Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Face Recognition with Degraded Images

After more than two decades of research on the topic, automatic face recognition is finding its applications in our daily life; banks, governments, airports and many other institutions and organizations are showing interest in employing such systems for security purposes. However, there are so many unanswered questions remaining and challenges not yet been tackled. Despite its common occurrence in images, blur is one of the topics that has not been studied until recently. There are generally two types of approached for dealing with blur in images: 1) identifying the blur system in order to restore the image, 2) extracting features that are blur invariant. The first category requires extra computation that makes it expensive for large scale pattern recognition applications. The second category, however, does not suffer from this drawback. This class of features were proposed for the first time in 1995, and has attracted more attention in the last few years. The proposed invariants are mostly developed in the spatial domain and the Fourier domain. The spatial domain blur invariants are developed based on moments, while those in the Fourier domain are defined based on the phase’ properties. In this dissertation, wavelet domain blur invariants are proposed for the first time, and their performance is evaluated in different experiments. It is also shown that the spatial domain blur invariants are a special case of the proposed invariants. The second contribution of this dissertation is blur invariant descriptors that are developed based on an alternative definition for ordinary moments that is proposed in this dissertation for the first time. These descriptors are used for face recognition with blurred images, where excellent results are achieved. Also, in a comparison with the state-of-art, the superiority of the proposed technique is demonstrated.
Issues in the Administration of Tariff-Rate Import Quotas in the Agreement on Agriculture in the WTO: An Introduction

The Uruguay Round Agreement on Agriculture (URAA) put in place a set of rules that may, in the future, have significant effects on the conditions for market access for agricultural products. Bound tariffs replaced non-tariff barriers in most cases, and rules facing exporters are now more transparent. In addition, minimum access commitments were made through the use of import quotas, with a lower tariff for imports within the quota. Although agriculture is now integrated into the multilateral trading system, most commentators agree that the URAA did little actually to liberalize agricultural trade. Bound out-of-quota tariffs remain very high while quotas have resulted in the institutionalization of rents for specific countries and firms or state trading enterprises, thereby potentially increasing resistance by these stakeholders to any trade liberalization initiatives.
UvA-DARE ( Digital Academic Repository ) Hazard reduction in nanotechnology

Disclaimer/Complaints regulations If you believe that digital publication of certain material infringes any of your rights or (privacy) interests, please let the Library know, stating your reasons. In case of a legitimate complaint, the Library will make the material inaccessible and/or remove it from the website. Please Ask the Library: http://uba.uva. nl/en/contact, or a letter to: Library of the University of Amsterdam, Secretariat, Singel 425, 1012 WP Amsterdam, The Netherlands. You will be contacted as soon as possible.
Allocentric Perception in Primates and the Role of Vision in the Evolution of Thought

This thesis explores the evidence of allocentric visual processing in primates with the purpose of illuminating a proposed co-evolution of more advanced visual perception and cognition in humans and closely related primates. The thesis is divided into three distinct parts, that in turn deal with three different aspects of this task. Part I reviews the last twenty years of research into the two visual systems hypothesis, proposed originally by Ungerleider and Mishkin in 1982, that separated the human visual system into two discrete subsystems named the dorsal and ventral streams. Different models for the functional subdivision of the human visual system are reviewed and discussed. The ventral stream is considered to handle allocentric visual processing, and is only found in primates, and it is argued that this is a prerequisite for visual object recognition and conscious sight, making this neurological pathway a stepping stone in the evolution of our cognitive systems. Part II considers the behavioural evidence of allocentric perception in different species of primates by linking such perception to different behavioural and cognitive abilities, and proposes a model to interpret the available data and guide further research into the visual capabilities of apes and monkeys. Part III discusses why allocentric perception is an important factor in the evolution of human cognition, and considers some more specific cognitive capabilities that could have evolved from the benefits of having allocentric visual processing.
Analysis of high-dimensional one group repeated measures designs

