Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Effects of Perturbing Eigenvalues In The Presence of Multicollinearity

Multicollinearity is a linear dependency between two or more explanatory variables in the regression models which can seriously distort the least squares estimates. The Ordinary Least Squares Estimator is an unbiased estimator that is used to estimate the unknown parameters in the model. The variance of the Ordinary Least Squares Estimates would be inflated and the regression coefficients often indetermined in the presence of multicollinearity. Therefore, biased estimators are suggested as alternatives to the Ordinary Least Squares Estimator. In this study, a new method of solving multicollinearity problem through perturbation of eigenvalues is proposed. The performance of this estimator is evaluated by comparing it with some existing estimators in terms of mean squared error. The first new estimator is compared with the Ordinary Least Squares Estimator, Principal Component regression and the Ordinary Ridge Regression Estimator.
Nonlinear Noise in SiGe Bipolar Devices and its Impact on Radio‐Frequency Amplifier Phase Noise

The nonlinear behavior of different microwave SiGe bipolar transistors has been studied and models have been extracted. The phase noise of an amplifier is computed, taking into account the microwave additive noise floor and the up‐converted 1/f noise. The simulation technique is a combination of different approaches available in a commercial CAD software. Theoretical results are then compared to the experiment.
The Bloggers' Personality Traits Categorizing Algorithm Based on Text Features Analysis

cn Abstract. Nowadays, researches of blogs mining mainly concentrate on opinion mining, community mining, blogs recommendation system and so on, with little concentration on personalities mining. How to mine bloggers' personality accurately and effectively from the tremendous non-structural blog texts becomes a difficulty of blogs mining. This paper illustrates a research on categorizing bloggers' personalities based on the support vector machine(SVM), using the Big Five personality traits to categorize bloggers at Netease into two types of personalities, the extroverted personality and the introverted one, improving the results of categorization in the aspects of personality categorizing traits and approaches of traits selection and ultimately providing other researches about categorizing Chinese bloggers' personality traits with references.
Examining the Relationship between Disproportional Ownership Mechanisms and Company Performance: An Empirical Research

The paper explores the relation between the use of disproportional ownership mechanisms and firm performance in listed companies. Literature suggests that such tools deviate from the proportionality principle between cash-flow rights and control rights and negatively affect firm outcomes. Differently, some studies emphasize that disproportional ownership mechanisms have a positive effect on company performance as controlling shareholders can be motivated to maximize corporate outcomes, providing outperforming benefits than the potential minority expropriation risk. Moreover, it is still an open issue whether firm performance can be interpreted as determinant of disproportional ownership mechanisms. Therefore, it is an empirical question whether company performance can be considered as an implication and/or a driver of disproportional ownership devices. Moving from these premises, the article relies on a unique hand-collected dataset and examines a sample of Italian listed companies through regression analyses. Findings show that the use of disproportional ownership devices is affected by past company performance and highlight that these ownership tools worsen firm outcomes. The research has both theoretical implications for future studies and practical implications for policy makers.
EXTENDED MULTISCALE IMAGE SEGMENTATION FOR CASTELLATED WALL MANAGEMENT

Abstract. Castellated walls are positioned as tangible cultural heritage, which require regular maintenance to preserve their original state. For the demolition and repair work of the castellated wall, it is necessary to identify the individual stones constituting the wall. However, conventional approaches using laser scanning or integrated circuits (IC) tags were very time-consuming and cumbersome. Therefore, we herein propose an efficient approach for castellated wall management based on an extended multiscale image segmentation technique. In this approach, individual stone polygons are extracted from the castellated wall image and are associated with a stone management database. First, to improve the performance of the extraction of individual stone polygons having a convex shape, we developed a new shape criterion named convex hull fitness in the image segmentation process and confirmed its effectiveness. Next, we discussed the stone management database and its beneficial utilization in the repair work of castellated walls. Subsequently, we proposed irregular-shape indexes that are helpful for evaluating the stone shape and the stability of the stone arrangement state in castellated walls. Finally, we demonstrated an application of the proposed method for a typical castellated wall in Japan. Consequently, we confirmed that the stone polygons can be extracted with an acceptable level. Further, the condition of the shapes and the layout of the stones could be visually judged with the proposed irregular-shape indexes.
From uo to ue in Spanish and from uo to o in Sicilian: Same Problem, Different Solutions

