Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Statistical theory and robust methodology for nonlinear models with application to toxicology

CHANGWON LIM. Statistical Theory and Robust Methodology for Nonlinear Models with Application to Toxicology. (Under the direction of Pranab K. Sen and Shyamal D. Peddada). Nonlinear regression models are commonly used in dose-response studies, especially when researchers are interested in determining various toxicity characteristics of a chemical or a drug. There are several issues one needs to pay attention to when fitting nonlinear models for toxicology data, such as structure for the error variance in the model and the presence of potential influential and outlying observations. In this dissertation I developed robust statistical methods for analyzing nonlinear regression models, which are based on robust M-estimation and preliminary test estimation (PTE) procedures. In the first part of this research the M-estimation methods in heteroscedastic nonlinear models are considered for two cases. In one case, the error variance is proportional to some known function of mean response, while in the other case the error variance is modeled as a polynomial function of dose. The asymptotic properties of the proposed M-procedures and the asymptotic efficiency of the proposed M-estimators are provided. In the second part I consider PTE-based methodology using M-methods for estimating the regression parameters. Based on the outcome of the preliminary test, the proposed methodology determines the appropriate error variance structure for the data and accordingly chooses the suitable estimation procedure. Since the resulting methodology uses M-estimators, it is expected to be robust to outliers and influential observations, although such issues have not been explored in this dissertation. Consequently, one does not have to pre-specify the error structure for the variances not does the user have to perform model diagnostics to choose a iii method of estimation. Some asymptotic results will be given to obtain the asymptotic covariance matrix of the PTE. Finally numerical studies are presented to illustrate the methodology. The results of the numerical studies suggest that the PTE using M-methods performs well and is robust to the error variance structure.
A 32-bit superscalar microprocessor G/sub MICRO//400 for embedded systems

This paper describes a 32-bit superscalar microprocessor G/sub MICRO//400, based on the TRON architecture specifications. The G/sub MICRO//400 has a dual issued instruction pipeline, a pre-jump mechanism and a high-speed memory access interface. To realize high performance in processing of series data such as frame buffer or character-strings, the G/sub MICRO//400 has improved the execution efficiency of multiple-operation instructions by block-data-transfer and 64-bit processing. In order to improve the task switching latency, the on-chip caches are used as a local memory in which the context blocks are stored. These techniques are suitable for realtime embedded systems, such as X-window terminals and printers. Using 0.5 /spl mu/m triple-layer metal CMOS technology, the G/sub MICRO//400 integrates 1485K transistors on a 108 mm/sup 2/ die area. The G/sub MICRO//400 achieves a processing speed of 45 MIPS at 40 MHz. <<ETX>>
Effective Planning for Conflicting Situations for Ubiquitous Sensor Network Environments

Applications of sensor networks and ubiquitous computing have received attention. They can provide many kinds of important services for supporting daily and social activities in home, schools, offices and public spaces in the future (Kurihara, 2008). However, to realize these kinds of applications, a number of new technologies in AI and multi-agent systems (MAS) are also required because many devices and control programs are concurrently work to achieve their goals in cooperation with other ones. These works arise according to the human requirements based on their individual activities. In order to achieve these required goals, each agent has to create the plan (means-end analysis) and then performs it. However, the plan often conflict with those that are being created, already being scheduled, and executed by other agents because of the limited resources. Furthermore, since the human’s activities are usually real-time with deadline, the agent must also be able to complete its planning and resolution of these conflicts within a reasonable time to have an acceptable quality plan. This means that both efficient planning and sophisticated conflict resolution are strongly required. We adopt hierarchical planning (for example, see (Erol & Nau, 1994; Sacerdoti, 1974) using the decision-theoretic planning approach (Goldwin, & Simmons, 1998) for efficient planning but it is not trivial to apply hierarchical planning to MAS. In hierarchical planning, appropriate (abstract) plans are selected level by level to maximize the utility U(p), where p is the expected final plan comprising a sequence of primitive actions. However, in the MAS context, conflicts between agents affect the efficiency and quality of resulting plans. When a conflict is found at lower levels, an additional sophisticated process for avoiding it (conflict resolution) must be invoked and some extra actions (such as waiting for synchronization and detouring) may have to be added to the plan. The conflict resolution process may become costly or fail. Even a single conflict, if it is difficult to resolve, will result in a plan with 5
Bancroftian Filariasis Still Endemic in Some Foci in Sohag Governorate, Upper Egypt

