Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Face recognition using Hidden Markov Models

Face recognition using Hidden Markov Models J.S. S. Ballot Department of Electrical & Electronic Engineering University of Stellenbosch Private Bag X1, 7602 Matieland, South Africa Thesis: MScEng (E&E + CS) April 2005 This thesis relates to the design, implementation and evaluation of statistical face recognition techniques. In particular, the use of Hidden Markov Models in various forms is investigated as a recognition tool and critically evaluated. Current face recognition techniques are very dependent on issues like background noise, lighting and position of key features (ie. the eyes, lips etc.). Using an approach which specifically uses an embedded Hidden Markov Model along with spectral domain feature extraction techniques, shows that these dependencies may be lessened while high recognition rates are maintained.
The interpolation of face/license-plate images using pyramid-based hallucination

Human faces and license plates are the most important targets for many digital surveillance systems. The image quality is too poor to recognize the targets due to the uncontrollable effects such as poor light conditions or far distances from the concerned objects. The cameras are zoomed in to make the targets to be discernible. Image interpolation and super-resolution are two popular techniques for removing the blurry effects of the zoomed images. In this paper, the super-resolution approach is applied on the reconstructions of facial and license plate images. Training samples are collected and their pyramidal edge images are built. The intuition idea for enhancing image quality is to preserve the edge data of the high resolutional images. Face and license plate hallucination are constructed. Some experimental results are conducted to show the effectiveness of the proposed approach. Some conclusions and future works are given.
Multi-objective Design of Induction Motor using Harmony Search Optimization

paper presents a Harmony Search Optimization (HSO) based design methodology for maximizing both the starting torque and the efficiency of Induction Motor (IM). HSO is inspired the musical process of searching for a perfect state of harmony. The harmony in music is analogous to the optimization solution vector, and the musician's improvisations are analogous to local and global search schemes in optimization techniques. Among the number of design variables of the IM, seven variables are identified as primary design variables and the HSO based design methodology is tailored to optimize the chosen primary variables with a view to obtain the global best design. The optimal design obtained by the developed methodology for two IMs are presented with a view of illustrating the superiority.
The Value Creation Process in the

This paper investigates the value creation process in the Tunisia stock exchange using a sample including more than 90% of the listed companies. In order to find out the determinants of the value creation of our selected companies, we purpose to use the random probit model estimation procedure with unbalanced panel data. The results indicate that the probability of creating future values is positively and significantly correlated with dividend policy and profitability factor. The results suggest also that the value creation is neither affected by industry patterns, nor by size. Finally, empirical results suggest that non observed heterogeneity between firms, such as quality of management, seems to be significant in the analysis of the value creation of companies in the Tunisia Stock exchange. No. Of Figures: 0. No. Of Tables: 3. No. Of References: 48.
Inhibitory glycinergic neurotransmission in the mammalian auditory brainstem upon prolonged stimulation: short-term plasticity and synaptic reliability

Short-term plasticity plays a key role in synaptic transmission and has been extensively investigated for excitatory synapses. Much less is known about inhibitory synapses. Here we analyze the performance of glycinergic connections between the medial nucleus of the trapezoid body (MNTB) and the lateral superior olive (LSO) in the auditory brainstem, where high spike rates as well as fast and precise neurotransmission are hallmarks. Analysis was performed in acute mouse slices shortly after hearing onset (postnatal day (P)11) and 8 days later (P19). Stimulation was done at 37°C with 1–400 Hz for 40 s. Moreover, in a novel approach named marathon experiments, a very prolonged stimulation protocol was employed, comprising 10 trials of 1-min challenge and 1-min recovery periods at 50 and 1 Hz, respectively, thus lasting up to 20 min and amounting to >30,000 stimulus pulses. IPSC peak amplitudes displayed short-term depression (STD) and synaptic attenuation in a frequency-dependent manner. No facilitation was observed. STD in the MNTB-LSO connections was less pronounced than reported in the upstream calyx of Held-MNTB connections. At P11, the STD level and the failure rate were slightly lower within the ms-to-s range than at P19. During prolonged stimulation periods lasting 40 s, P19 connections sustained virtually failure-free transmission up to frequencies of 100 Hz, whereas P11 connections did so only up to 50 Hz. In marathon experiments, P11 synapses recuperated reproducibly from synaptic attenuation during all recovery periods, demonstrating a robust synaptic machinery at hearing onset. At 26°C, transmission was severely impaired and comprised abnormally high amplitudes after minutes of silence, indicative of imprecisely regulated vesicle pools. Our study takes a fresh look at synaptic plasticity and stability by extending conventional stimulus periods in the ms-to-s range to minutes. It also provides a framework for future analyses of synaptic plasticity.
Test of the Social Cognitive Model of Well-Being in Spanish College Students

