Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Research Interests The explosion in the number of data sources of various modalities positioned across the globe

The explosion in the number of data sources of various modalities positioned across the globe has resulted in an exponential growth in the size of datasets encountered in real-world applications. Consider three examples: (i) Google’s total data storage capacities exceeds 10 exabytes (where 1 exabyte equals 1018 bytes). (ii) The Square Kilometer Array (SKA) telescope, scheduled to become active by 2020, will generate at least 1 exabyte of raw astronomical data per day. (iii) Oil & gas service companies collectively perform numerical calculations on geophysical data exceeding 1020 floating point operations on a daily basis. Faced with such unprecedented increases in the sizes of datasets, current data processing systems have to make inevitable trade-offs between speed and accuracy. At one extreme, systems can elect to simply discard most of the available data in order to produce an outcome within a reasonable time frame, albeit at the expense of statistical accuracy. At the other extreme, systems can choose to extract as much information as possible from the available data, albeit at the expense of computation time, memory, and other resource requirements. Can we transcend the scope of such speed-accuracy tradeoffs in modern data analysis? My research shows that in several cases, it is indeed possible to achieve statistically optimal performance using lightweight, scalable computational methods. For example, I have developed robust methods for data acquisition with an optimal number of samples that provably exhibit near-linear computational complexity. Linear running time is a gold standard of algorithmic efficiency [1], and my research reveals concrete directions towards this standard for problems of practical interest. Resolving this question will require an inter-disciplinary approach that fuses ideas from signal processing, algorithm design, machine learning, and information theory. My research interests span these broad areas, with a particular focus on modeling and processing massive corpora of data. I anticipate that my research will attract funding from a number of different sources due to its broad applicability. This is evidenced by my assistance in drafting multiple grant proposals based on my work that were successfully funded by NSF, DARPA, AFOSR, and ONR. I will first outline my past and current research themes (organized by topic), and then conclude with an overview of my future research directions.
Hyperspectral Image Classification Based on 3-D Separable ResNet and Transfer Learning

Deep learning (DL) has proven to be a promising technique for hyperspectral image (HSI) classification. However, due to complex network structure and massive parameters, it is challenging to achieve satisfying classification accuracy with only a small number of training samples. In this letter, we propose a novel HSI classification method by collaborating the 3-D separable ResNet (3-D-SRNet) with cross-sensor transfer learning. The 3-D-SRNet replaces 3-D convolutions with spatial and spectral separable 3-D convolutions, thus showing much less parameters than models that use standard 3-D convolutions. First, we pretrain a classification model with the proposed 3-D-SRNet on the source HSI data set with sufficient training samples compared with the target HSI data set. Then, the pretrained model is transferred to the target HSI data set for fine-tuning to finish the classification task. It is worth noting that the source data for pretraining can be captured by the different sensor with the target data. Compared with the conventional 3-D-ResNet, the proposed 3-D-SRNet has less parameters involving lower computation cost while achieving better classification performance. Experimental results on three benchmark data sets show that our method outperforms several state-of-the-art methods in HSI classification with small training samples.
Rapid maxillary expansion in children with nocturnal enuresis:A randomized placebo-controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE To investigate whether rapid maxillary expansion (RME) is a useful treatment method for nocturnal enuresis (NE) and whether the treatment effect is due to placebo. The study also aimed to identify prognostic variables in patients responding to treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS Thirty-eight children with therapy-resistant NE were recruited and randomized into two groups: the intervention group or placebo group. Both groups were treated with RME, but the placebo group received treatment with a sham appliance for 2 weeks before having the actual treatment. A medical history focused on micturition habits, previous treatment, heredity, and sleep disorders was taken. Daytime voided volumes and nocturnal urine production during wet nights were recorded before the intervention. RESULTS Of the 38 patients recruited, two dropped out as one patient was unable to take dental impressions and one refused to have the appliance fitted. There was a statistically significant reduction of wet nights after the RME treatment (P < .001). No significant reduction was found after the placebo treatment (P < .40). Eleven patients (35%) had their enuresis frequency reduced by >50%. Large voiding volume and a wide maxilla at baseline had a strong association with positive treatment outcome. CONCLUSIONS RME has a modest effect on children with therapy-resistant NE. The treatment outcome does not seem to be due to a placebo effect of the appliance. A wide maxillary width and large voiding volume at baseline seem to be positive predictors regarding response to treatment.
Self-concept certainty in adaptive and maladaptive perfectionists

