Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Quantitative Calibration of Remote Mountain-Lake Sediments as Climatic Recorders of Air Temperature and Ice-Cover Duration

Abstract A combination of empirical modeling and a diatom-based transfer function was developed to reconstruct air temperature and ice-cover duration through the study of lake sediments. By using a thermal degree-day modeling approach, ice-cover duration on European mountain and sub-Arctic lakes is found to be very sensitive to temperature change. For example, our model, which incorporates a weather generator, predicts a 100-day shortening in ice-cover duration for a 3°C temperature rise for catchments at elevations of 1500 m in the Southern Alps and the Pyrenees. For the more maritime lakes of Scotland, 30% higher sensitivities (130 d per 3°C) are found, whereas lakes in northwest Finland, in a more continental setting, have only half the sensitivity (50 d per 3°C). A pan-European data set of the species abundance of 252 diatom taxa in 459 mountain and sub-Arctic lakes has been compiled and taxonomically harmonized. Transfer functions were created that relate both seasonal air temperature and ice-cover duration to diatom species composition on the basis of a weighted averaging–partial least squares (WA-PLS) approach. Cross validation was used to test the transfer functions. For ice-cover duration the pan-European data set yields an R-squared value of 0.73, a jack-knifed R-squared value of 0.58, and a residual-mean-square error of prediction (RMSEP) of 23 days. A regional, northern Fennoscandian transect (151 lakes, 122 taxa) yields a jack-knifed R-squared value of 0.50 and an RMSEP of 9 days. For air temperature the pan-European database displayed greatest skill when reconstructing winter or spring temperatures. This result contrasts with the summer temperatures normally studied when using local elevation gradients. The northern Fennoscandian transect has a remarkably low winter RMSEP of 0.73°C.
The Absolute Reflectance and New Calibration Site of the Moon

How bright the Moon is forms a simple but fundamental and important question. Although numerous efforts have been made to answer this question such as use of sophisticated electro-optical measurements and suggestions for calibration sites, the answer is still debated. An in situ measurement with a calibration panel on the surface of the Moon is crucial for obtaining the accurate absolute reflectance and resolving the debate. China’s Chang’E-3 (CE-3) “Yutu” rover accomplished this type of measurement using the Visible-Near Infrared Spectrometer (VNIS). The measurements of the VNIS, which were at large emission and phase angles, complement existing measurements for the range of photometric geometry. The in situ reflectance shows that the CE-3 landing site is very dark with an average reflectance of 3.86% in the visible bands. The results are compared with recent mission instruments: the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) Wide Angle Camera (WAC), the Spectral Profiler (SP) on board the SELENE, the Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3) on board the Chandrayaan-1, and the Chang’E-1 Interference Imaging Spectrometer (IIM). The differences in the measurements of these instruments are very large and indicate inherent differences in their absolute calibration. The M3 and IIM measurements are smaller than LROC WAC and SP, and the VNIS measurement falls between these two pairs. When using the Moon as a radiance source for the on-orbit calibration of spacecraft instruments, one should be cautious about the data. We propose that the CE-3 landing site, a young and homogeneous surface, should serve as the new calibration site.
Parameter estimation for stable distributions with application to commodity futures log-returns

This paper explores the theory behind the rich and robust family of -stable distributions to estimate parameters from financial asset log-returns data. We discuss four-parameter estimation methods including the quantiles, logarithmic moments method, maximum likelihood (ML), and the empirical characteristics function (ECF) method. The contribution of the paper is two-fold: first, we discuss the above parametric approaches and investigate their performance through error analysis. Moreover, we argue that the ECF performs better than the ML over a wide range of shape parameter values, including values closest to 0 and 2 and that the ECF has a better convergence rate than the ML. Secondly, we compare the t location-scale distribution to the general stable distribution and show that the former fails to capture skewness which might exist in the data. This is observed through applying the ECF to commodity futures log-returns data to obtain the skewness parameter.
BIM-CITYGML data integration for modern urban challenges

