Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Case work during the Summer Study Week on ‘Extra‐tropical Cyclones’

A brief account is given of the case work undertaken as part of the Summer Study Week on ‘Extra‐tropical Cyclones' held in Reading during July 1996. It is shown that different approximate methods of assessing synoptic‐scale vertical velocity can give widely differing results. Computation of the full quasi‐geostrophically forced vertical velocity is recommended as a more informative procedure. Forecasts for the track of an explosively deepening north Atlantic cyclone are compared at different lead times. The comparison encompasses raw model forecasts and model forecasts adjusted by groups of case work participants. The groups achieved a large improvement over a model forecast at the 2–3 day lead time, but only marginal improvements thereafter. It is suggested that improved understanding of development mechanisms would enable the forecaster to appreciate better the range of possible outcomes in cyclogenetic situations. Copyright © 1997 Royal Meteorological Society
Interferometric Potential of High Resolution Spaceborne SAR

The new class of high resolution spaceborne SAR systems, like TerraSAR-X and COSMO-Skymed opens new possibilities for SAR interferometry. The 1m resolution is particularly helpful when 2D, 2.5D, 3D, or 4D (space-time) imaging of buildings and urban infrastructure is required, where the non-interferometric interpretation of SAR imagery is difficult. Structure and defor-mation of individual buildings can be mapped, rather than only coarse deformation patterns of areas. The paper demonstrates several new developments in high resolution SAR interferometry using Ter-raSAR-X as an example. Of particular interest is the very high resolution spotlight mode, which requires some care in interferometric processing. Results from interferometry, Persistent Scatterer Interferometry (PSI), and tomographic SAR in urban environment are presented. The high resolution of TerraSAR-X also supports accurate speckle and feature tracking. An example of glacier monitoring is shown and discussed.
Estimation and monitoring of bare soil/vegetation ratio with SPOT VEGETATION and HRVIR

Leaving fields with a vegetation cover during the winter is one of the main ways to reduce water pollution, in restricting pollutant fluxes towards rivers. The bare soils/vegetation ratio monitoring can be carried out daily at a coarse spatial resolution with SPOT VEGETATION (1 km), and also at a higher spatial resolution with SPOT HRVIR (20 m), but with less repetitive and spatially more restricted data. Land-cover changes detected at a regional scale with this ratio can be explained by winter vegetation covering changes as well as by influence of climatic events. Therefore, observed changes have to be validated from a local scale analysis. The aim of this study is to develop a method that allows to assess high or low variations detected at a regional scale from SPOT VEGETATION images with data registered at a higher scale, SPOT HRVIR images in our case. In this study, the link between the images of the two sensors is set up from the design of an Artificial Neural Network method based on a Kohonen Self-Organizing Features Map. The originality of this method lies in the use of temporal dimension to solve such a change of scales.
Research in Support of Digital Libraries at Xerox PARC: Part II: Paper and Digital Documents

A control circuit for analog ferrite phase shifters in an antenna array wherein such phase shifters are arranged in rows and columns. The circuit includes a recirculating shift register for each row, each such register repetitively producing a "start" current flow signal for the phase shifters in each row and a recirculating shift register for each column, each such register repetitively producing a "stop" current flow signal for the phase shifters in each column. The various recirculating shift registers are programmed so that the time between the "start" and the "stop" current flow signal to each one of the phase shifters results in the proper average current to accomplish collimation and deflection of the beam from the antenna array.
A new genetic based approach to fuzzy controller design and its application

One of the major challenges in the current fuzzy control research is the automatic design of multiple input controllers for complex nonlinear systems. This paper presents a new genetic-based scheme to treat this issue: the so-called premise learning approach. We propose to search in the input domain for suitable rule premises. The rule premises are coded in a general way allowing AND- as well as OR-connections of the linguistic terms, in combination with a certain class of input and output fuzzy sets. The rule structure and the fuzzy sets are optimized by the genetic algorithm at the same time. With this new approach a considerable reduction of the number of necessary rules may be expected. This method is used to design a fuzzy controller to balance an inverted pendulum. Simulations as well as results of a real laboratory plant are shown to demonstrate the effectiveness of the new method.
A 200 Million Operations Per Second (MOPS) Systolic Processor

In building a proof of concept model of a systolic processor, several design issues are resolved. Flexibility is achieved through a hierarchy of software which resides on a host computer and through extensive interface and control hardware. Buffer memories with pro-grammable address generators are provided in the interface. The control system is general enough to support command chaining and loops. Each cell of the systolic array is equipped with its own memory which allows a single cell design to perform a number of algorithms. As a result of designing for flexibility, the system can accommodate a wide variety of algorithms, data representations, and problem dimensions. A useful system computation rate of 200 million operations per second (MOPS) is achieved with a peak rate of 350 MOPS.
ELT Methodology and Learners Meet in Techniques: A Lesson Planning Perspective for Teacher Trainees

