Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Time-sensitive Software-defined Network (TSSDN) for Real-time Applications

Cyber-physical systems (CPS), like the ones used in industrial automation systems, are highly time-sensitive applications demanding zero packet losses along with stringent real-time guarantees like bounded latency and jitter from the underlying network for communication. With the proliferation of IEEE 802.3 and IP networks, there is a desire to use these networks instead of the currently used field-buses for time-sensitive applications. However, these networking technologies, which originally were designed to provide best effort communication services, lack mechanisms for providing real-time guarantees. In this paper, we present Time-Sensitive Software-Defined Networks (TSSDN), which provide real-time guarantees for the time-triggered traffic in time-sensitive systems while also transporting non-time-sensitive traffic. TSSDN provides these guarantees by bounding the non-deterministic queuing delays for time-sensitive traffic. To this end, it exploits the logical centralization paradigm of software-defined networking to compute a transmission schedule for time-sensitive traffic initiated by the end systems based on a global view. In particular, we present various Integer Linear Program (ILP) formulations that solve the combined problem of routing and scheduling time-triggered traffic. Moreover, we show that end systems can comply with a given schedule with high precision using user-space packet processing frameworks. Our evaluations show that TSSDN has deterministic end-to-end delays (≤ 14 μs on our benchmark topology) with low and bounded jitter (≤ 7 μs).
The Effects of Performance Measurement on Community Development Spending Priorities: CDBG Meets GPRA

Since 1974 the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has administered the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program to invest over $100B dollars in America's low-income communities, through housing, job creation, public services, and other community development projects. Data on CDBG spending by activity type is examined, with the relative stability of spending priorities over the past seven years presented as evidence of the "New Federalism" at maturity: despite the fact that spending decisions are set at the local level by over 1,000 di erent community development oces, and without the bene t of an overarching federal strategy (or even much of a debate on one), the field has achieved a de facto consensus as to national priorities. The data can be further distinguished into an "Urban Entitlement" spending pattern seen in the larger cities (with strong spending for housing, infrastructure, and public services) and a "Statewide Program" pro le for smaller communities (prioritizing infrastructure and little else). At the same time, CDBG's "maturity" has brought with it additional challenges, unanticipated by the framers of the original block grant approach: namely, the creeping tide of performance measurement requirements for federal programs. With the passage of the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) in 1993 -- and the more recent attempts to implement these requirements at HUD in earnest, starting in 2006 -- CDBG managers are being increasingly pressed to measure and report the results of their spending decisions. While performance measurement is undoubtedly a necessary component of any management scheme and can be an important tool in generating support for public spending, the increased emphasis at HUD may have the e ect (unintended or otherwise) of altering the existing mix of activities to encourage more cities to adopt spending strategies closer to those seen in the "Statewide" pro file. (An apologetic postscript is also included, to ensure that HUD staff do not feel attacked by the author, who actually has a great deal of admiration and respect for them.)
Late time CMB anisotropies constrain mini-charged particles

Observations of the temperature anisotropies induced as light from the CMB passes through large scale structures in the late universe are a sensitive probe of the interactions of photons in such environments. In extensions of the Standard Model which give rise to mini-charged particles, photons propagating through transverse magnetic fields can be lost to pair production of such particles. Such a decrement in the photon flux would occur as photons from the CMB traverse the magnetic fields of galaxy clusters. Therefore late time CMB anisotropies can be used to constrain the properties of mini-charged particles. We outline how this test is constructed, and present new constraints on mini-charged particles from observations of the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect in the Coma cluster.
Macular pigment and melanin in age-related maculopathy in a general population.

PURPOSE It has been suggested that macular pigment (MP) and melanin may protect against age-related maculopathy (ARM). To check this, MP and melanin optical density were measured in a random population-based sample of subjects 55 years of age or older. METHODS Spectral fundus reflectance of the fovea was measured in one eye per subject in a 2.3 degrees detection field with a fundus reflectometer. The sample consisted of 199 men and 236 women. Analysis with a fundus reflectance model yielded individual estimates for the MP and melanin optical density. Diagnosis of ARM was based on grading of standardized fundus transparencies. Eyes were stratified in four exclusive stages of ARM. RESULTS MP optical density (at 460 nm) was 0.33 +/- 0.15 in eyes without ARM (n = 289) and 0.33 +/- 0.16 in eyes at any stage of ARM (n = 146). Melanin optical density (at 500 nm) was 1.18 +/- 0.19 in eyes without ARM and 1.20 +/- 0.21 in eyes at any stage of ARM. We found no gender differences for either MP or melanin optical density. CONCLUSIONS No differences in MP and melanin optical density were found between eyes with and without ARM or between the various ARM stages.
DLDA and LDA/QR equivalence framework for human face recognition

