Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Simplifying High-Performance Geospatial Computing on GPGPUs Using Parallel Primitives : A Case Study of Quadtree Constructions on Large-Scale Geospatial Rasters

The increasingly available Graphics Processing Units (GPU) hardware resources and the emerging General Purpose computing on GPU (GPGPU) technologies provide an alternative and complementary solution to existing cluster based high-performance geospatial computing. However, the complexities of the unique GPGPU hardware architectures and the steep learning curve of GPGPU programming have imposed signficant technical challenges on the geospatial computing community to develop efficient parallel geospatial data structures and algorithms that can make full use of the hardware capabilities to solve ever growing large and complex real world geospatial problems. In this study, we propose a practical approach to simplifying highperformance geospatial computing on GPGPUs by using parallel primitives. We take a case study of quadtree construction on large-scale geospatial rasters to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach. Comparing the proposed parallel primitives based implementation with a naïve CUDA implementation, a signficant reduction on coding complexity and a 10X speedup have been achieved. We believe that GPGPU based software development using generic parallel primitives can be a first step towards developing geospatial-specific and more efficient parallel primitives for high-performance geospatial computing in both personal and cluster computing environments and boost the performance of geospatial cyberinfrastructure.
Cost Effectiveness of TNF-α Inhibitors in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Background. TNF-α inhibitors have shown to be effective in reducing disease activity and improving the quality of life. Due to the high costs associated with acquisition of this treatment, this study was undertaken to evaluate the ICER of TNF-α antagonists (etanercept, adalimumab, and infliximab) in improving the quality of life. Methods. The HAQ and SF-36 were administered at phases 1, 2, and 3, in order to assess the improvement in the QOL. Suppression of disease activity was assessed through the DAS-28. Results. Statistically significant improvements (P < 0.05) were noted for the SF-36 and HAQ after 3 months and for the DAS-28 after 6 months of TNF-α inhibitor therapy. The mean ICER per 10% improvement in the HAQ, DAS-28, and SF-6D were €1976.5, €2086.5, and €2316.4, respectively, following 6 months of TNF-α intervention. Most favorable ICERs were reported from a patient who had to undergo surgical intervention whilst on DMARD therapy. Conclusion. Significant improvement was observed in patients' quality of life, after a short timeframe of 6 months. Such data is useful information in the light of convincing policy makers, in terms of providing access to the medications to individual patients on national health service schemes.
TapBoard 2: Simple and Effective Touchpad-like Interaction on a Multi-Touch Surface Keyboard

We introduce TapBoard 2, a touchpad-based keyboard that solves the problem of typing and pointing disambiguation. The pointing interaction design of TapBoard 2 is nearly identical to natural touchpad interaction, and its shared workspace naturally invites bimanual pointing interaction. To implement TapBoard 2, we developed a novel gesture representation scheme for a systematic design and gesture recognizer. A user evaluation showed that TapBoard 2 successfully supports collocated pointing and typing interaction. It was able to disambiguate typing and pointing actions with an accuracy of greater than 95%. In addition, the typing and pointing performance of TapBoard 2 were comparable to that of a separate keyboard and mouse. In particular, the bimanual pointing operations of TapBoard 2 are highly efficient and strongly favored by participants.
Statistical Analysis of Image-Features Used as Inputs of an Road Identifier Based in Artificial Neural Networks

Navigation is a broad topic that has been receiving considerable attention from the mobile robotic community. In order to execute a autonomous driving on outdoors, like street and roads, it is necessary that the vehicle identify parts of the terrain that can be traversed and parts that should be avoided. This paper describes an analyses of many multi-layer perceptron neural networks(ANN) used for image-based terrain identification. The ANNs differ in image features used in input layer. Experimental tests using a car and a video camera have been conducted in real scenarios to evaluate the proposed approach.
Calibration and 3D geometry estimation of a pan-tilt-zoom camera network

Due to the recent growing need for increased surveillance, we believe that it is necessary to move from single or stationary cameras to a network of multiple cameras. This is useful for various applications, like surveillance or 3D model building. In this paper, we deal with such a dynamic network of pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) cameras. We allow the camera to freely vary its internal parameters by rotating and zooming. Moreover, these cameras need not have an overlapping Field of View (FoV), in order to maximize their area of coverage. A practical framework is proposed to self-calibrate each camera installed in the network. A calibrated camera act as an angle measuring device, allowing for a 3D reconstruction of the scene. It is also shown that only one automatically computed vanishing point and a line lying on any plane orthogonal to the vertical direction is sufficient to infer the dynamic orientation between all the cameras in the network. Using minimal assumptions, we are able to successfully demonstrate promising results on synthetic as well as on real data.
Evaluation of audio features for audio-visual analysis of dance figures

