Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Active Damping of Boring Bar Vibration With a Magnetic Actuator

Boring bars with a large length-to-diameter ratio chatter under productive cutting conditions, which leads to poor surface finish and violation of part tolerances. This paper presents an active damping method of boring bars with an in-house designed magnetic actuator. The actuator has been designed to have a linear force output relative to the input current, and instrumented to control boring bar vibrations. Four different H∞ optimal controllers are designed to shape the boring bar dynamics and improve the chatter stability. The proposed active damping method is experimentally tested on a CNC lathe. The dynamic stiffness of the boring bar is increased considerably, leading to a significant increase in the chatter-free material removal rates.
Ensemble of classifiers for pedestrian recognition

Pedestrian recognition is one of the most important aspects of intelligent vehicle systems of the future. The challenge of this task lies in the difficulty of defining the pedestrian in terms of image processing. The article describes a data mining based decision system that solves a subtask of this complex problem: our solution is able to predict whether there is a pedestrian in the image from DaimlerChrysler Automative Dataset or not.
Making a Difference to the Environment: Understanding Undergraduates Environmental Behaviour

Understanding undergraduates’ environmental behaviour is important as they will be the leaders of the country in the near future. They play an important role in protecting and conserving the environment. This paper investigates the undergraduates’ behaviours towards the environment after completing the Environment Economics course. Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) together with some other factors such as academic performance, government regulations and perceived importance of nature are employed. Multiple regression analysis shows undergraduates’ behaviours is positively affected by attitude and perceived importance of nature, and negatively influenced by government regulations. Although academic performance is very important to provide an understanding of basic principles of environmental sustainability, it however does not significantly influence their environmental behaviour. The finding hopes to assist the policy makers to plan future strategies so that the undergraduates behaviours can make a difference to nature and the environment.
Accuracy improvement of speaker authentication in noisy environments using bone-conducted speech

Speaker authentication has received much attention recently in biometrics authentication technology since it needs only microphones and telephone networks which are standard equipments for voice communication and widely used. However, there are problems where speaker authentication systems are sensitive to noise. Thus, Iijima et al. [7] attempted to utilize bone-conducted speech that is robust against noise, instead of airconducted speech. Additionally, a speech transformation method was suggested for improving the authentication accuracy in highly noisy environments. In this paper, we analyze the problem of Iijima's speech transformation method and propose two new speech transformation methods. Experiments verify that the proposed speech transformation methods are effective in highly noisy environments.
Options in the Real World: Lessons Learned in Evaluating Oil and Gas Investments

Many firms in the oil and gas business have long used decision analysis techniques to evaluate exploration and development opportunities and have looked at recent development in option pricing theory as potentially offering improvements over the decision analysis approach. Unfortunately, it is difficult to discern the benefits of the options approach from the literature on the topic: Most of the published examples greatly oversimplify the kinds of projects encountered in practice, and comparisons are typically made to traditional discounted cash flow analysis, which, unlike the option pricing and decision analytic approaches, does not explicitly consider the uncertainty in project cash flows. In this paper, we provide a tutorial introduction to option pricing methods, focusing on how they relate to and can be integrated with decision analysis methods, and describe some lessons learned in using these methods to evaluate some real oil and gas investments.
Contributions à l'introduction de flexibilité dans la reconstruction et l'édition de modèles 3D

Cette these s'inscrit dans la problematique generale de la modelisation geometrique de formes libres en trois dimensions. Dans le cadre du projet Art3D (ACI Masses de Donnees), nous avons explore deux directions de recherche relatives a la representation d'objets numerises, avec un objectif de flexibilite : la reconstruction dynamique de surface et la modelisation multirepresentation. Dans la premiere partie de la these, nous presentons une approche combinatoire flexible de la reconstruction de surface permettant de produire directement une surface triangulee simplifiee a partir d'un echantillon de points dense. La surface reconstruite peut ensuite etre mise a jour de maniere dynamique en ajoutant ou en retirant des donnees localement. La seconde partie de la these est consacree a l'etude d'un modele geometrique hybride destine a la creation de formes complexes a partir d'objets numerises ou de primitives simples. Nous avons developpe un arbre de construction permettant de combiner de maniere coherente des surfaces implicites, des maillages polygonaux et des nuages de points
Book Review: Culture and Consumption: New Approaches to the Symbolic Character of Consumer Goods and Activities

The content of book reviews should not be descriptive; rather, it should be a balanced appraisal and analysis of a book's merit. As Wind noted in his January 1979 editorial, "a brief description of the content of the book is often necessary but the thrust of any review should be a critical evaluation of the book in question, accompanied by an explicit statement of the criteria used for evaluation. " We continue to share and implement this editorial philosophy.
Spoken Term Detection Using Dynamic Match Subword Confusion Network

