Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Integration of satellite remote sensing data in ecosystem modelling at local scales: Practices and trends

Spatiotemporal ecological modelling of terrestrial ecosystems relies on climatological and biophysical Earth observations. Due to their increasing availability, global coverage, frequent acquisition and high spatial resolution, satellite remote sensing (SRS) products are frequently integrated to in situ data in the development of ecosystem models (EMs) quantifying the interaction among the vegetation component and the hydrological, energy and nutrient cycles. This review highlights the main advances achieved in the last decade in combining SRS data with EMs, with particular attention to the challenges modellers face for applications at local scales (e.g. small watersheds). We critically review the literature on progress made towards integration of SRS data into terrestrial EMs: (1) as input to define model drivers; (2) as reference to validate model results; and (3) as a tool to sequentially update the state variables, and to quantify and reduce model uncertainty. The number of applications provided in the literature shows that EMs may profit greatly from the inclusion of spatial parameters and forcings provided by vegetation and climatic‐related SRS products. Limiting factors for the application of such models to local scales are: (1) mismatch between the resolution of SRS products and model grid; (2) unavailability of specific products in free and public online repositories; (3) temporal gaps in SRS data; and (4) quantification of model and measurement uncertainties. This review provides examples of possible solutions adopted in recent literature, with particular reference to the spatiotemporal scales of analysis and data accuracy. We propose that analysis methods such as stochastic downscaling techniques and multi‐sensor/multi‐platform fusion approaches are necessary to improve the quality of SRS data for local applications. Moreover, we suggest coupling models with data assimilation techniques to improve their forecast abilities. This review encourages the use of SRS data in EMs for local applications, and underlines the necessity for a closer collaboration among EM developers and remote sensing scientists. With more upcoming satellite missions, especially the Sentinel platforms, concerted efforts to further integrate SRS into modelling are in great demand and these types of applications will certainly proliferate.
Going beyond the borders : field-of-view extension in MR/PET hybrid imaging

The recent combination of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Positron Emission Tomography (PET) is of emerging interest in clinical routine. On the one hand, MRI is a widely-used diagnostic tool in medical practice. The excellent soft-tissue contrast offers reliable anatomical information. On the other hand, PET is a key imaging technique in nuclear medicine. It shows the functional metabolism thus providing information on the biochemical and physiological processes of the patient. The recently developed MR/PET hybrid system combines these advantages in one whole-body system. The integration of the PET detector in an MR system is a new challenge. In particular, new concepts for the attenuation correction of the PET data are required. This attenuation correction can be performed based on the MR data. However, the MR field-of-view (FoV) is limited by intrinsic physical restrictions such as B0 inhomogeneities and gradient nonlinearities. It has been reported that the PET quantification is biased due to the limitation of the MR-based FoV. Thus, new acquisition techniques are required for imaging beyond the FoV limitation. This was addressed in this thesis. A novel method was developed to compensate the distortions arising from the gradient nonlinearity and the B0 inhomogeneity by using an optimal gradient amplitude. This imaging technique was implemented in a spin-echo-based sequence featuring multi-slice acquisition, bipolar readout and continuous table movement. Thereby, an extension of the FoV was achieved. The optimal sequence parameters were determined inline and applied automatically. No further user interaction or hardware modifications were required. The additional acquisition time is easily tolerable for clinical routine. In a patient study the improvement achieved by the proposed method was verified. The reported bias in the PET reconstruction was reduced significantly. Therefore, the proposed technique improves the MR-based attenuation correction of the PET emission data. Furthermore, the achieved FoV extension might be of interest for diverse MR applications such as image-guided therapy or measuring of large patients. In summary a method has been developed that improves the PET quantification in MR/PET hybrid imaging.
LEADERSHIP CRITERIA UNDER MAXIMUM PERFORMANCE CONDITIONS THESIS

Since the seminal work investigating the relationship between typical and maximum performance by Sackett, Zedeck, and Fogli in 1988, there has been a marked increase in research in this area. Although much research has furthered the relationship between typical and maximum performance, none have attempted to identify which leadership effectiveness criteria are considered most important to an individual’s maximum performance, or assessment of one’s potential. Thus, this empirical study seeks to identify the leadership effectiveness criteria under maximum performance conditions as it relates to entry and middle level managers. Using an exploratory factor analysis, the results suggest an interesting comparison of leadership criteria between entry and middle management engaged in maximum performance. For entry level managers, personality, effort, and attitude emerged as the most important factors. Taken together, these factors suggest that “leadership of self” describe the pathway to being an effective leader. However, for middle level managers, trust, accommodation, and adaptability were considered essential leadership effectiveness criteria indicating “leadership of team” is an appropriate framework at this level.
Species identification of feline DNA based on analysis of cytochrome b.

