Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Pattern recognition using hierarchical concatenation

The book On Intelligence written by Jeff Hawkins proposes a theory of how intelligent behaviour is generated in the brain's neocortex. The underlying mechanism is based on a layered structure called the Hierarchical Temporal Memory (HTM). Researchers have been reporting software and hardware implementation of the HTM, with different levels of success. This paper presents a pattern recognition system based on Hawkins' concept of simple concatenation, where decisions are made based on the processing of information in a hierarchical array of cells. A two-layer network recognizing 32×32 pixel patterns was used as a proof of concept. In this implementation patterns on the upper layer are activated by concatenating patterns presented on the lower layer. The input pattern is analysed in the lower layer by moving a coincidence array. Outputs from the lower layer are fed to the higher layer where they are analysed with a bigger coincidence array. The results in this paper were obtained using a set of seven patterns. One of the patterns was used as a sample or learnt pattern, and the rest of the patterns were used for testing. The efficacy of the network was measured using the percentage of similarity between testing patterns and the learnt pattern. Two different ways of moving the coincidence array were explored. The first method moves the coincidence array by its size, and the second moves the coincidence array by one pixel at a time. For validation, results were also compared to the existing k-nn algorithm and human classification. Moving the coincidence array by one pixel produced a percentage of similarity closer to the results of k-nn, while moving the coincidence array by its size produced a classification closer to the human perception.
THE OMC IN THE EUROPEAN EMPLOYMENT POLICY: BRINGING SOCIALISATION IN

This paper argues in favour of a more thorough analysis of a specific set of dynamics taking place in the Open Method of Coordination (OMC), the latter being conceived as an informal organizational framework aimed at mutual learning (de Burca and Zeitlin, 2003) and policy change (Dolowitz and Marsh, 2000; Radaelli, 2000). The aim of this paper is to uncover the missing link between these two elements, which has hitherto been black-boxed by the literature. Theoretical tools from International Relations (IR) theories (i.e. constructivist institutionalism) are borrowed in order to circumvent such a fallacy. The premises are the same as the ones hitherto employed by scholars studying the OMC (e.g. Jacobsson, 2004): can norms and values assume a binding character even outside the ‘territorially bounded democratic government’ (Heritier and Lehmkuhl, 2008) and thus leading to policy change? If so, how does this phenomenon take place? Nevertheless, the approach is different, in that it builds on two closely interrelated factors: the concept of socialisation with its micro-processes (Johnston, 2001; Johnston, 2008) and the institutional characteristics of social environments (Rogowski, 1999). Accordingly, this paper will address the question: is the OMC in European employment policy a social environment conducive of socialisation?
Emerging Digital Technologies : Implications for Extended Conceptions of Cognition and Knowledge

Digital technologies play an increasingly important role in shaping the profi le of human thought and action. In the few short decades since its invention, the World Wide Web, for example, has transformed the way we shop, date, socialize, and undertake scientifi c endeavors. 1 We are also witnessing an unprecedented rate of technological innovation and change, driven, at least in part, by exponential rates of growth in computing power and performance. 2 Th e technological landscape is thus a highly dynamic one—new technologies are being introduced all the time, and the rate of change looks set to continue unabated. In view of all this, it is natural to wonder about the eff ects of new technology on both ourselves and the societies in which we live. When it comes to the social impacts of new technology, an interesting debate has emerged regarding the extent to which technologies are, on occasion, incorporated into the fabric of society (e.g., Smart and Shadbolt 2014 ). Consider, for example, the case of the Web. Th e fi rst uses of the Web did not yield a sudden change in the organization and operation of society; rather, the Web served as something of a technological add-on to an existing set of social practices and conventions. At this point, the project to create
Efficient Distributed Query Processing

A variety of wireless networks, including applications of Wireless Sensor Networks, Internet of Things, and Cyber-physical Systems, increasingly pervade our homes, retail, transportation systems, and manufacturing processes. Traditional approaches communicate data from all sensors to a central system, and users (humans or machines) query this central point for results, typically via the web. As the number of deployed sensors, and thus generated data streams, is increasing exponentially, this traditional approach may no longer be sustainable or desirable in some application contexts. Therefore, new approaches are required to allow users to directly interact with the network, for example, requesting data directly from sensor nodes. This is difficult, as it requires every node to be capable of point-to-point routing, in addition to identifying a subset of nodes that can fulfil a user's query. This paper presents Dragon, a platform that allows any node in the network to identify all nodes that satisfy user queries, i.e., request data from nodes, and relay the result to the user. The Dragon platform achieves this in a fully distributed way. No central orchestration is required, network overheads are low, and latency is improved over existing comparable methods. Dragon is evaluated on networks of various topologies and different network densities. It is compared with the state-of-the-art algorithms based on summary trees, like Innet and SENS-Join. Dragon is shown to outperform these approaches up to 88% in terms of network traffic required, also a proxy for energy efficiency, and 84% in terms of processing delay.
Cryptic Species Due to Hybridization: A Combined Approach to Describe a New Species (Carex: Cyperaceae)

