Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Probabilistic partial volume modelling of biomedical tomographic image data.

The partial volume effect is an imaging artefact associated with tomographic biomedical imaging data. Three-dimensional volumetric data points (voxels) enclose finite sized regions so that they may contain a mixture of signals which are then known as partial volume voxels. The limited spatial resolution of tomographic biomedical imaging data, due to the complex biomedical image acquisition processes, often results in large numbers of these partial volume voxels. Clinical applications of biomedical imaging data often require accurate estimates of tissues or metabolic activity, where many voxels in the data are partial volume voxels. Therefore accurate modelling of the partial volume effect can be very important for such quantitative applications. The probabilistic models discussed and presented in this thesis provide a generic mathematically consistent framework in which the partial volume effect is modelled. Novel developments include an improved model of an intensity and gradient magnitude feature space to model the PV effect; a novel analytically derived formulation of the ground truth (prior) description of the PV effect; a novel gradient controlled spatially regulated classifier that utilises Markov Chain Monte Carlo simulations; and a fully automatic brain isolation technique that identifies brain voxels in neurological MRI data. Simulated partial volume data and data from anatomical (MRI) and functional (PET) biomedical imaging modalities are utilized to assess the classification performance of the partial volume models. The data sets include: an imaged PET/CT phantom provided by the Royal Marsden Hospital, UK; publicly available simulated MR brain data together with the associated ground truths from the Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Canada; and 20 normal MR data sets from the Center for Morphometric Analysis at Massachusetts General Hospital, USA. The performance of the developed classifiers were found to be competitive and in some cases superior to existing published quantitative estimation techniques.
Improving a Virtual Human Using a Model of Degrees of Grounding

We describe the Degrees of Grounding model, which tracks the extent to which material has reached mutual belief in a dialogue, and conduct experiments in which the model is used to manage grounding behavior in spoken dialogues with a virtual human. We show that the model produces improvements in virtual human performance as measured by post-session questionnaires.
Traffic Flow Fundamentals

The purpose of this textbook is to provide an in-depth treatment of the fundamentals of traffic flow. Chapter 1 provides an introduction. Chapter 2, devoted to microscopic flow characteristics, is concerned with individual time headways between vehicles, with particular emphasis on mean values and distribution forms. The chapter presents empirical measurements, describes pertinent mathematical distributions, suggests evaluation procedures, and provides selected applications. Chapter 3 is concerned with macroscopic flow characteristics, which are expressed as flow rates, and attention is given to temporal, spatial, and modal patterns. Empirical evidence is provided, analytical techniques are described, and applications are presented. Chapter 4 describes microscopic speed characteristics of individual vehicles passing a point or short segment during a specified time period. Particular attention is given to vehicular speed trajectories over time and space as well as to statistical analysis of individual speed measurements. Chapter 5 is directed to macroscopic speed characteristics, which are concerned with the speed of groups of vehicles passing a point or short segment during a specified period. Particular attention is given to temporal, spatial, and modal variations as well as to statistical analysis of group speed measurements. Travel time and delay techniques are also included. Chapter 6 is devoted to microscopic density characteristics, which are concerned with individual distance headways between vehicles, with particular emphasis on minimum and average values. The chapter includes an extensive coverage of car-following theories and automatic data collection systems. Chapter 7 is concerned with macroscopic density characteristics, which are expressed as the number of vehicles occupying a section of roadway. Density measurement techniques are described and particular attention is given to density contour maps. Analytical techniques using density contour maps are described. The remaining portion of the book, Chapters 8 through 13, is devoted to analytical techniques involving the total traffic flow situation; chapter subjects are, respectively, demand-supply analysis, capacity analysis, traffic stream models, shock wave analysis, queueing analysis, and computer simulation models. An index is provided.
Pattern-Oriented Software Architecture Volume 1: A System of Patterns

