Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Measurement Requirements for Climate Monitoring of Upper-Air Temperature Derived from Reanalysis Data

Abstract Using a reanalysis of the climate of the past half century as a model of temperature variations over the next half century, tests of various data collection protocols are made to develop recommendations for observing system requirements for monitoring upper-air temperature. The analysis focuses on accurately estimating monthly climatic data (specifically, monthly average temperature and its standard deviation) and multidecadal trends in monthly temperatures at specified locations, from the surface to 30 hPa. It does not address upper-air network size or station location issues. The effects of reducing the precision of temperature data, incomplete sampling of the diurnal cycle, incomplete sampling of the days of the month, imperfect long-term stability of the observations, and changes in observation schedule are assessed. To ensure accurate monthly climate statistics, observations with at least 0.5-K precision, made at least twice daily, at least once every two or three days are sufficient. Using .
Following Dirt Roads at Night Time: Sensors and Features for Lane Recognition and Tracking

The robust perception of roads is a major prerequisite in many Advanced Driver Assistant Systems such as Lane Departure Warning and Lane Keeping Assistant Systems. While road detection at day-time is a well-known topic in literature, few publications provide a detailed description about handling the lack of day-light. In this paper we present multiple sensors and features for perceiving roads at day and night. The presented features are evaluated according to their quality for road detection. We generated a large number of labeled sample data and extracted the quality of the features from their probability distributions. The challenge of tracking an unmarked road under bad lighting conditions is demonstrated by comparing receiver operating characteristics (ROC) of the features at day and night-time. Based on these results we present a road tracking system capable of tracking unmarked roads of lower order regardless of illumination conditions. Practical tests prove the robustness up to unmarked dirt roads under different weather conditions.
Examining open government data (OGD) usage in India through UTAUT framework

Purpose: This paper aims to examine the use and acceptance of open government data (OGD) of different stakeholder groups in India. Design/methodology/approach: Following an empirical investigation among 244 respondents in India, the paper deploys path analysis via LISREL. The conceptual construction of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) framework is used to assess the behavioral intention to use and accept OGD. Multiple regression analysis informs the relationship of demographic variables with the behavioral intention to use and accept OGD. Findings: Path analysis showed that there is an increased use and acceptance of OGD among the respondents. Multiple regression analysis shows that men are more likely to use open data sets than women. Individual differences are found among the respondents with regard to OGD usage. Thus, while men may tap open data sets in line with their purposes and professional backgrounds, women are likely to tap the data sets even for non-professional purposes. Furthermore, the respondents who are younger in age are more behaviorally inclined to accepting and using OGD than their older counterparts. Practical implications: The Indian government needs to popularize and familiarize OGD initiatives among the people to a greater extent. The utilitarian value of OGD may be provided when data sets are more user-friendly, frequently updated and accurate. This would facilitate in better provision of public services besides appreciating the public sentiment. Further, with increased interaction between citizens and the government, public accountability and transparency may be better realized. Social implications: The study shows that different groups of people are engaging in tapping information through government websites and related portals. Societal influence was found to be an important factor which predicts the acceptance and usage of OGD. An infrastructure can help to enable the use of OGD. Originality/value: Hitherto, studies have focused on OGD initiatives in the developed countries, but extant literature is scarce on developing countries. Therefore, this study seeks to fill the literature gap by probing OGD use and acceptance among different stakeholder groups in India.
Stilbenoids from the stem of Diospyros collinsae, the first evidence for the production of stilbene derivatives in Ebenaceous plants

Two stilbenoids, diptoindonesin D ( 1 ) and diptoindonesin G ( 2 ), were isolated from the stem of Diospyros collinsae Craib (Ebenaceae), together with four triterpenoids, namely friedelin, lupeol, betulin and betulinic acid. Their structures were determined by spectroscopic analysis. Diptoindonesin G ( 2 ) exhibited cytotoxic activity against NCI-H187 cells and antimalarial activity against Plasmodium falciparum . The isolation of 1 and 2 provided the first evidence for the production of stilbene derivatives in plants of the family Ebenaceae.
Inhibitory Effects of Chlorine Dioxide and a Commercial Chlorine Sanitizer Against Foodborne Pathogens on Lettuce

