Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Monitoring Wheat and Rapeseed by Using Synchronous Optical and Radar Satellite Data—From Temporal Signatures to Crop Parameters Estimation

This paper investigates the sensitivity of multi-temporal SAR data acquired at different frequencies (X-, C-and L-bands), polarizations (HH, VV, VH and HV) and incidence angles (from 24° to 53°) during the growing season of two winter crops (rapeseed and wheat). This study was part of a multi-sensor crop-monitoring experiment that was performed from February to November 2010 (MCM’10). During the experiment, dense series of satellite data were acquired in microwave, optical and thermal domains (more than 150 images were provided by TerraSAR-X, Radarsat-2 Alos, Formosat-2, Spot-4/5 and Landsat-5/7) were synchronous with ground measurements over an agricultural area located in southwestern France, near Toulouse. An angular normalization of radar signals is first performed for each crop type at X-and C-bands by using a dense temporal satellite series and the complementarity provided by microwave and optical data. The results show that the angular sensitivity of radar backscatter decreases with the increase of the vegetation index (from 0.4 dB.°ˉ1 over bare soils to 0.05 dB.°ˉ1 for fully vegetated fields). Lower angular sensitivity is observed at X-band (compared to C-band), and for the cross-polarized signal. Analyses of the temporal signatures of the radar backscatter show a well-marked signal dynamic at X-, C-and L-bands, depending on the crops and theirs associated phenological stages. During the stems elongation of wheat while the NDVI increases of 0.2, a dynamic of 10 dB is observed at X-band and at C-band with VV polarization. Interesting behaviors are also observed during the crop senescence with an increase of several dB (depending on the sensor configuration), while the NDVI decreases of 0.5. Over rapeseed, cross-polarized backscatters offer promising dynamic of 6 dB during the seed development, while the NDVI saturates at maximum values. The use of radar signals, in complement of optical, for crop parameters monitoring is achieved in terms of leaf area index and crop height estimations. Over rapeseed, best correlations between crop parameters and radar signals are obtained at C-band, by combining co-and cross-polarized backscatters (R2 > 0.61). Over wheat, best results are achieved by using X-band data (R2 > 0.64).
Drought events and their effects on vegetation productivity in China

Many parts of the world have experienced frequent and severe droughts during the last few decades. Most previous studies examined the effects of specific drought events on vegetation productivity. In this study, we characterized the drought events in China from 1982 to 2012 and assessed their effects on vegetation productivity inferred from satellite data. We first assessed the occurrence, spatial extent, frequency, and severity of drought using the Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI). We then examined the impacts of droughts on China's terrestrial ecosystems using the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). During the period 1982–2012, China's land area (%) experiencing drought showed an insignificant trend. However, the drought conditions had been more severe over most regions in northern parts of China since the end of the 1990s, indicating that droughts hit these regions more frequently due to the drier climate. The severe droughts substantially reduced annual and seasonal NDVI. The magnitude and direction of the detrended NDVI under drought stress varied with season and vegetation type. The inconsistency between the regional means of PDSI and detrended NDVI could be attributed to different responses of vegetation to drought and the timing, duration, severity, and lag effects of droughts. The negative effects of droughts on vegetation productivity were partly offset by the enhancement of plant growth resulting from factors such as lower cloudiness, warming climate, and human activities (e.g., afforestation, improved agricultural management practices).
Enhancement of the anti-tumor activity of FGFR1 inhibition in squamous cell lung cancer by targeting downstream signaling involved in glucose metabolism

Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor (FGFR) signaling is a complex pathway which controls several processes, including cell proliferation, survival, migration, and metabolism. FGFR1 signaling is frequently deregulated via amplification/over-expression in NSCLC of squamous histotype (SQCLC), however its inhibition has not been successfully translated in clinical setting. We determined whether targeting downstream signaling implicated in FGFR1 effects on glucose metabolism potentiates the anti-tumor activity of FGFR1 inhibition in SQCLC. In FGFR1 amplified/over-expressing SQCLC cell lines, FGF2-mediated stimulation of FGFR1 under serum-deprivation activated both MAPK and AKT/mTOR pathways and increased glucose uptake, glycolysis, and lactate production, through AKT/mTOR-dependent HIF-1α accumulation and up-regulation of GLUT-1 glucose transporter. These effects were hindered by PD173074 and NVP-BGJ398, selective FGFR inhibitors, as well as by dovitinib, a multi-kinase inhibitor. Glucose metabolism was hampered by the FGFR inhibitors also under hypoxic conditions, with consequent inhibition of cell proliferation and viability. In presence of serum, glucose metabolism was impaired only in cell models in which FGFR1 inhibition was associated with AKT/mTOR down-regulation. When the activation of the AKT/mTOR pathway persisted despite FGFR1 down-regulation, the efficacy of NVP-BGJ398 could be significantly improved by the combination with NVP-BEZ235 or other inhibitors of this signaling cascade, both in vitro and in xenotransplanted nude mice. Collectively our results indicate that inhibition of FGFR1 signaling impacts on cancer cell growth also by affecting glucose energy metabolism. In addition, this study strongly suggests that the therapeutic efficacy of FGFR1 targeting molecules in SQCLC may be implemented by combined treatments tackling on glucose metabolism.
Correlation of Motivational Beliefs and Cognitive and Metacognitive Strategies with Academic Achievement of Students of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences

