Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
EXTRACTION OF ROAD NETWORKS USING PAN-SHARPENED MULTISPECTRAL AND PANCHROMATIC QUICKBIRD IMAGES

Les methodes d'extraction routiere basees sur la classification multispectrale traditionnelle separent les routes des autres caracteristiques du sol selon les caracteristiques spectrales des pixels individuels. Pour faire usage des proprietes spatiales d'images satellitaires haute resolution, dans cet article, nous integrons l'information spectrale d'une image multispectrale a l'information spatiale d'une image panchromatique pour l'extraction routiere par une technique d'affinage global et un algorithme de reclassification basee sur les contours. Premierement, l'image multispectrale a faible resolution est fusionnee a l'image panchromatique a haute resolution. Ensuite, l'image affinee est classifiee pour determiner la classe de routes qui peut comprendre des objets non routiers. Les routes classifiees sont ensuite segmentees et reclassifiees a l'aide de l'information de la texture directionnelle de l'image des routes classifiees et de l'information sur les contours de l'image panchromatique. En utilisant la texture, le contour, la forme et la dimension, les objets non routiers, par exemple les petites entrees, les toitures des maisons et les parcs de stationnement peuvent etre enleves efficacement. Les evaluations de la qualite en milieu urbain montrent que l'integralite et la justesse des principales routes extraites quant a leur longueur sont meilleures que 90 % et 97 %, respectivement.
From financial crisis to Great Recession: the transmission role of globalized banks

Evidence abounds on the propagation of financial stresses originating in the US mortgage market to banking systems worldwide through international funding markets. But the transmission of this external funding shock to the real economy via bank lending is underexamined, given the central importance ascribed to this channel of contagion by policymakers. This paper provides evidence of the role of globalized banks in transmitting financial stresses to the real economy during the global financial crisis. A novel dataset is constructed from quarterly balance sheet reports provided by all UK-resident banks to the Bank of England. I find that the shock to bank funding from non-resident creditors was transmitted domestically through a significant reduction in bank credit supply. A range of instrumental variables is used to correct for endogeneity and omitted variable bias, and the results are robust to various sensitivity tests. Resident subsidiaries and branches of foreignowned banks reduced lending by a larger amount than domestically-owned banks, while the latter calibrated the reduction in domestic lending more closely to the size of the funding shock.
CKD273, a New Proteomics Classifier Assessing CKD and Its Prognosis

National Kidney Foundation CKD staging has allowed uniformity in studies on CKD. However, early diagnosis and predicting progression to end stage renal disease are yet to be improved. Seventy six patients with different levels of CKD, including outpatients and dialysed patients were studied for transcriptome, metabolome and proteome description. High resolution urinary proteome analysis was blindly performed in the 53 non-anuric out of the 76 CKD patients. In addition to routine clinical parameters, CKD273, a urinary proteomics-based classifier and its peptides were quantified. The baseline values were analyzed with regard to the clinical parameters and the occurrence of death or renal death during follow-up (3.6 years) as the main outcome measurements. None of the patients with CKD273<0.55 required dialysis or died while all fifteen patients that reached an endpoint had a CKD273 score >0.55. Unsupervised clustering analysis of the CKD273 peptides separated the patients into two main groups differing in CKD associated parameters. Among the 273 biomarkers, peptides derived from serum proteins were relatively increased in patients with lower glomerular filtration rate, while collagen-derived peptides were relatively decreased (p<0.05; Spearman). CKD273 was different in the groups with different renal function (p<0.003). The CKD273 classifier separated CKD patients according to their renal function and informed on the likelihood of experiencing adverse outcome. Recently defined in a large population, CKD273 is the first proteomic-based classifier successfully tested for prognosis of CKD progression in an independent cohort.
Routing Path Queries in Peer-to-Peer Systems

