Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Vehicle Detection Method Based on Edge Information and Local Transform Histogram

Robust and reliable vehicle detection from images is an important problem with applications to Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). In this paper, we show that edge information can be used as vehicle absence cue to reject early a large portion of background windows. An improved coarse-to-fine vehicle detection method is proposed in order to achieve efficient detection with high accuracy. Furthermore, according to our study, we find that contour is the major property of a vehicle. We propose an effective method to capture the contour information, which is edge based Local Transform Histogram (LTH). We first extract the Sobel edge of the input image, and then use LTH to encode the contour information. Though linear SVM remains a popular choice for its speed and performance, we use Histogram Intersection Kernel (HIK) SVM for its better classification accuracy. Our method is evaluated on a famous benchmark dataset: UIUC car dataset. The experimental results show that our method has significantly improved the accuracy and stability of vehicle detection.
The cue-familiarity heuristic in metacognition.

Four experiments contrasted the cue-familiarity hypothesis of feeling-of-knowing judgments (FKJs) and tip-of-the-tongue feelings (TOTs) to the target-retrievability hypothesis. Familiarity of the cues was contrasted to memorability of the targets in a paired-associate design (e.g., A-B A-B, A-B A-B', A-B A-D, A-B C-D), in which the number of repetitions of the cue A terms was dissociated from the memorability of the target B terms. Little support was found for the target-retrievability hypothesis, because in none of the 4 experiments were FKJs related to target memorability. In one experiment, an omnibus retrieval hypothesis (which implicates total retrieval rather than just correct retrieval) and the cue-familiarity hypothesis produced isomorphic predictions that were borne out by the FKJ and TOT results. All 4 experiments supported the cue-familiarity hypothesis, because FKJs and TOTs were directly related to the number of presentations (and thereby the familiarity) of the cues.
Defect Oriented Testing of Analog Circuits Using Wavelet Analysis of Dynamic Current

In recent years, Defect Oriented Testing (DOT) has been investigated as an alternative testing method for analog circuits. In this paper, we propose a wavelet transform based dynamic current (IDD) analysis technique for detecting catastrophic and parametric faults in analog circuits. Wavelet transform has the property of resolving events in both time and frequency domain simultaneously unlike Fourier transform which decomposes a signal in frequency components only. Simulation results on benchmark circuits show that wavelet transform has higher fault detection sensitivity than Fourier or time-domain methods and hence, can be considered very promising for defect oriented testing of analog circuits.
Guideline for the application of COSMIC-FFP for sizing Business applications Software

The COSMIC-FFP functional sizing method can be applied to several software domains (such as business applications and ‘real-time’ software). The Measurement Manual offers a theoretical skeleton, together with examples from those domains. For each specific software domain a Guideline will be developed. A Guideline aims to describe detailed rules and to provide extensive examples for the sizing of software from that specific domain. The first Guideline to be published gives a characterisati on of the business applications domain. To apply the COSMIC-FFP method to business applications software the measurer requires a good understanding of data analysis. The Guideline gives a short explanation of data analysis and its relation with the COSMIC-FFP method. Finally, the application of the COSMICFFP method in the domain is explained for the End-user Measurement Viewpoint and the Developer Measurement Viewpoint, as defined in the COSMIC-FFP Measurement Manual. The Guideline discusses the materials of the COSMIC-FFP method (boundary, layer, object of interest, identification of data movements etc.), their manifestation in the business applications domain together with many examples.
Journal of Internet Banking and Commerce Ict Adoption in Malaysian Smes from Services Sectors: Preliminary Findings

The purpose of this research was to investigate the extent to which small and medium size businesses in the southern region in Malaysia are prepared for ICT adoption. Most of the businesses have now accepted ICT as an important tool to increase its business in the domestic as well as global market place. In future ICT will grow more rapidly in the Malaysian SMEs sectors. In order to increase the effectiveness of ICT, companies can use Internet to present almost unlimited information about their products and services in cyberspace. Through judgment sampling SMEs from service sectors of northern region was selected as the research area for this study. This study investigates the rate of usage of ICT by the SMEs. The survey was conducted by mail and the findings are summarized herein.
Evaluation of Corneal Epithelial Healing Under Contact Lens with Spectral-Domain Anterior Segment Optical Coherence Tomography (SD-OCT)

