Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A New Concept for Separability Problems in Blind Source Separation

The goal of blind source separation (BSS) lies in recovering the original independent sources of a mixed random vector without knowing the mixing structure. A key ingredient for performing BSS successfully is to know the indeterminacies of the problemthat is, to know how the separating model relates to the original mixing model (separability). For linear BSS, Comon (1994) showed using the Darmois-Skitovitch theorem that the linear mixing matrix can be found except for permutation and scaling. In this work, a much simpler, direct proof for linear separability is given. The idea is based on the fact that a random vector is independent if and only if the Hessian of its logarithmic density (resp. characteristic function) is diagonal everywhere. This property is then exploited to propose a new algorithm for performing BSS. Furthermore, first ideas of how to generalize separability results based on Hessian diagonalization to more complicated nonlinear models are studied in the setting of postnonlinear BSS.
Capitalism against capitalism

Communism has collapsed. Capitalism has rid itself of the competition on which it thrives. But though now victorious, capitalism has become a threat. The future of us all may be shaped by the outcome of the conflict between capitalism as victor and capitalism as threat. Not only in Europe, but also in the US and Japan - and no doubt shortly in the Eastern countries too - the great debate is capitalism versus capitalism. On the one hand is the "neo-American" model based on individual achievement and short-term profits. On the other is the Rhine model practices in Switzerland, Germany, Benelux, Northern Europe and, partly, in Japan. In the Rhine model collective achievement and public concensus are seen as the keys to long-term success. The first is more seductive, the second more effective. These two opposing forms of capitalism are engaged in a war which, like all internal conflicts, involves both secrecy and even hypocrisy. The outcome of this struggle could affect the quality of life on all levels of society. The author of this book aims to provide a synthesis which will force the reader to consider the political and economic issues at stake towards the end of the century.
Existence, Uniqueness, and Variational Methods for Scattering by Unbounded Rough Surfaces

In this paper we study, via variational methods, the problem of scattering of time harmonic acoustic waves by an unbounded sound soft surface. The boundary $partial D$ is assumed to lie within a finite distance of a flat plane and the incident wave is that arising from an inhomogeneous term in the Helmholtz equation whose support lies within some finite distance of the boundary $\partial D$. Via analysis of an equivalent variational formulation, we provide the first proof of existence of a unique solution to a three-dimensional rough surface scattering problem for an arbitrary wave number. Our method of analysis does not require any smoothness of the boundary which can, for example, be the graph of an arbitrary bounded continuous function. An attractive feature is that all constants in a priori bounds, for example the inf-sup constant of the sesquilinear form, are bounded by explicit functions of the wave number and the maximum surface elevation.
A genome wide transcriptional model of the complex response to pre-TCR signalling during thymocyte differentiation

Developing thymocytes require pre-TCR signalling to differentiate from CD4−CD8− double negative to CD4+CD8+ double positive cell. Here we followed the transcriptional response to pre-TCR signalling in a synchronised population of differentiating double negative thymocytes. This time series analysis revealed a complex transcriptional response, in which thousands of genes were up and down-regulated before changes in cell surface phenotype were detected. Genome-wide measurement of RNA degradation of individual genes showed great heterogeneity in the rate of degradation between different genes. We therefore used time course expression and degradation data and a genome wide transcriptional modelling (GWTM) strategy to model the transcriptional response of genes up-regulated on pre-TCR signal transduction. This analysis revealed five major temporally distinct transcriptional activities that up regulate transcription through time, whereas down-regulation of expression occurred in three waves. Our model thus placed known regulators in a temporal perspective, and in addition identified novel candidate regulators of thymocyte differentiation.
Behavioural biology of Chagas disease vectors

