Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Effects of Vibration Patterns of Take-Over Request and Non-Driving Tasks on Taking-Over Control of Automated Vehicles

ABSTRACT Automated vehicles offer the possibility of significantly increasing traffic safety, mobility, and driver comfort, and reducing congestion and fuel emissions. Current automation technology, however, remains imperfect, and in certain situations, automation will still require the driver to suspend non-driving tasks and take back control of the automated vehicle in a limited period of time. During automated driving, drivers engaged in non-driving tasks (e.g., reading, taking a nap) may not perceive the visual or auditory take-over request in a timely nor accurate manner. Therefore, it is necessary to explore the potential of tactile warning further. This study investigates the effects of vibration patterns of take-over requests (six vibration patterns with different orders of the vibration location) and various realistic non-driving tasks (six non-driving tasks: reading, typing, watching videos, playing games, taking a nap, and monitoring the driving scenario on the driving simulator) on driver take-over behavior, and driver trust and acceptance of automated vehicles. Across all non-driving tasks, the fastest response time was observed with Vibration Pattern 5 (order of the vibration location: back–back–seat–seat). The shortest response time and largest minimum time-to-collision (TTC) also were observed when drivers took back control of the vehicle after monitoring the driving scenario. No interaction effects between vibration patterns and non-driving tasks were observed. Potential applications of the results of designing take-over requests in automated vehicles are discussed.
Cold-cavity thresholds of microdisks with uniform and nonuniform gain: quasi-3-D modeling with accurate 2-D analysis

An electromagnetic analysis of thin-disk semiconductor resonators with uniform and nonuniform gain regions is presented. A "cold-cavity-with-gain" Maxwellian formulation, including accurate boundary and radiation conditions, is considered as an eigenvalue problem, for the real-valued parameters of frequency and threshold material gain. Although the well-known approximate effective-index method is used to reduce a three-dimensional (3-D) field problem to a two-dimensional (2-D) one, a rigorous formulation of the latter is retained. A quasi-3-D feature is provided through full account of the multiple-wave nature and dispersion of the effective index. Results obtained quantify the ultralow thresholds of the whispering-gallery modes and show the advantage of a ring-shaped gain region.
Decentralisation de l'enseignement: Financements Axes sur la Demande. Le Developpement en Marche. (Decentralization of Education. Demand Side Financing. Directions in Development.).

This book aims at assisting policymakers and practitioners in developing countries, as well as staff members of international organizations interested in exploring alternative methods of financing education. It reviews World Bank education projects with demand-side financing that became active from 1993 to 1996. The analysis is based on World Bank staff appraisal reports. Demand-side financing refers to the channeling of public funds directly to individuals, institutions, and communities on the basis of expressed demand. It may also mean resource mobilization by beneficiaries for identified needs. The book introduces the demand-side financing tools employed in the World Bank-financied projects discussed in this review using simple working definitions and specific examples. The lessons derived from this review are: 1) involvement and support of the beneficiaries; 2) active participation of parents; 3) involvement of the private sector; 4) partnerships with commercial enterprises; 5) flexibility; 6) capacity building; 7) participation; 8) cultural relevance; 9) equity; and 10) transparency.
Constraining the geometries of small‐scale heterogeneities: A case study from the Mariana region

A new array‐based method for seismic waveform data is developed to detect small‐scale heterogeneities in the mantle and constrain their possible locations and sizes. Detecting small‐scale heterogeneities using scattered waves has been challenging because scattered phases usually suffer from low signal‐to‐noise ratios, and determining the shapes of such heterogeneities is even more difficult because of isochronal artifacts. In the proposed method, the problem of the low signal‐to‐noise ratio is addressed by adopting dual bootstrap stacking, which can detect weak signals even with a limited number of seismic traces, as well as by ensuring reproducibility among multiple events. The locations of detected scatterers and their sizes and shapes are then estimated using a new kind of hierarchical cluster analysis that could minimize the effect of isochronal artifacts. The new method is applied to a previously analyzed data set of Mariana earthquakes to facilitate a comparison with conventional methods. In the middle to lower mantle beneath the Mariana Trench region, a total of 39 scatterers are identified via S‐to‐P scattering, with their potential volumes ranging from <8 × 104 to ∼1 × 106 km3.
Further validation of magnifying chromocolonoscopy for differentiating colorectal neoplastic polyps in a health screening center

Background and Aim: The accuracy of conventional colonoscopy to differentiate neoplastic and non‐neoplastic polyps is limited, justifying a biopsy for histologic analysis. Magnifying chromocolonoscopy has emerged as the best tool available for differentiating adenomatous and hyperplastic polyps during colonoscopy; however, magnifying endoscopes are rarely used in endoscopy units. This study aimed to further validate the effectiveness of magnifying chromocolonoscopy in the diagnosis of neoplastic colorectal polyps in a screening center.
Consumer “accomplices” in product counterfeiting: a demand side investigation

