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This paper aims to develop the Hybrid feature descriptor and probabilistic neuro-fuzzy system for attaining the high accuracy in face recognition system. In recent days, facial recognition (FR) systems play a vital part in several applications such as surveillance, access control and image understanding. Accordingly, various face recognition methods have been developed in the literature, but the applicability of these algorithms is restricted because of unsatisfied accuracy. So, the improvement of face recognition is significantly important for the current trend.

This paper proposes a face recognition system through feature extraction and classification. The proposed model extracts the local and the global feature of the image. The local features of the image are extracted using the kernel based scale invariant feature transform (K-SIFT) model and the global features are extracted using the proposed m-Co-HOG model. (Co-HOG: co-occurrence histograms of oriented gradients) The proposed m-Co-HOG model has the properties of the Co-HOG algorithm. The feature vector database contains combined local and the global feature vectors derived using the K-SIFT model and the proposed m-Co-HOG algorithm. This paper proposes a probabilistic neuro-fuzzy classifier system for the finding the identity of the person from the extracted feature vector database.

The face images required for the simulation of the proposed work are taken from the CVL database. The simulation considers a total of 114 persons form the CVL database. From the results, it is evident that the proposed model has outperformed the existing models with an improved accuracy of 0.98. The false acceptance rate (FAR) and false rejection rate (FRR) values of the proposed model have a low value of 0.01.

This paper proposes a face recognition system with proposed m-Co-HOG vector and the hybrid neuro-fuzzy classifier. Feature extraction was based on the proposed m-Co-HOG vector for extracting the global features and the existing K-SIFT model for extracting the local features from the face images. The proposed m-Co-HOG vector utilizes the existing Co-HOG model for feature extraction, along with a new color gradient decomposition method. The major advantage of the proposed m-Co-HOG vector is that it utilizes the color features of the image along with other features during the histogram operation.

Graph rewriting concerns the technique of transforming a graph; it is thus natural to conceive its application in the evolution of graph databases. This paper aims to propose a two-step framework where rewriting rules formalize instance or schema changes, ensuring graph’s consistency with respect to constraints, and updates are managed by ensuring rule applicability through the generation of side effects: new updates which guarantee that rule application conditions hold.

This paper proposes Schema Evolution Through UPdates, optimized version (SetUp_OPT), a theoretical and applied framework for the management of resource description framework (RDF)/S database evolution on the basis of graph rewriting rules. The framework is an improvement of SetUp which avoids the computation of superfluous side effects and proposes, via SetUpoptND, a flexible and extensible package of solutions to deal with non-determinism.

This paper shows graph rewriting into a practical and useful application which ensures consistent evolution of RDF databases. It introduces an optimised approach for dealing with side effects and a flexible and customizable way of dealing with non-determinism. Experimental evaluation of SetUpoptND demonstrates the importance of the proposed optimisations as they significantly reduce side-effect generation and limit data degradation.

SetUp originality lies in the use of graph rewriting techniques under the closed world assumption to set an updating system which preserves database consistency. Efficiency is ensured by avoiding the generation of superfluous side effects. Flexibility is guaranteed by offering different solutions for non-determinism and allowing the integration of customized choice functions.

The Colorado Digitization Program has received several IMLS Leadership Grants. The Heritage Colorado and Western Trails grant projects both involved extensive collaboration between libraries, museums, historical societies and archives. Successful collaborative activities included creating best practices, metadata and scanning standards, training, metadata input tools, technological interoperability, and funding strategies.

This paper aims to explore the existence of Metaverse or 3D virtual libraries and how they use Metaverse to expand library services.

The authors use literature to search projects and research papers that discuss the metaverse library. They also did observations on metaverse libraries.

There are some virtual realities or metaverse platforms that a library or virtual community can use to build their 3D virtual world. Some libraries already create a virtual world library or metaverse library. However, those initiatives are still in the prototype stage and are used for exhibitions and projects.

This paper overviews and builds a simple understanding of the metaverse library. The value of the paper is giving motivation when building the metaverse library. This initiative shows that big hi-tech companies do not dominate Metaverse.

In order to provide a general context for library implementations of open source software (OSS), the purpose of this paper is to discuss the existing presence of OSS in libraries, the functionality and variety of OSS products, and the need for further study into the application of OSS technologies in libraries.

The paper is based on a literature review.

This paper endeavors to provide a broad overview of the deepening relationship between libraries and OSS. Libraries are seeking alternatives to proprietary applications which may require specialized support and/or services. Moreover, OSS and proprietary products have a functional verisimilitude, and, as proprietary applications developers anticipate user needs, so too do OSS contributors.

The degree of variance between proprietary and OSS applications, features, support, and compatibility is continually lessening, so libraries are increasingly making use of less costly alternatives to subscription based tools.

The use of OSS in libraries is an increasing trend. OSS tools and implementations provide library institutions with access to a dynamic and cost effective solution for servicing user groups, manipulating large volumes of content, and facilitating communications between various institutional and public entities. This paper gives an holistic perspective albeit in a short form.

The purpose of the present study is to explore the possibility of introducing a 3D environment in the library by reviewing current literature and to provide a good understanding of different purposes of using this immersive environment.

