Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Classi(cid:28)cation of Weeds of Paddy Fields using Deep Learning

Article information: Weed management is one of the important tasks in agriculture. Weeds in rice (cid:28)elds are usually managed using three ways - chemical herbicides, mechanical weeders, and manual weeding. Manual weeding becomes a problem when there is a shortage of agricultural laborers. Mechanical weeders are not suitable for direct-seeded rice (cid:28)elds. Chemical herbicides are not advisable especially when farmers do not know about site-speci(cid:28)c weed management. Site-speci(cid:28)c weed management is using the right herbicide in the right amount. Therefore, this paper investigates computer vision-based deep learning techniques with transfer learning classifying three types of weeds in paddy (cid:28)elds, namely sedges, grasses, and broadleaved weeds so that the right herbicide is recommended to the farmers. This would reduce the broadcast application and the overuse of the herbicides, thereby limiting the negative impact of the chemical herbicides on the environment. This research work shows promising results with an accuracy around 90% and thus encourages the development of digital agriculture.
To Be, or Not to Be Stateful: Post-Quantum Secure Boot using Hash-Based Signatures

While research in post-quantum cryptography (PQC) has gained significant momentum, it is only slowly adopted for real-world products. This is largely due to concerns about practicability and maturity. The secure boot process of embedded devices is one scenario where such restraints can result in fundamental security problems. In this work, we present a flexible hardware/software co-design for hash-based signature (HBS) schemes which enables the move to a post-quantum secure boot today. These signature schemes stand out due to their straightforward security proofs and are on the fast track to standardisation. In contrast to previous works, we exploit the performance intensive similarities of the stateful LMS and XMSS schemes as well as the stateless SPHINCS+ scheme. Thus, we enable designers to use a stateful or stateless scheme depending on the constraints of each individual application. To show the feasibility of our approach, we compare our results with hardware accelerated implementations of classical asymmetric algorithms. Further, we lay out the usage of different HBS schemes during the boot process. We compare different schemes, show the importance of parameter choices, and demonstrate the performance gain with different levels of hardware acceleration.
Making Systems Explainable *

What makes software systems explainable? As we develop and maintain software, we have questions to ask about the code, but piecing together the answers remains hard. The main interface the classical IDE offers is a text editor for the source code. Code, documentation, and the running system are disconnected.In this keynote presentation, we will show how software systems can be made explainable with the help of three interacting technologies: (i) live notebooks that can be used to create narratives that link documentation, source code, and running applications, (ii) example methods that not only perform tests, but produce live examples that can be used within narratives, to explain use cases, scenarios and features, and (iii) a moldable inspector that can be easily extended with live custom views to answer domain-specific questions about software systems.With the help of running examples we will show in the keynotes presentation how these technologies work together to provide a radically different kind of development experience.
Oligonucleotide microarrays in biomedical sciences - the use and data analysis

The methods used in biomedical research are becoming inadequate to meet current challenges. Frequently occurring problem is the need to find the differentiation tests according to phenotypic features or the particular phenome- non. Previously used morphological evaluation or other laboratory tests many times do not allow for adequate determination of differentiating attributes. In recent years there has been considerable scientific and technological progress in the fields such as genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics, which allow to move the search area into the molecular level. It allows the use of advanced molecular techniques such as PCR or oligonucleotide microarrays and thus allows to compare the gene expression profiles of different types of cells and tissues. The microarray experiment data allow to determine the correlation between the expression of selected genes or even entire genotypes of the pheno- typic features, characterizing the studied group. The collected data can not be analyzed using traditional statistical methods, since the number of cases is much higher than the number of considered attributes. For this reason, new statistical methods and procedures are used for microarray data analysis which may focus on theoretical or practical aspects. Theoretical aspect is related to the selection of specific genes expression, finding the ontology or metabolic pathways that are associated with the analyzed phenomenon. The practical aspect can be the creation of a predictive model that can allow to predict the specific phenonon occurrence in the future during the studies of new patients. Microarray experi- ments and analysis of the obtained results begin new chapters of particular phenomena investigation, which is another big boost in the biomedical sciences development.
Millimetre‐scale pollen analysis of non‐varved lacustrine sediments from Onepoto maar palaeolake, Auckland, reveals distal vegetation responses and landscape recovery following the ~25.5‐ka Ōruanui supereruption, New Zealand

