Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Developing tools to link environmental flows science and its practice in Sri Lanka

Abstract. The term "Environmental Flows (EF)" may be defined as "the quantity, timing and quality of water flows required to sustain freshwater and estuarine ecosystems and the human livelihoods and well-being that depend on these ecosystems". It may be regarded as "water for nature" or "environmental demand" similar to crop water requirements, industrial or domestic water demand. The practice of EF is still limited to a few developed countries such as Australia, South Africa and the UK. In many developing countries EF is rarely considered in water resources planning and is often deemed "unimportant". Sri Lanka, being a developing country, is no exception to this general rule. Although the country underwent an extensive irrigation/water resources development phase during the 1960s through to the 1980s, the concept of EF was hardly considered. However, as Sri Lanka's water resources are being exploited more and more for human usage, ecologists, water practitioners and policymakers alike have realized the importance of EF in sustaining not only freshwater and estuarine ecosystems, but also their services to humans. Hence estimation of EF has been made mandatory in environmental impact assessments (EIAs) of all large development projects involving river regulation/water abstraction. Considering EF is especially vital under the rapid urbanization and infrastructure development phase that dawned after the end of the war in the North and the East of the country in 2009. This paper details simple tools (including a software package which is under development) and methods that may be used for coarse scale estimation of EF at/near monitored locations on major rivers of Sri Lanka, along with example applications to two locations on River Mahaweli. It is hoped that these tools will help bridge the gap between EF science and its practice in Sri Lanka and other developing countries.
Loneliness: Association with mental health in a population-based study

Loneliness is an emerging public health problem in developed countries. The objective was to establish the prevalence in a representative sample of a large city and its relationship with mental health indicators. Using stratified random sampling, a sample of 8,828 was obtained. The degree to which they had felt lonely during the last year and other questions and questionnaires related to their mental health were asked. A total of 10.2% reported feeling lonely during the last year. Those who felt lonely were four times more likely to develop more symptoms of poor mental health (63% vs. 16%), to receive a diagnosis of anxiety/depression, and to be prescribed psychotropic drugs. The structural model suggests that loneliness worsens mental health, leading to greater prescription of drugs, which increases feelings of loneliness. Loneliness tends to remain in anonymity and intimacy and is addressed mainly through the prescription of psychotropic drugs that aggravate the problem, plunging the subject into a vicious circle that is difficult to escape. The results make it necessary to offer more effective responses than a mere pharmacological approach.
A Research of Obstacle Detection and Path Planning for Lane Change of Autonomous Vehicle in Urban Environment