The social cognitive model of well-being was tested in a sample of 373 college students in Spain. Participants completed measures of academic self-efficacy, environmental support, goal progress, academic satisfaction and stress, trait positive affect, and overall life satisfaction. A path analysis indicated that the model fit the data well and accounted for substantial portions of the variance in academic domain satisfaction, academic stress, and life satisfaction, though a few path coefficients (e.g., from positive affect and environmental support to academic stress) were nonsignificant. We consider the findings in relation to prior tests of the well-being model and discuss implications for practice and future research.
Small-world Model Based Clustering Division Scheme in Wireless Sensor Network

Clustering is an effective approach to enhance performance in large-scale wireless sensor networks. SMCA (Small-world Model Based Clustering Algorithm), a new clustering algorithm for wireless sensor networks is proposed in this paper, with high clustering coefficient and fault-tolerant properties. SMCA selectively remove some links in a virtual way by the analysis of the edges' clustering coefficient and incorporate the limitations of the average hop counts and the number of nodes in each cluster. We analyze the gain in energy reduction in the form of average hop count reduction under the clustering algorithm, and conducted extensive simulations to validate our analysis. Simulation results show that our clustering mechanism not only balances the energy consumption, prolong the network lifetime, but also improve the network robustness, it clearly improve the network lifetime over LEACH and HEED for p=0.8, both the time until the first node dies and the time until the last node dies.
Functional recombinant extra membrane loop of human CD20, an alternative of the full length CD20 antigen.

BACKGROUND Targeting of CD20 antigen with monoclonal antibodies has become the mainstay in the treatment of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas and immunotherapeutic depletion of malignant B cells. Accessibility of antigen is one of the crucial factors in development of monoclonal antibodies against this antigen. One major problem in expression of full length CD20 is aggregation and misfolding. Therefore, production of an alternative polypeptide is easer and favorable comparing to that of a full length transmembrane protein CD20. METHODS In this study, we expressed the extra membrane loop of hCD20 (exCD20) consisting of a non-glycosylated 47-amino acids region. The exCD20 coding sequence was amplified by PCR and cloned in pET32a(+) expression vector. The desired protein was expressed in fusion with thioredoxin and 6× His tag in E. coli Origami strain. ELISA and Western-blotting data were performed to indicate the functionality of this protein. RESULTS We have obtained the exCD20 recombinant protein which can be detected in ELISA and Western-blot experiments. This recombinant fusion protein was soluble and stable without aggregation and misfolding problems. CONCLUSION The recombinant extra membrane loop of human CD20 protein in fusion with thioredoxin (exCD20) can be used in function assays and some applications such as ELISA, immuneblotting, affinity purification, immunization, screening, and development of anti-CD20 antibodies.
Selective cyclo-oxygenase-2 inhibitors impair adipocyte differentiation through inhibition of the clonal expansion phase Published, JLR Papers in Press, July 1, 2003. DOI 10.1194/jlr.M300248-JLR200