This study compared the effects of chlorine dioxide and a commercial chlorine sanitizer for inhibiting foodborne pathogens, including Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, Listeria monocytogenes, and Escherichia coli O157 : H7, on lettuce leaves. The lettuce samples were inoculated with each cocktail of the three strains, and were then treated with chemical sanitizers (distilled water, 100 ppm commercial chlorine and 50 ppm, 100 ppm, 200 ppm chlorine dioxide (ClO2)) for 1 min, 5 min, and 10 min at room temperature(22±2°C). Following inoculation of the leaves, initial popula- tions of E. coli O157:H7, L. monocytogenes, and S. Typhimurium were approximately 5.54, 4.47, and 5.12 log CFU/g, respectively these levels were not significantly reduced by the treatment with water,whereas the 100 ppm commercial chlorine sanitizer treatment and ClO2 (at all tested concentrations) were effective at reducing levels of all three patho- gens. The treatment of 200 ppm ClO2 for 10 min was most effective at inhibiting the three pathogens, and reduction levels of E. coli O157 : H7, L. monocytogenes, and S. Typhimurium were 2.28, 1.95, 1.76 log, respectively. The in- hibitory effect of ClO2 increased with increasing treatment concentration of ClO2, but there was no significant difference by the treatment times. When chemically injured cells of E. coli O157 : H7 and L. monocytogenes and S. Typhimurium were examined by SPRAB and selective overlay methods, respectively, it was observed that the commercial chlorine sanitizer generated greater numbers of injured L. monocytogenes than the ClO2 treatment. From the overall results, ClO2 was more effective at inhibiting pathogenic bacteria compared to the commercial chlorine sanitizer therefore, it has potential to be utilized as an alternative sanitizer to increase the microbial safety of fresh produce.
Explore inhabitants’ perceptions of wildfire and mitigation behaviours in the Cerrado biome, a fire-prone area of Brazil

Fire represents an important natural feature of Brazilian landscape, especially in the Cerrado biome. The Cerrado is the economic livelihood of thousands of people from rural areas in Brazil. It is one of the most important hotspot of biodiversity in the world but also it is a fire-prone area thanks to the high flammability index of the vegetation. Residents and native people of this environment use fire very frequently. The majority of wildfires are caused by humans, though there are some aggravating natural factors affecting the risk, intensity and severity of wildfires. Since residents are continuously involved in fire suppression activities, understanding their perceptions is important for the decision makers who must assess the local capacity to preserve natural resources. This study explores perceptions about wildfire risk and fire mitigation behaviors within three municipalities of the state of Tocantins (Brazil). The study demonstrates that survey participants perceived wildfire risk as rather high, although the perceptions were complex and conflicting among interviewees. A wide range of confused perceptions about fire ignition and heterogeneous point of view have carried out form the survey. However, the residence of interviewees and their educational attainment result the variables that significantly (p-value <0.05) affect the inhabitants’ perceptions.
Analysis of Online Marketing Management in Czech Republic

Abstract Background and Purpose: Doing business over the Internet has become increasingly competitive for many companies. The aim of this study is to analyse the current state of utilizing online tools, approaches of Czech companies to the management of online marketing activities and to identify weaknesses and opportunities of these activities. Methodology/Approach: The paper presents empirical research that uses two different approaches in investigation: (1) descriptive quantitative research of current state, based on examination of websites of a sample of 4,584 Czech companies and (2) questionnaire survey among 161 Czech companies which do business via the Internet. Results: There is a large gap that currently exist between the use of social media and its connection to marketing activities. The competitive level of the use of social media in the Czech Republic is still low compared to the USA companies. The online marketing management (OMM) of the majority of companies rely on individual assessment and do not use any metrics or management methodologies. One of the main problems of OMM is the ever increasing number of tools used in marketing activities as well as low possibility of a broader perspective on the success of cross channel marketing activities. Conclusion: In the future, it is expected that a large number of Czech companies will increasingly use online tools as social media for their marketing activities. In the context of this development they cannot rely only on individual assessment to manage these activities as they do currently, but they will have to use comprehensive tools or methodologies. Based on this, we can conclude that Czech companies still have enough opportunities for a better use of online tools for marketing purposes.
Correlation Studies for Morphological and Biomass Traits in Half Sib Families of Terminalia Arjuna (L.)

