Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An EHW architecture for the design of unconstrained low-power FIR filters for sensor control using custom-reconfigurable technology

This paper presents a power-optimized evolvable hardware (EHW) architecture that employs custom-reconfigurable technology. It comprises a preliminary research work towards the implementation of filtering circuits associated with the JPL-Boeing micro-machined gyroscope. Our scope is to implement a low-power, autonomously reconfigurable architecture that is tailored for the realization of arbitrary response FIR filters. For the purpose of this paper the hardware substrate comprises a reconfigurable 4/spl times/12 array, which consists of heterogeneous, configurable, arithmetic-logic units (CALUs). The implementation of the design is based on the primitive operator filter (POF) technique in order to evolve all the parts of a filter (unconstrained filter). Furthermore, a hybrid arithmetic approach is employed in order for the architecture to cope with overflow events. The paradigms of both lowpass and highpass filters are produced, using two different strategies of evolution. The obtained results demonstrate the physical characteristics of the reconfigurable substrate and the performance of the genetic algorithm (GA) in successfully designing FIR filters. Finally, the power results of the reconfigurable architecture (RA) are compared with these of the AT6000 series FPGAs and an algorithmically power-optimized, custom reprogrammable FIR core.
Adaptive Video Streaming over LTE Unlicensed

In this paper we consider the problem of adaptive video streaming over an LTE-A network that utilizes Licensed Assisted Access (LAA) which is an instance of LTE Unlicensed. With LTE Unlicensed users of the LTE-A network opportunisti- cally access radio resources from unlicensed and licensed carriers through Carrier Aggregation (CA). Our objective is to select the highest possible video quality for each LTE-A user while also try to deliver video data in time for playback, and thus avoid buffer under-run events that deteriorate viewing experience. However, the unpredictable nature of the wireless channel, as well as the unknown utilization of the unlicensed carrier by other unlicensed users, result in a challenging optimization problem. We first focus on developing an accurate system model of the adaptive streaming system, LTE-A, and the stochastic availability of unlicensed resources. Then, the formulated problem is solved in two stages: First, we calculate a proportionally fair video quality for each user, and second we execute resource allocation on a shorter time scale compatible with LTE-A. We compare our framework with the typical proportional fair scheduler as well as a state-of-the-art LTE-A adaptive video streaming framework in terms of average segment quality and number of buffer under- run events. Results show that the proposed quality selection and scheduling algorithms, not only achieve higher video segment quality in most cases, but also minimize the amount and duration of video freezes as a result of buffer under-run events.
Evolution of uncorrelated and correlated noise in Gaussian and Laplacian image pyramids

Gaussian and Laplacian pyramids are the basis of established image processing applications, for instance, contrast enhancement and noise reduction in medical X-ray imaging. For these techniques to yield optimal results, the noise level at each pyramid scale must be known. So far, however, there is almost no published research regarding this important topic. In this paper, we analyze, to our best knowledge for the first time, noise in pyramids in the spatial domain and show that--and how--noise in Laplacian pyramids depends on the location of a given coefficient. For uncorrelated Gaussian noise we derive mathematical formulations of Gaussian and Laplacian equivalent weighting functions. Correlated noise is addressed by the effect of pyramid operations on autocorrelation functions. The results allow for significant improvement of diverse established methods.
Reverse sex‐biased philopatry in a cooperative bird: genetic consequences and a social cause

The genetic structure of a group or population of organisms can profoundly influence the potential for inbreeding and, through this, can affect both dispersal strategies and mating systems. We used estimates of genetic relatedness as well as likelihood‐based methods to reconstruct social group composition and examine sex biases in dispersal in a Costa Rican population of white‐throated magpie‐jays (Calocitta formosa, Swainson 1827), one of the few birds suggested to have female‐biased natal philopatry. We found that females within groups were more closely related than males, which is consistent with observational data indicating that males disperse upon maturity, whereas females tend to remain in their natal territories and act as helpers. In addition, males were generally unrelated to one another within groups, suggesting that males do not disperse with or towards relatives. Finally, within social groups, female helpers were less related to male than female breeders, suggesting greater male turnover within groups. This last result indicates that within the natal group, female offspring have more opportunities than males to mate with nonrelatives, which might help to explain the unusual pattern of female‐biased philopatry and male‐biased dispersal in this system. We suggest that the novel approach adopted here is likely to be particularly useful for short‐term studies or those conducted on rare or difficult‐to‐observe species, as it allows one to establish general patterns of philopatry and genetic structure without the need for long‐term monitoring of identifiable individuals.
An investigation of real world control of robotic assets under communication latency

