Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Modality Coupling for Privacy Image Classification

Privacy image classification (PIC) has attracted increasing attention as it can help people make appropriate privacy decisions when sharing images. Most recently, some pioneer research efforts have been made to utilize multimodal information for PIC, since multi-modality can provide richer information than single modality. Those research efforts on multimodal PIC are under the assumption of independently identically distribution. However, connections between different modalities commonly exist in real-world cases. Taking the modalities of scene and object as example, in the scene of ‘library/indoor’, the object ‘book jacket’ resides with high probabilities. To this end, in this paper, a novel PIC approach, called CoupledPIC, is proposed to bridge this gap by comprehensively capturing the coupling relations between different modalities. In CoupledPIC, two submodules are designed to capture explicit and implicit coupling relations between different modalities respectively. The explicit modality coupling is learned with a tensor fusion networks based submodule, via the direct interaction of features. For the implicit modality coupling, a graph convolutional networks based submodule is proposed to learn on both the initial graphs and attention guided graphs, via information aggregation on graphs. Extensive experiments on the public benchmark, PicAlert, demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed CoupledPIC, yielding significant improvement by modeling inter-modality coupling information.
Dual Homogeneous Patches-Based Band Selection Methodology for Hyperspectral Classification

Homogeneous band- or pixel-based feature selection, which exploits the difference between spectral or spatial regions to select informative and low-redundant bands, has been extensively studied in classifying hyperspectral images (HSIs). Although many models have proven effective, they rarely simultaneously exploit homogeneous spatial and spectral information, which are beneficial to extract potential low-dimensional characteristics even under noise. Moreover, the employed vectorial transformation and unordered assumption destroy the implicit knowledge of HSIs. To solve these issues, a dual homogeneous pixel patches-based methodology termed PHSIMR was created for selecting the most representative, low-redundant, and informative bands, integrating hybrid superpixelwise adjacent band grouping and regional informative mutuality ranking algorithms. Specifically, the adjoining band grouping technique is designed to group adjacent bands into connected clusters with a small homogeneous pixel patch containing several homolabeled adjacent spatial points. Hence, the processing is efficient, and the superpixelwise adjoining band grouping can perceptually and quickly acquire connected band groups. Furthermore, the constructed graph and affiliated group avoid vectorial transformation and unordered assumption, protecting spectral and spatial contextual information. Then, the regional informative mutuality ranking algorithm is employed on another larger pixel patch within each homogeneous band group, acquiring the final representative, low-redundant, and informative band subset. Since the employed dual patches consist of homolabeled spatial pixels, PHSIMR is a supervised methodology. Comparative experiments on three benchmark HSIs were performed to demonstrate the efficiency and effectiveness of the proposed PHSIMR.
A Screening Proposal for Zoom Dysmorphia in Virtual Settings

Zoom dysmorphia (ZD) is a facial dysmorphia that is triggered or aggravated by frequent virtual meetings. The frequent use of videoconferencing platforms has been linked to a distorted perception of facial images as individuals have an increased awareness of their appearance, given constant video feedback. As a result, dysmorphic concerns can develop. It is crucial to identify ZD as this condition interferes with an individual’s life and can trigger or aggravate body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). A standardized approach for screening ZD in non-psychiatric settings has yet to be defined. We discuss the features of ZD and the challenges of screening for ZD in a virtual setting. To facilitate the recognition of ZD in telehealth consultations, we propose a comprehensive ZD screening questionnaire that includes questions related to typical ZD features and a BDD-focused question. The questionnaire is concise and allows the identification of individuals with a potential ZD. A BDD assessment in such individuals should follow.
A Method for Coupling Monte Carlo Simulations of Photon Transport to Focused Gaussian Beam Propagation

We present a method for modeling focused Gaussian beams in turbid media. Compared to previous methods based on ray tracing, our method is simple and fast. Rather than sampling photon launch positions from the surface of the media, we directly sample launch positions from inside the sample volume using the probability distribution for the position that a ballistic photon will first interact with the tissue. The examples presented illustrate the importance of accounting for Gaussian beam optics when simulating a focused beam. Not doing so will give an artificially large irradiance at the beam waist position. Thermal models used to predict laser damage to tissue will predict temperature rises that are too large for samples containing the beam focus.
Models, numerical methods, and uncertainty quantification for radiation therapy