Many arthropod species have adopted vertebrate blood as their main food source. Blood is rich in nutrients and, except for the presence of parasites, sterile. However, this food source is not freely available, nor is obtaining it devoid of risk. It circulates inside vessels hidden underneath the skin of mobile hosts that are able to defend themselves and even predate the insects that try to feed on them. Thus, the haematophagous lifestyle is associated with major morphological, physiological and behavioural adaptations that have accumulated throughout the evolutionary history of the various lineages of blood-sucking arthropods. These adaptations have significant consequences for the evolution of parasites as well as for the epidemiology of vector-transmitted diseases. In this review article, we analyse various aspects of the behaviour of triatomine bugs to illustrate how each behavioural trait represents a particular adaptation to their close association with their hosts, which may easily turn into predators. Our aim is to offer to the reader an up-to-date integrative perspective on the behaviour of Chagas disease vectors and to propose new research avenues to encourage both young and experienced colleagues to explore this aspect of triatomine biology.
Program Committee

Many very large SAT problems can be more naturally expressed by quantification over variables, or “lifting”. We explore implementation, heuristic and modelling issues in the use of local search on lifted SAT models. Firstly, adapting existing local search algorithms to lifted models creates overheads that limit the practicality of lifting, and we design a new form of dynamic local search for lifted models. Secondly, finding a violated clause in a lifted model is an NP-complete problem called “subsearch”, and we show that subsearch benefits from advanced constraint techniques. Thirdly, lifting provides the opportunity for using SAT models that would normally be ignored because of their poor space complexities, and we use alternative SAT-encodings of a constraint problem to show that such lifted models can give superior results.
Solutions to the Cocktail Party Problem in Insects: Selective Filters, Spatial Release from Masking and Gain Control in Tropical Crickets

Background Insects often communicate by sound in mixed species choruses; like humans and many vertebrates in crowded social environments they thus have to solve cocktail-party-like problems in order to ensure successful communication with conspecifics. This is even more a problem in species-rich environments like tropical rainforests, where background noise levels of up to 60 dB SPL have been measured. Principal Findings Using neurophysiological methods we investigated the effect of natural background noise (masker) on signal detection thresholds in two tropical cricket species Paroecanthus podagrosus and Diatrypa sp. , both in the laboratory and outdoors. We identified three ‘bottom-up’ mechanisms which contribute to an excellent neuronal representation of conspecific signals despite the masking background. First, the sharply tuned frequency selectivity of the receiver reduces the amount of masking energy around the species-specific calling song frequency. Laboratory experiments yielded an average signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of −8 dB, when masker and signal were broadcast from the same side. Secondly, displacing the masker by 180° from the signal improved SNRs by further 6 to 9 dB, a phenomenon known as spatial release from masking. Surprisingly, experiments carried out directly in the nocturnal rainforest yielded SNRs of about −23 dB compared with those in the laboratory with the same masker, where SNRs reached only −14.5 and −16 dB in both species. Finally, a neuronal gain control mechanism enhances the contrast between the responses to signals and the masker, by inhibition of neuronal activity in interstimulus intervals. Conclusions Thus, conventional speaker playbacks in the lab apparently do not properly reconstruct the masking noise situation in a spatially realistic manner, since under real world conditions multiple sound sources are spatially distributed in space. Our results also indicate that without knowledge of the receiver properties and the spatial release mechanisms the detrimental effect of noise may be strongly overestimated.
Improved time-domain channel estimation techniques in IEEE 802.11p environments

Vehicle-to-infrastructure communication for accident avoidance is an important application defined in the IEEE 802.11p. The primary challenge in the current IEEE 802.11p draft standard is the weak performance of channel estimation (CE) in multipath environments due to insufficient pilot density. Therefore, we propose time-domain (TD) CE techniques that can effectively and accurately estimate channel tap-weighting coefficients for solving this problem. Two network traffic types are investigated in this study: periodic transmission and event transmission. In addition, the proposed TD techniques are able to perform remarkably improved CE while completely following the signaling format in the current standard, with the assistance of the symbol prefix.
Optimal Holdings of International Reserves: Self-Insurance Against Sudden Stop

