Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of Beach Replenishment Projects on Waterbird and Shorebird Communities

Abstract In an effort to identify the potential effects of beach replenishment projects on waterbird and shorebird communities, avian abundance, species richness, and behavior were monitored at three transects before and after beach replenishment. The length of the study was 2 years with weekly surveys for most of the year. Data were analyzed with a Before/After Control Impact Pairs (BACIP) design, which incorporated spatial and temporal data from a control beach and replenished beaches into one analysis. No significant changes in mean waterbird and shorebird abundance were detected after replenishment, although the data do suggest that habitat use by waterbirds might have increased at replenished beaches. Of the individual waterbird and shorebird species examined, only Laughing Gulls and Black-bellied Plovers exhibited a significant change in abundance after replenishment, with these species exhibiting an increase and a decrease, respectively. Postreplenishment changes in waterbird and shorebird species richness were not consistent. Waterbird feeding activity declined significantly after replenishment, but, overall, there was no strong evidence that shorebird and waterbird feeding activity were altered by replenishment. Despite the BACIP design, high variability was common for most parameters. Recommendations for future bird monitoring projects include the use of multiple control sites and scheduling surveys to reduce all potential sources of variability.
Limits to resolving catastrophic events in the Quaternary fluvial record: a case study from the Nene valley, Northamptonshire, UK

Abstract Flood events within rivers are responsible for much erosion and deposition. Thus, deposits laid down during floods could potentially comprise the bulk of the Quaternary fluvial record. However, it is difficult to detect individual flood events, as effectively illustrated by the Middle Devensian (Weichselian) to Holocene fluvial sequence from the Nene Valley, Northamptonshire, described in this paper. This is due to limits in the resolution of sedimentological, palaeontological and geochronological techniques. Geochronological techniques have the highest resolution, but error bars of c. 50 years (radiocarbon) and up to 2 ka (optically stimulated luminescence) in the Late-glacial do not allow detection of floods lasting only a few weeks or less. Geochronology is, however, essential for linking periods of fluvial deposition to climatic phases at the marine isotope substage scale. Thus, multiple age determinations show remnant Middle Devensian deposits within a facies association mainly of Younger Dryas age, showing similar fluvial response to climate during both time periods. Palaeontological assemblages suggest that climate was also similar, although with some subtle differences. Determining ‘average’ fluvial activity in response to broad climate phases improves understanding of how rivers behave over long time periods, even though determination of the role of flood events in the Quaternary fluvial record remains elusive.
Design algorithm of multi-segment dielectric resonator antennas (MSDRAs)

This paper introduces a simple design algorithm for MSDRAs. The algorithm avoids prior time consuming trial and error processes for achievement of the optimum MSDRA parameters and gives an antenna with the best possible impedance bandwidth in the desired feedline-MSDRA coupling. To show the efficiency of the algorithm, two examples are examined in X-band. The examples are simulated using two numerical methods. Then, adjusting the position of the MSDRA with respect to the open end of the microstrip line is proposed to maximize the feedline-MSDRA coupling.
Application of MOOCs for borrowers’ financial education in microfinance

The main objective of this research was to explore current borrowers’ financial education in microfinance and determine the possibilities of adopting massive open online courses (MOOCs) for such individuals. We adopted a semi-structured interview research strategy. A total of 25 employees and borrowers in BRAC’s (Bangladesh Rehabilitation Assistance Committee and then Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee, currently, BRAC does not represent an acronym) microfinance program were interviewed and the data were analyzed qualitatively. The results show that BRAC’s microfinance program provides borrowers’ financial education in terms of a pre-disbursement orientation and four-day training through the creation of a new role of customer service assistant. The results also reveal that edu-entertainment, easy understanding, and more borrower participation are the main possible opportunities for adopting MOOCs for borrowers’ financial education. We identified infrastructure, Internet connection, and funding as possible hindrances to adopting MOOCs for financial education. Finally, we propose a framework for adopting MOOCs for borrowers’ financial education in microfinance. https://doi.org/10.34105/j.kmel. 2017.09. 010
Disambiguation by Prioritized Circumscription

This paper presents a method of resolving ambiguity by using a variant of circumscription, prioritized circumscription. In a disambiguation task, human seems to use various preferences which have various strength. In prioritized circumscription, we can express these preferences as defeasible constraints with various strength and we infer the most preferable logical models which satisfy stronger constraints as much as possible. This representation is very natural for disambiguation since we can regard a logical interprentation as a possible reading and the most preferable logical models as the most preferable readings. We argue that prioritized circumscription is another promising method for the task. We also discuss an implementation of prioritized circumscription by a hirarchical logic programming (HCLP) language.
Reduced complexity symbol detectors with parallel structure for ISI channels