Disappearance of diagnostic morphological characters due to hybridization is considered to be one of the causes of the complex taxonomy of the species-rich (ca. 2000 described species) genus Carex (Cyperaceae). Carex furva s.l. belongs to section Glareosae. It is an endemic species from the high mountains of the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal). Previous studies suggested the existence of two different, cryptic taxa within C. furva s.l. Intermediate morphologies found in the southern Iberian Peninsula precluded the description of a new taxa. We aimed to determine whether C. furva s.l. should be split into two different species based on the combination of morphological and molecular data. We sampled ten populations across its full range and performed a morphological study based on measurements on herbarium specimens and silica-dried inflorescences. Both morphological and phylogenetic data support the existence of two different species within C. furva s.l. Nevertheless, intermediate morphologies and sterile specimens were found in one of the southern populations (Sierra Nevada) of C. furva s.l. , suggesting the presence of hybrid populations in areas where both supposed species coexist. Hybridization between these two putative species has blurred morphological and genetic limits among them in this hybrid zone. We have proved the utility of combining molecular and morphological data to discover a new cryptic species in a scenario of hybridization. We now recognize a new species, C. lucennoiberica, endemic to the Iberian Peninsula (Sierra Nevada, Central system and Cantabrian Mountains). On the other hand, C. furva s.s. is distributed only in Sierra Nevada, where it may be threatened by hybridization with C. lucennoiberica. The restricted distribution of both species and their specific habitat requirements are the main limiting factors for their conservation.
Second Language Proficiency and Attentional Network: Evidence from the Multi-Source Interference Task (MSIT)

Some research is done as to the correlation between language proficiency and attentional network of the bilinguals. However, research into the L2 proficiency attentional network by integrating three dimensions of the cognitive interference tasks has not much reported. In the present study, Stroop task, Simon task and Flanker task are combined to increase the dimensions of the attentional network. Behavioral results show that the performance difference between English majors and non-English majors consists in the second position of the interference trials with the accuracy rate of English majors much higher and latency much lower than those of non-English majors, confirming the hypothesis that higher L2 proficiency is positively correlated to attentional network.
Establishing Chlamydomonas reinhardtii as an industrial biotechnology host

Microalgae constitute a diverse group of eukaryotic unicellular organisms that are of interest for pure and applied research. Owing to their natural synthesis of value-added natural products microalgae are emerging as a source of sustainable chemical compounds, proteins and metabolites, including but not limited to those that could replace compounds currently made from fossil fuels. For the model microalga, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, this has prompted a period of rapid development so that this organism is poised for exploitation as an industrial biotechnology platform. The question now is how best to achieve this? Highly advanced industrial biotechnology systems using bacteria and yeasts were established in a classical metabolic engineering manner over several decades. However, the advent of advanced molecular tools and the rise of synthetic biology provide an opportunity to expedite the development of C. reinhardtii as an industrial biotechnology platform, avoiding the process of incremental improvement. In this review we describe the current status of genetic manipulation of C. reinhardtii for metabolic engineering. We then introduce several concepts that underpin synthetic biology, and show how generic parts are identified and used in a standard manner to achieve predictable outputs. Based on this we suggest that the development of C. reinhardtii as an industrial biotechnology platform can be achieved more efficiently through adoption of a synthetic biology approach. Significance Statement Chlamydomonas reinhardtii offers potential as a host for the production of high value compounds for industrial biotechnology. Synthetic biology provides a mechanism to generate generic, well characterised tools for application in the rational genetic manipulation of organisms: if synthetic biology principles were adopted for manipulation of C. reinhardtii, development of this microalga as an industrial biotechnology platform would be expedited.
The efficiency of multimedia learning into old age.

BACKGROUND On the basis of a multimodal model of working memory, cognitive load theory predicts that a multimedia-based instructional format leads to a better acquisition of complex subject matter than a purely visual instructional format. AIMS This study investigated the extent to which age and instructional format had an impact on training efficiency among both young and old adults. It was hypothesised that studying worked examples that are presented as a narrated animation (multimedia condition) is a more efficient means of complex skill training than studying visually presented worked examples (unimodal condition) and solving conventional problems. Furthermore, it was hypothesised that multimedia-based worked examples are especially helpful for elderly learners, who have to deal with a general decline of working-memory resources, because they address both mode-specific working-memory stores. SAMPLE The sample consisted of 60 young (mean age = 15.98 years) and 60 old adults (mean age = 64.48 years). METHODS Participants of both age groups were trained in either a conventional, a unimodal, or a multimedia condition. Subsequently, they had to solve a series of test problems. Dependent variables were perceived cognitive load during the training, performance on the test, and efficiency in terms of the ratio between these two variables. RESULTS Results showed that for both age groups multimedia-based worked examples were more efficient than the other training formats in that less cognitive load led to at least an equal performance level. CONCLUSION Although no difference in the beneficial effect of multimedia learning was found between the age groups, multimedia-based instructions seem promising for the elderly.
Control of Fast Scale Bifurcations in Power-Factor Correction Converters