In sound variation and change, past and present are closely linked in that a synchronicallyobserved variation or change in progress can be seen as a modern-day reflex of a related diachronic sound change (Ohala 1989). This implies that patterns found in synchronic data may help us understand the factors that motivated a diachronic change. In this paper, the link between past and present is explored with data from a change in progress observed in the diphthongs of Sicilian, a language of Southern Italy, and a related change which occurred in the corresponding diphthongs in the historical development of Spanish. In both languages, the change targets back diphthongs asymmetrically. It will be argued that, although they occur several centuries apart and give different surface results, the changes in the back diphthongs of these two languages share a single motivating factor, namely the resolution of a perceptually non-optimal sequence of segments.
Interactions among density, climate, and food web effects determine long-term life cycle dynamics of a key copepod

Increasing pressure on animal populations through climate change and anthro- pogenic exploitation fuel the need to understand complex life cycle dynamics of key ecosystem species and their responses to external factors. Here, we provide a novel, integrative study on the long-term population dynamics of Pseudocalanus acuspes, a key species in the Baltic Sea, explic- itly considering its distinct life-history stages, and testing for linear, non-linear, and non-additive climate and food web effects. Based on a unique data set of stage-specific abundance covering almost 5 decades of sampling (1960 to 2008, with 1408 samples), we use generalized additive mod- eling (GAM) and its respective non-additive threshold (TGAM) formulation to test for (1) density effects on subsequent life-history stages within the internal life cycle, (2) the effect of exogenous bottom-up (i.e. hydro-climatic) and top-down (i.e. predation) pressures, and (3) changes between bottom-up and top-down regulation. We show that linear density effects are always present, explaining a high proportion of interannual variability, while effects of external pressures are non- linear or non-additive and strongly stage- and season-specific. In general, younger stages of P. acuspes are more affected by atmospheric winter conditions and water temperature, whereas older stages are influenced by conditions of deepwater salinity and predation pressure. These bot- tom-up processes, however, are not necessarily stable, and can depend on the level of top-down predation pressure. Our study demonstrates the complex and non-stationary interplay between internal and external factors regulating long-term animal population dynamics.
Subseafloor basalts as fungal habitats

Abstract. The oceanic crust is believed to host the largest potential habitat for microbial life on Earth, yet, still we lack substantial information about the abundance, diversity, and consequence of its biosphere. The last two decades have involved major research accomplishments within this field and a change in view of the ocean crust and its potential to harbour life. Here fossilised fungal colonies in subseafloor basalts are reported from three different seamounts in the Pacific Ocean. The fungal colonies consist of various characteristic structures interpreted as fungal hyphae, fruit bodies and spores. The fungal hyphae are well preserved with morphological characteristics such as hyphal walls, septa, thallic conidiogenesis, and hyphal tips with hyphal vesicles within. The fruit bodies consist of large (∼50–200 µm in diameter) body-like structures with a defined outer membrane and an interior filled with calcite. The fruit bodies have at some stage been emptied of their contents of spores and filled by carbonate-forming fluids. A few fruit bodies not filled by calcite and with spores still within support this interpretation. Spore-like structures (ranging from a few µm to ∼20 µm in diameter) are also observed outside of the fruit bodies and in some cases concentrated to openings in the membrane of the fruit bodies. The hyphae, fruit bodies and spores are all closely associated with a crust lining the vein walls that probably represent a mineralized biofilm. The results support a fungal presence in deep subseafloor basalts and indicate that such habitats were vital between ∼81 and 48 Ma.
Multi-level Deep Convolutional Networks for Automated Pancreas Segmentation a set of bounding boxes covering each image superpixel at multiple spatial scales in a “ zoom-out ” fashion