introduction Terminalia arjuna is a fast growing tree having high biomass production potential and ability to grow on marginal and degraded lands. It has immense abstract Estimation of phenotypic and genotypic correlation between various traits provides necessary information in breeding program, when selection is based on two or more characters. The intensity and trend of association among characters may be estimated by genetic coefficients of correlations and genotypic and phenotypic coefficient of correlation depending on the type of materials studied. The knowledge of genetic inter-relationship between characters is also of theoretical and practical interest because a genotypic correlation may drive genetic linkage or from developmental induced relationships between components that are only indirectly the consequences of gene action. Terminalia arjuna is a medium to large sized fast growing versatile tree popularly known as Arjun. It has immense economic potential in various industries viz., pharmaceutical, timber, paper, soap, tannin, dye, match, food, fodder and fuel. Thirty candidate plus trees (CPTs) of T. arjuna were selected as seed source from 30 different provinces of Uttar Pradesh for the study of correlation study of morphological & biomass traits. After 12 months of growth under nursery condition, data were collected and analyze for association studies. Present study concludes that magnitudes of phenotypic correlation coefficients were lower compare to corresponding genotypic values. A strong positive and highly significant phenotypic correlation with collar diameter, bark content, fresh shoot weight, dry shoot weight, fresh root weight, dry root weight and total biomass of seedling were exhibited. Therefore, these characters may be given proper emphasis during selection and breeding program of Arjun tree species where the amount of leaf, bark and biomass production is of immense importance. article History
Home workers and ultraviolet radiation exposure

This paper investigates preventive measures for the reduction of the occupational ultraviolet (UV) exposure of a group of home workers by altering the time spent outdoors. Various scenarios for time spent indoors were investigated, namely, (1) 12:00 to 13:00 EST, (2) 11:00 to 12:00 EST, (3) 08:00 EST to 10:00 EST, (4) 14:00 to 16:00 EST, (5) 07:00 EST to 12:00 EST and (6) 12:00 to 17:00 EST. The annual UV occupational exposures of home workers for each of the six scenarios above in the location of Toowoomba (27.5° S, 151.9° E, elv 693m) were estimated using a numerical model which incorporates measurements of the ambient UV exposure, and the fraction of time spent outdoors. The home workers within this study, regardless of time of year, exceeded the occupational exposure for UV during a normal working day. The relative reduction of annual occupational UV exposure to home workers due to spending time indoors as in scenarios (1) to (6) was 12%, 13%, 17%, 17%, 53% and 47% respectively.
Thermal and Spectroscopic Studies on Nizatidine-PVP mixture

–Nizatidine is commonly used in the treatment of peptic ulcer disease (PUD) and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The interaction between the drug and the additives is an important issue in the stabilization of the amorphous Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs). Interaction between Nizatidine and PVP was studied with the help of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). Single glass transition peak in DSC thermogram shows the miscibility of the drug-PVP and shifting of C=O band of Nizatidine-PVP binary to lower wavenumber shows strong hydrogen bonding between the amino group of Nizatidine and carbonyl group of monomeric unit of PVP compared to those observed in the pure crystalline Nizatidine. X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) confirms the amorphous nature of PVP. Keywords––Bioavailability, differential scanning calorimetry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Nizatidine, solubility, solid dispersion.
Bile Acids Induced Cell Necropotosis

Bile acids were confirmed as important signal molecule in a lot of physiological processes. Recent studies have demonstrated their roles in regulating cell death pathway. New concept of programmed cell death includes autophagy and necroptosis, two independent pathway of programmed cell death beside apoptosis. The molecular pathway of bile acid induced apoptosis and autophagy were reported by recent studies. However, bile acid induced necroptosis was only noticed by some clinical reports, the molecular pathway is waiting to be discovered. This review aims to summarize the pathway of bile acid induced apoptosis and autophagy and analyze the possible pathway of bile acid induced necroptosis.
Spraakverstaan in achtergrondlawaai bij kinderen

