Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Digital Image Computing Techniques and Applications , 21 — 22 January 2002 , Melbourne , Australia-1-A New Pseudo-Hierarchical Neural Network for Pattern Classification

Pattern recognition and pattern classification have been the active research area for past few decades. Neural networks have evolved into a fine pattern recognition and classification tool. Complexity in training, over-fitting and inability of simple network to classify hard problems are some of the key issues, which hinder their application to real world problems. We propose a new neural network model called pseudo-hierarchical neural network (PHNN), with simple networks as the building blocks. It provides an optimum solution for the problems faced in neural network arena. We propose two new concepts called cropping and positive inheritance, which helps PHNN in forming non-convex decision surfaces. It has been applied to the task of face detection and results are comparable with standard systems available in literature.
COMPARING THE BIDIRECTIONAL BAUM-WELCH ALGORITHM AND THE BAUM-WELCH ALGORITHM ON REGULAR LATTICE

A profile hidden Markov model (PHMM) is widely used in assigning protein sequences to protein families. In this model, the hidden states only depend on the previous hidden state and observations are independent given hidden states. In other words, in the PHMM, only the information of the left side of a hidden state is considered. However, it makes sense that considering the information of the both left and right sides of a hidden state can improve the assignment task. For this purpose, bidirectional profile hidden Markov model (BPHMM) can be used. Also, because of the evolutionary relationship between sequences in a protein family, the information of the corresponding amino acid in the preceding sequence of residues in the PHMM can be considered. For this purpose the hidden Markov random field on regular lattice (HMRFRL) is introduced. In a PHMM, the parameters are defined by the transition and emission probability matrices. The parameters are usually estimated using an EM (Expectation-Maximization) algorithm known as Baum-Welch algorithm. In this paper, the bidirectional Baum-Welch algorithm and theBaum-Welch algorithm on regular lattice are defined for estimating the parameters of the BPHMM and the HMRFRL respectively. We also compare the performance of common Baum-Welch algorithm, bidirectional Baum-Welch algorithm and the Baum-Welch algorithm on regular lattice by applying them to the real top ten protein families from Pfam database. Results show that using the lattice model for sequence assignment increases the number of correctly assigned protein sequences to profiles compared to BPHMM .
EUROPEAN ORGANIZATION FOR NUCLEAR RESEARCH CERN-PH-EP-2010-002 17 January 2010 Observation of a VHE Cosmic-Ray Flare-Signal with the L 3 + C Muon Spectrometer The L 3 + C Collaboration

The data collected by the L3+C muon spectrometer at the CERN Large ElectronPositron collider, LEP, have been used to search for short duration signals emitted by cosmic point sources. A sky survey performed from July to November 1999 and from April to November 2000 has revealed one single flux enhancement (chance probability = 2.6·10) between the 17th and 20th of August 2000 from a direction with a galactic longitude of (265.02 ± 0.42) and latitude of (55.58 ± 0.24). The energy of the detected muons was above 15 GeV. Reference: Astroparticle Physics, 33 (2010 )24 − 39
A nonstationary covariance function model for spatial uncertainties in electrostatically actuated microsystems

This paper presents a data-driven method of estimating stochastic models that describe spatial uncertainties. Relating these uncertainties to the spatial statistics literature, we describe a general framework that can handle heterogeneous random processes by providing a parameterization for the nonstationary covariance function in terms of a transformation function and then estimating the unknown hyperparameters from data using Bayesian inference. The transformation function is specified as a displacement that transforms the coordinate space to a deformed configuration in which the covariance between points can be represented by a stationary model. This approach is then used to model spatial uncertainties in microelectromechanical actuators, where the ground plate is assumed to have a spatially varying profile. We estimate the stochastic model corresponding to the random surface using synthetic profilometric data that simulate multiple experimental measurements of ground plate surface roughness. We then demonstrate the effect of the uncertainty on the displacement of the actuator as well as on other parameters, such as the pull-in voltage. We show that the nonstationarity is essential when performing uncertainty quantification in electrostatic microactuators.
Transition via R&D: emerging forms and strategies of corporate R&D in the catch up countries (Lithuanian case)

