Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Contribution Matching-Based Hierarchical Incentive Mechanism Design for Crowd Federated Learning

With the growing public attention to data privacy protection, the problem of data silos has been exacerbated, which makes it more difficult for crowd intelligence technologies to get off the ground. Meanwhile, Federated Learning (FL) has received great attention for its ability to break data silos and jointly build machine learning models. To crack the data silo problem in crowd intelligence, we propose a new Crowd Federated Learning (CFL) framework, which is a two-tier architecture consisting of a cloud server, model owners, and data collectors, that enables collaborative model training among individuals without the need for raw data interaction. However, existing work struggles to simultaneously ensure the balance of incentives among data collectors, model owners, and cloud server, which can affect the willingness of sharing and collaboration among subjects. To solve the above problem, we propose a hierarchical incentive mechanism named FedCom, i.e., Crowd Federated Learning for Contribution matching, to match participants’ contributions with rewards. We theoretically prove that FedCom has contribution matching fairness, and conduct extensive comparative experiments with five baselines on one simulated dataset and four real-world datasets. Experimental results validate that FedCom is able to reduce the computation time of contribution evaluation by about 8 times and improve the global model performance by about 2% while ensuring fairness.
A Survey of Point Cloud Completion

Point cloud completion is able to estimate the complete point cloud starting from the missing point cloud, which obtains higher quality point cloud data for widely used in remote sensing 3-D modeling, medical imaging, robot vision, etc. The challenge of point clouds mainly lies in the disordered and unstructured nature, which makes point cloud completion difficult. Point cloud completion research can be broadly categorized into traditional approaches and deep learning-based methods. Recently, intensive research has primarily focused on deep learning-based methods, given robustness and efficiency in processing the substantial missing data encountered in complex real world scenes. In addition, deep learning-based methods have higher generalization performance. To stimulate future research, this survey presents a comprehensive review of existing traditional and deep learning-based 3-D point cloud completion methods. This review conducts extensive examinations of each stage of the process, providing a compilation of famous datasets, metrics, and their respective characteristics. In addition, the impacts of subsequent downstream application tasks with or without completion are discussed, followed by some potential future issues in point cloud completion.
Pedestrian Tracking Algorithm for Video Surveillance Based on Lightweight Convolutional Neural Network

The Efficient Convolution Operators for Tracking (ECO) algorithm has garnered considerable attention in both academic research and practical applications due to its remarkable tracking efficacy, yielding exceptional accuracy and success rates in various challenging contexts. However, the ECO algorithm heavily relies on the deep learning Visual Geometry Group (VGG) network model, which entails complexity and substantial computational resources. Moreover, its performance tends to deteriorate in scenarios involving target occlusion, background clutter, and similar challenges. To tackle these issues, this study introduces a novel enhancement to the pedestrian tracking algorithm. Specifically, the VGG network is substituted with a lightweight MobileNet v2 model, thereby reducing computational demands. Additionally, a Double Attention Networks (A2-Net) module is incorporated to augment the extraction of crucial information, while pre-training techniques are integrated to expedite model convergence. Experimental results demonstrate that the C-ECO algorithm achieves comparable accuracy and success rates to the conventional ECO algorithm, despite reducing the model size by 27.96% and increasing the tracking frame rate by 46.11%. Notably, when compared to other prevalent tracking algorithms, the C-ECO algorithm exhibits an accuracy of 82.20% and a success rate of 64.72%. These findings underscore the enhanced adaptability of the C-ECO algorithm in complex environments, offering a more lightweight model while delivering superior tracking capabilities.
Role of Socioeconomic Uncertainty on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Inflows and Economic Growth in ASEAN

The interconnectedness begins with active trade and foreign investment flowing to the host country, making the economies in the world integrated into one another. Unfortunately, the rise of interconnectedness has sky-rocketed uncertainty. Economists then build the considered socioeconomic index, namely the World Uncertainty Index (WUI). This research aims to determine whether such an index can affect Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inwards and economic growth, especially in ASEAN. We use yearly data of FDI inflows, economic growth, and WUI as a proxy for the global level of domestic uncertainty, inflation, and real effective exchange rate from 2015 to 2019 for each ASEAN member state. We estimate a System Generalized Method of Moments (Sys-GMM) to see the dynamic relationship and the short- and long-run effect of the socioeconomic uncertainty proxies with respect to FDI inflows and economic growth. The results show that the uncertainty index with respect to FDI inflows and growth has been negative and significant. Meanwhile, only FDI inflows sensitively respond to socioeconomic uncertainty in the long run, despite the growth for ASEAN member state.
Histories of climate, science, and colonization in Australia and New Zealand, 1800–1945

