Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Adaptive Uncertainty Based Iterative Robust Capon Beamformer Using Steering Vector Mismatch Estimation

To overcome the signal-to-interference-and-noise ratio (SINR) performance degradation in the presence of large steering vector mismatches, we propose an iterative robust Capon beamformer (IRCB) with adaptive uncertainty level. The approach iteratively estimates the actual steering vector (SV) based on conventional robust Capon beamformer (RCB) formulation that uses an uncertainty sphere to model the mismatch between the actual and presumed SV. At each iteration, the adaptive uncertainty algorithm self-adjusts the uncertainty sphere according to the estimated mismatch SV. This estimation is derived based on the geometrical interpretation of the mismatch and can be expressed as a simple closed-form expression as a function of the presumed SV and the signal-subspace projection. The other variant of the proposed algorithm that uses a flat ellipsoid to model the mismatch is also proposed. Simulation results show that the proposed approaches offer better interference suppression capability and achieve higher output SINR, as compared to other diagonal-loading-based approaches.
Information Security Awareness: An Evaluation among Business Students with Regard to Computer Self-efficacy and Personal Innovation

Business colleges and schools expose students to core business principles, which yield potential employees having certain marketable skills and awareness. However, the current business environment also advocates an intensive use of information technology to enable competitive advantage, which requires a basic awareness of information security practices. This study empirically explores the awareness of information security practices, computer self-efficacy, and personal innovation measures among undergraduate business students at a large public university. The theoretical and practical implications of this study’s results are also discussed with respect to practitioners and researchers alike.
Wet corn distillers byproducts compared with dried corn distillers grains with solubles as a source of protein and energy for ruminants.

Five trials investigated the feeding value of wet and dried corn distillers byproducts as a source of protein and energy for growing and finishing cattle and investigated the effect of heat damage on the feeding value of dried distillers byproducts. In a calf growth trial, no differences in rate of gain or protein efficiency were observed among calves fed wet distillers byproducts (wet distillers grains + thin stillage; WDB) or one of three composites of dried distillers grain + solubles (DDGS) having a low, medium, or high concentration of ADIN. A finishing trial compared the energy value of dry-rolled corn (DRC) with WDB or the three DDGS composites, fed at 40% of the diet DM replacing DRC. Cattle consuming WDB or DDGS gained faster (P < .05) and more efficiently (P < .05) than cattle fed DRC. Although gains were similar, cattle fed WDB consumed less feed (P < .10) and were more efficient (P < .10) than cattle fed DDGS. Level of ADIN in DDGS did not affect efficiency of gain (P > .10). In a lamb finishing trial, the addition of 5 or 10% ethanol did not affect (P > .10) daily gain, DMI, or feed efficiency. In two metabolism trials with steers, grain byproducts (wet distillers grains, dry distillers grains plus solubles, wet corn gluten feed, dry corn gluten feed, hominy feed) and DRC had similar effects on ruminal pH and total VFA. Feeding thin stillage or condensed solubles reduced (P < .10) ruminal pH and tended to reduce acetate:propionate. Wet corn distillers byproducts, fed at 40% of the diet DM, contain more NEg than did DRC and drying WDB reduces its NEg content. Acid detergent insoluble N is a poor indicator of protein and energy value in distillers grains.
PEAK POWER ANALYSIS AND MODELLING

Database engines often consume significant power during query processing activities especially during complex query processing, which is motivating researchers to investigate the redesign of their database internals to minimize the energy overheads. While the prior literature has dealt exclusively with average power considerations, our focus here is on peak power consumption. We begin by profiling the peak power behavior of a representative suite of popular commercial database engines in benchmark environments, and demonstrate that their consumption can often be substantial and we have also shown that average power consumption behavior of optimizers are very different from the peak power consumption behavior of queries. Then, we develop a pipeline-based model of query execution plans that lends itself to accurately estimating peak power consumption, suggesting its gainful employment in server design and capacity planning. More potently, the model can be incorporated in current query optimizers to identify relatively “green” plans. We demonstrate sample instances of this application wherein power-hungry plans are replaced with alternatives that substantially reduce peak power requirements, without materially compromising query execution times. In the end we also show our preliminary work on inductive pipeline (i.e. when we have modeled a pipeline and a new pipeline comes which has just one join operation more so we can predict its peak power) and multiquery environment ( when more than one queries are running over a single server.
Monitoring students activities in CS courses

