcus saprophyticus and ampicillin-susceptible strains of Branhamella catarrhalis; but against ampicillin-resistant strains of B. catarrhalis, BMY 28100 was comparable to cephalexin and more active than cefaclor. Against Neisseria gonorrhoeae, BMY 28100 was comparable to cephalexin, but less active than cefaclor. Members of the family Enterobacteriaceae overall were equally susceptible to BMY 28100 and cefaclor but were less susceptible to cephalexin. In human serum, BMY 28100 was 45% protein bound. After an oral dose to mice, 82% of the drug was recovered in urine. The oral therapeutic efficacy of BMY 28100 in systemically infected mice reflected its activity in vitro.
Seasonal Variations and Aeration Effects on Water Quality Improvements and Physiological Responses of Nymphaea Tetragona Georgi

Seasonal variations and aeration effects on water quality improvements and the physiological responses of Nymphaea tetragona Georgi were investigated with mesocosm experiments. Plants were hydroponically cultivated in six purifying tanks (aerated, non-aerated) and the characteristics of the plants were measured. Water quality improvements in purifying tanks were evaluated by comparing to the control tanks. The results showed that continuous aeration affected the plant morphology and physiology. The lengths of the roots, petioles and leaf limbs in aeration conditions were shorter than in non-aeration conditions. Chlorophyll and soluble protein contents of the leaf limbs in aerated tanks decreased, while peroxidase and catalase activities of roots tissues increased. In spring and summer, effects of aeration on the plants were less than in autumn. Total nitrogen (TN) and ammonia nitrogen (NH4 +-N) in aerated tanks were lower than in non-aerated tanks, while total phosphorus (TP) and dissolved phosphorus (DP) increased in spring and summer. In autumn, effects of aeration on the plants became more significant. TN, NH4 +-N, TP and DP became higher in aerated tanks than in non-aerated tanks in autumn. This work provided evidences for regulating aeration techniques based on seasonal variations of the plant physiology in restoring polluted stagnant water.
Scale of classification based on biochemical markers in mussels: application to pollution monitoring in European coasts.

A battery of biochemical parameters is used to evaluate the response of mussels to a contaminated coastal environment. In the European BIOMAR programme, a multimarker approach was developed, establishing a scale for the classification of the water quality in European coastal sites. AChE activity is highly sensitive to organophosphorus and carbamate insecticides but also to heavy metals. Catalase activity and lipid oxidation (evaluated as MDA) are markers of oxidative stress, GST activity is related to the conjugation of organic compounds and BPH activity is a marker of planar compounds (e.g. PAHs). These parameters were measured either in gills (AChE, GST) or digestive gland (BPH, GST, CAT, MDA). Contamination levels were estimated by measurement of PAHs and heavy metals in animals. For each biomarker, a discriminatory factor was calculated (maximum variation range/confidence interval) and a response index was allocated. For each site, a global response index was calculated as the sum of the response index of each of the five biomarkers. As a result of our calculation method, the quality of the coastal environment at each site can be classified with a five level scale. Mussels were collected during five cruises in 1995-1996 on the Baltic and Mediterranean coasts. The results show that water quality ranged from class 1 (clean areas in some sites of the French Riviera, Spanish Costa Brava and the Baltic coast) to class 5 (high pollution in main harbours, e.g. Kiel and Toulon). Some areas fall into class 4, e.g. Carteau, Cortiou, Barcelona, Warnemunde, Swinemunde, Ebro delta. The global Biomarker Index was positively correlated with the level of PAHs in mussels in Baltic transects. A number of other contaminants or stressors may be present in the marine environment and the Biomarker Index appeared to be relevant to classify coastal environmental pollution.
EMG Analysis of the Late Exteroceptive Suppression Period of Temporal Muscle Activity in Episodic and Chronic Tension-Type Headaches

