Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Design and implementation of a measurement and alert system of QoS parameters in SIP based Internet telephony

This paper proposes a measurement system of QoS parameters for a SIP based Internet telephony service. This system is called QoS agent and will allow telephony user to receive alerts in real time if network conditions are not suitable to make a call. Two complementary types of measurement methods will be used. The first one is called incall method which uses RTCP packets statistics obtained during the first seconds of a call in progress. The second one is called outcall method. It periodically uses the SIP OPTIONS method to obtain delay statistics out of a call. This system constitutes an alternative solution of QoS management for IP telephony service providers that use third party's infrastructure to provide the service
Spike sorting in multi-channel extracellular recordings of retinas

Spike sorting is a prerequisite for studying the multi-channel extracellular recordings. A new method is developed for spike sorting in multi-channel extracellular recordings of retinas. Based on the assumption that noise follows Gaussian distribution, spike templates are constructed based on principal component analysis and subtractive clustering, then a template matching procedure is applied to choose the best-fit template or templates combination for overlapping spikes so that after subtracting the template or templates combination from the spike event, the sum of squared residue follows Chi-square distribution. Artificial spike trains are used to assess the performance of the proposed method.
Characteristics of the functional link net: a higher order delta rule net

Reports on the characteristics of a net which incorporates higher-order effects in supervised learning in ways different from those previously proposed. These higher-order effects are introduced through nonlinear functional transforms via links rather than at nodes. Specific instances include transforming the input vector into higher-order tensors. Learning-rate increases, for several examples, are described. Network architecture simplifications are also described. <<ETX>>
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON SYSTEMS , MAN , AND CYBERNETICS — PART A : SYSTEMS AND HUMANS

We address the problem of probability density function estimation using a Gaussian mixture model updated with the expectationmaximization (EM) algorithm. To deal with the case of an unknown number of mixing kernels, we define a new measure for Gaussian mixtures, called total kurtosis, which is based on the weighted sample kurtoses of the kernels. This measure provides an indication of how well the Gaussian mixture fits the data. Then we propose a new dynamic algorithm for Gaussian mixture density estimation which monitors the total kurtosis at each step of the EM algorithm in order to decide dynamically on the correct number of kernels and possibly escape from local maxima. We show the potential of our technique in approximating unknown densities through a series of examples with several density estimation problems.
Adolescent Protective Factors Related to Resilience: Issues of Academic Self-Efficacy, Parental Involvement, and Special Education Status

The predictive value of three constructs was examined in this study in order to explain adolescent self-reported protective factors associated with resilience while moderating for the effects of sex and race. The three constructs included Academic Selfefficacy, Maternal Parental Involvement, and Special Education Identification Status. Participants included 54 adolescents in diverse public middle and high schools, ages 11 to 18. Twenty of these participants were identified as receiving special education services while 34 did not. Results indicated that adolescent perceptions of Academic Self-efficacy significantly predicted protective factors associated with resilience while Special Education Identification Status and Maternal Parental Involvement did not add significantly to the prediction. In addition, the moderating effects of sex and race did not add to the regression model, indicating that these constructs had little predictive effect on any of the predictor variables. Implications for enhancing the efficacy of school-based social emotional programming and services for at-risk adolescent youth are discussed in light of these results. Specifically, improving skills related to academic self-efficacy may be more beneficial for fostering protective factors associated with resilience in an adolescent age group.
Adaptive Logging for Distributed In-memory Databases

A new type of logs, the command log, is being employed to replace the traditional data log (e.g., ARIES log) in the in-memory databases. Instead of recording how the tuples are updated, a command log only tracks the transactions being executed, thereby effectively reducing the size of the log and improving the performance. Command logging on the other hand increases the cost of recovery, because all the transactions in the log after the last checkpoint must be completely redone in case of a failure. In this paper, we first extend the command logging technique to a distributed environment, where all the nodes can perform recovery in parallel. We then propose an adaptive logging approach by combining data logging and command logging. The percentage of data logging versus command logging becomes an optimization between the performance of transaction processing and recovery to suit different OLTP applications. Our experimental study compares the performance of our proposed adaptive logging, ARIES-style data logging and command logging on top of H-Store. The results show that adaptive logging can achieve a 10x boost for recovery and a transaction throughput that is comparable to that of command logging.
Dendritic cell expression of the Notch ligand jagged2 is not essential for Th2 response induction in vivo

