Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of Image Compression on Extracted Feature Quality

Ester and amide derivatives of N-(((alkoxy-(alkylthio)phosphinyl)amino)carbonyl)amino)alkanecarboxylic acids of the formula: (wherein R2 represents an alkyl group containing a carboxylic acid ester or amide moiety) were prepared by the reaction of O,S-dialkyl phosphoroisocyanatidothioates and ester and amide derivatives of naturally occurring and synthetic aminoacids and were found to be effective plant systemic and contact insecticides. Ethyl N-(((methoxy(methylthio)phosphinyl)amino)-carbonyl)methioninate, for example, were prepared from O,S-dimethyl phosphoroisocyanatidothioate and ethyl methioninate and found to control aster leafhoppers when applied to rice plants.
Accelerated Verification of an ID-based Signature Scheme for Broadcast Authentication in Wireless Sensor Networks

Broadcast authentication is a fundamental security service in wireless sensor networks (WSNs). Although symmetric-key-based μTESLA-like schemes were employed due to their energy efficiency, they all suffer from DoS attacks resulting from the nature of delayed message authentication. Recently, several public-key-based schemes have been proposed to achieve immediate broadcast authentication with significantly improved security strength. While the public-key-based schemes obviate the security vulnerability inherent to symmetric-key-based μTESLA-like schemes, their signature verification is time-consuming. Thus, speeding up signature verification is a problem of considerable practical importance, especially in resource-constrained environments. This paper presents an accelerated verification of vBNN-IBS, a pairing-free identity-based signature with reduced signature size. A quantitative analysis demonstrates that the accelerated vBNN-IBS reduces 38.62% energy consumption in a 4×4 grid-based WSN and runs 66% faster than the traditional signature verification method. It also allows the total energy consumption to be reduced by up to 23.25% and 25.14% compared to, respectively, IMBAS [1] and EIBAS [13] ID-based broadcast authentication schemes.
Verifiable UML Artifact-Centric Business Process Models

Artifact-centric business process models have gained increasing momentum recently due to their ability to combine structural (i.e., data related) with dynamical (i.e., process related) aspects. In particular, two main lines of research have been pursued so far: one tailored to business artifact modeling languages and methodologies, the other focused on the foundations for their formal verification. In this paper, we merge these two lines of research, by showing how recent theoretical decidability results for verification can be fruitfully transferred to a concrete UML-based modeling methodology. In particular, we identify additional steps in the methodology that, in significant cases, guarantee the possibility of verifying the resulting models against rich first-order temporal properties. Notably, our results can be seamlessly transferred to different languages for the specification of the artifact lifecycles.
Impairment of  T and B Cell Development by Treatment with a Type I Interferon

Type I interferons α and β, naturally produced regulators of cell growth and differentiation, have been shown to inhibit IL-7–induced growth and survival of B cell precursors in vitro. After confirming an inhibitory effect on B lymphopoiesis in an ex vivo assay, we treated newborn mice with an active IFN-α2/α1 hybrid molecule to assess its potential for regulating B and T cell development in vivo. Bone marrow and splenic cellularity was greatly reduced in the IFN-α2/α1–treated mice, and B lineage cells were reduced by >80%. The bone marrow progenitor population of CD43+B220+HSA− cells was unaffected, but development of the CD19+ pro–B cells and their B lineage progeny was severely impaired. Correspondingly, IL-7–responsive cells in the bone marrow were virtually eliminated by the interferon treatment. Thymus cellularity was also reduced by >80% in the treated mice. Phenotypic analysis of the residual thymocytes indicated that the inhibitory effect was exerted during the pro–T cell stage in differentiation. In IFN-α/β receptor−/− mice, T and B cell development were unaffected by the IFN-α2/α1 treatment. The data suggest that type I interferons can reversibly inhibit early T and B cell development by opposing the essential IL-7 response.
Constructive induction of fuzzy Cartesian granule feature models using genetic programming with applications