Peer-to-peer systems are gaining popularity as a means to effectively share huge, massively distributed data collections. An important challenge in this context is discovering the appropriate data and services. In this paper, we consider peers that store XML documents. We show how an extension of traditional Bloom filters, called multi-level Bloom filters, can be used to route path queries in such a system. Two alternative ways are considered for building overlay networks of peers: one based on network proximity and one based on content similarity. Content similarity is derived from the similarity among filters. Our experimental results show that networks based on content similarity outperform those formed based on network proximity for finding all matching documents.
Compressed Sensing Adaptive Speech Characteristics Research

The sparsity of the speech signals is utilized in the DCT domain. According to the characteristics of the voice which may be separated into voiceless and voiced one, an adaptive measurement speech recovery method is proposed in this paper based on compressed sensing. First, the observed points are distributed based on the voicing energy ratio which the entire speech segment occupies. Then the speech segment is enflamed, if the frame is an unvoiced speech, the numbers of measurement can be allocated according to its zeros and energy rate. If the frame is voiced speech, the numbers of measurement can be allocated according to its energy. The experiment results shows that the performance of speech signal based on the method above is superior to utilize compress sensing directly. Copyright © 2014 IFSA Publishing, S. L.
Cellular immune responses to recombinant heat shock protein 70 from Histoplasma capsulatum

Heat shock protein (hsp) 70 from several microbes is antigenic in mammals. In this study we sequenced and expressed the gene encoding this protein from Histoplasma capsulatum to study its immunological activity. The deduced amino acid sequence of the gene demonstrated 71 and 76% identity to hsp7O from humans and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, respectively. A cDNA was synthesized by reverse transcription-PCR and was expressed in Escherichia coli. Recombinant protein reacted with a mouse monoclonal antibody raised against human hsp7O. Splenocytes from C57BL/6 mice immunized with recombinant hsp7O emulsified in adjuvant, but not yeast cells, reacted in vitro to the antigen. Recombinant hsp7O elicited a cutaneous delayed-type hypersensitivity response in mice immunized with protein or with viable yeast cells. Mice were injected with recombinant hsp7O and challenged intranasally with a sublethal inoculum of yeast cells. Vaccination did not confer protection in this model. Thus, recombinant hsp7O can induce a cell-mediated immune response but does not induce a protective response.
Gray Level-Median Histogram Based 2D Otsu's Method

In this paper, we proposed a gray level-median histogram based two-dimensional (2D) Otsu's method, which is efficient and robust to noise. In our method, we use gray level-median instead of gray level-mean to build 2D histogram. We also proposed a new method to process the edge and noise regions to reduce noise and obtain more clear edges. In order to improve the computation efficiency, our method selects the optimal threshold in each dimension independently using 1D Otsu's method on 1D histogram. Experimental results show that our method has stronger anti-noise capability and faster processing speed compared with the traditional 2D Otsu's method and the traditional 3D Otsu's method. Especially for low SNR image, the segmentation results obtained by our method are much better than those by the traditional 2D Otsu's method and the traditional 3D Otsu's method.
Themes in the Research on Preservice Teachers’ Views of Cultural Diversity

This article traces themes found in the research on preservice teachers’ views of cultural diversity published in peer-reviewed journals from 1985 to 2007. The article seeks to draw insights that inform education researchers interested in interrogating and unpacking views about diversity expressed by today’s millennial college students. Findings suggest that although recent studies report a shift toward more positive attitudes about teaching culturally diverse students, persistent issues plague preservice teachers’ understanding of cultural diversity. Implications for future research are discussed.
Mechanisms of cortical electrical activity and emergence of gamma rhythm.

