Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Chapter 5 Trademark Image Retrieval

With the rapid increase in the amount of registered trademarks around the world, trademark image retrieval has been developed to deal with a vast amount of trademark images in a trademark registration system. Many different approaches have been developed throughout these years in an attempt to develop an effective TIR system. Some conventional approaches used in content-based image retrieval, such as moment invariants, Zernike moments, Fourier descriptors and curvature scale space descriptors, have also been widely used in TIR. These approaches, however, contain some major deficiencies when addressing the TIR problem. Therefore, this chapter proposes a novel approach in order to overcome the major deficiencies of the conventional approaches. The proposed approach combines the Zernike moments descriptors with the centroid distance representation and the curvature representation. The experimental results show that the proposed approach outperforms the conventional approaches in several circumstances. Details regarding to the proposed approach as well as the conventional approaches are presented in this chapter.
D-dimensional Conformal Field Theories with anomalous dimensions as Dual Resonance Models

An exact correspondence is pointed out between conformal field theories in D-dimensions and dual resonance models in Ddimensions, where Dmay differ from D. Dual resonance models, pioneered by Veneziano, were forerunners of string theory. The analogs of scattering amplitudes in dual reso- nance models are called Mellin amplitudes; they depend on complex variables sij which substitute for the Mandelstam variables on which scattering ampli- tudes depend. The Mellin amplitudes satisfy exact duality - i.e. meromorphy in sij with simple poles in single variables, and crossing symmetry - and an ap- propriate form of factorization which is implied by operator product expansions (OPE). Duality is a D-independent property. The position of the leading poles in s12 is given by the dimensions of fields in the OPE, but there are also satel- lites and the precise correspondence between fields in the OPE and the residues of these poles depends on D. Dimensional reduction and dimensional induction DD ∓ 1 are discussed. Dimensional reduction leads to the appearance of Anti de Sitter space.
Forestalling floor closure: evidence from a natural experiment on the German stock market

This article contributes to the debate about the relative qualities of floor and electronic trading systems by analysing the effects of bringing forward the Xetra closing time from 8.00 pm to 5.30 pm in November 2003, while the Frankfurt floor remains open until 8.00 pm. This natural experiment provides a ‘cleaner’ institutional setting than in Venkataraman (2001), as it enables us to investigate trading quality on both platforms for the same stocks in the same country before and after the event. The empirical evidence suggests that primarily institutional investors trading in large stocks transfer to the floor when Xetra closes earlier. It appears that investors remain with Xetra for informed trading though.
A GENERALIZED EM ALGORITHM FOR ROBUST SEGMENTATION OF MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGES

A generalized expectation-maximization algorithm is derived for performing unsupervised tissue classification in both two-dimensional and three-dimensional MR images, as well as single-channel and multi-channel images. The algorithm computes posterior probabilities conditioned on the given image data, that a tissue class is present at each pixel or voxel. Robustness to noise and intensity inhomogeneity artifacts is provided using two Markov random field priors. Application of the algorithm to simulated and real MR data demonstrates that the algorithm performs well under a variety of situations.
Automatic Pitch Detection and Shifting of Musical Tones in Real Time

Musical notes are acoustic stimuli with specific properties that trigger a psychological perception of pitch. Pitch is directly associated with the fundamental frequency of a sound wave, which is typically the lowest frequency of a periodic waveform. Shifting the perceived pitch of a sound wave is most easily done by changing the playback speed, but this method warps some of the characteristics and changes the time scale. This thesis aims to accurately shift the pitch of musical notes while preserving its other characteristics, and it implements this in real time on an Android device. There are various methods of detecting and shifting pitch, but in the interests of simplicity, accuracy, and speed, a three step process is used. First, the fundamental pitch of a stable periodic section of the signal is found using the Yin pitch detection algorithm. Secondly, pitch marks that represent the local peak of energy are found, each spaced out by roughly one period (inverse of the fundamental frequency). Lastly, these marks are used in the Pitch Synchronous Overlap and Add (PSOLA) algorithm to generate a new signal with the desired fundamental frequency and similar acoustical characteristics to the original signal.
A proposal for creating a Chinese emotion thesaurus with tag of emotion intensity

