Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Passive Microwave Soil Moisture Downscaling Using Vegetation Index and Skin Surface Temperature

Soil moisture satellite estimates are available from a variety of passive microwave satellite sensors, but their spatial resolution is frequently too coarse for use by land managers and other decision makers. In this paper, a soil moisture downscaling algorithm based on a regression relationship between daily temperature changes and daily average soil moisture is developed and presented to produce an enhanced spatial resolution soil moisture product. The algorithm was developed based on the thermal inertial relationship between daily temperature changes and averaged soil moisture under different vegetation conditions, using 1/8° spatial resolution North American Land Data Assimilation System (NLDAS) surface temperature and soil moisture data, as well as 5‐km Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) (1981–2000) and 1‐km Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and surface temperature (2002–present) to build the look‐up table at 1/8° resolution. This algorithm was applied to the 1‐km MODIS land surface temperature to obtain the downscaled soil moisture estimates and then used to correct the soil moisture products from Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer–EOS (AMSR‐E). The 1‐km downscaled soil moisture maps display greater details on the spatial pattern of soil moisture distribution. Two sets of ground‐based measurements, the Oklahoma Mesonet and the Little Washita Micronet, were used to validate the algorithm. The overall averaged slope for 1‐km downscaled results vs. Mesonet data is 0.219, which is better than AMSR‐E and NLDAS, while the spatial standard deviation (0.054 m3 m−3) and unbiased RMSE (0.042 m3 m−3) of 1‐km downscaled results are similar to the other two datasets. The overall slope and spatial standard deviation for 1‐km downscaled results vs. Micronet data (0.242 and 0.021 m3 m−3, respectively) are significantly better than AMSR‐E and NLDAS, while the unbiased RMSE (0.026 m3 m−3) is better than NLDAS and further than AMSR‐E. In addition, Mesonet comparisons of all three soil moisture datasets demonstrate a stronger statistical significance than Micronet comparisons, and the p value of 1‐km downscaled is generally better than the other two soil moisture datasets. The results demonstrate that the AMSR‐E soil moisture was successfully disaggregated to 1 km. The enhanced spatial heterogeneity and the accuracy of the soil moisture estimates are superior to the AMSR‐E and NLDAS estimates, when compared with in situ observations.
Enhancement of coupled nitrification‐denitrification by benthic photosynthesis in shallow estuarine sediments

Net sediment‐water interface fluxes of oxygen, dinitrogen, and dissolved inorganic carbon and nitrogen were determined in shallow, subtidal estuarine sediments (Galveston Bay, Texas) using in situ benthic chamber incubations. Diel variability in the sediment oxygen demand and in the flux of dinitrogen were attributable to the occurrence of benthic photosynthesis. Daytime denitrification rates exceeded nighttime rates. During daytime chamber incubations, small changes in dissolved oxygen concentration were observed. At night, oxygen concentrations decreased, as consumption reactions dominated the oxygen flux. Oxygen production by benthic microalgae enhanced rates of, and coupling between, nitrification and denitrification when ammonium was not limiting, resulting in significant loss of nitrogen from sediments as dinitrogen gas. A transient three box model was used to assess the effect of benthic primary production on sediment nitrogen cycling. Model results demonstrate increased rates of nitrification and denitrification in the presence of benthic photosynthesis and agree well with observed patterns of dissolved dinitrogen‐ and oxygen‐flux data obtained during benthic chamber incubations. When no photosynthesis was permitted during the model runs, rates of nitrification and denitrification decreased significantly. Together, our results suggest that denitrification estimates for shallow estuaries could be underestimated if the influence of benthic primary production on denitrification is not considered.
Cytoprotective actions of 2,4‐dimethoxybenzylidene anabaseine in differentiated PC12 cells and septal cholinergic neurons