Examines the consumer′s role in the proliferation of product counterfeiting. Describes a demand‐side orientation to the counterfeiting problem and discusses results from a field experiment examining consumers′ willingness to select a counterfeit apparel item knowingly. Indicates that a surprisingly large proportion of adult consumers will select a counterfeit garment over the genuine good when there is a price advantage. Investigates product perceptions and decision criteria and implications for marketer action.
Feature ranking for mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease diagnosis

This paper describes the experiment of analyzing MRI images of the brain of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD), mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and normal control (NC). The aim of this research is to use new methods of extracting features from MRI images and selecting the most relevant features. The values of cortical thickness in regions of interest are used as a features for MRI images. The Support Vector Machine — Recursive Feature Elimination, Infinite Feature Selection, Relief-F, Feature Selection Via Concave Minimization and Support Vector Machine, Minimum Redundancy Maximum Relevance, Fisher, Unsupervised Discriminative Feature Selection, L0-norm Based Feature Selection, and Feature Selection via Eigenvector Centrality techniques for feature selection and ranking were used. In the experiment, the MRI images from ADNI database was used, which contains data from 539 subjects. In the result, the following maximum values of area under ROC curves for three datasets are obtained: NC-AD — 0.90, NC-MCI — 0.71, MCI-AD — 0.69. Classification accuracy with linear Support Vector Machine for the corresponding datasets: NC-AD — 80%, NC-MCI — 64%, MCI-AD — 65%. The results of this paper can be used for building a classifier in space of selected features.
1-Phenylethane-1,2-diyl 1,1′-biphenyl-2,2′-dicarboxylate

In the title compound, C22H16O4, the 7-phenyl ring is inclined at dihedral angles of 36.73 (9) and 69.37 (9)° with respect to the biphenyl benzene rings. The two benzene rings of the biphenyl unit form a dihedral angle of 55.99 (8)°. There are no significant hydrogen bonds observed in the crystal of this compound.
Novel approximation for the Gaussian Q-function and related applications

Using the semi-infinite Gauss-Hermite quadrature rule defined in [0;1), we present an accurate and efficient approximation to the Gaussian Q-function, which is expressed as a finite sum of exponential functions. Based on this approximation, we address a product of Gaussian Q-functions averaged over Nakagami-m fading, ending up with a closed-form solution applicable for any real m ‥ 0.5. We further consider more general situations, in which the Gaussian Q-function is involved in more complicated ways. Numerical examples show that the proposed method with very few terms can give error probabilities (in closed form) that are virtually indistinguishable from the exact results obtained by numerical integration.
Preoperative Imaging of Liver Metastases: Comparison of Angiography, CT Scan, and Ultrasonography

Thirty-one, patients with mostly colorectal cancer metastases to the liver had preoperative selective/superselective angiograms (24 cases), computed tomography (CT) [26 cases, mostly enhanced by contrast administered by a peripheral vein (9), the common hepatic artery (9), or the portal vein (5)], and ultrasonography (26 cases). Intraoperative ultrasonography and palpation and examination of the resected specimens revealed 113 tumors. (X detected almost half of the masses smaller than 1 cm, and ultrasonography and angiography about one-third of lesions 1–2 cm in size. Ultrasonography was less powerful for examination of the posterior segment of the liver. CT and ultrasonography placed the tumors into subsegments more accurately than did angiography. Almost 40% of the preoperative plans had to be changed: in two-thirds by extended resections and in one-third by a change from curative to palliative intent. Most changes were due to extrahepatic tumor growth, often within areas screened before surgery. The use of all three imaging modalities for liver metastases is recommended for preoperative planning.
1 Ambiguity Framed

In his exposition of subjective expected utility theory, Savage (1954) proposed that the Allais paradox could be reduced if it were recast into a format which made the appeal of the independence axiom of expected utility theory more transparent. Recent studies consistently find support for this prediction. We consider a salience-based choice model which explains this frame-dependence of the Allais paradox and derive the novel prediction that the same type of presentation format which was found to reduce Allais-style violations of expected utility theory will also reduce Ellsberg-style violations of subjective expected utility theory since that format makes the appeal of Savage’s “sure thing principle” more transparent. We design an experiment to test this prediction and find strong support for such frame dependence of ambiguity aversion in Ellsberg-style choices. In particular, we observe markedly less ambiguity-averse behavior in Savage’s matrix format than in a more standard ‘prospect’ format. This finding poses a new challenge for the leading models of ambiguity aversion.
The direct approach to congenital dislocation of the hip.