Singularity problem in human face feature extraction is very challenging that has gained a lot of attentions during the last decade. A pseudo-inverse linear discriminant analysis (LDA) plays a important role to solve the singularity problem of the scatter matrices. In this paper, we make use of Linear Discriminant Analysis via QR decomposition (LDA/QR) and Direct Linear Discriminant Analysis (DLDA) to solve the singularity problem in face feature recognition. We also show that an equivalent relationship between DLDA and LDA/QR. They can be regarded as a special case of pseudo-inverse LDA. Similar to LDA/QR algorithm, DLDA could be a two-stage LDA method. Interestingly, we find that the first stage of DLDA can act as a dimensionality reduction algorithm. In our experiment, we compare DLDA and LDA/QR algorithms in terms of classification accuracy, computational complexity in ORL and Yale face datasets. We have also conducted experiments to compare their first stages on these datasets. Our results indicate that the empirical and theoretic proofs of equivalence between DLDA and LDA/QR algorithms coincidentally converge and verify their same capabilities in the dimension reduction.
A Framework for Scenariobased Risk Management

The framework presented in this paper describes how a risk manager in a systematic and structured way can construct scenarios. It creates a natural platform where quantitative analysts, economists as well as top management within a large bank can discuss, quantify and implement scenarios. A key aspect of the framework is also that it links all components of integrated risk management: Sensitivity measures, Value at Risk calculations as well as stress testing. The core of the framework is a mathematical model of joint risk factor evolution through time and the concept of an information hypercube. The mathematical model consists of two components: models for the univariate marginal distributions of risk factors and a model of the codependence structure encoded in the notion of copulas. The aim of the mathematical model is to capture, as realistically as possible, the actual data generating process. That is, the unobserved true structure. The hypercube consists of a set of core risk factors and pre-defined future paths of these risk factors. Interaction in the scenario process appears at the hypercube level and through the application of the hypercube information on the mathematical model. Hence, reducing the degrees of freedom of the model. ∗email: kaj.nystrom@swedbank.com †email: jimmy.skoglund@swedbank.com
Sensor Data Storage Performance: SQL or NoSQL, Physical or Virtual

Sensors are used to monitor certain aspects of the physical or virtual world and databases are typically used to store the data that these sensors provide. The use of sensors is increasing, which leads to an increasing demand on sensor data storage platforms. Some sensor monitoring applications need to automatically add new databases as the size of the sensor network increases. Cloud computing and virtualization are key technologies to enable these applications. A key issue therefore becomes the performance of virtualized databases and how this relates to physical ones. Traditional SQL databases have been used for a long time and have proven to be reliable tools for all kinds of applications. NoSQL databases have gained momentum in the last couple of years however, because of growing scalability and availability requirements. This paper compares three databases on their relative performance with regards to sensor data storage: one open source SQL database(PostgreSQL) and two open source NoSQL databases (Cassandra and MongoDB). A comparison is also made between running these databases on a physical server and running them on a virtual machine. A minimal sensor data structure is used and tested using four operations: a single write, a single read, multiple writes in one statement and multiple reads in one statement.
Primary systemic vasculitis: clinical features and mortality.

BACKGROUND Wegener's granulomatosis (WG), Churg Strauss syndrome (CSS) and microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) are primary systemic vasculitides (PSV), the clinical features of which have been described from tertiary centres. AIM To provide the first clinical description of MPA from a general hospital and compare clinical features with WG and CSS. DESIGN Retrospective analysis of patient records. METHODS Records of 99 PSV patients attending a single hospital, from 1988 to 2000, were reviewed for: clinical features, date/age at diagnosis, sex, duration of illness, anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA), treatment, comorbidity and deaths. Cases were classified using ACR, CHCC and Lanham criteria/definitions. Birmingham vasculitis activity scores (BVAS) and damage index (VDI) were calculated. Survival was assessed using Cox proportional hazards model and standardized mortality ratios (SMRs). RESULTS Compared to previous reports there was more ENT (29%) and respiratory (29%) but less renal (92%) involvement in MPA, and less ENT involvement in WG (81%). CSS showed high neurological (72%), cardiovascular (28%) and gastrointestinal (17%) involvement and the highest median (range) VDI (p = 0.01 vs. WG; p = 0.001 vs. MPA). BVAS1 was significantly lower in MPA than in WG [median (range) 15 (4-29) vs. 21 (6-39), (p = 0.001)] but not in CSS [20 (7-28), p = 0.08]. SMR (95%CI) for PSV was 4.8 (3.0-6.6); 5-year survival was 45.1% for MPA, 75.9% for WG and 68.1% for CSS. Age was a significant risk, but only to the same extent as in the reference population. When age was adjusted for, no other significant factor was found. DISCUSSION The clinical characteristics seen here are similar to those in previous series. There are difficulties in using the MPA CHCC definitions in classification. There is a high proportion of neurological involvement in CSS, causing permanent damage. MPA may have a poorer prognosis than WG or CSS.
Upstairs , Downstairs : Does the Upstairs Market Harm the Downstairs ?

