Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Méthodes ensemblistes pour la localisation de véhicules

Le contexte general de ces travaux de recherche est celui des robots mobiles autonomes appeles a evoluer dans des environnements structures et partiellement cartographies en 2D. La problematique de la these a trait a l'etude de la fonction de localisation. Le probleme de localisation se decompose en deux sous-problemes l'initialisation et le suivi dynamique. L'initalisation de la localisation est un probleme, qui demeure ouvert, a la fois complexe et fondamental pour le developpement de l'autonomie du robot. Cet aspect de la fonction de localisation, peu aborde dans la litterature contrairement au probleme de suivi dynamique de la localisation pour lequel des methodes eprouvees sont disponibles, a motive les travaux rapportes dans ce manuscrit. Le principe de localisation, commun aux differentes methodes presentees, est fonde sur une analogie mecanique de la mesure telemetrique. La premiere methode originale, qui est geometrique, fait appel a un algorithme de fenetrage issu du domaine de l'infographie. La deuxieme methode de localisation developpee met en œuvre une technique statistique d'estimation d'etat bien connue, le filtrage de KALMAN etendu. La troisieme methode de localisation est ensembliste a erreur bornee, et s'appuie sur une technique ellipsoidale d'estimation d'etat de modeles lineaires. L'ultime methode de localisation developpee, qui est basee sur l'inversion ensembliste par analyse par intervalles, repond avec efficacite, fiabilite et robustesse au delicat probleme d'initialisation de la localisation. Cette approche garantie ne necessite pas de mise en correspondance a priori entre les mesures et les amers de l'environnement. Cette mise en correspondance est au contraire un produit derive de l'application de l'algorithme. Lorsque les mesures se revelent etre ambigues, la methode genere toutes les differentes hypotheses de localisation qui permettent d'expliquer les mesures. Les quatre methodes de localisation, presentees dans ce document, ont ete validees et comparees au moyen de tests a partir de donnees simulees et reelles issues des telemetres a ultrasons embarques sur la plate-forme experimentale du laboratoire.
Timing and tempo of primate speciation

Published molecular clocks for primates are used to estimate typical divergence times for phylogroups (1.6 Ma), species (3.3 Ma), sister species (2.7 Ma), genera (8.9 Ma) and sister genera (8.6 Ma). Significant median differences exist between major groups (infraorders and superfamilies) for various divergence times. These data are employed to estimate typical maximum duration of speciation. Typical primate values (1.1 Ma) suggest this process to be faster than is characteristic of many vertebrates. However, after considering divergence times for hybridizing congeneric and confamilial primates, this value is likely only to estimate the commencement of prezygotic isolating mechanisms, rather than the completion of reproductive isolation. Thus, speciation typically takes around 1.0 Ma to more than 4.0 Ma to occur, depending on whether prezygotic or post‐zygotic isolating mechanisms are emphasized. Typical primate genus age is around 5.3 Ma, but we note differences among major groups. In light of these estimates, the classification of humans and chimpanzees is reconsidered using a molecular yardstick approach. Three taxonomic frameworks may flow from molecular analyses, all of them having major implications for understanding the evolution of humans and chimpanzees.
Molecular Cloning and Characterization of Phospholipase C Zeta in Equine Sperm and Testis Reveals Species-Specific Differences in Expression of Catalytically Active Protein1