Bancroftian filariasis (BF) is a debilitating disease that has plagued Egypt since the time of the pharaohs. Egypt is the first large endemic country in the world to reach the five-year mark in its national campaign. Now that the mass treatments are completed, a follow-up epidemiological assessment will reveal whether this large-scale, pioneering campaign has been successful in finally eliminating the disease. Hence the aim of the present work was to detect the prevalence of bancoftian filariasis in Tema, El-Maragha, Akhmeem and Girga districts in Sohag Governorate, Upper Egypt. Finger prick thick blood films were randomly collected from 500 clinically suspected individuals representing different sexes and ages suffering from lower limb non-pitting edema and/or inguinal lymphadenitis from May 2015 to February 2017. Three patients (0.6%) were infected with microfilariae of Wuchereria bancrofti while one chronic case was detected with severe chronic elephantiasis that was amicrofilaraemic but was confirmed serologically. Results were discussed in regards of age, gender, occupation, locality and residence. It was concluded that bancroftian filariasis is still endemic in three districts (Tema, El- maragha and Girga). Although in sporadic few cases, the problem should be taken seriously as one microfilaramic patient could be a patent reservoir for spreading of the disease through infecting the prevailing Culex pipiense mosquito intermediate host.
An evaluation of key-agreement protocols based on weak-secrets

Two agents want to securely communicate on a insecure channel in the presence of an adversary. For that they agree in a strong cryptographic key based on a weak-source of randomness stemming from the physical network characteristics where these agents communicate. In this dissertation we evaluate the tradeoffs between two protocols: an information theoretically-secure Authenticated Key Agreement (AKA) [7] that was specifically designed for this scenario; and a PasswordAuthenticated Key Exchange (PAKE) protocol [11] whose security guarantees are based on computational arguments. To this end, we carry out an analysis of the concrete security of both protocols, considering in both cases that the goal is to agree on a fresh 128-bit secret key.
Effects of Nonnative Fishes on Commercial Seine Fisheries: Evidence from a Long-Term Data Set

Dozens of introduced exotic freshwater fish species inhabit the state of Florida. These nonnative fishes interact with freshwater commercial fisheries in a variety of ways, influencing catch abundance, composition, and revenue. Using a 22-year data set collected from a commercial haul seine fishery, we aimed to explore the dynamics of yield and revenue in relation to nonnative fishes, with emphasis on the suckermouth armored catfishes (Pterygoplichthys spp.). Using profit index metrics and the inverse Simpson’s diversity index, we found that non-native tilapia (Oreochromis spp.) and brown hoplo (Hoplosternum littorale) provided economic benefits while suckermouth armored catfishes seemed to disrupt catch consistency and lower profit index values. To reduce the negative impacts of the suckermouth armored catfishes and subsequently exert pressure on their population, we suggest marketing these edible fishes for human and/or animal consumption.
Unification-Based Parsing Applications for Intelligent Foreign Language Tutoring Systems

This paper is a description of a computer based intelligent tutoring system for French as a second language, and of its ancillary grammar editor, which is built on an object oriented, unification-based natural language processor. First I review some of the considerations that motivate using intelligent tutoring systems in second language education. Second, I discuss the details of object oriented programming and unification grammar. Third, I give some examples of how this software interacts with students and of what sort of grammatical phenomena it is capable of handling. I will show how the parser straightforwardly handles some thorny problems of complex grammatical structures (e.g. conjunctions; reflexive binding; phrase embedding; dislocated, missing, or superfluous parts of speech) which have had an inhibitory effect on CALL parsing applications in the past.
Access of Encrypted Personal Record in Cloud

— Personal record is a data, which is collected and stored in cloud computing to gain cost benefit and better access control. In maintaining Personal Record, cloud computing plays an important role, since minor organizations are not affordable to keep own servers to maintain the personal record for cost and security aims. Providing availability to various stake holders become a deadly process in isolated individual servers with encryption technology. Cloud ensures that personal record availability to the necessary user at any point of time. In any country, there is a law which governs to maintain privacy of special records, and hence maintaining recodes in cloud are subjected to privacy concerns and high risk of getting exploited. There are various encryption schemes to provide personal records security and privacy in Cloud computing. Extensive logical and experimental results are presented which show the security, scalability and efficiency of our proposed scheme
A Novel Bio-film Wastewater Treatment System using Encapsulated Microbes

