Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Detecting floods using an object based change detection approach

In change detection analysis, it is important to reduce the influence of image misalignment in order to produce image changes that are relevant to the user. The accuracy of change detection solely depends on the image registration accuracy yet image misalignment is still a major challenge in change detection analysis. In change detection analysis, if change detection is performed on misaligned images, problems such as false changes and missed changes may occur which strongly affect the actual change detection accuracy. Object based change detection has been reported as one the best way to reduce the influence of effects of image misalignment. This is because of its capability to deal with misregistration errors that result into false change and missed changes. In this paper, a tiled object based change detection technique is proposed to reduce the influence of image misalignment on the tile pixel based change detection. Threshold level based fuzzy c-mean clustering is adopted during segmentation and classification, as well as image differencing is used to obtain a change image. Experiments show that the proposed method significantly reduces the false changes (commission error (from 16.67% to 0.7059%, 40.63% to 1.3881%, 31.58% to 2.1034%) in tile pixel based change detection meaning the method is robust to noise. The experimental results show that the method is capable of producing a high accuracy rate.
INTERADAPT -- AN INTERACTIVE TOOL FOR DESIGNING AND EVALUATING RANDOMIZED TRIALS WITH ADAPTIVE ENROLLMENT CRITERIA

The interAdapt R package is designed to be used by statisticians and clinical investigators to plan randomized trials. It can be used to determine if certain adaptive designs offer tangible benefits compared to standard designs, in the context of investigators' specific trial goals and constraints. Specifically, interAdapt compares the performance of trial designs with adaptive enrollment criteria versus standard (non-adaptive) group sequential trial designs. Performance is compared in terms of power, expected trial duration, and expected sample size. Users can either work directly in the R console, or with a user-friendly shiny application that requires no programming experience. Several added features are available when using the shiny application. For example, the application allows users to immediately download the results of the performance comparison as a csv-table, or as a printable, html-based report.
Shoulder surfing resistance using penup event and neighbouring connectivity manipulation

Picture-based password has been proposed as an alternative authentication method to replace text-based password. Ensuring the security of picture-based password is not a simple task as picture-based objects are a lot easier to access and remember and can thus be easily guessed. In particular, shoulder surfing attack still remains as the main security threat encountered by many picture-based password authentication schemes, especially in drawmetric authentication scheme. In this paper, a novel shoulder surfing resistance mechanism has been proposed and evaluated. The proposed mechanism utilises penup event and neighbouring connectivity manipulation into a revised Background Pass-Go scheme. From the evaluation result, it has proven that the proposed mechanism achieves better results in resisting shoulder surfing attack while, at the same time, allowing a larger password space.
P-type electrical, photoconductive, and anomalous ferromagnetic properties of Cu2O nanowires

Cu2O nanowires are synthesized by reduction of CuO nanowires with hydrogen gas. Strong green photoluminescence dominated by band-edge emission is observed. Field effect transistors fabricated from individual Cu2O nanowires present high on-off ratio (>106) and high mobility (>95 cm2/V s). Furthermore, the device demonstrates a fast photoelectric response to blue illumination in air at room temperature. In addition, anomalous ferromagnetism appears in Cu2O nanowires, which may originate from the defects in Cu2O nanowires. This work shows the application potentials of the Cu2O nanowires, especially in an electrical and photonic device.
Is Warren Buffett's Commentary on Accounting, Governance and Investing Practices Reflected in the Investment Decisions and Subsequent Influence of Berkshire Hathaway?

ABSTRACT: We examine (1) whether the accounting, governance, and investing practices of Berkshire Hathaway investees are consistent with Warren Buffett's public statements on what constitutes good accounting, governance, and investing practices and (2) whether these practices are associated with Berkshire's initial “selection” or Buffett's subsequent “influence. ” Compared to control firms, we find that Berkshire investees are highly likely to follow Buffett's investment philosophy, somewhat likely to follow his preferred accounting, disclosure, and compensation policies, but unlikely to follow the board-related governance practices that we can measure. Second, we find some evidence that the business practices of future Berkshire investees are more aligned with Buffett's beliefs in the pre-investment period compared to control firms. Third, we find relatively modest evidence that investees improve a few of their business practices subsequent to Berkshire's initial investment. However, and overall, Buffett .
Hibiscus sabdariffa Linn. (Roselle) protects against nicotine-induced heart damage in rats