Automatic organ segmentation is an important yet challenging problem for medical image analysis. The pancreas is an abdominal organ with very high anatomical variability. This inhibits previous segmentation methods from achieving high accuracies, especially compared to other organs such as the liver, heart or kidneys. In this paper, we present a probabilistic bottom-up approach for pancreas segmentation in abdominal computed tomography (CT) scans, using multi-level deep convolutional networks (ConvNets). We propose and evaluate several variations of deep ConvNets in the context of hierarchical, coarse-to-fine classification on image patches and regions, i.e. superpixels. We first present a dense labeling of local image patches via P-ConvNet and nearest neighbor fusion. Then we describe a regional ConvNet (R1−ConvNet) that samples a set of bounding boxes around each image superpixel at different scales of contexts in a “zoom-out” fashion. Our ConvNets learn to assign class probabilities for each superpixel region of being pancreas. Last, we study a stacked R2−ConvNet leveraging the joint space of CT intensities and the P−ConvNet dense probability maps. Both 3D Gaussian smoothing and 2D conditional random fields are exploited as structured predictions for post-processing. We evaluate on CT images of 82 patients in 4-fold crossvalidation. We achieve a Dice Similarity Coefficient of 83.6±6.3% in training and 71.8±10.7% in testing. ∗holger.roth@nih.gov, h.roth@ucl.ac. uk 1 ar X iv :1 50 6. 06 44 8v 1 [ cs . C V ] 2 2 Ju n 20 15 H. R. Roth et al. DeepOrgan: Multi-level Deep Convolutional Networks for Automated Pancreas Segmentation
Development and Validation of a RP-HPLC Method for Determination of Nimodipine in Sustained Release Tablets

A rapid, sensitive, and reproducible reverse phase high performance liquid chromatographic (RP-HPLC) method with UV detector for the determination of nimodipine in sustained release tablets was developed. The method involved using a SinoChoom ODS-BP C18 reversed phase column (5 μm, 4.6 mm × 200 mm) and mobile phase consisting of methanol-acetonitrile-water (35 : 38 : 27, v/v). The flow rate is 1.0 mL/min, the UV detector was operated at 237 nm, and the column was maintained at 25°C. The method was validated according to official compendia guidelines. The calibration curve of nimodipine for RP-HPLC method was linear over the range of 10–100 μg/mL. The retention time was found at 7.50 min for nimodipine. The variation for interday and intraday assay was found to be less than 0.72%. The proposed RP-HPLC was proved to be suitable for the determination of nimodipine in sustained release tablets.
Structural characteristics of northern Houtman sub-basin, Perth Basin

The northern Houtman Sub-basin is an under-explored region of Australia’s western continental margin. It is located at the transition between the non-volcanic margin of the northern Perth Basin and the volcanic province of the Wallaby Plateau and lies adjacent to the Wallaby-Zenith Transform Margin. In 2014, Geoscience Australia acquired new 2D seismic data (GA-349, 3455 km) across the northern Houtman Sub-basin to assess its hydrocarbon prospectivity. Previous studies of the Houtman Sub-basin indicated that en-echelon basin bounding N-NW trending faults are associated with the Permian half graben complex, however, it was not known if this structural style continued into the northern area of the Houtman Sub-basin. This study integrated interpretation of the recently acquired survey, with regional interpretation of the Houtman Sub-basin. This was further supported by well data and geophysical modelling and a regional 2D structural and stratigraphic interpretation developed. Structural mapping was done for the basement, Early Triassic (Woodada Formation) and Early Jurassic (Eneabba Formation). The basement structure of the northern Houtman Sub-basin is controlled by a series of large en-echelon NW-SE trending SW dipping faults, some of which have a throw of more than 10 km. These basement-involved faults control a series of Permian half graben separated by transfer zones and fault ramps. This basement architecture is similar to the inboard part of the southern Houtman Sub-basin, however the structures are larger. The Early Triassic and Early Jurassic faults trend NW-SE similar to the basement-involved faults, however major faults within the Jurassic succession lie about 50 km to the west of the Permian faults. Interpretation of the northern Houtman Sub-basin reveals a structurally complex basin containing a wide range of structural and stratigraphic traps at several stratigraphic levels. Potential plays have been identified in the upper Permian, Triassic and Jurassic successions. They include large stratigraphic plays in the Upper Permian/Lower Triassic, rollover anticlines within the Lower Triassic and Jurassic, and fault propagation folds and fault block plays in the Jurassic.
Decay spectroscopy of element 115 daughters: 280 Rg → 276 Mt and 276 Mt → 272 Bh