Modern cities require innovative urban design and development approaches that are efficiently tailored for neighborhood needs. To achieve this, decision makers must deal with information from both the micro (building asset) and the macro (neighborhood) levels, consequently deal with two very different information scopes and standards. This paper addresses this issue and introduces a new conceptual approach for developing a hybrid information infrastructure by integrating building design data, in the form of ifcXML, and 3D neighborhood models, in the form of CityGML. This paper uses examples from the operations and maintenance domain to explain the need for data integration to support decision makers at the neighborhood level by providing access to a wide range of detailed data, starting from the neighborhood scale and zooming in to a room in a building. The BIM-CityGML Data Integration (BCDI) approach that is introduced in this research satisfies both geometric and non-geometric (semantic) information queries in real time. This feature distinguishes BCDI significantly from related works that mainly focus on data conversion from one source to another. Furthermore, this work provides deep insights into the data structure of ifcXML and CityGML and discusses data mapping issues between these two common data standards.
A comparative cross-national examination of online investment promotion

The internationalization of operations has led to more countries trying to attract foreign direct investment by promoting themselves through nation branding and other activities including online promotion by national or regional Investment Promotion Agencies (IPAs). This paper utilizes a nation branding framework to identify and analyze online IPA promotion crossnationally. Results show that IPA websites have certain common elements but also vary greatly in their use of promotional approaches that contribute to branding the places they represent. This implies a need for a better practice of nation branding oriented strategies to influence investors’ perceptions and decisions.
The Advantage of Custom Microprocessors for Stochastic Gradient Descent in Graph-Based Robot Localization and Mapping

Author(s): Guo, Sung-Yee | Advisor(s): Sherwood, Timothy | Abstract: Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) describes a class of problems facing a large and growing field of autonomous systems -- from self-driving cars, to interplanetary rovers, to home automation products. Unfortunately this is a complex task where sophisticated algorithms and data structures are required to navigate a wide range of uncharted environments. Furthermore, most mobile robots need to run these tasks near real-time onboard an embedded controller with limited power and compute resources. To address this problem we explore the stochastic gradient descent (SGD) variant of graph solvers for SLAM and observe a tradeoff between various execution architectures and overall execution speed. Based on these observations, we propose a custom multiprocessor design that relaxes memory-coherency constraints between parallel cores while avoiding divergent behavior. We introduce a specialized streaming-tree interconnect that provides increased performance while using fewer resources compared to state-of-art GPU/CPU implementations of SGD. Finally, we discuss applications of unconventional architectural paradigms like over-provisioned “dark processors” and specialized data partitioning that provided a unique performance advantage for our particular design.
Chapter 7 The Route to Software Process Improvement in Small and Medium-sized Enterprises

The software development industry is dominated by a myriad of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The main goal of this chapter is to provide a characterization of SMEs based on previous studies. It also includes an overview of a number of software process models and software process improvement (SPI) models, which are aimed at assisting SMEs in improving the way they develop software. Furthermore, this chapter discusses the extent of SPI approaches published in the literature as a way to understand the particular context and some of the major challenges faced. From there, we propose an approach to integrate software process practices. This proposal is based on the results of our study on this topic carried out in small software companies. It is focused on what small organizations could actually do, more than on what they are currently practicing.
Spiking Central Pattern Generators through Reverse Engineering of Locomotion Patterns

In robotics, there have been proposed methods for locomotion of nonwheeled robots based on artificial neural networks; those built with plausible neurons are called spiking central pattern generators (SCPGs). In this chapter, we present a generalization of reported deterministic and stochastic reverse engineering methods for automatically designing SCPG for legged robots locomotion systems; such methods create a spiking neural network capable of endogenously and periodically replicating one or several rhythmic signal sets, when a spiking neuron model and one or more locomotion gaits are given as inputs. Designed SCPGs have been implemented in different robotic controllers for a variety of robotic platforms. Finally, some aspects to improve and/or complement these SCPG-based locomotion systems are pointed out.
Median estimation through a regression transformation

