Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Leveraging Usage History to Enhance Database Usability

More so than ever before, large datasets are being collected and analyzed throughout a variety of disciplines. Examples include social networking data, software logs, scientific data, web clickstreams, sensor network data, and more. As such, there are a wide range of users interacting with these large datasets, ranging from scientists, to data analysts, to sociologists, to market researchers. These users are experts in their domain and understand their data extensively, but are not database experts. Database systems are scalable and efficient, but are notoriously difficult to use. In this work, we aim to address this challenge, by leveraging usage history. From usage history, we can extract knowledge about the multitude of users' experiences with the database. Consequently, this knowledge allows us to build smarter systems that better cater to the users' needs. We address different aspects of the database usability problem and develop three complementary systems. First, we aim to ease the query formulation process. We build the SnipSuggest system, which is an autocompletion tool for SQL queries. It provides on-the-go, context-aware assistance in the query composition process. The second challenge we address is that of query debugging. Query debugging is a painful process in part because executing queries directly over a large database is slow while manually creating small test databases is burdensome to users. We present the second contribution of this dissertation: SIQ (Sample-based Interactive Querying). SIQ is a system for automatically selecting a 'good' small sample of the underlying input database to allow queries to execute in realtime, thus supporting interactive query debugging. Third, once a user has successfully constructed the right query, they must execute it. However, executing and understanding the performance of a query on a large-scale, parallel database system can be difficult even for experts. Our third contribution, PerfXplain, is a tool for explaining the performance of a MapReduce job running on a shared-nothing cluster. Namely, it aims to answer the question of why one job was slower than another. PerfXplain analyzes the MapReduce log files from past runs to better understand the correlation between different properties of pairs of job and their relative runtimes.
Crop wild relatives as genetic resources — the case of the European wild grape

Schröder, S. , Kortekamp, A. , Heene, E. , Daumann, J., Valea, I. and Nick, P. 2015. Crop wild relatives as genetic resources the case of the European wild grape. Can. J. Plant Sci. 95: 905 912. Vitis vinifera L. ssp. sylvestris (Gmelin) Hegi, the European Wild Grape and ancestor of cultivated grapevine varieties (V. vinifera L. ssp. vinifera) is the sole wild grapevine species existing in Europe. This important crop wild relative (CWR) species is almost extinct, and persists only in residual habitats. Since these habitats are close to vineyards, this CWR species is endangered by hybridisation with its descendant crop and naturalised rootstocks that originate from viticulture. For this reason, we addressed two questions: To what extent have the remaining South German European Wild Grape accessions escaped hybridisation and preserved genetic identity? Second, what is the potential of this CWR species as a genetic resource for breeding in relation to several grapevine diseases? Using a set of highly resolving genetic markers, we were able to exclude introgression of autochthonous sylvestris accessions by cultivated grapevine. However, we detected introgression mostly from wild American species used as rootstocks in viticulture. The autochthonous accessions can be grouped into clusters. Comparative inoculation studies with the grapevine pathogens powdery mildew (Erysiphe necator), downy mildew (Plasmopara viticola), and black rot (Guignardia bidwellii) revealed relatively high levels of resistance in some of the ssp. sylvestris accessions and represents a valuable genetic resource for resistance breeding.
The influence of cold water storage on fatty acids, antioxidant content and activity, and microbial load in ostrich fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris) fiddleheads