a method for species identification of biological material from Felis Catus (the domestic cat) was developed in this study. the analysed primers flanked a cytochrome b fragment of mtdna belonging to Felis Catus (nc_001700). appropriate primers were selected based on their specificity (analysed using fastpcr software) and length of the pcr product obtained. forward and reverse primers with the lowest homology to dna of the other species studied in the laboratory were chosen for further analysis. cross-reaction of the chosen primers gave no falsely positive results. a pcr product of 286 bp was obtained for feline dna. the method developed in this study enables the potential content of feline components to be determined rapidly and conclusively.
Portfolios in the Ibex 35 Index: Alternative Methods to the Traditional Framework, a Comparative with the Naive Diversification in a Pre- and Post- Crisis Context

In this paper, we present an analysis of the effectiveness of various portfolio optimization strategies applied to the stocks included in the Spanish Ibex 35 index, for a period of 14 years, from 2001 until 2014. The period under study includes episodes of volatility and instability in financial markets, incorporating the Global Financial Crisis and the European Sovereign Debt Crisis. This implies a challenge in portfolio optimization strategies since the methodologies are restricted to the assignment of positive weights. We have taken for asset allocation the daily returns with an estimation window equal to 1 year and we hold portfolio assets for another year. We evaluate the out-of-sample performance of 15 strategies for asset allocation in the Ibex 35 index, before and after of the Global Financial Crisis. Our results suggest that a large number of strategies outperform to the 1/N rule and to the Ibex 35 index in terms of return, Sharpe ratio and lower VaR and CVaR. The mean-variance portfolio of Markowitz with shortsale constraints, it is the only strategy that renders a Sharpe ratio statistically different to Ibex 35 index in the 2001-2007 and 2008-2014 periods.
A Community Experiment to Record the Full Seismic Wavefield in Oklahoma

Observing the full seismic wavefield by deploying large numbers of seismometers (also known as large-N deployments) and analyzing the resultant large datasets is now more feasible than ever before as a result of advances in instrumentation, computational power, and data analysis techniques. In 2015, the Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS) proposed a field deployment to provide the research community with experience in new techniques for obtaining full wavefield observations using a range of instrumentation (threecomponent [3C] nodal-style sensors, broadbands, and infrasound) at multiple spatial and temporal scales. The goals of the experiment were to demonstrate the field use of the nodal sensors, contribute a compelling dataset that could be analyzed through innovative techniques, and evaluate the performance of new array designs and instruments (particularly the 3C nodes). The resulting IRIS Wavefields Demonstration Community Experiment, conducted in north-central Oklahoma during the summer of 2016, collected data that were immediately made open and available at the IRIS Data Management Center (network code YW) and provided a unique and scientifically rich dataset to advance our understanding of the full seismic wavefield. A key finding was that by burying the 3C nodal sensors used in the deployment, substantially lower horizontal noise levels were achieved across a wide range of periods spanning 0.01–100 s.
Nanoindentation strain-rate jump tests for determining the local strain-rate sensitivity in nanocrystalline Ni and ultrafine-grained Al

A nanoindentation strain-rate jump technique has been developed for determining the local strain-rate sensitivity (SRS) of nanocrystalline and ultrafine-grained (UFG) materials. The results of the new method are compared to conventional constant strain-rate nanoindentation experiments, macroscopic compression tests, and finite element modeling (FEM) simulations. The FEM simulations showed that nanoindentation tests should yield a similar SRS as uniaxial testing and generally a good agreement is found between nanoindentation strain-rate jump experiments and compression tests. However, a higher SRS is found in constant indentation strain-rate tests, which could be caused by the long indentation times required for tests at low indentation strain rates. The nanoindentation strain-rate jump technique thus offers the possibility to use single indentations for determining the SRS at low strain rates with strongly reduced testing times. For UFG-Al, extremely fine-grained regions around a bond layer exhibit a substantial higher SRS than bulk material.
Task Scheduling Frameworks for Heterogeneous Computing Toward Exascale

The race for Exascale Computing has naturally led computer architecture to transit from the multicore era and into the heterogeneous era. Many systems are shipped with integrated CPUs and graphics processing units (GPUs). Moreover, various applications need to utilize both CPUs and GPUs executive resources, as many of their unique features prove the significant importance and strengths of using each one of the process units PUs. Several research studies consider partitioning the applications, scheduling their execution and allocating them onto the PUs resources. They investigate the important role of optimization and tackle intelligently scheduled tasks on the combination of CPU/GPU architecture CPUs and GPUs cores in achieving the peace of performance and power consumption of Exascale Computing. In this paper, the evolution of heterogeneous computing architectures, the approaches, and challenges toward achieving Exascale Computing, and the various algorithms and techniques used to partition and scheduling tasks are all reviewed. The existing frameworks and runtime systems utilized to optimize performance and improve energy efficiency in desecrates and fused chips in order to attain the objectives of Exascale Computing will also be reviewed.
The Cost of Dissidence: International Commodity Prices and Political Unrest in Latin America