The potential cytoprotective actions of a novel nicotinic agent 2,4‐dimethoxybenzilidene anabaseine (DMXB) were investigated in differentiated PC12 cells and transected rat septal cholinergic neurons in vivo. In NGF‐differentiated PC12 cells, removal of both NGF and serum led to cell loss, a reduced % of cells expressing neurites, the release of lactate dehydrogenase, and a decrease in total cellular protein. Cell loss was apparent within 24 h, and remained constant between 4–8 days post‐NGF removal. NGF alone (100 ng/ml), DMXB (10 μM), but not nicotine (10 μM), prevented these cell and neurite losses. DMXB‐induced cytoprotection was blocked by 1 μM mecamylamine. DMXB (1 mg/kg, ip) injected twice but not once per day protected cholinesterase‐staining septal neurons from retrograde degeneration following unilateral fimbrial transections. The twice per day DMXB injection‐protocol also decreased cell roundness among cholinesterase‐staining cells in the lesioned septal hemisphere compared to saline‐injected animals. These studies suggest that DMXB may exert cytoprotective activity in NGF‐sensitive neuronal populations. © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Metode penelitian kualitatif dan kuantitatif

Buku Metode Penelitian Kuantitatif dan Kualitatif yang se- dang ada di tangan pembaca ini sengaja ditulis dengan memper- timbangkan aspek praktis di samping aspek teoritis. Sejumlah handout bahan kuliah yang telah dijadikan dasar dan sumber belajar pada mata kuliah metode penelitian amat mewarnai isi buku ini. Kondisi tersebut menjadikan buku ini lebih realistis dan mu- dah mengantarkan pembaca ke arah subtansi pemahaman dan aplikasi penelitian, kualitatif maupun kuantitatif. Buku ini berbeda dengan buku-buku penelitian yang lain. Mulai dari bab awal hingga bab akhir, sengaja menghadirkan pemba- hasan yang bersifat komparatif dengan membahas subtansi materi dari aspek kuantitatif dan aspek kualitatif. Dengan demikian, akan didapatkan kompetensi penelitian yang lebih komprehensif, total, vi dan menyeluruh. Di antara para peneliti, seringkali masih ditemukan perdeba- tan yang semestinya sudah tidak lagi terjadi sebagai dampak dari kompetensi penelitian yang masih minim atau belum maksimal. Misalnya, perdebatan yang mempersoalkan posisi penelitian ter- baik antara kuantitatif (qualitative research) dan kualitatif (quan- titative research), antara penelitian lapangan (filed research), penelitian laboratorium (laboratorium research), dan penelitian aksi (action research). Contoh lain adalah tentang perlu tidaknya hipo- tesis dan sampel dalam sebuah penelitian. Salah satu dampak yang amat tidak diharapkan dari kondisi tersebut adalah adanya peneliti kuantitatif yang meragukan atau bahkan tidak percaya terhadap hasil penelitian kualitatif dan be- gitu pula sebaliknya, peneliti kualitatif terhadap hasil penelitian kuantitatif. Lebih fatal lagi, apabila masing- masing kubu akhirnya saling mengklaim bahwa penelitiannya yang paling bagus dan paling tepat, sementara penelitian orang lain perlu dipertanyakan. Semua itu adalah salah satu dampak dari kondisi kompetensi pe- nelitian yang masih minim.
Employ Consistent Interface to Various Ticket Vending Systems for Diverse User Experiences

: Interface design transaction kiosks should be optimized for first-time use and provide consistent interface and operation sequence among functionally similar systems, such as the Taiwan High Speed Rail(TSHA) and the Taiwan Railway(TRA)'s ticket vending machines. This study is intended to employ concept of consistent interface, overview plus detail (OPD) and metaphoric interfaces to ticket vending machine for TSHA and TRA. The operation sequence, screens layout and option buttons in ticket vending machine are mainly redesigned for various mass transportation systems. The assessment revealed that experienced users of any one of the two ticket vending system performed less error and better efficiency when using the other ticket vending systems. Furthermore, the study remarked that users were able to easily identify the location of information, process of operation, and progress through interactively, intensely and deliberately designed page layout.
Supernova 2013ez = GRB 130215A