Robots are already being used in a variety of applications, including the military battlefield. As robotic technology continues to advance, those applications will increase, as will the demands on the associated network communication links. Two experiments investigated the effects of communication latency on the control of a robot across four Levels Of Automation (LOAs), (1) full teleoperation, (2) guarded teleoperation, (3) autonomous obstacle avoidance, and (4) full autonomy. Latency parameters studied included latency duration, latency variability, and the "direction" in which the latency occurs, that is from user-to-robot or from robot-to-user. The results indicate that the higher the LOA, the better the performance in terms of both time and number of errors made, and also the more resistant to the degrading effects of latency. Subjective reports confirmed these findings. Implications of constant vs. variable-latency, user-to-robot vs. robot-to-user latency, and latency duration are also discussed.
Quantifying energy and water fluxes in dry dune ecosystems of the Netherlands

Coastal and inland dunes provide various ecosystem services that are related to groundwater, such as drinking water production and biodiversity. To manage groundwater in a sustainable manner, knowledge of actual evapotranspiration (ET a ) for the various land covers in dunes is essential. Aiming at improving the parameterization of dune vegetation in hydrometeorological models, this study explores the magnitude of energy and water fluxes in an inland dune ecosystem in the Netherlands. Hydrometeorological measurements were used to parameterize the Penman–Monteith evapotranspiration model for four different surfaces: bare sand, moss, grass and heather. We found that the net longwave radiation ( R nl ) was the largest energy flux for most surfaces during daytime. However, modeling this flux by a calibrated FAO-56 R nl model for each surface and for hourly time steps was unsuccessful. Our R nl model, with a novel submodel using solar elevation angle and air temperature to describe the diurnal pattern in radiative surface temperature, improved R nl simulations considerably. Model simulations of evaporation from moss surfaces showed that the modulating effect of mosses on the water balance is species-dependent. We demonstrate that dense moss carpets ( Campylopus introflexus ) evaporate more (5 %, +14 mm) than bare sand (total of 258 mm in 2013), while more open-structured mosses ( Hypnum cupressiforme ) evaporate less (−30 %, −76 mm) than bare sand. Additionally, we found that a drought event in the summer of 2013 showed a pronounced delayed signal on lysimeter measurements of ET a for the grass and heather surfaces, respectively. Due to the desiccation of leaves after the drought event, and their feedback on the surface resistance, the potential evapotranspiration in the year 2013 dropped by 9 % (−37 mm) and 10 % (−61 mm) for the grass and heather surfaces, respectively, which subsequently led to lowered ET a of 8 % (−29 mm) and 7 % (−29 mm). These feedbacks are of importance for water resources, especially during a changing climate with an increasing number of drought days. Therefore, such feedbacks need to be integrated into a coupled plant physiological and hydrometeorological model to accurately simulate ET a . In addition, our study showed that groundwater recharge in dunes can be increased considerably by promoting moss vegetation, especially of open-structured moss species.
Leaders and Elites : A Longitudinal Design

The term longitudinal design refers to a fl exible research approach that can be applied to a wide range of topics involving change over time. Longitudinal refers to both the data collected and the methods of analysis used, and project designs can combine several datagathering and analysis methods within a longitudinal framework. Longitudinal research demonstrates several features that permit the observation of process and change and facilitate identifi cation and evaluation of the underlying factors. Several library and information science studies demonstrate the application of a longitudinal approach to both prospective and retrospective research questions. This article draws primarily on a longitudinal study of leaders who emerged in the archival profession during the 1980s when archivists developed the fi rst set of descriptive standards (MARC AMC) in response to trends in the automation of library cataloging. The study identifi ed a core group of leaders whose infl uence drove the archival profession to move in a specifi c direction. The identifi cation of opinion leaders and elites, and the factors that led to their status, has signifi cant implications for understanding patterns of decision making and communication within organizations. Introduction The terms longitudinal design and longitudinal analysis apply to a wide range of research studies conducted within many social science disciplines. The concept of longitudinal research relates to both the nature of the data and the methods of analysis. Because researchers can use a longitudinal approach in combination with other methods, as well as by itself, the lonIdentifying Opinion Leaders and Elites: A Longitudinal Design
Representing 3D mesh with attributed root trees

