Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Using audio and visual cues for speaker diarisation initialisation

In this paper we present a novel approach to audio visual speaker diarisation (the task of estimating “who spoke when” using audio and visual cues) in a challenging meeting domain. Our approach is based on the initialisation of the agglomerative speaker clustering using psychology inspired visual features, including Visual Focus of Attention (VFoA) and motion intensities. This method, providing initial speaker clusters of high purity, achieved consistent improvements over the widely adopted linear initialisation method. Moreover, the initialisation using both visual and Time Delay of Arrival (TDoA) cues was also investigated in conjunction with the multi-stream combination of acoustic and visual features (MFCC, TDoA, VFoA, motion intensity, and head pose likelihoods). This speaker diarisation framework allowed to successfully integrate three feature streams, further exploiting the complementarity between multimodal cues.
Temporal Aspects of Telework and its Impact on Work-Family Conflict

Telework is the engagement in work outside of a regular office setting by means of the use of information and communication technology (ICT). Findings reported in the literature are mixed with some studies having argued that telework provides workers the opportunity to better balance work and private roles. In contrast others have argued telework blurs the boundaries between work and private life thus creating competing objectives and conflict. This research in progress seeks to examine these inconsistencies by distinguishing between telework activity before and after office working hours. We predict that increased engagement in telework outside of office hours will contribute to stronger perceptions of work-family conflict, while greater engagement in telework during office hours will lessen perceptions of work overload and work-family conflict.
International Journal of Multidisciplinary and Current Research Face Recognition Using Line Edge Map

As technology is advancing, the demand of face recognition is increasing day by day. In past years, many researchers had introduced different techniques and different algorithms for accurate and reliable face recognition. But so far no system / technique exists which has shown satisfactory results in all circumstances. There are some conditions where more chances of error occurs, like varying pose, different light conditions and different facial expressions. So to improve the results in these conditions, a proposed concept of an improved Line Edge Map (LEM) using Matlab has introduced and compared the results with famous recognition technique " eigenface " and with the earlier results of LEM using different algorithm. As stated above we are proposing this technique with using Matlab software, because of the ease of editing and understanding the programming of Matlab the applications of this technique is more. And as the name stated of this technique, it totally works on lines, so its processing is very fast and it also take very less memory to store databases.
Scalable Multi-threaded Community Detection in Social Networks

The volume of existing graph-structured data requires improved parallel tools and algorithms. Finding communities, smaller sub graphs densely connected within the sub graph than to the rest of the graph, plays a role both in developing new parallel algorithms as well as opening smaller portions of the data to current analysis tools. We improve performance of our parallel community detection algorithm by 20% on the massively multithreaded Cray XMT, evaluate its performance on the next-generation Cray XMT2, and extend its reach to Intel-based platforms with OpenMP. To our knowledge, not only is this the first massively parallel community detection algorithm but also the only such algorithm that achieves excellent performance and good parallel scalability across all these platforms. Our implementation analyzes a moderate sized graph with 105 million vertices and 3.3 billion edges in around 500 seconds on a four processor, 80-logical-core Intel-based system and 1100 seconds on a 64-processor Cray XMT2.
Investigating the effectiveness of object‐oriented testing strategies using the mutation method

The mutation method assesses test quality by examining the ability of a test set to distinguish syntactic deviations representing specific types of faults from the program under test. This paper describes an empirical study performed to evaluate the effectiveness of object‐oriented (OO) test strategies using the mutation method. The test sets for the experimental system are generated according to three selected OO test strategies and their effectiveness is compared by determining how well the developed test sets kill injected mutants derived from an established mutation system Mothra and the authors' own OO‐specific mutation technique which is termed Class Mutation. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
High-capacity reversible data hiding by Maximum-span pixel Pairing on ordered dithered halftone images

In this paper, we propose a high-capacity reversible data hiding method for ordered dithered halftone images. Ordered dithering is a technique that generates a halftone image by simply comparing the pixels in the original gray level image with a dither matrix. In this paper, the dither matrix is applied to pair pixels in such a way that the occurrence frequency of one kind of pixel pair outnumbers that of the other kinds significantly; therefore, a large quantity of data can be hided into these pixel pairs. The embedding and recovering process are conducted through a pair-wise pixel swapping operation, which converts a pixel pair into a pixel pair with opposite characteristic. Our new scheme gives a better performance than Reversible Data hiding by Maximum-span Pairing (RDMP) in terms of both hiding capacity and stego-image visual quality.
Detection of nonlinguistic vocalizations using ALISP sequencing