Abstract: Recently, in automotive technology area, intelligent safety systems have been actively accomplished for drivers, passengers, and pedestrians. Also, many researches are focused on development of autonomous vehicles. This paper propose the application of LiDAR sensors, which takes major role in perceiving environment, terrain classification, obstacle data clustering method, and local map building for autonomous driving. Finally, based on these results, planning for lane change path that vehicle tracking possible were created and the reliability of path generation were experimented. Keywords: autonomous vehicle, map building, object detection, path planning, machine learning, bezier curve I. 서론 오늘날 자동차 산업은 ‘친환경 & 지능형’이라는 두 가지 카테고리가 가장 큰 연구 개발 분야이다. 이 중 지능형자동차는 주행 안전성과 운전자의 편의성을 향상 시키기 위한 연구가 주로 이루어 지고 있다. 현재 지능형자동차 기술은 운전자 보조 시스템(ADAS: Advanced Driver Assistance System)에 적용 되고 있다. 향후 지능형자동차의 기술은 자율주행자동차에 적용되어 단계별로 개발이 진행될 예정이다[1,2]. 자율주행자동차는 운전자의 개입 의지에 따라 자율적으로 차량 주변 환경 및 상황을 판단하여 정해진 목적지까지 안전하게 이동하는 차량을 의미한다. 자율주행자동차의 연구는 첨단 IT 기업인 미국의 ‘Google 社’을 비롯하여 전 세계 유수의 글로벌 자동차 기업인 ‘벤츠 社’, ‘포드 社’, ‘토요타 社’, ‘현대기아자동차 社’ 등이 개발 중에 있으며 자율주행에 필요한 부분적 기술 시연에도 성공적인 주행을 하였다. 자율주행자동차가 도로를 주행하기 위해서는 주행 환경내의 장애물 정보가 필요하다. 주행하는 도로 환경은 크게 장애물(차량, 보행자, 오토바이, ……)과 비 장애물(건물, 도로, 신호등, ……) 로 나뉠 수 있다. 표 1과 같이 자율주행자동차 또는 운전자보조시스템에서는 장애물을 검출하기 위하여 레이더 센서, 라이다 센서와 비전 센서 등이 사용된다. 주로 적응식정속주행시스템(ACC: Adaptive Cruiser Control)에 사용되는 레이더 센서는 좁은 각도의 관심 영역을 가지며, 주행 중인 차선내의 물체를 감지하는데 적합하다. 또한 날씨나 다른 조명 환경에도 일관되게 작동하는 장점을 가진다. 하지만 레이더 센서는 교차로와 같은 넓은 관심 영역에 대하여 검출이 불 가능 하며, 측정 데이터는 잡음으로부터 광범위한 필터링과 클리닝이 요구된다[4]. 라이다 센서는 최근 몇 년 동안의 연구 개발로 레이더 센서의 단점을 극복 할 수 있는 대안으로 각광 받고 있다. 하지만 날씨나 조명 환경에 레이더 센서에 비하여 취약한 단점이 있다. 라이다 센서는 자율주행자동차에서 장애물 검출을 위하여 광범위하게 사용되었으며[5], 최근에는 ACC와 같은 운전자 보조 시스템에 각광받고 있다[6]. 라이다 센서를 사용하기 위해서는 일반적으로 점유확률지도(Occupancy Grid Map)를 사용하여 장애물과 배경을 분리하는 기법이 연구 되었다[6]. 점유 확률 지도를 이용한 장애물 검출은 자율주행자동차가 주행하기 이전에 주행 환경에 대한 전역 지도의 작성이 필요하다. 하지만 도로 환경의 복잡도 또는 주행 거리에 따라 필요한 지도의 정보량이 증가하는 단점이 있으며, 미리 작성된 전역 지도의 주행 환경이 아닌 새로운 환경에 대한 장애물 검출이 어렵다는 단점이 있다. 또한, 기존의 모바일 로봇 기반 경로계획기법(A*, D*, AD*)은 많은 계산 비용이 필요하고, 선형 보간 기법을 이용한 경로 생성 또한 도로 형태의 제약적 한계를 지니고 있기 때문에 자율주행자동차의 고속 주행 상황에는 적합하지 않다[7]. 본 논문에서는 위에 나열한 점유확률지도의 단점을 극복하기 위하여, 점유 확률 기법을 적용한 전역 지도의 작성을 배제하였다. 전역 지도의 정보 외에 실시간으로 전역 경로와 장애물 정
Montclair State University Digital Montclair State University Digital

Robots are increasingly being employed for diverse applications where they must work and coexist with humans. The trust in human-robot collaboration (HRC) is a critical aspect of any shared task performance for both the human and the robot. The study of human-trusting-robot has been investigated by numerous researchers. However, robot-trusting-human, which is also a significant issue in HRC, is seldom explored in the field of robotics. In this paper we propose a novel trust-assist framework for human-robot co-carry tasks. This framework allows the robot to determine a trust level on the human co-carry partner. The calculations of this trust level are based on human motions, past interactions between the human-(cid:85)obo(cid:87) (cid:83)ai(cid:85), and (cid:87)he h(cid:88)man(cid:182)(cid:86) c(cid:88)(cid:85)(cid:85)en(cid:87) performance in the co-carry task. The trust level between the human and robot is evaluated dynamically throughout the collaborative task which allows the trust level to change if the human performs false positive motions. Additionally, the proposed framework can enable the robot to generate and perform assisting movements to follow human carrying motions and paces when the human is considered trustworthy in the co-carry task. The results of our experimentation with this framework show that the robot effectively assisted the human in real-world collaborative tasks through the proposed computational trust model.
Sviluppo trainato dalla produttività o dalle connessioni: due diverse prospettive di analisi e di intervento pubblico nella realtà economica italiana

The research argues that to explain the stagnation of the Italian economy in the years 1999-2007 a geographically disaggregated analysis is required. In this perspective, two aspects are of particular importance, considered both separately and in their mutual relations: the crisis of the great industry of the North, mainly due to scant innovation in product quality, and the blocked development in the South, as an end was put to extraordinary policies, non compensated by other policies after Italy's entry into emu. Instead, the industrial districts of the Centre-North are seen as vital, but they need of consolidation. The proposed interpretation refers to the theoretical perspective of "linkages" (Network Theory of Development), based on the idea that development processes are accompanied by phenomena of transformation, i.e. the creation of new products, new processes, new institutions, new skills. In this perspective, what is produced, what is exported and what is imported all those, have an impact on the development process. The proposed interpretation is opposed to the thesis which attributes the stagnation of the Italian economy to a "crisis of productivity", mainly explained by the small average size of Italian firms.
Montclair State University Digital Montclair State University Digital

