Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Robust Image Fingerprinting via Distortion-Resistant Sparse Coding

Content fingerprinting recently emerges as an effective nonintrusive solution for copyright protection. Fingerprinting algorithm maps the perceptual contents of media file to an invariant digest, so that unauthorized copies can be identified via fingerprint comparison. This letter presents a distortion-resistant sparse coding strategy for image fingerprinting that simulates the hierarchical information processing flow of visual system. Sparse coding, which seeks a small set of atoms that can best represent input signal, helps fingerprinting algorithm detect the intrinsic visual features of image. However, the high freedom of atom selection makes sparse coding sensitive to distortion. In this letter, several measures are applied on sparse coding and dictionary learning to jointly ensure the invariance of fingerprint, such as imposing the neighborhood-priority principle on atom selection, regulating the layout of atoms, and forcing sparse codes to preserve the distance in the image space. Content identification performance of the proposed work was tested on a database of 219 000 images. The error rate of the proposed algorithm is at least ten times lower than state-of-the-arts, and satisfactory performance was observed even under extremely low bit budget.
Identifying the Valuation Effects and Agency Costs of Corporate Diversification: Evidence from the Geographic Diversification of U.S. Banks

This paper assesses the impact of the geographic diversification of bank holding company (BHC) assets across the United States on their market valuations. Using two new identification strategies based on the dynamic process of interstate bank deregulation, we find that exogenous increases in geographic diversity reduced BHC valuations. We also find that the geographic diversification of BHC assets increased insider lending and reduced loan quality. Taken together, these findings are consistent with theories predicting that geographic diversity intensifies agency problems. The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Society for Financial Studies. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com. , Oxford University Press.
Infrastructure for Pervasive Computing: Challenges

1 The work reported in this paper has been funded in part by the Co-operative Research Centre Program through the Department of Industry, Science & Tourism of the Commonwealth Government of Australia. Abstract: As mobile and embedded computing devices become more pervasive, it is becoming obvious that the nature of interactions between users and computers must evolve. Applications need to become increasingly autonomous and invisible, by placing greater reliance on knowledge of context and reducing interactions with users. Moreover, applications must cope with highly dynamic environments in which resources, such as network connectivity and software services, frequently vary over time. This paper presents our vision of pervasive computing and enumerates the software engineering challenges involved in realizing this vision. It also evaluates the current state of research and presents an agenda for future investigations in pervasive computing.
Cytogenetic Study in Couples with Recurrent Miscarriage

