Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A new fine-grained method for automated visual analysis of herbarium specimens: A case study for phenological data extraction

outstanding source of material with which to study plant phenological changes in response to climate change. The fine-scale phenological annotation of such specimens is nevertheless highly time consuming and requires substantial human investment and expertise, which are difficult to rapidly mobilize. METHODS : We trained and evaluated new deep learning models to automate the detection, segmentation, and classification of four reproductive structures of Streptanthus tortuosus (flower buds, flowers, immature fruits, and mature fruits). We used a training data set of 21 digitized herbarium sheets for which the position and outlines of 1036 reproductive structures were annotated manually. We adjusted the hyperparameters of a mask R-CNN (regional convolutional neural network) to this specific task and evaluated the resulting trained models for their ability to count reproductive structures and estimate their size. RESULTS : The main outcome of our study is that the performance of detection and segmentation can vary significantly with: (i) the type of annotations used for training, (ii) the type of reproductive structures, and (iii) the size of the reproductive structures. In the case of Streptanthus tortuosus , the method can provide quite accurate estimates (77.9% of cases) of the number of reproductive structures, which is better estimated for flowers than for immature fruits and buds. The size estimation results are also encouraging, showing a difference of only a few millimeters between the predicted and actual sizes of buds and flowers. DISCUSSION : This method has great potential for automating the analysis of reproductive structures in high-resolution images of herbarium sheets. Deeper investigations regarding the taxonomic scalability of this approach and its potential improvement will be conducted in future work.
"I have to read the signs like you reads a book": Examining Experiential Information through Non-fiction Accounts of Guided Trips into the Interior of Algonquin Provincial Park Ontario

Skill-based careers and remote rural settings are often overlooked in LIS research. Analyzing the content of two historical non-fiction accounts of extended canoe trips, this poster explores the information life world of old-time wilderness guides in Algonquin Provincial Park in Ontario, Canada. Analysis provides a glimpse into the unique ways they have of acquiring and sharing their particular brand of knowledge. Results suggest their life experience is rich with information behaviors and skills both similar to, and unique from, other contexts. They also support the advancement of information theory by further challenging the boundaries between formal and informal information systems and by conceptualizing information in terms of intangible, undocumented experiences.
NUTRITIONAL VALUE OF SORGHUM FOR POULTRY FEED IN WEST AFRICA

A total of 2,840 1-d-old broiler chicks and 450 1-d-old layer chicks were used in three experiments to determine the nutritional value of cornand sorghum-based diets in poultry reared in West Africa. In the broiler experiments, birds fed corn had greater average daily gain (P < 0.001) with similar carcass weight and yield for birds fed cornvs sorghum-based diets (P > 0.18). Particle size treatments did not affect growth performance or carcass characteristics (P > 0.20). In the layer experiment, birds fed sorghum had greater body weight at d 126 (P < 0.001), started laying earlier (P < 0.01), ate more feed (P < 0.01), and produced more eggs (P < 0.01) than birds fed the cornbased diet. However, there was no difference in average egg weight among birds fed corn vs sorghum (P > 0.85). In conclusion, sorghums produced in West Africa are a good alternative to corn when fed to broiler chicks and laying hens.
Computer and Network Security: Ontological and Multi-agent System for Intrusion Detection

: Today the security aspect is a backbone of every computer system, particularly when this system contains sensitive information. When we use our computers and connect to the network or use web services, we trust that our personal and sensitive information (images, passwords, credit card number …etc) are confidential and well secured by the used security system. Unfortunately, the hackers may succeed to gain access to the system and misuse our information. Generally, the aim of the intrusion is to find new ways to annoy, steal and harm parts of computer systems. Moreover, with the possibility of connecting several computers and networks, the necessity of protecting the whole data and machines from attackers (hackers) that try to get some confident information to use for their own benefit or just destroy or modify valuable information was born. At this point IDS appears to help users, companies or institutions to detect when they are getting compromised. In this paper, we develop an intrusion detection system using multi agent system, ontological techniques (IDSMAO) and misuse method.
Sea Salt Aerosol Production: Mechanisms, Methods, Measurements, and Models - A Critical Review