The evolution of particles traveling through a background medium can be described by the linear Boltzmann transport equation. For this equation, we study several numerical methods with the focus on radiation therapy. The main challenges to solve the linear transport equation numerically are the large dimensionality of the problem, the integro-differential form of the equation, and the highly varying material parameters in the scattering operator. In this work, we consider four main topics. First, we introduce a numerical method for electron transport based on the continuous slowing down approximation. We adapt a second order staggered grid method for spherical harmonic moment equations of radiative transfer to our application. Secondly, we investigate the filtered spherical harmonic (FPN ) equations, which have the potential to reduce the Gibbs phenomena around discontinuities. In particular, we prove global L2 convergence properties of the FPN equations and show how the convergence rates depend on the smoothness of the solution and the order of the filter. Thirdly, we extend a one-dimensional staggered grid method to two spatial dimensions. Due to the staggering, the method requires less unknowns than one might have expected and leads to a compact stencil in the discrete diffusion limit. In addition, we rigorously analyze the underlying one-dimensional scheme and show that the scheme is asymptotic preserving. Lastly, we derive a twolevel sampling strategy based on a model hierarchy to improve a stochastic collocation sparse grid method for uncertainty quantification. The method combines a reduced model for the hyperbolic relaxation system with a correction in a two-level framework to balance the different error terms and to minimize the computational cost. For all major topics, we present several numerical experiments to confirm the theoretical predictions.
Editorial: Candida spp.-transmission, pathogenesis, host-pathogen interaction, prevention, and treatment

COPYRIGHT © 2023 Soliman. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms. Editorial: Candida spp. -transmission, pathogenesis, host-pathogen interaction, prevention, and treatment
Homoclinic and stable periodic solutions for differential delay equations from physiology

A one-parameter family of Mackey-Glass type differential delay equations is considered. The existence of a homoclinic solution for suitable parameter value is proved. As a consequence, one obtains stable periodic solutions for nearby parameter values. An example of a nonlinear functions is given, for which all sufficient conditions of our theoretical results can be verified numerically. Numerically computed solutions are shown.
IMPACT OF LEADERSHIP STYLE ON ELECTRONIC COMMERCE ADOPTION AMONG SME: A CASE OF AD DAKHILIYYAH GOVERNORATE IN OMAN

Today's rapidly evolving technology has an impact on businesses as it offers new ways and means of conducting business. Undoubtedly, e-commerce has created new opportunities to change the way businesses operate. In such a critical situation, leaders need to develop visions and make important preparations to keep their companies afloat. The Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) was used to explore the relationship between leadership style and e-commerce adoption among managers of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Ad Dakhiliyah Governorate. Managers of 9104 SMEs in Ad Dakhiliyah responded to the questionnaire with 367 responses. SmartPLS 4 was used to analyse the data. The study found that there is a significant and positive relationship between transactional leadership and e-commerce adoption. However, the results show that there is a positive but not significant relationship between transformational leadership and e-commerce adoption. This study has important implications for how SME managers should demonstrate the right leadership style to support e-commerce adoption. This study provides SME managers with a better knowledge of the influence of leadership style on the adoption of e-commerce in Ad Dakhiliyah. Keywords: Leadership Style, E-commerce, Technology Adoption, SME, Oman, SmartPLS.
All of Low-Rank and Sparse: A Recast Total Variation Approach to Hyperspectral Denoising

Hyperspectral image (HSI) processing tasks frequently rely on spatial–spectral total variation (SSTV) to quantify the local smoothness of image structures. However, conventional SSTV only considers a sparse structure of gradient maps computed along the spatial and spectral dimensions while neglecting other correlations. To address this limitation, we introduce low-rank guided SSTV (LRSTV), which characterizes the sparsity and low-rank priors of the gradient map simultaneously. First, we verify through numerical tests and theoretical analyses that the gradient tensors are not only sparse but also low-rank. Subsequently, to model the low rankness of the gradient map, we use the tensor average rank to represent the low Tucker rank of gradient tensors. The convex envelope of the tensor average rank is then employed to penalize the rank on the gradient map after the Fourier transform along the spectral dimension. By naturally encoding the sparsity and low-rank priors of the gradient map, LRSTV results in a more accurate representation of the original image. Finally, we demonstrate the effectiveness of LRSTV by integrating it into the HSI processing model, replacing conventional SSTV, and testing it on two public datasets with nine cases of mixed noise and two datasets with realistic noise. The results show that LRSTV outperforms conventional SSTV in terms of accuracy and robustness.
Queering Russian cinema as a community-building practice

