Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An analytical formulation of global occlusion reasoning for multi-target tracking

We present a principled model for occlusion reasoning in complex scenarios with frequent inter-object occlusions, and its application to multi-target tracking. To compute the putative overlap between pairs of targets, we represent each target with a Gaussian. Conveniently, this leads to an analytical form for the relative overlap - another Gaussian - which is combined with a sigmoidal term for modeling depth relations. Our global occlusion model bears several advantages: Global target visibility can be computed efficiently in closed-form, and varying degrees of partial occlusion can be naturally accounted for. Moreover, the dependence of the occlusion on the target locations - i.e. the gradient of the overlap - can also be computed in closed-form, which makes it possible to efficiently include the proposed occlusion model in a continuous energy minimization framework. Experimental results on seven datasets confirm that the proposed formulation consistently reduces missed targets and lost trajectories, especially in challenging scenarios with crowds and severe inter-object occlusions.
Control-Driven Tasks: Modeling and Analysis

The standard design of control systems is based on the periodic sampling. Every period the data is read from the input, the control law is computed, and the output is written to the actuators. However the periodicity of the sampling instants is a constraint that arises from the ease of implementation and it is not strictly necessary in the control system. In this paper we present an execution model that samples the input "when needed". This model saves a considerable amount of computational resources. We show the schedulability analysis for a set of control-driven tasks using both Fixed Priority (FP) and Earliest Deadline First (EDF).
Dominance Studies with Stable Merodiploids in the D-Serine Deaminase System of Escherichia coli K-12

An episome, F32, which carries the genetic markers dsdA+, the presumed structural gene for D-serine deaminase, dsdC+, a regulatory locus governing the synthesis of D-serine deaminase, aroC+, and purC+ was obtained from strain AB311 of Escherichia coli K-12, and was used to construct appropriate merodiploids with dsdC markers. In all dsdC/dsdC+ diploids examined, dsdC was found to be cis dominant,
Imaging-based thermal modelling and reverse engineering of as-built automotive components: A case study

Virtual prototyping of objects with thermal characteristic requirements depends on several aspects such as the geometry of the component, material properties, ambient environmental conditions and most importantly temperature curves/heat patterns of the component when functional. In this case study, we present the data acquisition methodology towards thermal modeling of as-built automotive parts into their virtual prototypes. We explain the imaging-based reverse engineering pipeline suitable for our application towards recovering 3D geometry and identify tools for measuring temperature curves in the data collection process. Further, we show results of immersing the reverse-engineered mesh in the thermal simulation environment and verify the finite-element based simulation results to agree with the thermal image sequences. Our experimental results based on automobiles are able to address the issue of thermal modeling and verification of virtual vehicle components even when the computer aided design (CAD) models are not available. Finally, we conclude our investigation with the experimental achievability and limitations of imaging-based thermal modeling of vehicle components.
Exclusion and Inclusion Criteria for Thrombolytic Therapy in an Ischemic Stroke Population

Background: Many of the exclusiveand inclusivecontraindications for recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) in the treatment of acute ischemic strokeare based on safety. While some contraindications have strongly been supported by both scientific and clinical data, including the clear benefit of rt-PA, there are several clinical controversies about others. We examined clinical characteristics related to rtPA treated versus non-treated patients according to specific contraindications in a stroke population. Methods: We utilized data from the Greenville Health System (GHS) stroke registry on rt-PA administration between January 2010 and December 2013. We evaluated patients who received rt-PA within 4.5 hours following the onset of acute ischemic stroke symptoms. Our analysis compared the clinical characteristics and demographics of eligible patients receiving rt-PA with those not receiving rt-PA. Results: A total of 663 ischemic stroke patients were eligible to receive rt-PA. Out of the 663, 241 received rt-PA and 422 did not. A significant (P<0.05) number of patients with acute myocardial infarction in the 3 months prior to stroke,uncontrolledh ypertensionwere excluded from rt-PA when compared to the few that received rt-PA. A significant (P<0.05) numberof patients with history of smoking received rt-PA when compared to the patient population who did not receive rt-PA. A combination of old age, and baseline NIHSS is important in making a decision about whether to administer rt-PA to patients with a combined prior history of stroke and diabetes mellitus. Conclusion: The study provides a basis to generate a hypothesis that could be investigated to allow more eligible patients to be considered for rt-PA for the treatment of acute ischemic stroke.
Biogeography and Ecology of the Alstroemeriaceae-Luzuriagaceae Clade in the High-Mountain Regions of Central and South America

