Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Non-Probabilistic Cosine Similarity Loss for Few-Shot Image Classification

A few-shot image classiﬁcation problem aims to recognize previously unseen objects with a small amount of data. Many works have been offered to solve the problem, while a simple transfer learning method with the cosine similarity based cross-entropy loss is still powerful compared with other methods. To improve the performance, we propose a novel Non-Probabilistic Cosine similarity (NPC) loss for few-shot classiﬁcation that can replace the cross-entropy loss with the cosine similarity. A key difference of NPC loss is that it uses values of inputs instead of their probabilities. By simply changing the loss function, our model avoids overﬁtting on a training set and performs well on few-shot tasks. Experimental results show that the model with NPC loss clearly outperforms those with other loss functions and also achieves excellent performance compared with state-of-the-art algorithms on Mini-Imagenet and CUB-200-2011 datasets.
Pareto or not? The Intensive and Extensive Margins of Trade and Trade Elasticity

Firms differ in size and productivity with important implications for trade policy and measuring gains from trade. Distribution of firms’ productivities is then a central object in a model with heterogenous firms. I introduce a new way to estimate the shape parameter of the Pareto distribution for firm productivity using the data on firm-level imports to the US. I provide my estimates for about 600 US industries at the HS-4 level under assumptions of both CES and translog utility functions and offer few alternative specifications. I improve this estimator by allowing for the case of bounded Pareto distribution, making it robust to misspecification. In order to check the validity of distributional assumptions I provide a new way to test them. My first finding is that it is important to allow parameters of productivity distributions to vary by industry. Then I show that for most industries the distribution is Pareto rather than log-normal and bounded Pareto rather than unbounded. Finally I show that the left tail of firms’ productivities distribution is unlikely to belong to Pareto distribution. I propose a new composite distribution consistent with the data that allows productivities of small and large firms to follow different distributions. This flexible distribution matches the facts on intensive and extensive margins of trade and is consistent with firm level evidence. *I am grateful to Robert Feenstra, Katheryn Russ, Deborah Swenson, Ina Simonovska, Brian Kovak, Vasco Yasenov, Mingzhi Xu and Konstantin Egorov for helpful comments, as well as seminar participants at UC Davis. †University of California, Davis. E-mail: vtyazhelnikov@ucdavis.edu. Website: vtyazhelnikov.com
Calculate the Range of Bleeding Assessment Tool Score in Healthy Volunteers (Male and Female) in the State of Uttarakhand

The essential step in the assessment of patients for a probable bleeding disorder is to evaluate the severity of bleeding symptoms. To improve the compilation and precision of the patients with history of bleeding symptoms, several Bleeding Assessment Tools (BAT) have been anticipated. A structured questionnaire was approved by the ISTH/SSC-BAT together in year 2010. In our study, data from 99 normal adults (42 females and 57 males) from Uttarakhand were analysed this score (ISTH/SSCBAT). Mean age of the adult population was 29 year. Normal range obtained were 0–3, 0–5 for males and female respectively after removing the outliers. The median BAT score was 0 in adult males and 1 in adult females. This information may now be used to evaluate the history of bleeding symptoms as a normal or abnormal in the state of Uttarakhand. We aim to standardize this score system in the population of Uttarakhand in our study and improve diagnostic accuracy at a low cost and grass root level.
On Statistical Analysis of Competing Risks with Application to the Time of First Goal

The contribution deals with the analysis and application of the competing risks model. First, the problem of identifiability of marginal and joint distributions of competing random variables is discussed. Then, the notion of copula is recalled and used to express the dependence in the competing risks scheme. Copula model is then utilized to the analysis of times of scoring the first goal in a football (soccer) match. It is assumed that competing latent times are exponentially distributed with parameters depending on attack and defence strengths of teams, while their mutual dependence is described with the aid of a conveniently chosen copula ensuring the model identifiability. As a real example the data from the season 2014-2015 of the Czech premier league (called Synot League) are analyzed. It is shown that the correlation in the framework of proposed model is, as a rule, negative, and its value is related to the first goal importance. The outcomes of analysis are discussed both from theoretical and practical point of view.
Environmental aspects of molecular composition of humic substances from soils of northeastern European Russia

