Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Video frames interpolation using adaptive warping

Lou, Ying Chen. Ph.D., Purdue University, December 2010. Video Frames Interpolation Using Adaptive Warping . Major Professors: Mark J.T. Smith and Edward Delp. In this dissertation, a strategy for high fidelity scaling of video frames to higher resolutions is introduced. The method employed is a combination of block matching-based motion estimation and optical-based motion estimation, which builds on the Control Grid Interpolation (CGI) methods. Low resolution images are interpolated and used to obtain motion vectors that are then used to warp high definition reference frames. Because motion estimation is an ill-posed problem, robustness is critical in the motion search procedure. To improve the robustness of the derived motion fields, a bidirectional motion estimation method is proposed. A hierarchical motion structure is used to solve the ambiguity in the framework. Improving the spatial quality of video coded at low bit rates is a problem of general interest. Toward this end, a combined forward-backward warping method is proposed to improve the resolution of video encoded with H.264/AVC. The scheme attempts to capture long-term spatial detail by warping high resolution reference frames in accordance with displacement vectors derived from decoded low resolution frames. At low bit rates, the proposed method can achieve better PSNRs and better subjective quality than conventional H.264/AVC for sequences with low to moderate motion. The third application considered in this dissertation is video frame rate up-conversion. A new inter-frame motion compensated interpolation method is proposed that employs motion vector correction based on residual energy. Experimental results show that it can improve the visual quality of the interpolated frames where competing methods fail.
Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor and Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Are Required Simultaneously for Survival of Dopaminergic Primary Sensory Neurons In Vivo

Null mutations affecting members of the transforming growth factor-β and neurotrophin families result in overlapping patterns of neuronal cell death. This is particularly striking in the cranial sensory nodose-petrosal ganglion complex (NPG), in which loss of either glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), neurotrophin-3 (NT-3), or neurotrophin-4 (NT-4) results in a 30–50% reduction in neuronal survival. It is unknown, however, whether GDNF and any single neurotrophin support survival of the same cells, and if so, whether they are required simultaneously or sequentially during development. To approach these issues we defined survival requirements of nodose and petrosal neurons for GDNF in vitro and in bdnf,gdnf, and bdnf/gdnf null mutant mice, as well as the distribution of GDNF in NPG target tissues. Our analyses focused on the total population of ganglion cells as well as the subset of NPG neurons that are dopaminergic. Neuron losses inbdnf/gdnf double mutants are not additive of the losses in single bdnf or gdnf null mutants, indicating that many cells, including dopaminergic neurons, require both GDNF and BDNF for survival in vivo. Moreover, both factors are required during the same period of development, between embryonic day (E) 15.5 and E17.5. In addition, GDNF, like BDNF is expressed in target tissues at the time of initial target innervation and coincident with GDNF dependence of the innervating neurons. Together, these findings demonstrate that both GDNF and BDNF can act as target-derived trophic factors and are required simultaneously for survival of some primary sensory neurons.
Behavioral transformations to increase noise immunity in asynchronous specifications

Noise immunity is becoming one of the most important design parameters for deep-sub-micron (DSM) technologies. Asynchronous circuits seem to be a good candidate to alleviate the problems originated by simultaneous switching noise. However, they are also more sensitive than synchronous ones to spurious signal transitions and delay variations produced by crosstalk noise. This paper addresses the problem of analyzing and synthesizing asynchronous circuits with noise immunity being the main design parameter. The techniques presented in the paper focus on crosstalk noise and tackle the problem from the behavioral point of view.
Metaphoric Devices in Drawings of Motion Mean the Same to the Blind and the Sighted

Five pictures, each with a different way of indicating motion, were given to blind and to sighted subjects—as tactual pictures for the blind, and as ink-print pictures for the sighted. The subjects matched the pictures to kinds of motion. The blind subjects concurred with each other and with the sighted in their matches. Therefore the devices are effective without explicit or formal training in their interpretation. The basis for the devices, it is argued, is not convention. Rather, the devices are metaphoric.
Focused attention vs. crossmodal signals paradigm: deriving predictions from the time-window-of-integration model