1. A method of treatment of the congenitally dislocated hip is described. 2. The rationale of the treatment is considered. 3. The subsequent development of the hip generally, and of its individual components, is described. 4. Comparison between the results of other methods of treatment and of this method is not attempted for reasons stated. 5. The advantages of a shortened period of splintage are discussed. 6. The state of fifty completely dislocated hips treated consecutively is described at the end of a follow-up period of from three to seven and a half years.
Time-frequency representation of electrocorticograms in temporal lobe epilepsy

Three time-frequency distributions are evaluated in terms of their efficacy in representing nonstationary electrocorticograms (ECOGs) in human temporal lobe epilepsy. The results of a new method, the exponential distribution, are compared with those of the spectrogram and the Wigner distribution. It is shown that the exponential distribution represents a considerable improvement over the spectrogram in terms of resolution and markedly reduces cross-terms present in the Wigner distribution. Exponential distribution representations of ECOGs from different stages of an epileptic record are developed as contour maps. These high-resolution representations offer a lucid display of temporal-spectral features of the rapidly varying signals that constitute ECOGs recorded in temporal lobe epilepsy. <<ETX>>
Passivity-based tracking control of port-Hamiltonian mechanical systems with only position measurements

Mechanical systems can be asymptotically stabilized without velocity measurements by applying a dynamic extension. By interconnecting the system with a (virtual) controller damping is indirectly injected into the system making velocity measurements unnecessary, provided that this damping propagates to the mechanical system. The approach has been shown for the case of potential energy shaping and for a class of systems requiring total energy shaping. In this paper we investigate the same idea for the trajectory tracking problem. Like with the stabilization problem we apply a dynamic extension to avoid having to measure the system velocities and still realize perfect tracking of a desired trajectory. This is done for fully-actuated port-Hamiltonian mechanical systems.
The Impact of 1990 Medicaid Drug Rebates Policy on Access to Prescriptions

Abstract The U.S. Congress passed a new law (PL 101-508) in 1990 requiring the pharmaceutical manufacturers to grant rebates on prescription drugs sold at retail under the federal Medicaid program. The goals include containing Medicaid program costs and expanding access of the indigent to ethical drug treatments. This paper evaluates the impact of HCFA's mandatory federal upper limit (FUL) prices on the retail sales volume of prescription drugs during 1994. Data of the most frequently dispensed drugs, as measured by the National Prescription Audit of IMS America, are used. Regression model results suggest that the competing drug prices impact sales significantly, and Medicaid drug rebates expand access to drug interventions by stimulating retail transactions. Prescription sales are also own-price insensitive (inelastic) in Medicaid and non-Medicaid market segments. The implications of extending Medicaid prescription drug rebates policy to enrollees in the traditional Medicare program are examined.
Electronic markets, data access and collaboration: relative value to performance in firm operations

Purpose – This paper aims to examine the direct and indirect effects of the use of electronic markets (e‐markets), access to online data and trading partner collaboration on operational performance.Design/methodology/approach – This study involved survey data from 233 Australian firms. Data were provided by members of the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply Australia, who reflected upon relevant practices and performances of their firms. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data.Findings – The results show that whilst all three direct effects are non‐significant, when the indirect effects are taken into account, the total effects are significant in strength. This suggests that use of e‐markets, access to online data and collaboration with trading partners, when taken in isolation, are not as effective as could be expected. However, when these factors are implemented together, their value and impact becomes significant.Research limitations/implications – The study is limited to Aus.
Extremely simple nonlinear noise-reduction method.

A very simple method to reduce noise in experimental data with nonlinear time evolution is presented. Locally constant fits are used to obtain a less noisy trajectory consistent with the dynamics as well as with the measured data. Neighborhoods are defined by coordinates both from the past and from the future. The method is applied to the H\'enon map and to a discretized form of the Mackey-Glass equation.
Automatic 3-D digitization using a laser rangefinder with a small field of view

We address the problem of the automation of surface digitization using a precision 3-D laser rangefinder. Because of their small field of view, such sensors navigate closely to the digitized object and are subject to collisions. Unlike previous techniques that addressed only the exhaustiveness of digitization, this work focuses on collision avoidance. To safely identify empty space, shadow and occlusion phenomena are carefully analyzed, and so is the effect of sampling. Then, the planning problem is solved using a hierarchical approach. At low level, we digitize a single view and address collision avoidance using path planning techniques. At high level, the problem becomes the choice of the next best view. Some implementation details and experimental results are presented.
Adaptive iterative learning control of non-linear MIMO continuous systems with iteration-varying initial error and reference trajectory

In this article, an adaptive iterative learning control (ILC) approach is presented to deal with a class of non-linear multi-input multi-output (MIMO) continuous systems with parametric uncertainty. Unlike general ILC techniques, the proposed adaptive ILC approach allows that both the initial error and the reference trajectory are iteration-varying in the ILC process. The designed ILC tracking strategy is to set out a very small initial time interval, and track the iteration-varying reference trajectory beyond the initial time interval. The reference trajectory tracking error beyond the initial time interval can be driven to zero. While the proposed adaptive ILC technique is applied to the repetitive learning control of non-linear MIMO continuous systems, a complete reference trajectory tracking over the whole time interval can be achieved.
Wi-Stitch: Content Delivery in Converged Edge Networks