A. de Ugarte Postigo, Instituto de Astrofisica de Andalucia (IAA), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (CSIC), and Dark Cosmology Centre, Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen; Z. Cano, University of Iceland; C. C. Thoene, IAA/CSIC; J. Gorosabel, IAA/CSIC and University of the Basque Country; R. Sanchez-Ramirez, IAA/CSIC; G. Leloudas, Oskar Klein Centre, Stockholm University, and Dark Cosmology Centre; D. Xu, Dark Cosmology Centre; K. Wiersema, University of Leicester; J. P. U. Fynbo, D. Malesani, and J. Hjorth, Dark Cosmology Centre; P. Jakobsson, University of Iceland; and O. E. Hartoog, University of Amsterdam, on behalf of a larger collaboration, report that they have been monitoring the optical counterpart of GRB 130215A (discovered with the Swift satellite on Feb. 15.064 UT; cf. D'Elia et al., posted at URL http://gcn.gsfc.nasa.gov/gcn3/14204.gcn3, GCN Circular 14204, citing position R.A. = 2h53m55s, Decl. = +13d22'14", equinox 2000.0, uncertainty 3'; also, Zheng et al., GCN Circ. 14205, at position end figures 54m00s.7, 23'43".7, and unfiltered CCD mag 14.2 on Feb. 15.072). The present authors obtained spectroscopy of the optical counterpart with the 10.4-m Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC) at Roque de los Muchachos Observatory in La Palma, Spain, around Mar. 12.87, at 25.8 days after the onset of the gamma-ray burst, which is 16.2 days after the burst in the host-galaxy rest frame (z = 0.597; cf. Cucchiara et al., GCN Circ. 14207). Observations consisted of three 1200-s exposures with the R500R grism, covering the range 480-1000 nm, with a resolution of about 600. Due to the variable's low altitude at the time of the observations, the data had to be obtained at high airmass (between 1.6 and 2.2), and there were thin cirrus clouds, but the seeing was very good (0".6). At this epoch, the spectrum presents undulations typical of supernovae spectra, including a prominent bump at about 850 nm. The spectrum has been compared to a series of supernovae templates using SNID version 5.0 (Blondin and Tonry 2007, Ap.J. 666, 1024), and a good match is obtained when compared to a number of type-Ic supernovae, including broad- lined and normal events such as SN 2002ap and SN 1994I around maximum light and up to +10 days. When leaving the redshift unconstrained, the fit returns a value of z = 0.60 +/- 0.02, fully consistent with that obtained from absorption-line spectroscopy. A comparison of the spectrum of GRB 130215A with that of SN 2002ap has been posted by the authors at the following URL: http://www.iaa. es/~deugarte/GRBs/130215A/130215A.jpg.
Planning the conservation of the breeding population of cinereous vultures Aegypius monachus in the Republic of Georgia

Occupied and potential nesting areas of Near Threatened cinereous vulture Aegypius monachus in the Republic of Georgia were examined to model its nesting habitat. The intention is to support its conservation within the context of the ongoing establishment of a system of protected areas. Data were manipulated and analysed using a geographical information system, univariate statistical analysis and logistic regression. The best model suggested that in Georgia plots were more likely to contain a cinereous vulture nest if the slope was >30° and faced north, was situated in rugged terrain away from unprotected and populated areas, and was relatively dry. North-facing slopes were where suitable nest trees could be found, whereas ruggedness, protected areas and remoteness from populated areas made access to the nest trees by humans difficult. Low annual rainfall provided better soaring and breeding conditions. The model suggested that the breeding range of cinereous vulture in Georgia could expand if seasonal grazing, which is the primary source of disturbance, is properly managed. Because neither nesting places nor food availability appeared to be limiting, human disturbance and climate seem to best explain the current distribution of nesting cinereous vultures in Georgia, and probably elsewhere in the Caucasus.
Multitask Convolutional Neural Network for Rolling Element Bearing Fault Identification

