Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Acoustic change responses to amplitude modulation: a method to quantify cortical temporal processing and hemispheric asymmetry

Objective: Sound modulation is a critical temporal cue for the perception of speech and environmental sounds. To examine auditory cortical responses to sound modulation, we developed an acoustic change stimulus involving amplitude modulation (AM) of ongoing noise. The AM transitions in this stimulus evoked an acoustic change complex (ACC) that was examined parametrically in terms of rate and depth of modulation and hemispheric symmetry. Methods: Auditory cortical potentials were recorded from 64 scalp electrodes during passive listening in two conditions: (1) ACC from white noise to 4, 40, 300 Hz AM, with varying AM depths of 100, 50, 25% lasting 1 s and (2) 1 s AM noise bursts at the same modulation rate. Behavioral measures included AM detection from an attend ACC condition and AM depth thresholds (i.e., a temporal modulation transfer function, TMTF). Results: The N1 response of the ACC was large to 4 and 40 Hz and small to the 300 Hz AM. In contrast, the opposite pattern was observed with bursts of AM showing larger responses with increases in AM rate. Brain source modeling showed significant hemispheric asymmetry such that 4 and 40 Hz ACC responses were dominated by right and left hemispheres respectively. Conclusion: N1 responses to the ACC resembled a low pass filter shape similar to a behavioral TMTF. In the ACC paradigm, the only stimulus parameter that changes is AM and therefore the N1 response provides an index for this AM change. In contrast, an AM burst stimulus contains both AM and level changes and is likely dominated by the rise time of the stimulus. The hemispheric differences are consistent with the asymmetric sampling in time hypothesis suggesting that the different hemispheres preferentially sample acoustic time across different time windows. Significance: The ACC provides a novel approach to studying temporal processing at the level of cortex and provides further evidence of hemispheric specialization for fast and slow stimuli.
A Taxonomy of Botnets

Attackers are increasingly using large networks of compromised machines to carry out further attacks (e.g., using botnets, or enormous groups of compromised hosts under the control of a single attacker). We consider the problem of responding to entire networks of attacking computers. We identify key metrics for measuring the utility of a botnet, and describe various topological structures they may use to coordinate attacks. Using the performance metrics, we consider the ability of different response techniques to degrade or disrupt botnets. Our models show that for scale free botnets, targeted responses are particularly effective. Further, botmasters’ efforts to improve the robustness of scale free networks comes at a cost of diminished transitivity. Botmasters do not appear to have any structural solutions to this problem in scale free networks. Our models also show that random graph botnets (e.g., those using structured P2P formations) are highly resistant to both random and targeted responses. This suggests the urgent need for further research into response strategies. We validated our model on a particular class of botnets using star topologies. After tracking dozens of botnets over months, we located and performed a targeted response on a very large (100K member) botnet. This resulted in an over 90% reduction in the botnet population, and confirmed the utility of our taxonomy.
Paper cut-out pattern recognition based on wavelet moment invariants

Wavelet moment features of image can reflect the image's part and whole characteristics and have strong anti-jamming ability. We use wavelet moments extracted from Paper-cut patterns to get multi-scale features. Combined with the paper-cut images' characteristics, the different mean and standard deviation of eigenvector are used to compute resolution and produce N class model feature selection. Finally, the eigenvectors are sent to nearest neighbor classifier for recognition. Experiments show that this method is effective in distinguishing paper cut-cut patterns with noise contamination or geometric deformation.
Architectures for Parallel Query Processing on Networks ofWorkstationsSivarama

Networks of workstations (NOWs) are cost-eeective alternatives to multiprocessor systems. Recently , NOWs have been proposed for parallel query processing. This paper explores the various architectures for using NOWs for parallel query processing. We start our discussion with two basic architectures: centralized and distributed. We identify the advantages and disadvantages associated with these architectures. Then we propose a hierarchical architecture that inherits the merits of the centralized and distributed architectures while minimizing the associated pitfalls. We also discuss the performance and research issues that require attention in all three architectures.
RXTE view of the starburst galaxies M 82 and NGC 253