We propose a novel one sample test for repeated measures designs and derive its limit distribution for the situation where both the sample size n as well as the dimension d of the observations go to infinity. This covers the high-dimensional case with . The tests are based on a quadratic form which involve new unbiased and dimension-stable estimators of different traces of the underlying unrestricted covariance structure. It is shown that the asymptotic distribution of the statistic may be standard normal, standardized -distributed, or even of weighted -form in some situations. To this end, we suggest an approximation technique which is asymptotically valid in the first two cases and provides an accurate approximation for the latter. We motivate and illustrate the application with a sleep lab data set and also discuss the practical meaning of in case of repeated measures designs. It turns out that the limit behaviour depends on how the number of repeated measures is increased which is crucial for application.
Sulphur in the metal poor globular cluster NGC 6397

Sulphur (S) is a non-refractory α-element that is not locked into dust grains in the interstellar medium. Thus no correction to the measured, interstellar sulphur abundance is needed and it can be readily compared to the S content in stellar photospheres. Here we present the first measurement of sulphur in the metal poor globular cluster (GC) NGC 6397, as detected in a MIKE/Magellan high signal-to-noise, high-resolution spectrum of one red giant star. While abundance ratios of sulphur are available for a larger number of Galactic stars down to an [Fe/H] of ∼−3.5 dex, no measurements in globular clusters more metal poor than −1.5 dex have been reported so far. We find a NLTE, 3-D abundance ratio of [S/Fe] =+ 0.52 ± 0.20 (stat.) ±0.08 (sys.), based on the S I, Multiplet 1 line at 9212.8 A. This value is consistent with a Galactic halo plateau as typical of other α-elements in GCs and field stars, but we cannot rule out its membership with a second branch of increasing [S/Fe] with decreasing [Fe/H], claimed in the literature, which leads to a large scatter at metallicities around − 2d ex. The [S/Mg] and [S/Ca] ratios in this star are compatible with a Solar value to within the (large) uncertainties. Despite the very large scatter in these ratios across Galactic stars between literature samples, this indicates that sulphur traces the chemical imprints of the other α-elements in metal poor GCs. Combined with its moderate sodium abundance ([S/Na]NLTE = 0.48), the [S/Fe] ratio in this GC extends a global, positive S-Na correlation that is not seen in field stars and might indicate that proton-capture reactions contributed to the production of sulphur in the (metal poor) early GC environments.
The role of rare species in the community stability of a model ecosystem

Question: Is a rare or low-density species important for the balance of an ecosystem? Features of the model: Perturbation experiments on a model lattice with two common species and one low-density species. Key variables: The low-density species is preyed upon by one of the common species, but it eats the other common species. Meanwhile, the latter common species is eaten by the first common species. Thus the relationship between the three species is cyclic, corresponding to the ‘rock–paper–scissors’ game. Control experiments include only two common species. Perturbation is introduced by decreasing the rate of reproduction of one of the common species. Simulation results: The outcome of perturbations depends strongly on both the low-density species and the perturbation strengths. The responses to perturbation are often paradoxical and different from those expected from the mean-field or global version of the lattice model. Conclusions: The presence of a low-density species can alter the balance of an ecosystem. The conservation biology and management practice of natural ecosystems may be hindered if less common, unattractive species are ignored.
Unlike nectar foragers, honeybee drones (Apis mellifera) are not able to utilize starch as fuel for flight

