Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
On the error exponents for detecting randomly sampled noisy diffusion processes

This paper deals with the detection of a continuous random process described by an Ornstein-Uhlenbeck (O-U) stochastic differential equation. Randomly spaced sensors or equivalently a random time sampler which deliver noisy samples of the process are used for this detection. Two types of tests are considered: either H0 refers to the presence of the noisy O-U process or H0 refers to the sole presence of noise. For any fixed false alarm probability, it is shown that the Type II error probability decreases to zero exponentially in the number of samples. The exponents, which do not depend on the false alarm probability, are characterized. This work completes former contributions that consider noiseless O-U process with a random sampling or noisy O-U processes with a regular sampling.
Hedonic and Utilitarian Search for Electronic Word-of-Mouth

Online information search is often seen as a highly utilitarian task but consumers' diverse ways of using the web have brought forth more hedonic information search patterns. At the same time, the impact of electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) on consumer purchase decisions is increasing. The purpose of this study is to investigate the differences between hedonic and utilitarian eWOM search in the light of eWOM utilization. Using survey data from 1660 customers of two travel agencies, the study finds that, unlike utilitarian information search, hedonic information search promotes the utilization of eWOM in buying decisions.
Block matching-based motion compensation with arbitrary accuracy using adaptive interpolation filters

This paper proposes a motion-compensated prediction method which can compensate precise motions using adaptive interpolation filters. In this method, plural number of non-separable 2D interpolation filters are optimized for each frame, and an appropriate combination of one of the filters and a motion vector with integer-pel accuracy is determined block-by-block. To reduce the amount of side information, coefficients of each filter are downloaded to a decoder only when the filter turns out to be effective in terms of a rate-distortion sense, or else the old filter applied to the previous frame is reused. Simulation results indicate that the proposed method provides coding gain of up to 3.0 dB in PSNR compared to the conventional motion-compensated prediction method using motion vectors with 1/2-pel accuracy.
Multi-GPU System Design with Memory Networks

GPUs are being widely used to accelerate different workloads and multi-GPU systems can provide higher performance with multiple discrete GPUs interconnected together. However, there are two main communication bottlenecks in multi-GPU systems -- accessing remote GPU memory and the communication between GPU and the host CPU. Recent advances in multi-GPU programming, including unified virtual addressing and unified memory from NVIDIA, has made programming simpler but the costly remote memory access still makes multi-GPU programming difficult. In order to overcome the communication limitations, we propose to leverage the memory network based on hybrid memory cubes (HMCs) to simplify multi-GPU memory management and improve programmability. In particular, we propose scalable kernel execution (SKE) where multiple GPUs are viewed as a single virtual GPU as a single kernel can be executed across multiple GPUs without modifying the source code. To fully enable the benefits of SKE, we explore alternative memory network designs in a multi-GPU system. We propose a GPU memory network (GMN) to simplify data sharing between the discrete GPUs while a CPU memory network (CMN) is used to simplify data communication between the host CPU and the discrete GPUs. These two types of networks can be combined to create a unified memory network (UMN) where the communication bottleneck in multi-GPU can be significantly minimized as both the CPU and GPU share the memory network. We evaluate alternative network designs and propose a sliced flattened butterfly topology for the memory network that scales better than previously proposed alternative topologies by removing local HMC channels. In addition, we propose an overlay network organization for unified memory network to minimize the latency for CPU access while providing high bandwidth for the GPUs. We evaluate trade-offs between the different memory network organization and show how UMN significantly reduces the communication bottleneck in multi-GPU systems.
Intersatellite calibration of AMSU‐A observations for weather and climate applications