The author considers the problem of constructing confidence intervals for the median of a future observation at certain values of exogenous variables, following a normalizing transformation. He shows that when this transformation is estimated, the usual interval obtained through an inverse transformation needs to be corrected, even when the sample size is large. He then gives a simple analytical solution to this problem and provides simulation results confirming the good small‐sample properties of the corrected interval. He also presents two concrete illustrations.
DINEOF-based bias correction of SEVIRI sea surface temperature using Metop-A/AVHRR and ENVISAT/AATSR SST

Satellite-derived sea surface temperature (SST) show inter-sensor and inter-regional differences (biases) due to their technical characteristics, multispectral algorithm limitations and the changing physical properties of the measured environments. The bias correction is usually calculated as a difference between the SST measurements from two sensors where one is defined as the reference (e.g. ENVISAT/AATSR). These empirical bias fields show gaps due to the satellite characteristics (e.g. narrow swath in case of AATSR) and to the presence of clouds or other atmospheric contamination sources. We present a bias correction approach based on DINEOF (Data Interpolating Empirical Orthogonal Functions) for reconstructing missing data. Two different approaches for deriving SST bias fields were used: analysing SST biases based on reconstructed SST differences or based on differences of the reconstructed SST fields. The method is applied at a large scale (European seas) and at a regional scale (e.g. Mediterranean Sea) to correct SEVIRI and Metop-A/AVHRR SST measurements using ENVISAT/AATSR as a corrector. For SEVIRI we additionally used Metop-A/AVHRR SST as a corrector to analyse the impact of ENVISAT/AATSR failure. Corrected SST fields based on both approaches were validated against independent in situ buoy SST data or with ENVISAT/AATSR SST data for areas without in situ data (e.g. eastern Mediterranean). The method is also compared to the operational bias correction method at Meteo-France/CMS that uses a temporal and spatial averaging. Results show that both approaches lead to near-zero biases when compared to AATSR SST measurements, although the differences of reconstructions exhibit much higher standard deviation (> 0.6 K) compared to the reconstruction of differences (< 0.5 K). Comparison with in situ data expectedly depends on the initial comparison between AATSR and in situ SST for specific regions.
Compressed n-butane for treatment of commercial and non-commercial inulinases

Department of Food Engineering, URI – Campus de Erechim, Av. Sete de Setembro, 1621, Erechim, RS, 99700-000, Brazil. Department of Chemical Engineering Federal University of Santa Maria, Av. Roraima, 1000, Santa Maria, RS, 97105-900, Brazil Departament of Chemical and Food Engineering, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, UFSC, Campus Universitario, Bairro Trindade, Caixa Postal 476, 88040-900, Florianopolis, SC, Brazil Federal University of Fronteira Sul – UFFS, Av. Dom Joao Hoffman, 313, 99700-000, Erechim, RS, Brazil Corresponding author: helentreichel@gmail.com
Biodiversity Conservation and Commercial Bushmeat Hunting Challenges in African Parks and Protected Areas: A Critical Review and Synthesis of the Literature

Biodiversity conservation is seriously threatened in African parks and protected areas due to the explosion of commercial bushmeat hunting activities in buffer zone communities. Though commercial bushmeat hunting challenges are ostensibly underpinned by several factors (e.g. rural livelihoods challenges, wildlife management failure, unsustainable hunting practices, human population explosion, cultural factors, logging activities and road construction into hitherto intact forest reserves), the paper reveals that property rights struggles – hinging on colonial nationalization of the forest lands of local communities (now parks), constitutes the core of the problem. The existing literature attaches importance to livelihoods alternatives as mechanism of addressing the problem. The paper however argues that payment of compensation (sustainably) or annual land rents to buffer zone communities (as landlords), hinging on conservation agreements vis-a-vis colonially nationalized forest lands (now parks), will address the problem of commercial bushmeat hunting more effectively in the long term, and thus recommends this strategy strongly to policy makers. The paper also recommends biological species inventories and wildlife surveys as research trajectories that can inform and determine other appropriate conservation strategies in parks experiencing commercial bushmeat hunting challenges in Africa. Keywords : Biodiversity, parks, conservation, bushmeat and hunting
An Investigation of Using Machine Learning with Distribution Based Flow Features for Classifying SSL Encrypted Network Traffic

