Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Heteroskedasticity Variance Index

Time series forecasting attempts to predict future values of time series. Its work is based on studying previously observed values. A heteroskedastic time series features variable and unpredictable measures of dispersion. This uncertainty in statistical distribution parameters imposes a serious challenge to the forecasting models. There have been many attempts to identify the heteroskedasticity in time series. However, all these attempts rely on hypothesis testing and do not quantify the amount of heteroskedasticity in the examined time series. On the other hand, quantifying heteroskedasticity does provide extra information about the behavior of the time series. Studying this behavior will improve forecasting of behavioral dependent time series such as stock market data. This paper introduces a novel heteroskedasticity index based on variance of localized variances.
An effective arterial blood pressure signal processing system based on EEMD method

This study proposed an effective signal processing system based on Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition (EEMD) method for the analysis of arterial blood pressure (ABP). The whole system was implemented on an ARM-based SoC development platform to attain the on-line non-stationary signal processing. A non-invasive blood pressure acquisition device (NIBP100D) was used to record the continuous ABP as the input signal. According to the non-stationary characteristics of ABP, EEMD is useful to achieve accurate decomposition for ABP spectral analysis. The signal was decomposed into several Intrinsic Mode Functions (IMFs) by EEMD, and quantitatively assessed by fast Fourier transform (FFT). The results showed that the proposed EEMD processor can effectively solve the mode mixing problem of Empirical Mode Decomposition (EMD) and the FFT spectrum of IMF5, IMF6, and IMF7 to reveal heart rate and respiration.
A lexical framework for semantic annotation of positive and negative regulation relations in biomedical pathways

Knowledge of regulation relations is widely applied by biomedical researchers in for example experiment design on regulatory pathways and in systems biology. In the work presented here, we analyze in total 28 verbs and in dept 6 frequently used verbs denoting the regulation relations regulates, positively regulates and negatively regulates through corpus analysis. We propose a formal representation of the acquired knowledge as domain specific semantic frames and the semantic types of the relata of the resulting relationships. We suggest that the acquired knowledge patterns can be used to identify and reason over knowledge represented in texts from the
Switched-capacitor dc-dc converters with output inductive filter

Analysis and optimization of switched-capacitor (SC) dc-dc converters with a series inductive filter are developed. The steady-state output impedance of such SC resonant converters is calculated for a 2:1 conversion ratio. In addition, the necessary conditions for proper application of the output inductive filter are derived. The proposed optimization methodology applies numerical optimization to evaluate different loss components in order to find the optimal design point of highest conversion efficiency. This optimization method is verified through SPICE simulations on a 2:1 SC power stage in 65-nm CMOS process.
Use of Dual-Modality Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography in Oncology

• Objective: To review the literature relating to imaging using positron emission tomography (PET) with 18-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) and computed tomography (CT) in oncology. • Methods: Search of the MEDLINE database through 30 June 2005. • Results: There were 22 peer-reviewed publications in which dual-modality FDG-PET/CT was compared with CT alone, PET alone, or other imaging techniques in a total of 1596 cancer patients. Data from these studies suggest that dual-modality FDGPET/CT is superior to either FDG-PET alone or CT alone in detecting, localizing, and characterizing a variety of cancer types. The evidence is limited in that none of the studies used a randomized controlled design in which PET or CT images obtained with stand-alone devices were compared with images acquired using dual-modality instruments. • Conclusion: Although explicit patient selection guidelines for the use of dual-modality FDG-PET/CT have not been published, evidence suggests that dual-modality PET/CT may be considered medically necessary when PET is considered medically necessary for cancer patients. This technology represents a major advance in diagnostic imaging in oncology that will quickly become the standard of care.
Local and Nonlocal Color Line Models for Image Matting

