Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Retrieval of land surface bidirectional reflectivity in the mid‐infrared from MODIS channels 22 and 23

This paper proposes a method to retrieve the land surface bidirectional reflectivity ρb in the mid‐infrared (MIR) from MODIS channels 22 and 23. A split‐window‐like algorithm was developed to determine the MIR ground brightness temperature without the contribution of the solar direct beam from ground brightness temperatures measured at two adjacent MIR channels. Comparing the actual values of ρb with those estimated using our proposed method, the root mean square error (RMSE) was determined to be 0.0022 for the solar zenith angle (SZA) at nadir. Similar results were obtained for other SZAs, indicating that the proposed method can retrieve ρb accurately. A detailed sensitivity analysis found that the effects of instrumental noise, variations in water vapour content in the atmosphere, and reasonable variations in horizontal visibility on the retrieval of ρb were negligible and an error of 1 K on the ground brightness temperature caused by the inaccuracy of atmospheric corrections can lead to a maximum error of 0.034 on the retrieved ρb. We compared the use of radiosonde data and European Centre for Median‐range Weather Forecast (ECMWF) atmospheric data to perform atmospheric corrections. The results show that atmospheric corrections can be performed with ECMWF data instead of radiosonde data without losing the accuracy of the retrieved ρb. MODIS land surface temperature/emissivity product MOD11B1 data were also used to validate . Comparison of estimated respectively with the proposed method and with MOD11B1 data showed that the RMSE is less than 1 K for cloud‐free skies.
Exploitation of Landsat data for snow zonation mapping in the Hindukush, Karakoram and Himalaya (HKH) region of Pakistan

Abstract In the Hindukush, Karakoram and Himalaya (HKH) region of Pakistan, many glaciological variables are still not known due to the remoteness and harsh weather conditions of the area. A remote sensing technique is therefore applied to map the snow zonation in the HKH region. Landsat 7 ETM+ data for the year 2003 are used in this study. Image classification and image processing techniques are applied to map, for the first time, the major snow zones in the HKH region. Six classes are identified: the results show that the area covered by the highest-altitude snow (Snow I), lower-altitude snow (Snow II), bare ice, debris-covered ice, wet snow and shadow is 21 529.42, 22 472.58, 8696.41, 8038.75, 12 159.37 and 7322.30 km2, respectively. The study also indicates that the equilibrium line altitude (ELA) lies between 5000 and 5500 m above sea level, with an accumulation area ratio (AAR) of 0.60. Citation Butt, M.J., 2013. Exploitation of Landsat data for snow zonation mapping in the Hindukush, Karakoram and Himalaya (HKH) region of Pakistan. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 58 (5), 1088–1096.
E uropean X tramile C entre of A frican S tudies (EXCAS) EXCAS Working Paper

Applying the conservation of resources theory and the self-efficacy theory, this study investigates the relationship between supervisor incivility, self-efficacy, cynicism and the job embeddedness of employees in the hotel industry. The role of self-efficacy, as an important variable that mediates the relationship between the predictor and the criterion variable, is significantly evaluated. A non-probability sampling technique was used to collect 245 questionnaires from frontline employees of five-and four-star hotels in Nigeria. The findings reveal that supervisor incivility has a negative effect on self-efficacy and a positive effect on cynicism, and that self-efficacy negatively affects cynicism. There was no significant relationship with job embeddedness in the study. Importantly, the investigation establishes that self-efficacy is a mediating variable between supervisor incivility and cynicism. The study noted the importance of adopting a policy that introduces periodic seminars and professional training for both employees and supervisors, as a means for curbing incivility and cynicism. The study concludes with theoretical and practical implications, leaving room for further investigation.
A SYNTAXONOMICAL SURVEY OF THE SICILIAN DWARF SHRUB VEGETATION BELONGING TO THE CLASS RUMICI-ASTRAGALETEA SICULI

Basing on literature data and unpublished releves from Sicily, a survey of the syntaxa belonging to the class Rumici-Astragaletea siculi Pignatti & Nimis 1980 em. Mucina 1997 (= Cerastio-Carlinetea nebrodensis Brullo 1984) is presented. The class groups orophilous plant communities dominated by hemicryptophytes and by dwarf-shrubs, often with a pulvinate and thorny growth-form. The class is represented in Sicily by two orders: Rumici-Astragaletalia siculi Pignatti & Nimis 1980, including the sole alliance Rumici-Astragalion siculi Poli 1965, restricted to Mount Etna, and Erysimo-Jurinetalia bocconei Brullo 1984, including two alliances: the aci- dophilous Armerion nebrodensis Brullo 1984 and the basiphilous Cerastio-Astragalion nebroden- sis Pignatti & Nimis ex Brullo 1984. Within the class, nineteen associations have been recognized. Nomenclature, floristic settlement, ecology and chorology are examined for each syntaxon. The floristic autonomy of the class Rumici-Astragaletea siculi is examined from the phytogeographic viewpoint and is confirmed by numerical analyses including not only the Sicilian phytocoenoses, but also those occurring in Sila and Aspromonte (Calabria) and ascribed to the same class by Brullo et al. (2001, 2004). It is, as well, highlighted that the Pollino massif represents the south- ernmost limit to the distribution range of the class Festuco-Brometea, whose southward expansion is hampered by the lack carbonatic highlands in the southernmost tip of the Italian Peninsula.
The Intensive Margin in Trade : Moving Beyond Pareto