[1] Long-term observations from the Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit-A (AMSU-A) onboard polar-orbiting satellites NOAA 15, 16, 17, and 18 and European Meteorological Operational satellite program-A (MetOp-A) were intercalibrated using their overlap observations. Simultaneous nadir overpasses (SNOs) and global ocean mean differences between these satellites were used to characterize calibration errors and to obtain calibration coefficients. Calibration errors were found manifesting themselves as certain scatter or temporal patterns of intersatellite biases, such as well-defined seasonal cycles in the Arctic and Antarctic SNO difference time series or a unique pattern closely correlated to the instrument temperature variability induced by Solar Beta Angle (SBA) variations in global ocean mean difference time series. Analyses of these patterns revealed five different types of biases that need to be removed from existing prelaunch-calibrated AMSU-A observations, which include relatively stable intersatellite biases between most satellite pairs, bias drifts on NOAA 16 and channel 7 of MetOp-A, sun-heating-induced instrument temperature variability in radiances, scene temperature dependency in biases due to inaccurate calibration nonlinearity, and biases due to channel frequency shift from its prelaunch measurement in certain satellite channels. Level-1c time-dependent calibration offsets and nonlinear coefficients were introduced and determined from SNO and global ocean mean temperature regressions to remove or minimize the first four types of biases. Channel frequency shift in NOAA 15 channel 6 was obtained from the radiative transfer model simulation experiments. The new calibration coefficients and channel frequency values have significantly reduced the five different types of biases and resulted in more consistent multisatellite radiance observations for intercalibrated satellite channels. The intercalibrated AMSU-A observations have been merged with its precursor, the intercalibrated microwave sounding unit (MSU), to generate the NOAA/Center for Satellite Applications and Research (STAR) version 2.0 upper-air temperature climate data record (CDR) for climate trend and variability monitoring from 1979 to the present. The intercalibrated AMSU-A radiance data are expected to further improve accuracies of numerical weather prediction and consistencies in climate reanalysis and CDR developments.
A Novel Tracking Method Using Filtering and Geometry

Image target detection and tracking methods based on target information such as intensity, shape model, histogram and target dynamics have been proven to be robust to target model variations and background clutters as shown by recent researches. However, no definitive answer has been given to occluded target by counter measure or limited field of view(FOV). In this paper, we will present a novel tracking method using filtering and computational geometry. This paper has two central goals: 1) to deal with vulnerable target measurements; and 2) to maintain target tracking out of FOV using non-target-originated information. The experimental results, obtained with airborne images, show a robust tracking ability with respect to the existing approaches. In exploring the questions of target tracking, this paper will be limited to consideration of airborne image. Keywords—Tracking, Computational geometry, Homography, Filter
“Diagnosis by Behavioral Observation” Home-Videosomnography – A Rigorous Ethnographic Approach to Sleep of Children with Neurodevelopmental Conditions

Introduction: Advanced video technology is available for sleep-laboratories. However, low-cost equipment for screening in the home setting has not been identified and tested, nor has a methodology for analysis of video recordings been suggested. Methods: We investigated different combinations of hardware/software for home-videosomnography (HVS) and established a process for qualitative and quantitative analysis of HVS-recordings. A case vignette (HVS analysis for a 5.5-year-old girl with major insomnia and several co-morbidities) demonstrates how methodological considerations were addressed and how HVS added value to clinical assessment. Results: We suggest an “ideal set of hardware/software” that is reliable, affordable (∼$500) and portable (=2.8 kg) to conduct non-invasive HVS, which allows time-lapse analyses. The equipment consists of a net-book, a camera with infrared optics, and a video capture device. (1) We present an HVS-analysis protocol consisting of three steps of analysis at varying replay speeds: (a) basic overview and classification at 16× normal speed; (b) second viewing and detailed descriptions at 4–8× normal speed, and (c) viewing, listening, and in-depth descriptions at real-time speed. (2) We also present a custom software program that facilitates video analysis and note-taking (Annotator©), and Optical Flow software that automatically quantifies movement for internal quality control of the HVS-recording. The case vignette demonstrates how the HVS-recordings revealed the dimension of insomnia caused by restless legs syndrome, and illustrated the cascade of symptoms, challenging behaviors, and resulting medications. Conclusion: The strategy of using HVS, although requiring validation and reliability testing, opens the floor for a new “observational sleep medicine,” which has been useful in describing discomfort-related behavioral movement patterns in patients with communication difficulties presenting with challenging/disruptive sleep/wake behaviors.
Production and characterization of a monoclonal antibody specific for enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli of serotypes O157:H7 and O26:H11

A monoclonal antibody (MAb 4E8C12) specific for Escherichia coli O157:H7 and O26:H11 was produced by immunizing BALB/c mice with a rough strain of E. coli O157:H7. The antibody reacted strongly by a direct enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with each of 36 strains of E. coli O157:H7. No cross-reactivity was observed with strains of Salmonella spp. , Yersinia enterocolitica, Shigella dysenteriae, Proteus spp. , Escherichia hermanii, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Campylobacter jejuni, Serratia marcescens, Citrobacter spp. , Enterobacter cloacae, Hafnia alvei, Aeromonas hydrophila, and all except five strains of E. coli other than serotype O157:H7 (including strains of serotype O157 but not H7). The E. coli strains (all of serotype O26:H11) that reacted with the antibody were enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) that were isolated from patients with hemolytic uremic syndrome or hemorrhagic colitis and produced verotoxin similar to that of E. coli O157:H7. MAb 4E8C12 belongs to the subclass immunoglobulin G2a and has a kappa light chain. Tricine-sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of outer membrane proteins of E. coli of different serotypes followed by Western immunoblot analysis revealed that MAb 4E8C12 reacted specifically with two proteins of EHEC strains of serotypes O157:H7 and O26:H11 with apparent molecular weights of 5,000 to 6,000. These proteins appeared to be markers specific for EHEC strains of serotypes O157:H7 and O26:H11. This MAb, because of its specificity, may be a useful reagent of an immunoassay for the rapid detection of these types of EHEC isolates in clinical and food specimens.
Intention to Knowledge Sharing: From Planned Behavior and Psychological Needs Perspectives

