Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Laser Diffuse Lighting in a Visual Inspection System for Defect Detection in Wood Laminates

Nowadays, wood companies are ever more interested in automatic vision systems (Li & Wu, 2009), (Astrand & Astrom, 1994), for an effective surface inspection that greatly increases the quality of the end product (Smith, 2001), (Armingol et al., 2006). The inspection process, in most visual inspection systems, pursues online defects identification, to reach optimum performance (Malamas et al., 2003), (Spinola et al., 2008). The usual wood inspection systems are visual ones, based on standard cameras and lighting (Batchelor & Whelan, 1997), (Cognex, 2011), (Parsytec, 2011), (Pham & Alcock, 2003) to operate in highly structured environments (Silven et al., 2003). The quality control in visual surface inspection systems must be robust to cope with wood variable reflectance and high speed requirements. The surface inspection methods proposed in the literature for visual inspection aim at adhoc surface inspection systems to solve each specific problem (Pham & Alcock, 1999). Usual inspection systems are based on visible lighting and few of them use diffuse components to illuminate the rough and bright surfaces. A visual wood defect detection system proposed by (Estevez et al., 2003) is composed by a colour video camera, where the standard lighting components are a mixture of two frontal halogen and ceiling fluorescent lamps. The commercial light diffusers use a light source and different components to illuminate the surface in an irregular way to eliminate shadows, but present some problems such as, short useful life, extreme sensitivity and high cost. On the other hand, one of the major drawbacks in automated inspection systems for wood defect classification is the erroneous segmentation of defects on light wood regions, (Ruz et al., 2009). Moreover, the speed of wooden boards at the manufacturing industry is at about 1 m/s, which implies high computational costs (Hall & Astrom, 1995). Current work presents a surface inspection system that uses laser diffuse lighting to cope with different type of defects and wood laminated surfaces to improve defect detection without any previous defect information. The work will not only highlight the specific requirements for a laser diffuse lighting in a visual inspection system but also those of unsupervised defect detection techniques to cope with the variability of wood laminated surfaces and defect types, leading to a heterogeneous and robust visual surface inspection system. The manuscript is organized as follows: section 2 displays images of different wood laminated surfaces, captured by a visual surface inspection system with standard lighting. In Section 3, an innovative surface inspection
Working Paper Series No . 12 Effects of Welfare and Anti-Poverty Policies on Adult Economic and Middle-Childhood Outcomes Differ for the “ Hardest to Employ

The welfare reform legislation of 1996 transformed many welfare benefits into a temporary safety net available to recipients who made a demonstrated effort to work. The new approach, however, raised concern that the “hard-to-employ” — especially parents with low rates of steady employment, and higher-thanaverage levels of barriers to employment — would be less likely to successfully achieve economic selfsufficiency.
Gender differences in teacher-student interactions, attitudes and achievement in middle school science

Research has shown that interest in science often decreases in the middle-school grades for both boys and girls, but that more boys continue on the science track in high school and college, leading to males dominating the fields of science and engineering in the work place. The interpersonal interaction between teachers and students, as both individuals and as a group, comprises a large part of the classroom learning environment. Though these interactions last only a school year, they can influence student attitudes and achievement in the long term. Past research has suggested that a key factor in improving student achievement and attitudes is to create learning environments which emphasize characteristics that have been found to be linked empirically with achievement and attitudes. The purpose of this study was to use quantitative methods to validate a learning environment questionnaire (Questionnaire on Teacher Interaction, QTI), to investigate outcome-environment associations, and to compare male and female students in terms of their attitudes, classroom environment perceptions and achievement. An attitude scale, based on items from the Test of Science Related Attitudes (TOSRA), and a 48-item eight-scale version of the QTI were administered to 1228 science students in Grades 6, 7 and 8 at one middle school in South Florida. Student achievement was measured using the students’ quarterly (nine-week) science grade. The results revealed satisfactory internal consistency reliability for the QTI, with alpha reliability coefficients ranging from 0.51 to 0.83 for different scales with the student as the unit of analysis and from 0.54 to 0.96 for class means. For the 10-item
Correlation Aware Technique for SQL to NoSQL Transformation