Bij sommige kinderen die problemen ondervinden met de auditieve waarneming wordt bij gewoon klinisch audiologisch onderzoek geen aanwijzing gevonden voor het bestaan van een gehoorverlies. Een verklaring hiervoor zou kunnen zijn dat deze kinderen gevoeliger zijn voor de storende invloed van omgevingsgeluiden dan anderen, waardoor zij spraak minder goed verstaan. Aangezien het toondrempel- en spraakaudiogram onvoldoende informatie geven over het spraakverstaan in natuurlijke situaties, bestaat er behoefte aan een instrument waarmee spraakverstaan zowel in stilte als in achtergrondlawaai wordt gemeten. De Plomptest die hiervoor wordt gebruikt bij volwassenen, is in de oorspronkelijke vorm niet geschikt voor onderzoek van kinderen. Vanuit de Afdeling Audiologie van het Academisch Ziekenhuis in Groningen is daarom enige jaren geleden een project gestart dat aanpassing van de Plomptest voor gebruik bij jonge kinderen tot doel had. In dit artikel wordt verslag gedaan van een tweetal experimenten en een pilotstudy die in het kader van dit project zijn uitgevoerd, Op grond van de onderzoeksresultaten is een instrument ontwikkeld voor onderzoek van de spraakverstaanvaardigheid in stiite en in achtergrondlawaai bij kinderen tussen 6,0 en 8,0 jaar. Het instrument bestaat uit 4 lijsten van 13 zinnen die zijn geselecteerd uit het oorspronkelijke Plompmateriaal. Voor elke lijst is een eigen verhouding vastgesteld tussen de sterkte waarmee de zinnen en het achtergrondlawaai worden aangeboden; Lijst l: geen achtergrondlawaai, Lijst 2: S/R=+4, Lijst 3: S/R=42, Lijst 4: S/R= 0 dB. Het instrument is “geijkt” op een groep Basisschoolleerlingen tussen 6;0 en 8,0 jaar. Op basis van een vergelijking van de individuele resultaten met de gemiddelde resultaten van leeftijdsgenoten kan een indruk worden verkregen van de spraakverstaanvaardigheid van een kind.
Airborne direct-detection and coherent wind lidar measurements along the east coast of Greenland in 2009 supporting ESA's Aeolus mission

The Aeolus mission of the European Space Agency (ESA) will send the first wind lidar to space to fulfill the utmost need for global wind profile observations. Before the scheduled launch in late 2013, pre-launch campaigns have to be performed to validate the measurement principle and to optimize retrieval algorithms. Therefore, an airborne prototype instrument has been developed, the ALADIN Airborne Demonstrator (A2D). In September 2009 an airborne campaign over Greenland, Iceland and the Atlantic Ocean was conducted using two instruments: the A2D and a well established coherent 2-μm lidar for aerosol and cloud backscatter. Thus, two wind lidar instruments measuring Mie and Rayleigh backscatter in parallel were operated on the same aircraft. This paper describes the analysis of wind measurement data gathered during a flight segment on 26.09. 2009. A dedicated aerial interpolation algorithm is introduced taking into account the different resolution grids of the two lidar systems. Via a statistical comparison of line of sight (LOS) winds the systematic and random error of the direct-detection wind lidar A2D was assessed, yielding -0.7 m/s and 1.9 m/s for the Rayleigh and 1.1 m/s and 1.3 m/s for the Mie channel, respectively.
A new method for constructing sliding surfaces of linear time-invariant systems

A new method for constructing the sliding surfaces is developed by using the pole-assignment method; unlike the usual cases, the pole-assignment method is applied to the overall closed-loop system and not the system in the sliding mode. Most importantly, the design procedure is simple since the sliding surfaces can be determined in an explicit form. Also, three significant properties listed in a theorem are proved and demonstrated by a numerical example.
The unidirectional relationship between consumer confidence and PSI-20 returns – The influence of the economic cycle * , * *