Oocyte activation at fertilization is brought about by the testis-specific phospholipase C zeta (PLCZ), owing to its ability to induce oscillations in intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i). Whereas this is a highly conserved mechanism among mammals, important species-specific differences in PLCZ sequence, activity, and expression have been reported. Thus, the objectives of this research were to clone and characterize the intracellular Ca2+-releasing activity and expression of equine PLCZ in sperm and testis. Molecular cloning of equine PLCZ yielded a 1914-bp sequence that translated into a protein of the appropriate size (∼73 kDa), as detected with an anti-PLCZ-specific antibody. Microinjection of 1 μg/μl of equine PLCZ cRNA supported [Ca2+]i oscillations in murine oocytes that were of a higher relative frequency than those generated by an equivalent concentration of murine Plcz cRNA. Immunofluorescence revealed expression of PLCZ over the acrosome, equatorial segment, and head-midpiece junction; unexpectedly, PLCZ also localized to the principal piece of the flagellum in all epididymal, uncapacitated, and capacitated sperm. Immunostaining over the acrosome was abrogated after induction of acrosomal exocytosis. Moreover, injection of either sperm heads or tails into mouse oocytes showed that PLCZ in both fractions is catalytically active. Immunohistochemistry on equine testis revealed expression as early as the round spermatid stage, and injection of these cells supported [Ca2+]i oscillations in oocytes. In summary, we report that equine PLCZ displays higher intrinsic intracellular Ca2+-releasing activity than murine PLCZ and that catalytically active protein is expressed in round spermatids as well as the sperm flagellum, emphasizing important species-specific differences. Moreover, some of these results may suggest potential novel roles for PLCZ in sperm physiology.
Contextual and Feature-based Models by PolyU Team at the NTCIR-13 STC-2 Task

The PolyU team participated in the Chinese Short Text Conversation (STC) subtask of the NTCIR-13, the core task of NTCIR-13. At NTCIR-13, generation-based approaches and their evaluations are firstly introduced into the task. This minority report describes our methods to solving the STC problem including four retrieval-based and two generationbased typical approaches. We compare and discuss the official results.
Population Pharmacokinetic Analysis of Voriconazole from a Pharmacokinetic Study with Immunocompromised Japanese Pediatric Subjects

ABSTRACT A population pharmacokinetic (PK) analysis was conducted to characterize the voriconazole pharmacokinetic profiles in immunocompromised Japanese pediatric subjects and to compare them to those in immunocompromised non-Japanese pediatric subjects. A previously developed two-compartment pharmacokinetic model with first-order absorption and mixed linear and nonlinear elimination adequately described the voriconazole intravenous and oral data from Japanese pediatric subjects with few modifications. Bayesian priors were applied to this analysis by using the NONMEM routine NWPRI, which allowed priors for the fixed-effect parameter vector and variance matrix of the random-effect parameters to be a normal distribution and an inverse Wishart distribution, respectively. Large intersubject variabilities in oral bioavailability and voriconazole exposure were observed in these pediatric subjects. The mean oral bioavailability estimated in Japanese pediatric subjects was 73% (range, 17% to 99%), which is consistent with the reported estimates of 64% in the previous model and less than what was originally estimated for healthy adults—96%. Voriconazole exposures in Japanese pediatric subjects were generally comparable to those in non-Japanese pediatric subjects receiving the same dosing regimens, given the large intersubject variability. Consistent with the previous findings, the CYP2C19 genotyping status did not have a clinically relevant effect on voriconazole exposure in Japanese pediatric subjects, although it was identified as a covariate in the model to help explain the intersubject variability in voriconazole exposure. The CYP2C19 genotyping status alone does not warrant dose adjustment of voriconazole. No other factors besides age and weight were identified to explain the PK variability of voriconazole.
The applicability of lean six sigma in developing economies: exploratory research on manufacturing environments

