Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Processing : Recognizing Characters in License Plates

This paper describes an approach to character recognition which is designed to recognize Lebanese license plate characters by extracting lines of information from vehicle photographs. The algorithm is designed to extract signatures at strategic positions on the character, then studies the information taken from the hotspots and identifies the different characters. The algorithm is simple and fast however its simplicity does not compromise the integrity of license plate recognition systems.
Bag Equivalence of Bounded Symmetry-Degree Conjunctive Queries with Inequalities

We consider the problem of checking equivalence of conjunctive queries with inequalities under bag (multiset) semantics. The problem is known to be decidable in pspace and as hard as graph isomorphism, but its exact complexity remains open. We introduce a natural restriction based on what we call the symmetry degree of queries, and show that when the symmetry degree is bounded by a fixed polynomial in the size of the query, the equivalence problem is in Π 2 . We also show that for asymmetric queries (those of symmetry degree 1), checking bag-equivalence is polynomial-time Turing equivalent to the graph automorphism problem. These results can be interpreted as first steps in a more general program of finding “islands of tractability” for testing equivalence of conjunctive queries with inequalities under bag (rather than set) semantics.
Recognizing and Acknowledging Worldview Diversity in the Inclusive Classroom

In the context of the increasing migration into Germany that has taken place in recent years and German efforts to establish an inclusive school system, which enables learners from different religious, ethnic, language and social backgrounds with and without disabilities to participate, religious education has become a key topic for interdisciplinary discourse between theology, philosophy, and pedagogy in German schools. The following questions are of special interest: How can we manage diversity in inclusive classroom settings in general, and specifically: how can we do so with regard to worldview diversity? Does worldview diversity in schools exist, and if so, how can we recognize it in its plurality and complexity? How can we acknowledge different worldviews in the context of a changing inclusive school system? In this article, we would like to present the theoretical foundation, the research setting and the first findings of our ongoing pilot studies of worldview education at an inclusive German school. The experiments are part of a larger project context that is also described. The case study presented in this article, in which innovative language and machine learning technology was used for data analysis, illustrates the potential of inclusive methods and didactic concepts such as Universal Design for Learning, Learning in the Presence of the Other, and Reflexive Inclusion for inclusive worldview education in the context of a religiously pluralized and secularized society.
An approach for resource selection and allocation in grid based on trust management system

In grid computing, resources can be given and retrieved by grid nodes freely. The wide range of selection and the high degree of strangeness bring lots of problems in secure selection of grid. Efficient resource allocation and utilization can hardly be achieved without the assurance of a high degree of confidence relation. In this paper, we propose a solution based on trust mechanism. The trust management system maintains a trust value for each participant node in its grid domain based on the performance and behavior of each node. The resource allocation utilization procedure makes decision based on the trust value provided by the trust management system. The simulation result shows that our approach can achieve lower failure percentage. Besides, the approach can get rid of the bad node with malicious behavior in history.
Young children’s drawings: A methodological tool for data analysis

Children’s drawings have been analysed in research for several decades, frequently using a narrative style. This article introduces an innovative methodological tool to analyse young children’s drawings. Taking a social semiotics perspective, the aim of this tool is not to replace narrative analysis but to complement it. The study was conducted with three 4-year-old children who were encouraged to draw freely at home and at school. The discussion begins by examining how the form of the drawing, that is, the type and quantity of the modes children used, was analysed; this is followed by an analysis of the content, that is, the type and quantity of the themes, the children drew. Consequently, a data cross-grid was developed, where a total of 223 drawings were plotted across three separate data cross-grids – one for each child. Once all the drawings were plotted, the three grids provided a different way of looking and interpreting the drawings. While noting the limitations of the study, it is concluded that the data cross-grids provide an instantaneous graphical impression of each child’s preferred semiotic (modes) and configuration (themes) styles, which reflect each child’s unique personality and identity as a drawer. Ultimately, such a tool could be used by practitioners and researchers to understand the children’s preferred ways of drawing. It can also be adapted and modified to analyse other modes children use such as playing, drawing, and movement.
Measuring circular phase-dichroism of chiral metasurface

Abstract The ability of chiral media to differentiate circularly polarized light is conventionally characterized by circular dichroism (CD) which is based on the difference in the absorption of the incident light for different polarizations. Thus, CD probes the bulk properties of chiral media. Here, we introduce a new approach termed as circular phase-dichroism that is based on the surface properties and is defined as the difference of the reflection phase for different circularly polarized incident lights in characterizing chiral media. As a demonstration, we measure the reflection phase from planar chiral sawtooth metasurface for circularly polarized light in the visible range using a simple Fabry Perot interference technique. The measured circular phase-dichroism is also crosschecked by conventional CD measurement of the transmitted light and by full-wave simulations. Our results demonstrate the potential applications of circular phase-dichroism in sensing and metasurface characterizations.
Guaranteed simultaneous localization and mapping algorithm using interval analysis

