Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Achieving privacy preservation in WiFi fingerprint-based localization

WiFi fingerprint-based localization is regarded as one of the most promising techniques for indoor localization. The location of a to-be-localized client is estimated by mapping the measured fingerprint (WiFi signal strengths) against a database owned by the localization service provider. A common concern of this approach that has never been addressed in literature is that it may leak the client's location information or disclose the service provider's data privacy. In this paper, we first analyze the privacy issues of WiFi fingerprint-based localization and then propose a Privacy-Preserving WiFi Fingerprint Localization scheme (PriWFL) that can protect both the client's location privacy and the service provider's data privacy. To reduce the computational overhead at the client side, we also present a performance enhancement algorithm by exploiting the indoor mobility prediction. Theoretical performance analysis and experimental study are carried out to validate the effectiveness of PriWFL. Our implementation of PriWFL in a typical Android smartphone and experimental results demonstrate the practicality and efficiency of PriWFL in real-world environments.
The fully connected N-dimensional skeleton: probing the evolution of the cosmic web

A method to compute the full hierarchy of the critical subsets of a density field is presented. It is based on a Watershed technique and uses a probability propagation scheme to improve the quality of the segmentation by circumventing the discreteness of the sampling. It can be applied within spaces of arbitrary dimensions and geometry. This recursive segmentation of space yields, for a d-dimensional space, a d - 1 succession of n-dimensional subspaces that fully characterize the topology of the density field. The final one-dimensional manifold of the hierarchy is the fully connected network of the primary critical lines of the field: the skeleton. It corresponds to the subset of lines linking maxima to saddle points, and provides a definition of the filaments that compose the cosmic web as a precise physical object, which makes it possible to compute any of its properties such as its length, curvature, connectivity etc. When the skeleton extraction is applied to initial conditions of cosmological N-body simulations and their present-day non-linear counterparts, it is shown that the time evolution of the cosmic web, as traced by the skeleton, is well accounted by the Zel'dovich approximation (ZA) provided the small-scale artificial smoothing introduced by the displacement field computation is taken into account. This scale is shown to be well modelled as L ZA = 0.4 x a-a i in units of the non-linear scale, a being the expansion factor. Comparing this skeleton to the initial skeleton undergoing the Zel'dovich mapping shows that two effects are competing during the formation of the cosmic web: a general dilation of the larger filaments that is captured by a simple deformation of the skeleton of the initial conditions on the one hand, and the shrinking, fusion and disappearance of the more numerous smaller filaments on the other hand. The net result corresponds to a decrease of the cosmic skeleton's length with time. Other applications of the N-dimensional skeleton and its peak patch hierarchy are discussed.
Electric-energy generation using variable-capacitive resonator for power-free LSI: efficiency analysis and fundamental experiment

A power generator based on a vibration-to-electric energy converter using a variable-resonating capacitor is experimentally demonstrated. The generator consists of a complete system with a mechanical variable capacitor, a charge-transporting LC tank circuit and an externally powered timing-capture controller. A practical design methodology to maximize the efficiency of the vibration-to-electric energy generation system is also described. The efficiency of the generator is estimated based on three factors: the mechanical-energy loss, the charge-transportation loss, and the timing-capture loss. Through the mechanical-energy analysis, the optimum condition for the resonance is found. The parasitic elements in the charge transporter and the timing management of the capture scheme dominate the generation efficiency. These analyses enable the optimum design of the energy-generation system. An experimentally fabricated and measured generator theoretically has a maximum power of 580 nW; the measured power is 120 nW, so conversion efficiency is 21%. This results from a 43% mechanical energy loss and a 63% charge-transportation loss. The timing-capture scheme is manually determined and externally powered in the experiment, so its efficiency is not considered. With our result, a new system LSI application with an embedded power source can be explored for the ubiquitous computing era.
Branched-Chain Amino Acids as New Biomarkers of Major Depression - A Novel Neurobiology of Mood Disorder