Symmetric bodies such as cylinders and spheroidal bodies, in their terminal stable states, are long known to have their long axis align themselves perpendicular to the direction of the ﬂow. This property has been conﬁrmed in primarily sedimentation based theoretical, experimental and numerical techniques and the transition to a terminal stable state is believed to coincide with the onset of signiﬁcant inertial effects in the ﬂow. However, the threshold at which this transition occurs is yet unknown. We conduct modiﬁed experiments with hinged bodies and a CFD study to examine the nature of the transition of prolate spheroids and cylinders of various aspect ratios, from initial to their terminal stable equilibrium. Our experiments and numerics, both reveal the presence of intermediate metastable states which are sensitive to the ﬂow Reynolds number and physical attributes of the immersed body and gradually lead to the stable state.
Unstable relationship between spring Arctic Oscillation and East Asian summer monsoon

The relationship between spring (March to May) Arctic Oscillation (AO) and East Asian summer monsoon (EASM, May to July) on interannual timescale has a remarkable decadal variation in late 1990s, and their correlation coefficient abruptly turns from +0.77 during 1979–1997 to −0.62 during 1998–2007. In the following summer after a spring positive AO phase, the lower‐troposphere over East Asia (EA) features a cyclonic anomaly before 1997 but an anticyclonic anomaly after 1997, which results from different simultaneous air–sea features imposed by spring AO and distinctive evolution from spring to summer. In pre‐1997, the spring AO‐associated signal is mainly memorized and persists over Pacific, because the spring AO‐associated wave activity prefers the high‐latitude propagation from North Atlantic to Pacific. In contrast, a subtropical wave train from North Atlantic Ocean to Indian Ocean (IO) is evidently enhanced in post‐1997 epoch, and accordingly the IO plays a dominant role in memorizing and extending the influence of spring AO on EASM. This subtropical route of spring AO‐EASM teleconnection is a new finding. The strengthening of the subtropical wave train in post‐1997 epoch could be partly attributed to the strengthening signals of spring AO over North Atlantic Ocean.
BOOKS THAT NEED REVIEWERS FOR THE SIGACT NEWS COLUMN Algorithms 1. Distributed Systems: An algorithmic approach (second edition), by Ghosh 2. Tractability: Practical approach to Hard Problems, Edited by Bordeaux,

There are a number of books out there being reviewed as I write this, but I would love to recruit more reviewers and get more reviews into these columns. The rewards include reading about something (at least in part) new, a published review on these esteemed pages. and, of course, a free book. If you’re interested in any of the titles on the following page (which is not exhaustive; I welcome suggestions, preferably for books that have appeared within the past 3 years), please let me know!
Multiple Geochemical and Isotopic Approaches for Assessing Ground Water NO3− Elimination in a Riparian Zone

During the last 40 years, nitrate (NO3−) has become one of the most common ground water contaminants. Stream riparian zones are considered important ecological ecotones that decrease the NO3− load of ground water discharging into streams. This study uses NO3−/Cl− ratios, natural abundances of15N and18O in NO3−, and an in situ15NO3− tracer experiment to evaluate NO3− reducing processes occurring in ground water within a narrow grassed buffer strip bordering a stream in an agricultural watershed. The NO3−/Cl− ratios (1.9‐0.0 [M/M]) indicate that both NO3− consuming processes and mixing of two ground water flow regimes with different NO3− loads contribute to the drop observed in ground water NO3− concentrations within the riparian zone. δ15N and δ18O of the ground water NO3− within the riparian zone (δ15N = 5.1 to 48.8 %c; δ18O = 1.1 to 17.8 %c) were enriched compared to the ground water below the adjacent cultivated field (δ15N = 3.8 to 10.1 %0; δ18O = 0.5 to 6.2 %c). A significant linear relationship (r2=0.97) between ground water δ15N and δ18O in NO3− was found, which is consistent with NO3− consumption by microbial denitrification. The estimated enrichment factors for15N are a factor of 1.5 higher than for18O. The in situ15NO3− tracer experiment conclusively confirmed that denitrification is occurring within the ground water of the riparian zone and demonstrates that denitrification rates can be directly measured in situ.
Gestão de resíduos sólidos urbanos (RSU) em territórios rurais: caracterização, problemas e propostas de intervenção no concelho de Anadia