ABSTRACT The distribution pattern of the Alstroemeriaceae-Luzuriagaceae clade in the high-mountain regions of Central and South America is examined. This mountain region is divided into 23 geographic regions. The geographic regions are defined by geographic barriers, mostly stretches of lowland between mountains or deep valleys. The similarities of the species composition in the 23 geographic regions are analyzed using distance algorithm UPGMA. The geographic regions are treated like taxa, and the distributions of 143 species are treated as characters. The distribution pattern is compared with vegetation, climate, and geologic patterns. Several distribution boundaries are identified, some are ecological, others geographic. The two most important distribution boundaries are (1) between Brazilian coastal mountains and the Andes (geographic) and (2) between the Chilean/Argentinean Andes and the Andes north of Argentina (ecological—the axis of maximal dryness). The first two regions are dominated by Alstroemeria species, the last by Bomarea. In the Tepui region of Venezuela and Brazil almost no Alstroemeriaceae species occur. The center of species diversity for Bomarea is in southern Ecuador/northern Peru; a second small center of diversity is the cordilleras of Costa Rica and northern Panama. In the first region, the eastern mountains of Brazil and surrounding lowlands, around 39 Alstroemeria species and 1 Bomarea species occur. In the Chilean/Argentinean Andes, 37 Alstroemeria species can be found but only 2 Bomarea species. In the more northern Andes, around 115 Bomarea species occur, but only 3 Alstroemeria species. In the Andes, where six barriers can be identified, only two cannot be explained ecologically—one is geographic and one remains unexplained.
Zeno-free event-triggered consensus using sampled data

This work presents an event-triggered consensus algorithm for multi-agent systems with periodic sampling schemes. Combinational measurement error is employed to reduce the number of events. It is noted that by introducing the periodic sampling scheme, Zeno behaviors can be naturally avoided in both algorithms. The effectiveness of the proposed algorithms are illustrated by simulation examples.
Study on base-core Mode Coupling Networks

There exist a kind of networks composed of two coupled network which are a base network and a core network respectively. For instance, an urban public transport network consists of a bus network (base network) and subway network (core network), the two networks are coupled together. We proposed a base-core coupling network model to study the performance of the kind of coupling network. In the model, the base network is generated first, then the nodes of the core network are selected from the base network according to a preferential selection scheme based on k and b , where k and b represent the node degree and betweenness respectively, α represents the preferential selection exponent. Under different value of α , we investigate the performance of the coupling network in different network structure and different network size collocations. Simulation result shows: the greater value of α , the higher of the use rate of the core network and the smaller of the weighted average shortest path length of the coupling network. Namely, a higher preferential selection exponent corresponds to better coupling network performance. Key-Words: base-core coupling network, preferential selection exponent, the weighted average shortest path length, the use rate of the core network
Genome of the marine alphaproteobacterium Hoeflea phototrophica type strain (DFL-43T)

Hoeflea phototrophica Biebl et al. 2006 is a member of the family Phyllobacteriaceae in the order Rhizobiales, which is thus far only partially characterized at the genome level. This marine bacterium contains the photosynthesis reaction-center genes pufL and pufM and is of interest because it lives in close association with toxic dinoflagellates such as Prorocentrum lima. The 4,467,792 bp genome (permanent draft sequence) with its 4,296 protein-coding and 69 RNA genes is a part of the Marine Microbial Initiative.
Beyond secure channels