This brief proposes a novel controller which greatly enhances the performance of a power-factor correction converter. This controller is optimally tuned to place the eigenvalues of the system well inside the unit circle and hence it guarantees stable operation over a wide range of input voltages. The design of the controller is based on the stability analysis of the system using the state transition matrix over a clock cycle. It is shown that the transition matrix across the switching manifold greatly influences the system's performance, allowing the system to be stabilized by periodically altering the manifold. The results are validated by analytical and numerical studies.
A SELECTION THAT CANNOT STAND THE TEST : SUCCESSION CONTEXTS AND NEW CEO DISMISSAL

This study examined “new CEO dismissal”, i.e., a ne w CEO is dismissed within three years after succession. Based upon agency theory an d human capital theory, we argue that new CEO dismissal may represent a correction to an inap propriate CEO selection and accordingly, succession contexts that tend to lead to an inappro priate CEO selection will increase the likelihood of new CEO dismissal. With a sample of 2 04 CEO successions in the time period of 1993-1998, we find that the origin of the new CEO a nd the characteristics of the board of directors at the succession time have significant i mpact on the likelihood of new CEO dismissal.
Data Hiding in Images by Adaptive LSB Substitution Based on the Pixel-Value Differencing

In this paper, the steganographic method proposed by Chang and Tseng (C.C. Chang et al., 2004) is reviewed and the problem related to the Chang-Tseng scheme is described. A modified scheme is proposed to overcome the problem in which the embedded data cannot be extracted correctly. Moreover, in order to enhance the image quality of the stego-image and enlarge the embedding capacity of the host-image, a novel method to embed secret data into the host-image by adaptive LSB substitution based on the pixel-value differencing is proposed. Experimental results show that both of the embedding capacity and the image quality of the stego-image outperforms than the Chang-Tseng scheme. In addition, the embedded confidential information can be obtained properly from the stego-image without the assistance of the host-image
Memory-Based Vocalization of Arabic

The problem of vocalization, or diacritization, is essential to many tasks in Arabic NLP. Arabic is generally written without the short vowels, which leads to one written form having several pronunciations with each pronunciation carrying its own meaning(s). In the experiments reported here, we define vocalization as a classification problem in which we decide for each character in the unvocalized word whether it is followed by a short vowel. We investigate the importance of different types of context. Our results show that the combination of using memory-based learning with only a word internal context leads to a word error rate of 6.64%. If a lexical context is added, the results deteriorate slowly.
Shortest path distance in random k-nearest neighbor graphs

Consider a weighted or unweighted k-nearest neighbor graph that has been built on n data points drawn randomly according to some density p on Rd. We study the convergence of the shortest path distance in such graphs as the sample size tends to infinity. We prove that for unweighted kNN graphs, this distance converges to an unpleasant distance function on the underlying space whose properties are detrimental to machine learning. We also study the behavior of the shortest path distance in weighted kNN graphs.
Cerebral Apoplexy (Stroke) Treated With or Without Prolonged Artificial Hyperventilation: 2. Cerebrospinal Fluid Acid‐Base Balance and Intracranial Pressure

CSF acid-base changes and intracranial pressure (ICP) were studied in 50 patients with cerebral apoplexy (stroke) in the acute phase. Thirty-three of the patients were treated afterward with artificial hyperventilation for 72 hours (15 hypocapnic [PaCO2 25 mm Hg] and 18 normocapnic). The remaining 17 patients were breathing spontaneously throughout. Arterial PCO2, CSF lactate, pyruvate and bicarbonate and ICP were followed during the course. Compared to a control group initial mean values showed significant increases of CSF lactate (2.36 mmol per liter) and pyruvate (0.183 mmol per liter) but with a normal lactate/pyruvate ratio (13.3), a reduced bicarbonate (22.0 mmol per liter), and reduced PaCO2 (34 mm Hg), indicating spontaneous hyperventilation. No correlation between the degree of initial hyperventilation or CSF lactate and the mortality rate was found. ICP averaged initially 15 mm Hg. The untreated patients had almost unchanged CSF values and PaCO2 during the following six days. During induced and sustained hypocapnia and normocapnia, CSF bicarbonate slowly followed changes in PaCO2 with CSF pH tending to return toward normal. The time course of this CSF pH adaptation had an estimated half-time of about six hours, and was complete within 30 hours. A similar time course of changes induced in ICP by ventilation was observed.
A taste of tweets: reverse engineering Twitter spammers

