Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Unsupervised Image Matching Based on Manifold Alignment

This paper challenges the issue of automatic matching between two image sets with similar intrinsic structures and different appearances, especially when there is no prior correspondence. An unsupervised manifold alignment framework is proposed to establish correspondence between data sets by a mapping function in the mutual embedding space. We introduce a local similarity metric based on parameterized distance curves to represent the connection of one point with the rest of the manifold. A small set of valid feature pairs can be found without manual interactions by matching the distance curve of one manifold with the curve cluster of the other manifold. To avoid potential confusions in image matching, we propose an extended affine transformation to solve the nonrigid alignment in the embedding space. The comparatively tight alignments and the structure preservation can be obtained simultaneously. The point pairs with the minimum distance after alignment are viewed as the matchings. We apply manifold alignment to image set matching problems. The correspondence between image sets of different poses, illuminations, and identities can be established effectively by our approach.
Children With Conduct Problems and Co-occurring ADHD: Behavioral Improvements Following Parent Management Training

To scale up evidence-based treatment of conduct problems, parent management training, Oregon model (PMTO) has been disseminated throughout Norway. This study examined whether Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) predicted the outcomes of PMTO. Of 253 children and families, 97 were reported to have an ADHD diagnosis. Although different at intake, the groups with and without ADHD had close to an equal change in behavioral status following treatment. Maternal depression and family income predicted the combined group's behavior following PMTO. The study indicates that reductions in conduct problems following PMTO are of the same magnitude in children with or without ADHD. However, some characteristics may differentially predict outcomes for children with combined problems.
Techniques for Benchmarking of CPU MicroArchitecture for Performance Evaluation

CPU Micro-architecture has a significant impact on performance and hence is of special importance to the HighPerformance Computing industry. In this paper, we describe the development of a suite of benchmark programs which enables us to evaluate and compare processors based on the performance of the micro-architecture itself, independent of workload characteristics. The benchmark suite is comprehensive in its coverage of important hardware features that impact performance. The benchmark programs run directly on the CPU hardware as opposed to processor simulators and use innovative methods that we have developed to stress and benchmark programmer-invisible microarchitectural features. We run the benchmarks on machines representing a variety of microarchitectures and develop a mathematical approach towards analysis of the results. We then verify our approach using data published by CPU manufacturers and the SPEC suite. I. Motivation and Previous Work Evaluation and comparison of microarchitectures is of great importance and utility to the HPC industry, since even minute micro-architecture improvements can make a difference in HPC cluster performance. The traditional approach, using high-level application suites, fails to relate performance directly to the micro-architectural characteristics, unless it is used in conjunction with the profile of the application. However, hardware should be ∗ Student authors. This work was done during their internship with Tata CRL. evaluated on the basis of the performance of its constituent components, independent of application characteristics. Such evaluation requires the use of unconventional benchmark programs, because micro-architecture is inherently invisible to the programmer. Such programs are written for optimisation or tuning of HPC applications and compilers rather than for measurement of hardware performance, for example [1], [2]. Studies that focus on performance evaluation, such as [3], [4], [5], [6], [7] and [8] mostly use CPU simulations. Just like available benchmark packages, such as STREAM [9], Ramspeed [10], 7-bench [11], they lack comprehensiveness in terms of hardware features measured. Some works, like [3], [12] introduce useful mathematical tools and and methods of analysis, but without benchmarks. Our work brings together all the aspects. We have integrated benchmarks for all the important micro-architecture features in one package, developing new benchmarks wherever warranted. These benchmarks are executed directly on hardware and coupled with an analysis technique, thus characterising the processor based on performance of its micro-architectural features, independent of the application profile. II. Micro-architecture benchmarking
Cognitive, not physical, engagement in video gaming influences executive functioning

ABSTRACT Physically active video games (i.e., exergames), which are a prevalent and popular childhood activity, may have benefits to executive-functioning (EF) skills, as they incorporate both cognitive engagement and physical activity. Acute EF change in 147 7- to 12-year-olds was assessed after participation in a 20-min activity. The between-subjects design had 4 conditions: exergame, sedentary video game, exercise, and nonplaying control. The varied level of physical and cognitive engagement examined whether the nature of the activity, such as physical movement or cognitive engagement in an enjoyable activity, differentially related to changes in different aspects of EF. Participants in the cognitively engaging conditions (i.e., the 2 video game conditions) improved their accuracy on the most complex EF test and their reaction time on the standard EF test more than participants in the other conditions. These findings suggest that the kind of cognitive engagement involved in video game play is the mechanism of acute effects on EF.
Human arm kinematics for robot based rehabilitation