DeLong, J. M. , Hodges, D. M. , Prange, R. K. , Forney, C. F. , Fan, L. , Bishop, M. C. , Elliot, M. L. , Jordan, M. A. and Doucette, C. 2013. The influence of cold water storage on fatty acids, antioxidant content and activity, and microbial load in ostrich fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris) fiddleheads. Can. J. Plant Sci. 93: 683-697. The influence of upwards to 42 d of cold water storage (CWS) on selected bioactive compounds and microbial populations in ostrich fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris) fiddlehead tissue was investigated. Following harvest, the fiddleheads were stored in cold deionized water (1°C) with removals occurring at 1, 8, 18, 28 and 42 d. Post-removal analysis showed fiddlehead tissue had a unique fatty acid composition including γ-linolenic, dihomo-γ-linolenic, arachidonic and eicosapentaenoic acids. Post-storage tissue concentrations of ascorbic acid, a- and γ-tocopherol, a- and ß-carotene, the xanthophyll pigments (violaxanthin, zeaxanthin and lutein) and phenolic compounds ranged from high to very high for green plant tissue. High antioxidant activity values were also recorded and were likely due to the elevated phenolic compound content. Site differences were also apparent for several of these measurements. The microbial data showed that the fiddleheads had relatively high populations of bacteria as well as yeast and fungi resident on the tissue and in the surrounding storage water. Significant linear and quadratic CWS effects (both positive and negative) occurred for many of the bioactive compound and microbial measurements. A CWS period of a month or perhaps longer at 1°C appears possible for ostrich fern fiddleheads before the nutritional content markedly declines.
Active Learning of Hierarchical Policies from State-Action Trajectories

While most work on trajectory mining is applied to predict movements of mobile users, in this paper we consider a more general problem of building behavior models of users from their state-action trajectories. We assume that the user behavior can be compactly modeled as a Probabilistic State-Dependent Grammar (PSDG) which represents a hierarchical policy. The key problem is that while the states and actions of the user are directly observed, his intentional structure is not. We propose to learn the user’s policy from a set of selected trajectories and intention queries at selected states in the trajectory. Our main contributions are an algorithm for learning hierarchical policies from state-action trajectories, and principled heuristics for selecting suitable trajectories and intention queries. Experiments in multiple domains show that our approach is effective and more sample-efficient than learning non-hierarchical policies.
Autonomous learning of multiple skills through intrinsic motivations : a study with computational embodied models

The experimental works presented in this thesis have been carried out and published together with my supervisor Marco Mirolli and with Gianluca Baldassarre. In particular, chapter 3 is adapted from (Mirolli et al. 2013, Santucci et al. 2014b, 2010, 2012a); chapter 4 is adapted from (Santucci et al. 2013b,a); chapter 5 is adapted from (Santucci et al. 2014a); and chapter 6 is adapted from (Santucci et al. 2016). Moreover, (Santucci et al. 2012b) focused on the same topics of the research described in chapter 4. Since the experiments presented in that paper constitute preliminary results obtained in a simplified experimental scenario, they have not been included in this thesis. However, the insights provided by that work have been used in the research presented in chapter 4.
Effect of Temperature and Humidity on Insecticidal Effect of SilicoSec Against Ephestia kuehniella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) Larvae

Abstract Laboratory experiments were carried out to assess the insecticidal effect of the diatomaceous earth formulation SilicoSec against larvae of Ephestia kuehniella Zeller (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), in stored wheat (Triticum durum Desf.). Larvae were exposed to wheat treated with SilicoSec at 400 and 800 ppm and held at 20, 25, and 30°C and 55 and 75% RH. Larval mortality was assessed after 24 h, 48 h, 7 d, and 14 d of exposure in the treated wheat. At both dose rates, mortality increased with temperature, but this increase varied with the exposure interval. At short (≤48-h) exposures, larval mortality was significantly higher at 30°C than at the other two temperatures. In contrast, no significant differences were noted between 20 and 25°C. At longer exposures (≥7 d), the increase of temperature increased mortality at 800 ppm, but no significant differences were noted between 25 and 30°C at 400 ppm. Furthermore, significant differences in larval mortality were noted between the two humidity levels, but only at exposures ≥7 d. After 14 h of exposure, at both dose rates examined, the increase of temperature significantly decreased mortality. The results of the current study indicate that E. kuehniella is susceptible to SilicoSec, but temperature and relative humidity should be taken into consideration.
Sampling Techniques for Thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) in Preflowering Tomato