In this paper, through reverse engineering Twitter spammers' tastes (their preferred targets to spam), we aim at providing guidelines for building more effective social honeypots, and generating new insights to defend against social spammers. Specifically, we first perform a measurement study by deploying "benchmark" social honeypots on Twitter with diverse and fine-grained social behavior patterns to trap spammers. After five months' data collection, we make a deep analysis on how Twitter spammers find their targets. Based on the analysis, we evaluate our new guidelines for building effective social honeypots by implementing "advanced" honeypots. Particularly, within the same time period, using those advanced honeypots can trap spammers around 26 times faster than using "traditional" honeypots. In the second part of our study, we investigate new active collection approaches to complement the fundamentally passive procedure of using honeypots to slowly attract spammers. Our goal is that, given limited resources/time, instead of blindly crawling all possible (or randomly sampling) Twitter accounts at the first place (for later spammer analysis), we need a lightweight strategy to prioritize the active crawling/sampling of more likely spam accounts from the huge Twittersphere. Applying what we have learned about the tastes of spammers, we design two new, active and guided sampling approaches for collecting most likely spammer accounts during the crawling. According to our evaluation, our strategies could efficiently crawl/sample over 17,000 spam accounts within a short time with a considerably high "Hit Ratio", i.e., collecting 6 correct spam accounts in every 10 sampled accounts.
The optical detection of individual DNA-conjugated gold nanoparticle labels after metal enhancement

The detection of DNA using nanoparticles as labels is an interesting alternative to the standard fluorescence technique. It requires simpler detection equipment, resulting in higher stability and lower costs. Besides easier detection, metal enhancement allows a higher sensitivity of detection. The signal-response curve for labelled DNA before and after silver enhancement was studied, applying both atomic force microscope (AFM) and optical (reflection/transmission) measurements. The dynamic range and the sensitivity were determined for nanoparticle labelling with and without metal enhancement. Nanoparticle concentrations down to the fM range could be detected. The ultimate limit of detection, the identification of individual labels, is demonstrated for the optical readout. Therefore, AFM images of the particles were correlated with the optical signal of individual or clustered particles. We demonstrate that the optical signal allows the identification of single particles.
Pathway enrichment analysis of Chuan-wu for rheumatoid arthritis

With limited researches, there is still lack of pathway networks of Chuan-wu (also called Aconitum carmichaelii) against rheumatoid arthritis which might provide clues for further researches. In this study, started from the chemical compounds, proteins targeted by Chuan-wu were explored. After that, pathway networks enriched with these targeted proteins were analyzed with hypergeometric distribution on threshold ofp-value set to 0.001 for pharmacology mechanism. Meanwhile, pathway networks enriched with OMIM genes of rheumatoid arthritis were also calculated for pathology analysis in the same way. Then, these two pathway networks of pharmacology and pathology were merged into one for validation and further predictions. As a result, six pathway networks were predicted which might be responsible for the therapeutic effect against rheumatoid arthritis. They are: disease, signal transduction, metabolism of proteins, cell cycle, metabolism of proteins, and developmental biology.
Effects of grateful disposition, gender and gratitude condition towards psychological well-being

Objectives. This study replicated previous studies on the effect of gratitude condition, and explored the effect of grateful disposition and gender and their interactive effects with gratitude condition, on psychological well-being of university student in Hong Kong. Methods. All 150 participants (53 males, 97 females; mean age = 21.52, SD = 2.70) were Cantonese speaking university students recruited from four universities campuses in Hong Kong. They were required to respond the grateful disposition questionnaire and divided into high or low grateful disposition groups according to their scores of grateful disposition: those who scored equal or higher than 33 belonged to high grateful disposition group and others belonged to low grateful disposition group. Each participant was then randomly assigned into gratitude condition or hassles condition to participate the 14-days consecutive daily diaries. At the 14 day, they responded the psychological well-being measurements, including positive affect, negative affect, life satisfaction and depression. Results. Results showed that gratitude condition elicited more gratitude. In addition, there was main effect of grateful disposition towards all four variables of psychological well-being. The main condition effect was only found on positive affect but it interacted with grateful disposition to influence both positive affect and negative affect. Neither main gender effect Effect of grateful iii nor its interaction with grateful disposition and / or grateful condition was found in this study. Discussion. The findings showed that gratitude condition increased positive affect. It also implied that grateful disposition was a reliable predictor of psychological well-being and people with higher grateful disposition participated gratitude condition strengthened their positive affect and weakened their negative affect than other combinations. Moreover, the findings suggested people with higher grateful disposition were more influenced by the gratitude condition with a larger magnitude than those with lower grateful disposition. This provided an implication that difference people needed different gratitude manipulations. Effect of grateful iv Table of