Des butineuses de nectar, prelevees lors de leur arrivee sur la source de nourriture, et des mâles d'abeilles . (Apis mellifera L.), definis par leur âge et leur comportement, ont recu en nourrissement diverses solutions de glucose et de glucose additionne d'amidon, puis ont ete places dans un carrousel de vol (Hrassnigg et Crailsheim, 1999). Apres leur capture les insectes ont d'abord ete soumis a un premier « vol de nettoyage » i.e. sans nourrissement, au cours duquel ils devaient utiliser toutes leurs reserves alimentaires. On leur a fourni ensuite une solution nutritive donnee et, apres une periode de repos de 6 a 8 min, ils ont ete incites a accomplir un autre vol. Pour une meme quantite de nourriture, les mâles ont vole moins longtemps et moins loin que les ouvrieres. mais leur vitesse de vol etait plus elevee (Fig. 2a, b). Les butineuses ont augmente leur temps de vol de 30,2 % lorsqu'elles ont recu une solution de glucose et d'amidon (10 μL, glucose 2 M + l'equivalent de glucose 1 M sous forme d'amylose) a la place d'une solution simple de glucose (10 μL, 2 M). L'augmentation du temps et de la distance de vol a ete a peu pres semblable avec une solution de glucose 3 M ou une autre solution de glucose et d'amidon (glucose 2,5 M et l'equivalent de glucose 0,5 M) comme nourrissement. Ni la duree, ni la distance de vol n'ont ete augmentees par l'addition d'amidon au sirop de nourrissement, que ce soit chez les mâles de poids normal (213,57 ± 15,37 mg, n = 28) ou chez les mâles nains (135,13 ± 16,94 mg, n = 7) (Fig. 1). Il en a ete de meme avec une solution de miel et d'amidon, qui correspondait en energie a une solution de glucose et d'amidon (2 + 1 M) et contenait l'amylase du miel, qui degrade l'amidon. Le temps de vol n'a pas ete non plus augmente lorsque les vols ont ete repetes avec les memes mâles suite a un nourrissement d'amidon (Tab. I), bien que dans ce cas l'amidon ait pu sejourner plus longtemps dans le tube digestif et ait pu etre digere sur une periode plus longue. La capacite des ouvrieres a digerer les polysaccharides est une donnee importante pour la pratique apicole en liaison avec le nourrissement au sirop. Pour les abeilles qui hivernent les oligosacharides produits par l'hydrolyse de l'amidon doivent avoir une action negative. Il decoule de nos resultats qu'au moins les butineuses de nectar possedent les enzymes pour degrader efficacement l'amidon soluble en glucose. Le fait que les mâles ne soient pas capables, contrairement aux ouvrieres, de degrader rapidement l'amylose, souligne le role central des ouvrieres comme elaboreuses de nourriture au sein de la colonie.
Global evaluation of new GRACE mascon products for hydrologic applications

Recent developments in mascon (mass concentration) solutions for GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment) satellite data have significantly increased the spatial localization and amplitude of recovered terrestrial Total Water Storage anomalies (TWSA); however, land hydrology applications have been limited. Here we compare TWSA from April 2002 through March 2015 from (1) newly released GRACE mascons from the Center for Space Research (CSR‐M) with (2) NASA JPL mascons (JPL‐M), and with (3) CSR Tellus gridded spherical harmonics rescaled (sf) (CSRT‐GSH.sf) in 176 river basins, ∼60% of the global land area. Time series in TWSA mascons (CSR‐M and JPL‐M) and spherical harmonics are highly correlated (rank correlation coefficients mostly >0.9). The signal from long‐term trends (up to ±20 mm/yr) is much less than that from seasonal amplitudes (up to 250 mm). Net long‐term trends, summed over all 176 basins, are similar for CSR and JPL mascons (66–69 km3/yr) but are lower for spherical harmonics (∼14 km3/yr). Long‐term TWSA declines are found mostly in irrigated basins (−41 to −69 km3/yr). Seasonal amplitudes agree among GRACE solutions, increasing confidence in GRACE‐based seasonal fluctuations. Rescaling spherical harmonics significantly increases agreement with mascons for seasonal fluctuations, but less for long‐term trends. Mascons provide advantages relative to spherical harmonics, including (1) reduced leakage from land to ocean increasing signal amplitude, and (2) application of geophysical data constraints during processing with little empirical postprocessing requirements, making it easier for nongeodetic users. Results of this product intercomparison should allow hydrologists to better select suitable GRACE solutions for hydrologic applications.
The Impact of Information Technology Investment on the Hospitality Industry