Cartesian granule features are derived features that are formed over the cross product of words that linguistically partition the universes of the constituent input features. Both classification and prediction problems can be modelled quite naturally in terms of Cartesian granule features incorporated into rule based models. The induction of Cartesian granule feature model involves discovering which input features should be combined to form Cartesian granule features in order to model a domain effectively; an exponential search problem. We present the G-DACG (Genetic Discovery of Additive Cartesian Granule feature models) constructive induction algorithm as a means of automatically identifying additive Cartesian granule feature models from example data. G-DACG combines the powerful optimisation capabilities of genetic programming with a rather novel and cheap fitness function which relies on the semantic separation of learnt concepts expressed in terms of Cartesian granule fuzzy sets. G-DACG is illustrated on a variety of artificial and real world classification problems.
Rings and Jets around PSR J2021+3651: The “Dragonfly Nebula”

We describe recent Chandra ACIS observations of the Vela-like pulsar PSR J2021+3651 and its pulsar wind nebula (PWN). This “Dragonfly Nebula” displays an axisymmetric morphology, with bright inner jets, a double-ridged inner nebula, and a ~30″ polar jet. The PWN is embedded in faint diffuse emission: a bow shock-like structure with standoff of ~1′ brackets the pulsar to the east and emission trails off westward for 3′-4′. Thermal (kT∞ = 0.16 ± 0.02 keV) and power-law emission are detected from the pulsar. The nebular X-rays show spectral steepening from Γ = 1.5 in the equatorial torus to Γ = 1.9 in the outer nebula, suggesting synchrotron burnoff. A fit to the Dragonfly structure suggests a large (86°± 1°) inclination with a double equatorial torus. Vela is currently the only other PWN showing such double structure. The ~12 kpc distance implied by the pulsar dispersion measure is not supported by the X-ray data; spectral, scale, and efficiency arguments suggest a more modest 3-4 kpc.
Masters in Computer Speech , Text and Internet Technology Neural Network-based Language Model for Conversational Telephone Speech Recognition

Preface This dissertation is the result of my own work and includes nothing which is the outcome of work done in collaboration except where specifically indicated in the text. I hereby declare that my thesis does not exceed the limit of length prescribed in the Special Regulations of the M. Phil. examination for which I am a candidate. The length of my thesis is 14980 words. Acknowledgements I would like to thank Professor Phil Woodland for his help and guidance over the course of this project. I would also like to thank David Mrva for providing a customized version of the LPlex tool capable of summing over words in a specified shortlist. Abstract This thesis presents a large scale neural network language model for telephone conversation transcriptions. By mapping n-gram contexts to a continuous vector space, the neural network is trained with softmax normalization to operate as a probability estimator. The smooth nature of the resulting distributions achieves consistently reduced perplexity for restricted subsets of the vocabulary. Excessive training time is a major issue and optimized linear algebra libraries are used for an efficient implementation of feed forward and back propagation during training. A word-class interpretation of the network inputs and outputs is demonstrated to obtain improved perplexity over the n-gram model when training data is limited.
Visual Attention Region Detection Using Texture, Object Features

Human perception tends to firstly pick attended regions, which correspond to prominent objects in an image. Visual attention region detection simulates the behavior of the human visual system (HVS) and detects regions of interest (ROIs) in the image. In this study, a visual attention region detection approach using low-level texture and object features is proposed. The new and improved (shifted) functions are proposed and used in both the proposed texture and object features to ensure that all attended pixels will be extracted. The proposed approach can generate high-quality spatial saliency maps in an effective manner. As compared with three existing approaches, including Stentiford’s, Zhai/ Shah’s, and Park/Moon’s approaches, the proposed approach has a better performance of extracting ROIs in images and low computational complexity.
Mechatronic Hand Prosthesis for Child