The problem of practical realization of the optimal fixed-delay symbol-by-symbol detection algorithm, which is optimum in the sense of minimizing the symbol error probability, given a delay constraint D, is investigated. A fully-parallel structure is developed, and through systematic reformulations of the algorithm, the computational requirements are reduced considerably. In addition, the problems associated with a large dynamic range such as overflow (or underflow) are (practically) removed. A number of approximations are applied to this simplified parallel symbol (SPS) detector that lead to the derivation of suboptimal detectors. One such suboptimal detector is shown to be the same as the minimum-metric Viterbi detector. A brief comparison of the SPS detector and the Viterbi detector shows that the former has a slightly better performance at low values of signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and the latter performs a smaller number of computations (particularly) at higher values of SNR; otherwise, the two detectors are comparable in performance and complexity. >
Information Extraction in Semantic Wikis

This paper deals with information extraction technologies supporting semantic annotation and logical organization of textual content in semantic wikis. We describe our work in the context of the KiWi project which aims at developing a new knowledge management system motivated by the wiki way of collaborative content creation that is enhanced by the semantic web technology. The specific characteristics of semantic wikis as advanced community knowledge-sharing platforms are discussed from the perspective of the functionality providing automatic suggestions of semantic tags. We focus on the innovative aspects of the implemented methods. The interfaces of the user-interaction tools as well as the back-end web services are also tackled. We conclude that though there are many challenges related to the integration of information extraction into semantic wikis, this fusion brings valuable results.
Effects of previous activity on the energetics of activation in frog skeletal muscle

Effects of previous activity on the ability of frog skeletal muscle at 0 degrees C to liberate energy associated with contractile activation, i.e., activation heat (AH), have been examined. Earlier work suggests that activation heat amplitude (as measured from muscles stretched to lengths where active force development is nearly abolished) is related to the amount of Ca2+ released upon stimulation. After a twitch, greater than 2 s is required before a second stimulus (AHt) can liberate the same activation heat as a first stimulus (AH infinity), i.e., (AHt)/(AH infinity) = 1 -0.83 e-1.40t, where t is time in seconds. Caffeine introduces a time delay in the recovery of the ability to generate activation heat after a twitch. After a tetanus, the activation heat is depressed to a greater extent at any time than after a twitch. The activation heat elicited by a stimulus 1 s after a tetanus is depressed progressively with respect to tetanus duration up to 3 s. For tetani of 3, 40, and 80 s duration the postetanus activation heat is comparably depressed. The time-course of the recovery of the ability of the muscle to produce activation heat after a tetanus can be described as (AHt)/(AH infinity) = 1 -0.80 e-0.95t - 0.20 e-0.02t. Greater than 90 s is required before the posttetanus activation heat is equal to the pretetanus value. The faster phase of recovery is similar to recovery after the twitch and the slower phase may be associated with the return of calcium to the terminal cisternae from uptake sites in the longitudinal sarcoplasmic reticulum.
deepGTTM-I : Local Boundaries Analyzer based on A Deep Learning Technique

Abstract. This paper describes a method that enables us to detect the local boundaries of a generative theory of tonal music (GTTM). Although systems that enable us to automatically acquire local boundaries have been proposed such as a full automatic time-span tree analyzer (FATTA) or σGTTM, musicologists have to correct the boundaries because of numerous errors. In light of this, we propose a novel method called deepGTTM-I for detecting the local boundaries of GTTM by using a deep learning technique. The experimental results demonstrated that deepGTTM-I outperformed the previous analyzers for GTTM in an F-measure of detecting local boundaries.
Widespread cortical thinning in children with frontal lobe epilepsy

Purpose: Spread of seizure activity outside the frontal lobe due to cortico‐cortical connections can result in alteration in the cortex beyond the frontal lobe in children with intractable frontal lobe epilepsy (FLE). The aim of this study was to identify regions of reduced cortical thickness in children with intractable FLE.
Ciprofloxacin: review on developments in synthetic, analytical, and medicinal aspects

In the current practices of antiinfective therapy, ciprofloxacin is a very popular fluoroquinolone having a broad spectrum of activity and diverse therapeutic prospects. The reasons for its wide use include multiresistant pathogens susceptible only to ciprofloxacin. The available clinical evidence suggests the potentially enhanced efficacy of this drug in the treatment of various community acquired and nosocomial infections, e.g. respiratory tract, urinary tract, and skin infections and sexually transmitted diseases. As compared to other agents of its class, the pharmacokinetic profile of ciprofloxacin demonstrates equivalent or greater bioavailability, higher plasma concentrations, and increased tissue penetration, as reflected in the greater volume of distribution. Various molecular modifications of this drug have been made to further improve its characteristics. Several methods of analytical determination of ciprofloxacin and its metabolites in biological fluids employing various techniques have been reported. The present article is focused on the synthetic development, pharmacotherapeutic, and analytical evaluation vistas of ciprofloxacin.
Predicting Online Shopping Search Satisfaction and User Behaviors with Electrodermal Activity