Background The proteinogenic branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) valine, leucine and isoleucine might play an unrecognised crucial role in the development of depression through their activation of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTor) pathway. The aim of this research project is to evaluate whether BCAAs are altered in patients with major depression and might thus be appropriate biomarkers for major depression. Methods The concentrations of valine, leucine and isoleucine were determined in 71 in-patients with major depression and 48 healthy controls by high-pressure liquid chromatography. Psychiatric and laboratory assessments were obtained at the time of in-patient admittance. Results The BCAAs are significantly decreased in patients with major depression in comparison with healthy subjects (valine: Mann-Whitney-U: 968.0; p <0.0001, leucine: Mann-Whitney-U: 1246.5; p = 0.013, isoleucine: Mann-Whitney-U: 1252.5; p = 0.014). Furthermore, as shown by Spearman's rank correlation coefficients, there is a significant negative correlation between valine, leucine and isoleucine concentrations and the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-17) as well as Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) scores. Conclusions Our study results are strong evidence that in patients with major depression, BCAAs might be appropriate biomarkers for depression. Reduced activation of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTor) due to a reduction of BCAAs might play a crucial unrecognised factor in the etiology of depression and may evoke depressive symptomatology and lower energy metabolism in patients with major depression. In the future, mTor and its up- and downstream signalling partners might be important targets for the development of novel antidepressants.
Large-Scale Offshore Agile Tailoring: Exploring Product and Service Organisations

This paper uses empirical data to compare large-scale agile method tailoring in two types of global software development programme: offshore outsourced services and offshore captive development centres. This research forms part of a larger study and uses data collected from face-to-face semi-structured open-ended interviews with over 50 practitioners in 9 international companies selected using a snowball sampling technique. Analysis has been conducted using 'Glaserian' grounded theory concepts, including open coding, memoing, constant comparison and theoretical saturation. The contribution of the paper is to present a novel classification model contrasting solution focused development, where offshore organisations deliver a complete solution, and execution focused development, where offshore organisations implement work packages defined by the client. The research has discovered evidence of solution and execution focused models used by outsourced service providers. In addition, evidence is presented of solution and execution focused models used by insourced offshore development centres. The classification model contrasts offshore project management with offshore management disintermediation, where staff from offshore organisations are directly managed by onshore client staff. Product ownership is commonly located onshore, but here too, counter examples of offshore product ownership have been found in outsourced service providers and insourced offshore development centres.
Visual classification with multi-task joint sparse representation

We address the problem of computing joint sparse representation of visual signal across multiple kernel-based representations. Such a problem arises naturally in supervised visual recognition applications where one aims to reconstruct a test sample with multiple features from as few training subjects as possible. We cast the linear version of this problem into a multi-task joint covariate selection model [15], which can be very efficiently optimized via ker-nelizable accelerated proximal gradient method. Furthermore, two kernel-view extensions of this method are provided to handle the situations where descriptors and similarity functions are in the form of kernel matrices. We then investigate into two applications of our algorithm to feature combination: 1) fusing gray-level and LBP features for face recognition, and 2) combining multiple kernels for object categorization. Experimental results on challenging real-world datasets show that the feature combination capability of our proposed algorithm is competitive to the state-of-the-art multiple kernel learning methods.
Should toddlers and preschoolers participate in organized sport? A scoping review of developmental outcomes associated with young children’s sport participation

ABSTRACT Organized sport is offered at increasingly younger ages, with many programs geared towards preschoolers, toddlers, and infants. While sport is promoted as an amendable context for healthy development of school-age children, little is empirically known about potential benefits or risks associated with organized sport participation in early childhood. A scoping review of nine electronic databases identified English-language, peer-reviewed, original research articles which addressed psychological, emotional, social, cognitive, or intellectual developmental outcomes of organized sport involvement of children aged 2–5 years; included studies were appraised for quality. Findings offer preliminary evidence that early sport participation is related to primarily positive outcomes (e.g. enhanced social skills, pro-social behaviours, self-regulation), while negative and inconclusive outcomes were also identified. Results suggest limited existing research has primarily relied on parent or teacher proxy-report or assessment, and reinforces that little is known about toddler and preschooler organized sport participation as a distinct form of physical activity, despite pervasive availability of programming, and positive parental perceptions of early enrolment. Additional research with stronger methodological design and rigor is needed; recommendations to enhance the quality of future studies with young children are discussed.
Split non-threshold Laplacian integral graphs

The aim of this article is to answer a question posed by Merris in European Journal of Combinatorics, 24 (2003) pp. 413 − 430, about the possibility of finding split non-threshold graphs that are Laplacian integral, i.e. graphs for which the eigenvalues of the corresponding Laplacian matrix are integers. Using Kronecker products, balanced incomplete block designs, and solutions to certain Diophantine equations, we show how to build infinite families of these graphs.
Does intimacy counteract or amplify the detrimental effects of negative intergroup contact on attitudes?