The paper considers a technique for computation of the inverse kinematic model of the human arm for robot based rehabilitation that uses measurements of the hand position and orientation and radial acceleration of the upper arm. Analytical analysis and empirical validation of the method are presented. The algorithm enables estimation of human arm angles, which can be used in trajectory planning for rehabilitation robots, evaluation of motion of patients with movement disorders, and generation of virtual reality environments.
The Poincaré Conjecture

It is a great pleasure for me to report on the recent spectacular developments concerning the Poincare Conjecture. Grigory Perelman has solved the Poincare Conjecture. He has shown that, as Poincare conjectured, any closed, simply connected 3-manifold is homeomorphic to the 3-sphere. The paper in which Poincare posed this problem in 1904 ([14]) marked, in my view, the founding of topology as an independent discipline within pure mathematics. Over the intervening 100 years, the problem has been much studied and generalized, and many related problems have been solved. It has been linked, in one way or another, with most of the progress in topology in the last 100 years. While related problems have been solved, the original conjecture stood untouched, resisting all attempts. Before Perelman’s work, there had been no progress on toward solving the Poincare Conjecture, and many viewed it as the siren song of Topology, for many a boat had foundered on the rocks trying to reach it. There have been innumerable proposed proofs and proposed counter-examples, but none, before Perelman’s, withstood scrutiny. Solving the Poincare Conjecture is a signal achievement for Perelman, but it is also a signal achievement for all of mathematics, for it gives a measure of how far our understanding of the subject has advanced in the last 100 years. To paraphrase Newton, Perelman has seen far, but to do so he stood on the shoulders of giants who came before him. One giant, in particular, stands out. He is Richard Hamilton. Over a period of 25 years, Hamilton painstakingly built the solid and elaborate foundation upon which Perelman constructed the edifice of his proof. Without Hamilton’s work, Perelman’s would not have been possible. One of the most interesting aspects of the resolution of the Poincare Conjecture is the nature of the solution. While the problem is purely topological in its formulation, the proof is not. The proof uses deep techniques and results from other areas of mathematics, namely analysis and differential geometry. It is not at all clear a priori that these ideas have any relevance to the Poincare Conjecture, but in the end they turn out to be the only way (so far) to approach this question successfully. My goal in this article is to give you a sense of the importance, centrality, and the depth of the Poincare Conjecture. Then I will discuss surfaces and 3-dimensional spaces and describe how topologists think about them. Next, I will formulate and
Specularity Removal from Imaging Spectroscopy Data via Entropy Minimisation

In this paper, we present a method to remove specularities from imaging spectroscopy data. We do this by making use of the dichromatic model so as to cast the problem in a linear regression setting. We do this so as to employ the average radiance for each pixel as a means to map the spectra onto a two-dimensional space. This permits the use of an entropy minimisation approach so as to recover the slope of a line described by a linear regressor. We show how this slope can be used to recover the specular coefficient in the dichromatic model and provide experiments on real-world imaging spectroscopy data. We also provide comparison with an alternative and effect a quantitative analysis that shows our method is robust to changes the degree of specularity of the image or the location of the light source in the scene.
MAC Independent Routing Methods for Multi-Services Supporting Wireless Mesh Networks

Network Coding Opportunistic Routing (NCOR) methods of wireless mesh networks have the advantage of high throughput and high reliability. However, they suffer problems of higher decoding latency and frequent packet collisions. Also, they have the deficiency in supporting multi-type services. Focusing on the QoS problems of multi-service supporting, we study the optimized NCOR routing methods which are independent of QoS supported MAC protocols, to support high throughput service flows and low latency traffic flows transmit simultaneously based on 802.11 series MAC protocols. We present a load-aware and congestion control method to optimize the MORE protocol. By limiting its over consuming of the network resource it can support the transmission of high throughput service flows. We also propose a delay constrained opportunistic routing protocol (DCOR) based on broadcasting MAC protocol to support low latency service transmission in wireless mesh networks with NCOR routing methods.
Effects of Femininity and Masculinity in Voice and Appearance on Stereotype Judgement

Earlier studies have shown that both gender and masculine or feminine traits affects judgement about a person's qualities. This study builds upon earlier research and investigates the relation between voice and appearance with respect to gender based stereotype judgement, by letting participants listen to and then rate two of totally eight different digital characters, four female and four male. The manipulated variables were the femininity or masculinity of the characters' voices and the femininity or masculinity of their appearance. The ratings regarded the characters perceived competence, intelligence, and empathic abilities. The hypothesis that masculinity would increase ratings for competence and intelligence was unsupported for both male and female characters. Instead the results show that when female characters had matching voice and appearance (both feminine or both masculine), the characters was perceived as both more intelligent and competent. Furthermore, the second hypothesis stated in the study, namely that feminine traits would increase perceived emphatic abilities, found support in the data, however only when comparing female characters. The conclusions drawn from these findings are that it is plausible that common stereotypes might have lost some of its strengths, at least for the population studied and in the domain of medical doctors. Furthermore, the author suspects a matching effect. However, a more extensive study, incorporating a more complex and larger set of stimuli, is required in order to draw more generalised conclusions.
Iduna is a poly(ADP-ribose) (PAR)-dependent E3 ubiquitin ligase that regulates DNA damage

