Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Working Paper Series 19 / 2007 Telecommunications in small economies : the impact of liberalization and alternative technologies on universal service

They are circulated for discussion purposes only. Their contents should be considered preliminary and are not to be quoted without the authors' permission. ABSTRACT The paper identifies a lack of research in the field of telecommunications in the context of small economies. The central research question of the paper is whether there exist significant differences between small and large economies with relation to the effects of liberalization and alternative technologies on Universal Service that would necessitate the consideration of smallness in the formulation of optimum policy. It examines this question following an econometric approach using data for more than 140 economies for the period 1980-2004. Research findings support that, for small economies, smallness constitutes a significant factor leveraging the outcomes of competition and alternative technologies on the fixed network and prices. Suggestions for policy development are provided. 1 SECTION 1 – INTRODUCTION Existing research on telecommunications has produced limited evidence regarding the effects of competition on Universal Service. Moreover, recent literature on telecommunications has examined the impact of alternative technologies on Universal Service but has also produced ambiguous evidence on the nature of the relationship. This evidence is based on studies which have concentrated mainly on large industrial economies or large developing economies. Whilst the literature on small economies postulates that optimal national policy should differ with size the telecommunications literature has placed nominal emphasis upon it. This paper examines the effects of competition and alternative technologies on Universal Service when smallness becomes influential. An econometric model assesses these effects. Smallness is depicted by a composite index consisted of the measures of population, GDP and arable area. The effects of liberalization are modeled by distinguishing between competition in the distinct markets of fixed voice, mobile telephony and the Internet. Alternative technologies are represented by development indicators in mobile telephony and the Internet. Research findings support the hypothesis that, for small economies, smallness constitutes a significant factor leveraging the outcomes of competition and alternative technologies on the fixed network and prices. Competition effects on Universal Service vary between the three telecommunications markets. Policy implications suggest that small economies require endogenous policy that addresses their distinctive characteristics. For their characteristics, small economies are more apt to encounter a natural monopoly in the fixed voice. Incumbent providers in small economies may find it practical to serve demand in fixed voice in neighboring economies that may allow them to exploit economies of scale. Technologies …
Network-Aware Instance Scheduling in OpenStack

Cloud computing systems require a placement logic that decides where to allocate resources. In state-of-the-art platforms such as OpenStack, this scheduler takes into account multiple constraints when starting a new instance, including in particular the required computational and memory resources. However, this scheduling mechanism typically neither considers network requirements of Virtual Machines nor the networking resources that are actually available. In this paper we present an extension of the OpenStack scheduler that enables a network-aware placement of instances by taking into account bandwidth constraints to and from nodes. Our solution keeps track of host-local network resource allocation, and it can be combined with bandwidth enforcement mechanisms such as rate limiting. We present a prototype that requires only very few changes in the OpenStack open source software. Testbed measurement results demonstrate the benefit of our solution compared to the OpenStack default approach.
Anti-Aliasing of Reflection Effects of Water Surface

Water surface is one of the most important components for rendering landscapes. The rendered spacious water surface with periodic wavelets such as on the lakes and reservoirs is very easy to make aliasing and/or moiré in the regions far from the viewpoint. In periodic bump mapping on a plane with strong reflection, moiré pattern appears. The reflection rays on the wavelets are scattered by the bumped surfaces. We propose how to estimate the scattering ranges and then sample from the corresponding area on an image space. Both the rendered images and animations show excellent effects on the water surface of a reservoir.
A pre-attentive model of biological vision

Most view-based models have neglected two important facts about object learning: the transformation from retinal to cortical representation is space-variant, and the eyes move actively to explore the world. The high resolution foveal representation of retinal image facilitates object recognition, and the low resolution peripheral representation provides suitable commands for eye movements. In this paper, pre-attentive processing mechanism of biological vision is studied, including cortical magnification, contrast enhancement, boundary processing and surface filling mechanisms. Compared with traditional biological visual image processing system, the proposed pre-attentive model is more biologically plausible, and simulation results indicate that it can provide input to higher-level visual cognition process as expected.
Geometric conditional belief functions