To increase the autonomy of robots, it is necessary to have a precise and guaranteed localization. We propose a SLAM algorithm based on interval analysis and constraints propagation. The problem is casted into a constraint satisfaction which is solved in a guaranteed way via Interval Analysis. We define a new bounded landmark parameterization and an initialization method for monocular camera. Finally, we introduce the post-localization process which improves the localization accuracy using the future observations. Both simulations and experiments show guaranteed and consistent results of CP-SLAM.
DESIGN OF A MULTIRATE OUTPUT CONTROLLER

Multi rate output controllers (MROCs) sample the plant outputs at a faster rate than they change the plant inputs. Consequently, they offer greater flexibilit y for controller design than conventional single-rate controllers. MROCs designed under mixed 2 / H H∞ performance have offered a new dimension in the design process. In this paper, we introduce the concept of li fting technique, fast discretization and multi rate output sampling and calculate the mixed 2 / H H∞ norm of the sampled-data control systems induced via multi rate output sampling.
A study of factors and causal relationships on the results of national test: Mixed method research

The general objective of this research was to study factors and causal relationships on the results of national test. Also, the research was conducted under three specific objectives: 1) to study causal relationships on the results of national test, 2) to create and investigate causal relationships on the results of national test, and 3) to develop excellence model in promoting the results of national test. Quantitative data were collected from 580 fourth-grade students in schools under the Office of the Basic Education Commission, Chaiyaphum Province. They were drawn using multistage sampling. Qualitative data were collected from 3 school administrators, 6 fourth-grade to sixth-grade teachers, and 6 fourth-grade students in schools under the Chaiyaphum Primary Education Service Area Office 2, using Stratified random sampling. The criterion of schools holding the results of national test higher than national level on the average in all learning strands for 6 consecutive years was employed in this research. Research instruments consisted of 30-item test, 14-item questionnaire, and 3 interview forms. Mplus Version 7.2 was applied to structural equation model and confirmatory factor analyses. The analyses revealed 3 main findings. 1) Positive relationships between observed variables were found, and all pairs of the variables showed statistical significance level of . 01. This finding indicated that the relationships between the observed variables were adequate for the analyses. 2) Creation and investigation of the causal relationships demonstrated the model fits empirical data. Factors of direct and indirect effects consisted of creativity, reading literacy, and analytical thinking, showing their effects of 0.306, 0.194, and 0.095 respectively. Factors possessing only direct effects consisted of mathematical literacy and scientific literacy, showing their effects of 0.297 and 0.108, respectively. In addition, the coefficient of determination was 0.946. 3) Development of excellence model showed that the sample prescribed the principles for improving learning achievement as well as educational quality. Those principles included 3% increase in prescribed criteria of test results, performance guidelines according to the plan of learning achievement improvement, analyzing learners individually, providing several activities based on problems and needs of authentic development in accordance with the focal point of school and community environment. Key words: Causal relationships, national test, mixed method research, structural equation model, excellence model.
Thyroid Cancer in Saudi Arabia: A Histopathological and Outcome Study

Most data on differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) came from the Western world. We describe its salient characteristics and outcome from a Middle Eastern country. Patients and Methods. We studied all cases of TC seen during a 2-year period (2004-2005) seen at our institution. Results. A total of 600 consecutive cases of DTC with a median age at diagnosis of 39 years (5–85) and the female : male ratio of 459 : 141 (76.5% : 23.5%). The cases included classical papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) in 77%, follicular variant PTC in 13.3%, follicular thyroid cancer in 3.2%, and other rare subtypes 6.5%. Total or near-total thyroidectomy was performed in 93%, central and/or lateral neck dissection in 64.5% of cases, and radioactive iodine ablation in 82% of cases. Additional therapies were administered to 154 patients (25.7%). At a median follow-up period of 7.63 years (0.22–13.1), 318 patients (53.3%) were in excellent response, 147 (24.5%) having an indeterminate response, 55 (9.2%) biochemically incomplete, 33 (5.5%) structurally incomplete, and 27 (4.5%) unclassifiable. Twenty cases died secondary to DTC (disease-specific mortality 3.3%). Conclusions. In Saudi Arabia, DTC is common and occurs at young age and predominantly in females. Although remission is common, persistent disease is also common but disease-specific mortality is low.
Propagated Photoconsistency and Convexity in Variational Multiview 3D Reconstruction