In this paper, we propose a new matting algorithm using local and nonlocal neighbors. We assume that K nearest neighbors satisfy the color line model that RGB distribution of the neighbors is roughly linear and combine this assumption with the local color line model that RGB distribution of local neighbors is roughly linear. Our assumptions are appropriate for various regions such as those that are smooth, contain holes or have complex color. Experimental results show that the proposed method outperforms previous propagation-based matting methods. Further, it is competitive with sampling-based matting methods that require complex sampling or learning methods. key words: K nearest neighbors, color line model, smoothness, propagation-based matting
Abstract Camera Controller for Three-Dimensional Visualizations

In the realm of computer graphics, methods used to control a user's point of view in a three-dimensional world are rather convoluted and are often tightly coupled to the rendering system used. In response to this issue, we have developed a robust camera controller system that provides an intuitive interface for visualization and simulation programmers, while removing renderer dependencies completely. Our system follows common object oriented design principles to encapsulate the complex mathematics and computations involved in synthetic camera manipulation, providing a firm foundation for high-level camera features. We provide a use case where students with no graphics experience developed a visualization system using our camera controller.
Discriminative structure learning of hierarchical representations for object detection

A variety of flexible models have been proposed to detect objects in challenging real world scenes. Motivated by some of the most successful techniques, we propose a hierarchical multi-feature representation and automatically learn flexible hierarchical object models for a wide variety of object classes. To that end we not only rely on automatic selection of relevant individual features, but go beyond previous work by automatically selecting and modeling complex, long-range feature couplings within this model. To achieve this generality and flexibility our work combines structure learning in conditional random fields and discriminative parameter learning of classifiers using hierarchical features. We adopt an efficient gradient based heuristic for model selection and carry it forward to discriminative, multidimensional selection of features and their couplings for improved detection performance. Experimentally we consistently outperform the currently leading method on all 20 classes of the PASCAL VOC 2007 challenge and achieve the best published results on 16 of 20 classes.
Mixture of experts for audio classification: an application to male female classification and musical genre recognition

We report the experimental results obtained when applying a mixture of experts to the problem of audio classification for multimedia applications. The mixture of experts is based on multilayer perceptron neural networks as individual experts and piecewise Gaussian modeling was used for audio signal representation. Experimental results on two audio classification problems, male/female classification and musical genre recognition, show a clear improvement in using a mixture of experts in comparison to one individual expert
Defining Operational Logics

Much analysis of games focuses, understandably, on their mechanics and the resulting audience experiences. Similarly, many genres of games are understood at the level of mechanics. But there is also the persistent sense that a deeper level of analysis would be useful, and a number of proposals have been made that attempt to look toward a level that undergirds mechanics. This paper focuses on a particular approach of this sort—operational logics—first proposed by Noah Wardrip-Fruin (2005) and since then discussed by authors such as Michael Mateas (2006) and Ian Bogost (2007). Operational logics connect fundamental abstract operations, which determine the state evolution of a system, with how they are understood at a human level. In this paper we expand on the concept of operational logics, offering a more detailed and rigorous discussion than provided in earlier accounts, setting the stage for more effective future use of logics as an analytical tool. In particular, we clarify that an operational logic defines an authoring (representational) strategy, supported by abstract processes or lower-level logics, for specifying the behaviors a system must exhibit in order to be understood as representing a specified domain to a specified audience. We provide detailed discussion of graphical and resource management logics, as well as explaining problems with certain earlier expansions of the term (e.g., to file handling and interactive fiction’s riddles). Author
A distributed video coding algorithm based on bilateral motion estimate

This report firstly analyzes the reasons which lead the compression efficiency of DVC to be low. Next we argue that the inherent reason is not the DVC architecture, but the less side information set used in decoding than the traditional video coding standards. Then a bilateral motion estimate algorithm is proposed to improve the qualities of side information (SI) of DVC by enlarging the side information set, and the enlarging process is based on not only the characteristic of DVC architecture but also the employing of the video structure feature.
Función de las sustancias antioxidantes sobre esmalte blanqueado con peróxido de hidrógeno ante la adhesión inmediata de composites y sus cambios estructurales y morfológicos superficiales