For better efficiency of parallel and distributed computing, Apache Hadoop distributes the imported data randomly on data nodes. This mechanism provides some advantages for general data analysis. With the same concept Apache Sqoop separates each table into four parts and randomly distributes them on data nodes. However, there is still a database performance concern with this data placement mechanism. This paper proposes a Correlation Aware method on Sqoop (CA_Sqoop) to improve the data placement. By gathering related data as closer as it could be to reduce the data transformation cost on the network and improve the performance in terms of database usage. The CA_Sqoop also considers the table correlation and size for better data locality and query efficiency. Simulation results show that data locality of CA_Sqoop is two times better than that of original Apache Sqoop.
Early-type stars in the core of the young open cluster Westerlund 2 ⋆⋆⋆

Aims. The properties of the early-type stars in the core of the Westerlund 2 cluster are examined in order to establish a link bet ween the cluster and the very massive Wolf-Rayet binary WR 20a as well as the Hii complex RCW 49. Methods. Photometric monitoring as well as spectroscopic observations of Westerlund 2 are used to search for light variability and to establish the spectral types of the early-type stars in the c luster core. Results. The first light curves of the eclipsing binary WR 20a in B and V filters are analysed and a distance of 8 kpc is inferred. Three additional eclipsing binaries, which are probable late O or early B-type cluster members, are discovered, but none of the known early O-type stars in the cluster displays significant photometri c variability above 1% at the 1-σ level. The twelve brightest O-type stars are found to have spectral types between O3 and O6.5, significant ly earlier than previously thought. Conclusions. The distance of the early-type stars in Westerlund 2 is established to be in excellent agreement with the distance of WR 20a, indicating that WR 20a actually belongs to the cluster. Our best estimate of the cluster distance thus amounts to 8.0± 1.4 kpc. Despite the earlier spectral types, the currently known population of early-type stars in Westerlund 2 does not provide enough ionizing photons to account for the radio emission of the RCW 49 complex. This suggests that there might still exist a number of embedded early O-stars in RCW 49.
Software Development: Processes and Performance

This paper presents data that describe the effects on software development performance due to both the production methods of software development and the social processes of how software developers work together. Data from 40 software development teams at one site that produces commercial software are used to assess the effects of production methods and social processes on both software product quality and team performance. Findings indicate that production methods, such as the use of software methodologies and automated development tools, provide no explanation for the variance in either software product quality or team performance. Social processes, such as the level of informal coordination and communication, the ability to resolve intragroup conflicts, and the degree of supportiveness among the team members, can account for 25 percent of the variations in software product quality. These findings suggest two paradoxes for practice: (1) that teams of software developers are brought together to create variability and production methods are used to reduce variability, and (2) that team-level social processes may be a better predictor of software development team performance than are production methods. These findings also suggest that factors such as other social actions or individual-level differences must account for the large and unexplained variations in team performance.
Marital Outcomes and Consideration of Divorce Among Orthodox Jews After Signing a Religious Prenuptial Agreement to Facilitate Future Divorce

ABSTRACT This study examined marital satisfaction, marital adjustment, and consideration of divorce among Orthodox Jews in North America (N = 2,652). These marital outcomes were compared for individuals who signed or did not sign a religious prenuptial agreement that facilitates a woman’s future ability to receive a religious divorce from her husband. Results indicated a higher level of marital satisfaction among those who signed the religious prenuptial agreement, and no significant difference in marital adjustment or tendency to consider divorce between groups of individuals who signed or did not sign the religious prenuptial agreement.
Visualization of records classified with the 1998 ACM CCS

