Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Statistical models of visual shape and motion

The analysis of visual motion against dense background clutter is a challenging problem. Uncertainty in the positions of visually sensed features and ambiguity of feature correspondence call for a probabilistic treatment, capable of maintaining not simply a single estimate of position and shape but an entire distribution. Exact representation of the evolving distribution is possible when the distributions are Gaussian and this yields some powerful approaches. However, normal distributions are limited when clutter is present: because of their unimodality, they cannot be used to represent simultaneous alternative hypotheses. One powerful methodology for maintaining non–Gaussian distributions is based on random sampling techniques. The effectiveness of ‘factored sampling’ and ‘Markov chain Monte Carlo’ for interpretation of static images is widely accepted. More recently, factored sampling has been combined with learned dynamical models to propagate probability distributions for object position and shape. Progress in several areas is reported here. First a new observational model is described that takes object opacity into account. Secondly, complex shape models to represent combined rigid and non–rigid motion have been developed, together with a new algorithm to decompose rigid from non–rigid. Lastly, more powerful dynamical prior models have been constructed by appending suitable discrete labels to a continuous system state; this may also have applications to gesture recognition.
The Role of TLR2 and 4-Mediated Inflammatory Pathways in Endothelial Cells Exposed to High Glucose

Postprandial hyperglycemia induces inflammation and endothelial dysfunction resulting in vascular complications in patients with diabetes. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are central to the regulation of inflammatory responses through activation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-ĸB). This study examined the role of TLR2 and 4 in regulating inflammation and endothelial dysfunction when exposed to fluctuating glucose concentrations. HMEC-1 cells (a human microvascular endothelial cell line) were exposed to control (5 mM), 30 mM (high), fluctuating (5/30 mM) and 11.2 mM glucose (approximate glycaemic criteria for the diagnosis of diabetes mellitus) for 72 h. Cells were assessed for TLR2, 4, high mobility group box -1 (HMGB1), NF-ĸB, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), interleukin-8 (IL-8), intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1). Fluctuating glucose concentrations maximally upregulated TLR4 but not TLR2 expression with increased NF-ĸB activation, IL-8 and ICAM-1 expression. HMGB1 was increased in the supernatants of cells exposed to 30 mM and 11.2 mM glucose compared to control. The addition of recombinant HMGB1 induced NF-ĸB activation and synthesis of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines, which were prevented by TLR2 or 4 signalling inhibition. An additive effect when both TLR2 and 4 signalling pathways were inhibited was observed. However, only inhibition of TLR4 signalling suppressed the synthesis of MCP-1, IL-8 and ICAM-1. In vivo, streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice exhibited an increase in glomerular ICAM-1 which was not evident in TLR2-/- or TLR4-/- diabetic mice. Collectively, our results suggest that targeting the signalling pathway of TLR2 and 4 may be of therapeutic benefit in attenuating vascular inflammation in diabetic microangiopathy.
Reduction of Energy Consumption in Processors by Early Detection and Bypassing of Trivial Operations

Previous research has established that trivial operations, i.e., instructions whose outcome can be trivially inferred from the operands, e.g. addition of zero, account for a quite significant portion of the dynamically executed instructions. By detecting them early and removing them from the pipeline, it is possible to reduce the energy consumption. This paper first presents a new classification of trivial operations in which especially such trivial operations that can be detected early, i.e. at the decode stage, in the pipeline are identified. Our analysis shows that on average as many as 10% of all executed instructions are of this kind across 12 applications from SPEC2000. We find that a majority (indeed 89%) of them are identity-trivial in which at least one of the operands is the identity element - zero or one. By detecting them early, one can bypass their execution and eliminate register accesses if the processor uses a logical/physical register remapping unit. We find that as many as 75% of all trivial operations can be detected and eliminated at the decode stage because the identity element is available that often. With such support, we find that the energy consumption in the functional units, the result bus, the instruction window infrastructure, and the register file can be reduced by 13%, 9%, 27%, and 26%, respectively yielding 18% reduction of the energy in the core pipeline
Optimization Techniques for Wireless Sensor Networks

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) deal with the major issue of energy limitation in their deployments. In this paper, we will discuss the quality of service (QoS) parameters considered when designing an infrastructure for optimal energy efficiency in a wireless sensor network. There are several issues that constrain the WSNs and challenges posed by the environment of handling traffic and the lifetime of the battery in the nodes. We discuss the different techniques proposed by current studies used to deal with these challenges. We briefly illustrate different factors and aspects to evaluate the value each optimization technique provides from scalability to reliability. Finally, we designed an algorithm that reduces the amount of data traffic and satisfies the QoS requirements and further propose a technique that alleviates the unbalanced energy usage, data redundancy and prolong the effective system lifetime.
A virtual Music fountain simulation based on particle system