The ~25.5‐ka Ōruanui supereruption (Taupō volcano, New Zealand) erupted >1100 km3 of pyroclastic material during the Last Glacial Maximum. The impacts of this event on climate and the New Zealand environment remain unresolved, particularly on ecological timescales. Using sediment cores from Onepoto maar palaeolake, Auckland (~240 km upwind from source), we have analysed pollen assemblages at contiguous 1‐mm intervals, around an intact 3‐cm layer of the Kawakawa‐Ōruanui Tephra to resolve and assess post‐eruption vegetation impacts and landscape recovery. Sediments immediately above the tephra record a decline in the relative abundance of the dominant canopy species of Fuscospora, and concurrent increase in the abundances of grasses, herbs, ferns and shrubs. These changes reflect a brief (<10 years) part‐defoliation of canopy trees, permitting more light to penetrate and to encourage sub‐canopy vegetation growth. A short‐lived volcanogenic cooling inferred from Antarctic ice core records may have contributed to the changes but cannot be separated from the immediate and direct ecological impacts of ashfall on vegetation following the eruption. Our results, here applied to the world's most recent supereruption, more generally demonstrate the value of millimetre‐scale stratigraphic pollen analysis from non‐varved lacustrine sediments as a tool for assessing past eruptive impacts on sub‐decadal timescales.
Spectral signature of nonequilibrium conditions

The study of stochastic systems has received considerable interest over the years. Their dynamics can describe many equilibrium and nonequilibrium fluctuating systems. At the same time, nonequilibrium constraints interact with the time evolution in various ways. Here we review the dynamics of stochastic systems from the viewpoint of nonequilibrium thermodynamics. We explore the effect of external thermodynamic forces on the possible dynamical regimes and show that the time evolution can become intrinsically different under nonequilibrium conditions. For example, nonequilibrium systems with real dynamical components are similar to equilibrium ones when their state space dimension N < 5, but this equivalence is lost in higher dimensions. Out of equilibrium systems thus present new dynamical behaviors with respect to their equilibrium counterpart. We also study the dynamical modes of generalized, non-stochastic evolution operators such as those arising in counting statistics.
Stratigraphy of the area around Matanomadh in North Western Kachchh with special reference to the Matanomadh formation

Four stratigraphic sections were measured in order to cover as much outcrop area as possible and to know the lateral persistence of various lithic units, their thickness and exact order of superposition in the area around Matanomadh, north-western Kachchh. The stratal units mapped in the area are Bhuj, Deccan Trap, Matanomadh and post-Matanomadh formations. Frequency analysis and the variation pattern observed in the spore-pollen assemblage provide ample evidence for biostratigraphic zonation of the Matanomadh Formation. On the basis of the first appearance, maximum development and decline of the various palynomorphs four biozones have been recognized within this formation. These are (in ascending order): (i) Barren Zone, (ii) Dandotiaspora dilata Cenozone, (iii) Couperipollis brevispinosus Cenozone, and (iv) Sponge Zone.
A Simulation Approach to High-Frequency Plasma Waves

Measurements of the amplitude and phase of very low frequency transmitter signals were used to evaluate the effects on the ionosphere of a moderate intensity solar flare that occurred on 13 December 2007. These measurements were compared to modelled results from the Long Wave Propagation Capability code. The ionospheric effects were found to be delayed by ∼1 min with respect to the 0.1-0.8 nm solar X-ray flux.
Spectrophotometric method for the determination of chlordiazepoxide, diazepam and alprazolam drugs by using oxidation coupling reaction

