Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Semi-supervised logistic discrimination for functional data

Multi-class classification methods based on both labeled and unlabeled functional data sets are discussed. We present a semi-supervised logistic model for classification in the context of functional data analysis. Unknown parameters in our proposed model are estimated by regularization with the help of EM algorithm. A crucial point in the modeling procedure is the choice of a regularization parameter involved in the semi-supervised functional logistic model. In order to select the adjusted parameter, we introduce model selection criteria from information-theoretic and Bayesian viewpoints. Monte Carlo simulations and a real data analysis are given to examine the effectiveness of our proposed modeling strategy.
Tissue Stress from Laparoscopic Grasper Use and Bowel Injury in Humans: Establishing Intraoperative Force Boundaries

Background: Inappropriate force in laparoscopic surgery can lead to inadvertent tissue injury. It is currently unknown however at what magnitude of compressive stress trauma occurs in gastrointestinal tissues. Methods: This study included 10 small bowel and 10 colon samples. Each was compressed with pressures ranging from 100 kPa to 600 kPa by a novel device to induce compressive “grasps” to simulate those of a laparoscopic grasper. Experimentation was performed ex-vivo , in-vitro . Grasp conditions of 0 to 600 kPa for a duration of 10 seconds were utilized. Two pathologists who were blinded to all study conditions, performed a histological analysis of the tissues. Patients were eligible if their surgery procured healthy tissue margins for experimentation (a convenience sample). 26 patient samples were procured; six samples were unusable. 10 colon and 10 small bowel samples were tested for a total of 120 experimental cases. No patients withdrew their consent. Two metrics of damage were quantified: an intestinal layer thickness calculation where the serosa layer was measured in the area of compression and compared to a local control and a histological scoring scale for tissue trauma. Results: Small bowel (10), M:F was 7:3, average age was 54.3 years. Colon (10), M:F was 1:1, average age was 65.2 years. All 20 patients experienced a significant difference (p<0.05) in serosal thickness post-compression at both 500 and 600 kPa for both tissue types. A logistic regression analysis with a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 84.6% on a test set of data predicts a safety threshold of 329-330 kPa. Conclusion: A threshold was discovered that corresponded to both significant serosal thickness change and a positive histological trauma score rating. This “force limit” could be used in novel sensorized laparoscopic tools to avoid intraoperative tissue injury.
and seasonal temperature extremes

30 To predict the potential impacts of climate change on marine organisms, it is critical to understand 31 how multiple stressors constrain the physiology and distribution of species. We evaluated the effects 32 of seasonal changes in seawater temperature and near-future ocean acidification (OA) on organismal 33 and sub-organismal traits associated with the thermal performance of Eleginops maclovinus , a sub-34 Antarctic notothenioid species with economic importance to sport and artisanal fisheries in southern 35 South America. Juveniles were exposed to mean winter and summer sea surface temperatures (4 and 36 10 ºC) at present-day and near-future p CO 2 levels (~500 and 1800 μatm). After a month, the Critical 37 Thermal maximum and minimum (CTmax, CTmin) of fish were measured using the Critical Thermal 38 Methodology and the aerobic scope of fish was measured based on the difference between their 39 maximal and standard rates determined from intermittent flow respirometry. Lipid peroxidation and 40 the antioxidant capacity were also quantified to estimate the oxidative damage potentially caused to 41 gill and liver tissue. Although CTmax and CTmin were higher in individuals acclimated to summer 42 versus winter temperatures, the increase in CTmax was minimal in juveniles exposed to the near-future 43 compared to present-day p CO 2 levels (there was a significant interaction between temperature and 44 p CO 2 on CTmax). The reduction in the thermal tolerance range under summer temperatures and near-45 future OA conditions was associated with a reduction in the aerobic scope observed at the elevated 46 p CO 2 level. Moreover, an oxidative stress condition was detected in the gill and liver tissues. Thus, 47 chronic exposure to OA and the current summer temperatures pose limits to the thermal performance 48 of juvenile E. maclovinus at the organismal and sub-organismal levels, making this species vulnerable 49 to projected climate-driven warming. 50 51
New models and methods for matting and compositing