Intention to knowledge sharing is a growing concern that has been largely discussed in extant literature using Ajzen's theory of planned behavior TPB. However, the studies have mostly neglected the influence of individual psychological needs of knowledge workers on intention to share knowledge. Combining the TPB with McClelland's three psychological needs approach, the study aims at uncovering such influence on intention to knowledge sharing. Survey data collected from 123 Information Technology IT based knowledge workers in Sri Lanka are analyzed using Partial Least Squares PLS method. It was found that attitudes toward knowledge sharing behavior, subjective norms, and need for affiliation are influential in determining knowledge sharing intentions of knowledge workers. Moreover, the findings suggest the need for careful consideration of individual psychological needs of knowledge workers in understanding their intentions toward knowledge sharing.
High Prevalence of the ermB Gene among Erythromycin-Resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae Isolates in Germany during the Winter of 2000-2001 and In Vitro Activity of Telithromycin

ABSTRACT Of 595 isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae from outpatients with respiratory tract infections, collected from 17 microbiology laboratories, 14.1% were resistant to erythromycin. Eighty-three erythromycin-resistant isolates were genetically analyzed, 83.1% of which harbored the ermB gene. Only four isolates (4.8%) harbored the mefA gene. Telithromycin exhibited potent activity against all isolates.
Measurement and Analysis of an Internet Streaming Service to Mobile Devices

Receiving Internet streaming services on various mobile devices is getting increasingly popular, and cloud platforms have also been gradually employed for delivering streaming services to mobile devices. While a number of studies have been conducted at the client side to understand and characterize Internet mobile streaming delivery, little is known about the server side, particularly for the recent cloud-based Internet mobile streaming delivery. In this work, we aim to investigate the Internet mobile streaming service at the server side. For this purpose, we have collected a 4-month server-side log on the cloud (with 1,002 TB delivered video traffic) from a top Internet mobile streaming service provider serving worldwide mobile users. Through trace analysis, we find that 1) a major challenge for providing Internet mobile streaming services is rooted from the mobile device hardware and software heterogeneity. In this workload, we find over 3,400 different hardware models with more than 100 different screen resolutions running 14 different mobile OS and three audio codecs and four video codecs. 2) To deal with the device heterogeneity, CPU-intensive transcoding is used on the cloud to customize the video to the appropriate versions at runtime for different devices. A video clip could be transcoded into more than 40 different versions to serve requests from different devices. 3) Compared to videos in traditional Internet streaming, mobile streaming videos are typically of much smaller size (a median of 1.68 MBytes) and shorter duration (a median of 2.7 minutes). Furthermore, the daily mobile user accesses are more skewed following a Zipf-like distribution but users' interests also quickly shift. Considering the huge demand of CPU cycles for online transcoding, we further examine server-side caching to reduce the total CPU cycle demand from the cloud. We show that a policy considering different versions of a video altogether outperforms other intuitive ones when the cache size is limited.
Anti-ganglioside antibody-induced tumor cell death by loss of membrane integrity