The present study examined the content of self-related beliefs (i.e., the self-concept) and the level of certainty associated with these beliefs (i.e., self-concept certainty) across adaptive and maladaptive dimensions of perfectionism. A sample of 103 university students (26 adaptive perfectionists, 28 maladaptive perfectionists, and 49 non-perfectionists) completed a series of questionnaires and a reaction-timed computer task assessing their self-concept content and level of self-concept certainty. Results revealed significant differences in the content of self-beliefs about personality attributes between perfectionist groups, such that those classified as adaptive perfectionists held more positive beliefs and less negative-related beliefs about their personality attributes when compared to maladaptive perfectionists. Results regarding self-concept certainty were less clear, with adaptive perfectionists being most certain in general on self-report measures, but more certain for positive personality attributes only when compared to maladaptive perfectionists on a reaction-timed decision-making task. Findings from the present study are discussed in terms of the way that self-concept certainty may differ across adaptive and maladaptive subtypes of perfectionists.
Assimilation in Online Course Design

ABSTRACT As online education continues to grow, instructors from traditional classrooms are being asked to design online courses. In this study, data from interviews with thirty-three public four-year college and university instructors, who had experience designing online courses, were used to understand the instructor’s perspective on online course design. Using grounded theory, data were analyzed, sorted, and coded to uncover the strategies instructors use to design online courses. Results revealed instructors adapt to the online environment by using strategies to mimic elements of face-to-face courses: in essence, adaption comes through assimilation. Instructors expressed interest in helping students navigate online to encourage active participation in courses. They described using technology and learning management system (LMS) features (e.g., videos, discussion forums) to “hear” and “see” students, as a way to increase interaction and presence, familiar elements from face-to-face education. They spoke of creating authentic assignments to increase student engagement. The implications of this study include effective design and instructional strategies for online courses, as well as understanding the motivation of instructors who design online courses. The study results are relevant to a broad audience including online instructors, instructional designers, LMS organizations, and administrators.
Visualizing technocratic power: a cyber-archaeological analysis of the US National Education Technology Plan

ABSTRACT Situated in an understanding of contemporary US education as heavily influenced by a neoliberal technocracy we conducted a Critical Discourse Analysis of the 2010 and 2016 National Education Technology (NETP) plans released by the US Department of Education. Our investigation was also guided by a cyber-archaeological excavation of digital artifacts that traced the influence of data analytics companies on the development of educational policy. Expressive values emerged prominently as a discourse feature that functions in the NETP document to formulate a tech-invigorated reality. Our examination of the NETP documents revealed three primary themes: (1) the promotion of marketization processes in education as a signifier of progress; (2) the construction of an idealized android learner; and (3) ubiquitous digital access as equitable opportunity to learn. We conclude that the NETP serves to promote a particular educational agenda that benefits corporate and private interests.
Mapping of the Brazilian Groups Studying Nanocellulose

The nanocellulose is a material that has gained much attention in the recent years. So, the relevance of Brazil in this field was evaluated concerning the scientific publications in Web of Science. Next, the Brazilian groups were mapped using a bibliometric procedure on these data. Then, more factors were analyzed from them too. They were the sources to extract the nanocellulose in Brazil, the methods to do it, the characterizations to determine its dimensions and the funding agencies of these researches. The results identified 69 Brazilian groups. Besides, the bacterial cellulose was the most common source. While the acid hydrolysis was the most used method. By its turn, the size characterization was mostly by scanning electron microscopy. At last, the most important agencies were the CNPq, the CAPES and the FAPESP. Giving these points, it was possible to suggest the opportunities to develop the nanocellulose research in Brazil.
Optimal Recovery of Missing Values for Non-negative Matrix Factorization

We extend the approximation-theoretic technique of optimal recovery to the setting of imputing missing values in clustered data, specifically for non-negative matrix factorization (NMF), and develop an implementable algorithm. Under certain geometric conditions, we prove tight upper bounds on NMF relative error, which is the first bound of this type for missing values. We also give probabilistic bounds for the same geometric assumptions. Experiments on image data and biological data show that this theoretically-grounded technique performs as well as or better than other imputation techniques that account for local structure.
Local Wisdom of Taboos in Karo Language

This research aims to explore local wisdom of taboos in Karo language. Taboo is more than prohibitions and avoidance in tradition; it normally arises from social restrictions on individual behaviour that can lead to inconvenience and danger. Taboo was created as a control for community to avoid personal and family conflict. The research was conducted in five sub-districts of Karo, North Sumatra Province, Indonesia. It was carried out by using a qualitative approach with ethnographic methods. The data of local wisdom were obtained from the interview method from nine key informants who mastered and used Karo language and culture well in their daily activities and the writer played a role as the native speaker so that he could directly feel how the culture was implemented in the daily lives of Karo society. It was found that the local wisdoms of taboos in Karo culture were attitude and eagerness to do the best for the community, since taboo rules provide a picture for them about how to express dignified words and behave glorious deeds and how to avoid mentioning disgusting words and behaving impolite manners. The rules become controls for social harmony to be maintained properly. Taboo rules were imposed not to make the society difficult to communicate with each other, but to provide a sense of security and peace for them so that they can live peacefully and harmoniously.
Developing a Web-Based Workflow Management System in Cloud Computing Platforms