Matting and compositing are fundamental operations in graphics and visual effects. Despite having enjoyed wide usage for many years, traditional matting and compositing have limitations. Traditional matting methods either require special setups or cannot handle objects with complex silhouettes. Furthermore, the traditional compositing model is effective in modeling color blending effects but not reflection, refraction, and shadows. In this dissertation, we address these limitations and present a set of new compositing models and matting methods. To pull mattes of complex silhouettes from natural images, we introduce a principled statistical approach called Bayesian image matting. We also extend this algorithm to handle video sequences with the help of optical flow computation and background estimation. On the compositing side, previous work on environment matting has been shown to handle refraction and reflection, but the resulting mattes are not very accurate. We propose a more accurate environment matting model and method that requires using more images. For shadows, we develop a physically-motivated shadow compositing equation. Based on this equation, we introduce a shadow matting method for extracting shadow mattes from videos with natural backgrounds, and we demonstrate a novel process for acquiring the photometric and geometric properties of the background to enable creation of realistic shadow composites. Finally, we present a novel application of Bayesian image matting for animating still pictures.
How to make corrections to your proofs using Adobe Acrobat

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Switchable Josephson junction based on interfacial exchange field

We demonstrate exchange field switchable Josephson junctions where the Josephson tunneling between two superconducting layers (Nb and NbN) could be controlled by the relative magnetic alignment of two GdN ferromagnetic insulator layers sandwiching the Nb layer. The junction's working principle is based on the control of the superconducting state of one of the layers by means of the interfacial exchange field of the magnetic GdN layers. At zero field and low temperatures, the ground state of the junctions corresponds to an antiferromagnetic configuration of the two GdN layers that coexist with the superconducting state of the Nb layer. By applying an external field, the GdN layers are switched to a parallel configuration, thereby suppressing the superconductivity in Nb and hence the Josephson current via interfacial exchange. This switchable Josephson junction may be useful for integrated superconducting spintronics and quantum circuits.We demonstrate exchange field switchable Josephson junctions where the Josephson tunneling between two superconducting layers (Nb and NbN) could be controlled by the relative magnetic alignment of two GdN ferromagnetic insulator layers sandwiching the Nb layer. The junction's working principle is based on the control of the superconducting state of one of the layers by means of the interfacial exchange field of the magnetic GdN layers. At zero field and low temperatures, the ground state of the junctions corresponds to an antiferromagnetic configuration of the two GdN layers that coexist with the superconducting state of the Nb layer. By applying an external field, the GdN layers are switched to a parallel configuration, thereby suppressing the superconductivity in Nb and hence the Josephson current via interfacial exchange. This switchable Josephson junction may be useful for integrated superconducting spintronics and quantum circuits.
Oil and the macroeconomy: A quantitative structural analysis∗

We model an economy where the cost of the oil input, industrial production, and other macroeconomic variables fluctuate in response to fundamental oil supply shocks, as well as aggregate demand and supply shocks generated domestically and in the world economy. We estimate the effects of these structural shocks on US monthly data over 1973.1-2007.12, using robust sign restrictions suggested by the model. It is shown that the interplay between the oil market and the US economy goes in both ways. First, US output falls below the baseline for a prolonged period of time after a negative oil supply shock. However, oil-supply shocks explain a relatively modest part of overall output fluctuations (about 10%). Second, most variations of (real) oil prices occur in response to shocks originated in the global economy and in the US. In particular, supply shocks in the rest of the world and in the US explain more than half of the variance of oil price fluctuations. Finally, the correlation between oil prices and the US business cycle depends on the nature of the fundamental shock: a negative correlation emerges in periods when oil-supply shocks or global demand shocks occur, while a positive correlation emerges in periods of supply shocks in the global economy or the US. The unconditional correlation between oil prices and US production over a long sample period is tenuous because it blends conditional correlations with different signs. Gerzensee. The views in this paper should not be attributed to the institutions with which we are affiliated. All remaining errors are ours.
Stocking, growth, and yield of birch stands

Intensive forest management depends heavily upon our ability to measure, control, and predict the growth, yield, or general development of timber stands, regardless of whether the management goal is for timber, aesthetics, recreation, water, or wildlife. A large amount of mensurational data about birch stands has been developed in recent years or synthesized from available information (Marquis et al. 1969, Leak et al. 1969). This information, which is summarized in this paper, covers site estimation, stocking, short-term growth, and yield. The information about paper birch applies to even-aged stands-in some cases to essentially pure stands that contain 50 percent or more paper birch. The data on yellow birch cover both even-aged and uneven-aged mixed northern hardwood stands with at least 5 percent yellow birch.
Quantification of liver iron with MRI: State of the art and remaining challenges

