Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Earth Observation for Citizen Science Validation, or Citizen Science for Earth Observation Validation? The Role of Quality Assurance of Volunteered Observations

Environmental policy involving citizen science (CS) is of growing interest. In support of this open data stream of information, validation or quality assessment of the CS geo-located data to their appropriate usage for evidence-based policy making needs a flexible and easily adaptable data curation process ensuring transparency. Addressing these needs, this paper describes an approach for automatic quality assurance as proposed by the Citizen OBservatory WEB (COBWEB) FP7 project. This approach is based upon a workflow composition that combines different quality controls, each belonging to seven categories or “pillars”. Each pillar focuses on a specific dimension in the types of reasoning algorithms for CS data qualification. These pillars attribute values to a range of quality elements belonging to three complementary quality models. Additional data from various sources, such as Earth Observation (EO) data, are often included as part of the inputs of quality controls within the pillars. However, qualified CS data can also contribute to the validation of EO data. Therefore, the question of validation can be considered as “two sides of the same coin”. Based on an invasive species CS study, concerning Fallopia japonica (Japanese knotweed), the paper discusses the flexibility and usefulness of qualifying CS data, either when using an EO data product for the validation within the quality assurance process, or validating an EO data product that describes the risk of occurrence of the plant. Both validation paths are found to be improved by quality assurance of the CS data. Addressing the reliability of CS open data, issues and limitations of the role of quality assurance for validation, due to the quality of secondary data used within the automatic workflow, are described, e.g., error propagation, paving the route to improvements in the approach.
Carbon dynamics and changing winter conditions: a review of current understanding and future research directions

Abstract. Despite the important role of winters for northern ecosystems, it remains the least understood of all the seasons. Here, we summarize existing empirical studies on winter climate and carbon dynamics and highlight some important future research directions. The existing studies include field-scale snow-cover manipulation experiments representing extreme soil climate conditions, laboratory soil incubations studying the influential factors, and time-series of climate and carbon data showing long-term natural variations and existing trends. Most of the field and laboratory experiments indicate an increased soil organic carbon loss due to soil frost. Long-term data demonstrate temporal changes in winter CO2 efflux and its important contribution to the annual fluxes. A number of research priorities to improve our understanding of winter conditions include (i) ecosystem processes in the fall-winter and winter-spring shoulder seasons, (ii) extreme events, (iii) partitioning into organic- and inorganic carbon, (iv) carry-over effects of winter and growing season on each other, (v) long-term cumulative impacts, and (vi) improved winter process modelling. These areas of research would enable an improved understanding of the role of the snow covered period for carbon cycling, and provide a basis for more realistic models that include winter processes.
The Changes of Educational Planning in Kenya Educational System since Independence

Education is a critical investment in the human resource of a country. It enables the country to shape the attitudes, skills and knowledge of its population and also gets the appropriate work force with diverse skills necessary to drive the economic and social development of the society. Given the dynamic nature of society, education and, by extension the curriculum, also has to change to reflect the prevailing social and economic drivers. This paper chronicles some of the curriculum changes that have taken place in Kenya since independence highlighting the accompanying challenges and intervention strategies over the time.
1 Cultural Challenges on Information Technology Outsourcing

Outsourcing in information technology (IT) industry is growing exponentially. Numerous articles have covered the reasons why companies choose to outsource. In this research, the authors have looked into the challenges that may arise from IT outsourcing with a specific focus on the cultural concepts of this booming business. This paper can serve as a brief guideline on how cultural differences can influence IT outsourced projects and what practical management can be applied to address those challenges in order to facilitate the process of outsourcing. In doing that, this paper has adopted a qualitative approach to find the answers with the use grounded theory. The research is based on literature review by studying recent relevant articles and published sources which provide a comparative basis of analysis. The result has shown that cultural factors not only directly play a vital role in the success of IT outsourcing projects, but also have great impacts on critical domains across the cooperation between outsourcer (client) and supplier (vendor) including perception, communication and relationship. Thus, prior to any IT outsourcing collaboration with foreign cultures, it is imperative to enhance the cultural awareness of both participants of client and vendor to prevent any probable challenges that may lead to a
Effects of Roasting Camellia tenuifolia Seeds with/without Shells on the Quality of Seed Oil

