Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Spatial characterization of fiber Bragg gratings by Optical Space Domain Reflectometry ( OSDR ) applying local IR-or UV-light pertubations

OSDR-techniques based on local phase pertubation induced by IRor UV-laser radiation are used for spatial characterization of fiber Bragg gratings. Experimental results are in good agreement with those obtained by the side-diffraction technique. Both techniques are compared with respect to simplicity of the setup and the yield of information. Fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) are widely used for telecommunication and sensor systems. In some cases it is important to know the axial distribution of the grating parameters as well as the exact grating location in the fiber. The most common and simplest way of the grating characterization is measuring its transmission/reflection spectrum. This method determines only the integral characteristics of the FBG. To obtain the spatial distribution of local grating properties other techniques such as OLCR [1], side-diffraction [2], heat-scan [3] can be used. An optical space domain reflectometry (OSDR) method for obtaining the spatial variation of the complex coupling coefficient κ(z) of FBG with high spatial resolution (about 100 μm) has been proposed in [4]. There, a fiber was covered by an absorbing coating and locally heated by a HeNe laser beam. In the present work we suggest application of more suitable laser sources (a CO-laser and a frequency-doubled Ar-ion laser) for local induction of a phase perturbation in the OSDR technique without a need of an absorbing coating with its limited homogeneity. The OSDR technique for spatial characterization of grating properties is described in [4]. It is based on introducing a local AC phase perturbation scanned along the grating and measuring the transmission/reflection variations at a fixed wavelength outside the stop band. In our present experiments we used a similar setup with either a frequencydoubled Ar-ion laser (λ = 244 nm) or a CO-laser (λ ≈ 5 μm) instead of a He-Ne laser. The penetration depth of COlaser radiation into silica glass is 100-200 μm which allows us to heat the fiber cross-section with good uniformity. The UV-light of the Ar-ion laser induces a transient optical phase perturbation directly in the fiber core [5]. In both cases no additional absorbing coating is required and the spatial resolution and uniformity of phase changes are improved. In addition these radiation types can induce a rather large phase which increases the sensitivity of the method. Fig.1. Calculated distributions of index modulation amplitude measured by UVand IR-OSDR techniques as well as by side-diffraction technique(a); relative period distribution for two different IR measurements (b). Comparison of obtained mod n ∆ distributions with that measured by the side-diffraction technique showed good coincidence within 10-15% deviation. Grating phase information provided by the OSDR technique allowed us to achieve satisfactory agreement between calculated and measured grating spectra.
The Nature of Classroom Assessment in Ethiopian Public Secondary Schools: Subject Teachers’ Views

This study examined the use of assessment techniques by secondary school teachers in Ethiopia. Little has been known about the classroom assessment strategies teachers use to assess their students in Ethiopian Secondary School contexts [1,2]. All participants (N=423, average teacher experience =14 years) where teachers and they all completed a self-developed questionnaire with 15 items, and of these 8 teachers took part in a face-to-face interview. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Chi-square, confirmed that there were three types of assessment techniques: assessment OF learning, assessment FOR learning, assessment AS learning. Most of the teachers reported that assessment OF learning and assessment FOR learning to be the most common and dominant forms of assessments across language, sciences and social sciences. However, only the physical education teachers used assessment AS learning to assess their students. Teachers also identified class size, low student motivation, lack of student knowledge around content area, school environment, and time assigned for a lesson, and teaching and learning facilities, to be barriers for fully implementing and exploring the various assessment techniques. Implications for the study are discussed.
BNC Structure Learning: G2 Algorithm based Heuristic

Structure learning for Bayesian networks classifier is NP-hard problem, K2 algorithm is one of efficacious and accurate algorithm. K2 algorithm confirms the order of nodes firstly. To a certain extent this limits in non-information. This paper purposes a new heuristic Bayesian networks classifier structure learning G2 algorithm. G2 algorithm use NB and TAN structure which learns as heuristic information, using K2 algorithm learning BNC structure. The experimental result shows that G2 algorithm can solve nodes order in non-information. Arcs are sententious, compare NB and TAN structure, it's more reasonable, classification accuracy improves, this algorithm adapts many aspects
The Development of Effective Evaluation Methods for E-Learning: A Concept Paper and Action Plan

E-learning is an emerging field as a promising instructional medium as well as a ripe arena in which to conduct research on its impact on teaching and learning activities. The fundamental nature of e-learning as an instructional medium differs substantially from face-to-face delivery, thereby requiring new and hybrid methods for evaluating its impact. This article examines the characteristics of e-learning that make it unique and traces some of the emerging trends in the field. The article then discusses evaluation methodologies that might be potentially informative in the examination of how e-learning is beginning to affect teaching and learning processes.
Server-centric PON data center architecture