Data on the molecular structure of humic substances (HSs) of zonal soils for the southern, middle, northern taiga and southern tundra of northeastern European Russia have been obtained. This was accomplished using solid-state C nuclear magnetic resonance (C NMR) technique. The soils under study vary in the point of genesis and degree of hydromorphism. The impact of environmental factors (temperature and humidity) on qualitative and quantitative composition of humic (HAs) and fulvic acids (FAs) has been determined. Excess moisture significantly affects HS accumulation and HS molecular structure: hydromorphic taiga soils accumulate HSs enriched by unoxidized aliphatic fragments, tundra soils – the ones enriched by carbohydrate fragments. Various conditions of soil genesis predefine the specific character of structural and functional parameters of HSs in the southern taiga to southern tundra soils, as is expressed through the increased portion of labile carbohydrate and amino acid fragments and methoxyl groups within the structure of HSs. The tundra humification is characterized by levelling-off of structural and functional parameters of major classes of specific organic compounds of soils – HAs and FAs.
Exploration of native and exotic fish germplasm in middle stretch of Ramganga River, Uttar Pradesh

The present study was carried out from March 2014 to February 2016 at Bareilly district, Uttar Pradesh to explore the ichthyofaunal diversity of the middle stretch of the Ramganga River. A total of 58 fish species belonging to 9 families and 7 orders. According to the IUCN status, 5 species are endangered, 15 vulnerable, 16 low risk, 6 least concern, 10 not evaluated and 6 exotic. The Cyprinidae family with 21 representative species was found to be dominant (36%) in the present study followed by Bagridae with 6 species (10%) and Siluridae with 4 species (7%). Our study result reveals that the river supports considerable diversity of the fishes and is important for conservation as some fish fauna is threatened being either vulnerable or endangered. However strategies such as sustainable harvesting, control of growth of exotic species, check on water pollution and regulation of destructive fishing methods are suggested for conservation of the native and endemic fish species of the river.
The organisation of polydomous nesting in wood ant colonies: behaviour, networks, foraging and resource redistribution.

Social behaviours are an important component of evolutionary success. This is perhaps most evident in the societies of social insects: the interactions between individuals underlie the organisation of their highly complex, and highly successful, societies. An important socially organised determinant of ecological success for social insects is nesting strategy. Many ant species can have a polydomous nesting strategy: a polydomous colony inhabits several spatially separated, but socially connected, nests. How this complex nesting strategy is organised is largely unknown. I undertook a series of studies to investigate how polydomous colonies of the ecologically important red wood ant Formica lugubris are organised at the individual, nest and colony levels. I found that resources are redistributed locally, between nests, within polydomous wood ant colonies. Further investigation showed that this local resource redistribution is mediated by individual workers treating other nests of the colony as food sources. I also investigated the role that nests which do not appear to be foraging are playing in polydomous wood ant colonies. I found that these non-foraging nests, rather than having a specialised role, are part of the colony expansion process. I explored the importance of resource acquisition to individual nests by investigating the effect that position in the colony nest-network has on the survival, reproduction and growth of nests within a polydomous colony. I found that position within a dynamic nest-network was an important determinant of life-history success for individual nests in wood ant colonies. My results suggest that little behavioural innovation is needed for a colony to become polydomous, and indicate benefits a polydomous nesting strategy may provide a colony. These results highlight how understanding the proximate mechanism and development of a social behaviour, can give important insights into the ultimate function and evolution of a life-history strategy.
Feedforward Neural Networks: Cross-Validation of a Break-Out Range Strategy

