Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Audiovisual integration in familiar person recognition

ABSTRACT Interpersonal communication is a multimodal experience. Perceptual integration of information conveyed by voice and face has previously been demonstrated for speech comprehension and speaker localization. For instance, audiovisual (McGurk) illusions occur when perceiving an auditory syllable with a time-synchronized incongruent syllable in a visual facial articulation. However, despite a large body of research on audiovisual integration (AVI), researchers have only recently begun to consider the role of AVI for person recognition. In the present paper, Experiment 1 demonstrated systematic benefits and costs for recognition of familiar voices when combined with time-synchronized articulating faces of corresponding or noncorresponding speaker identity, respectively. By contrast, no costs (relative to auditory-only presentation) occurred when voices were combined with static noncorresponding faces. Moreover, this pattern was clear for familiar but not unfamiliar voices. In Experiment 2, smaller benefits and costs for familiar voices when combined with time-reversed (as compared to time-synchronized) facial articulations suggest a role of synchrony for AVI, over and above effects of facial motion per se. Experiment 3 demonstrated benefits, as well as a trend for costs, of familiar face recognition when faces were presented with voices of corresponding or noncorresponding identity. Overall, these results suggest that AVI is an important factor in the recognition of people, depends on familiarity with a speaker, shows sensitivity to temporal synchronization of the facial and vocal articulation, and can occur in a bidirectional manner.
Automatic identification of electrical appliances using smart plugs

We report on the evaluation of signal processing and classification algorithms to automatically recognize electric appliances. The system is based on low-cost smart-plugs measuring periodically the electricity values and producing time series of measurements that are specific to the appliance consumptions. In a similar way as for biometric applications, such electric signatures can be used to identify the type of appliance in use. In this paper, we propose to use dynamic features based on time derivative and time second derivative features and we compare different classification algorithms including K-Nearest Neighbor and Gaussian Mixture Models. We use the recently recorded electric signature database ACS-Fl and its intersession protocol to evaluate our algorithm propositions. The best combination of features and classifiers shows 93.6% accuracy.
Differentiation and Distribution of Marrow Stem Cells in Flex-Flow Environments Demonstrate Support of the Valvular Phenotype

For treatment of critical heart valve diseases, prosthetic valves perform fairly well in most adults; however, for pediatric patients, there is the added requirement that the replacement valve grows with the child, thus extremely limiting current treatment options. Tissue engineered heart valves (TEHV), such as those derived from autologous bone marrow stem cells (BMSCs), have the potential to recapitulate native valve architecture and accommodate somatic growth. However, a fundamental pre-cursor in promoting directed integration with native tissues rather than random, uncontrolled growth requires an understanding of BMSC mechanobiological responses to valve-relevant mechanical environments. Here, we report on the responses of human BMSC-seeded polymer constructs to the valve-relevant stress states of: (i) steady flow alone, (ii) cyclic flexure alone, and (iii) the combination of cyclic flexure and steady flow (flex-flow). BMSCs were seeded onto a PGA: PLLA polymer scaffold and cultured in static culture for 8 days. Subsequently, the aforementioned mechanical conditions, (groups consisting of steady flow alone—850ml/min, cyclic flexure alone—1 Hz, and flex-flow—850ml/min and 1 Hz) were applied for an additional two weeks. We found samples from the flex-flow group exhibited a valve-like distribution of cells that expressed endothelial (preference to the surfaces) and myofibroblast (preference to the intermediate region) phenotypes. We interpret that this was likely due to the presence of both appreciable fluid-induced shear stress magnitudes and oscillatory shear stresses, which were concomitantly imparted onto the samples. These results indicate that flex-flow mechanical environments support directed in vitro differentiation of BMSCs uniquely towards a heart valve phenotype, as evident by cellular distribution and expression of specific gene markers. A priori guidance of BMSC-derived, engineered tissue growth under flex-flow conditions may serve to subsequently promote controlled, engineered to native tissue integration processes in vivo necessary for successful long-term valve remodeling.
Likelihood Analysis of Large-Scale Flows

