Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
APPLICATION OF IMAGE FUSION (OBJECT FUSION) FOR FOREST CLASSIFICATION IN NORTHERN FORESTS OF IRAN

Forest classification on the basis of satellite images is a promising technique both for primary map production and for map updating and forest monitoring. For accurate forest classification into three classes, using mapping by canopy cover density “high spatial resolution satellite images have to be used in order to obtain the required spatial detail” [Schneider, 1999]. At the same time, the spectral information necessary for identifying certain class types can most economically be derived from multi-spectral images of medium spatial resolution. Fusion techniques have to be used to combine information from both sources. In this paper, a method was developed for object-level fusion of IRS-1C/1D pan images (5.8 m pixel size) and LANDSAT TM multispectral images (30 m pixel size) and subsequent classification to produce a canopy cover classification of the northern forests of Iran. The study area is located in Sari and its forest regions in 60,000Hec. (Figure 1) The individual processing steps included segmentation of a multi-band image consisting of both the high-spatial-resolution pan image band and medium-spatial-resolution multispectral bands, with proper weighting of the individual bands in the segmentation procedure in order to obtain both fine detail from the pan image and coarser boundary delineations which show up only in multispectral images. For classification, fuzzy logic membership functions were used. Verification of the classification was carried out and checked with error matrix and kappa calculation on a selected transect from a newly classified map. The results showed that employing object-based fusion procedure using medium- and high-resolution data was an appropriate method that improved classification. Comparing the hard work of creating a new topographic map, a pixel-based fusion procedure was demonstrated to be an acceptable method to create a satellite image map (Satmap) for visual monitoring activities and programs. The overall accuracy of the map produced was calculated as a topo-map of the region.
Multi-sample latent logit models with polytomous effects variables

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Research questions and approaches for computational thinking curricula design

Teaching computational thinking (CT) is argued to be necessary but also admitted to be a very challenging task. The reasons for this, are: i) no general agreement on what computational thinking is; ii) no clear idea nor evidential support on how to teach CT in an effective way. Hence, there is a need to develop a common approach and a shared understanding of the scope of computational thinking and of effective means of teaching CT. Thus, the consequent ambition is to utilize the preliminary and further research outcomes on CT for the education of the prospective teachers of secondary, further and higher/adult education curricula. This research study comprises a proposal for carrying out research and development practices regarding the teaching and integration of mathematical and computational thinking in the curricula. The emphasis is put on the following research agenda, aiming at: a) clarifying the meaning of CT and its scope, b) identifying cross-curricula and other approaches for teaching CT, c) providing a generic curriculum design for CT for students and teachers and d) finding possible obstacles, limitations and bottlenecks for the realisation and evaluation of the previous.
Position Control of Flexible Joint Robots by Adapting Methods for Rigid Robots

Abstract In this paper, it is demonstrated that many position control laws developed for rigid joint robots can also be used for flexible joint robots after some modifications. The main assumptions are smoothness of the control law and the availability of a Lyapunov function. The adaptation is based on a simple control principle: With the help of a position control method known from rigid joint robots, desired values for the motor positions are determined. If the motor positions and their desired values are identical, the link positions converge to their desired trajectories. Afterwards, the system inputs are specified such that the motor positions converge to their desired values. The method can also be applied under system uncertainties.
Effects of Replacement of Soybean Meal with Extruded Full-fat Soybean on Performance and Lipid Serum in Broiler

An experiment, effects of replacing soybean meal with different levels of the extruded full-fat Iranian soybean (EFIS) on performance and lipid serum of broilers was evaluated. 300 one day male chicks (Ross 308) were selected and divided into five experimental groups with four replicates in a completely randomized design and were fed experimental diets for 42 days. The basic diet of the control groups and included 5, 10, 15 and 20% of the extruded full-fat Iranian soybean. During the first ten days of the feeding (starter period) all groups received the basic diet, but in during the period of (1128d) and also (29-42) all groups received the experimental diets. The performance traits of broiler including weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion rate (FCR) and serum lipids were evaluated. The results show that the level of feed intake and FCR (P<0.05) in broilers fed with different levels of the EFIS was decrease. The serum cholesterol and HDL (P<0.01) and triglyceride levels (P<0.05) were increased with different levels of the extruded full-fat Iranian soybean. As a result, utilization of the EFIS at the 20% level led to increase on performance in broilers.
Citation for published version: R. Alghamri, A. Kanellopoulos, and A. Al-Tabbaa, ‘Impregnation and encapsulation of lightweight aggregates for self-healing concrete’, Construction and Building

