Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Passive Brain–Computer Interfaces: A Perspective on Increased Interactivity

Passive brain–computer interfaces (passive BCI; pBCI) have been introduced and formally defined almost a decade ago and have gained considerable attention since then. In this chapter, we clarify some points of confusion and provide a perspective on the past, present, and future of the field of passive BCI. This perspective concerns a key aspect with regard to which various pBCI-based systems differ from each other: interactivity. The more interactive a system is, the more responsive it is, the more autonomous, and the better capable of adaptation. Along these lines, we identify and describe four relevant categories of systems with varying levels of interactivity: mental state assessment, open-loop adaptation, closedloop adaptation, and automated adaptation. We give examples of past and current research for each of these categories. The latter three are collectively introduced as neuroadaptive systems. This perspective and formal categorisation helps to highlight human–computer interaction aspects that are relevant for the design of pBCI-based systems and points to possibilities for future research and development into passive BCI, implicit interaction, and neuroadaptive technology. 3.1 Passive Brain–Computer Interfaces In 1977, Jacques J. Vidal demonstrated the real-time detection of “brain events”, and offered an example of how these might be used to control a system. Instead of using offline, a posteriori methods to investigate neuroelectric brain activity, Vidal suggested “treating the experiment as a signal detection problem” (Vidal 1977): with continuous access to an electroencephalogram (EEG), a computer classified incoming EEG data as belonging to one of four categories, based on previously learned (and continuously updated) decision strategies. As such, the system was able to recognise specific brain activity in real time. Although Vidal speculated upon a wide range of potential future applications of this approach, it was in a clinical context that brain–computer interface (BCI) methodology gained widespread attention. It was quickly realised that such direct BCIs could potentially provide a means for paralysed or otherwise motor-impaired people to communicate with the outside world without having to use their muscles (Wolpaw et al. 2002). This resolve to help those people who stood to benefit most from this technology led to a strong focus on BCI for direct communication and control, and resulted, inter alia, in different mental speller devices (e.g., Birbaumer et al. 1999; Brouwer & Van Erp 2010; Farwell & Donchin 1988; Furdea et al. 2009; Treder et al. 2011) and brain-activated prostheses (e.g., Müller-Putz & Pfurtscheller 2008; Soekadar et al. 2016; Wessberg et al. 2000; Wolpaw & McFarland 2008). For a long time, in fact, BCI research appeared to be inseparably connected to these applications.
The Swift Ultra-Violet/Optical Telescope

The Ultra-Violet/Optical Telescope (UVOT) is one of three instruments flying aboard the Swift Gamma-ray Observatory. It is designed to capture the early (∼1 min) UV and optical photons from the afterglow of gamma-ray bursts in the 170–600 nm band as well as long term observations of these afterglows. This is accomplished through the use of UV and optical broadband filters and grisms. The UVOT has a modified Ritchey–Chrétien design with micro-channel plate intensified charged-coupled device detectors that record the arrival time of individual photons and provide sub-arcsecond positioning of sources. We discuss some of the science to be pursued by the UVOT and the overall design of the instrument.
Analyzing Cross-Platform Attacks: Towards a Three-Actor Approach

In the current telecommunications landscape, different devices, systems and platforms are constantly communicating with each other. This heterogeneous environment creates the perfect situation for attacks to pass from one platform to another. This is a particularly worrying scenario, because of the new technologies being used (such as network slicing in 5G), the increasing importance of connected devices in our lives (IoT), and the unpredictable consequences that an attack of this type could have. The current approaches in attack analysis do not take into account these sitations, and the attacker/victim paradigm usually followed may fall short when dealing with these attacks. Thus, in this paper, an architecture for the analysis of cross-platform attacks will be presented, aiming to help understand better this kind of threats and offering solutions to mitigate and track them.
The Effect of Transaction Characteristics on the Market Response to Black Economic Empowerment Transactions

