Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Mapping of Dwellings in IDP/Refugee Settlements from Very High-Resolution Satellite Imagery Using a Mask Region-Based Convolutional Neural Network

Earth-observation-based mapping plays a critical role in humanitarian responses by providing timely and accurate information in inaccessible areas, or in situations where frequent updates and monitoring are required, such as in internally displaced population (IDP)/refugee settlements. Manual information extraction pipelines are slow and resource inefficient. Advances in deep learning, especially convolutional neural networks (CNNs), are providing state-of-the-art possibilities for automation in information extraction. This study investigates a deep convolutional neural network-based Mask R-CNN model for dwelling extractions in IDP/refugee settlements. The study uses a time series of very high-resolution satellite images from WorldView-2 and WorldView-3. The model was trained with transfer learning through domain adaptation from nonremote sensing tasks. The capability of a model trained on historical images to detect dwelling features on completely unseen newly obtained images through temporal transfer was investigated. The results show that transfer learning provides better performance than training the model from scratch, with an MIoU range of 4.5 to 15.3%, and a range of 18.6 to 25.6% for the overall quality of the extracted dwellings, which varied on the bases of the source of the pretrained weight and the input image. Once it was trained on historical images, the model achieved 62.9, 89.3, and 77% for the object-based mean intersection over union (MIoU), completeness, and quality metrics, respectively, on completely unseen images.
Groundwater‐surface water exchange as key control for instream and groundwater nitrate concentrations along a first‐order agricultural stream

Lower‐order streams (first‐ and second‐order) define the initial, landscape‐related, chemical signature of stream water in catchments. To date, first‐order streams have been perceived as predominantly draining systems, which collect water and solutes from the surrounding groundwater and surface runoff and simply mirror the chemical composition of the inputs. In this study, the impact of stream‐groundwater exchange fluxes on water chemistry of a first order agricultural stream (Schönbrunnen) and its connected groundwater in south‐western Germany was assessed combining 222Rn, dissolved ions (chloride, sulphate, nitrate), and salt tracer tests with investigations of stream discharge and groundwater hydraulic gradients. The findings suggest that stream‐water chemistry in lower‐order streams is governed by an intricate interplay between dynamic, bidirectional water and solute exchange between groundwater and the stream leading to a pronounced hydrologic turnover along the studied reaches. High nitrate concentrations (up to 79 mg/L as NO3−) in stream water were attenuated in downstream direction (a mean value of 39 mg/L) without an increase in discharge, suggesting that redox processes occurring during sediment passage in sequential infiltration and exfiltration zones affect stream water chemistry. Nitrate in stream water infiltrating into the aquifer at distinct losing spots was subject to denitrification within the first few decimetres of the streambed, while concurrent exfiltration of low‐nitrate groundwater into the stream at gaining spots compensated for flow losses and in turn diluted instream nitrate concentrations. In summary the findings imply that (1) instream mixing resulting from the bidirectional exchange of water between groundwater and the stream (hydrologic turnover) affects instream nitrate concentrations, (2) denitrification in the streambed of losing reaches and the near‐stream aquifer significantly contributes to reactive nitrate turnover and elimination, and (3) oxidation of ammonium could be a secondary source of nitrate inputs into the stream.
Components of learning in upper secondary teachers’ pedagogical patterns

ABSTRACT Pedagogical patterns aim at assisting teachers with limited teaching experience with technology-supported solutions to educational problems. In a workshop series, 13 pedagogical patterns were created by upper secondary teachers recognised for their use of technology in teaching. These patterns constitute data for a deductive thematic analysis to understand how they reflect key components of learning theories. The analysis reveals that the learning activities promote individual and reflective learning but that the solutions involve a variety of pedagogical components. The authors conclude that the method suggested for analysis contributes to research within technology-enhanced learning. It can expand knowledge about the pedagogy involved in learning designs that support the use of technology in education. Adopting a participatory design approach in workshops can moreover contribute to the collegial learning of teachers.
Empirical assessment of a genomic breeding strategy in perennial ryegrass

In genomic selection (GS) DNA markers and trait data are integrated in a model that then predicts genomic-estimated breeding values (GEBV’s) for individuals using DNA marker information alone, improving breeding efficiency. We assessed a genomic breeding strategy (APWFGS) for improving dry matter yield (DMY) in perennial ryegrass. In APWFGS the best-performing half-sibling families (HS) are identified using phenotypic data and GS is used to select the best individuals within those HS. Four selections were made from three breeding populations: Base (random sample of plants from all HS), HSP (random sample from the six phenotypically-best HS), APWFGS and APWFGS-L (top or bottom 5% of plants, respectively, selected by GEBV from the six HS). Selected plants were polycrossed, creating 12 experimental synthetics that were evaluated as sown rows for DMY (n=7 harvests) in field trials at two locations over 18 months. In each population, mean DMY across locations and harvests showed a trend of APWFGS> HSP>Base. Averaged across all populations, APWFGS increased DMY by 43% (P<0.05) compared to Base, more than twice the level of improvement achieved with conventional HSP. Our results show the APWFGS breeding approach can substantially improve selection response for a genetically complex trait from a single breeding cycle.
Electroencephalogram-Based Approaches for Driver Drowsiness Detection and Management: A Review