Ubiquitin mediated protein degradation is crucial for regulation of cell signaling and protein quality control. Poly(ADP-ribose) (PAR) is a cell-signaling molecule that mediates changes in protein function through binding at PAR binding sites. Here we characterize the PAR binding protein, Iduna, and show that it is a PAR-dependent ubiquitin E3 ligase. Iduna’s E3 ligase activity requires PAR binding because point mutations at Y156A and R157A eliminate Iduna’s PAR binding and Iduna’s E3 ligase activity. Iduna’s E3 ligase activity also requires an intact really interesting new gene (RING) domain because Iduna possessing point mutations at either H54A or C60A is devoid of ubiquitination activity. Tandem affinity purification reveals that Iduna binds to a number of proteins that are either PARsylated or bind PAR including PAR polymerase-1, 2 (PARP1, 2), nucleolin, DNA ligase III, KU70, KU86, XRCC1, and histones. PAR binding to Iduna activates its E3 ligase function, and PAR binding is required for Iduna ubiquitination of PARP1, XRCC1, DNA ligase III, and KU70. Iduna’s PAR-dependent ubiquitination of PARP1 targets it for proteasomal degradation. Via PAR binding and ubiquitin E3 ligase activity, Iduna protects against cell death induced by the DNA damaging agent N-methyl-N-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) and rescues cells from G1 arrest and promotes cell survival after γ-irradiation. Moreover, Iduna facilitates DNA repair by reducing apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) sites after MNNG exposure and facilitates DNA repair following γ-irradiation as assessed by the comet assay. These results define Iduna as a PAR-dependent E3 ligase that regulates cell survival and DNA repair.
Others and othering: the lived experiences of trainee teachers with parental responsibilities

Abstract This paper explores the lived realities of parent-trainee-teachers (parent-trainees), based on the theoretical concept of ‘othering’. Othering practices can serve to reinforce and reproduce positions of domination and subordination. As such, those who are ‘othered’ often experience marginalisation, decreased opportunities and exclusion. This paper seeks to understand the practice and effects of othering. It focuses on a group of parent-trainees engaged in meeting the academic and professional demands of a teacher training programme, whilst juggling their responsibilities as parents. It shows that parent-trainees are cognisant of their otherness and reveals five forms of othering in trainees’ descriptions of their experiences: institutional, programme, peer, family, and friendship. The concept of the universal caregiver is offered as a way forward in considering programme design to meet the needs of diverse groups of trainees.
Metronomic Doses of Temozolomide Enhance the Efficacy of Carbon Nanotube CpG Immunotherapy in an Invasive Glioma Model

Even when treated with aggressive current therapies, most patients with glioblastoma survive less than two years. Rapid tumor growth, an invasive nature, and the blood-brain barrier, which limits the penetration of large molecules into the brain, all contribute to the poor tumor response associated with conventional therapies. Immunotherapy has emerged as a therapeutic approach that may overcome these challenges. We recently reported that single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) can be used to dramatically increase the immunotherapeutic efficacy of CpG oligonucleotides in a mouse model of glioma. Following implantation in the mouse brain, the tumor cell line used in these previous studies (GL261) tends to form a spherical tumor with limited invasion into healthy brain. In order to evaluate SWCNT/CpG therapy under more clinically-relevant conditions, here we report the treatment of a more invasive mouse glioma model (K-Luc) that better recapitulates human disease. In addition, a CpG sequence previously tested in humans was used to formulate the SWCNT/CpG which was combined with temozolomide, the standard of care chemotherapy for glioblastoma patients. We found that, following two intracranial administrations, SWCNT/CpG is well-tolerated and improves the survival of mice bearing invasive gliomas. Interestingly, the efficacy of SWCNT/CpG was enhanced when combined with temozolomide. This enhanced anti-tumor efficacy was correlated to an increase of tumor-specific cytotoxic activity in splenocytes. These results reinforce the emerging understanding that immunotherapy can be enhanced by combining it with chemotherapy and support the continued development of SWCNT/CpG.
Generalized sampling and the stable and accurate reconstruction of piecewise analytic functions from their Fourier coefficients