EMG analysis of the late exteroceptive suppression period of the temporal muscle activity is discussed as comparative methodology in the assessment of patients suffering from chronic tension-type headache and from migraineurs (1, 2). After electrical perioral trigeminal nerve stimulation during maximum voluntary jaw occlusion, early (ES1) and late (ES2) exteroceptive suppression periods can be registered above the temples using surface EMG recordings (3–6). In patients suffering from chronic tension-type headache the duration of the late suppression period is shortened (p < 0.001) compared to migraineurs or controls. However, patients suffering from episodic tension-type headache display late suppression periods of temporal muscle activity of differing lengths.
Party Systems and Voting Behaviour in the Visegrad Countries 15 Years After the Transition

The authors compare aggregate data on voting behaviour in parliamentary elections in Visegrad countries since 1990. They emphasize that different patterns of voting behaviour, socio-political cleavage structures and electoral systems have produced different party systems. The main differences concern degree of volatility, number of parliamentary parties and left-right structure of the party system.
Accounting Standards and Earnings Quality – Evidence from Registered ADRS

This paper examines the changes in earnings quality of registered American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) as a result of switching accounting standards. We aim to shed light on the potential impact of International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS) adoption on US firms. A suboptimal approach to achieve this goal is through examination of US firms’ surrogates such as ADRs. Unlike previous studies, we made a distinction between registered and unregistered ADRs and affirmed that registered ADRs are the closest surrogates with which to conduct our analysis because they are exclusively required to adhere to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)’s stringent disclosure requirements. When cross-listing their equity on the US exchanges, foreign issuers can file their financial reports with the SEC using IFRS, US GAAP (generally accepted accounting principles), or their domestic GAAP with reconciliation to US GAAP. An improvement in earnings quality is documented when ADRs adopt US GAAP or IFRS versus domestic GAAP. However, when the comparison is made between US GAAP and IFRS, no difference in earnings quality is documented. These results indicate that switching to high-quality accounting standards is likely to improve earnings quality. This improvement is maximized when the difference between reporting standards is high and minimized if otherwise. Our conclusion is that the adoption of IFRS in the US is unlikely to change earnings quality of local issuers. Moreover, we drew a distinction between reconciliation with and adoption of high-quality accountings standards and find that while the former can enhance earnings quality, the latter can further improve it.
The impact of international migration on receiving countries: the case of the Netherlands.

This book has been prepared within the framework of a series of national monographs on the impact of international migration on receiving countries initiated by the Committee for International Cooperation in National Research in Demography (CICRED) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM). It combines analyses of both the demographic and the socio-economic cultural and political impacts of migration on Dutch society. In Part I the growth of the population of foreign descent and the changes in its demographic composition are described as well as trends in and backgrounds of international migration fertility mortality nuptiality and naturalization. Part II focuses on ethnic minorities. The development of the social position of ethnic minorities is depicted using an analytical model that includes as main indicators labour income social security education and housing.The main conclusions are summarized in Part III and a cautious attempt is made to forecast future developments and their consequences. (EXCERPT)
Acute Effects of Drop-Jump Protocols on Explosive Performances of Elite Handball Players

