Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Vision : A comparison between Convolutional Neural Networks and Hierarchical Temporal Memories on object recognition tasks Candidate : dott

School of Science Master Degree in Computer Science Deep Learning for Computer Vision: A comparison between Convolutional Neural Networks and Hierarchical Temporal Memories on object recognition tasks dott. Vincenzo Lomonaco In recent years, Deep Learning techniques have shown to perform well on a large variety of problems both in Computer Vision and Natural Language Processing, reaching and often surpassing the state of the art on many tasks [1] [2] [3]. The rise of deep learning is also revolutionizing the entire field of Machine Learning and Pattern Recognition pushing forward the concepts of automatic feature extraction and unsupervised learning in general [4]. However, despite the strong success both in science and business, deep learning has its own limitations. It is often questioned if such techniques are only some kind of bruteforce statistical approaches and if they can only work in the context of High Performance Computing with tons of data [5] [6]. Another important question is whether they are really biologically inspired, as claimed in certain cases, and if they can scale well in terms of “intelligence”. The dissertation is focused on trying to answer these key questions in the context of Computer Vision and, in particular, Object Recognition, a task that has been heavily revolutionized by recent advances in the field. Practically speaking, these answers are based on an exhaustive comparison between two, very different, deep learning techniques on the aforementioned task: Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) [7] and Hierarchical Temporal memory (HTM) [8]. They stand for two different approaches and points of view within the big hat of deep learning and are the best choices to understand and point out strengths and weaknesses of each of them. CNN is considered one of the most classic and powerful supervised methods used today in machine learning and pattern recognition, especially in object recognition. CNNs are well received and accepted by the scientific community and are already deployed in large corporation like Google and Facebook for solving face recognition [9] and image auto-tagging problems [10]. HTM, on the other hand, is known as a new emerging paradigm and a new meanlyunsupervised method, that is more biologically inspired. It tries to gain more insights from the computational neuroscience community in order to incorporate concepts like time, context and attention during the learning process which are typical of the human brain. In the end, the thesis is supposed to prove that in certain cases, with a lower quantity of data, HTM can outperform CNN [11].
E-Waste: Awareness on Generation, Health, Environment Hazards and Management Practices among E-Devices Users in South India

Introduction: Management of E-waste is essential priority as India emerges as 5 largest E-waste producer globally. Primitive and hazardous management of E-waste poses potential hazardous consequences to both humankind and environment. Objectives: To describe the awareness towards generation, health, environmental hazards and management of E-waste among E-device users in South India. Methods: E-survey questionnaire assessing the awareness related to generation, health, environmental hazards and management practices of E-waste designed by using Google Docs was circulated among E-device users through social media network across India. Data was analyzed in Google docs and Chi-Square test was performed for significant associations. Results: Out of 533 responses, 471 (88.37%) were medical professional and 62 (11.63%) were non-medicos; 277 (51.97%) were female, 334 (62.66%) were graduates, 393 (73.73%) own multiple E-devices, Out of the total 471 medico respondents 347 (73.67%) own more than two E-devices; 440 (82.55%) are urban residents. Among respondents, 205 (38.47%) of them have poor awareness on E-waste. A total of 453 (85%) of the respondents were aware of health hazards due to E-waste and 37 (6.9%) knew that E-waste causes DNA Damage, 23 (4.31%) felt that it causes Lung Cancer, 39 (7.31%) about brain damage (neuro-developmental disorders) and 434 (81.42%) chose all the options. Also, 479 (89.9%) respondents were aware about the environmental hazards due to E-waste. Majority respondents, 422 (79.2%) were unaware of government policies for E-waste management in India Disposal of the E-device (36%) as E-waste handling practice is more common followed by re-use (33.80%) after repairs at service center. Only 55 (10.3%) respondents identifiedExtended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and only 57 (10.7%) respondents had some measure or form of work-place policy for E-waste management. Conclusion: Poor awareness on E-waste generation, health, environmental hazards and sub-optimal handling practices was found among E-device users
The Participation of Rice Farmers In Capacity Building Programmes of Agricultural Development Programme in Kwara State, Nigeria

Abstract: This s tudy was carried out to examine the participation of rice farmers in capacity building training programmes organized by Agricultural Development Programme in collaboration with other bodies such as Olam, USAID and First Bank in Kwara State, Nigeria.A sample of 180 contract farmers from two Local Government Areas of Kwara State who participated in the training were randomly selected and interviewed. Descriptive statistics and inferential statistics were employed in data analyses which include the use of frequency count, mean, pie-chart, bar chart, percentages and regression analysis. The findings revealed the level of participation of rice farmers in the two major rice producing Local Government Areas (Edu and Patigi ). The results revealed that the farmers’participation level was high in Patigi Local Government Area with participation mean of 6.189, and low in Edu LGA with participation mean of 3.267. Regression analysis showed that there were positive relationships between participation levels of farmers in capacity building programmes and age , educational levels, household size, years of experience, secondary occupation,farm size and land ownership.It is recommended that the venue of the training should be decentralized for the farmers to have access to the place of training. Keywords:Capacity building, levels, participation, training
Pig kidney graft survival in a baboon for 136 days: longest life‐supporting organ graft survival to date

