Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Backward-Shifted Coding (BSC) based on Scalable Video Coding for HAS

The main task of HTTP Adaptive Streaming is to adapt video quality dynamically under variable network conditions. This is a key feature for multimedia delivery especially when quality of service cannot be granted network-wide and, e.g., throughput may suffer short term fluctuations. Hence, robust bitrate adaptation schemes become crucial in order to improve video quality. The objective, in this context, is to control the filling level of the playback buffer and maximize the quality of the video, while avoiding unnecessary video quality variations. In this paper we study bitrate adaptation algorithms based on Backward-Shifted Coding (BSC), a scalable video coding scheme able to greatly improve video quality. We design bitrate adaptation algorithms that balance video rate smoothness and high network capacity utilization, leveraging both on throughput-based and buffer-based adaptation mechanisms. Extensive simulations using synthetic and real-world video traffic traces show that the proposed scheme performs remarkably well even under challenging network conditions.
Background subtraction for vehicle detection

We propose a background subtraction method for segmenting vehicles from background in a video sequence. Our method can be considered as a hybrid of two existing methods. The background is modelled per-pixel with a collection of pixel values. The foreground/background decision is based on whether the current pixel value finds a match with the samples in the model. The matching samples in the model are adapted towards the current pixel value with a learning parameter. Evaluation tests on the public CDnet dataset shows good results in a highway scenario.
On Relevance, Probabilistic Indexing and Information Retrieval

This paper reports on a novel technique for literature indexing and searching in a mechanized library system. The notion of relevance is taken as the key concept in the theory of information retrieval and a comparative concept of relevance is explicated in terms of the theory of probability. The resulting technique called “Probabilistic Indexing,” allows a computing machine, given a request for information, to make a statistical inference and derive a number (called the “relevance number”) for each document, which is a measure of the probability that the document will satisfy the given request. The result of a search is an ordered list of those documents which satisfy the request ranked according to their probable relevance. The paper goes on to show that whereas in a conventional library system the cross-referencing (“see” and “see also”) is based solely on the “semantical closeness” between index terms, statistical measures of closeness between index terms can be defined and computed. Thus, given an arbitrary request consisting of one (or many) index term(s), a machine can elaborate on it to increase the probability of selecting relevant documents that would not otherwise have been selected. Finally, the paper suggests an interpretation of the whole library problem as one where the request is considered as a clue on the basis of which the library system makes a concatenated statistical inference in order to provide as an output an ordered list of those documents which most probably satisfy the information needs of the user.
Towards Maintainable Constraint Validation and Repair for Taxonomies: The PoolParty Approach

The specification and validation of constraints in semantically annotated datasets has been receiving increasing attention in the last few years. In this paper we present requirements for using such approaches in an industrial setting. We underpin these requirements with concrete examples of data constraints, as encountered during the development and operation of the PoolParty Thesaurus Server. We show how these constraints can be expressed in SPARQL and propose a SHACLbased approach that combines data validation specification with repair strategies. Based on an implementation that is driven by practical use cases, we show that this approach is able to validate and repair datasets that are provided by customers of PoolParty as well as those openly available on the Web.
Towards Integrating Hierarchical Goal Networks and Motion Planners to Support Planning for Human-Robot Teams

Low-level motion planning techniques must be combined with high-level task planning formalisms in order to generate realistic plans that can be carried out by humans and robots. Previous attempts to integrate these two planning formalisms mostly used either Classical Planning or HTN Planning. Recently, we developed Hierarchical Goal Networks (HGNs), a new hierarchical planning formalism that combines the advantages of HTN and Classical planning, while mitigating some of the disadvantages of each individual formalism. In this paper, we describe our ongoing research on designing a planning formalism and algorithm that exploits the unique features of HGNs to better integrate task and motion planning. We also describe how the proposed planning framework can be instantiated to solve assembly planning problems involving human-robot teams.
Supplementing process-oriented with structure-oriented design explanation within formal object-oriented method

This paper reports the results from an action research project which studies the benefits of documenting the evolution and the rationale for the evolution of a requirements specification. Earlier research into the use of ad hoc design explanation, in which design decisions were documented using the IBIS notation (Issue Based Information System) as they were made, found both benefits and weaknesses of the approach. The weaknesses suggested an investigation into the complementary use of a post hoc notation-QOC (Question-Option-Criteria). This study was undertaken with a view to understanding the potential contribution of supplementing the IBIS approach with additional rationale reported using QOC. This study demonstrated that both notations were useful. The study resulted in a deeper understanding of the process of documenting the evolution of the requirements and the rationale for the evolution. The study also led to a few suggestions about how to use both the QOC and IBIS notations effectively.
Varieties of Binocular Interaction in Human Vision