In this paper, we present a generic methodology to detect nonlinguistic vocalizations using ALISP (Automatic Language Independent Speech Processing), which is a data-driven audio segmentation approach. Using Maximum Likelihood Linear Regression (MLLR) and Maximum A Posterior (MAP) techniques, the proposed method adapts ALISP models, which then facilitate detection of local regions of nonlinguistic vocalizations with the standard Viterbi decoding algorithm. We also illustrate how a simple majority voting scheme, using a sliding window on ALISP sequences, can be helpful in eliminating outliers from the Viterbi-predicted sequence automatically. We evaluate the performance of our method on detection of laughter, a nonlinguistic vocalization, in comparison with global acoustic models such as GMMs, left-to-right HMMs and ergodic HMMs. The results indicate that adapted ALISP acoustic models perform better than global acoustic models in terms of F-measure. Moreover, our majority voting scheme on ALISP-sequences further improves the performance yielding, in total, an increase of 19.6%, 8.1% and 5.6% on the F-measure against global acoustic models GMMs, left-to-right HMMs, and ergodic HMMs respectively.
Data-driven road detection

In this paper, we tackle the problem of road detection from RGB images. In particular, we follow a data-driven approach to segmenting the road pixels in an image. To this end, we introduce two road detection methods: A top-down approach that builds an image-level road prior based on the traffic pattern observed in an input image, and a bottom-up technique that estimates the probability that an image superpixel belongs to the road surface in a nonparametric manner. Both our algorithms work on the principle of label transfer in the sense that the road prior is directly constructed from the ground-truth segmentations of training images. Our experimental evaluation on four different datasets shows that this approach outperforms existing top-down and bottom-up techniques, and is key to the robustness of road detection algorithms to the dataset bias.
PERSONALITY PROCESSES AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES Self-Esteem, Construal, and Comparisons With the Self, Friends, and Peers

Extending the better than average effect, 3 studies examined self-, friend, and peer comparisons of personal attributes. Participants rated themselves as better off than friends, who they rated as superior to generalized peers. The exception was in direct comparisons, where the self and friends were not strongly differentiated on unambiguous negative attributes. Self-esteem and construal played moderating roles, with persons with high self-esteem (HSEs) exploiting both ambiguous positive and ambiguous negative traits to favor themselves. Persons lower in self-esteem exploited ambiguous positive traits in their favor but did not exploit ambiguous negative traits. Across self-esteem level, ratings of friends versus peers were exaggerated when attributes were ambiguous. HSEs seemed to take advantage of ambiguity more consistently to present favorable self-views; people with low self-esteem used ambiguity to favor their friends but were reluctant to minimize their own faults.
Lossy-to-Lossless Compression of Biomedical Images Based on Image Decomposition

The use of medical imaging has increased in the last years, especially with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT). Microarray imaging and images that can be extracted from RNA interference (RNAi) experiments also play an important role for large-scale gene sequence and gene expression analysis, allowing the study of gene function, regulation, and interaction across a large number of genes and even across an entire genome. These types of medical image modalities produce huge amounts of data that, for several reasons, need to be stored or transmitted at the highest possible fidelity between various hospitals, medical organizations, or research units. In this chapter, we study the performance of several compression methods developed by the authors, as well as of image coding standards, when used to compress medical images (computed radiography, computed tomography, magnetic resonance, and ul‐ trasound), RNAi images, and microarray images. The compression algorithms ad‐ dressed are based on image decomposition, finite-context modeling, and arithmetic coding. In one of the methods, the input image is split into several bitplanes, and each bitplane is encoded using finite-context models and arithmetic coding. In another ap‐ proach, the intensity levels of a given image are organized in a binary-tree structure, where each leaf node is associated with an image intensity. The experimental results presented in this chapter are state of the art regarding the compression of some of these types of images. Moreover, several approaches and pre‐ processing techniques are presented, giving a good hint about new developments that can be studied further. Also, this chapter intends to be used as a reference for compar‐ ison with new compression algorithms that may be developed in the future.
Representing Metaknowledge through Rich Links

Despite the Web being designed as a space for teamwork and organisational activities, current Web technology provides adequate support only for access to information, while its support for information comprehension and for interaction between people is weaker. A deeper understanding of the Web as a hypertext-based communication vehicle represents a key feature of Web information systems engineering and helps to achieve support at these higher levels of abstraction. Much of this involves capturing and representing metaknowledge about documents and their links. One of the key means to enrich the structure and interrelationships between pieces of information is through link attributes, together with facilities for utilising these, such as link attribute queries, graphical overviews and guided tours. This kind of rich links may provide a fundamental solution to complement basic navigation, and these may become invaluable in complex, knowledge-intensive domains, such as electronic commerce, software design or teamwork. The business value of rich links comes from added value in these systems, and from better information for end-users.
Workplace Empowerment and Commitment: An Empirical Study