"FUNCTION OF THE ANTIOXIDANTS IN THE INMEDIATE BONDING OF COMPOSITES IN POST- BLEACHED ENAMEL AND THE MICROSTRUCTURAL AND MORPHOLOGICAL CHANGES". PURPOSE: The purpose of this in vitro study was to investigate the effectiveness of the antioxidants used immediately after tooth bleaching on the tensile bond strength of resin restorations. In addition to the studying the morphology of the resin tags in bleached and unbleached enamel and to determine the adverse effects of Hydrogen Peroxide (HP) on enamel, to morphological and microstructure level and the function of certain antioxidants in the reversal of those affects. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Human teeth (n=75) were divided into five groups (1 to 5). Group 1 (n=15)Hydrogen peroxide/ sodium ascorbate). Group 2 (n=15) Hydrogen Peroxide/peroxidase, Group 3 (n=15) Hydrogen Peroxide/ Catalase. Group 4 (n=15) Hydrogen Peroxide/water and Group 5 (n=15)Control. Post- bleaching resin cylinders were located on the surface of the enamel immediately after the respective treatment of each group, and subjected to load testing. After load testing- for the Electron Microscopy Scanning (SEM) and Confocal Laser Scanning Microscope (CLSM) study of the appearance of the resin tags. By other hand, the microstructure and morphology of enamel was examined under spectrometry and CLSM, respectively. RESULTS: The average values of the tensile bond strength diminished significantly in groups 2 and 4. There was no statistical difference between the groups 1, 3 and 5. differences in the number and the depth of the tags occurred within one specimen and groups of specimens. Groups 1, 3 and 5 showed tags well defined and structurally intact. With relation to microstructure of enamel, the lowest concentration of C and N was seen in group 2, while in the groups treated with antioxidants maintained the aprismatic surface portion. Groups 2 and 3 showed lower concentrations of Ca and P. Groups 1 and 4 showed regular enamel features and presence, and the aprismatic surface was intact. In Trail 2, the soft drink presented a partial removal of the aprismatic surface and minor concentrations of Ca and P. The groups 1, 3 and 5 demonstrates a uniformity of the aprismatic surface layer under CLSM. CONCLUSIONS: The hydrogen peroxide bleaching agents adversely affect the bond strength of composite to acid etching enamel. The complementary use of antioxidant substances reduced this effect and the adverse affects on the chemical compositions and morphology of the enamel. KEY WORDS: antioxidants, tooth bleaching, hydrogen peroxide, bonding system, demineralization, microstructure, micromorphology. "
Comparison of Joint Strength and Fracture Energy of Lead-free Solder Balls in High Speed Ball Shear/Pull Tests and their Correlation with Board Level Drop Test

A comprehensive solder joint reliability study was conducted using both high-speed solder ball shear/pull and board level drop testing (BLDT). The samples were divided into groups which were subject to various periods of thermal aging (125degC, up to 500 hours) in order to accelerate the formation of intermetallic compound (IMC) in the solder joints. The ball shear tests ranged from 10 mm/s to 3,000 mm/s while the ball pull tests ranged from 5 mm/s to 500 mm/s. A total of 6 unique package constructions were evaluated, ranging from a 316 PBGA (27 mm, sq) to a 2,395 CBGA (51 mm, sq). The samples used SAC lead-free solder balls and a variety of pad surface finishes. Detailed failure analyses were performed to identify the failed solder joints and corresponding failure modes. The failure modes and loading speeds of ball shear and ball pull tests were cross-referenced with the mechanical drop tests for comparison. Correlation models were established relating drops-to-failure with both solder ball fracture force and energy.
Outcomes in Adults With Asperger Syndrome

