Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
REASSESSING THE CAUSES OF DECLINE OF POLYLEPIS, A TROPICAL SUBALPINE FOREST

A growing body of research has documented declines in tropical montane forests worldwide (González-Espinosa et al. 1991, Henderson et al. 1991, Young 1994, FAO 1997). The disruption or destruction of any habitat contributes to local and global species loss, and this threat is especially grave in tropical montane areas, where endemic or restricted-range species comprise a particularly high proportion of the local biota (Henderson et al. 1991, Peterson et al. 1993, Young 1994). In an already fragmented landscape, the removal of a few key habitat patches can substantially impact the viability of associated metapopulations (Bancroft et al. 1995, Moilanen et al. 1998, Hanski 1999). Thus, in zones of high endemism and habitat fragmentation, small-scale habitat loss may easily cause global loss of biodiversity, and deforestation in these areas deserves particular attention. Remaining highland forest patches also play a key role in ecosystem functions, such as capture of rainwater and stabilization of soil. Here, we document a very high deforestation rate in Polylepis forest, a subalpine ecosystem found in fragments well above the present-day closed timberline throughout South America’s Andes mountain range. Polylepis forest was once the natural vegetation cover for large areas of the Andes (Kessler 2002), but has been reduced by human activity to 1–3 % of its potential area on the eastern Andean slopes of Peru and Bolivia (Fjeldså & Kessler 1996). In our study area in the La Paz department of Bolivia, less than one third of the Polylepis area documented in a 1991–93 series of surveys remained in 2003. While the La Paz department patches may not be representative of all Andean highland areas, this rate of habitat loss may be expected to have severe effects on biodiversity, and prompts a reassessment of the probable causes of the decline of this ecosystem. Previous studies argued that Polylepis forests were threatened mainly in the long term, because burning and overgrazing of the surrounding grassland prevents regeneration of young trees (Fjeldså & Kessler 1996, Fjeldså 2002a). In addition to this long-term degradation, we contend that many fragments are more immediately threatened by cutting, as the expansion of roads and industrial development projects, such as mines and hydroelectric power stations, brings an influx of new people to areas previously less accessible and less populated. Our survey therefore reiterates the critical conservation status of Polylepis forest and its associated flora and fauna on the eastern slope of the Andes.
Multi-Dimensional Effects in Longwave Radiative Forcing of PBL Clouds

D. B. Mechem and Y. L. Kogan Cooperative Institute for Mesoscale Meteorological Studies University of Oklahoma Norman, Oklahoma M. Ovtchinnikov Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Richland, Washington K. F. Evans University of Colorado Boulder, Colorado A. B. Davis Los Alamos National Laboratory Los Alamos, New Mexico R. F. Cahalan National Aeronautic and Space Administration Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, Maryland E. E. Takara and R. G. Ellingson Florida State University Tallahassee, Florida
Based Approach For Similar Traffic Incident Detection from Twitter

Microblog has been used as an information source to detect real-world event. Several related studies retrieved road traffic event based on textual content. Not only detect traffic incident, we found that it is necessary to recognize statuses with similar traffic incident content. Better representation of traffic information will help the handling of traffic incident by related parties. This study proposes text-based approach for identification of similar traffic incident from twitter posts. The proposed approach performs traffic incident information extraction and calculates information’s weight based on textual similarity upon traffic incident information gained. We evaluate the proposed method by using a traffic incident information retrieval system. We used Indonesian language corpus contains traffic incident tweets data. Best average f-measure 70% was achieved by retrieval system that tested using Jaccard coefficient. Therefore text matching such as Jaccard coefficient is more suitable to be implemented in very short text document such as extracted tweet document. The experiment result gives the conclusion that the proposed approach can be implemented for identification of similar traffic incident information from Twitter.
About rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic condition that can cause pain, stiffness, progressive joint destruction and deformity, and reduce physical function, quality of life and life expectancy. (Östör 2009; DTB 2008) Estimates indicate that around 0.5–1.0% of the UK population have rheumatoid arthritis. (NICE 2008) The condition involves synovial joint inflammation. (Smolen 2003); both Tand B-cells are implicated in the underlying immune pathology, as is the over-production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, including tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1 (IL-1) and IL-6. (NICE 2008; Panayi 2005; Smolen 2003)
DE TRAVAIL DT / 2003 / 14 Labor Market Transitions in Peru

