Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Nonstationary Hydrologic Behavior in Forested Watersheds Is Mediated by Climate‐Induced Changes in Growing Season Length and Subsequent Vegetation Growth

Forested watersheds provide important ecosystem services through the provision of high quality freshwater, mitigation of floods, and maintenance of base flows. How alteration of these services under ongoing climate change is mediated by vegetation dynamics is not fully understood. Combining independent remote sensing based vegetation information and distributed hydrological modeling, we investigated the impact of climate‐induced vegetation dynamics on long‐term non‐stationary hydrologic behavior in two forested watersheds in the southern Appalachians. We found significant increases in precipitation‐runoff deficit (defined as annual precipitation minus annual runoff), equivalent to annual evapotranspiration plus storage changes, over the last three decades. This non‐stationary hydrologic behavior was significantly correlated with long‐term and interannual changes in growing season length and subsequent vegetation growth. These patterns in vegetation phenology were attributed primarily to minimum temperature regimes, which showed steeper and more consistent increases than temperature maxima. Using a distributed modeling framework, we also found that the long‐term non‐stationary hydrologic behavior could not be simulated unless full vegetation dynamics, including vegetation phenology and long‐term growth, were incorporated into the model. Incorporating seasonal vegetation dynamics also led to the improved simulation in streamflow dynamics, while its effect spread out through the following dormant seasons. Our study indicates that non‐stationary hydrologic behavior has been closely mediated by long‐term seasonal and structural forest canopy interaction with climate variables rather than directly driven by climatic variables. This study emphasizes the importance of understanding the ecosystem responses to ongoing climate change for predictions of future freshwater regimes.
An optimized algorithm for multiscale wideband deconvolution of radio astronomical images

We describe a new multi-scale deconvolution algorithm that can also be used in multi-frequency mode. The algorithm only affects the minor clean loop. In single-frequency mode, the minor loop of our improved multi-scale algorithm is over an order of magnitude faster than the CASA multi-scale algorithm, and produces results of similar quality. For multi-frequency deconvolution, a technique named joined-channel cleaning is used. In this mode, the minor loop of our algorithm is 2-3 orders of magnitude faster than CASA MSMFS. We extend the multi-scale mode with automated scale-dependent masking, which allows structures to be cleaned below the noise. We describe a new scale-bias function for use in multi-scale cleaning. We test a second deconvolution method that is a variant of the MORESANE deconvolution technique, and uses a convex optimisation technique with isotropic undecimated wavelets as dictionary. On simple, well calibrated data the convex optimisation algorithm produces visually more representative models. On complex or imperfect data, the convex optimisation algorithm has stability issues.
Precautionary Motives versus Waiting Options: Evidence from Aggregate Household Saving in Japan

Exploiting theoretical implications for saving motives under uncertainty proposed by Epstein (1980), this paper empirically examines which motive is more dominant in aggregate household savings in Japan, precautionary savings or savings as waiting options. The former motive is driven by the magnitude of risks, while the latter is promoted by the subsequent resolution of uncertainty. Empirical results indicate that saving behavior since the 1980s is more consistent with precautionary savings; however, estimation results from the behavior during the 1990s offer some evidence in favor of savings as waiting options.
Otolith chemistry of the non-dispersing reef fish Acanthochromis polyacanthus: cross-shelf patterns from the central Great Barrier Reef

The influence of cross-shelf gradients, within and among distance strata, on the otolith chemistry of the non-dispersing reef fish Acanthochromis polyacanthus was examined on the Great Barrier Reef. Most of the variation in elemental ratios (Mg/Ca, Cu/Ca, Sr/Ca, Ba/Ca) was at the level of sites within reefs; some broad patterns of otolith chemistry were found cross-shelf. Sr/Ca and Ba/Ca ratios increased with distance from shore. Highest ratios of Mn/Ca and Cu/Ca were found at the outermost shelf sites at Myrmidon Reef, but Mn levels were generally greatest within 45 km of shore. Elevated ratios of Ba/Ca at Myrmidon Reef were persistent over 3 yr and are likely indicative of upwelling, which is known to occur in the area. The Ba/Ca ratios were the highest ever reported in marine fish otoliths, and accuracy of our estimates was confirmed in a paired laboratory test. The robustness of reef-wide chemical signatures in fish was weak, but unique signatures were found within reefs. High resolution elemental records could help to identify sites affected by upwelling and the periodicity of upwelling events.
Global Localization of Mobile Robots Using Signal Strength Readings from Floor-Installed RFID Transponders