The two nearby starburst galaxies M 82 and NGC 253 were observed for 100 ksec over a 10-month period in 1997. An increase of the M 82 flux by a factor2 was measured during the period July-November, when compared with the flux measured earlier in 1997. The flux measured in the eld centered on M 82 includes38% of the emission from the Seyfert 1 galaxy M 81. The best-tting model for the earlier emission from M 82 is thermal with kT' 6:7 0:1. In the high flux state, the emission additionally includes either an absorbed second thermal component or absorbed power-law component, with the former providing a much better t. A likely origin for the temporal variability is a single source in M 82. The flux of NGC 253, which did not vary signicantly during the period of observations, can be well t by either a thermal spectrum with kT' 3:8 0: 3k eV, or by ap ower law with photon index of 2:7 0:10. We have also attempted tting the measurements to more realistic composite models with thermal and power-law components, such as would be expected from a dominant contribution from binary systems, or Compton scattering of (far) IR radiation by radio emitting electrons. However, the addition of any amount of a power-law component, even with cuto at 20 keV, only increases chi-square. The 90% condence upper limit for power law emission with (photon) index 1.5 is only 2.4% of the 2{10 keV flux of M 82; the corresponding limit for NGC 253, with index 2.0, is 48%.
Selection of transformers for commercial buildings

Standards dealing with the application of transformers subjected to harmonic load currents are clarified, and application guidelines are provided. The impact of harmonic currents in commercial building systems needs to be considered, due to the increased use of electrical equipment that draw nonsinusoidal current from the AC line. A transformer subjected to harmonic load currents should have a K-factor rating higher than that of the load it supplies. It is preferable to use a K-factor-rated transformer, rather than derating a general-purpose transformer. If the transformer is not K-factor rated, its maximum load kVA should be limited in accordance with ANSI/IEEE Standard C57.110, which applies to general-purpose transformers that are subjected to a load current with total harmonic distortion greater than 5%. Most applications for K-factor-rated transformers require either K=4 or K=13. Higher K-factor specifications should be examined for erroneous assumptions regarding load characteristics. The ANSI/IEEE Std. C57.110 derating calculation is very sensitive to errors in the input data; typical values and rules of thumb should be avoided. <<ETX>>
Anisotropic simple-cubic Ising lattice: extended phenomenological renormalization-group treatment

Using transfer-matrix extended phenomenological renormalization-group methods [M.A.Yurishchev, Nucl. Phys. B (Proc. Suppl.) 83-84, 727 (2000); hep-lat/9908019; J. Exp. Theor. Phys. 91, 332 (2000); cond-mat/0108002] the improved estimates for the critical temperature of spin-1/2 Ising model on a simple-cubic lattice with partly anisotropic coupling strengths ${\vec J}=(J',J',J)$ are obtained. Universality of both fundamental critical exponents $y_t$ and $y_h$ is confirmed. We show also that the critical finite-size scaling amplitude ratios $A_{\chi^{(4)}}A_\kappa/A_\chi^2$, $A_{\kappa^{''}}/A_\chi$, and $A_{\kappa^{(4)}}/A_{\chi^{(4)}}$ are independent of the lattice anisotropy parameter $\Delta=J'/J$.
The NYU ultracomputer—designing a MIMD, shared-memory parallel machine

The design for the NYU ultracomputer, a shared-memory MIMD parallel machine composed of thousands of autonomous processing elements is presented. This machine uses an enhanced message switching network with the geometry of an omega-network to approximate the ideal behaviour of Schwartz's paracomputer model of computation and to implement efficiently the important fetch-and-add synchronisation primitive. The hardware which would be required to build a 4096 processor system using 1990s technology is outlined. System software issues are discussed and analytic studies of the network performance are presented. A sample of efforts to implement and simulate parallel variants of important scientific programs is included. 37 references.
DQB1*0602 predicts interindividual differences in physiologic sleep, sleepiness, and fatigue