ABSTRACT LGBTQ media discourses in contemporary Russia have been extensively researched from the perspectives of media and queer studies. Scholars have theorised whether ‘queerness’ can be appropriated from the West and localised in Russia for the benefit of local LGBTQ communities. Building on existing scholarship, this article examines media discourses on queer film as initiated and maintained by representatives of Russian LGBTQ film audiences. I investigate how LGBTQ opinion leaders appropriate the term kvir (queer) in the context of viewing and interpreting contemporary, post-Soviet, and Soviet Russian cinema. I analyse how ‘queering’ is used as the optics for discerning obvious or ciphered visual and verbal expressions of non-heteronormative gender and sexuality on screen, at the same time reclaiming narratives of the recent and remote past, as both shared and individual LGBTQ histories.
Association analyses of 249,796 individuals reveal eighteen new loci associated with body mass index

Obesity is globally prevalent and highly heritable, but the underlying genetic factors remain largely elusive. To identify genetic loci for obesity-susceptibility, we examined associations between body mass index (BMI) and ~2.8 million SNPs in up to 123,865 individuals, with targeted follow-up of 42 SNPs in up to 125,931 additional individuals. We confirmed 14 known obesity-susceptibility loci and identified 18 new loci associated with BMI ( P <5×10 −8 ), one of which includes a copy number variant near GPRC5B. Some loci ( MC4R, POMC, SH2B1, BDNF ) map near key hypothalamic regulators of energy balance, and one is near GIPR , an incretin receptor. Furthermore, genes in other newly-associated loci may provide novel insights into human body weight regulation.
Modular Architectural Groupings from Escher Periodic Tessellations

One of the more interesting design techniques developed by Dutch graphic artist M.C. Escher consists in covering the plane with tiles containing patterns that repeats periodically. Modularity within shape grouping is extensively used, expressed by natural figures from the living world, and also from worlds of fantasy. This paper attempts to use Escher ́s ideas as a source of inspiration to obtain modular shapes to conform groups with architectural issues. The task is to satisfy design requirements and to get repeatable unitary shapes, whose geometric description is modularly manipulated within area as well as perimeter. This should be done by two procedures: 1. from the components to the whole (from the tiles to the tiling): once the designer has defined a modular constructive unit (solving a particular situation), it is possible to repeat the unit to generate modular groups, knowing that they will fit perfectly among them, without gaps nor overlaps. 2. from the whole to the components (from the tiling to the tiles): defining a tessellation with the particular rules that drives close to the architectural solution, and getting the necessary units from the tiling. There are multiple architectural themes on which this should be performed. School class-rooms, habitation buildings, shopping center sites, hotel rooms, are examples of this statement.
Imaging through haze using multispectral polarization imaging method

In almost every practical scenario the light reflected from a surface is scattered in the atmosphere before it reaches a sensor. While this effect can be a little annoying for the amateur photograph trying to take a picture, it can have disastrous consequences for unmanned autonomous vehicle navigating through fog for instance. By employing an innovative method based on a clever combination of spectral bands and polarization analysis, coupled with advanced image processing techniques, significant improvements have been achieved on fog obscurant using the existing passive full Stokes polarization imaging camera for visible light “SALSA” (developed by Bossa Nova Technologies).
In Vitro Evaluation of Ag- and Sr-Doped Hydroxyapatite Coatings for Medical Applications

Osseointegration plays the most important role in the success of an implant. One of the applications of hydroxyapatite (HAp) is as a coating for metallic implants due to its bioactive nature, which improves osteoconduction. The purpose of this research was to assess the in vitro behavior of HAp undoped and doped with Ag and/or Sr obtained by galvanostatic pulsed electrochemical deposition. The coatings were investigated in terms of chemical bonds, contact angle and surface free energy, electrochemical behavior, in vitro biomineralization in acellular media (SBF and PBS), and biocompatibility with preosteoblasts cells (MC3T3-E1 cell line). The obtained results highlighted the beneficial impact of Ag and/or Sr on the HAp. The FTIR spectra confirmed the presence of hydroxyapatite within all coatings, while in terms of wettability, the contact angle and surface free energy investigations showed that all surfaces were hydrophilic. The in vitro behavior of MC3T3-E1 indicated that the presence of Sr in the HAp coatings as a unique doping agent or in combination with Ag elicited improved cytocompatibility in terms of cell proliferation and osteogenic differentiation. Therefore, the composite HAp-based coatings showed promising potential for bone regeneration applications.
Multi-Objective Mathematical Model for the Optimal Time to Harvest Sugarcane

In this paper, the sugarcane and sugar industry in Thailand is studied. The government determines the sugarcane prices which is based on the two main factors: 1) weight and 2) commercial cane sugar (standard value equal 10 C.C.S.). Usually, the C.C. S. will increase with time and the weight will decrease. The main purpose of this research is to find the optimal harvest time to maximize revenue and minimize gathering cost. The mathematical model is first formulated under the regulations of the Office of the Cane and Sugar Board (OCSB). The -constraints method is then applied to solve the multi-objective mathematical model. The optimal harvest times in the four regions of Thailand (Northern, Central, Eastern, North-Eastern) for crop years 2012/ 13, 2013/14 and 2014/15 are obtained for comparison.
Legendre Tensor Decomposition