ix Acknowledgements . x Chapter
SAP S/4HANA Embedded Analytics: An Overview

Operational analytics is all about answering business questions while doing business and supporting business users across the organization, from shop floor users to management and executives. Therefore, business transactions and analytics must co-exist together in a single platform to empower business users to drive insights, make decisions, and complete business processes in a single application and using a single source of facts without toggling between multiple applications. Traditionally transactional systems and analytics were maintained separately to improve throughput of the transactional system and that certainly introduced latency in decision making. However, with innovation in the SAP HANA platform, SAP S/4HANA embedded analytics enables business users, business analysts, and management to perform real-time analytics on live transactional data. This paper reviews technical architecture and key components of SAP S/4HANA embedded analytics. This paper reviews technical architecture and key components of SAP S/4HANA embedded analytics.
Wet deposition in a global size-dependent aerosol transport model. 2. Influence of the scavenging scheme on 210Pb vertical profiles, surface concentrations, and deposition

The main atmospheric sink for submicron aerosols is wet removal. Lead 210, the radioactive decay product of 222Rn, attaches immediately after being formed to submicron particles. Here we compare the effects of three different wet-scavenging schemes used in global aerosol simulations on the 2•oPb aerosol distribution using an off-line, size-resolved, global atmospheric transport model. We highlight the merits and shortcomings of each scavenging scheme at reproducing available measurements, which include concentrations in surface air and deposition, as well as vertical profiles observed over North America and western and central North Pacific. We show that model-measurement comparison of total deposition does not allow to distinguish between scavenging schemes because compensation effects can hide the differences in their respective scavenging efficiencies. Differences in scavenging parameterization affect the aerosol vertical distribution to a much greater extent than the surface concentration. Zonally averaged concentrations at different altitudes derived from the model vary by more than a factor of 3 according to the scavenging formulation, and only one scheme enables us to reproduce reliably the individual profiles observed. This study shows that ground measurements alone are insufficient to validate a global aerosol transport model.
Practical Photonic Bandgap Calculations using MPB

Abstract : This report presents a series of calculations made by using the MIT Photonic Bands computer program to resolve the band structures or dispersion relations associated with a series of 2D and 3D photonic crystal lattices. We emphasis the development of techniques for drafting code input to allow the solution of more complicated crystal lattices that may not be easily described with normal code syntax. Due attention is paid to the minimal surface representation of photonic crystals and how it relates to code expressions drafted using intrinsic code syntax. A validation problem is also solved; the results are compared with archival data for this face-centered cubic crystal.
Design & Analysis of a Novel Rectangular Microstrip Patch Antenna with Improved Performance Using MATLAB for Pervasive Wireless Applications

In this paper, we have achieved an efficient rectangular patch antenna with optimized parameters by using MATLAB. The proposed antenna is a type of radio antenna with a low profile which is mounted on a flat surface. It consists of a flat rectangular sheet or patch of metal, mounted over a larger sheet of metal called a ground plane. A resonant frequency of 3 GHz is achieved with improved parameters like high return loss, Low VSWR, High directivity & gain, High efficiency. So the proposed antenna can be suitable for the radio astronomy & space research applications.
Assessment of Rate of Adherence to Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy(HAART) among HIV Infected Children Attending the Infectious DiseaseClinic of Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki (FETHA), Ebonyi State,Nigeria