Background: Success and academic achievement are among the most important goals of both students and educational systems. Researchers have examined the impact of different factors such as intelligence, personality, attitude, study habits, thinking skills and academic motivation on students’ academic performance. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship of motivational beliefs and cognitive and metacognitive strategies with students’ academic achievement. Methods: In this descriptive analytic cross-sectional study, the statistical population included all medical and health students of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (1405 students), 250 of whom were selected according to the Levy and Lemeshow’s formula. After estimating the sample size, the stratified random sampling method was used. To collect data, Pintrich and de Groot’s motivated strategies for learning questionnaire (MSLQ) was employed. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation and independent t-test. Results: Among the components of cognitive learning strategies, comprehension (r = 0.1266, P < 0.10), and among the components of metacognitive learning strategies, the regulation component (r = 0.049, P < 0.05) had a significant positive correlation with academic performance. Among the components of motivational beliefs, the self-efficacy component (r = 0.173, P < 0.10) showed a significant positive correlation with academic performance. Based on the results of multiple regression analysis, only metacognitive learning strategies had the ability to predict the academic performance of the students. There was no significant difference between male and female students in any of the studied variables. Conclusions: Based on the results, students who use more diverse cognitive strategies show better performance than others. Performance is more desirable among those who evaluate their understanding of the content of the course and make more efforts and have more perseverance (regulation) in the learning process. Students who believe in their abilities (self-efficacy) and reinforce these beliefs will have a better academic performance.
Behavioral Finance in Brazil: applying the prospect theory to potential investors

The premise of unbounded rationality defended by the Efficient Market Hypothesis is challenged by the theoretical framework that involves Behavioral Finance, whose basis, Kahneman and Tversky’s Prospect Theory (1979), questions the Expected Utility Theory, an important element of Neoclassical Economics, as basis for decisionmaking. This research aims to replicate the empirical research of Kahneman and Tversky’s seminal article (1979) to evaluate the decisionmaking process of employees (potential investors) from a major national financial institution. The results of this study were compared to those obtained in the original article and to other similar studies. The questionnaire employed was an adaptation of the one originally used, so that we could test, in the studied sample, the applicability of the Prospect Theory, more specifically with regard to Certainty, Reflection and Isolation Effects. We also analyzed differences in the decision-making process considering respondents’ attributes (gender, age and income). The results confirmed that behavioral effects do exist, and proved that a large portion of the sample presented significant inconsistency in their choices according to Expected Utility Theory principles, highlighting that their decisions were not made according to strictly rational behavior. Furthermore, we analyzed the relationship between violations and investor characteristics by estimating a linear model. Results indicate that both age and level of income were negatively related to total violations.
A Method to Evaluate Thermal Response Tests on Groundwater-filled Boreholes

The design of borehole heat exchangers for ground source heat pump system applications requires thermal properties, like ground thermal conductivity and borehole thermal resistance, as inputs. These properties are often determined from an in-situ thermal response test of a pilot borehole. For groundwater-filled boreholes, the ground thermal conductivity and borehole resistance estimations are affected by the heat-injection rates used during the test. Most existing methods for evaluating thermal response tests were not originally developed to analyze tests on groundwater-filled boreholes, and these methods can sometimes give erroneous results in such situations. This paper presents a new method for the evaluation of thermal response tests on grouted and groundwater-filled boreholes. The method is based on an analytical solution, which considers the thermal capacities, thermal resistances, and thermal properties of all borehole elements. The proposed method simplifies the evaluation of thermal response tests on groundwater-filled boreholes and provides accurate estimations of ground thermal conductivity and borehole thermal resistance.
JCB_201407129 1..15

The Rockefeller University Press $30.00 J. Cell Biol. Vol. 208 No. 7 987–1001 www.jcb. org/cgi/doi/10.1083/jcb.201407129 JCB 987 *K.M. Draheim and X. Li contributed equally to this paper. Correspondence to Titus J. Boggon: titus.boggon@yale.edu; or David A. Calderwood: david.calderwood@yale.edu Abbreviations used in this paper: CCM, cerebral cavernous malformations; FAT, focal adhesion targeting; FAT-H, FAT-homology; HHD, harmonin homology domain; NSLS, National Synchrotron Light Source; PTB, phosphotyrosine-binding; qPCR, quantitative real-time PCR; STRIPAK, striatin-interacting phosphatase and kinase. Introduction
Treatment of congenital clubfoot and its outcome in Mekelle hospital, Tigray, Ethiopia