Teknologi informasi semakin berkembang dengan cepat. Hal ini merupakan tantangan spesial bagi para eksekutif senior yang harus memutuskan apakah akan melanjutkan investasi di bidang teknologi baru ataukah tidak. Dilain pihak, pengambilan keputusan ini sering sangat sulit untuk menentukan apakah manfaat nyata apabila melakukan investasi dibidang teknologi informasi dalam sebuah organisasi. Tulisan ini mempertimbangkan pertanyaan ini dalam ruang lingkup industri pariwisata, yang sangat tergantung pada penggunaan teknologi informasi dalam kegiatan operasionalnya seharihari. Lebih khusus, penelitian ini menginvestigasi hubungan diantara investasi teknologi informasi, penggunaan teknologi informasi, kepuasan pengguna komputer, kinerja pengguna komputer dan kinerja hotel. Sebuah survey terhadap 945 EUC (computer end-user) yang bekerja di beberapa hotel di Bali, Indonesia telah dilakukan untuk menilai persepsi mereka tentang dampak teknologi informasi pada sebuah organisasi. Hasilnya menunjukkan bahwa ada hubungan yang signifikan diantara kelima variabel yang diinvestigasi. Lebih lanjut, telah diketemukan bahwa level investasi dibidang teknologi informasi dan level kinerja user secara langsung dapat mempengaruhi kinerja hotel, akan tetapi jumlah penggunaan teknologi informasi dan level kepuasan user dapat mempengaruhi kinerja hotel secara tidak langsung melalui level kinerja user. Dilain pihak, kepuasan user juga diketemukan memiliki pengaruh yang sangat kecil terhadap kinerja hotel. Level investasi dibidang teknologi informasi memiliki hubungan yang signifikan dengan level kepuasan user, dimana diketemukan pula secara langsung mempengaruhi jumlah penggunaan teknologi informasi. Yang tidak kalah penting adalah investasi dibidang teknologi informasi diketemukan memiliki pengaruh secara langsung terhadap penggunaan teknologi informasi dan kinerja user di beberap hotel. Penemuan ini menyarankan bahwa generalisasi di beberapa organisasi yang akan melakukan investigasi pengaruh investasi teknologi informasi terhadap kinerja organisasi, dan hal ini tidak dapat diabaikan. Kata kunci: information technology, organization performance, hospitality industry.
On pedigree polytope and its properties

The fact that linear optimization over a polytope can be done in polynomial time in the input size of the instance, has created renewed interest in studying 0-1 polytopes corresponding to combinatorial optimization problems. Studying their polyhedral structure has resulted in new algorithms to solve very large instances of some difficult problems like the symmetric traveling salesman problem. The multistage insertion formulation ( MI ) given by the author, in 1982, for the symmetric traveling salesman problem (STSP), gives rise to a combinatorial object called the pedigree. The pedigrees are in one-to-one correspondence with Hamiltonian cycles. Given n , the convex hull of all the pedigrees is called the corresponding pedigree polytope. In this article we bring together the research done a little over a decade by the author and his doctoral students, on the pedigree polytope, its structure, membership problem and properties of the MI formulation for the STSP. In addition we summarise some of the computational and other peripheral results relating to pedigree approach to solve the STSP. The pedigree polytope possesses properties not shared by the STSP (tour) polytope, which makes it interesting to study the pedigrees, both from theoretical and algorithmic perspectives.
Preliminary Molecular Variability of Some Dove Species Inhabiting Saudi Arabia

Approximately 800 bp of the mitochondrial 12S rRNA gene were sequenced for the Eurasian collared-dove Streptopelia decaocto and the African collared-dove Streptopelia roseogrisea. The first species was collected from Taif at the eastern boarder of Sarawat mountains and from Jazan at the southwest, while the second was collected from Taif only. These obtained sequences were used to study the genetic variability between the two species. The base differences between the two species were 19 sites along the sequenced fragment, while there was no intra-specific difference. It is therefore noteworthy to conclude that the Eurasian dove is homogenous along the range of distribution throughout Sarawat mountains and the small variability between the two dove species is indicative to their morphological and genetic similarity.
Confirmatory Factor Analysis of Persian Version of Depression, Anxiety and Stress (DASS-42): Non-Clinical Sample