Background: Drug adherence is central to the success or failure of antiretroviral therapy. It is therefore the pillar in HIV management. This study was aimed at assessing the level of adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) among HIV infected children attending the Infectious disease clinic of FETHA. It was also aimed at determining factors influencing adherence among participants. Methods: It was a cross sectional descriptive study, carried out in FETHA between April and October 2014. A structured questionnaire was used to obtain medical history. Adherence was assessed in the clinic using self/ caregiver report through questionnaire, objectively counting the remaining pills of previous prescription and checking the pharmacy refill forms. Analysis of data was done using SPSS version 20. Level of significance was achieved if p < 0.05. Results: Of the 77 children recruited, 47 (61.0%) were males. A total of 60 (77.9%) children were found to be adherent to ART by pill count and 68 (88.3%) by self-report. Majority of the non-adherent participants were adolescents (78.6%). A significant relationship existed between death of parent (s) and adherence to ART (p < 0.028). Conclusion: The study shows poor adherence to ART is common and that adolescents are the worst defaulters, with death of parent(s) being the prevailing factor.
Theory of Bose-Einstein condensation in trapped gases

The phenomenon of Bose-Einstein condensation of dilute gases in traps is reviewed from a theoretical perspective. Mean-field theory provides a framework to understand the main features of the condensation and the role of interactions between particles. Various properties of these systems are discussed, including the density profiles and the energy of the ground-state configurations, the collective oscillations and the dynamics of the expansion, the condensate fraction and the thermodynamic functions. The thermodynamic limit exhibits a scaling behavior in the relevant length and energy scales. Despite the dilute nature of the gases, interactions profoundly modify the static as well as the dynamic properties of the system; the predictions of mean-field theory are in excellent agreement with available experimental results. Effects of superfluidity including the existence of quantized vortices and the reduction of the moment of inertia are discussed, as well as the consequences of coherence such as the Josephson effect and interference phenomena. The review also assesses the accuracy and limitations of the mean-field approach.
Neuroprotection of glycyrrhizin against ischemic vascular dementia in vivo and glutamate-induced damage in vitro.

Objective To evaluate the neuroprotective effects of glycyrrhizin (GL) on vascular dementia (VaD) in vivo and Glutamate-induced damage in vitro. Methods Male Wistar rats were subjected to permanent occlusion of the bilateral common carotid arteries. On d 15 postsurgery, rat cognition was assessed using the Morris water maze. The activity of superoxide dismutase and the content of malondialdehyde of brains were also measured. Brain damage was evaluated histologically using HE staining. In vitro cell viability was examined in PC12 cells exposed to Glutamate, and mRNA levels of Bcl-2 and Bax were assessed. Results GL (20 mg/kg for 12 d) improved the performance of learning and memory of VaD rats, decreased the level of lipid peroxidation, and attenuated the pathological alterations in the hippocampal CA1 and CA3 areas. Moreover, GL (0.6 mmol/L) could protect PC12 cell lines from injury induced by Glutamate (10 mmol/L) and inhibit apoptosis of neuronal cells. Conclusion The present findings suggest that GL may have therapeutic potential in treating VaD.
Two new species of Mantoscyphidia Jankowski, 1980 [Ciliophora: Peritrichia], gill symbionts of Haliotis Linnaeus, 1758 [Mollusca: Archaeogastropoda] from the South coast of South Africa

Summary. Surveys carried out from 1995 to 1999 at the De Hoop Nature Reserve along the south coast of South Africa revealed the presence of scyphidiid peritrichs of the genus Mantoscyphidia Jankowski, 1980, occurring in abundance on the gills of Haliotis spadicea Donovan, 1808 and H. midae Linnaeus, 1758. These species differ from all the known Mantoscyphidia species with respect to morphology of the body and nuclear apparatus and are therefore described as two new species, Mantoscyphidia spadiceae sp. n. and Mantoscyphidia midae sp. n.