Gangliosides have been involved in multiple cellular processes such as growth, differentiation and adhesion, and more recently as regulators of cell death signaling pathways. Some of these molecules can be considered as tumor-associated antigens, in particular, N-glycolyl sialic acid–containing gangliosides, which are promising candidates for cancer-targeted therapy because of their low expression in normal human tissues. In this study, we provided the molecular and cellular characterization of a novel cell death mechanism induced by the anti-NGcGM3 14F7 monoclonal antibody (mAb) in L1210 murine tumor cell line but not in mouse normal cells (B and CD4+ T lymphocytes) that expressed the antigen. Impairment of ganglioside synthesis in tumor cells abrogated the 14F7 mAb cytotoxic effect; however, exogenous reincorporation of the ganglioside did not restore tumor cell sensitivity to 14F7 mAb-induced cytotoxicity. 14F7 F(ab′)2 but not Fab fragments retained the cytotoxic capacity of the whole mAb. By contrary, other mAb, which recognizes N-glycolylated gangliosides, did not show any cytotoxic effect. These mAbs showed quite different capacities to bind NGcGM3-positive cell lines measured by binding inhibition experiments. Interestingly, this complement-independent cell death mechanism did not resemble apoptosis, because no DNA fragmentation, caspase activation, or Fas mediation were observed. However, NGcGM3 ganglioside-mediated 14F7 mAb-induced cell death was accompanied by cellular swelling, membrane lesion formation, and cytoskeleton activation, suggesting an oncosis-like phenomenon. This novel mechanism of cell death lets us to support further therapeutic approaches using NGcGM3 as a molecular target for antibody-based cancer immunotherapy. [Mol Cancer Ther 2008;7(7):2033–41]
Dynamical Simulation Priors for Human Motion Tracking

We propose a simulation-based dynamical motion prior for tracking human motion from video in presence of physical ground-person interactions. Most tracking approaches to date have focused on efficient inference algorithms and/or learning of prior kinematic motion models; however, few can explicitly account for the physical plausibility of recovered motion. Here, we aim to recover physically plausible motion of a single articulated human subject. Toward this end, we propose a full-body 3D physical simulation-based prior that explicitly incorporates a model of human dynamics into the Bayesian filtering framework. We consider the motion of the subject to be generated by a feedback “control loop” in which Newtonian physics approximates the rigid-body motion dynamics of the human and the environment through the application and integration of interaction forces, motor forces, and gravity. Interaction forces prevent physically impossible hypotheses, enable more appropriate reactions to the environment (e.g., ground contacts), and are produced from detected human-environment collisions. Motor forces actuate the body, ensure that proposed pose transitions are physically feasible, and are generated using a motion controller. For efficient inference in the resulting high-dimensional state space, we utilize an exemplar-based control strategy that reduces the effective search space of motor forces. As a result, we are able to recover physically plausible motion of human subjects from monocular and multiview video. We show, both quantitatively and qualitatively, that our approach performs favorably with respect to Bayesian filtering methods with standard motion priors.
The Complexity of Mode Checking for

One of the main challenges in the formal modeling of common-sense reasoning is the ability to cope with the dynamic nature of the world. Among the approaches put forward to address this problem are belief revisioPz and update. Given a knowledge base T, representing our knowledge of the “state of affairs” of the world of interest, it is possible that we are lead to trust another piece of information P, possibly inconsistent with the old one 7’. The aim of revision and update operators is to characterize the revised knowledge base T’ that incorporates the new formula P into the old one T while preserving consistency and, at the same time, avoiding the loss of too much information in this process. In this paper we study the computational complexity of one of the main computational problems of belief revision and update: deciding if an interpretation M is a model of the revised knowledge base.
Layer 1 virtual private networks: driving forces and realization by GMPLS

This article describes an emerging service for next-generation networks, layer 1 virtual private networks. L1VPNs allow customers desiring to connect multiple sites to be supported over a single shared layer 1 network. In the article we first describe the transport network's evolution and the shift in expectations of both service providers and customers. We provide an overview of the motivation for L1VPNs and examples of network usage. We follow by reviewing existing GMPLS mechanisms (addressing, discovery, and signaling) for realizing L1VPN functionality and identifying other work areas.
Series Expansion Approximations of Brownian Motion for Non-Linear Kalman Filtering of Diffusion Processes

In this paper, we describe a novel application of sigma-point methods to continuous-discrete filtering. The nonlinear continuous-discrete filtering problem is often computationally intractable to solve. Assumed density filtering methods attempt to match statistics of the filtering distribution to some set of more tractable probability distributions. Filters such as these are usually decompose the problem into two sub-problems. The first of these is a prediction step, in which one uses the known dynamics of the signal to predict its state at time tk+1 given observations up to time tk. In the second step, one updates the prediction upon arrival of the observation at time tk+1. The aim of this paper is to describe a novel method that improves the prediction step. We decompose the Brownian motion driving the signal in a generalised Fourier series, which is truncated after a number of terms. This approximation to Brownian motion can be described using a relatively small number of Fourier coefficients, and allows us to compute statistics of the filtering distribution with a single application of a sigma-point method. Assumed density filters that exist in the literature usually rely on discretisation of the signal dynamics followed by iterated application of a sigma point transform (or a limiting case thereof). Iterating the transform in this manner can lead to loss of information about the filtering distribution in highly non-linear settings. We demonstrate that our method is better equipped to cope with such problems.