Sea salt aerosol (SSA) exerts a major influence over a broad reach of geophysics. It is important to the physics and chemistry of the marine atmosphere and to marine geochemistry and biogeochemistry generally. It affects visibility, remote sensing, atmospheric chemistry, and air quality. Sea salt aerosol particles interact with other atmospheric gaseous and aerosol constituents by acting as sinks for condensable gases and suppressing new particle formation, thus influencing the size distribution of these other aerosols and more broadly influencing the geochemical cycles of substances with which they interact. As the key aerosol constituent over much of Earth's surface at present, and all the more so in pre-industrial times, SSA is central to description of Earth's aerosol burden.
Mapping, modelling and discussing rural development options

|51 Chapter 4. Combining exploratory scenarios and participatory backcasting: using an agent-based model in participatory policy design for a multi-functional landscape |75 Chapter 5. Spatial quantification and valuation of cultural ecosystem services in an agricultural landscape |97 Chapter 6. General discussion and conclusions |119 References |138 Summary |156 Samenvatting |160 Acknowledgments |166
University of Birmingham Influencing Change

foot trimming, increased use of antibacterials to treat footrot, and treating sheep within a week of becoming lame. In 2014, participants were re-interviewed. They reported that an increased knowledge of the evidence-base, trust in the facilitator and talking to other trusted farmers who had already adopted the new “best practice” overcame concerns about the prototypical “good farmer” and motivated change. Persistent change occurred because participants observed health beneﬁts for their sheep and that the new “best practice” had saved time and money. Participants stated that other farmers would be convinced to change to the new “best practice” because it saved time and money, ironically, these were among the original barriers to change. This is possibly an example of cognitive dissonance because farmers had become positive about the beneﬁts of saving time and money following a change in their own behaviors.
the Descriptive and

Disclaimer This document contains a student thesis (bachelor's or master's), as authored by a student at Eindhoven University of Technology. Student theses are made available in the TU/e repository upon obtaining the required degree. The grade received is not published on the document as presented in the repository. The required complexity or quality of research of student theses may vary by program, and the required minimum study period may vary in duration.
Towards reducing the high cost of parameter sensitivity analysis in hydrologic modeling: a regional parameter sensitivity analysis approach

Abstract. Land surface models have many parameters that have a spatially variable impact on model outputs. In applying these models, sensitivity analysis (SA) is sometimes performed as an initial step to select calibration parameters. As these models are applied to large domains, performing sensitivity analysis across the domain is computationally prohibitive. Here, using a Variable Infiltration Capacity model (VIC) deployment to a large domain as an example, we show that watershed classification based on climatic attributes and vegetation land cover helps to identify the spatial pattern of parameter sensitivity within the domain at a reduced cost. We evaluate the sensitivity of 44 VIC model parameters with regard to streamflow, evapotranspiration and snow water equivalent over 25 basins with a median size of 5078 km2. Basins are clustered based on their climatic and land cover attributes. Performance in transferring parameter sensitivity between basins of the same cluster is evaluated by the F1 score. Results show that two donor basins per cluster are sufficient to correctly identify sensitive parameters in a target basin, with F1 scores ranging between 0.66 (evapotranspiration) and 1 (snow water equivalent). While climatic attributes are sufficient to identify sensitive parameters for streamflow and evapotranspiration, including the vegetation class significantly improves skill in identifying sensitive parameters for the snow water equivalent. This work reveals that there is opportunity to leverage climate and land cover attributes to greatly increase the efficiency of parameter sensitivity analysis and facilitate more rapid deployment of land surface models over large spatial domains.
EVALUACIÓN DE MÉTODOS NO PARAMÉTRICOS PARA LA ESTIMACIÓN DE RIQUEZA DE ESPECIES DE PLANTAS LEÑOSAS EN CAFETALES

Shade-grown coffee plantations are part of the regional landscape and may contribute to the diversity of woody plants. Tree species richness was evaluated in eight active and abandoned coffee plantations. We used non-parametric (ACE, ICE, Chao 1, Chao 2, Jackknife 1, Jackknife 2, Bootstrap) and asymptotic models (Clench, Linear) to compare observed or sampled richness with estimated richness. The precision of the estimators was evaluated as bias and accuracy through the comparison of estimated richness and true (or total) richness values. Observed richness was 55 tree species in active coffee plantations and 61 species in abandoned plantations. Most species showed a clumped distribution. In no case did species-accumulation curves reach an asymptote. ICE and Chao 2 displayed the best performance. Parametric models were the least precise and Jackknife 2 was the most precise. Non-parametric estimators have disadvantages, but they appear to be appropriate to estimate richness in managed systems such as coffee plantations.
Exploring pedestrian accessibility and walkability :insight from public place observations in inner-urban higher density Brisbane, Australia