Sampling techniques for thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) were compared in preßowering tomato plants at the Coastal Plain Experiment Station in Tifton, GA, in 2000 and 2003, to determine the most effective method of determining abundance of thrips on tomato foliage early in the growing season. Three relative sampling techniques, including a standard insect aspirator, a 946-ml beat cup, and an insect vacuum device, were compared for accuracy to an absolute method and to themselves for precision and efÞciency of sampling thrips. Thrips counts of all relative sampling methodswerehighly correlated(R 0.92) to theabsolutemethod.Theaspiratormethodwas themost accurate compared with the absolute sample according to regression analysis in 2000. In 2003, all sampling methods were considered accurate according to DunnettÕs test, but thrips numbers were lower and sample variation was greater than in 2000. In 2000, the beat cup method had the lowest relativevariation(RV)orbestprecision, at 1 and8dafter transplant (DAT). Only thebeat cupmethod had RV values 25 for all sampling dates. In 2003, the beat cup method had the lowest RV value at 15 and 21 DAT. The beat cup method also was the most efÞcient method for all sample dates in both years. Frankliniella fusca (Pergande) was the most abundant thrips species on the foliage of preßowering tomato in both years of study at this location. Overall, the best thrips sampling technique tested was the beat cup method in terms of precision and sampling efÞciency.
Impact of : ratio and nitrogen supply on nitrogen remobilization in potted chrysanthemum grown in a subirrigation system

MacDonald, W. N. , Tsujita, M. J., Blom, T. J. and Shelp, B. J. 2014. Impact of : ratio and nitrogen supply on nitrogen remobilization in potted chrysanthemum grown in a subirrigation system. Can. J. Plant Sci. 94: 867-880. Subirrigation is being adopted as an environmentally friendly strategy for managing the nutrition of potted greenhouse plants. Here, we investigated two strategies for enhancing the remobilization of N during the development of the inflorescence in subirrigated potted chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat.) in an attempt to improve nitrogen (N) use efficiency. (1) The replacement of a portion of the nitrate in the nutrient solution with ammonium decreased the nitrate content, especially in the stem plus petioles, and increased the reduced N content early in the growth cycle, but did not improve N use efficiency. (2) The use of a lower N supply (200 vs. 400 mg total N per pot delivered over 3 and 5 wk, respectively), either as nitrate or ammonium nitrate, eliminated nitrate accumulation prior to inflorescence development, thereby improving N use efficiency. Inflorescence quality was unaffected; however, at the lower N level there was some evidence of chlorosis on the oldest leaves. Thus, there may be considerable potential to reduce the N supply in a commercial greenhouse setting as long as an adequate supply is provided early in the growing period.
Within-Field Manipulation of Potato Leafhopper (Homoptera: Cicadellidae) and Insect Predator Populations Using an Uncut Alfalfa Strip

Abstract The effects of a 3-m wide uncut alfalfa strip on the within field distribution of Empoasca fabae (Harris) (Homoptera: Cicadellidae) and several species of insect predators were examined for 3 yr (1998–2000). The objectives were to determine whether this uncut strip would serve as a trap crop for E. fabae and a refuge for insect predators at first harvest. Empoasca fabae and insect predators in the families Coccinellidae, Nabidae, Anthocoridae, Chrysopidae, and Hemerobiidae were collected weekly using sweep samples and sticky traps from the uncut strips and up to 40 m into the alfalfa regrowth. For 2 yr, both small- (0.34 ha) and large-scale (≈11.3 ha) field trials showed higher numbers of E. fabae in 73% of the uncut strips for 2–3 wk after harvest. Similarly, the number of insect predators found within <50% of the uncut strips was also higher during the first or second week after harvest. In 1999, however, we did not observe higher numbers of E. fabae in the uncut strips. Differences may be because of higher E. fabae population numbers in 1999 compared with 1998 and 2000. This research provides alfalfa growers a potential cultural management technique for E. fabae while conserving predatory insects.
Influence of Honey Bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Density on the Production of Canola (Crucifera: Brassicacae)