Introduction: Recurrent miscarriage (RM) is a mysterious reproductive problem affecting a proportion of couples trying to conceive. Although spontaneous abortion occurs in approximately 15 to 20% of clinically diagnosed pregnancies of reproductive-aged women, recurrent miscarriage occurs in approximately 1 to 2% of these women. Many syndromes are involved in the aetiology of RM, where genetic factors appear to be highly associated. Indeed, chromosomal anomaly constitutes the single most common cause. About 7% of couples with RM have one partner with balanced chromosomal rearrangement. Aim of the study: This study is a prospective study carried out to evaluate the incidence of chromosomal abnormalities in couples suffering recurrent miscarriage. Patient and methods: The present study included one hundred couples attending the antenatal clinic. They have been divided into two groups; the first, is a study group, included 50 couples with recurrent miscarriage. And the second, is a control group, included 50 couples with normal reproductive history. Conventional cytogenetic analysis was done for both groups. Result: We have found four cases (8%) carrying chromosomal rearrangements (two reciprocal translocations, one Robertsonian translocation, and one with duplicated chromosome segment) among RM group, and no cases of chromosomal rearrangement among those with normal reproductive history. Statistically, there was a significant association between recurrent miscarriage and chromosomal rearrangement. Conclusion: We have concluded that chromosome analysis is highly important to evaluate such cases with RM.
Ethnic differences in carotid wall thickness. The Insulin Resistance Atherosclerosis Study.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Ethnic differences in cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality have been observed in US adults. However, little data exist on differences in indices of preclinical atherosclerosis such as carotid wall intima-media thickness (IMT) for US non-Hispanic whites, Hispanics, and blacks. This study was undertaken to determine whether there were ethnic differences in carotid wall IMT. METHODS Internal carotid artery (ICA) IMT and common carotid artery (CCA) IMT, indices of atherosclerosis, were assessed with the use of B-mode ultrasound in 1020 nondiabetic participants in the Insulin Resistance Atherosclerosis Study, a multicenter study designed to examine the association between insulin resistance and carotid atherosclerosis. The study included 281 blacks, 329 Hispanics, and 410 non-Hispanic whites aged 40 to 69 years. RESULTS Blacks had significantly greater CCA IMT than non-Hispanic whites (865 versus 808 microns); this remained significant after adjustment for major CVD risk factors and insulin sensitivity (864 versus 823 microns). There were no significant differences in ICA IMT between blacks and non-Hispanic whites. Hispanics had significantly lesser CCA IMT than non-Hispanic whites (749 versus 776 microns), and these differences remained significant after adjustment for traditional cardiovascular risk factors and insulin sensitivity (750 versus 778 microns). There were no significant differences in ICA IMT between non-Hispanic whites and Hispanics. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that ethnic differences exist in CCA but not in ICA IMT in nondiabetic subjects. These differences in IMT, which are indicators of atherosclerosis, are a non-invasive measure that is consistent with some of the data on clinical end points. These differences may be associated with the observed differences in CVD morbidity and mortality among major ethnic groups in the United States.
Tactile display and vibrotactile pattern recognition on the torso

A wirelessly controlled tactile display has been designed, fabricated and tested for use as a navigation aid. The display comprises a 4 × 4 array of vibrating motors that is mounted on a waist band and stimulates the skin across the lower back. Three types of electromechanical actuators were evaluated for use in the display; based on their mechanical performance and power requirements, two of these motors were then used to fabricate tactile displays. The performance of the displays and the wireless tactile control units was assessed experimentally by having subjects identify which of eight possible vibrotactile patterns was presented to the lower back. The results indicated that subjects could recognize the vibrotactile patterns with almost perfect accuracy and that there was no difference between the two types of motor used for the displays. Moreover, the ability to recognize the pattern of vibrotactile stimulation was superior on the back as compared to the forearm. A further experiment confirmed that the tactile display can be used as a navigation aid outdoors and that the vibrotactile patterns presented can be interpreted as directional or instructional cues with almost perfect accuracy.
Design of a Wideband Dual-Polarization Full-Corporate Waveguide Feed Antenna Array

A wideband and dual-polarization antenna array with high efficiency and high isolation is proposed. In order to achieve the desired performance, a wideband radiating element and a full-corporate waveguide feed network are employed in the design. In particular, E-plane waveguides are utilized for the feed-network configuration so as to suppress wave leakage between adjacent layers when the antenna is fabricated via conventional machining techniques. The operational mechanism is presented and a 16 × 16 antenna array is tested for verification. Experimental results show that the bandwidths of VSWR <; 2.0 for both of the polarizations are about 17.1% (12.45-14.78 GHz) and the isolation between the two polarization ports is better than 39.5 dB. In addition, more than 70% antenna efficiency with higher than 29.4 dBi gain is achieved over the operational bandwidth.
Strong self-focusing in nematic liquid crystals.