RESUMO Num mundo cada vez mais industrializado e consumista, com assimetrias territoriais varias, a defesa dos valores ambientais assume uma progressiva importância, uma vez que a qualidade de vida passa tambem pela qualidade ambiental. Como os produtos gerados pelo consumo devem ter o confinamento correto em funcao das suas diversas componentes, a gestao do processo de deposicao, recolha e transporte de RSU, fica mais complexa, a medida que a populacao e a area se diversifica e expande, como acontece em alguns territorios rurais, agravando os custos e os impactos ambientais induzidos, se nao for equacionada uma solucao simultaneamente eficaz e eficiente. Paralelamente urge a satisfacao dos residentes e dos restantes utilizadores enquanto usuarios desses territorios. Por este motivo, nos ultimos anos, as autarquias tem vindo a estudar essas solucoes nas suas areas de jurisdicao, tentando com as acoes realizadas, respeitar nao so os criterios de protecao ambiental, mas tambem as necessidades das pessoas. Neste trabalho apresentam-se algumas variaveis identificadas, como resultados de um estudo de caso aplicado a um municipio rural, Anadia, onde se evidencia a ausencia de sensibilizacao e a carencia de meios e processos que podem comprometer as metas ambientais e sociais desejadas.
The Road to Acceptance: A Theory of Planned Behavior Analysis of Indonesian Public Intentions Towards Autonomous Vehicles

The integration of autonomous vehicles (AVs) into modern transportation systems is an inevitable development, highlighting the need to explore the factors influencing public acceptance of AVs. Although numerous studies have examined user acceptance of AVs in developed nations, the investigation in developing countries remains significantly limited. Drawing upon the theory of planned behavior (TPB), this study investigated the factors influencing individuals’ intentions to use two different levels of autonomy: partial (level 2) and full (level 5). Data were gathered from two separate sample sets through an online survey questionnaire, resulting in 640 participants with partial AVs (PAVs) and 593 with fully AVs (FAVs). Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) analysis indicated moderate predictive power for the TPB models in both cases. All TPB constructs significantly predicted future intentions for both types of AVs. Specifically, the subjective norms construct was the strongest predictor for partial autonomy intention, while perceived behavioral control was the strongest predictor for fully AVs. The findings provide insights into the underlying behavioral and control beliefs that can enhance the public acceptance of AVs within a developing country’s context. They also emphasize the similarities and differences in the public’s perceptions of the two distinct levels of vehicle automation.
Notes on Complexity Theory Last updated : November , 2011 Lecture 22

We show here a probabilistically checkable proof for NP in which the verifier reads only a constant number of bits from the proof (and uses only polynomially many random bits). In addition to being of independent interest, this result is used as a key step in the proof of the PCP theorem itself. To show the desired result, we will work with the NP-complete language of satisfiable quadratic equations. Instances of this problem consist of a system of m quadratic equations    n ∑
INFLUENŢA MOMENTULUI DE RECOLTARE ASUPRA CALITĂŢII FRUCTELOR LA UNELE SOIURI DE CĂPŞUN INFLUENCE OF HARVEST TIME ON FRUIT QUALITY OF SOME STRAWBERRY CULTIVARS

The strawberries are at optimum maturity for consumption when the fruit reaches maximum flavor, juiciness and texture. Strawberry cultivars: Mira, Idea, Benton, Marmolada, Elsanta, Cambridge Favourite were evaluated to determine the influence of harvest time on fruit quality parameters. The results showed significant differences between varieties at harvest time and for the same variety in all parameters investigated. The average weight of the fruit decreased from first to last pick up, the major weight loss was recorded for Mira cv. (13.04 g) and the lowest loss for Cambridge Favourite cv. (2.06 g). The color parameters were changed in the same variety depending on the harvest time.
Prospects of improving efficiency of fertiliser nitrogen in Australian agriculture: a review of enhanced efficiency fertilisers