The design of a distal extremity prosthesis (right hand) based on the anthropometric measures of a 10-year old child is presented. Each finger is disposed in two sections, a fusion of the middle and distal phalanx, and a proximal phalanx articulated to the hand palm. The angles of the movement for the extension and flexion of all fingers, except the thumb, are controlled by a link located sideways. The drive system, that generates three degrees of freedom to execute the cylindrical grasp's functions, the precision grasp, hook prehension and the extended index finger, is based on three linear actuators located on the palm, which have a reference potentiometer that provides its position, such indication is used by the microcontroller via the analogic input signal. To validate the design, a stresses and displacements analysis, and the determination of the safety factor that offers the device for the selected materials is carried out, using a computer program based on the Finite Element Method. The results obtained show a light prosthetic device that weights 150 grams, and can operate safely allowing four grip functions with the normal angles of the hand.
Phosphorylation of Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase in Primary Afferent Neurons by Noxious Stimuli and Its Involvement in Peripheral Sensitization

Alteration in the intracellular signal transduction pathway in primary afferent neurons may contribute to pain hypersensitivity. We demonstrated that very rapid phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases (pERK) occurred in DRG neurons that were taking part in the transmission of various noxious signals. The electrical stimulation of Aδ fibers induced pERK primarily in neurons with myelinated fibers. c-Fiber activation by capsaicin injection induced pERK in small neurons with unmyelinated fibers containing vanilloid receptor-1 (VR-1), suggesting that pERK labeling in DRG neurons is modality specific. Electrical stimulation at the c-fiber level with different intensities and frequencies revealed that phosphorylation of ERK is dependent on the frequency. We examined the pERK in the DRG after application of natural noxious stimuli and found a stimulus intensity-dependent increase in labeled cell size and in the number of activated neurons in the c- and Aδ-fiber population. Immunohistochemical double labeling with phosphorylated ERK/VR-1 and pharmacological study demonstrated that noxious heat stimulation induced pERK in primary afferents in a VR-1-dependent manner. Capsaicin injection into the skin also increased pERK labeling significantly in peripheral fibers and terminals in the skin, which was prevented by a mitogen-activated protein kinase/ERK kinase inhibitor, 1,4-diamino-2,3-dicyano-1,4-bis(2-aminopheylthio)butadiene (U0126). Behavioral experiments showed that U0126 dose-dependently attenuated thermal hyperalgesia after capsaicin injection and suggested that the activation of ERK pathways in primary afferent neurons is involved in the sensitization of primary afferent neurons. Thus, pERK in primary afferents by noxious stimulationin vivo showed distinct characteristics of expression and may be correlated with the functional activity of primary afferent neurons.
Treatment hurts: Lay theories of graded exposure in the treatment of four anxiety disorders

Abstract Objective: This paper concerned the perceived suffering/side effects caused by various well-known treatments for personal problems. It looked at whether people understood whether potentially painful treatments that confront negative aversive affect were effective or not. Method: In total, 106 participants completed a long questionnaire assessing the ‘psychological pain’ ratings of 30 psychotherapy treatments, varying in fear exposure, for four relatively common anxiety disorders: social phobia, agoraphobia, post-traumatic stress disorder, and obsessive compulsive disorder. Results: Factor analytic results revealed four clear factors underlying lay efficacy beliefs of psychotherapy interventions, varying in fear exposure: talking therapies, fear confrontation, fear avoidance, and alternative therapies. Talking therapies were rated the most effective across all disorders, but also the most painful. Fear avoidance therapies were rated the least effective and, along with alternative medicine, the least painful. Treatments involving fear exposure were rated the most painful. Regression analysis revealed talking therapies to be rated more efficacious by younger subjects than older subjects. Conclusion: Most people seem able to differentiate between the efficacies of interventions for different anxiety disorders and hold consensually held optimistic conceptions about the usefulness of psychotherapy treatments and counseling that involve fear exposure, despite knowledge of the psychophysical side effects that these therapies often entail. They favored talking cures over others, but that may have been due to misleading items in the questionnaire.
Iridium-based bimetallic alloy catalysts for the ethanol oxidation reaction for fuel cells modeled by density functional theory