We have addressed the hypothesis that Notch ligands play a decisive role in determining the ability of antigen‐presenting cells to influence T cell polarization. Dendritic cells displayed distinct expression profiles of Delta and Jagged ligands for Notch when exposed to biologically relevant pathogen preparations associated with Th1 or Th2 responses. Expression of delta4 was increased, and jagged2 decreased, after dendritic cell exposure to the Th1‐promoting bacterium Propionibacterium acnes. In contrast, soluble egg antigen (SEA) from the parasitic helminth Schistosoma mansoni, a potent Th2 inducer, failed to significantly alter dendritic cell expression of any of the Notch ligands measured. Irrespective of this, jagged2‐deficient dendritic cells were severely impaired in their ability to instruct Th2 polarization of naive T cells in vitro. However, the ability of SEA‐pulsed jagged2‐deficient dendritic cells to induce a Th2 response in vivo was unimpaired relative to jagged2‐sufficient dendritic cells. Further, jagged2‐deficient dendritic cells activated by P. acnes exhibited no evidence of enhanced (or impaired) Th1 induction in vivo. These data suggest that, although involved in Th2 direction in vitro, jagged2 is not fundamentally required for Th2 induction by SEA‐activated dendritic cells in vivo.
High gain CMOS UWB LNA employing thermal noise cancellation

This paper presents a 3.1-10.6 GHz CMOS LNA designed with a 0.18 µm CMOS technology. In this amplifier, cancellation of two important noise sources in the amplifier, plus increasing effective transconductance of the input stage, reduce the noise figure (NF) of the amplifier. Noise canceling LNAs suffer from relatively low power gain. In contrast, this paper presents an ultra-wideband LNA with higher gain which also has better noise figure and lower power consumption achieved by utilizing gm-boosting technique and a modified form of noisecanceling technique. Also, bridged-shunt-series and asymmetric T-coil peaking techniques are employed to extend the bandwidth of the amplifier. The optimum values of all elements are determined using genetic algorithms. The proposed LNA achieves 17.5±1 dB power gain and 2.25 dB average noise figure in the frequency range of 3.1-10.6 GHz, with 10.6 mW power drawn from a 1.8 V supply. Within the target band, input and output return losses are respectively less than −17 dB and−12 dB.
Pay to play: what does PISA participation cost in the US?

ABSTRACT Much attention has been given to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) and its effects in different education systems, including the United States. This paper begins to address a major gap in this literature by focusing on the costs of participation in PISA. The paper draws on content analysis of official documents and budgets, as well as qualitative interviews with select government officials at federal and state levels. It details costs in three categories: direct overhead to the OECD, national implementation, and in-kind or human burden. As such, the paper details information on costs of PISA, important for eventual cost–benefit frameworks that may be useful for continued policy deliberations over US participation in PISA and other international large-scale assessments.
The relationship between life satisfaction, attachment styles, and psychological resilience in university students

The relationship between life satisfaction, attachment styles, and psychological resilience in university students Objective: The main aim of the current research is to investigate the relationship of attachment styles to life satisfaction and psychological resilience of university students. Another aim of the present study is to see whether life satisfaction scores differ by the subjects’ level of psychological resilience. Method: The current work is a descriptive study using the relational screaning model. The study sample consisted of 425 university students, 302 of whom (71.1%) were female and the remaining 123 (29.9%) male. Convenience sampling was used in selecting the sample. The sample group was composed of undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral students. Data was collected through Experiences in Close Relationships Scale II (ECRS-II) for attachment styles, the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SCLS) for life satisfaction, and the Resilience Scale for Adults (RSA) for psychological resilience. Results: Research findings concerning attachment styles of university students indicated that 49.4% of the sample displayed an avoidant and 48.9% an anxious attachment pattern. Individuals taking a score below the median in both anxious and avoidant dimensions of attachment, which constituted 31.7% of the study population, were defined as being securely attached. Study findings showed that the anxiety and avoidance sub-dimensions of attachment negatively predicted the total score of satisfaction with life. An increase in anxious and avoidant attachment scores was associated with lower levels of life satisfaction. Multiple regression analysis revealed that the anxious and avoidant attachment styles did not predict psychological resilience. In addition, satisfaction with life scores of university students varied according to levels of psychological resilience. Individuals who had a high level of psychological resilience were found to have increased satisfaction with life compared to those who had a low level of psychological resilience. Discussion: There are many studies indicating attachment styles to be the main determinant of subjective well-being. Study findings show that secure attachment affects satisfaction with life, which is one of the elements of subjective wellbeing and positive development. It is seen that the ability of university students to adapt to stressful and difficult conditions and to cope with unfavorable situations is associated with their satisfaction with life. Thus, psychotherapeutic interventions focused on improvement of attachment relations and enhancement of psychological resilience may increase the overall satisfaction with life.
Face Recognition using Radial Basis Function Neural Networks