This paper details our subword confusion network based approach for Mandarin spoken term detection. As well as the system description, two approaches are presented for improvement of our baseline system. To reduce the inherent high recognition error of the subword decoding system due to its weak language model constraints, the subword confusion network is proposed to be generated from the word decoding system. In addition, a variant of minimum edit distance method (MED) is proposed for linearly scanning the confusion networks for spoken term detection, which incorporates the confidence from confusion networks and other sources. A real-time term detector is constructed based on the modified MED method. Experiments show significant performance improvement from the word decoding and slight improvement from the real-time detector compared to our baseline system.
Formation Control and Guidance using Bearing-only Measurements

In this thesis, we study formation control and guidance algorithms using only bearing measurements. First, an angle based leader–follower formation control problem is considered. In this problem, there are three leaders which have access to their own global positions. The other agents are followers which sense relative bearing measurements with regard to three neighbors. We propose a control strategy for leaders and followers. Under the proposed control law, the formation shape is proved to be locally asymptotically stable by mathematical induction. Second, we study a guidance problem with three stationary beacons. An agent wants to navigate to its desired position in the plane. We develop a control law using bearing vectors and the subtended bearing angles to guide the agent asymptotically to its destination. Lastly, we consider a guidance problem with N beacons on the n dimensional space. An agent wants to reach the point that minimizes the weighted sum of distances to N stationary beacons. This problem is usually known as the Fermat–Weber location problem. Different from existing solutions in the literature, we propose a continuous time control law using only bearing vectors to steer an agent to the solution of this problem. Moreover, when the beacons are moving exponentially fast to their desired positions, a corresponding control law is also provided. Our analyses are based on Lyapunov theory and input-to-state stability for cascade systems. Simulations and experiments are included to validate our theoretical results. ©2014 Minh Hoang Trinh ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Conflación semántica sobre Linked Data

Ultimamente se esta produciendo un gran apogeo en la publicacion de informacion de muchas areas tematicas en la Web de los Datos Enlazados (Linked Data). La informacion publicada en formato RDF tiene asociada un modelo conceptual (ontologia) por el que se rige. El numero de conjuntos de datos publicados y ontologias asociadas empieza a ser numeroso en distintas areas, aunque las consultas de forma general han de realizarse de manera individualizada. En este articulo, mediante la conflacion semantica, hemos desarrollado un enfoque y un sistema de consultas centralizadas que hace transparente para el usuario la diferente distribucion de los datos en la nube que supone Linked Data.
A Modular Single-Phase Bidirectional EV Charger with Current Sharing Optimization

Developing electric vehicle (EV) technologies puts EV chargers in scope for successful integration into the smart grid. The energy and power need for grid charging of EV batteries may have an adverse impact on the distribution grid depending on the architecture of the distribution system and charging control structure employed. This effect can be minimized utilizing EV battery chargers. For the wide-scale adoption of EVs, an improvement in the charging operation of the batteries will have a huge cumulative impact on the grid. Therefore, this paper presents a bidirectional modular singlephase charger with optimized current sharing for more efficient smart grid integration. The results of the implementation have been presented to verify the proposed idea in simulation and bench-top test environments.
La programmation DC et DCA pour l'optimisation de portefeuille

Les travaux presentes dans cette these concernent les nouvelles techniques d'optimisation pour la resolution de certains problemes importants issus de finance. Il s'agit des problemes d'optimisation non convexe de grande dimension pour lesquels la recherche des bonnes methodes de resolution est toujours d'actualite. Notre travail s'appuie principalement sur la programmation DC (Difference de fonctions Convexes) et DCA (DC Algorithmes). Cette demarche est motivee par la robustesse et la performance de la programmation DC et DCA comparee aux autres methodes. La these est divisee en deux parties et est composee de sept chapitres. Dans la premiere partie intitulee iMethodologiei nous presentons des outils theoriques et algorithmiques servant des references aux autres. Le premier chapitre concerne la programmation DC et DCA tandis que le deuxieme porte sur les algorithmes par separation et evaluation. Dans la deuxieme partie nous developpons la programmation DC et DCA pour la resolution des problemes en finance. Nous commencons par une introduction a la gestion de portefeuille (le Chapitre 3). Le Chapitre 4 est dedie aux generalisations du modele moyenne-variance (MV) de Markowitz, ou nous etudions le modele MV sous les contraintes de seuil d'achat, de seuil et de cardinalite. Le Chapitre 5 est consacre a la mesure de risque de baisse et les contraintes de cardinalite. Le Chapitre 6 porte sur le probleme de choix de portefeuille avec les fonctions des couts de transaction en escalier. L'investissement robuste en gestion de portefeuille sous les contraintes de cardinalite est developpe dans le dernier chapitre.
Direct role of viral hemagglutinin in B-cell mitogenesis by influenza viruses

