Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Landscape Frontiers, Geography Frontiers: Lessons to Be Learned

Abstract Advancing ecotones, such as treelines and frontiers of human settlement, may share some characteristic dynamics because both include feedbacks between spatial pattern and process. Both might be examined as complex, self-organizing systems in terms of complexity theory and thus be usefully compared. A cellular automaton of advancing alpine treeline in Montana shows attractors in power-law frequency distributions of spatial and temporal pattern. Frontiers of study areas in the Amazonian region of Ecuador, analyzed using change detection of Landsat Thematic Mapper imagery, have power-law distributions of advancing deforestation. Alternative approaches in self-organized complexity, including self-organized percolation, and the inverse cascade model, and an approach to complexity involving optimization, highly optimized tolerance, are considered. Some combination of these, based on their common ancestry in percolation theory (with its ties to geocomputation), might provide insights into population-environment interactions at settlement frontiers and ecotones together, given comparisons drawn between the spatial feedbacks at alpine treeline and in Ecuador. GIScience and landscape ecology can develop synergies by building on this area of geocomputation and complexity theory, as in analysis of attractors in state spaces of spatial metrics from spatially explicit simulations and representing their uncertainty.
Tapping into Digital Technologies in Corporate Entrepreneurship: an Exploratory Multiple Case Study

Digital technologies can enable entrepreneurial processes and outcomes. However, current implications for scholars and practitioners on how to exploit the emerging digital technologies for entrepreneurship in the corporate context, i.e., corporate entrepreneurship, remain unclear. This issue is even more relevant today where the growing pervasiveness of digital technologies finds increasing applicability in corporate entrepreneurship activities. This present study contributes to the academic debate on corporate entrepreneurship in the digital era by offering an exploratory multiple case study – based on semi-structured interviews – that involved four incumbent organizations to deepen the knowledge of the role played by digital technologies in corporate entrepreneurship. We provide empirical evidence on how incumbents can exploit the enabling role of digital technologies to foster corporate entrepreneurship activities. Specifically, we document three enabling mechanisms of digital technologies in corporate entrepreneurship: (i) increasing the number and heterogeneity of inputs for corporate entrepreneurship activities; (ii) increasing the visibility of actors and resources involved in corporate entrepreneurship activities; (iii) accelerating innovation adoption rate in incumbent organizations. The outcome of this study is a framework that discusses the managerial actions required to support incumbents in making corporate entrepreneurship more prolific through digital technologies. In doing so, this study contributes to research on corporate entrepreneurship in the digital era. Results are of interest also to managers and practitioners, providing them practical insights to exploit the enabling role of digital technologies for corporate entrepreneurship activities.
The timing of eclogite facies metamorphism and migmatization in the Orlica–Śnieżnik complex, Bohemian Massif: constraints from a multimethod geochronological study

The Orlica–Śnieżnik complex (OSC) is a key geological element of the eastern Variscides and mainly consists of amphibolite facies orthogneisses and metasedimentary rocks. Sporadic occurrences of eclogites and granulites record high‐pressure (HP) to ultrahigh‐pressure (UHP) metamorphic conditions. A multimethod geochronological approach (40Ar–39Ar, Rb–Sr, Sm–Nd, U–Pb) has been used to gain further insights into the polymetamorphic evolution of eclogites and associated country rocks. Special attention was given to the unresolved significance of a 370‐ to 360 Ma age group that was repeatedly described in previous studies. Efforts to verify the accuracy of c. 370 Ma K–Ar phengite and biotite dates reported for an eclogite and associated country‐rock gneiss from the location Nowa Wieś suggest that these dates are meaningless, due to contamination with extraneous Ar. Extraneous Ar is also considered to be responsible for a significantly older 40Ar–39Ar phengite date of c. 455 Ma for an eclogite from the location Wojtowka. Attempts to further substantiate the importance of 370–360 Ma zircon dates as an indicator for a melt‐forming high‐temperature (HT) episode did not provide evidence in support of anatectic processes at this time. Instead, SHRIMP U–Pb zircon dating of leucosomes and leucocratic veins within both orthogneisses and (U)HP granulites revealed two age populations (490–450 and 345–330 Ma respectively) that correspond to protolith ages of the magmatic precursors and late Variscan anatexis. The results of this study further underline the importance of Late Carboniferous metamorphic processes for the evolution of the OSC that comprise the waning stages of HP metamorphism and lower pressure HT overprinting with partial melting. Eclogites and their country rocks provided no chronometric evidence for an UHP and ultrahigh‐temperature episode at 387–360 Ma, as recently suggested for granulites from the OSC, based on Lu–Hf garnet ages ( Anczkiewicz et al., 2007 ).
Design and Implementation of the International Genetics and Translational Research in Transplantation Network