In recent years, researchers have begun to pay more attention to the emotion recognition in Natural Language Processing. In order to help this pursuit, this paper proposes a semi-automatic approach to create a Chinese emotion thesaurus with tag of emotion intensity based on two kinds of language resources HowNet and Tongyici Cilin. As a basic emotion resource, the emotion thesaurus should be used to help the classification and recognition of emotion in Chinese. We present a new algorithm of the semantic similarity computation for aiding the emotion intensity computation between words. The experimental results on verbs prove that our approach is feasible and effective.
The One with the Most Information Wins? The Quest for Information Superiority

Abstract : The escalation of interest in information as a corporate resource is reflected in the military's quest for information superiority. A volume of directives, articles, and doctrine is appearing to meet the unique challenges presented by information as a resource. Discussions of how to achieve information superiority have given rise to investigations of such related concepts as information warfare and information operations, with associated taxonomies and ideas of how to use information capabilities for attack and defense. This thesis examines information superiority and the related concepts, and examines current information technology initiatives in order to discern the characteristics which can aid in the quest for information superiority. A synthesis of the most prominent perspectives on information superiority is formed. In the context of this definition, a process model of information superiority and its necessary activities is developed, with acquisition and decision making identified as key. The idea of information technology as enabling information superiority is probed, and an alternate view proposed; contending that information technology is more likely to be detrimental to information superiority unless certain criteria are met. The resulting conceptual model depicts the key attributes of information superiority and information technology, and represents the relationships between these concepts.
The Message 2.0: Perceptions of Success from Members of the Founding Class of MC Squared STEM High School

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. DEDICATION. TABLE OF CONTENTS. LIST OF TABLES. LIST OF FIGURES. EPIGRAPH. v vi viii ix xi xiii xiv CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION. 1 The Call. 1 The Journey Begins: Who am I that teaches? 2 I Accept a Formal Leadership Position. 8 The MC 2 STEM High School Opportunity. 10 Design Features Built from Design Principles. 12 Where We Are Today. 14 Academic Program. 14 Curriculum. 16 School Schedule. 17 Early Indicators of Success. 19 Background and Purpose of the Research. 20 The Research Questions. 25 CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF LITERATURE. 27 Introduction. 27 Learning in the Flat World. 28 Motivation. 33 Maslow’s Hierarchy. 34 Foundational Research on Motivation. 35 Expectancy Value Model. 38 Goal Theory. 39 Intrinsic/Extrinsic Motivation. 39 Achievement. 41 Mixed Approaches. 41 An Integrative Approach. 42 Social Engagement. 44 Social Connectedness. 45 Youth and Social Connectedness. 46 Connectedness and Cognitive Development. 48 School and Connectedness. 48 Benefits of School Connectedness. 50 Social Capital and Connectedness. 51 Teamwork. 53
Dereplication of Natural Products Using GC-TOF Mass Spectrometry: Improved Metabolite Identification by Spectral Deconvolution Ratio Analysis

Dereplication based on hyphenated techniques has been extensively applied in plant metabolomics, thereby avoiding re-isolation of known natural products. However, due to the complex nature of biological samples and their large concentration range, dereplication requires the use of chemometric tools to comprehensively extract information from the acquired data. In this work we developed a reliable GC-MS-based method for the identification of non-targeted plant metabolites by combining the Ratio Analysis of Mass Spectrometry deconvolution tool (RAMSY) with Automated Mass Spectral Deconvolution and Identification System software (AMDIS). Plants species from Solanaceae, Chrysobalanaceae and Euphorbiaceae were selected as model systems due to their molecular diversity, ethnopharmacological potential, and economical value. The samples were analyzed by GC-MS after methoximation and silylation reactions. Dereplication was initiated with the use of a factorial design of experiments to determine the best AMDIS configuration for each sample, considering linear retention indices and mass spectral data. A heuristic factor (CDF, compound detection factor) was developed and applied to the AMDIS results in order to decrease the false-positive rates. Despite the enhancement in deconvolution and peak identification, the empirical AMDIS method was not able to fully deconvolute all GC-peaks, leading to low MF values and/or missing metabolites. RAMSY was applied as a complementary deconvolution method to AMDIS to peaks exhibiting substantial overlap, resulting in recovery of low-intensity co-eluted ions. The results from this combination of optimized AMDIS with RAMSY attested to the ability of this approach as an improved dereplication method for complex biological samples such as plant extracts.
Achievable sum-rate analysis for massive MIMO systems with different array configurations

