Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
COSE: sistema de segmentação de imagens colaborativo

Biologists increasingly require more quantitative data for their researches purposes. These data can be extracted from images acquired through microscopy techniques - e.g. electron microscopy, confocal microscopy, etc. - and computer vision and image processing techniques. Image segmentation is often used for this purpose. It is an image processing technique which aims to partition the image into regions that represent objects of interest. For example, image segmentation could be used to detect cancer cells by partitioning a medical image in regions corresponding to cells. And based on the quantitative data obtained from the segmentation step a further processing step would classify these cell regions as being a cancer cell or not. In the most of the cases we do not know how to elaborate segmentation algorithms efficient enough to achieve an optimal segmentation, this work proposes a web platform where users and computers work together to achieve the desired results. The system may be efficient, scalable to hundreds of users, easy to use for users of different levels of education and has to be able to generate good results in a semiautomatic way. The segmentation merge is one of the most important step for the whole collaborative segmentation system. At this stage the segmentation made by each user is merged into a resultant segmentation which may have a minimal amount of error. The fundamental idea is that the error committed by each user individually is balanced with the success of another users. Then, this work presents a new segmentation merge technique based on Distance Transform and Otsu thresholding. This work has shown that the resolution of image processing problems collaboratively is a promising approach. Furthermore, the segmentation merge technique presented has shown satisfactory performance and execution time comparable to the majority vote execution time.
Exploring households' weatherization adoptions: An agent-based approach

This thesis consists of one submitted journal paper and one modified conference paper, both on simulating residents’ weatherization adoption decisions. Residential buildings are responsible for a large number of energy consumptions and are therefore a major contributor to climate change. Weatherization is set of approaches that can be used to make buildings more energy-efficient. This yields many benefits for residents, including reduced energy costs and improved health and safety, as well as benefits for the environment, such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions and conserving resources. However, the current adoption rate for such a good practice remains low. The government has been trying to encourage the adoptions, but its efforts have had limited success. Therefore, it is of great practical significance to explore residents’ weatherization adoption decisions, and then assist stakeholders in encouraging weatherization. This thesis proposes two hybrid simulation models of an urban neighborhood populated with autonomous “households” for their weatherization adoption decisions. They both include three modeling techniques: 1) a building energy simulation model, 2) an agent-based model, 3) a social network model. The building energy simulation model is used to calculate monthly energy consumption data of residential buildings under preand postweatherized conditions, which inform households of the potential energy savings that would result from the decisions to weatherize homes. The agent-based model is used to model the detailed decision-making process of households and peer interactions among them about weatherization. The realistic topology of households’ social environment, in which peer interactions and information diffusion take place, is captured by the social network model. The hybrid models represent the complex dynamic feedback loop that connects households’ weatherization decisions, energy-related decision outcomes, and communication of outcomes among community members, all of which influence future decisions.
Inoculum ecology of petri disease fungi in grapevines of South Africa

Pruning wounds are known ports of entry for aerial spores of Petri disease pathogens. Petri disease is one of the important grapevine trunk diseases caused by xylem inhibiting fungi, Phaeomoniella (Pa.) chlamydospora together with species of Phaeoacremonium. However, knowledge regarding spore release in South African vineyards is unknown. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine when spores of Petri disease pathogens are released in vineyards of the Western Cape Province. The research was conducted for two seasons from mid-May to end of November 2012 and from mid-March to end of November 2013. Spore traps consisting of microscope slides coated with petroleum jelly were affixed to arms of infected vines in six vineyards and two rootstock mother blocks. The slides were replaced weekly. In the laboratory, slides were washed with distilled water, then passed through 5 μm then 0.4 μm micro filters. The filters were backwashed with 1 ml sterile water and plated onto PDA-Chloramphenicol. The plates were grown at 25C and colonies resembling those of Pa. chlamydospora and Phaeoacremonium spp. were counted and subcultured for further molecular identification. Species of Phaeoacremonium were identified by amplification of the Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za
Explorer What a Long Strange Trip It ' s Been

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Task parameterized robot skill learning via programming by demonstrations

This thesis focuses on developing Programming by Demonstration (PbD) approaches for task parametrized learning. The presented work shows that this can be performed by utilizing very few demonstrations. The learned model can interpolate as well as extrapolate beyond the demonstrated ranges. Additionally the use of a Neural Network, by directly utilizing camera images, is also investigated for PbD. Lastly the issue of large variations in the teleoperated demonstrations is considered for PbD.
Johnsongrass (Sorghum halepense) Control in Soybeans (Glycine max) with Postemergence Grass Herbicides Applied Alone and in Mixtures