Background. Genetic association studies of transplantation outcomes have been hampered by small samples and highly complex multifactorial phenotypes, hindering investigations of the genetic architecture of a range of comorbidities which significantly impact graft and recipient life expectancy. We describe here the rationale and design of the International Genetics & Translational Research in Transplantation Network. The network comprises 22 studies to date, including 16 494 transplant recipients and 11669 donors, of whom more than 5000 are of non-European ancestry, all of whom have existing genomewide genotype data sets. Methods. We describe the rich genetic and phenotypic information available in this consortium comprising heart, kidney, liver, and lung transplant cohorts. Results. We demonstrate significant power in International Genetics & Translational Research in Transplantation Network to detect main effect association signals across regions such as the MHC region as well as genomewide for transplant outcomes that span all solid organs, such as graft survival, acute rejection, new onset of diabetes after transplantation, and for delayed graft function in kidney only. Conclusions. This consortium is designed and statistically powered to deliver pioneering insights into the genetic architecture of transplant-related outcomes across a range of different solid-organ transplant studies. The study design allows a spectrum of analyses to be performed including recipient-only analyses, donor-recipient HLA mismatches with focus on loss-of-function variants and nonsynonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms. ( Transplantation 2015;99: 2401
Cloud cover in Landsat observations of the Brazilian Amazon

High spatial resolution Landsat imagery is employed in efforts to understand the impact of human activities on ecological, biogeochemical and atmospheric processes in the Amazon basin. The utility of Landsat multi-spectral data depends both on the degree to which surface properties can be estimated from the radiometric measurements and on the ability to observe the surface through the atmosphere. Clouds are a major obstacle to optical remote sensing of humid tropical regions, therefore cloud cover probability analysis is a fundamental prerequisite to land-cover change and Earth system process studies in these regions. This paper reports the results of a spatially explicit analysis of cloud cover in the Landsat archive of Brazilian Amazonia from 1984 to 1997. Monthly observations of any part of the basin are highly improbable using Landsat-like optical imagers. Annual observations are possible for most of the basin, but are improbable in northern parts of the region. These results quantify the limitations imposed by cloud cover to current Amazon land-cover change assessments using Landsat data. They emphasize the need for improved radar and alternative optical data fusion techniques to provide time-series analyses of biogeophysical properties for regional modelling efforts.
Digitizing fluid balance monitoring may offer a solution for optimizing patient care