We apply a likelihood analysis to the data of \markcite{Lauer \& Postman 1994} With $P(k)$ parametrized by $(\sigma_8, \Gamma)$, the likelihood function peaks at $\sigma_8\simeq0.3$, $\Gamma\lesssim0.025$, indicating at face value very strong large-scale power, though at a level incompatible with COBE\@. There is, however, a ridge of likelihood such that more conventional power spectra do not seem strongly disfavored. The likelihood calculated using as data only the components of the bulk flow solution peaks at higher $\sigma_8$, in agreement with other analyses, but is rather broad. The likelihood incorporating both bulk flow and shear gives a different picture. The components of the shear are all low, and this pulls the peak to lower amplitudes as a compromise. The Lauer \& Postman velocity data alone are therefore {\em consistent}\/ with models with very strong large scale power which generates a large bulk flow, but the small shear (which also probes fairly large scales) requires that the power would have to be at {\em very}\/ large scales, which is strongly disfavored by COBE\@. The velocity data also seem compatible with more conventional $P(k)$ with $0.2\lesssim\Gamma\lesssim0.5$, and the likelihood is peaked around $\sigma_8\sim1$, in which case the bulk flow is a moderate, but not extreme, statistical fluctuation. Applying the same techniques to the data of \markcite{Riess, Press, \& Kirshner 1995}, the results are quite different. The flow is not inconsistent with the microwave dipole and we derive only an upper limit to the amplitude of the power spectrum: $\sigma_8\lesssim1.5$ at roughly 99\%.
Human motion tracking of athlete using optical flow & artificial markers

Recently, the studies of human motion analysis have attracted great attention among the researches in the field of biomechanics, medicine and sports by analyzing the joints, postures, and movements of the human. Our research focuses on analyzing the joints movement of a professional golfer. We represent those joint movements with an articulate stick human model. This paper presents a method for tracking of the general human joints (head, torso and joints) from an uncalibrated outdoor sports video by using Lucas-Kanade optical flow algorithm. No additional physical marker or special tight fitted clothes were applied to the subject. The major human joints were first located by artificial markers selected from the user; the movements of the joints were tracked overtime using the proposed optical flow algorithm.
Efficient maximum likelihood DOA estimation for signals with known waveforms in the presence of multipath

We present a large-sample maximum likelihood (ML) algorithm for estimating the directions of arrival (DOA's) and signal amplitudes of known, possibly coherent signals impinging on an array of sensors. The algorithm is an extension of the DEML method of Li et al., that handles coherent multipath that may be present in the signals. The algorithm is computationally efficient because the nonlinear minimization step decouples into a set of minimizations of smaller dimension.
Automotive Informatics : Information Technology and Enterprise Transformation in the Automobile Industry 1

This essay examines the role of information technology (IT) in the transformation of the automobile industry during the 20th century, including the complements, enablers, and constraints that make the industry one of the largest and most influential enterprises in history. It adopts a view of IT as deep infrastructure capable of producing the vital information capability necessary for transformation. The focus on infrastructure entails consideration of factors often considered obvious, mundane, and pervasive compared to the exciting accounts of new IT applications involving the Internet and the World Wide Web. Yet, as the analysis reveals, this powerful industry transformation occurred as a result of the slow accretion of new capability enabled by information technologies over a long period of time.
Fuzzy logic on decision model for IDS

Nowadays one of the main problems of Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) is the high rate of false positives that they show. The number of alerts that an IDS launches are clearly higher than the number of real attacks. This paper tries to introduce a measure of the IDS prediction skill in close relationship with these false positives. So the prediction skill of an IDS is then computed according to the false positives produced. The problem faced is how to make an accurate prediction from the results of different IDS. The fraction of IDS over the total number of them that predicts a given event will determine whether such event is predicted or not. The performance obtained from the application of fuzzy thresholds over such fraction is compared with the corresponding crisp thresholds. The results of these comparisons allow us to conclude a relevant improvement when fuzzy thresholds are involved.
Testing Guidelines for molecular diagnosis of Cystic Fibrosis

1. NW Molecular Genetics Laboratory, Saint Mary’s Hospital, Hathersage Road, Manchester M13 0JH, United Kingdom 2. Bristol Genetics Department, The Lewis Laboratories, Southmead Hospital, Bristol, BS10 5NB, United Kingdom. 3. North East Thames Regional Molecular Genetics Laboratory, Level 6 York House, 37 Queen Square, London WC1N 3BH, United Kingdom. 4. DNA Laboratory, Genetics Centre, 5 Floor Guy’s Tower, Guy’s Hospital, London, SE1 9RT, United Kingdom. 5. Wessex Regional Genetics Laboratory, Salisbury District Hospital, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP2 8BJ United Kingdom
Spatial-temporal query homogeneity for KNN object search on road networks