Objective: The human leukocyte antigen (HLA) DQB1*0602 allele is closely associated with narcolepsy, a neurologic disorder characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness, fragmented sleep, and shortened REM sleep latency. We evaluated whether DQB1*0602 was a novel marker of interindividual differences by determining its relationship to sleep homeostatic, sleepiness, and cognitive responses to baseline and chronic partial sleep deprivation (PSD) conditions. Methods: Ninety-two DQB1*0602-negative and 37 DQB1*0602-positive healthy adults participated in a protocol of 2 baseline 10 hours time in bed (TIB) nights followed by 5 consecutive 4 hours TIB nights. DQB1*0602 allelic frequencies did not differ significantly between Caucasians and African Americans. Results: During baseline, although DQB1*0602-positive subjects were subjectively sleepier and more fatigued, they showed greater sleep fragmentation, and decreased sleep homeostatic pressure and differentially sharper declines during the night (measured by non-REM EEG slow-wave energy [SWE]). During PSD, DQB1*0602-positive subjects were sleepier and showed more fragmented sleep, despite SWE elevation comparable to negative subjects. Moreover, they showed differentially greater REM sleep latency reductions and smaller stage 2 reductions, along with differentially greater increases in fatigue. Both groups demonstrated comparable cumulative decreases in cognitive performance. Conclusions: DQB1*0602 positivity in a healthy population may represent a continuum of some sleep–wake features of narcolepsy. DQB1*0602 was associated with interindividual differences in sleep homeostasis, physiologic sleep, sleepiness, and fatigue—but not in cognitive measures—during baseline and chronic PSD. Thus, DQB1*0602 may represent a genetic biomarker for predicting such individual differences in basal and sleep loss conditions.
An efficient trust model for fault-tolerant and intrusion-tolerant mechanism of P2P network

The open applications makes P2P network has many security problems. In order to improve the performance of network, and to ensure the quality of services, this paper proposes a trust model for fault-tolerant and intrusion-tolerant Mechanism of P2P networks. In this model, a new trust evaluation and management mechanism have been studied, and an updating method of the trust degree has been described. By an incentive mechanism, the nodes of network can be encouraged to provide reliable service positively. Finally, the results of simulations and analyses show that the trust mechanism is effective and it can improve the reliability and sustainability of P2P networks.
Simultaneous estimation of gain, delay, and offset utilizing the farrow structure

This paper shows how to utilize the adjustable fractional delay Farrow structure for simultaneous estimation of gain, delay, and offset differences between two discrete-time signals with samples taken from the same underlying continous- time signal. The idea is to minimize the averaged squared difference between the sample sequences employing two well known minimization methods, steepest descent and Newton's method. A comparison with respect to complexity and performance is provided.
Allergological and Toxicological Aspects in a Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Cohort

Background. Multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) is a chronic condition characterized by an exaggerated response to toxicants. We ascertained the prevalence of allergy to metals and toxicological aspects in MCS patients. Methods. We conducted a retrospective review of medical records of 41 patients with MCS. We performed patch testing (n = 21) for dental series and did lymphocyte transformation test (n = 18) for metals. We measured mercury in samples of blood (n = 19), urine (n = 19), saliva (n = 20), and scalp hair (n = 17) to investigate the association between mercury levels and cases of MCS. Results. The prevalence of metal immune hypersensitivity in a subset of 26 patients was 92.3 percent. Elevations of mercury occurred in 81.2 percent (26 of 32). The mean (±SD) in blood concentrations of mercury was 7.6 ± 13.6 μg/L; mean in urine was 1.9 ± 2.5 μg/L; mean in scalp hair was 2.2 ± 2.5 μg/g; mean in saliva was 38.1 ± 52.1 μg/L. Subgroup analyses showed that elevation of mercury levels in biological matrices were associated with mercury amalgams in patients with MCS (22 patients), compared with controls (8 patients) (odds ratio 11 : 95 percent confidence interval 1.5 to 81.6; P = 0.023). Conclusions. Our data show an increased prevalence of metal allergy and elevation of mercury levels in bioindicators among patients with MCS.
Definition of decoherence.