In this paper we study the problem of conditioning a belief function b with respect to an event A by geometrically projecting such belief function onto the simplex associated with A in the simplex of all belief functions. Two different such simplices can be defined, as each belief function can be represented as the vector of its basic probability values or the vector of its belief values. We show here that defining geometric conditional b.f. s by minimizing Lp distances between b and the conditioning simplex in the mass space produces simple, elegant results with straightforward interpretations in terms of degrees of belief. In opposition, the same conditional b.f. s in the belief space often deliver pseudo belief functions with less natural interpretations. The question of weather classical approaches, first and foremost Dempster’s conditioning, can be reduced to same form of distance minimization remains open: the generation of families of combination rules generated by (geometrical) conditioning appears to be the natural prosecution of the presented research.
Friction-induced vibration and noise on a brake system

The experimental set-up of a disc brake system are established. The LuGre friction model is adopted to determine the friction force between the disc and the pad. The nonlinear dynamic behavior of the brake pad with non-internal condition is discussed, also the shrill frictional noise signals are investigated. The study shows that with the decrease of disc velocity, the tangential motion of the pad loses its stability, then the pure slip and incomplete stick-slip self-excited vibrations are resulted. The low and high frequency squeal noise are obtained experimentally at the same time. With proper parameters, a chaos phenomenon also can be observed in the tangential motion by the numerical simulation, the experimental test findings are used to verify the numerical simulation results.
One-against-All Weighted Dynamic Time Warping for Language-Independent and Speaker-Dependent Speech Recognition in Adverse Conditions

Considering personal privacy and difficulty of obtaining training material for many seldom used English words and (often non-English) names, language-independent (LI) with lightweight speaker-dependent (SD) automatic speech recognition (ASR) is a promising option to solve the problem. The dynamic time warping (DTW) algorithm is the state-of-the-art algorithm for small foot-print SD ASR applications with limited storage space and small vocabulary, such as voice dialing on mobile devices, menu-driven recognition, and voice control on vehicles and robotics. Even though we have successfully developed two fast and accurate DTW variations for clean speech data, speech recognition for adverse conditions is still a big challenge. In order to improve recognition accuracy in noisy environment and bad recording conditions such as too high or low volume, we introduce a novel one-against-all weighted DTW (OAWDTW). This method defines a one-against-all index (OAI) for each time frame of training data and applies the OAIs to the core DTW process. Given two speech signals, OAWDTW tunes their final alignment score by using OAI in the DTW process. Our method achieves better accuracies than DTW and merge-weighted DTW (MWDTW), as 6.97% relative reduction of error rate (RRER) compared with DTW and 15.91% RRER compared with MWDTW are observed in our extensive experiments on one representative SD dataset of four speakers' recordings. To the best of our knowledge, OAWDTW approach is the first weighted DTW specially designed for speech data in adverse conditions.
Fuzzy logic self-motion planning and robust adaptive control for tip-over avoidance of redundant mobile modular manipulators

A redundant nonholonomic mobile modular manipulator composed of a 3-wheeled nonholonomic mobile platform and a N-degree of freedom (DOF) onboard modular manipulator is investigated in this paper. Redundancy of the atop manipulator is used to avoid tipping over of the entire robot through automatically adjusting self-motions in a realtime manner. On the basis of modular robot concept, a kind of integrated dynamic modeling method is proposed. A real-time fuzzy logic (FL) self-motion planner and a robust adaptive controller are presented to prevent the robot from overturn without affecting the end-effector specified tasks. A new sliding mode function is devised, which is not only continuous but also infinitely differentiable, then chattering caused by classical sign function can be eliminated effectively. The proposed algorithm does not need exact a priori dynamic parameters and has strong external disturbance suppression ability. Simulation results for a real robot moving on a slope demonstrate that the proposed controller is effective
A network intrusion detection system based on the artificial neural networks

To address the problem of high false alarm rate confronted by the traditional intrusion detection systems, this paper presents a new method of applying the artificial neural networks to the network intrusion detection system. We designed and implemented a network intrusion detection system based on the artificial neural networks, and then several experiments have been carried out. For the known intrusions, the false alarm rate is less than 3 percent, and, for the unknown intrusions, the false alarm rate is less than 13 percent. All of these experimental results indicate that this method is advantageous over the traditional intrusion detection methods and some other new methods suggested.
Hybrid companding and coding for Peak to Average Power Ratio reduction in Filter Bank based Multicarrier System