In this paper, we make two contributions. Firstly, we replace the generic balloon constraints widely used in 3D reconstruction by a more sophisticated data-dependent regional term. The key idea is to propagate classical photoconsistency along visual rays into regional values describing voxel probabilities for being inside or outside the observed object. Secondly, we cast the optimization as one of minimizing a convex functional. Therefore (up to visibility) the reconstruction problem can be solved in a globally optimal manner in a spatially continuous setting. Compared to graph cut methods, this approach does not suffer from discretization artifacts and exhibits considerable reduction in memory requirements. Experimental comparisons clearly show the advantages of the proposed technique.
A Citation-Based Patent Evaluation Framework to Reveal Hidden Value and Enable Strategic Business Decisions

Patent evaluation methodologies enable firms to make informed strategic business decisions by associating and revealing hidden information surrounding a patent. However, the value of a patent depends on a firm's capabilities and strategic direction; therefore, a patent evaluation requires the information to be properly related and aligned with a particular business consideration. This article reviews the literature on citation-based patent evaluation methodologies and develops a framework to help managers and entrepreneurs identify strategic groups of business considerations. The framework shows how categories of information can be interrelated to different strategic groups of business considerations, thereby providing a competitive advantage to the evaluating firm. The article includes recommendations for managers and entrepreneurs to help them make citation-based patent evaluation an ongoing business practice to enable strategic decision making.
Characteristics and Their Clinical Relevance of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Types and Genotypes Circulating in Northern Italy in Five Consecutive Winter Seasons

In order to investigate the genetic diversity and patterns of the co-circulating genotypes of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and their possible relationships with the severity of RSV infection, we studied all of the RSV-positive nasopharyngeal samples collected from children during five consecutive winters (2009–2010, 2010–2011, 2011–2012, 2012–2013 and 2013–2014). The RSVs were detected using the respiratory virus panel fast assay and single-tube RT-PCR, their nucleotides were sequenced, and they were tested for positive selection. Of the 165 positive samples, 131 (79.4%) carried RSV-A and 34 (20.6%) RSV-B; both groups co-circulated in all of the study periods, with RSV-A predominating in all the seasons except for winter 2010–2011, which had a predominance of RSV-B. Phylogenetic analysis of the RSV-A sequences identified genotypes NA1 and ON1, the second replacing the first during the last two years of the study period. The RSV-B belonged to genotypes BA9 and BA10. BA9 was detected in all the years of the study whereas BA only desultorily. Comparison of the subjects infected by RSV-A and RSV-B types did not reveal any significant differences, but the children infected by genotype A/NA1 more frequently had lower respiratory tract infections (p<0.0001) and required hospitalisation (p = 0.007) more often than those infected by genotype A/ON1. These findings show that RSV has complex patterns of circulation characterised by the periodical replacement of the predominant genotypes, and indicate that the circulation and pathogenic role of the different RSV strains should be investigated as each may have a different impact on the host. A knowledge of the correlations between types, genotypes and disease severity may also be important in order to be able to include the more virulent strains in future vaccines.
Systematic Literature Reviews in Distributed Software Development: A Tertiary Study

Distributed Software Development (DSD) emerged from the need to achieve geographically distant customers and currently, allows organizations have global customers and other benefits. This scenario has given rise to new Software Engineering challenges resulting from DSD particularities. Several Systematic Reviews were conducted to address these new challenges. The objective of this paper is to categorize systematic reviews conducted in DSD context. We used the systematic review method to identify SLRs (Systematic Literature Reviews) that address DSD aspects. This study is categorized as a tertiary review. Of fourteen SLRs, seven address aspects of managing distributed development. Four SLRs addressed topics of engineering process. The three remaining are related to Requirements, Design and Software Engineering Education in DSD. The topic areas covered by SLRs are limited, where the majority are focused on summarize the current knowledge concerning a research question. Despite the number of SLRs, the amount of empirical studies is relatively small.
Chemopreventive efficacy of sulindac sulfone against colon cancer depends on time of administration during carcinogenic process.

