Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Chapter 1 The Use of Color Features in Automatic Video Surveillance Systems

Today's occidental world is definitely characterized by critical security issues: the international tension and the fast development of information media has led to a present situation where almost no place can actually be considered safe. As a response to this new safety need, applied research has devoted and is devoting strong efforts in finding effective ways to raise security level where possible. Among many technological solutions one of the most important and actually applied is the replacement of human guardians with remote visual devices (video-cameras) and the replacement of their reasoning capabilities with automatic systems to increase the coverage/personnel ratio and the supervision system effectiveness. With the spread of digital images and video, the core of these systems is automatic (color) image and video processing with which this book deals. To provide a definition, an automatic video-surveillance system can be defined as a computer system that, based on input data and provided by scene understanding capabilities, is oriented either to human oper-ators' attention focusing or to automatic alarm generation. Video-surveillance systems have been developed since the 60s and the main technological innovation milestones outline a historical timeline developed-as follows-in four phases: • First generation (1960-1990): in this kind of systems there is no information processing; acquired image sequences are merely transmitted over CCTV networks and displayed through B/W TV monitors; scene understanding and decision tasks are completely performed by the human operator; • Second generation (1990-2000): introduction of digital image conversion, centralized information processing and color images. The system shows acquired scenes and generates alarms helping human operators to face potentially dangerous situations; • Third generation (2000-.): distributed digital signal processing. Only the information for signalling and describing a dangerous situation is presented to the human operator in effective symbolic language ; • Beyond third generation (2004-.): today's research for improved perception and reasoning over monitored events, extended communications and interaction capabilities: new Cognitive Surveillance paradigm. Learning-based smart interactive systems with extended, multimode and adaptive communications. the same type of information acquired from different spatial locations or information acquired by sensors of different type on the same monitored area. Appropriate processing techniques and new sensors providing real time information related to different scene characteristics, can help both to extend the coverage area and to improve performances of danger detection in environments provided with multiple sensors. The highly variable scene conditions an Advanced Video Surveillance (AVS) system is subject to, imply …
Psychosocial safety climate as a moderator of the moderators: Contextualizing JDR models and emotional demands effects

Psychosocial safety climate (PSC) is a facet-specific aspect of organizational climate that pertains to employees’ psychological health. We sought to deepen our understanding of how and when resources function by considering the role of PSC as a contextual factor for job demands-resources model. We explained this using two different mechanisms – PSC as a resource passageway (i.e., channelling, supplying, bolstering, complementing, compensating resources) or PSC as a safety signal (i.e., enabling resource use) effect. Using longitudinal data from 429 Malaysian health care workers from 53 teams and hierarchical linear modelling (HLM), we found team PSC was a stronger moderator of emotional demands than control or rewards on psychological health problems (emotional exhaustion and somatic symptoms), after controlling for the baseline outcomes. A three-way interaction of team PSC at Time 1 with demands and resources (rewards only) at Time 2 showed that PSC is able to moderate the moderation relationship of demands and resources. Specifically, PSC, as a resource passageway, is providing a range of resources, that likely to compensate and complement low rewards. Hence, when both PSC and rewards were low, emotional demands had the strongest effect on psychological health. This result is robust as it was validated using HLM and split samples of PSC at the upper level. Given the important contextual role of PSC as a ‘moderator of the moderators’, building PSC should be the focus of workplace interventions to protect the psychological health of workers. Practitioner points: Psychosocial safety climate may compensate for job resources, particularly rewards in an organization to protect workers’ psychological health. Psychosocial safety climate buffers the detrimental effect of emotional demands on workers’ psychological health better than rewards and control.
PLL BASED FREQUENCY SYNTHESIZER IMPLEMENTED WITH AN ACTIVE INDUCTOR OSCILLATOR