Purpose: To describe a novel technique of using Spectral-domain (SD) anterior segment optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) in the evaluation of corneal epithelial healing under a therapeutic contact lens (TCL) after lamellar keratoplasty and Epi-LASIK procedures. Design: Prospective, non-comparative, observational case series. Methods: Ten eyes of eight patients undergoing lamellar corneal transplantation and Epi-LASIK procedures at the Singapore National Eye Centre were included in the study. Ultra-high resolution SD-OCT scans of the cornea with a TCL in-situ were performed sequentially on the first, third and fifth day after procedure, with the RTVue (Optovue, Inc, Fremont, CA, USA), and the image findings were correlated with the clinical picture. Complete epithelial healing was verified with removal of TCL and fluorescein staining. Results: 5 eyes underwent Descemet’s stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK), 1 eye underwent deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DALK) and 4 eyes underwent Epi-LASIK. All eyes had complete epithelial healing with TCL in-situ by the third post-operative day. SD-OCT images were able to demonstrate the epithelial layer distinctly under the TCL in all cases. Conclusions: SD-OCT is a valuable imaging tool for monitoring the progression of epithelial healing with TCL in situ in patients following corneal surgical procedures.
The Influence of Service Quality on Customer Satisfaction : Customers of Boushehr Bank Sepah as a Case Study

M.A. Candidate in Marketing, University of Boushehr, Iran Abstract This study investigates the influence of Service Quality on Customer Satisfaction. Banking services market could be evaluated in terms of the mutual relationship between banks and customers or in other words their loyalty to the bank. Some people have strong relationships with one bank; but for some, it is more comfortable to work with different banks and enjoy their services according to the diversity of their needs and expectations. Discovering customer's needs and fulfilling their expectations is a key element in market expansion and maintenance of loyal customers. As a part of their ongoing reform program, active banks try to remain updated about of the expectations of their customers, to identify their needs and to improve their services. Statistical population of the study is customers of Bushehr Bank Sepah . Data gathering instrument was a self administered questionnaire and categorized random sampling method was used. For Data analysis, we used ttest. The results indicate that, The results of this study show that according to the customers of Sepah bank, there is a significant difference between their expectations and their perceptions in terms of innovation, benefits and credits and bank's reputation which means that this bank was unable to meet their expectations about these three factors but the customers were satisfied by the other 9 factors.
In honour of N. Yngve Öhrn: surveying proton cancer therapy reactions with Öhrn's electron nuclear dynamics method. Aqueous clusters radiolysis and DNA-base damage by proton collisions1

Proton cancer therapy (PCT) utilises high-energy H+ projectiles to cure cancer. PCT healing arises from its DNA damage in cancerous cells, which is mostly inflicted by the products from PCT water radiolysis reactions. While clinically established, a complete microscopic understanding of PCT remains elusive. To help in the microscopic elucidation of PCT, Professor Öhrn's simplest-level electron nuclear dynamics (SLEND) method is herein applied to H+ + (H2O)3–4 and H+ + DNA-bases at ELab = 1.0 keV. These are two types of computationally feasible prototypes to study water radiolysis reactions and H+-induced DNA damage, respectively. SLEND is a time-dependent, variational, non-adiabatic and direct-dynamics method that adopts a nuclear classical-mechanics description and an electronic single-determinantal wavefunction. Additionally, our SLEND + effective-core-potential method is herein employed to simulate some computationally demanding PCT reactions. Due to these attributes, SLEND proves appropriate for the simulation of various types of PCT reactions accurately and feasibly. H+ + (H2O)3–4 simulations reveal two main processes: H+ projectile scattering and the simultaneous formation of H and OH fragments; the latter process is quantified through total integrals cross sections. H+ + DNA-base simulations reveal atoms and groups displacements, ring openings and base-to-proton electron transfers as predominant damage processes.
Stochastic H2/H∞ control with (x, u, v)-dependent noise: Finite horizon case