Localization and tracking of mobile robots is an important issue for many industrial applications. The paper presents an inexpensive solution for indoor localization of mobile robots. Global localization is realized by measuring the signal strength of RFID transponders, which are integrated in the floor and detected by the reader. The paper presents two algorithms for fusing RFID signal strength measurements with odometry based on Kalman filtering. The paper presents experimental results with a Mecanum based omnidirectional mobile robot on a NaviFloor® installation, which includes passive HF RFID transponders. The experiments show that the proposed algorithms provide a better performance compared to the same algorithms which consider the detection of the transponders only.
Diet of the exotic Rainbow Trout in the critical habitat of the threatened Hooded Grebe

The lakes of the basaltic plateaus of Patagonia represent the only reproductive habitat for the critically endangered Hooded Grebe (Podiceps gallardoi ). More than 50 of these naturally fishless lakes have been stocked with the exotic Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss ). While the available information suggests that the diet composition of trout and Hooded Grebes could overlap, to date no formal studies of the diet of Rainbow Trout in these aquatic environments have been published. We characterized the diet of trout in one of the primary reproductive areas of the Hooded Grebe based on the analysis of the gut contents of 177 individuals, from 9 lakes. Amphipods were clearly the most dominant group of prey, quantified as frequency of occurrence and proportion by weight. The condition factor of trout and the abundance of amphipods in the stomach contents showed a functional relationship, suggesting that the wellness of trout depends on the availability of this prey. Amphipods also represent a primary prey for the Hooded Grebe, suggesting a strong dietary overlap with the trout. The presence of trout may generate processes of competition that could affect the survival of the Hooded Grebe. This interaction may be particularly relevant in large vegetated lakes, where the Hooded Grebe reproduces.
Warming Up and Cooling Down: Self-Esteem and Behavioral Responses to Social Threat During Relationship Initiation

Social threats during relationship initiation often cause people to engage in cold behaviors that bring about rejection. However, interpersonal risk-regulation theory suggests that such processes will be moderated by global self-esteem. In two experiments that manipulated the threat of rejection, single participants communicated via video camera with an opposite-sex interaction partner (actually a confederate). As expected, social threat caused higher self-esteem individuals (HSEs) to exhibit a warming-up behavioral response but caused lower self-esteem individuals (LSEs) to exhibit a cooling-down behavioral response, according to both observer-reports and self-reports, which in turn led observers to like HSEs more than LSEs. Furthermore, these effects were independent of similar, previously documented, interpersonal risk-regulation effects on participants' perceptions of acceptance from the confederate.
Validacao e reprodutibilidade do questionario de Baecke de avaliacao da atividade fisica habitual em homens adultos

RESUMENValidez y reproducibilidad del test de Baecke de evalua-cion de la actividad fisica habitual en hombres adultosEl objetivo de este estudio fue verificar la validez y re-producibilidad del puntaje de ejercicios fisicos de ocio( EFL ), actividades de ocio y locomocion ( ALL ) y puntajetotal ( ET ) del test de Baecke de la actividad fisica habitualen hombres adultos. Fueron evaluados 21 estudiantes deEducacion Fisica. Para verificar su validez fueron medi-dos el consumo maximo de oxigeno ( VO 2 max) y el porcen-taje de disminucion de la frecuencia cardiaca ( %DFC ) ob-tenidos a traves del test de Cooper en 12 minutos, un indicede ejercicios fisicos anual ( IEF ) y un indice de actividadesfisicas de locomocion semanal ( IAF ). La reproducibilidadfue verificada mediante test-retest con un intervalo de 45dias. Para el analisis de validez, se uso la correlacion sim-ple de Pearson y correlacion parcial ajustada por edad yindice de masa corporal. Para el analisis de reproducibili-dad fue utilizado el coeficiente de correlacion intra-clasey el test t-Student para pares de muestras. Los resultadosindicaron que el
One Point Perspective Vanishing Point Estimation for Mobile Robot Vision Based Navigation System

Where it can be found, the vanishing point in a one point perspective image can facilitate analysis of the image. For the purpose of a vision system for a small mobile robot self-navigating within a rectilinear indoor environment such as along the corridor of a faculty building with one point perspective, knowing where the vanishing point in an image captured for navigation purpose is, can be very helpful in recognition of high level features such as corridors and doors. This paper presentsa parameterised algorithm developed to estimate the vanishing point in such an image of the inside of a corridor. It takes advantage of certain characteristics of vanishing points from one point perspective, and the nature of the images encountered in this work. This algorithm is based on likelihoods. It has worked in most cases, been undecided in other cases.
Weak definites across languages: theoretical and experimental investigations

Pourquoi est-il plus naturel de dire « Jean ecoute la radio » plutot que « Jean ecoute une radio », ou « Jean attend sur le bord de la route » plutot que « Jean attend sur un bord de la route », et ce, non seulement en francais, mais dans des langues aussi differentes typologiquement que le francais, l’anglais ou l’hebreu ? Sont etudies ici les usages dits « faibles » de l’article defini, les contextes dans lesquels ce dernier est prefere a l’article indefini. Ce dossier reunit des etudes de linguistes, de philosophes et de psycholinguistes, et s’adresse a la fois aux chercheurs et aux etudiants qui travaillent sur la comparaison des langues.
Searching for convergence points of the continuous time extended Kalman filter used as a parameter estimator