One main idea guided this research article: can feedforward neural networks (FNN) be used by investors to cross-validate their investment decisions and stock market strategy entry-signals. Therefore, the research question of this study was: how profitable is a break-out strategy if the strategy is cross-validated by a FNN for U.S. stock markets? The study followed a quantitative, quasi-experimental design, regarding in-sample and out-of-sample tests. For the method of analysis, five hidden layers of a FNN were computed, a sigmoidal function, and break-out strategy conditions as well as entry-signals. As a result, the break-out strategy was profitable to trade with a money management strategy; however, the transaction costs had an effect if for the exit strategy the assets were sold at the end of the day. The FNN could only provide cross-validating results if a dichotomies entry-signal variable was added to the model. The study is relevant for portfolio managers and investors, who are interested in a second assessment of their data or market entry decisions through a cross-validation performed by a FNN.
Strongly Correlated Quantum Matter: A Subjective Overview of Selected Fundamental Aspects

In this brief overview, I address some of the fundamental topics related to the physics of strongly correlated fermions, which have been also the subject of my research. After addressing the question why the ﬁeld has a fundamental meaning, we next turn to the speciﬁc problems with their simple theoretical description. Those topics are: (i) the concept of spin-dependent masses of heavy particles and its subsequent experimental veriﬁcation; (ii) the correlated metal–insulator transitions of the Mott–Hubbard-type; (iii) real space pairing and its subsequent experimental veriﬁcation for high-temperature superconducting cuprates. I mention also the persistence of quantum spin and charge excitations in the superconducting phase. All those phenomena conﬁrm the view that the strongly correlated fermionic systems represent a new class of quantum liquids , with some properties quantitatively diﬀerent than those of the Landau Fermi liquids. Namely, they can be classiﬁed as those that fall in between those of the anomalous Landau Fermi liquid and localized-magnetic-moment system.
How Does Trade Respond to Anticipated Tariff Changes? Evidence from NAFTA

We study how anticipation to policy changes affects the estimate of the elasticity of substitution, the most important parameter in international trade. Standard identification of this parameter uses the tariff variation from the Free Trade Agreements (FTA) and assumes that the trade flows equal their consumption. However, FTAs eliminate initial tariffs through announced phaseouts over multiple years. Firms respond to these future policy changes by delaying their purchases until the tariff cut is effective while consuming past purchases held in inventories. These anticipatory dynamics bias the elasticity of substitution as imports diverge from their consumption. We document that around NAFTA’s staged tariff reductions, imports experienced sizable anticipatory slumps followed by liberalization bumps. A trade model with inventories replicates these dynamics and illustrates that consumption of imports provides unbiased estimates of the elasticity of substitution. To overcome the lack of consumption data, we propose an empirical measure of consumed imports, which eliminates the bias in the model simulations. Application to the data shows that using import flows instead of consumed imports overestimates the annual elasticity by 68% and the average elasticity of substitution by 16%. The use of consumed imports increases the ratio of long-run to short-run response from 2 to 3.5. JEL Classifications: F12, F13, F14
Territory Quality, Parental Effort and Reproductive Success of Oystercatchers (Haematopus ostralegus)

1. Oystercatchers that breed on the saltmarsh of the Frisian island of Schiermon-nikoog occupy two different types of territory. In 'resident' territories the nesting area and the feeding area are adjacent. In 'leapfrog' territories the nesting area and the feeding area are separated by distances of 200-500 m. 2. Between 1984 and 1989, residents fledged on average 3.5 times as many chicks per year as leapfrogs. 3. The discrepancy in fledgling production arose primarily through increased mortality of leapfrog chicks due to starvation. This was indicated by low body weights of leapfrog chicks found dead and successful enhancement of leapfrog chick growth through supplementary food. In addition, the presence of a sibling reduced the probability of fledging for leapfrog chicks, but not for resident chicks, providing further evidence that leapfrog chicks competed for a limited food supply. 4. Leapfrog parents fledged fewer chicks, not because of poor feeding conditions in their feeding territory (intake rates of leapfrogs exceeded those of residents), but because they failed to transport a sufficient amount of food to the chicks. To supply their chicks with the same amount of food as did residents, leapfrog parents should have spent c. 4000 s per low water period in transport flights: no leapfrog parent ever reached this level of effort. 5. Our data show that it is not correct to equate parental effort to the number of chicks raised, as territories of different quality require different levels of effort for successful reproduction.
Conflicts of Religious Education in a Secular State: a Study on Turkey’s Imam-Hatip School

