Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Small Sample Hyperspectral Image Classification Based on Cascade Fusion of Mixed Spatial-Spectral Features and Second-Order Pooling

Hyperspectral images can capture subtle differences in reflectance of features in hundreds of narrow bands, and its pixel-wise classification is the cornerstone of many applications requiring fine-grained classification results. Although three-dimensional convolutional neural networks (3D-CNN) have been extensively investigated in hyperspectral image classification tasks and have made significant breakthroughs, hyperspectral classification under small sample conditions is still challenging. In order to facilitate small sample hyperspectral classification, a novel mixed spatial-spectral features cascade fusion network (MSSFN) is proposed. First, the covariance structure of hyperspectral data is modeled and dimensionality reduction is conducted using factor analysis. Then, two 3D spatial-spectral residual modules and one 2D separable spatial residual module are used to extract mixed spatial-spectral features. A cascade fusion pattern consisting of intra-block feature fusion and inter-block feature fusion is constructed to enhance the feature extraction capability. Finally, the second-order statistical information of the fused features is mined using second-order pooling and the classification is achieved by the fully connected layer after L2 normalization. On the three public available hyperspectral datasets, Indian Pines, Huston, and University of Pavia, only 5%, 3%, and 1% of the labeled samples were used for training, the accuracy of MSSFN in this paper is 98.52%, 96.30% and 98.83%, respectively, which is far better than the contrast models and verifies the effectiveness of MSSFN in small sample hyperspectral classification tasks.
Chromosomal diversity in three species of Lycosa Latreille, 1804 (Araneae, Lycosidae): Inferences on diversification of diploid number and sexual chromosome systems in Lycosinae

Abstract Lycosa is one of the most speciose genera in Lycosidae, including species with different sexual chromosome systems (SCS). We carried out cytogenetic analyses in three species of Lycosa, revealing that L. erythrognatha and L. sericovittata share 2n ♂ = 22 and SCS X1X20 while L. gr. nordenskjoldi presents 2n ♂ = 19 and SCS XO, composed only of acrocentric chromosomes. All species shared pericentromeric heterochromatin. Nonetheless, one specimen of L. sericovittata carried two chromosomes with terminal heterochromatin and L. gr. nordenskjoldi showed four chromosomes with interstitial heterochromatin plus another chromosome with terminal C-bands. The pericentromeric heterochromatin of all species as well as the terminal heterochromatic blocks in L. sericovittata were CMA3 + . The 18S rDNA sites varied in number and type of bearing chromosomes both at inter and intrapopulational levels, with the highest variation in L. gr. nordenskjoldi. These differences may be related to gene dispersal due to the influence of transposition elements and translocation events. Despite these variations, all species shared ribosomal sites in pair 5. This study demonstrated intra and interspecific chromosomal variability of Lycosa, suggesting that chromosomal rearrangements are related to the diversification of diploid number and SCS in this group of spiders.
Virulence Gene Characterization and Serotyping of Major Bacterial Pathogens Isolated from Bovine Respiratory Disease in Ethiopia

Bovine Respiratory Disease (BRD) causes a severe form of pneumonia in all age of cattle. This study was designed to investigate the distribution of capsular types, serotypes, and virulence-associated genes of the major bacterial pathogens from BRD outbreak samples in Ethiopia. In this study 166 samples were collected from clinically sick (n = 107) and pneumonic lung tissue (n = 59). Laboratory assay confirmed isolation of M. haemolytica 37 (22.29%), P. multocida 25 (15.06%), B. trehalosi 12 (7.23%), and H. somni 15 (9.04%). PCR assay of P. multocida capsular typing revealed 21 (84.0%) cap A (hyaD-hyaC) and 4 (16.0%) cap D (dcbF) strains. M. haemolytica serotypes belonged to A: 1, A: 2, and A: 6 from 26 (70.27%), 4 (10.81%), and 7 (18.92%) isolates, respectively. P. multocida biotyping showed isolation of A: 1, A: 2, and A: 3 from 3 (14.29%), 2 (9.52%),
In Vitro Characterization of Sphingosine 1-Phosphate Receptor 1 (S1P1) Expression and Mediated Migration of Primary Human T and B Cells in the Context of Cenerimod, a Novel, Selective S1P1 Receptor Modulator