The authors deal with estimation of two stable pole parameters for a two-dimensional continuous-time linear stochastic system with known process noise covariance, using the extended Kalman filter. Averaging theory permits algebraic computation of a vector field whose stable stationary points are the estimator's only possible convergence points. Specialized partitioned matrix computations allow the numerical computation of the vector field and graphical computer search for spurious convergence points not corresponding to the true parameter values, with negative results. This supports the conjecture that none exist, a result known from theory in the one-dimensional case. <<ETX>>
Vygotskian perspectives on using dramatic play to enhance children's development and balance creativity with structure in the early childhood classroom

What kind of environmental and administrative factors support the balance between child‐centred and teacher‐directed practices in the early childhood classroom? What specific aspects of children's development are nurtured by this pedagogy? These and other pedagogical issues are addressed in this article as it describes how a particular curriculum on dramatic play was initiated, implemented and developed with a group of four year olds. The article includes a detailed discussion of the step‐by‐step process of how this curriculum was developed and an analysis of the multi‐dimensional development in children that occurred as a result of this project. The discussion is framed within a Vygotskian perspective as connections are explored between this curriculum, children's development and specific Vygotskian ideas such as language and cognition, the zone of proximal development, cultural signs and tools, socio‐cultural construction of knowledge and the notion of willpower. This project on dramatic play may be viewed in terms of guided participation in which the children were active learners in a classroom community of people who supported, challenged and guided novices as they participated collectively in a cultural activity.
Criterion-Focused Approach to Reducing Adverse Impact in College Admissions

The current study examines how using a multidimensional battery of predictors (high-school grade point average (GPA), SAT/ACT, and biodata), and weighting the predictors based on the different values institutions place on various student performance dimensions (college GPA, organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs), and behaviorally anchored rating scale (BARS)), can increase the proportion of some ethnic subgroups often disadvantaged by the use of only traditional measures such as the SAT/ACT. The sample consisted of 836 students from 10 universities across the United States. Results show that meaningfully different proportions of groups would be admitted to universities when the predictors included noncognitive measures and the weights for the various components in the battery were based on performance dimensions other than first-year GPA. These dimensions should reflect institutional values.
Intermediate band solar cells based on InAs quantum dots embedded in InGaAs quantum well

Intermediate band solar cells based on quantum dots and quantum wells with antireflection coating are investigated in this thesis. The demand for high efficient solar cells as an alternate source of energy is the main motivation for this research project. Intermediate band solar cells based on quantum dots were the subject of intensive research in recent years. High power conversion efficiency was predicted from InAs/GaAs intermediate band solar cells as the presence of InAs quantum dots increased the absorption below the band gap of the host material. In this thesis, an attempt has been made to further increase the absorption of GaAs solar cells by embedding InAs quantum dots in InxGa1-xAs quantum wells. The quantum efficiency and spectral response measurements of quantum dots embedded in quantum well devices exhibit an extended response till 1280 nm in the near infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum. The interband transition peaks associated with the InxGa1-xAs quantum well exhibit a red shift as In mole fraction (x) in InxGa1-xAs quantum well is increased above 0%. The short circuit current density increased, while open circuit voltage decreased, as x is increased. In addition, the use of inexpensive anti-reflection coating (ARC) on these intermediate band solar cells has been studied. Anti-reflection coating based on Zinc oxide (ZnO) has significantly improved the power conversion efficiency of the solar cells. The ZnO synthesized using sol-gel technique was spin coated on the solar cells and subsequently annealed. The short circuit current density was significantly increased after the deposition of the ARC. Enhancement of the order of 42 % in the power conversion efficiency was obtained. Around 43% enhancement in quantum efficiency and 44% enhancement in spectral response measurements were also observed. This thesis is approved for recommendation to the Graduate Council.
Hide and Go Seek: Activation of the Secretory-Specific Poly (A) Site of Igh by Transcription Elongation Factors