Traditional labor market analysis based solely on the net unemployment rate fails to explain the apparent paradox between a relatively moderate unemployment rate in Peru (around 10%, with a weak sensibility to wide macroeconomic fluctuations), and the fact that unemployment is one of the major issues in Peru. One possible explanation is that this static indicator of cross section net unemployment balance is compatible with high flows in and out of employment states. To address these issues we needed to conduct a dynamic analysis using panel data. Using the Peruvian national household survey (ENAHO), we constructed a panel of working age individuals at the national level for the period 1997-1999. Like previous work in developing countries, we found that there is an important degree of job mobility in Peru. We also found that most of the transitions occur between employment and inactivity instead of between employment and unemployment. We also showed that the rate of permanent unemployment is very low so that unemployment would be essentially a frictional phenomenon. Further, considering the different transition states, we elaborated an unconditional transition profile, including individual and household characteristics, like gender, age and education levels for example, associated with each transition status. Finally, after examining these labor market transitions and the possible sample selection bias, we estimated a multinomial logit model. This model allowed us to appreciate the (conditional) incidence of individual and household characteristics as well as the effects of different shocks on the labor transition states.
Geology of the River-head District of the Tone River

As a member of the party investigating the head district of the Tone River, the writer surveyed the area between the Sudagai Dam to Mt. Otonedake along the valley of the mentioned river, as shown in the geological map. The geological formations developed along the valley are as follows in descending order :Mesozoic Okutone Group4. Higashimatazawa formation : chiefly of shale and sandstone, associated with thin limestone at places. Molluscan fossils occur.3. Kengakurasawa shale shale predominating.2. Idozawa sandstone : an alternation of sandstone and shale predominating.1. Minagasawa shale : shale predominating.From the Higashimatazawa formation the writer collected some molluscs, which H. Fujimoto and Y. Yabe determined as Entomonotis cf. ochotica (KEYSERLING), and its variety var. eurachis (Teller) from Loc. 17 T, and Entomonotis tenuicostata KOBAYASHI and ICHIKAWA and its variety var. mabara KOBAYASHI and ICHIKAWA from Loc. 192.The evidence afforded by the fossils indicates that the Higashimatazawa formation is upper Triassic in age.
Building an Information Architecture Checklist: Encouraging and Enabling IA from Infrastructure to the User Interface Architecture

Government environments often have prescribed complex processes for obtaining and implementing technology solutions. In order to encourage and enable information architecture (IA) in government systems, it is essential to embed IA within the current processes and to view IA as part of the overall architectural framework. The definition of IA used here is broad and inclusive spanning applications, the Web and the enterprise. A common focus exists aimed at organizing information for findability, manageability and usefulness, but the definition also includes infrastructure to support organization of information. This case study describes the development of an IA checklist in a large United States government agency. The checklist is part of an architectural review process that is applied 1) during assessment of proposed information systems projects and 2) design of solution recommendations before system implementation
The impact of coverage shifts on hospital utilization

available literature on hospital utilization. As part of this process, we developed projections to estimate growth in inpatient services, emer­ gency room (ER) care, and outpatient elective procedures. Although we aggregated the data to reveal national patterns, we also examined the potential for regional differences. This paper describes our data­driven approach and the literature review that informed our perspectives. In addition, it presents the key findings of our research, their significance at the market level, and the strategic implications for health systems.
Concerns about a variance approach to the X-ray diffractometric estimation of microfibril angle in wood.

In this paper we raise three technical concerns about Evans’ (1999) “Variance Approach” to estimating microfibril angle. The first concern is associated with the approximation of the variance of an X-ray intensity half-profile by a function of the microfibril angle and the natural variability of the microfibril angle — S2 ≈ μ2/2 + σ2. The second concern is associated with the approximation of the natural variability of the microfibril angle by a function of the microfibril angle — σ2 ≈ f(μ). The third concern is associated with the fact that the variance approach was not designed to handle tilt in the fiber orientation. All three concerns are associated with potential biases in microfibril angle estimates. We raise these three concerns so that other researchers interested in understanding, implementing, or extending the variance approach, or in comparing the approach to other methods of estimating MFA will be aware of them.
Spatial distribution in aerosol mass and size characteristics between Delhi and Hyderabad during land campaign in February 2004

