Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Review of Various Image Filtering Algorithms

This paper has focused on the different image filtering techniques. Image filtering is one of the most important techniques for increasing the quality of the image as it act as the pre treatment to the images. All the other image processing techniques like image segmentation, image enhancement etc. are performed after image filtering. Image filtering is used to remove the different noisy pixels present in the image. To increase the picture quality image filtering can specifically remove the different kind of unwanted noises present in the given image by keeping the quality of the image. The main objective of this paper is to compare the different existing image filtering techniques using different parameters like noise density, peak to signal ratio, quality of image etc.
Spectral characterization of ground clutter using the NWRT

The electronic scanning capability of a phased array antenna allows for the collection of weather data without mechanical rotation. In contrast, radars with parabolic dish antennas need to rotate mechanically in both azimuth and elevation to collect volumetric weather data. This antenna rotation has the effect of broadening the spectra of ground clutter and therefore changing the spectral shape. An example of the effect of antenna rotation is shown in Figure 1. By taking advantage of the narrower spectra from a stationary antenna, we may be able to find novel techniques for mitigating the effects of ground clutter.
Based Cost Differential Evolution Algorithm for Multi-objective Optimization Problems

In this paper, we present A new variant of the Differential Evolution algorithm. Our proposed algorithm called Based cost Differential Evolution (Bc-DE), generated the mutant vector by adding a weighted difference of two cost function multiplied by a vector selected randomly to the best individual vector. The performance of the Bc-DE algorithm is broadly evaluated on several bound-constrained nonlinear and non-differentiable continuous numerical optimization problems and compares with the conventional DE and several others DE variants. It is demonstrated that the new method converges faster and with more certainty than many other acclaimed global optimization methods.
Memory capacity of two layer neural networks with smooth activations

Determining the memory capacity of two layer neural networks with $m$ hidden neurons and input dimension $d$ (i.e., $md+m$ total trainable parameters), which refers to the largest size of general data the network can memorize, is a fundamental machine learning question. For polynomial activations of sufficiently high degree, such as $x^k$ with $\binom{d+k}{d-1}\ge n$, and real analytic activations, such as sigmoids and smoothed rectified linear units (smoothed ReLUs), we establish a lower bound of $\lfloor md/2\rfloor$ and optimality up to a factor of approximately 2. Analogous prior results were limited to Heaviside and ReLU activations. In order to analyze general real analytic activations, we derive the precise generic rank of the network's Jacobian, which can be written in terms of Hadamard powers and the Khatri-Rao product. Our analysis extends classical linear algebraic facts about the rank of Hadamard powers. Overall, our approach differs from prior works on memory capacity and holds promise for extending to deeper models and other architectures.
Development and Evaluation of a Hybrid Wind Instrument

A hybrid wind instrument generates self-sustained sounds via a real-time interaction between a computed excitation model (such as the physical model of human lips interacting with a mouthpiece) and a real acoustic resonator. Attempts to produce a hybrid instrument have so far fallen short, in terms of both the accuracy and the variation in the sound produced. The principal reason for the failings of previous hybrid instruments is the actuator which, controlled by the excitation model, introduces a fluctuating component into the air flow injected into the resonator. In the present thesis, the possibility of using a loudspeaker to supply the calculated excitation signal is evaluated; the loudspeaker is placed at the entrance of the resonator (a clarinet-like tube), along with a microphone. This work focusses particularly on two possibilities: using the instrument as a new musical instrument and using it as a tool to carry out wind instrument research. First, a theoretical study facilitates the modelling of the loudspeaker-resonator system and the design of a feedback and feedforward filter to successfully compensate for the presence of the loudspeaker. The prototype is then evaluated using physical models of a single-reed, a lip-reed and a bow-string interaction and using a purely mathematical “polynomial” excitation model. For the design of excitation models, the usefulness of dimensionless and reduced parameter forms is outlined, and a sound prediction theory is presented, enabling the pre-estimation of both amplitude and spectral related features of the self-sustained sounds. The resulting self-sustained sounds are evaluated by a mapping of their sound descriptors to the input parameters of the excitation models, both for sustained and attack sounds. For all excitation models, the sounds produced by the hybrid instrument are shown to match those predicted by simulation. However, the hybrid instrument is more easily destabilised for certain extreme parameter states.
Ultracool Dwarfs Observed with the Spitzer Infrared Spectrograph: Equatorial Latitudes in L Dwarf Atmospheres Are Cloudier