The untreated or incomplete disposal of nitrogen pollutants in the wastewater can cause great harm to the environment. A large amount of ammonia-nitrogen (NH3-N) will consume dissolved oxygen and cause eutrophication. The conventional wastewater treatment process in Malaysia is not efficient enough to remove the NH3-N. Most of the sewage treatment plants (STPs) in Malaysia are open structures which occupy a large area and emit stench. The existing STPs are not suitable for construction in the compact urban areas and some of these STPs operation are costly. This study designs a novel biological water purification system using a bio-film reactor with encapsulated microbes that is known as Mass Bio System (MBS). The MBS had been used in the east of Asia to treat high concentration of NH3-N in the industrial wastewater with high efficiency. MBS has not been reported to treat domestic wastewater. This paper reports the adaptability and verification of the new sewage treatment system based on MBS to treat domestic wastewater in Malaysia. The study will dynamically monitor the key parameters and compared with the conventional extended aeration (EA) process that is the most common STP applied in Malaysia using the same influent conditions. The aim is to verify that the MBS can treat the wastewater to meet the local emission standard where the water discharge shows the characteristics well below the discharge limits. The study showed that the average effluent and removal efficiency of NH3-N was approximately 2 mg/L and 88.6 % (with maximum 99.7 % removal). All evaluated parameters in the MBS showed stability of effluent characteristics and met the requirements of Malaysian sewerage industry guidelines. MBS also offers the co-benefits of energy, and space saving than the conventional process. The process is recommended as an efficient sewage treatment system in Malaysia and other countries with similar climatic conditions.
Design of Communication System and Development of a Simulator for an Autonomous and Decentralized Robot System

An autonomous and decentralized robot system, ACTRESS, is being developed as an intelligent robot system, which performs complex tasks individually or cooperatively. In this paper, the concept of ACTRESS is introduced. ACTRESS is consist of various kinds of robotic agents, for example, robots, equipments, and computers. Then, communication framework, between them is proposed. In ACTRESS, communication is indispensable function, therefore communication framework is one of the most important topics in ACTRESS. This communication framework is designed for both achieving reliable communication and exchanging diverse information. In order to analyze and evaluate implementation of communication framework, a communication simulator has been developed, which simulates parallel behavior of robotic agents and communication between them. This simulator is useful for designing and developing the system, especially its communication function. Finally, by using this simulator, the optimal distribution of function is evaluated. Functional distribution is one of the main characteristics of ACTRESS, therefore the configuration of functional distribution among robotic agents should be designed carefully. The simulator is also useful for evaluating optimality of functional distribution from the viewpoint of communication.
VAM: video aided modeling for shape reconstruction and re-design

Although the 3D shape recovery of a real object have been greatly improved in the last few years, modeling a complex virtual object by starting from the real prototype is still a very time-consuming activity. In this paper an originally conceived method and testing software to recover a CAD model from a real object is presented. The developed software tool joins a professional Computer-Aided Design (CAD) and a Mixed Reality (MR) tool in the same interface, enabling the operator to use standard CAD tools and features together with a camera, which provides external image streaming displayed in the workspace background. Moreover, a special programmed library performs a real-time calculation of camera position and other parameters with respect to standard markers in order to drive the CAD 3D virtual camera and align it to external world. In that way rendered virtual models may be superimposed to external images of reality grabbed by the video camera. Thus with MR-CAD tool the operator may easily recover a complex shape directly from the external views of a real object or may start the object re-design from the previous reconstructed geometry. Furthermore the interface is totally integrated in a CAD environment, both avoiding to work with unfamiliar new software and exploiting CAD geometry database and tools. Finally, MR-CAD can be considered a significant step ahead in the bi-directional interaction of virtual and real models, reducing also the gap between real prototypes and CAD data.
Effect of the residual doping on the performance of InN epilayers as saturable absorbers for ultrafast lasers at 155µm

We report on the improvement of performance of InN-based saturable absorbers in fiber lasers operating at 1.55 µm by reducing the residual doping, due to the lower Burstein-Moss effect. The improved tuning of the band-to-band transition with respect to the operation wavelength leads to an enhancement of nonlinear optical effects, resulting in $30$30 % of modulation depth. We introduce the development of an ultrafast mode-locked fiber laser using an improved InN-based saturable absorber that incorporates a buffer layer between the active layer and the substrate. The laser delivers output pulses with a temporal width of $\sim 220$∼220 fs, a repetition rate of $5.25$5.25 MHz, and high-pulse energy of $5.8$5.8 nJ.
A New Digital Lake Bathymetry Model Using the Step-Wise Water Recession Method to Generate 3D Lake Bathymetric Maps Based on DEMs