Binocular processing was investigated using a quantitative, process-oriented metatheory of response times. The analyses are not confined to particular distributional assumptions or specific models. Upper and lower performance boundaries for probability summation in parallel processing are defined and compared with observed distributions of reaction times using a variety of dichoptic stimuli. Performance that exceeds the upper bound strongly suggests facilitatory convergence between the two eyes (binocular channel summation). Performance below the lower bound suggests that inputs to the two eyes are processed serially. The results indicate that binocular channel summation in subjects with normal stereo vision requires targets of the same luminance polarity (paired increments or decrements) in corresponding retinal locations. When corresponding retinal locations are stimulated with opposing luminance polarities (increment to one eye, decrement to the other), performance is consistent with probability summation, indicating that parallel ON and OFF pathways remain segregated at least to the level of binocular fusion. Further analyses of data from a stereo-blind observer suggest serial processing of binocular inputs.
Inactivity Recognition: Separating Moving Phones from Stationary Users

Accurate methods of detecting whether a person is at rest form an important component in indoor localization and sedentary lifestyle monitoring. The problem of quantifying rest is complicated by the variety of activities and phone configurations that exist even when the user location is stationary. Our study examines whether on-phone kinematic sensors can be used to accurately and consistently detect rest. Rest is defined as a user's absolute positioning with respect to a world coordinate frame not changing significantly over a fixed time interval. An important requirement in our approach is that the algorithm maintains its accuracy independent of orientation and on-body location. The techniques examined show high accuracy classification (>95%) with test participants simulating typical everyday tasks in an office environment. An important contribution of our approach is showing that rest detection accuracy improved when accounting for the orientation of the phone for the activities discussed.
A sliding-correlator-based SAGE algorithm for Mm-wave wideband channel parameter estimation

In this contribution, a high-resolution parameter estimation algorithm is derived based on the Space-Alternating Generalized Expectation-maximization (SAGE) principle for extracting multipath channel parameters from the output of sliding correlator (SC) which is used in millimeter-wave wideband channel measurements. By utilizing a parametric model describing the SC's output, the multipath parameters can be estimated by exploiting both low- and high-frequency components in the SC's output. Notice that conventional channel parameter estimation algorithms only make use of the time-dilated channel impulse response (CIR) calculated from the low-frequency component, and the high-frequency components, which are considered as distortions are discarded by low-pass filtering the SC's output. The algorithm proposed here can also be applied to estimate the Doppler frequencies of multipath from the SC's output containing only one observation of the time-dilated CIR, which is useful for the cases where channels change too fast to collect multiple observations of CIRs within channel coherence time. Simulations are conducted to verify the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm and evaluate its performance in terms of root mean square estimation errors.
A brief history of psychotherapy and physical disability.

In this brief history, the authors have attempted to highlight salient aspects of psychotherapy with physically disabled individuals across a span ranging from the prepsychoanalytic to the contemporary. Particular attention is given to the prepsychoanalytic work of Charcot and Janet on neurological diseases and trauma, respectively. Psychoanalytic concepts are reviewed as they relate to physical disability and they are compared with contemporary themes involving trauma and loss. The paper has a distinctly psychoanalytic bias about the psychology of congenital and acquired physical differences. Important to the psychotherapist is the fact that these individuals who happen to have physical disabilities bring to the clinical situation the same kinds of problems, defenses, and adaptations as do so-called "ordinary people. " There are some important differences in focus between those whose physical differences are congenital and those who acquire physical disability later in life. However, for the most part, the principles and practice of psychotherapy with the physically disabled are no different from those for any other human being.
A Non-invasive Method to Measure the Sweetness of Malaysian Papaya Quantitatively Using NIR Full-transmittance Technique - A Preliminary Study