This paper addresses the issue of the optimal stock of international reserves in terms of a statistical model in which reserves affect both the probability of a sudden stop –as well as associated output costs– by reducing the balance-sheet effects of liability dollarization. Observed reserves on the eve of the global financial crisis were–on average–not distant from optimal reserves
Title Quantitative analysis of vocal fold vibration in vocally fatiguedvoice in high speed laryngoscopic images

This study examined the vocal vibration pattern of fatigued voice by high speed laryngscopic imaging. A computer program, High Speed Video Processing (HSVP) program, was used to quantify the laryngscopic images using indices measuring glottal area, anterior-posterior length of the glottis and the width of the glottis. Twenty participants aged from 18 to 23 years (mean = 21.2 years, s.d. = 1.3 years) with normal voice were recruited to participate in a singing task. Vocal fatigue was induced through prolonged singing. High speed laryngscopic imaging was taken before and after the singing task. Images of /i/ phonation were analyzed using the HSVP program. Significant changes were found in the posterior glottal length ratio index and glottal length to width ratio index following vocal fatigue. It was hypothesized that vocal fatigue condition would lead to a compensatory hyperactive laryngeal adjustment. This lengthened the vocal folds anterio-posteriorly and made the glottis narrower. The high speed imaging technique using quantitative analysis has the potential for early identification of vocally fatigued voice.
Radio Continuum Imaging of Far-Infrared-Luminous QSOs at z > 6

We present sensitive imaging at 1.4 GHz of the two highest redshift far-infrared (FIR) luminous QSOs, SDSS J114816.65+525150.2 (z = 6.42) and SDSS J104845.05+463718.3 (z = 6.2). Radio continuum emission is detected from J1148+5251 with S1.4 = 55 ± 12 μJy, while J1048+4637 is marginally detected with S1.4 = 26 ± 12 μJy. Comparison of the radio and FIR luminosities shows that both sources follow the radio-FIR correlation for star-forming galaxies, with implied (massive) star formation rates ∼103 M⊙ yr-1, although we cannot rule out as much as 50% of the FIR luminosity being powered by the active galactic nucleus. Five bright (>22 mJy) radio sources are detected within 8′ of J1148+5251. This is a factor of 30 more than expected for a random field. Two sources have SDSS redshifts, including a z = 1.633 radio-loud quasar and a z = 0.05 radio galaxy. However, we do not find evidence for a galaxy cluster in the SDSS data, at least out to z = 0.2. Considering the faint SDSS magnitudes of the remaining radio sources, we conclude that the overdensity of radio sources could either be a statistical fluke or a very large scale structure (>8 Mpc comoving) at z ≥ 1. We also consider the possibility of gravitational lensing by the closest (in angle) bright galaxy in the SDSS data at z = 0.05 and conclude that the galaxy provides negligible magnification.
The Socialization of Indian Scientific Writers Into Western Scientific Discourse Communities.

This research studies the socialization o f Indian science writers into western discourse communities. More specifically, it seeks to identify the writing problems that beginner Indian science writers face and the strategies that they adopt in overcoming them while writing dissertations or research articles. Primary information was gathered by interviewing 11 Indian graduate students and 17 faculty members from India (West Bengal) and the USA on the basis o f a fivepage questionnaire. Respondents were classified into three groups according to their places of training and writing skills. Three to five sets of rough drafts from each group were studied to note textual revisions and review comments as a supplementary source of information. A fourth group consisting o f five native-speaking faculty members was also interviewed on the basis of a separate questionnaire. This research demonstrates that while beginner Indian respondents share many problems with other nonnative and native speakers alike, their problems have roots in Indian culture and education. These factors merit consideration for future pedagogical instruction. Variable language policies and schooling systems produce students with varying writing proficiencies. Initial training in the text-based reproductive and authoritarian mode combined with a heavy literary emphasis is viewed as an obstacle towards writing an effective argument or a critical synthesis. Problems such as validating claims and inferences arise from weak rhetorical skills and a lack o f awareness for the rhetorical organization of the traditional Introduction-Method-Results-Discussion format in scientific writing, including the role o f citations as a rhetorical tool. Cultural traits such
Organizing, a guide for grassroots leaders