Camellia tenuifolia is an indigenous camellia oil tree species native to Taiwan. Its fruit is smaller in size than the big-fruit species C. oleifera. With a lower annual oil yield and healthful ingredients to human body, the C. tenuifolia seeds oil has been considered a valuable oil to Taiwanese folklore. Generally the seeds of camellia species have a hard shell, while the shell of C. oleifera seeds is easy to make crack because of the bigger gaps between shell and seed kernel. Their seeds are also more uniform in size and the shells are easier to be removed. When processing for oil, C. oleifera seeds are usually shelled before pressing. On the other hand, seeds of C. tenuifolia have a variety of seed sizes and tough shell, with smaller gaps between shell and seed kernel. Thus, its seeds are more difficult to remove shell and hence, frequently C. tenuifolia seeds are directly pressed for oil without shelling. In this study, seeds of C. tenuifolia with or without shell were treated under different roasting conditions, from 110 to 130℃ for 5 to 10 min, and then were pressed for seed oil. Physico-chemical characteristics of the seed oils, including oil yield and stability index, acid value, peroxide value, smoke point, phenol content and reducing power, were analyzed. Results indicated that shelled seeds produced 13% more oil than that with shell on. All tested oils had acid value less than 1.0, peroxide value less than 10.0, and smoke point greater than 200℃. Results suggest that with or without the shell, the pressed oils all reached the food standard of general pressed oils. Regardless of with or without the shell, along with the increasing intensity of roasting, the phenol content and reducing power also increased. At suitable roasting treatment conditions, the oil quality will be better and oil be more stable during storage.
Validating Human Behavioral Models for Combat Simulations Using Techniques for the Evaluation of Human Performance

Abstract : As Department of Defense (DoD) leaders rely more on modeling and simulation to provide information on which to base strategic and tactical decisions, simulation credibility becomes more important. Prior to their use in simulations and analytical studies, DoD models are required to undergo the verification, validation, and accreditation (VV&A) process in an attempt to establish an acceptable level of credibility. In general, the human behavioral model validation process, as outlined by the Defense Modeling and Simulation Office (DMSO), is not extendable to meet requirements for validating the varied and complex behavioral models in use or under development for DoD simulations. This paper reviews several issues with validating human behavior representation (HBR) and identifies potential practices for enhancing the validation process for current and future human behavioral models for use in or application to combat simulations.
Modeling a Cell Motility on the Surface with a Pit

Living cells respond to outside physical environment in many ways including changing their geometry and location. A cell was modeled as a tensegrity structure that consists of the cytoskeleton, the cellular nucleus and lamellipodia. This model was based on the use of isolated elastic components consisting of a set of continuous compression components and a set of continuous tension components. To investigate the influence of surface topography on cellular movement, several representative cases were designed and simulated. By using internal strain energy as a main criterion to estimate the stability of the cell at various locations, we could show that cells have a tendency to move towards and stay on the sidewall of a pit. They also have a tendency to leave the concave corner. The obtained simulation results were in agreement with the available experimental evidence. Thus, the proposed model and approach may be a valuable tool for understanding the mechanics of a cell motion.
Characterization of Structurally-Enhanced Solder Joints Using Vertically-Aligned Carbon Nanotubes

Since the demand for more e cient means of electronics cooling has grown signi cantly over recent years, the need for more advanced thermal interface materials has also increased. Thermal interface materials (TIMs) are a vital part of electronics cooling. TIMs are materials that are used to ll in the microscopic spaces that exist between electronic circuits and heat sink surfaces due to surface roughness or other surface imperfections. Additionally, TIMs are used to promote e ective thermal transport across interfaces. In general, materials that have high thermal conductivities and low thermal resistances are ideal for use as TIMs. The thermal performance of a TIM is typically characterized by its thermal conductivity and thermal resistance, which are both measurements of how well heat travels through a medium. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been reported to possess very good thermal and mechanical properties. For example, the theoretical thermal conductivity of an individual single-walled CNT has been calculated to be 37,000 W m−K [1]. Experimental thermal conductivity values have been found in the range of 25 W m−K to 267 W m−K . These values are in uenced by parameters such as the alignment and quality of CNTs. Furthermore, CNTs have been found to have good compliancy and resiliency, which are also ideal traits for TIM applications. Not only do these characteristics make CNTs excellent candidates for TIMs, but they also make them promising for use in solder joint enhancement. This is due to the fact that a common drawback concerning solder joints in electronics packaging is coe cient of thermal expansion (CTE) mismatches, which frequently result in solder joint failure. Incorporating CNTs into a solder interface could potentially extend the life of the solder joint by making it stronger and more pliable.
The waves of enterprises bankruptcy and the factors that determine them: the case of Latvia and Lithuania