The availability of lake bathymetry maps is imperative for estimating lake water volumes and their variability, which is a sensitive indicator of climate. It is difficult, if not impossible, to obtain bathymetric measurements from all of the thousands of lakes across the globe due to costly labor and/or harsh topographic regions. In this study, we develop a new digital lake bathymetry model (DLBM) using the step-wise water recession method (WRM) to generate 3-dimensional lake bathymetric maps based on the digital elevation model (DEM) alone, with two assumptions: (1) typically, the lake’s bathymetry is formed and shaped by geological processes similar to those that shaped the surrounding landmasses, and (2) the agent rate of water (the thickness of the sedimentary deposit proportional to the lake water depth) is uniform. Lake Ontario and Lake Namco are used as examples to demonstrate the development, calibration, and refinement of the model. Compared to some other methods, the estimated 3D bathymetric maps using the proposed DLBM could overcome the discontinuity problem to adopt the complex topography of lake boundaries. This study provides a mathematically robust yet cost-effective approach for estimating lake volumes and their changes in regions lacking field measurements of bathymetry, for example, the remote Tibetan Plateau, which contains thousands of lakes.
Correlative Digital Communication Techniques

A new method for the transmission of intelligence by means of a signal having certain correlation properties has been evolved. The theoretical and practical aspects of this concept are presented. An important advantage of these techniques is that for a fixed performance criteria, considerably higher speeds are possible compared to the presently known methods. In addition, the implementation is simple and straightforward. An unusual property of these techniques is the capability of error detection without the introduction of redundancy into the original data. Finally, expressions for spectral distributions and error performance as well as methods for practical implementation, including the errordetection process, are presented.
Personalized physiological-based emotion recognition and implementation on hardware. (Reconnaissance des émotions personnalisée à partir des signaux physiologiques et implémentation sur matériel)

This thesis investigates physiological-based emotion recognition in a digital game context and the feasibility of implementing the model on an embedded system. The following chanllenges are addressed: the relationship between emotional states and physiological responses in the game context, individual variabilities of the pschophysiological responses and issues of implementation on an embedded system. The major contributions of this thesis are : Firstly, we construct a multi-modal Database for Affective Gaming (DAG). This database contains multiple measurements concerning objective modalities: physiological signals (ECG, EDA, EMG, Respiration), screen recording, and player's face recording, as well as subjective assessments on both game event and match level. We presented statistics of the database and run a series of analysis on issues such as emotional moment detection and emotion classification, influencing factors of the overall game experience using various machine learning methods. Secondly, we investigate the individual variability in the collected data by creating an user-specific model and analyzing the optimal feature set for each individual. We proposed a personalized group-based model created the similar user groups by using the clustering techniques based on physiological traits deduced from optimal feature set. We showed that the proposed personalized group-based model performs better than the general model and user-specific model. Thirdly, we implemente the proposed method on an ARM A9 system and showed that the proposed method can meet the requirement of computation time.
Detection of Human Vital Signs and Estimation of Direction of Arrival Using Multiple Doppler Radars

This paper presents a non-contact measurement method of vital signal by the use of multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) bio-radar system, configured with two antennas that are separated by a certain distance. The direction of arrival (DOA) estimation algorithm for coherent sources was applied to detect vital signals coming from different spatial angles. The proposed MIMO bio-radar system was composed of two identical transceivers sharing single VCO with a PLL. In order to verify the performance of the system, the DOA estimation experiment was completed with respect to the human target at angles varying between 50° and 50° where the bio-radar system was placed at distances (corresponding to 50 cm and 95 cm) in front of a human target. The proposed MIMO bio-radar system can successfully find the direction of a human target.
Recommendation Technique using Social Network in Internet of Things Environment

Recently, Internet of Things (IoT) have become popular for research and development in many areas. IoT makes a new intelligent network between things, between things and persons, and between persons themselves. Social network service technology is in its infancy, but, it has many benefits. Adjacent users in a social network tend to trust each other more than random pairs of users in the network. In this paper, we propose recommendation technique using social network in Internet of Things environment. We study previous researches about information recommendation, IoT, and social IoT. We proposed SIoT_P(Social IoT Prediction) using social relationships and item-based collaborative filtering. Also, we proposed SR(Social Relationship) using four social relationships (Ownership Object Relationship, Co-Location Object Relationship, Social Object Relationship, Parental Object Relationship). We describe a recommendation scenario using our proposed method.
Multifrequency zero-jitter delay-locked loop

The approach of an all-digital phase locked loop is used in this delay-locked loop circuit. This design is designated to a system with two processing units, a master CPU and a slave system chip, that share the same bus. It allows maximum utilization of the bus, as the minimal skew between the clocks of the two components significantly reduces idle periods, and also set-up and hold times. Changes in the operating frequency are possible, without falling out of synchronization. Due to the special lead-lag phase detector, the jitter of the clock is zero, when the loop is locked, under any working conditions. >