Relationship between psychological empowerment and organization commitment was empirically studied. Empowerment is granting power or enabling people to exercise power. Organizational commitment is understood as individual's identification with and involvement in the organization. The study was conducted on employees from the service industry. Results showed that psychological empowerment led to commitment at workplace.
Multicentre evaluation of a new assay for determination of carbohydrate-deficient transferrin.

AIMS The analytical performance of the new Tina-quant % carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (%CDT) was assessed in a multicentre study on Roche/Hitachi analysers. METHODS Intra-assay/total precision studies revealed median coefficients of variation (CVs) of 4.7/7.4% within the sites. Precision between the sites was proven using a serum panel. RESULTS Inter-laboratory CVs from 6.3 to 10.7% were obtained. The results of the participating laboratories compared well with high-performance liquid chromatography-UV technique fulfilling the criteria of a reference method for %CDT determination (slope 1.03, intercept -0.09% CDT, correlation 0.984). Good agreement was also found with the Axis-Shield %CDT microtitre test. CONCLUSIONS Data from this study indicate that reliable, well standardized %CDT results are obtained using the new assay.
The Role of Social Capital in Cell Phone Adoption Behavior

As advances in cellular phone technology allow for greater functionality, cell phones are beginning to take on much more prominent and multi-faceted roles in our lives. Once viewed simply as a replacement of the landline, cell phones are now used for much more than communicating with friends, family, and coworkers; indeed, they are used to send and receive textmessages, carry out mobile banking services, listen to music, play games, and browse the internet. These advances require the development of more granulated theory in regard to how individuals adopt and use their cell phones, in both work and social contexts. In this research-in-process, we blend social capital theory and media richness theory in an attempt to determine why different individuals use the (common) features of their cell phones differently – why do some people text more than they call, and vice versa? Further, we investigate how individuals cope when they are prohibited from using a technology that they have already adopted for hedonic purposes (e.g. cell phones). To begin answering these questions, we collected and interpreted exploratory data from students, and developed a research model that we intend to test in the future.
On the robustness and performance of disturbance observers for second-order systems

The disturbance observer (DOB) has been widely utilized for high-precision and high-speed motion control applications. In this note, we suggest the robustness measure of the DOB as a criterion to design the robust DOB systems. Also, we suggest its design guidelines especially for second-order systems. Experimental results for an optical disk drive system show the validity of design guidelines.
A single time scale visual servoing system for a high speed SCARA type robotic arm

A high speed image based visual servoing (VS) technique is developed in this study for a Selective Compliant Assembly Robotic Arm (SCARA) manipulator with rotary hydraulic actuators. This study has developed a 2D position measuring system which comprise a high speed camera with a position sensitive detector as the image sensor. The input output interface and the controller for the VS system was implemented using a field programmable gate array (FPGA) providing a single chip solution for the embedded system. This camera was capable of providing position measurements of the end effector (EE) with an accuracy of up to 0.95 mm at a frequency of 1340 Hz. The proposed control strategy produced a better tracking performance with an EE payload of 12 kg with speeds of up to 1.3 m/s.
A Novel Rotor Ground-Fault-Detection Technique for Synchronous Machines With Static Excitation

This paper presents a novel ground-fault-detection technique for synchronous machines. This technique is suitable for synchronous machines with static excitation systems, whose excitation field winding is fed by rectifiers through an excitation transformer. The main contribution of this new technique is that it can detect and discriminate both ac- and dc-side ground faults in the excitation system, without the need for traditional power injection sources. This detection technique is based on the frequency analysis of the voltages or currents at a grounding impedance placed at the excitation transformer neutral terminal. This technique has been validated through computer simulations and experimental laboratory tests.
Personalized Medicine and Imaging Cell and Molecular Determinants of In Vivo Ef fi cacy of the BH 3 MimeticABT-263 against PediatricAcute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Xenografts