The fruit industry requires rapid, economical, and non destructive method for classifying fruits by internal quality. This research studied the development of a non destructive method that would enable consumers and producers to assess the maturity of papayas rapidly. Near Infra Red Spectroscopy (NIRS) was used to assess total Soluble Solid Content (SSC). A device consisting of infrared receiver sensor was developed to receive the infrared wavelength and a circuit was constructed to convert this reading into voltage. Fuzzy logic was applied as a decision support system to classify the sweetness of Malaysian papayas. The selected papayas were classified with two different categories which was ripe and unripe. Evaluation from the developed FIS scheme was compared with the results obtained from the refractometer which is in term of %Brix. It was found that the voltage obtained is proportional to the % Brix.
Potential Based Reward Shaping for Hierarchical Reinforcement Learning

Hierarchical Reinforcement Learning (HRL) outperforms many 'flat' Reinforcement Learning (RL) algorithms in some application domains. However, HRL may need longer time to obtain the optimal policy because of its large action space. Potential Based Reward Shaping (PBRS) has been widely used to incorporate heuristics into flat RL algorithms so as to reduce their exploration. In this paper, we investigate the integration of PBRS and HRL, and propose a new algorithm: PBRS-MAXQ- 0. We prove that under certain conditions, PBRS-MAXQ- 0 is guaranteed to converge. Empirical results show that PBRS-MAXQ-0 significantly outperforms MAXQ-0 given good heuristics, and can converge even when given misleading heuristics.
It is our choice!

In many parts of the world, particularly in parts of the United States, our profession has already ceased to exist as it was once practiced. This decade has been described as the era of health care accountability, but it often seems to us that providers are being held accountable while insurers and corporate giants march to the beat of their own drummers—drummers whose rhythm exalts the profit motive over the patients' needs. The payer's perspective, meanwhile, is that we providers have too long been driven by professional aggrandizement and the profit motive. Services that we contend are essential, others view as excessive service utilization by a profession with little evidence to prove its worth. Is this just a matter of “different perspectives”? Can anyone expect society to believe that we have justified our existence simply by saying that we “know” we are doing good? …
Postgraduate Medical Education

Postgraduate Medical Education is one of the major systems to develop excellence in Medical Education. The system is divided into preclinical & clinical formats. In clinical format the major area is involvement of postgraduate student to learn advance issues of the field in which student is doing his/her degree work. While in preclinical fields the student is directed to undertake teaching strategies for undergraduate courses and do research to support his degree. In modern times the research is directed to fortify basic principles of the subject or clinically relate topics with the subject. The basic principal of postgraduate education is development of most modern knowledge of the subject, development of clinical/basic teaching/scientific skills and aptitude guidance for continued medical education. The first postgraduate clinical training programmes, were launched following the inauguration of Aga Khan University Hospital in 1985. Since critical thinking and analysis are the keystone of scientific thought and the prerequisite for meaningful scholarship and research, it is essential for any educational programme to encompass aspects such as biomedical ethics, teaching skills, research methodology as well as communication skills 1 . McGill University has also developed its objective to develop learning experience inherent to the clinical training offered should prepare the trainees to perform as clinical teachers in an academic milieu, to provide high quality medical services to their community as members of the Health Care Team, and will expose them to a rich research environment 2 . While the Cambridge University looks at it as the Postgraduate degree is aimed at doctors and other professionals allied to medicine who have a teaching role and/or a role in training and appraising healthcare professionals. This includes doctors working in: primary care; secondary care at all levels from foundation year 2 to consultant grades; and other professionals allied to medicine that have a role in teaching both undergraduates and postgraduates 3 . The programme is designed to provide practical solutions to teaching undergraduates or postgraduates as individuals, small groups and larger groups. It will look at the theory behind teaching in medical settings and how these apply in real life situations. It is also designed to provide help in developing skills in giving feedback, appraisal and assessment. Where possible the teaching will be adaptable so that it can help specific groups of teachers in their particular environment.
Parenting Styles and Adjustment in Gifted Children

The present study examined the relationship between parenting styles and the psychosocial adjustment of 48 children aged 7 to 11 years, each of whom had been identified as gifted on the basis of a score of 130 or above on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children–Fourth Edition. Parenting styles and child psychosocial adjustment were measured using self-report questionnaires. Nineteen of the 48 gifted children in the sample (39.6%) were described by their parents as having peer social problems, descriptions that were not consistent with results obtained from the children and their teachers. Mothers also reported more child conduct problems than did the teachers. No associations were found between parenting styles and social problems with peers. Although the findings supported existing research on fathers’ parenting styles, some of the relationships between mothers’ parenting style and gifted child outcomes were not consistent with previous studies on parenting styles.
Image reconstruction from zeros of the z-transform