OFDM is usually selected as a good candidate for Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) systems. However, the weaknesses of the OFDM technique, such as low bandwidth efficiency and high out-of-band emission, lead to the introduction of Filter Bank based Multi Carrier (FBMC) system. In this paper, an efficient FBMC system using Cosine Modulated Filter Banks (CMFB) has been proposed. Peak to Average Power Ratio (PAPR) is an important problem in FBMC system as in every multi-carrier system. PAPR reduction using companding, block coding and a hybrid of both methods are carried out and their performance is evaluated using CCDF plot and BER plot. The simulation results show that hybrid method outperforms the other methods and gives better PAPR reduction.
Effectiveness of Social Behaviors for Autonomous Wheelchair Robot to Support Elderly People in Japan

We developed a wheelchair robot to support the movement of elderly people and specifically implemented two functions to enhance their intention to use it: speaking behavior to convey place/location related information and speed adjustment based on individual preferences. Our study examines how the evaluations of our wheelchair robot differ when compared with human caregivers and a conventional autonomous wheelchair without the two proposed functions in a moving support context. 28 senior citizens participated in the experiment to evaluate three different conditions. Our measurements consisted of questionnaire items and the coding of free-style interview results. Our experimental results revealed that elderly people evaluated our wheelchair robot higher than the wheelchair without the two functions and the human caregivers for some items.
A metadata framework for interoperating heterogeneous genome data using XML

The rapid advances in the Human Genome Project and genomic technologies have produced massive amounts of data populated in a large number of network-accessible databases. These technological advances and the associated data can have a great impact on biomedicine and healthcare. To answer many of the biologically or medically important questions, researchers often need to integrate data from a number of independent but related genome databases. One common practice is to download data sets (text files) from various genome Web sites and process them by some local programs. One main problem with this approach is that these programs are written on a case-by-case basis because the data sets involved are heterogeneous in structure. To address this problem, we define metadata that maps these heterogeneously structured files into a common eXtensible Markup Language (XML) structure to facilitate data interoperation. We illustrate this approach by interoperating two sets of essential yeast genes that are stored in two yeast genome databases (MIPS and YPD).
Strength and tempo of directional selection in the wild

Directional selection is a major force driving adaptation and evolutionary change. However, the distribution, strength, and tempo of phenotypic selection acting on quantitative traits in natural populations remain unclear across different study systems. We reviewed the literature (1984–1997) that reported the strength of directional selection as indexed by standardized linear selection gradients (β). We asked how strong are viability and sexual selection, and whether strength of selection is correlated with the time scale over which it was measured. Estimates of the magnitude of directional selection (|β|) were exponentially distributed, with few estimates greater than 0.50 and most estimates less than 0.15. Sexual selection (measured by mating success) appeared stronger than viability selection (measured by survival). Viability selection that was measured over short periods (days) was typically stronger than selection measured over longer periods (months and years), but the strength of sexual selection did not vary with duration of selection episodes; as a result, sexual selection was stronger than viability selection over longer time scales (months and years), but not over short time scales (days).
Sensitivity analysis of spiking neuron synapse

This paper researches on the sensitivity of spiking neuron synapse caused by the input perturbation. Due to the discontinuous character of the response function in real number space the discussion of the sensitivity is divided into two parts according to the different value of the neuron running time. One part is deriving a computational formula for the sensitivity which is defined as a mathematical expectation of absolute output deviation due to the input perturbation. Another part is analyzing the probability of response change caused by the perturbation. With these results it's possible to investigate the working mechanism of the spiking neuron from a special aspect.
Values of deference to authority in Japan and China

Values of deference to authority have long been prevalent in Japan and China. These two societies feature hierarchical social structures, harmonious orientations, and collectivism, which are regarded as cultural characteristics of East Asia. Through distinguishing traditional values in the political sphere from those in the non-political sphere, this article examines the relationship between traditional values and political deference levels in Japan and China. The empirical results show that conformity in family and school, preference for political harmony, and prioritization of national interests positively correlated with political deference in the two countries. However, prioritizing family and collective interests significantly correlated with political deference in China, while no significant effect was observed in Japan. Neither did preference for harmony in community and in the workplace have a positive effect on political deference in Japan.
Time-Domain Calibrated Measurements of Wideband Multisines Using a Large-Signal Network Analyzer