The act of learning is becoming more and more sophisticated, thanks to several models and tools available today, like MOOCs, personalization, social networks, Web 2.0, gamification and others. This vast landscape leads to a huge amount of datasets thus the Big Data paradigm is also being adopted. Joined with Big Data is the emergency of extracting information about students' learning interactions and return them to teachers (learning analytics). According to this scenario, in this paper we introduce the e-learning platform currently used at University of Catania. The platform also collects data about all these students activities acting as a Big Data base for further learning analytics.
Observability of planar combined relative pose and target model estimation using monocular vision

This paper presents an observability analysis of the relative pose estimation process used in a planar Position-Based Visual Servoing or visual Simultaneous Localization and Mapping system. The results indicate potentially problematic situations where an estimator may be unable to track the relative pose and target object model based on monocular camera measurements alone. A complete set of unobservable configurations for a linearized relative pose system with a general constant velocity motion model, are determined by examining the observability matrix structure, both for the cases when the target object model point feature coordinates are known and unknown a priori.
Kinect driven 3D character animation using semantical skeleton

This paper introduces a Kinect driven 3D character animation system using semantically skeleton. The system obtains the capture character performance animation data from the Kinect device. For the motion data from Kinect is semantically, a semantic skeleton is embedded into the character model. The semantic skeleton was firstly selected from a motion capture database, and then using the normal characteristic value around joint can be computed out in the called joint surface. In the real time animation synthesis process, the system embedded the skeleton based on the feature points to make the 3D character movement with the performer before Kinect realistically. Several experiments are carried out to demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed method.
The patterns and driving forces of urban sprawl in China

Along with its economic reform, China has experienced a rapid urbanization. This study identified the urban sprawl patterns in China using high-resolution Landsat Thematic Mapper and Enhanced Thematic Mapper data of 1989/1990 and 1999/2000, and analyzed the sprawl patterns during 1990-2000. Our results show that China's urban land increased by 817 million hectares. It was also found that China's urban sprawl had high spatial differences: such four sprawl patterns as concentric, leapfrog, linear and multi-nuclei, and their combinations coexisted. Case studies of the thirteen super cities showed that urban sprawl had been largely driven by demographic change, economic growth, and changes in land use policies and regulations.
Sticky Decisions: Anchoring and Equity Stakes in International Acquisitions

This study proposes an anchoring perspective on international equity ownership decisions. Given the complex, uncertain nature of such decisions, we recognize the potential for heuristics such as anchoring to replace time-consuming and information-intensive analyses; specifically, top managers might draw on the recent international equity ownership decisions of others to determine how much equity stake to purchase in foreign target firms. Drawing on standard regression methods and more recently developed hedonic regression techniques, this study reveals some systematic effects of anchoring in international equity ownership decisions. Anchoring is more likely when international acquisitions occur under informational deficiencies in genuinely uncertain settings but less likely when the acquiring firms are managed by overconfident CEOs.
Cascading Rectangle and Edge Orientation Features for Fast Pedestrian Detection

In this paper we develop a pedestrian detection method that can detect human in a single image based on a boosted cascade structure. In our approach, both the rectangle features and 1-D edge-orientation features are employed in the feature pool for weak-learner selection, which can be computed via the integral-image and the integral-histogram techniques, respectively. To make the weak learner more discriminative, Real AdaBoost is used for feature selection and learning the stage classifiers from the training images. Experimental results show that our approach can detect people with both efficiency and accuracy.
Fisher information analysis in microwave tomography

The purpose of this paper is to give an overview of some recent developments and future potentials regarding Fisher information analysis in microwave tomography. In particular, the Fisher Information integral Operator (FIO) is defined using the Fre¿chet derivative, yielding a gradient based formulation which is useful in connection with analytical Green's function techniques, as well as with numerical adjoint field analysis techniques. It is also explained how the infinite-dimensional formulation has several conceptual and numerical advantages over the finite-dimensional Fisher Information Matrix (FIM) analysis approach for inverse scattering problems. Important application areas are with FIO resolution analysis for inverse scattering problems and parameter sensitivity analysis and preconditioning for gradient based inverse scattering algorithms.
Algorithms for intelligent turret assembly system

The intelligent turret assembly system (ITAS) is an agile assembly system that allows for a variety of configurations through modular units. This configurability makes it difficult to determine the optimum tool placement configuration. Experiment suggested that the distribution of production time in the ITAS occurs in steps and that the increase in the number of turrets leads to a reduction in the importance of waiting time. Simulated annealing was found to perform better than genetic algorithm and Tabu search. This is possibly due to the lack of domain specific knowledge on how Tabu searches may be directed and problems with the chromosome representation of the tool-station mapping in genetic algorithm.
Popular Culture in Transglossic Language Practices of Young Adults