Over the last decade, the evolution of data center architecture designs has been mainly driven by the ever increasing bandwidth demands, high power consumption and cost. With all these in mind, a significant potential to improve bandwidth capacity and reduce power consumption and cost can be achieved by introducing PONs in the design of the networking fabric infrastructure in data centers. This work presents a novel server-centric PON design for future cloud data center architecture. We avoided the use of power hungry devices such as switches and tuneable lasers and encouraged the use of low power passive optical backplanes and PONs to facilitate intra and inter rack communication. We also tackle the problem of resource provisioning optimization and present our MILP model results for energy efficient routing and resource provisioning within the PON cell. We optimized the selection of hosting servers, routing paths and relay servers to achieve efficient resource utilization reaching 95% and optimum saving in energy consumption reaching 59%.
Exploring intra-BOW statistics for improving visual categorization

Research in video retrieval systems is mainly inspired by the state of the art text retrieval where high dimensional descriptors are quantized to visual words making a Bag Of Words (BOW) histogram for an image. For a small BOW model potentially different descriptors could get assigned to the same visual word. Recently however refinements have been proposed to recover some of this representation loss for this simplistic model of visual description by studying the distribution of descriptors within the visual words [1, 2, 3]. Following the same foot-steps we enhance the BOW by encoding the position of each of the descriptor inside the quantized cell according to its centroid. Embedding this information to represent images increases precision of video concept detection. We compare our method to a BOW based baseline on TRECVID 2007 and TRECVID 2010 [4] datasets and show that adding the refinement proposed always improves the semantic indexing task. We also compare our method to that of [3] and show that it outperforms the Hamming Embedding Similarity based classification on the TRECVID 2007 dataset and illustrates comparable performance on the TRECVID 2010 set.
Performance and Regulatory Effects of Non-Compliant Loans in German Synthetic Mortgage-Backed Securities Transactions

Over the term of a securitization transaction, the concept of non-compliance allows a securitizing bank to classify a securitized loan as materially non-compliant with certain transaction requirements. Such a loan becomes unqualified for loss allocation. Therefore, non-compliant loans can directly affect transaction performance and the extent of risk transfer achieved with the transaction. The concept of non-compliance is incorporated in many securitizations independent of the underlying assets or structure. In Germany, there are currently no specific regulations regarding this concept. However, a bank can use discretion when classifying a loan as non-compliant and could thus report non-compliant loans strategically. This hypothesis is tested and confirmed based on a unique data set.
Open-set face recognition by transductive kernel associative memory

Though a variety of face recognition techniques have been proposed in the literature, only a few of them considered open set recognition problems, which involves the rejection of unregistered subjects in addition to identifying persons registered in the database. Transductive confidence machine (TCM) is a novel strategy for classification associated with valid confidence, with recognition reliability as the ground for rejection. Many popular classification algorithms, such as k-nearest neighbor (kNN), can be plugged into the TCM framework and applied to open-set face recognition. As kernel associative memory model (KAM) has been proposed earlier as an efficient tool for close-set face recognition, this paper extends the KAM model into TCM by proposing a novel nonconformity measurement and corresponding TCM-kAM algorithm. Performance comparisons with published TCM-KNN open-set face recognition methods were conducted with ORL and AR faces, with verified advantages.
Learning with Multiple Stacking for Named Entity Recognition

In this paper, we present a learning method using multiple stacking for named entity recognition. In order to take into account the tags of the surrounding words, we propose a method which employs stacked learners using the tags predicted by the lower level learners. We have applied this approach to the CoNLL-2002 shared task to improve a base system.
Validation of a short form of the Inventory of Organizational Learning Facilitators

Purpose This paper aims to develop a short form of the Inventory of Organizational Learning Facilitators (IOLF) by using the same factors as the long form to test the equivalence between two language versions (English and French) and to explore executives’ attitudes toward organizational learning (OL). Design/methodology/approach The structure of the long-form IOLF is based on five factors found in previous work: knowledge acquisition and transformation; OL culture; learning-focused leadership; OL support; and strategic management of new knowledge and learning. Two surveys of Canadian Federal Government executives assessed their perception of OL facilitators, organizational commitment, cynicism and intention to leave the organization. Correlational pattern analysis, conducted after confirmatory factor analyses, assessed the equivalence of the two language versions. Findings The short-form IOLF replicated the factor structure of previous work and demonstrated satisfactory internal consistency. Correlations showed equivalence between and across languages. Significant correlations with outcome variables, albeit in a cross-sectional design, supported predictive validity. Research limitations/implications This conceptually valid instrument can be adapted to English- and French-speaking populations. It can test hypotheses about the relationship between OL facilitators and individual, collective and organizational outcomes. The findings stem from self-report data in a cross-sectional design and require further research. Practical implications The short-form IOLF can quickly identify areas for improvement and monitor the evolution of an organization’s learning abilities. Originality/value This quick, efficient tool assesses OL context and can indicate factors likely to influence OL. This study offers empirically driven insights into conditions that influence executives’ attitudes.
Have we detected the most luminous ULX so far