It is widely and commonly agreed that science and technology progress is among the key drivers in the catching –up process (Verspagen 1999, Dyker, Radosevic, 2001). The catching up, being defined as diffusion of technology from advanced countries to the catch up countries (Verspagen, 1999), is approached in the new EU member states for more than a decade. These processes has taken different paths, following diversified catching up strategies chosen by countries. Some of them were highly FDI driven processes (Hungary, Estonia), and some were more relying on their own resources and capacities, with relatively low FDI rates (like Lithuania). However, in the contrary to the common theory, the FDI supported technology transfer and high – tech exports growth didn‘t led to high value added creation within the transition economies, but rather an opposite – diminition of the most sophisticated value chain components in the national economies, giving the syndrome of „Latino Americanization“ of the new EU countries (see Reinert and Kattel, 2004). Moreover, it didn’t led to the sustainable integration into the international trade, as the case of Estonia shows (Simasius, 2008). Neither the hope that strong national innovation inputs (using European Innovation Scoreboard terminology) will automatically build the long term technology based growth path was realistic. The processes of catch up did not happen naturally neither are going to be so in the future. Moreover, the catching – up countries, especially small ones, are setting the ambitions high – to find its own positions in global technology chains via diversification and specialization in high tech, R&D intensive niche production, and to “leap – frog” via the brake trough in certain R&D intensive technology and business areas, following the technology waves supported opportunity (Perez, 2002,2004). However, this is not to be achieved without considerable institutional transformation, which would result in a new ways of value creation and collaboration forms between R&D and business sectors, and the development of domestic technological capabilities. Namely, those two sectors continuously failed in CEE countries in cooperation for innovative growth and upgrade of industries, and the technology base was and and still is advanced mainly by the technology transfer from the more advanced countries. The fact is explained by the inherited disciplinary structure of the science of post-communist countries (Kozlowski, Radosevic, Ircha, 1999), separated science and industrial sectors, following linear model of innovation (Lithuania, aiming for knowledge economy. WB, 2002), and general profile of R&D systems, which is characterized by research
A FAST ADAPTATION TECHNIQUE FOR BUILDING DIALECTAL MALAY SPEECH SYNTHESIS ACOUSTIC MODEL

This paper presents a fast adaptation technique to build a hidden Markov model (HMM) based dialectal speech synthesis acoustic model. Standard Malay is used as a source language whereas Kelantanese Malay is chosen to be target language in this study. Kelantan dialect is a Malay dialect from the northeast of Peninsular Malaysia. One of the most important steps and time consuming in building a HMM acoustic model is the alignment of speech sound. A good alignment will produce a clear and natural synthesize speech. The importance of this study is to propose a quick approach for aligning and building a good dialectal speech synthesis acoustic model by using a different source acoustic model. There are two proposed adaptation approaches in this study to synthesize dialectal Malay sentences using different amount of target speech and a source acoustic model to build the target acoustic model of speech synthesis system. From the results, we found out that the dialectal speech synthesis system built with adaptation approaches are much better in term of speech quality compared to the one without applying adaptation approach.
The Effects of Student Financial Contributions Toward Their Post-Secondary Educational Experience

The college student population in USA is predicted to increase from 13 million to 21 million between 2003–2015 (Strom & Storm, 2004). This increase along with the exponentially increasing cost of post-secondary education has caused an increase in the financial burden placed on students. Between 2000 and 2012, the two major post-secondary institutions in the South eastern state of USA, where the study was conducted has raised their tuition rates almost 200 percent (Bennett & Wilezol, 2013). The present study used a quantitative approach to determine the relationship between student's financial contributions and student motivation. Student financial contribution was determined by students' personal contributions (loans, scholarships, full and part-time work, and student savings) toward tuition, fees, books, housing, and transportation. The survey was distributed using the College of Education, listserv through the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment. This study found that, there is a significant statistical relationship between student financial contribution and intrinsic goal orientation.
Computational modelling of the micromechanics of void growth and coalescence in ductile failure via the Discrete Element Method