In content-based 3D mesh retrieval, graph-based structure is one of the most important shape descriptors. The early work on this issue can be found in [Hilaga et al. 2001], in which a 3D mesh representation, Multiresolutional Reeb Graphs (MRGs), was proposed. Since then, many Reeb-Graph based descriptors have been designed to simplify and represent 3D meshes. However, most of those descriptors are only suitable for graph-based topology matching, which is time-consuming and unreliable. To address this issue, we propose a novel approach to representing 3D mesh by using a tree-like structure, Attributed Root Trees (ARTs). The advantages of our method are three-fold: (1) Tree matching is easier and efficient than graph matching; (2) The representation well reserves topological information of a 3D mesh, thus topology matching can be easily completed; (3) It is possible to perform multi-resolution matching on ARTs.
3D target shape from SAS images based on a deformable mesh

The seafloor can nowadays be scanned with side-looking sonar that provides a very high resolution over a large swath, which has proved beneficial for underwater target detection and classification. For systems operated at hundreds of kilohertz, one may obtain centimeter resolution in the range and along-track direction. For these systems, the third dimension, height, is usually resolved much worse. Since the 3D shape is regarded a valuable clue in underwater target classification, it is important to extract height information as best as possible. In this paper a new method for deriving 3D information from non-interferometric SAS images is described. The method is experimentally applied to multi-view reconstruction of calibrated target shapes imaged by the MUSCLE vehicle, and the results are compared to the actual dimensions of the observed objects in order to quantify the reconstruction accuracy. The reconstruction algorithm is a shape-from-shading approach that uses a deformable mesh to preserve surface continuity while enforcing observational constraints. The technique is shown to have an important impact in object classification, both as a stand- alone method and combined with other 3D imaging techniques such as interferometry. Implications to target identification and vehicle autonomy are discussed.
Albuminuria is evident in the early stages of diabetes onset: results from the Australian Diabetes, Obesity, and Lifestyle Study (AusDiab).

BACKGROUND Albuminuria is a common complication of diabetes and a leading cause of end-stage renal disease. We determined the prevalence of and factors associated with albuminuria in an Australian population and examined the association of albuminuria with glucose tolerance. METHODS The Australian Diabetes, Obesity, and Lifestyle Study included 11,247 adults aged 25 years and older from 42 randomly selected areas of Australia. Microalbuminuria is defined as an albumin-creatinine ratio of 22 to 220 mg/g (2.5 to 25 mg/mmol) in men and 31 to 220 mg/g (3.5 to 25 mg/mmol) in women, and macroalbuminuria is defined as an albumin-creatinine ratio of 220 mg/g or greater (> or =25.0 mg/mmol). RESULTS Overall, 25.3% of patients with diabetes mellitus (known [KDM] and newly diagnosed [NDM], type 1 and type 2) had evidence of albuminuria (21.0%, microalbuminuria; 4.3%, macroalbuminuria). Prevalence increased with increasing glycemia (normal glucose tolerance [NGT], 5.1%; impaired fasting glucose [IFG], 9.3%; impaired glucose tolerance, 11.0%; NDM, 17.8%; and KDM, 32.6% [type 2 only]). Patients with diabetes (KDM and NDM) and IFG had an increased risk for albuminuria compared with those with NGT independent of age, sex, and other known risk factors for albuminuria. Logistic regression modeling identified age, duration of diabetes, systolic blood pressure, current smoking, body mass index, and glycated hemoglobin level as independent risk factors for albuminuria. CONCLUSION This Australian population-based study shows that albuminuria is common among patients with established diabetes, is present before the onset of diabetes, and becomes more prevalent with worsening glucose tolerance.
IC10: the history of the nearest starburst galaxy through its Planetary Nebula and H ii region populations★

We report the results of spectroscopic observations, obtained with the Gemini North Multi-Object Spectrograph, of nine planetary nebulae (PNe) and 15 H II regions located in the 5.5 x 5.5 arcmin 2 inner region of the nearby starburst galaxy IC10. Twelve new candidates PNe have been discovered during our pre-imaging phase. Nine of them have been spectroscopically confirmed. The direct availability of the electron temperature diagnostics in several nebulae allowed an accurate determination of the metallicity map of IC10 at two epochs: the present-time from H II regions and the old/intermediate-age from PNe. We found a non-homogeneous distribution of metals at both epochs, but similar average abundances were found for the two populations. The derived age-metallicity relation shows a little global enrichment interpreted as the loss of metals by supernova winds and to differential gas outflows. Finally, we analysed the production of oxygen - through the third dredge-up - in the chemical abundance patterns of the PN populations belonging to several dwarf irregular galaxies. We found that the third dredge-up of oxygen is a metallicity dependent phenomenon occurring mainly for 12 + log(O/H) < 7.7 and substantially absent in IC10 PNe.
Diversity in Calorie Sources and Undernourishment during Rapid Economic Growth