Electrodermal activity (EDA) delineates positive and negative emotions, especially in the lower arousal range, which reflects small variations. This study derived formulas to extract features from the EDA graph and found they are effective to predict search satisfaction and explain mobile shopping behaviors including add to cart, purchase, and abandonment (added to cart without purchase). The best features found in the generalized linear mixed model with the binomial family agree with known physiological results. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to use physiological methods to study satisfaction and user behavior.
Adaptive Backstepping Controller Design for Stochastic Jump Systems

In this technical note, we improve the results in a paper by Shi et al., in which problems of stochastic stability and sliding mode control for a class of linear continuous-time systems with stochastic jumps were considered. However, the system considered is switching stochastically between different subsystems, the dynamics of the jump system can not stay on each sliding surface of subsystems forever, therefore, it is difficult to determine whether the closed-loop system is stochastically stable. In this technical note, the backstepping techniques are adopted to overcome the problem in a paper by Shi et al. The resulting closed-loop system is bounded in probability. It has been shown that the adaptive control problem for the Markovian jump systems is solvable if a set of coupled linear matrix inequalities (LMIs) have solutions. A numerical example is given to show the potential of the proposed techniques.
Diffusion-weighted imaging of patients with subacute cerebral ischemia: comparison with conventional and contrast-enhanced MR imaging.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The importance of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) for delineating acute ischemic lesions has been investigated extensively; however, few studies have investigated the role of DWI in the subacute stage of stroke. Because these lesions tend to appear bright throughout the first days of ischemia, owing to restricted diffusion, we speculated that DWI could also improve the detection of subacute infarcts as compared with conventional and contrast-enhanced MR imaging. METHODS Interleaved echo-planar DWI with phase navigation was performed on a 1.5-T MR unit in a consecutive series of 53 patients (mean age, 66 +/- 14 years) with suspected recent cerebral ischemia. The interval between onset of clinical symptoms and MR imaging ranged from 1 to 14 days (mean, 6 +/- 4 days). Contrast material was given to 28 patients in a dose of 0.1 mmol/kg. RESULTS DWI clearly delineated recent ischemic damage in 39 patients (74%) as compared with 33 (62%) in whom lesions were identified or suspected on conventional T2-weighted images. DWI provided information not accessible with T2-weighted imaging in 17 patients when evidence of lesion multiplicity or detection of clinically unrelated recent lesions was included for comparison. Subacute ischemic lesions were also seen more frequently on DWI sequences than on contrast-enhanced images (20 versus 13 patients). DWI was more likely to make a diagnostic contribution in the first week of stroke and in patients with small lesions or preexisting ischemic cerebral damage than was conventional MR imaging. CONCLUSION Recent ischemic damage is better shown on DWI sequences than on conventional and contrast-enhanced MR images throughout the first days after stroke and may provide further information about the origin of clinical symptoms. Adding DWI to imaging protocols for patients with subacute cerebral ischemia is recommended.
Stimulation of the rat somatosensory cortex at different frequencies and pulse widths

Functional MRI (fMRI) during electrical somatosensory stimulation of the rat forepaw is a widely used model to investigate the functional organization of the somatosensory cortex or to study the underlying mechanisms of the blood oxygen level‐dependent (BOLD) response. In reality, somatosensory stimuli have complex timing relationships and are of long duration. However, by default electrical sensory stimulation seems to be performed at an extremely short pulse width (0.3 ms). As the pulse duration may alter the neuronal response, our aim was to investigate the influence of a much longer stimulus pulse width (10 ms) using BOLD fMRI during electrical forepaw stimulation. The optimal neuronal response was investigated by varying the stimulus frequency at a fixed pulse duration (10 ms) and amplitude (1 mA). In a parallel experiment we measured the neuronal response directly by recording the somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs). Quantification of the BOLD data revealed a shift in the optimal response frequencies to 8–10 Hz compared with 1 Hz at 0.3 ms. The amplitude of the recorded SEPs decreased with increasing stimulation frequency and did not display any correlation with the BOLD data. Nevertheless, the summated SEPs, which are a measure of the integrated neuronal activity as a function of time, displayed a similar response profile, with a similar maximum as observed by relative BOLD changes. This shift in optimal excitation frequencies might be related to the fact that an increased pulse width of an electrical stimulus alters the nature of the stimulation, generating also sensorimotor instead of merely somatosensory input. This may influence or alter the activated pathways, resulting in a shift in the optimal response profile. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A waveform inversion including tilt: method and simple tests

