Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
SCIAMACHY tropospheric NO 2 over the Alpine region and importance of pixel surface pressure for the column retrieval

This study evaluates NO2 vertical tropospheric column densities (VTCs) retrieved from measurements of the Scanning Imaging Absorption Spectrometer for Atmospheric Chartography (SCIAMACHY) above Switzerland and the Alpine region. A clear relationship between a spatially and temporally highly resolved Swiss NOx emission inventory and SCIAMACHY NO2 columns under anticyclonic meteorological conditions supports the general ability of SCIAMACHY to detect sources of NOx pollution in Switzerland. Summertime NOx lifetime estimates derived from this relation agree reasonably with values from literature. A further evaluation of the SCIAMACHY data is based on the comparison with NO2 VTCs retrieved from the Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment (GOME). The annual mean NO2 VTCs calculated from both data sets clearly show the advantage of the improved SCIAMACHY pixel resolution for qualitatively estimating the NOx pollution distribution in a small country such as Switzerland. However, a more quantitative comparison of seasonally averaged NO2 VTCs gives evidence for SCIAMACHY NO2 VTCs being systematically underestimated over the Swiss Plateau during winter. A possible explanation for this problem (not reported in earlier literature) is the use of inaccurate satellite pixel surface pressures derived from coarsely resolved global models in the retrieval. The marked topography in the Alpine region can lead to deviations of several hundred meters between the assumed and the real mean surface height over a pixel. A sensitivity study based on selected clear sky SCIAMACHY NO2 VTCs over the Swiss Plateau and two fixed a priori NO2 profile shapes indicates that inaccurate pixel surface pressures have a considerable effect of up to 40% on the retrieved NO2 columns. For retrievals in the UV-visible spectral range with a decreasing sensitivity towards the earth's surface, this effect is of major importance when the NO2 resides close to the ground, which occurs most pronounced during the winter season.
Software Environment of a Grid-based Virtual Organization for Flood Prediction

In this paper we present architecture and current state of implementation of a collaborative computation environment based on Grid infrastructure, used as a mean of support for large scientific virtual organizations. The environment consists primarily of a collaboration-supporting user interface, workflow system capable of submission of jobs to the Grid and a Grid-based data management suite. The whole system is controlled via a web-based user portal, which enables to design and control simulations, to preview results and to communicate with other users. The workflow management module is responsible for executing a set of consecutive computation jobs and linking their input/output data. This computation engine is backed by a data management module, which performs data storage/retrieval tasks and metadata queries. A prototype of such an environment is deployed and tested for a flood forecasting system. The system consists of workflow system for executing simulation cascade of meteorological, hydrological and hydraulic models, data management system and a set of web portals.
Silhouette-based multi-view human action recognition in video

In this paper, a human action recognition method is presented where pose features are represented using contour points of the human silhouette, and actions are learned by using sequences of multi-view contour points. The differences and divergences among actors performing the same action are handled by considering variations in shape and speed. Experimental results on the IXMAS dataset show promising success rates, exceeding that of existing multi-view human action recognition state-of-the-art techniques.
A novel immersive augmented reality system for prosthesis training and assessment

In recent years, the field of prosthetics developed immensely, along with a variety of control methods and computer interfaces for prosthetic training. In this work, we present an architecture for an augmented reality training system enabling the user to control a virtual prosthetic hand displayed as an extension of the residual limb using EMG pattern recognition in a stereoscopic augmented reality scene. Validated in online experiments with four able-bodied subjects, the novel system provided a more realistic experience compared to the classic 2D implementation and resulted in improved subject performance.
Resource Allocation for Underlaid Device-to-Device Communication by Incorporating Both Channel Assignment and Power Control

Device-to-Device (D2D) communication can greatly enhance the system throughput (ST) and individual quality-of-service (QoS) experience by reusing the spectrum of cellular network. But due to dense spectrum sharing, severe co-channel interference may be imposed between cellular links (C-links) and D2D links (D-links). So, to fully utilize the gain of D2D communication, we attempt to maximize the ST of D-links with guaranteed individual QoS requirement for both types of links by joint consideration of channel assignment (CA) and power control (PC). Specifically, particle swarm optimization (PSO) is explicitly adopted to optimize CA, but when deriving the fitness value for each CA particle, underlaid PC optimization will be implicitly performed for throughput maximization on each channel, together with a gradual removal (GR) scheme to maintain individual QoS requirement and admit the maximum number of D-links into the system. Thanks to the numerical results, we demonstrate the superiority of our scheme in terms of ST and system capacity (SC), i.e., The number of admitted D-links, when comparing with the ones in literature.
Joint Optimization of Rule Placement and Traffic Engineering for QoS Provisioning in Software Defined Network