In this paper, the finite horizon mixed H<sub>2</sub>/H<sub>∞</sub> control problem is studied for the systems governed by Ito-type nonlinear stochastic differential equations with state, control and external disturbance-dependent noise. It is shown that the mixed H<sub>2</sub>/H<sub>∞</sub> control under consideration is associated with the four cross-coupled Hamilton-Jacobi equations in nonlinear case. Some necessary and/or sufficient conditions for the existence of finite horizon stochastic H<sub>2</sub>/H<sub>∞</sub> controllers are derived. In particular, some previous results on deterministic and stochastic H<sub>∞</sub> (H<sub>2</sub>/H<sub>∞</sub>) can be viewed as simple corollaries of our main theorems
A Comparative Study of Genetic Algorithm and the Particle Swarm Optimization Sapna Katiyar

-The Genetic Algorithm (GA) and its many versions have been popular in the academy and the industry mainly because of their intuitiveness, ease of implementation, and the ability to effectively solve highly nonlinear, mixed integer optimization problems that are typical of complex engineering systems. The drawback of the GA is its expensive computational cost. Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) is a relatively recent heuristic search method whose mechanics are inspired by the swarming or collaborative behavior of biological populations. PSO is similar to the GA as these two evolutionary heuristics are population-based search methods. In other words, PSO and the GA move from a set of points (population) to another set of points in a single iteration with likely improvement using a combination of deterministic and probabilistic rules. This paper attempts to examine the claim that PSO has the same effectiveness (finding the true global optimal solution) as the GA but with significantly better computational efficiency (less function evaluations) by implementing statistical analysis and formal hypothesis testing. The major objective of this paper is to compare the computational effectiveness and efficiency of the GA and PSO using a formal hypothesis testing approach.
A new method of tactile sensing using fingertip with soft skin

This paper describes a sensing function of a multi-jointed multi-fingered hand with soft fingertips. We propose a new method to detect change of contact types with an object while manipulating it: the fingertip contact with a flat surface and with a convex sharp edge. Proposed method can apply to the manipulation with rolling contact. Experimental results are demonstrated.
Protein PocketViewer: A Web-Service Based Interface for Protein Pocket Extraction and Visualization

One important problem in bioinformatics is to study pockets or tunnels within the protein structure. These pocket or tunnel regions are significant because they indicate areas of ligand binding or enzymatic reactions, and tunnels are often solvent ion conductance areas. The Protein Pocket Viewer (PPV) is a web interface that allows the user to extract and visualize the protein pockets in a browser, based on the algorithm in [1]. The PPV packaged the pocket extraction executable as a web service, and made it accessible to all users with the Internet access and a modern java enabled browser. The PPV employed the Model2design pattern, which led to a loosely coupled implementation that is more robust and easier to maintain. It consists of a client web interface for user inputs and visualization, a middle-layer for controlling the flow, and the backend web services performing the actual CPU-intensive computation. The PPV web client consists of multiple window regions, with each region providing differing views of the protein, pockets and related information. For a more responsive user experience, the PPV web client employs AJAX for asynchronous execution of long running tasks, like protein pocket extraction.
1 0 Se p 20 00 On the Nature of Relativistic Phenomena

In this paper it is shown that the relativistic equations of motion follow quite directly from the aberration of starlight. Based upon this fact, the author not only reworks some of the established thought, but adds new insights to the understanding of relativistic phenomena. Physics, rather than mathematics, is the center of attention in this review of relativistic phenomena.
Ischemic preconditioning and the beta-adrenergic signal transduction pathway.