This report presents a real-time simulation of a music fountain which is simulated in three dimensions by a particle animation system. In this system, gravity and wind are factors that affect the locus movement of particles. Using kinematic equations, the dynamic behaviors of particles is modeled. A specific contribution of the work presented here is that parameters for the motion equation are estimated from sound playing in real-time which controls the dynamic behavior of animated fountain. An open source programming language called Processing is used to implement the environment. Results of the system are demonstrated in form of its graphical output and performance benchmarks from run-time evaluation. The author investigates the influence of the parameters of particle system and music attributes on the animation of the music fountain simulation. The size, number, color, texture and transparency of particles can influence the quality of music fountain simulation. Using FFT function to get music parameters is the best way to figure out differences between different music.
Modeling Annotator Accuracies for Supervised Learning

Crowdsourcing [5] methods are quickly changing the landscape for the quantity, quality, and type of labeled data available to supervised learning. While such data can now be obtained more quickly and cheaply than ever before, the generated labels also tend to be far noisier due to limitations of current quality control mechanisms and processes. Given such noisy labels and a supervised learner, an important question to consider, therefore, is how labeling effort can be optimally utilized in order to maximize learner accuracy? For example, should we (a) label additional unlabeled examples, or (b) generate additional labels for labeled examples in order to reduce potential label noise [12]? In comparison to prior work, we show faster learning can be achieved for case (b) by incorporating knowledge of worker accuracies into consensus labeling [13]. Evaluation on four binary classification tasks with simulated annotators shows the empirical importance of modeling annotator accuracies.
Rationality and dense families of B(3) representations

Every irreducible component of the variety of semi-simple n-dimensional representations of the modular group has a Zariski dense subset contained in the image of an etale map from a rational quotient variety of representations of a fixed quiver Q. As an application we prove that there is a unique component of 6-dimensional representations of the three string braid group B(3) able to detect braid-reversion. Further, we give explicit rational parametrizations of dense families of simple B(3)-representations in all dimensions < 12.
Conclusion: A New Social Constructionism for Sociolegal Studies

Le dessein de l'A. est d'introduire un constructionnisme social « modere » dans l'etude sociologique du droit. En tant que conclusion du symposium sur la communaute et l'identite dans les etudes sociolegales, l'A. se reclame d'une approche pluridisciplinaire pouvant jeter des ponts entre les significations et l'etude des conditions materielles de vie. Apres avoir evoque la tradition de la pensee de la construction sociale, l'A. developpe cinq aspects communs aux contributions du symposium pouvant relever d'une vision « social-constructionniste » du droit : 1) la sous-determination du droit ; 2) la coherence des representations des identites par le droit n'est souvent qu'une fiction juridique servant des interets autres que ceux affiches ; 3) vision critique de la constitution du « local » dans le discours legal, en tant que reflet d'un discours emanant en fait du « sommet » ; 4) approche critique des concepts de « droit oral » , « voix indigenes authentiques » ou « rationalite » qui refletent en fait des constructions sociales loin de toute neutralite ; 5) analyse du pouvoir qu'a le langage juridique de creer des cadres epistemologiques qui, sous les apparences de la neutralite, laissent d'importantes questions hors du debat
Prognostics of Lithium-Ion Batteries Based on Battery Performance Analysis and Flexible Support Vector Regression

Accurate prediction of the remaining useful life ( RUL ) of lithium-ion batteries is important for battery management systems. Traditional empirical data-driven approaches for RUL prediction usually require multidimensional physical characteristics including the current, voltage, usage duration, battery temperature, and ambient temperature. From a capacity fading analysis of lithium-ion batteries, it is found that the energy efficiency and battery working temperature are closely related to the capacity degradation, which account for all performance metrics of lithium-ion batteries with regard to the RUL and the relationships between some performance metrics. Thus, we devise a non-iterative prediction model based on flexible support vector regression ( F-SVR ) and an iterative multi-step prediction model based on support vector regression ( SVR ) using the energy efficiency and battery working temperature as input physical characteristics. The experimental results show that the proposed prognostic models have high prediction accuracy by using fewer dimensions for the input data than the traditional empirical models.
Porin activity of the native and recombinant outer membrane protein Oms28 of Borrelia burgdorferi