This paper presents experiments using an adaptive learning compo nent based on Radial Basis Function RBF networks to tackle the unconstrained face recognition problem using low resolution video in formation Firstly we performed preprocessing of face images to mimic the e ects of receptive eld functions found at various stages of the hu man vision system These were then used as input representations to RBF networks that learnt to classify and generalise over di erent views for a standard face recognition task Two main types of preprocessing Di erence of Gaussian ltering and Gabor wavelet analysis are com pared Secondly we provide an alternative face unit RBF network model that is suitable for large scale implementations by decomposi tion of the network which avoids the unmanagability of neural net works above a certain size Finally we show the D shift scale and y axis rotation invariance properties of the standard RBF network Quantitative and qualitative di erences in these schemes are described and conclusions drawn about the best approach for real applications to address the face recognition problem using low resolution images
Visual Fixation Patterns when Judging Image Quality: Effects of Distortion Type, Amount, and Subject Experience

Human visual fixation patterns can provide important insights into how biological systems address the image-analysis problem. This paper presents the results of two eye-tracking experiments designed to investigate how normal visual fixations may be affected when judging image quality. We asked (1) whether people look at different regions when judging image quality vs. just looking; and (2) how different types and amounts of distortion affect fixations. We found that white noise and blurring do not change fixations relative to the task-free condition, whereas compression artifacts can influence fixations, depending on the amount of distortion.
Heart beat and respiratory signals joint processing for the estimation of body adaptation system functionality

Joint processing of respiratory and heart beat signals is considered in this paper. This joint processing makes heart rate variability analysis more reliable and improves body adaption system diagnostic in general. It is offered to use pulse-frequency modulation (PFM) and pulse-amplitude modulation (PAM) signals to represent tachogram that moves processing from frequency to time domain. Implementation issues and computational costs reduction with multirate processing are discussed. Modeling results proves the effectiveness of the offered approach.
Collaborative calibration: extending shape from motion calibration

In this paper we summarize recent research results from a new technique of sensor calibration called shape-from-motion calibration. We first present the basic technique, which is an eigenspace analysis, and show that it includes the rigor of least squares without the full burden of measuring all the applied inputs. Next we present new research that removes another constraint of the calibration technique and extends the robustness to cover systems with slight nonlinearities.
The Spread of Dengue in an Endemic Urban Milieu–The Case of Delhi, India

Background Dengue is a major international public health concern, one of the most important arthropod-borne diseases. More than 3.5 billion people are at risk of dengue infection and there are an estimated 390 million dengue infections annually. This prolific increase has been connected to societal changes such as population growth and increasing urbanization generating intense agglomeration leading to proliferation of synanthropic mosquito species. Quantifying the spatio-temporal epidemiology of dengue in large cities within the context of a Geographic Information System is a first step in the identification of socio-economic risk factors. Methodology/Principal Findings This Project has been approved by the ethical committee of Institut Pasteur. Data has been anonymized and de-identified prior to geolocalisation and analysis. A GIS was developed for Delhi, enabling typological characterization of the urban environment. Dengue cases identified in the Delhi surveillance system from 2008 to 2010 were collated, localised and embedded within this GIS. The spatio-temporal distribution of dengue cases and extent of clustering were analyzed. Increasing distance from the forest in Delhi reduced the risk of occurrence of a dengue case. Proximity to a hospital did not increase risk of a notified dengue case. Overall, there was high heterogeneity in incidence rate within areas with the same socio-economical profiles and substantial inter-annual variability. Dengue affected the poorest areas with high density of humans, but rich areas were also found to be infected, potentially because of their central location with respect to the daily mobility network of Delhi. Dengue cases were highly clustered in space and there was a strong relationship between the time of introduction of the virus and subsequent cluster size. At a larger scale, earlier introduction predicted the total number of cases. Conclusions/Significance DENV epidemiology within Delhi has a forest fire signature. The stochastic nature of this invasion process likely smothers any detectable socio-economic risk factors. However, the significant finding that the size of the dengue case cluster depends on the timing of its emergence emphasizes the need for early case detection and implementation of effective mosquito control. A better understanding of the role of population mobility in contributing to dengue risk could also help focus control on areas at particular risk of dengue virus importation.
Autoinhibition regulates the motility of the C. elegans intraflagellar transport motor OSM-3