8 Introduction . 10 Chapter 1: Background Information . 12 I. Fuels cells. 12 A. General structure . 12 B. Potential Fuels . 14 C. Fuel cell types. 14 1. Proton exchange membrane fuel cells . 14 2. Other fuel cell types . 16 II. Current limitations of PEM fuel fells . 17 A. Gas diffusion layer and crossover . 17 B. Catalyst . 18 1. On the anode side . 18 2. On the cathode side. 19 C. Economic goal . 20 III. Direct ethanol fuel cell . 20 A. General reaction mechanism . 21 B. Current catalysts employed . 23 1. Platinum based anode catalyst . 23 2. Other alloys. 27
What’s a Drink with Friends?: A Qualitative Systematic Synthesis of Social Drinking as Leisure

Abstract To enrich our understanding of how leisure scholars are engaged in the topic of social drinking, this qualitative systematic synthesis consolidates and describes leisure literature related to social drinking. Following Saini and Shlonsky’s (2012) methods for systematic syntheses of qualitative literature, this review included articles from 11 leisure journals, published between 2006 and 2016, resulting in a total of 249 abstracts reviewed. Upon applying inclusion criteria to focus the review on descriptions of social drinking, 17 articles were included in the synthesis and analysis. Notably, descriptions of social drinking in the leisure literature are less common than those which emphasize the broad health implications. Descriptions of social drinking are most present when presented as an adjunct to another leisure pursuit, as in the context of sporting events and tourism.
A robust mean-transform based visual tracker

We present a robust particle filter based visual tracker based on an earlier approach called mean-transform which can track a window with orientation and scale changes. This work is the first work combining sparse coding, mean transform and particle filtering in visual tracking. We show that particle filter is effective in enhancing the mean-transform tracker. From the result, we see that such architecture can provide comparable accuracy to the state-of-art trackers with increased robustness. The current approach may provide a framework for investigating a state approach that incorporates velocity and acceleration of objects in the tracker.
An Efficient Implementation of Digital Signature Algorithm with SRNN Public Key Cryptography

Digital Signature schemes are mostly used in cryptographic protocols to provide services like entity authentication, authenticated key transport and authenticated key agreement. This architecture is related with Secure Hash Function and 512-bit SRNN cryptographic algorithm. SRNN algorithm is based on RSA algorithm with some modification and included more security. In this algorithm we have an extremely large number that has two prime factors (similar to RSA). In addition of this we have used two natural numbers in pair of keys (public, private). This natural number increases the security of the cryptosystem. If the security of our method proves to be adequate, it permits secure communication to be established without the use of carriers to carry keys. In this paper, a new algorithm has been designed for generating signature that overcomes the Shortcomings of the RSA system (longer processing time & computational overheads), also the new algorithm can be achieves high security for digital signature.
Dynamics of Photocarrier Separation in MAPbI3 Perovskite Multigrain Films under a Quasistatic Electric Field

Applying time-resolved electroabsorption spectroscopy for the first time to methylammonium lead triiodide perovskite (MAPbI3) thin films under reverse bias, we monitored optically the ultrafast evolution of the local counter-electric field produced by the drift of photogenerated electrons and holes in opposite directions. Under an externally applied electric field of |E| < 105 V cm–1, the carriers were found to reach a separation of 40 nm within ∼1 ps. This distance corresponds to the average dimensions of crystalline grains in the active film, at the boundaries of which charges were trapped. An intragrain average carrier drift mobility of μ± = 23 cm2 V–1 s–1 was inferred. Subsequent charge detrapping, migration through the entire film, and accumulation at its insulated surfaces caused a blue shift of the perovskite absorption edge that arose within tens of picoseconds, owing to a trap-limited electron drift mobility μn = 6 cm2 V–1 s–1. Charge recombination was entirely suppressed between field-separated .
Shared core meanings and shared associations in bilingual semantic memory: Evidence from research on implicit memory