Problem: Teacher trainees attending English language teaching departments learn and practice major foreign language teaching methods and techniques. The abundance of methods and techniques requires a serious selection in order to compile the best lesson. The pre-service teachers are equipped with the required methodological knowledge and ready to implement teaching. Nevertheless, the learners are not aware of the huge teaching technology behind this rule governed and complicated discipline. They are only exposed to the program offered and the techniques that systematize instruction. The lesson plan which is a collection of instructional techniques offers ELT methodology and learners a meeting zone. The arrangement of such a meeting is always a demanding task. Purpose: This discussion attempts to examine basic aspects of the meeting mentioned above and how it can be organized through a skills-based approach. Method: A discussion about skills-based lesson planning has been presented along with a survey of literature. The suggested components of the teaching fashion discussed have been listed and explained briefly. Conclusion: It is argued here that English language learners and ELT methodology meet in the techniques. Teacher trainees should consider all the variables and collect the most suitable set of techniques when they design their microteachings.
A versatile CMOS linear transconductor/square-law function

A simple CMOS circuit technique for realizing both linear transconductance and a precision square-law function is described. The circuit provides two separate outputs in the linear as well as square-law modes. The linear outputs both have a range of 100% or more of the total quiescent current value. The theory of operation is presented and effects of transistor nonidealities on the performance are investigated. Design optimization techniques are developed. Experimental results measured on nonoptimized prototypes are: distortion of 0.2% for input signals up to 2.4 V/SUB p-p/ in the case of linear transfer function and 1.3% in the case of the square-law transfer function, with a DC to -3-dB bandwidth of up to 20 MHz. Improved performance is expected when the optimization techniques developed are applied. The circuit is versatile in application: diverse applications are demonstrated in the fields of linear amplifiers, continuous-time filters, and nonlinear function implementation.
Radio Broadcasting and Public Education in Africa.

The issue is a simple one. Can distance teaching — the combination of broadcasts with print and only limited face-to-face learning — expand the world's hard-pressed educational systems if it seems able to, can it do so cheaply and effectively. The problems facing education in many developing countries have led them to experiment with unorthodox methods like distance teaching; that experience leads us on to two, supplementary questions: what can third world countries learn from each other's experience; and what can the rich countries of the North learn from the poor countries of the South?
Dimensioning of dual leaky bucket parameters for regulating voice sources

An analytical approach to set the parameters of a dual leaky bucket for the purposes of regulating a voice over IP call at the network ingress is presented. The analytical model is used to determine the theoretical packet loss as a function of the dual leaky bucket parameters for traffic generated by a G.726 codec, then the theoretical packet loss is compared with that measured using a real voice conversation taking place over a Linux system and using an implementation of the G.726. The results are found to be in excellent agreement.
Using knowledge management principles to solve organizational performance problems

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide a practical framework for employing knowledge management (KM) principles to improve organizational performance.Design/methodology/approach – To combine the disciplines of soft systems analysis and organizational development and provide tailored KM solutions to performance deficiencies.Findings – Most of the literature on KM focuses on what it is but not on how to do it. It is almost as if KM just happens. In practice, the installation of a viable KM capability must be integrated into an organization's management structure and business strategyResearch limitations/implications – Use of this framework and its related diagnostic techniques have been successfully used by KM practitioners in more than 70 government and commercial organizations. However, more rigorous business case techniques are needed to fully validate the methodology.Originality/value – There is little written on how to build and implement an organizational KM system. This paper describes how.
Systems Analysis in Government Operations

Non-defense Federal government departments and agencies are in the second year of program development and budgetary review in the context of a program packaging structure, in which activities with related objectives are grouped in common packages for analytical and budgetary purposes. One advantage in this approach is that activities can then be cost-benefit traded relative to a simplified objective structure. Where activities are complex and interrelated, it is particularly useful to develop a system concept as the framework for analysis. This paper seeks to introduce the concepts and methodology of systems analysis as applied to non-defense government operations. It places systems analysis in the context of an overall systems approach intended to develop and implement the best possible system configuration. A broad overview is presented of the problems of objectives, model building, quantification of system parameters, ambiguities in concepts of benefit, cost, and optimization. The organizational problem of integrating system analysis and program packaging concepts is discussed, particularly for an agency characterized by bottom up planning, extensive and detailed routine budgeting, including comments on control of suboptimization of systems analytical capability directly supporting top management and supporting analytical capability throughout the organization.
Image Evaluation Via SUVLBM for Normal Regions of VOI by Using Whole Body Images Obtained from PET/MRI and PET/CT