Substantial literature has established the role of Lean Six Sigma (LSS) as a successful methodology for continuous improvement. Particularly in manufacturing environments, the synergetic approach between the individual techniques of Lean Production and Six Sigma has created an avenue for change in implementing organizations. However there exists a gap, as studies and implementation cases on the LSS subject are predominantly drawn from developed environments. Working culture and regional norms can affect the application of these techniques.This research adopts a multiple case study approach to assess the applicability of the LSS initiative, providing a comparative overview of cases in manufacturing environments of developing and developed countries. Using Nigeria as the main unit of analysis for developing countries, athree-stage data collection process was employed for the realisation of the overall aim of developing an implementation framework suitable for organizations in this clime.As the adopted research approach allows the researcher to be embedded in the implementation process of the case organizations, the need for a holistic approach for learning organizations’ implementation of LSS cannot be overemphasized. The findings of the study uncovered the role of the documented Critical Success Factors (CSFs) for LSS implementation and their effect on failing organizational implementation of LSS. This study is among the very few that examines the interaction of the CSFs as they affect the overall implementation of the initiative, particularly for organizations in developing countries.Based on the findings from the literature and the multiple-staged research process, this doctoral research presents an implementation framework for Lean Six Sigma, which provides a three phase approach to the applicability of the initiative. The framework takes into cognizance the needs of learning organizations and provides a structured and practical approach to implementation, based on the identified CSFs. A Delphi study, employing expert views, was used to validate the proposed implementation framework.
The determinants of price tolerance in the casino hotel industry

The Determinants of Price Tolerance in the Casino hotel Industry by Jangwon Cho Dr. Kathryn LaTour, Examination Committee Chair Professor o f Tourism and Convention University o f Nevada, Las Vegas As a hotel industry gets competitive to a greater extent these days, attracting and retaining more guests become significant issues for the management. Guests tend to perceive intangible service on the basis o f an offered price so implementing successful pricing strategy is important for managers to attract guests. Providing a loyalty program is believed to have a positive effect on retaining guests. This study investigates factors which are expected to influence price tolerance o f hotel guests and compares price tolerance between two different guest groups: guests who are members o f a casino loyalty program and guests who are not members. This study exhibited that there was a positive relationship between satisfaction and price tolerance and that switching costs also positively influenced price tolerance. The results o f the study indicated that casino loyalty program members possessed higher switching costs and price tolerance than non-members did.
Expression of aggregative adherence to hela cells by Escherichia coli strains isolated from sick horses

Caracteristicas de virulencia de 56 amostras de Escherichia coli isoladas de equinos doentes (secrecao de colo uterino, fragmentos de necropsia do trato gastrointestinal e de pulmoes, fezes diarreicas e lavado traqueal) foram examinadas para determinar o padrao de aderencia em celulas HeLa e pesquisar a presenca de genes de virulencia de varios patotipos de E. coli. Duas amostras nao aderentes apresentaram astA, gene que codifica a toxina termo-estavel de E. coli enteroagregativa. Das vinte e sete amostras (48,2%) que aderiram a celulas HeLa, 21 (77,8%) apresentaram o padrao de aderencia agregativa (AA) que caracteriza o patotipo de E. coli Enteroagregativa (EAEC). Nove destas amostras que apresentaram AA foram isoladas de secrecao de colo uterino, incluindo uma que apresentava genes de virulencia de patotipos de EAEC (aggR,aap,irp2 e pic). Esta e a primeira descricao do fenotipo AA em amostras de cavalos doentes. Estas amostras deverao ser melhor avaliadas em relacao a sua potencial funcao na patogenese de diferentes doencas equinas, bem como a possibilidade destes animais representarem um reservatorio de infeccoes humanas causadas por esta bacteria.
The WiggleZ Dark Energy Survey: small-scale clustering of Lyman-break galaxies at z < 1