The Melitz model with Pareto-distributed firm productivity has become a tractable benchmark in international trade. It predicts that, conditional on the fixed costs of exporting, all variation in exports across trading partners will occur on the extensive margin (the number of firms exporting). In the World Bank’s Exporter Dynamics Database on firm-level exports from 50 countries, however, we find that half of the variation in exports occurs on the intensive margin (exports per exporting firm). We explore several ways to explain this discrepancy. Most importantly, firm productivity does not follow a Pareto distribution. ∗We are grateful to Caroline Freund, Keith Head, Thierry Mayer for useful discussions and to seminar participants at Berkeley, the Paris School of Economics, Stanford, and the Minneapolis Fed for comments. The World Bank provided access to the Exporter Dynamics Database. Research for this paper has in part been supported by the World Bank’s Multidonor Trust Fund for Trade and Development and the Strategic Research Program on Economic Development. The findings expressed in this paper are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the World Bank or its member countries. 2 FERNANDES-KLENOW-MELESHCHUK-PIEROLA-RODRı́GUEZ-CLARE
A model for hydrostatic consolidation of Pierre Shale

Abstract This paper presents closed-form solutions for consolidation of transversely isotropic porous media under hydrostatic stress. The solutions are applied to model the time variation of pore pressure, volume strain and strains parallel and normal to bedding, and to obtain coefficients of consolidation and permeability, as well as other properties, and the bulk modulus resulting from hydrostatic consolidation of Pierre shale. It is found that the coefficients consolidation and permeability decrease and the bulk moduli increase with increasing confining pressure, reflecting the closure of voids in the rock.
Marc Slors and Fleur Jongepier Mineness without Minimal Selves

: In this paper we focus on what is referred to as the ‘mine-ness’ of experience, that is, the intimate familiarity we have with our own thoughts, perceptions, and emotions. Most accounts characterize mineness in terms of an experiential dimension, the first-person givenness of experience, that is subsumed under the notion of minimal self-consciousness or a ‘minimal self’. We argue that this account faces problems and develop an alternative account of mineness in terms of the coherence of experiences with what we label an ‘embod-ied biography’. Building on a near consensus among consciousness researchers over the function of consciousness as integrating information, we argue that the phenomenology of mineness consists in the absence of any further thought on top of the experience itself. Finally we argue that this non-phenomenological account of mineness fits well with existing data on pathologies of mineness such as delusions of thought insertion.
Drifts in User Pro fi ling : A Relevance-Based Approach and the Analysis of Scenarios

For personal information agents, user profiles has to represent user interests and preferences in order to satisfy long-term information needs. An implicit assumption in user profiling is the existence of persistent information needs which, however, might suffer some changes over time. Each time the interests of a user change, his profile becomes inaccurate and the predictive quality decreases. Adaptation of user profiles is, therefore, an essential requirement for personal agents that need to be capable of adjusting their behavior quickly in order to shorten the period of reduced predictive quality. In this paper, a user profiling technique named WebProfiler, which learns a hierarchical representation of user interests using conceptual clustering, is augmented with an adaptation strategy based on relevance feedback and time-based forgetting in order to deal with drifting interests. We empirically evaluate the performance of this strategy by analyzing its behavior on multiple scenarios of interest drifts and shifts.
Validation of socio-economic status indicators for heads of farm families in Delta North agricultural zone, Delta State, Nigeria

The specific objectives were to collate a universe of socio-economic status indicators; carry out item analysis to validate socio-economic status indicators; select valid socio-economic status indicators for heads of farm families; and discuss the sociological implication of the valid items. Stratified and simple random sampling designs were used in selecting the towns and villages. Twelve percent of heads of farm families in selected Ibo speaking Local Government Areas of the state comprising Aniocha South (41), Ika South (47) Ndokwa West (55) and Oshimili North (31) were selected to give a sample size of 174 heads of farm families. Structured interview schedules were used in data collection. Data were analysed using point-biserial correlation coefficient and t-test. A universe of 106 items were collated from a preresearch survey. Sixty nine (69) items were found as valid indicators of socio-economic status. The number of relatives trained by the individual, axe, yam barn, motor cycle, motor car, bicycles and water cistern toilet had very important social and economic implications among the people. The indexes are recommended to development agencies for evaluating changes in socio-economic status of heads of farm families particularly after an agricultural development intervention programme. Key words: Indexes, item analysis, valid items, socio-economic status indicators, farm families.
Techniques for Automated Measurement of Floc Properties