 Abstract — Cloud computing is the innovative and leading information technology model for enabling convenient, on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources that can be rapidly provisioned and released with minimal management effort. In this paper, we aim at the development of workflow management system for cloud computing platforms based on our previous research on the dynamic allocation of the cloud computing resources and its workflow process. We took advantage of the HTML5 technology and developed web-based workflow interface. In order to enable the combination of many tasks running on the cloud platform in sequence, we designed a mechanism and developed an execution engine for workflow management on clouds. We also established a prediction model which was integrated with job queuing system to estimate the waiting time and cost of the individual tasks on different computing nodes, therefore helping users achieve maximum performance at lowest payment. This proposed effort has the potential to positively provide an efficient, resilience and elastic environment for cloud computing platform. This development also helps boost user productivity by promoting a flexible workflow interface that lets users design and control their tasks' flow from anywhere.
Synthesis, spectroscopic and computational investigation of bis (3-methoxyphenylthio) ethyl) naphthalene

In this study, we report an interesting combined experimental and theoretical studies on the molecular structure of 2-(2,2-bis(3-methoxyphenylthio)ethyl)naphthalene (5). The compound 5 was unexpectedly synthesized and characterized by FT-IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, mass spectrum, and elemental analyses. The optimized geometry and mulliken charge density on atoms of 5 were calculated by RM062X and PBE1PBE methods using a 6-31+G(d) basis set. The experimental obtained IR spectra of 5 was compared to the theoretical results at the RM062X/PBE1PBE/6-31+G(d) level which explained in terms of potential energy distribution (PED) analysis. The scaled theoretical vibrational wavenumber displayed very good agreement with experimental data. The calculated proton and carbon chemical shifts show almost a nice correlation with experimental data using RM062X/6-31+G(d) level. Theoretical investigations of frontier molecular orbitals, mapped molecular electrostatic potential (MEP), thermodynamic properties and physico-chemical characteristics of 5, were also acquired
Bridging the Cyber and Physical Worlds using Blockchains and Smart Contracts

—We address the limitations of existing information security solutions when applied to the cyber-physical world. In particular, we consider the case of Internet of Things (IoT) actuation and we argue that it is hard to secure such a process. To this end, we propose a “damage control” approach, where service time is divided into slots and users perform micro-service transactions, paying essentially in advance for each one, corresponding to one service slot. Under these circumstances, in the case of service disruption, a user, in the worst case, may lose the amount of money that corresponds to a single micro-service transaction in a single time slot. We implement our solution by leveraging blockchain-based smart contracts, off-chain payments, and one-time Hash-based Message Authentication Code (HMAC) passwords. Our solution supports IoT devices with limited processing capabilities and which are not necessarily connected to the Internet. Moreover, with our solution, IoT devices do not interact directly with the blockchain. In fact, they are oblivious to the use of blockchain technology. They do not store any user-sensitive information, neither are payments made to or is value stored on the devices.
Association of age and colostrum discarding with exclusive breastfeeding in Ethiopia: systematic review and meta-analyses

Introduction Even though optimal breastfeeding is important, significantly low percentage of mothers’ initiate breastfeeding timely and maintain exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months. The aim of this meta-analyses and systematic review was to investigate whether maternal/caregivers’ age, infant age (0-6 months) and discarding colostrum affects timely initiation of breastfeeding (TIBF) and exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) in Ethiopia. Methods A systematic search of PubMed, SCOPUS, EMBASE, CINHAL, Web of Science and WHO Global Health Library electronic databases was done for all English published articles from 2000 to January 2018, supplemented by manual search of identified articles and grey literatures bibliographies. Two reviewers independently screened, extracted and graded the quality studies using Newcastle–Ottawa Scale (NOS). Heterogeneity was assessed using the I2 and Cochran Chi-square statistics. A weighted inverse variance random-effects model meta-analysis was done. Result A total of 37 articles (i.e., 14 studies on TIBF and 23 on EBF) were included. TIBF was associated with colostrum discarding (Odds ratio (OR) = 0.38, 95% CI = 0.21-0.68) but not with maternal/caregivers’ age (OR = 0.98, 95% CI = 0.83-1.15). In addition, colostrum discarding (OR = 0.56, 95% CI = 0.37-0.84) and infant age (OR = 1.86, 95% CI = 1.45-2.39) were significantly associated with EBF but not maternal/caregivers’ age (OR = 1.07, 95% CI = 0.81-1.40). Conclusion This meta-analyses indicated absence of association between maternal/caregivers’ age and breastfeeding practice. Colostrum discarding was associated with both EBF and TIBE. This evidence could be helpful to counsel all reproductive age mothers and who discard colostrum.
Development and characterisation of poly-L-lactide-based foams fabricated through microwave-assisted compression moulding