The mitogenic activity of influenza virus is a function of the hemagglutinin (HA) molecule. Purified HA is mitogenic for murine B lymphocytes but not T lymphocytes. Furthermore, like the intact virus, HA of the H2 (but not H3) subtype is mitogenic only for B cells expressing the class II major histocompatibility complex glycoprotein I-E. Since virus bearing uncleaved HA is as mitogenic as virus bearing cleaved HA, the membrane fusion activity of the HA molecule is not involved.
Co-branding with mobile games in China : how fantasy figures function as marketing tools

Introduction: Because of the prosperous development of mobile games, companies co-brand with mobile games by utilizing fantasy figures as their endorsers. This study aims to understand how the attractiveness of fantasy figures and the congruence of fantasy figures with brands influence consumers’ attitudes and behaviors. Methodology: The study used a 2 × 2 × 2 experimental design. Two levels of attractiveness (high/low) and congruence (high/low) were manipulated with two product types (a Lenovo computer and a Red Bull drink), which were combined as eight experimental conditions. In the research model, attractiveness and congruence (the independent variables) were assumed to directly influence purchase intention (the dependent variable). Attitude towards advertisements was expected to be a mediator between the independent and dependent variables. Results: In this study, there were no main effects of attractiveness on attitude towards advertisements and purchase intention. Attractiveness also had a very weak correlation with attitude towards advertisements and purchase intention. In contrast, congruence was found to have a main effect on attitude towards advertisements in the Red Bull drink group. In addition, congruence tended to have a significant influence on purchase intention. Furthermore, attitude towards advertisements was confirmed as a mediator between congruence and purchase intention. Conclusions: Congruence, rather than attractiveness, was the factor affecting attitude towards advertisements. Attitude towards advertisements was the mediator between congruence and purchase intention.
Disciplining Delegated Monitors: Evidence from Venture Capital

Information-based theories of financial intermediation focus on delegated monitoring. However, there is little evidence on how markets discipline financial intermediaries who fail at this function. This paper uses the venture capital (VC) market to address this gap in the empirical literature by looking at how VC’s reputations are affected when they fail in their monitoring role to prevent fraud by their portfolio firms. We find that VCs who fail to prevent fraud experience greater difficulty in taking future portfolio firms public, and that the negative effect prevails over ten years after the fraud surfaces. In addition, reputation-damaged VCs interact differently in the future with their limited partners, other VCs in the community, and their IPO underwriters because they are perceived by these groups as inefficient monitors
Allocative Efficiency of Internal Capital Markets: Evidence from Equity Carve-outs by Diversified Firms

We examine whether equity carve-outs (ECOs) lead to improvements in the functioning of the internal capital markets (ICM) of diversified firms. Divestments, including spin-offs, sell-offs and ECOs, can be employed by firms to improve allocative efficiency. Equity carve-outs, unlike spin-offs and sell-offs, leave the parent’s ICM intact but provide the opportunity to enhance internal and external corporate governance mechanisms. Using a US sample of 354 ECOs completed between 1980 and 2013, we find that the allocative efficiency of parents is augmented significantly following ECOs. This increase in allocative efficiency is driven by improvements in the governance characteristics of parent companies.
Funções de base em modelos RBF: um estudo de caso na modelagem do sistema de Lorenz

Resumo. Este trabalho apresenta alguns resultados dos esforcos iniciais dos autores em avaliar os efeitos que a escolha do tipo de funcao radial apresenta sobre o desempenho de RBFs (Radial Basis Functions) em modelagem e identificacao de sistemas dinâmicos nao-lineares, buscando preencher uma classica lacuna da literatura. Como ponto de partida tentou-se evidenciar aspectos praticos envolvidos no problema, ou seja, quais as implicacoes diretas que a escolha de um tipo em especial de funcao de base tem no resultado final da aproximacao. Ou, pelo menos, quais requisitos estruturais recairao sobre os aproximadores, escolhida uma certa funcao.
Antibody-mediated suppression of grafted lymphoma. IV. Influence of time of tumor residency in vivo and tumor size upon the effectiveness of suppression by syngeneic antibody

In the suppression of the growth of a mouse lymphoma 6C3HED by antibody, the effectiveness of antibody in suppressing growing or established tumor cells and comparable number of freshly injected tumor cells is quantitatively similar. The effectiveness of antibody diminishes markedly when the number of tumor cells per mouse reaches the level of 10(6) due to the development of a macrophage shortage. At the 10(5) tumor cells level, antibody-mediated suppression takes place in an optimal manner and between 10(5) and 10(4) tumor cell numbers, the amount of antibody required to suppress 50% of the tumor cells is directly proportional to the number of tumor cells suppressed.
Familial acromelic frontonasal dysostosis: Autosomal dominant inheritance with reduced penetrance