One day, you will discover a new adventure and knowledge by spending more money. But when? Do you think that you need to obtain those all requirements when having much money? Why don't you try to get something simple at first? That's something that will lead you to know more about the world, adventure, some places, history, entertainment, and more? It is your own time to continue reading habit. One of the books you can enjoy now is organizing a guide for grassroots leaders here.
Institutional Determinants of Student Achievement - Microeconometric Evidence

Die vorliegende Arbeit wurde von Susanne Link wahrend ihrer Zeit als Doktorandin an der Universitat Munchen (LMU) und ihrer Tatigkeit als wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiterin in der Abteilung Humankapital und Innovation des ifo Instituts erstellt. Sie wurde im Dezember 2012 abgeschlossen und als Dissertation von der volkswirtschaftlichen Fakultat der Universitat Munchen (LMU) akzeptiert. Die Arbeit besteht aus vier Hauptkapiteln, die verschiedene politische Reformen evaluieren. Kapitel 2 bis 4 liefern einen Beitrag zur bildungsokonomischen Literatur und untersuchen jeweils den Einfluss einer bildungspolitischen Institution auf die Leistungen von Schulern und Studenten. Kapitel 5 evaluiert den Erfolg des Heimatvertriebenengesetzes, das 1953 mit dem Ziel eingefuhrt wurde, die okonomische Situation der Heimatvertriebenen zu verbessern. Die okonometrischen Analysen basieren auf verschiedenen Mikrodatensatzen und bedienen sich mikrookonometrischer Methoden, um kausale Effekte identifizieren zu konnen.
Analysis of environmental efficiency variation : a materials balance approach

Recent literature has argued that environmental efficiency (EE), which is built on the materials balance (MB) principle, is more suitable than other EE measures in situations where the law of mass conversation regulates production processes. In addition, the MB-based EE method is particularly useful in analysing possible trade-offs between cost and environmental performance. Identifying determinants of MB-based EE can provide useful information to decision makers but there are very few empirical investigations into this issue. This article proposes the use of data envelopment analysis and stochastic frontier analysis techniques to analyse variation in MB-based EE. Specifically, the article develops a stochastic nutrient frontier and nutrient inefficiency model to analyse determinants of MB-based EE. The empirical study applies both techniques to investigate MB-based EE of 96 rice farms in South Korea. The size of land, fertiliser consumption intensity, cost allocative efficiency, and the share of owned land out of total land are found to be correlated with MB-based EE. The results confirm the presence of a trade-off between MB-based EE and cost allocative efficiency and this finding, favouring policy interventions to help farms simultaneously achieve cost efficiency and MP-based EE.
Variable Probability of Realignment in a Target Zone

The target zone model presented here encompasses a realignment probability that increases as the fundamental deviates from the center of the zone. The analysis is carried out for cases where the fundamental follows either a Brownian motion or an Ornstein-Uhlenbeck process. The simplest version of the model yields tractable results, which prove to be robust when its most restrictive assumption is relaxed. The solution obtained is dubbed the steeper S, in accordance with its most relevant feature. Copyright 1994 by The editors of the Scandinavian Journal of Economics.
The topographic organization of rhesus monkey prestriate cortex.