The micromechanics of ductile failure due to void growth and coalescence in a micro-porous metal-matrix material are studied in this paper by using the Discrete Element Method (DEM). The DEM was selected for the numerical analyses due its inherent ability to handle crack nucleation and void coalescence. The study is carried out using a series of representative volume elements (RVE) of the pseudo-microstructure of a ferritic nodular cast iron. The DEM models are used to correlate the stress vs strain behaviour of the RVEs with the evolution of the strain and damage energy and the void volume fraction. Special attention is given to the occurrence of void coalescence and final failure. Computed void volume fractions are in good agreement with other visited reports. Obtained results demonstrate the effectiveness of the DEM to provide further understanding of the micro-mechanics of failure in nodular cast iron.
Investigating the moderating role of fit on sports sponsorship and brand equity.

This paper outlines how managers involved in sponsorship decisions view the impacts of different levels of sponsorship on brand equity. The moderating role of fit between sponsor and sponsee is also investigated. The study participants were managers involved in sponsoring football clubs in the Netherlands. Sports sponsorship was conceptualised as a second-order formative index, the sport sponsorship index (SSI). Results indicate that the relationship between sport sponsorship and brand equity is significant, with greater variability being explained when fit and the interaction term is introduced into the model.
DNA Assembly in 3 D Printed Fluidics

The process of connecting genetic parts—DNA assembly—is a foundational technology for synthetic biology. Microfluidics present an attractive solution for minimizing use of costly reagents, enabling multiplexed reactions, and automating protocols by integrating multiple protocol steps. However, microfluidics fabrication and operation can be expensive and requires expertise, limiting access to the technology. With advances in commodity digital fabrication tools, it is now possible to directly print fluidic devices and supporting hardware. 3D printed microand millifluidic devices are inexpensive, easy to make and quick to produce. We demonstrate Golden Gate DNA assembly in 3D-printed fluidics with reaction volumes as small as 490 nL, channel widths as fine as 220 microns, and per unit part costs ranging from $0.61 to $5.71. A 3D-printed syringe pump with an accompanying programmable software interface was designed and fabricated to operate the devices. Quick turnaround and inexpensive materials allowed for rapid exploration of device parameters, demonstrating a manufacturing paradigm for designing and fabricating hardware for synthetic biology.
Optimising 4-D surface change detection: an approach for capturing rockfall magnitude–frequency

Abstract. We present a monitoring technique tailored to analysing change from near-continuously collected, high-resolution 3-D data. Our aim is to fully characterise geomorphological change typified by an event magnitude–frequency relationship that adheres to an inverse power law or similar. While recent advances in monitoring have enabled changes in volume across more than 7 orders of magnitude to be captured, event frequency is commonly assumed to be interchangeable with the time-averaged event numbers between successive surveys. Where events coincide, or coalesce, or where the mechanisms driving change are not spatially independent, apparent event frequency must be partially determined by survey interval. The data reported have been obtained from a permanently installed terrestrial laser scanner, which permits an increased frequency of surveys. Surveying from a single position raises challenges, given the single viewpoint onto a complex surface and the need for computational efficiency associated with handling a large time series of 3-D data. A workflow is presented that optimises the detection of change by filtering and aligning scans to improve repeatability. An adaptation of the M3C2 algorithm is used to detect 3-D change to overcome data inconsistencies between scans. Individual rockfall geometries are then extracted and the associated volumetric errors modelled. The utility of this approach is demonstrated using a dataset of ∼ 9 × 103 surveys acquired at ∼ 1 h intervals over 10 months. The magnitude–frequency distribution of rockfall volumes generated is shown to be sensitive to monitoring frequency. Using a 1 h interval between surveys, rather than 30 days, the volume contribution from small (
6 Economic Stressors and Childhood Obesity : Differences by Child Age and Gender