Software-Defined Network (SDN) is a promising network paradigm that separates the control plane and data plane in the network. It has shown great advantages in simplifying network management such that new functions can be easily supported without physical access to the network switches. However, Ternary Content Addressable Memory (TCAM), as a critical hardware storing rules for high-speed packet processing in SDN-enabled devices, can be supplied to each device with very limited quantity because it is expensive and energy-consuming. To efficiently use TCAM resources, we propose a rule multiplexing scheme, in which the same set of rules deployed on each node apply to the whole flow of a session going through but towards different paths. Based on this scheme, we study the rule placement problem with the objective of minimizing rule space occupation for multiple unicast sessions under QoS constraints. We formulate the optimization problem jointly considering routing engineering and rule placement under both existing and our rule multiplexing schemes. Via an extensive review of the state-of-the-art work, to the best of our knowledge, we are the first to study the non-routing-rule placement problem. Finally, extensive simulations are conducted to show that our proposals significantly outperform existing solutions.
Population Dynamics and Flight Phenology Model of Codling Moth Differ between Commercial and Abandoned Apple Orchard Ecosystems

Apple orchard management practices may affect development and phenology of arthropod pests, such as the codling moth (CM), Cydia pomonella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), which is a serious internal fruit-feeding pest of apples worldwide. Estimating population dynamics and accurately predicting the timing of CM development and phenology events (for instance, adult flight, and egg-hatch) allows growers to understand and control local populations of CM. Studies were conducted to compare the CM flight phenology in commercial and abandoned apple orchard ecosystems using a logistic function model based on degree-days accumulation. The flight models for these orchards were derived from the cumulative percent moth capture using two types of commercially available CM lure baited traps. Models from both types of orchards were also compared to another model known as PETE (prediction extension timing estimator) that was developed in 1970s to predict life cycle events for many fruit pests including CM across different fruit growing regions of the United States. We found that the flight phenology of CM was significantly different in commercial and abandoned orchards. CM male flight patterns for first and second generations as predicted by the constrained and unconstrained PCM (Pennsylvania Codling Moth) models in commercial and abandoned orchards were different than the flight patterns predicted by the currently used CM model (i.e., PETE model). In commercial orchards, during the first and second generations, the PCM unconstrained model predicted delays in moth emergence compared to current model. In addition, the flight patterns of females were different between commercial and abandoned orchards. Such differences in CM flight phenology between commercial and abandoned orchard ecosystems suggest potential impact of orchard environment and crop management practices on CM biology.
Alcohol Production as an Adaptive Livelihood Strategy for Women Farmers in Tanzania and Its Potential for Unintended Consequences on Women’s Reproductive Health

Background Although women occupy a central position in agriculture in many developing countries, they face numerous constraints to achieving their full potential including unequal access to assets and limited decision-making authority. We explore the intersection of agricultural livelihoods, food and economic security, and women’s sexual and reproductive health in Iringa Region, Tanzania. Our goal was to understand whether the benefits of supporting women in the agricultural sector might also extend to more distal outcomes, including sexual and reproductive health. Methods Using the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework to guide data collection, we conducted 13 focus group discussions (FGD) with female (n = 11) and male farmers (n = 2) and 20 in-depth interviews with agricultural extension officers (n = 10) and village agro-dealers (n = 10). Results Despite providing the majority of agricultural labor, women have limited control over land and earned income and have little bargaining power. In response to these constraints, women adopt adaptive livelihood strategies, such as alcohol production, that allow them to retain control over income and support their households. However, women’s central role in alcohol production, in concert with the ubiquitous nature of alcohol consumption, places them at risk by enhancing their vulnerability to unsafe or transactional sex. This represents a dangerous confluence of risk for female farmers, in which alcohol plays an important role in income generation and also facilitates high-risk sexual behavior. Conclusions Alcohol production and consumption has the potential to both directly and indirectly place women at risk for undesirable sexual and reproductive health outcomes. Group formation, better access to finance, and engaging with agricultural extension officers were identified as potential interventions for supporting women farmers and challenging harmful gender norms. In addition, joint, multi-sectoral approaches from health and agriculture and alternative income-generating strategies for women might better address the complexities of achieving safe and sustainable livelihoods for women in this context.
Maximizing learning and guiding behavior in free play user generated content environments

