Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Investigator Disturbance and Buried Remains: An Experimental Study on Buried Nonhuman Decomposition

The experimental study of buried remains presents a unique set of problems for the investigator. With uncovered remains, visual and non-invasive/non-destructive methods alone can be utilized with no direct interaction between the investigator and the body, and thus allows for the repeated use of that body throughout the study. Usually presented as a group of categories or stages of decomposition, these methods are used as a basis for comparison among the sample and between studies. Buried remains, however, cannot be assessed, either visually or through other methods, without intentional disruption of the grave environment by the investigator. The removal of the soil above the remains, exposure to sunlight, and other above-ground variables are expected to impact the decomposition of the remains. Thus, experimental studies often group their subjects so that a body or set of remains is only sampled once at a predetermined point in the entire study. In the present experiment, the soil was separated by a cage from six pig carcasses in separate graves in an attempt to limit the amount of investigator disturbance during data collection, and thus assess whether repeatedly exposing remains affected their decomposition and the resulting accumulated degree-days and date-of-placement estimations. Pig 1 had significantly decomposed by the first uncovering 28 days after burial. On day 61, when Pig 1 and Pig 2 were disturbed, it was noticed that Pig 1 had developed decomposition fluid at the foot of its grave while Pig 2’s grave was dry. This pattern continued to an extent throughout the experiment. Throughout the study, the grave walls and the cage containing the soil also became increasingly unstable. The results indicate that isolating the soil and uncovering the buried remains for assessment will affect decomposition. However, it is unclear whether it is the isolation of the top
Analysis of the upper atmosphere CO2(v 2) vibrational temperatures retrieved from ATMOS/Spacelab 3 observations

An analysis of the upper atmospheric (80–116 km) CO2(v2) vibrational temperatures retrieved from atmospheric trace molecule spectroscopy (ATMOS) experiment Spacelab 3 spectra by using a nonlocal thermodynamic equilibrium (non-LTE) radiative transfer model is presented. Thermal collisions with atmospheric atomic oxygen keep this vibrational state very close to LTE up to around 100 km. Above this height the different deviations from LTE retrieved from ATMOS/Spacelab 3 spectra for the northern and southern hemispheres are explained in terms of this collisional process and in terms of the different kinetic temperature profiles measured at those locations. From these simultaneous observations of the kinetic and CO2(v2) vibrational temperatures a deactivation rate of CO2(v2) by O(3P) has been derived which, considering the available climatologies of the concentration of this compound, leads to a rate coefficient value between 3 and 6 × 10−12 cm3 s−1 and favors an independent or negative temperature dependence rate constant for the atmospheric temperature range. Cooling rates induced by the CO2 15-μm fundamental band in the upper mesosphere and lower thermosphere (80–116 km) were derived from the simultaneous kinetic temperature, CO2(v2) vibrational temperature, and CO2 concentration, as measured by ATMOS/Spacelab 3, and found to be a factor of between 5 and 10 times larger than those generally accepted until very recently.
An Enhanced Premature Ventricular Contraction Pulse Detection and Classi�cation Using Deep Convolutional Neural Network

Accurate and precise monitoring of cardiac arrhythmia’s helps to avoid serious heart issues. The research concentrates on using Photoplethysmography (PPG) and Arterial Blood Pressure (ABP) with deep Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) for the classification and detection of fetal cardiac arrhythmia or Premature Ventricular Contractions (PMVCs). The process starts with Icentia 11k, a public dataset of ECG signal which consist of different cardiac abnormalities. The process proceeds with the MIMIC dataset and test dataset available from the hospital which is the transferred weights obtained from Icentia 11k dataset. The fine tuning improves the accuracy of classification. The proposed method can be able to detect and classify PMVCs in to three types: Normal, P1 and P2 with an accuracy of 99.9%, 99.8% and 99.5%.
Dépérissement du Hêtre : présentation d'une méthode symptomatologique de suivi.

Afin d'evaluer et de suivre les deperissements du Hetre, une methode de notation multicritere est proposee. Elle repose sur l'observation des symptomes rencontres lors des phases de deperissement : transparence, mortalite de branches, perte de ramification fine. La notation de 9 criteres elementaires permet de decrire le houppier a un instant donne. L'attribution d'un indice global de deperissement peut etre realisee a partir d'un modele combinant les criteres elementaires.
Lithospheric structure of the western part of the East European Craton investigated by deep seismic profiles