Selective cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors are nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs used in the management of inflammatory diseases. We demonstrate here that inhibition of the COX-2 enzyme impairs adipocyte differentiation. The inhibition of adipogenesis occurs in the early clonal expansion phase. In particular, COX-2 inhibition limits cell cycle reentry required before terminal adipocyte differentiation. This inhibition of adipogenesis is independent of the production of the peroxisome proliferator activated receptor γ ligand prostaglandin J2, but dependent on the production of proliferative prostaglandins, such as prostaglandin E2. Modulation of the activity of the COX-2 enzyme via COX-2 selective inhibitors might open up new perspectives in the control of obesity and related metabolic diseases.
Serial Parallel Multiplier Design in Quantum-dot Cellular Automata

An emerging nanotechnology, quantum-dot cellular automata (QCA), has the potential for attractive features such as faster speed, smaller size, and lower power consumption than transistor based technology. Quantum-dot cellular automata has a simple cell as the basic element. The cell is used as a building block to construct gates, wires, and memories. Several adder designs have been proposed, but multiplier design in QCA is a rather unexplored research area. This paper utilizes the QCA characteristics to design serial parallel multipliers. Two types of serial parallel multipliers are designed and simulated with several different operand sizes. Those designs are compared in terms of complexity, area, and latency. The serial parallel multipliers have simple and regular structures.
Legislative policy to support children of parents with a mental illness: revolution or evolution?

Abstract In 2014, a Mental Health Act was introduced in Victoria, Australia which mandated clinicians to recognize and support consumers’ children. Interviews were conducted with 11 clinical adult mental health professionals about their views and experiences of the introduction of the Act and its impact on their practices. Interviews revealed that sections of the Act relating to consumers’ children were not promoted within organizations and did not result in revolutionary practice change. Instead, practice development staff within organizations were viewed as the main drivers of practices to support consumers’ children. Suggestions are made for enhancing the impact of legislation to promote practice change.
Characterization of the Dynamic Effects of Fiscal Shocks in a Small Open Economy

The author studies the macroeconomic consequences of discretionary changes in the fiscal policy instruments for Canada. He adopts a semi-structural vector autoregression framework. Restrictions are based on institutional interactions between some policy and non-policy instruments that mimic a government's decision process. The author characterizes the actual economy's response to fiscal shocks, and proposes a theoretical model for a small open economy with nominal and real rigidities to test for the endogenous transmission mechanisms following shocks to government spending. He pursues a limited-information econometric strategy by comparing the theoretical impluse-response functions with the empirical ones, capturing the effects of a disturbance in government spending. Generally, the results of the model are very close to the observed reactions, especially for consumption, investment, exports, imports, and inflation; however, the model fails to predict the real exchange rate reaction.
Overcoming Economic Stagnation in Japan: The Importance of Total Factor Productivity and the Potential Contribution of Foreign Direct Investment

The 1990s have been a decade of minimal growth for the Japanese economy. Examining this record from a growth accounting perspective, this paper argues that a major factor underlying Japan's disappointing growth performance in recent years has been a marked slow-down in total factor productivity (TFP) growth. It is suggested that, given present population trends and low returns on capital, any sustained increase in overall economic growth will require an acceleration in TFP growth. In this context, foreign direct investment (FDI) can potentially make an important contribution by increasing the degree of competition in the economy and, if foreign firms are more productive than domestic ones, by raising average TFP levels in Japanese industry.
Channel Design: A Novel Approach for Blocking Interference and Achieving Interference-Free Capacity

The topics of lifting the capacity and blocking the interferences of MIMO wireless systems are studied. The interferences can be blocked by filter design but with the consequence of noise enhancement and thus reduce the capacity. Or, the capacity can be maintained by filter design but some interference has to be accepted. In this paper, we present a new method, namely channel design, with which the interferences can be completely blocked and in the meantime the capacity is also lifted
Molecular species of the alcohol biomarker phosphatidylethanol in human blood measured by LC-MS.