Abstract This paper summarizes the development of equipment and techniques used for automated capture of floc images and measurement of floc properties. Methods for floc analysis are described which may be used equally well in the field or in the laboratory. The Matlab Image Processing Toolbox is used as a front end for applying several algorithms designed to clarify the images and measure the flocs. An iterative function provides threshold values to separate flocs from varying background light conditions in a stable and repeatable manner. The methods described can provide real-time analysis without user intervention. Matlab and IDL routines have been designed to measure settling velocity. The use of totally automated tracking over measurements made by a graphical user interface approach results in vastly more efficient measurements. The automated method also provides better data for very small and very slow-moving flocs. The graphical user interface approach, on the other hand, does not lead to some of the errors associated with the automated tracking. Both methods provide similar information about floc number, size, shape, and settling velocity, which can be used to calculate properties such as excess density, porosity, and fractal dimensions. Finally, kernel density estimation is introduced as a method to make meaningful interpretations from large amounts of highly variable data.
Interannual properties of the CO2 system in the Southern Ocean south of Australia

Abstract In order to quantify the temporal variations of ocean properties, the MINERVE programme was designed to perform time-series measurements in the Southern Indian Ocean south of Australia. In the sub-Antarctic region (SAR, 48.5 ± 6.0°S), the mean CO2 flux increased from spring to summer from -6.8 mmol.m-2.d-1 in October 2005 to -9.9 mmol.m-2.d-1 in February 2006. In the Permanent Open Ocean Zone (POOZ, 57.5 ± 3.0°S), we observed lower pCO2 in summer than in spring (340 and 398 μatm, respectively). The mean CO2 flux showed large temporal variations from -0.2 mmol.m-2.d-1 in October 2005 to -8.2 mmol.m-2.d-1 in February 2006. The large temporal variation was associated with increased phytoplankton biomass. In the Continental Antarctic Zone (66.0 ± 1.0°S), the mean CO2 flux decreased from +14.9 mmol.m-2.d-1 in October 2005 to -8.4 mmol.m-2.d-1 in February 2006. In winter and spring, deep water mixing and seasonal sea-ice strongly increase pCO2sea above atmospheric level. In contrast, during summer, the effect of biological CO2 uptake decreased pCO2sea. Furthermore, these data allowed us to parameterize AT and CT as a function of temperature and salinity.
Digital backpropagation based on binary logarithmic step size distribution for fibre non‐linearity compensation

Capacity crunch has become critical in recent years as commercial communication systems approach their theoretical data rate limits. This work presents a low‐complexity digital backpropagation (DBP) implementation approach based on step size distribution that uses a binary logarithmic step size method to achieve high data rate optical transmission. The proposed scheme shows performance improvements (∆Q) of 2.36, 1.19, and 0.71 dB over linear compensation, constant step size (CSS) DBP, and logarithmic step size DBP techniques in a 2400 km 112 Gbit/s DP‐16 quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) system, respectively. At 13 dBm, a high performance (Q) of 10.9 dB (BER = 2.25 × 10−4) is achieved, above the 3.80 × 10−3 hard‐decision forward error correction (HD‐FEC) limit, using the proposed scheme. Also, the allowable transmission distance is extended by 960 km at the HD‐FEC limit over the linear compensation technique. The optimization achieves a 38% saving in the number of DBP calculation steps compared to the CSS DBP, which considerably reduces the computational cost since a few steps are required for effective non‐linearity compensation.
The institutionalization of making: the entrepreneurship of sociomaterialities that matters

: In France, makerspaces have been institutionalized and popularized by the generalization of the label “Fab lab”, which is common to many discourses on innovation, is supported by public authorities and recognized by corporate business and high ranked universities. However, the initial structuration needs to be analyzed “from below” to understand how making at the local level is coupled to institutional entrepreneurship. The present paper focuses on the process of creation and development of makerspaces since the emergence of the French “Fablab fashion”. Our analysis is based on a sociological and ethnographic enquiry which started in 2012 (Lhoste and Barbier, 2016). A practice-based approach allows us to question how a field of situated maker practices is related to the organizational arrangements of a plurality of stakeholders, enrolled on premises of innovation and entrepreneurship. The description of practices is grounded in a structurational model in which human actors, technological artifacts and organizations are closely intertwined. We address the following empirical research questions: How are sociomaterialities performed and organized in practice? How are a certain style of making practices and identity of practitioners progressively institutionalized and demonstrated at the local and global levels? Fablabs emerge as organized spaces where practices have agency and articulate knowing in practice with a proto-organization. Studying this process allows to understand how practices are related to the institutionalization of Fablabs at the local and global levels. We highlight the role played by Fabmanagers as intermediary agents, and how their various activities affect the achievement of the initial goal of the project proponents.
The eﬀect of humor on cognitive control of IGT performance: a psychophysiological study of gender diﬀerences