This study investigated a technique of impregnating potential self-healing agents into lightweight aggregates (LWA) and the self-healing performance of concrete mixed with the impregnated LWA. Lightweight aggregates with a diameter range of 4–8 mm were impregnated with a sodium silicate solution as a potential self-healing agent. Concrete specimens containing the impregnated LWA and control specimens were pre-cracked up to 300 lm crack width at 7 days. Flexural strength recovery and reduction in water sorptivity were examined. After 28 days healing in water, the specimens containing the impregnated LWA showed 80% recovery of the pre-cracking strength, which accounts more than five times of the control specimens’ recovery. The capillary water absorption was also significantly improved; the specimens healed with the impregnated LWA showed a 50% reduction in the sorptivity index compared with the control cracked specimens and a very similar response to the control uncracked specimens. The contribution of sodium silicate in producing more calcium silicate hydrate gel was confirmed by characterisation the healing products using X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. 2016 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Perfect Periphrases in Post-Classical and Early Byzantine Greek: An Ecological-Evolutionary Account

I analyze the use and development of perfect periphrases with the verbs “be” (eἰμί) and “have” (ἔχω) in Post-classical and Early Byzantine Greek. While their importance has often been stressed in the context of the restructuring of the verbal system (more in particular the loss of the synthetic perfect), they have not received an in-depth, corpus-based treatment yet. The approach adopted in this article builds on insights from recently developed ecological-evolutionary models, which recognize the fact that language change is a two-step process, consisting of innovation and propagation, and that multiple ‘ecologogical’ factors influence the spread of a construction through the population (what I discuss in terms of ‘register’).
Developments in Bio-hydrogen Production from Algae: A Review

Diversification of biofuel sources has become an important energy issue. Bio-hydrogen production from microalgae has received much attention recently. However, commercial production of microalgae biofuels including bio-hydrogen is still not feasible due to the low biomass concentration and costly downstream processes. It has been reported that exposing some species of algae to environmental stress, e.g., by depriving the algae of sulfur in light, it is possible to produce significant amounts of hydrogen gas. However, this technology is still in its infancy and there is significant potential for technology development and improvement at every level. This review discusses the biological hydrogen production by microalgae (direct bio-photolysis, indirect bio-photolysis, photo fermentation and dark fermentation) and optimization of key parameters to enhance hydrogen production. The effects of different stress reactions on production of the valuable components are described. This knowledge can be used to evaluate the possibilities for producing hydrogen and high value products efficiently in the same process. Further studies of these topics may result in a sustainable process where solar energy can be converted into hydrogen in an integrated manner, where production efficiencies are sufficient for an economic exploitation of algal technology using algal stress reactions.
HBV/HCV Infection and Inflammation

Liver is a key organ involved in the regulation of both systemic as well as local inflammatory responses. Hepatic inflammation is the hallmark of viral hepatitis caused by non-cytopathic Hepatitis B and C viruses (HBV and HCV). Both HBV and HCV induce several inflammatory responses, causing persistent liver injury, which manifests into progressive diseased state. This ultimately leads to fibrosis, cirrhosis and eventually hepatocellular carcinoma. The disease progression is mediated by a complex interplay of molecular pathways involving both viral and hepatic factors. The complex cellular crosstalk, involving pro-inflammatory cytokines, during the liver injury also causes extra hepatic disorders such as artherosclerosis, glomerulonephritis, arthritis, cardio vascular and brain disease. In addition, these viral infections have been reported to contribute to non-Hodgkin lymphoma, cholangio carcinoma and pancreatic cancer. Host genetics also play an important role in the HBV/HCV mediated viral hepatitis and the accumulation of mutations in the host genes responsible for mounting antiviral effects (cytokines and interferon receptors) has been shown to produce differential immune responses among individuals and increase susceptibility to chronic infections. Viral proteins are known to modulate the host immune response by a variety of mechanisms such as by exerting direct or indirect effects on the cytokine pathways, oxidative stress, miRNAs and other cellular processes. However, the complete network of cytokines involved in the disease pathogenesis is yet not fully understood. This review analyzes the interplay of inflammatory molecules and viral proteins, the impact of local and systemic inflammation during HBV and HCV infection and the contribution of host genetics to such responses.
Multi-type change detection of building models by integrating spatial and spectral information