In this paper, we investigate the achievable ergodic sum-rate for multiuser massive multiple-input multiple-output systems, where different array configurations such as uniform linear arrays (ULAs), uniform planar arrays (UPAs) and uniform circular arrays (UCAs), are deployed at the base station (BS). The investigation is carried out based on a three dimensional spatial propagation channel model by taking into account both the azimuth and elevation angular domains. We first investigate the value of the inner product of two channel vectors, for which closed-form expressions are derived with different array configurations in line-of-sight channel. After that, the effects of the BS antenna number, the angles of departure of users, and the inter-antenna spacing on the inner product, further, on the achievable ergodic rate, are investigated. Finally, theoretical results are verified via numerical simulations, which is shown that deploying ULAs outperforms the other array configurations (UPAs and UCAs) in terms of improving the achievable ergodic rate and the larger inter-antenna spacing can contributes substantially to the achievable sum-rate.
Distributed Consensus Tracking for Multiple Uncertain Nonlinear Strict-Feedback Systems Under a Directed Graph

In this brief, we study the distributed consensus tracking control problem for multiple strict-feedback systems with unknown nonlinearities under a directed graph topology. It is assumed that the leader's output is time-varying and has been accessed by only a small fraction of followers in a group. The distributed dynamic surface design approach is proposed to design local consensus controllers in order to guarantee the consensus tracking between the followers and the leader. The function approximation technique using neural networks is employed to compensate unknown nonlinear terms induced from the controller design procedure. From the Lyapunov stability theorem, it is shown that the consensus errors are cooperatively semiglobally uniformly ultimately bounded and converge to an adjustable neighborhood of the origin.
ANÁLISE DOS FATORES DETERMINANTES DA ADOÇÃO DE REDE SOCIAL CORPORATIVA COM APLICAÇÃO DO MODELO UTAUT ANALYSIS OF THE DETERMINANTS OF ADOPTION OF CORPORATE SOCIAL NETWORK WITH APPLICATION OF UTAUT MODEL

As redes sociais virtuais podem ser abertas e voluntarias, formadas espontaneamente pelos individuos ou corporativas e mandatorias, criadas pelas organizacoes. De qualquer tipo, elas tem transformado a vida das organizacoes. Este artigo analisa a intencao de uso de uma rede social virtual corporativa por parte dos seus usuarios, com aplicacao do modelo UTAUT de Venkatesh et al. (2003). Foram analisados os resultados de 96 respondentes validados, acessados por meio da rede social virtual corporativa. Concluiu-se que quanto menor a expectativa de esforco e maior as condicoes facilitadoras, tanto maior e a intencao de uso da rede social virtual corporativa na empresa.
Network MIMO Downlink Transmission

The effects of cooperating base stations in the downlink of an OFDM-based cellular network with frequency reuse factor one are studied. In this so-called network MIMO scenario the signals of several users are jointly processed before transmission in order to handle the unavoidable multi-user interference. We apply and study pre-processing techniques well-known from conventional MIMO scenarios in the network environment. Tomlinson-Harashima precoding offers a variety of beneficial characteristics in this setting. In terms of the achievable link capacities it outperforms linear pre-processing approaches.
MULTI-ITEM FUZZY INVENTORY MODEL FOR DETERIORATING ITEMS WITH FINITE TIME-HORIZON AND TIME-DEPENDENT DEMAND

This paper develops a finite time-horizon fuzzy multi-deteriorating inventory model with/without shortage, where the demand increases linearly with time. Here, the total profit is to be maximized under the limitation on investment. In this problem, total profit, total investment cost and the time-horizon are fuzzy in nature. The impreciseness in the above objective and constraint goals have been expressed by fuzzy linear/non- linear membership functions and vagueness in time-horizon by different types of fuzzy numbers. Results are illustrated with numerical examples.
Antitumor activity of lentivirus-mediated interleukin -12 gene modified dendritic cells in human lung cancer in vitro.