BACKGROUND The alcohol biomarker phosphatidylethanol (PEth) comprises a group of ethanol-derived phospholipids formed from phosphatidylcholine by phospholipase D. The PEth molecular species have a common phosphoethanol head group onto which 2 fatty acid moieties are attached. We developed an electrospray ionization (ESI) LC-MS method for qualitative and quantitative measurement of different PEth species in human blood. METHODS We subjected a total lipid extract of whole blood to HPLC gradient separation on a C4 column and performed LC-ESI-MS analysis using selected ion monitoring of deprotonated molecules for the PEth species and phosphatidylpropanol (internal standard). Identification of individual PEth species was based on ESI-tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) analysis of product ions. RESULTS The fatty acid moieties were the major product ions of PEth, based on comparison with PEth-16:0/16:0, 18:1/18:1, and 16:0/18:1 reference material. For LC-MS analysis of different PEth species in blood, we used a calibration curve covering 0.2-7.0 micromol/L PEth-16:0/18:1. The lower limit of quantitation of the method was <0.1 micromol/L, and intra- and interassay CVs were <9% and <11%. In blood samples collected from 38 alcohol patients, the total PEth concentration ranged between 0.1 and 21.7 micromol/L (mean 8.9). PEth-16:0/18:1 and 16:0/18:2 were the predominant molecular species, accounting for approximately 37% and 25%, respectively, of total PEth. PEth-16:0/20:4 and mixtures of 18:1/18:1 plus 18:0/18:2 (not separated using selected ion monitoring because of identical molecular masses) and 16:0/20:3 plus 18:1/18.2 made up approximately 13%, 12%, and 8%. CONCLUSIONS This LC-MS method allows simultaneous qualitative and quantitative measurement of several PEth molecular species in whole blood samples.
Implementation of Intrusion Detection System and Traffic Analysis – A Case of a Linux Platform

The security of a Computer network cannot be compromised in any form as it would actually defeat the exact purpose for which the network exists; to provide connectivity between nodes that would allow exchange of information or resources. It also goes a long way to ensure absolute security for nodes in communication, information at source, in transit or flight and finally at the destination. Security implementations may vary according to network designs but it is essentially suppose to provide Authentication, Data integrity, Confidentiality, Access control and Availability. This paper looks at the implementation of an Intrusion Detection System on a Linux operating systems and analyzing the traffic, threats and vulnerabilities with a configured Firewall General terms Access privileges, Packets, Operating System
I'd Hide You: Performing Live Broadcasting in Public

We present a study of a mixed reality game called 'I'd Hide You' that involves live video streaming from the city streets. We chart the significant challenges facing performers on the streets who must simultaneously engage in the game, stream compelling video footage featuring themselves, and interact with a remote online audience. We reveal how these street performers manage four key tensions: between their body and camera; between the demands of online audiences and what takes place on-the-street; between what appears 'frontstage' on camera versus what happens 'backstage'; and balancing being a player of the game with being a performer. By reflecting on how they achieve this, we are able to draw out wider lessons for future interfaces aimed at supporting people broadcasting video of themselves to online audiences while engaged in games, sports and other demanding real-world activities.
A survey on perception of homoeopathic undergraduate students towards learning environment in an Indian scenario