Sensitive, accurate, precise and efficient spectrophotometric"method for the determination of chlordiazepoxide, Diazepam and Alprazolam drug (CH, DIA, ALP) in pure as well as in dosage form was described. "The suggested method was based on oxidation coupling reaction of suggested drug (CH, DIA, ALP) drug using acidic buffer "then"coupling with"3-methyl-2-benzothiazolinone hydrazone hydrochloride"(MBTH) in the presence of ferric chloride. Spectrophotometric measurement was established by recording the absorbance of the blue colored product at (663,609,619) nm. Using the optimized reaction conditions, beer’ s law was obeyed in the range of"(2.5-25) µg/mL "(5-30) µg/mL, and "(5-30) µg/mL with good correlation coefficient of (0.9997, 0.9979, 0.9965) and the LOD and LOQ ( CH,DIA,ALP) values were( 0.1750, 5.834 , 0.676 and 2.253 ,0.881and 2.938)μg/mL for chlordiazepoxide, Diazepam and Alprazolam drug respectively. The accuracy and precision of the proposed method represented by recovery and relative standard deviation were satisfactory; about 99.33% and)") 0.502and 0.195, 0.46) μg/mL for chlordiazepoxide, Diazepam and Alprazolam drug respectively. The "proposed"method"was"applied"for"determination"of (CH, DIA, ALP) in"its"pharmaceutical" "forms"and"the"results"compared successfully"with"the"obtained"by"standard"method (British"pharmacopeia"method).
The case for a burst from 3U 0614+09. [flare star observations]

A single flare event with a rise time of about 7 s and a decay time of approximately 40 s was observed by the Goddard cosmic X-ray spectroscopy experiment on OSO-8 during observations of 3U 0614+09 in September 1975. The possibility is discussed that the source was 3U 0614+09, which has been compared with the low-mass binary Sco X-1. The spectra during the event could be fitted with blackbody (kT = 0.8-1.1 keV) or thermal bremsstrahlung (kT = 1.1-2.5 keV) models with absorption by cool material. In the blackbody model the source was of the order of 1 million cm in size.
The Positive Association between Muscle Mass and Bone Status Is Conserved in Men with Diabetes: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Study

Bone and muscle are known to be correlated and interact chemically each other. Diabetes affects the health status of these two types of organ. There has been lack of studies of men on this topic. This study aims to investigate the relationship between bone and muscle status in men with and without diabetes. This study enrolled 318 and 88 men with and without diabetes, respectively, between April 2007 and December 2017. The appendicular skeletal muscle index (ASMI) was correlated with femoral neck bone mineral density (BMD), total hip BMD, and the trabecular bone score (TBS) in both groups (p < 0.001–0.008). In analysis of the changes in muscle mass and bone-related parameters over the 3 years, the ASMI was correlated with total hip BMD only in diabetes group (p = 0.016) and the TBS in both groups (p < 0.001–0.046). This study showed that the positive correlation between muscle mass and bone status was largely conserved in diabetic group in men. Moreover, in a long-term perspective, muscle mass might be more correlated with the bone microarchitecture or bone quality than bone density, and the association between muscle mass and total hip BMD could be stronger in the diabetic group.
Different types of explants and natural ventilation systems influence the accumulation of dry weight and of total phenolic compounds in Aloysia gratissima (Verbenaceae)

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of the use of different natural ventilation systems on the growth and accumulation of total phenolic compounds in Aloysia gratissima. Nodal and apical segments with 1 pair of leaves were inoculated in flasks containing ½ MS culture medium without sucrose and supplemented with 0.1 mg L-1 indole-butyric acid. The cultivation systems included a conventional system (NMS) and alternative membrane systems with 1 (AMS1), 2 (AMS2) and 4 (AMS4) low-cost membranes. After 30 days, the in vitro growth, leaf area, dry weight and accumulation of phenolic compounds were evaluated. Plantlets from apical segments showed superior results in all variables analyzed. The use of the NMS compromised plantlet growth. However, improved results were obtained with the use of porous membranes, with the best growth observed in AMS4. The leaf area of plantlets originating from apical segments was 3.03 times greater than that of plantlets from nodal segments. Plantlets in the NMS had the lowest values of leaf area, root length, number of leaves and dry weight. However, the use of membranes allowed higher growth. The AMS4 treatment increased the leaf dry weight accumulation by 6.13-fold compared to that obtained with the NMS treatment. The accumulation of total phenolic compounds increased with the use of greater numbers of porous membranes. The use of apical segments and lids with 4 porous membranes is recommended for micropropagation of the species. The use of an alternative membrane system positively influences the accumulation of total phenolic compounds.
Serotypes, Antibiotic Resistance Genes, and Salmonella Pathogenicity Island Genes of Salmonella from Patients in a Hospital in Weifang, China