This paper presents a calibrated measurement technique that enables phase and magnitude measurements of wideband multisines. This study is based on the use of a large-signal network analyzer (LSNA) performing harmonic sub-sampling and a fine frequency grid (20 MHz) comb generator calibrated using a high-frequency 50-GHz equivalent-time sampling scope. This comb generator is used as a harmonic phase reference generator for the calibration of the LSNA. The research reported here is applied to L-band multisine measurements, but it can be extended to higher microwave frequencies. The motivation of this study is to measure the multipactor phenomena effect in output RF multiplexers of satellite payloads.
Role of Serine Proteases in the Regulation of Interleukin-877 during the Development of Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia in Preterm Ventilated Infants

Rationale The chemokine interleukin-8 is implicated in the development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia in preterm infants. The 77-amino acid isoform of interleukin-8 (interleukin-877) is a less potent chemoattractant than other shorter isoforms. Although interleukin-877 is abundant in the preterm circulation, its regulation in the preterm lung is unknown. Objectives To study expression and processing of pulmonary interleukin-877 in preterm infants who did and did not develop bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Methods Total interleukin-8 and interleukin-877 were measured in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from preterm infants by immunoassay. Neutrophil serine proteases were used to assess processing. Neutrophil chemotaxis assays and degranulation of neutrophil matrix metalloproteinase-9 were used to assess interleukin-8 function. Main Results Peak total interleukin-8 and interleukin-877 concentrations were increased in infants who developed bronchopulmonary dysplasia compared to those who did not. Shorter forms of interleukin-8 predominated in the preterm lung (96.3% No-bronchopulmonary dysplasia vs 97.1% bronchopulmonary dysplasia, p>0.05). Preterm bronchoalveolar lavage fluid significantly converted exogenously added interleukin-877 to shorter isoforms (p<0.001). Conversion was greater in bronchopulmonary dysplasia infants (p<0.05). This conversion was inhibited by α-1 antitrypsin and antithrombin III (p<0.01). Purified neutrophil serine proteases efficiently converted interleukin-877 to shorter isoforms in a time- and dose-dependent fashion; shorter interleukin-8 isoforms were primarily responsible for neutrophil chemotaxis (p<0.001). Conversion by proteinase-3 resulted in significantly increased interleukin-8 activity in vitro (p<0.01). Conclusions Shorter, potent, isoforms interleukin-8 predominate in the preterm lung, and are increased in infants developing bronchopulmonary dysplasia, due to conversion of interleukin-877 by neutrophil serine proteases and thrombin. Processing of interleukin-8 provides an attractive therapeutic target to prevent development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia.
Substring Differences in Genomes

The invention relates to methods and compositions for the treatment of autoimmune disease. Specifically, compositions comprising heat shock proteins, including gp96, hsp90, and hsp70, are disclosed. Immunotherapeutic methods for administering the hsp-containing compositions are disclosed. Furthermore, methods for preventing rejection of organs transplanted to treat autoimmune disease are disclosed. The disclosed methods are useful for treating a variety of autoimmune diseases, including insulin dependent diabetes mellitus.
Keyframe Motion Optimization ByRelaxing Speed and

While physically based approaches have been shown to be eeective for creating graceful and realistic motions, keyframing systems are still the predominant tool for animation. This is due primarily to the control provided to the animator, as well as to the simple fast computation of in-between frames. In contrast, physical simulation systems automate the creation of realistic motion sequences, but remove most of the control from the animator. Recent work with spacetime constraints and optimal control has focused on balancing control and automation. However, either the algorithmic and computational complexity or the continuing lack of control have made it diicult to integrate these developments into real animation systems. The goal of the research reported here is to avoid disturbing the basic framework of keyframe systems while still ooering many of the advantages of optimization based systems. We present an animation paradigm in which, as in keyframe systems, the user speciies a small number of keyframes for the gure to pass through. As in spacetime constraint systems , the animator may also indicate constraints such as the height of a jump. In constrast to both systems, the time at which the gure reaches the keyframes and the velocity with which it passes each keyframe can be left open and are then determined automatically through an energy minimization. This heavily constrained optimization problem is much smaller than a full spacetime constraints problem and thus converges very quickly. In addition, the familiar keyframe paradigm ooers a high level of control to the animator, while freeing the inexperienced animator from the less intuitive timing and velocity speciications. Including time itself as a variable within the optimization framework is an important change from previously reported systems. Our experiments show that this method is able to create smooth and realistic motions eeciently for complex 3D gures.