A Trusted Channel is a secure communication channel which is cryptographically bound to the state of the hardware and software configurations of the endpoints. In this paper, we describe secure and flexible mechanisms to establish and maintain Trusted Channels which do not have the deficiencies of previous proposals. We also present a concrete implementation proposal based on Transport Layer Security (TLS) protocol, and Trusted Computing technology. We use Subject Key Attestation Evidence extensions to X.509v3 certificates to convey configuration information during key agreement (TLS handshake). The resulting session key is kept within the Trusted Computing Base, and is updated in a predetermined manner to reflect any detected change in the local configuration. This allows an endpoint to detect changes in the configuration of the peer endpoint while the Trusted Channel is in place, and to decide according to a local policy whether to maintain or tear down the Trusted Channel
Impaired skin blood flow response to environmental heating in chronic heart failure.

AIMS We examined the thermoregulatory response to heat exposure in patients with chronic heart failure. METHODS AND RESULTS Skin blood flow (SkBF) was measured in HF subjects and matched controls. Cutaneous vascular conductance (CVC) was calculated from laser-Doppler SkBF and blood pressure. To assess the nitric oxide contribution to thermoregulatory responses, subcutaneous microdialysis membranes were placed beneath the laser-Doppler probes to infuse N(G)-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME), or Ringer's solution. Core (T(C)) and skin temperatures (five sites, T(Sk)) were continuously recorded. Subjects were studied during normothermia then at 38 degrees C, 50%RH within a climate chamber. T(C) and T(Sk) did not differ between HF and controls during normothermia and heating induced similar increases in both groups. During heating, CVC rose in both groups, but significantly less so in HF (HF 43.9+/-7.8 vs. controls 58.0+/-7.5% CVC(max), P<0.05). l-NAME attenuated SkBF responses in the control (58.0+/-7.5 vs. 34.6+/-5.1% CVC(max), P<0.001) and HF subjects (43.9+/-7.8 vs. 27.0+/-2.2% CVC(max), P<0.005), with a larger effect evident in the controls (P<0.05). CONCLUSION HF patients exhibit impaired thermoregulatory responses to heat exposure. Lower SkBF in HF, which defends blood pressure during heat exposure, also predisposes these subjects to heat intolerance.
A massively-parallel easily-scalable satisfiability solver using reconfigurable hardware

Satisfiability (SAT) is a computationally expensive algorithm central to many CAD and test applications. In this paper, we present the architecture of a new SAT solver using reconfigurable logic. Our main contributions include new forms of massive fine-grain parallelism and structured design techniques based on iterative logic arrays that reduce compilation times from hours to a few minutes. Our architecture is easily scalable. Our results show several orders of magnitude speed-up compared with a state-of-the-art software implementation, and with a prior SAT solver using reconfigurable hardware.
On the redundancy of two-dimensional balanced codes

Let A/sub n/spl times/m/ be the set of binary n/spl times/m arrays in which each row, and respectively each column, has the same number of 0's and 1's. We prove the lower bound log/sub 2/|A/sub n/spl times/m/|/spl ges/nm- 1/2 (nlog/sub 2/(2m)+mlog/sub 2/(2n)). We also show that this bound is tight up to an additive term O(n+m).
Reduced order modeling for systems with parametric uncertainty using proper generalized decomposition

In this work we have proposed a new technique of model order reduction for linear time invariant (LTI) systems with parametric uncertainty. The model order reduction method is based on proper generalized decomposition (PGD). Using PGD, the underlying state variable is expanded as a sum of separated functions of time and uncertain parameters. At first, the stochastic states of the LTI system is represented using PGD. Then equations to obtain the PGD basis functions are derived. Furthermore a state feedback structure for the control input is assumed where the gain is found by solving a minimum expectation linear quadratic regulator (LQR) problem. An algorithm is then proposed, from which the PGD basis functions and the control input gain are found. The proposed algorithm is then applied to control the angle of attack and pitch rate of a F-16 aircraft having uncertain parameters. It is found that the proposed technique based on PGD could successfully achieve the control objective for the current application.
TED-MWE: a bilingual parallel corpus with MWE annotation