This paper proposes a visualization scheme for large-scale collections of documents organized hierarchically. The scheme provides a concise and customizable view of OAI-PMH records. We assume that records are classified with a hierarchical algorithm or taxonomy. As a way of illustration, we chose the 1998 ACM Computing Classification System. A two-dimensional interface maps record attributes to visual elements: X- and Y-axes. Color, size, place and shape in the interface have a predefined intention. The scheme implementation is based of SVG charts. Users can explore data, metadata and to know the relationships between the records derived from the classification scheme. A collection of documents of the Universidad Politécnica de Puebla (UPPuebla) is used as a test bed for the proposed scheme. The paper reports preliminary results of out prototype version.
Teaching Mathematics in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Classrooms: Greek-Cypriot Elementary Teachers' Reported Practices and Professional Needs

In this article, the author presents and discusses findings from a small-scale qualitative project that included Greek-Cypriot elementary mathematics teachers working in schools with high percentages of immigrant pupils. Working in three neighbouring schools in the same underprivileged urban area, 16 teachers were individually interviewed regarding their experiences of teaching mathematics in those settings. The author discusses the teachers' reported instructional practices in facilitating their pupils' mathematical understanding, as well as their professional needs for doing so. The author's analysis suggests that teachers focused solely on providing linguistic support for their pupils, without any attempt to incorporate their pupils' diverse cultural backgrounds in classrooms. Also, the participants reported a number of professional needs not currently addressed by the Ministry of Education and Culture of the Republic of Cyprus. Some implications for policy and practice are discussed.
Extensive analysis of the Kad-based distributed computing system DuDE

The distributed computing of data is a challenging task in terms of the self-organizing task distribution and computing, especially if distributed computing systems are becoming very large and complex. Therefore, the distributed hash table (DHT)-based P2P system called DuDE has been developed to compute statistics of access nodes of Internet service providers in an efficient way. DuDE exploits the high failure resilience and scalability features of the DHT network Kad to achieve a high-performance distributed system, which avoids the bottlenecks of a centralized computing solution. To ensure highly available data, Reed-Solomon codes for reliable distributed data storage are utilized. For implementing DuDE, usual working steps of distributed computing have been extended to realize a highly scalable computing system. We have developed a simulation model for a large-scale DuDE network consisting of up to 9,000 access nodes for computing statistics. In this paper, simulation results are presented, which demonstrate that DuDE is able to almost linearly accelerate the distributed computing compared to a centralized solution while introducing low traffic overhead.
A Hybrid Approach to Query Sets Broadcasting Scheduling for Multiple Channels in Mobile Information Systems

In this paper, we investigate the broadcasting scheduling over multiple channels for the case where a mobile client might need more than one page (i.e., a query set of data pages). Ke has proposed the SNV (Set-based version-Non-overlap Version) strategy for query set broadcast scheduling in multiple channels. In the SNV strategy, the data pages of the same query set are put together as much as possible, and the strategy tries to avoid scheduling two or more pages of one query set at the same time slot of different channels. However, there are two disadvantages with the SNV strategy: (1) a data page with high access frequency may be scheduled at a time slot near the end of the broadcast cycle, which will result in long access time for the whole query set; (2) it may increase the number of slots in a certain chain, which will result in a waste of bandwidth of the other channels. Therefore, in this paper, we propose an efficient broadcast scheduling strategy, a hybrid approach, to improve these two disadvantages. Basically, our hybrid approach combines the advantages of page-based and set-based strategies. Through our performance analysis and simulation, we show that our hybrid approach requires less total expected delay access time and creates a smaller number of slots and a smaller number of empty slots in one broadcast cycle compared to the SNV strategy.
Elevated S100A9 expression in tumor stroma functions as an early recurrence marker for early-stage oral cancer patients through increased tumor cell invasion, angiogenesis, macrophage recruitment and interleukin-6 production