Forty-six decay chains, assigned to the decay of 288 115, were produced using the 243 Am( 48 Ca , 3 n ) 288 115 reaction at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory 88-in. cyclotron. The resulting series of α decays were studied using α -photon and α -x-ray spectroscopies. Multiple α -photon coincidences were observed in the element 115 decay chain members, particularly in the third-and fourth-generation decays (presumed tobe 280 Rgand 276 Mt, respectively). Uponcombiningthesedatawiththosefrom22 288 115decaychainsobservedinasimilarexperiment, 276 Mtand 272 Bh(populatedbythe α decayof 280 Rgand 276 Mt,respectively)areproposed. Photons were observed in the energy range expected for K x rays coincident with the α decay of both 280 Rg and 276 Mt. However, Compton scattering of higher-energy γ rays and discrete transitions are present in the K x-ray region preventing a deﬁnitive Z identiﬁcation to be made based on observation of characteristic K x-ray energies.
DELAMINATION GROWTH IN LAYERED COMPOSITES: NUMERICAL MODELING AND PARAMETER IDENTIFICATION

The present paper deals with parameter identification of interface models conceived for the simulation of decohesion phenomena in layered composites. Specifically, a visco-plastic interface model is considered, which depends on nine material parameters. The extended Kalman filter for discrete time problems is adopted to solve the inverse problem. In order to reduce the difficulties related to the computation of the sensitivity to the model parameters, a simplified procedure is used which is based on a priori interpolation of the response functions in the model parameter space.
Negotiated Development - A New Paradigm For Social Dynamics in Rural Africa

It seems to me that a new perspective is unfolding within which the history of rural Africa is being rewritten. In this article, I trace this emerging perspective. I try to show its internal coherence and characteristic features. I also comment on its arch-enemies, narrative tropes and to its limitations. I call this perspective a paradigm although, significantly enough, it has not been portrayed as such in the literature. This article also serves another purpose. It is a select literature review of recent works of social history which adopt a critical, culturally informed analysis of African rural development. Thus the article is also a review of a specific interpretation of African social history. As far as theory is concerned, the article draws on three key texts: Sara Berry's No Condition is Permanent, Allen Isaacman's Peasants and Rural Social Protest in Africa and David Booth's Social Development Research: An Agenda for the 1990s.
Increases of Unsaturated Fatty Acids in Membrane Lipids Protects Photosystem II from Photoinhibition under Salinity in Different Halophytes

For the purpose of testing the function of unsaturated fatty acids in different halophytes in the process of photosynthesis under salt stress, the impact of saline stress on plant development, content of chlorophyll, the PSII photochemistry efficiency, content of membrane lipid and composition of fatty acid were investigated in the three halophytes Thellungiella halophila, Limonium bicolor and Suaeda salsa and non-halophyte Arabidopsis thaliana . Salinity (200 mM NaCl) did not reduce the value of Fv/Fm, OPSII, and chlorophyll content in the halophytes. While all of them decreased by 200 mM NaCl treatment in A. thaliana . In the non-halophytic, A. thaliana , when treated with NaCl, the content of unsaturated fatty acid and the DBI of membrane lipids MGDG, SQDG, PG and PC decreased. While the unsaturated fatty acid content and the DBI of T. halophila , L. bicolor and S. salsa increased. The DBI of total lipids increased in all halophytes but decreased in the non-halophyte, A. thaliana . The proportion of PG increased in T. halophila and S. salsa . It decreased in L. bicolor and A. thaliana . The DGDG (digalactosyldiacylglycerols)/MGDG (monogalactosyldiacylglycerols) ratio of S. salsa increased from 1.20 to 1.35, while it decreased in T. halophila , L. bicolor and A. thaliana under salt stress. These results suggest that unsaturated fatty acid levels increase in the halophytes under salt stress relative to the non-halophyte A. thaliana . The proportion of membrane lipids and unsaturated fatty acids is related to different levels of salt tolerance among different halophytes.
Research infrastructure, networks of science and regional development - the case of Oskarshamn