We examine the relationship between the decoherence of quantum-mechanical histories of a closed system (as discussed by Gell-Mann and Hartle) and environmentally induced diagonalization of the density operator for an open system. We study a definition of decoherence which incorporates both of these ideas, and show that it leads to a consistent probabilistic interpretation of the reduced density operator
Biased Estimation in the Context of the Hedonic Pricing Model for Housing.

This dissertation compares eight biased estimators as alternatives to Ordinary Least Squares estimation in the context of predicting residential real estate prices. It considers ridge rule estimation and principal components regressions, techniques that have previously been proposed for this application. It also introduces the use of Stein-like rules for predicting housing prices. The study examines relative performance of these estimators in three data settings and under four separate assumptions regarding loss criteria. The first test of the estimators uses Multiple Listing Service (MLS) data for Baton Rouge, Louisiana between 1984 and 1989 to examine relative predictive effectiveness in a time series framework with highly descriptive data. Next, American Housing Survey (AHS) data for six metropolitan areas is employed to compare the estimators in a cross-sectional context with the type of data typically used to create housing price indexes. Finally, the AHS data is used as the basis for a Monte Carlo experiment that compares estimator performance in numerically simulated repeated samples. The partitioned Stein-like estimators do well in all three data environments. Two of them provide especially
Les barrières à la mise en œuvre des politiques d’adaptation au changement climatique: le cas de la Suisse

Abstract: The implementation of climate change adaptation polices has barely occurred in developed countries. This paper examines to what extent the perceptions of political actors might hinder the development of adaptation policies. We study the Swiss case using computer aided textual analysis. Our results demonstrate that adaptation is still not perceived as an important dimension of climate change policy. Decision makers do not perceive links between adaptation, the Swiss economy and the energy supply. Adaptation is mainly considered an issue for developing countries and not as a way to reduce the impacts of climate change in Switzerland. Right-wing parties tend to consider adaptation a secondary issue and are more likely than those to the left to object to the formulation or the implementation of public measures.
On distributed LDGM and LDPC code design for networked systems

We propose a novel distributed approach for the design of various classes of Low-Density Generator-Matrix (LDGM) and Low-Density Parity-Check (LDPC) codes for applications in networked systems. Distributed LDGM/LDPC codes encode a distributed network message of length k information symbols into a distributed network codeword of length n encoded symbols, with the goal of reliable network message recovery from any subset of (1 + ¿)k encoded symbols retrieved from the network. Different classes of distributed LDGM and LDPC codes are designed and compared in terms of the iterative decoding performance, upon retrieval of a fixed amount of encoded symbols.
The Effects of Merit-Based Financial Aid on Course Enrollment, Withdrawal and Completion in College

Since Georgia unveiled its HOPE Scholarship in 1993, at least 15 other states have implemented or proposed merit-aid programs based on the HOPE model. A common justification for these actions is to promote and reward academic achievement, thereby inducing greater investments in human capital. However, grade-based eligibility and retention rules encourage other behavioral responses. Using data extracted from the longitudinal records of all undergraduates who enrolled at the University of Georgia (UGA) between 1989 and 1997, we estimate the effects of HOPE on course enrollment, withdrawal and completion, and the diversion of course taking from the academic year to the summer, treating non-residents as a control group. First, we find that HOPE decreases full-load enrollments and increases course withdrawals among resident freshmen. The combination of these responses results in a 12% lower probability of full-load completion and an annual average reduction in credits completed of about 0.8 or 2%. The latter implies that between 1993 and 1997 Georgia resident freshmen completed almost 12,600 fewer credit hours than non-residents, or about 2,520 individual course enrollments. Second, the scholarship’s influence on course-taking behavior is concentrated on students whose GPAs place them on or below the scholarship-retention margin. Third, program effect increased with the lifting of the income cap. Fourth, these freshmen credit-hour reductions represent a general slowdown in academic progress and not just intertemporal substitution. Finally, residents diverted an average of . 5 credits from the regular academic year to the summer in each of their first two summers after matriculation, which amounts to a 22% rise in summer course taking.
2D Face Alignment and Pose Estimation Based on 3D Facial Models