We report the XMM‐Newtondetection of a moderately bright X‐ray source (F0.5−7 � 8.2 × 10 −14 erg cm −2 s −1 ) superimposed on the outer arms of the inactive spiral galaxy MCG‐ 03-34-63 (z=0.0213). It is clearly offset from the nucleus ( by about 19”) but well within the D25 ellipse of the galaxy, just along its bar axis. The field has al so been observed with the Hubble Space Telescope(HST) enabling us to compute a lower limit of > 94 on the X‐ray to optical flux ratio which, together with the X‐ray spectrum of the source, argues against a background AGN. On the other hand, the detection of excess X‐ray absorption and the lack of a bright optical counterpart argue against foregrou nd contamination. Short‐timescale variability is observed, ruling out the hypothesis of a part icularly powerful supernova. If it is associated with the apparent host galaxy, the source is the most powerful Ultra‐Luminous X‐ ray source (ULX) detected so far with a peak luminosity of � 1.35× 10 41 erg s −1 in the 0.5‐ 7 keV band. If confirmed by future multi‐wavelength observat ions, the inferred bolometric luminosity (� 3 × 10 41 erg s −1 ) requires a rather extreme beaming factor (larger than 115) to accommodate accretion onto a stellar‐mass black hole of 20 M⊙ and the source could represent instead one of the best intermediate‐mass black hole candidate so far. If beaming is excluded, the Eddington limit implies a mass of > 2300 M⊙ for the accreting compact object.
Rifampin- and Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis in Russian Civilians and Prison Inmates: Dominance of the Beijing Strain Family

Consecutive patient cultures (140) of Mycobacteriium tuberculosis were collected from five Russian civilian and prison tuberculosis laboratories and analyzed for rifampin (rpoB) and isoniazid resistance (inhA, katG, ahpC); transmission of Beijing family isolates; and the importance of prison and previous therapy in drug resistance. Rifampin, isoniazid, and multidrug resistance occurred in 58.2%, 51.6%, and 44.7% of cultures, respectively; 80% of prison cultures were rifampin resistant. Spoligotyping and variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) fingerprinting divided the isolates into 43 groups. Spoligotyping demonstrated that a high proportion (68.1%) of patients were infected with Beijing family strains and that most (69.1%) were rifampin resistant; the highest proportion (81.6%) occurred in prison. One VNTR subgroup (42435) comprised 68 (72.3%) of the Beijing isolates with a small number of IS6110 types; 50 (73.5%) were rifampin resistant. Rifampin-resistant Beijing isolates are dominant within the patient population, especially among prisoners, and threaten treatment programs.
Strobach and Ute Schönpflug inflected words in German as L 1 and L 2 ? Can a connectionist model explain the processing of regularly and irregularly

The connectionist model is a prevailing model of the structure and functioning of the cognitive system of the processing of morphology. According to this model, the morphology of regularly and irregularly inflected words (e.g., verb participles and noun plurals) is processed in the same cognitive network. A validation of the connectionist model of the processing of morphology in German as L2 has yet to be achieved. To investigate L2-specific aspects, we compared a group of L1 speakers of German with speakers of German as L2. L2 and L1 speakers of German were assigned to their respective group by their reaction times in picture naming prior to the central task. The reaction times in the lexical decision task of verb participles and noun plurals were largely consistent with the assumption of the connectionist model. Interestingly, speakers of German as L2 showed a specific advantage for irregular compared with regular verb participles.
Towards a unified theory of brand equity: conceptualizations, taxonomy and avenues for future research

Purpose – This paper aims to look into contemporary thinking within the brand equity paradigm, with a view to establishing avenues for further research on the drivers of brand equity formation, enabling a more in-depth understanding of the antecedents of brand equity and its determinants, as well as the development of an improved instrument to measure brand equity. The brand equity paradigm and its importance for marketing theory have been in the research focus for more than two decades. There is no agreement in the literature how to develop a unique measure of brand equity, neither what are the sources, drivers or determinants. Design/methodology/approach – The authors develop the relating conceptual study through the differentiation and integration as specific conceptual goals. The authors present a taxonomic framework of brand equity grounded on a synthesis of contemporary approaches to the theme. Findings – The authors identify gaps in the brand equity literature. The analysis and development of the c.
The Impact of Virtual Reality on the Experience of Exercise Pain