As planners work to create more sustainable and liveable urban environments, a priority is to transition away from prioritising the automobile and towards enhancing the pedestrian experience. Thus, this research explores the experience of pedestrian accessibility in inner-urban higher-density Brisbane in Australia, drawing on findings from semi-structured in-depth interviews with 24 residents and over 100 hours of public place observations in three case-study neighbourhoods. The interviews took place in residents homes and explored their experience of higher density living and their neighbourhood, whilst observations were recorded through a combination of methods including photographs, sketch maps, recordings and field journals. Observation locations included retail and commercial space, roads, parkland and open space, with multiple observations at each location. A thematic analysis identified common themes in both interviews and the observations, with this paper focusing on residents’ lived experience in urban built environments. This analysis revealed that pedestrian accessibility is linked to access to local amenities and direct routes, aesthetics, sense of community, ownership of space and safety. In particular, observations revealed how pedestrian accessibility and route-taking works with, against or in spite of the design features of urban environments, as well as the importance of the social use of the built environment. Residents spoke about although walking quick and preferred for local amenities, the decision to walk was moderated by factors such as time of day and perceived safety. Measures to ensure and improve the pedestrian accessibility of urban areas needs to take into account the propensity for people to prefer and improvise direct routes (often to the detriment of traffic safety considerations), the importance of ongoing maintenance and upgrading of walking infrastructure and the importance of aesthetically pleasing and safe walking environments. By combining interviews and observations, this research highlights the current dominance of the automobile culture in Brisbane and the layers of meaning, experiences and complexity hidden within the pedestrian experience.
Assessment of air quality index in Annaba

In recent years, the world has been witnessing serious ecological imbalances due to the catastrophic situation and the damage caused to the environment. Human activities as waste disposal, cement units, smelting, chemical industries etc., are the main causes of pollution. Air pollution directly affects the human living standards, pollutants requires regular control in view of their direct impact on health, such as nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide, ozone, and particulate matter. Algeria adopts international standards to monitor the levels of pollution recorded in Algerian cities and compare them with global levels. Thus, the object of this study was the air quality index (AQI) in Annaba (Northeastern of Algeria). This study aimed to evaluate AQI in Annaba. In this context, quantitative estimates of polluted waste resulting from some industrial activities have been conducted in order to determine the degree of its danger and the extent of its contribution to the deterioration of the air quality. The monitoring of pollutants allowed to identify the benefits of comprehensive environmental assessment. The air quality index was determined using various pollutants parameters (dust, ozone, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide). A ten-point scale ranking of the overall air quality index of pollution accepted in Algeria allows making the differentiated assessment of negative impacts of existing industrial agglomerations on the environment. However, the analysis performed on samples DC1 and DC2 with SEM (TESCAN model VEGA II) and BSE detector (Backscattered Electrons) shows that the particles sizes are estimated to range from hundreds of microns to a few microns, a different morphology and irregular shape. Our results will enable policy makers to appropriate measures to be taken, and which are based mainly on sensitizing economic operators to environmental issues in order to adopt an environmentally friendly industrial system.
Algorithms to detect multiprotein modularity conserved during evolution

A multi-protein module is a collection of proteins exhibiting modularity in their interactions. Multi-protein modules may perform essential functions and be conserved by purifying selection. Detecting essential multi-protein modules that change infrequently during evolution is a challenging algorithmic task. A new linear-time algorithm named Produles offers significant algorithmic advantages over previous approaches. An algorithmic framework for evaluation is presented that facilitates evaluation of algorithms for detecting conserved modularity with respect to their algorithmic goals.
ANALISIS KEMAMPUAN BERPIKIR KRITIS SISWA KELAS VIII-D SMP NEGERI 1 GAMBUT

Abstrak: Kompetensi penting yang harus dimiliki setiap individu pada era globalisasi adalah berpikir kritis. Tuntutan berpikir kritis dalam dunia pendidikan tertuang dalam tujuan kurikulum 2013. Oleh karena itu, penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui kemampuan berpikir kritis siswa kelas VIII-D SMP Negeri 1 Gambut materi persamaan kuadrat. Subjek dalam penelitian ini adalah seluruh siswa kelas VIII-D SMP Negeri 1 Gambut. Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah kuantitatif. Jenis data yang dikumpulkan berupa data kuantitatif yaitu hasil tes kemampuan berpikir kritis siswa. Data dianalisis berdasarkan aspek kemampuan berpikir kritis yang telah ditetapkan oleh peneliti yang meliputi memberikan penjelasan dasar, membangun keterampilan dasar, menyimpulkan dan memberikan penjelasan lanjut. Hasil analisis data yaitu: (a) pada aspek memberikan penjelasan dasar, sebanyak 46% siswa dapat memberikan penjelasan dasar dengan baik; (b) aspek membangun keterampilan dasar, sebanyak 39% siswa dapat membangun keterampilan dasar dengan baik; (c) aspek menyimpulkan, sebanyak 14% siswa mampu menyimpulkan dengan baik; (d) aspek memberikan penjelasan lanjut, sebanyak 7% siswa dapat memberikan penjelasan lanjut. Dari hasil tersebut menunjukkan bahwa kemampuan berpikir kritis siswa masih rendah terutama pada indikator menyimpulkan dan memberikan penjelasan lanjut. Kata kunci: Berpikir Kritis, Kemampuan Berpikir Kritis, Persamaan Kuadrat
A Physics-Based Simulated Robotics Testbed for Planning and Acting Research