Sethoxydim {2-[1-(ethoxyimino)butyl]-5-[2-(ethylthio)propyl]-3-hydroxy-2-cyclohexen-1-one}, CGA-82725 {2-propynyl 2-[4-[(3,5-dichloro-2-pyridinyl)oxy]phenoxy]propanoate}, RO 13-8895 {acetone-O-[D-2-[p-(α,α,α-trifluoro-p-tolyl)oxy]phenoxy]propionyl oxime}, and difenopenten {4-[4-[4-(trifluoromethyl)phenoxy]phenoxy]-2-pentenoic acid} were evaluated as single and/or split applications for postemergence control of johnsongrass [Sorghum halepense (L.) Pers. ♯ SORHA] grown from rhizomes in soybeans [Glycine max (L.) Merr. ]. Good to excellent control, crop safety, and yield enhancement were achieved with all herbicides evaluated. Antagonism between postemergence grass and broadleaf herbicides was evaluated by applying sethoxydim, CGA-82725, RO 13-8895, and difenopenten alone to soybeans infested with johnsongrass grown from seed, and applying these herbicides as mixtures with acifluorfen {5-[2-chloro-4-(trifluoromethyl)phenoxy]-2-nitrobenzoic acid}, bentazon [3-isopropyl-1H-2,1,3-benzothiadiazin-4(3H)-one 2,2-dioxide], or benazolin (4-chloro-2-oxobenzothiazolin-3-ylacetic acid). Acifluorfen was most antagonistic to the activity of postemergence grass herbicides, with difenopenten and sethoxydim the most susceptible to antagonism. Reductons in johnsongrass control were attributed to antagonism by broadleaf herbicides, which caused soybean yield reductions of up to 67%.
NOISE TRADER RISK: EVIDENCE FROM VIETNAM STOCK MARKET

Abstract: This paper investigates the existence of noise trader risk in Vietnam’s stock market and its effect on the daily returns of stock prices. The methodologies contain the estimation of GARCH (1,1) model to filter the residuals using the moving average method to calculate the impact of information traders. Noise trader risk or the risk that is caused by noise traders is derived by subtracting the residuals by the rational traders’ impact. We find that the noise trader risk does exist in Vietnam’s stock market and its impact on daily returns of stocks is unpredictable. Meanwhile, we find a positive impact of information traders on the stock returns. It increases the daily stock returns, and in turn, helps the market to correct itself because the stock prices move back to its fundamental value.Keywords: noise trader risk, GARCH (1,1), Vietnam’s stock market
Holding On and Letting Go

Longitudinal data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics are used to study residential mobility before and after entry into widowhood. An event-history analysis is employed to test the Litwak and Longino proposal that entrance into widowhood stimulates residential mobility. Widowhood is a triggering mechanism, with the peak of moving occurring in the 1st year of widowhood, preceded by a gradual rise in the probability of a move and followed by a gradual decline in that probability. Eventually, the majority of widowed persons move, but after 20 years of widowhood 40%o are estimated to still be in the home they occupied when they were widowed. Age at widowhood, health, duration of residence, educational attainment, excess space, income, race, homeownership, and single family residence affect holding on and letting go. Moving during widowhood is made more complex by changes over time in the way age at widowhood, income, and tenure status influence moving.
Applications of PDEs inpainting to magnetic particle imaging and corneal topography

In this work we propose a novel application of Partial Differential Equations (PDEs) inpainting techniques to two medical contexts. The first one concerning recovering of concentration maps for superparamagnetic nanoparticles, used as tracers in the framework of Magnetic Particle Imaging. The analysis is carried out by two set of simulations, with and without adding a source of noise, to show that the inpainted images preserve the main properties of the original ones. The second medical application is related to recovering data of corneal elevation maps in ophthalmology. A new procedure consisting in applying the PDEs inpainting techniques to the radial curvature image is proposed. The images of the anterior corneal surface are properly recovered to obtain an approximation error of the required precision. We compare inpainting methods based on second, third and fourth-order PDEs with standard approximation and interpolation techniques.
The Path to Prosperity: A Political Model of Demographic Change

This paper presents a formal model that characterizes the political mechanisms of demographic change, establishing a critical link in economic development. We demonstrate that fertility decisions are determined by three fundamental political variables: political stability, political capacity and political freedom. Modeling strategic multi-objective policy setting by the government, we derive a set of equilibrium conditions that enable poor nations to escape a poverty trap and to successfully develop. Empirical tests for a sample of 100 countries from 1960 to 1990 provide strong support for the propositions of the formal model. In particular, we show that political stability, political capacity and political freedom all lead to reductions in birth rates. We conclude that politics can be either a stimulant or barrier to economic development. THE PATH TO PROSPERITY ____________________________________________________________________________________ 2
The Recoverability of Segmentation Structure from Store-Level Aggregate Data