Acromelic frontonasal dysostosis (AFND) represents a subgroup of patients with frontonasal malformation with limb abnormalities including preaxial polydactyly and tibial hypoplasia. Previous case reports have suggested autosomal recessive inheritance, given parental consanguinity. However, no affected siblings have been described. Longitudinal clinical history is limited as many do not survive the first years of life. The molecular basis of AFND is not known. Previous investigators have proposed that AFND may result from a perturbation in the Sonic Hedgehog pathway. We present clinical and radiographic findings in two unrelated boys, ages 8 and 9 years, with AFND, one of whom has a family history suggesting dominant inheritance. A focused study of genetic marker data and candidate gene mutation analysis in this family is presented. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Diagnostic accuracy of conventional Pap test, liquid-based cytology and human papillomavirus DNA testing in cervical cancer screening in Korea: a meta-analysis.

Screening is the main strategy for secondary prevention of uterine cervical cancer. Cytological screening, Pap test, has led to a significant reduction in the incidence of and mortality from cervical cancer[1]. Conventional Pap test was introduced into Korea in the late 1950’s and has contributed to early detection of precancerous lesions and cervical cancer. Korean National Cancer Screening Program recommends that women of age 30 or more receive the Pap test biannually, whereas the Korean Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology recommends that women of age 20 or more receive the test annually[2]. Although Pap test has the merit of being convenient, reasonably specific and inexpensive, the sensitivity have been questioned. A low sensitivity of Pap test would put women at risk to develop invasive cervical cancer. Considerable variation in the sensitivity and specificity of Pap test has been reported[3]. In attempt to improve sample quality, interest has shifted to use liquid-based cytology (LBC). Although not included as a screening method in Korea, LBC has been rapidly popular among clinicians. In view of the importance of human papillomavirus (HPV) in the etiology of cervical cancer, HPV DNA testing to allow women to be classified as high-risk HPV-positive or negative could be used as an adjunct to Pap test. Currently there is no recommendation for HPV testing in cervical cancer screening guidelines. However, the National Health Insurance Corporation has approved HPV testing to confirm cervical dysplasia or carcinoma resulting from an abnormal Pap. Estimations sensitivity and specificity of screening test are important because they may be used to determine policy decisions, such as recommendations for optimal frequency of screening, management of mild abnormalities, and use of newer methods. To compare the accuracy of Pap test and other alternative screening tools (i.e., LBC and HPV testing), Korean studies that reported accuracy of each screening methods were intensively reviewed and the pooled estimates for sensitivity and specificity was calculated by meta-analysis.
On frame synchronization in aeronautical telemetry

Frame synchronizers, suitable for use with continuous phase modulation (CPM) in the presence of phase and frequency offsets, are derived for periodically inserted preamble bits in continuous-mode transmission. The resulting frame synchronizers involve single or double correlations of the received samples with a local copy of the CPM samples corresponding to the preamble bits. Of particular interest in aeronautical telemetry is shaped offset QPSK, telemetry group version (SOQPSK-TG), with the preamble defined in the integrated network enhanced telemetry (iNET) standard. Two low-complexity versions that leverage the special properties of the iNET preamble and SOQPSK-TG operating at 2 samples/bit are developed. Simulation results show that most frame synchronizers are capable of achieving acceptable performance for Eb/N0 ≥ 0 dB and the maximum frequency offset that can be tolerated increases with Eb/N0 to about 3%of the bit rate.
The role of national university rankings in an international context: the case of the I-UGR Rankings of Spanish universities

The great importance international rankings have in the research policy arena calls for caution as they present many flaws and shortcomings. One of them has to do with the inability to accurately represent national university systems as their original purpose is only to rank world-class universities. Another one has to do with the lack of representativeness of universities’ disciplinary profiles as they usually provide a unique table. Although some rankings offer a great coverage and others offer league tables by fields, no international ranking does both. In order to surpass such limitation from a research policy viewpoint, this paper analyzes the possibility of using national rankings in order to complement international rankings. For this, we describe the Spanish university system as a study case presenting the I-UGR Rankings for Spanish universities by fields and subfields. Then, we compare their results with those obtained by the Shanghai Ranking, the QS Ranking and the NTU Ranking, as they all have basic common grounds which allow such comparison. We conclude that it is advisable to use national rankings in order to complement international rankings, however we observe that this must be done with certain caution as they differ on the methodology employed as well as on the construction of the fields.