Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Towards transparent integration of heterogeneous cloud storage platforms

The recent increase in popularity of Storage-as-a-Service cloud solutions influences the way scientists are managing their data. More and more academic groups store and work on their data outside the university domain. Hence, data aggregation and metadata management is becoming increasingly important. While most cloud storage systems offer convenient access APIs, they are rarely fully compatible with each other. This makes migration between backends, or integration of data located in various places, more complicated. A common answer to this vendor lock-in problem lies in adopting common standards. Although there are no commonly adopted standards for cloud storage, yet, the potentially most promising direction at the moment is SNIA's Cloud Data Management Interface (CDMI), which defines the semantics of handling data objects and the required metadata. In this paper we present our prototype implementation of CDMI-compatible proxy, which offers a transparent integration layer on top of both cloud systems and local storage infrastructures. The work is being conducted as part of the FP7 project VENUS-C and released under an open-source license.
Markets, Government Policy, and China’s Timber Supply

China’s domestic demand and exports of wood products are rising rapidly compared to domestic supply. The determinants of timber supply in China were investigated with panel data from 25 provinces from 1999 to 2009. The results indicated that China’s timber supply had responded to both market forces, reflected by timber prices largely determined by world demand and supply, and to government policies expressed by production quotas and the tenure reform on collective forestland. The price elasticity of China’s timber supply was estimated at 0.31 ± 0.12. The inelastic response of production to the quota (0.20 ± 0.02) suggested that government had a limited, though significant, control of timber supply. Other things being equal, the land tenure reform increased timber supply by 18 ± 8 percent, where and when it had been implemented.
Mayo 2009 TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND ECONOMIC GROWTH : AN EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS OF SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

We examine the effect on economic growth of mobile cellular phones in sub-Saharan Africa where a marked asymmetry is present between land-line penetration and mobile telecommunications expansion. This study extends previous ones along two important dimensions. First, we allow for the potential endogeneity between economic growth and telecommunications expansion by employing a special linear generalized method of moments (GMM) estimator. Second, we explicitly model for varying degrees of substitutability between mobile cellular and land-line telephony, so that greater expansion of mobile telecommunications can have a different impact whenever the level of land-line penetration differs. We find that mobile cellular phone expansion is an important determinant of the rate of economic growth in Sub-Saharan Africa. Moreover, we find that the contribution of mobile cellular phones to economic growth has been growing in importance in the region, and that the marginal impact of mobile telecommunication services is even greater wherever land-line phones are rare. Given the low cost of mobile telecommunications technology relative to other broad infrastructure projects, especially land-line infrastructure, we advocate that mobile telecommunication services be encouraged in the area. ♣ The findings, recommendation, interpretation and conclusion expressed in this paper are those of the authors and not necessarily reflects the view of the Department of Economics of the Universidad del Rosario ♠ Corresponding author: Sang H. Lee, Department of Business Administration: SLU-10813, Southeastern Louisiana University, Hammond, LA 70402, U.S.A. , E-mail: slee@selu.edu, (Office) 985-549-3728, (Fax) 985-5492881 2
Differentiating voice and data traffic using statistical properties

In this paper, we determine the statistical properties of the Real Time Protocol (RTP) flows and enhance the Statistical Protocol Identification (SPID) application to differentiate voice and data traffic. We added 3 new attribute meters and generate a model database for the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) and RTP protocols. The preliminary results with very low number of training capture seem promising. The results show that our new attributes improve the RTP flow identification recall by 15%.
Neuropsychological test selection for cognitive impairment classification: A machine learning approach