ABSTRACT Based on virtual conversations drawn from two separate intensive ethnographic studies in Bangladesh and Mongolia, we show that popular cultural texts play a significant role in young adults’ heteroglossic language practices. On the one hand, they borrow voices from cultural texts and cross the boundaries of language, i.e., codes, modes, and genres, and engage in translocalization and transculturation. On the other hand, they subtly manipulate various ideologies hidden underneath the voices, transtextualize the cultural texts, and maintain desired affiliation and distance from certain identity attributes. A transglossic analysis of data shows that heteroglossia needs to be understood not so much through linguistic or genre-specific features as it is usually done in applied linguistics research but with reference to transgression afforded in the borrowed voices. The significance of popular culture in language and identity research can only be unravelled when language is considered as transglossic rather than heteroglossic.
Effects of Ranolazine on Astrocytes and Neurons in Primary Culture

Ranolazine (Rn) is an antianginal agent used for the treatment of chronic angina pectoris when angina is not adequately controlled by other drugs. Rn also acts in the central nervous system and it has been proposed for the treatment of pain and epileptic disorders. Under the hypothesis that ranolazine could act as a neuroprotective drug, we studied its effects on astrocytes and neurons in primary culture. We incubated rat astrocytes and neurons in primary cultures for 24 hours with Rn (10−7, 10−6 and 10−5 M). Cell viability and proliferation were measured using trypan blue exclusion assay, MTT conversion assay and LDH release assay. Apoptosis was determined by Caspase 3 activity assay. The effects of Rn on pro-inflammatory mediators IL-β and TNF-α was determined by ELISA technique, and protein expression levels of Smac/Diablo, PPAR-γ, Mn-SOD and Cu/Zn-SOD by western blot technique. In cultured astrocytes, Rn significantly increased cell viability and proliferation at any concentration tested, and decreased LDH leakage, Smac/Diablo expression and Caspase 3 activity indicating less cell death. Rn also increased anti-inflammatory PPAR-γ protein expression and reduced pro-inflammatory proteins IL-1 β and TNFα levels. Furthermore, antioxidant proteins Cu/Zn-SOD and Mn-SOD significantly increased after Rn addition in cultured astrocytes. Conversely, Rn did not exert any effect on cultured neurons. In conclusion, Rn could act as a neuroprotective drug in the central nervous system by promoting astrocyte viability, preventing necrosis and apoptosis, inhibiting inflammatory phenomena and inducing anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agents.
A Genome-Wide Analysis of the LBD (LATERAL ORGAN BOUNDARIES Domain) Gene Family in Malus domestica with a Functional Characterization of MdLBD11

The plant-specific LBD (LATERAL ORGAN BOUNDARIES domain) genes belong to a major family of transcription factor that encode a zinc finger-like domain. It has been shown that LBD genes play crucial roles in the growth and development of Arabidopsis and other plant species. However, no detailed information concerning this family is available for apple. In the present study, we analyzed the apple (Malus domestica) genome and identified 58 LBD genes. This gene family was tested for its phylogenetic relationships with homologous genes in the Arabidopsis genome, as well as its location in the genome, structure and expression. We also transformed one MdLBD gene into Arabidopsis to evaluate its function. Like Arabidopsis, apple LBD genes also have a conserved CX2CX6CX3C zinc finger-like domain in the N terminus and can be divided into two classes. The expression profile indicated that apple LBD genes exhibited a variety of expression patterns, suggesting that they have diverse functions. At the same time, the expression analysis implied that members of this apple gene family were responsive to hormones and stress and that they may participate in hormone-mediated plant organogenesis, which was demonstrated with the overexpression of the apple LBD gene MdLBD11, resulting in an abnormal phenotype. This phenotype included upward curling leaves, delayed flowering, downward-pointing flowers, siliques and other abnormal traits. Based on these data, we concluded that the MdLBD genes may play an important role in apple growth and development as in Arabidopsis and other species.
Bagging based plankton image classification

Plankton image classification plays an important role in ocean biological research. In this paper, we present an approach based on the bagging technique to classify the marine plankton images captured by the Shadowed Image Particle Profiling and Evaluation Recorder. The difficulty of such classification is multifold because the data set is much noisier, and the plankton images are deformable, projection-variant, and often in partial occlusion. In addition, the images in our experiments are binary, thus are lack of pixel-depth information. By random sampling with replacement on the original training set, a number of independent bootstrap replicates are generated. Using these replicates as new training sets, we construct multiple classifiers that are complementary of one another. While such individual classifiers are less effective than a single classifier trained on the whole training set, the fusion of them using majority voting produces an improved tenfold cross-validation accuracy by more than 93%.
Application research on network coding in WSN