The purpose of this research is to compare and analyze SUVLBM-maximum of normal regions using VOI (the volume of interest) in order to enhance the diagnostic level in whole body images of PET/CT and PET/MRI for 26 health check-up participants. In particular, we try to set up SUVLBM-maximum data that can be used in synchronous evaluation for PET/CT and PET/MRI without contrast media. The evaluation of SUVLBM-maximum for normal regions of whole body PET/CT and whole body PET/MRI shows that the image of PET/MRI differs very significantly from the reference image of PET/CT (p 0.8). From this research, we suggest that the decision in the evaluation of SUVLBMmaximum for PET/MRI should be made with the reduction of about 26.3%, while one should decide with the reduction of about 29.3% when the contrast media is used. It is helpful to interpret all image of PET/CT and PET/MRI using SUVLBM-maximum for convenience and efficiency. 󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏
Evaluation of Hypolipidemic and Hepatoprotective Effects of Ethanolic Extract of Cleome Brachycarpa on Albino Rabbits

Submit Manuscript | http://medcraveonline.com Abbreviations: ALP: Alkaline Phosphate; SGOT: Serum Glutamic Oxaloacetic Transaminases; SGPT: Serum Glutamic Pyruvic Transaminase; GGT: Gamma Glutamyl Transferase; TB: Total Bilirubin; LDL: LowDensity Lipoprotein; HDL: HighDensity Lipoprotein; LCF: Lipid Clearing Factor; DMSO: Dimethyl Sulfoxide; VLDL: Very LowDensity Lipoprotein; GPT: GlutamicPyruvic Transaminase
Graphical User Authentication: A Comparative Evaluation of Composite Scene Authentication vs. Three Competing Graphical Passcode Systems

Previous studies (Johnson & Werner, 2006; 2007) have shown that Composite Scene Authentication (CSA) passcodes are more memorable than alphanumeric passwords over extended retention intervals. This study evaluated the memorability of six types of graphical passcodes of varying complexity (including three variants of CSA passcodes) over thirty-minute and one-week retention intervals. The graphical passcodes were compared to one another, as well as to an alphanumeric password of equivalent bit length. A strong overall advantage in information retained was found for graphical passcodes (M = 92.83%) compared to alphanumeric passwords (M = 75.47%). In addition, CSA passcodes were remembered better (M = 97.1 %) than other graphical passcodes (M = 88.56%). An even larger difference was observed for percent successful logins for CSA passcodes (M = 84.23%) compared to other graphical passcodes (M= 56.39%) after the one-week retention interval. The variable bit lengths of the passcodes did not affect percent information retained.
An Approach to the Mining of User Focused Frequent Itemsets Based on Attention

Usually, non trivial network visiting behaviors implied in network visiting log can be treated as the frequent itemsets or association rules if data in networking log file are transformed into transaction and technologies on association rule can be used to mine those frequent itemsets which are focused by user or some application. To mine non trivial behaviors of network visiting effectively, an attention based frequent itemsets mining method is proposed in this paper. In our proposed method, properties of users focusing is described as attention set and the early selection model of attention as information filter is referenced in the design of our method. Experimental results show that our proposed method is faster than apriori algorithm on the mining of frequent itemsets which is focused by our attention.
Design of miniaturized dielectric duplexer with attenuation poles

A design method is conceived for a miniaturized antenna duplexer with attenuation poles. Its effect is indicated by using it as an antenna duplexer for the 800-MHz portable telephone. The transmitting filter has a band-rejection filter characteristic of an elliptic function type while the receiving filter has a Chebyshev bandpass filter with attenuation poles. Previously, the design of these filters has been carried out by an optimum design using an iterative approximation from an initial design value. Hence, a large amount of computation time was required. This paper proposes a design method without an iterative approximation. In the transmission filter, resonators with a low characteristic impedance are used. In the conventional band-rejection filter design of an elliptic function type, the linearity of the reactance slope of the resonators is degraded and the insertion loss near the passband edge increases. A method of compensating for this increase is presented. In the receiving filter, the design equation for the conventional Chebyshev characteristic was modified. It is shown that a bandpass filter characteristic with attenuation poles can easily be designed. A branching circuit is added to these filters, and an antenna duplexer is constructed with a minimum number of components by the circuit transformation. The computed values of the filter characteristic agreed well with the actual example. In comparison with the optimization method based on the iterative approximation, the amount of computation for the design was about one-twentieth.
Feedback in Computer Assisted Instruction