The regulation of the immunoglobulin heavy chain (Igh) alternative RNA processing has served as a model system for revealing the competition between cis and trans-acting RNA factors influencing splicing and polyadenylation, reviewed in (Peterson 2007) and (Borghesi and Milcarek 2006). This review will explore recent studies on the role of transcription elongation factors in the super elongation complex (SEC) including ELL2 (eleven-nineteen lysine rich leukemia factor) on driving poly(A) site choice. Elongation factors impel high levels of Igh mRNA production and alternative processing at the promoter proximal, secretory-specific poly(A) site (sec) in plasma cells by enhancing RNA polymerase II modifications and downstream events. The sec poly(A) site, essentially hidden in B cells, is found by SEC factors in plasma cells. Most mRNAs have a poly(A) tail and it has been estimated that up to 20% of the human genes may be arranged with a competition of splicing and polyadenylation sites as seen in the Igh (Tian, Pan et al. 2007; Rigo and Martinson 2008). Numerous genes contain multiple poly(A) sites (Tian, Hu et al. 2005); many subject to regulation (Edwalds-Gilbert, Veraldi et al. 1997) and (Lutz and Moreira 2011). Advancing developmental stage is generally correlated with use of promoter distal poly(A) sites (Ji, Lee et al. 2009; Ji and Tian 2009). Yet the opposite situation applies as B-cells terminally differentiate into plasma cells; elongation factors may hold the key to understanding this apparent paradox. Transcriptional pausing and subsequent elongation are emerging as important check points for gene regulation. Phosphorylation of the carboxyl-terminal domain of RNAP-II by initiation and elongation factors directs the correct associations to ultimately drive mature mRNA output. The SEC, composed of nine proteins including pTEFb and ELL (see key), kick starts elongation by facilitating the phosphorylation of both the negative acting factors that have stalled the polymerase and polymerase itself. The mPAF is recruited by the action of the pTEFb through phosphorylation of the serine-2 of the RNA polymerase carboxylterminal domain heptad repeat; mPAF brings along with it the polyadenylation factors. The factors that polyadenylate mRNA are more strongly associated with the polymerase transcription complex on highly active promoters and/ or through up-regulation of the polyadenylation and elongation factors, especially CstF (cleavage stimulatory factor), pTEFb, and ELL2. Polymerases deficient in the appropriate factors may transit the gene, but
Monocular Semantic SLAM using Object-pose-graph Constraints

We present a novel approach for monocular semantic SLAM, which is enhanced by category-specific object-level constraints to achieve more robust in ego-motion estimation, trajectory optimization and environment mapping. We extract the semantic information from input images by utilizing stateof-the-art convolutional neural networks(CNNs) for 2D object detection and semantic keypoints localization. In contrast with conventional SLAM system which takes the environment as point clouds, both the objects and semantic keypoints provide internal correspondences among image sequences and act as salient parts for SLAM system. The object-pose-graph is built based on conventional keyframe-pose-graph by containing constraints between the object 3D pose and camera pose. Then the 3D pose of the objects and camera trajectory are collaboratively optimized. The 3D objects estimated in object-pose-graph provide reliable camera tracking under pure rotational camera motion. By taking the objects as loop detection cues, we are able to close the loop when the object is visible even in significant variant viewpoint which outperforms traditional loop closure detection. We estimated our object-pose-graph semantic SLAM system on both indoor and outdoor environment and achieve better camera tracking and mapping result.
Heterogeneous Banking Efficiency: Allocative Distortions and Lending Fluctuations

This paper is a first attempt to connect the heterogeneity in bank efficiency with lending fluctuations and allocation efficiency: there is a trade-off between the two in the presence of heterogeneity in bank monitoring efficiency. The mechanism at hand is twofold. (a) First the rent extracted by the most efficient bank distorts incentives of entrepreneurs to undertake efforts. (b) Second banks specialising on contracts that do not include monitoring feature less cyclical fluctuations of aggregate lending. This has clear implications: (i) the presence of banking heterogeneity decreases firms' average productivity as it increases adverse selection by entrepreneurs as well as favours rent extractions by banks; (ii) an individual bank featuring a lower cyclicality signals a lower efficiency in its monitoring abilities; (iii) a heterogeneous banking system featuring a lower cyclicality of aggregate lending might not be desirable as it may come along with allocative and incentives distortions.
Three essays on technology adoption and the roles of off-farm labor, human capital, and risk in contemporary US agriculture

v CHAPTER 1: I TRODUCTIO . 1 1.1. Dissertation Overview . 1 1.2. Theoretical Framework . 3 1.3. Data . 4 1.4. References . 5 CHAPTER 2: DOES “CO VE IE CE AGRICULTURE” AFFECT OFF‐FARM LABOR ALLOCATIO DECISIO S? 8 2.
Usability study of 3 D Time-of-Flight cameras for automatic plant phenotyping

The implementation of sensors technologies and algorithms for automatic phenotyping are of increasing importance. This paper presents the results of the usability study of state-of-the-art 3D Time-of-Flight cameras for the application of automatic phenotyping under outdoor field conditions. The influences of direct light, speed, humidity and dust on the measurements as well as the charicteristics of the cameras like color dependence, noise level and depth resolution were analyzed regarding application of phenotyping. As a result of this analysis, the usability of the tested ToF cameras will be shown.