The longest survival of a non‐human primate with a life‐supporting kidney graft to date has been 90 days, although graft survival > 30 days has been unusual. A baboon received a kidney graft from an α‐1,3‐galactosyltransferase gene‐knockout pig transgenic for two human complement‐regulatory proteins and three human coagulation‐regulatory proteins (although only one was expressed in the kidney). Immunosuppressive therapy was with ATG+anti‐CD20mAb (induction) and anti‐CD40mAb+rapamycin+corticosteroids (maintenance). Anti‐TNF‐α and anti‐IL‐6R were administered. The baboon survived 136 days with a generally stable serum creatinine (0.6 to 1.6 mg/dl) until termination. No features of a consumptive coagulopathy (e.g., thrombocytopenia, decreased fibrinogen) or of a protein‐losing nephropathy were observed. There was no evidence of an elicited anti‐pig antibody response. Death was from septic shock (Myroides spp). Histology of a biopsy on day 103 was normal, but by day 136, the kidney showed features of glomerular enlargement, thrombi, and mesangial expansion. The combination of (i) a graft from a specific genetically engineered pig, (ii) an effective immunosuppressive regimen, and (iii) anti‐inflammatory agents prevented immune injury and a protein‐losing nephropathy, and delayed coagulation dysfunction. This outcome encourages us that clinical renal xenotransplantation may become a reality.
Controlling peak power during scan testing

This paper presents a procedure for modifying a given set of scan vectors so that the peak power during scan testing is kept below a specified limit without reducing fault coverage. The proposed approach works for any conventional full-scan design-no extra design-for-test (DFT) logic is required. If the peak power in a clock cycle during scan testing exceeds a specified limit (which depends on the amount of peak power that can be safely handled without causing a failure that would not occur during normal functional operation) then a "peak power violation" occurs. Given a set of scan vectors, simulation is done to identify and classify the scan vectors that are causing peak power violations during scan testing. The problem scan vectors are then modified in a way that eliminates the peak power violations while preserving the fault coverage. Experimental results indicate the proposed procedure is very effective in controlling peak power.
HRM practices and organizations' internal context role in performance

Purpose - The main purpose of the present study is to test the association between Human Resource Management practices (HRMP) perceptions, internal context, and organizational performance. Design/methodology/approach - The data was collected based on a sample of 525 individuals from 22 stores, with performance indicators collected at the store level. Findings - The results showed (a) a positive relationship between perceived organizational integrity and organizational performance, as well as a negative relationship with staff turnover; (b) and a negative relationship between employment conditions and staff turnover. Research limitations/implications - The small sample size and the fact that the study was conducted in stores of the same organization doesn’t allow generalization of findings; results are based on data from cross-sectional design, longitudinal data would be needed to infer causal relationships. Practical implications - Managers should take in consideration that organizational integrity, as perceived by employees, can enhance organizational performance and reduce turnover, better employment conditions will also have this effect in turnover. Originality/value - These findings allow us to discuss the role of HRMP and of organizations internal context and characteristics on performance. Keywords- HRM practices, organizational climate, organizational performance. [PT] Titulo: "Papel do contexto interno das praticas e organizacoes de GRH no desempenho" Resumo Objetivos: O principal objetivo do presente estudo e testar a associacao entre as percepcoes das praticas de Gerenciamento de Recursos Humanos (HRMP), o contexto interno e o desempenho organizacional. Desenho/metodologia/abordagem: Os dados foram coletados com base em uma amostra de 525 individuos de 22 lojas, com indicadores de desempenho coletados no nivel da loja. Resultados: Os resultados mostraram (a) uma relacao positiva entre integridade organizacional percebida e desempenho organizacional, bem como uma relacao negativa com a rotatividade de pessoal; (b) e uma relacao negativa entre condicoes de emprego e rotatividade de pessoal. Limitacoes: O pequeno tamanho da amostra e o fato de o estudo ter sido realizado em lojas da mesma organizacao nao permitem a generalizacao dos resultados; Como os resultados sao baseados em dados de um projeto transversal, seriam necessarios dados longitudinais para inferir relacoes causais. Implicacoes: Os gerentes devem levar em consideracao que a integridade organizacional, conforme percebida pelos funcionarios, pode melhorar o desempenho organizacional e reduzir a rotatividade, melhores condicoes de emprego tambem terao esse efeito na rotatividade. Originalidade/valor: Essas descobertas permitem discutir o papel do HRMP e do contexto interno e das caracteristicas da organizacao no desempenho. Palavras-chave: Praticas de GRH, clima organizacional, desempenho organizacional
Circulating omentin-1 levels in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a meta-analysis