The present paper is a narrative account of libraries’ presence in the virtual world in combination with an overview of how libraries respond to the 3D environment. Relevant data for the review paper have been collected from library websites, books, journal articles, interview, etc.

The study found purposive involvement of libraries in this immersive environment which indicates that users use this exciting 3D medium to satisfy their information requirement.

The paper basically considers publications containing observations of broader research community in the relevant field and contents in websites dealing with virtual world and outlines the major features as discussed in available documents. The review study infers that the implementation of 3D project in libraries requires a mindset for the specific approach, from the end of both librarians and users, together with involvement of funds. Therefore, a library may start with a beta project and observe the effectiveness from the users’ perspective before embarking on a full-fledged project.

With numerous examples, as evident from publications and websites, the current review study makes an attempt to improve the understanding of librarians towards informed selection of projected purposes to be integrated with the virtual world from library perspective. The study also presents different approaches of libraries motivating users in the virtual world that other libraries may follow while considering their 3D library project.

This paper builds on the “Law and Finance” theory and aims to examine the effect of the legal and institutional environment on the governance–performance relationship in the context of non-US firms. More precisely, it examines whether and how the country’s legal system and the level of investor protection interact with the firm-level corporate governance and affect firm performance.

The authors used the “G-Index” governance score developed by the Governance Metrics International rating for a sample of 12,728 firm-year observations from 23 countries over the 2009–2016 period.

The results show that the interaction between the country-level institutions and corporate governance system significantly affect the firm performance. In particular, the findings indicate that firms operating in common law countries tend to exhibit a positive valuation effect and higher performance than firms with a comparable corporate governance level operating in civil law countries. More precisely, the authors find that in common law countries, higher investor protection with enhanced corporate governance is associated with better firm performance. However, firms operating in civil law countries with weaker investor protection and a comparable corporate governance level tend to experience a negative valuation effect.

The findings suggest that the institutional and legal environment is crucial and important in determining the value-maximizing level of good governance practices. Managers and regulators should carefully analyze the cost of these initiatives and should coordinate it with the needs of the country’s legal system. The challenge for the company will be how to adjust its corporate governance strategy according to the needs and demands of the country’s legal system in which the company operates to improve its performance. The regulators should ensure a fit between the specifics of the national legal and institutional environment and corporate governance standards and practices.

What this paper aims to tackle is how much did the return of rural migrant labor during the financial crisis affect China's GDP and the growth rate of the national economy.

This paper constructs a computable general equilibrium (CGE) model and uses data of China's 2007 Input-Output Table to analyze the impact of the return of rural migrant labor on China's economy during the financial crisis.

The results show that the return of rural migrant labor during the financial crisis had substantial impacts on China's economy. The national GDP decreased by about 0.499-1.463 percent, mainly due to the number of rural labor who migrated from the non-agricultural sector to agriculture. Of the major sectors of economy, the manufacturing, construction and other services sectors were the most affected.

This paper assesses the impacts of return of rural migrant labor during the financial crisis on China's GDP and the growth rate of the national economy.

This paper aims to study the value of informal care (IC) time from the perspective of caregivers using two alternative contingent valuation tools – willingness to pay (WTP) and willingness to accept (WTA) – and to identify the variables that affect the stated values.

The authors used data from a multi-centre study of 610 adult caregivers conducted in two Spanish regions in 2013. The existence of “protest zeros” and “economic zeros” because of the severe budgetary constraints of the households was also considered. Two-part multivariate models were used to analyse the main factors that explained the declared values of WTA and WTP.

The average WTP and WTA were €3.12 and €5.98 per hour of care, respectively (€3.2 and €6.3 when estimated values for “protest zeros” and “economic zeros” were considered). Some explanatory variables of WTA and WTP are coincident (place of residence and intensity of care time), whereas other variables only help to explain WTP values (household and negative coping with caregiving) or WTA values (age and burden of care). Some nuances are also identified when comparing the results obtained without protest and economic zeros with the estimated values of these special zeros.

Studies analysing the determinants of WTP and WTA in IC settings are very scarce. This paper seeks to provide information to fill this gap. The results indicate that the variables that explain the value of IC from one perspective may differ from the variables that explain it from an alternative perspective. Given the relevance of contextual factors, studies on the topic should be expanded, and care should be taken with the extrapolation of results across countries and settings.

Summarizes the UK′s food chemical surveillance programme. This programme is an extensive series of checks, tests and analyses (approximately 130,000 per annum) designed to monitor the safety and quality of the UK′s food supply. The paper describes the scale of the programme and its management through the Steering Group on Chemical Aspects of Food Surveillance (SGCAFS) and its 11 working parties‐which cover the wide range of food surveillance activities including chemical contaminants, natural toxicants, nutrition, food additives, radionuclides and authenticity. Although the programme′s results are generally reassuring, important information is produced on emerging potential problems. Provides examples where this surveillance has enabled these potential problems to be identified and appropriate remedial action taken. Describes the extensive publication of surveillance data through the Food Surveillance Paper series (HMSO) and reports on the recent Ministerial decision for the rapid publication of the most important food surveillance data.