Drowsiness is not only a core challenge to safe driving in traditional driving conditions but also a serious obstacle for the wide acceptance of added services of self-driving cars (because drowsiness is, in fact, one of the most representative early-stage symptoms of self-driving carsickness). In view of the importance of detecting drivers’ drowsiness, this paper reviews the algorithms of electroencephalogram (EEG)-based drivers’ drowsiness detection (DDD). To facilitate the review, the EEG-based DDD approaches are organized into a tree structure taxonomy, having two main categories, namely “detection only (open-loop)” and “management (closed-loop)”, both aimed at designing better DDD systems that ensure early detection, reliability and practical utility. To achieve this goal, we addressed seven questions, the answers of which helped in developing an EEG-based DDD system that is superior to the existing ones. A basic assumption in this review article is that although driver drowsiness and carsickness-induced drowsiness are caused by different factors, the brain network that regulates drowsiness is the same.
A gas flow velocity sensor fabricated with femtosecond laser using 4 μm ultra-thin glass sheet

Here we proposed a gas flow sensor enabled by a 4 μm ultra-thin glass sheet with high-integration capability for applications in the fields of industry and medicine/health. The sensor was fabricated with femtosecond laser processing in a time of several minutes, which can measure the gas flow velocity by detecting the displacement (0.4 μm to 3 μm) of the ultra-thin glass sheet in a large range of 4 m s−1 to 36 m s−1 with a sensitivity of 8.21 mV m s−1. Furthermore, changing geometric parameters of the sensor, such as aspect ratio and thickness can adjust the sensitivity and dynamic range of the sensor.
Polynomials Counting Nowhere-Zero Chains in Graphs

We introduce polynomials counting nowhere-zero chains in graphs – nonhomogeneous analogues of nowhere-zero flows. For a graph $G$, an Abelian group $A$, and $b:V(G)\to A$, let $\alpha_{G,b}$ be a mapping from $\Lambda(G)$ (a family of vertex sets of connected subgraphs of $G$ satisfying an additional condition) to $\{0,1\}$ such that for each $X\in\Lambda(G)$, $\alpha_{G,b}(X)=0$ if and only if $\sum_{v\in X}b(v)=0$. We prove that there exists a polynomial function $F(G,\alpha;k)$ ($\alpha=\alpha_{G,b}$) of $k$ such that for any Abelian group $A'$ of order $k$ and each $b':V(G)\to A'$ satisfying $\alpha_{G,b'}=\alpha$, $F(G,\alpha;k)$ equals the number of nowhere-zero $A'$-chains $\varphi$ in $G$ having boundaries equal to $b'$. In particular $F(G,\alpha;k)$ is the flow polynomial of $G$ if $\alpha(X)=0$ for each $X\in\Lambda(G)$. Finally we characterize $\alpha$ for which $F(G,\alpha;k)$ is nonzero and show that in this case $F(G,\alpha;k)$ has the same degree as the flow polynomial of $G$.
A Late Holocene Stable Isotope and Carbon Accumulation Record from Teringi Bog in Southern Estonia

Radiocarbon-dated peat cores collected from an ombrotrophic bog in southern Estonia record shifting environmental conditions and carbon accumulation rates in northern Europe during the late Holocene. Modern observations indicate that the water balance of the peatland is highly influenced by changes in relative humidity, followed by temperature and precipitation. The modern δ18O and δ2H values of surface water suggest that the groundwater is an integration of several months of precipitation. There also appears to be little or no direct influence of surface evaporation on the water within the bog, suggesting that water loss is preferentially through transpiration and sub-surface flow. Bulk peat δ13C values exhibit a trend of higher values through the late Holocene, suggesting a pattern of overall increased surface wetness. The δ15N values were low from ~4130 to 3645 cal yr BP, suggesting drier conditions, followed by intermediate values until ~2995 cal yr BP. The δ15N values decrease again from ~2995 to 2470 cal yr BP, suggesting a return to drier conditions, followed by intermediate values until ~955 cal yr BP. The δ15N values were high, suggesting wetter conditions from ~955 to 250 cal yr BP, followed by intermediate values through the modern. Carbon accumulation rates were low to intermediate from ~4200 to 2470 cal yr BP, followed by intermediate-to-high values until ~1645 cal yr BP. Carbon accumulation rates were then low until ~585 cal yr BP, followed by intermediate values through the modern. The geochemical data, combined with observed changes in peat composition and regional proxies of temperature and water table fluctuations through the late Holocene, suggest that carbon accumulation rates were relatively low under dry and warm conditions, whereas accumulation was generally higher (up to ~80 g C m−2 yr−1) when the climate was wetter and/or colder. These findings further suggest that future environmental changes affecting the regional water balance and temperature will impact the potential for northern peatlands to capture and store carbon.
The short‐term, genome‐wide effects of indirect selection deserve study: A response to Charlesworth and Jensen (2022)