Abstract To investigate the association between circulating omentin-1 levels and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in women, a meta-analysis was performed. A systematic literature search using PubMed, Embase and Web of Science was carried out. Ten articles with 13 studies were included in this meta-analysis, which included a total of 1264 subjects (733 patients with PCOS and 531 controls). The pooled standard mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were used to estimate the association between omentin-1 levels and PCOS. Circulating omentin-1 levels were lower in PCOS with an SMD (95% CI) of −0.67 (−0.91, −0.43) and p = 0.000 (random-effects). However, significant heterogeneity was detected across studies (I2=73.6% and p = 0.000). The subgroup analysis suggested that omentin-1 levels in PCOS patients were associated with HOMA-IR ratio. Meta-regression analysis indicated region was the main source of heterogeneity (p = 0.048). The results of this meta-analysis suggested that circulating omentin-1 levels are significantly lower in women with PCOS compared with controls, which indicated that omentin-1 may play a role in the pathologic processes of PCOS.
Black Racial Stereotypes and Victim Blaming: Implications for Media Coverage and Criminal Proceedings in Cases of Police Violence against Racial and Ethnic Minorities

Posthumous stereotypical media portrayals of Michael Brown and other racial and ethnic minority victims of police violence have sparked questions about the influence of racial stereotypes on public opinions about their deaths and criminal proceedings for their killers. However, few studies have empirically investigated how the specific type of information released about a victim impacts opinions surrounding such incidents. Participants (N = 453) read about an altercation that resulted in a shooting death where the race of the victim and shooter (Black vs. White) was randomly assigned. Participants learned either negative, Black male stereotypic or positive, Black male counterstereotypic information about the victim. Next, participants appraised levels of fault and blame, sympathy and empathy for the victim and shooter, and indictment recommendations for the shooter. Findings suggest that the type of information released about a victim can significantly sway attitudes toward the victim and the shooter. Implications for media portrayals of racial/ethnic minority victims of police violence and its impact on criminal sentencing are discussed.
Isosteric Replacement of A3 Val of Porcine Insulin by allo‐Thr

A3 Val is important for insulin activity. It is invariant in insulins from different species studied thus far. Based on the three dimensional structure of insulin, it was thought to be involved in receptor binding. Its replacement by Leu resulted in remarkable lowering of insulin activity, indicating the crucial requirement of the side chain geometry at this position. When A3 Val was replaced by Thr, which is hydrophilic but isosteric with Val, substantial insulin activity was retained. Therefore, the isosteric requirement for receptor binding at this site is more stringent than the hydrophobic requirement. Here we report the replacement of A3 Val of porcine insulin by the unnatural allo‐Thr. The in vivo biological activity of A3 allo‐Thr insulin is similar to that of A3 Thr insulin or native insulin, but its receptor binding activity is 7.6% instead of 50% for A3 Thr insulin, indicating that at the A3 position the hydrophilic OH group of Thr could be more tolerated in receptor binding than the OH group of allo‐Thr. The retention of insulin activity by substituting A3 Val with the unnatural isosteric allo‐Thr demonstrates again the importance of isosteric interaction in the binding of insulin with its receptor.
Kinship Taxation as an Impediment to Growth : Experimental Evidence from Kenyan Microenterprises

Many developing country entrepreneurs face family pressure to share income. This pressure, a kinship tax, can distort capital allocations. I combine evidence from a lab experiment—which allows me to estimate an individual-level sufficient statistic for the distortion—with data I collected on a sample of Kenyan entrepreneurs, to quantify the importance of the tax. My data reveal high kinship tax rates for a third of entrepreneurs in my sample. A simple structural model of input allocation fitted to my data implies that removing distortions from kinship taxation would increase total factor productivity, and increase the share of inputs used in the largest firms. ∗munir.squires@ubc.ca. VSE, University of British Columbia. I thank my LSE PhD advisers Greg Fischer, Maitreesh Ghatak and Gharad Bryan, for their guidance and encouragement. This paper has also benefited from the thoughts of Tim Besley and, as well as Siwan Anderson, Orazio Attanasio, Oriana Bandiera, Robin Burgess, Alex Clymo, Sergio De Ferra, Laura Derksen, Patrick Francois, Ethan Ilzetzki, Anders Jensen, Henrik Kleven, Margaret Leighton, Sam Marden, Luis Martinez, Jamie McCasland, Gerard Padró-i-Miquel, and Erik Snowberg. Financial support from STICERD and PEDL is gratefully acknowledged. The protocol for this study was approved by the IRB of the London School of Economics (REC328).
Neurostimulation Techniques for the Modulation of Pain