The provision of immediate feedback is one of the strengths of computer‐assisted instruction. However, the manner of its action is far from clear, with information‐providing, reinforcing and attention‐directing theories vying to account for its effect in various learning situations. In the present study, which used an adjunct statistics‐teaching programme, feedback providing the correct answer was found to be superior to feed‐back simply saying whether the student's answer was correct or wrong; and this in turn was found to be superior to the total absence of feedback. Thus information‐providing feedback was found to be the most potent, the locus of its action being in error correction. The results also suggest that the error‐locating and error‐correcting functions of feedback can be separated with possible advantages for instruction.
"Mobile Communications: An Introduction to New Media" by Nicola Green and Leslie Haddon

With the mobile phone being a pervasive part of contemporary everyday lives and with over 5 billion users worldwide (ITU 2010), the lack of a textbook on mobile communication is surprising. Green and Haddon fill an important gap in the literature by providing a comprehensive handbook specifically addressed to students of new media. In their own words, the main goal of the volume is to challenge the taken-for-granted assumptions implicit in our daily practices of use and ‘make the familiar strange’ (p. 2). Combining different perspectives on ICTs which are generally assumed under the label of the social shaping of technology and drawing on their vast experience as researchers in the field, the authors provide an extensive review of the literature and research on mobile communication, gathering both leading scholars and the first exploratory studies made in the second half of the 1990s. One of the major strengths of this work is indeed its wide offer of case studies that complement each chapter with attention-grabbing factual material and help the reader contextualize theoretical issues in social uses of mobile phones. The handbook is also supplied with further useful resources for students: summaries at the end of each chapter; reflections, questions and exercises aimed at encouraging ‘our readers to question common assumptions about ways of doing things with mobiles’ (p. 15) and a thematic ‘annotated guide to further reading’. After outlining a brief history of the development of mobile communication technologies, the authors discuss the main social consequences of mobile communication that research has examined over time and introduce some emerging issues related to the convergence of the mobile phone with the internet and television. With a strong interest in cross-cultural diversity, Green and Haddon point to how mobile communication has led to socially negotiated re-articulations of private and public spaces, affecting our experience of space and the meanings of proximate and distant. They, then, address issues of time, showing how the domestication of mobiles entails both an incorporation of the technology within existing temporal structures and the production of new temporalities.
Auction-based distributed scheduling in a dynamic job shop environment

Developments in computing and communication technology coupled with the inability to address real-time issues in scheduling algorithms based on central control, has led to an interest in solving the problem of a distributed decision-making environment. This paper presents a new job shop formulation that schedules jobs using auctions for distributing control. A theoretical basis is presented for problem decomposition, bid construction, and bid evaluation for the auction using standard mathematical programming tools. Numerical results show that the auction-based approach outperforms the distributed dispatching approaches and can be used to create schedules for a wide range of scheduling objectives.
Evolution from invasive arterial puncture to a venous access for cerebral angiography: “Cath Lab to CT suite”

Abstract Background Digital subtraction angiography (DSA) is considered as the gold standard in the evaluation of intracranial aneurysms. This study was undertaken to evaluate the effectiveness of computed tomogram angiography (CTA) in the detection and accurate characterization of intracranial aneurysms in suspected cases of nontraumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage. The importance of three-dimensional volume rendering of the intracranial vasculature and it’s used as an aid in improving diagnostic capabilities with regards to intracranial aneurysms in multi-detector computed tomography angiography (MDCTA), was stressed upon. This study also tried to probe whether MDCTA alone can be used in detection and treatment of intracranial aneurysms in emergency situations. Materials and Methods Suspected cases of nontraumatic acute subarachnoid hemorrhage, over an 18 months period, underwent CTA in 16-slice-computed tomography suite. Fifty cases where CTA demonstrated intracranial aneurysms were studied. A set protocol of three-dimensional reconstruction was followed. Comparison of findings of MDCTA with surgical notes was performed. DSA was done in ambiguous cases. Results Aneurysm was confidently diagnosed by CTA in 48 cases, and further confirmed on surgery. In doubtful cases, DSA was performed and then diagnosed as aneurysm. Thus, the sensitivity of CTA is diagnosing aneurysm is 96.6%, with a specificity of 100%. Conclusions Digital subtraction angiography is an invasive, relatively costly, procedure to be done by highly skilled personnel with serious complication rate of 1%. This can be replaced by MDCTA, which is noninvasive, cost effective and easy to perform, and DSA can be reserved for doubtful or difficult cases. Following a set protocol of three-dimensional reconstruction helps in reducing errors.
Fast Pedestrian Detection Based on GPU+CPU

Accurate pedestrian detection is required for practical applications such as automotive and security applications. However, the implementation does not have enough performance because the present schemes are not sufficient. In this paper, the authors proposed parallel implementation of HOG-based pedestrian detection on GPU to obtain real-time processing results. By the proposed implementation, the total processing speed becomes 60 times faster than that of original one on frame rate and real-time processing is achieved.