Previous studies have found that the announcement of Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) transactions elicits a positive market reaction but recently Strydom, Christison and Matias (2009) found that the positive reaction to the announcement of BEE transactions is not universal. This paper uses an event study approach to investigate the type of BEE transaction and the size of stake acquired as two possible explanations for differing market reactions to BEE transactions. Evidence of a positive reaction to the announcement of Joint Ventures is found but not to Acquisitions or Strategic Alliances. When Acquisitions are analysed by size of stake acquired, however, a positive response to the acquisition of a controlling interest is found but acquisitions of a 100% stake are found to elicit a negative market reaction. Transaction characteristics are thus found to have an impact on the market response to BEE transactions.
Use of physiological parameters to detect differences in drought tolerance among sugarcane genotypes.

DROUGHT is a major limitation to sustainable sugarcane production worldwide, and selection for improved drought tolerance can help sustain productivity while conserving water. Water deficit stress is known to alter a variety of physiological processes, which ultimately determine yield. Identifying suitable selection tools and drought tolerance traits would facilitate the crop improvement process. In this study, we evaluated the ability of three relatively rapid and nondestructive tools (namely, chlorophyll a fluorescence, CF, leaf chlorophyll content, CC, and leaf temperature, LT) to distinguish between sugarcane genotypes known to be either drought tolerant or susceptible, based on their yield performance under drought conditions in south Texas, U.S.A. Four susceptible, and four tolerant genotypes were grown in a field near Weslaco, S. Texas, and subjected to drought stress over a 90-day period and CF, CC and LT were measured three times during the treatment period. At 45 days after onset of treatments (DAT), CF (measured as the maximum photosystem II, PSII, photochemical efficiency), and leaf chlorophyll content (CC, measured with a Minolta SPAD meter) declined compared to values measured at 0 DAT. However, the reductions in CF and CC were only significant in leaves of drought-susceptible genotypes. Leaf temperature (measured with an infrared thermometer) increased in drought-stressed plants but the increase was significant only after 90 DAT and only in the drought-susceptible genotypes. The data indicate that either CF or CC can be used as rapid, nondestructive screening tools for drought tolerance among sugar genotypes. Introduction Drought is one of the most important environmental stress factors limiting sugarcane production worldwide. Development of drought-tolerant sugarcane germplasm is crucial for sustaining production in areas where water supply is limited. Water deficit stress is known to alter a variety of physiological processes such as radiation capture, leaf temperature, stomatal conductance, transpiration, electron transport, photosynthesis and respiration, which ultimately determine yield (Qing et al., 2001). Conversely, the ability to maintain physiological processes during moderate drought stress is indicative of the potential to sustain productivity under limited water conditions. Physiological traits of importance to drought tolerance seem to vary not only between species, but also among genotypes within a species and careful selection of suitable traits and methods of quantifying them is a necessary prerequisite for drought tolerance improvement. Although measurements of leaf photosynthetic rate may offer promise for characterising hybrid responses to drought stress, gas exchange techniques for assessing photosynthesis are laborious and not practical in crop improvement programs (Earl and Tollenaar, 1999). Previous
Comparison between experimental and numerical stratigraphy emplaced by a prograding delta

A one-dimensional model that is able to store the stratigraphy emplaced by a prograding delta is validated against experimental results. The laboratory experiment describes the migration of a Gilbert delta on a sloping basement into standing water, i.e., a condition in which the stratigraphy emplaced by the delta front is entirely stored in the deposit. The migration of the delta front and the deposition on the delta top are modeled with total and grain-size-based mass conservation models. The vertical sorting on the delta front is modeled with a lee-face-sorting model as a function of the grain size distribution of the sediment deposited at the brinkpoint, i.e., at the downstream end of the delta top. Notwithstanding the errors associated with the grain-size-specific bedload transport formulation, the comparison between numerical and experimental results shows that the model is able to reasonably describe the progradation of the delta front, the frictional resistances on the delta top, and the overall grain size distribution of the delta top and delta front deposits. Further validation of the model in the case of variable base level is currently in progress to allow for future studies, at field and laboratory scale, on how the delta stratigraphy is affected by different changes of relative base level.
Attribution of streamflow trends in snow and glacier melt‐dominated catchments of the Tarim River, Central Asia