Non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) is increasingly proposed as a therapeutic interven- tion for many neurological and psychiatric disorders, including pain, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, and anxiety. While neuromodulation as an intervention for pain relief has a well-established scientific basis, evidence is largely restricted to invasive stimulation that targets the spinal cord. Novel non-invasive methodologies instead predominately target cortical processing of pain and thus raise interesting questions about how the most effective pain relief can be achieved . Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) stud- ies show a widespread and distributed activation of brain areas during pain. This diverse activity is often referred to as the “pain neuromatrix” and can lead to the proposal for different possible target areas for pain relief. Neuromodulation could target brain regions of pain processing areas responsible for sensorimotor processing or alternatively regions responsible for the affective and evaluative aspects of the subjective pain experience. The chapter addresses the different approaches currently taken in the use of non-invasive neu - romodulation for altering pain both in an experimental setting and the challenges involved in the translation of these techniques to a diverse range of chronic pain conditions.
Balancing privacy and openness, using a lens of contextual integrity

This paper describes a qualitative, empirical research study which explored the use of open educational practices (OEP) by academic staff in higher education, focusing particularly on the findings in relation to balancing privacy and openness. The study explored meaning-making and decision-making by university educators regarding whether, why, and how they used OEP. Open educational practices have been defined as “practices which support the (re)use and production of OER through institutional policies, promote innovative pedagogical models, and respect and empower learners as co-producers on their lifelong learning paths” (Ehlers, 2011, p. 4). The purpose of this study was to understand how university educators conceive of, make sense of, and make use of OEP, and to try to learn more about, and from, the practices and values of educators from across a broad continuum of ‘closed’ to open practices. The study was conducted at one Irish university using constructivist grounded theory methodology; semi-structured interviews were carried out with educators across multiple disciplines. Balancing privacy and openness emerged as a key concern of academic staff in relation to their digital and networked practices. This balancing act was described by participants, overwhelmingly, as an individual decision and an ongoing challenge: “you’re negotiating all the time. ” A model was developed to illustrate how individuals seek to balance privacy and openness at four levels: macro (global level), meso (community/network level), micro (individual level), and nano (interaction level). The main finding of the study was that openness is always complex, personal, contextual, and continually negotiated. These empirical results reinforce the utility of Nissenbaum’s (2004, 2010) framework of contextual integrity in constructing a full understanding of meaning-making and decision-making with regard to open practices, and thus can contribute to effective support of academic staff in relation to open education and networked learning.
Photon trajectories, anomalous velocities and weak measurements: a classical interpretation

Recently, Kocsis et al (2011 Science 332 1170) reported the observation of ‘average trajectories of single photons’ in a two-slit interference experiment. This was possible by using the quantum weak-measurement method, which implies averaging over many events, i.e. in fact, a multi-photon limit of classical linear optics. We give a classical-optics interpretation of this experiment and other related problems. It appears that weak measurements of the local momentum of photons made by Kocsis et al represent measurements of the Poynting vector in an optical field. We consider both the real and imaginary parts of the local momentum and show that their measurements have been realized in classical optics using small-probe particles. We also examine the appearance of ‘anomalous’ values of the local momentum: either negative (backflow) or exceeding the wavenumber (superluminal propagation). These features appear to be closely related to vortices and evanescent waves. Finally, we revisit a number of older works and find examples of photon trajectories and anomalous-momentum measurements in various optical experiments.
A substrate peptide for the FLT3 receptor tyrosine kinase

FLT3 (fms‐like tyrosine kinase 3) is frequently activated by mutation in acute myeloid leukemia, and is therefore under study as a drug target. Testing and characterization of tyrosine kinase inhibitors is facilitated by the availability of efficient peptide substrates. Searching for FLT3 peptide substrates using phosphorylation experiments on peptide arrays and in solution revealed that the peptide F‐T‐D‐R‐L‐Q‐Q‐Y8‐I‐S‐T‐R‐G‐L‐G is efficiently phosphorylated (apparent Km 10 μmol/l), with Y8 as the phosphorylated site. This peptide presents a novel tool for identifying and characterizing FLT3 kinase inhibitors.
An Analysis of Price-Based Tests of Antitrust Market Delineation

There are well-known theoretical concerns regarding the use of price correlations to determine antitrust markets. However, this has not deterred their use or the application of Granger causality, stationarity, and cointegration tests in the determination of antitrust markets. In this paper, we explore the empirical performance of these various tests. In particular, we want to know whether these tests are capable of generating the correct inference both when two products are in the same relevant market and when they are not. Our results imply that, in the absence of common shocks, simple price correlations may be capable of providing reliable evidence on market delineation. However, in samples sizes similar to those currently available, the performance of other commonly employed price-based tests suggests that they provide little economically meaningful information to antitrust practitioners.