Providing users the ability to create their own unique content in educational software and games can be highly effective at motivating the users to use and reuse the system. It is especially popular with students who self identify as creative or wanting to do their own thing rather than a prescribed activity. Due to the popularity of user generated content modes, some users may ignore other modes the software has to offer and only create new original content. Therefore it is important to maximize the learning potential and effectively guide user behavior in a constructivist free play environment. However, in doing so it is vital that we do not hamper the creative freedom of the user, the very reason users enjoy content creation. Here we present effective strategies for meeting these goals, provide an example implementation, and present results of a study using the example.
Classification of tumor marker values using heuristic data mining methods

Tumor markers are substances that are found in blood, urine, or body tissues and that are used as indicators for tumors; elevated tumor marker values can indicate the presence of cancer, but there can also be other causes. We have used a medical database compiled at the blood laboratory of the General Hospital Linz, Austria: Several blood values of thousands of patients are available as well as several tumor markers. We have used several data based modeling approaches for identifying mathematical models for estimating selected tumor marker values on the basis of routinely available blood values; in detail, estimators for the tumor markers AFP, CA-125, CA15-3, CEA, CYFRA, and PSA have been identified and are analyzed in this paper. The documented tumor marker values are classified as "normal" or "elevated"; our goal is to design classifiers for the respective binary classification problems. As we show in the results section, for those medical modeling tasks described here, genetic programming performs best among those techniques that are able to identify nonlinearities; we also see that GP results show less overfitting than those produced using other methods.
Microwave medical imaging: potentialities and limitations of a stochastic optimization technique

An approach based on a stochastic optimization technique is proposed for medical microwave imaging. The approach is based on the integral equations of the electromagnetic inverse scattering. After discretization of the continuous model, the problem solution is recast as a global optimization problem. A functional is constructed on the basis of a Markov random field model and minimized by a genetic algorithm. In order to reduce the computational load, a model of the cross section of the biological body is considered. In this way, the investigation area is limited by separating the scattering contribution of a fixed region under test from those of other parts of the model. Some preliminary results concerning a two-dimensional model of a human thorax are reported. Such a biological structure is inspected by the proposed tomographic approach in order to detect and localize the presence of an "object" modeling a tumor.
Quadrupedal locomotion based in a purely reflex controller

Quadruped locomotion in irregular and unknown terrains is still a problem to solve. The concept of reflexes is used in this work to contribute for the continuous search of answers about this theme. Biological researches show that spinal reflexes are crucial for a successful locomotion in the most varied terrains, so robotics investigation in this area could be a great advance in the robot's locomotion. In this work, we present a sensory driven reflex controller, capable of generating locomotion in a quadruped compliant robot. This controller is totally dependent on sensory information, so the robot's movements are the result of the robot interactions with the environment. Results show that the proposed controller is capable of generating movements in a flat terrain and is resilient to unexpected perturbations such as a small ramp.
The response of life‐history traits to a new species in the community: a story of Drosophila parasitoids from the Rhône and Saône valleys

In the present study, we investigated the evolution of life-history traits in the main species of a community, after the arrival of a new competitor. Two parasitoid species, Leptopilina heterotoma and Asobara tabida, are present throughout the Rhone and Saone valleys, whereas a third species, Leptopilina boulardi, is slowly extending its distribution northwards. In the presence of L. boulardi, competing parasitoids experience a higher mortality and lower host availability. Resources should thus be re-allocated between traits according to these new factors. We compared life-history traits of populations of L. heterotoma and A. tabida in areas with and without L. boulardi. As predicted by both Price's balanced mortality hypothesis and the theory of life-history traits, we found that investment in reproduction is higher in southern populations for both native species, coupled with higher travelling abilities. However, only A. tabida paid their higher fecundity by a lower longevity. The absence of a clear trade-off between these traits in L. heterotoma may be explained by a lower metabolic rate in southern populations. These results highlight the importance of the community change over climate in the evolution of life-history traits in this parasitoid community. © 2012 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2012, 107, 153-165. ADDITIONAL KEYWORDS: Asobara tabida - competition - evolution - global change - Leptopilina boulardi - Leptopilina heterotoma - maintenance - mobility - reproduction - trade-off.
Title: a Navigation Semantics for Visual Queries