We present a framework for selecting best audio features for audio-visual analysis and synthesis of dance figures. Dance figures are performed synchronously with the musical rhythm. They can be analyzed through the audio spectra using spectral and rhythmic musical features. In the proposed audio feature evaluation system, dance figures are manually labeled over the video stream. The music segments, which correspond to labeled dance figures, are used to train hidden Markov model (HMM) structures to learn spectral audio patterns for the dance figure melodies. The melody recognition performances of the HMM models for various spectral feature sets are evaluated. Audio features, which are maximizing dance figure melody recognition performances, are selected as the best audio features for the analyzed audio-visual dance recordings. In our evaluations, mel-scale cepstral coefficients (MFCC) with their first and second derivatives, spectral centroid, spectral flux and spectral roll-off are used as candidate audio features. Selection of the best audio features can be used towards analysis and synthesis of audio-driven body animation.
Hiding Digital Data in Music Scores Using Musical Features

In this paper, a novel scheme for hiding secret data in music scores is proposed. Although there are many data hiding schemes that can be applied to hide data in images, almost none of them are suitable for embedding secret data into music scores. They can probably generate random noise or destroy the original shape of the notes. Furthermore, attackers may doubt the existence of the secret, and then damage the music scores. In this paper, the problem is solved by the consideration of musical features. We exploit the shift of musical features to hide secret data in music scores. According to experimental results, the visual quality degradation is undetectable. In addition, the proposed scheme provides a higher hiding capacity without affecting the visual quality.
Anti-Tuberculosis Drug Resistance among New and Previously Treated Sputum Smear-Positive Tuberculosis Patients in Uganda: Results of the First National Survey

Background Multidrug resistant and extensively drug resistant tuberculosis (TB) have become major threats to control of tuberculosis globally. The rates of anti-TB drug resistance in Uganda are not known. We conducted a national drug resistance survey to investigate the levels and patterns of resistance to first and second line anti-TB drugs among new and previously treated sputum smear-positive TB cases. Methods Sputum samples were collected from a nationally representative sample of new and previously treated sputum smear-positive TB patients registered at TB diagnostic centers during December 2009 to February 2011 using a weighted cluster sampling method. Culture and drug susceptibility testing was performed at the national TB reference laboratory. Results A total of 1537 patients (1397 new and 140 previously treated) were enrolled in the survey from 44 health facilities. HIV test result and complete drug susceptibility testing (DST) results were available for 1524 (96.8%) and 1325 (85.9%) patients, respectively. Of the 1209 isolates from new cases, resistance to any anti-TB drug was 10.3%, 5% were resistant to isoniazid, 1.9% to rifampicin, and 1.4% were multi drug resistant. Among the 116 isolates from previously treated cases, the prevalence of resistance was 25.9%, 23.3%, 12.1% and 12.1% respectively. Of the 1524 patients who had HIV testing 469 (30.7%) tested positive. There was no association between anti-TB drug resistance (including MDR) and HIV infection. Conclusion The prevalence of anti-TB drug resistance among new patients in Uganda is low relative to WHO estimates. The higher levels of MDR-TB (12.1%) and resistance to any drug (25.3%) among previously treated patients raises concerns about the quality of directly observed therapy (DOT) and adherence to treatment. This calls for strengthening existing TB control measures, especially DOT, routine DST among the previously treated TB patients or periodic drug resistance surveys, to prevent and monitor development and transmission of drug resistant TB.
Wine market prices and investment under uncertainty: an econometric model for Bordeaux Crus Classs

This paper describes an econometric assessment of wine market prices for 21 of the Crus Classes chateaux in the Bordeaux region of France. The model developed in the analysis attempts to define the relationship between factors that influence wine quality and those that influence wine prices. Characteristics of the models are: (1) climate influences on grape composition (acid and sugar levels), (2) grape composition influences on market prices, (3) subjective quality evaluations (Parker-points) on market prices, and ( 4) the effects of age of the wine on market prices. The results indicate that composition levels ofMerlot-dominated wines are more climate sensitive than those from Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated wines. Overall, warm, dry summers result in high sugar and low acid levels at harvest which in turn lead to higher quality wines. Wine market price sensitivity to Parker-point ratings indicates that properties with high Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated wines are highly dependent on the external ratings while Merlot-dominated wines have a decreased rating sensitivity. Smaller properties tend to gain over proportionally from high ratings indicating great jumps in price from year to year. Additionally, chateaux that have experienced high ratings for past vintages exhibit great sensitivity to point steps in ratings for current vintages. Aging has a positive effect on Bordeaux wine pricing. This is due to the increasing maturity as well as the increasing absolute scarcity. Absolute scarcity of product is expressed by the size of the property, with small properties producing less per vintage and therefore having less in the market. Additionally, Merlot-dorninated wines exhibit more maturing potential and profit more from aging than Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated wines. Average per chateau real annual profit ranges from 1 to 10%. High levels of grape ripeness, absolute scarcity, and smaller properties that are dominated by Merlot in their blend lead to the highest profits. Forecasts for a vintage not yet on the market indicates that 1995 is better than 1994 for both Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot-dominated wines, but that 1996 and 1997 are not as good as 1995, especially for Merlot-dominated wines. © 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Behavioral Animation of Faces: Parallel, Distributed, and Real-Time