We in this paper explore a new research paradigm, called query homogeneity, to process KNN queries on road networks for online LBS applications. While previous works in the literature concentrate on the improvement of query processing time, we turn to examine the issue of response time for a user query, which needs to additionally consider the waiting time in the queue. Note that the response time is the more precise value corresponding to the user experience in an online service, and the unacceptable response time is likely to turn away disgruntled users. Surprisingly, we will show in this paper that the response time will be more significantly dominated by the waiting time but it is left unexplored thus far. Since previous works all perform queries in the one-by-one fashion, which will lead to unexpected long waiting time, we thus in this paper propose a novel query framework, called SHI, aiming at diminishing the waiting time by a new group-by-group solution. SHI relies on the natural phenomenon of query homogeneity, which refers to the behavior that queries are usually issued in the sense of spatial and temporal correlation. Motivated by this natural behavior, operations of query processing and queue processing are incorporated in the SHI framework. During the network expansion for a query, a group of homogeneity queries in the waiting queue, which have results identical to the processing query, will be picked up and flushed out together when the query processing is accomplished, achieving the group-by-group query processing and reducing the waiting time significantly.
Apical membrane maturation and cellular rosette formation during morphogenesis of the zebrafish lateral line

Tissue morphogenesis and cell sorting are major forces during organ development. Here, we characterize the process of tissue morphogenesis within the zebrafish lateral line primordium, a migratory sheet of cells that gives rise to the neuromasts of the posterior lateral line organ. We find that cells within this epithelial tissue constrict actin-rich membranes and enrich apical junction proteins at apical focal points. The coordinated apical membrane constriction in single Delta D-positive hair cell progenitors and in their neighbouring prospective support cells generates cellular rosettes. Live imaging reveals that cellular rosettes subsequently separate from each other and give rise to individual neuromasts. Genetic analysis uncovers an involvement of Lethal giant larvae proteins in the maturation of apical junction belts during cellular rosette formation. Our findings suggest that apical constriction of cell membranes spatially confines regions of strong cell-cell adhesion and restricts the number of tightly interconnected cells into cellular rosettes, which ensures the correct deposition of neuromasts during morphogenesis of the posterior lateral line organ.
Evaluating large transport infrastructure projects — a critical-constructive review of the theory of strategic misrepresentation

Large infrastructure projects are, as several international studies show (e.g. Wachs 1990, Flyvbjerg et al. 2005), often miscalculated. The same has been shown in a country like Norway (e.g. Odeck 2004, Strand 2004, Osland et al 2007), which has a long tradition for transport planning as well as key role of macro-economics in the planning system. The wrong estimates often imply underestimations of costs in planning and building infrastructure, whereas the positive effects on transport demand are often underestimated in the cases of road infrastructure, but more often overestimated in the case of rail infrastructure (Flyvbjerg et al. op.cit). In this paper we will, firstly, describe and criticize the methodology of the perspective on decision-making as strategic misrepresentations. Secondly we will attempt to provide a constructive development of this analytical approach, both theoretically informed by institutional theory and based on the plausible alternatives that Flyvbjerg et al have promoted in terms of institutional improvement.
Inhibition of histone deacetylase 4 increases cytotoxicity of docetaxel in gastric cancer cells

New treatment options for gastric cancer are in great demand. Histone deacetylases (HDACs) are exciting therapeutic targets, but only the class I HDACs 1, 2, and 3 have been studied in gastric cancer. We have investigated class IIa HDAC expression and inhibition in gastric cancer cells.
Singularity localization and characterization based on continuous wavelet transform for vibration signals with impacts

Vibration signals tested from mechanical components usually contain a great deal of information about the properties and status of the mechanical parts or even the whole mechanical system, which is worthy of further analysis. A method based on continuous wavelet transform to localize and characterize the singularities of vibration signals with impacts is introduced in this paper. Continuous wavelet transform was first performed to the signal, and then the ridges and ridge functions of the absolute value of the wavelet coefficients were extracted. By tracking the ridge lines from large-scale to small-scale, the singular points of the signal can be localized quite precisely, which is corresponding to the times when mechanical impacts occur. By performing a double logarithmic linear regression of the ridge functions, we got use the slopes and the intercepts of the regressed lines, which can be used as features to characterize the singularity of the impacts. This work provides a reliable and effective method for signal truncation and singular feature extraction, which will benefit the subsequent signal analysis works.
Gender, Risk, and Venture Creation Intentions

This paper is concerned with whether women are less likely to express business start‐up intentions because of a less favorable attitude to risk. Previous research suggests that attitude to risk differs significantly between genders, but has not addressed the question of whether this contributes to lower levels of female interest in venture creation. This paper describes a conceptual basis for this question, and investigates it using a survey of business start‐up intention from across a sample of European universities. A large proportion of the difference in average levels of intention between genders appears to be associated with attitude to risk.
Hierarchical Controller for Robotic Soccer

A stationary dryer, useful as a clothes dryer, is provided comprising a housing enclosing a space and a stationary clothes support located within the space. An air moving device is provided for generating an air flow through the space from an air inlet to an air outlet. An air distributor mechanism comprising a distribution plenum is positioned between the air inlet and the clothes support, with a plenum wall having a plurality of perforations therein. The perforations are sized, shaped and arranged so as to provide jets of air against the clothes support and to equalize an air flow distribution over the clothes support.
Three-dimensional organization of otolith-ocular reflexes in rhesus monkeys. III. Responses To translation.