OSM-3 is a Kinesin-2 family member from Caenorhabditis elegans that is involved in intraflagellar transport (IFT), a process essential for the construction and maintenance of sensory cilia. In this study, using a single-molecule fluorescence assay, we show that bacterially expressed OSM-3 in solution does not move processively (multiple steps along a microtubule without dissociation) and displays low microtubule-stimulated adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) activity. However, a point mutation (G444E) in a predicted hinge region of OSM-3's coiled-coil stalk as well as a deletion of that hinge activate ATPase activity and induce robust processive movement. These hinge mutations also cause a conformational change in OSM-3, causing it to adopt a more extended conformation. The motility of wild-type OSM-3 also can be activated by attaching the motor to beads in an optical trap, a situation that may mimic attachment to IFT cargo. Our results suggest that OSM-3 motility is repressed by an intramolecular interaction that involves folding about a central hinge and that IFT cargo binding relieves this autoinhibition in vivo. Interestingly, the G444E allele in C. elegans produces similar ciliary defects to an osm-3–null mutation, suggesting that autoinhibition is important for OSM-3's biological function.
How the Leadership of a Character Development Curriculum Effects the Standardized Test Scores among 3rd Grade Students

The purpose of this non-experimental causal-comparative study sought to determine if character development curriculum directly impacted student success, specifically in the area of academics through standardized test scores. Many articles presented an explanation regarding the need for character development curriculum, but very little research has been done regarding the positive academic impact on standardized test scores. By utilizing a quantitative design, standardized test scores for 168 students in third grade were collected from one school district and analyzed to determine a difference between scores in Language Arts and Math through the statistical MANOVA test. The standardized test scores for the elementary students were compared between two schools in the same school district, where one school implemented the character development curriculum through the Leader in Me Program and the other school lacked implementation. Quantitative data in the form of standardized test scores were collected and analyzed in order to determine if the implementation of a character education curriculum had an impact on standardized scores, specifically the through a state system of school assessment. Results showed a significant statistical difference in the 3rd grade English Language Arts test scores and Mathematics scores on a State System of School Assessment between students who have been exposed to a character development curriculum versus students who have not. Elementary students exposed to The Leader in Me program do not overperform when compared to students at the same grade level, with similar demographics, and within the same school district. Recommendations for future research include looking at more grade levels, multiple years of implementation, and the overall implementation of The Leader in Me Program.
Automatic image annotation with long distance spatial-context

Because of high computational complexity, a long distance spatial-context based automatic image annotation is hard to achieve. Some state of art approaches in image processing, such as 2D-HMM, only considering short distance spatial-context (two neighbors) to reduce the computational complexity. However, these approaches cannot describe long distance semantic spatial-context in image. Therefore, in this paper, we propose a two-step Long Distance Spatial-context Model (LDSM) to solve that problem. First, because of high computational complexity in 2D spatial-context, we transform a 2D spatial-context into a 1D sequence-context. Second, we use conditional random fields to model the 1D sequence-context. Our experiments show that LDSM models the semantic relation between annotated object and background, and experiment results outperform the classical automatic image annotation approach (SVM).
Collaborer et intéragir dans les bureaux : l'émergence matérielle, verbale et incarnée de l'organisation

La these donne a voir et a comprendre en quoi consistent les organisations et l’experience du travail dans les organisations a partir de l’analyse d’interactions verbales, corporelles et materielles filmees dans des bureaux. Developpant une approche praxeologique originale du cote de la recherche sur les organisations, nous contribuons en outre aux travaux sur les interactions en interrogeant la presence de l’institution dans des formats interactionnels, dans une demarche comparative que permet le corpus. L’exposition de notre ancrage theorique au croisement de ces courants nous conduit a une question epistemologique : est-il possible d’extraire des interactions en copresence le Quoi du travail d’organisation, tel que l’ethnomethodologie a pu le formuler pour le travail professionnel ? Les resultats empiriques de l’enquete sont ensuite presentes dans cinq chapitres, chacun consacre a un phenomene ou moment de la vie dans les bureaux : les ouvertures des visites, les clotures des visites, les appels telephoniques pendant une interaction en copresence, la mobilisation dans l’interaction du dispositif video, et enfin les reajustements du cadre de participation. La comparaison des differents environnements de travail, des regularites au sein de chacun et entre eux, permet certaines decouvertes.
Animating human face under arbitrary illumination

The authors present a method to animate a human face under arbitrary lighting conditions. We first acquire the reflectance models of a human face in various expressions by employing a robot to precisely control the light position. By developing a relighting tool, named LUXMASTER, we achieve great freedom to change the illumination condition and get a variety of photorealistic novel renderings of the human face. Then, we introduce morphing techniques to add the time dimension and produce a clip of facial animation with varying illumination and expression. In order to make the morphing work easily, we design an expressive, intuitive and efficient tool, called FLUIDMAN, which at the same time enables an enormous possibility of visual effects.