Bankruptcy of enterprises is macroeconomic issue and a phenomenon of a dynamic and competitive market economy. It results in a lot of negative effects not only for the enterprise and its employees but also for other enterprises and institutions, as well as the state and society. The aim of the article is to carry out the analysis of bankruptcy of Latvian and Lithuanian enterprises. No such study has been carried out so far. Article analyses the dynamics of Latvian and Lithuanian enterprise bankruptcy, which manifest themselves in larger waves in certain periods and the factors that influence them. From 1993 â€“ when the bankruptcy of enterprises was started to be officially registered â€“ to 1 January 2017, 21,503 Latvian enterprises and 20,933 Lithuanian enterprises went bankrupt. The largest wave of bankruptcy took place in the period of 2008-2010, when the financial crisis started in both countries. The comparative analysis of Latvian and Lithuanian enterprise bankruptcies was carried out according to the economic activity types and enterprises legal forms. In both countries mostly wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles enterprises (30% on average) go bankrupt, while construction enterprises (13% on average) are the runners-up. Initiators of enterprise bankruptcy are studied, numbers of Latvian and Lithuanian enterprises that went bankrupt are compared to the overall number of companies in the country. The data of this analysis are valuable when forecasting enterprise bankruptcy and preparing the measures to avoid it. The main research methods: analysis of scientific literature and statistical data, case analysis, methods of collection, grouping, comparison and generalization of information.
Managing Price Risk in the Corn Market Using Option Strategies

In today’s economy, the agricultural sector faces a high degree of risk due to increasing commodity price volatility. Therefore, it is important to know how to manage the price risk effectively. The main contribution of the paper is to introduce and analyse the ways of the managing price risk in the corn market using option strategies. The purpose of the paper is to analyse three hedging option strategies, i.e. Strap, Long Strangle and Short Put Ladder strategy with the aim to prove how it is possible to hedge against falling prices. There is examined analytical expressions of vanilla options for the creation of selected hedging strategies in the corn market with the presentation of their pros and cons. General expressions of the corn selling price intervals are derived from various hedged scenarios of all variants. Based on derived theoretical hedging variants, the contribution of the approach is considered for the application to the corn market, where the corn options on futures contracts are traded on the Chicago Board of Trade. Also, the evaluation of the sellers’ profitability is examined at the future trade date. Finally, a comparative analysis of the proposed hedging techniques with the various strike prices is displayed with the presentation of recommendations for potential corn sellers. The paper’s aim is to extend the previous research based on different hedging tools and it may be widened in the scientific and the commercial area.
New crustacean invaders in the Schelde estuary (Belgium)

This paper reports on the first records of three non-indigenous crustacean species in the Zeeschelde estuary (Bel- gium). All three species are native to the Western Pacific Ocean and are probably transported in ballast water or hull fouling. The isopod Synidotea laevidorsalis has been recorded earlier in Europe from two locations, in the south of France and in Spain. The present records constitute a range extension of more than 1000 kilometres to the north. The crab Hemigrapsus takanoi and the prawn Palaemon macrodactylus were found for the first time in the brackish reaches of the Schelde estuary. The finding of these species demonstrates the vulnerability of the estuarine system to the invasion of exotic species.
Technical and Business Undergraduates" Self-Efficacy in Entrepreneurship

 Abstract—This paper examined how technical and business undergraduates perceive their ability to cope, perform and be successful in entrepreneurship. Previous research findings suggest that entrepreneurial intentions and actions are affected by individuals' self-esteem or self-efficacy pertaining to the self-confidence and perceived competency in business affairs. Perceived competence often refers to knowledge, skills and behavior, which are considered as the antecedence of self-confidence. As such, business students may be assumed to have higher self-esteem in business affairs than non-business students. However, little is known whether or not this assumption is valid. To address this issue, a set of questionnaire were distributed to technical and business undergraduates at two higher learning institutions to gauge their level of self-efficacy in business affairs. The study aims to explain the relationships between the component of individuals' self-efficacy, background and the entrepreneurial intention of technical and business undergraduates. The findings revealed that individuals' self-efficacy correlated with their trainingbut not with their informal entrepreneurship exposure and entrepreneurship intentions. The results also indicate that business and non-business students differ in one of the attitude components of self-efficacy.
SIMULTANEOUS DETERMINATION OF ACETAMINOPHEN AND TRAMADOL BY SECOND DERIVATIVE SPECTROPHOTOMETRY

A rapid method for the simultaneous determination of acetaminophen (A) and tramadol (T) by second derivative spectrophotometric has been developed. From a solvent effect studies and the spectral behaviours of A and T, ethanol was selected as solvent. For a Δλ value of 210 nm a smoothing factor of 8,000 and scale factor of 1,000,000 were selected, because in these conditions the signal/noise ratio was favoured in order to avoid error. In these conditions also it is possible the simultaneous determination of A/T in a molar relation of 17/1 contained in pharmaceutical formulations. At 285.7 nm the second derivative value is T concentration dependent, corresponding to zero-crossing point of A. On the other hand, T does not absorb between 296.0 to 400.0 nm, thus 308.0 nm was selected for A determination by graphic method. The determination ranges for A and T were 8.1x10-7 - 5 1x10-5 mol/L and 3.4 x10-7 - 5.0 x10-5 mol/L, respectively and can be determined with good precision and accuracy, without previous separation. A study of interferents, was carried out by using the excipients Zafin® tablet. The recoveries were 97.4 ± 2.0% and 100.6 ± 1.7% for A and T, respectively. This tablet containing both drugs was assayed using the methods developed, showing a good accuracy and precision.
Structural optimization of printed structures by self-organized relaxation