Background and aims â€“ This research was an attempt to understand the views of students of homoeopathic undergraduate schools in West Bengal, India and to identify areas of strength and weakness in the learning environment. Methodology â€“ An institutional, cross-sectional, observational study was carried out involving 430 students in May, 2013 in two Government homoeopathic medical colleges in West Bengal, India. A seven-item close-ended questionnaire with four point Likert scale was used to determine studentsâ€™ perceptions of the learning environment, intellectual climate and teacher-student relationship in homoeopathic schools. The questionnaire generated seven subscales â€“ flexibility, student to student interaction, emotional climate, supportiveness, meaningful experience, organization, and breadth of interest. Results â€“ 46.5% of students belonged to rural areas and Bengali was the mother tongue of 93.7% students. 39.5% preferred Bengali as the medium of instruction and group study was preferable to 77.9% students. 47.7% students were dissatisfied with the teaching process and 79.8% preferred the use of multimedia over conventional classroom teaching. Flexibility remained low (mean=1.9, SD=0.9); meaningful experience (theoretical teaching) score was high (mean=2.6, SD=0.9). Scores did not vary significantly (P>0.05) across the pre-clinical and clinical students, but few subscales produced significant differences individually among students of different years. Internal consistency scores of the scale remained questionable (Cronbachâ€™s Î± 0.310-0.446); however, the scale showed acceptable test-retest reliability (Cohenâ€™s Îº 0.680-0.838). Conclusions â€“ This study emphasized the areas requiring improvement in homoeopathic school environment based on studentsâ€™ perspective. Changes in curriculum, faculty and infrastructure should be planned to improve studentsâ€™ satisfaction.
Characterization of a Receptor for Insect Tachykinin‐Like Peptide Agonists by Functional Expression in a Stable Drosophila Schneider 2 Cell Line

Abstract: STKR is an insect G protein‐coupled receptor, cloned from the stable fly Stomoxys calcitrans. It displays sequence similarity to vertebrate tachykinin [or neurokinin (NK)] receptors. Functional expression of the cloned STKR cDNA was obtained in cultured Drosophila melanogaster Schneider 2 (S2) cells. Insect tachykinin‐like peptides or “insectatachykinins,” such as Locusta tachykinin (Lom‐TK) III, produced dose‐dependent calcium responses in stably transfected S2‐STKR cells. Vertebrate tachykinins (or neurokinins) did not evoke any effect at concentrations up to 10‐5M, but an antagonist of mammalian neurokinin receptors, spantide II, inhibited the Lom‐TK III‐induced calcium response. Further analysis showed that the agonist‐induced intracellular release of calcium ions was not affected by pretreatment of the cells with pertussis toxin. The calcium rise was blocked by the phospholipase C inhibitor U73122. In addition, Lom‐TK III was shown to have a stimulatory effect on the accumulation of both inositol 1,4,5‐trisphosphate and cyclic AMP. These are the same second messengers that are induced in mammalian neurokinin‐dependent signaling processes.
Robust Domain Adaptation for Relation Extraction via Clustering Consistency

We propose a two-phase framework to adapt existing relation extraction classifiers to extract relations for new target domains. We address two challenges: negative transfer when knowledge in source domains is used without considering the differences in relation distributions; and lack of adequate labeled samples for rarer relations in the new domain, due to a small labeled data set and imbalance relation distributions. Our framework leverages on both labeled and unlabeled data in the target domain. First, we determine the relevance of each source domain to the target domain for each relation type, using the consistency between the clustering given by the target domain labels and the clustering given by the predictors trained for the source domain. To overcome the lack of labeled samples for rarer relations, these clusterings operate on both the labeled and unlabeled data in the target domain. Second, we trade-off between using relevance-weighted sourcedomain predictors and the labeled target data. Again, to overcome the imbalance distribution, the source-domain predictors operate on the unlabeled target data. Our method outperforms numerous baselines and a weakly-supervised relation extraction method on ACE 2004 and YAGO.
Wandering intellectuals: establishing a research agenda on gender, walking, and thinking

Abstract Building on a study of three women who practice walking-for-thinking as a part of their intellectual work, the analysis identifies potential themes for a future research agenda on gender, walking, and thinking. A particular focus is the subtle, daily, management of gendered expectations and ways in which walking, for these women, is a contribution to such management. We name this ‘walking away from expectations’ and identify three themes: walking away from others’ gaze, walking away from restlessness and domestic responsibility, and walking away as belonging. Walking emerges as a skilful way of creating the conditions to do one’s intellectual work and manage gendered expectations. Further, the meanings of silences about gender in the context of intellectual work and walking is discussed and questions for future research agenda are suggested.