We greatly acknowledge the PARSEME IC1207 COST Action for supporting this work. We are particularly grateful to Manuela Cherchi, Erika Ibba, Anna De Santis, Giuseppe Casu, Jessica Ladu, Ilaria Del Rio, Elisa Virdis, Gino Castangia for their annotation work.
Scan window based pedestrian recognition methods improvement by search space and scale reduction

Most of computation time when dealing with a pedestrian detector is spent in the feature computation and then in the multi-scale classification. This second step consists of applying scanning windows at multiple scales. Depending on the number of scales and on the image dimension, this step is slow because a large number of windows is generated. An efficient pruning algorithm able to remove most of the scan windows brings a significant contribution on the overall execution time. We propose a scan window pruning algorithm based on a combination of several filters: (1) remove windows based on the relation between the dimension and the position in the scene; (2) remove uniform regions from the image such as the sky or the road; (3) remove regions with high density of horizontal edges such as vegetation parts; (4) keep local maxima windows having a high density of connected vertical edges. The combination of these four filters eliminates more than 90% of the scanning windows in a given image and maintains the windows that are overlapped on regions with a high probability of representing a pedestrian. We have integrated our method in a generic framework for pedestrian detection [1] and we have studied two aspects: (1)how the performance of the algorithms varies with respect to the filters proposed by our pruning strategy and (2) what is the speed gain when the quality loss is negligible. The proposed filters have a negligible loss in performance and even improve it in some cases while the execution time is improved.
More Than 200 Genes Required for Methane Formation from H2 and CO2 and Energy Conservation Are Present in Methanothermobacter marburgensis and Methanothermobacter thermautotrophicus

The hydrogenotrophic methanogens Methanothermobacter marburgensis and Methanothermobacter thermautotrophicus can easily be mass cultured. They have therefore been used almost exclusively to study the biochemistry of methanogenesis from H2 and CO2, and the genomes of these two model organisms have been sequenced. The close relationship of the two organisms is reflected in their genomic architecture and coding potential. Within the 1,607 protein coding sequences (CDS) in common, we identified approximately 200 CDS required for the synthesis of the enzymes, coenzymes, and prosthetic groups involved in CO2 reduction to methane and in coupling this process with the phosphorylation of ADP. Approximately 20 additional genes, such as those for the biosynthesis of F430 and methanofuran and for the posttranslational modifications of the two methyl-coenzyme M reductases, remain to be identified.
Revision and re‐evaluation of the Early Jurassic dinosaurian ichnogenus Otozoum

Otozoum moodii Hitchcock, 1847 is one of the classic Connecticut Valley ichnotaxa established by Edward Hitchcock between 1836 and 1865. The taxon is redescribed, and AC 4/1a re‐established as the holotype specimen. Otozoum minus and O. caudatum are synonymised with O. moodii. The syntypes of Kalosauropus pollex (nomen nudum) are described as O. pollex sp. nov. Cladistic, quantitative, and comparative methods of trackmaker identification suggest that Otozoum was made by a prosauropod dinosaur. In quantitative analyses, only those phalanges likely to contribute to footprint morphology were considered; claws were also excluded due to their highly variable styles of impression. Several diagnostic characters distinguish Otozoum from Brachychirotherium, Chirotherium, Batrachopus, Tetrasauropus, and Pseudotetrasauropus; these ichnotaxa are probably attributable to crurotarsan archosaurs. Otozoum is found primarily in Hettangian strata of the Hartford, Deerfield, and Fundy rift basins of eastern North America; it is also present in the Early Jurassic Navajo Sandstone (Colorado Plateau, USA) and Clarens Formation (Lesotho). The taxon is unknown in older strata; Triassic material previously referred to Otozoum (including O. grandcombensis) instead belongs in Pseudotetrasauropus. Correlation of sediments and comparison of faunal assemblages, particularly within the Newark Supergroup, suggest that the Otozoum trackmakers were restricted to arid environments.
Increased of Langerhans Cells in Smokeless Tobacco-Associated Oral Mucosal Lesions -