Fertiliser nitrogen use in Australia has increased from 35 Gg N in 1961 to 972 Gg N in 2002, and most of the nitrogen is used for growing cereals. However, the nitrogen is not used efficiently, and wheat plants, for example, assimilated only 41% of the nitrogen applied. This review confirms that the efficiency of fertiliser nitrogen can be improved through management practices which increase the crop's ability to compete with loss processes. However, the results of the review suggest that management practices alone will not prevent all losses (e.g. by denitrification), and it may be necessary to use enhanced efficiency fertilisers, such as controlled release products, and urease and nitrification inhibitors, to obtain a marked improvement in efficiency. Some of these products (e.g. nitrification inhibitors) when used in Australian agriculture have increased yield or reduced nitrogen loss in irrigated wheat, maize and cotton, and flooded rice, but most of the information concerning the use of enhanced efficiency fertilisers to reduce nitrogen loss to the environment has come from other countries. The potential role of enhanced efficiency fertilisers to increase yield in the various agricultural industries and prevent contamination of the environment in Australia is discussed.
Global Observations of Fine-Scale Ocean Surface Topography With the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) Mission

The future international Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) Mission, planned for launch in 2021, will make high-resolution 2D observations of sea-surface height using SAR radar interferometric techniques. SWOT will map the global and coastal oceans up to 77.6° latitude every 21 days over a swath of 120 km (20 km nadir gap). Today’s 2D mapped altimeter data can resolve ocean scales of 150 km wavelength whereas the SWOT measurement will extend our 2D observations down to 15-30 km, depending on sea state. SWOT will offer new opportunities to observe the oceanic dynamic processes at these scales, that are important in the generation and dissipation of kinetic energy in the ocean, and act as one of the main gateways connecting the interior of the ocean to the upper layer. The active vertical exchanges linked to these scales have impacts on the local and global budgets of heat and carbon, and on nutrients for biogeochemical cycles. This review paper highlights the issues being addressed by the SWOT science community to understand SWOT’s very precise SSH / surface pressure observations, and it explores how SWOT data will be combined with other satellite and in-situ data and models to better understand the upper ocean 4D circulation (x,y,z,t) over the next decade. SWOT’s new SAR-interferometry technology aims to observe ocean SSH scales down to 15-30 km in wavelength. At these scales, SSH includes “balanced” geostrophic eddy motions and high-frequency internal tides and internal waves. This presents both a challenge in reconstructing the 4D upper ocean circulation, or in the assimilation of SSH in models, but also an opportunity to have global observations of the 2D structure of these phenomena, and to learn more about their interactions. At these small scales, the ocean dynamics evolve rapidly, and combining SWOT 2D SSH data with other satellite or in-situ data with different space-time coverage is also a challenge. SWOT’s new technology will be a forerunner for the future altimetric observing system, and so advancing on these issues today will pave the way for our future.
PILL Camera

The aim of technology is to make products in a large scale for cheaper prices and increased quality. The current technologies have attained a part of it, but the manufacturing technology is at ma cro level. The future lies in manufacturing product right from the molecular level. Research in this direction started way back in eighties. At that time manufacturing at molecular and atomic level was laughed about. But due to advent of nanotechnology we have realized it to a certain level. One such product manufactured is PILL CAMERA, which is used for the treatment of cancer, ulcer and anemia. It has made revolution in the field of medicine. At that time manufacturing at molecular and atomic level was laughed . But due to advent of nanotechnology we have realized it to a certain level. One such product manufactured is PILL CAMERA, which is used for the treatment of cancer, ulcer and anemia. It has made revolution in the field of medicine. This tiny capsule can pass through our body, without causing any harm. It takes pictures of our intestine and transmits the same to the receiver of the Computer analysis of our digestive system. This process can help in tracking any kind of disease related to digestive sys tem. Also we have discussed the drawbacks of PILL CAMERA and how these drawbacks can be overcome using Grain sized motor and bi-directional wireless telemetry capsule . Besides this we have reviewed the process of manufacturing products using nanotechnology .
Ferroptosis: new insight into the mechanisms of diabetic nephropathy and retinopathy

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) and diabetic retinopathy (DR) are the most serious and common diabetes-associated complications. DN and DR are all highly prevalent and dangerous global diseases, but the underlying mechanism remains to be elucidated. Ferroptosis, a relatively recently described type of cell death, has been confirmed to be involved in the occurrence and development of various diabetic complications. The disturbance of cellular iron metabolism directly triggers ferroptosis, and abnormal iron metabolism is closely related to diabetes. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the role of ferroptosis in DN and DR is still unclear, and needs further study. In this review article, we summarize and evaluate the mechanism of ferroptosis and its role and progress in DN and DR, it provides new ideas for the diagnosis and treatment of DN and DR.