We present a novel nonnegative tensor decomposition method, called Legendre decomposition, which factorizes an input tensor into a multiplicative combination of parameters. Thanks to the well-developed theory of information geometry, the reconstructed tensor is unique and always minimizes the KL divergence from an input tensor. We empirically show that Legendre decomposition can more accurately reconstruct tensors than nonnegative CP and Tucker decompositions.
Design and Development of Automated Digital Circuit Structure Base on Evolutionary Algorithm Method

Evolutionary Algorithms (EAs) covers all the applications involving the use of Evolutionary Computation in electronic system’s design. It is largely applied to complex optimization problems. EAs introduces a new idea for automatic design of electronic systems; instead of imagine model, abstractions, and conventional techniques, it uses search algorithm to design a circuit. In this paper, a method for automatic optimization of digital circuit design method has been introduced. This method is based on randomized search techniques mimicking natural genetic evolution. The proposed method is an iterative procedure that consists of a constant-size population of individuals, each one encoding a possible solution in a given problem space. The structure of the circuit is encoded into one-dimensional genotype as represented by a finite string of bits. A number of bit string used to represent the wires connection between the level and 7 types of possible logic gates; XOR, XNOR, NAND, NOR, AND, OR, NOT 1 and NOT 2,. The structure of gates are arranged in a m * n matrix form which m is the number of input variables.
Genetic drift versus natural selection affecting the evolution of spectral and functional traits of two key macrophytes: Phragmites australis and Nuphar lutea

Both genetic and phenotypic intraspecific diversity play a crucial role in the ecological and evolutionary dynamics of organisms. Several studies have compared phenotypic divergence (Pst) and differentiation of neutral loci (Fst) to infer the relative roles of genetic drift and natural selection in population differentiation (Pst–Fst comparison). For the first time, we have assessed and compared the genetic variation and differentiation at the leaf trait level in two key macrophytes, Phragmites australis and Nuphar lutea. To this aim, we quantified and described the genetic structure and phenotypic diversity of both species in five lake systems in north‐central Italy. We then investigated the relative roles of genetic drift and natural selection on leaf trait differentiation (Pst–Fst), assuming that Fst reflects divergence caused only by genetic drift while Pst also incorporates the effects of selective dynamics on the phenotype. In terms of genetic structure, the results for P. australis were in line with those observed for other Italian and European conspecific populations. Conversely, N. lutea showed a more complex genetic structure than expected at the site level, probably due to the combined effect of genetic isolation and its mixed mating system. Both species exhibited high variability in leaf functional traits within and among sites, highlighting a high degree of phenotypic plasticity. Pst–Fst comparisons showed a general tendency towards directional selection in P. australis and a more complex pattern in N. lutea. Indeed, the drivers of phenotypic differentiation in N. lutea showed a variable mix of stabilising and directional selection or neutral divergence at most sites. The prevalence of vegetative over generative reproduction leads P. australis populations to be dominated by a few clones that are well adapted to local conditions, including phenotypes that respond plastically to the environment. In contrast, in N. lutea, the interaction of a mixed mating system and geographical isolation among distant sites tends to reduce the effect of outbreeding depression and provides the genetic basis for adaptive capacity. The first joint analysis of the genetic structure of these two key macrophytes allowed a better understanding of the relative roles of genetic drift and natural selection in the diversification of phenotypic traits within habitats dominated by P. australis and N. lutea.
CP and MIP approaches for soccer analysis

Soccer is one of the most popular sports in the world with millions of fans that usually raise interesting questions when the competition is partially completed. One interesting question relates to the elimination problem which consists in checking at some stage of the competition if a team i still has a theoretical chance to finish first in a league or be within the first k teams in a tournament to qualify to the playoffs (e.g., become the champion if k = 1). Some other interesting problems from the literature are the guaranteed qualification problem, the possible qualification problem, the score vector problem, promotion and relegation problem. These problems are NP-complete for the actual FIFA pointing rule system (0 points-loss, 1 point-tie, 3 points-win). SABIO is an online platform that helps users discover information related to soccer by letting them formulate questions in form of constraints and go beyond the classical soccer computational problems. In this paper we considerably improve the performance of an existing constraint programming (CP) model and combine the use of mixed integer programming (MIP) and CP to answer general soccer queries in a real-time application.