Latin America is a region characterized by a turbulent political history and a marked dependence on commodity exports. Constructing a new panel dataset covering most of the 20 th century, I examine how international prices for Latin America's principal exports influenced political unrest. I document a significant association between prices and subsequent political unrest. The results suggest that political dissidents behave rationally, choosing from a menu of protest activities. Specifically, higher export prices are associated with a lower likelihood of violent protest and a higher probability of peaceful demonstration, consistent with higher opportunity cost discouraging dissidents from undertaking riskier protest activities. This pattern is especially true for the price of commodities which produce diffuse rents which are less easily extracted by the state.
Laurie acid inhibits the maturation of vesicular stomatitis virus

In the presence of lauric acid (C12), the production of infectious vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) was inhibited in a dose-dependent manner. The inhibitory effect was reversible: after removal of C12 the antiviral effect disappeared. In addition, the chain length of the monocarboxylic acids proved to be crucial, as those with shorter or longer chains were less effective or had no antiviral activity. Concomitant with the C12-induced inhibition was the stimulation of triacylglycerol synthesis, increasing the amount up to ninefold. Analysis of the antiviral mechanism of C 12 revealed that the correct assembly of the viral components was disturbed, but viral RNA and protein synthesis remained unimpaired. By cell fractionation and Western blot analysis the amount of viral M protein located in the plasma membrane was found to be markedly reduced after treatment with C12, whereas in the cytoplasm the quantity of M protein was similar to that in untreated cells. C12 did not influence M protein synthesis, but prevented the binding of M protein to the host cell membrane, where the protein plays an essential role in virus assembly. Thus, treatment of VSV-infected cells with C12 resulted in inhibition of virus release. It is suggested that the newly synthesized triacylglycerols might interact with the host cell plasma membrane and interfere with virus maturation.
Li-doped graphene for spintronic applications

Generating spintronic devices has been a goal for nanoscience. Here, Li-doped graphene flakes are proposed for spintronic applications. To achieve this goal, density functional theory has been used to determine the magnetic phases of monolayer and bilayer doped graphene nanoflakes. The adsorption energies, spin polarizations, electronic gaps, magnetic properties and robustness of spin-polarized states have been studied in the presence of dopants and second layers. Based on these results, graphene flakes have been introduced as single molecular magnets and spin amplifiers for room temperature applications. It has been determined that for bilayer flakes with two layers of different sizes, the molecular orbitals switch between the layers around the Fermi level. Based on this switch of the molecular orbitals in a bilayer graphene flake, spin on/off switches and spintronic memory devices could be achievable.
HUMAN ORIENTATION AND WAYFINDING IN AIRPORT PASSENGER TERMINALS

Passengers and visitors to major U.S. airport terminals frequently complain that they have problems finding their way through the vast and complex structures. Such problems are related to the extent to which it is possible to reach various destinations within reasonable limits of time and effort, which is an important aspect of a terminal building's environmental quality. This paper provides an evaluation of current airport terminal wayfinding systems, focusing specifically on visual information elements, such as signs, maps, and directions. A multiple-method strategy of respondent self-reporting and behavior tracing was used to draw a composite picture of passenger wayfinding information needs and to identify particular problems that lead to poor spatial orientation or wayfinding performance. Significant problems were reported and observed with respect to the design of you-are-here maps and, to a lesser extent, corridor directional signs. These problems are addressed in the context of a theoretical framework for understanding how humans acquire and represent navigational information. This framework, in turn, is used both to evaluate existing terminal designs and to suggest specific guidelines for effectve redesign.
21st century climate change threatens mountain flora unequally across Europe

Continental‐scale assessments of 21st century global impacts of climate change on biodiversity have forecasted range contractions for many species. These coarse resolution studies are, however, of limited relevance for projecting risks to biodiversity in mountain systems, where pronounced microclimatic variation could allow species to persist locally, and are ill‐suited for assessment of species‐specific threat in particular regions. Here, we assess the impacts of climate change on 2632 plant species across all major European mountain ranges, using high‐resolution (ca. 100 m) species samples and data expressing four future climate scenarios. Projected habitat loss is greater for species distributed at higher elevations; depending on the climate scenario, we find 36–55% of alpine species, 31–51% of subalpine species and 19–46% of montane species lose more than 80% of their suitable habitat by 2070–2100. While our high‐resolution analyses consistently indicate marked levels of threat to cold‐adapted mountain florae across Europe, they also reveal unequal distribution of this threat across the various mountain ranges. Impacts on florae from regions projected to undergo increased warming accompanied by decreased precipitation, such as the Pyrenees and the Eastern Austrian Alps, will likely be greater than on florae in regions where the increase in temperature is less pronounced and rainfall increases concomitantly, such as in the Norwegian Scandes and the Scottish Highlands. This suggests that change in precipitation, not only warming, plays an important role in determining the potential impacts of climate change on vegetation.
In November 2007 the Pakistani Taqi Usmani, president of the Bahrain-based Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI) Shari’a board, pronounced a fatwa on Islamic bonds (sukuk)