The Palaeoproterozoic collision of Archaean Fennoscandia, Volgo-Uralia and Sarmatia, viewed as a large composite of terranes, each with an independent history during Archaean and Early Proterozoic time, formed the East European Craton. This paper summarizes the results of deep seismic sounding investigations of the lithospheric structure of the southwestern part of the East European Craton. On the basis of the modern EUROBRIDGE'94-97, POLONAISE'97 and CELEBRATION 2000 projects, as well as of data from the Coast Profile and from reinterpreted profiles VIII and XXIV, the main tectonic units of Fennoscandia and Sarmatia are characterized. The crustal thickness in the whole area investigated is relatively uniform, being between 40 and 50 km (maximum about 55 km). For Fennoscandia, the crystalline crust of the craton can be generally divided into three parts, while in Sarmatia the transition between the middle and lower crust is smooth. For both areas, relatively high P-wave velocities (l 7.0 km/s) were observed in the lower crust. Relatively high seismic velocities of the sub-Moho mantle (~8.2-8.3 km/s) were observed along most of the profiles. The uppermost mantle reflectors often occur ca. 10 to 15 km below the Moho. Finally, we show the variability in physical properties for the major geological domains of Fennoscandia and Sarmatia, which were crossed by the network of our profiles.
An event-driven asynchronous feature tracking method

Compared to traditional frame-based cameras, event cameras offer a few advantages due to their bio-inspired characteristic, including low latency and high dynamic range, as each pixel can independently respond to changes in brightness when generating event streams. However, the unconventional output of event cameras brings challenges to basic computer vision problems. Recent research in event-based feature tracking has focused on using information from event streams to achieve asynchronous tracking of feature positions. We proposed an improved feature tracking method with complementary information from both the event and frame-based cameras to update feature positions asynchronously. A nearest neighbor algorithm is used for data association to filter new feature points, and the optimization quality is evaluated by the cost function values. This method utilizes the detection of FAST corners on the RGB camera to initialize the missing objects or targets, which are points exhibiting significant local pixel brightness changes. The algorithm has been implemented in C++ and estimated using publicly available datasets. The experimental results indicate that our method boosts the feature age by 9%$\sim$24% while maintaining tracking accuracy compared to the Event-based Kanade-Lucas-Tomasi tracker (EKLT) method.
Multivariate analyses and spatial distribution of Manganese minerals in soils close to an abandoned Manganese mine

Four hundred soil samples were obtained from a 4 km2 area close to the abandoned Kgwakgwe Mn oxide ore mine in order to investigate the environmental association of Mn minerals and concentrations in the soils. Manganese minerals and Mn concentrations in samples were identified by X‐ray diffractometry and atomic absorption spectrometry, respectively, and results statistically analysed. Bixbyte, Mn2O3; braunite, Mn+2Mn 6+3 SiO12; ramsdellite, MnO2; pyrolusite, β‐MnO2 and cryptomelane, K2 − xMn8O16 were identified in soil samples at the study site but none of these minerals found in soil samples from the control site. Manganese concentrations in samples from the study area were significantly higher than those from the control site. Statistical data yielded seven clusters with distribution of the Mn minerals and concentrations as follows: cluster 1 dominated by Mn concentrations in soil, cluster 2 by none of the seven Mn minerals, cluster 3 by pyrolusite, cluster 4 by braunite, cluster 5 by cryptomelane, cluster 6 by bixbyite and cluster 7 by ramsdellite. Very weak associations of these minerals were depicted from their correlations. The clusters had a bearing on the spatial distribution of the different minerals. Comparing results obtained from the control site, and geological materials, to the soils from the study area, it is certain that Mn minerals and high Mn concentrations in soils originated from the surrounding geological materials. The mining activities most possibly have affected Mn concentrations' and minerals' occurrences in the soils at the study area. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Phenology and predictors of spring emergence for the Timber Rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus)

Many temperate reptiles survive winter by using subterranean refugia until external conditions become suitable for activity. Determining when to emerge from refugia relies on the ability to interpret when above-ground environmental conditions are survivable. If temperate reptiles rely on specific environmental cues such as temperature to initiate emergence, we should expect emergence phenologies to be predictable using local climatic data. However, specific predictors of emergence for many temperate reptiles, including the Timber Rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus), remain unclear, limiting our understanding of their overwintering phenology and restricting effective conservation and management. Our objectives were to identify environmental cues of spring emergence for C. horridus in Illinois to determine the species’ emergence phenology, and to examine the applicability of identified cues in predicting emergence phenology across the species’ range. We used wildlife cameras and weather station-derived environmental data to observe and predict the daily surface presence of C. horridus throughout the late winter and early spring at communal refugia in west-central and northern Illinois. The most parsimonious model for predicting surface presence included the additive effects of maximum daily temperature, accumulated degree days, and latitude. With a notable exception in the southeastern U.S., the model accurately predicted the average emergence day for eight other populations range wide, emphasizing the importance of temperature in influencing the phenological plasticity observed across the species’ range. The apparent broad applicability of the model to other populations suggests it can be a valuable tool in predicting spring emergence phenology. Our results provide a foundation for further ecological enquiries and improved management and conservation strategies.
Reporting of Foodborne Illness by U.S. Consumers and Healthcare Professionals