This paper compares the experiences of India and Vietnam in dietary diversity and undernourishment from the early 1990s to the middle of the first decade of the new millennium. Both these countries recorded high economic growth rates and large poverty reductions during the late 1990s following a set of economic reforms. However, while Vietnam recorded large reductions in its undernourishment rates, the reverse was true for India. The Vietnamese, with their intervention programmes aimed at nutrient enhancement, have managed their growth process ensuring a positive association between reduction in expenditure-based poverty and calorie-based under-nutrition, in a manner that has lessons for other high growth achievers such as India.
Shifting light in the Qamariyya: The reinvention of patronage networks in contemporary Yemen

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Georgetown University, 2008. ; Includes bibliographical references. Understanding the dynamics of regimes that combine the external trappings of democracy with the substance of authoritarian rule is a central puzzle facing comparative political scientists. Thus far, much of the literature addressing hybrid regimes has focused on the importance of elections, while neglecting variations in the underlying practice of autocracy. This dissertation moves beyond the focus on elections to explore processes of institutional change and renewal within a particular type of hybrid regime: those dominated by neopatrimonial politics. It asks: Under what conditions do elites in neopatrimonial regimes, who are embedded in networks of patronage, defect by building formal political institutions? And, what impact does their defection have on the existing mode of autocracy? To address these questions, the project inductively constructs a typological theory using comparative and within-case analysis of individual elites in the context of the Yemen. It argues that five variables combine to determine if included elites are likely to defect: 1) the degree of patronage inclusion 2) the type of patronage extended, 3) elite identity, 4) life-cycle position, and 5) an ease of defection index. The details of the typological theory do not travel beyond Yemen, yet the study provides analytical insights that inform the analysis of neopatrimonial regimes more broadly. First, it suggests that not all types of patronage are created equal. Scholars wishing to understand the micro-politics of elite bargaining must look beyond an inclusion/exclusion dichotomy to include distinctions in both the degree and type of patronage. Secondly, the project offers a cautionary tale for policymakers and researchers who view defection as a source of democratic change. Powerful elites may choose to defect, but they may do so as a bargaining tactic to reposition themselves in networks of patronage. In these cases, defection may serve to reinvent, rather than attenuate, the existing mode of autocracy.
Controlled Emissivity Coatings to Delay Ignition of Polyethylene

Semi-opaque to opaque films containing small amounts of various aluminium particles to decrease emissivity were easily prepared and coated onto low-density polyethylene (LDPE) sheets. The thermal-radiative properties (reflectivity, transmissivity and absorptivity) of the films were measured and related to the aluminum particles’ content, size and nature. Time-to-ignition of samples was assessed using a cone calorimeter at different heat flux values (35, 50 and 75 kW/m2). The coatings allowed significant ignition delay and, in some cases, changed the material behaviour from thermally thin to thick behaviour. These effects are related both to their emissivity and transmissivity. A lower emissivity, which decreases during the degradation, and a lower transmissivity are the key points to ensure an optimal reaction-to-fire.
Forced Information Maximization to Accelerate Information-Theoretic Competitive Learning

Information-theoretic competitive learning has been proved to be more general and more flexible type of competitive learning. However, one of the major shortcomings of this method is that it is sometimes very slow in learning. To overcome this problem, we introduce forced information used to force networks to increase information by supposing maximum information. We applied the method to an artificial data as well as a student survey. In both cases, we observed that information was very rapidly increased to stable points. Compared with results by the principal component analysis, our method showed more clearly the main features of input patterns. In addition, we can more easily explain a main mechanism of feature detection by forced information.
INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY AND BANKS PROFITABILITY IN NIGERIA.

The role of information in the actualization of various organizational objectives cannot be over-emphasized has it ensure prompt delivery of resources essential to attain an enviable ends. The contemporary business milieu is very dynamic and experiences rapid changes due to creativity, innovation, hi-tech changes, increased perception and demands from clienteles. Business organizations, especially the banking industry is operating in a complex and competitive environment characterized by these changing conditions and highly unpredictable economic climate with Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is at the centre of the change curve. Using a primary data sourced through a structured questionnaire administered to selected banks in south-west Nigeria and the Ordinary Least Square approach econometric techniques, this study examined the nature of the relationship that exist between Banks Profitability and the Adoption of Information and Communication Technology. The data analysis showed that a positive correlation exists between ICT and banks profitability in Nigeria. This implies that a marginal change in the level of the investment and adoption of ICT in the banking industry will result to a proportionate increase in the profit level. This is confirmed by the level of the regression coefficient as well as the factor analysis which revealed that an insignificant size of profit exist without the introduction of the ICT.