High costs, bulkiness, and larger power consumption makes transceiver integration and miniaturization a desired option to discretely implemented transceivers. Furthermore, a frequency synthesizer forms an important part of high-frequency transceivers. In this paper, the design of a fully-integrated dual loop frequency synthesizer is detailed. Previously, frequency synthesizers have already been implemented using CMOS technology. The synthesizer discussed in this paper deploys a dual loop architecture with a high-frequency LC voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) forming part of one of the loops. As opposed to previous architectures, the synthesizer discussed in this paper utilises an active-inductor LC VCO as opposed to a passive-inductor LC VCO deployed in earlier synthesizer implementations. Amongst others, an important advantage of this implementation is the higher quality, Q-factor of the active inductor at the trade-off of increased noise and power dissipation. The synthesizer generates signals in the microwave frequency (2.4-2.5 GHz) range with a 1 MHz resolution. Using the 0.35 μm BiCMOS process, simulations showed a phase noise of –117 dBc/Hz at an offset of 1 MHz and reference sidebands at -80 dBc, both these parameters with respect to a 2.45 GHz carrier.
Genetic algorithm-based feature selection method for credit risk analysis

Credit risk assessment of financial intermediaries is an important problem in finance. The key is to find accurate predictors of individual risk in the credit portfolios of institutions. However, accessing credit risk is very challenging as many factors may contribute to the risk and their relationship is complicated to capture. Recentyears have witnessed a growing trend in applying statistical and machinelearning modeling methods such as SVMclassifier, for credit risk analysis, which is effective in capturing nonlinear relationshipin the data. However, high dimensional training data not only results in time-consuming computation but also affects the performance of the classifier. In this paper, wepropose a wrapper feature selection method based on genetic algorithm to select a subset of essential featuresthat will contribute to good performance in the credit risk classification. We test ourmethod in a real-world credit risk predictiontask, and our empirical results demonstrate the advantage ofour method over other competing ones.
at DUC 2006 : Task-Focused Summarization with Sentence Simplification and Lexical Expansion

Our DUC2006 system comprised three main components: a task-focused extractive summarization system, sentence simplification, and lexical expansion of topic words. This paper details each of these components, together with experiments designed to quantify their individual contributions. We include an analysis of our results according to two independent human evaluation methods, the NIST evaluation and the Pyramid evaluation. Our system ranked first in terms of both overall mean score and averaged per-cluster mean ranking out of 22 systems in the Pyramid evaluation, and ranked third out of 35 systems in NIST content responsiveness.
SIMULATION OF PIANO SUSTAIN-PEDAL EFFECT BY PARALLEL SECOND-ORDER FILTERS

This paper presents a sustain-pedal effect simulation algorithm for piano synthesis, by using parallel second-order filters. A robust two-step filter design procedure, based on frequency-zooming ARMA modeling and least squares fit, is applied to calibrate the algorithm from impulse responses of the soundboard and the string register. The model takes into account the differences in coupling between the various strings. The algorithm can be applied to both sample-based and physics-based piano synthesizers.
Women’s Access to Higher Education Leadership: Where are the Role Models?

Abstract This paper presents a descriptive overview on literature and reflects on the lack of women in higher education leadership despite the development of educational policies and improved enrolments by women at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. The enabling policies have not been matched by the number of women assuming leadership positions both inside and outside the Higher Education (HE) sector. Women in HE leadership are regarded as part of the teaching and learning environment that nurtures the development of leadership. The paper argues that part of leadership development includes being motivated by women who are already in leadership positions and who act as role models, inspiring women to career path towards these positions. The paper concludes that without these role models, access to HE will not necessarily lead to attainment to leadership in HE. The theoretical framework is based on the theory of social justice and critical theory of emancipation and equity.
COURTING THE CLINICIAN Performance on the Test of Everyday Attention and Standard Tests of Attention following Severe Traumatic Brain Injury *