Pattern-Oriented Software Architecture: A System of Patterns looks at how patterns occur on three different levels--in software architecture, in everyday design, and in idioms (which describe how a particular design pattern is implemented in a programming language like C++). This synthetic approach is a little theoretical at times, but the authors also present over a dozen patterns and provide real-world examples wherever possible. For architectural patterns, the authors look at the Layers pattern, used in operating systems such as Windows NT and virtual machines. They also consider Pipes and Filters, which process streams of data. (This pattern, the authors point out, is a lynchpin of Unix.) Their Blackboard pattern shows how a complex problem, such as image or speech recognition can be broken up into smaller, specialized subsystems that work together to solve a problem. (For recognizing words from a raw waveform input, a Blackboard approach might have separate processes to find phonemes, then words, then sentences.) This book also looks at today's distributed systems in considering the Broker pattern, which is used on the Internet and in Microsoft's OLE technology. This section also presents several powerful patterns for building effective graphical user interfaces, such as Model-View-Controller. The authors define several well-known design patterns, such as the Proxy and Command patterns, and also basic, far-reaching patterns, such as Whole-Part and Master-Slave, which are widely used throughout computing. Their survey ends with a discussion on the way objects can communicate (using such patterns as Forwarder-Receiver, Client-Dispatcher-Server, and Publisher-Subscriber), which many developers will recognize as familiar patterns, but are codified here as "official" patterns. The book then discusses some idioms in C++ and a more far-reaching role for patterns in software design and architecture. By fitting patterns into traditional software engineering practices, the authors of Pattern-Oriented Software Architecture successfully argue that the role for patterns will only continue to diversify and enrich tomorrow's software engineering tools and methodologies. --Richard Dragan
Modélisation, contrôle haptique et nouvelles réalisations de claviers musicaux

Le piano est reconnu comme un instrument permettant une grande expressivite musicale. Cette caracteristique est due en grande partie a la finesse dans le controle de l'instrument que les pianistes peuvent atteindre. Le mecanisme traditionnel presente une particularite : les elements responsables du rayonnement sonore sont decouples du pianiste au moment de la generation de la note. Donc, le pianiste ne peut pas agir sur le son au moment ou il l'entend, le controle de la nuance de jeu est donc fortement conditionne par le retour tactile – que nous appelerons toucher – fourni par l'instrument. Le toucher est donc un indicateur de la qualite du clavier. La mecanique d'actionnement communique au marteau le mouvement impose a la touche par le pianiste. Ce systeme dynamique complexe forme d'un ensemble de pieces en bois et feutre de laine, liees entre elles par des pivots et des contacts unilateraux est responsable du toucher. Les pianos numeriques actuels sont equipes de mecaniques d'actionnement simplifiees qui produisent un toucher pauvre par rapport a celui d'un piano a queue traditionnel (notamment dans la nuance piano). L'objectif de ce travail est de concevoir un clavier numerique controle capable de reproduire de maniere satisfaisante le toucher d'un piano a queue. Pour cela, nous devons dans un premier temps etudier le fonctionnement de la mecanique traditionnelle puis concevoir et controler une interface haptique a base de fluide magneto-rheologique capable d'un rendu sensoriel de memes caracteristiques que celui d'un piano traditionnel. Le modele dynamique de la mecanique traditionnelle a ete realise en tenant compte de tous les degres de liberte du systeme et des comportements des liaisons pivots et des contacts unilateraux. Un ensemble de procedures experimentales ont permis de valider les lois de comportement utilisees dans le modele et d'obtenir la valeur de tous les parametres de la modelisation. Finalement, nous avons simule numeriquement le comportement du systeme dans le cas quasi-statique et dynamique a l'aide de Matlab/Simulink. Par ailleurs, nous avons concu, modelise et identifie un nouveau mode operatoire pour fluides magneto-rheologiques qui fut utilise pour la conception de l'interface haptique pour claviers musicaux. L'interface haptique a ete modelisee pour obtenir la loi de commande. Cette modelisation a ete validee par la comparaison de la simulation numerique du modele avec les mesures sur le systeme reel. Finalement nous avons mis en place une procedure de controle en temps reel de l'interface qui utilise un modele virtuel (modele dynamique de la touche traditionnelle, par exemple) et le modele de l'interface.
Compensation Schemes for a Delta-Modulation-Based NCS

carlos.canudas-de-wit@inpg.frAbstract We analyze in this paper stabilization issues fora Networked Control System that uses a Delta-ModulatorScheme within the encoder/decoder structures. We also ana-lyze the packet-loss issue, and determine a maximum allowablenumber of consecutive bits lost while keeping stability. Wethen design a compensation scheme for re-synchronizing theencoder and decoder, after a bit is lost in a network withoutacknowledgment signals. We nally present a compensationscheme that ensures stability after a pre-determined numberof bits is lost. Examples and simulations are provided todemonstrate the results.
Implementation of OFDM and Channel Estimation using LS and MMSE Estimators

During the past few years, the developments in digital communication are rapidly increasing to meet the ever increasing demand of higher data rates. Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) has an edge over other frequency multiplexing techniques by using more densely packed carriers, thus achieving higher data rates using similar channels. This paper discusses the channel estimation in OFDM and its implementation in MATLAB using pilot based block type channel estimation techniques by LS and MMSE algorithms. This paper starts with comparisons of OFDM using BPSK and QPSK on different channels, followed by modeling the LS and MMSE estimators on MATLAB. In the end, results of different simulations are compared to conclude that LS algorithm gives less complexity but MMSE algorithm provides comparatively better results
The quotative system in Spanish and English youth talk. A contrastive corpus-based study