We examine the price impact of block trades across three trading mechanisms: the upstairs market, a crossing network system, and the limit order book. Using unique exogenous measures of market access, we find no evidence that competition from these external markets has an adverse affect. Thus, despite the threat that they drain liquidity to harm the main market via upstairs filtering of informed trades, these alternative trading mechanisms appear to benefit all market participants. Our evidence supports counterparty search instead of the informed trader filtering or risk-sharing explanations for the role of upstairs dealers. We also find new evidence supportive of the search role for upstairs dealers. JEL classification: G14
Multiwavelength Observations of EXO 0748–676. II. Emission-Line Behavior

We present optical and ultraviolet spectra, light curves, and Doppler tomograms of the low-mass X-ray binary EXO 0748-676. Using an extensive set of 15 emission-line tomograms, we show that, along with the usual emission from the stream and "hot spot," there is extended nonaxisymmetric emission from the disk rim. Some of the emission and Hα and Hβ absorption features lend weight to the hypothesis that part of the stream overflows the disk rim and forms a two phase medium. The data are consistent with a 1.35 M☉ neutron star with a main-sequence companion and hence a mass ratio q ≈ 0.34.
Perceptual Expertise and Top–Down Expectation of Musical Notation Engages the Primary Visual Cortex

Most theories of visual processing propose that object recognition is achieved in higher visual cortex. However, we show that category selectivity for musical notation can be observed in the first ERP component called the C1 (measured 40–60 msec after stimulus onset) with music-reading expertise. Moreover, the C1 note selectivity was observed only when the stimulus category was blocked but not when the stimulus category was randomized. Under blocking, the C1 activity for notes predicted individual music-reading ability, and behavioral judgments of musical stimuli reflected music-reading skill. Our results challenge current theories of object recognition, indicating that the primary visual cortex can be selective for musical notation within the initial feedforward sweep of activity with perceptual expertise and with a testing context that is consistent with the expertise training, such as blocking the stimulus category for music reading.
Transforming DEVS to non-modular form for faster cellular space simulation

This paper presents a new approach that enhances the performance of large scale cellular space simulations expressed in modular DEVS. The basic idea is to group cells in cellular space into smaller partitions that are treated as atomic DEVS models. The enhancement is achieved by reducing the large number of messages generated by intercell communication. This, in turn, saves large number of simulator iterations that were used to handle such communication. The new approach gives significant simulation speedup over the conventional techniques of representing cells in DEVS. A landslide slope criticality model is used to perform some computational experiments to demonstrate the simulation speedup of our approach.
Sequential Monte Carlo Inverse Kinematics

In this paper we propose a new and original approach to solve the Inverse Kinematics problem. Our approach has the advantages to avoid the classical pitfalls of numerical inversion methods such as singularities, accept arbitrary types of constraints and exhibit a linear complexity with respect to degrees of freedom which makes it far more efficient for articulated figures with a high number of degrees of freedom. Our framework is based on Sequential Monte Carlo Methods that were initially designed to filter highly non-linear, non-Gaussian dynamic systems. They are used here in an online motion control algorithm that allows to integrate motion priors. Along with practical results that show the effectiveness and convenience of our method, we also describe potential follow-ups for our work.
Action-Driven Object Detection with Top-Down Visual Attentions

A dominant paradigm for deep learning based object detection relies on a "bottom-up" approach using "passive" scoring of class agnostic proposals. These approaches are efficient but lack of holistic analysis of scene-level context. In this paper, we present an "action-driven" detection mechanism using our "top-down" visual attention model. We localize an object by taking sequential actions that the attention model provides. The attention model conditioned with an image region provides required actions to get closer toward a target object. An action at each time step is weak itself but an ensemble of the sequential actions makes a bounding-box accurately converge to a target object boundary. This attention model we call AttentionNet is composed of a convolutional neural network. During our whole detection procedure, we only utilize the actions from a single AttentionNet without any modules for object proposals nor post bounding-box regression. We evaluate our top-down detection mechanism over the PASCAL VOC series and ILSVRC CLS-LOC dataset, and achieve state-of-the-art performances compared to the major bottom-up detection methods. In particular, our detection mechanism shows a strong advantage in elaborate localization by outperforming Faster R-CNN with a margin of +7.1% over PASCAL VOC 2007 when we increase the IoU threshold for positive detection to 0.7.
Developing Organizations: Diagnosis and Action