Nicotine has been identified as one of the causal factor for oxidative stress, hypertension and hyperlipidemia. Roselle has been widely studied for its potential as an antioxidant, antihyperlipidemic and antihypertensive. However, no studies have been done to investigate if roselle could diminish the oxidative stress caused by nicotine which could further lead to cardiac damages. Thus, this study was aimed to investigate the effect of roselle extract (HSE) on blood pressure, serum lipid profile, oxidative stress marker levels and histological changes to the heart in nicotine-treated rats. A total of 21 Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 3 groups (n=7 per group): Control group received normal saline (0.5 mL/day, i.p); nicotine group received 0.6 mg/kg/BW nicotine (i.p); and treated group received 100 mg/kg/b.w HSE through oral force feeding followed with 0.6 mg/kg/b.w nicotine (i.p) for 21 consecutive days. The results showed that HSE significantly (p>0.05) reduced the heart rate but no effect to the blood pressure. For lipid profile study, HSE increased the high-density lipoprotein (HDL) concentration significantly (p<0.05) in rats given with nicotine, without any significant changes in total cholesterol, triglyceride and low-density ipoprotein (LDL) concentration. Besides, HSE treatment was also found to reverse malondialdehyde (MDA) level, superoxide dimustase (SOD) enzyme activity and protein concentration significantly (p<0.05) in nicotine-treated rats. In summary, these results indicated that HSE is an effective antioxidant against oxidative damage in heart caused by nicotine, but not as antihyperlipidemic and antihypertensive agent in this rat model.
A New Technique To Detect Loss Of Insulation Life In Power Transformers

Power transformer condition monitoring plays an important role in order to maintain the reliability of power systems operations. Failure of a power transformer could lead to a major disaster affecting the whole transmission and distribution network systems. The quality of the insulation system within power transformers comprising dielectric insulation paper and oil reflects the overall health condition of the transformer. The combination of heat (pyrolysis), moisture (hydrolysis) and air (oxidation) within operating transformers causes oil and paper decomposition which result in a number of gases that relate to the cause and effect of various faults. A gas chromatography (GC) instrument is currently used as a laboratory-based technique to quantify dissolved gases in transformer oil samples. However, the GC technique incurs running costs and requires an expert to conduct the test. Furthermore, due to the complexity of the equipment, GC measurement can only performed in a laboratory environment hence takes a long time to get the results. On the other hand, the quality of the insulating oil influences the performance and the service life of the transformer. During the oil aging process, oil gets contaminated with dissolved decay products and sludge as a result of the chemical reaction between the mineral oil molecules and oxygen dissolved in oil. Sludge and contamination development in insulating oil can be identified by measuring the interfacial tension (IFT) value of the oil. The ASTM D971 standard (Interfacial Tension of Oil Against Water by the Ring Method) is widely used to measure IFT of insulating oil. However, this technique is very sensitive and if the precautions mentioned in the standard procedure are not carefully followed may result in an incorrect or inconsistent IFT reading. Moreover, the current technique calls for a trained person to conduct the test that requires a relatively expensive piece of equipment and lengthy time to get the results as oil samples have to be sent to an external laboratory which also incurs an additional running cost. This thesis proposes an alternative method of measuring the IFT and dissolved gases in transformer oil using absorption spectroscopy which can be performed instantly on-site and has the potential to be implemented on-line. Two novel methods were developed: measuring transformer oil IFT using ultraviolet-to-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, and detecting dissolved gases in transformer oil using near-infrared-to-infrared (NIR-IR) spectroscopy. Also, a new fuzzy logic approach to provide a proper asset management decision and predict the remaining operational life of a power transformer based on some routine insulating oil tests such as furan, dissolved gas analysis (DGA), IFT, water content, and operating temperature has been proposed in this thesis.
The role of architecture in producing urban qualities for sustainability: Implications for the future of architectural education

Architecture has historically evolved into an interdisciplinary subject dealing with design, engineering and psychology. The contemporary tendency in both professional practice and education to view architecture mainly as a form of art has led to the neglect of its holistic dimension in producing the built environment. Thus, the different approaches to how architecture can affect the development of sustainability need to be taught by introducing a comprehensive framework, which is built on all fundamental factors within the production of urban qualities. This paper therefore explores a comprehensive and multi-layered teaching framework by relating the space theory of the French sociologist and philosopher Henri Lefebvre to the contemporary discussion about sustainability. Henri Lefebvre distinguished three main dimensions producing space, known as conceived, perceived and lived space. All three dimensions play a significant role in producing the three main urban qualities, which can be categorized in terms of urban efficiency, urban diversity and urban identity. An attempt is made to identify the distinct role of architecture in developing these urban qualities that are essential for sustainable urban growth. It is the position of the authors that the teaching of architecture for sustainability cannot be reduced to a series of lectures about ecological design and the integration of sustainable technologies. In fact, a more holistic view of architecture and its role within urbanism has to be delivered by instructors and practiced by the students through structured experiences that range from macro contexts to micro scales and those in between, where the ultimate objective is to graduate professionals capable of positioning architecture in its contextual realities. Thus, the teaching of architecture for sustainability needs to be based on an open philosophical framework asking the essential questions of space and time.
Food Preferences of Mediterranean Cold-Water Corals in Captivity