The speech of teenagers is rich in narratives, with the direct reproduction of speech, thoughts, and non-lexical material often introduced through the use of quotatives. This paper aims to compare such quotative markers in English and Spanish. Findings indicate that both Spanish and British teenagers make use of a wide range of specific quotatives in their speech. For example, in English go and (be) like prevail clearly over general reporting verbs such as say, think and ask. In Spanish, we also find a system of both general reporting verbs (decir, ‘say’, contar, ‘tell’, preguntar ‘ask’) and those more typical of teenager speech (y yo…. ‘and I .’, en plan ‘like’, es como “it's like”, saltar , ‘come up with’, etc). However, in Spanish the latter represent only 25 percent of the total, compared to almost 50 percent in English. Linguistic factors (grammatical person, aspect, tense, content of the quote) seem to constrain differently the choice and function of the quotatives observed in the teen talk of English and Spanish.
A novel training paradigm for knowledge and skills acquisition: Hybrid schedules lead to better learning for some but not all tasks

Studies on effective practice schedules have been generally investigated by comparing the performance of two relative extreme practice schedules, distributed and massed, at a retention test. The results of most of these studies have consistently shown that distributed practice schedules result in higher retention rates than massed practice schedules because of the spacing effect associated with human memory. These studies, however, failed to show either the optimal interval between learning sessions, or to consider the knowledge types used to perform tasks. Furthermore, these studies did not provide any theoretical supports except the spacing effect for predicting performance at the specific time of the schedules. To address these problems, I explored both theoretically and empirically. First, I investigated ACT-R's learning and forgetting theories to help identify an optimal practice schedule. Second, psychological experiments were conducted to validate these theories. In the experiments, four kinds of tasks were tested using four practice schedules (distributed, massed, Hybrid1, and Hybrid2). Finally, models were developed using ACT-R, and then compared with empirical data. ACT-R's learning theories suggest that hybrid practice schedules (schedules consisting of distributed and massed practice) could produce better performance than an exclusively distributed practice schedule. The results of empirical data indicated a more complex picture. Like previous studies, the results of experiments showed a higher correlation between retention and distributed practice schedules than retention and massed practice schedules. There were, however, no significant differences between distributed and hybrid practice schedules when testing a declarative memory task. Nevertheless, the results also suggested that some hybrid schedules might produce better performance than distributed practice schedules for perceptual-motor skills. Specifically, my results show that the Hybrid1 practice schedule produced greater skill retention iv than the distributed practice schedule for the perceptual-motor task, indicating that the spacing of distributed and massed practiced with respect to each other also influences performance. When comparing the ACT-R models' performance with that of the participants', the models could predict the learning and forgetting trends of the participants in each group for declarative memory tasks; however, there were differences in the correct responses between the models' prediction and the human data. These results indicated that ACT-R could be used to predict the learning and forgetting trends of practice schedules, however, revisions might be necessary to fully map the models' predictions to the participants' specific responses.
Contribution of polygraphy and polysomnography to nocturnal monitoring of patients with obesity-hypoventilation syndrome (OHS) and non-invasive ventilation (NIV)

La ventilation non-invasive (VNI) permet le traitement de l'insuffisance respiratoire hypercapnique chronique. Le syndrome obesite-hypoventilation (SOH) represente actuellement l'indication la plus frequente a la VNI. Le suivi de ces patients se base habituellement sur le controle de l'oxymetrie et de la capnographie nocturnes et des gaz du sang diurnes. Dans ce travail, 20 patients avec SOH et traites par VNI au long cours, en etat stable, ont eu un enregistrement nocturne simultane par polysomnographie (PSG), polygraphie (PG) et capnographie. Ce travail decrit, en depit d'un controle satisfaisant de l'oxymetrie et de la capnie nocturnes, la survenue frequente d'evenements respiratoires tels que: episodes de desynchronisation patient-ventilateur (55% des cas) et respiration periodique (40%). Ces evenements s'associent a une deterioration du sommeil (micro-eveils augmentes, diminution du sommeil profond et REM). La detection de ces evenements par PSG ou PG parait donc importante pour ameliorer la qualite de l'adaptation a la VNI.
Rsultats de l'dition 2008 du Dfi Fouille de Textes