In the crossmodal signals paradigm (CSP) participants are instructed to respond to a set of stimuli from different modalities, presented more or less simultaneously, as soon as a stimulus from any modality has been detected. In the focused attention paradigm (FAP), on the other hand, responses should only be made to a stimulus from a pre-defined target modality and stimuli from non-target modalities should be ignored. Whichever paradigm is being applied, a typical result is that responses tend to be faster to crossmodal stimuli than to unimodal stimuli, a phenomenon often referred to as “crossmodal interaction. ” Here, we investigate predictions of the time-window-of-integration (TWIN) modeling framework previously proposed by the authors. It is shown that TWIN makes specific qualitative and quantitative predictions on how the two paradigms differ with respect to the probability of multisensory integration and the amount of response enhancement, including the effect of stimulus intensity (“inverse effectiveness”). Introducing a decision-theoretic framework for TWIN further allows comparing the two paradigms with respect to the predicted optimal time window size and its dependence on the prior probability that the crossmodal stimulus information refers to the same event. In order to test these predictions, experimental studies that systematically compare crossmodal effects under stimulus conditions that are identical except for the CSP-FAP instruction should be performed in the future.
Detection of the polyphenolic components in Ribes nigrum L.

BACKGROUND The blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum L.) is a species of native currant which contains a lot of polyphenolic antioxidants which is used medicinally and has a fundamental role in the maintenance health. MATERIALS, METHODS AND OBJECTIVE: Ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry and ultraviolet range high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) were used to characterize the polyphenolic content of common Ribes nigrum collected in the western part of the Banat Region in Romania. RESULTS UV-visible spectrophotometry was a reliable tool for identifying the phenolic compounds class. Polyphenols calibration curves from the methanolic extracts showed a good linearity (r(2)>0.984) within test ranges and generated a well-designed absorption band with a local maximum at 273.2 nm band, which can be attributed to thr electronic transition of the n-π* type. Chromatographic separation and analysis of the methanol extract was useful for the structural epigallocatechin (EGC) and epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) characterization of primary antioxidant compounds. CONCLUSIONS The new, slightly modified, chromatographic system can serve for the development of a quantitative assessment methodology of epigallocatechin and epigallocatechin-3-gallate compounds, as well as for the comparative characterisation and standardisation of the dominant polyphenolic components in Ribes nigrum using EGC and EGCG standards.
Employment Outcomes of University Graduates with Learning Disabilities

Limited research exists related to the employment outcomes of adults with learning disabilities (LD) who graduate from postsecondary institutions. The current study presents the results of a followup investigation of 500 graduates with LD from three universities in the United States. Results indicated that levels of full-time employment, employment benefits, and salary earned were competitive with statistics related to the American work-force, in general, and exceeded statistics on adults with LD who are not college graduates, in particular. Data are also presented on post-graduation education levels achieved, type of employment, number of jobs held, and LD disclosure in the workplace.
Exploring term selection for geographic blind feedback

Standard blind feedback techniques have been applied to geographic information retrieval (GIR) with limited success. To facilitate more geographically oriented blind feedback, this paper explores the use of meronymy (part-whole) relations for term selection, based on a meronymy predicate for selecting feedback terms.Different methods are evaluated on the German GeoCLEF 2006data, measuring standard evaluation measures such as mean average precision (MAP) or precision at five documents. To achieve a trade-off between coverage and ambiguity, a new geographic knowledge base is created, containing important place names only, which reduces ambiguity. Results indicate that blind feedback improves performance for some topics, but does not considerably change MAP in the setup. However, a higher precision at five documents is achieved if more geographically oriented term selection criteria are applied.
Simulated evolution based algorithm versus exact method for virtual private network design

In this paper, we studied Virtual Private Network Design Problem using tree structure and assuming a pipe traffic matrix. Today with network virtualization, Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) have more importance in networking and offers the company the ideal solution to establish ondemand overlay networks that enable their customers to securely access company resources. This is a hard combinatorial optimization problem that it has been solved in literature only with approximation methods. Generally, this kind of methods do not give any guarantee on the solution quality and we are enable to know a priori how far the given solution is from the optimal one unlike other methods such as the exact methods. For this purpose, we propose an integer linear program (ILP) with classical Pipe traffic model to design the problem under investigation. Based on the proposed integer programming formulation, we solve the problem using two approaches: The first contribution is Simulated Evolution based evolutionary algorithm and the second contribution is an exact method based on Branch and Cut (B&C) algorithm to find a tree rooted at a user specified node with minimized overall reserved bandwidth. Performance results using Brite networks show that our proposed evolutionary algorithm offers good solutions within a fraction of the time required by the B&C algorithm and bandwidth cost within at most 1.5% of the optimal solutions found by the exact method.
OO process and metrics for effort estimation