A new waveform inversion method is proposed to deal with horizontal seismograms strongly contaminated by tilt signals, without assumptions regarding tilt motions. Instead of decomposing the horizontal seismograms into translational and tilt contributions, we realize this task by calculating the Green’s functions consisting of not only the seismometer’s response to the synthetic translational motions but also to the synthetic tilt motions. A ﬁnite difference method (FDM), which uses a staggered grid and a perfect matched layer (PML) boundary condition, is used to calculate the Green’s functions. This method enables calculation of waveﬁelds which have wavelengths of up to 10 times larger than the dimension of the computational grid. Although reﬂected waves from the numerical boundaries are negligible, comparisons with analytical solutions evidence errors of up to several per cent. These occur either because the source-to-receiver distance is small once compared to the grid size, or as a consequence of the half-cell difference between the actual free surface and the station location. In addition, in the case that the free surface is not ﬂat, an error of up to 60 per cent occurs in calculating the tilt motion, due to the stair-like approximation of topography in the FDM. This latter error can be reduced to 10 per cent by averaging the tilts at ﬁve adjacent cells aligned in the direction of the tilt component, centred on the target grid cell. By applying this algorithm, a waveform inversion can be used to successfully reconstruct the vertical and horizontal seismograms of very-long-period (10–30 s) pulses at Asama Volcano, central Japan, despite the fact that the horizontal seismograms are strongly contaminated by
Fire and People in Three Rural Communities in Kabylia (Algeria): Results of a Survey

This research was conducted to investigate about the causes of wildfires in three municipalities of the Tizi Ouzou and Bouira provinces, in Kabylia. Unknown forest fire causes account for 80% of total in Algeria, with a peak of about 99% in Kabylia, the most forested region in the country but also the most severely affected by wildfires. The three study areas exhibit a rather high forestry ratio (40% on average) but also a very high population density, up to 300 people per km2, living in a multitude of small hamlets, near or inside the domanial forests and exerting an enormous pressure on them. Survey was carried out on people (N = 300) randomly selected in nine hamlets (thaddarth) through ad hoc questionnaires (134 possible replies) filled with face-to-face interviews. Factorial Correspondence Analysis was used to process data (300 × 134 replies in total). Fires result mainly voluntary (52.95%): pastoral fires to renew pastures (11.30%), political fires as security counter-terrorism measure (11.24%), uncontrolled garbage burning (6.83%). Negligent fires account for 41.79%: carelessly tossed cigarette butts (9.13%), agricultural works (burning of cut bush, stubble burning, 7.03%), restart of fire (6.83%) and forest activities in the forest (6.31%). Results depict a common core of fires due to the pressure on the domanial forests, on which traditional use of fire (pastoralism) and national security needs (counter-terrorism) dominate.
Determine the inter-arrival time in the Non-Uniform Random Waypoint mobility model

In the study of the wireless mobile network, Random waypoint mobility model (RWP) and its generalization, nonuniform RWP (NU-RWP) are two of the most widely used mobility models. A useful property in NU-RWP, namely the inter-arrival time (IAT) is studied in this paper. We analytically derive the relationship between waypoint distribution and IAT, and propose two estimation schemes for the evaluation purpose. Simulation shows that our schemes estimate IAT with a higher accuracy than the existing schemes.
Preparation and evaluation of (68)Ga-DOTA-hEGF for visualization of EGFR expression in malignant tumors.

UNLABELLED Detection of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) overexpression in many carcinomas provides important diagnostic information, which can influence patient management. The use of PET may enable such detection in vivo by a noninvasive procedure with high sensitivity. The aim of this study was to develop a method for preparation of a positron-emitting tracer based on a natural ligand to EGFR, the recombinant human epidermal growth factor (hEGF), and to perform a preclinical evaluation of the tracer. METHODS DOTA-hEGF (DOTA is 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-N,N',N'',N'''-tetraacetic acid) was prepared by coupling of a N-sulfosuccinimide ester of DOTA to hEGF. The conjugate was labeled with a generator-produced positron-emitting nuclide, (68)Ga (half-life = 68 min), using microwave heating. Binding specificity, affinity, internalization, and retention of (68)Ga-DOTA-hEGF was studied in 2 EGFR-expressing cell lines, U343 glioma cells and A431 cervical carcinoma cells. Biodistribution and microPET visualization studies were performed in BALB/c nu/nu mice bearing A431 carcinoma xenografts. RESULTS A 1-min-long microwave-assisted labeling provided radioactivity incorporation of 77% +/- 4%. Both cell lines demonstrated receptor-specific uptake of the conjugate, rapid internalization of the tracer, and good retention of radioactivity. Binding to both cell lines occurred with high affinity, approximately 2 nmol/L. The biodistribution study demonstrated accumulation of radioactivity in xenografts and in EGFR-expressing organs. The microPET imaging study enabled visualization of tumors and demonstrated quick--within 5 min--localization of radioactivity in tumors. CONCLUSION (68)Ga-DOTA-hEGF has potential for imaging EGFR overexpression in tumors.