Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Feature Integration and Selection for Pixel Correspondence

Pixel correspondence is an important problem in stereo vision, motion, structure from motion, etc. Several procedures have been proposed in the literature for this problem, using a variety of image features to identify the corresponding features. Di(cid:11)erent features work well under di(cid:11)erent conditions. An algorithm that can seamlessly integrate multiple features in a (cid:13)exible manner can combine the advantages of each. We propose a framework to combine heterogenous features, each with a di(cid:11)erent measure of importance, into a single correspondence computation in this paper. We also present an unsupervised procedure to select the optimal combination of features for a given pair of images by computing the relative importances of each feature. A unique aspect of our framework is that it is independent of the speci(cid:12)c correspondence algorith-m used. Optimal feature selection can be done using any correspondence mechanism that can be extended to use multiple features. We also present a few examples that demonstrate the e(cid:11)ectiveness of the feature selection framework.
Modelling and analysis of error probability performance for DMT-based DSL system with impulse noise and crosstalk

The transmission of high-speed data over Digital Subscriber Loop (DSL) can be accomplished through the use of Discrete Multitone (DMT). Due to the frequency dependent channel distortion and crosstalk, there is a need to determine the performance of DMT-based DSL for system optimization purpose. This paper presents an error probability analysis for the DMT-based DSL in presence of additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN), impulse noise (IN) and crosstalk. The bandlimitation effect of the DSL on the DMT signal is studied based on the discrete impulse response of the channel. Impairments after Fourier transformation at the receiver end are analysed. A recently proposed impulse noise model, in which IN is viewed as the product of a Bernoulli process and a Gaussian process is adopted. Crosstalk noise is assumed to be Gaussian distributed with its variance determined from the frequency response of the DSL and empirically obtained coupling constants. A closed-form expression for the error probability performance of the DMT system with Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM) modulation is derived.
Role of the Human Endogenous Retrovirus HERV-K18 in Autoimmune Disease Susceptibility: Study in the Spanish Population and Meta-Analysis

Background Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) are genomic sequences that resulted from ancestral germ-line infections by exogenous retroviruses and therefore are transmitted in a Mendelian fashion. Increased HERV expression and antibodies to HERV antigens have been found in various autoimmune diseases. HERV-K18 in chromosome 1 was previously associated with type one diabetes and multiple sclerosis (MS). The etiology of these complex conditions has not been completely elucidated even after the powerful genome wide association studies (GWAS) performed. Nonetheless, this approach does not scrutinize the repetitive sequences within the genome, and part of the missing heritability could lie behind these sequences. We aimed at evaluating the role of HERV-K18 in chromosome 1 on autoimmune disease susceptibility. Methods Two HERV-K18 SNPs (97Y/C and 154W/Stop substitutions) conforming three haplotypes were genotyped in Spanish cohorts of multiple sclerosis (n = 942), rheumatoid arthritis (n = 462) and ethnically matched controls (n = 601). Our findings were pooled in a meta-analysis including 5312 autoimmune patients and 4032 controls. Results Significant associations of both HERV-K18 polymorphisms in chromosome 1 with MS patients stratified by HLA-DRB1*15∶01 were observed [97Y/C p = 0.02; OR (95% CI) = 1.5 (1.04–2.17) and 154W/Stop: p = 0.001; OR (95% CI) = 1.6 (1.19–2.16)]. Combined meta-analysis of the previously published association studies of HERV-K18 with different autoimmune diseases, together with data derived from Spanish cohorts, yielded a significant association of the HERV-K18.3 haplotype [97Y–154W: pM-H = 0.0008; ORM-H (95% CI) = 1.22 (1.09–1.38)]. Conclusion Association of the HERV-K18.3 haplotype in chromosome 1 with autoimmune-disease susceptibility was confirmed through meta-analysis.
Paternal Depression in the Postnatal Period and Early Father–Infant Interactions