As one of the most vital parts of rotating equipment, it is an essential work to diagnose rolling bearing failure. The traditional signal processing-based rolling bearing fault diagnosis algorithms rely on artificial feature extraction and expert knowledge. The working condition of rolling bearings is complex and changeable, so the traditional algorithm is slightly lacking adaptability. The damage degree also plays a crucial role in fault monitoring. Different damage degrees may take different remedial measures, but traditional fault-diagnosis algorithms roughly divide the damage degree into several categories, which do not correspond to the continuous value of the damage degree. To solve the abovementioned two problems, this paper proposes a fault-diagnosis algorithm based on “end-to-end” one-dimensional convolutional neural network. The one-dimensional convolution kernel and the pooling layer are directly applied to the original time domain signal. Feature extraction and classifier are merged together, and the extracted features are used to judge the damage degree at the same time. Then, the generalization ability of the model is studied under a variety of conditions. Experiments show that the algorithm can achieve more than 99% accuracy and can accurately give the damage degree of the bearing. It has good performance under different speeds, different types of motors, and different sampling frequencies, and so it has good generalization ability.
Los estilos educativos parentales desde los modelos interactivo y de construcción conjunta: revisión de las investigaciones

Family, as the first structure that receives minor, owns a big importance with regard to other educational spaces during the integral development of children. In it and through it decisive and persistent transmissions for the human being that come to realize through some parental concretes styles, take place. In this article we analyzed two approaches, from our perspective, valid for explaining the educative styles nowadays: the model of joint construction and the interactive model, with typologies and researches that have not had quite echo in other publications and those we think are outstanding to open new lines of research. Revised scientific reports are brought by Pedagogy, Psychology and Criminology generating an interdisciplinary approach that gives new perspectives linked to educative styles in the emotional and behavioral adjustment of children. And it will be starting from the conclusions of reviewed researches of the interactive model that we will establish doubts face to what was set up in widely accepted studies.
An improved integrated Grid and MapReduce‐Hadoop architecture for spatial data: Hilbert TGS R‐Tree–based IGSIM

Variegated distributed computing technologies have been used in recent years of revolutionary phase for efficiently and logically planned spatial data analysis. Grid computing and MapReduce technologies have provided a prodigious technological furtherance in the Geographic Information System (GIS) domain. The Grid is known for its high computing and the MapReduce implementation‐Hadoop is known for its data analytics. A lot of research exist to prove that the integration of Grid and MapReduce complements each other. In our earlier work, a novel architecture Integrated Grid and Spatially Indexed MapReduce (IGSIM) was proposed that integrates Grid and SpatialHadoop for fast spatial queries. The R‐Tree and the R∗‐Tree spatial indexes of SpatialHadoop were exploited for fast data accessing in the IGSIM. However, efficiency of spatial queries can be enhanced further by employing a better spatial indexing algorithm. In this paper, a thorough literature survey has been done on the available traditional spatial indexes from the serial programming environment and Hilbert TGS R‐Tree has been selected on the basis of several parameters for its parallel implementation and extending spatial query efficiency work of the IGSIM. The improved architecture is named as Hilbert TGS R‐Tree–based IGSIM. The experimental results demonstrate high efficiency of the proposed work.
Fitness heterogeneity and viability of restored populations

We develop a stochastic model of population viability which explicitly links demography and genetics in order to examine the consequences for extinction dynamics of different levels of heritable fitness variance within a population. We particularly focus on situations in which a local small population is artificially built with individuals that were taken from several large source populations. Our results suggest that different levels of fitness variability within a population (due to partially recessive deleterious alleles rather than local adaptation) have a large influence on its viability. Moreover, the optimal level of fitness variance for maximizing population persistence is a function of the species life‐cycle. Two mechanisms with opposite effects are mainly responsible for the different patterns of extinction obtained depending on the life‐cycle, (1) purging of deleterious alleles, (2) demographic stochasticity. For high growth rate or long‐lived species, a high fitness variance decreases short‐term viability and increases long‐term viability. In contrast, for other cases, a high fitness variance increases both short‐ and long‐term viability.
An Average Allowable Transmission Interval Condition for the Stability of Networked Control Systems