Introduction: Reducing the amount of testing required to accurately detect cognitive impairment is clinically relevant. The aim of this research was to determine the fewest number of clinical measures required to accurately classify participants as healthy older adult, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), or dementia using a suite of classification techniques. Method: Two variable selection machine learning models (i.e., naive Bayes, decision tree), a logistic regression, and two participant datasets (i.e., clinical diagnosis; Clinical Dementia Rating, CDR) were explored. Participants classified using clinical diagnosis criteria included 52 individuals with dementia, 97 with MCI, and 161 cognitively healthy older adults. Participants classified using CDR included 154 individuals with CDR = 0, 93 individuals with CDR = 0.5, and 25 individuals with CDR = 1.0+. A total of 27 demographic, psychological, and neuropsychological variables were available for variable selection. Results: No significant difference was observed between naive Bayes, decision tree, and logistic regression models for classification of both clinical diagnosis and CDR datasets. Participant classification (70.0–99.1%), geometric mean (60.9–98.1%), sensitivity (44.2–100%), and specificity (52.7–100%) were generally satisfactory. Unsurprisingly, the MCI/CDR = 0.5 participant group was the most challenging to classify. Through variable selection only 2–9 variables were required for classification and varied between datasets in a clinically meaningful way. Conclusions: The current study results reveal that machine learning techniques can accurately classify cognitive impairment and reduce the number of measures required for diagnosis.
On frequency tracking properties of a generalized adaptive notch filter

The paper presents results of local performance analysis of a generalized adaptive notch filter (GANF). Generalized adaptive notch filters are used for identification/tracking of quasi-periodically varying dynamic systems and can be considered extension, to the system case, of classical adaptive notch filters. The frequency tracking properties of the algorithm are studied analytically using a direct averaging approach and an approximating linear filter (ALF) technique. Even though restricted to a single frequency case, the presented analysis provides valuable insights into the tracking mechanisms of GANF, including the associated speed/accuracy tradeoffs, the achievable performance bounds, and tracking limitations. Additionally, it allows one to formulate some useful rules of thumb for choosing design parameters. We show that under the conditions of the ALF approximation, the optimally tuned GANF is a statistically efficient estimator of a slowly drifting system frequency.
Visual Mismatch Negativity Reveals Automatic Detection of Sequential Regularity Violation

Sequential regularities are abstract rules based on repeating sequences of environmental events, which are useful to make predictions about future events. Here, we tested whether the visual system is capable to detect sequential regularity in unattended stimulus sequences. The visual mismatch negativity (vMMN) component of the event-related potentials is sensitive to the violation of complex regularities (e.g., object-related characteristics, temporal patterns). We used the vMMN component as an index of violation of conditional (if, then) regularities. In the first experiment, to investigate emergence of vMMN and other change-related activity to the violation of conditional rules, red and green disk patterns were delivered in pairs. The majority of pairs comprised of disk patterns with identical colors, whereas in deviant pairs the colors were different. The probabilities of the two colors were equal. The second member of the deviant pairs elicited a vMMN with longer latency and more extended spatial distribution to deviants with lower probability (10 vs. 30%). In the second (control) experiment the emergence of vMMN to violation of a simple, feature-related rule was studied using oddball sequences of stimulus pairs where deviant colors were presented with 20% probabilities. Deviant colored patterns elicited a vMMN, and this component was larger for the second member of the pair, i.e., after a shorter inter-stimulus interval. This result corresponds to the SOA/(v)MMN relationship, expected on the basis of a memory-mismatch process. Our results show that the system underlying vMMN is sensitive to abstract, conditional rules. Representation of such rules implicates expectation of a subsequent event, therefore vMMN can be considered as a correlate of violated predictions about the characteristics of environmental events.
A web-based photo management system for large photo collections with user-customizable quality assessment