OBJECTIVES Dendritic cell (DC)-based tumor immunotherapy needs an immunogenic tumor associated antigen (TAA) and an effective approach for its presentation to lymphocytes. In this study we explored whether transduction of DCs with lentiviruses (LVs) expressing the human interleukin-12 gene could stimulate antigen- specific cytotoxic T cells (CTLs) against human lung cancer cells in vitro. METHODS Peripheral blood monocyte- derived DCs were transduced with a lentiviral vector encoding human IL-12 gene (LV-12). The anticipated target of the human IL-12 gene was detected by RT-PCR. The concentration of IL-12 in the culture supernatant of DCs was measured by ELISA.Transduction efficiencies and CD83 phenotypes of DCs were assessed by flow cytometry. DCs were pulsed with tumor antigen of lung cancer cells (DC+Ag) and transduced with LV-12 (DC-LV-12+Ag). Stimulation of T lymphocyte proliferation by DCs and activation of cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTL) stimulated by LV-12 transduced DCs pulsed with tumor antigen against A549 lung cancer cells were assessed with methyl thiazolyltetrazolium (MTT). RESULTS A recombinant lentivirus expressing the IL-12 gene was successfully constructed. DC transduced with LV-12 produced higher levels of IL-12 and expressed higher levels of CD83 than non-transduced. The DC modified by interleukin -12 gene and pulsed with tumor antigen demonstrated good stimulation of lymphocyte proliferation, induction of antigen-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes and anti- tumor effects. CONCLUSIONS Dendritic cells transduced with a lentivirus-mediated interleukin-12 gene have an enhanced ability to kill lung cancer cells through promoting T lymphocyte proliferation and cytotoxicity.
The utility of C-reactive protein and procalcitonin for sepsis diagnosis in critically burned patients: A preliminary study.

OBJECTIVE To assess the utility of C-reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin (PCT) as biomarkers of infection in patients with severe burn injury. METHODS The present study included severe burn injury patients consecutively admitted to the Virgen del Rocío University Hospital (Andalucia, Spain) intensive care unit during a 12-month period. The variables of interest were: age, sex, mechanism of injury, percentage of burned body surface area, the Abbreviated Burn Severity Index (ABSI) and the absence/presence of sepsis. The authors analyzed serum levels of CRP and PCT at admission and every 48 h thereafter until intensive care unit discharge or death. Each determination was considered to be a sample or unit of analysis. RESULTS A total of 157 determinations were analyzed from 17 severe burn injury patients. Fifty-four samples were considered to be septic, 25 of which corresponded to the first day of a new onset of sepsis. The mean duration of these symptoms was four days (interquartile range two to five days). Significant differences were found in the distributions of CRP and PCT values between sepsis and no-sepsis samples. Analysis of the changes in these biomarkers over time showed that PCT increase (ΔPCT) differentiated these diagnoses, whereas CRP increase (ΔCRP) did not. ROC curve analysis revealed that ΔPCT could predict positive sepsis samples (area under the curve 0.75 [95% CI 0.58 to 0.90]; P=0.003). CONCLUSION These preliminary results showed that PCT had a better discriminatory capacity than CRP for identifying infectious processes in patients with severe burn injury. A larger sample size would be needed to confirm these results.
Incremental acoustic valence recognition: an inter-corpus perspective on features, matching, and performance in a gating paradigm