Software development remains difficult to plan. Object-orientation has thus far not changed the picture. However due to the greater continuity in 00 across the life-cycle (objects everywhere), there is hope that 00 technology may improve the predictability of 00 projects. Last year’s Pragmatic and Theoretical Directions in Object-Oriented Software Metrics workshop found a division between the two camps: theoretic and pragmatic. Out of the pragmatic camp came an interesting revelation: software development remains difficult to plan.
Design considerations in optical add/drop multiplexers based on grating-assisted null couplers

The performance of a fully optimized optical add/drop multiplexer (OADM), based on null couplers and tilted Bragg gratings, is studied in detail. It is shown that maximization of the device performance involves three main optimization steps. First, the waveguide asymmetry (V/sub 2//V/sub 1/ ratio) should be optimized in order to minimize the extinction ratio of the unwanted mode at the null coupler waist. Second, the coupler taper shape should he optimized in order to further minimize the aforementioned extinction ratio. Third, the grating tilt angle and relative width can be also optimized to give negligible backreflections at the input port and minimize radiation losses. The results show that the proposed high-performance OADM configuration can meet stringent telecom specifications.
Early Diagnosis of In Utero and Intrapartum HIV Infection in Infants Prior to 6 Weeks of Age

ABSTRACT Early initiation of antiretroviral therapy reduces HIV-related infant mortality. The early peak of pediatric HIV-related deaths in South Africa occurs at 3 months of age, coinciding with the earliest age at which treatment is initiated following PCR testing at 6 weeks of age. Earlier diagnosis is necessary to reduce infant mortality. The performances of the Amplicor DNA PCR, COBAS AmpliPrep/COBAS TaqMan (CAP/CTM), and Aptima assays for detecting early HIV infection (acquired in utero and intrapartum) up to 6 weeks of age were compared. Dried blood spots (DBS) were collected at birth and at 2, 4, and 6 weeks from HIV-exposed infants enrolled in an observational cohort study in Johannesburg, South Africa. HIV status was determined at 6 weeks by DNA PCR on whole blood. Serial DBS samples from all HIV-infected infants and two HIV-uninfected, age-matched controls were tested with the 3 assays. Of 710 infants of known HIV status, 38 (5.4%) had in utero (n = 29) or intrapartum (n = 9) infections. By 14 weeks, when treatment should have been initiated, 13 (45%) in utero-infected and 2 (22%) intrapartum-infected infants had died or were lost to follow-up. The CAP/CTM and Aptima assays identified 76.3% of all infants with early HIV infections at birth and by 4 weeks were 96% sensitive. DNA PCR demonstrated lower sensitivities at birth and 4 weeks of 68.4% and 87.5%, respectively. All assays had the lowest sensitivity at 2 weeks of age. CAP/CTM was the only assay with 100% specificity at all ages. Testing at birth versus 6 weeks of age identifies a higher total number of HIV-infected infants, irrespective of the assay.
Architecture of the medial gastrocnemius in children with spastic diplegia

Ultrasound images were obtained of the medial gastrocnemius at different ankle joint positions with the knee extended. Fascicle length and deep fascicle angle were measured in five normally developing adults (mean age 33 years, age range 24 to 36 years) and in five normally developing children (mean age 7.8 years, age range 7 to 11 years), and in seven children with spastic diplegia (mean age 10 years, age range 6 to 13 years). These architectural variables were similar in the groups of normally developing adults and children. Importantly, no statistical difference could be found between the normally developing children and those with diplegia for fascicle length. Deep fascicle angles were reduced significantly in the clinical group at a particular ankle joint angle but not at the resting angles. The difference in deep fascicle angles is explained as a function of resting muscle length and is not attributed any clinical importance. Our results do not explain the structural origin of muscle contracture explicitly. However, they do indicate that most of the fixed shortness in the medial gastrocnemii of ambulant children with spastic diplegia is not due to reduced muscle fascicle length. We suggest that muscle contracture may be better explained in terms of shortness of the aponeuroses of pennate muscles, such as the medial gastrocnemius, through reduced muscle fascicle diameter.
What is "special" about face perception?

