Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Audio Features Underlying Perceived Groove and Sensorimotor Synchronization in Music

The experience of groove is associated with the urge to move to a musical rhythm. Here we focus on the relevance of audio features, obtained using music information retrieval (MIR) tools, for explaining the perception of groove and music-related movement. In the first of three studies, we extracted audio features from clips of real music previously rated on perceived groove. Measures of variability, such as the variance of the audio signal’s RMS curve and spectral flux (particularly in low frequencies) predicted groove ratings. Additionally, we dissociated two forms of event density, showing that an algorithm that emphasizes variability between beats predicted groove ratings better. In Study 2 we manipulated RMS levels and groove category (low, mid, and high groove) to confirm that perceived groove is not a function of loudness. In Study 3 we utilized novel music clips that manipulated the frequency of bass and bass drum (low vs. high) and attack time (short vs. long). Groove ratings and tapping velocities tended to be higher and tapping variability tended to be lower when the bass instruments had lower frequencies. The present findings emphasize the multifaceted nature of groove by linking audio and musical qualities to subjective experience and motor behavior.
Designing a regional e-logistics portal

A variety of optimization and negotiation technologies hold the promise of delivering value to the logistics processes of businesses both small and large, yet they tend to remain inaccessible to SMEs (largely due to price and complexity concerns). This paper describes the early-phase steps in a project to develop a regional elogistics portal. The project seeks to make constraint-based optimization and automated negotiation technologies accessible to SMEs within a portal that also serves their information needs. The paper highlights several novel aspects of the design of the portal, as well as a novel requirements gathering process involving community consultation.
Heuristics for Conversion Process of GPU’s Kernels for Multiples Kernels with Concurrent Optimization Divergence

Graphics Processing Units have been created with the objective of accelerating the construction and processing of graphic images. In its historical evolution line, concerned with the large computational capacity inherent, these devices started to be used for general purposes. However, the design of the GPUs don t work well with divergent algorithms, mainly conditionals and repetitions. In this work we present a strategy for finding the divergence root of the kernels and try to deduce alternative solutions, decomposing them into concurrent kernels. We developed mechanisms for the user in order to easily readapt his code and take advantages of architectures that support concurrent kernels.
Analysis on natural characteristics of four-stage main transmission system in three-engine helicopter

The vibration model of four-stage main transmission system in helicopter was established through lumped mass method. In the model, many factors, including time-varying meshing stiffness and torsional stiffness of gear shaft were considered. The differential equation of the system was solved via Fourier method, and the influence of the torsional stiffness of shafts on the first five orders of the system’s natural frequency was studied. Some theoretical results were summarized as guidelines for further research and design of four-stage deceleration helicopter at last.
Taxonomy and notes on the paleobiology of the late Pleistocene (Rancholabrean) antilocaprids (Mammalia, Artiodactyla, Antilocapridae) from the state of Hidalgo, central Mexico

A set of cranial and dental material of Antilocapridae was recovered from Quaternary deposits that outcrop in southeastern Hidalgo, central Mexico. The fossil bearing unit consists of clay, silt, sand, and scarce conglomeratic lenses in a fluvial environment; the specimens are associated with Bison indicating a Rancholabrean Land Mammal Age. The comparative study of the material with selected specimens of North American antilocaprids, allowed its identification as the small-sized species Capromeryx minor and the medium-sized Stockoceros conklingi. The sample referable to C. minor shows a combination of cranial and dental characters typical of this species, including a large posterior tine that is curved upward and forward, posterior horn core with a deep sulcus on its posterior side that extends from the base to the tip, and well-developed heel on M3. The isotopic analysis of teeth referable to this species from Hidalgo indicates a mixed feeding dietary behavior. A partial skull and associated horn core fragments were assigned to Stockoceros conklingi, considering its larger size than C. minor and shorter than the extant pronghorn Antilocapra americana, as well as for having symmetrical and diverging horn cores, and more outwardly flaring horn cores. The recognition of these antilocaprids in southeastern Hidalgo represents one of the southernmost occurrences within temperate North America. The tiny Capromeryx minor is known in North American localities of lower altitude (0–100 m a.s.l.) compared to those of the medium-sized Stockoceros conklingi (1000–2000 m a.s.l.). Hence, body size differences between both species and altitude differences between some of their localities suggests minimal direct competition between these antilocaprids.
Fuzzy Multiple Criteria Selection of Government-Sponsored Frontier Technology R&D Projects