Cenerimod is a potent, selective sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor 1 (S1P1) modulator currently investigated in a Phase IIb study in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) (NCT03742037). S1P1 receptor modulators sequester circulating lymphocytes within lymph nodes, thereby reducing pathogenic autoimmune cells (including T and B lymphocytes) in the bloodstream and inflamed tissues, making them an effective therapeutic concept for autoimmune disorders. Although the effect of S1P receptor modulators in reducing circulating lymphocytes is well documented, the precise molecular role of the S1P1 receptor on these cell types is not fully understood. In this study, the mode of action of cenerimod on human primary lymphocytes in different activation states was investigated focusing on their chemotactic behavior towards S1P in real-time, concomitant to S1P1 receptor expression and internalization dynamics. Here, we show that cenerimod effectively prevents T and B cell migration in a concentration-dependent manner. Interestingly, while T cell activation led to strong S1P1 re-expression and enhanced migration; in B cells, an enhanced migration capacity and S1P1 receptor surface expression was observed in an unstimulated state. Importantly, concomitant treatment with glucocorticoids (GCs), a frequently used treatment for autoimmune disorders, had no impact on the inhibitory activity of cenerimod on lymphocytes.
A parametric approach to adaptive IIR filtering : finite precision implementation and stability aspects.

It is well known that a digital filter can be characterized with different parametrizations and realized with different structures. The main objective of this thesis is two-fold. The first one is to investigate the effects of parametrizations and structures on the performance of adaptive filters, particularly on the stability aspect, and hence to derive new adaptive algorithms. The second one is to examine how a well-designed adaptive algorithm can be degraded when implemented with finite precision considerations. The main contributions in this thesis are summarized as follows. After demonstrating the finite word length (FWL) effects on the adaptive filters using the traditional direct-form-based structures, a simple adaptive state-space filter is derived. This structure is computationally efficient and it is shown that such an adaptive filter yields much better performance than the classical adaptive state-space filters in terms of stability and FWL behavior. It is shown that when an adaptive filter can be implemented with a normal statespace realization, the corresponding adaptive algorithm is bounded-input boundedoutput (BIBO) stable if the instantaneous poles of the filter are all inside the circle |z| < γ with γ a constant satisfying 0 < γ < 1. As one of the applications of this new result, a novel adaptive constrained IIR notch filter is derived, where the filter is parametrized using the frequency vector and implemented in a cascade form with ii ATTENTION: The Singapore Copyright Act applies to the use of this document. Nanyang Technological University Library
Psychopathological Symptoms and Personality Traits as Predictors of Problematic Smartphone Use in Different Age Groups

The study investigates psychopathological symptoms and the Big Five personality traits as predictors of “problematic smartphone use” (PSU) in different generational groups. The generational groups were selected to analyze whether the different life stages and developmental tasks that need to be completed have an impact on PSU. The groups were divided into digital immigrants, digital natives, and Generation Y and Z as subgroups of digital natives. A total of 399 subjects participated (312 women, 86 men, 1 diverse; mean age = 25.9; range 14–67; 44 digital immigrants, 355 digital natives, 35 Generation Y, and 320 Generation Z). They completed the ICD-10 Symptom Rating (ISR), the Big Five Inventory-10 (BFI-10), and the Mobile Phone Problematic Use Scale (MPPUS). The results show differences between digital immigrants and digital natives in the expression of PSU, neuroticism, conscientiousness, depression, anxiety, and compulsivity. Concerning Generations Y and Z, differences were only found in the expression of the PSU. Regression revealed that symptoms for obsessive-compulsive disorders, depression, conscientiousness, and gender were significant predictors of PSU. Moderations have shown that being a digital immigrant/native moderates the impact of eating disorders on PSU. Belonging to Generation Y/Z moderates the influence of conscientiousness and depression on PSU. Thus, it shows that in different generations, different factors seem to play a role in the development and maintenance of PSU.
Screen Time and Body Image in Icelandic Adolescents: Sex-Specific Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Associations

Studies of adolescent body image and screen use are mostly limited to girls, and longitudinal data are scarce. We examined cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between these variables in mid-adolescent boys and girls. Data was collected when participants were at age 15 and 17, by questionnaire and objective measurements (n = 152 had complete data). Sex-specific linear regression was used to explore cross-sectional and longitudinal associations of self-reported screen use (total use, and time spent in gaming, TV/DVD/internet-based watching and internet use for communication) and body image, adjusting for vigorous physical activity, symptoms of depression, and body composition. Screen time was negatively associated with body image at both time points, although more strongly at age 15, and for girls only. Gaming and TV/DVD/internet watching was more strongly associated with body image than internet use for communication. Girls with above median screen time at both ages had 14% lower body image score at age 17 than girls with below median screen time at both time points. Our results suggest that screen use is likely to play a role in the development of body dissatisfaction among adolescent females. Limiting screen time may, therefore, help to mitigate body dissatisfaction in adolescent girls.
Atomic force spectroscopy‐based essay to evaluate oocyte postovulatory aging