Êsse livro de Lawrence e Lorsch, professôres da Universidade de Harvard, faz parte de uma coleção coordenada por Edgar H. Schein, Richard Beckhard e Warren Bennis, que procura organizar alguns trabalhos importantes na área de desenvolvimento organizacional. Como afirmam os coordenadores, muitos professôres renomados de escolas de administração de emprêsas são, paralelamente, consultores de larga experiência. Apesar disso, muito poucos escrevem acêrca dessas atividades ou a respeito das linhas básicas sôbre as quais se assenta êsse tipo de trabalho. O livro de Lawrence e Lorsch é uma obra de reflexão que demonstra urna pesquisa séria da natureza das organizações e que procura indicar caminhos para o desenvolvimento condizentes com a complexidade do objeto de que trata. O pressuposto fundamental dos autores é o de que não existe uma estrutura ideal para tôda e qualquer organização. Ao contrário, cada tipo de organização pede um tipo especial de estrutura. Assim, aquelas organizações industriais simples, que produzem poucas mercadorias semelhantes entre si e que apresentam tarefas bem definidas, pouca variação tecnológica e decisões centralizadas, pedem geralmente urna estrutura do tipo funcional. Aquelas que produzem várias e diferentes mercadorias e são especificamente
Advancing Environmental Mainstreaming in the Caribbean Region: The Role of Regional Institutions for Overcoming Barriers and Capacity Gaps

Environmental mainstreaming (EM) is a policy instrument to integrate environmental risks and opportunities into planning and implementation. A body of knowledge exists on identifying barriers for EM at the national level. This paper identifies contributions of regional institutions for improving capacities for EM at the national level, using the Caribbean region as a case study. The methodology adopted combines in-depth interviews with senior policy-makers and participatory workshops for medium- and junior-level staff of government agencies. Four barriers for EM are analyzed with specific roles for regional agencies, including weak leadership, insufficient science–policy linkages, deficits in quantity and quality of human resources, and institutional aspects. Research findings identify regional leadership as crucial to supporting the science–policy interface, to share data and knowledge across countries facing similar challenges, to provide assistance with national policy development for EM involving transboundary issues, and to ensure cross-sectoral perspectives in regional initiatives, especially those on economic development.
Energy-Efficient Unified Routing Algorithm for Multi-Hop Wireless Networks

In this paper, we develop an energy-efficient routing scheme that takes into account four key wireless system elements: transmission power; interference; residual energy; and energy replenishment. Since energy is a scarce resource, many energy-aware routing algorithms have been proposed to improve network performance. However, previous algorithms have been designed for a subset of these four main elements, which could limit their applicability. Thus, our contribution is here to develop a unified routing algorithm called the Energy-efficient Unified Routing (EURo) algorithm that accommodates any combination of these above key elements and adapts to varying wireless environments. We study the impact of key wireless elements on routing, and show via simulations that EURo outperforms the state-of-the-art.
Team Communication During Patient Handover From the Operating Room

Objective: This study was aimed at examining team communication during postoperative handover and its relationship to clinicians’ self-ratings of handover quality. Background: Adverse events can often be traced back to inadequate communication during patient handover. Research and improvement efforts have mostly focused on the information transfer function of patient handover. However, the specific mechanisms between handover communication processes among teams of transferring and receiving clinicians and handover quality are poorly understood. Method: We conducted a prospective, cross-sectional observation study using a taxonomy for handover behaviors developed on the basis of established approaches for analyzing teamwork in health care. Immediately after the observation, transferring and receiving clinicians rated the quality of the handover using a structured tool for handover quality assessment. Handover communication during 117 handovers in three postoperative settings and its relationship to clinicians’ self-ratings of handover quality were analyzed with the use of correlation analyses and analyses of variance. Results: We identified significantly different patterns of handover communication between clinical settings and across handover roles. Assessments provided during handover were related to higher ratings of handover quality overall and to all four dimensions of handover quality identified in this study. If assessment was lacking, we observed compensatory information seeking by the receiving team. Conclusion: Handover quality is more than the correct, complete transmission of patient information. Assessments, including predictions or anticipated problems, are critical to the quality of postoperative handover. Application: The identification of communication behaviors related to high-quality handovers is necessary to effectively support the design and evaluation of handover improvement efforts.