BACKGROUND: Precise fluid balance monitoring is essential for patient treatment, as incorrect fluid balance can lead to disorders. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the accuracy of the digital technology LICENSE (LIquid balanCE moNitoring SystEm) for fluid balance charting and compare it to the standard method (SM) to determine its usability in clinical practice. METHODS: This prospective study included 20 patients. The results from LICENSE were compared to those from SM and a reference measurement (manual weight of fluids, RM). Three LICENSE devices were used for urine output, intravenous fluids, and oral fluid intake. The accuracy of methods was evaluated using Bland Altman plots. RESULTS: The mean difference between LICENSE and RM was less than 2 millilitres (p= 0.031 and p= 0.047), whereas the mean difference between SM and RM was 6.6 ml and 10.8 ml (p< 0.0001). The range between the upper and lower limits of agreement was between 16.4 and 27.8 ml for LICENSE measurements and 25.2 and 52 ml for SM. CONCLUSION: LICENSE is comparable to or more accurate than the standard method for fluid balance monitoring. The use of LICENSE may improve the accuracy of fluid balance measurements. Further research is needed to evaluate its feasibility in daily clinical practice.
The Role of Different Methods in Defining Cardiometabolic Risk and Metabolic Syndrome in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most frequent endocrine illnesses, often accompanied by visceral adiposity and metabolic syndrome (MetS). Visceral adiposity is an accurate predictor of MetS and cardiometabolic risk. This study aims to evaluate different anthropometric indices that can be used in PCOS and MetS risk assessment. A total of 66 women with PCOS (50%) and 66 controls (50%) were included, and clinical and biochemical parameters were evaluated. The body mass index (BMI), body shape index (ABSI), body roundness index (BRI), dysfunctional adiposity index (DAI), lipid accumulation (LAP) index, and visceral adiposity index (VAI) were calculated. The means of all indices were higher in the PCOS group (p < 0.05). The marker with the lowest discriminatory ability for PCOS and MetS was ABSI (AUC = 0.762 and AUC = 0.714, respectively, p = 0.000). According to the multivariate logistic regression model, the VAI and WC are strong predictors of PCOS (AUC, 98%; accuracy, 92%; sensitivity, 92%; and specificity, 91%), and WC, LAP index, and BRI are strong predictors of MetS (AUC, 0.95%; accuracy, 86%; sensitivity, 83%; and specificity, 88%). The use of different anthropometric indices in the detection of PCOS and MetS may allow for early diagnosis and treatment, and are simple and cost-effective.
Privacy-Preserving Mutual Authentication Protocol With Forward Secrecy for IoT–Edge–Cloud

The three-tier IoT–Edge–Cloud paradigm enables low-end devices to use the computation capabilities of the more powerful edge nodes to meet efficiency constraints for real-time applications. Many symmetric-key-based schemes rely on an online trusted cloud admin (CA) to establish session keys between IoT devices and edge nodes. In this study, we propose a new provably-secure mutual authentication privacy-preserving protocol with forward secrecy (MAPFS), which eliminates the requirement for an online CA during IoT authentication. To achieve anonymity, our construction utilizes zero-knowledge proofs and randomizes the IoT authentication request. The security of our construction is based on the well-studied discrete logarithm and decisional Diffie–Hellman assumptions in elliptic curve groups. We formally prove that MAPFS ensures mutual authentication and semantic security for session keys. We also evaluate MAPFS performance in terms of the communication overhead, storage requirements, and computation complexity. Finally, we test the performance of MAPFS on a Raspberry Pi 4 and compare it against other certificate-less protocols.
UMT-Net: A Uniform Multi-Task Network With Adaptive Task Weighting

This article introduces a versatile multi-task learning framework (UMT-Net) and an adaptive task weighting (ATW) training method, specifically designed for resource-constrained scenarios that demand parameter-efficient networks. The adaptable UMT-Net architecture includes a global-shared backbone based on an encoder, task-specific self-attention modules, inter-task joint-attention fusion modules, and feature-aggregating decoders. The ATW technique accounts for both short-term variation and long-term statistics of task losses, leading to a more stable training process. Extensive experiments on CityScapes and NYUv2 datasets reveal that UMT-Net outperforms baseline methods while requiring fewer computations, model parameters, and inference latency. In addition, we also conducted experiments on the autonomous driving dataset BDD100 K and achieved state-of-the-art performance. Furthermore, we deployed the model and carried out tests for generalization in real-world scenarios. Finally, our network architecture possesses the capability to be designed as a compact model with much fewer parameters, computational requirements, and inference time, while maintaining competitive performance, making it suitable for deployment on mobile devices.
Caracterização de fungos do género Stemphylium associados a pomóideas em Portugal