Poly-L-lactide (PLLA) reinforced with nano-hydroxyapatite (HA) foams were fabricated using a novel method of microwave-assisted compression moulding. The microwave-assisted compression moulding is novel processing route of polymer-based composites, owing to its faster and uniform heating, better temperature control, which yields improved mechanical properties. Porosity in the PLLA+HA foams was introduced through porogen leaching route. The reinforcement in the form of nano-hydroxyapatite was added between 10 and 20 wt%. Porosity in the microwave processed foams was found in the range of 23–25%. The porosity in foams was observed to have homogeneously interconnected pores structure with narrower pore size distribution. The thermal behaviour of the developed foams was analysed using the thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry techniques. The glass transition temperature (Tg) and percentage crystallinity of the foams were assessed using the thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetric curves. The maximum percentage crystallinity of 36.28% was obtained in case of PLLA + 15% HA foam. The mechanical characterisation of the microwave processed foams was carried out in terms of compressive and flexural behaviour. The foam with 20% HA reinforcement exhibited the maximum compressive strength (of the order of 21 MPa) and modulus of the order of 64.15 MPa. The foam with 10% reinforcement of HA exhibited maximum flexural strength of 59.32 MPa. The compressive strength of microwave processed foams was 10 times higher than the conventionally fabricated foams.
Statistics 98t Data Visualization Course Objectives

More and more, the products of statistical analysis that we encounter in our everyday lives come in the form of data visualizations. Visualizations have the advantage of being easier to interpret for many people, but they also give the impression of being a form of absolute truth. As with any presentation method, though, visualizations can be manipulated by their creators to show the story they are trying to tell. In this class, we will explore the many methods of information visualization, and develop intuition for when data graphics are not telling the truth. Throughout the class, you will be expected to respond to visualizations in the form of written response, but we will discuss the methods for analyzing graphics and the vocabulary for responding to them.
Spatiotemporal tourist behaviour in urban destinations: a framework of analysis

Abstract Empirical research focusing on time–space tourist activity has increased in recent years, since new technological tools make it possible as never before to accurately track tourists’ movements. Nonetheless, the published studies are inconsistent when assessing spatiotemporal tourist behaviour (STTB), hindering the development of a solid research base that permits replication of and comparison amongst studies. The incipient conceptualization of STTB leads to the present inconsistency of assessment indicators used in empirical research, which will probably be stressed in the future. Continuous technological evolution will allow the collection of new kinds of data, whose analysis will certainly result in a better understanding of STTB, especially if structured by a consistent taxonomy. Aiming to address this gap, the theoretical underpinnings of the multidimensional concept of STTB are reviewed and a conceptual model is proposed, based on a behavioural perspective and for the urban intra-destination context, as a comprehensive framework of analysis. Further, the systematization of the indicators used in previous research to assess STTB, its influential factors, and other methodological aspects regarding its assessment, as well as practical implications and future research directions are discussed.
Epicardial adipose tissue and its association with cardiovascular risk factors and mitral annular calcium deposits

Introduction Epicardial fat is a variety of visceral adipose tissue that secretes pro-inflammatory cytokines that can lead to progression of atherosclerosis. Previous studies have shown a correlation between cardiovascular risk factors and severity of mitral annular calcification. The aim of our study was to assess the correlation between epicardial fat thickness and mitral annular calcification. Methods This study recruited 188 patients who were considered for coronary angiography and underwent echocardiography within 24 hours of admission. Epicardial fat thickness was measured in the parasternal long axis view at the end-systole. Mitral annular calcification was visualized in the parasternal short-axis view and was grade as none, mild, moderate, and severe. Furthermore, left atrial diameter, severity of mitral regurgitation, left ventricular ejection fraction, and early diastolic velocities (E wave) determined by transmitral pulsed Doppler, the early mitral annular velocities measured by tissue Doppler (e′), and E/e′ were obtained. Results Patients with an epicardial fat thickness ≥7 mm had higher prevalence of hypertension and higher SYNTAX score (p value = 0.002 and 0.0014, respectively). Also, mitral annular calcification was both more prevalent and more extensive (p value = 0.007 and <0.001, respectively) and left atrial diameter was larger in these patients compared with patients with epicardial fat thickness <7 mm (p value = 0.001). Conclusions Our study showed significant association between increased epicardial fat thickness and calcium deposits in the mitral valve annulus that is a degenerative process associated with cardiovascular risk factors.