SYNOPSIS Objective. Paternal depressive disorder is associated with adverse effects on child development. One possible mechanism for this is through the effects of the disorder on parenting capacities. The link between paternal depression and father–infant interactions was investigated at three-months postpartum. Design. Major depressive disorder was assessed in N = 192 fathers using a structured clinical interview (SCID). Altogether, 54 fathers met criteria for depression, and 99 fathers were categorized as non-depressed. Observational assessments of face-to-face father–infant interactions were conducted in an infant-seat setting and a floor-mat setting. Associations between paternal depression and father–infant interactions were analyzed. Results. Paternal depression is associated with more withdrawn parental behavior in interactions on the floor-mat. There were few other differences in observed interaction between depressed and non-depressed fathers. Conclusions. Fathers with depression may be more withdrawn, displaying less verbal and behavioral stimulation during interactions with their young infants. They may initiate a pattern of parenting that remains compromised, potentially affecting their children’s development.
Notch signaling mediated by TGF-β/Smad pathway in concanavalin A-induced liver fibrosis in rats

AIM To explore the exact interaction between Notch and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β signaling in liver fibrosis. METHODS We established a rat model of liver fibrosis induced by concanavalin A. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated from the modeled rats, and cultured with γ-secretase inhibitor DAPT and TGF-β inhibitor for 24 h. The mRNA levels of Notch and TGF-β signaling were detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Expression of Notch and TGF-β proteins was analyzed by western blotting. RESULTS Compared to control rats, Notch and TGF-β signaling was activated in PBMCs of model rats. Administration of DAPT and TGF-β inhibitor suppressed Notch and TGF-β signal transducer in PBMCs of model rats. DAPT reduced mRNA and protein expression of TGF-β signaling, such as TGF-β1 and Smad3. TGF-β inhibitor also downregulated Notch1, Hes1 and Hes5, and mRNA and protein expression of the Notch signaling pathway. CONCLUSION Notch and TGF-β signaling play a role in liver fibrosis. TGF-β signaling upregulates Notch signaling, which promotes TGF-β signaling.
SYMPHONY - A Controller Architecture for Hybrid Software Defined Networks

As enterprises migrate to SDN, a brown field network transitional state is inevitable, where both Software Defined and Legacy networks coexist. The aim of this work is to further the knowledge in the area of Hybrid Software Defined Network (SDN) networks, by investigating requirements and challenges involved in building such networks. This work proposes a Hybrid SDN controller architecture to establish, control and inter-domain communication between the legacy and SDN domains.
Genetic rescue in a severely inbred wolf population

Natural populations are becoming increasingly fragmented which is expected to affect their viability due to inbreeding depression, reduced genetic diversity and increased sensitivity to demographic and environmental stochasticity. In small and highly inbred populations, the introduction of only a few immigrants may increase vital rates significantly. However, very few studies have quantified the long‐term success of immigrants and inbred individuals in natural populations. Following an episode of natural immigration to the isolated, severely inbred Scandinavian wolf (Canis lupus) population, we demonstrate significantly higher pairing and breeding success for offspring to immigrants compared to offspring from native, inbred pairs. We argue that inbreeding depression is the underlying mechanism for the profound difference in breeding success. Highly inbred wolves may have lower survival during natal dispersal as well as competitive disadvantage to find a partner. Our study is one of the first to quantify and compare the reproductive success of first‐generation offspring from migrants vs. native, inbred individuals in a natural population. Indeed, our data demonstrate the profound impact single immigrants can have in small, inbred populations, and represent one of very few documented cases of genetic rescue in a population of large carnivores.
Non-competition Guarantee Value Model Research Based on Real Option

In infrastructure financed projects, in order to attract private investors, host governments often provide some guarantees. This paper develops a value model of non-competition guarantee with real option theory. The model is applied to infrastructure financed projects using the non-competition guarantee under derivation. The derivation results indicate that, there is incentive effect to investors when the non-competition guarantee is used by governments. Non-competition value increases with a bigger growth rate of traffic flow. And its value decreases with a bigger volatility of traffic flow.
Evaluation of Two Modeling Methods for Generating Heavy-Truck Trips at an Intermodal Facility by Using Vessel Freight Data