This paper aims to refine earlier research on the geographies of Islamic financial services (IFS) through a study of how cities are being connected through interlocking directorates in Shari’a advisory boards of IFS firms. The relevance of this analysis is discussed against the backdrop of recent critiques on mainstream ‘world cities’ research because of structuralist and universalizing tendencies. By applying a network concept to the relationalities of world cities within financial circuits, we explore the nested city/firm/actor structure behind Shari’a board membership, and reassess the connectivity of cities in the IFS network in terms of the role and spatialities of interlocking Shari’a boards. The results show that Gulf cities, most notably Manama, Dubai and Kuwait City are particularly well-connected, while also mainstay financial centres outside the Middle East, such as London and New York are networked by interlocking board memberships of a global Shari’a elite. The dominant position of Manama is traced back to its role as a standard-setting city for Shari’a-compliant investments, which materializes through the enacted presence of an array of highly interlocked regulatory bodies and mediating elites.
Registering Fiber Tracts with Fractional Anisotropy for Functional Sites Localization

Localization of functional sites across individuals is impor- tant to assess and analyze neurological disparities in a population. Tradi- tionally this is accomplished by conducting anatomical registration and assuming functional to anatomical relationships. In this paper we in- vestigate the relationship between functional sites and flber tracts. We propose a novel algorithm based on a model-to-image registration scheme to align difiusion tensor flber tracts with fractional anisotropy map and thereby functional sites across individuals. We have evaluated our algo- rithm on ten normal controls, our results show similar accuracy compared to a global image-to-image registration strategy of fractional anisotropy images.
Sustaining Integrated Behavioral Health Practice Without Sacrificing the Continuum of Care

This article describes how an innovative model of practice transformation, used by 4 integrated pediatric primary care practices over a 2 year grant period, promoted the practice of integrated primary care (IPC) behavioral health services. Practice transformation was possible through the implementation of an alternative billing strategy to enhance sustainability, effective utilization of clinical productivity to provide meaningful patient services, and the identification of strategies to further the practice of IPC. Specifically, we provide: (a) a description of the diversity of billing strategies typically used by pediatric practices utilizing integrated care and how those strategies are impacted by state health care policies; (b) a description of the grant, including the service delivery model, implementation phase, and data collection procedures; (c) results of implementation and billing/reimbursement data that were collected across the 4 practices; (d) an analysis of how billing strategies are critical in defining implementation strategies within pediatric integrated care; and (e) lessons learned about how billing strategies must be flexible and amenable to change over time to stay current with ever-changing health care policies and reimbursement models.
A Stratified Diagnosis of the Indian Monsoon—Eurasian Snow Cover Relationship

Abstract This study is aimed at reconciling inconsistencies between modeling studies of the Indian monsoon–Eurasian snow cover relationship, which support the Blanford hypothesis, and recent diagnostic studies, which have largely failed to show its existence. Recently released version 2 NOAA/NESDIS satellite-based retrievals of snow cover are used. A focus is given to diagnosing (a) spatial and temporal complexity in the Eurasian snow cover distribution, (b) the role of ENSO in modulating the snow cover–all-India rainfall (AIR) relationship, and (c) the spatial distribution of the rainfall association within India. With these goals in mind, the climatological distribution of snow cover and its interannual variability are first assessed. While snow cover is largest in northern Eurasia, its variability is most pronounced in southwestern (SW) Asia between the Black and Caspian Seas, and across the northern Indian, Himalayan, and Tibetan Plateau (NIHT) regions. In regions of large variability, and for Eurasia.
Software Measurement Methods: An Analysis of Two Designs

In software engineering, software measures are often proposed without precise identification of the measurable concepts they attempt to quantify: consequently, the numbers obtained are challenging to reproduce in different measurement contexts and to interpret, either as base measures or in combination as derived measures. The lack of consistency when using base measures in data collection can affect both data preparation and data analysis. This paper analyzes the similarities and differences across three different views of measurement methods (ISO International Vocabulary on Metrology, ISO 15939, and ISO 25021), and uses a process proposed for the design of software measurement methods to analyze two examples of such methods selected from the literature.