Purpose This paper aims to present an additive manufacturing-based approach in which a new strategy for a thermally activated local melting and material flow, which results in densification of printed structures, is introduced. Design/methodology/approach For enabling this self-organized relaxation of printed objects by the viscous flow of material, two interconnected structures are printed simultaneously in one printing process, namely, Structure A actually representing the three dimensional object to be built and Structure B acting as a material reservoir for infiltrating Structure A. In an additional process step, subsequent to the printing job, an increase in the objects’ temperature results in the melting of the material reservoir B and infiltration of structure A. Findings A thermally activated local melting of the polymethylsilsesquioxane results in densification of the printed structures and the local formation of structures with minimum surface area. Originality/value The present work introduces an approach for the local relaxation of printed three-dimensional structures by the viscous flow of the printed material, without the loss of structural integrity of the structure itself. This approach is not restricted only to the materials used, but also offers a more general strategy for printing dense structures with a surface finish far beyond the volumetric resolution of the 3D printing process.
Low-Rank Representation-Based Object Tracking Using Multitask Feature Learning with Joint Sparsity

We address object tracking problem as a multitask feature learning process based on low-rank representation of features with joint sparsity. We first select features with low-rank representation within a number of initial frames to obtain subspace basis. Next, the features represented by the low-rank and sparse property are learned using a modified joint sparsity-based multitask feature learning framework. Both the features and sparse errors are then optimally updated using a novel incremental alternating direction method. The low-rank minimization problem for learning multitask features can be achieved by a few sequences of efficient closed form update process. Since the proposed method attempts to perform the feature learning problem in both multitask and low-rank manner, it can not only reduce the dimension but also improve the tracking performance without drift. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method outperforms existing state-of-the-art tracking methods for tracking objects in challenging image sequences.
Global mobility in nursing: Why Chinese students leave to study nursing in Australia

Objective: The world-wide demand for skilled Registered Nurses is high, and understanding the reasons why Chinese students leave home to study nursing in Australia is important for institutions, policy makers, and nursing administrators in both China and Australia. This paper explores the factors shaping the decision of six Chinese students to study nursing in Australia and their preference to eventually live and work either in China or Australia. Methods: A three-dimensional space narrative structure approach was used for this study. In-depth interviews and focus group discussions were conducted with six Chinese nursing students whom were studying nursing at universities in Western Australia. Results: Findings revealed that the most important factor that influenced Chinese students’ decision to study nursing in Australia was the possibility for permanent residency. Conclusions: Insights gained from the study are important for a myriad of factors including international nursing relocation, developments in networking and healthcare, and capitalising in education from a global perspective.
A proposed routing scheme for power reduction in wireless networks

Ad-hoc networks consist of a set of mobile nodes with a restricted power supply resources that can communicate with each other without any established infrastructure or centralized administration. The loss of some nodes may cause significant topological changes, undermine the network operation, and affect the lifetime of the network. This paper discusses the energy consumption problem and summaries the existing power saving techniques in ad-hoc wireless networks. The main objective of this paper is to introduce a new power aware multi-path node disjoint routing scheme based on the Dynamic Source Routing protocol (DSR), which can prolong MANET’s lifetime, reduce routing delay and increase the reliability of the packets reaching its destination. Therefore, a comprehensive study of DSR protocol has been drawn using NS-2 simulator, to evaluate the performance of DSR as a routing strategy and investigate its efficiency in saving wireless networks resources, as a prelude to avoid its performance shortcomings in our proposed routing scheme.
Comparison of Data Fusion Techniques for Human Knee Joint Range-of-Motion Measurement Using Inertial Sensors

This work uses Kalman and complementary filters to integrate data from inertial sensors (accelerometer and gyroscope) for the purpose of tracking human knee joint movement and then compares results from these filters. A combination of a tri-axial accelerometer and a tri-axial gyroscope (MPU-9150) was used as sensor. mbed NXP LPC1768 microcontroller and XBee wireless communication modules were also used. Both filters show high repeatability (<1.0°), indicating usability. Though the Kalman filter is the most appropriate (theoretically) for data fusion of noisy measurements, it is computationally intensive. Results in this work however show that the complementary filter (which is cheaper and much simpler to implement) works equally well for this application. 