We present an experimental study of strong self-focusing in nematic liquid crystals. In a planar geometry, a linear dependence of the focal power on the input intensity for 100-μm-thick samples turns into an exponential one when thicker samples are used. A transverse visualization of the beam structure is performed in a cylindrical geometry. We observe an undulation and a filamentary structure of the laser beam for large intensities. Also, multiple focal points appear along the beam axis in this configuration. Undulation and filamentation of the beam are also observed in a spherical geometry
Association between hypertension and quality of life in pregnancy

ABSTRACT Purpose: To assess the association between hypertension in pregnancy and women’s quality of life (QoL) and the variation in the quality of life over gestational trimesters. Method: A questionnaire was applied to 194 hypertensive pregnant women and 195 pregnant women without complications. The questionnaire was composed of two parts: socioeconomic profile and specifically QoL, using the instrument Ferrans & Powers Quality of Life Index. All women included underwent a physical examination. Results: Blood pressure was found to be approximately 20 mmHg higher in hypertensive pregnant women compared to pregnant women without complications. All QoL domains of hypertensive pregnant women had lower scores than those of pregnant women without complications, with health/functioning rated the lowest, averaging 17.63. The least affected domain was family, having the best average score (26.0). The QoL had no significant variations in relation to gestational trimesters. Conclusions: Pregnancy causes intense changes, both physical and psychological, in women’s lives and hypertension was found to be a factor of high interference in pregnant woman’s QoL, causing lower scores in all QoL domains of hypertensive pregnant women, compared with pregnant woman without complications.
Adaptive consensus on a class of nonlinear multi-agent dynamical systems

In this paper, we first study the adaptive consensus problem in multi-agent systems where the agents have nonlinear dynamics and unknown parameters. An adaptive distributed controller is designed such that consensus can be achieved asymptotically. Then we consider the case where the agents are disturbed by some unknown disturbances. An adaptive distributed controller with a disturbance estimator is proposed to solve the consensus problem. Moreover, sufficient conditions on the communication topology that guarantee adaptive consensus are proposed, and Lyapunov functions are constructed to establish the stability and consensus property for both cases. A numerical example is also presented to show the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Voluntary factors influencing the distribution of inspired gas.

This study was designed to assess the influence of voluntary patterns of respiratory muscle contractions on the distribution of inspired gas at low flows (0.4 liter per sec). Three types of inspiration were studied in 9 normal subjects in upright, supine, and lateral decubitus posture: (1) natural, (2) intercostal, during which rib cage expansion was accentuated by preferential use of intercostal and accessory muscles, and (3) abdominal, during which abdominal motion was enhanced. The types of inspiration were assessed by monitoring transdiaphragmatic pressure and the anteroposterior diameter of the rib cage and abdomen. Distribution of inhaled gas was measured directly in 4 seated subjects using xenon-133 as tracer gas, and indirectly, by inference from helium bolus washouts in 5 subjects in upright, supine, and lateral postures. In all postures the tracer gas inhaled at functional residual capacity could be distributed preferentially to dependent lung regions by an abdominal inspiration, whereas an inte.
Weight management and fruit and vegetable intake among US high school students.

BACKGROUND Consumption of fruits and vegetables is often recommended to promote healthy weight. The purpose of this study was to examine associations between fruit and vegetable intake and common weight management behaviors among US high school students who were trying to lose or stay the same weight. METHODS Data from the 1999, 2001, and 2003 national high school Youth Risk Behavior Surveys were combined and the analyses stratified by gender (females, N = 16,709; males, N = 10,521). We considered 3 common weight management strategies--being physically active (ie, moderate activity for 30 minutes on 5 or more days per week or vigorous activity for 20 minutes on 3 or more days per week), eating a reduced calorie or fat diet, and limiting TV viewing. Sufficient fruit and vegetable intake was defined as eating 5 or more servings per day. Odds ratios (ORs) were calculated using logistic regression. RESULTS Only 21.3% of females and 24.7% of males ate sufficient fruits and vegetables. Being physically active was associated with sufficient fruit and vegetable intake. Eating a reduced calorie or fat diet and limiting TV viewing (among males) were associated with sufficient fruit and vegetable intake only among physically active students. The odds of sufficient fruit and vegetable intake were greatest among female (OR = 3.01) and male (OR = 2.91) students who combined all 3 strategies (31.5% of females, 21.6% of males). CONCLUSIONS Interventions that promote fruit and vegetable intake within the context of healthy weight management may be more effective if they combine nutrition and physical activity strategies. Further research is needed to test this approach.
Effective Mg activation for p-type GaN in mixed gas ambient of oxygen and nitrogen