Purpose: Predictive biomarkers are required to identify patients who may benefit from the use of BH3 mimetics such as ABT-263. This study investigated the efficacy of ABT-263 against a panel of patient-derived pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) xenografts and utilized cell and molecular approaches to identify biomarkers that predict in vivo ABT-263 sensitivity. ExperimentalDesign: The in vivo efficacy of ABT-263was tested against a panel of 31patient-derived ALL xenografts composed of MLL-, BCP-, and T-ALL subtypes. Basal gene expression profiles of ALL xenografts were analyzed and confirmed by quantitative RT-PCR, protein expression and BH3 profiling. An in vitro coculture assay with immortalized humanmesenchymal cells was utilized to build a predictive model of in vivo ABT-263 sensitivity. Results: ABT-263 demonstrated impressive activity against pediatric ALL xenografts, with 19 of 31 achieving objective responses. AmongBCL2 familymembers, in vivoABT-263 sensitivity correlated bestwith low MCL1 mRNA expression levels. BH3 profiling revealed that resistance to ABT-263 correlated with mitochondrial priming by NOXA peptide, suggesting a functional role for MCL1 protein. Using an in vitro coculture assay, a predictive model of in vivo ABT-263 sensitivity was built. Testing this model against 11 xenografts predicted in vivo ABT-263 responses with high sensitivity (50%) and specificity (100%). Conclusion: These results highlight the in vivo efficacy of ABT-263 against a broad range of pediatric ALL subtypes and shows that a combination of in vitro functional assays can be used to predict its in vivo efficacy. Clin Cancer Res; 20(17); 4520–31. 2014 AACR.
Speech Recognition Using Time Domain Features from Phase Space Reconstructions

A speech recognition system implements the task of automatically transcribing speech into text. As computer power has advanced and sophisticated tools have become available, there has been significant progress in this field. But a huge gap still exists between the performance of the Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) systems and human listeners. In this thesis, a novel signal analysis technique using Reconstructed Phase Spaces (RPS) is presented for speech recognition. The most widely used techniques for acoustic modeling are currently derived from frequency domain feature extraction. The reconstructed phase space modeling technique taken from dynamical systems methods addresses the acoustic modeling problem in the time domain instead. Such a method has the potential of capturing nonlinear information usually ignored by the traditional linear human speech production model. The features from this time domain approach can be used for speech recognition when combined with statistical modeling techniques such as Hidden Markov Models (HMM) and Gaussian Mixture Models (GMM). Issues associated with this RPS approach are discussed, and experiments are done using the TIMIT database. Most of this work focuses on isolated phoneme classification, with some extended work presented on continuous speech recognition. The direct statistical modeling of RPS can be used for the isolated phoneme recognition. The Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) is used to extract frame-based features from RPS, and can be applied to both isolated phoneme recognition and continuous speech recognition.
Classify By Representative Or Associations (CBROA): a hybrid approach for image classification

Image classification has been an interesting research issue in multimedia content analysis due to the wide applications. In this paper, we observe that images can be classified (or annotated) in two ways: i) Classify by some main object, ii) Classify by multiple objects with their relations. These two types of images usually exist concurrently in real-life image databases. Although a number of image classification methods have been propose, they can only handle one certain type of images well and fail to deal with both types of images correctly at the same time. In this paper, we propose a hybrid image classification method, namely "CBROA" (Classify By Representative Or Associations), that can effectively classify both types of images at the same time. CBROA integrates the decision tree and association rules mining method in an adaptive manner with construction of a virtual semantic ontology. Experimental results show that CBROA outperforms other classification methods in terms of classification accuracy in classifying mixed types of images.
A formal approach to component based development of synchronous programs

Synchronous languages may be used for specification and design of embedded systems. Assuming the availability of a library of synchronous programs, we propose a technique to enable reuse of these programs, via an algorithm for automatic matching of a design function to a program from the library. The algorithm, when successful, generates an interface which automatically adapts the program. The algorithm is based on a new simulation relation called synchronous forced simulation, which is shown to be necessary and sufficient for matching a given pair of function and program.
What is a Theory of Thought

A packaged self-heating cosmetic, such as a shaving cream, hand lotion, depilatory, facial, or a shampoo, including separate exothermically reactive reductant material, such as 2-thio-4-oxypyrimidine or thiohydantoin or derivatives thereof, and an oxidant, which reacts with the reductant, generating heat. Means are provided for dispensing the packaged reductant and oxidant from separate zones and bringing them into contact with each other so that they react and heat a pressurized shaving cream or other cosmetic product whose constituents the exothermic reaction mixture contacts. The reducing agent employed is preferably 2-thio-4-oxypyrimidine or its tautomer, 2-mercapto-4-hydroxypyrimidine, or alkyl-substituted derivative thereof, and the oxidizing agent is preferably aqueous hydrogen peroxide.