Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Using coda wave interferometry for estimating the variation in source mechanism between double couple events

[1] It is shown how a change in orientation between the source mechanism of two identically located double couple sources can be estimated from the correlation of the coda waves excited by their sources. The change in orientation is given by the root mean square of the change in strike, Δϕs dip, Δδ and rake, Δλ of the double couple. It is not possible to determine Δϕs, Δδ or Δλ individually from the cross correlation. Applicability of the theory is tested using synthetic waveforms generated from a 3D finite difference solver for the elastic wave equation. Changes in strike, dip and rake are tested independently and simultaneously. In each case a crossover point is identified such that the actual change in orientation is within one standard deviation of the coda wave interferometry (CWI) estimates for all rotations below the crossover. After the crossover, the CWI estimates give a lower bound on the change in orientation. Crossover points of 30°, 62°, and 56°, respectively are observed when the strike, dip and rake are varied independently. When all angles are varied simultaneously by the same quantity the crossover point is 17°. The new theory can be applied in combination with existing coda wave interferometry techniques for estimating source separation. It creates the potential for joint relative location and focal mechanism determination using information from seismic coda recorded at a single station.
Egalitarianism of Random Assignment Mechanisms: (Extended Abstract)

We consider the egalitarian welfare of random assignment mechanisms when agents have unrestricted cardinal utilities over the objects. We define and give bounds on how well different random assignment mechanisms approximate the optimal egalitarian value (OEV) and investigate the effect that different well-known properties like ordinality, envy-freeness, and truthfulness have on the achievable egalitarian value. Finally, we conduct detailed experiments analyzing the tradeoffs between efficiency with envy-freeness or truthfulness using two prominent random assignment mechanisms --- random serial dictatorship and the probabilistic serial mechanism --- for different classes of utility functions and distributions.
Adolescent Civic Engagement and Perceived Political Conflict

Adolescents are often exposed to the lasting effects of political conflict. Complementing existing research on negative outcomes in these settings, this article focuses on the role of the family (N = 731 mother/adolescent dyads, 51% female, M = 14.72, SD = 1.99, years old at Time 1) in promoting constructive youth outcomes in response to perceived conflict in Northern Ireland. Exploratory factor analyses revealed two related forms of youth civic engagement: volunteerism and political participation. Structural equation modeling revealed that compared with males, female adolescents reported more volunteerism. Older adolescents reported higher political participation and lower volunteerism. Moreover, over three time points, the primary model test revealed that the impact of perceived political conflict on adolescent volunteerism and political engagement was partially mediated by family cohesion. These findings suggest that amid protracted political conflict, the family may be a key factor underlying adolescents’ contributions to post-accord peacebuilding.
Scientific collaboration: a social network analysis based on literature of animal-derived regenerative implantable medical devices

The collaboration network of English publications on animal-derived regenerative implantable medical devices based on tissue engineering technology and its evolving processes and current states were mapped in this paper. A total of 10 159 English papers published before 1 January 2015 were obtained in eight databases. Social network analysis was conducted on these papers by utilizing UCINET software and Statistical Analysis Software for Informatics researched and developed by Peking University. The collaboration network has evolved from scattered formation to single-core dominated, and then to a core-edge one; collaboration has become more frequent and wider; network density and centrality have decreased; USA, UK and China are the top three countries with Wake Forest University, Harvard University and Tufts University being the top three contributing institutions cooperated mostly during the period between 2010 and 2014; plenty of edge institutes exist. In conclusion, more collaboration among different institutions and countries is needed; Edge institutions and developing countries should expand their scope of collaboration.
DNA modification and functional delivery into human cells using Escherichia coli DH10B.

The availability of almost the complete human genome as cloned BAC libraries represents a valuable resource for functional genomic analysis, which, however, has been somewhat limited by the ability to modify and transfer this DNA into mammalian cells intact. Here we report a novel comprehensive Escherichia coli-based vector system for the modification, propagation and delivery of large human genomic BAC clones into mammalian cells. The GET recombination inducible homologous recombination system was used in the BAC host strain E.coli DH10B to precisely insert an EGFPneo cassette into the vector portion of a approximately 200 kb human BAC clone, providing a relatively simple method to directly convert available BAC clones into suitable vectors for mammalian cells. GET recombination was also used for the targeted deletion of the asd gene from the E.coli chromosome, resulting in defective cell wall synthesis and diaminopimelic acid auxotrophy. Transfer of the Yersinia pseudotuberculosis invasin gene into E.coli DH10B asd(-) rendered it competent to invade HeLa cells and deliver DNA, as judged by transient expression of green fluorescent protein and stable neomycin-resistant colonies. The efficiency of DNA transfer and survival of HeLa cells has been optimized for incubation time and multiplicity of infection of invasive E.coli with HeLa cells. This combination of E.coli-based homologous recombination and invasion technologies using BAC host strain E.coli DH10B will greatly improve the utility of the available BAC libraries from the human and other genomes for gene expression and functional genomic studies.
Fake-acknowledgment attack on ACK-based sensor power schedule for remote state estimation