The effects of mixed gas annealing ambient of O2 and N2 on electrical and optical characteristics of p-type Mg-doped GaN grown by MOCVD were investigated at various annealing condition. A mixed gas ambient of 80% O2 and 20% N2 at 750°C for 2 minutes was found to be an optimum annealing condition with improvements on activation efficiency of Mg acceptor compared with annealing in pure O2 or N2 gas ambient. The accompanied results from Hall Effect and photoluminescence measurements of the samples were attributed to the formation of Mg-H and MgGa-VN complexes which caused the Mg passivation; we concluded that the existence of N2 in the annealing ambient can only reduce but not prevent the formation of nitrogen vacancies during high temperature.
Project management practices: Success versus failure

Often, software managers have to monitor and manage many projects concurrently. Unfortunately, some projects were completed successfully but some were not completed on time, over budget or being cancelled. Some of the reasons of this project failure are: lack of user involvement, lack of planning, incomplete requirements, lack of resources, incorrect cost estimation, etc. There are many project planning and scheduling techniques to manage and help to ensure project success. Some of these techniques, however, may not be suitable for specific types of projects and thus, cause projects to fail. This paper discusses the issues involved in project success and failure, and presents the results of seven projects undertaken by the undergraduate students taking the course project management.
Utility of tissue residues for predicting effects of metals on aquatic organisms

As part of a SETAC Pellston Workshop, we evaluated the potential use of metal tissue residues for predicting effects in aquatic organisms. This evaluation included consideration of different conceptual models and then development of several case studies on how tissue residues might be applied for metals, assessing the strengths and weaknesses of these different approaches. We further developed a new conceptual model in which metal tissue concentrations from metal‐accumulating organisms (principally invertebrates) that are relatively insensitive to metal toxicity could be used as predictors of effects in metal‐sensitive taxa that typically do not accumulate metals to a significant degree. Overall, we conclude that the use of tissue residue assessment for metals other than organometals has not led to the development of a generalized approach as in the case of organic substances. Species‐specific and site‐specific approaches have been developed for one or more metals (e.g., Ni). The use of gill tissue residues within the biotic ligand model is another successful application. Aquatic organisms contain a diverse array of homeostatic mechanisms that are both metal‐ and species‐specific. As a result, use of whole‐body measurements (and often specific organs) for metals does not lead to a defensible position regarding risk to the organism. Rather, we suggest that in the short term, with sufficient validation, species‐ and site‐specific approaches for metals can be developed. In the longer term it may be possible to use metal‐accumulating species to predict toxicity to metal‐sensitive species with appropriate field validation. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2011;7:75–98. © 2010 SETAC
POLYGYNY AND WOMEN'S HEALTH IN RURAL MALI

Summary Women's social networks and social power are increasingly seen as important factors modulating their health in sub-Saharan Africa. Polygyny, a common marital structure in many societies, mediates important intra-household relationships by requiring both competition and co-operation among co-wives. Using mixed methods, semi-structured questionnaires were administered to 298 women aged 15–84 living in the Kolondiéba region of rural Mali in 1999, and supplemented by detailed interviews with 40 women. Three categories of outcome were explored: illness experience, therapeutic itinerary and social support received. Quantitative data were analysed using regression analysis and qualitative data using a grounded theory approach. In quantitative analyses, controlling for age and household wealth index, senior wives were less likely to be escorted to a healer by their husbands during illness than were junior wives or monogamous women. Polygynous women were also less likely to obtain a treatment for which there was a monetary fee. Fewer than one-third of polygynous women reported the assistance of a co-wife during illness in any given task. In qualitative analyses, women further related varied mechanisms through which polygyny impacted their health trajectories. These ranged from strongly supportive relationships, to jealousy because of unequal health or fertility, bias in emotional and material support provided by husbands, and accusations of wrong-doing and witchcraft. This study highlights the need for more prospective mixed methods analyses to further clarify the impact of polygyny on women's health-related experiences and behaviours in sub-Saharan Africa.
Esthetics: patients' perceptions of dental attractiveness.