1. The topographic organization of prestriate visual cortex in the rhesus monkey has been studied both anatomically, by determining the pattern of termination of fibres passing through the corpus callosum, and physiologically, in the same animals, by plotting receptive field positions for different recording sites. Results are displayed on two‐dimensional, "unfolded" maps of the cortex in the dorsal half of the occipital lobe. 2. Transcallosal fibres terminate in a narrow strip of cortex along the boundary between striate and prestriate areas and in a separate, broader, zone occupying much of the anterior bank of the lunate sulcus, the annectant gyrus, and the parietooccipital sulcus. The detailed pattern of inputs is highly complicated but shows considerable similarities from one animal to the next. 3. Physiological recordings confirmed earlier reports that regions where transcallosal fibres terminate correspond to representations of the vertical meridian in the visual field. This relationship is most precise along the striate‐prestriate boundary and along the boundary of area V3 farthest from V1; it is less precise within area V4, where the pattern of transcallosal inputs is more complex. 4. A distinct, topographically organized visual area, named V3A, was found in the region between areas V3 and V4 in the lunate and parieto‐occipital sulci. Area V3A differs from V2 and V3 in that both superior and inferior visual quadrants are represented in a single region of the dorsal occipital lobe. 5. The contralateral visual field is represented in a suprisingly complex fashion in areas V3A and V4. Within each area there are multiple representations of some, but perhaps not all, parts of the visual hemifield. It is unclear whether V3A and V4 should be more appropriately considered as sets of distinct sub‐areas, each representing only a portion of the hemifield, or as larger areas with complicated internal topographies. 6. Most cells in areas V2, V3 and V3A are orientation selective but not selective for stimulus colour or direction of movement. In contrast, area V4 contains a higher incidence of colour selective cells and a lower incidence of orientation selectivity. These results support the notion of a functional division of labour within the prestriate cortex.
Random and stock-flow models of labour market matching - Swedish evidence

In this paper we estimate aggregate matching functions taking advantage of a rich data base that enables us to compute observations on the variables in the matching function at (virtually) any frequency to assess the importance of the time aggregation problem. We also generate stocks, outflows and inflows of vacancies and job seekers to shed light on the importance of stock-slow matching. Finally, we assess the contribution of labour market programme participants to matching. Our evidence rejects random matching. More precisely, we find that a non-trivial fraction of new job seekers match instantly (within the first week), that stocks of "old" vacancies and job seekers do not contribute significantly to matching and that the inflow of vacancies matches with the lagged stock of job seekers. Our results also suggest that labour market programme participants contribute to matching to a lesser extent than openly unemployed job seekers. We also find that the use of lagged stocks as right-hand side variables in matching functions (i.e., ignoring the within-period inflow of job seekers and vacancies) gives lower estimates of matching elasicities and that this is more pronounced the lower the measurement frequency.
Prediction of subcellular localization using sequence-biased recurrent networks

MOTIVATION Targeting peptides direct nascent proteins to their specific subcellular compartment. Knowledge of targeting signals enables informed drug design and reliable annotation of gene products. However, due to the low similarity of such sequences and the dynamical nature of the sorting process, the computational prediction of subcellular localization of proteins is challenging. RESULTS We contrast the use of feed forward models as employed by the popular TargetP/SignalP predictors with a sequence-biased recurrent network model. The models are evaluated in terms of performance at the residue level and at the sequence level, and demonstrate that recurrent networks improve the overall prediction performance. Compared to the original results reported for TargetP, an ensemble of the tested models increases the accuracy by 6 and 5% on non-plant and plant data, respectively. AVAILABILITY The Protein Prowler incorporating the recurrent network predictor described in this paper is available online at http://pprowler.imb. uq.edu. au/
Testing for a Constant Coefficient of Variation in Nonparametric Regression

In this paper we propose a new test for the hypothesis of a constant coefficient of variation in the common nonparametric regression model. The test is based on an estimate of the L2-distance between the square of the regression function and the variance function. We prove asymptotic normality of a standardized estimate of this distance under the null hypothesis and fixed alternatives. The finite sample properties of a corresponding bootstrap test are investigated by means of a simulation study. The results are applicable to stationary processes with the common mixing conditions and are used to construct tests for ARCH assumptions in financial time series.