Abstract Postovulatory aging is a process occurring in the mature (MII) oocyte leading the unfertilized ones to apoptosis. The optimal time window of fertility for different mammalian species after oocytes maturation depends on its timeliness: the higher the time elapsed from the accomplishment of the MII stage, the lower are the chances of fertilization and of development of a viable embryo. In the in vitro fertilization, the selection of competent oocytes for intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is mostly made by the visual inspection of the MII oocyte morphology, which does not allow to determine the oocyte postovulatory age. On the other hand, more specific tests usually involve some kind of staining, thus compromising the viability of the oocyte for reproductive purposes. Hence, the need of a noninvasive analysis of oocyte aging to improve the success rate of in vitro fertilization procedures. Here, we exploit atomic force microscopy to examine the evolution of the mechanical properties of mouse oocytes during in vitro postovulatory aging. Three hours before the occurrence of any visual morphological feature related to degradation, we observe a sudden change of the mechanical parameters: the elastic modulus doubles its initial value, while the viscosity decreases significantly. These mechanical variations are temporally correlated with the release of the cortical granules, investigated by fluorescence microscopy. Interestingly, the oocyte mechanics correlates as well with the yield of embryo formation, evaluated up to the blastocyst formation stage. These results demonstrate that minimally invasive mechanical measurements are very sensitive to the aging of the oocyte and can be used as a label‐free method to detect the age of the postovulatory oocytes.
Analysis ICT Effect on Indonesian Exports With Emerging Market Countries

The development of information and communication technology (ICT) has recently affected international trade besides macroeconomic variables. This study aims to analyze the influence of ICTs (internet users, mobile cellular subscriptions, and fixed telephone subscriptions) and macroeconomic variables (population, economic distance, real GDP per capita, and real exchange rate) on Indonesian export performance with 6 countries emerging markets. This study uses secondary data sourced from UN Comtrade, International Telecommunication Union (ITU), World Bank, Distancefrom.net, and Federal Reserve Economic Data. Then, this study uses a static panel data analysis with the Ordinary Least Suares (OLS) method.The results showed that internet users had a positive and significant effect on export performance, and fixed telephone subscriptions had a negative and insignificant effect. Other results showed that the population had a positive and significant effect on export performance, the distance of the economy had a negative and significant effect on export performance, real per capita GDP had a negative and insignificant effect on export performance, and the real exchange rate had a negative and significant effect on export performance.Keywords: emerging markets, export performance, ICT, macroeconomic variables, OLS methods.
The relationship between students’ learning styles and academic performance: Final year accounting students

Accounting students at tertiary education basically prefer different types of learning styles. This study investigated the impact of the relationship among the learning style preferences of undergraduate accounting students, awareness of learning styles and their academic achievements. Participants of the study consisted of all the final year accounting students in UiTM Tapah. The results indicated that the students prefer kinesthetic learning modality, and for the rest of the modalities students found that they are generally well-balanced. The study found that there were significant awareness of learning styles among students particularly for the kinesthetic type of students. However, based on the test conducted, there was no significant correlation between the academic achievement and the learning style preferences of the students. There was also no significant relationship between learning styles and awareness of the learning styles. Hence, types of learnings styles do not contribute directly to the accounting students’ academic performance.
Rescue of Vasopressin Synthesis in Magnocellular Neurons of the Supraoptic Nucleus Normalises Acute Stress-Induced Adrenocorticotropin Secretion and Unmasks an Effect on Social Behaviour in Male Vasopressin-Deficient Brattleboro Rats

The relevance of vasopressin (AVP) of magnocellular origin to the regulation of the endocrine stress axis and related behaviour is still under discussion. We aimed to obtain deeper insight into this process. To rescue magnocellular AVP synthesis, a vasopressin-containing adeno-associated virus vector (AVP-AAV) was injected into the supraoptic nucleus (SON) of AVP-deficient Brattleboro rats (di/di). We compared +/+, di/di, and AVP-AAV treated di/di male rats. The AVP-AAV treatment rescued the AVP synthesis in the SON both morphologically and functionally. It also rescued the peak of adrenocorticotropin release triggered by immune and metabolic challenges without affecting corticosterone levels. The elevated corticotropin-releasing hormone receptor 1 mRNA levels in the anterior pituitary of di/di-rats were diminished by the AVP-AAV-treatment. The altered c-Fos synthesis in di/di-rats in response to a metabolic stressor was normalised by AVP-AAV in both the SON and medial amygdala (MeA), but not in the central and basolateral amygdala or lateral hypothalamus. In vitro electrophysiological recordings showed an AVP-induced inhibition of MeA neurons that was prevented by picrotoxin administration, supporting the possible regulatory role of AVP originating in the SON. A memory deficit in the novel object recognition test seen in di/di animals remained unaffected by AVP-AAV treatment. Interestingly, although di/di rats show intact social investigation and aggression, the SON AVP-AAV treatment resulted in an alteration of these social behaviours. AVP released from the magnocellular SON neurons may stimulate adrenocorticotropin secretion in response to defined stressors and might participate in the fine-tuning of social behaviour with a possible contribution from the MeA.
Effects of Fixture Configurations and Weld Strength Mismatch on J-Integral Calculation Procedure for SE(B) Specimens