We recently published a paper quantifying the genome‐wide consequences of natural selection, including the effects of indirect selection due to the correlation of genetic regions (neutral or selected) with directly selected regions (Gompert et al., 2022). In their critique of our paper, Charlesworth and Jensen (2022) make two main points: (i) indirect selection is equivalent to hitchhiking and thus well documented (i.e., our results are not novel) and (ii) that we do not demonstrate the source of linkage disequilibrium (LD) between SNPs and the Mel‐Stripe locus in the Timema cristinae experiment we analyse. As we discuss in detail below, neither of these are substantial criticisms of our work.
The Calcified Vasculature in Chronic Kidney Disease Secretes Factors that Inhibit Bone Mineralization

Vascular calcification and bone disorder progress simultaneously in chronic kidney disease (CKD). Still, how the complex pathological mechanisms are linked is only sparsely understood. Up to now, the focus has been on the disturbed bone metabolism in developing vascular calcification. However, our group has recently demonstrated that vascular calcification has negative effects on bone formation and mineralization as shown in the bone of normal recipient rats transplanted with the calcified aorta from CKD rats. In the present in vitro study, the hypothesis of a direct crosstalk between the vasculature and bone was examined. Calcified aortas from 5/6 nephrectomized rats and normal aortas from control rats were excised and incubated ex vivo. The calcified aorta secreted large amounts of sclerostin, dickkopf‐1 (Dkk1), and activin A. Both normal and calcified aortas secreted frizzle‐related protein 4 (SFRP4). Aorta rings were co‐incubated with the osteoblast‐like cell line UMR‐106. The calcified aorta strongly inhibited calcium crystal formation in UMR‐106 cells, together with a significant upregulation of the mineralization inhibitors osteopontin and progressive ankylosis protein homolog (ANKH). The strong stimulation of osteopontin was blocked by lithium chloride, indicating involvement of Wnt/β‐catenin signaling. The present in vitro study shows detrimental effects of the calcified aorta on bone cell mineralization. These findings support the hypothesis of an active role of the calcified vasculature in the systemic CKD–mineral and bone disorder (CKD‐MBD), resulting in a pathological vascular–bone tissue crosstalk. © 2022 The Authors. JBMR Plus published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
A multi-vehicle testbed and interface framework for the development and verification of separated spacecraft control algorithms

To reduce mission cost and improve spacecraft performance, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the United States military are considering the use of distributed spacecraft architectures in several future missions. Precise relative control of separated spacecraft position and attitude is an enabling technology for many science and defense applications that require distributed measurements, such as long-baseline interferometric arrays. The SPHERES testbed provides a low-risk, representative dynamic environment for the interactive development and verification of formation flight control and autonomy algorithms. The testbed is described, and properties relevant to control formulation such as thruster placement geometry and actuation non-linearity are discussed. A hybrid state determination methodology utilizing a memoryless attitude update and a Kalman filter for position and velocity is presented. State updates are performed based on range measurements to each vehicle from known positions on the periphery of the test volume. A high-level, modular control interface facilitates rapid test development and the efficient reuse of old code, while maintaining freedom in the design of new algorithms. A simulation created to facilitate the development of new maneuvers, tests, and control algorithms is described. Thesis Supervisor: David W. Miller Title: Associate Professor
Características de los tratamientos biológicos en enfermedades reumáticas en Argentina: quinto informe del registro BIOBADASAR

Introducción: el proyecto BIOBADASAR (Registro argentino de eventos adversos con tratamientos biológicos en reumatología) comenzó en agosto de 2010, para recabar información a largo plazo sobre los eventos adversos en tratamientos biológicos en pacientes con enfermedades reumáticas en la práctica clínica cotidiana en Argentina.
Human neural progenitors establish a diffusion barrier in the endoplasmic reticulum membrane during cell division