Final deposit of nuclear waste is a a global engineering challenge. The Swedish nuclear industry has spent more than thirty years in investigating the best sites and technologies for the final storage of nuclear waste. Universities have been involved as experts in this massive R&D activity. The result has been a well-documented body of knowledge for decision support. At the same time global research infrastructure networks have been developed. More than 140 PhD theses have been produced as one of the outputs. Eleven of these PhD holders are now full professors. Based on earlier work on research infrastructures Lund, Hamburg, and Kiruna, see for instance Snickars and Falck (2015), we have addressed the question of the role of a technical research infrastructure for the development of fields of engineering and natural science at the same time generating regional development. It has provided an opportunity to empirically study the use of research infrastructure in a specialized technology field. At the same time the study investigates a municipality’s efforts to specialize in research without a university in the vicinity. Do networks of cooperation differ between research groups and research infrastructures? Can a region build its smart specialization on research infrastructure? Can research equipment once belonging to a company be transformed to a public research infrastructure asset? Our results indicate that research infrastructures as the ones in Oskarshamn are powerful creators of international research networks. It is possible although somewhat difficult in view of scattered systems for data provision to assess their academic and societal impacts. Engineering research has its own networks of university-industry and industry-university interaction where value is cogenerated dynamically. In the study we have come some way towards empirically analyzing the networks of research cooperation between industry and university using methods of infrastructure theory and network analysis.
Hybrid Health Monitoring for Damage Detection in Structural Joints

The purpose of this study is to develop a promising hybrid structural health monitoring system for structural joints. For this proposal, the combined use of vibration-based techniques and electro/mechanical impedance technique is employed. For the verification of the proposed health monitoring scheme, a series of damage scenarios are designed to simulate various situations at which the connection joints can experience during their service life. The obtained experimental results, modal parameters and electro-mechanical impedance signatures, are carefully analyzed to recognize the connecting states and the target damage locations. From the analysis, it is shown that the proposed hybrid health monitoring system is successful for acquiring global and local damage information on the structural joints.
Reverse time migration of multiples for subsalt imaging

Some hydrocarbon reservoirs are trapped beneath salt bodies, where seismic imaging is greatly challenged due to poor illumination. Multiple reflections have different propagation wave paths from primary reflections and thus can be used to complement the illuminations where primary reflections from beneath the salt are not acquired. Consequently, migration of multiples can sometimes provide better subsalt images compared to conventional migration which uses primaryreflectionsonly.Inthispaper,weproposetomodifyconventionalreversetimemigrationsothatmultiplescanbeused asconstructivereflectionenergyforsubsaltimaging.Thisnew approach replaces the impulsive source wavelet with the recorded data containing both primaries and multiples and uses predicted multiples as the input data instead of primary reflections. In the reverse time migration process, multiples recorded on the surface are extrapolated backward in time toeachdepthlevel,andtheobserveddatawithbothprimaries and multiples are extrapolated forward in time to the same depth levels, followed by a crosscorrelation imaging condition. A numerical test on the Sigsbee2B data set shows that awidercoverageandamorebalancedilluminationofthesubsurface can be achieved by migration of multiples compared with conventional migration of primary reflections. This exampledemonstratesthatreversetimemigrationofmultiples might be a promising method for complex subsalt imaging.