Childhood obesity is a public health challenge in the United States (U.S.) and elsewhere in the world. Additionally, those who are obese are heavier than in the past (Anderson & Butcher, 2006). In the U.S., one in three children is overweight or obese (Ogden et al., 2010), a prevalence that has tripled since 1970 (Anderson & Butcher, 2006; Kumanayika & Grier, 2006; Wang & Zhang, 2006). In response to this public health issue, Healthy People 2010 (US/DHHS, 2000) and President Obama (US/Office of the President, 2010) have identified childhood obesity as a national health priority as it has immediate consequences for a child’s physical and psychological health (Puhl & Latner, 2007; Raman, 2002; Strauss, 1999; US/DHHS, 2000), as well as implications for future health (Freedman et al., 2007; Raman, 2002; Strauss, 1999; US/DHHS, 2000). Beyond negative health outcomes, there are also economic costs (e.g., greater need for health care) associated with childhood obesity (Marder & Chang 2006; Skinner et al., 2008). Thus, identifying factors related to childhood obesity not only has implications for the health and quality of life of children, but it also has important implications for family expenditures and health care costs.
An Introduction to Pharmaceutical Sciences: Production, Chemistry, Techniques and Technology

This textbook is written as a unified approach to various topics, ranging from drug discovery to manufacturing, techniques and technology, regulation and marketing. The key theme of the book is pharmaceuticals - what every student of pharmaceutical sciences should know: from the active pharmaceutical ingredients to the preparation of various dosage forms along with the relevant chemistry, this book makes pharmaceuticals relevant to undergraduate students of pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences.This book explains how a particular drug was discovered and then converted from lab-scale to manufacturing scale, to the market. It explains the motivation for drug discovery, the reaction chemistry involved, experimental difficulties, various dosage forms and the reasoning behind them, mechanism of action, quality assurance and role of regulatory agencies. After having a course based on this book, the student will be able to understand: 1) the career prospects in the pharmaceutical industry, 2) the need for interdisciplinary teamwork in science, 3) the techniques and technology involved in making pharmaceuticals starting from bulk drugs, and 4) different dosage forms and critical factors in the development of pharmaceutical formulations in relation to the principles of chemistry.A few blockbuster drugs including atorvastatin, sildanefil, ranitidine, ciprofloxacin, amoxicillin, and the longest serving drugs such as aspirin and paracetamol are discussed in detail. Finally, the book also covers the important current pharmaceutical issues like quality control, safety, counterfeiting and abuse of drugs, and future prospects for pharmaceutical industry.Unified approach explaining drug discovery, bulk drug manufacturing, formulation of dosage forms, with pharmacological and therapeutic actionsManufacturing processes of representative active pharmaceutical ingredients and their chemistry plus formulation of dosage forms presented in this book are based on actual industrial processesCovers many aspects relevant to students of the pharmaceutical sciences or newly employed pharmaceutical researchers/employees. It contains summary information about regulatory agencies of different countries
Exploring the richness of the stimulus

Abstract The common-sense layman's assumption would be that the structure of the languages which people grow up speaking reflects the properties of the language-samples they hear. There is no good reason to dispute that. Pullum and Scholz see their own discussion as open to the criticism that their examples are drawn from genres which are untypical of the speech encountered by young children. Accordingly, I examine the evidence of a four-million-word sample of spontaneous everyday conversation; this, too, refutes the claims about usage made by poverty-of-stimulus theorists. Widespread current acceptance of the poverty-of-stimulus idea has apparently come about not because linguists have found the contrary view empirically unsatisfactory, but merely because poverty of the stimulus is for one reason or another treated as an unquestioned axiom. A related issue is lack of negative evidence. It is true that children acquiring their mother tongue encounter only positive examples. But in this respect the logic of language-acquisition is no different from that of scientific discovery. ‘Poverty of the stimulus’ seems plausible to linguists who believe that human beings inherit detailed knowledge about language structure. But that belief is itself grossly implausible. The languages of the world are too diverse to be the product of an innate language faculty. If language structure is not in any substantial respect innate, then children's experience of their elders' language must be adequate for language-learning; the evidence suggests that that is so.
Multiple paternity in domestic pigs under equally probable natural matings – a case study in the endangered Gochu Asturcelta pig breed