A popular design framework for networked control systems (NCSs) is the emulation-based approach combined with Lyapunov-based analysis techniques for hybrid systems. In virtually all papers that use this framework, bounds in terms of the maximal allowable transmission interval (MATI) are provided to guarantee stability, and performance properties of the NCS. However, having only such a MATI condition is rather restrictive, and unrealistic in practice due to various network effects such as packet losses, leading to conservative bounds. In this article, we therefore consider an alternative condition on the communication instants to better capture the time-varying properties of the transmission intervals. In particular, we propose, in addition to the existence of a MATI, to also impose a bound on the average allowable transmission interval, expressed in terms of a reverse average dwell-time condition on the transmission intervals. We demonstrate by means of a novel Lyapunov-based analysis that stability of the NCS can still be guaranteed under this different condition on the transmission intervals, which can, in addition, lead to a significant improvement of the MATI. The strengths of these new results will be illustrated on a numerical example.
Design of a Foreign Language Conversation Learning System Using Machine Learning

Many studies have been conducted on foreign language training, but it is difficult to speak a foreign language naturally because there is little or no speaking time for the learner, compared to the teaching time. As a change in the foreign language speaking education method is applied using smart devices, it is necessary to develop a new user-centred speech learning system and education model. To develop a user-centred speech learning system using machine learning and speech recognition technology to improve speech fluency, we designed a user-centred speech training system and analysed the speech patterns of users using existing speech learning programs. We developed machine learning-based adaptive learning algorithms for recommending speaking areas. We designed user and instructor applications for speech learning and experiments that can be applied in real-life education. Based on the designed and developed method, we developed and evaluated the education model using the speech training system through a non-real-time foreign language speech training system similar to a real-time learning setting. After using the system with actual students, we analysed the students’ learning satisfaction and academic achievement and found that students’ motivation and practice time influenced foreign language learning.
A processing strategy for high-resolution seismic imaging of thin unconventional reservoirs: application to the Macasty Formation, Anticosti Island, Canada

Prior to the halt of oil and gas exploration on Anticosti Island in 2017, the Geological Survey of Canada had initiated five research activities related to unconventional resource exploration and development on the island. One such activity aimed to improve the seismic imaging of the Macasty Formation. This thin-layered shale reservoir is located beneath a highly attenuating limestone-dominated Silurian-Ordovician succession that leads to a loss of high frequency energy desired for high-resolution imaging at the depth of the reservoir. To recover high frequency energy and thus improve the imaging of the Macasty Formation, Q-phase compensation, zero-phase deconvolution and a 90-phase rotation followed by the application of a Butterworth filter are applied. Results yield an amplitude spectrum that is flatter and broader compared to the original data. New imaging resolves internal high amplitude reflections within the reservoir that are correlative to higher TOC values.
Performance Evaluation of Lead Acid Battery -Backup Power System of Solar Hybrid Power Plant

This work is concentrated on determining and evaluating the performance of the lead acid battery energy storage system of the solar hybrid power plant existing at Bahir Dar University. Evaluating the performance of solar battery energy storage system and other integrated units in a stand-alone or grid connected solar power plants having prominent significance and contribution with respect to adapting and utilizing the indispensable solar power (PV) technology in Ethiopia. The battery performance evaluation was done by analyzing the long day performance data of the battery backup unit and by carrying out experimental discharging operation. The battery backup unit performance evaluation was done by analyzing the long day performance, the battery efficiency, charging factor, depth of discharge and capacity of the battery. The results shows that the battery was charged without being discharged a number of times. This can be the result of loss energy by self-discharge of the battery, or wrong setting in recording of input output values or failure of the Xtender inverter charger RCC - 02/03 recording, displaying and control units.
The Role of Psychological Empowerment on the Relationship between Organizational Trust and Employee Engagement Abstract This study will investigate the relationship between organizational trust and employee engagement and the moderating effect of psychological empowerment on the two relationships

This study will investigate the relationship between organizational trust and employee engagement and the moderating effect of psychological empowerment on the two relationships. The study will use hierarchical regression analyses and the study will target 910 employees from twelve commercial banks and ten micro financial institutions in western Kenya. Survey research design will be used with expected result try to show whether organizational trust and psychological empowerment are predictors of employee engagement. And if there is moderating effect of psychological empowerment on the relationship between organizational trust and employee engagement. The study will try to find out whether organizational trust and psychological empowerment are predictors of positive job behavior in the organization and are critical in understanding Kenya’s workers’ positive organizational behavior such as work engagement.