The affordability of digital cameras, storages, processors and the advances in these areas are encouraging people to take hundreds of photos at once. However, managing the large number of photographs involves arduous tasks such as selecting good quality photos and classifying and labeling each photo. Generally, users put their photos into certain user-designated folders on their local PC without considering any classified information. One of the main problems related to this management method is that users do not create their photo folders systematically because they are carelessness and apathetic. This practice results in confusion when users want to find their photos. One method to overcome this problem is to construct a central photo management system that can manage many photos on the user's local PC. It also can provide smart functions such as automated clustering and summarized visualization for many photos. This paper describes an integrated photo management system coupled with a database on the web, which provides users with an automated photo clustering and visualization function that allows photo overlaps. Our system also provides users with an automated photo quality evaluation based on Depth of Field (DOF) and blur. In order to evaluate our system, we conducted a user study on user-friendliness based on a questionnaire.
Nonlocal integral formulations of plasticity and damage : Survey of progress

Modeling of the evolution of distributed damage such as microcracking, void formation, and softening frictional slip necessitates strain-softening constitutive models. The nonlocal continuum concept has emerged as an effective means for regularizing the boundary value problems with strain softening, capturing the size effects and avoiding spurious localization that gives rise to pathological mesh sensitivity in numerical computations. A great variety of nonlocal models have appeared during the last two decades. This paper reviews the progress in the nonlocal models of integral type, and discusses their physical justifications, advantages, and numerical applications.
Word Retrieval by Verbal Fluency Tasks for Young and Old People: An fNIR Study

One of the most commonly and frequently used cognitive tasks of executive functioning for the healthy population is a verbal fluency task. A verbal fluency task (VFT) consists of assessing word retrieval to generate as many words as possible in a set time frame. In the category fluency type (semantic), participants are instructed to generate as many words as possible for a certain category (e.g., sports, fruits or animals). In the latter fluency type (phonological), participants are instructed to produce words beginning with a given letter (e.g., A, B, D). Verbal fluency tasks are neuropsychological in nature, activating areas of the frontal lobes and providing a measure of cognition. Successful completion of VFTs require planning and cognitive organization, abilities that are considered part of executive functioning (EF), which is controlled by the frontal lobe. Additionally, VFTs assess an individual’s word knowledge and their working memory while retrieving specific words. While word knowledge is controlled by the language centers on the left hemiPurpose: There have been studies investigating the pattern of brain activation on cognitive tasks. However, at present, no study has examined verbal fluency tasks using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIR) for the Korean population. The purpose of this study was to investigate age related relative changes of oxygenated hemoglobin during verbal fluency tasks using fNIR, a portable and non-invasive imaging technique.
Neutrophils Exert a Suppressive Effect on Th1 Responses to Intracellular Pathogen Brucella abortus

Polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) are the first line of defense against microbial pathogens. In addition to their role in innate immunity, PMNs may also regulate events related to adaptive immunity. To investigate the influence of PMNs in the immune response during chronic bacterial infections, we explored the course of brucellosis in antibody PMN-depleted C57BL/6 mice and in neutropenic mutant Genista mouse model. We demonstrate that at later times of infection, Brucella abortus is killed more efficiently in the absence of PMNs than in their presence. The higher bacterial removal was concomitant to the: i) comparatively reduced spleen swelling; ii) augmented infiltration of epithelioid histiocytes corresponding to macrophages/dendritic cells (DCs); iii) higher recruitment of monocytes and monocyte/DCs phenotype; iv) significant activation of B and T lymphocytes, and v) increased levels of INF-γ and negligible levels of IL4 indicating a balance of Th1 over Th2 response. These results reveal that PMNs have an unexpected influence in dampening the immune response against intracellular Brucella infection and strengthen the notion that PMNs actively participate in regulatory circuits shaping both innate and adaptive immunity.
Recommended or Not? Give Advice on Online Products

This paper introduces an opinion judgment system that automatically gives advice on whether to recommend this product and furthermore provides corresponding reasons.The core task of the system can be considered as a binary sentence sentiment classification problem. A novel "polarityword-target" related feature extraction method is proposed. An opinion judgment system is then built based on the sentiment of each sentence predicted by a maximum entropy (ME) classifier with the novel features. The experimental results on two domains show that the special feature extraction methods are promising; the opinion judgment system with 91.5% average accuracy is highly effective.
BRAIN TUMOR DETECTION using OTSU for DICOM images , using WATERSHED and ACTIVE CONTOURS for multi-parameter MRI Images