This review article focuses on scholarship that lies at the intersection of histories of climate and British settler colonization in Australia and New Zealand. It first discusses the role of climate in their colonial histories and then developments in the field of climate history, examining similarities and differences within and between Australia and New Zealand. Next, it outlines two significant recent themes in climate history in both places: contested climate debates and perceptions, and social impacts and responses to climate. The article finishes by recommending future areas for research. Throughout, we stress the importance of local‐level approaches to climate as a means of understanding past and present, popular and scientific, interpretations of climate. We also emphasize the role that imperatives of colonization have played in shaping particular kinds of climate knowledge, including in overwriting nonelite views of climate. WIREs Clim Change 2016, 7:893–909. doi: 10.1002/wcc.426
Prevalence and Distribution of Diatoms in the Paddy Fields of Rasipuram Area, Namakkal Dt, Tamilnadu, India

Diatoms are a large and diverse group of eukaryotic algae. They are the members of Bacillariophyceae, distributed throughout the world from fresh and brackish water habitats. Usually microscopic, some species of diatoms can reach up to 2 millimeters in length. They are one of the most important food resources in marine and freshwater ecosystems. They are mostly unicellular, although some form chains or simple colonies in the shape of filaments of ribbons and the cells are golden brown because of the presence of high levels of flucoxanthin, a photosynthetic accessory pigment. There are many thousands of taxa with diverse ecological requirements, their siliceous cell wall called the frustules remains are used extensively as environmental indicators in studies of climate change, acidic precipitation and water quality (Stoermer and Smol, 1999).
Centralized RANSAC-Based Point Cloud Registration With Fast Convergence and High Accuracy

For point cloud registration, the purpose of this article is to propose a novel centralized random sample consensus (RANSAC) (C-RANSAC) registration with fast convergence and high accuracy. In our algorithm, the novel contributions are, first, the proposal of a scale histogram-based outlier removal to delete outliers from the initial line vector set <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mathbf {L}$</tex-math></inline-formula> for constructing a reduced line vector set <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mathbf {L}_{\text{red}}$</tex-math></inline-formula>; second, the handshake cooperation between the host RANSAC (H-RANSAC) only working on L and the local RANSAC (LCL-RANSAC) only working on <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mathbf {L}_{\text{red}}$</tex-math></inline-formula>; third, in each handshake process, after receiving the global registration solution and the global iteration number <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$x_{H}$</tex-math></inline-formula> from H-RANSAC, LCL-RANSAC uses the received global solution as the initial solution of the modified TEASER++ (M-TEASER++) method to calculate its first local registration solution. If the first local registration solution satisfies the global iteration number inheritance condition, LCL-RANSAC directly sends the accumulated iteration number, <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$x_{H} + 1$</tex-math></inline-formula>, and the first local solution back to H-RANSAC; otherwise, LCL-RANSAC iteratively refines its local solution using the M-TEASER++ method, and then sends the resultant local solution and the required local iteration number <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$x_{\text{LCL}}$</tex-math></inline-formula> to H-RANSAC for updating the global solution, the global iteration number to <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$x_{H} := x_{H} + x_{\text{LCL}}$</tex-math></inline-formula>, and the global confidence level. Due to <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$|L_{\text{red}}| \ll |L|$</tex-math></inline-formula> and employing the global iteration number inheritance condition test into our algorithm, we have conducted extensive experiments on testing point cloud pairs to show the registration accuracy and execution time merits of our algorithm relative to the state-of-the-art methods.
Plant invasion success: Investigating the roles of herbivory and plant-soil feedbacks

Biotic resistance by generalist herbivores has been widely recognized as a potential barrier for introduced plant species. However we still lack a complete understanding of how and when generalist herbivores regulate spread and impact of non-native plant species preand postnaturalization. Hawaii has an abundance of introduced generalist invertebrate and vertebrate herbivores. In this study we used confamilial groups of non-native invasive and non-invasive woody plant species in Hawaii to determine whether these two groups differed in their seedling acceptability to two non-native generalist herbivores, the slug Laevicaulis alte and the grasshopper Conocephalus saltator. We used no-choice feeding trials to test the hypothesis that invasive species have lower acceptability to generalist herbivores, helping to explain the success of invasive plants compared with non-invasive species. We found speciesspecific differences in non-native seedling acceptability, and thus resistance, to both slug and grasshopper herbivores in feeding trials. However, contrary to our hypothesis, invasive species did not have significantly lower seedling acceptability by either slugs or grasshoppers. Several highly invasive species had relatively high levels of herbivore acceptability, suggesting that generalist invertebrate herbivory may not be a strong barrier to invasion in Hawaii at the seedling stage.
A Comparative Study Between Organic Agriculture for Vegetables and Fruits Production in Lao PDR and the MRL Approach Used by Other Countries in the Mekong Region