During 2009–2010, a total of 1,527 foodborne disease outbreaks were reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2013). However, in a 2011 CDC report, Scallan et al. estimated about 48 million people contract a foodborne illness annually in the United States. Public health officials are concerned with this under-reporting; thus, the purpose of this study was to identify why consumers and healthcare professionals don’t report foodborne illness. Focus groups were conducted with 35 consumers who reported a previous experience with foodborne illness and with 16 healthcare professionals. Also, interviews with other healthcare professionals with responsibility of diagnosing foodborne illness were conducted. Not knowing who to contact, being too ill, being unsure of the cause, and believing reporting would not be beneficial were all identified by consumers as reasons for not reporting foodborne illness. Healthcare professionals that participated in the focus groups indicated the amount of time between patients’ consumption of food and seeking treatment and lack of knowledge were barriers to diagnosing foodborne illness. Issues related to stool samples such as knowledge, access and cost were noted by both groups. Results suggest that barriers identified could be overcome with targeted education and improved access and information about the reporting process.
Extrapulmonary Infections Associated with Nontuberculous Mycobacteria in Immunocompetent Persons

disease caused by nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) has increased. Whether the increase in cases is real or whether more cases are being recognized remains unclear. Despite a considerable increase in knowledge about NTM infections, they still represent a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge for several reasons: 1) pathogenic isolates may be indistinguishable from contaminant or saprophytic isolates; 2) timely and reliable identification of isolates may depend on proper communication between clinicians and laboratory staff; 3) lack of standardized susceptibility testing makes adoption of tailored therapies unrealistic; and 4) lack of treatment guidelines exposes patients to toxic drugs and disappointing outcomes. Laboratory research and multicenter controlled trials are needed to improve diagnosis and treatment of these infections.
Technical Reports Series Institute for Research in Cognitive Science November 1994 Final Report to NSF of the Standards for Facial Animation Workshop

Report to the National Science Foundation based on the Standards for Facial Animation Workshop, November 11-12, 1993, sponsored by NSF’s Division of Information, Robotics, and Intelligent Systems, and the Institute for Research in Cognitive Science. Comments University of Pennsylvania Institute for Research in Cognitive Science Technical Report No. IRCS-94-21. This technical report is available at ScholarlyCommons: http://repository.upenn. edu/ircs_reports/167
Determining Optimal Generation Cost in Power Systems With Shares of Variable Renewable Energy

Thermal Power plants provide safe and continuous operation regardless of the load profile. They guarantee stability to the electrical system. However, the projections of the government in overcoming the environmental crisis in the future with the massive addition of Variable Renewable Energy Powerplant such as solar, wind, and some hydropower will change the load profile of the thermal power plants on the system. Electricity market stakeholders are dealing with new challenges related to increasing variability in both production and load demand. Increasing generation rates of variable renewable energy sources (VRES) cause net load fluctuations that need to be supplied in real time by other resources. Currently, reserve requirements have been determined using deterministic criteria such as percentage of peak load or largest unit loss. This paper discusses the method to determine operating reserves to overcome the variability of EBT generators without neglecting the optimization of generation costs. The study is conducted on Java - Bali power systems with a maximum 5% share of Renewable Energy, the results shows that determined optimal generation cost is lower than Busines as usual (BaU) scenario. The estimated optimal generation cost is USD119Million /year in 2025 and USD 62 Million/year in 2030, respectively.
Emission of NO from several higher plant species

Emission of nitric oxide (NO) from a variety of plant species was observed in a continuously stirred tank reactor. During daytime and at NO concentrations below 1 ppb in the chamber air, NO emissions were observed for all studied nitrate-nourished plant species. A relation was found between the NO emission rates during daytime and the uptake rates of CO 2 . The ratio of the NO emission rate to the CO 2 uptake was similar for all plants. Changes of the net rate of photosynthesis induced by variations of light intensity or changes of CO 2 concentrations changed the NO emission rates correspondingly. The link between NO emissions and CO 2 uptake during daytime allowed estimation of the potential of the vegetation to evolve NO on a global scale as 0.23 Tg N yr -1 . Strong NO emissions during nights were observed when the nitrate concentration in the nutrient solution was enhanced. Then NO emissions were observed with flux densities comparable to the highest emission rates found from soils.
Seismic Hazard Inferred from Tectonics: California