This work presents the development of a J-integral estimation procedure for deep and shallow cracked bend specimens based upon plastic ηpl factors for a butt weld made in an S690 QL high strength low alloyed steel. Experimental procedures include the characterization of average material properties by tensile testing and evaluation of base and weld metal resistance to stable tearing by fracture testing of square SE(B) specimens containing a weld centerline notch. J-integral has been estimated from plastic work using a single specimen approach and the normalization data reduction technique. A comprehensive parametric finite element study has been conducted to calibrate plastic factor ηpl and geometry factor λ for various fixture and weld configurations, while a corresponding plastic factor γpl was computed on the basis of the former two. The modified ηpl and γpl factors were then incorporated in the J computation procedure given by the ASTM E1820 standard, for evaluation of the plastic component of J and its corresponding correction due to crack growth, respectively. Two kinds of J-R curves were computed on the basis of modified and standard ηpl and γpl factors, where the latter are given by ASTM E1820. A comparison of produced J-R curves for the base material revealed that variations in specimen fixtures can lead to ≈10% overestimation of computed fracture toughness JIc. Furthermore, a comparison of J-R curves for overmatched single-material idealized welds revealed that the application of standard ηpl and γpl factors can lead to the overestimation of computed fracture toughness JIc by more than 10%. Similar observations are made for undermatched single material idealized welds, where fracture toughness JIc is overestimated by ≈5%.
Comparison of Broiler Performance in Two Conventional and Environmentally Controlled Conditions Modern Broiler Houses in Tropics

The purpose of this study was to evaluate broiler performance, environmental conditions and litter quality in two conventional and environmentally controlled condition modern broiler houses. Two consecutive experiments were conducted using 60800 one day old broiler chicks (Ross 308 strain) on a commercial poultry farm included two types of conventional and environmentally controlled modern broiler houses during summer and winter seasons of Shoush, Khuzestan province of Iran. In each experiment, a total of 30400 day-old broilers were placed into both houses. Average temperature and relative humidity of the ambient and inside of the conventional and environmentally controlled condition modern houses during summer and winter at two experiments were 39.4oC, 30.5oC, 29.3 oC and 40.1%, 45.3%, 44.4%, and 12.9oC, 28.5oC, 28.6 oC and 36.8%, 45.2%, 39.5 %, respectively. Bird performance including live body weight, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, mortality rate, production efficiency index and litter pH, moisture content and air ammonia levels were not significantly affected by types of the houses. However, the chickens grown in the environmentally controlled condition modern house, although raised at higher stocking density (20 vs. 16 Birds/m2) than conventional house, had numerically lower mortality rate and greater production efficiency index probably due to improved environmental conditions trough proper ventilation applied in environmentally controlled condition modern house than conventional house. In conclusions, application of environmentally controlled condition modern house in addition of greater production efficiency index and less mortality rate can be useful in increasing stocking density of broiler chickens compared to conventional houses.
Characteristics of wind-generated near-inertial waves in the southeast Indian Ocean

This study presents the characteristics and spatio-temporal structure of near-inertial waves and their interaction with Leeuwin Current eddies in the eastern South Indian Ocean as observed by Electromagnetic Autonomous Profiling Explorer (EM-APEX) floats. The floats sampled the upper ocean during July – October 2013 with a frequency of 8 profiles per day down to 1200 dbar. Near-inertial waves (NIWs) are found to be the dominant signal in the frequency spectra. Complex demodulation is used to estimate the amplitude and phase of the NIWs from the velocity profiles. The NIW energy propagated from the base of the mixed layer downward into the ocean interior, following beam characteristics of linear wave theory. We visually identified a total of 15 near-inertial internal wave packets from the wave amplitudes and phases with a mean vertical wavelength of 89±63 m, a mean horizontal wavelength of 69±85 km, a mean horizontal group velocity of 3±2 cm s−1 and a mean vertical group velocity of 9±7 m day−1. A strong near-inertial packet with a kinetic energy of 20 – 30 J m−3 found propagating below 700 m suggests that the NIWs can contribute to deep ocean mixing. A blue shift of 10 – 15% in the energy spectrum of the NIWs is observed in the upper 1200 m as the floats move toward the equator. The impacts of mesoscale eddies on the characteristics and propagation of the observed NIWs are also investigated. The elevated near-inertial shear variance in anticyclonic eddies suggests trapping of NIWs near the surface. Cyclonic eddies in contrast, were associated with weak near-inertial shear variance in the upper 400 m.