Liver iron overload is the histological hallmark of hereditary hemochromatosis and transfusional hemosiderosis, and can also occur in chronic hepatopathies. Iron overload can result in liver damage, with the eventual development of cirrhosis, liver failure, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Assessment of liver iron levels is necessary for detection and quantitative staging of iron overload and monitoring of iron‐reducing treatments. This article discusses the need for noninvasive assessment of liver iron and reviews qualitative and quantitative methods with a particular emphasis on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Specific MRI methods for liver iron quantification include signal intensity ratio as well as R2 and R2* relaxometry techniques. Methods that are in clinical use, as well as their limitations, are described. Remaining challenges, unsolved problems, and emerging techniques to provide improved characterization of liver iron deposition are discussed. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2014;40:1003–1021. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Malthus in the Bedroom : Birth Spacing as a Preventive Check Mechanism in Pre-Modern England *

The role of demography in long-run economic growth has been subject to increasing attention. This paper questions the received wisdom that marital birth control was absent before the nineteenth century. Using an extensive individual-level dataset covering 270,000 births from 80,000 families we show that higher national and sector-specific real wages reduced spacing between births in England over more than three centuries, from 1540-1850. This effect is present among both poor and rich families and is robust to a wide range of control variables accounting for external factors influencing a couple’s fertility such as malnutrition, climate shocks and the disease environment.
OF Secondary Level Achievement Non-Intellective Factors Implicated in the Process and Product of Performance

: The study was developed in the context of Personality and Social Cognitive Theory with constructs that encapsulate non-intellective processes of academic achievement. The goal was to explore the role of the Five Factor Model (FFM) of personality in academic performance and to use this model as a reference point to test the incremental validity of two measures of Self-efficacy (Academic and Emotional) and an indicator of Absenteeism. Participants (N = 120) were comprised of 17-year-old male (n = 47) and female (n = 73) opportunistically sampled secondary level college students. A cross-sectional design was used to examine the relationship between the independent variables (FFM, Academic Self-efficacy, Emotional Self-efficacy, and Absenteeism) and the outcome variable, Grade Points Average (GPA). Correlation analysis found that four FFM factors and the two Self-efficacy measures were associated with GPA. In a hierarchical regression analysis, the FFM explained 22% variance on performance and the two Self-efficacy measures added 9% incremental variance followed by 3% for Absenteeism. Overall, the non-intellective constructs explain a substantial 34% variance on achievement and provide focal points for theoretical, empirical, and pedagogical evaluation. Moreover, they are suggestive of the pathways and processes that support learning, augment ability, and enhance achievement.
A remote sensing and GIS-based model of habitats and biodiversity in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem

We used remotely sensed data and geographical information systems (GIS) to categorize habitats, then determined the relationship between remotely sensed habitat categorizations and species distribution patterns. Three forest types and six meadow types in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, USA, were classified using Landsat TM data. All plant species with 5% cover or greater, 31% of the butterfly species, and 20% of the bird species exhibited significant differences in distribution among meadow types. Sites of highest species richness coincided for plants, birds, and butterflies and were found in mesic meadows.
Advanced full-waveform lidar data echo detection: Assessing quality of derived terrain and tree height models in an alpine coniferous forest

Small footprint full-waveform airborne lidar systems offer large opportunities for improved forest characterization. To take advantage of full-waveform information, this paper presents a new processing method based on the decomposition of waveforms into a sum of parametric functions. The method consists of an enhanced peak detection algorithm combined with advanced echo modelling including Gaussian and generalized Gaussian models. The study focuses on the qualification of the extracted geometric information. Resulting 3D point clouds were compared to the point cloud provided by the operator. 40 to 60% additional points were detected mainly in the lower part of the canopy and in the low vegetation. Their contribution to Digital Terrain Models (DTMs) and Canopy Height Models (CHMs) was then analysed. The quality of DTMs and CHM-based heights was assessed using field measurements on black pine plots under various topographic and stand characteristics. Results showed only slight improvements, up to 5 cm bias and standard deviation reduction. However both tree crowns and undergrowth were more densely sampled thanks to the detection of weak and overlapping echoes, opening up opportunities to study the detailed structure of forest stands.
Performance Evaluation of Classification Techniques for Computer Vision based Cashew Grading System

The performance of various classification algorithms greatly depends on the characteristics of the data to be classified. There is no single classifier that works best on all given problems. The purpose of this study is to develop the computer vision based cashew grading system in conjunction with most accurate classification technique. The performance of different classification techniques including Multi-Layer Perceptron, Naive Bayes, K-Nearest Neighbor, Decision tree, Support Vector Machine are evaluated using WEKA toolbox to have most suitable classification technique for the cashew grading system. Subsequently, the classification technique that has the potential to significantly improve the performance of the system is suggested to be utilized in cashew grading system.
Energy efficient MIMO channel pre-processor using a low complexity on-line update scheme