Aims and objectives/purpose/research questions: The degree of overlap across languages in bilingual semantic memory has been debated in the cognitive bilingual literature for decades. This paper focuses on theory and recent evidence addressing the questions of whether translation-equivalent words in a bilingual person’s two languages access common core-meaning representations and whether long-standing semantic/conceptual associations among words are language-general or language-specific. Design/methodology/approach: We explain a theoretical approach to this problem and review recent evidence that addresses it. The empirical work cited used primarily memory tasks in which the languages of the word stimuli or responses changed from encoding to test. Data and analysis: Several studies are reviewed. In most cases, data were analyzed using an analysis of variance. Findings/conclusions: Robust between-language priming was observed for concrete nouns, abstract nouns, verbs, and adjectives using a variety of specific tasks, indicating that the semantic representations of translation equivalents overlap. The reduction in priming relative to within-language conditions could be explained in some cases by repetition of language-specific processes in the within-language conditions. Results of repetition-priming and false-memory experiments that involved semantic associations showed that category–exemplar, noun–verb, antonym, and other semantic relationships are shared across languages in a common semantic system. Originality: Many of the results are interpreted with respect to questions that have not been addressed in previous work. Significance/implications: The nature of semantic system integration is important for understanding bilingual cognition. Episodic memory tasks can be a useful way to study the organization of core-meaning representations in bilinguals, and indicate that these representations are shared across languages. However, these procedures do not capture other aspects of semantic representation that may differ across languages.
The planetary nebula population of the Sagittarius dwarf spheroidal galaxy

The identification of two new planetary nebulae (PNe) in the Sagittarius dwarf spheroidal galaxy (Sgr) is presented. This brings the total number to four. Both new PNe were previously classified as Galactic objects. The first, StWr 2-21, belongs to the main body of Sgr, from its velocity and location. The second, the halo PN BoBn 1, has a location, distance and velocity in agreement with the leading tidal tail of Sgr. We estimate that 10 per cent of the Galactic halo consists of Sgr debris. The specific frequency of PNe indicates a total luminosity of Sgr, including its tidal tails, of M v = -14.1. StWr 2-21 shows a high abundance of [O/H] = -0.23, which confirms the high-metallicity population in Sgr uncovered by Bonifacio et al. The steep metallicity-age gradient in Sgr is due to interstellar medium (ISM) removal during the Galactic plane passages, ISM reformation due to stellar mass-loss, and possibly accretion of metal-enriched gas from our Galaxy. The ISM re-formation rate of Sgr, from stellar mass-loss, is 5 × 10 -4 M ⊙ yr -1 , amounting to ∼10 6 M ⊙ per orbital period. Hubble Space Telescope images of three of the PNe reveal well-developed bipolar morphologies, and provide clear detections of the central stars. All three stars with deep spectra show WR lines, suggesting that the progenitor mass and metallicity determines whether a PN central star develops a WR spectrum. One Sgr PN belongs to the class of IR-[WC] stars. Expansion velocities are determined for three nebulae. Comparison with hydrodynamical models indicates an initial density profile of p α r -3 . This is evidence for increasing mass-loss rates on the asymptotic giant branch. Peak mass-loss rates are indicated of ∼10 -4 M ⊙ yr -1 . The IR-[WC] PN, He 2-436, provides the sole direct detection of dust in a dwarf spheroidal galaxy, to date.
Clinical implications of spirituality to mental health: review of evidence and practical guidelines.

OBJECTIVE Despite empirical evidence of a relationship between religiosity/spirituality (R/S) and mental health and recommendations by professional associations that these research findings be integrated into clinical practice, application of this knowledge in the clinic remains a challenge. This paper reviews the current state of the evidence and provides evidence-based guidelines for spiritual assessment and for integration of R/S into mental health treatment. METHODS PubMed searches of relevant terms yielded 1,109 papers. We selected empirical studies and reviews that addressed assessment of R/S in clinical practice. RESULTS The most widely acknowledged and agreed-upon application of R/S to clinical practice is the need to take a spiritual history (SH), which may improve patient compliance, satisfaction with care, and health outcomes. We found 25 instruments for SH collection, several of which were validated and of good clinical utility. CONCLUSIONS This paper provides practical guidelines for spiritual assessment and integration thereof into mental health treatment, as well as suggestions for future research on the topic.