We consider a class of malicious attacks against remote state estimation. A sensor with limited resources adopts an acknowledgement (ACK)-based online power schedule to improve the remote state estimation performance. A malicious attacker can modify the ACKs from the remote estimator and convey fake information to the sensor. When the capability of the attacker is limited, we propose an attack strategy for the attacker and analyze the corresponding effect on the estimation performance. The possible responses of the sensor are studied and a condition for the sensor to discard ACKs and switch from online schedule to offline schedule is provided.
A Study on an Efficient Channel Data Processing Algorithm for Developing a Software-Based Playing Back Channel Simulator

A playing back channel simulator which uses the real measurement channel data can provide reliable performance verification of the wireless communication systems. In this paper, an efficient channel data processing algorithm to implement a playing back channel simulator in a software is suggested. At first, an algorithm to efficiently reduce huge volume of original channel data is presented and a multi-rate signal processing algorithm is also proposed to fit the bandwidth of the measurement channel to the bandwidth of the input signal. As a result, we can find that the playing back channel simulator using these new algorithms has low processing complexity while preserving the characteristics of the original channel from the simulation results.
Four Measures of System Behavior

Engineering systems are typically designed to cost and specification. The robustness of the engineered systems is frequently measured with respect to consistency according to a Six Sigma philosophy. However, robustness is just one measure of system behavior, and in insufficient to characterize the behavior of complex systems with respect to extensibility, robustness controllability, and flexibility. The extensibility index measures the extent to which the quality attributes may be adjusted relative to their variation, even if such adjustment causes other attributes to fail specification. The robustness index is representative of consistency of the quality attributes, as measured the relative breadth of the specification to the variance of the quality attributes. The controllability index measures the span of the quality attributes while maintaining the feasibility of the other quality attributes. Finally, the flexibility index measures the range of the quality attributes while holding other quality attributes fixed. All of the measures are valid for linear and non-linear systems, uncoupled and coupled systems, and systems with varying number of decision variables and quality attributes. The four measures are applied to the injection molding of digital video disc substrates. The application example demonstrates some significant short comings in this manufacturing process, and provides insight into general system design requirements and strategies.
Creating safe spaces: designing day shelters for people experiencing homelessness

ABSTRACT Day shelter programs are an important resource for people experiencing homelessness, offering respite from inclement weather, social stigma, victimization, and access to essential services and resources. Creating functional day shelter spaces requires that staff, services, and facilities support the needs of this vulnerable and marginalized population. Little guidance, however, is available regarding the design of day shelter spaces that support service engagement and positive service outcomes. This systematic review was conducted to support the development of a new day shelter in Fort Worth, Texas, identifying and reviewing interdisciplinary resources relevant to the design of these facilities. Based on the review, a preliminary taxonomy emphasizing day shelter client safety, security, dignity and health and well-being is proposed. Additional discussion identifies practical considerations affecting the implementation of the taxonomy, design priorities, and how the taxonomy was applied to the design of the Fort Worth day shelter.
A distributed method for convex quadratic programming problems arising in optimal control of distributed systems

We propose a distributed algorithm for strictly convex quadratic programming (QP) problems with a generic coupling topology. The coupling constraints are dualized via Lagrangian relaxation. This allows for a distributed evaluation of the non-smooth dual function and its derivatives. We propose to use both the gradient and the curvature information within a non-smooth variant of Newton's method to find the optimal dual variables. Our novel approach is designed such that the large Newton system never needs to be formed. Instead, we employ an iterative method to solve the Newton system in a distributed manner. The effectiveness of the method is demonstrated on an academic optimal control problem. A comparison with state-of-the-art first order dual methods is given.
AVOCR: Arabic video OCR

Nowadays the majority of TV channels are performing digitization of their archival materials. The digitization enhances preservation of records and makes the access to documents easier. However, when the quantity of documents become important the digitization is not enough to insure an efficient access. Indeed, we need to extract semantic information to help users to find what we need quickly. The text included in video sequences is an important needful for indexing and searching system. However, this text is difficult to detect and recognize because of the variability of it size, their low resolution characters and the complexity of the backgrounds. To solve these problems, we propose a system performing in two main tasks: first we extract the textual information from the video sequence and second we recognize this text.
Fluorine in carbon-enhanced metal-poor stars: a binary scenario