Abstract. Here we provide evidence of multiple paternities in naturally mated sows under conditions ensuring that (a) sows had the same probability of being mated by any of the available boars and (b) no differences in hybrid vigour existed. Total DNA was obtained from 19 Gochu Asturcelta piglets from three different sows, each with the same chance of natural mating with two different boars. A set of 20 microsatellites were typed on all the individuals. The program CERVUS was used to asses the informative ability of the microsatellite set and to perform paternity assignment. Allelic frequencies at population level were obtained using a total of 141 Gochu Asturcelta individuals. Offspring were always assigned to a candidate boar with high statistical confidence. All litters had different parents. Our results show that multiple paternities are possible in domestic pigs under natural mating. Furthermore, the current study can be useful to further understand the mating system of the wild boar.
Phylogenetic study on structural elements of HIV-1 poly(A) region. 1. PolyA and DSE hairpins

Genome of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is highly heterogeneous. Aim. A phylogenetic study on structural elements of the HIV-1 poly(A) region, in particular polyA and DSE hairpins which compose a core poly(A) site. Methods. The secondary structure of the HIV-1 core poly(A) site has been predicted by the UNAFold program. Results. The structure of the polyA and DSE hairpins has been analysed in 1679 HIV-1 genomes of group M and 18 genomes of simian immunodeficiency virus SIVcpzPtt. We found 244 and 171 different sequences for the HIV-1 polyA and DSE hairpins, respectively. However 70 % of the HIV-1 isolates studied contain one of 7 variants of the polyA hairpin which occur with a frequency 5 % (main variants) and 79 % of the isolates contain one of 7 main variants of the DSE hairpin. We also revealed subtype and country specific mutations in these hairpins. We found that the SIV polyA hairpin most closely resembles that found in HIV-1 genomes of B/C subtypes. Conclusions. The results of our large-scale phylogenetic study support some structural models of the HIV-1 5' UTR, in particular the tertiary interaction between the polyA hairpin and the matrix region in HIV-1 gRNA. Possibly, the DSE hairpin appeared in the course of viral evolution of the HIV-1 group M. An exposure of the U/GU-rich element in the apical loop of DSE hairpin could significantly increase the efficiency of pre-mRNA polyadenylation in this HIV-1 group.
Maximum profit cogeneration plant - MPCP: system modeling, optimization problem formulation, and solution

The well-known CGAM optimization problem was formulated to serve as a benchmark for comparison of different thermoeconomic methodologies. The CGAM cogeneration plant produced 30 MW of power and 14 kg/s of saturated vapor at 20 bar. The objective function was the total cost rate of the system, related to thermodynamic variables and installation costs. Because the CGAM problem originates from an academic viewpoint, its models do not reflect the industrial reality of energy systems, and do not conform to important operational and technological restrictions. The objective of this work is to propose an alternative cogeneration-system optimization problem, denoted the MPCP problem – Maximum Profit Cogeneration Plant, which incorporates functional economic concepts and modern technologies. The objective function is the net present value (NPV) of the monetary gain for the period of plant operation. The optimum (i.e., maximum) NPV value is obtained using two different professional optimization toolboxes appropriate for multivariable nonlinear constrained functions. The optimal operational conditions indicate that the MPCP plant reaches the allowed physical limits of the main equipment, namely, maximum efficiency of the gas turbine generator set and minimum temperature difference inside the heat recovery steam generator. Formal findings like these help to direct efforts to improve current technologies.