The authors focus on estimating a latent-class choice model with consumer response segments when only store-level aggregate data are available. Most of the proposed methodologies in the marketing literature require household panel data, which can be difficult to obtain. There is a growing stream of work in marketing and in empirical industrial organization that estimates segmentation structure with aggregate data. This article is a careful attempt to understand the extent to which disaggregate structure in the form of a latent-class model can be recovered from aggregate data. The authors show that under specific assumptions and when the household-level model is correctly specified, most of a latent-class segmentation structure is identifiable even if only store-level aggregate data are available. Therefore, the store data-based estimates for the latent-class model are consistent. In other words, the mean absolute deviation (MAD) of the estimates goes to zero with infinite sample size. To assess how well latent-class structure can be estimated from store data sets of sample sizes that are comparable to those in real life, the authors simulate more than 60,000 store data sets and compute the consequent model estimates and their estimation errors. The results show that the MAD of the latent-class estimates diminishes much more slowly with store data than with household data. Moreover, the rate is so slow that obtaining estimates with reasonably small MADs often requires unreasonably large sample sizes. The authors' simulations offer guidance on conditions that favor obtaining more accurate estimates from store-level data.
Estimating population abundance at a site in the open ocean: combining information from conventional and telemetry tags with application to gray triggerfish (Balistes capriscus)

Estimates of animal abundance are widely used to support conservation and resource management. For populations in open systems, abundance estimates from tagging data can be highly uncertain or biased. Here, we develop a novel approach to estimate abundance of an open population by pairing two models, each utilizing distinct tagging data. Using data from telemetry tags, we infer movement rates to and from the study site with a Markovian model allowing for an environmental effect. Then, using data from conventional passive tags, we apply a Lincoln–Petersen abundance estimator modified to account for mortality and movement. After developing the model within a Bayesian framework, we demonstrate its application to data on gray triggerfish (Balistes capriscus) tagged in the Atlantic Ocean off North Carolina, USA. For this open population, we estimate site abundance to be ∼1000 fish (∼2000 fish·km–2) and additionally find evidence for an effect of hurricanes on movement. The general approach may be useful for fisheries, wildlife, and other ecological studies utilizing multiple tag types, particularly for estimating abundance of an open population.
Design and Evaluation of a Novel Symmetric Multichannel Transmit/Receive Coil Array for Cardiac MRI in Pigs at 7 T

A dedicated, novel, multichannel transmit/receive (Tx/Rx) coil array was designed, simulated, and tested for cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (cMRI) of pigs at 7 T. The cardiac array was composed of 16 elements with physically independent anterior and posterior parts. The array was connected to the MRI scanner in the parallel transmit (pTx) mode forming an 8-channel transmit and 16-channel receive (8Tx/16Rx) coil configuration. The anterior array was composed of four central octagonal elements, which were decoupled using a common central ring (CCR) and shared decoupling capacitors. The surrounding four triangular elements were decoupled from the central four elements using gaps and capacitive decoupling. In total, the eight elements of the anterior array resembled a coil with a symmetrical circular shape. Due to the advantageous arrangement of the elements in conjunction with the novel decoupling method of a CCR, the coupling between the adjacent loop elements was minimized. The posterior array was built using a <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$4 \times 2$ </tex-math></inline-formula> standard rectangular, symmetric element configuration. The dedicated cardiac array was tested in phantom and in <italic>ex vivo</italic> MR measurements with a female pig of 46 kg. The dedicated coil array enhanced the signal-to-noise ratio (40 ± 27) in <italic>ex vivo</italic> measurements of the pig heart by about three times compared to a coil prototype for cardiac human imaging (11.8 ± 7). High-resolution, <italic>ex vivo</italic> cardiac images were acquired with an in-plane resolution of up to 0.3 mm <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\times0.3$ </tex-math></inline-formula> mm using the dedicated pig coil array. The novel cardiac array supports parallel imaging with an acceleration factor (R) of 4 without increasing the mean <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$g$ </tex-math></inline-formula>-factor within the heart region beyond 1.15.
A cool and practical alternative to traditional hash tables

Recent advances in the theoretical literature have proposed interesting modifications to traditional hash tables. The authors of these papers propose hash tables which a) have a guaranteed constant time for a lookup b) have amortized constant time for an insertion c) require table size only slightly larger than the space for the elements Previous hash table technologies have offered at most two of these three. Moreover, these hash tables do no dynamic memory allocation (except when the tables have to be resized), are easy to code, admit efficient concurrent implementations, and can be tuned (even dynamically). This is enabled by one simple idea: allow elements in the hash table to have multiple potential locations by using multiple hash functions, and allow elements to be relocated among potential locations to make room for new elements. Such relocations can cascade, inducing a search-tree to find an empty slot, and a sequence of relocations to allow the insertion of a new key.
Modeling of Saturated Cylindrical-Rotor Synchronous Machines