Abstract Dello Iacono, A, Martone, D, and Padulo, J. Acute effects of drop-jump protocols on explosive performances of elite handball players. J Strength Cond Res 30(11): 3122–3133, 2016—This study aimed to assess the acute effects of vertical and horizontal drop jump–based postactivation potentiation (PAP) protocols on neuromuscular abilities in tasks such as jumping, sprinting, and change of direction (COD). Eighteen handball players were assessed before and after PAP regimens, consisting of either vertical single-leg drop-jumps (VDJ) or horizontal single-leg drop-jumps (HDJ) single-leg drop-jumps, on countermovement jump (CMJ), linear sprint, shuttle sprint, and agility performance. The HDJ led to greater improvement of the COD performance in comparison with the VDJ (−6.8 vs. −1.3%; p ⩽ 0.05), whereas the VDJ caused greater improvement in the CMJ task compared with the HDJs (+6.5 vs. +1%; p ⩽ 0.05). Moreover, the VDJ regimens compared with HDJ induced greater changes in most of the kinetic variables associated with vertical jumping performance, such as peak ground reaction forces (+9.6 vs. +1.3%), vertical displacement (−13.4 vs. −5.3%), leg-spring stiffness (+18.6 vs. +3.6%), contact time (−9.2 vs. −1.3%), and reactive strength index (+7.3 vs. +2.4%) (all comparisons with p ⩽ 0.05). Conversely, the HDJ regimens were able to improve the COD performance only by reducing the contact time on COD more than the VDJ (−13.3 vs. −2.4% with p ⩽ 0.05). The results showed that both PAPs were able to improve the performances that specifically featured similar force-orientation production. This investigation showed the crucial role that different and specific PAP regimens play in optimizing related functional performances. Specifically oriented vertical and horizontal single-leg drop-jump protocols represent viable means for achieving enhanced explosive-based tasks such as jumping and COD.
MTNR1A Melatonin Receptors in the Ovine Premammillary Hypothalamus: Day-Night Variation in the Expression of the Transcripts1

Abstract Melatonin regulation of reproductive functions in sheep is mediated by action in the premammillary hypothalamus (PMH). The aim of this study was to identify the high-affinity melatonin-receptor subtypes expressed in this structure. To achieve this, we used reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and developed in situ hybridization techniques (ISH). By using RT-PCR, we detected a band corresponding to the MTNR1A melatonin-receptor cDNA in the PMH as well as in the pars tuberalis (PT). On the opposite, MTNR1B melatonin-receptor transcripts were not detected using degenerate primers in any of the structures considered, confirming the lack of expression of this receptor subtype in sheep. The expression of MTNR1A mRNA was further confirmed in the PMH by ISH with a 35S-labeled ovine MTNR1A riboprobe. We next investigated the variation in the expression of MTNR1A mRNA between the end of the day and the end of the night (absence and presence of melatonin, respectively). MTNR1A transcript expression was greater at the end of the night than at the end of the day in the PMH. In contrast, MTNR1A mRNA expression was lower at the end of the night than at the end of the day in the PT. No significant variation in the MTNR1A mRNA expression was observed in a more dorsal hypothalamic area. Overall, these results show that MTNR1A transcripts are expressed in the ovine PMH and that their expression follows a diurnal rhythm, which is different from the pattern of expression observed in the PT.
Students Entrepreneurial Behaviour: An Eight-Construct Scale Validation

This study aims to propose and validate a measurement scale for an eight-dimension entrepreneurial orientation in an international context. A sample of 2,175 students from Brazilian and Finnish universities was used. Exploratory factor analysis followed by validation and reliability using structural equations modelling were performed. Seven of the proposed dimensions were validated and confirmed by this study. Results may contribute to future assessments of entrepreneurial profile within an international setting, to entrepreneurial education and to the debate about the complexity of the entrepreneurial behaviour. Entrepreneurial behaviour assessment has evolved in terms of construct complexity and scope of empirical observation. This study proposes an encompassing conceptualization in terms of the number of dimensions considered and its application in an international setting, involving two different countries in terms of entrepreneurial behaviour.
Margin Requirements and Systemic Liquidity Risk

We develop a model in which margin procyclicality and the propensity for liquidity hoarding interact to generate a systemic liquidity crisis. In this model, banks lend and borrow in the interbank market to mitigate liquidity risk and trade derivatives contracts in the OTC derivatives market to mitigate market risk. The daily mark-to-market of derivatives contracts results in daily margin calls that banks cover using high quality liquid assets. We find that distress due to margin procyclicality in the derivatives market can spillover to the interbank market leading to systemic liquidity risk. Interconnectedness further amplifies the effects of systemic risk within the interbank market. The model shows that central clearing might increase the possibility of systemic liquidity risk due to tight margin requirements and the timing of cash flows required from banks. We also find that haircut levels affect the possibility of systemic liquidity risk, and highlight the potential role of a market maker of last resort in limiting this possibility.