This article explores the current research literature on adult outcomes of individuals With Asperger syndrome (AS). Specific areas addressed are the characteristics associated With adulthood AS, including employment issues, comorbid mental and physical health conditions, neurological issues, possible problems With the legal system, mortality rates, and treatment. The article interWeaves the author's experiences as a parent of an adult son With AS and discusses recommendations and future directions.
Stereo Camera Tracking for Mobile Devices

We present our current work on a camera tracking algorithm designed for a mobile device equipped with a stereo camera. The tracker runs in real-time on a prototype mobile platform and it can be used as the core engine of augmented reality applications. In order to cope with the limited resources available, we design an algorithm that relies on the stereo camera only for the 3D reconstruction of points, while the point tracking is performed only on one of the two images, thus reducing the computational effort. We show some preliminary results in which the camera tracker as been validated in a realistic scenario and it is proved to have an adequate robustness for an augmented reality application.
Barrier for Information-Theoretic Private Information Retrieval

Private Information Retrieval (PIR) protocols allow a user to retrieve a data item from a database while hiding the identity of the item being retrieved. Specifically, in information-theoretic, -server PIR protocols the database is replicated among servers, and each server learns nothing about the item the user retrieves. The cost of such protocols is measured by the communication complexity of retrieving one out of bits of data. For any fixed , the complexity of the best protocols prior to our work was ! (Ambainis, 1997). Since then several methods were developed in an attempt to beat this bound, but all these methods yielded the same asymptotic bound. In this work, this barrier is finally broken and the complexity of information-theoretic -server PIR is improved to #"%$'& ( )*& ( ) & (+) -, . The new PIR protocols can also be used to construct -query binary locally decodable codes of length . /10 #"2$ & ( )*& (+) & (+) -, , compared to . /10 ! in previous constructions. The improvements presented in this paper apply even for small values of : the PIR protocols are more efficient than previous ones for every 4365 , and the locally decodable codes are shorter for every 7398 .
Ragweed Group 5 Antigens a Distinct Set of Epitopes on Short and Giant Recognize Respond to Ragweed Allergens and HLA-DQ6 and HLA-DQ8 Transgenic Mice

We have investigated the genetic and molecular basis of immune responsiveness to short ragweed (SRW) ( Ambrosia artemisiifolia ) extract, and group 5 allergens from short and giant ( Ambrosia triﬁda ) ragweed using transgenic mice expressing DQ6 (HLA-DQA1*0103, HLA-DQB1*0601) and DQ8 (HLA-DQA1*0301, HLA-DQB1*0302) genes in class II knockout (A b 0 ) mice. Panels of overlapping peptides spanning the Amb a 5 and Amb t 5 Ags were synthesized. Mice were immunized with whole SRW extract or individual peptides s.c. and lymph node cells (LNC) were challenged in vitro. Strong T cell responses to SRW extract were measured in both HLA-DQ transgenic mice, while control, HLA-DQ6 2 /DQ8 2 /H-2A b 0 , mice were unresponsive. IL-5 and IL-10 were the primary cytokines produced by in vitro challenged LNC of SRW-primed transgenic mice. HLA-DQ6-restricted T cell responses were detected to all three peptides of Amb t 5 and two determinants (residues 1–20 and 11–30) on Amb a 5 . In contrast, LNC of HLA-DQ8 mice did not recognize peptide 11–30 of Amb t 5 Ag, but recognized several Amb a 5 determinants. The immune response in transgenic mice was dependent upon CD4 1 T cells and was HLA-DQ restricted. Primed with puriﬁed Amb t 5 , both transgenics recognized peptide 21–40, and an additional DQ6-restricted epitope was found within residue 1–20. SRW-immunized HLA-DQ6 mice respond to peptide 11–30 of Amb a 5 , while HLA-DQ8 mice strongly recognize peptide 1–20. These results demonstrate the speciﬁcity of HLA class II polymorphism in allergen sensitivity and pave the way for developing antagonistic peptides for desensitization. The Journal of Immunology, 1998, 161: 2032–2037.
Dual-frequency laser using anisotropic bireflectance film

