Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Unsupervised Sequential Sensor Acquisition

In many security and healthcare systems a sequence of sensors/tests are used for detection and diagnosis. Each test outputs a prediction of the latent state, and carries with it inherent costs. Our objective is to learn strategies for selecting tests to optimize accuracy & costs. Unfortunately it is often impossible to acquire in-situ ground truth annotations and we are left with the problem of unsupervised sensor selection (USS). We pose USS as a version of stochastic partial monitoring problem with an unusual reward structure (even noisy annotations are unavailable). Unsurprisingly no learner can achieve sublinear regret without further assumptions. To this end we propose the notion of weak-dominance. This is a condition on the joint probability distribution of test outputs and latent state and says that whenever a test is accurate on an example, a later test in the sequence is likely to be accurate as well.We empirically verify that weak dominance holds on real datasets and prove that it is a maximal condition for achieving sublinear regret. We reduce USS to a special case of multi-armed bandit problem with side information and develop polynomial time algorithms that achieve sublinear regret.
Improvement in the Strut Thickness of Reticulated Porous Ceramics

An improved technique has been developed for the successful fabrication of reticulate porous ceramics (RPCs) with strong struts, using polyurethane sponge as the template. In this technique, the coating process is composed of two stages. In the first stage, a thicker slurry is used to coat the sponge substrate uniformly. The green body is preheated to produce a reticulated preform with sufficient handling strength after the sponge has been burned out. In the second stage, a thinner slurry is used to coat the preform repeatedly, so that that struts are greatly thickened. Furthermore, large flaws, such as longitudinal strut cracks, are eliminated by the recoating process. The mechanical properties of RPCs should be improved significantly by this technique, which will make this material conducive for use in new technological applications.
High diffraction efficiency for ultra-short laser pulse by superposed reflection volume phase gratings

An innovative configuration - two pieces of reflection volume phase gratings superposed is put forward, in order to highly diffract the ultra-short laser pulse. Based on Kogelnik's coupled wave theory, and discrete Fourier transform, the diffraction efficiency of the configuration for ultra-short laser pulse is formulated. And the diffraction efficiency for laser pulse with a Gaussian shape in temporal domain is simulated. The results show that when the two gratings' vectors are parallel to each other, and their parameters are selected appropriately, the diffraction spectrum of the configuration is approximately composed of those of the two gratings. The diffraction efficiency of 70fs Gaussian laser pulse can be improved to 0.96, which is 0.20 larger than that by only one piece of the grating. It is very useful for the application of ultra-short laser pulse, such as beam deflector with high diffraction efficiency, spectral beam combination, and so on.
Novel framework for pedestrain detection system using k-means cascade structure

In this paper, we propose a novel framework for pedestrian detection based on edgelet features and k-means classifier. Initially, edges of the pedestrian objects are extracted and edge map is prepared. Edgelet features are then used for detecting the pedestrians with diverse positions and appearances based on template matching technique. Classification is based on the less complex k-means clustering method. The feature set is prepared by extracting edges from the silhouettes of pedestrians selected from the training image data set. The feature set is trained to obtain maximum detection rate. Different weak classifiers are constructed using k-means clustering method. These weak classifiers are cascaded to obtain high detection accuracy with minimum computational time. Experimental results show that the proposed framework shows 96% pedestrian detection rate with less number of false positives.
Effect of LOS/NLOS propagation on area spectral efficiency and energy efficiency of small-cells

In this paper we investigate the effect of Line-of-Sight (LOS) and Non-Line-of-Sight (NLOS) propagation on the Area Spectral Efficiency (ASE) and on the energy efficiency of dense small-cell networks. We show that including both LOS and NLOS propagation in the path-loss model provides a completely different picture of the behaviours of ASE and energy efficiency than what would be observed in case of either LOS or NLOS propagation only. In particular, with combined LOS/NLOS path-loss, the ASE exhibits superlinear and sublinear behaviour at low and high cell densities, respectively. In addition, the energy efficiency as a function of the cell density has a global maximum and is not a monotonically increasing function like in case of LOS or NLOS propagation only. Based on our findings, we claim that Line-of-Sight (LOS) and Non-Line-of-Sight (NLOS) propagations play an important role in studying the performance of extremely dense small-cell networks.
A Delay Model for SRAM-Based FPGA Interconnections