Cold-water coral (CWC) systems are hotspots of biodiversity that need protection from the increasing human impacts and global climate change. The restoration of degraded cold-water coral reefs may be conducted through transplantation of nubbins. To do so, we need to set up the optimal conditions for CWCs livelihood in an aquarium setting. Here we investigated the food selection of three cold-water coral species inhabiting the NE Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea to identify the optimal feeding conditions to rear corals, by means of stable isotope analysis (δ 15N and δ 13C) and of prey-capture rates. Colonies of Desmophyllum pertusum, Madrepora oculata and Dendrophyllia cornigera were collected in the Mediterranean Sea and nourished in mesocosms with a) nauplii of Artemia salina, b) the green algae Tetraselmis subcordiformis, c) two rotifer species (Brachionus plicatilisand B. rotundiformis) and d) mysids of the species Mysis relicta. Prey-capture rates coupled with isotope analysis revealed that M. relictawas the preferred food source even if it was provided as a frozen item, followed by the live-items A. salina and Brachionus spp. Isotopic analyses allowed to determine that Particulate Organic Matter (POM) appears to contribe to a large portion of the isotopic composition of the coral tissue and also suggested that M. oculata has the most opportunistic behaviour among the three target coral species. This study confirms that it is possible to optimize CWCs livelihood in aquaria choosing the right food sources during their maintenance, also in preparation to their transplant in degraded habitats during future projects of active restoration.
Diurnal dynamic of inorganic carbon and oxygen dissolved in a Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus Linnaeus, 1758) fish pond, São Paulo, Brasil

Natural waters may play the role of sinks or carbon dioxide (CO2) emitters, depending on the physicochemical characteristics of the system (diffusion and reaction of this gas into water) as well as on the pH, and the primary production of micro-organisms as a result of the consumption of such compounds. Evidence suggests that the CO2 concentrations in ponds are mainly governed by the aquatic metabolism, i.e. by the balance between respiration and photosynthesis; AIM: The purpose of this study was to describe aspects of the metabolism of tilapia cultivation based on the dynamic and balance of the oxygen concentrations (DO) and forms of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC): carbon dioxide (CO2) and bicarbonate (HCO3-). Other variables analyzed are: total phosphorus, water transparency, total alkalinity, water temperature, pH, underwater radiation and quantitative analysis of phytoplankton community; METHODS: Sampling was collected infor 5 consecutive days from 6:00 AM to 8:00 PM (December/2006) every 2 hours; RESULTS: During the test it was observed periodicity in the fluctuations of the DIC concentrations, being CO2 and HCO3- the predominant fractions. The values of DIC were strongly influenced by the fraction of CO2 and it was observed a predominance of the fraction HCO3- in the afternoon. CO2 concentrations ranged from 0.48 µM through 138.94 µM, reaching a daily average of 18.04 µM. The flow of CO2 in the interface atmosphere/water showed variations during the day. In the afternoon (from 12:00 PM until 6:00 PM) the variation pointed to the flow atmosphere/fish pond; however, the balance was 577 µmol. m-2.h-1 in the flow fish pond/atmosphere; CONCLUSIONS: The observed dynamics indicated that under the conditions of this study, the metabolism of aquatic organisms was the main driving force of this system, a fact corroborated by the intense process of euthrophication in the pond.
Development of a site-conditions map for the Campania-Lucania region (southern Apennines, Italy)

Having a reliable site-conditions estimate is an important step to analyze and predict earthquake ground motions. To provide this information for the Campania-Lucania region (southern Apennines, Italy), and in the framework of a collaboration with the regional branch of the Dipartimento della Protezione Civile (Italian National Civil Protection Agency), the geological units shown on a 1:250,000 scale geological map have been combined together into four categories based on age and geological similarities. According to the site classification defined in engineering building codes, each site has been assigned a class, a value or range of values of the average shear-wave velocity to 30 m (Vs30), and the site-dominant period. Thus, we have digitized the category boundaries from the map, tracing only the geological contacts that separate the units of different site classes. The accuracy of the site-conditions map is only limited by the number of Vs profiles used to compute the Vs30, and geologic data available to date. Analyses with new data will allow updates and modifications to this map. The resulting site classification map provides a helpful tool to better characterize the site effects for those applications where amplification values at large scale are need, such as ground-shaking maps or seismic hazard maps.
The Model and Quadratic Stability Problem of Buck Converter in DCM

Quadratic stability is an important performance for control systems. At first, the model of Buck Converter in DCM is built based on the theories of hybrid systems and switched linear systems primarily. Then quadratic stability of SLS and hybrid feedback switching rule are introduced. The problem of Buck Converter’s quadratic stability is researched afterwards. In the end, the simulation analysis and verification are provided. Both experimental verification and theoretical analysis results indicate that the output of Buck Converter in DCM has an excellent performance via quadratic stability control and switching rules.
Resíduo agro-industrial "casca de tungue" como componente de substrato para plantas