Observed streamflow of headwater catchments of the Tarim River (Central Asia) increased by about 30% over the period 1957–2004. This study aims at assessing to which extent these streamflow trends can be attributed to changes in air temperature or precipitation. The analysis includes a data‐based approach using multiple linear regression and a simulation‐based approach using a hydrological model. The hydrological model considers changes in both glacier area and surface elevation. It was calibrated using a multiobjective optimization algorithm with calibration criteria based on glacier mass balance and daily and interannual variations of discharge. The individual contributions to the overall streamflow trends from changes in glacier geometry, temperature, and precipitation were assessed using simulation experiments with a constant glacier geometry and with detrended temperature and precipitation time series. The results showed that the observed changes in streamflow were consistent with the changes in temperature and precipitation. In the Sari‐Djaz catchment, increasing temperatures and related increase of glacier melt were identified as the dominant driver, while in the Kakshaal catchment, both increasing temperatures and increasing precipitation played a major role. Comparing the two approaches, an advantage of the simulation‐based approach is the fact that it is based on process‐based relationships implemented in the hydrological model instead of statistical links in the regression model. However, data‐based approaches are less affected by model parameter and structural uncertainties and typically fast to apply. A complementary application of both approaches is recommended.
Phenolic Content and Antioxidant Activity of Cantaloupe ( Cucumis melo var. cantalupensis ) and Food Application

The objectives of this study were to determine phenolic content and antioxidant activity of methanolic extracts from different parts of cantaloupe (skin, seed and flesh), and to evaluate the efficiency of using cantaloupe skin wastes methanolic extracts at concentrations of 200, 400 and 600 ppm, respectively by compared with BHA on oxidative stability of mayonnaise incubated at 40°C to accelerate the oxidation for 60 days. The flesh extract give the highest yield (62.87±2.3 g extract/100 g powder) whilst the lowest yield was obtained from the seed (2.866±0.06 g extract/100 g powder) (p < 0.05). The skin extract showed the highest total phenolic content (8.47±0.21mg GAE/g extract) and total flavonoid content (5.23±1.32 µg RE/g extract) accompanied with best antioxidant activity through antioxidant assay (p < 0.05). For mayonnaise stability show sample treated with CSE at level 400 ppm showed the lowest value for acid value (0.296±0.00 mg KOH/g fat) and peroxide value (6.56±0.07 meq.O2/kg fat) at the end day of storage 60 day. There is no significant between it and BHA at 60 day. Thus, these results suggest that methanolic extracts of skin cantaloupe may serve as a potential source of natural antioxidant for food, nutraceutical application and could be used to retard fat auto-oxidation.
EMPIRICAL BAYES AND BAYES PREDICTION OF FINITE POPULATION TOTAL USING AUXILIARY INFORMATION