This paper proposes a delay model for SRAM-Based FPGA Interconnections. First, an equivalent resistance delay model is presented based on 50% timing delay for step input. The equivalent capacitance delay model is thereafter proposed for the ramp input The corresponding effective capacitance delay calculation method is also given. The experimental results show the efficiency and accuracy of the proposed delay model for the FPGA interconnections.
A Robust Rapid Approach to Image Segmentation with Optimal Thresholding and Watershed Transform

This paper describes a novel method for partitioning image into meaningful segments. The proposed method employs watershed transform, a well-known image segmentation technique. Along with that, it uses various auxiliary schemes such as Binary Gradient Masking, dilation which segment the image in proper way. The algorithm proposed in this paper considers all these methods in effective way and takes little time. It is organized in such a manner so that it operates on input image adaptively. Its robustness and efficiency makes it more convenient and suitable for all types of images.
MINIATURIZATION OF ANTENNA FOR WIRELESS APPLICATION WITH DIFFERENCE METAMATERIAL STRUCTURES

In this paper, periodic structures are investigated in antenna design for wireless applications. These antennas were compared with CRLH miniaturization method. Three difierent models of patch antenna with coaxial feed on EBG ground, metamaterial substrate or EBG/AMC structure have been presented here. Also two compact dual-band antennas have been designed and fabricated based on CRLH techniques for wireless and GSM applications. The flrst antenna has directional pattern and operates at 1760, 2550 and 3850MHz (three-band antenna) with gain 2.1, i3:9 and 2.5dBi, and it is dual polarized. The size of prototype patch antenna is 20 £ 20mm 2 which is reduced about 47% in comparison to conventional patch antenna at 2.5GHz. The second antenna is designed by the use of interdigital capacitor and spiral inductor. Dimensions of antenna are 15:5£12mm 2 , so the size is reduced about 69% in comparison to conventional microstrip patch antennas at 1.8GHz. The second tri-band antenna operates at 1060MHz, 1800MHz and 2500MHz in which two frequencies (1.8 and 2.5GHz) are suitable for GMS and WLAN applications. Both structures have been designed and fabricated on FR4 low cost substrate with "r = 4:4 and thickness of 1.6mm. All simulations are done with CST and HFSS. Equivalent circuit and experimental results are also presented and compared.
Adjustable thermal property of polyethylene glycol/diatomite shape‐stabilized composite phase change material

The work involves the fabrication, characterization, and thermal properties of polyethylene glycol (PEG)/diatomite powder (DP), which can be used as a novel shape-stabilized composite phase change material (CPCM). The maximum load of PEG in DP can reach 55% while PEG melts during solid–liquid phase transformation. Differential scanning calorimeter results indicated that the melting temperature of the new CPCMs could be adjusted from 34 to 59°C and that the solidifying temperature could be adjusted from 27 to 44°C. Corresponding latent heats of the melting and solidifying processes were 77.27–106.5 J/g and 72.07–94.93 J/g, respectively. Scanning electronic microscope, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction results indicated that PEG was well dispersed in diatomite pores and no chemical changes took place during thermal cyclic test. Thermo-gravimetric analysis indicated that the CPCMs had good thermal and chemical stability and reliability when diatomite was immersed into melting PEG at 75°C for 90 min. Thermal conductivity of the CPCMs increased from 0.36 to 0.71 W/mK after adding 10 wt% expanded graphite (EG). POLYM. COMPOS. , 2014. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers
Monoterpene Variation Mediated Attack Preference Evolution of the Bark Beetle Dendroctonus valens