This paper presents a low-complexity energy efficient channel pre-processing update scheme, targeting the emerging 3GPP long term evolution advanced (LTE-A) downlink. Upon channel matrix renewals, the number of explicit QR decompositions (QRD) and channel matrix inversions are reduced since only the upper triangular matrices R and R-1 are updated, based on an on-line update decision mechanism. The proposed channel pre-processing updater has been designed as a dedicated unit in a 65 nm CMOS technology, resulting in a core area of 0.242mm2 (equivalent gate count of 116K). Running at a 330MHz clock, each QRD or R-1 update consumes 4 or 2 times less energy compared to one exact state-of-the-art QRD in open literature.
High-skilled platform jobs in Europe: Trends, quality of work and emerging challenges

This article focuses on high-skilled jobs performed through digital labour platforms (DLPs) in Europe. First, it discusses the main typologies developed in recent years to classify DLPs according to the level of skills required of workers. Second, it pro-vides an overview of the available data and attempts to measure this growing phenomenon. Third, it focuses on the quality of high-skilled platform jobs in com-parison to both low-to-medium-skilled platform jobs and offline jobs performed by the self-employed. The analysis identified several typical characteristics of platform work that have been overlooked by the debate on the quality of work, which has hitherto mainly been based on dependent employment and offline work. Finally, we conclude by discussing the main challenges that DLPs pose in terms of quality of work.
Detection of black bean lines with adaptation in the humid tropics of southern Mexico

1Campo Experimental CotaxtlaINIFAP. Carretera VeracruzCórdoba, km 34 municipio Medellín de Bravo, Veracruz. A. P. 429, C. P. 91700, Veracruz, Veracruz, México. 2Campo Experimental BajíoINIFAP. Carretera Celaya-San Miguel de Allende, km 6.5. C. P. 38000, Celaya, Ganajuato. 3Campo Experimental Centro de ChiapasINIFAP. Carretera Ocozocoautla-Cintalapa, km 3.0. C. P. 29140, Ocozocoautla, Chiapass. §Autor para correspondencia: salinaser@hotmail.com.
Research Paper I: Determinants of variation in the needs doing alternation

This paper investigates speaker choice in the needs to be done ∼ needs doing alternation (which we will generally refer to as the “needs doing alternation”). We show that speaker choice in this alternation is not deterministic but probabilistic, conditioned on a variety of syntactic and pragmatic factors in the sentence. This result is somewhat unsurprising; it serves to strengthen recent findings in other alternations that speaker choice is primarily probabilistic. However, the specific factors that affect this alternation are surprising. Unlike many other alternations, the alternants in the needs doing alternation have the same linear order of their elements. Many of the factors previously found to be relevant in speaker choice, such as accessibility and weight effects, have been explained as results of linear order changes. However, we see evidence for some of these “ordering” effects in this alternation as well, casting doubt on whether ordering is the true cause underlying these effects. We also encounter surprisingly strong lexical effects from the verb in the alternation. We also find evidence supporting two general hypotheses motivating speaker choice. The first is that different syntactic categories in the alternants affect speaker choice through an environment prototypicality effect. This hypothesis predicts that, all else being equal, speakers prefer to use a syntactic category that is more typical given the rest of the sentence. The second hypothesis is that the to be in the needs to be done alternant functions like a syntactic disfluency (similar to uh or um) and indicates upcoming production difficulty for the speaker. The paper is laid out as follows. Section 2 states the general problem of speaker choice and explains how syntactic alternations can be used to investigate the mechanisms that underlie it. This section also lays out the four questions about speaker choice that will be answered in this paper. Section 3 examines the use and syntax of the needs doing alternation and establishes the truth-conditional equivalence of the alternants. Section 4 discusses the nature of the gerund and past participle, the key difference between the two alternants, and explains why this alternation can be used to examine the effects of different syntactic categories on speaker choice. Section 5 introduces the mixed-effects logistic regression model we will use to investigate these constraints. Section 6 implements the model and identifies relevant factors in speaker choice. This section also evaluates the aforementioned hypotheses about speaker choice in light of this data. Section 7 poses follow-up questions from this experiment and discusses ways of strengthening the answers to the questions from Section 2. Section 8 concludes.