The Test of Everyday Attention (TEA) was designed to address some of the limitations of established measures of attention. However, very few studies have examined its clinical utility. A group of 35 patients who had sustained a severe TBI were compared with 35 ageand education-matched controls on the TEA, Stroop, SDMT, WMS-R Digit Span, Ruff 2s and 7s Selective Attention Test, and PASAT. Of the TEA subtests, only the Map and Telephone Search subtests of the TEA produced signi®cant differences between the two groups, suggesting a de®cit in visual selective attention following TBI. Principal components analysis revealed a four-component / factor structure of attention, largely consistent with previous studies. A logistic regression found that the TEA Map Search and Modi®ed Colour-Word subtest of the Stroop were best able to discriminate between the TBI and control groups. When the TBI group was divided into Early (< 1 year post injury) and Late (> 2 years post injury) groups, there was an additional de®cit on the Lottery (sustained attention) subtest in the Early TBI group, indicating that there is some recovery in attentional function beyond 1 year post injury. Dif®culties with attention are frequently reported by individuals who have suffered traumatic brain injuries (TBI) (McKinlay, Brooks, Bond, Martinage, & Marshall 1981; van Zomeren & van den Berg, 1985; Zoccolotti et al., 2000). These dif®culties have a major impact upon recovery and rehabilitation and are characterised by increased distractibility (Schmitter-Edgecombe & Kibby, 1998), a tendency to become overloaded when dealing with more than one thought at a time (Lezak, 1995), and dif®culties with staying `on task' (Whyte, Schuster, Polansky, Adams, & Coslett, 2000). Research examining attention following TBI has, in most instances, used the behavioural / task level typology of focussed, divided, and sustained attention, with numerous studies ®nding de®cits in each of these areas following severe TBI (Godefroy, Lhullier, & Rousseaux, 1996; Hartman, Pickering, & Wilson, 1992; Loken, Thornton, Otto, & Long, 1995; Stuss, Pogue, Buckle, & Bondar, 1994; Whyte, Polansky, Fleming, Coslett, & Cavullucci, 1995). However, there are also studies that have questioned whether these ®ndings re ̄ect reduced This research was supported by a grant from the Julia Farr Foundation (Inc.). The authors would like to thank all of the participants who took part in the study. This study formed part of a doctoral dissertation being completed by the ®rst author. Address correspondence to: Andrew Bate, Julia Farr Services, Community Rehabilitation Program, 8 Briar Road, Felixstow, Australia, 5070 Adelaide, Tel: 61 8 8337 3000. Fax: 61 8 8365 2652. E-mail: abate@vtown.com. au Accepted for publication: June 26, 2001. The Clinical Neuropsychologist 1385-4046/01/1503-405$16.0
Good Policies or Good Fortune: What Drives the Compression in Emerging Market Spreads?

Since 2002, spreads on emerging market sovereign debt have fallen to historical lows. Given the close links between sovereign spreads, capital flows to emerging markets, and economic growth, understanding the factors driving these spreads is very important. We address this issue in two stages. First, we use factor analysis to study the extent to which emerging market bond spreads are driven by global factors, as opposed to country-specific macroeconomic fundamentals. Using data on different U.S. asset classes, we identify a common factor, linked to global financial conditions. Second, we use this common factor in a panel estimation framework to analyze the degree to which the fall in spreads is driven by better macroeconomic policies. Our results show that the common factor is not responsible for the reduction in spreads. Instead, emerging markets have benefited considerably from better macroeconomic policies, including lower inflation and lower debt. Therefore, a reversal of the benign global conditions need not necessarily have a substantial negative impact on financing conditions for emerging markets.
Where Is the Value in Peer Reviews

Authors need to view reviewers’ comments not as judgments about the value of their work, but as good data about potential readers of their articles. The editorial review process does have deficiencies, the most serious being that reviewers should decide what articles warrant publication. “Peer review” should mean that reviewers and authors are indeed peers. However, editors typically act as if reviewers have more competence and more valid opinions than authors, and as if they themselves have the wisdom and knowledge to impose constraints on manuscripts. Empirical evidence indicates that editorial decisions incorporate bias and randomness. However, authors need to persuade potential readers to read their articles and that authors’ ideas and theories are plausible and useful. Authors must adapt their manuscripts to readers’ perceptual frameworks. Nevertheless, authors should remember that editors and reviewers are not superior and that the ultimate decisions about what is right must come from inside themselves.
Vibroacoustic Stimulation and Brain Oscillation: From Basic Research to Clinical Application