Mass and size distribution of aerosols was studied using different measurement techniques, along Delhi-Hyderabad land corridor, to understand the spatial variability of aerosols over north central Indian region, from Delhi to Hyderabad and back, in the month of February 2004. Aerosol mass loading of Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM) derived up to PM25, PM10, PM2.5, PM1 size fractions , were found to be in the range of 17-56, 16-54, 8-44 and 5-37 µg m -3 , respectively. The QCM derived up to PM10, PM2.5 and PM1 with respect to total aerosol mass (PM25) are 90%, 80% and 70%, respectively, which indicate the dominance of finer particles. The PM10 aerosol concentrations measured by High Volume Respirable Dust Sampler (HV-RDS) had an average value of 48 µg m -3 with the range of 27-75 µg m -3 . Aerosol average concentrations by HV-RDS were observed to be 54 ± 5 µg m -3 near urban areas, 48 ± 2 µg m -3 in forest area and 44 ± 22 µg m -3 in rural areas along the land corridor.
Learning photographic global tonal adjustment with a database of input/output image pairs

Adjusting photographs to obtain compelling renditions requires skill and time. Even contrast and brightness adjustments are challenging because they require taking into account the image content. Photographers are also known for having different retouching preferences. As the result of this complexity, rule-based, one-size-fits-all automatic techniques often fail. This problem can greatly benefit from supervised machine learning but the lack of training data has impeded work in this area. Our first contribution is the creation of a high-quality reference dataset. We collected 5,000 photos, manually annotated them, and hired 5 trained photographers to retouch each picture. The result is a collection of 5 sets of 5,000 example input-output pairs that enable supervised learning. We first use this dataset to predict a user's adjustment from a large training set. We then show that our dataset and features enable the accurate adjustment personalization using a carefully chosen set of training photos. Finally, we introduce difference learning: this method models and predicts difference between users. It frees the user from using predetermined photos for training. We show that difference learning enables accurate prediction using only a handful of examples.
Slow denudation within an active orogen: Ladakh Range, Northern India

Cosmogenic 10 Be measurements of both bedrock and basin denudation reveal strong topographic-climatic control on erosion within the Ladakh Range of northwestern India. Bedrock weathering rates, extremely slow below the contemporary equilibrium line altitude, increase by an order of magnitude at the high-elevation range divide. Along the southern slope of the Range south of the range divide, rates of ridge crest summit lowering vary from 0.02±0.03 m/Myr to 0.7±0.09 m/Myr, whereas rates of range divide summit lowering vary from 4.97±0.45 m/Myr to 13.13±1.17 m/Myr. Long-term denudation rates of nonglaciated basins are the lowest yet reported. Accelerated glacial and periglacial erosion near the range divide drives a “frost buzzsaw” in this region that works to selectively destroy high topography. The actively-eroding glacial landscape stands in stark contrast to hillslopes at lower elevations, which have achieved long-term, near equilibrium conditions and may represent extant Pliocene or older landscapes.
Apertureless near-field optical microscope

We demonstrate a new method whereby near-field optical microscope resolution can be extended to the nanometer regime. The technique is based on measuring the modulation of the scattered electric field from the end of a sharp silicon tip as it is stabilized and scanned in close proximity to a sample surface. Our initial results demonstrate resolution in the 3 nm range--comparable to what can be achieved with typical attractive mode atomic force microscopes. Theoretical considerations predict that the ultimate resolution achievable with this approach could be close to the atomic level.
Risk Factors Prognostic Impact of Hyperglycemia in Nondiabetic and Diabetic Patients With ST-Elevation – Myocardial Infarction : Insights From Contrast-Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Previous studies have suggested that hyperglycemia on admission is a risk factor for increased mortality in patients with acute ST-elevation–myocardial infarction (STEMI). However, data regarding the relationship between hyperglycemia and myocardial damage in STEMI are scarce. This largest cardiac magnetic resonance study to date evaluating the relationship of diabetes mellitus status and elevated glucose levels on admission on myocardial damage in STEMI patients reperfused by primary percutaneous coronary intervention has 2 essential findings: (1) STEMI patients with pre-existing diabetes mellitus are at greater risk for major adverse cardiovascular events despite having similar infarct sizes and extent of reperfusion injury than patients without known diabetes mellitus. (2) Elevated glucose levels on admission are associated with greater myocardial damage (larger infarcts, more pronounced reperfusion injury, left ventricular dysfunction) and an increased risk of clinical events at long-term follow-up. However, hyperglycemia was a stronger indicator of myocardial injury in STEMI patients without previously recognized diabetes mellitus than in those with established diabetes mellitus. Thus, the authors’ study confirms and expands previous findings by demonstrating that the amount of myocardial injury does not explain the substantially higher mortality rates in diabetic patients with STEMI. Moreover, the authors could demonstrate that the relationship between hyperglycemia and myocardial damage is different in STEMI patients with and without known diabetes mellitus.
Contracts as reference points - experimental evidence