Food safety and the reduction of chemical use in agriculture, in particular, are common issues that reflect consumer concerns in many developing countries. This paper summarizes the history of the development of Organic Agriculture (OA) in Lao PDR, followed by the outline of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Clean Agriculture Development Project (CADP) which supports organic vegetables and fruits production under the clean agriculture policy promoted by the Lao government. Next, the relevant policies of its neighboring countries in the Mekong region (Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia) are also summarized. The policies in these countries focus mainly on reducing chemical residues based on the Maximum Residue Limits (MRL) rather than promoting OA, which has recently been included in their national policies in response to social demands for chemical reduction in agriculture. Finally, the paper compares the approach of Lao PDR and other countries in the Mekong region. As a result, the Lao approach can contribute to improving both food safety and income generation of farmers. In contrast, the MRL-based approach has some limitations due to its insufficient operations under the regulatory systems in these countries. This suggests that the Lao approach should be taken into consideration by other developing economies where small-scale farmers are the majority.
Exploring the efficacy and safety of Ambroxol in Gaucher disease: an overview of clinical studies

Gaucher disease (GD) is mainly caused by glucocerebrosidase (GCase) enzyme deficiency due to genetic variations in the GBA1 gene leading to the toxic accumulation of sphingolipids in various organs, which causes symptoms such as anemia, thrombocytopenia, hepatosplenomegaly, and neurological manifestations. GD is clinically classified into the non-neuronopathic type 1, and the acute and chronic neuronopathic forms, types 2 and 3, respectively. In addition to the current approved GD medications, the repurposing of Ambroxol (ABX) has emerged as a prospective enzyme enhancement therapy option showing its potential to enhance mutated GCase activity and reduce glucosylceramide accumulation in GD-affected tissues of different GBA1 genotypes. The variability in response to ABX varies across different variants, highlighting the diversity in patients’ therapeutic outcomes. Its oral availability and safety profile make it an attractive option, particularly for patients with neurological manifestations. Clinical trials are essential to explore further ABX’s potential as a therapeutic medication for GD to encourage pharmaceutical companies’ investment in its development. This review highlights the potential of ABX as a pharmacological chaperone therapy for GD and stresses the importance of addressing response variability in clinical studies to improve the management of this rare and complex disorder.
Hyperbranched-Polyethylenimine-Functionalized Coal Fly Ash as an Adsorbent for the Removal of Hexavalent Chromium and Reuse as a Dye Photocatalyst

Coal fly ash (CFA) has been extensively researched as an adsorbent for heavy metals, but its application is limited by its low adsorption capacity. The modification of CFA with hyperbranched polymers results in improved adsorption capacities. Hyperbranched polyethylenimine (HPEI) is a hyperbranched polymer containing NH2 groups that can bind with heavy metal ions through complexation or electrostatic interactions. In this study, CFA–HPEI adsorbents with various HPEI loadings (1–5%) were prepared and evaluated for the removal of Cr(VI). The successful incorporation of HPEI onto CFA was confirmed using Fourier transform infrared, elemental analysis, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The 3% CFA–HPEI loaded adsorbent resulted in optimum results when the effect of pH and adsorbent dosage was studied. The pseudo-second-order kinetics model best described the adsorption kinetics at an initial concentration of 20 mg/L. The Freundlich adsorption isotherm model best fitted the equilibrium adsorption data with a maximum adsorption capacity of 85.93 mg/g. The Cr-loaded adsorbent was reused as a photocatalyst to degrade methylene blue (MB) in the presence of visible light. The loaded adsorbent degraded 98.9% of MB (5 mg/L) within 180 min and was accompanied by compounds with m/z of 173 and 234, corresponding to the intermediate degradation of Azure A. The XPS analysis confirmed the coexistence of Cr(III) and Cr(VI) on the surface of the adsorbent. In addition, the loaded adsorbent exhibited good stability following MB degradation with no structural changes observed. Thus, CFA–HPEI adsorbents can be utilized as low-cost adsorbents for the remediation of toxic Cr(VI) from water and wastewater. The Cr-loaded CFA–HPEI adsorbent can be effectively reused as a photocatalyst, thus reducing environmental pollution.
Entangled Polymer Melts in Extensional Flow