III Extended abstract IV Indice VI Indice de quadros VIII Indice de figuras IX Lista de abreviaturas e acronimos XI 1 Introducao 1 2 A estenfiliose da pereira e os generos Stemphylium e Pleospora – Revisao bibliografica . 4 2.1 A estenfiliose da pereira 4 2.1.1 Sintomas 5 2.1.2 Patogenio 6 2.1. 3 Interaccao parasita-hospedeiro 7 2.2 Os Generos Stemphylium e Pleospora 8 2.2.1 O genero Stemphylium Walbroth 8 2.2.1.1 Stemphylium botryosum Wallroth 10 2.2.1.2 Stemphylium vesicarium (Wallroth) Simmons 11 2.2.2 Genero Pleospora Rabenh. ex. Ces. & de Not 12 2.2.2.1 Pleospora tarda Simmons 12 2.2.2.2 Pleospora allii (Rab.) Ces. & de Not. 13 2.2. 3 Principais parâmetros distintivos entre S. vesicarium e S. botryosum 13 2.2. 4 Abordagem polifasica no estudo dos fungos do genero Stemphylium 15 3 Estudos de uma coleccao de isolados de Stemphylium spp. com origem em pomoideas . 18 3.1 Material vegetal 18 3.2 Obtencao de uma coleccao de isolados de Stemphylium spp. 18 3.2.1 Desinfeccao do tecido vegetal e inducao a esporulacao 18 3.2.2 Isolamento atraves da tecnica de esporo unico 19
Development of a Method for Partially Uninvaded Coring in High-Permeability Sandstone

A newly designed polycrystalline-diamond-compact (PDC) core bit muds with bridging solids are shown to provide 4-in. diameter cores with a 2.5-in. uninvaded center. High-permeability cored at rates exceeding 90 ft/hr in laboratory and field tests. The mechanisms controlling filtrate invasion are quantified.
Using the landform tool to calculate landforms for hydrogeomorphic wetland classification at a country-wide scale

Hydrogeomorphic approaches to wetland classification use landform classes to distinguish wetland functionality at a regional scale. Space-borne radar technology enabled faster regional surveying of surface elevations to digital elevation models, which allowed for automated terrain attribute and landform classification using geographical information systems. Country-wide mapping of landforms remain a challenge though, because of the diversity of landscapes and non-exclusive attributes of each landform class. This article presents the approach, method and steps taken to calculate a country-wide data-set of landforms for wetland-type classification in South Africa, using a freely available Landform Tool. The Landform Tool primarily uses standard deviation from the average elevation, calculated for both small and large neighbourhood distances. The results were compared with 2820 random points, classified manually using Google Earth imagery and topographical maps, and showed a 43% accuracy within 50 m of the manually identified landform class. The Landform Tool tended to overestimate benches and valley floors, and underestimate the extent of the slope class, regardless of changes made in the neighbourhood settings or standard deviation settings. Though the data-set was acceptable as a general reference framework at national scale, improvements will be essential for fine-scale wetland delineation and classification.
Extratropical low-frequency variability in a three-level quasi-geostrophic atmospheric model with different spectral resolution

Apart from variations of external forcing components and interactions between climate subsystems, natural atmospheric fluctuations with periods of years, decades and centuries can also be generated by inherent atmospheric dynamical instabilities of the flow. The objective of this study is to investigate the spatial and temporal structure of internal low-frequency atmospheric variability of the northern hemisphere using a minimum-complexity model of the extratropical circulation. Here, the main focus is the influence of varying spectral horizontal resolution on the formation of dominant patterns of variability. For this purpose, a three-level quasi-geostrophic atmospheric model with idealized thermal and orographic forcing has been integrated over 1, 000 years under perpetual winter conditions with T5, T10, T15, and T21 resolutions. It has been shown that for the crude resolution T5 a rather strong bias occurs, whereas starting with T10 resolution the nonlinear feedback between large and small scale features is reasonably well described. At this resolution a sort of plateau in the model performance has been reached, both in respect to the model climatology and to the spatio-temporal structure of variability. Ultra-low-frequency variability is most pronounced in the model's stratosphere and is associated with changes in the polar vortex strength and shape caused by vertically propagating planetary waves. Rossby wave trains in the lee of the model large-scale orography are the most dominant structures of long-period fluctuations in the middle troposphere. The results show that interannual and decadal scale variations can, to a substantial part, be considered as a manifestation of the natural variability of the extratropical atmosphere. The inclusion of a seasonal cycle of the model's diabatic heating increases the interannual and interdecadal variability.
Simulations of Historical and Future Trends in Snowfall and Groundwater Recharge for Basins Draining to Long Island Sound