Wi-Fi, the most commonly used access technology at the very edge, supports download speeds that are orders of magnitude faster than the average home broadband or cellular data connection. Furthermore, it is extremely common for users to be within reach of their neighbours' Wi-Fi access points. Given the skewed nature of interest in content items, it is likely that some of these neighbours are interested in the same items as the users. We sketch the design of Wi-Stitch, an architecture that exploits these observations to construct a highly efficient content sharing infrastructure at the very edge and show through analysis of a real workload that it can deliver substantial (up to 70%) savings in network traffic. The Wi-Stitch approach can be used both by clients of fixed-line broadband, as well as mobile devices obtaining indoors access in converged networks.
Leveraging short-lived learning networks to encourage collaborative peer learning

Sporadic Learning Networks (SLNs) are social learning networks between people (students, teachers and experts) that are in a common place or connected through Internet or some communication network. The idea is to establish dynamic learning networks that encourage their members to work together and create a learning environment with resources and activities adequate to meet their learning needs. This article develops this concept and presents the design of the OPPIA platform, dedicated to the deployment of this type of networks, along with a preliminary implementation of this platform.
Capital Structure and Profitability in Ghanaian Banks

We studied capital structure and profitability in Ghanaian banks using panel data methodology was employed. Capital structure theories have been utilised to provide the theoretical basis for the work. The study covered 14 banks over the period 1997-2006. it was observed that 87% of the total capital of banks in Ghana is made up of debt. Of this, 65% constitute short-term debts while 22% is made up of long-term debts. This has re-emphasised the fact that banks are highly levered institutions and also highlights the importance of short-term debts over long-term debts in bank financing in Ghana. This finding agrees with previous studies such as Abor (2005) and Amidu (2007) in stressing the importance of short-term debt in firm financing in Ghana. This significant negative relationship between bank size and profitability suggests that larger banks tend to exhibit lower margins and is consistent with models that emphasize the negative role of size from scale inefficiencies.
Radiation-induced cellular and molecular alterations in asexual intraerythrocytic Plasmodium falciparum.

BACKGROUND γ-irradiation is commonly used to create attenuation in Plasmodium parasites. However, there are no systematic studies on the survival, reversion of virulence, and molecular basis for γ-radiation-induced cell death in malaria parasites. METHODS The effect of γ-irradiation on the growth of asexual Plasmodium falciparum was studied in erythrocyte cultures. Cellular and ultrastructural changes within the parasite were studied by fluorescence and electron microscopy, and genome-wide transcriptional profiling was performed to identify parasite biomarkers of attenuation and cell death. RESULTS γ-radiation induced the death of P. falciparum in a dose-dependent manner. These parasites had defective mitosis, sparse cytoplasm, fewer ribosomes, disorganized and clumped organelles, and large vacuoles-observations consistent with "distressed" or dying parasites. A total of 185 parasite genes were transcriptionally altered in response to γ-irradiation (45.9% upregulated, 54.1% downregulated). Loss of parasite survival was correlated with the downregulation of genes encoding translation factors and with upregulation of genes associated with messenger RNA-sequestering stress granules. Genes pertaining to cell-surface interactions, host-cell remodeling, and secreted proteins were also altered. CONCLUSIONS These studies provide a framework to assess the safety of γ-irradiation attenuation and promising targets for genetic deletion to produce whole parasite-based attenuated vaccines.
Modified GPT cryptosystem in noisy channels

GPT (Gabidulin–Paramonov–Tretyakov) cryptosystem is one of the known public key cryptosystem. Up to recent time there were few structural attacks (Gibson, Overbeck) which were successful. In 2008 Gabidulin introduced some modification which makes impossible these structural attacks. Here, we use this modified GPT cryptosystem in noisy channels and estimate its performance at different parameters. Simulation results are presented.
Dice's coefficient on trigram profiles as metric for language similarity

In this study, we present Dice's coefficient on trigram profiles as metric for language similarity. As testbed, we focused on eight Philippine languages. No known language similarity value for these languages exists. Documents containing transcribed audio recordings, news articles, religious and literary texts were taken from an online corpus and used as training data. Character trigram profiles were then generated using an n-gram generator and language similarity was computed. The results were matched against those reported in the literature and against the language family tree. To evaluate the metric, it was applied to five languages with known similarity values. The results were then compared with an existing lexical similarity metric. The average difference is 27%. Analyses of the results reveal that phonetic spelling play an important role in language similarity. As future work, the metric can be used on phonetic transcriptions.