We report direct observational evidence for a latitudinal dependence of dust cloud opacity in ultracool dwarfs, indicating that equatorial latitudes are cloudier than polar latitudes. These results are based on a strong positive correlation between the viewing geometry and the mid-infrared silicate absorption strength in mid-L dwarfs using mid-infrared spectra from the Spitzer Space Telescope and spin axis inclination measurements from available information in the literature. We confirmed that the infrared color anomalies of L dwarfs positively correlate with dust cloud opacity and viewing geometry, where redder objects are inclined equator-on and exhibit more opaque dust clouds, while dwarfs viewed at higher latitudes and with more transparent clouds are bluer. These results show the relevance of viewing geometry to explain the appearance of brown dwarfs and provide insight into the spectral diversity observed in substellar and planetary atmospheres. We also find a hint that dust clouds at similar latitudes may have higher opacity in low-surface gravity dwarfs than in higher-gravity objects.
R&D Cooperation and Spillovers: Some Empirical Evidence from Belgium

Successful innovation depends on the development and integration of new knowledge in the innovation process. Part of this knowledge will reach the firm from external sources. Several authors have documented the existence of these external information flows and have commented on their importance for decisions at the firm level (Adam B. Jaffe, 1986; Jeffrey I. Bernstein and M. Ishaq Nadiri, 1988) and ultimately for economic growth (Paul M. Romer, 1990; Gene M. Grossman and Elhanan Helpman, 1991; Zvi Griliches, 1992). One challenge facing this literature has been the measurement of these information flows or “spillovers” between firms and gauging their effect on different innovation management decisions by the firm. While assessing spillovers, it is important to distinguish between incoming spillovers, which affect the rate of innovation of the firm, and appropriability, which affects the ability of the firm to appropriate the returns from innovation. The information sources for incoming spillovers are usually situated in the public domain, and their usefulness to the firm depend on the firm’s ability to create information flows from this public pool of knowledge. But firms also attempt to appropriate the benefits of their innovations by controlling the information flows out of the company into the pool of publicly available information. The relevance of distinguishing between incoming spillovers and appropriability is revealed when we use these measures to analyze their impact on the decision of firms to engage in cooperative RD Morton I. Kamien et al., 1992; Raymond De Bondt, 1997). On the other hand, imperfect appropriability increases the incentive of firms to free ride on each other’s RD Katrien Kesteloot and Veugelers, 1995) and encourages free-riding on the RD Veugelers: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven and CEPR, Naamsestraat 69, 3000 Leuven, Belgium (e-mail: Reinhilde.Veugelers@econ.kuleuven.ac.be). The authors would especially like to thank an anonymous referee, as well as Raymond De Bondt, Paul Geroski, Mort Kamien, Steve Martin, Marno Verbeek, Gary Charness, James Costain, and Harry Bowen, for very helpful comments. We also thank the seminar participants at the London Business School, IESE Business School, Universidad Carlos III, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Universidad de Zaragoza, Universidad Publica de Navarra, the Universite Libre de Bruxelles, and Paris I and Paris XII, and the participants in ASSET (Bologna), LASEM (Cancun), and EARIE (Turin). The DWTC and IWT generously provided the data for this research. Cassiman acknowledges support from BEC2000-1026 and CIRIT 1997SGR00138, and Veugelers from CNRS, Enjeux Economiques de l’Innovation, and NFWO (G.0131.98). The paper was to a large extent written while Cassiman was assistant professor at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona and Veugelers was visiting the Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona and MIT [Sloan School (ICRMOT)].
The Emergence of the Infrared Transient VVV-WIT-06

We report the discovery of an enigmatic large-amplitude ( mag) transient event in near-IR data obtained by the VISTA Variables in the Via Lactea (VVV) ESO Public Survey. The object (designated VVV-WIT-06) is located at R.A. = 17:07:18.917, decl. = −39:06:26.45 (J2000), corresponding to Galactic coordinates l = 347.14539, b = 0.88522. It exhibits a clear eruption, peaking at Ks = 9 mag during 2013 July and fading to in 2017. Our late near-IR spectra show post-outburst emission lines, including some broad emission lines (upward of km s−1). We estimate a total extinction of mag in the surrounding field, and no progenitor was observed in ZYJHKs images obtained during 2010–2012 (down to mag). Subsequent deep near-IR imaging and spectroscopy, in concert with the available multiband photometry, indicate that VVV-WIT-06 may be either: (i) the closest Type I SN observed in about 400 years, (ii) an exotic high-amplitude nova that would extend the known realm of such objects, or (iii) a stellar merger. In all of these cases, VVV-WIT-06 is a fascinating and curious astrophysical target under any of the scenarios considered.
On the significance of coherent Lagrangian eddies detected from satellite altimetry