The WiggleZ Dark Energy Survey is a large-scale structure survey of intermediate-redshift ultraviolet-selected (UV-selected) emission-line galaxies scheduled to cover 1000 deg(2), spanning a broad redshift range 0.2 < z < 1.0. The main scientific goal of the survey is the measurement of baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO) in the galaxy clustering pattern at a significantly higher redshift than previous studies. The BAO may be applied as a standard cosmological ruler to constrain dark energy models. Based on the first 20 per cent of the data set, we present initial results concerning the small-scale clustering of the WiggleZ targets, together with survey forecasts. The WiggleZ galaxy population possesses a clustering length r(0) = 4.40 +/- 0.12 h(-1) Mpc, which is significantly larger than z = 0 UV-selected samples, with a slope gamma = 1.92 +/- 0.08. This clustering length is comparable to z = 3 Lyman-break galaxies with similar UV luminosities. The clustering strength of the sample increases with optical luminosity, UV luminosity and reddening rest-frame colour. The full survey, scheduled for completion in 2010, will map an effective volume V(eff) approximate to 1 Gpc(3) (evaluated at a scale k = 0.15 h Mpc(-1)) and will measure the angular diameter distance and Hubble expansion rates in three redshift bins with accuracies of approximate to 5 per cent. We will determine the value of a constant dark energy equation-of-state parameter, w(cons), with a higher precision than existing supernovae observations using an entirely independent technique. The WiggleZ and supernova measurements lie in highly complementary directions in the plane of w(cons) and the matter density Omega(m). The forecast using the full combination of WiggleZ, supernova and cosmic microwave background (CMB) data sets is a marginalized error Delta w(cons) = 0.07, providing a robust and precise measurement of the properties of dark energy including cross-checking of systematic errors.
Analysis and compensation of self phase modulation in wavelength division multiplexing system

In this paper the non-linear effect i.e. self-phase modulation in WDM system have been studied. Here we simulated the result for optical fiber of length 20kmWe analyzed the result as Quality Factor, Bit Error Rate at different values of dispersion. We had varied the optical dispersion from - 10ps/ns/km to 10ps/nm/km and have seen the result through eye diagram. We had seen the spectrum for before transmission and after transmission. For different values of power, distance, bit rate, central emission frequency we have analyzed the Bit Error Rate and Q-values. The compensation of SPM have is shown by comparing different values of the preamplifiers power and Eye-opening values. The result is analyzed using optical simulation (OPTSIM) software.
Outside in, Inside Out: Tourism Competitiveness and Brazilian Strategy Analysis

The paper identifies and characterizes the Brazilian strategy to cope with the international competitiveness in tourism as well as implementation of the governance mechanisms suitable for regions and destination in the country. This research is a case study using qualitative analysis and descriptive results. Investigative procedures adopted the methods of the documents content analysis and specialised bibliography. It is used the T&TCI-WEF series secondary data sources for analysis “Outside In” and the ICTN-MTUR for “Inside Out” analysis. The comparison between both shows symmetrical similarity between the results and distinct point of the view are converging and similar in the overall analysis of Brazil destination’s competitiveness. Infrastructure, safety and security problems and unstable business environment are factors, which burden further T&T development in the country. From the point of view of opportunities, the analysis of the evolution of both views reveals and highlights important elements for the establishment of tourism competitiveness strategies for Brazil in base its potential.
De l’usage de la statistique implicative dans les arbres de classification

Resume. Cet article met en lumiere l’interet du concept de statistique implicative dans le contexte des arbres de classification. Dans une premiere partie nous montrons que les residus standardises utilises en modelisation log-lineaire de tables de contingence sont des alternatives interessantes de l’indice d’implication de Gras. Nous distinguons ensuite principalement deux usages de ces indices. Le premier, purement descriptif, exploite l’intensite d’implication comme critere d’evaluation a posteriori de la pertinence individuelle des regles de classification associees a chaque feuille de l’arbre. Le second usage, propose notamment par Zighed et Rakotomalala (2000) utilise l’intensite d’implication pour definir la conclusion de la regle de classification dans chacune des feuilles de l’arbre.
A Cointegrated Regime-Switching Model Approach with Jumps Applied to Natural Gas Futures Prices

Energy commodities and their futures naturally show cointegrated price movements. However, there is empirical evidence that the prices of futures with different maturities might have, e.g., different jump behaviours in different market situations. Observing commodity futures over time, there is also evidence for different states of the underlying volatility of the futures. In this paper, we therefore allow for cointegration of the term structure within a multi-factor model, which includes seasonality, as well as joint and individual jumps in the price processes of futures with different maturities. The seasonality in this model is realized via a deterministic function, and the jumps are represented with thinned-out compound Poisson processes. The model also includes a regime-switching approach that is modelled through a Markov chain and extends the class of geometric models. We show how the model can be calibrated to empirical data and give some practical applications.
Diagnosis of stress fractures in athletes.