Pollination is an essential step in the seed production of canola, Brassica napus L. It is achieved with the assistance of various pollen vectors, but particularly by the honey bee,Apismellifera L. Although the importance of pollination has been shown for the production of seed crops, the need to introduce bee hives in canola Þelds during ßowering to increase oil seed yield has not yet been proven. With the purpose of showing this, hives of A. mellifera were grouped and placed in various canola Þelds in the Chaudière-Appalaches and Capitale-Nationale regions (nine Þelds; three blocks with three treatments; 0, 1.5, and 3 hives per hectare). A cage was used to exclude pollinators and bee visitations were observed in each Þeld. After the harvest, yield analyses were done in relation to the bee density gradient created, by using pod set, number of seeds per plant, and weight of 1000 seeds. Results showed an improvement in seed yield of 46% in the presence of three honey bee hives per hectare, compared with the absence of hives. The introduction of honey bees contributed to production and consequently, these pollinators represented a beneÞcial and important pollen vector for the optimal yield of canola.
Glandular Trichomes of Solanum berthaultii and Its Hybrids with Solanum tuberosum Affect Nymphal Emergence, Development, and Survival of Empoasca fabae (Homoptera: Cicadellidae)

Abstract The influence of foliar glandular trichomes on developmental biology of the potato leafhopper, Empoasca fabae (Harris) (Homoptera: Cicadellidae), was examined by selective removal of trichomes on resistant and susceptible potato germplasm comprising two glandular trichome-bearing genotypes (PI 473331 and PI 473334) of wild potato, Solanum berthaultii (Hawkes), two interspecific hybrids of S. berthaultii with Solanum tuberosum L. (Q174-2 and NY123), and two commercial S. tuberosum cultivars (‘Elba’ and ‘Allegany’). Adult mortality was affected, whereas nymphal emergence was unaffected by removal of glandular trichome exudates. No nymphs were observed emerging from leaves of PI 473331 or PI 473334. Regardless of the trichome removal treatment, no nymphs completed development on PI 473331, and only a small percentage of nymphs survived to adulthood on NY123 and PI 473334. PI 473331 had the greatest frequency of adults and nymphs with trichome exudate deposition on their bodies, followed by PI 473334. Nymphs, but not adults, had exudate accumulation when caged on foliage of Q174-2. Removal of type A trichome heads and type B droplets eliminated exudate deposition. The results of these studies provide evidence that phenolic oxidation chemistry and the physical barrier imposed by trichomes of S. berthaultii are responsible for much of the observed resistance but that other factors possibly linked to the presence of trichomes aid in the expression on resistance.
Effects of Shelf Architecture and Parasitoid Release Height on Biological Control of Plodia interpunctella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) Eggs by Trichogramma deion (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae)

Abstract The effects of shelving type, packaging, and release height on success of Trichogramma deion Pinto & Oatman (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) parasitizing Plodia interpunctella (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) eggs was studied under laboratory conditions. In trials on multiple-tiered gondola-type or open shelving units, with or without packaging, foraging success was evaluated by comparing parasitism and total mortality rates of sentinel egg disks among shelves after a single point-release of T. deion. Results showed that T. deion parasitized more egg disks and killed more total eggs on open shelves than on gondola shelving. The presence of packaging had no effect on parasitoid foraging on open shelves; however, packaging did interfere with parasitism of P. interpunctella eggs on gondola shelving. Egg parasitism and mortality patterns among shelves were not as evenly distributed on gondola-type shelving compared with open shelving. On gondola shelves without packages, changing the release point of T. deion from the middle to the lowest shelf shifted the distribution of parasitism toward the floor. Gondola shelving, especially in the presence of packaging, reduced foraging efficiency of T. deion for P. interpunctella eggs. Thus, to attain adequate control of P. interpunctella, it may be necessary to use two release heights on gondola shelving.
Influence of Plant Ontogeny and Abiotic Factors on Resistance of Glandular-Haired Alfalfa to Potato Leafhopper (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae)