Ocean flows are routinely inferred from low-resolution satellite altimetry measurements of sea surface height assuming a geostrophic balance. Recent nonlinear dynamical systems techniques have revealed that surface currents derived from altimetry can support mesoscale eddies with material boundaries that do not filament for many months, thereby representing effective transport mechanisms. However, the long-range Lagrangian coherence assessed for mesoscale eddy boundaries detected from altimetry is constrained by the impossibility of current altimeters to resolve ageostrophic submesoscale motions. These may act to prevent Lagrangian coherence from manifesting in the rigorous form described by the nonlinear dynamical systems theories. Here we use a combination of satellite ocean color and surface drifter trajectory data, rarely available simultaneously over an extended period of time, to provide observational evidence for the enduring Lagrangian coherence of a Loop Current ring detected from altimetry. We also seek indications of this behavior in the flow produced by a data-assimilative system which demonstrated ability to reproduce observed relative dispersion statistics down into the marginally submesoscale range. However, the simulated flow, total surface and subsurface or subsampled emulating altimetry, is not found to support the long-lasting Lagrangian coherence that characterizes the observed ring. This highlights the importance of the Lagrangian metrics produced by the nonlinear dynamical systems tools employed here in assessing model performance.
Numerical resolution of a reinforced random walk model arising in haptotaxis

In this paper we study the numerical resolution of a reinforced random walk model arising in haptotaxis and the stabilization of solutions. The model consists of a system of two differential equations, one parabolic equation with a second order non-linear term (haptotaxis term) coupled to an ODE in a bounded two dimensional domain. We assume radial symmetry of the solutions. The scheme of resolution is based on the application of the characteristics method together with a finite element one. We present some numerical simulations which illustrate some features of the numerical stabilization of solutions.
Health related virtual communities and electronic support groups: systematic review of the effects of online peer to peer interactions

Abstract Objective To compile and evaluate the evidence on the effects on health and social outcomes of computer based peer to peer communities and electronic self support groups, used by people to discuss health related issues remotely. Design and data sources Analysis of studies identified from Medline, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Evidence Based Medicine Reviews, Electronics and Communications Abstracts, Computer and Information Systems Abstracts, ERIC, LISA, ProQuest Digital Dissertations, Web of Science. Selection of studies We searched for before and after studies, interrupted time series, cohort studies, or studies with control groups; evaluating health or social outcomes of virtual peer to peer communities, either as stand alone interventions or in the context of more complex systems with peer to peer components. Main outcome measures Peer to peer interventions and co-interventions studied, general characteristics of studies, outcome measures used, and study results. Results 45 publications describing 38 distinct studies met our inclusion criteria: 20 randomised trials, three meta-analyses of n of 1 trials, three non-randomised controlled trials, one cohort study, and 11 before and after studies. Only six of these evaluated “pure” peer to peer communities, and one had a factorial design with a “peer to peer only” arm, whereas 31 studies evaluated complex interventions, which often included psychoeducational programmes or one to one communication with healthcare professionals, making it impossible to attribute intervention effects to the peer to peer community component. The outcomes measured most often were depression and social support measures; most studies did not show an effect. We found no evidence to support concerns over virtual communities harming people. Conclusions No robust evidence exists of consumer led peer to peer communities, partly because most peer to peer communities have been evaluated only in conjunction with more complex interventions or involvement with health professionals. Given the abundance of unmoderated peer to peer groups on the internet, research is required to evaluate under which conditions and for whom electronic support groups are effective and how effectiveness in delivering social support electronically can be maximised.
Simulation of axisymmetric free surface viscous flow around a non-spherical bubble in the sonoluminescence regime

When excited with ultrasound waves, air bubbles in water can, in appropriate con ditions, emit light. This phenomenon is known as {\em sonoluminescence}. While recent experiments have successfully produced stable single bubble sonolum inescence, allowing the conditions for sonoluminescence to be studied in more de tail, the mechanism for light emission remains little understood. The classical explanation relies on a shock wave theory \cite{crum94}\cite{greenspan93}. These authors suggest th at during the violent collapse of the bubble, spherical shock waves are emitted which concentrate on a singular point at the center of the bubble yielding very high temperatures ($>$ 10,000 {\kelvin}) and very short light pulses ($\approx$ 50 picoseconds)\ci te{barber91}. However, this hypothesis has serious weak points underlined by A. Prosperetti \cite{prosp eretti97}. The main assumption of the shock wave hypothesis is that the bubble remains spherical throughout the pressure cycle. There is strong evidence that the bubble should deform strongly when reaching very small radii. In particular a jet of liquid should form in the direction of the bubble motion. If this is the case, the shock wave model does not hold anymore (at least in its present form) and another mechanism for light emission should be found. Our goal is to illustrate numerically the possibility of stable and repeatable formation of a jet at each sonoluminescence cycle. While some boundary-integral computations have been made \cite{prosperetti97}, we are not aware of a full Navier-Stokes simulation o f such a phenomenon. The phenomenon of jet formation is moreover a characteristic of cavitation bubbl es near solid walls. Sonoluminescence and cavitation thus appear to be closely r elated \cite{Lauterborn97}. We will present a free-surface Navier-Stokes solver which can be useful for the study of these two phenomena and some results regarding both cavitation and sono luminescence.
An intelligent visual servo control system for quadrotors