Abstract: This paper addresses the importance of steady state brain oscillation for brain connectivity and cognition. Given that a healthy brain maintains particular levels of oscillatory activity, it argues that disturbances or dysrhythmias of this oscillatory activity can be implicated in common health conditions including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s Disease, pain, and depression. Literature is reviewed that shows that electric stimulation of the brain can contribute to regulation of neural oscillatory activity and the alleviation of related health conditions. It is then argued that specific frequencies of sound in their vibratory nature can serve as a means to brain stimulation through auditory and vibrotactile means and as such can contribute to regulation of oscillatory activity. The frequencies employed and found effective in electric stimulation are reviewed with the intent of guiding the selection of sound frequencies for vibroacoustic stimulation in the treatment of AD, PD, Pain, and depression.
Superconductivity at 22 K in Co-doped BaFe2As2 crystals.

Here we report bulk superconductivity in BaFe1.8Co0. 2As2 single crystals below Tc=22 K, as demonstrated by resistivity, magnetic susceptibility, and specific heat data. Hall data indicate that the dominant carriers are electrons, as expected from simple chemical reasoning. This is the first example of superconductivity induced by electron doping in this family of materials. In contrast with cuprates, the BaFe2As2 system appears to tolerate considerable disorder in the FeAs planes. First principles calculations for BaFe1.8Co0. 2As2 indicate the interband scattering due to Co is weak.
Predictors of Preschool Children's Body Mass Index: Breastfeeding Duration, Child Eating Behaviors, and Parental Feeding Practices

Children’s eating behaviors have been found to contribute to weight status and some may also be potential risk factors for childhood obesity (Llewellyn et al., 2008). – Obese children have been found to have decreased satiety responsiveness and increased food responsiveness (Llewellyn et al., 2008; Moens & Braet, 2007; Webber et al., 2009). – Satiety responsiveness refers to the internal feeling of fullness and sense of satisfaction after eating (Wardle et al., 2001) . – Food responsiveness refers to children’s general appetite and desire to eat, as well as children’s external response to food cues—sight, smell, taste (Jansen et al., 2003; Webber et al., 2009).
Fish Consumption and Age-Related Macular Degeneration Incidence: A Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review of Prospective Cohort Studies

The association between fish consumption and risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is still unclear. The aim of the current meta-analysis and systematic review was to quantitatively evaluate findings from observational studies on fish consumption and the risk of AMD. Relevant studies were identified by searching electronic databases (Medline and EMBASE) and reviewing the reference lists of relevant articles up to August, 2016. Prospective cohort studies that reported relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the link between fish consumption and risk of AMD were included. A total of 4202 cases with 128,988 individuals from eight cohort studies were identified in the current meta-analysis. The meta-analyzed RR was 0.76 (95% CI, 0.65–0.90) when any AMD was considered. Subgroup analyses by AMD stages showed that fish consumption would reduce the risk of both early (RR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.72–0.96) and late (RR; 0.76; 95% CI, 0.60–0.97) AMD. When stratified by the follow-up duration, fish consumption was a protective factor of AMD in both over 10 years (n = 5; RR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.67–0.97) and less than 10 years (n = 3; RR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.51 to 0.97) follow-up duration. Stratified analyses by fish type demonstrated that dark meat fish (RR, 0.68, 95% CI, 0.46–0.99), especially tuna fish (RR, 0.58; 95% CI, 95% CI, 0.47–0.71) intake was associated with reduced AMD risk. Evidence of a linear association between dose of fish consumption and risk of AMD was demonstrated. The results of this meta-analysis demonstrated that fish consumption can reduce AMD risk. Advanced, well-designed, randomized clinical trials are required in order to validate the conclusions in this study.
Biomechanics of the Achilles tendon