Objective: To evaluate the changes in the number of Langerhans Cells (LC) observed in the epithelium of smokeless tobacco (SLT-induced) lesions. Methods: Microscopic sections from biopsies carried out in the buccal mucosa of twenty patients, who were chronic users of smokeless tobacco (SLT), were utilized. For the control group, twenty non-SLT users of SLT with normal mucosa were selected. The sections were studied with routine coloring and were immunostained for S-100, CD1a, Ki-67 and p63. These data were statistically analyzed by the Student’s t-test to investigate the differences in the expression of immune markers in normal mucosa and in SLT-induced leukoplakia lesions. Results: There was a significant difference in the immunolabeling of all markers between normal mucosa and SLT-induced lesions (p<0.001). The leukoplakia lesions in chronic SLT users demonstrated a significant increase in the number of Langerhans cells and in the absence of epithelial dysplasia. Conclusion: The increase in the number of these cells represents the initial stage of leukoplakia.
Learning Criticality in an Embodied Boltzmann Machine

Many biological and cognitive systems do not operate deep into one or other regime of activity. Instead, they exploit critical surfaces poised at transitions in their parameter space. The pervasiveness of criticality in natural systems suggests that there may be general principles inducing this behaviour. However, there is a lack of conceptual models explaining how embodied agents propel themselves towards these critical points. In this paper, we present a learning model driving an embodied Boltzmann Machine towards critical behaviour by maximizing the heat capacity of the network. We test and corroborate the model implementing an embodied agent in the mountain car benchmark, controlled by a Boltzmann Machine that adjust its weights according to the model. We find that the neural controller reaches a point of criticality, which coincides with a transition point of the behaviour of the agent between two regimes of behaviour, maximizing the synergistic information between its sensors and the hidden and motor neurons. Finally, we discuss the potential of our learning model to study the contribution of criticality to the behaviour of embodied living systems in scenarios not necessarily constrained by biological restrictions of the examples of criticality we find in nature.
Pareto optimization for multiobjective matching of geospatial ontologies

Geospatial information is different than conventional information. Harmonization is needed for interoperability and seamless access to data. Ontology matching is an emerging solution to achieve this harmonization. The input data of the Geospatial ontologies vary from the conventional ontologies and hence it is conceptualized in a different manner. There are two major obstacles for geoinformation fusion: heterogeneity and uncertainty. Heterogeneity is more prevalent and uncertainty is an unavoidable entity in geospatial domain. This paper explores a novel multi-objective algorithm for geospatial ontology matching. It uses Pareto ranking to sort the probable solution and derives the pareto front. This pareto front is used further to find the best match.
Autonomous aircraft operations using RTCA guidelines for airborne conflict management

A human-in-the-loop experiment was performed at the NASA Langley Research Center to study the feasibility of DAG-TM autonomous aircraft operations in highly constrained airspace. The airspace was constrained by a pair of special-use airspace (SUA) regions on either side of the pilot's planned route. Traffic flow management (TFM) constraints were imposed as a required time of arrival and crossing altitude at an en route fix. Key guidelines from the RTCA airborne conflict management (ACM) concept were applied to autonomous aircraft operations for this experiment. These concepts included the RTCA ACM definitions of distinct conflict detection and collision avoidance zones, and the use of a graded system of conflict alerts for the flight crew. Three studies were conducted in the course of the experiment. The first study investigated the effect of hazard proximity upon pilot ability to meet constraints and solve conflict situations. The second study investigated pilot use of the airborne tools when faced with an unexpected loss of separation (LOS). The third study explored pilot interactions in an over-constrained conflict situation, with and without priority rules dictating who should move first. Detailed results from these studies were presented at the 5th USA/Europe Air Traffic management R&D Seminar (ATM2003). This overview paper focuses on the integration of the RTCA ACM concept into autonomous aircraft operations in highly constrained situations, and provides an overview of the results presented at the ATM2003 seminar. These results, together with previously reported studies, continue to support the feasibility of autonomous aircraft operations.