Epidemiological and model studies with laboratory animals have provided evidence that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs reduce the risk of colon cancer. Sulindac, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, has been shown to inhibit azoxymethane (AOM)-induced colon carcinogenesis in rats when administered continuously before, during, and after carcinogen treatment (initiation and postinitiation periods) or when given continuously beginning 14 weeks after carcinogen administration (promotion/ progression stage). The present study was designed to investigate the chemopreventive efficacy of sulindac sulfone (exisulind), the sulfone metabolite of sulindac, when administered during the promotion/progression stage of colon carcinogenesis in comparison to the effect during the initiation and postinitiation periods. We have also studied the modulating effect of exisulind on colonic tumor apoptosis. At 5 weeks of age, groups of male F344 rats were fed diets containing 0%, 0.06%, and 0.12% exisulind. At 7 weeks of age, groups of animals were injected s.c. with AOM (15 mg/kg body weight, once weekly for 2 weeks). Animals intended for the promotion/progression study and receiving 0% exisulind were switched to an experimental diet containing 0.12% exisulind at 14 weeks after the second AOM treatment. All rats remained on their respective dietary regimens until the termination of the study, 50 weeks after the second AOM injection. Colon tumors were evaluated histopathologically for tumor type. Administration of 0.06% and 0.12% exisulind during the initiation and postinitiation periods significantly inhibited the incidence and multiplicity of invasive and/or noninvasive adenocarcinomas of the colon. The inhibition of colon tumorigenesis by exisulind was associated with a significant retardation of body weight gain shortly after sulfone administration and increased apoptosis in the colon tumors. In contrast, administration of the higher dose (0.12%) of exisulind during the promotion/progression stage had only minimal effects on colon tumorigenesis and apoptosis in the colon tumors, suggesting that early administration, but not late administration, may be required for chemopreventive efficacy of this drug.
Juvenile Obesity Enhances Emotional Memory and Amygdala Plasticity through Glucocorticoids

In addition to metabolic and cardiovascular disorders, obesity is associated with adverse cognitive and emotional outcomes. Its growing prevalence during adolescence is particularly alarming since recent evidence indicates that obesity can affect hippocampal function during this developmental period. Adolescence is a decisive period for maturation of the amygdala and the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) stress axis, both required for lifelong cognitive and emotional processing. However, little data are available on the impact of obesity during adolescence on amygdala function. Herein, we therefore evaluate in rats whether juvenile high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity alters amygdala-dependent emotional memory and whether it depends on HPA axis deregulation. Exposure to HFD from weaning to adulthood, i.e., covering adolescence, enhances long-term emotional memories as assessed by odor–malaise and tone–shock associations. Juvenile HFD also enhances emotion-induced neuronal activation of the basolateral complex of the amygdala (BLA), which correlates with protracted plasma corticosterone release. HFD exposure restricted to adulthood does not modify all these parameters, indicating adolescence is a vulnerable period to the effects of HFD-induced obesity. Finally, exaggerated emotional memory and BLA synaptic plasticity after juvenile HFD are alleviated by a glucocorticoid receptor antagonist. Altogether, our results demonstrate that juvenile HFD alters HPA axis reactivity leading to an enhancement of amygdala-dependent synaptic and memory processes. Adolescence represents a period of increased susceptibility to the effects of diet-induced obesity on amygdala function.
Fault ride through control of medium-voltage converters with LCL filter in distributed generation systems

The fault ride through capability of distributed generation systems is an important factor for the stability of the grid. Especially for medium-voltage converters with low switching frequency this requirement is difficult to fulfill. In case of sudden voltage dips, the dynamics of a common grid control is normally too slow to prevent unacceptable converter current transients which can cause a destruction of the power semiconductors. To avoid this, a predictive control strategy is presented in this paper. For the steady state and in case of reference value changes, a common dq-oriented control of the positive and negative sequence is used. Only in case of serious grid faults, the proposed predictive control strategy will take over the calculation of the switching states for a few milliseconds. With the help of this short intervention, the system remains stable in case of grid faults, and unacceptable converter overcurrents are avoided.
On-road vehicle tracking using deformable object model and particle filter with integrated likelihoods

This paper proposes a novel method for vehicle detection and tracking using a vehicle-mounted monocular camera. In this method, features of vehicles are learned as a deformable object model through the combination of a latent support vector machine (LSVM) and histograms of oriented gradients (HOG). The vehicle detector uses both global and local features as the deformable object model. Detected vehicles are tracked by using a particle filter with integrated likelihoods, such as the probability of vehicles estimated from the deformable object model and the intensity correlation between different picture frames. Tracking likelihoods are iteratively used as the a priori probability for the next frame. The experimental results showed that the proposed method can achieve an average vehicle detection rate of 98% and an average vehicle tracking rate of 87% with a false positive rate of less than 0.3%.
A Group Key Agreement Scheme Revisited

In PKC'2004, a constant-round group key exchange protocol is proposed. It takes advantage of the properties of the ElGamal encryption scheme combined with the standard secret sharing technique. In this paper, we show that the scheme can be greatly simplified because the standard secret sharing technique does not work well. Based on the observation, we present a revisited scheme. It saves about 4/5 cost of the original scheme. In addition, its security can be directly reduced to the underlying Schnorr's signature scheme and the ElGamal encryption.