Aims. A super-solar fluorine abundance was observed in the carbon-enhanced metal-poor (CEMP) star HE 1305+0132 ([F/Fe] = +2.90, [Fe/H] = -2.5). We propose that this observation can be explained using a binary model that involve mass transfer from an asymptotic giant branch (AGB) star companion and, based on this model, we predict F abundances in CEMP stars in general. We discuss wether F can be used to discriminate between the formation histories of most CEMP stars: via binary mass transfer or from the ejecta of fast-rotating massive stars. Methods. We compute AGB yields using different stellar evolution and nucleosynthesis codes to evaluate stellar model uncertainties. We use a simple dilution model to determine the factor by which the AGB yields should be diluted to match the abundances observed in HE 1305+0132. We further employ a binary population synthesis tool to estimate the probability of F-rich CEMP stars. Results. The abundances observed in HE 1305+0132 can be explained if this star accreted 3-11% of the mass lost by its former AGB companion. The primary AGB star should have dredged-up at least 0.2 of material from its He-rich region into the convective envelope via third dredge-up, which corresponds to AGB models of Z 0.0001 and mass 2 . Many AGB model uncertainties, such as the treatment of convective borders and mass loss, require further investigation. We find that in the binary scenario most CEMP stars should also be FEMP stars, that is, have [F/Fe] > +1, while fast-rotating massive stars do not appear to produce fluorine. We conclude that fluorine is a signature of low-mass AGB pollution in CEMP stars, together with elements associated with the slow neutron-capture process.
The Co-occurrence of Multisensory Facilitation and Cross-modal Conflict in the 1 Human Brain 2 3

28 Perceptual objects often comprise a visual and auditory signature which arrives 29 simultaneously through distinct sensory channels, and cross-modal features are linked by 30 virtue of being attributed to a specific object. Continued exposure to cross-modal events 31 sets up expectations about what a given object most likely "sounds" like, and vice versa, 32 thereby facilitating object detection and recognition. The binding of familiar auditory 33 and visual signatures is referred to as semantic, multisensory integration. While 34 integration of semantically-related cross-modal features is behaviorally advantageous, 35 situations of sensory dominance of one modality at the expense of another, impairs 36 performance. In the present study, magnetoencephalography recordings of semantically37 related cross-modal and unimodal stimuli captured the spatiotemporal patterns underlying 38 multisensory processing at multiple stages. At early stages, 100ms after stimulus onset, 39 posterior parietal brain regions responded preferentially to cross-modal stimuli 40 irrespective of task instructions or the degree of semantic relatedness between the 41 auditory and visual components. As participants were required to classify cross-modal 42 stimuli into semantic categories, activity in superior temporal and posterior cingulate 43 cortices increased between 200 and 400ms. As task instructions changed to incorporate 44 cross-modal conflict, a process whereby auditory and visual components of cross-modal 45 stimuli were compared to estimate their degree of congruence, multisensory processes 46 were captured in parahippocampal, dorsomedial, and orbitofrontal cortices 100 and 47 400ms after stimulus onset. Our results suggest that multisensory facilitation is 48 associated with posterior parietal activity as early as 100ms after stimulus onset. 49 However, as participants are required to evaluate cross-modal stimuli based on their 50 semantic category or their degree of congruence, multisensory processes extend in 51 cingulate, temporal, and prefrontal cortices. 52 . 53 Diaconescu, Alain, McIntosh, 2011 1
The effect of cereal type and enzyme addition on pig performance, intestinal microflora, and ammonia and odour emissions.