Exercise is essential for maintaining a healthy lifestyle, but intense or prolonged exercise can cause a degree of discomfort and pain. These negative exercise-based sensations have been considered as a limiter of exercise capacity and a potential barrier to physical activity. In recent years, computer technology has brought to light new opportunities for promoting physical activity. Virtual Reality (VR) is a representative example of this type of technology, since it allows users to experience a computer-simulated reality with visual, auditory, tactile and olfactory interactions, and distract them from perceiving nociceptive signals and pain. The present thesis aims to identify whether and how VR with or without psychological intervention strategies may affect the perception of Exercise Pain (EP). These questions are answered through a series of studies conducted on a large group of participants. As a first step, the effect VR might have on EP during a weight-lifting exercise in comparison to a non-VR weight-lifting exercise is investigated. Then, the effect that personal awareness and internal sensations might have on VR technology during weight-lifting EP is examined. Lastly, the effect of VR and different psychological intervention strategies on weight-lifting EP is considered through three studies. The findings of the present thesis extend our understanding of the physiological and psychological effects of VR, providing useful insights into the relationship of VR with the Heart Rate, the perception of task difficulty and the levels of pain and discomfort caused by an exhaustive muscle contraction. The main conclusion reached is that the use of VR during exercise can reduce physiological and psychological responses associated with negative sensations. This conclusion can be used as an informative input for the design of VR so that it can increase the level of physical activity and, by extension, promote a healthier lifestyle.
Large Eddy Simulation of the Gas-Liquid Flow in a Square Cross-sectioned Bubble

Column N.G. Deen, T. Solberg and B.H. Hjertager Chem. Eng. Lab. , Aalborg Univ. Esbjerg; Niels Bohrs Vej 8; DK-6700 Esbjerg; Denmark Abstract In this work the use of large eddy simulations (LES) in numerical simulations of the gas-liquid flow in bubble columns is studied. The Euler-Euler approach is used to describe the equations of motion of the two-phase flow. It is found that, when the drag, lift and virtual mass forces are used, the transient behaviour that was observed in experiments can be captured. Good quantitative agreement with experimental data is obtained both for the mean velocities and the fluctuating velocities. The LES shows better agreement with the experimental data than simulations using the k-epsilon model.
Time-resolved Laser-induced-incandescence (tr-lii) for Sizing of Iron Nano Particles

Time-resolved laser-induced incandescence (TR-LII) as well as rapid particle sampling and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were applied to the size measurement of chain-like iron nanoparticles. From the measured TR-LII signals both, the thermal energy accommodation coefficient α T and the mean particle diameter were determined. The TR-LII-measured particle size is in an excellent agreement with the TEM-determined primary particle size. Introduction The objective of the present work is to apply the TR-LII method to the size measurement of iron nano particles. To eliminate the influence of unknown optical properties, the particle temperature after laser heat-up was directly measured by two-color pyrometry. The model used for signal evaluation is described in [1].
Dynamical fluctuations for semi-Markov processes

We develop an Onsager–Machlup-type theory for nonequilibrium semi-Markov processes. Our main result is an exact large-time asymptotics for the joint probability of the occupation times and the currents in the system, establishing some generic large deviation structures. We discuss in detail how the nonequilibrium driving and the non-exponential waiting time distribution influence the occupation-current statistics. The violation of the Markov condition is reflected in the emergence of a new type of nonlocality in the fluctuations. Explicit solutions are obtained for some examples of driven random walks on the ring.
A Formal Approach to the Engineering of Emergence and its Recurrence

Emergent behaviours are often characterised by the recurrent and recognizable events observable in a system’s macro-scale environment, which result from simple local interactions between system components. Such interactions are governed by simple rule sets, which lead to complex higher-level global behaviour. Hence, engineering emergence is a necessarily subtle process subject to the impacts of system evolution with minor changes at micro-scale giving completely different outcomes, to those envisaged, at the global system level. Thus, to harness the self-organisation and emergence as a design principle for the build and management of assured and trusted systems requires a principled approach to specification and reasoning on emergence. In this paper the authors advocate the use of a formal approach/method to specify component interactions, system evolution, and runtime global states. The proposed method provides a formal specification for the engineering of known emergence and runtime deliberation on the emergence observable in the global system.
Robust human body tracking using sparse representation

Robust human body tracking is a challenging problem due to the presence of noise, occlusion and variation of illumination under a complex environment. A variety of tracking algorithms have been proposed to overcome these difficulties. In this paper, we propose a robust human body tracking method by casting tracking as a sparse approximation problem in a particle filter framework, namely robust sparse representation tracker (RSRPF). The problem of occlusion, corruption and illumination changes can be well addressed through a set of trivial templates. To further improve the tracking performance, non-negative constraints are enforced to filter out clutters which negatively resemble tracking targets. We test the proposed approach on three challenging sequences involving heavy occlusions, drastic illumination changes, and background clutter. Experimental results demonstrate that our tracking method is robust in handling occlusion, background clutter and illumination.