In this paper we propose simple methods for estimating long-term average seismicity of any region, based on a local kinematic model of surface velocities and an existing global calibration of plate-boundary seismicity. We apply the method to California and obtain a long-term forecast of seismicity that exceeds the levels seen in several 20th-century catalogs. This contribution is the third in a series describing a project informally known as Seismic Hazard Inferred from Tectonics (SHIFT). Its goal is to realize the promise of plate tectonic theory to provide long-term seismicity forecasts (and, eventually, seismic hazard forecasts) more reliable than those based primarily on local instrumental and/or historic records. Bird (2003) reviewed the literature on plate tectonics, assembling model PB2002 consisting of 52 plates and 13 orogens, with every plate-boundary step (great-circle arc between digitized points) classified as one of seven types. Bird and Kagan (2004) used this model to assign 95% of shallow earthquakes to appropriate plate boundaries and to estimate the seismicity parameters (width, productivity, spectral slope, corner magnitude, and coupled thickness) for each boundary type. Here we propose simple hypotheses predicting the long-term shallow seismicity produced by any geometry of tectonic faults (and/or zones of distributed anelastic straining) by treating each fault or region as a small sample of the most appropriate type of plate boundary. This is consistent with the observation that the distribution of plate sizes obeys a power law (Bird 2003; Sornette and Pisarenko 2003), so that the number of plates is uncountable, and it may even be difficult to defend a fundamental distinction between plate boundaries and plate interiors in some cases. To participate in the Regional Earthquake Likelihood Models (RELM) program of testing seismicity forecasts for the California region (Schorlemmer et al. 2007, this issue), we compute a long-term forecast based on …
Moving from status to trends: Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) symposium 2012

These proceedings report invited presentations and contributions to the 2012 biennial Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Symposium, which was hosted by the Research and Development branch of the U.S. Forest Service. As the only comprehensive and continuous census of the forests in the United States, FIA provides strategic information needed to evaluate sustainability of current forest management practices across all ownerships. Papers and abstracts included in the publication have been sorted into topic areas that match the sessions presented during the meeting. Symposium papers cover high priority and timely issue-based topics including climate change, wildlife, fire, bioenergy, geo-spatial extensions, monitoring over time, integrating remote sensing and GIS applications, statistical and related quantitative solutions to emerging needs, and many others.
Comparison of two Classification methods (MLC and SVM) to extract land use and land cover in Johor Malaysia

Mapping is essential for the analysis of the land use and land cover, which influence many environmental processes and properties. For the purpose of the creation of land cover maps, it is important to minimize error. These errors will propagate into later analyses based on these land cover maps. The reliability of land cover maps derived from remotely sensed data depends on an accurate classification. In this study, we have analyzed multispectral data using two different classifiers including Maximum Likelihood Classifier (MLC) and Support Vector Machine (SVM). To pursue this aim, Landsat Thematic Mapper data and identical field-based training sample datasets in Johor Malaysia used for each classification method, which results indicate in five land cover classes forest, oil palm, urban area, water, rubber. Classification results indicate that SVM was more accurate than MLC. With demonstrated capability to produce reliable cover results, the SVM methods should be especially useful for land cover classification.
New evidence for the role of the north sea — caspian pattern on the temperature and precipitation regimes in continental central turkey

Abstract Monthly mean temperatures and monthly precipitation totals at six stations from theCappadocian sub‐region in the continental Central Anatolia region of Turkey were analysed in order to detect the response of the variability in the Cappadocian climate to the variability of the North Sea ‐ Caspian Pattern Index (NCPI). Most of this region is classified as semi‐arid according to various climate classifications. Time series of the NCPI for the period 1958–1998, enabled each month from October toApril to be classified as belonging to the negative phase NCP(−), positive phase NCP(+) or neutral conditions. Monthly temperature and precipitation series for each station were analysed separately for both phases. Temperatures during NCP(−) were found to be considerably higher than during NCP(+). These results confirm previous results regarding the role of the NCP in controlling the temperature regime in that region. No significant differences were found in precipitation totals between the two phases, but major differences were identified in their spatial structure.
Humboldt's Nodes and Modes of Interdisciplinary Environmental Science in the Andean World*

ABSTRACT. Alexander von Humboldt engaged in a staggering array of diverse experiences in the Andes and adjoining lowlands of northwestern South America between 1801 and 1803. Yet examination of Humboldt's diaries, letters, and published works shows how his principal activities in the Andes centered on three interests: mining and geological landscapes; communications and cartography; and use and distribution of the quinine‐yielding cinchona trees. Each node represented a pragmatic concern dealing with environmental resources in the context of the Andes. To pursue these interests in his Andean field studies, Humboldt relied on varied cultural interactions and vast social networks for knowledge exchange, in addition to extensive textual comparisons. These modes of inquiry dovetailed with his pragmatic interests and his open‐ended intellectual curiosity. Fertile combinations in his Andean studies provided the foundation and main testing ground for Humboldt's fused nature‐culture approach as well as his contributions to early geography and interdisciplinary environmental science.