Selection of government-sponsored frontier R&D projects is made difficult by the coexistence of the conflicting participating parties, the availability of experts for new frontier technology review, and the ambiguity of new frontier technology. This paper presents a model that includes (1) using the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) method to integrate various expectations from different interest groups into evaluating objectives/criteria, (2) the group-decision method by technical experts based on the predetermined objectives/criteria, and (3) the fuzzy approach in scoring the subjective judgments of the experts. The results reveal that differences of weights toward each criterion exist among various groups. The government and academia care more about social benefits, the researchers are more concerned about intellectual properties, and the experts from industry emphasize the importance of feasibility. The method presented in this paper was applied at a national research institute in Taiwan. The results reveal that: (1) the approach can solve the disparity between the profound knowledge required for evaluation and the different expectation from various interest groups, (2) the fuzzy approach is suitable to frontier technology R&D project selection because of the vagueness of the nature of frontier technology and the difficulties in evaluating quantitatively and accurately.
THE ROLE OF FACTORS PROMOTING GENETIC DIVERSITY WITHIN SOCIAL INSECT COLONIES

The evolution of sociality is often associated with close relatedness and genetic similarity of interacting individuals. However, colonies of advanced social insects (e.g. ants, bees and wasps) characterized by large colony size and division of tasks, are also shaped by acquisition of genetic diversity by polyandry, polygyny, recombination and even by hybridization. The balance between forces selecting for high relatedness on one hand and for improved colony performance though increased genetic diversity on the other hand forms an intriguing area of research. My study has produced the first genetic linkage maps for ants (Acromyrmex echinatior and Pogonomyrmex rugosus) and social wasps (Vespula vulgaris). Together with the findings of earlier honeybee research, it is shown that advanced eusocial insects have higher recombination rates than any other insect (or animal) studied so far. The estimates obtained here were 14 cM/Mb for P. rugosus, 9.7 cM/Mb for V. vulgaris and 6.2 cM/Mb for A. echinatior. Pogonomyrmex harvester ants have a genetic caste determination system in which workers arise from mating between two hybridizing lineages whereas sexuals are produced by withinlineage mating. I evaluated the origin of the lineages and the caste determination system by using 751 variable nuclear genetic markers. Fertile hybrids would lead to introgression, particularly in genomic regions characterized by a high recombination rate and lack of strongly selected loci. The hybridizing lineages (lineage pairs J1/J2 and H1/H2) showed many fixed differences. Nineteen of them were in the constructed linkage map, scattered in different linkage groups. The results suggest that there has been no recent introgression. As the hybrids are viable (as workers), caste differentiation can be affected by many loci scattered throughout the ant genome or by a small number of very strongly selected loci. Genetic diversity in colonies of the ant Formica cinerea is affected by varying levels of polygyny. I tested the hypotheses that the prevalence of endosymbiotic bacteria can vary in polygynous colonies but be either very low or very high in monogynous colonies. However, I found no association between the level of polygyny and endosymbiont prevalence. In addition to Wolbachia, I found two other endosymbiotic bacteria Cardinium and Candidatus Serratia symbiotica which have not been earlier reported from ants. Genetic diversity in insect colonies is affected by polyandry and polygyny. My results indicate that high a recombination rate is also an important factor influencing diversity. Genotypically diverse progenies can enhance colony success, e.g. through effects on division of labour or defence against pathogens. Recombination differs from the other factors in its effects on genetic relatedness among colony members.
How does space affect the distribution of the EU RDP funds? An econometric assessment

This paper aims at investigating what influences the distribution of the RDP funds across the EU space. Eventually, funds allocation is the consequence of some political decision. Nonetheless, this political decision can not be directly observed. While the allocation across countries and, when present, across NUTS2 regions is explicitly decided ex-ante, the allocation at a lower territorial level can only be observed ex-post. This “local” allocation depends not only on the top-down decision taken at some national or local political level but also on the bottom-up (or local) capacity to attract and use these funds. To investigate this more “local” level, funds distribution across 1300 EU NUTS3 regions is considered. Three different effects are admitted as major drivers of this spatial allocation. The country effect takes into account the well known differentials in the size and intensity of support across EU countries. The rural effect captures the fact that, at least in principle, the more rural a given region is the larger is the amount of RDP support it is expected to receive. In practice, however, this effect may vary according to alternative definition of rurality, The last effect is the pure spatial effect and expresses the influence on the amount of support received by a region of the bordering regions and, in particular, of their degree of rurality. These effects are estimated adopting and estimating alternative spatial model specifications: the spatial Durbin model, the SEM and the SAR model.
Computational and Experimental Analyses of Detachment Force at the Interface between Carbon Fibers and Epoxy Resin