Purpose. Tendons behave viscoelastically and exhibit adaptive responses to conditions of increased loading and disuse. Strain patterns in tendons may not be uniform, as tendons show stress-shielded areas and areas subjected to compressive loading at the enthesis. These areas correspond to the sites where tendinopathic characteristics are typically seen. Method. We review the biomechanic literature on Achilles tendon, trying to interpret it on the basis that classic inflammatory changes are not frequently seen in chronic athletic tendon conditions. Results. Biomechanical studies show that the strains within the tendons near their insertion site are not uniform. If the material properties are similar throughout the tendon, forces transferred through the insertion site preferentially load the side of the tendon that is usually not affected initially in tendinopathy. In that case, the side affected by tendinopathy is generally ‘stress shielded’. Conclusion. The presence of differential strains opens the possibility of alternative biomechanical explanations for the pathology found in these regions of the tendon. The traditional concept of tensile failure may not be the essential feature of the pathomechanics of insertional tendinopathy. Additional work is needed ascertain whether such principles should be incorporated in current rehabilitation.
SOM: feature extraction from patient discharge summaries

In each Canadian province, hospitals collect information, at discharge, on the hospital stay of each patient. The information is collected in the form of a patient discharge abstract (PDA) and sent to the Canadian Institute for Health Information. The Patient Discharge Abstract uses the ICD-10-CA code standard to outline the assigned diagnoses for the patient's condition and the procedures that were performed. One compulsory piece of information in the Patient Discharge Abstract is the identification of the "most responsible diagnosis" (MRDx) -- that diagnosis considered to be the most significant condition of the patient that caused the greatest length of stay in hospital. This research investigates the potential for automating the process of feature extraction from a narrative patient discharge summary to support the classification of the MRDx for a Patient Discharge Abstract. Unsupervised neural networks -- Self-Organizing Maps (SOM) -- are effective for classification tasks based on noisy input patterns. Here a hierarchical architecture of SOMs is used to identify semantic similarities encoded in the original information and visualize the characteristics of an MRDx.
A Research on Predicting the Operation Function for the Workflow-Based Knowledge Management Software

This paper proposes predicting the operation function (POF) for the workflow-based knowledge management software. POF is a function of the system that can estimate the documents which software users want to see and provides the users not only with proper documents but also unexpected knowledge which another users operation reflected. The system stores the log data of operation and judge which documents are needed from the viewpoint of the present user's characteristics and everyone's behavior. The simulation experiment with real data concerning the On-Demand Bus project shows that users' behavior is strongly related with the previous actions and the POF can improve the usability of the knowledge management software.
Vitamin E Bioavailability: Past and Present Insights

Over the past decades several studies have investigated the importance of an adequate vitamin E status to sustain both animal health and production in dairy cows. Cow milk is considered as a remarkable source of bioactive components promoting human health, which has renewed interest in the effects of vitamin E supplementation on its nutritional value, sensory quality and shelf life. Thus, defining relative bioavailability, utilisation and transfer into milk of different vitamin E formulations is particularly important to assess the adequate levels of supplementation for animal health and milk quality. In nature vitamin E is present under one isomeric form, RRR α-tocopherol; when α-tocopherol is synthesized chemically, a racemic mixture of 8 possible isomers of α-tocopherol in equimolar concentrations is produced (all-rac α-tocopherol). The different stereoisomers have different biopotencies in humans and livestock; the conversion factor between RRR and all-rac vitamin E was estimated by early studies on the basis of the rat foetal resorption bioassay, and then extended to other species. Recent advances on the distribution of vitamin E stereoisomers in plasma and tissues have highlighted the need to formulate new conversion factors in dairy cows as well as in humans. On account of this, the present article aims to consider past and recent data related to vitamin E in dairy cow nutrition.