The outer membrane-spanning (Oms) proteins of Borrelia burgdorferi have been visualized by freeze-fracture analysis but, until recently, not further characterized. We developed a method for the isolation of B. burgdorferi outer membrane vesicles and described porin activities with single-channel conductances of 0.6 and 12.6 nS in 1 M KCI. By using both nondenaturing isoelectric focusing gel electrophoresis and fast-performance liquid chromatography separation after detergent solubilization, we found that the 0.6-nS porin activity resided in a 28-kDa protein, designated Oms28. The oms28 gene was cloned, and its nucleotide sequence was determined. The deduced amino acid sequence of Oms28 predicted a 257-amino-acid precursor protein with a putative 24-amino-acid leader peptidase I signal sequence. Processed Oms28 yielded a mature protein with a predicted molecular mass of 25,363 Da. When overproduced in Escherichia coli, the Oms28 porin fractionated in part to the outer membrane. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel-purified recombinant Oms28 from E. coli retained functional activity as demonstrated by an average single-channel conductance of 1.1 nS in the planar lipid bilayer assay. These findings confirmed that Oms28 is a B. burgdorferi porin, the first to be described. As such, it is potential relevance to the pathogenesis of Lyme borreliosis and to the physiology of the spirochete.
The Person–Situation Interaction

Unpacking Lewin’s “grand truism, B = f (P, E), this chapter explores the role of socialcognitive structures and processes in mediating the interaction of the person and the situation. Historically, assuming the independence of personal and environmental determinants of behavior maintained the separation of personality (and its underlying Doctrine of Traits) from social psychology (and its underlying Doctrine of Situationism). An alternative Doctrine of Interactionism, supplemented by a further Doctrine of Reciprocal Determinism, provides a framework for the integration of the two fields by analyzing the dialectical relationships between the person, environment, and behavior. Two versions of interactionism are described: a static version, originally modeled on the statistical analysis of variance, and a dynamic version, which describes how persons construct the situations to which they respond through evocation, selection, behavioral manipulation, and cognitive transformation. The role of cognition in mediating social interaction is illustrated by the General Social Interaction Cycle. OxfordHndbkSocCog_ref. doc 12/1/2010 3:11:32 PM Person-Situation Interaction 3
Superior Charge Storage and Power Density of a Conducting Polymer-Modified Covalent Organic Framework

The low conductivity of two-dimensional covalent organic frameworks (2D COFs), and most related coordination polymers, limits their applicability in optoelectronic and electrical energy storage (EES) devices. Although some networks exhibit promising conductivity, these examples generally lack structural versatility, one of the most attractive features of framework materials design. Here we enhance the electrical conductivity of a redox-active 2D COF film by electropolymerizing 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) within its pores. The resulting poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT)-infiltrated COF films exhibit dramatically improved electrochemical responses, including quantitative access to their redox-active groups, even for 1 μm-thick COF films that otherwise provide poor electrochemical performance. PEDOT-modified COF films can accommodate high charging rates (10–1600 C) without compromising performance and exhibit both a 10-fold higher current response relative to unmodified films and stable capacitances for at least 10 000 cycles. This work represents the first time that electroactive COFs or crystalline framework materials have shown volumetric energy and power densities comparable with other porous carbon-based electrodes, thereby demonstrating the promise of redox-active COFs for EES devices.
A Programming Language for Processor Based Embedded Systems

Since embedded software is becoming more and more complex, software reuse is an important issue in processorbased embedded system design. However, many embedded programs can not be reused on various kinds of architectures because the correctness of programs strongly depends on both compilers and processor architectures. In order to overcome the limited reusability, we have proposed an embeddedprogramming language, called Valen-C. In ValenC, programmers can explicitly specify the required bit length of each variable in programs. Valen-C enables programs to be independent of processor architectures and can expand the opportunity of reusing the programs. In this paper, the effectiveness of Valen-C is discussed by clarifying the difference of it from existing languages, and the syntax and semantics of Valen-C are described. The structure of the Valen-C retargetable compiler which we have developed and how to preserve the correctness of programs are also described.
Social Skills Interventions with Students with Emotional and Behavioral Problems: A Quantitative Synthesis of Single-Subject Research

Sixty-four single-subject studies examining the effectiveness of social skills interventions with students with emotional or behavioral problems were included in this synthesis. The results of quantitative synthesis procedures using percentage of nonoverlapping data suggest that social skills interventions have limited empirical support for their overall effectiveness. Implications for future social skills research and quantitative analysis methodology are discussed.
Max-margin similarity preserving factor analysis via Gibbs sampling

In this paper, we develop the max-margin similarity preserving factor analysis (MMSPFA) model. MMSPFA utilizes the latent variable support vector machine (LVSVM) as the classification criterion in the latent space to learn a discriminative subspace with max-margin constraint. It jointly learns factor analysis (FA) model, similarity preserving (SP) term and max-margin classifier in a united Bayesian framework to improve the prediction performance. Thanks to the conditionally conjugate property, the parameters in our model can be inferred via the simple and efficient Gibbs sampler. Finally, we test our methods on real-world data to demonstrate their efficiency and effectiveness.
A Comparison of Traditional and Weekly Undulating Periodized Strength Training Programs With Total Volume and Intensity Equated