The aim of this paper is to determine the relationship between market sentiment and rates of return on the main Portuguese benchmark and verify whether this relationship is influenced by different economic cycles. Given the subjectivity inherent to the use of variables capturing investor sentiment, the Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) was used as a benchmark. To achieve the proposed objective, an analysis of time series stationarity, Pearson correlation, and Granger causality using the autoregressive vectors model was carried out, followed by the Least Squares Method with macroeconomic variables. The results obtained suggest a one-way relationship between stock market returns and the sentiment variable. In fact, in times of recession, investor pessimism induces linear behavior and the sentiment-return relationship is more evident. This article will thus be of interest both to the academic community, in providing a basis for future investigations, and to managers and investors, with regards to the perception that the predictability of returns will be easier in periods of recession.
Dense stereo correspondence for uncalibrated images in multiple view reconstruction

We propose a method for combining dense stereo matching on calibrated images with automatic camera motion estimation, in order to generate dense reconstructions from uncalibrated image sequences. In doing so we explain how standard stereo matching can be extended, and for the estimation of motion we also introduce a technique for dealing with scale ambiguity and loop closure (a solution to the latter is termed deja vu correction). Results from experiments are given and discussed, and we find that the proposed method can provide useful 3D information from uncalibrated image sequences.
SELENIUM AS A BIOMARKER IN PRE AND POSTMENOPAUSAL BREAST CANCER PATIENTS - AN UPDATE

In the present study we determined the selenium content in different clinical stages of pre and postmenopausal breast cancer patients. A total of 72 breast cancer patients were included in this study. Patient‟s tumor tissues were separated as pre and postmenopausal along with their respective non tumors. The selenium metal content was estimated by acid digestion method using atomic absorption spectroscopy. In the present investigation we observed that selenium content was significantly decreased from stage I to stage III tumor tissues of both pre and postmenopausal women. However in comparison of pre and postmenopausal breast tissues in each stage it was also found that selenium content was lower in postmenopausal women in all stages. This study provides compelling evidence for the first time that the selenium content was decreased in both pre and postmenopausal tumor tissues. This indicates that selenium might be considered as a valuable biomarker to evaluate breast cancer stage progression.
Melanoma maligno de células pequeñas en el embarazo

INTRODUCTION Malignant melanoma (MM) is an aggressive neoplasm that may affect pregnant women. Malignant melanoma with small-cell morphology (MMSCM) is a rare variant of MM that can cause confusion in its diagnosis. OBJECTIVE To report a fatal case of MMSCM in a pregnant woman, highlighting immunohistochemistry (IHC) as a very useful tool in the final diagnosis. CLINICAL CASE A 22-year-old pregnant female presented with a 5-cm cutaneous tumor in her right leg. The lesion was excised but the patient refused any further therapy. The natural outcome of this neoplasm occurred with local recurrence and multiple metastases to the lungs, liver, and kidneys. CONCLUSIONS MM should be included in the differential diagnosis of small-cell cutaneous tumor, and IHC is mandatory for diagnosis confirmation. The recommended suggested screening includes, as a minimum, one sensitive marker (S-100 protein) and one specific (HMB45) marker for melanogenesis.
Health Impact Assessment (HIA) for Planners: What Tools Are Useful?

Health impact assessments (HIAs) provide an attractive approach for those interested in injecting health issues into planning processes. While HIAs have been mainly employed outside the United States and led by professionals from the public health field, they hold promise for addressing the important dimension of human health in planning. This article describes the history of HIAs and their relationship to other analogous tools, reviews current theory and practice of HIAs, and discusses the role of HIAs in current planning initiatives. The authors suggest it is important to modify existing HIA tools so that they are perceived by planners as a useful supplement to current planning processes rather than a burdensome additional requirement. The authors close by discussing how HIAs present distinct advantages, providing a more specific focus on the important topic of human health and a further opportunity to more closely partner with potential allies from public health and related fields.