BACKGROUND Previous studies from our laboratory showed cyclic increases in tissue cAMP during a multiple-cycle preconditioning (PC) protocol, followed by attenuated cAMP accumulation during sustained ischemia. The aim of this study was to determine whether ischemia-induced activation of the beta-adrenergic signaling pathway could act as a trigger in eliciting protection. METHODS AND RESULTS Isolated perfused rat hearts were preconditioned by 3x5 minutes of global ischemia, interspersed by 5 minutes of reperfusion. beta-Adrenergic responsivity was assessed by measurement of tissue cAMP generation after beta-adrenergic agonist administration at the end of the PC protocol. Tissue cAMP, adenylyl cyclase, and protein kinase A (PKA) activities and beta-adrenergic receptor characteristics were assessed at different times. The role of cAMP generation in eliciting PC was studied by investigation of functional recovery during reperfusion after 25 minutes of global ischemia after (1) cAMP increases in the trigger period were prevented with the beta-adrenergic blocker alprenolol 7.5x10(-5) mol/L and (2) increases in cAMP were elicited by administration of forskolin 10(-7) and 10(-6) mol/L or isoproterenol 10(-8), 10(-7), and 10(-6) mol/L. Intermittent ischemia resulted in reduced beta-adrenergic responsivity at the end of the protocol, although B(max) and K(d) values of the beta-adrenergic receptor population and adenylyl cyclase and PKA activities were increased. Abolishment of cyclic increases in cAMP before sustained ischemia attenuated myocardial protection against ischemia, whereas agonists elicited protection. No clear correlation between protection and beta-adrenergic desensitization was observed. CONCLUSIONS Ischemia-induced activation of the beta-adrenergic signaling pathway during preconditioning should also be considered a trigger in eliciting preconditioning.
Translanguaging as a vehicle for L2 acquisition and L1 development: students’ perceptions

ABSTRACT The purpose of the article is to report on a project aimed at exploring the use of translanguaging as a strategy to support bi-/multilingual students in acquiring academic literacy in English while promoting the terminologisation of African languages through exploratory scientific talk. The topic is contextualised by juxtaposing multilingualism as a problem with multilingualism as a resource. This is followed by a discussion of translanguaging as an alternative to monolingual education. An overview is given of a number of empirical studies on translanguaging conducted in South Africa during the past 15 years. Subsequently, I discuss a research project that elicited students’ opinions about translanguaging as a pedagogical strategy. Speakers of eight African languages, including Afrikaans, experienced cognitive and affective benefits. Despite some reservations, they also considered translanguaging to be a useful platform for creating technical terms in African languages, and were positive about future use.
Group Cohesion without Group Mobilization: The Case of Lesbians, Gays and Bisexuals

Group identities that are chosen, rather than inherited, are often associated with cohesive political attitudes and behaviours. Conventional wisdom holds that this distinctiveness is generated by mobilization through processes such as intra-group contact and acculturation. This article identifies another mechanism that can explain cohesiveness: selection. The characteristics that predict whether an individual selects a group identity may themselves determine political attitudes, and thus may account substantially for the political cohesion of those who share the identity. This mechanism is illustrated with analyses of the causes and consequences of the acquisition of lesbian, gay or bisexual identity. Seldom shared by parents and offspring, gay identity provides a rare opportunity to cleanly identify the selection process and its implications for political cohesion.
Binary brown dwarfs in the Galactic halo

A B STR A CT Microlensing events towards the Large Magellanic Cloud imply that a sizeable fraction of dark matter is in the form of MACHOs (Massive Astrophysical Compact Halo Objects), presumably located in the halo of the Galaxy. Within the present uncertainties, brown dwarfs are viable candidates for MACHOs. Various considerations strongly suggest that a large number of MACHOs should actually consist of binary brown dwarfs. Yet this circumstance appears to be in flat contradiction with the fact that MACHOs have been detected as unresolved objects so far. We show that such an apparent paradox does not exist within a model in which MACHOs are clumped into dark clusters along with cold molecular clouds, since dynamical friction on these clouds makes binary brown dwarfs very close. Moreover, we argue that future microlensing experiments with more accurate photometric observations can resolve binary brown dwarfs.
Role of the NC-Loop in Catalytic Activity and Stability in Lipase from Fervidobacterium changbaicum