Detecting building changes followed by updates is preferable for efficient revisions to building models. Additionally, more change types can be detected with spatial information provided by building models for reducing land surveying work. Therefore, for efficient building of model revision and land surveys, this work applies a new multi-type change detection scheme with new light detection and ranging (LIDAR) point clouds, new aerial images and existing building models. By integrating the spatial information from LIDAR data and image-based spectral information, this work identifies changes to existing buildings and identifies newly built and changed buildings. To provide an initial value for further revisions, new building regions are generated from change detection results. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed scheme has high accuracy for both change type determination and building region generation. To provide comprehensive observations, experimental results deemed unreliable are scrutinized.
Day and night ichthyoplankton assemblages and zooplankton biomass size spectrum in a deep ocean island wake

Zooplankton size and larval fish assemblages were compared between locations in the incident free stream and the island wake of Cato Reef, in the south Coral Sea over 6 d in February 1993. Weak incident northward flow of 0.3 m s -1 generated a wake on the lee side of the reef. Total abundance or larval fish diversity did not differ between the lee side and the wake. Myctophids and gonostomatids dominated the catch (85%), while reef-associated taxa represented <2% of the total. There were significantly fewer reef fish larvae in the wake (~25%) than in the free stream, suggest- ing that reef-related settlement and/or predation may explain the difference. Most of the ichthyo- plankton (58 families) were associated with the thermocline (ca. 50 m depth) during day and night. We found significantly steeper slopes of the normalised biomass size spectrum (NBSS, derived from an optical plankton counter) in the wake compared to in the free stream and near the thermocline. The slope was significantly correlated with the shape parameter of the Pareto distribution (r = 0.90), with local light attenuation and with smaller (318 to 883 µm equivalent spherical diameter) zooplank- ton biomass, consistent with the NBSS slope being a proxy for secondary production. The slope did not vary significantly between day and night despite a 30% daytime reduction in total zooplankton biomass. Steeper slopes were significantly correlated with a greater abundance of larval myctophids and gonostomatids, possibly by fish seeking productive areas and by top-down removal of larger zooplankton.
Serum matrix metalloproteinase-3 predicts radiographic joint damage and functional disability in rheumatoid arthritis

The search for novel biomarkers has taken centre stage in the past decades of research in Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). The purpose of the present study was to determine the correlation of serum matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) with disease activity, joint damage and functional disability in patients with RA. We consecutively recruited RA patients who were under follow-up at the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre (UKMMC). Information on the RA disease characteristics were obtained from the medical records and all RA patients were assessed for DAS28 (disease activity score based on 28 joints) and Stanford Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) 8-item Disability Index (HAQ-DI). The hand radiographs of the RA patients were assessed for joint damage using the Modified Sharp Score (MSS). Serum MMP-3 levels from RA patients and healthy controls were measured using the ELISA method. We recruited a total of 77 RA patients and 18 healthy controls. The serum MMP-3 levels were significantly higher among the RA patients (p<0.05). There were significant correlations between the serum MMP-3 levels and MSS (r =0.327) and HAQ-DI (r=0.256), both p<0.05. The mean serum MMP levels in RA patients with radiographic joint erosions was significantly higher than in patients without erosions (p<0.05). Likewise, the subjects with significant functional impairment i.e HAQ-DI ≥1; had significantly higher mean MMP-3 levels compared to RA patients without significant disability (p<0.05). Using multivariate analysis, HAQ-DI remained the independent predictor of serum MMP-3 in RA patients. Serum MMP-3 is a potential biomarker and predictor of radiographic joint damage and functional disability in RA.
Homology Modeling and Functional Analysis of LPG2 Protein of Leishmania Strains

As drug resistance problem persists in case of Leishmaniasis, modeling and analysis of different essential proteins of Leishmania strains will help us further to discover novel lead compounds. Lipophosphoglycan 2 (LPG2) protein is required for the development of Leishmania throughout their life cycle, including for virulence to the mammalian host. LPG2 participates in a specialized virulence pathway, which may offer an attractive target for chemotherapy. Homology models of LPG2 of five Leishmania species have been constructed using the X-ray structures of different transporter proteins as templates, by comparative protein modeling principles. The resulting model has the correct stereochemistry as gauged from the Ramachandran plot and good three-dimensional (3-D) structure compatibility as assessed by the Procheck and Profiles-3D scores. Functional assignment of LPG2 protein of Leishmania strains by SVM revealed that along with transporters activity it also performs several novel functions e.g. iron-binding, sodium-binding, copper binding. It also belongs to protein of major facilitator family (MFS) and type II (general) secretory pathway (IISP) family. Important functional motifs have been identified in LPG2 protein of different Leishmania strains using different programs. Potential Ligand Binding Sites (LBSs) in LPG2 protein of these strains have been identified using Pocket Finder program. On the basis of structure of ligand binding sites, particular LPG2 inhibitors can be designed. The similarity in the molecular structure, function and differences in LBSs of LPG2 of L. donovani, L. major, L. infantum, L. braziliensis and L. mexicana provide evidences for selective and specific LPG2 inhibitors.
Discharges Produced by Negatively Charged Aerosol Clouds in the Presence of a Moving Conducting Object