Past research is limited by a focus on intimacy in positive intergroup contact. This study tested whether intergroup intimacy counteracts or amplifies the detrimental effects of negative intergroup contact on outgroup attitudes. Participants from five Central European countries (N = 1,276) described their intergroup contact with, and attitudes towards, citizens from neighboring nations. We coded the contact descriptions for presence (vs. absence) of intimacy (intimate, casual, or formal relationships) and contact valence (negative, positive, or ambivalent). The results indicated that those who reported negative contact in the context of intimate relationships displayed more positive outgroup attitudes than those who reported negative contact in the context of nonintimate relationships. This protective function of intimacy extended to instances of ambivalent contact. Our findings speak of the additive value of intimacy and positivity for intergroup relations; they underscore the benefits of intimacy as part of not only positive but also negative intergroup contact.
Galaxy number counts and fractal correlations

We report the correlation analysis of various redshift surveys which shows that the available data are consistent with each other and manifest fractal correlations (with dimension D ≃ 2) up to the present observational limits ( ≈ 150 h−1Mpc) without any tendency towards homogenization. This result points to a new interpretation of the number counts that represents the main subject of this letter. We show that an analysis of the small-scale fluctuations allows us to reconcile the correlation analysis and the number counts in a new perspective which has a number of important implications.
Applicability and evaluation of the GestureChair virtual game: comparison between people with and without spinal cord injury

Introduction: Spinal cord injury rehabilitation requires updating from professionals regarding the possible interventions that can enhance recovery. Virtual reality (VR) games have become evident as a resource used in the rehabilitation process. Their effectiveness is based on the theory of neuronal reorganization, mediated by mirror neurons, responsible for motor imagery. Objectives: To test the applicability and evaluation of the virtual game Gesture Chair by people with and without spinal cord injury, to identify users' perceptions about the characteristics and demands of the VR game after its use and compare the immediate effects of the game on motor performance components in both groups. Method: We analyzed upper limb range of motion (ROM) after performing a practice using the exergame in a sample of five subjects with spinal cord injury and a comparative group with five other participants. The game was applied for 15 minutes, counting periods of activity and rest, while the subject remained seated. Results: The number of subjects in the sample does not allow statistically significant results on changes in shoulder ROM; however, factors that interfered with performance, perceptions about initial contact with the activity, presence of muscular fatigue and pain that may be present related to the increase of energy expenditure during the action were identified. Regarding the interest, there were reports of demotivation and disinterest, but there were also reports considering the activity motivating. Conclusion: The study implies the importance of the process of choosing individualized resources during the rehabilitation process and the need for adaptation among users of novel technologies. Future studies will be able to analyze the enhancement of the game with different users.
Non-Gaussian spatiotemporal modelling through scale mixing

We construct non-Gaussian processes that vary continuously in space and time with nonseparable covariance functions. Starting from a general and flexible way of constructing valid nonseparable covariance functions through mixing over separable covariance functions, the resulting models are generalized by allowing for outliers as well as regions with larger variances. We induce this through scale mixing with separate positive-valued processes. Smooth mixing processes are applied to the underlying correlated processes in space and in time, thus leading to regions in space and time of increased spread. An uncorrelated mixing process on the nugget effect accommodates outliers. Posterior and predictive Bayesian inference with these models is implemented through a Markov chain Monte Carlo sampler. An application to temperature data in the Basque country illustrates the potential of this model in the identification of outliers and regions with inflated variance, and shows that this improves the predictive performance. Copyright 2011, Oxford University Press.
Web-Based Analysis of Chinese Discourse Markers for Opinion Mining

Discourse markers not only express some sorts of relations between two arguments, but also entail sentiment information. In this paper, we investigate the associations between the relation type and the sentiment polarity of Chinese discourse markers based on a web scale corpus. We present an approach to mining information from a large scale corpus, show the polarity distributions of sentences under various relation types, and interpret the data from various aspects. Based on the massive amount of data from the Internet, certain language phenomena are shown.
Effects of Low and Moderate Acute Resistance Exercise on Executive Function in Community-Living Older Adults