A continuum model of the electrical activity of the cerebral cortex is described which predicts the occurrence of a resonance in the gamma range near 40 Hz. The emergence of this resonance is due to two refinements to a previous model, namely the inclusion of a modulation of synaptic strength due to finite reversal potentials, and use of parameters that better match physiological measurements. Analytical expressions for the fixed points of the system and for its linear dynamics are found in terms of average neuronal properties, and together explain the occurrence and modulation of the gamma-like resonance. The analytical results are confirmed by a numerical simulation.
Adaptive Interaction with Web Sites: an Overview of Methods and Techniques

The World Wide Web (WWW) tends to become the main medium supporting access to information and services to an expanding group of users. The increasing complexity of existing web applications and the volume of data offered often result in user disorientation. Adaptive interaction is proposed by many researchers as an effective means for tackling this problem. In this paper, we present and review existing approaches for developing adaptive web systems. Throughout the review, special emphasis is provided on techniques exploiting web usage data. The survey of methodologies is based on a twodimensional approach proposed here and used to distinguish different adaptive web systems.
Navigable map-aided differential odometry to enhance GNSS in adverse conditions

This paper studies the benefits of integrating proprioceptive measurements and a-priory geographical knowledge in the GNSS computation to increase availability and accuracy for modern ITS applications. A tightly-coupled framework for merging GNSS pseudo-ranges and odometric measurements is first introduced. An efficient way to merge a 2D navigable road-map is then presented, including the road selection and the map measurement model. A cautious fusion strategy, which provides enhanced GNSS-like positioning is performed, using an Extended Kalman filter monitoring innovation signals. This method has been applied to real-field data recorded during spring 2007. Results show the benefits of the proposed framework for GPS-computation under adverse conditions, i.e. with bad satellites availability and configuration.
Hyperhomocysteinemia Associates with Small Vessel Disease More Closely Than Large Vessel Disease

Background: Hyperhomocysteinemia was believed to be an independent risk factor for stroke and associate with small vessel disease (SVD) related stroke and large vessel disease (LVD) related stroke differently. However it's still unclear which type of stroke associated with homocysteine (HCY) more strongly because the conclusions of previous studies were contradictory. In this study we focused on the subclinical angiopathies of stroke, i.e., SVD and LVD instead of stroke subtypes and sought to compare the associations between HCY level and different angiopathies. Methods: 324 non-stroke patients were enrolled. Sex, age, HCY level and other vascular risk factors were collected. MRI and angiographies were used to determine the type of angiopathies and their severity, i.e., the scores of leukoaraiosis (LA), plaques and numbers of silent brain infarctions (SBI). LVD was defined as the presence of atherosclerotic plaques of cerebral arteries. SVD was defined as the presence of either LA or SBI. 230 patients were deemed to have LVD; 180 patients were deemed to have SVD. Spearman's correlation test and logistic regression were used to analyze the association between HCY level and different angiopathies. Results: The correlation between HCY level and scores of plaques was weaker than that of the scores of LA and numbers of SBI. Hyperhomocysteinemia was an independent risk factor for SVD (OR = 1.315, P <0.001), whereas the association between HCY level and LVD was not that significant (OR = 1.058, P = 0.075). Conclusion: HCY level associated with SVD more strongly than LVD.
Using Uncensored Communication Channels to Divert Spam Traffic

We offer a microeconomic model of the two-sided market for the dominant form of spam: bulk, unsolicited, and commercial advertising email. We adopt an incentive-centered design approach to develop a simple, feasible improvement to the current email system using an uncensored communication channel. Such a channel could be an email folder or account, to which properly tagged commercial solicitations are routed. We characterize the circumstances under which spammers would voluntarily move much of their spam into the open channel, leaving the traditional email channel dominated by person-to-person, non-spam mail. Our method follows from observing that there is a real demand for unsolicited commercial email, so that everyone can be made better off if a channel is provided for spammers to meet spamdemanders. As a bonus, the absence of filtering in an open channel restores to advertisers the incentive to make messages truthful, rather than to disguise them to avoid filters. We show that under certain conditions all email recipients are better off when an open channel is introduced. Only recipients wanting spam will use the open channel enjoying the less disguised messages, and for all recipients the satisfaction associated with desirable mail received increases, and dissatisfaction associated with both undesirable mail received and desirable mail filtered out decreases.
TRPM8 Mechanism of Cold Allodynia after Chronic Nerve Injury