Herein, we used theoretical and experimental methods to investigate the shear fracture strengths of carbon fiber/epoxy resin interfaces. The shear strengths of carbon fiber and epoxy resin were measured using the microdroplet test, whereas interaction and binding energies were estimated using Ab initio and molecular dynamics methods. However, binding energies did not impact the shear strength volumes determined by microdroplet tests, i.e., bonds between functional groups of the carbon filer and the epoxy resin were difficult to break. On the other hand, the interaction energies calculated for epoxy monomers were in good agreement with experimental data. Moreover, we determined the relationship between the simulated interaction energy and the shear fracture strength volume obtained using the microdroplet test.
Probability distribution of residence times of grains in sand-pile models

We show that the probability distribution of the residence times of sand grains in sand-pile models, in the scaling limit, can be expressed in terms of the probability of survival of a single diffusing particle in a medium with absorbing boundaries and space-dependent jump rates. The scaling function for the probability distribution of residence times is non-universal, and depends on the probability distribution according to which grains are added at different sites. We determine this function exactly for the one-dimensional sand-pile when grains are added randomly only at the ends. For sand-piles with grains added everywhere with equal probability, in any dimension, and of arbitrary shape, we prove that, in the scaling limit, the probability that the residence time is greater than t is , where is the average mass of the pile in the steady state. We also study finite size corrections to this function.
To Lease or to Buy? A Structural Model of a Consumer's Vehicle and Contract Choice Decisions

By treating leasing and financing contracts as differentiated products with their own unique acquisition costs, the authors develop a structural model of a consumer's choice of automobile and the related decision of whether to lease or buy it. They estimate the model on a data set of new car purchases from the entry-luxury segment of the U.S. automobile market. A key finding is that consumers are myopic and prefer contracts with lower payment streams even when they have higher total costs. The authors also find that consumers are more likely to lease than to finance cars with higher maintenance costs because this provides them with the option to return the car before maintenance costs become too high. The authors demonstrate how automobile manufacturers can use the model to evaluate the effectiveness of promotional incentives, such as cash rebates, interest rate subsidies, and increased residual values.
POM COMPOSITION IN STRAITS OF MAGELLAN WATERS

The elemental and biochemical composition of particulate organic matter (POM) was investigated in the Straits of Magellan during February-March 1991. Twenty-two stations were selected in order to identify different areas of the Magellan ecosystem from a trophic point of view. The Strait of Magellan can be divided into three subsystems characterized by different hydrological and geomorphological conditions. Seston concentrations were mostly constrained by physical events, particularly the influence of oceanic and land run-off water inputs and the strong vertical mixing and resuspension events. POM composition displayed quali-quantitative differences between the three areas. In the first subsystem, influenced by Pacific waters, the low seston and POM concentrations and the high POC/Chl-a ratio values indicated the general predominance of the detrital and heterotrophic fractions. In the second subsystem, characterized by superficial stratification, higher seston and organic matter concentrations and lower values of POC/Chl-a ratio were found, indicating that this subsystem was influenced by an active autotrophic component. Shallow waters with intense tidal regime and strong vertical mixing characterized the third subsystem, connected to the Atlantic Ocean, which displayed an increasing importance of the inorganic fraction (values of the POC/TSM ratio lower than in the other systems). Moreover, the third subsystem showed higher values of the RNA/DNA ratio, possibly indicating that resuspension events may enhance the metabolic state of the organic particles mainly dominated by heterotrophic components.
Percussion bipolaire sur enclume : choix ou contrainte ? L’exemple du Paléolithique d’Ounjougou (Pays dogon, Mali)

Encore trop souvent consideree comme relevant d’une production lithique expediente, la percussion bipolaire sur enclume occupe cependant une place majeure dans les industries de certaines regions. Ainsi a Ounjougou (Pays dogon, Mali), ce mode de taille est regulierement present au sein des industries d’une sequence chronoculturelle qui s’etale sur plus de 100 000 ans, couvrant l’essentiel du Paleolithique moyen regional. Le recours a ce mode de taille pourrait etre simplement explicite par la faible diversite des ressources en matieres premieres et par la place qu’y occupe le quartz. Cependant, la percussion bipolaire sur enclume est totalement absente dans certaines industries de la sequence et le determinisme des matieres premieres n’apparait ainsi pas seul en jeu.La profondeur diachronique de la sequence d’Ounjougou donne l’opportunite de s’interroger sur le role technique, le statut economique et la charge culturelle de ce mode de taille original qu’est la percussion bipolaire sur enclume.
Non-technological innovation : conceptual approaches, impacts and measurement issues