A kind of bireflectance thin film on the window plate of a 633nm He-Ne laser is presented in this paper. The film of non quarter-wave-stack is coated on the substrate with the application of external load on it. The load on the substrate is removed after the coating has been accomplished, then the strain on the substrate will transfer to the multilayer film. Due to photoelastic effect, the multilayer film becomes an anisotropic film. Selecting appropriate film structure and suitable center wavelength, a high phase dispersion with a nearly constant reflectivity will be obtained around the working wavelength. For normal incidence, a phase shift difference between the two orthogonal polarization states of the reflected wave will produce. As a result, a dual-frequency laser with a beat frequency of 4-5 megahertz can be carried out by using this kind of bireflectance thin film. Based on this principle, a He-Ne dual-frequency laser equipped with bireflectance cavity mirror is described. The model coupling is reduced by utilizing transverse Zeeman effect so that two linear and orthogonal polarization components with 5MHz beat frequency are generated. The effect of the magnetic field's direction on the dual-frequency as well as the polarization property of the laser are investigated by experiments. After stabilizing the frequency, the laser is calibrated with the iodine frequency stabilization laser at Chinese National Institute of Metrology. Experimental results indicate that the expanded uncertainty of wavelength in vacuum is 1 X 10-7 with the frequency stabilization of 6.6 X 10-10.
Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians Sepsis Guidelines: the optimal management of severe sepsis in Canadian emergency departments.

INTRODUCTION Optimal management of severe sepsis in the ED has evolved rapidly. The purpose of these guidelines is to review key management principles for Canadian emergency physicians, utilizing an evidence-based grading system. METHODS Key areas in the management of septic patents were determined by members of the CAEP Critical Care Interest Group (C4). Members of C4 were assigned a question to be answered after literature review, based on the Oxford grading system. After completion, each section underwent a secondary review by another member of C4. A tertiary review was conducted by additional external experts, and modifications were determined by consensus. Grading was based on peer-reviewed publications only, and where evidence was insufficient to address an important topic, a "practice point" was provided based on group opinion. RESULTS The project was initiated in 2005 and completed in December 2007. Key areas which were reviewed include the definition of sepsis, the use of invasive procedures, fluid resuscitation, vasopressor/inotrope use, the importance of culture acquisitionin the ED, antimicrobial therapy and source control. Other areas reviewed included the use of corticosteroids, activated protein C, transfusions and mechanical ventilation. CONCLUSION Early sepsis management in the ED is paramount for optimal patient outcomes. The CAEP Critical Care Interest Group Sepsis Position Statement provides a framework to improve the ED care of this patient population.
Multi-perspective Cybercrime Investigation Process Modeling

Several works have been carried out in the domain of cybercrime investigation. Each of the resulting models is based on a set of activities that should be performed in order to obtain the required evidences that are needed in the court for prosecution. In the literature, three processes have been highlighted for the digital forensic investigation based on a current situation; they include proactive, active and reactive processes. However, none of the defined approaches for investigation has taken into consideration the three perspectives despite the fact that they are linked together in the management of cybercrime within an organization. Moreover, there is no agreement in the definition of different tasks to be performed for each process in the achievement of the associated investigation goal. Each researcher comes with a specific set of activities based on the case under studies. In the same manner, the ordering of activities for a given process is not clearly specified; therefore, in different cases using the same process with the same activities, the associated executions are sometimes very different. There is a lack of standards in the cybercrime investigation processes. As the cybercrime increases in the modern society based on the use and the growth of ICTs (Information and Communication Technologies), there is an urgent need to set up a standard which takes into account the above issues. This paper proposes a multi-perspective cybercrime investigation process modeling that can be considered as a basis for standardization. The proposed model is constructed by extending and unifying the existing approaches.