To the Editor. — The title of the article by Dr Devereaux and colleagues, 1 "Diagnosis of Stress Fractures in Athletes," is misleading because the clinical criteria used by these authors to diagnose stress fracture are in doubt. I suspect that most clinicians would consider a diagnosis of stress fracture of the tibia or fibula only if the athlete was no longer able to run on the affected limb and if palpation of the affected bone elicited exquisite tenderness localized only to bone. By failing to fulfill both of these criteria, the authors have included patients who suffer from "shin splints" (posterior tibial stress syndrome) in their series of "stress fractures. " Because the authors did not make this clinical distinction, their conclusion that scintography is specific for stress fractures may be in error. We have recently observed abnormal scintigrams in the bones of asymptomatic runners immediately after completing a 90-km ultramarathon
Smart Moves over the Phone – Private Transactions over Public Wi-Fi in India

There has been a remarkable increase in the use of public wireless fidelity, popularly called public Wi-Fi, as an important access point to the Internet the world over. Consumers are able to access the Internet from free Wi-Fi provided in restaurants, malls, and airports, using their smartphones. India alone has 300 million of the world’s 2.3 billion smartphone users and is expected in 2018 to have 202,000 public Wi-Fi hotspots. This study focuses on private transactions over public Wi-Fi in India. Guided by the modified theory of reasoned action by Triandis (1980), the study looks specifically at the influence of task privacy, Internet trust, and perceived tracking of consumers’ decisions to use the public WiFi environment in India for online transactions using their smartphones. The study posits six hypotheses for environmental conditions that facilitate private transactions over public Wi-Fi. The results of a survey questionnaire of 192 postgraduate business students at a prominent college in southern India indicate that task privacy, Internet trust, and perceived tracking are significant in predicting smartphone use for transactional purposes in the public Wi-Fi environment in India. The results show that an individual’s need for privacy also moderates Internet trust and perceived tracking. This study contributes to a better understanding of the use of public Wi-Fi for transactions using smartphones and suggests implications for online business.
Similarity and Variance of Color Difference Based Demosaicing

The aim of the project is to find the missing color samples at each pixel location by the combination of similarity algorithm and the variance of colour difference algorithm. Many demosaicing algorithms find edges in horizontal and vertical directions, which are not suitable for other directions. Hence using the similarity algorithm the edges are found in different directions. But in this similarity algorithm sometimes the horizontal and vertical directions are mislead. Hence this problem can be rectified using the variance of colour difference algorithm. It is proved experimentally that this new demosaicing algorithm based on similarity and variance of colouyr difference has better colour peak signal to noise ratio (CPSNR). It has better o0bjective and subjective performance. It is an analysis study of both similarity and colour variance algorithms. DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.11591/telkomnika.v13i2. 7048
Service Management : The Alignment of ITIL ® Practitioner Guidance with Service-Dominant Logic

The application of a service-oriented perspective in the IT sector has become the paradigm, making managers highly aware of the importance of being service oriented and customer focused. In the IT sector, a service-oriented perspective is encompassed in the widespread field of IT Service Management (ITSM). However, while ITSM practitioners are, to a certain degree, becoming aware of the benefits of the contemporary Service-Dominant Logic perspective, the primary market view still adheres to Goods-Dominant Logic. The majority of IT organisations around the globe rely on the ITSM framework ITIL in order to adopt and adapt a service perspective. The purpose of this paper is to examine how the ITIL® Practitioner Guidance (the latest ITIL book) aligns with Service-Dominant Logic. The paper discusses findings in relation to four codes: Definition of service, The role of the service provider, Value and value propositions, and Co-creation.