Brain is the centre of nervous system. Brain can be very complex. It can be said that most important function of the brain is serve as the physical structure underlying the mind. There is a lot of research being done on the brain and its functionality. To understand the functionality we need to know how can the brain function ? How this is controlled? We attempt to answer some of these questions by studying the brain. The functionality of brain can be studied by segmenting the white matter from the gray matter of the brain fMRI images which helps you find which part of the brain is active at a particular point in time for different activities. KeywordsMRI, segmentation, DICOM, fMRI(functional Magnetic Resonance images),white matters,gray matters .
Panel Data

A panel data set contains repeated observations on the same units collected over a number of periods: it combines cross-section and time series data. Examples The Penn World Table provides national income accounts for all the countries of the world for as many recent years as possible. There are also within-country panels. The British Household Panel Survey follows the same representative sample of individuals over a period of years. When it started in 1991 the panel consisted of 5,500 households and 10,300 individuals drawn from 250 areas of Great Britain. Each household completed a questionnaire on its demographic composition, its sources of income and its labour market experience. Barro (1991) had access to panel data but did not exploit it fully–as Temple observes.
International Journal of Parallel, Emergent and Distributed Systems Data Replication Approaches for Ad Hoc Wireless Networks Satisfying Time Constraints Data Replication Approaches for Ad Hoc Wireless Networks Satisfying Time Constraints

This article maybe used for research, teaching and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution , reselling , loan or sub-licensing, systematic supply or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. The publisher does not give any warranty express or implied or make any representation that the contents will be complete or accurate or up to date. The accuracy of any instructions, formulae and drug doses should be independently verified with primary sources. The publisher shall not be liable for any loss, actions, claims, proceedings, demand or costs or damages whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with or arising out of the use of this material. Recent advances in technology have enabled the development of ad hoc wireless networks in which a collection of wireless mobile hosts (nodes) may move freely and self-organize into arbitrary and temporary network topologies in areas where communication infrastructures do not exist. In such networks, hosts frequently need data items to finish a certain task. The hosts chosen to store data items are called data servers. If the data items are stored too far away from the requiring host, multiple intermediate hosts are needed to relay the data. This creates a certain amount of delay which is not insignificant in time-critical applications. In this paper, we propose replica allocation schemes to let each host obtain data items in at most k(k $ 1) hops using minimal number of data servers in the network. Simulation results show that our schemes can generate a small number of data servers satisfying the k-hop time constraints.
Space - like branes

Scalar ﬁeld theories with appropriate potentials in Minkowski space can have time-dependent classical solutions containing topological defects which correspond to S-branes - i.e. branes all of whose tangential dimensions are spacelike. It is argued that such S-branes arise in string theory as time-dependent solutions of the worldvolume tachyon ﬁeld of an unstable D-brane or D-brane-anti-D-brane pair. Using the known coupling of the spacetime RR ﬁelds to the worldvolume tachyon it is shown that these S-branes carry a charge, deﬁned as the integral of a RR ﬁeld strength over a sphere (containing a time as well as spatial dimensions) surrounding the S-brane. This same charge is carried by SD-branes, i.e. Dirichlet branes arising from open string worldsheet conformal ﬁeld theories with a Dirichlet boundary condition on the timelike dimension. The corresponding SD-brane boundary state is constructed. Supergravity solutions carrying the same charges are also found for a few cases.
Differences in transductional tropism of adenoviral and lentiviral vectors in the rat brainstem