Two 2 × 2 factorial experiments were conducted to investigate the interaction between cereal type (wheat v. barley) and exogenous enzyme supplementation (with or without) on odour and ammonia emissions (experiment 1) and growth performance (experiment 2) in grower-finisher pigs. The enzyme supplement used contained endo-1, 3 (4) - β- glucanase (EC 3.2.1.6) and endo-1, 4 - β-xylanase (E.C 3.2.1.8). The diets were formulated to contain similar levels of net energy (9.8 MJ/kg) and lysine (10.0 g/kg). The experimental treatments were as follows: (1) wheat-based diet, (2) wheat-based diet containing a β-glucanase and β-xylanase mixed enzyme supplement, (3) barley-based diet and (4) barley-based diet containing a β-glucanase and β-xylanase mixed enzyme supplement. In experiment 1, the diets were offered to the pigs for 23 days in sealed pens (eight pigs per pen) and this was repeated four times (n = 4). Odour and ammonia emissions were measured on days 9, 11, 14, 16, 21 and 23 of each replicate period. Odour samples were collected in 20-l Nalophan bags and analysed for odour concentration using an ECOMA Yes/No Olfactometer. Ammonia concentrations in the ventilation air were measured using Dräger tubes. In experiment 2, 220 pigs were group fed in mixed sex pens using single-space feeders (11 pigs per feeder, six boars and five gilts) (n = 5). There was a cereal × enzyme interaction in odour emission rates, ammonia emissions and selected microbial populations in the caecum and colon (P < 0.05). The addition of an enzyme supplement to the barley-based diet increased both odour and ammonia emission, however the addition of an enzyme to the wheat-based diet decreased ammonia emission rates and had no effect on odour emission. Pigs offered the unsupplemented barley-based diet had a significantly (P < 0.05) lower population of Enterobacteriaceae spp. and a higher population of Bifidobacteria spp. compared with enzyme-supplemented barley diets. However, there was no effect of enzyme supplementation in wheat-based diets. In the performance experiment, neither cereal type nor enzyme inclusion had an effect on pig performance or carcass characteristics. In conclusion, the inclusion of an enzyme mix to barley-based diets increased odour and ammonia emissions, while the addition of an enzyme mix to wheat-based diets decreased ammonia emissions.
Effects of threat, trait anxiety and state anxiety on police officers’ actions during an arrest

We investigated the effects of threat and trait anxiety on state anxiety and how that affects police officers' actions during an arrest. Most experiments on police performance under anxiety test the performance of one particular skill. Yet, police work often involves concerted use of a combination of skills. We created situations – with two different levels of threat – in which officers had to choose and initiate their actions to control and arrest a non-cooperative suspect. We examined whether threat, trait anxiety and state anxiety influenced decision-making (e.g., choosing the appropriate actions) and performance (e.g., quality of communication and the execution of skills). Trait anxiety affected the level of state anxiety, but not any of the decision-making and performance variables. As for decision-making, results showed that only threat determined which action officers took to gain control over the suspect. As for performance, higher levels of state anxiety were accompanied by lower scores of overall performance, communication, proportionality of applied force and quality of skill execution. It is concluded that state anxiety not only impairs performance of single perceptual-motor tasks, but also relevant accompanying skills such as communicating and applying appropriate force. We argue that police training should focus on an integrated set of decision-making and perceptual-motor skills and not just on the performance of isolated motor skills.
Relation of animal size to convergence, divergence, and neuronal number in peripheral sympathetic pathways

The enormous range of animal size raises a fundamental problem: How do larger animals maintain adequate control of peripheral structures that are many times more massive and extensive than the homologous structures in smaller animals? To explore this question, we have determined neuronal number, the number of axons that innervate each neuron (convergence) and the number of neurons innervated by each axon (divergence), in a peripheral sympathetic pathway of several mammals (mouse, hamster, rat, guinea pig, and rabbit). The average adult weights of these species vary over approximately a 65-fold range. However, the number of superior cervical ganglion cells increases by only a factor of 4 between the smallest of these animals (mice; about 25 gm) and the largest (rabbits; about 1700 gm); the number of spinal preganglionic neurons that innervate the ganglion increases by only a factor of 2. Thus, the number of nerve cells in the sympathetic system does not increase in proportion to animal size. On the other hand, our results indicate that there are systematic differences across these species in the number of axons that innervate each ganglion cell and in the number of ganglion cells innervated by each axon. We suggest that modulation of convergence and divergence in sympathetic ganglia allows this part of the nervous system to effectively activate homologous peripheral targets over a wide range of animal size.
Ranking and Linear Ordering for System Combination in Machine Translation

System Combination refers to the method of combining output of multiple MT systems, to produce a output better than each individual system. There have been different approaches for System Combination of Machine Translation (MT) systems to improve translation quality. Currently, there are several approaches to machine translation which can be classified as phrase-based, hierarchial, syntaxbased (Hildebrand and Vogel, 2008) which are equally good in their translation quality even though the underlining frameworks are completely different. The motivation behind System Combination arises from this diversity in the state-of-art MT systems, which suggests that systems with different paradigms make different errors, and can be made better by combining strength of these systems. We report results on three approaches to system combination, two based on ranking of translated sentences and one that treats the aligning of systems for combination as a Linear Ordering Problem.
Secure Remote Authentication Using Fingerprint and Fuzzy Private Matching

A remote authentication scheme is proposed, which enables the use of fingerprint and fuzzy private matching protocol to achieve mutual authentication over an insecure channel. The private fingerprint template in the scheme is in the form of polynomial and is cancelable. Better performance and efficiency of the scheme than the existing schemes can be expected. In addition, the privacies of the server and the client are also protected. Experimental results demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed scheme.