Background: Salmonella is an important foodborne pathogen that causes diarrhea in humans worldwide. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the serotype distribution, antibiotic-resistant genes, and Salmonella pathogenicity island (SPI) genes of clinical isolates of Salmonella in Weifang. Methods: A total of 111 Salmonella strains were collected from Weifang People’s Hospital between 2018 and 2020 and subjected to serotyping using the Kauffmann-White antigen table. Meanwhile, the polymerase chain reaction detected eleven SPI1-6 genes and six antibiotic resistance genes. Results: Among the 111 Salmonella strains, 17 serotypes were identified, with S. Typhimurium, S. Typhi, and S. Enteritidis being the most prevalent. The hilA, ssaB, sseC, marT, siiE, pipB, sopB, and pagN SPI1-6 genes were all found during analysis. The InvA, misL, and siiD genes were detected at 98.2, 97.30, and 97.30% rates, respectively. Also, sul2 and blaTEM were the most prevalent antibiotic resistance genes in this investigation, accounting for 68.47 and 21.62% of the total, respectively. Conclusions: Salmonella isolated from the clinical samples was found to have a diversity of serotypes and possessed various SPI and antibiotic resistance genes.
Dimension reduction of streaming data via random projections

A data stream is a transiently observed sequence of data elements that arrive unordered, with repetitions, and at very high rate of transmission. Examples include Internet traffic data, networks of banking and credit transactions, and radar derived meteorological data. Computer science and engineering communities have developed randomised, probabilistic algorithms to estimate statistics of interest over streaming data on the fly, with small computational complexity and storage requirements, by constructing low dimensional representations of the stream known as data sketches. This thesis combines techniques of statistical inference with algorithmic approaches, such as hashing and random projections, to derive efficient estimators for cardinality, l_{alpha} distance and quasi-distance, and entropy over streaming data. I demonstrate an unexpected connection between two approaches to cardinality estimation that involve indirect record keeping: the first using pseudo-random variates and storing selected order statistics, and the second using random projections. I show that l_{alpha} distances and quasi-distances between data streams, and entropy, can be recovered from random projections that exploit properties of alpha-stable distributions with full statistical efficiency. This is achieved by the method of L-estimation in a single-pass algorithm with modest computational requirements. The proposed estimators have good small sample performance, improved by the methods of trimming and winsorising; in other words, the value of these summary statistics can be approximated with high accuracy from data sketches of low dimension. Finally, I consider the problem of convergence assessment of Markov Chain Monte Carlo methods for simulating from complex, high dimensional, discrete distributions. I argue that online, fast, and efficient computation of summary statistics such as cardinality, entropy, and l_{alpha} distances may be a useful qualitative tool for detecting lack of convergence, and illustrate this with simulations of the posterior distribution of a decomposable Gaussian graphical model via the Metropolis-Hastings algorithm.
Mobile-Based COVID-19 Vaccination Registration Application Prototype