Although the secularization process has been carried out tremendously in modern Turkey since the establishment of the republic, the role of religion (i.e. Islam) was not fully denied. This became more apparent especially in the area of education. In this regard, the Kemalist regime has established the Imam-Hatip School since the formation of modern Turkey. However, throughout its development, the schools have experienced various challenges and sanctions. Hence, this paper aims to discuss the conflicts faced by the Imam-Hatip School as a religious educational institution in Turkey and attempts that have been made to overcome the conflicts. Thispaper relies on the textual study by analyzing related documents, reports, and other previous studies. In general, the conflicts that struck the Imam-Hatip School were due to a narrative where its existence was contrary to the principle of secularism. As a result, the schools were undermined by authorities where graduates from the schools were marginalized from pursuing their study in universities, and the schools were closed as an effect from the structuration of the schooling system. The conflicts have led some attempts to revive the status of the school as a religious educational institution. Although the attempts have led to positive implications, they also contributed to the polarization among people.
Import Penetration and the Demand for Managers: Evidence from India∗

A few recent studies in trade literature indicate that globalization plays a significant role in understanding how a firm is organized. We make the first attempt to empirically study one very crucial aspect of this phenomenon: the impact of import penetration on the share of managerial compensation in total compensation. In other words, we aim to understand how product market competition affects the firm-level relative demand for managers. Using detailed firm-level data across manufacturing sectors in India spanning over two decades, and exploiting the exogenous nature of India’s trade reform, we investigate the potential link between the two. We find that higher level of imports —especially those of intermediate inputs significantly increase the relative demand for managers. A 10 per cent drop in input tariffs induces 1—4.4 per cent increase in the managerial compensation ratio of a firm. This works through the incentive-based pay. An increase in demand for managers expands an Indian manufacturing firm vertically, i.e., there is an increase in the depth of the hierarchy. This pattern is observed for firms: (i) which are both exporters and non-exporters; (ii) across the firm-size distribution; (iii) belonging to the non-durables sector; and (iv) which are domestic and privately owned. JEL classifications: F1, F14, F61
EFFECTS OF STORAGE METHODS AND MYCOFLORA ON PROXIMATE COMPOSITION OF AFRICAN YAM BEAN (Sphenostylis stenocarpa Hochust ex Rich ) SEEDS

One of the limitations of African yam bean (AYB) (Sphenostylis sternocarpa) is poor storage ability due to the adverse effect of seed-borne fungi. This study was conducted to examine the effects of storage methods on nutritive composition of AYB seeds stored in three types of storage materials viz; jute bags, polypropylene bags and plastic bowls. Freshly harvested AYB seeds were stored in all the storage materials for 6 months using 2 × 3 factorial (2 AYB cultivars and 3 storage methods) in 3 replicates. The proximate analysis of the stored AYB seeds was carried out at 3 and 6 months after storage using standard methods. The temperature and relative humidity of the store room were recorded monthly. Seeds stored in jute bags gave the best values for crude protein (24.87%), ash (5.69%) and fat content (6.64%) but recorded least values for crude fibre (2.55%), carbohydrate (50.86%) and moisture content (12.68%) at the 6th month of storage. Temperature of the store room decreased from 32.9 ºC - 28. 3ºC, while the relative humidity increased from 78% - 86%. Decreased incidence of field fungi namely: Rhizopus oryzae, Aspergillus flavus, Geotricum candidum, Aspergillus fumigatus and Mucor meihei was accompanied by increase in storage fungi viz: Apergillus niger, Mucor hiemalis, Penicillium espansum and Penicillium atrovenetum with prolonged storage. The study showed that out of the three storage materials, jute bag was more effective in preserving AYB seeds.
Effects of grafting and cytokinin-induced fruit setting on colour and sugar-content traits in glasshouse-grown triploid watermelon