A methodology for building a truck trip generation model by use of artificial neural networks from vessel freight data has been developed and successfully applied to five Florida seaports. The backpropagation neural network (BPNN) algorithm was used in the design. Although the methodology was sound, a new model had to be developed for each of these intermodal facilities. Lead and lag variables were necessary input variables for most models to account for commodities stored on port property before export or pickup after import. Other modeling techniques were researched, and a fully recurrent neural network (FRNN) trained by the real-time recurrent learning algorithm was selected to develop a model for Port Canaveral and compare with a BPNN model. FRNN is dynamic in nature and was found to relate to the storage time of the commodities to truck trip generation. A developed Port Canaveral BPNN model was successfully validated at the 95% confidence level with collected field data. It was applied to conduct a short-term forecast of the port's truck traffic for 5 years. The average annual growth of trucks based on the estimated freight activity under the BPNN model was 5.07%. The Port Canaveral FRNN model adequately estimated the current conditions but failed to forecast truck growth. The FRNN model required more data for forecasting than backpropagation. However, when more consecutive data are available for training, FRNN may produce more accurate results.
One-key Double-Sum MAC with Beyond-Birthday Security

MACs (Message Authentication Codes) are widely adopted in communication systems to ensure data integrity and data origin authentication, e.g. CBC-MACs in the ISO standard 9797-1. However, all the current designs either suffer from birthday attacks or require long key sizes. In this paper, we focus on designing beyond-birthday-bound MAC modes with a single key, and investigate their design principles. First, we review the current proposals, e.g. 3kf9 and PMAC Plus, and identify that the security primarily comes from the construction of a cover-free function and the advantage of the sum of PRPs. The main challenge in reducing their key size is to find a mechanism to carefully separate the block cipher inputs to the cover-free construction and the sum of PRPs that work in cascade with such a construction. Secondly, we develop several tools on sampling distributions that are quite useful in analysis of the MAC mode of operations and by which we unify the proofs for three/two-key beyond-birthday-bound MACs. Thirdly, we establish our main theorem that upper-bounds the PRF security of the one-key constructions by extended-cover-free, pseudo-cover-free, block-wise universal and the normal PRP assumption on block ciphers. Finally, we apply our main theorem to 3kf9 and PMAC Plus, and successfully reduce their key sizes to the minimum possible. Thus, we solve a long-standing open problem in designing beyond-birthday-bound MAC with a single key.
Toward Assisted Authoring of Social Skill Scenarios for Young Adults with High Functioning Autism

Individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have very individualistic needs, abilities, and are surrounded by very different social contexts. Consequently , special education and therapeutic interventions often need to be adapted to a particular individual. We are interested in developing systems that can help adolescents with high-functioning ASD (HFASD) rehearse and learn social skills with reduced aide from parents, guardians, teachers, and therapists. However, we recognize that there is not a one-size-fits-all solution to social skills training for young adults with HFASD. In this paper we present a social skills learning game that utilizes techniques from intelligent tutoring systems and interactive entertainment. To overcome the limitations of generalizability, we further describe ongoing work toward artificial intelligence agents that assist parents, guardians, teachers, and therapists with the development of learning content tailored to individuals with HFASD.
A Generalized Method to Solve Text-Based CAPTCHAs

We present work in progress on the automated solving of text-based CAPTCHAs. Our method consists of two large components: firstly, we segment the text from the background. Afterwards, in order to identify the text, we extract features and use learning algorithms to classify each character. In particular, we developed a weighted k -means algorithm, which is largely able to segment the text portion of the CAPTCHA image. Additionally, we developed an algorithm to separate the individual characters. Finally, we explored classifying the separated characters using several methods, including through support vector machines and optical character recognition algorithms. We also present some current challenges we face in this algorithm, and some ideas we plan on exploring to overcome them.
Design of fault tolerant n bit reversible comparator for optimization of garbage and Ancilla bits