Apel, JM, Lacy, RM, and Kell, RT. A comparison of traditional and weekly undulating periodized strength training programs with total volume and intensity equated. J Strength Cond Res 25(3): 694-703, 2011-The purpose of this study was to compare the training adaptations attained during 12 weeks of traditional (TD) and weekly undulating (WUD) periodized strength training. Forty-two recreationally active men (age = 22 ± 2.3 years) were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups: control (C) (n = 14), TD (n = 14), or WUD (n = 14). Ten-repetition maximum (10RM) laboratory testing was carried out for the free weight back squat and the free weight flat bench press at baseline, week 8, and week 12. The subjects trained 3 d·wk−1 (approximately 135 min·wk−1) from weeks 1 to 2 and 4 d·wk−1 from week 3 to week 12 (approximately 180 min·wk−1). The TD and WUD groups trained using a periodized strength program with all program variables controlled (e.g., volume and intensity). The independent variable was the manipulation of intensity. The TD group used a linear increase in intensity, whereas the WUD group had a varied intensity. The results showed that both the TD and WUD groups made significant (p ≤ 0.05) increases in strength at weeks 8 and 12, but by week 12, the TD group was significantly (p ≤ 0.05) stronger than the WUD group. These results indicate that TD periodization with a linear increase in intensity was more effective at eliciting strength gains than WUD periodization with a varied intensity. The differences in strength gains between the TD and WUD groups may be related to extended periods of muscle soreness and fatigue that were present in the WUD group but not in the TD group. Thus, during long-term training, individuals may benefit more from TD periodized programs because there may be less muscle soreness and fatigue to disrupt practice and training.
Financial Conflict Messages and Marital Satisfaction: The Mediating Role of Financial Communication Satisfaction

Conflict over money is one of the most commonly cited topics of marital disagreements (Oggins, 2003). However, little empirical research has examined how marital couples communicate about financial issues, specifically, and how these financial communication messages contribute to, or detract from, marital satisfaction. Knowledge about how couples communicate regarding financial issues is of significance to conflict scholars because it would allow us to understand the potential detriments of certain financial conflict message patterns and how these patterns ultimately affect one’s marital satisfaction. Married individuals (not marital dyads) were recruited online to participate in an online survey about their financial communication patterns within his or her marriage. In the present study of 326 married individuals, we found that constructive financial conflict messages were positively associated with financial harmony, marital satisfaction, and financial communication satisfaction. Destructive financial conflict messages, the demand-withdraw financial conflict message pattern, and mutually avoiding financial conflict were each negatively associated with financial harmony, marital satisfaction, and financial communication satisfaction. In addition, financial communication satisfaction mediated the relationship between each of the financial conflict message patterns and marital satisfaction. The current study lays empirical groundwork for developing a theoretical framework for understanding marital interaction patterns and the effects these patterns have on marital satisfaction.
At the Zoo and On the Farm: The Effects of an Initial Interview on Pre-Kindergarten Children's Subsequent Recall and Resistance to Retroactive Interference

PIERCE, LAUREN ESTHER. At the Zoo and On the Farm: The Effects of an Initial Interview on Pre-Kindergarten Childrens Subsequent Recall and Resistance to Retroactive Interference. (Under the direction of Lynne Baker-Ward). Despite the attention researchers have given to the effects of repeated interviews on eyewitness testimony, relatively few investigations have examined the effects of an initial interview on childrens event memory. This study added to the literature by investigating the effects of an initial interview on recall, resistance to retroactive interference, and source monitoring errors. One hundred four-year-old children were engaged in a staged event and were interviewed about this event 4 weeks later. Two between-participant factors, the presence or absence of an initial interview and the administration or lack of administration of a related event during the retention interval, were varied orthogonally. Children in the initial interview group demonstrated greater recall and more elaborations of the target event, regardless of whether or not they had experienced the intervening event. Among the children who were exposed to the intervening event, those who had the initial interview made fewer source monitoring errors than did those who did not have the interview. The findings are interpreted as indicating that an initial interview enhances young childrens memory reports by strengthening the memory trace and consolidating the event representation, at least under some conditions. AT THE ZOO AND ON THE FARM: THE EFFECTS OF AN INITIAL INTERVIEW ON PRE-KINDERGARTEN CHILDRENS SUBSEQUENT RECALL AND RESISTANCE TO RETROACTIVE INTERFERENCE