Several studies suggest that some bark beetle like to attack large trees. The invasive red turpentine beetle (RTB), Dendroctonus valens LeConte, one of the most destructive forest pests in China, is known to exhibit this behavior. Our previous study demonstrated that RTBs preferred to attack large-diameter trees (diameter at breast height, DBH ≥30 cm) over small-diameter trees (DBH ≤10 cm) in the field. In the current study, we studied the attacking behavior and the underlying mechanisms in the laboratory. Behavioral assays showed that RTBs preferred the bark of large-DBH trees and had a higher attack rate on the bolts of these trees. Y-tube assays showed that RTBs preferred the volatiles released by large-DBH trees to those released by small-DBH trees. Subsequent analysis revealed that both large- and small-DBH trees had the same composition of monoterpenes, but the concentration of each component differed; thus it appeared that the concentrations acted as cues for RTBs to locate the right-sized host which was confirmed by further behavioral assays. Moreover, large-DBH pine trees provided more spacious habitat and contained more nutrients, such as nitrogen, than did small-DBH pine trees, which benefited RTBs' fecundity and larval development. RTBs seem to have evolved mechanisms to locate those large hosts that will allow them to maximize their fitness. Monoterpene variation mediated attack preference implies the potential for the management of RTB.
Kite Aerial Photography for Low-Cost, Ultra-high Spatial Resolution Multi-Spectral Mapping of Intertidal Landscapes

Intertidal ecosystems have primarily been studied using field-based sampling; remote sensing offers the ability to collect data over large areas in a snapshot of time that could complement field-based sampling methods by extrapolating them into the wider spatial and temporal context. Conventional remote sensing tools (such as satellite and aircraft imaging) provide data at limited spatial and temporal resolutions and relatively high costs for small-scale environmental science and ecologically-focussed studies. In this paper, we describe a low-cost, kite-based imaging system and photogrammetric/mapping procedure that was developed for constructing high-resolution, three-dimensional, multi-spectral terrain models of intertidal rocky shores. The processing procedure uses automatic image feature detection and matching, structure-from-motion and photo-textured terrain surface reconstruction algorithms that require minimal human input and only a small number of ground control points and allow the use of cheap, consumer-grade digital cameras. The resulting maps combine imagery at visible and near-infrared wavelengths and topographic information at sub-centimeter resolutions over an intertidal shoreline 200 m long, thus enabling spatial properties of the intertidal environment to be determined across a hierarchy of spatial scales. Results of the system are presented for an intertidal rocky shore at Jervis Bay, New South Wales, Australia. Potential uses of this technique include mapping of plant (micro- and macro-algae) and animal (e.g. gastropods) assemblages at multiple spatial and temporal scales.
Cross-sectional and functional imaging of the temporomandibular joint: radiology, pathology, and basic biomechanics of the jaw.

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is a common site of complaint. Clicking sounds and pain are indicators of a frequent condition called internal derangement, most often affecting females. As a general term, internal derangement describes a structural abnormality within an articulation. The internal derangement of the TMJ is a specific term defined as an abnormal positional and functional relationship between the disk and articulating surfaces. Imaging of the joint is an important element in the diagnostic work-up. Trauma and inflammatory arthritis account for most of the other TMJ problems. A thorough understanding of joint anatomy and normal function is a prerequisite for perceiving abnormalities and making the correct diagnosis. The authors elucidate joint anatomy, correlating cadaveric specimen and anatomic slices with conventional and cross-sectional imaging studies. TMJ biomechanics are illustrated with schematics and animations, and an overview of imaging strategies and techniques is presented. Common abnormalities are described and illustrated, and a brief discussion of therapeutic options is included.
Therapeutic effects of the combination of methotrexate and bucillamine in early rheumatoid arthritis: a multicenter, double-blind, randomized controlled study

Disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) combination therapies are used widely, but there have been few reports clearly demonstrating that combination therapy is more effective than DMARD monotherapy. We conducted a multicenter, double-blind controlled trial in order to clarify that the combination of methotrexate and bucillamine is more effective than either alone. The subjects of this study were 71 patients with active rheumatoid arthritis within 2 years of onset. Dosages were 8 mg methotrexate with 5 mg folic acid per week (MTX group), 200 mg bucillamine per day (BUC group), or both MTX and BUC (combination group). Clinical effects and adverse reactions were observed for 96 weeks. The ACR 20 response rate was 79.2% in the combination group, significantly higher than the rates of 43.5% for the MTX group (P = 0.008) and 45.8% for the BUC group (P = 0.0178). The cumulative survival curve of maintaining the ACR 20 response was significantly higher in the combination group than in the MTX and BUC groups (P = 0.0123 and P = 0.0088, respectively). The mean increase in the total Sharp score over 96 weeks was 12.6 ± 9.0 in the combination group, significantly lower (P = 0.0468) than the value of 28.0 ± 28.3 for the single DMARD (combined MTX and BUC) group. The incidence of adverse reactions did not differ significantly between the three groups. It was concluded that the combination therapy with MTX and BUC showed significantly higher clinical efficacy than either of the single DMARD therapies.
Opportunistic Concurrency: A MAC Protocol for Wireless Sensor Networks

How to shorten the time for channel waiting is critical to avoid network contention. Traditional MAC protocols with CSMA often assume that a transmission must be deferred if the channel is busy, so they focus more on the optimization of serial transmission performance. Recent advances in physical layer, however, allows a receiver to reengage onto a stronger incoming signal from an ongoing transmission or interference, and thus shows the potential of parallel transmissions. Indeed, even if the channel is busy, a node has opportunities to carry out a successful transmission. In this study, we propose opportunistic concurrency (OPC), a new MAC layer scheme, which enables sensor nodes to capture the opportunistic concurrency and carry out parallel transmissions instead of always waiting for a clear channel. Based on local concurrency map, which encodes the interactions among different links, OPC utilizes concurrency control algorithm to make transmission decision distributedly. Our experiments on a testbed consisting of 60 TelosB sensor motes identify the transmission opportunities in WSNs with OPC. Evaluation results show that OPC achieves a 17 percent reduction in packet latency, a 9.4 percent addition in throughput and a 10 percent reduction in power consumption compared with existing approaches.
Development of the Social Inventory Database in Thailand Using Input–Output Analysis

The social life cycle assessment (S-LCA) is a technique for assessing social impact and potential impact that aims to evaluate the social and socio-economic aspects of products and their potential for both positive and negative impacts along their life cycle. The lack of a quantitative inventory data for social issues is a weakness of the S-LCA methodology to calculate social impacts. This study aims to establish a social inventory database in Thailand using input–output (IO) modeling. The 2005 economic IO table of Thailand is used in this study. The six different social issues are calculated for both direct and indirect social intensity. The social issues include employment, number of female employees, working hours, wages and salaries, and non-fatal and fatal occupational cases. The results indicate that the primary sector has the highest social intensity in terms of employment, female employment, and working hour intensity. Meanwhile, the secondary sector was higher in non-fatal occupational cases intensity than other sectors. For wages intensity, the results show that the government sector was higher than other sectors, it being labor intensive and of low economic value. In addition, the fatal occupational cases shows the highest intensity in the non-metallic mining, fertilizer and pesticides, and construction sectors. In terms of total social impacts or social footprints, the wholesale and retail trade sector had the highest impact for almost all social issues due to the higher final demand in this sector.
Corpus-based Development and Evaluation of a System for Processing Definite Descriptions

We present an implemented system for processing definite descriptions. The system is based on the results of a corpus analysis previously reported, which showed how common discourse-new descriptions are in newspaper corpora, and identified several problems to be dealt with when developing computational methods for interpreting bridging descriptions. The annotated corpus produced in this earlier work was used to extensively evaluate the proposed techniques for matching definite descriptions with their antecedents, discourse segmentation, recognizing discourse-new descriptions, and suggesting anchors for bridging descriptions.
Performance evaluation of deadline-based and laxity-based scheduling algorithms in real-time multiprocessor environments