The focus of this paper is on the prediction of a finite population total T by taking a sample of size n from a population of size N units. Classical theory models the data collection procedure with a sampling design, a probability function defined on the sample space, S, of all possible samples of size n. The sampling design along with unbiasedness requirements yields a classical approach to relating observed with unobserved population units. To assist in the population prediction we assume that a p-dimensional vector is known for each of the N population units. Known as auxiliary information, these p-dimensional vectors are used to obtain a very well-known classical estimator for finite population prediction known as the general regression estimator suggested by (1) and (5). The general regression estimator is the popular design- based Horvitz-Thompson estimator plus an adjustment term. Sarndal (6) employ classical sampling design theory, using inclusion probabilities, and a regression model y = Xβ + e, where X is the auxiliary information matrix, β is the unknown coefficient vector, and e ∼ N(0,V). The regression model, however, is used only as a means to obtain an estimate of β. Hence, unbiasedness and variance expressions for the general regression estimator are derived under the classical sampling design approach. In contrast, a superpopulation model provides the stochastic structure for Bayesian inferential purposes. The superpopulation model establishes the main relations between the observed and unobserved units of y. Using a specified superpopulation model, we derive an existing Bayesian estimator in matrix form and show the matrix mathematics involved in order to attain a Bayesian analog to a certain classical estimator. 1. The sample survey problem: Motivating the research The need for obtaining information for statistical prediction is increasing in the modern times of the web and data warehousing. A particular area of prediction concerns a specific set of N identifiable elements in a finite population with unit labels P = {1, 2,…, N}. For example, a university having budgetary concerns may begin by looking at the population of currently enrolled students and try to predict the total number of credit hours to expect from these students the next academic year. Predicting the total number of credit hours will help them make budget plans since student credit hours, not
Lamba Parlaklığını Etkileyen Değişkenler ile Değişkenleri Belirlemenin Öğretiminde Analoji Kullanımının Etkisi

Bu arastirmada lamba parlakligini etkileyen degiskenler ile degiskenleri belirlemenin ogretiminde analoji kullaniminin ogrenme ve kavram yanilgilarinin giderilmesi uzerindeki etkisi incelenmistir. Arastirmaya ortaokul besinci sinifta ogrenim gormekte olan 98 ogrenci katilmistir. Arastirmada yari deneysel yontem cesitlerinden esitlenmemis kontrol gruplu on ve son test yontemi kullanilmis, yari yapilandirilmis gorusmeler yapilmistir. Uygulama surecinde deney grubunda analoji, kontrol grubunda ise analoji kullanilmadan ders islenmistir. Arastirmada 9 sorudan olusan bir veri toplama araci kullanilmistir. Elde edilen veriler icerik analizi ile cozumlenmistir. Arastirma sonucunda analoji kullaniminin ogrenme ve kavram yanilgilarinin giderilmesi uzerinde etkili oldugu saptanmistir.
11-4-2013 Conceptualizing Communication Capital for a Changing Environment

Although research has made significant gains in understanding the constitutive nature of conversation in the process of organizing, its predictive effects on organizational outcomes are still uncertain. To contribute in this direction, based on social exchange theory and leader-member exchange (LMX) research, this study examined the predictive effects of leader-member conversational quality (LMCQ) on employee organizational commitment (OC), and the potential interaction effects of LMCQ with LMX quality. Using data from an online survey, this study found that above and beyond communication frequency and other control variables, LMCQ is significantly associated with employee OC. More interestingly, the effects of LMCQ vary based on the level of LMX quality. These findings have significant implications at both theoretical and practical levels.
How accurately can soil organic carbon stocks and stock changes be quantified by soil inventories

Abstract. Precise determination of changes in organic carbon (OC) stocks is prerequisite to understand the role of soils in the global cycling of carbon and to verify changes in stocks due to management. A large dataset was collected to form base to repeated soil inventories at 12 CarboEurope sites under different climate and land-use, and with different soil types. Concentration of OC, bulk density (BD), and fine earth fraction were determined to 60 cm depth at 100 sampling points per site. We investigated (1) time needed to detect changes in soil OC, assuming future re-sampling of 100 cores; (2) the contribution of different sources of uncertainties to OC stocks; (3) the effect of OC stock calculation on mass rather than volume base for change detection; and (4) the potential use of pedotransfer functions (PTF) for estimating BD in repeated inventories. The period of time needed for soil OC stocks to change strongly enough to be detectable depends on the spatial variability of soil properties, the depth increment considered, and the rate of change. Cropland sites, having small spatial variability, had lower minimum detectable differences (MDD) with 100 sampling points (105 p 28 gC m−2 for the upper 10 cm of the soil) than grassland and forest sites (206 p 64 and 246 p 64 gC m−2 for 0–10 cm, respectively). Expected general trends in soil OC indicate that changes could be detectable after 2–15 yr with 100 samples if changes occurred in the upper 10 cm of stone-poor soils. Error propagation analyses showed that in undisturbed soils with low stone contents, OC concentrations contributed most to OC stock variability while BD and fine earth fraction were more important in upper soil layers of croplands and in stone rich soils. Though the calculation of OC stocks based on equivalent soil masses slightly decreases the chance to detect changes with time at most sites except for the croplands, it is still recommended to account for changing bulk densities with time. Application of PTF for the estimation of bulk densities caused considerable underestimation of total variances of OC stocks if the error associated with the PTF was not accounted for, which rarely is done in soil inventories. Direct measurement of all relevant parameters approximately every 10 yr is recommended for repeated soil OC inventories.
Effective Adaptive Kalman Filter for MEMS-IMU/Magnetometers Integrated Attitude and Heading Reference Systems