Abstract Laboratory experiments were conducted to characterize the trichome-based defense of glandular-haired alfalfa, Medicago sativa L. , against the potato leafhopper, Empoasca fabae (Harris). Within-plant variability in leafhopper resistance was examined by caging adult leafhoppers to either basal or apical stem internodes of the leafhopper-resistant, glandular-haired M. sativa genotype G98A or the susceptible, nonglandular-haired M. sativa ‘Ranger’. Young, actively secreting glandular trichomes are located on apical internodes of G98A, whereas senesced gland heads are found on older, basal internodes of G98A. After 96 h, the highest cumulative leafhopper mortality and lowest number of excretory droplets were associated with apical internodes of G98A. No difference was detected in mortality and feeding levels among insects caged to basal internodes of G98A and basal and apical internodes of Ranger. The influence of abiotic factors on leafhopper resistance was evaluated by caging adult leafhoppers to either G98A or Ranger under four combinations of low and high light (250 and 1,000 μmol s−1 m−2) and temperature regimes (17 and 30°C). After 96 h, the highest cumulative mortality was associated with leafhoppers confined to G98A under high light and high temperature conditions. Temperature level and plant type also had an effect on the production of excretory droplets, resulting in the highest number of excretory droplets being associated with Ranger under the high temperature regime. These results indicate that certain regions of M. sativa G98A are better protected against the potato leafhopper than others and that temperature influences resistance levels of glandular-haired alfalfa.
Rates of Change in Ad hoc Networks

Ad hoc networking techniques allow low power devices to communicate among themselves utilizing one another as communications relays. Often the resulting networks are highly dynamic, with nodes entering and leaving the network, often for short duration membership. In this paper, we systematically address issues associated with changes that occur in ad hoc networks. We consider the functionality impact of change and address bounds on optimization that exist when change rates are high.
Static current error elimination algorithm for induction motor predictive current control

Current predictive control of induction motor can effectively avoid the deterioration of control performance caused by delay in current loop,and dynamic performance of current can be improved.However,due to measurement error,parameter changes and other reasons,deviation probably existed between the induction motor model parameters which predictive controller used and the actual motor parameters,then static current error were caused,system efficiency was lowered,failed to output nominal torque,and could not operate in torque control mode. Based on induction motor model,influence on current control stability was quantitatively analyzed caused by predictive control model parameter error,the mathematical relation of model parameter error and the actual feedback current static error was presented,and an algorithm was proposed to eliminate the static error. The algorithm corrected predictive control model parameters through d、q axis current feedback,and static error caused by the controller motor model parameter errors was eliminated. With experimental result,the stability and effectiveness of this proposed method were proved.
Study of Iris Pattern Matching and Detection of the Persons having Squint

Objectives: The present paper has attempted a quantitative study to measure the amount of off centricity of the iris from its normal position. Methods/Statistical Analysis: The eye image having squint has been taken from real life image (CASIA DATABASE). First of all the central position of the eye opening between the eyelids are detected by Matlab code. Then the distance between the locations of the squint eye are taken by using 3X3 spatial filter with a local searching method. Findings: Squint is the off centre location of iris and pupils and may occur either in one eye or both of the eyes and both male and female persons may have squint. The local searching method terminates when the centre of the filter coincides with the centre of the pupil of the squint eye. The filters are moved from the centre of the eye by coinciding the centre of the spatial filter with the centre of the eye in vertical, horizontal and angular directions. Application/Improvement: By this process noises will be reduced which are prevalent in squint eye. The number of pixels responsible for the exact locations may be compensated by making the successive position of the filters bit overlapping which will in turn reduce the possibility of having checker board appearance in the output of the image.