The cold- and menthol-sensitive receptor TRPM8 (transient receptor potential melastatin 8) has been suggested to play a role in cold allodynia, an intractable pain seen clinically. We studied how TRPM8 is involved in cold allodynia using rats with chronic constrictive nerve injury (CCI), a neuropathic pain model manifesting cold allodynia in hindlimbs. We found that cold allodynic response in the CCI animals was significantly attenuated by capsazepine, a blocker for both TRPM8 and TRPV1 (transient receptor potential vanilloid 1) receptors, but not by the selective TRPV1 antagonist I-RTX (5-iodoresiniferatoxin). In L5 dorsal root ganglion (DRG) sections of the CCI rats, immunostaining showed an increase in the percentage of TRPM8-immunoreactive neurons when compared with the sham group. Using the Ca2+-imaging technique and neurons acutely dissociated from the L5 DRGs, we found that CCI resulted in a significant increase in the percentage of menthol- and cold-sensitive neurons and also a substantial enhancement in the responsiveness of these neurons to both menthol and innocuous cold. These changes occurred in capsaicin-sensitive neurons, a subpopulation of nociceptive-like neurons. Using patch-clamp recordings, we found that membrane currents evoked by both menthol and innocuous cold were significantly enhanced in the CCI group compared with the sham group. By retrograde labeling afferent neurons that target hindlimb skin, we showed that the skin neurons expressed TRPM8 receptors, that the percentage of menthol-sensitive/cold-sensitive/capsaicin-sensitive neurons increased, and that the menthol- and cold-evoked responses were significantly enhanced in capsaicin-sensitive neurons after CCI. Together, the gain of TRPM8-mediated cold sensitivity on nociceptive afferent neurons provides a mechanism of cold allodynia.
Trust and Collaboration in Schools: Exploring Reciprocal Relationships in the Context of Decentralization and Reform in Korea

tem of education have been slow to produce significant improvements at the local school level. Schools in Korea have yet to benefit, appreciably, from the intent of long-standing enabling legislation designed to facilitate the restructuring and democratization of educational processes, encourage more in-school collaboration, and promote community participation (S. Kim, 1998; Yun, 2000). The course of collaboration and collective action in schools in Korea has been confounded by jurisdictional differences, political disagreements, and organizational difficulties, and by the fact of minimal preparation of education professionals and citizens to assume new roles and responsibilities of local school governance (Govier, 1997; Y. Kim, 1999; Yun, 2000). The force of Korea’s long history of centralized control of education and the sociocultural challenges implicit in governance models dependent on self-direction, collaboration, cooperation, and collective action, moreover, may explain, in part, the slow pace of school reform and change (Song, 1997; Yun, 2000). Many of the proposed reforms in Korea—fostering the use of democratic process at the local school level, expanding the diversity of stakeholders in decision-making processes, and extending the spectrum of value positions, assumptions, and points of view that impact education at the local level—are not dissimilar from those proposed in the United Sates (Bolman & Deal, 1994; Conley, Schmiddle, & Shedd, 1988; Y. Kim, 1999; Murphy, 1991). They depend, substantially, on changes in influence relationships and collaborative processes heretofore untested in Korea (Y. Kim, 1999). The devolution of control alone cannot be expected to result in meaningful improvements at the local school level unless stakeholders in reform can engage in productive corporate and collaborative relationships based on trust (Glickman, 1990). Relevant evidence in schools beyond Korea suggests that productive, shared decision-making processes and effective collaboration in community schools require an environment based in mutual trust (Powell, 1990, 1996). Schools must be places where principals, teachers, and parents can share
Constrained localization in sensor networks

In this note we show how to introduce physical constraints in the localization problem in sensor networks. This is based on extending the classical STRESS function from distance geometry and multidimensional scaling. We present the underlying framework and demonstrate it with three examples: penalizing the sensors for being in high elevation areas, removing sensors from forbidden areas, and forcing the sensors to be on pre-described curves. Index Terms Sensor localization, sensor networks, STRESS function, multidimensional scaling, distance geometry, physical constraints.
Demand response and site management for cloud based Services