Asymmetric segregation of cellular components regulates the fate and behavior of somatic stem cells. Similar to dividing budding yeast and precursor cells in C. elegans, it has been shown that mouse neural progenitors establish a diffusion barrier in the membrane of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), which has been associated with asymmetric partitioning of damaged proteins and cellular age. However, the existence of an ER-diffusion barrier in human cells remains unknown. Here we used fluorescence loss in photobleaching (FLIP) imaging to show that human embryonic stem cell (hESC)- and induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived neural progenitor cells establish an ER-diffusion barrier during cell division. The human ER-diffusion barrier is regulated via Lamin-dependent mechanisms and is associated with asymmetric segregation of mono- and polyubiquitinated, damaged proteins. Further, forebrain regionalized organoids derived from hESCs were used to show the establishment of an ER-membrane diffusion barrier in more naturalistic tissues mimicking early steps of human brain development. Thus, the data provided here show that human neural progenitors establish a diffusion barrier during cell division in the membrane of the ER, which may allow for asymmetric segregation of cellular components, contributing to the fate and behavior of human neural progenitor cells. Summary Human neural progenitors (NPCs) establish a diffusion barrier during cell division in the membrane of the endoplasmic reticulum, allowing for asymmetric segregation of cellular components, which may contribute to the fate and behavior of human NPCs.
Design and simulation of high figure of merit plasmonic resonance sensor

Abstract. Periodic metallic nanoparticle arrays have a wide range of applications in sensors due to the generation of the plasmonic lattice resonance (PLR). To increase the figure of merit (FOM) of periodic metallic nanoparticle arrays, schemes to reduce full-width at half maximum (FWHM) are necessary. Introducing silicon and dielectric nanopillars under metallic nanoparticles has been suggested as a feasible route to reducing FWHM and thus enhancing FOM. However, many factors may lead to a reduction in FOM. Thus, different factors, such as the diameter and height of metallic nanoparticles, the diameter and height of silicon nanopillars, the height of dielectric nanopillars, and the period of the arrays, should be explored to improve FOM of this structure. We investigate the influences of different structural parameters on FOM of Ag / Si / SiO2 nanopillar array sensors. Results show that a larger diameter of the Ag nanopillars widens the FWHM and weakens the FOM. The optimal diameter of Si nanopillars and the optimal height of Ag nanopillars to obtain a high FOM are all 100 nm. The period of larger arrays corresponds to a narrower FWHM and higher FOM. A larger height of Si nanopillars or a larger height of SiO2 nanopillars decreases the FWHM and increases the FOM. These results are relatively instructive and meaningful for the design of PLR sensors with a high FOM.
Surviving the COVID-19 Pandemic: Hoteliers’ Resilience

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the entire world. The industry experienced a significant downturn. Unprecedented global travel restrictions and government instructions to stay at home are causing the most significant disruption to the global economy. Many hotel employees have been laid off both formally and informally in the current pandemic situation. It results in people losing their income. This study aims to analyze the strategies used by human resources in the tourism sector, especially hospitality, which has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic to survive in the middle. This study uses an approach using descriptive analysis. Informants who previously worked in the tourism sector and made Covid-19 adapt and implement various strategies simultaneously to survive and be resilient during the pandemic. The methods used to collect data are questionnaires and interviews. The analysis in this study was conducted using a qualitative descriptive method. The research findings reveal the dominance of the strategies adopted by key informants. Entrepreneurial orientation, motivation and effort are the most prominent approaches in an active strategy to solve problems. Former hoteliers gain resilience to survive during the pandemic by empowering skills from past work experience in star hotels and conducting retraining programs through government policies. Human resources in the tourism sector are expected to foster social-based entrepreneurship or opportunities and needs-based entrepreneurship so that businesses remain stable in the future.
Clinical efficacy of Unani herbal formulation in Zeeq-Un-Nafas Shoabi (Bronchial asthma)

Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are among the top ten most common diseases worldwide causing significant social and economic burden on the patient, family and health system. Despite the availability of safe and effective respiratory medication, problems such as under diagnosis, medication, adherence issue and poor understanding of asthma and COPD have led to the condition being poorly managed worldwide. The term Zeeq-Un-Nafas Shoabi (Bronchial Asthma) is clinically used for those conditions where longstanding irritation in mucous membrane of bronchioles results in cough and excessive production of sputum. Although Zeeq-Un-Nafas Shoabi ( bronchial asthma ) has not been described as such in Unani literature but the features mentioned under the headings of sual barid , sual ratab and sual nazli muzmin in various books correspond with the signs and symptoms of Zeeq-Un-Nafas Shoabi (Bronchial Asthma). Among all the treatment modalities, polyherbal combinations are said to be well-accepted, safe and effective in asthma. The reason for the therapeutic efficacy of herbal combinations in asthma is due to multiple blocking and homeostasis of very complex and interdependent cellular and mediator networks supporting and involved in the inflammatory process of asthma, whereas modern synthetic drug therapy aimed at blocking one mediator alone would be unlikely to have any significant effect on the disease process. None of the available treatments are found to be effective to provide a complete cure of this disease.