The three-dimensional (3-D) properties of the translational vestibulo-ocular reflexes (translational VORs) during lateral and fore-aft oscillations in complete darkness were studied in rhesus monkeys at frequencies between 0.16 and 25 Hz. In addition, constant velocity off-vertical axis rotations extended the frequency range to 0.02 Hz. During lateral motion, horizontal responses were in phase with linear velocity in the frequency range of 2-10 Hz. At both lower and higher frequencies, phase lags were introduced. Torsional response phase changed more than 180 degrees in the tested frequency range such that torsional eye movements, which could be regarded as compensatory to "an apparent roll tilt" at the lowest frequencies, became anticompensatory at all frequencies above approximately 1 Hz. These results suggest two functionally different frequency bandwidths for the translational VORs. In the low-frequency spectrum (<<0.5 Hz), horizontal responses compensatory to translation are small and high-pass-filtered whereas torsional response sensitivity is relatively frequency independent. At higher frequencies however, both horizontal and torsional response sensitivity and phase exhibit a similar frequency dependence, suggesting a common role during head translation. During up-down motion, vertical responses were in phase with translational velocity at 3-5 Hz but phase leads progressively increased for lower frequencies (>90 degrees at frequencies <0.2 Hz). No consistent dependence on static head orientation was observed for the vertical response components during up-down motion and the horizontal and torsional response components during lateral translation. The frequency response characteristics of the translational VORs were fitted by "periphery/brain stem" functions that related the linear acceleration input, transduced by primary otolith afferents, to the velocity signals providing the input to the velocity-to-position neural integrator and the oculomotor plant. The lowest-order, best-fit periphery/brain stem model that approximated the frequency dependence of the data consisted of a second order transfer function with two alternating poles (at 0.4 and 7.2 Hz) and zeros (at 0.035 and 3.4 Hz). In addition to clearly differentiator dynamics at low frequencies (less than approximately 0.5 Hz), there was no frequency bandwidth where the periphery/brain stem function could be approximated by an integrator, as previously suggested. In this scheme, the oculomotor plant dynamics are assumed to perform the necessary high-frequency integration as required by the reflex. The detailed frequency dependence of the data could only be precisely described by higher order functions with nonminimum phase characteristics that preclude simple filtering of afferent inputs and might be suggestive of distributed spatiotemporal processing of otolith signals in the translational VORs.
Automatic brain segmentation method based on supervoxels

In this work, we present a fully automatic brain segmentation method based on supervoxels (ABSOS). We propose novel features used for classification, that are based on distance and angle in different planes between supervoxel and brain centre. These novel features are combined with other prominent features. The presented method is based on machine learning and incorporates also a skull stripping (cranium removing) in the preprocessing step. Neural network - multilayer perceptron (MLP) was trained for the classification process. In this paper we also present thorough analysis, which supports choice of rather small supervoxels, preferring homogeneity over compactness, and value of intensity threshold parameter used in preprocessing for skull stripping. In order to decrease computational complexity and increase segmentation performance we incorporate prior knowledge of typical background intensities acquired in analysis of subjects.
Submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE in Computer Science in the OFFICE OF GRADUATE STUDIES of the UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA DAVIS

Inputs causing a program to fail are usually large and often contain information irrelevant to the failure. It thus helps debugging to simplify program inputs. The Delta Debugging algorithm is a general technique applicable to minimizing all failureinducing inputs for more effective debugging. In this thesis, we present HDD, a simple but effective algorithm that significantly speeds up Delta Debugging and increases its output quality on tree structured inputs such as XML. Instead of treating the inputs as one flat atomic list, we apply Delta Debugging to the very structure of the data. In particular, we apply the original Delta Debugging algorithm to each level of a program’s input, working from the coarsest to the finest levels. We are thus able to prune the large irrelevant portions of the input early. With the careful application of our algorithm to any particular input language, HDD creates only syntactically valid variations of the input, thus reducing the number of inconclusive configurations tested and accordingly the amount of time spent simplifying. We also demonstrate a general framework requiring only the input language’s context-free grammar to automatically simplify input while ensuring that all test cases are syntactically valid. This framework proceeds by calculating correction strings of minimal length that can replace removed nodes from the input parse tree. We have implemented HDD and evaluated it on a number of real failure-inducing inputs from the GCC and Mozilla bugzilla databases. To demonstrate generality and the application of our framework, we have also evaluated it on a Java program injected with an error. Our Hierarchical Delta Debugging algorithm produces simpler outputs and takes orders of magnitude fewer