AbstractA regional watershed model was developed for watersheds contributing to Long Island Sound, including the Connecticut River basin. The study region covers approximately 40 900 km2, extending from a moderate coastal climate zone in the south to a mountainous northern New England climate zone dominated by snowmelt in the north. The input data indicate that precipitation and temperature have been increasing for the last 46 years (1961–2006) across the region. Minimum temperature has increased more than maximum temperature over the same period (1961–2006). The model simulation indicates that there was an upward trend in groundwater recharge across most of the modeled region. However, trends in increasing precipitation and groundwater recharge are not significant at the 0.05 level if the drought of 1961–67 is removed from the time series. The trend in simulated snowfall is not significant across much of the region, although there is a significant downward trend in southeast Connecticut and in central Ma.
Cold ice in the ablation zone: Its relation to glacier hydrology and ice water content

Cold ice within a polythermal ice body controls its flow dynamics through the temperature dependence of viscosity, and affects glacier hydrology by blocking water flow paths. Lakes on the surface, linked by persistent, deeply incised meltwater streams, are hallmark features of cold ice in the ablation zone of a glacier or ice sheet. Ice radar is a convenient method to map scattering from internal water bodies present in ice at the pressure melting temperature (PMT). Consequently, lack of internal scatters is indicative of cold ice. We use a helicopter‐borne 30 MHz ice radar to delineate the extent of cold ice within Grenzgletscher (Zermatt, Swiss Alps). The inferred thermal structure is validated with temperature measurements in 15 deep boreholes, showing excellent agreement. The cold ice occupies 80–90 % of the total ice thickness in a 400 m wide flow band along the central flow line. Quantitative interpretation of ice radar scattering power indicates a decrease of ice water content between PMT and 0.5 K below PMT, as predicted by theory, and observed in the laboratory. The cold ice which emerges at the surface in the lower ablation zone is impermeable to water, and is thus devoid of moulins if not crevassed. The surface water from melt and rain is routed through deeply incised, persistent streams and lakes, and cryoconite holes are frequent, in stark contrast to the adjacent temperate ice from other tributaries. The cold ice thus has a strong control on glacier hydrology, but is likely to change due to continued warming.
Integration and the Structure of Public Spending

The voluminous tax competition literature suggests that increased economic integration leads to reduced tax rates and suboptimal levels of government spending as countries compete for mobile factors of production. Integration may influence not only the size of the government but also the structure of public spending. Comprehensive studies analyzing the effect of integration on the overall structure of government spending are rare, however. This article fills this void by providing an empirical analysis of the effects of economic integration on the overall structure of public spending in a number of Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries using panel data on the different government spending components for the period 1970 to 2002. The authors find that integration negatively influences government consumption and investment but that there is no empirical evidence that transfers are positively or negatively affected by integration, as suggested by the compensation and efficiency views, respectively.
Urban Ecosystems: Understanding the Human Environment

Preface 1. An Introduction to Urban Ecology and Urban Ecosystems 2. Urban Form, Structure and Dynamics 3. The Urban Ecosystem: An Overview 4. Ecosystems within Urban Regions - Green Space 5. Ecosystems within Urban Regions - The Built Environment 6. Urban Species 7. Nature Conservation in Urban Regions 8. Incorporating Ecology in Urban Planning and Design 9. The Future of Urban Ecosystems References Index