Suppose that the first m Fourier coefficients of a piecewise analytic function are given. Direct expansion in a Fourier series suffers from the Gibbs phenomenon and lacks uniform convergence. Nonetheless, in this paper we show that, under very broad conditions, it is always possible to recover an n-term expansion in a different system of functions using only these coefficients. Such an expansion can be made arbitrarily close to the best possible n-term expansion in the given system. Thus, if a piecewise polynomial basis is employed, for example, exponential convergence can be restored. The resulting method is linear, numerically stable and can be implemented efficiently in only O (nm) operations. A key issue is how the parameter m must scale in comparison to n to ensure such recovery. We derive analytical estimates for this scaling for large classes of polynomial and piecewise polynomial bases. In particular, we show that in many important cases, including the case of piecewise Chebyshev polynomials, this scaling is quadratic: m = O ( n2 ) . Therefore, with a system of polynomials that the user is essentially free to choose, one can restore exponential accuracy in n and root-exponential accuracy in m. This generalizes a result proved recently for piecewise Legendre polynomials.
On the Feasibility of the Link Abstraction in (Rural) Mesh Networks

Outdoor community mesh networks based on 802.11 have seen tremendous growth in the recent past. The current understanding is that wireless link performance in these settings in inherently unpredictable, due to multipath delay spread. Consequently, researchers have focused on developing intelligent routing techniques to achieve the best possible performance. In this paper, we are specifically interested in mesh networks in rural locations. We first present detailed measurements to show that the PHY layer in these settings is indeed stable and predictable. There is a strong correlation between the error rate and the received signal strength. We show that interference, and not multipath fading, is the primary cause of unpredictable performance. This is in sharp contrast with current widespread knowledge from prior studies. Furthermore, we corroborate our view with a fresh analysis of data presented in these prior studies. Based on our results, we argue that outdoor rural mesh networks can indeed be built with the link abstraction being valid. This has several design implications, and opens up a fresh perspective on a wide range of technical issues in this domain.
Measuring Reciprocity: Do Survey and Experimental Data Correlate?

This paper investigates whether the answers to commonly used attitudinal survey questions are signiﬁcantly correlated with actual behavior and checks whether survey questions do exist that provide satisfactory measures of willingness to reciprocate. To address this issue I analyze the data from a questionnaire which subjects ﬁlled in after participating in a gift exchange experiment. I proceed in two steps. First, I perform a factor analysis to investigate whether diﬀerent questions can be grouped into one factor. I then check whether the factors extracted correlate with the type of worker, as measured by the estimated slope parameter of the individual wage-eﬀort schedule, and the employer’s wage choice. I extract four factors that correspond exactly with the a priori classiﬁcation of the survey questions, i.e. reciprocal attitudes, trusting attitudes, lending behavior, and tipping attitudes. The results suggest that survey questions that ask respondents directly about their reciprocal attitude are the best predictor of actual reciprocal attitudes. Additionally, questions about trust appear to be a good predictor of employers’ wage oﬀers. <br>
Potent Regulation of Midbrain Dopamine Neurons by the Bed Nucleus of the Stria Terminalis

Recent studies have revealed an important role of the ventrolateral (subcommissural) aspect of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (vBNST) in motivational aspects of drug abuse (Delfs et al., 2000). Dopaminergic (DA) neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) have also long been linked to motivation and drug abuse (Koob and Le Moal, 2001). The present study tested whether activity in the vBNST influences discharge of midbrain DA neurons. Responses of DA neurons in the VTA to activation of the vBNST were characterized in anesthetized rats using extracellular recording techniques. Electrical or chemical [10-50 mm glutamate (Glu)] stimulation of the vBNST consistently activated DA cells (122% increase in activity with 50 mm Glu). However, stronger chemical stimulation of the vBNST (100 mm Glu) completely inactivated DA neurons. In addition, apomorphine restored the activity of DA neurons that were inactivated by 100 mm Glu stimulation of the vBNST, indicating possible depolarization blockade of DA cells by vBNST activity. These findings reveal that the vBNST exerts a strong excitatory influence on DA neurons. Also striking was the finding that chemical stimulation (50 mm Glu) of the vBNST yielded long-lasting oscillatory activity (>15 min) in VTA DA neurons. These results indicate that the vBNST can generate long-lasting alterations in the activity of DA neurons in vivo.
A General LTL Framework for Describing Control Knowledge in Classical Planning

State-of-the-art planning systems use a variety of control knowledge in order to enhance the performance of heuristic search. Unfortunately most forms of control knowledge use a specific formalism which makes them hard to combine. There have been several approaches which describe control knowledge in Linear Temporal Logic (LTL). We build upon this work and propose a general framework for encoding control knowledge in LTL formulas. The framework includes a criterion that any LTL formula used in it must fulfill in order to preserve optimal plans when used for pruning the search space; this way the validity of new LTL formulas describing control knowledge can be checked. The framework is implemented on top of the Fast Downward planning system and is tested with a pruning technique called Unnecessary Action Application, which detects if a previously applied action achieved no useful progress.