There have been increasing efforts to investigate innovation impacts at the firm level. This paper aims to contribute to this endeavour focusing on the non-technological side of innovation, which has been increasingly considered an important, if not crucial, determinant of successful innovation performance. The main objective of this paper is to present a concise literature review on the subject, highlighting three aspects concerning this theme: the main ideas that populate the debate, the perceived impacts and the measurement issues linked to non-technological innovation. Research gaps and opportunities are also explored.
National scale ecosystem condition assessment with emphasis on forest types in Greece

This study presents a first, national scale approach on ecosystem condition assessment for Greece, through integrating the available surveillance and monitoring data for habitat types, at the plot level, within the Natura 2000 network. The study consists of two parts: (a) ecosystem condition assessment for ecosystem types in Greece, using the conservation degree at plot level as an indicator and (b) a large scale analysis of the forest types' condition using, as indicators, the pressures and typical plant Typical species richness, as an exemplary case to interpret the outcomes of the assessment. The main results of this study revealed that: (i) the majority of the ecosystem types are in above good condition, with the higher percentages of bad condition recorded for wetlands, rivers and lakes, marine inlets and transitional waters, (ii) forest categories in their majority are at above-adequate condition, (iii) at forest ecosystem categories specific pressures (e.g. grazing, cultivations, forestry clearance) act as main drivers forecosystem condition change, (iv) Mediterranean deciduous forests are the most floristic-rich forest category, regarding typical plant Typical species. Simultaneously, it is highlighted that already available datasets could be used for immediate and rapid framework assessments, which will guide future steps on ES studies, research and decision-making.
Participation and Data Quality in Open Data use: Open Data Infrastructures Evaluated

Infrastructures may improve the use of Open Government Data (OGD) by providing insight in how individuals can participate in data reuse and in the quality of open data. Yet, most OGD infrastructures do not support such activities. The objective of this paper is to evaluate the importance and usability of participation mechanisms and data quality indicators for open data infrastructures through quasi-experiments. A quasiexperiment is an experimental evaluation method in which researchers have control over the (non-random) assignment of participants to treatment and control conditions, the selection of control conditions and the organisation of the treatment, and over the measures. Moreover, quasi-experiments usually include a pre-test (i.e. a test before the treatment or control condition) and a post-test (i.e. a test after the treatment or control condition). The results of our quasi-experiments showed that the prototype of our OGD infrastructure improved OGD participation and data quality analysis by providing functionalities including discussion messages, social media sharing, linking items related to a dataset, Wiki descriptions and discussions, and data quality ratings and reviews. Participant observations showed that participants in the treatment group found it easier to conduct tasks with the prototype related to giving feedback on and discussing open data and rating and reviewing data quality than the participants in the control group. Our study suggested that participation mechanisms and quality indicators add value and improve the use of OGD. It recommends the implementation of such mechanisms and indicators in existing OGD infrastructures. To support the creation of transparency, citizen participation and innovation with OGD, our findings suggest that participation mechanisms and data quality indicators are a condition. Yet, these mechanisms and indicators are not sufficient for ensuring the generation of the OGD benefits, since there are still many factors which hinder the generation of these benefits. We discuss a number of these factors including factors related to OGD infrastructures and factors beyond OGD infrastructures.
Graph-Based Salient Region Detection through Linear Neighborhoods

Pairwise neighboring relationships estimated by Gaussian weight function have been extensively adopted in the graph-based salient region detection methods recently. However, the learning of the parameters remains a problem as nonoptimal models will affect the detection results significantly. To tackle this challenge, we first apply the adjacent information provided by all neighbors of each node to construct the undirected weight graph, based on the assumption that every node can be optimally reconstructed by a linear combination of its neighbors. Then, the saliency detection is modeled as the process of graph labelling by learning from partially selected seeds (labeled data) in the graph. The promising experimental results presented on some datasets demonstrate the effectiveness and reliability of our proposed graph-based saliency detection method through linear neighborhoods.