Facial animation has a lengthy history in computer graphics. To date, most efforts have concentrated either on labor-intensive keyframe schemes, on manually animated parameterized methods using FACS-inspired expression control schemes, or on performance-based animation where facial motions are captured from human actors. As an alternative, we propose the fully automated animation of faces using behavioral animation methods. To this end, we employ a physics-based model of the face, which includes synthetic facial soft tissues with embedded muscle actuators. Despite its technical sophistication, this biomechanical face model can nonetheless be simulated in real time on a high-end personal computer. The model incorporates a motor control layer that automatically coordinates eye and head movements, as well as muscle contractions to produce natural expressions. Utilizing principles from artificial life, we augment the synthetic face with a perception model that affords it a visual awareness of its environment, and we provide a sensorimotor response mechanism that links percepts to meaningful actions (i.e., head/eye movement and facial expression). The latter is implemented as an ethologically inspired behavioral repertoire, which includes a rudimentary emotion model. We demonstrate a networked, multi-computer implementation of our behavioral facial animation framework. Each of several faces is computed in real time by a separate server PC which transmits its simulation results to a client PC dedicated to rendering the animated faces in a common virtual space. Performing the appropriate head/eye/face movements, the autonomous faces look at one another and respond in a natural manner to each other’s expressions.
Judging Subjective and Objective Sentence Based on 2-POS Subjective Models

With the constant increasing of the TV programs text evaluate data on Internet, using emotional tendentiousness analysis technology to analyze the mass text data will help the program producers, program promulgator, network operator and government department improve their competitiveness and make a better decision, accordingly improve the competitiveness of the broadcasting and TV. The paper is on the basis of part of speech combination model. We firstly use the Chi-square statistic method to extract 2-POS subjective models, then calculate sentence's subjective degree, finally judge the sentence as subjective or objective sentence by comparing the degree with the threshold.
Noninvasive Stress Testing: Methodology for Elimination of the Phonocardiogram

Measurement by systolic time intervals (STI) of cardiac responses requires extremely careful recording during actual stress test performance. Previous work indicated no significant changes in the pulse transmission time (PTT) during exercise and other challenges. Since external STI depend on the carotid pulse offset by the PTT as an aortic curve equivalent, stable PTl implies that timing of the carotid upstroke (CARu) and the carotid incisura (CARIN) would respectively track the pre-ejection period (i.e., the externally calculated onset of the aortic upstroke) and the aortic incisura which is externally timed by the aortic component of Si, (IIA). In ten subjects, STIs were recorded at supine rest, sitting, standing, during prompt and sustained squatting and during isometric and dynamic exercise. The results demonstrated the tracking of both points: regression slopes and correlation coefficients were close to 1.00 for each series and for each subset. Coefficients of correlation (r) and of determination (r2) were uniformly high for all challenges except isometric handgrip (IHG). Since left ventricular ejection time is obtained directly from the pulse curve, with the exception of IHG, STI responses during stress testing can be measured without a phonocardiogram.
AIS Electronic Library (AISeL)

In the increasingly interesting topic of e-learning, there is a tendency among practitioners to use “richer” media (such as full-motion video) that cost significantly higher than other media choices (such as sound only) without any clear and justifiable estimates of incremental learning effectiveness. This paper presents the current results of a research in progress to link the choice of media (not choice of delivery technology) with learning effectiveness. Our research model hypothesizes that the link between choice of media for contents and learning effectiveness is moderated by the characteristics of the subject matter, learning styles of the learners and the learning objectives. The research, operationalized as a series of quasi-experiments based on the Solomon’s four group design method, is also described. The results from the initial quasi-experiment will be presented at the conference.
The Court and the Charter: The impact of the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty on the ECJs approach to fundamental rights