The present invention relates to an improved thermometer for hot asphaltic concrete application. The improved thermometer includes a housing holding a thermometer body and a temperature probe being connected to the thermometer body by a cable. The housing also includes means to store the temperature probe as well as retract the cable after it has been extended from the thermometer housing. The temperature probe may also include an extendable portion which permits measurement of temperatures at great depths in hot asphaltic concrete mixes.
History at the Limit of World-History

1. Introduction2. Historicality and the Prose of the World3. The Prose of History or the Invention of World-History4. Experience, Wonder, and the Pathos of Historicality5. Epilogue: The Poverty of Historiography-A Poet's ReproachAppendix: Historicality in Literature by Rabindranath Tagore
The UCSD Active Web

The UCSD Department of Computer Science and Engineering recently submitted a proposal for large-scale Research Infrastructure funding to the National Science Foundation. The theme of the proposal is the “Active W b”, a next-generation World Wide Web premised on the support for active content , content that is rich in multimedia and references to other other objects, and for mobile agents , programs that can move about and execute on remote servers, carrying out requests at a distance on behalf of users. These servers are no longer passive databases as in today's Web, but context-sensitive "knowledge networks" that contain all kinds of active content; between the servers themselves there is a constant exchange of agents, which add to, refine, form interconnections, and make consistent, the distributed content. In the Active Web, there is a high degree of resource sharing, usage is bought and sold as in a market economy, and security is paramount. To realize this vision, the Department is taking a coordinated approach, focusing and integrating its strengths in network and operating systems design, security, multimedia, content-based search, scientific metacomputing, and, computer and software engineering. 1 This document is a revised version of the actual proposal submitted to NSF on October 17, 1997. Please direct questions or comments to Joseph Pasquale, who can be contacted by email at pasquale@cs.ucsd. edu, and by telephone at 619 534-2673. This document was created with FrameMaker 4.0. 4 2 A. TABLE OF CONTENTS
Calidad y deterioro de platos "sous vide" preparados a base de carne y pescado almacenados en refrigeración

En la presente Tesis Doctoral se estudio la capacidad de conservacion y la calidad sensorial de diversos platos preparados a base de carne o pescado cocinados mediante la tecnologia sous vide y conservados en refrigeracion. El objetivo fue estudiar el deterioro y determinar la vida comercial con el fin de introducir mejoras tecnologicas. Se determinaron diversos parametros microbiologicos (enterobacterias totales, aerobios y anaerobios psicrofilos, bacterias acido lacticas y mohos y levaduras), fisico-quimicos (pH, aw, acidez, textura instrumental y color CIELab) y sensoriales (analisis descriptivo cuantitativo del aspecto, olor, olor, sabor y textura). Los resultados obtenidos indican que los tiempos y temperaturas recomendados para cocinar la carne y/o el pescado sous vide aseguraron una correcta pasteurizacion. No se detectaron cambios apreciables de humedad, acidez, color o textura. Solo el analisis sensorial permitio evaluar el deterioro de la carne y/o pescado sous vide durante su almacenamiento. La tecnologia sous vide proporciono platos refrigerados a base de carne y/o pescado con una alta aceptacion y una vida comercial adecuada para su distribucion en sistemas de catering.
Improving advanced learners' communication skills through paragraph reading and writing

Japanese learners of English have suffered from an inability to become competent communicators despite their large vocabulary and good grammar. This is mainly because their messages are not presented logically. To help with the learners’ difficulty, the researcher utilized paragraph reading and writing. The objectives of this study are to introduce a major problem advanced Japanese learners of English have and the approach the author has done to help the students overcome the difficulty. The participants were thirty-two university students and the topic of the writing was about Japanese culture. Their writings were evaluated with the focus on global errors. Achievements were measured when the students became aware of the English logical organization and increased their knowledge on the appropriate rhetorical form for composing messages effectively, which was important for them to communicate both in spoken and written English. Key challenges were that students had difficulty understanding the concept of “coherence” and writing coherent paragraphs.
Topology broadcast based on reverse-path forwarding

Flame-retarding polyamide composition having excellent mechanical and flame retardant properties is disclosed. The composition comprises polyamide, about 3 to 40% by weight of melamine on the basis of the polyamide, and about 0.5 to 20% by weight on the basis of the polyamide and about 2 to 75% by weight on the basis of melamine of a compound represented by a compound selected from the group consisting of the following formulas (I) and (II) wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R5 and R6 are the same or different radicals selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, alicyclic and aromatic radicals having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms, and from such radicals having a substituent selected from the group consisting of -OH, -COOR' and -CONH2, wherein R' is aliphatic alkyl group having from 1 to 5 carbon atoms.