Background: Based on historical viewpoint, relationship among depression, anxiety and stress attracted clinical and theoretical consideration. Despite the relative overlap of these psychological disorders in general, these three syndromes are distinctive in terms of theoretically and conceptually aspects. Objectives: The aim of current study is investigation confirmatory factor analysis and psychometric characteristics of Iranian version of depression, anxiety and stress scale (DASS-42) in student’s population. Methods: The student sample n = 664 studied in current study. The method of estimation Weighted Least Squares (WLS) used to investigate the confirmatory factor structure of this sample. NNFI, RMR, RMSEA, CFI, AGFI, GFI, ECVI, X2, X2 / df, were used to assess the adequacy of model fitness with data. In this study, MMPI -2 questionnaire, Cattell anxiety scale, and Beck depression inventory were used as criterion validity. Results: The results suggest DASS-42 scale had satisfactory internal consistency, test-retest validity and concurrent reliability. The results showed three factors with first class fitted better with data and DASS-42 scale had desirable construct validity of student sample. Conclusions: The results showed confirmatory factor structure and validity of this tool for application usages and clinical diagnosis are acceptable.
Impactor Flux and Cratering on the Pluto-Charon System

We study the impactor flux and cratering on Pluto and Charon due to the collisional evolution of Plutinos. Plutinos are those trans-Neptunian objects located at 39.5 AU, in the 3:2 mean motion resonance with Neptune. To do this, we develop a statistical code that includes catastrophic collisions and cratering events, and takes into account the stability and instability zones of the 3:2 mean motion resonance with Neptune. We proposes different initial populations that account for the uncertainty in the size distribution of Plutinos at small sizes. Depending on the initial population, our results indicate the following. The number of D > 1 km Plutinos streaking Pluto over 3.5 Gyr is between 1271 and 5552. For Charon, the number of D > 1 km Plutino impactors is between 354 and 1545. The number of D > 1 km craters on Pluto produced by Plutinos during the last 3.5 Gyr is between 43076 and 113879. For Charon, the number of D > 1 km craters is between 20351 and 50688.The largest Plutino impactor onto Pluto has a diameter between 17 and 23 km, which produces a craterwith a diameter of 31 - 39 km. The largest Plutino impactor onto Charon has a diameter between 10 and 15 km, which produces a crater with a diameter of 24 - 33 km. We test if 2 Pluto-sized objects are assumed in the 3:2 Neptune resonance, then the total number of Plutino impactors both onto Pluto as Charon with diameters D > 1 km is a factor of 1.6 - 1.8 larger if considering 1 Pluto-sized object. Given the dynamical structure of the trans-Neptunian region, it is necessary to study in detail the contribution of all the potential sources of impactors on the Pluto-Charon system, to obtain the main contributor and the whole production of craters. Then, we will be able to contrast those studies with observations which will help us to understand the geological processes and history of the surface of those worlds.
Colloquium: Geometrical approach to protein folding: a tube picture

A framework is presented for understanding the common character of proteins. Proteins are linear chain molecules. However, the simple model of a polymer viewed as spheres tethered together does not account for many of the observed characteristics of protein structures. The authors show here that proteins may be regarded as tubes of nonzero thickness. This approach allows one to bridge the conventional compact polymer phase with a novel phase employed by Nature to house biomolecular structures. The continuum description of a tube (or a sheet) of arbitrary thickness entails using appropriately chosen many-body interactions rather than two-body interactions. The authors suggest that the structures of folded proteins are selected based on geometrical considerations and are poised at the edge of compaction, thus accounting for their versatility and flexibility. This approach also offers an explanation for why helices and sheets are the building blocks of protein structures.
Astrometry with the Hubble Space Telescope: A Parallax of the Fundamental Distance Calibrator RR Lyrae

We present an absolute parallax and relative proper motion for the fundamental distance scale calibrator, RR Lyrae. We obtain these with astrometric data from FGS 3, a white-light interferometer on the Hubble Space Telescope. We find πabs = 3.82 ± 0.2 mas. Spectral classifications and VRIJHKT2M and DDO 51 photometry of the astrometric reference frame surrounding RR Lyr indicate that field extinction is low along this line of sight. We estimate ⟨AV⟩ = 0.07 ± 0.03 for these reference stars. The extinction suffered by RR Lyr becomes one of the dominant contributors to the uncertainty in its absolute magnitude. Adopting theaverage field absorption ⟨AV⟩ = 0.07 ± 0.03, we obtain M = 0.61. This provides a distance modulus for the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) of m - M = 18.38–18.53, with the average extinction-corrected magnitude of RR Lyrae variables in the LMC, ⟨V(RR)⟩, remaining a significant uncertainty. We compare this result with more than 80 other determinations of the distance modulus of the LMC.