Information technology-based applications have entered the era of mobile phones or smartphones such as those using the Android or iOS operating system. Mobile-based application development has become a trend for today's society. Especially during the global COVID-19 pandemic, almost all activities are carried out remotely through mobile-based applications. To prevent the spread of COVID-19, mass vaccines are given to the public. So that the process of administering the vaccine does not cause crowds, it is necessary to create a mobile-based application. So that the application can be further developed properly, it is necessary to make a prototype. The prototype consists of 5 (steps): 1) Quick plan, 2) Modeling Quick Design, 3) Construction of prototype, 4) Deployment Delivery & feedback, and 5) Communication. In this research, the InVision design tool is used which can help design prototypes for both mobile and web versions. InVision has been widely used in making prototypes and is used by many digital companies in the world. The results obtained are in the form of a prototype application for the registration of vaccine participants via mobile phones and also the web. The programmers will easily translate the prototype results into a mobile-based application for the benefit of mobile phone-based online vaccine registration.
Investigation on Orbital Angular Momentum Mode-Based Beam Shaping for Indoor Optical Wireless Communications

In this paper, we report a novel indoor optical wireless communications system employing orbital angular momentum (OAM) mode-based beam shaping. Different shapes of transmitted beams with various power distribution can be obtained by superposing different OAM modes incoherently with different power ratios. The bit-error-rate (BER) performance of the proposed system has been numerically and experimentally investigated. The results show that the effective coverage (BER<3.8 × 10−3) can be expanded significantly by employing OAM mode-based beam shaping scheme at certain power ratios between OAM0 mode and higher-order OAM mode, compared to conventional OWC systems without OAM mode-based beam shaping scheme and the optimal performance for symbol rate of 10 Gbaud can be obtained when the power ratio of OAM0/OAM1 and OAM0/OAM2 is 0.3 and 0.33, respectively. Furthermore, the BER performance distribution in different directions within the optical cell has also been evaluated. It has been shown that less variation in the performance can be achieved in the system employing OAM0 with OAM2 based-beam shaping compared with that in the system employing OAM0 with OAM1 modes.
Does it pay off to act conscientiously, both now and later? Examining concurrent, lagged, and cumulative effects of state conscientiousness

Although previous research has shown that both trait and state conscientiousness are positively associated with a wide range of positive life and work outcomes, some studies indicate that acting in a conscientious way is effortful, and that behaving outside one’s conscientiousness related comfort zone (i.e., acting counterhabitual) may lead to cognitive or affective cost. Because these costs are not likely to be evident immediately, we examine how within-person fluctuations in conscientiousness relate to within-person fluctuations in emotional exhaustion, resource depletion, and negative affect, not only concurrently, but also in a delayed fashion and cumulated over time. In two experience sampling studies, we found that higher levels of conscientiousness are concurrently related to lower levels of emotional exhaustion, resource depletion, and negative affect. When looking at delayed effects, no conclusive evidence was found for affective or cognitive costs of (counterhabitual) conscientiousness. Finally, analyzing cumulative effects revealed that repeated negative deviations from one’s typical level of conscientiousness were positively associated to exhaustion, depletion, and negative affect, while repeated positive deviations were negatively associated with depletion and unrelated to exhaustion and negative affect. Altogether, our findings suggest that self-rated conscientious behavior is generally beneficial, even if this behavior goes against one’s typical behavior.
Attentive SOLO for Sonar Target Segmentation

Imaging sonar systems play an important role in underwater target detection and location. Due to the influence of reverberation noise on imaging sonar systems, the task of sonar target segmentation is a challenging problem. In order to segment different types of targets in sonar images accurately, we proposed the gated fusion-pyramid segmentation attention (GF-PSA) module. Specifically, inspired by gated full fusion, we improved the pyramid segmentation attention (PSA) module by using gated fusion to reduce the noise interference during feature fusion and improve segmentation accuracy. Then, we improved the SOLOv2 (Segmenting Objects by Locations v2) algorithm with the proposed GF-PSA and named the improved algorithm Attentive SOLO. In addition, we constructed a sonar target segmentation dataset, named STSD, which contains 4000 real sonar images, covering eight object categories with a total of 7077 target annotations. The experimental results show that the segmentation accuracy of Attentive SOLO on STSD is as high as 74.1%, which is 3.7% higher than that of SOLOv2.