Background/objectives: To assess the eﬀect of humor on IGT decision-making as a function of gender, and to explore the neural correlates underlying this eﬀect. Method: We randomly assigned participants (N = 60; 30 men and 30 women) to either an experimental Humor Group (Hg) or a control non-Humor Group (NHg) and asked them to perform a long-version (500 trials) of the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT). Participants’ EEG response was recorded while solving the IGT. Results: Men in the Hg demonstrated impaired monitoring and learning of the task compared to men in the NHg. Later, women in the Hg, exhibited more integrated attention to rewards and punishments along with a decrease in random choices when compared with women in the NHg. Behavioral and EEG results support that humor is beneﬁcial for women’s cognitive control of IGT performance but impairs it in men.
Abstraction-based Control Synthesis of Unknown Systems Using Neural Network Approximations

We consider the control synthesis problem of unknown nonlinear dynamical systems with linear temporal logic (LTL) formulas as specifications. First, we use a neural network to learn the flow map of the unknown system by performing a regression task with a sampled dataset of input-output data pairs. Then, the generalization error of the approximation is derived by estimating the Lipschitz constants of the flow map, and the approximated neural networks. By treating the generalization error as the disturbance in the given unknown system, the abstraction can be obtained for specifications in the form of LTL. It follows that standard tools such as ROCS can be applied to solve the control synthesis problem. The effectiveness of the proposed algorithm is illustrated by a reach-avoid task for a car model.
Differential effects of conspecific and heterospecific density on the development of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus larvae

Between-species competition shapes the distribution and abundance of populations. Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus are vectors of pathogens such as dengue and are known to compete at the larval stage. The outcome of this inter-species competition has been found to be context dependent, with the strength and direction changing with resource availability and type. We were motivated by this uncertainty, and aimed to elucidate the magnitude and mechanism of competition. We manipulated the larval density of mixed and single species cohorts of larvae, measuring the effects on survivorship and development time. Unlike other related studies, we adjusted the feeding regime so that the per-capita resource availability was kept constant across all density treatments, at a level sufficient for successful development. This ensured that each larvae at least had the opportunity to gain the requisite resources for pupation. Our analysis found that Ae. aegypti suffered notably less mortality due to intra- and interspecific competition. For both species, intra- and interspecific competition led to the survival of faster developing individuals, with the exception that slower developing Ae. albopictus larvae survived when exposed a combination of both high con- and heterospecific densities. These results show that the competition between Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus can still occur even when resources are theoretically adequate for development. This suggests that larvae can alter resource seeking and consumption parameters when exposed to high densities of conspecifics and heterospecifics, leading to contest competition. Evidence for resource-independent mechanisms of competition such as crowding are also found, as is evidence for the importance of demographic stochasticity in population processes.
Extensionality of Ghost Dependent Types for Free

We introduce ghost type theory (GTT) a dependent type theory extended with a new universe for ghost data that can safely be erased when running a program but which is not proof irrelevant like with a universe of (strict) propositions. Instead, ghost data carry information that can be used in proofs or to discard impossible cases in relevant computations. Casts can be used to replace ghost values by others that are propositionally equal
Current reproducibility practices in management: What they are versus what they could be

While debates about a replication crisis in organization studies have taken up significant journal space over the past years, the issue of reproducibility has been mostly ignored. Reproducibility manifests when researchers draw the same conclusions from a reanalysis of the same dataset as used in the original study with the same (literal reproducibility) or superior (constructive reproducibility) data analytic techniques. Reproducibility studies are crucial for correcting accidental mistakes as well as intentional distortions during data preparation and analysis, thus allowing a science to be self-correcting. In the current editorial, we define reproducibility, provide published examples that illustrate the crucial role that reproducibility plays in scientific knowledge production, and offer findings from a review of papers published in the 2019 volumes of Academy of Management Journal and Journal of Management to explore how frequently different forms of reproducibility are employed in the top management outlet. We discuss the implications of our findings for future research and reporting practices and offer guidance for authors, reviewers, and editors.
Factors Affecting Engagement and Commercialization of Innovation Activities of Firms in Tanzania

In today’s academic and policy debates on growth and development in Low Income Countries (LICs), the importance of innovation raising productivity in the private sector, and within manufacturing Small and Medium Sized Enterprises in particular, has been increasingly emphasized. Innovation is crucial in LICs, because innovation in all economic sectors is fundamental for growth, in order to catch up with middle and high income economies.