Summary The effect on fruit quality of grafting and fruit set treatments, was determined in the triploid watermelon (Citrullus lanatus (Thun.) Matsum. and Nakai) cultivar ‘Reina de Corazones’ grown in a heated greenhouse. Grafting the scion onto ‘Shintoza’ (Cucurbita maxima × Cucurbita moschata) rootstock and setting fruit through application of the synthetic cytokinin CPPU [1-(2-chloro-4-pyridyl)-3-phenylurea] retarded the accumulation of sugar and development of the flesh colour of the fruit, compared to fruit from non-grafted, pollinated plants. The effects of grafting and of CPPU application on sugar accumulation were additive. At commercial maturity, the fruit of grafted and/or CPPU-treated plants had lower total soluble solids and sugar concentrations, and lower sucrose to hexose ratios, than fruit from control plants. Fruit from CPPU-treated plants also had a weaker red colour than fruit set by pollination. Despite this loss of quality, fruit from grafted plants, set with CPPU and grown in a heated greenhouse, had a total soluble solids concentration similar to fruit from pollinated, non-grafted plants, grown outdoors.
Ethnic differences on cardiovascular disease risk and quality of life in Selangor

Malaysia is currently experiencing an epidemiologic and demographic transition. Rapid urbanization and vast changes in lifestyles among the population has led to widespread cardiovascular disease (CVD) outcomes. Also, until now, the most prevalent cardiovascular risk factor has remained unknown among the Malaysian population. This study aimed to identify the most significant cardiovascular risk factor among multiethnic adults in Dengkil, Selangor. A case-control retrospective study comparing past exposure (retrospective) between the case (total cholesterol (TC) ≥ 5.18 mmol/L) and control groups (TC < 5.18 mmol/L) on CVD risk via guided questionnaire comprised of International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ), Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scales (DASS)-21 and SF-12 was carried out among 180 respondents aged 20 to 56 years in Dengkil, Selangor. In the present study, purposive and consecutive sampling were both applied to recruit respondents and also considering ethnic as a factor; thus, quota sampling was also conducted. The data were analyzed using Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis, Chi-Square, Independent Samples t-test and multiple logistic regression tests. The findings indicated there were no significant differences (p > 0.05) regarding all the risk factors between the case and control groups except for personal medical history (p < 0.05). Chinese possessed the highest number of significant risk and protective factors. Lastly, the quality of life of Malay controls was higher than that of cases in terms of Physical Component Summary (PCS). Generally, all the risk factors were independent in terms of total cholesterol status, except for personal medical history. The significance of risk factors and protective factors varies according to ethnicity.
The Relationships between Prey Size, Nestling Age, Provisioning Rate, and Elevation in the Varied Tit Parus varius

Abstract To determine the major factor of change in provisioning rates to Varied Tit Parus varius nestlings in relation to increasing elevation, we used video recordings to investigate the number of parent visits and the size of prey carried by parents to their nestlings during the breeding process. Video cameras were installed at the entrances of 35 nests (17 at 300 m a.s.l., 7 at 900 m a.s.l., and 11 at 1,400 m a.s.l.). We also measured air temperature during the breeding season at three study sites. The provisioning rates per nestling showed a significantly negative relationship with prey size provisioned, except during the early nestling stage (days 1 to 4), when small prey were selectively provisioned by the parents. Prey at the higher elevation during days 5 to 15, also, were significantly smaller than at the lower elevation. The mean temperature at each breeding site during the breeding period did not differ significantly due to the delayed onset of breeding at higher elevation. Therefore, we conclude that the increase in the provisioning rate per Varied Tit nestling at higher elevation is associated with a decrease in prey sizes at that elevation, rather than with a difference in the temperature.