Tung Husks (TH) is a by-product of the tung oil industry, composed of seed coats and seed walis. The high content of long lasting fibers suggests that TH should be appropriate to be mixed in substrates for potted plants. Some studies where conducted to verify the performance of TH on container plant production. In a first stage, samples of 6-month-aged TH were separated into five granulometric fractions. TH showed different physical and chemical characteristics according to grain size. Higher water retention and salinity were verified in the presence of finer particles. Based on the first results, mixtures of TH and carbonized rice hulls (CRH) were used as a rooting media for chrysanthemums. CRH showed to perform well as a drainage component for TH. Cuttings rooted in mixes containing TH, however, had short, numerous and darker roots, showing the presence of phenols, confirmed in a qualitative test with FeCI3, KOH and gelatin. Further studies using TH with Ferric Sulfate (1g1:1) and in mixes with vermiculite (14% v:v) demonstrated the possibility to reduce the phenols effect in plant growth, with an increase in chrysanthemums root length. In lettuce plugs, however, only vermiculite showed positive effects in total plant biomass increase. Based in these results, lettuce plugs and pot mums where produced in TH and CRH+vermiculite (6:1 v:v) mixes, with better results in 1:3 (v:v). 1Master of Science dissertation in Agronomy, Faculdade de Agronomia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. (99 p.). January, 2002.
Magnetocentrifugal acceleration of bulk motion of plasma in pulsar magnetosphere

Acceleration of bulk motion of plasma due to magneto centrifugal mechanism is investigated for dierent shapes of the eld lines of 3-D magnetic eld. It is shown that this mechanism can be ecient provided that the eld line is twisted into direction of rotation. According to the last results of the numerical modelling a fraction of the eld lines with such geometrical shape apparently exist in the pulsar magnetosphere close to the last closed eld line. In this case the Lorentz factor increases with the radius r along these eld lines as (1 (r =c) 2 ) 1 , where - angular velocity of the pulsar rotation. The magneto centrifugal mechanism provides acceleration of the electrons to the energy which is sucient to explain the observed VHE pulsed -rays
Neimark-Sacker-Turing Instability and Pattern Formation in a Spatiotemporal Discrete Predator-Prey System with Allee Effect

A spatiotemporal discrete predator-prey system with Allee effect is investigated to learn its Neimark-Sacker-Turing instability and pattern formation. Based on the occurrence of stable homogeneous stationary states, conditions for Neimark-Sacker bifurcation and Turing instability are determined. Numerical simulations reveal that Neimark-Sacker bifurcation triggers a route to chaos, with the emergence of invariant closed curves, periodic orbits, and chaotic attractors. The occurrence of Turing instability on these three typical dynamical behaviors leads to the formation of heterogeneous patterns. Under the effects of Neimark-Sacker-Turing instability, pattern evolution process is sensitive to tiny changes of initial conditions, suggesting the occurrence of spatiotemporal chaos. With application of deterministic initial conditions, transient symmetrical patterns are observed, demonstrating that ordered structures can exist in chaotic processes. Moreover, when local kinetics of the system goes further on the route to chaos, the speed of symmetry breaking becomes faster, leading to more fragmented and more disordered patterns at the same evolution time. The rich spatiotemporal complexity provides new comprehension on predator-prey coexistence in the ways of spatiotemporal chaos.
PSO algorithm based on GSO and application in the Constrained optimization

-In particle swarm algorithm, the introduction of glowworm algorithm, according to domain to determine a perception range, within the scope of perception of all the particles find an extreme value point sequence, which apply roulette method, choose a particle instead of global extreme value.So as to scattered particle, and avoid the local minima.Experimental results demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of the method. Keyword-Particle swarm optimization;Glowworm swarm optimization; Constrained optimization.
THE USE AND VALUE OF DIFFERENT CO-CREATION AND TOOLS IN THE DESIGN PROCESS.

When company representatives, academics, and design consultants engage in research and practice involving co-creation, it is usually conducted in a business context, driven by consumerism, and centered on innovation and creativity. However, the question here is the “creation of what”. Since it cannot based on the assumption that all participants in the co-creation process have high technical and visualization capabilities. The results tend to be rather abstract highlighting merely the potential for new experiences or product service systems (PSS). Many participatory toolkits were developed for creating holistic spatial design solutions through arrangements, which somehow limit the designer´s creative space in developing monolithic stand-alone objects. Moreover, there are no other specific methods and tools, which downstream translate co-created experiences into tangible designed objects. With respect to the development of industrial designed products and involvement of different stakeholders, this article is intended to investigate, methods and tools, which can use in co-creation processes towards the form giving three-dimensional products.