S100A9 is a calcium-binding protein with two EF-hands and frequently deregulated in several cancer types, however, with no clear role in oral cancer. In this report, the expression of S100A9 in cancer and adjacent tissues from 79 early-stage oral cancer patients was detected by immunohistochemical staining. Although S100A9 protein was present in both tumor and stromal cells, only the early-stage oral cancer patients with high stromal expression had reduced recurrence-free survival. High stromal S100A9 expression was also significantly associated with non-well differentiation and recurrence. In addition to increasing cell migration and invasion, ectopic S100A9 expression in tumor cells promoted xenograft tumorigenesis as well as the dominant expression of myeloid cell markers and pro-inflammatory IL-6. The expression of S100A9 in one stromal component, monocytes, stimulated the aggressiveness of co-cultured oral cancer cells. We also detected the elevation of serum S100A9 levels in early-stage oral cancer patients of a separate cohort of 73 oral cancer patients. The release of S100A9 protein into extracellular milieu enhanced tumor cell invasion, transendothelial monocyte migration and angiogenic activity. S100A9-mediated release of IL-6 requires the crosstalk of tumor cells with monocytes through the activation of NF-κB and STAT-3. Early-stage oral cancer patients with both high S100A9 expression and high CD68+ immune infiltrates in stroma had shortest recurrence-free survival, suggesting the use of both S100A9 and CD68 as poor prognostic markers for oral cancer. Together, both intracellular and extracellular S100A9 exerts a tumor-promoting action through the activation of oral cancer cells and their associated stroma in oral carcinogenesis.
Detection and optimized disposal of near-duplicate pages

Search engine is an important tool for users to access network information resources. However, a large number of duplicate and near-duplicate pages added user's burden. Currently, search engines only remove duplicate pages, but have not yet any effective strategies in detecting and disposing near-duplicate pages. This paper analyzed the existing algorithms to select an appropriate algorithm to detect near-duplicate pages, and optimized the disposing strategy to ensure that near-duplicate pages would not take up too much space in search results while being used effectively. These will allow users to retrieve needed information more easily.
Efficiency analysis of burst transmissions with block ACK in contention-based 802.11e WLANs

The channel utilization efficiency of the standard 802.11 networks is severely compromised when high data transmission rates are employed, since physical layer headers and control frames are transmitted at low rate, thus wasting more channel time, proportionally. The extensions defined in the emerging 802.11e for quality-of-service (QoS) provisioning include some new mechanisms developed in order to improve the efficiency. Those include data transmission bursting (referred to as TXOP operation) and acknowledgment aggregation (referred to as block ACK). These two features allow it to offer new data transmission services, in which the data delivery and acknowledgment unit is not a single frame, but a block of frames. In this paper, we evaluate the performance of these operations for both basic and RTS/CTS access cases. We quantify how the data bursting and block ACK mechanisms can affect the system efficiency for different environments, and derive the maximum achievable throughput. We also discuss the operating conditions at which the switch from one channel utilization method to another is desired.
Direct synthesis of novel polymeric bimetallic phthalimide complex: poly{catena-(bis(μ3-phthalimido-N,O,O')-bis(μ2-phthalimido-N,O) -aqua-dipropanol-copper(II)disodium}

As a result of the direct synthesis through oxidative dissolution of metallic copper powder in the presence of phthalimide and sodium hydride a new polymeric bimetallic coordination compound [Cu(phthal)4Na2(PrOH)2H2O]n was synthesized and characterized by a single crystal X-ray crystallography and IR spectroscopy. The copper(II) ions have a distorted tetrahedral environment (CuN4), while the coordination polyhedra of two symmetrically independent sodium ions are distorted tetragonal pyramid (NaO5) and octahedron (NaO6). The alternating Cu and Na coordination spheres are bridged by the O atoms of the multidentate phthalimide anions. In the crystal lattice, columns of the polymeric complex are packed in the pseudo-hexagonal mode. The complex crystallizes in the triclinic space group P-1 with the unit cell parameters: a = 11.293(4) Å, b = 12.253(5) Å, c = 15.683(5) Å, α = 92.60(4) ̊, β = 106.39(5) ̊, γ = 113.39(5) ̊. 74 A. Sawczenko, B. Miroslaw, T. Lis and A. E. Koziol
Essential role for TMEM 100 in vascular integrity but limited contributions to the pathogenesis of hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia

Essential role for TMEM100 in vascular integrity but limited contributions to the pathogenesis of hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia
Application of T-Code, Turbo Codes and Pseudo-Random Sequence for Steganography

In this study, we propose new technique that will address the problem of robustness and data safety in steganography. The steganography consists of techniques to allow the communication between two persons, hiding not only the contents but also the very existence of the communication in the eyes of any observer. T-Codes used with Turbo Codes generates cryptic and error-coded data stream, which is hidden in the stego-object using Pseudo-Random sequence. This technique makes our processed data stream non-vulnerable to the attack of an active intruder, or due to noise in the transmission link.
CD4+CD25+FOXP3+ Regulatory T Cells Suppress Anti-Tumor Immune Responses in Patients with Colorectal Cancer

Background A wealth of evidence obtained using mouse models indicates that CD4+CD25+FOXP3+ regulatory T cells (Treg) maintain peripheral tolerance to self-antigens and also inhibit anti-tumor immune responses. To date there is limited information about CD4+ T cell responses in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). We set out to measure T cell responses to a tumor-associated antigen and examine whether Treg impinge on those anti-tumor immune responses in CRC patients. Methodology and Principal Findings Treg were identified and characterized as CD4+CD25+FOXP3+ using flow cytometry. An increased frequency of Treg was demonstrated in both peripheral blood and mesenteric lymph nodes of patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) compared with either healthy controls or patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Depletion of Treg from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of CRC patients unmasked CD4+ T cell responses, as observed by IFNγ release, to the tumor associated antigen 5T4, whereas no effect was observed in a healthy age-matched control group. Conclusions/Significance Collectively, these data demonstrate that Treg capable of inhibiting tumor associated antigen-specific immune responses are enriched in patients with CRC. These results support a rationale for manipulating Treg to enhance cancer immunotherapy.
Iris Segmentation Using Geodesic Active Contours

The richness and apparent stability of the iris texture make it a robust biometric trait for personal authentication. The performance of an automated iris recognition system is affected by the accuracy of the segmentation process used to localize the iris structure. Most segmentation models in the literature assume that the pupillary, limbic, and eyelid boundaries are circular or elliptical in shape. Hence, they focus on determining model parameters that best fit these hypotheses. However, it is difficult to segment iris images acquired under nonideal conditions using such conic models. In this paper, we describe a novel iris segmentation scheme employing geodesic active contours (GACs) to extract the iris from the surrounding structures. Since active contours can 1) assume any shape and 2) segment multiple objects simultaneously, they mitigate some of the concerns associated with traditional iris segmentation models. The proposed scheme elicits the iris texture in an iterative fashion and is guided by both local and global properties of the image. The matching accuracy of an iris recognition system is observed to improve upon application of the proposed segmentation algorithm. Experimental results on the CASIA v3.0 and WVU nonideal iris databases indicate the efficacy of the proposed technique.
Agent-based economic modelling with iterated prisoner's dilemma

This paper presents a method on modelling the economy market using agent-based representation and iterated prisoner's dilemma (IPD). While IPD has been widely used in various problems, there is little work done in modelling the dynamics of market behaviour and it is the main objective of this work to fill in this gap. We create a simulated market environment with agents acting as firms to perform transactions among each other with chosen IPD strategy. From the empirical results, we investigate the strategic interactions among different firms in relation to real-world transaction scenario. In the concluding remarks, we present our observation on the qualities of a winning strategy.