: Hart and John Moore (2008) introduce new behavioral assumptions that can explain long-term contracts and the employment relation. We examine experimentally their idea that contracts serve as reference points. The evidence confirms the prediction that there is a trade-off between rigidity and flexibility. Flexible contracts–which would dominate rigid contracts under standard assumptions–cause significant shading in ex post performance, while under rigid contracts much less shading occurs. The experiment appears to reveal a new behavioral force: ex ante competition legitimizes the terms of a contract, and aggrievement and shading occur mainly about outcomes within the contract
The Personal Software Process (PSP) Body of Knowledge, Version 1.0

As the profession of software engineering evolves and matures, it must achieve some of the critical elements needed for recognition as a bona fide discipline. Among these elements are the establishment of a recognized body of knowledge (BOK) and certification of professional practitioners. The body of knowledge contained in this report is designed to complement the IEEE Computer Society's Software Engineering Body of Knowledge (SWEBOK) by delineating the key skills and concepts that compose the knowledge areas and competencies of a proven-effective process improvement method, the Personal Software Process (PSP). As adoption of the PSP methodology continues to grow, it becomes crucial to document the fundamental knowledge and skills that set PSP practitioners apart from other software engineers. The PSP BOK serves this purpose and more. It helps individual practitioners to assess and improve their own skills; provides employers with an objective baseline for assessing the personal process skills and capabilities of their engineers and product development teams; and guides academic institutions that want to incorporate PSP into their software and other engineering courses or curricula. The PSP BOK also facilitates the development of PSP certification programs that are based on a well-established, standard set of knowledge and skills.
The representative household's demand for money in a cointegrated VAR model

A representative household model with liquidity services directly in the utility function is used to derive a stable, data congruent error correction model of broad money demand in Iceland. This model gives a linear, long-run relation between real money balances, output and the opportunity cost of holding money that is used to over-identify the cointegrating space. The over-identifying restrictions suggest that the representative household is equally averse to variations in consumption and real money holdings. Finally, a forward-looking interpretation of the short-run dynamics, assuming quadratic adjustment costs, cannot be rejected by the data.
Preliminary Comments welcome Life During Growth October 1997

Will rising income over time for a given country translate into rising quality of life? This paper addresses this question with a panel dataset of 95 indicators covering up to 4 time periods (1960, 1970, 1980, and 1990). The indicators cover 7 subjects: (1) individual rights and democracy, (2) political instability and war, (3) education, (4) health, (5) transport and communications, (6) inequality across class and gender, and (7) “bads”. Using both fixed effects and an estimator in first differences instrumenting for growth, I find that surprisingly few of the effects of growth on “life” are significant and of the “right” sign. Moreover, exogenous time shifts are more important than growth effects in the majority of indicators. With the fixed effects estimator, growth has an impact on the quality of life that is significant, positive, and more important than exogenous shifts for only 12 out of 95 indicators. With a first-differences IV estimator, 7 out of 50 quality of life indicators -child labor, calorie intake, protein intake, cars, commercial vehicles, telephones, and the share of the bottom income quintile -experience causal growth effects that are significant, positive, and more important than exogenous shifts. The conclusion speculates about the long and variable lags that may come between growth and changes in the quality of life. 1 I acknowledge assistance on data collection and organization from a fortuitous succession of two hardworking research assistants, Peter Niessen and Giuseppe Iarossi. An unpublished literature survey by Peter Niessen was helpful as well. I have benefitted from comments of participants at the Spring 1997 Poverty-Environment-Growth Workshop at the World Bank including discussants Andrew Steer, Tom Tietenburg, and informal discussant Jan Gunning. Comments from and/or discussions with Ken Chomitz, Ross Levine, Norman Loayza, Aart Kraay, Martin Ravallion and Jakob Svennson were extremely helpful. I am most grateful of all to Lant Pritchett, who contributed several rounds of trenchant criticisms -including some before he ever saw the paper. None of these generous commentators should be held responsible for any errors. The views expressed here are those of the author and not of the World Bank or its member governments.
Utilizing hyperspectral remote sensing imagery for afforestation planning of partially covered areas

In this study, a supportive method for afforestation planning process of partially forested areas using hyperspectral remote sensing imagery has been proposed. The algorithm has been tested on a scene covering METU campus area that is acquired by high resolution hyperspectral push-broom sensor operating in visible and NIR range of the electromagnetic spectrum. The main contribution of this study to the literature is segmentation of partially forested regions with a semi-supervised classification of specific tree species based on chlorophyll content quantified in hyperspectral scenes. In addition, the proposed method makes use of various hyperspectral image processing algorithms to improve identification accuracy of image regions to be planted.