To improve the computational efficiency and dynamic performance of low cost Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU)/magnetometer integrated Attitude and Heading Reference Systems (AHRS), this paper has proposed an effective Adaptive Kalman Filter (AKF) with linear models; the filter gain is adaptively tuned according to the dynamic scale sensed by accelerometers. This proposed approach does not need to model the system angular motions, avoids the non-linear problem which is inherent in the existing methods, and considers the impact of the dynamic acceleration on the filter. The experimental results with real data have demonstrated that the proposed algorithm can maintain an accurate estimation of orientation, even under various dynamic operating conditions.
Effect of Implementing Clinical Pathway Guidelines on Patients' Clinical Outcomes with Acute Coronary Syndrome

Acute coronary syndrome refers to a range of potentially life-threatening conditions that affect the coronary artery blood supply to the heart. It is associated with increased patient mortality, length of hospital stay and health care costs. Clinical pathways are now one of the main tools that used to manage the quality in healthcare concerning the standardization of care processes. Hence, the aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of implementing a clinical pathway guideline on the clinical outcomes of patients with acute coronary syndrome. A quasi experimental research design was utilized in this study and it was conducted on 60 adult patients at the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit of Tanta University Hospital. The patients were divided into two groups (control and study group) 30 patients in each. The control group: non-clinical pathway group involved patients receiving the routine management regimen while the study group: clinical pathway group (CP group) involved patients who received management according to the clinical pathway guidelines. The findings of this study revealed that a significant changes among control and study group from admission to discharge regarding mean scores of body temperature, Pulse and respiration rate where P<0.05. There was significant increased mean score of central venous pressure among control group compared to study group on admission, after 2 hrs and on 2nd day of admission with P=0.013, 0.007 and 0.001, respectively. The present study showed that low percentages (20.0 %) of control group had cardiogenic shock compared to none patient in the study group with a significant difference between two groups, where P=0.012. Insignificant difference was observed between control and study group regarding duration of stay in ICU and status of patients on discharge with P=0.075 and 0.206. Also it was noticed that the level of reduction of the mean of Hamilton Anxiety Score in the study group was higher than its level in the control group on discharge. It can be concluded that the established pathway achieved its goal of, improving physiological parameters and decreasing patient's complications, length of stay, and anxiety levels. Based on the findings of this study, the following recommendations are suggested; clinical pathway should be implemented routinely for patients with acute coronary syndrome. Integrating ACS clinical pathway into plan of care to replace the traditional nursing care plan.
Mean Reversion on Global Stock Markets

This paper focuses on mean reversion on international stock markets and explores whether this empirical observation is compatible with a rational, general equilibrium asset pricing model. We consider a simple time series model with switching regimes for the consumption process in the G-7 countries and compare the simulated returns with historical stock market data. Our results show that for most countries the empirical mean reversion produces no challenge for an equilibrium model. Short-run momentum, however, cannot be explained within the same simple framework.