Aims: Congenital clubfoot is a deformity of the lower extremity manifested by foot adduction/ inversion, cavus and plantar flexion. Its incidence varies within 0.5–7 per 1000 live births worldwide. Genetic predisposition, environmental factors and combination of them are assumed to have etiological factor. A number of trials have been made to cure clubfoot long years ago. But none of them was as effective as Hafte Teklay1, Yared Asmare2, Manay Kifle3, Mebrahtom Abraha4, Zeray Baraki5, Berihu Fissiha6, Gebremedhin Hagos7, Dejen Gezehegn8 Affiliations: 1Lecturer of Human Anatomy, Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of health Sciences and Referral hospital Aksum University, Aksum, Ethiopia; 2Lecturer of Human Anatomy, Department of Human Anatomy, College of Medicine and Health Science, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia; 3Lecturer of Public Health, Department of Public Health, College of Health Sciences and Referral Hospital Aksum University, Aksum, Ethiopia; 4Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences and Referral Hospital Aksum University, Aksum, Ethiopia; 5Lecturer of Pediatric and Child Health Nursing, Department of Nursing, College of Medicine and Health Science, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia; 6Assistant Professor of Physiotherapy, Department of Physiotherapy, College of Health Sciences, Mekelle University, Mekelle, Ethiopia; 7MSc in Physiology Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Health Sciences and Referral Hospital Aksum University, Aksum, Ethiopia; 8MSc in General Public Health HIV & SRH Directorate, Aksum University, Ethiopia. Corresponding Author: Hafte Teklay, Aksum, Tigray, Ethiopia, Condominium University road, P. O. Box: 298; Email: haftishkind@gmail.com Received: 19 August 2017 Accepted: 03 October 2017 Published: 10 January 2018 the Ponseti method which is better for success rate and the outcome is affected by many factors. Early diagnosis and treatment should be the main paradigms to decrease the risk of physical disability due to clubfoot. The study was aimed at assessing the practice of management and its outcome. Methods: Facility based retrospective medical record assessment was carried out. The retrieved and qualified data was entered into statistical package for the social sciences for analysis and then output is described and discussed. Results: The basic Ponseti principles and guidelines were practiced in Mekelle hospital considering some limitations. Physiotherapists were the health professionals who make all the clinical decision makings in the setup. The incidence of case relapse was 14.7%, and the rate of tenotomy was 70.6%. However, the facility scored overall success rate of 77.9%. Conclusion: In Mekelle hospital, basic principles and guidelines of Ponseti method were practiced with some deviations. The rate of relapse and failure is also slightly higher. Deep social awareness about clubfoot management, grading the rate of tenotomy and reducing the treatment side effect is mandatory to achieve good outcome.
Mitigation of energetic electrons in the magnetosphere by amplified whistler wave under double cyclotron resonances

An optimal approach reducing the population of MeV electrons in the magnetosphere is presented. Under a double resonance condition, whistler wave is simultaneously in cyclotron resonance with keV and MeV electrons. The injected whistler waves is first amplified by the background keV electrons via loss-cone negative mass instability to become effective in precipitating MeV electrons via cyclotron resonance elevated chaotic scattering. The numerical results show that a small amplitude whistler wave can be amplified by more than 25 dB. The amplification factor reduces only about 10 dB with a 30 dB increase of the initial wave intensity. Use of an amplified whistler wave to scatter 1.5 MeV electrons from an initial pitch angle of 86.5 to a pitch angle <50 is demonstrated. The ratio of the required wave magnetic field to the background magnetic field is calculated to be about 8×10−4.
The Kangaroo Island bushfires of 2007 A meteorological case study and WRF-fire simulation

In December 2007, Kangaroo Island was set ablaze by numerous dry lightning strikes. Our research into the event has been conducted in two parts; a case study investigating the interactions between the local meteorology and observed fire behaviour, followed by simulations using the coupled atmosphericfire behaviour model WRF-fire. The findings from the case study highlight the importance of including information on atmospheric instability and spatial variation in meteorological parameters in fire weather forecasts. Our preliminary simulations using WRF-fire have explored the ability of the model to capture phenomena observed in the case study. The case study identified two occurrences of unusual fire behaviour which have been simulated: the first, when a fire located in a local sea breeze front convergence zone produced a spectacular convection column which developed by release of potential atmospheric instability triggered by local lifting; the second, when unprecedented fire behaviour was observed in relatively benign conditions, hypothesised to be due to convective plume entrainment of dry air aloft, enhanced by topographically driven processes and very dry, open structured fuels. The circumstances leading to the unusual fire behaviour(s) illustrate known limitations in the current Australian approach to fire weather forecasting, which neglects temporal and spatial variations, three dimensional atmospheric evolution and any interaction of the fire with the atmosphere. We used the coupled atmosphere-fire model WRF-fire to simulate the fires, with the initial aim of running WRF-fire on an Australian event and subsequently to assess the ability of WRF-fire to simulate the vertical dynamics and fire-atmosphere coupling observed in the case studies.
Spatially Extensive Standardized Surveys Reveal Widespread, Multi-Decadal Increase in East Antarctic Adélie Penguin Populations