PURPOSE The importance of dentofacial attractiveness to the psychosocial well-being of an individual has been well established. Very little information is available regarding dental patient perceptions of a pleasing esthetic image. The purpose of this study was to identify factors distinctive to attractive smiles versus unattractive smiles, as perceived by patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS Standardized format photographs (5 x 7 in, matte finish, at f-32 and 1:2 magnification) of eight male and eight female smiles, framing only lips and teeth, were viewed by 297 subjects. The smiles exhibited differences in symmetry, tooth shade, number of teeth displayed, and height of maxillary lip line, and included both restored and unrestored teeth. Respondents ranked the photographs in order from most to least appealing appearance. Respondents viewed each series of photographs in a similar lighting and time period. A questionnaire identified the respondent's age, sex, race, education, income, and home town. Twenty-five demographic groups were established from the information in the questionnaire. Data were analyzed using stepwise discriminant analysis to determine the combination of smile characteristics that best predicted the ranking. RESULTS The same female smile was chosen as the most attractive by 24 of the 25 demographic groups. This smile is characterized by natural teeth having light shade, high lip line, a large display of teeth, and radiating symmetry. Two female smiles typified by darker shade and asymmetry were rated by all groups as being least attractive. Two male smiles were judged equal as the most pleasing esthetically. Respondents favored those smiles characterized by light shade, a moderate display of teeth, moderate lip line, and a symmetrical arrangement of teeth. One male smile characterized by darker shade was rated as least attractive. CONCLUSIONS In all cases, tooth shade was the most important factor, followed in sequence by unrestored natural teeth and number of teeth displayed. No correlation was found to exist between specific demographic groups and smile variables.
Iliac artery stent placement: clinical experience with a nitinol stent.

PURPOSE To determine the effectiveness of a prototype nitinol stent in the iliac arteries. MATERIALS AND METHODS Fourteen patients with arteriosclerotic lesions of the iliac arteries (nine stenoses, five occlusions) were treated percutaneously with a prototype nitinol vascular stent (Cragg stent) after unsuccessful percutaneous transluminal angioplasty. RESULTS In 13 patients available for follow-up, the mean ankle-brachial index (ABI) increased from 0.4 +/- 0.32 (standard deviation) before the procedure to 0.81 +/- 0.27 after the procedure (P < .01). After 6, 12, and 24 months, the mean ABI was 0.97 +/- 0.2, 0.87 +/- 0.15, and 0.89 +/- 0.1, respectively. In two patients, radial stiffness of the stent was too low to completely eliminate a high-grade, calcified stenosis; long-term patency of the vessel, however, was preserved. In all other patients, stent placement achieved good vascular reconstitution. No stent occlusion or restenosis was observed. CONCLUSION The results with the Cragg stent were similar to those with other commercially available stents. These preliminary results require confirmation with a larger series.
Spontaneous Pupillary Oscillation Signal Analysis Applying Hilbert Huang Transform

This paper proposes a new application of the Hilbert-Huang transform (HHT). Pupillogram recordings were analyzed through the non-traditional HHT to investigate patterns in the time-frequency parameters of Spontaneous Pupillary Oscillation (SPO) signals. The traditional Fourier transform is only useful for linear stationary signals analysis, but the HHT was designed for the analysis of non-linear and non-stationary signals. However, the HHT is a more suitable tool to study SPO signals which are fundamentally non-stationary. The intrinsic properties of the Spontaneous Pupillary Oscillation signals were highlighted by the HHT scheme and the results showed that SPO waves present local and intermittent variations through the time span. The numerical parameters demonstrated that it is a wide inter-subject variation in the intrinsic time-frequency parameters contribution from each yielding mode to the total signal content.