In the two and a half years since the Lisbon Treaty came into force, the Court of Justice has issued a considerable number of decisions applying and interpreting the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. This article analyses this first wave of case law with the aim of identifying the impact of the Charter in the fundamental rights jurisprudence of the Luxembourg Court. For this purpose, the examination of the cases is organized around three dichotomies: continuity/change, expansion/restraint, and heteronomy/autonomy. The issue of the temporal scope of the application of the Charter is analysed and the most visible innovations are addressed focusing on quantitative and qualitative changes. Second, the implications of Article 51 on the application of the Charter to the States are examined in light of the latest case law, taking into account the important developments of the status of the citizenship of the Union as an expansive device for the protection of individual rights. Finally, the interplay of the Charter with the European Convention of Fundamental Rights and with the constitutional traditions of the Member States is addressed. It is argued that even though there is a marked trend towards the continuity of the fundamental pillars that have so long been at the basis of the EU fundamental rights system, there are substantial innovations and significant developments that reinforce the role of fundamental rights in the legal order of the Union.
Effect of nutritive level on carcass traits and meat quality of IHDH foals

The present work describes the effect of nutritive level on horse carcass traits and on meat quality. Eighteen male Italian Heavy Draught Horse (IHDH) breed foals were employed in the study. Soon after foaling they were randomly subdivided into three groups according to three nutritive level classes: 150%, 180% and 200% of maintenance requirements. Live weight, hot carcass weight and dressing percentage of each animal were recorded. After slaughtering, meat samples were collected from Longissimus dorsi muscle. The right half carcass of each animal was then divided into cuts. Each one was subdivided into lean, fat and bones. Live weight, carcass weight and dressing percentage were not affected by nutritive level (P > 0.05). Horses fed with the lower nutritive level showed a higher incidence of lean and a lower incidence of fat (P < 0.01). Moreover, fatty acid profile was not affected by nutritive level (P > 0.05). Probably the tendency of IHDH foals to concentrate adipogenesis in the subcutaneous district could explain the lack of influence of nutritive level on meat quality parameters and its influence on carcass and cut composition, which tend to be richer in fat.
Cloud bursting approach based on predicting requests for business-critical web systems

Cloud bursting temporarily expands the capacity of cloud-based service hosted in a private data center by renting public data center capacity when the demand for capacity spikes. This paper presents a cloud bursting approach based on long- and short-term predictions of requests to a business-critical web system to determine the optimal resources of the system deployed over private and public data centers. In a private data center, a dedicated pool of virtual machines (VMs) is assigned to the web system on the basis of one-week predictions. Moreover, in both private and public data centers, VMs are activated on the basis of one-hour predictions. We formulated a problem that includes the total cost and response time constraints and conducted numerical simulations. The results indicate that our approach is tolerant of prediction errors. Even if the website receives bursty requests and one-hour predictions include a mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) of 0.2, the total cost decreases to a half the current cost while 95% of response time is kept below 0.15 s.
Source and channel optimal rate LDPC code design for one sender in BE-MAC with source correlation

In this paper, we present an extension of the semi-definite programming formulation of the optimal rate code design in single link Binary Erasure Channel (BEC) proposed by the authors to the Binary Erasure Multiple Access Channel (BE-MAC) with two sources correlation. This new way can be easily extended to the multiple access senders. Simulation results show the efficiency and effectiveness of the new approach in practice.
Results of Protocol-based Perioperative Management in Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting for Patients with Non-dialysis-dependent Chronic Kidney Disease

Background Recent studies have demonstrated the benefits of off-pump coronary bypass grafting over the on-pump technique in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). To further reduce the risk of acute kidney injury and the need for renal replacement therapy, even in patients undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting, we adopted protocol-based perioperative management for patients with CKD. Methods From December 2012 to March 2015, 265 patients underwent isolated off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting. To analyze renal function in a stable condition, we excluded 12 dialysis-dependent end stage renal failure and 10 emergency or urgent cases. Among the remaining 243 patients, 208 patients had normal kidney function (normal group), and 35 patients had CKD (CKD group). Minimizing contrast exposure, ensuring adequate hydration, using strict drug dosage adjustment, and optimizing hemodynamic status were key elements of the protocol for the CKD group. Results The risk of acute kidney injury was about ×3 higher in the CKD group than in the normal group (p=0.01). Estimated glomerular filtration rates and serum creatinine levels deteriorated until the third postoperative day in the CKD group. However, by adopting protocol-based perioperative management, this transient renal dysfunction recovered to preoperative levels by the fifth postoperative day without requiring renal replacement therapy in all cases. Conclusion Off-pump coronary bypass surgery combined with this protocol-based perioperative management strategy in patients with non-dialysis-dependent CKD could mostly be performed without renal replacement therapy.
Spread Spectrum Watermarking: Zero Rate Embedding to High Payload System

This article presents a brief review on non-blind and blind spread spectrum (SS) watermarking developed for multimedia signals. The discussion gradually moves from zero-rate embedding to high payload and variable embedding systems that take into consideration the issues of host signal interference rejection, payload problem and decoder structure robust to non-stationary fading like attack. The algorithms have been discussed from mathematical perspective to theoretical derivations with the aid of soft computing techniques to optimize the system performance. The outcome of the review articles generates few open research problems on SS watermarking.