Reversible logic is the emerging topic for research due to its advantage of low energy consumption. Fault tolerant circuit design is required to give error free outputs. In this paper we present an optimized n bit Reversible Fault Tolerant Comparator design using parity preserving reversible logic gates. The Design involves MSB comparison as the first stage followed by Next Bit comparison stage which contributes for 1 bit garbage-less comparator design. The Design is generalized for n bit comparison. The performance parameters are analyzed for n bit. Our work outperforms the existing reversible fault tolerant comparator designs in terms of garbage output and Ancilla inputs or constant inputs. This efficiency of our design helps in reducing the footprint of the design.
The Theory of Everything: Foundations, Applications and Corrections to General Relativity

Corrections to general relativity are derived from classical theory and applied to the standard model. The perspective offered is the conceptual inverse of Einstein's theory, where particles exist as localized fields. These vacuum fields undergo affine transformations that are locally invariant with respect to the space- time metric. It is demonstrated that the proper vacuum solution to the Einstein-Maxwell field equations is the limit of the single particle vacuum field solution. The existence of event horizon within Einstein's field equations is linked to the application of point-like sources in the local field theory. With vacuum field theory, it is observed that event horizon can no longer form without infinite classical energy. Gravitational waves are also discussed relative to the use of point-like sources in Einstein's field equations and similar geometric field theories. Methods for determining the space-time metric of any object on a per particle basis are provided. The continuous model of the universe is further introduced, where the solutions to several grand cosmological problems are discussed. It is demonstrated that an asymptotically flat universe will appear linear with respect to local observers. The inferred accelerated expansion is an illusion due to local geodesics deflecting towards the center of an asymptotically flat, linear universe. With recent constraints on the abundance of faint blue galaxies and observed evolution, ∧CDM is found to be off in galactic number densities by and at and respectively. These galaxies are also observed to be similar to local disk and irregular populations, where ∧CDM underestimates their size by prior to . This implies that an expanding model predicts the incorrect shape of the universe, which induces systematic lensing errors. After eliminating all viable explanations, an expanding universe is conclusively ruled out. The purposed model however agrees with all observations by applying only classical assumptions. The shape of the universe for example supports a central core, which is responsible for the cosmic background radiation. It is further argued that Einstein's field equations are incompatible with such universe due to predictions of event horizon. Table of Contents
Virtual Host Confusion : Weaknesses and Exploits Black Hat 2014 Report *

Transport Layer Security (TLS) is commonly used to provide server-authenticated secure channels for HTTPS web applications. From the viewpoint of the client, however, the server authentication guarantees of HTTPS are frequently misconstrued to identify a single HTTPS endpoint or origin whereas, in practice, the HTTPS server may be serving any one of a large set of origins. This issue is even more acute in SPDY, a proposed successor to HTTP already in wide use today, because of a little-known feature that allows TLS sessions to be reused for requests to origins other than the one the session was negotiated for. We study current HTTPS server-side deployments and identify several vulnerabilities in server identification, all of which lead to serious attacks on popular websites and cloud-hosting infrastructures. We show that the common practice of using TLS certificates that cover multiple domains can be exploited if any one of the domains hosts untrusted content. We demonstrate that the use of shared TLS session caches and session tickets across different hosts and connection reuse in SPDY both weaken server authentication. By combining these vulnerabilities with widespread web server configuration problems, we describe practical, high-impact network-based redirection attacks that steal cookies and signon tokens, hijack sessions on popular websites, or can bypass certificate validation. To counter such attacks and to recover the isolation guarantees that are commonly assumed in shared hosting environments, we propose changes to web server software, TLS libraries, and the SPDY protocol and advocate prudent practices for the safe usage of TLS.
Bacterial viruses in coastal seawater: lytic rather than lysogenic production