In this paper we introduce the mobipick labs environment, which represents an effort to bring the robotics and planning and acting research communities closer together by releasing a physics-based single robot simulator that closely resembles a real-life setup. This tool is designed for non-robotics experts, providing a user-friendly high-level Python API for easily interacting with a complex robotic system. The framework additionally includes a basic semantic and numeric environment representation that provides real-time knowledge in the form of “facts” that can be used to react to the execution status.
СЕРІЯ «Економіка »

The article is devoted to the study of information technologies as a factor in increasing the competitiveness of graduates of higher educational institutions in Ukraine in the conditions of war, using the example of the National Technical University of Ukraine “Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute”. The study contains an analysis of the Information and Communication Technologies Development Index at the global, regional, and national levels as a factor in sustainable development and increasing the
, not living”: Lived experiences of crime and gambling

Crime and Gambling Related Harms, this research explores the lived experiences of people who have experienced gambling harms and committed crime. • Gambling can cause harm to individuals in a number of ways, with negative consequences for the gambler and those around them. In addition to being a recognised mental health disorder, gambling addiction has many psychological, physical and social repercussions. Crime can be one of the resulting harms and can further exacerbate other gambling-related harms. • Pathways into gambling and crime were diverse, including normalisation from an early age, life transitions, and the range and accessibility of gambling facilities. Mental health issues played a complex role, and access to finances in the workplace, alongside high levels of debt, were precipitating factors. • Participants referred to a lack of awareness and appropriate signposting among professionals across the criminal justice system. This had a wide-ranging impact on the efficacy/suitability of the criminal justice process in relation to individual’s cases, and their experience of it. Participants explained that an improved understanding of gambling addiction and harm would have a positive impact on this. • Proceeds of Crime Act (2002; POCA) proceedings had a disproportionately negative impact on people affected by gambling harm and crime and their future prospects (both for the individual and their families). The use of POCA in gambling-related cases appears paradoxical to its purpose; people experiencing gambling addiction or harms are not benefiting from their crimes, which instead perpetuate the cycle of addiction and harm. • Gambling harms and crime had a significant and wide-ranging impact on people’s health and lives. There was evidence of long term impact on mental health (including suicidal ideation) for both the individual and their families. Physical health was also impacted, as were accommodation and finances, relationships, and employment. • In discussing access to treatment and support, participants highlighted a lack of awareness amongst GPs, and challenges in accessing suitable and relevant treatment and support. Family members also experienced challenges in accessing support. • The role of people with lived experience should be integral to both support and treatment offerings, as well as decision making in relation to policy and practice. • The research highlights a need for improved awareness of the complex nature and impact of gambling harms across society, identifying additional areas in which improvements could be made to safeguard people: improved safeguarding procedures in gambling facilities (online and face-to-face venues); transparent, timely and collaborative Gambling Commission investigations; a proactive approach from the banking industry; increased regulation of advertising and a review of messaging; and additional support in relation to employers and employees. Key points
Heavy-Traffic Delay Minimization in Bandwidth-Sharing Networks

Bandwidth-sharing networks as considered by Massoulie & Roberts provide a natural modeling framework for describing the dynamic flow-level interaction among elastic data transfers. Although valuable stability results have been obtained, crucial performance metrics such as flow-level delays and throughputs in these models have remained intractable in all but a few special cases. In particular, it is not well understood to what extent flow-level delays and throughputs achieved by standard bandwidth-sharing mechanisms such as alpha-fair strategies leave potential room for improvement. In order to gain a better understanding of the latter issue, we set out to determine the scheduling policies that minimize the mean delay in some simple linear bandwidth-sharing networks. While admittedly simple, linear networks provide a useful model for flows that traverse several links and experience bandwidth contention from independent cross-traffic. Even for linear topologies it is rarely possible however to explicitly identify optimal policies except in a few limited cases with exponentially distributed flow sizes. Rather than aiming for strictly optimal policies, we therefore focus on a class of relatively simple priority-type strategies that only separate large flows from small ones. To benchmark the performance of these strategies, we compare them with proportional fair as the prototypical alpha-fair policy, and establish that the mean delay may be reduced by an arbitrarily large factor when the load is sufficiently high. In addition, we show the above strategies to be asymptotically optimal for flow size distributions with bounded support. Numerical experiments reveal that even at fairly moderate load values the performance gains can be significant.