This paper introduces a method to accomplish specific target loads in virtualization based data centers. Within the last few years, the development of data centers moved into high-grade flexible architectures that adapt to the needs (by means of virtualization). This flexibility can be used by load management methods to minimize and also to manipulate the energy demand in order to adapt to price fluctuations and to prevent demand peaks in power grid as well. We developed a method that is able to accomplish specific load profile optimized for this. Estimations done show that the chosen approach satisfies this task very well.
Behaviors of Multi-hop Routing Protocols Based on Cross-Layer Approach

Most of the recent performance studies in MANETs (Mobile Ad Hoc Networks), consider the effects of multiple layer interactions. These interactions allow layers to exchange state information in order to obtain performance gains. For instance, the routing layer may use the channel state information such as interference and noise in the route discovery process, in order to dynamically select the most stable routes. In this paper, we present a behavior comparison of the routing protocols based on cross-layer approach among physical and network layers. The first protocol is a reactive protocol Ad Hoc Ondemand Distance Vector (AODV), the second one is a proactive protocol Optimized Link State Routing (OLSR). Both of them are based on Signal to Interference and Noise Ratio (SINR) metric in their route discovery process. The behavior comparison of the routing protocols is implemented using NS2 simulator with mobile nodes in a shadowing environment qualified as an environment with important variations in the received signal power. Simulation results, using NS2, show that AODV based on SINR metric maximizes the packet delivery ratio and minimizes the overhead cost compared to OLSR based on SINR metric.
Depression, Risk Preferences, and Risk-Taking Behavior

ABSTRACT Depression affects the way that people process information and make decisions, including those involving risk and uncertainty. Our objective is to analyze the way that depressive episodes shape risk preferences and risktaking behaviors. Using a large, representative German household data set, we find no disparity in the behavioral risk preferences of the mentally well versus those who are depressed, yet depression is related to people’s stated risk preferences and risk-taking behaviors in ways that are context-specific. We develop a conceptual model and show that differences in risk-taking behavior are largely explained by depression-related disparities in behavioral traits, such as locus of control, optimism, and trust.
Reconstructing embryonic development

Novel approaches to bio‐imaging and automated computational image processing allow the design of truly quantitative studies in developmental biology. Cell behavior, cell fate decisions, cell interactions during tissue morphogenesis, and gene expression dynamics can be analyzed in vivo for entire complex organisms and throughout embryonic development. We review state‐of‐the‐art technology for live imaging, focusing on fluorescence light microscopy techniques for system‐level investigations of animal development, and discuss computational approaches to image segmentation, cell tracking, automated data annotation, and biophysical modeling. We argue that the substantial increase in data complexity and size requires sophisticated new strategies to data analysis to exploit the enormous potential of these new resources. genesis 49:488–513, 2011. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
THE MONGE MASS TRANSFER PROBLEM AND ITS APPLICATIONS

We unify Kantorovich and Young’s theory by formulating the Monge mass transfer problem as a variational problem involving Young measures. This is done thanks to the disintegration theorem and a density result on the set of all Borel measures on R ×R with fixed marginals. We mention applications, such as Bernoulli convolution.
An Evolutionary Learning Approach for Robot Path Planning with Fuzzy Obstacle Detection and Avoidance in a Multi-agent Environment

This paper describes a Fuzzy-Genetic Algorithm Approach for path planning of mobile robots with obstacle detection and avoidance in static and dynamic scenarios. Through the software Net logo, used in simulations of multiagent applications, a seminal model was developed for the given problem. The model, which contains a robot and scenarios with or without obstacles, is responsible for determining the best path used by a robot to achieve the goal state in a shorter number of steps and avoiding collisions. Additionally, a performance evaluation of this model in comparison with A* algorithm is presented.