It is not fully known how long it takes a human to reliably recognize emotion in speech from the beginning of a phrase. However, many technical applications demand for very quick system responses, e.g. to prepare different feedback alternatives before the end of a speaker turn in a dialog system. We therefore investigate this ‘gating paradigm’ employing two spoken language resources in a cross-and combined manner with a focus on valence: we determine how quick a reliable estimate is obtainable and whether matching by models trained on the same length of speech prevails. In addition we analyze how individual feature groups by type and derived functionals respond and ﬁnd considerably different behavior. The language resources have been chosen to cover for manually segmented and automatically segmented speech at the same time. In the result one second of speech is sufﬁcient on the datasets considered.
Indicators of Environment and Sustainable Development Theories and Practical Experience

Papers in this series are not formal publications of the World Bank. They are circulated to encourage thought and discussion. The use and citation of this paper should take this into account. The views expressed are those of the authors and should not be attributed to the World Bank. Copies are available from the Environment Department, The World Bank, Room MC-5-126.
CovDroid: A Black-Box Testing Coverage System for Android

In android ecosystem, the Apps marketplace vendor faces huge number of Apps with irregular quality. Besides bug finding, coverage index is neglected for the current Android testing services. However it is also a challenge to measure the testing coverage without source code. In this paper, we provide a systematic approach to measure the App testing coverage for black-box testing and implement CovDroid, a black-box coverage system for android. Furthermore, we use a App with different test cases to prove our concept that coverage index can improve the App and measure test cases quality for App market or testing vendors.
An Efficient Multi-protocol RFID Interrogator Baseband Processor based on a Reconfigurable Architecture

With the continued development of RFID technology, a large number of RFID tags are being deployed having different protocols. Hence, a multiprotocol interrogator which can support all of these alternatives has become a design requirement for many systems. While multifunction capability may be implemented using a high performance DSP, CPU or FPGA, those solutions have a large area cost, so an innovative architecture is needed. Starting from an analysis of the algorithms in RFID systems, we propose a reconfigurable architecture for baseband processing to realize the various protocols in the ISO18000 standard. The structure has been specifically designed to support all of the functions needed, so that it performs very efficiently with low area cost. This design has been post-layout simulated with a clock frequency of up to 83 MHz, and the core area is 4 mm2 in a UMC 0.18 mum CMOS process. Compared with other existing processors, the proposed architecture is much more efficient for this application area.
Channel Access Throttling for Overlapping BSS Management

Multiple co-channel WLAN BSSes (i.e., WLAN cells) overlapping in coverage are generally considered undesirable because members of the OBSSes compete for channel access, which typically increases the contention level of wireless medium access and reduces overall system performance. In this paper, we propose to use Channel Access Throttling (CAT) for managing Wireless LAN radio resources for overlapping BSSes (OBSSes). CAT provides an Access Point (AP) of each BSS with a mechanism to control channel access parameters of its member stations on the fly. By coordinating the CAT operations of the OBSS APs, we can enable privileged channel access to an individual BSS at a particular time, for example, by assigning high priority access parameters to member stations associated with the BSS. By controlling how much each BSS may be given the privileged channel access, we can also achieve a proportional partitioning of channel capacity among OBSSes. We present evaluation results obtained from both simulations and experiments using testbed built with Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) WLAN hardware and open-source device driver. Our results show that with CAT, not only can we proportionally partition channel capacity among the OBSSes, but also improve channel utilization efficiency and increase overall capacity.
One Size Does Not Fit All: The Limits of Structure-Based Models in Drug Discovery

A major goal in computational chemistry has been to discover the set of rules that can accurately predict the binding affinity of any protein-drug complex, using only a single snapshot of its three-dimensional structure. Despite the continual development of structure-based models, predictive accuracy remains low, and the fundamental factors that inhibit the inference of all-encompassing rules have yet to be fully explored. Using statistical learning theory and information theory, here we prove that even the very best generalized structure-based model is inherently limited in its accuracy, and protein-specific models are always likely to be better. Our results refute the prevailing assumption that large data sets and advanced machine learning techniques will yield accurate, universally applicable models. We anticipate that the results will aid the development of more robust virtual screening strategies and scoring function error estimations.