This paper introduces the characteristics of the wireless network, including self-organizing, dynamic topology, wireless communications and so on, which make the network nodes have limited energy, the same as processing power, storage capacity and communication capabilities, therefore, the efficient use of energy, maximizing its network cycle is the wireless sensor network's core issue. Network coding integrates the concept of routing and coding, which has been proven to be able to approach the theoretical transfer limit of the network capacity. The unreliability of wireless link and the broadcasting characteristics of physical layer are ideal for the use of network coding. This paper reviews the applications of network coding technology in wireless sensor network, including improving network throughput, reducing energy consumption, increasing the reliability and security of the network link, and improving the efficiency of data aggregation.
On the Physical Design of PRAMs

We sketch the physical design of a prototype of a PRAM architecture based on Ranade’s Fluent Machine. We describe a specially developed processor chip with several instruction streams and a fast butterfly connection network. For the realization of the network we consider alternatively optoelectronic and electric transmission. We also discuss some basic software issues.
Multiple Human Objects Tracking in Crowded Scenes

This paper introduces a multiple human objects tracking system to detect and track multiple objects in the crowded scene in which occlusions occur. Our method assign each pixel to different human object based on its relative distance to that object and the corresponding color model. If no occlusion, we easily track each object independently based on each segmented object region and optical flow. With occlusion, we analyze the color distribution of the occlusion group to differentiate each object in the group. By calculating the distances between objects, we can determine whether an object is separated from the occlusion group and to be tracked individually afterwards
Hedge fund index tracking

This chapter reviews some important innovations in quantitative strategies for investment management. We summarize the advantages and limitations of applying cointegration and principal component analysis to portfolio construction. Empirical examples show that by exploiting the presence of common factors, both models can significantly enhance traditional optimization strategies. More important, such strategies can be used successfully both for traditional investments such as equities and for optimizing more complex portfolios such as funds of hedge funds.
A Direct Conversion Line Coding Based on the Similar Property of Image Pixels

Between the display panel and the video driver, fiber is used to transfer the uncompressed video data. Especially for head-mounted display, the video cable can be replaced by fiber. Choosing an appropriate line coding to simplify the circuit structure and reduce the system power is a challenging problem. Based on the similar property of adjacent pixels, a new Direct Conversion line coding is presented. For the characteristics of similar of adjacent pixels in uncompressed video, the location for binary data of adjacent pixels are changed directly, then the processed video signals are serialized in order to facilitate the fiber transmission . Compared with other line codes, this method can greatly reduce the complexity of the video transmission system and power of system. Also the proposed scheme has the features of high efficiency and no error multiplication. The results of simulation show that: bit stream of video provided by the proposed scheme contains adequate timing information and the low-frequency components are reduced. The bit stream can adapt to requirements of transmission in fiber channel.
Animal models to study aetiopathology of epilepsy: what are the features to model?

In order to understand the physiopathology of epilepsies and develop antiepileptic drugs, animal models have been developed. These models appear to be valuable predictors of treatment efficacy; however, several of the currently used models remain questionable and probably inappropriate for the search for new treatments, in particular for epilepsies that cannot be treated by current antiepileptic drugs. In the present review, we report the results of a recent survey conducted by neurologists in charge of an epilepsy programme based at different hospitals in France. The 36 expertswere questioned, via the internet, on the most critical features of four prototypic forms of epilepsy (idiopathic generalised epilepsies with convulsive seizures, absence epilepsy, focal epilepsy associated with dysplasia, and focal epilepsy associated with hippocampal sclerosis) that should be taken into account with regards to the relevance of animal models of epilepsy. Their answers suggest that most current models for focal epilepsies associated with either dysplasia or hippocampal sclerosis do not address the most relevant features. The models currently used in mice and rats are discussed in light of the data obtained in our survey.
Fine-grain fault diagnosis for FPGA logic blocks

In this paper we introduce a fine-grain fault diagnosis approach for reconfigurable logic blocks. As opposed to previous works, we propose to reuse rather than to discard defective blocks. We describe methods to analyze deeper a defective Xilinx Virtex2Pro slice and diagnose the fault, out of a set of 150, that causes the malfunction. The outcome of the fault diagnosis is subsequently used to characterize the defective slice functionality and then match it with a suitable design configuration. The proposed methods are implemented and prototyped in a Virtex2Pro-30. A single-phase fault diagnosis covers 95% of the faults and takes 170–390 nsec to test a single slice and 27–62 µsec for a frame of 160 slices. A two-phase approach uses reconfiguration and covers the entire set of faults requiring up to 8.5 µsec and 80 µsec for a single slice and an entire frame, respectively.