It has recently been suggested that the majority of virus production in seawater is through lysogen induction. Here, we examine the mechanism of virus production in coastal surface seawater. Bacteria and viruses were removed from seawater by ultrafiltration (0.2 or 0.02 pm) and introduced back to the water in 0.6 pm filtered inocula. Viral and bacterial abundance was followed during sample incubations using transmission electron microscopy and acridine orange direct counts. Bacteria increased in abundance in aU cases. When initial abundances were less than 1.3 X 106 viruses rnl-', (with extremely low initial bacterial densities), viruses disappeared at a rate of 20 to 50% d-l for the first 2 d and did not increase in abundance over the 7 d incubation period. Continuous sunlight exposure or a pulse of sunlight did not lead to detectable virus production, indicating that natural UV light did not induce lysogens. In samples with initial abundances above 1.3 X 106 viruses ml-l, significant increases as well as fluctuations in virus numbers were observed after the second day. This suggests that lytic infection, rather than the induction of lysogenic bacteria, is responsible for the majority of bacteriophage production in these experiments. Since lytic infection is dependent on encounter frequency, which is controlled by densities of both viruses and bactena, the product of these 2 concentrations determines if infection may take place. We observed lytic infection only when the product of virus and bacteria numbers equalled 10'' or more. Reported abundances of viruses and bacteria in natural seawater san~ples frequently fall above this level in surface waters and below it in mid and deep waters, suggesting that lytic infection may occur in all but deeper waters. However, due to the specificity of hosthirus interactions, infection is also dependent on the quantitative bacterial species composition and diversity, which are presently unknown.
Navigating the Study of Executive Leaders’ Spirituality

This Meet the Person article presents a synthesis of two interviews with André Delbecq, senior fellow at the Ignatian Center for Jesuit Education and professor of management at the Leavey School of Business at Santa Clara University. André was a pioneering researcher in a number of areas of management scholarship such as group decision-making (e.g., the Nominal Group Technique) and managing innovation and change, with a career extending over 58 years. He experienced a shift in his late career toward the study of executive leaders’ spirituality. In the interviews, André talked of that shift, providing an inspiring example of a successful career transition, as well as his personal insight on venturing into new areas of research. André’s career is an example of engaged scholarship, academic researcher development, and the decentered academic product.
Elevated blood pressure in urban emergency department patients.

OBJECTIVES There has been little systematic study of emergency department (ED) patients with elevated blood pressure (BP) values. The authors sought to characterize ED patients with elevated BP values, assess presenting symptoms, and determine the prevalence of elevated BP after discharge. METHODS This was a cross-sectional study performed in four academic EDs. Adults presenting with systolic BP >or=140 mm Hg or diastolic BP >or=90 mm Hg were enrolled over a one-week equivalent period. Demographics, medical history, and symptoms were obtained by chart abstraction and structured interview. A random patient subset underwent a three-week follow-up interview. BP measurements were staged, using Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (JNC-VI) criteria, according to the greatest value noted in the ED. RESULTS A total of 1,396 patients were enrolled. Stage 1 BP values were noted in 44.3%, stage 2 in 25.3%, and stage 3 in 30.3%. African American patients more frequently had stage 2 and 3 BP values than other ethnic groups. BP measurements were repeated in 61.1% of patients and were the same or greater in 51.3% of patients. Dyspnea was associated with greater BP values. Among the 63.9% of patients who were interviewed, 52.7% were not being treated for hypertension, and 42.1% of those with hypertension had recently missed a medication dose. Follow-up was obtained in 74.7% of those targeted. A visit to a medical practitioner since discharge was reported by 63.2%; of these, 26.1% reported that their BP remained elevated. CONCLUSIONS Elevated BP is common among ED patients. African American patients are more likely than those of other ethnic groups to have greater BP values. The ED visit may be a good opportunity to identify patients with unrecognized or poorly controlled hypertension.