Face alignment and head pose estimation has become a thriving research field with various applications for the past decade. Several approaches process on 2D texture image but most of them perform decently only with small pose variation. Recently, many approaches apply depth information to align objects. However, applications are restricted because depth cameras are more expensive than common cameras, and many original image resources contain no depth information. Therefore, we propose a 3D face alignment algorithm in 2D image based on Active Shape Model, and use Speeded-Up Robust Features (SURF) descriptors as local texture model. We train a 3D shape model with different view-based local texture models from a 3D database, and then fit a face in a 2D image by these models. We also improve the performance by two-stage search strategy. Furthermore, the head pose can be estimated by the alignment result of the proposed 3D model. Finally, we demonstrate some applications applied by our method.
Position-sensorless control of permanent-magnet-assisted synchronous reluctance motor

The sensorless control of permanent-magnet-assisted synchronous reluctance (PMASR) motors is investigated, in order to conjugate the advantages of the sensorless control with full exploitation of the allowed operating area, for a given inverter. An additional pulsating flux is injected in the d-axis direction at low and zero speed, while it is dropped out, at large speed, to save voltage and additional loss. A flux-observer-based control scheme is used, which includes an accurate knowledge of the motor magnetic behavior. This leads, in general, to good robustness against load variations, by counteracting the magnetic cross saturation effect. Moreover, it allows an easy and effective correspondence between the wanted torque and flux and the set values of the chosen control variables, that is d-axis flux and q-axis current. Experimental verification of the proposed method is given, both steady-state and dynamic performance are outlined. A prototype PMASR motor will be used to this aim, as part of a purposely assembled prototype drive, for light traction application (electric scooter).
Efficient Synchronization for Message-passing based Embedded Multiprocessors

This paper presents a novel and efficient synchronization mechanism for message-passing based embedded multiprocessors. The proposed synchronization is built on messagepassing protocols between a synchronization controller (SYNC) and the processors, which are connected via a low latency on-chip network. The proposed SYNC is a hardware engine, centrally managing and scheduling all synchronization operations among processors. On the processor side, we embed the synchronization primitives into each processor through a set of custom instructions, enabling the proposed mechanism features ultra low overhead. Moreover, industry-standard compatible programming interfaces are exposed to end-users to ease the software porting. Experimental results show that, for a 32-processor target architecture, the proposed mechanism achieves significant latency reduction when compared with the conventional approach based on polling the synchronization variables in memory. Furthermore, we show the scalability of the proposed approach is almost ideal when the number of processors increases.
City Adoption of Federal Performance Measurement Requirements

Performance measurement and management have become pervasive across levels of government and areas of programmatic emphasis. The Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD's) Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) entitlement program, facing cuts and reorganization under the second Bush administration, adopted enhanced performance measurement as a tool to increase program-wide accountability. Entitlement cities vary in terms of organizational characteristics, including local goals, that affect their perception of, adoption of, and ultimately the success of HUD's federal performance measurement requirements. Goal incongruence is thought to shape city satisfaction with new federal performance measurement and reporting requirements. This article utilizes data from an original survey of CDBG program administrators and U.S. Census data to determine which factors affect city adoption of HUD performance measurement requirements. Results indicate varied satisfaction and effectiveness among local grant administrators using HUD-imposed measures and can be used to inform other intergovernmental grant programs.