Seabirds are considered to be useful and practical indicators of the state of marine ecosystems because they integrate across changes in the lower trophic levels and the physical environment. Signals from this key group of species can indicate broad scale impacts or response to environmental change. Recent studies of penguin populations, the most commonly abundant Antarctic seabirds in the west Antarctic Peninsula and western Ross Sea, have demonstrated that physical changes in Antarctic marine environments have profound effects on biota at high trophic levels. Large populations of the circumpolar-breeding Adélie penguin occur in East Antarctica, but direct, standardized population data across much of this vast coastline have been more limited than in other Antarctic regions. We combine extensive new population survey data, new population estimation methods, and re-interpreted historical survey data to assess decadal-scale change in East Antarctic Adélie penguin breeding populations. We show that, in contrast to the west Antarctic Peninsula and western Ross Sea where breeding populations have decreased or shown variable trends over the last 30 years, East Antarctic regional populations have almost doubled in abundance since the 1980’s and have been increasing since the earliest counts in the 1960’s. The population changes are associated with five-year lagged changes in the physical environment, suggesting that the changing environment impacts primarily on the pre-breeding age classes. East Antarctic marine ecosystems have been subject to a number of changes over the last 50 years which may have influenced Adélie penguin population growth, including decadal-scale climate variation, an inferred mid-20th century sea-ice contraction, and early-to-mid 20th century exploitation of fish and whale populations.
Pricing, liquidity and the control of dynamic systems in finance and economics

The paper discusses various practical consequences of treating economics and finance as an inherently dynamic and chaotic system. On the theoretical side this looks at the general applicability of the market-making pricing approach to economics in general. The paper also discuses the consequences of the endogenous creation of liquidity and the role of liquidity as a state variable. On the practical side, proposals are made for reducing chaotic behaviour in both housing markets and stock markets.
Interpolating forecast errors for assessing uncertainty in macroeconomic forecasts : an analysis for Malta

This paper presents an analysis of forecasting errors for Malta for the Ministry for Finance and compares the results with those of the Central Bank of Malta and the European Commission. Apart from presenting a comprehensive analysis of past forecast errors, even at expenditure component level, this paper interpolates the results of past forecast errors to future forecasts through the application of the two-piece normal distribution thus conveying not only the degree of uncertainty but also the balance of risk inherent in GDP growth projections. Results are presented in the form of fan charts.
A dynamic modeling method for helical gear systems

Dynamic modeling for gear systems is very important for accurately predicting the dynamic responses during the gear engagements. During the modeling, meshing force must be determined, and it is usually calculated by the product of the relative displacement along the line of action (LOA) and the meshing stiffness. At present, the relative displacement calculation for helical gear systems is very complicated by several existing methods because the complicated geometric relationships need to be derived for determining the spatial positions of two meshing points along LOA. In this study, a simple method for calculating the relative displacement along LOA is presented based on ANSYS software. And on this basis, a new finite element modeling method for a helical gear transmission system with multiple shafts is developed, where the influences of shafts and bearing flexibilities are considered. Moreover, the proposed method is validated by comparing the dynamic characteristics, such as natural characteristics and vibration responses, with those obtained from Kubur’s method and Zhang’s method.
The Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Tax Expenditures - A Novel Approach

This study evaluates the regional tax incentives for business investment in Italy and addresses the following questions: (i) how much additional investment was stimulated by the government intervention; (ii) has the public financing displaced (part of) the private financing; (iii) to what extent would the outcomes on firm performance have not been achieved without the public support? The methodology consists of applying the matching approach and selects a sample of firms composed of both recipients and non-recipients such that for each subsidised firm a comparable unsubsidised counterpart is found, which is similar in every respect except for the tax benefit. An empirical model of firm’s investment behaviour has then been estimated in order to obtain the tax-price elasticity and to test the sensitivity of investment decisions to the availability of internal funds by taking into account the dynamic structure underlying capital accumulation. This new approach to evaluate tax expenditures allows us to deal with the problem of the endogeneity of firms' participation decisions as well as to account for the different channels through which tax incentives operate. Finally, the impact of the investment tax credit on TFP levels is identified by modelling the productivity dynamics at the firm level.