While quadrotors are becoming more popular, control of these unmanned air vehicles should be improved. In this study, a new intelligent image-based visual servo control system is proposed for the flight guidance control of quadrotors. Features are essential for visual servoing and the proposed system utilizes the features of a shape that provide a clear sight of the landing site instead of point features. Furthermore, the system focuses on three problems of visual servo control: finding an appropriate gain value under velocity limits, keeping the shape features in the field of view and tracking a moving target. As a solution to the first problem, a fuzzy logic unit that uses feature error and error derivative norms as inputs are deployed to assign the gain, adaptively. The second problem is solved by defining safe and risky regions in the image plane to take precautions before field of view missing. Another fuzzy logic unit is activated when the shape passes through a risky region to provide counter velocity in x or y direction and to drag the shape through the safe region. As the last stage, Kalman filtering with Potter’s square root update is added to the proposed system to increase the feature tracking performance. This update also promises divergence avoidance. To show the performance of the proposed system, simulation results for fixed and moving targets under feature disturbance are presented for a quadrotor. The results verify that the proposed system is capable of handling visual servoing problems.
The Relationship Between Postpartum Depression and Intimate Partner Violence Postpartum

1 Süheyla Doğan Bulut1, Esra Alataş1, Gamer Günay2, Serdar Bulut3 1Psychiatry Department, Dışkapı Yıldırım Beyazıt Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, 2Psychiatry Department, Anamur State Hospital, Anamur, Mersin, 3Psychiatry Department, Yenimahalle Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey Postpartum Depression and Intimate Partner Violence The Relationship Between Postpartum Depression and Intimate Partner Violence
A rotor-aerodynamics-based wind estimation method using a quadrotor

Attempts to estimate horizontal wind by the quadrotor are reviewed. Wind estimations are realized by utilizing the quadrotor’s thrust change, which is caused by the wind’s effect on the rotors. The basis of the wind estimation method is the aerodynamic formula for the rotor’s thrust, which is verified and calibrated by experiments. A hardware-in-the-loop simulation (HILS) system was built as a testbed; its dynamic model and control structure are demonstrated. Verification experiments on the HILS system proved that the wind estimation method was effective.
Bayesian Analysis of Partitioned Demand Models

Many economic models of consumer demand require researchers to partition sets of products or attributes prior to the analysis. These models are common in empirical settings in which the product space is large or spans multiple categories. While partitioning demand can offer both statistical and behavioral advantages, doing so can also impose significant restrictions on the set of admissible substitution patterns. In this dissertation, we let the partition be a model parameter and propose a Bayesian method for inference. The challenge in modeling partitions is that they are defined on a high-dimensional, discrete, and non-Euclidean domain. We build on previous nonparametric Bayesian models for random partitions to construct a new partition distribution characterized by a location partition and scale parameter. This location-scale partition distribution is useful in two ways: (1) as a proposal distribution within the context of a Markov chain Monte Carlo routine; and (2) as a prior or random-effects distribution of partition heterogeneity. Our method is illustrated in the context of both store-level and household-level demand models. We find that allowing for uncertainty in the partition is important for preserving model flexibility, improving demand forecasts, learning about the structure of demand, and informing targeted marketing strategies.
Design and Management of Complex Technical Processes and Systems by means of Computational Intelligence Methods Fitness Landscapes Based on Sorting and Shortest Path Problems

The analysis of evolutionary algorithms is up to now limited to special classes of functions and fitness landscapes. It is not possible to describe those subproblems of NP-hard optimization problems where certain evolutionary algorithms work in polynomial time. Therefore, fitness landscapes based on important computer science problems as sorting and shortest paths problems are investigated here. Although it cannot be expected that evolutionary algorithms outperform the well-known problem specific algorithms on these simple problems, it is interesting to analyze how evolutionary algorithms work on these fitness landscapes which are based on practical problems. The following results are obtained: – Sorting is the maximization of “sortedness” which is measured by one of several well-known measures of presortedness. The different measures of presortedness lead to fitness landscapes of quite different difficulty for EAs. – Shortest paths problems are hard for all types of EA, if they are considered as single-objective optimization problems, while they are easy as multi-objective optimization problems.