Flexible NC-loops between the catalytic domain and the cap domain of the α/β hydrolase fold enzymes show remarkable diversity in length, sequence, and configuration. Recent investigations have suggested that the NC-loop might be involved in catalysis and substrate recognition in many enzymes from the α/β hydrolase fold superfamily. To foster a deep understanding of its role in catalysis, stability, and divergent evolution, we here systemically investigated the function of the NC-loop (residues 131–151) in a lipase (FClip1) from thermophilic bacterium Fervidobacterium changbaicum by loop deletion, alanine-scanning mutagenesis and site-directed mutagenesis. We found that the upper part of the NC-loop (residues 131–138) was of great importance to enzyme catalysis. Single substitutions in this region could fine-tune the activity of FClip1 as much as 41-fold, and any deletions from this region rendered the enzyme completely inactive. The lower part of the NC-loop (residues 139–151) was capable of enduring extensive deletions without loss of activity. The shortened mutants in this region were found to show both improved activity and increased stability simultaneously. We therefore speculated that the NC-loop, especially the lower part, would be a perfect target for enzyme engineering to optimize the enzymatic properties, and might present a hot zone for the divergent evolution of α/β hydrolases. Our findings may provide an opportunity for better understanding of the mechanism of divergent evolution in the α/β hydrolase fold superfamily, and may also guide the design of novel biocatalysts for industrial applications.
The Effects of Individual and School Factors on University Students' Academic Performance

This article examines the factors that influence university students'academic performance, focusing on the role of student background and school factors. Using data on the first-year students at the University of Western Australia in 2001, two methodologies are employed. The first is analogous to an input-output approach, and the second is a random coefficients model. A key finding is that high schools have an impact on the academic performance of students at university beyond students' own background characteristics. Both immersion and reinforcement effects are identified. Copyright 2005 The University of Melbourne, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research.
Imaging the Invisible: Constraining dark matter distributions in galaxy clusters using strong gravitational lensing

In this thesis, I design and construct a Monte-Carlo gravitational lensing simulation that statistically studies the strong lensing of extended galactic sources by dark matter distributions in galaxy clusters, using recent work on cluster Abell 1689 as an empirical guide. By quantitatively comparing the quality of the lensed images created in the simulation to the giant lensed arcs observed by the Hubble Space Telescope around Abell 1689 and other similar clusters, and using an NFW analytic density profile to model the overall dark matter distribution, an upper limit is set on the scale of allowed deviations from a smooth NFW dark matter distribution. The maximum allowed mass-clumping is found to be on the order 108 M o over volumes of order 10kpc x 10kpc x 10kpc, indicative of a mostly smooth dark matter distribution with only relatively small deviations, much smaller than those of the distribution of conventional matter into galaxies. Thesis Supervisor: Saul A. Rappaport Title: Professor of Physics Thesis Supervisor: Scott M. Burles Title: Assistant Professor of Physics
Characterization of human emotions and preferences for text-to-speech systems using multimodal neuroimaging methods

Voice user interface and speech quality are normally assessed using subjective user experience testing methods and/or objective instrumental techniques. However, the recent advances in neurophysiological tools allowed useful human behavioral constructs to be measured in real-time, such as human emotion, perception, preferences and task performance. Electroencephalography (EEG), and functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) are well received neuroimaging tools and they are being used in variety of different domains such as health science, neuromarketing, user experience (UX) research and multimedia quality of experience (QoE) discipline. Therefore, this paper describes the impact of natural and text-to-speech (TTS) signals on a user's affective state (valence and arousal) and their preferences using neuroimaging tools (EEG and fNIRS) and subjective user study. The EEG results showed that the natural and high quality TTS speech generate “positive valence”, that was inferred from a higher EEG asymmetric activation at frontal head region. fNIRS results showed the increased activation at Orbito-Frontal Cortex (OFC) region during decision making in favor of natural and high quality TTS speech signals. But natural and TTS signals have significantly different arousal levels.