A new method for reconstructing a compact pixellated image from the zeros of its z-transform is presented. Particular zeros are chosen from the infinity which form the zero sheet of the z-transform in order to construct samples (spaced according to the Nyquist criterion) in complex Fourier space. Inverse discrete Fourier transformation and division by a known exponential weighting function reconstructs the image to within an arbitrary multiplicative complex constant. The method allows greater flexibility in the use of the zero sheet in deconvolution and phase retrieval than is possible with methods which use only the Fourier components at real spatial frequencies. Images as large as 64/spl times/64 pixels have been successfully reconstructed using the technique; it is equally applicable to both real and complex images. The computational complexity of the method is O(N/sup 3/). <<ETX>>
Fuzzy position/force control of a robot leg with a flexible gear system

As position control alone is not sufficient for machine walking, force control is often suggested. The foot force control allows better force distribution among the legs and therefore reduces the chance of overloading the leg actuators. In this paper, a flexible gear system is designed between the motor and load, by which the force on the gear can be measured and the fuzzy position/force control can then be implemented. The flexible gear system also acts as a buffer to greatly reduce the contact impact magnitude and frequency, therefore the leg can interact with environment with a high speed. Equipped with the flexible gear system in a knee joint, a robot leg has been constructed and an intelligent walking strategy is applied for the leg to walk smoothly on an unknown terrain.
Measuring economic and institutional integration

[Introduction] A quantitative assessment of the level of integration among geographic units (such as regions, states or countries) is of interest to a wide range of audiences. Policy-makers, for instance, may want to identify barriers to cross-regional interaction. Jose Manuel Barroso (2009, p. 28), the then President of the European Commission, provides an illustrative example; in the political guidelines for his second term as the head of the Commission he notes: “I intend to launch a major analysis of the ‘missing links’ in the internal market, to find out why it has not delivered on its full potential and thereby to identify new sources of growth and social cohesion. ” Five years later, but still along similar lines, the European Commission (2013, p. 4) argues: “Today, during the crisis, it is more necessary than ever to address where the single market does not yet function as it should to the benefits of citizens and businesses. ” For economists, the measurement of integration is of particular importance when quantifying the gains from exchange. Any reasonable assessment of the consequences of a removal of barriers to trade requires measures (observed or constructed) that allow a comparison of different states of integration. As a result, empirical findings may be sensitive to the exact definition of measures of integration. Rodriguez and Rodrik (2001), for instance, highlight the relevance of measurement issues in an article which has become an instant classic; in a critical review of empirical analyses of the effect of trade openness on economic growth, they illustrate the difficulties in quantifying a country’s openness to trade. In this chapter, we review the process of European integration in the post-World War II period and discuss issues related to the measurement of economic and institutional integration. Starting from the observation that the quantitative assessment of the level of integration is a non-trivial task, in Section 2 we highlight the challenges involved in the quantification from a European perspective. In Section 3, we review a selection of available indicators of European integration in more detail. A brief summary concludes the chapter.
Deracemization By Simultaneous Bio-oxidative Kinetic Resolution and Stereoinversion

Deracemization, that is, the transformation of a racemate into a single product enantiomer with theoretically 100 % conversion and 100 % ee, is an appealing but also challenging option for asymmetric synthesis. Herein a novel chemo-enzymatic deracemization concept by a cascade is described: the pathway involves two enantioselective oxidation steps and one non-stereoselective reduction step, enabling stereoinversion and a simultaneous kinetic resolution. The concept was exemplified for the transformation of rac-benzylisoquinolines to optically pure (S)-berbines. The racemic substrates were transformed to optically pure products (ee>97 %) with up to 98 % conversion and up to 88 % yield of isolated product.
Designing context-aware in-car information systems

In-car information systems are becoming increasingly complex. A multiplicity of functions in the area of navigation, information, communication, entertainment, comfort and security is available to the driver. The human-computer interaction is situated in a highly dynamic environment with specific demands to the drivers' cognition. The dynamically changing context can influence the quality of interaction, e.g. with regard to the usability. Systems with user interfaces that adapt to context information are potentially capable to offer a suitable quality of interaction by adressing the drivers needs and goals in varying driving situations. However, adaptions of the user interface also hold threats to the quality of interaction. In a qualitative user study this work explores the users' reaction towards a context-adaptive user interface of an in-car navigation systems regarding information display and interaction mechanism. The basic challenge discussed in this paper is the question whether and how context should be an influencing factor for the user interface and user interaction.