It has been recognized recently that the magnetic coupling between the direct and quadrature axes of saturated synchronous machines (cross-magnetizing phenomenon) plays an important role in their analysis using the two-axis frame models. To determine the parameters which represent this cross-magnetizing effect, the machine saturation curves in the various intermediate axes are needed. If a synchronous machine has two windings: one in the direct axis and the other in the quadrature axis, saturation curves in the intermediate axes can be obtained by exciting the machine from both these windings simultaneously under open-circuited condition. However, there is usually no field winding in the quadrature axis of industrial synchronous machines and, thus, the saturation curves in the intermediate axes cannot be obtained by the open-circuit test. This thesis presents an analytical method for determining the saturation curves in the intermediate axes of cylindricalrotor synchronous machines from their measured dand q-axis saturation curves. The accuracy of this method is verified by comparing the measured saturation curves in the intermediate axes of a specially-designed cylindrical-rotor synchronous machine, which has dand q-axis field windings, with those calculated using the proposed method. The thesis also presents a method for determining the parameters representing the cross-magnetizing effect from the calculated intermediate-axis saturation curves of synchronous machines. By applying these methods also to the cases of salient-pole synchronous machines, their generality is demonstrated. Moreover, a modified two-axis frame model of saturated synchronouns machines which includes the cross-magnetizing effect is presented in this thesis. The accuracy of this modified model is verified by comparing the measured active and reactive power/load angle curves of a cylindrical-rotor and a salient-pole synchronous generators with the curves obtained analytically by applying the proposed modified two-axis frame model.
Fan-shaped aurora as seen from Japan during a great magnetic storm on February 11, 1958

During a great magnetic storm on Feb 11, 1958, a fan-shaped aurora was photographed at Memambetsu, Hokkaido, Japan – the first and oldest photograph record of auroras observed in Japan, accompanied by many hand-made drawings, thus, portraying a rare opportunity of coexistence between photograph images and hand-made drawings. In fact, the same portrayal reminds us of the great red aurora with fan-shaped white pillars observed during the 1872 and 1770 great magnetic storms. The hand-made sketches, photographs, and the spectral data revealed that the white pillars and red glow of the fan-shaped aurora were dominated by auroral green and red lines, respectively. From the analysis of newly digitized microfilm data and hand-made drawings, we found that the fan-shaped aurora appeared during the peak activity of magnetic storm and moved westward at 0.4 km/s at 400-km altitude at 38°–40° magnetic latitudes, which is consistent with the enhanced convection pattern in the middle latitude at storm time. Such a fan-shaped aurora can fundamentally characterize the middle-latitude evening-to-midnight auroras during great magnetic storms, which show the most destabilized transient appearance of the inner magnetosphere.
On-Line Consumer Comments (E-Wom): A Case Qualitative Analysis on Resort Hotel Consumers

: The recent growth of internet applications on hospitality and tourism provokes on-line consumer comments and reviews. Many researchers and practitioners have named this enormous potential as “e-WOM (electronic word of mouth)”. Travel comments are important experiential information for the potential travellers. Many researches have been conducted to analyse the effects of e-WOM on hotel consumers. Broadly quantitative methods have been used for analysing online comments. But, a few studies have mentioned about the positive practical aspects of the comments for hotel marketers. The study aims to show different usage and effects of hotel consumers’ comments. As qualitative analysis method, grounded theory, content and discourse analysis, were used. The data based on the 10 resort hotel consumers’ on-line comments. Results show that consumers tend to write comments about service person, rooms, food services and pool in their online space. These indicators can be used by hotel marketers as a marketing information tool.
The Roberts splitter : fifty years on

It was some forty-five years ago that a paper appeared in the Minutes of Proceedings of the South African Society of Civil Engineers entitled 'The dissipation of energy of a flood passing over a high dam'1. The author was Lt Col D F Roberts, and the paper on the Loskop Dam splitters covering some 46 pages of text commanded much attention and drew eight discussions. which with the author's reply added another 34 pages to the annals of our profession. In subsequent years Col Roberts' ideas, first applied to the Loskop Dam in 1937 in the form of splitters to partly dissipate the energy of the overflowing sheet of water before it struck the downstream face ledge on which the future raising of the dam was to be accommodated (see postscript), were to be emulated on some 32 dams in Southern Africa and abroad. The application was internationally recognized when Sir Alexander Gibb and Partners used it for the design of the Hendrik Verwoerd and P K le Roux Dams' spillways and later for the Victoria Dam in Sri Lanka2.