Exploratory data analysis is a human-centered process whose goal is to develop intuition and insight into a dataset. Usually initial findings will suggest new questions, leading to an extended iterative process. Statistical graphics play an important role, but a flexible means for populating them with relevant data is also needed. Database query languages are one means, but formulating queries is a distraction from the primary task of understanding the data. These languages were designed for one-shot batch operation. Navigation is a better metaphor for the incremental nature of exploration, and it situates the analyst in the world of the data. The Visual Query Environment uses the concept of " aggregate " to bridge the gap between the expressive power of queries and the concreteness of data. The navigation path among aggregates resembles a graphical query language, but no " execute " step is required. Further, unlike conventional query languages, an appropriate navigation semantics considers the navigation history as well as the final graph structure. The paper compares this and other OLAP, data mining, and visualization systems in terms of query expressiveness, maximum dataset size, visualization flexibility, and interactivity.
Performance evaluation of a five-level flying capacitor converter with reduced DC bus capacitance under two different modulation schemes

A back-to-back HVDC converter system is typically used to connect two separate electrical grids or a remote large-scale renewable energy system with the electrical grid through a DC bus. The DC bus typically contains a large electrolytic capacitor giving a robust performance to the converter system. However, it is well known that the electrolytic DC bus capacitor is bulky and has a low reliability. Therefore, a possible solution to these drawbacks is to use a reduced DC bus capacitance, which will allow film capacitors to be used instead of electrolytic capacitors. This paper presents the performance evaluation of a five-level flying capacitor (FC) back-to-back converter system with reduced DC bus capacitance under different modulation schemes. Two carrier-based modulation strategies are studied, namely the phase shifted pulse-width modulation (PS-PWM) and the phase disposition pulse-width modulation (PD-PWM), along with their appropriate flying capacitor voltage balancing techniques. The classical synchronous reference frame control strategy has been implemented in order to provide DC bus voltage regulation and active/reactive power control. The performance of the two different modulation schemes is tested against the DC bus and FCs voltage ripples using the MATLAB/Simulink-PLECS software platform. The analyzed case studies demonstrate that the PS-PWM strategy is more suitable to operate the proposed FC converter system using reduced values for the DC bus and flying capacitors.
Design of Virtual ClassBox system for supporting distance learning

Information and communication technology has been developing very rapidly in the last decade, especially in the video and audio field, which leads to the use of multimedia conference as a beneficial way to communicate. From that concept comes Virtual ClassBox (VCB), by enhancing educational process and helping educators in providing lectures over distance. VCB is a low-cost and easy-to-operate device consists of a single embedded board, combined with video camera and microphone, integrated with UNIX operating system made to send and receive multicast video stream over networks. In this paper, it will be covered mainly about specification and implementation of VCB. For the time, development of this product is still to operate in a local network.
Towards validated network configurations with NCGuard

Today, most IP networks are still configured manually on a router-by-router basis. This is error-prone and often leads to misconfiguration. In this paper, we describe the Network Configuration Safeguard (NCGuard), a tool that allows the network architect to apply a safer methodology. The first step is to define his design rules. Based on a survey of the networking literature, we classify the most common types of rules in three main patterns: presence, uniqueness and symmetry and provide several examples. The second step is to write a high-level representation of his network. The third step is to validate the network representation and generate the configuration of each router. This last step is performed automatically by our prototype. Finally, we describe our prototype and apply it to the Abilene network.
Celebrity endorsement in fashion print advertising

Brands ofen use celebrities to get impact. Celebrity endorsement has become a marketing communication strategy used to build a congruence between brand image and consumers. Objectives. Research attempts to analyse celebrity endorser-product congruency and to measure the effectiveness of celebrity endorsement compared with a non-celebrity endorsement (fashion models). Prior Work. Research conducted to date have reached topics as: the effectiveness of celebrity endorsement; celebrity endorsers and purchase intention, added-value of the endorsement; positive or negative effects of celebrity endorsement, congruence between product/brand and endorser, consumer association with the endorser, attractiveness, credibility and trust in celebrities. Approach. A marketing experiment was used in order to mesure the impactul of endorser type and endorser-product match on Aad, Ab, and Pi. Results. Research has confirmed that attractive endorsers fit clothing products, whether they are celebrities or models. Also, the more consumer likes advertising, the more likely it creates a favorable attitude towards the brand. Results suggest ads using celebrities increase the likelihood of consumers to buy an endorsed product. Value. Study shows what celebrities are considered credible and perceived fit to promote classical suit. A fashion brand can select a celebrity for advertising campaign, due to it’s influence on consumers’ purchase intention.