Scheduling algorithms play an important role in design of real-time systems. Owing to high processing power and low price of multiprocessors, real-time scheduling in such systems is more interesting; however, more complicated. Its complication is due to the fact that multiprocessors are composed of a number of processors that require more complex strategies in order to maintain the system's performance over a desirable level. Earliest Deadline First (EDF) and Least Laxity First (LLF) are two well-known and extensively applied dynamic scheduling algorithms which have been proved to be optimal on uniprocessor systems. However, neither of these algorithms is shown to be optimal on multiprocessors. Up until now, many researches have been done on aforementioned algorithms, but to the best of our knowledge, none of which has compared the efficiency of the two algorithms under similar conditions. Perhaps the main reason is that LLF algorithm is fully dynamic and impractical to implement. In this research, we have used a practical version of LLF which is called the Modified Least Laxity First (MLLF) algorithm instead of the traditional LLF and have compared its performance with the EDF algorithm. The MLLF is a job-level dynamic and optimal strategy on uniprocessor systems, similar to the EDF algorithm. We have comprehensively investigated the performance of EDF and MLLF from many different aspects.
Quasi-maximum likelihood blind deconvolution of images acquired through scattering media

We address the problem of restoration of images obtained through a scattering medium. We present an efficient quasi-maximum likelihood blind deconvolution approach based on the fast relative Newton algorithm and optimal distribution-shaping approach (sparsification), which allows to use simple and convenient sparsity prior for a wide class of images. Simulation results prove the efficiency of the proposed method.
Evidence That the Cannabinoid CB1 Receptor Is a 2-Arachidonoylglycerol Receptor

An endogenous cannabimimetic molecule, 2-arachidonoylglycerol, induces a rapid, transient increase in intracellular free Ca2+ concentrations in NG108–15 cells through a cannabinoid CB1 receptor-dependent mechanism. We examined the activities of 24 relevant compounds (2-arachidonoylglycerol, its structural analogues, and several synthetic cannabinoids). We found that 2-arachidonoylglycerol is the most potent compound examined so far: its activity was detectable from as low as 0.3 nm, and the maximal response induced by 2-arachidonoylglycerol exceeded the responses induced by others. Activities of HU-210 and CP55940, potent cannabinoid receptor agonists, were also detectable from as low as 0.3 nm, whereas the maximal responses induced by these compounds were low compared with 2-arachidonoylglycerol. Anandamide was also found to act as a partial agonist in this assay system. We confirmed that free arachidonic acid failed to elicit a response. Furthermore, we found that a metabolically stable ether-linked analogue of 2-arachidonoylglycerol possesses appreciable agonistic activity, although its activity was apparently lower than that of 2-arachidonoylglycerol. We also confirmed that pretreating cells with various cannabinoid receptor agonists nullified the response induced by 2-arachidonoylglycerol, whereas pretreating cells with other neurotransmitters or neuromodulators did not affect the response. These results strongly suggested that the cannabinoid CB1 receptor is originally a 2-arachidonoylglycerol receptor, and 2-arachidonoylglycerol is the intrinsic physiological ligand for the cannabinoid CB1 receptor.
Corpus Annotation in Service of Intelligent Narrative Technologies

Annotated corpora have stimulated great advances in the language sciences. The time is ripe to bring that same stimulation, and consequent benefits, to computational approaches to narrative. I describe an effort to construct a corpus of semantically annotated stories. I outline the structure of the corpus, a structure which colloquially can be described as a "handful of handfuls. " One handful of the corpus has already been constructed, viz., 18k words of Russian folktales. There are two handfuls under construction: legal cases focused on the area of probable cause, and stories from Islamist Extremist Jihadists. Four more handfuls are being planned: folktales from Chinese, English, and a West Asian culture, and stories of international conventional and cyber conflicts. There are numerous additional handfuls under discussion. The main focus of the corpus so far has been on textual materials that are annotated for their surface semantics using conventional annotation tools and techniques; nonetheless, there are numerous novel dimensions along which the corpus might grow and become useful for different communities. In particular I propose for discussion the outlines of a few novel sources, annotation schemes, and collection methodologies that could potentially make the corpus of great use to the interactive narrative or narrative generation communities.