The possibility of modeling of altitude-triggered lightning (ATL) under laboratory conditions using charge initiation by a crossbow bolt, in the electric field of an artificial cloud of a negatively charged water aerosol, has been demonstrated for the first time. Over one hundred of such events have been registered. For each event, a high-speed camcorder recorded the dynamics of the upward positive leaders with streamer corona, followed by a return stroke and channel plasma decay. Integrated photos of the events have also been obtained. Simultaneously, we measured the current flowing through the bolt in the plasma channel. A similarity of the discharge initiated by the bolt in the electric field of an artificial cloud of charged aerosol to the altitude-triggered lightning in nature is discussed.
Playing catch with emotions

Communication is the basis of human culture. While communication typically involves the exchange of verbal messages between interactants, another type of information exchange occurs in communication—the exchange of emotional information, especially through nonverbal behaviors. One phenomenon that is occurring today in Japan, and in many countries that are being consumed by digital communications technology, is that face-to-face communication is increasingly being replaced by person-machine interactions. Although these interactions can provide a platform for information exchange, they do not allow for emotion exchange that is such an important part of communication. The lack of such emotion exchange, in turn, may form a basis for the lack of basic knowledge and abilities concerning emotion regulation, empathy, and compassion for one’s fellow human beings. I argue, therefore, that, if the ability to read emotions in others improves in Japan and elsewhere, that improvement should be related to a variety of social factors indicating a better, more effectively functioning, society.
An outstanding theologian and political activist

Albert Geyser (1918–1985) is a South African theologian who was one of the most prominent opponents of the South African regime during the apartheid era. As a result of his struggle against the political system, he fell out of favour with his church, became a controversial public figure and was persecuted by the political authorities.1 Eventually dismissed in a questionable way from his professorship, he had to take recourse to the courts of the land to be reinstated. He won the case after a trial that was front page news in the national and international media for days on end. He influenced the course of history in South Africa and transformed society in an irrevocable manner through his fearless struggle. And yet, his name and reputation tragically disappeared from the collective memory and is virtually a forgotten person.
ELECTRICAL IMPEDANCE AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO FROST HARDINESS IN PINUS RADIATA

The seasonal trend of stem electrical impedance in Pinus radiata D. Don seedlings over an 18-month period was found to be similar to that in published data for other conifers. Comparison with the seasonal pattern of frost hardiness averaged over three different years at the same site implied that impedance may be related to frost hardiness. However, there was a distinct hysteresis in the relationship between impedance and the hardening and dehardening phases of the seasonal hardiness pattern. In seedlings induced to harden in controlled environments, a close relation­ ship between impedance and frost hardiness was demonstrated but only for the period when the seedlings were actively hardening. From this relationship, impedance values of outdoor-grown seedlings were shown to correspond to their frost hardiness during the hardening phase (April to June in the Southern Hemisphere).
The Global Streamflow Indices and Metadata Archive (GSIM) – Part 2: Quality Control, Time-series Indices and Homogeneity Assessment

Abstract. This is Part 2 of a two-paper series presenting the Global Streamflow Indices and Metadata Archive (GSIM), which is a collection of daily streamflow observations at more than 30 000 stations around the world. While Part 1 (Do et al., 2018a) describes the data collection process as well as the generation of auxiliary catchment data (e.g. catchment boundary, land cover, mean climate), Part 2 introduces a set of quality controlled time-series indices representing (i) the water balance, (ii) the seasonal cycle, (iii) low flows and (iv) floods. To this end we first consider the quality of individual daily records using a combination of quality flags from data providers and automated screening methods. Subsequently, streamflow time-series indices are computed for yearly, seasonal and monthly resolution. The paper provides a generalized assessment of the homogeneity of all generated streamflow time-series indices, which can be used to select time series that are suitable for a specific task. The newly generated global set of streamflow time-series indices is made freely available with an digital object identifier at https://doi.pangaea. de/10.1594/PANGAEA.887470 and is expected to foster global freshwater research, by acting as a ground truth for model validation or as a basis for assessing the role of human impacts on the terrestrial water cycle. It is hoped that a renewed interest in streamflow data at the global scale will foster efforts in the systematic assessment of data quality and provide momentum to overcome administrative barriers that lead to inconsistencies in global collections of relevant hydrological observations.