There is growing evidence that face recognition is "special" but less certainty concerning the way in which it is special. The authors review and compare previous proposals and their own more recent hypothesis, that faces are recognized "holistically" (i.e., using relatively less part decomposition than other types of objects). This hypothesis, which can account for a variety of data from experiments on face memory, was tested with 4 new experiments on face perception. A selective attention paradigm and a masking paradigm were used to compare the perception of faces with the perception of inverted faces, words, and houses. Evidence was found of relatively less part-based shape representation for faces. The literatures on machine vision and single unit recording in monkey temporal cortex are also reviewed for converging evidence on face representation. The neuropsychological literature is reviewed for-evidence on the question of whether face representation differs in degree or kind from the representation of other types of objects.
RELATIONSHIPS OF STRESS AND COPING STYLES TO PERIODONTAL DISEASE: A CASE-CONTROL STUDY

Statement of Problem: The effects of individual variations in coping strategies have been debated in studies of the association between stress and chronic periodontitis, with conflicting results. Purpose: To investigate the associations between stress, coping styles and periodontal disease in a sample of Iranian population. Materials and Method: Forty patients with chronic periodontitis and forty control subjects with a healthy periodontium were enrolled in this study and matched for age and gender. Participants were patients undergoing periodontal treatment at the Department of Periodontics, Guilan University of Medical Sciences. A single examiner performed periodontal examination. Psychological assessments, including the Life Events Questionnaire and the Ways of Coping Questionnaire were done by a second examiner; both examiners were blind to the study. Bi-variate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to compare results for patients and control subjects. Results: Statistically significant differences in the problem-focused coping ( p < 0.01), intensity of stress ( p < 0.006), as well as escape-avoidance ( p < 0.01), and accepting responsibility ( p < 0.001) subscales were observed between the patient and control groups. Multivariate logistic regression identified a negative association between periodontitis and tooth-brushing frequency (OR= 3.3, 95% CI: 1.22- 8.69), as well as the accepting responsibility coping style (OR= 1.5, 95% CI: 1.14- 1.98), and a positive association with stress intensity (OR= 1.081, 95% CI: 1.023-1.143). Conclusion: The results suggest that psychological stress associated with various life events is a significant risk indicator for periodontal disease. Although statistically small, there was a clinically important link between coping strategies and periodontal disease.
A two-level approach for ontology management in multi-agent systems

The work presented in this paper is an attempt to bridge two co-existing realities: semantic Web and multi-agent systems. Agents should be enhanced with tools and mechanisms in order to autonomously achieve this strategic and ambitious objective. In this paper, we focus on what we consider the central issue when moving towards the vision of semantic multi-agent systems: the ontology support. Due to the heterogeneity of resources available and roles played by different agents of a system, a one-level approach with the aim of being omni-comprehensive seems not to be feasible. In our opinion, a good compromise is represented by a two-level approach: a light ontology support embedded in each agent and one or more ontology servers providing a more expressive and powerful ontology support to the agents of the systems.
SecGOD Google Docs: Now i feel safer!

This paper presents SecGOD. A tool that protects the privacy of documents created with online office suites. SecGOD is implemented as a Greasemonkey java-script making it deployable on all popular greesemonkey compatible browsers and utilizes symmetric key encryption. All operations run on the client side, with SecGOD operating invisibly as concerned by the cloud, with no changes needed to the code that is provided to the cloud server provider. Finally, the effectiveness of SecGOD is demonstrated by conducting extensive experiments measuring the processing time for the three versions of AES (128, 192, 256 bits).
The obesity paradox is not observed in chronic heart failure patients with metabolic syndrome

Introduction: Although being overweight or obese is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, obese subjects often live longer than their lean peers, and this is known as the obesity paradox. We investigated the impact of obesity on cardiac prognosis in chronic heart failure (CHF) patients, with or without metabolic syndrome. Design and Methods: We divided 374 consecutive CHF patients into two groups according to their mean body mass index (BMI) and prospectively followed them for 2 years. Results: There were 126 cardiac events, including 32 cardiac deaths and 94 re-hospitalizations. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed a significantly lower cardiac event rate in the higher BMI group (log-rank test P < 0.001) in all patients and those patients without metabolic syndrome. There was no association between BMI and cardiac prognosis in patients with metabolic syndrome. Cox hazard analysis revealed that a higher BMI was associated with favorable cardiac outcomes in all patients and patients without metabolic syndrome, after adjusting for confounding factors. However, this finding did not extend to patients with metabolic syndrome. Conclusions: The advantages of obesity are not found in CHF patients with metabolic syndrome.
An O'Nan‐Scott Theorem for Finite Quasiprimitive Permutation Groups and an Application to 2‐Arc Transitive Graphs

A permutation group is said to be quasiprimitive if each of its nontrivial normal subgroups is transitive. A structure theorem for finite quasiprimitive permutation groups is proved, along the lines of the O'NanScott Theorem for finite primitive permutation groups. It is shown that every finite, non-bipartite, 2-arc transitive graph is a cover of a quasiprimitive 2-arc transitive graph. The structure theorem for quasiprimitive groups is used to investigate the structure of quasiprimitive 2-arc transitive graphs, and a new construction is given for a family of such graphs.