Many commercial materials derived from synthetic polymers exhibit a complex response under different processing operations such as fiber formation, injection moulding, film blowing, film casting or coatings. They can be processed both in the solid or in the melted state. Often they may contain two or more different polymers in addition to additives, fillers or solvents in order to modify the properties of the final product. Usually, it is also desired to improve the processability. For example the supplement of a high molecular weight component improves the stability in elongational flows. On the other hand, addition of low-volatility solvents to polymers is also a common industrial practice that offers a means for lowering the Tg of the polymers. Moreover industrial polymers present a wide distribution of chain lengths and/or branched architectures that strongly influence their response. Understanding the behaviour of polymer melts and solutions in complex non-linear flows is crucial for the design of polymeric materials and polymer processes. Through rheological characterization, in shear and extensional flow, of model polymer systems, i.e. narrow molar mass distribution polymer melts and solutions or well defined polymer molecules architecture, researchers develop constitutive equations that can relate the stress induced into a material with its flow deformation history. Indeed experiments on samples with well-defined structure supply data that can be compared with models. Current models have been shown to be quite successful in describing the dynamics of polymers although they are still continuously challenged by new experimental data on model polymer systems. At the same time, new methods for generating extensional flows [McKinley and Sridhar (2002), Sentmanat (2004), Bach et al. (2003b)] are being constantly refined to improve the quality of the data and to explore a wider range of rates and deformations. Moreover, recently rheometry methods have been supplemented by other techniques such as dielectric spectroscopy that can probe chain
PASTORAL NOMADS, THE STATE AND A NATIONAL PARK: THE CASE OF DACHIGAM,

Introduction Most of the world's nomadic communities live in South Asia, and this region has the greatest variety of domestic animals systematically herded--bovines, equines, cameis, sheep, goats, pigs, ducks, guinea-fowl. Yet, scholarly interest in South Asian nomadism is meagre (Rao and Casimir 2003), and largely limited to expounding the 'problems' these 'backward' communities create for the state in its developmental aims. Reflecting colonial and orientalist attitudes flavoured by an urbanised and sedentist bias, the perspective has been largely that of a state, whose ultimate objective is to settle migratory pastoralists and other nomads. With environmental problems growing and alarming reports of deforestation throughout the region, state forest departments in many South Asian countries are locked in battles over what they deem 'overexploitation' by migratory herders. Increasingly, however, this perspective is being questioned and issues of social justice are coming to the fore. The notion of the environment being a concern of and for the state, rather than one of and for the people, is being contested. Slowly, but steadily, resource use--and with this, nomadism--in South Asia is also becoming a contested domain. In this paper I draw on ethnographic data (1) and archival materials to discuss some of the contradictions inherent in the conflict between the state in South Asia and its organs and institutions on the one hand and pastoral communities on the other. Using the example of the Dachigam National Park, I try to illustrate how wildlife management problems are often embedded in the much larger context of state-nomad relations and, more generally, in relations of dominance handed down from colonial times, and closely related to colonial concepts of nature. Finally, I show how such relations of dominance can be contested in times of more generalised political conflict. I take as an example the Valley of Kashmir, which has been witnessing severe armed violence since 1990. The Setting The Valley of Kashmir (henceforth, 'Kashmir') in the western Himalayas is part of the Indian-administered unit known as Jammu and Kashmir (henceforth, JK Casimir and Rao 1998; Casimir 2003). The herders belong to different communities, some of whom are sedentary, others transhumant and still others nomadic. Thus in summer, Kashmiri farmers, living year round in hamlets at 2,000 to 2,500 m with easy access to village commons, are often entrusted by farmers living further below with their livestock, in return for payment in cash and kind. Other farmers still lower down in the Valley pay the Pohol--professional Kashmiri herdsmen--to take their stock up to alpine pastures and bring them back in autumn, to be stail-fed in winter. Additionally, nomadic pastoral communities of the Bakkarwal and the Banihara enter Kashmir with their herds in early summer and exit in autumn, while the Gujar spend the entire year with their livestock transhuming within the Valley. …
Pietsch 1 Variation of environmental forcings and the potential for changes in carbonate chemistry of the San Juan Archipelago

1 Friday Harbor Laboratories, University of Washington, Friday Harbor, WA 98250 2 Department of Earth Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089 3 Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle WA 98195 4 Department of Ecology Evolution and Marine Biology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106 5 Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, University of Wisconsin Madison, WI 53715 6 Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093 7 Department of Biology, California State University North Ridge, North Ridge, CA 91330