Adenoviral vectors (AVVs) and lentiviral vectors (LVVs) are highly useful research tools which can be used to investigate the function of specific cell phenotypes in the brain. The transductional tropism of viral vectors has a critical impact upon the transgene expression in different brain areas. This largely depends on the properties of the viral particles, which for AVVs are most commonly analogous to the serotype 5 adenovirus and, in the case of LVVs, are determined by the envelope used for pseudotyping, for example the vesicular stomatitis virus coat (VSVG). We have created a matching set of shuttle plasmids that allow a one‐step transfer of an entire expression cassette between the backbones of AVVs and LVVs. This has permitted a fair assessment of the impact of the vector type on tropism for both AVVs and LVVs. Thus, the aims of this study were twofold: (i) to develop and demonstrate the validity of a transgene ‘swap’ system between AVVs and LVVs; and (ii) using this system, to assess the tropism of AVVs and LVVs for neuronal versus glial cell types. We have constructed AVVs and VSVG‐coated LVVs to express monomeric red fluorescent protein (mRFP) driven by the human cytomegalovirus promoter (hCMV). Transgene expression in neurones and glia in the hypoglossal and dorsal vagal motor nuclei of the rat brainstem was compared by determining the colocalization with immunostaining for the neuronal marker NeuN (neuronal nuclear antigen) and the glial marker GFAP (glial fibrillatory acidic protein). We found that 55% of mRFP‐expressing cells transduced with AVVs were immunopositive for GFAP, while only 38% were NeuN‐immunoreactive. In contrast, when the same expression cassette was delivered by VSVG‐coated LVVs, the neurone/glia ratio of mRFP expression was reversed with 56% of mRFP‐positive cells identified as neurones and 26% as glia. Thus, the present study provides compelling evidence that VSVG‐coated LVVs significantly shift transgene expression towards neurones while transduction with AVVs favours glia.
Joint 3D Estimation of Objects and Scene Layout

We propose a novel generative model that is able to reason jointly about the 3D scene layout as well as the 3D location and orientation of objects in the scene. In particular, we infer the scene topology, geometry as well as traffic activities from a short video sequence acquired with a single camera mounted on a moving car. Our generative model takes advantage of dynamic information in the form of vehicle tracklets as well as static information coming from semantic labels and geometry (i.e., vanishing points). Experiments show that our approach outperforms a discriminative baseline based on multiple kernel learning (MKL) which has access to the same image information. Furthermore, as we reason about objects in 3D, we are able to significantly increase the performance of state-of-the-art object detectors in their ability to estimate object orientation.
Environmental fate of Chlortetracycline, Sulfamethazine and Tylosin fed to feedlot cattle

ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . iv FOREWORD . v TABLE OF CONTENTS . vii LIST OF TABLES . x LIST OF FIGURES . xi 1. GENERAL INTRODUCTION . 1 1.1. Antimicrobial Compounds . 3 1.1.1 Chlortetracycline . 3 1.1.2 Sulfamethazine . 4 1.1.3 Tylosin . 6 1.2 Antimicrobial Transport . 7 1.3 Antimicrobial Persistence . 10 1.3. 1 Dissipation in Soil . 10 1.3. 2 Dissipation in Manure . 13 1.4 Objectives . 14 1.5 Thesis Outline . 15 1.6 References . 15 2. RUNOFF LOSSES OF EXCRETED CHLORTETRACYCLINE, SULFAMETHAZINE, AND TYLOSIN FROM SURFACE-APPLIED AND SOIL-INCORPORATED BEEF CATTLE FEEDLOT MANURE . 23 2.1. Abstract . 23 2.2. Introduction . 24 2.3. Materials and Methods . 26 2.3. 1. Study Site . 26 2.3. 2. Antimicrobial Treatments . 27 2.3. 3. Manure Application . 27 2.3. 4. Rainfall Simulation . 28 2.3. 5. Sample Extraction and Cleanup . 29 2.3. 6. Sample Analysis . 31 2.3. 7. Statistical Analysis . 33 2.4. Results . 34 2.4. 1. Antimicrobial Concentrations in Manure . 34