The aim of the study was to examine the influence of acute bouts of low and moderate resistance exercise on the executive function of community-living older adults. A total of 40 older adults (20 men and 20 women; age range: 60–75 years) were randomly assigned to an exercise or control group. The exercise group completed two 45-min resistance exercise bouts at 40% and 70% of their individual 10-repetition maximum on different days, whereas the control group watched an exercise-related video. To assess immediate and delayed effects of exercise on executive function, tests assessing working memory, response inhibition, and cognitive flexibility were performed before (pretest), 15 min and 180 min after the exercise. Exercise improved executive function, but no change was observed in the control group. The exercise-induced gains were (a) larger after moderate- than low-intensity exercise, (b) similar for women and men, and (c) larger at 15 min than 180 min after exercise. These results indicate that exercise improves, at least transiently, executive function in healthy older adults.
BI-CRITERIA FOOD PACKING BY DYNAMIC PROGRAMMING( the 50th Anniversary of the Operations Research Society of Japan)

In this paper, we deal with a certain type of automated food packing system with n hoppers. The system repeats throwing some amount of foods into empty hoppers to make all hoppers full of foods, and collecting the foods from several hoppers to pack them into a single package. We treat foods thrown into each hopper as an item i with an integer weight wi. Given a set I of n items in the hoppers, the packing system chooses a subset I ' (⊆ I) of items, and puts them into a package so that the total weight of items is at least a specified target weight B. The packing system then throws new items into the empty hoppers, and the set I is updated to be the union of the remaining items in I − Iand the new items. Repeating such packing operations, it produces a large number of packages one by one. In the packing system, an item may stay for a long time in some hopper until it is chosen for packing. To avoid such a situation, we introduce a priority γi for each item i, and formulate the problem of choosing a subset Ias a bi-criteria discrete optimization problem in which one objective is to minimize ∑ i∈Iwi such that ∑ i∈Iwi ≥ B must be satisfied, and the other is to maximize ∑ i∈I ' γi. In this paper, we propose an O(n 2 wmax) time algorithm based on dynamic programming to obtain a nondominated solution, where wmax is an upper bound on the weight of an item. We also report the results on computational experiments conducted to examine the performance of the proposed approach.
Paying Politicians: Theory and Evidence

This paper looks at the theory behind the idea that paying politicians better will improve their performance. The paper lays out a political agency model with adverse selection and moral hazard where politicians are subject to two-period term limits. This model provides a number of predictions about how the pay of politicians affects agency problems. We also consider what happens when the pool of politicians is endogenous. The main ideas in the model are confronted with data on U.S. governors. (JEL: D72, J33) Copyright (c) 2004 The European Economic Association.
Explore the underdiscovereddthe choroid of the eye

The choroid of the eye is primarily a vascular structure containing large membrane-lined lacunae, nonvascular smooth muscle cells, and intrinsic choroidal neurons. It lies between the retina and sclera, extending from the ora serrata anteriorly to the optic nerve posteriorly, and is composed of three layers: the choriocapillaries, the medium vessel layer, and the large vessel layer. Choroidal blood flow constitutes 75e85% of the total blood flow that perfuses the eye, which is responsible for vascular support and temperature modulation of the outer retina. More than 90% of the oxygen delivered to the retina is consumed by the photoreceptors, which are extremely metabolically active in order to maintain ion homeostasis. A normal choroidal vasculature is essential for the health of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and photoreceptors, and an abnormal choroidal vasculature plays a critical role in the pathophysiology of a variety of retinal diseases such as diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration. In a clinical setting, choroidal vasculature often is assessed with fluorescein angiography and indocyanine green angiography that evaluate the time sequence and distribution pattern of the injected dye that fills the choroid. However, these technologies have limitations in that they provide neither quantitative blood flow data nor structural information of the RPE and choroid, and patients may develop adverse reactions to the injected dye. Laser Doppler flowmetry has been used by some researchers to measure choroidal blood flow, but the device is not available in most areas of the world. In recent years, various versions of spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) that use an interferometer with a highspeed spectrometer to simultaneously measure light echoes from all time delays, have become available on the market. Coupled with improvement in the quality of light sources, the cross-section image with an axial resolution of 5e7 mm of the choroid can be assessed noninvasively under normal and pathologic conditions. However, the outer limit of the choroid abutting against the sclera cannot usually be reliably identified using standard SD-OCT. In order to more accurately measure the choroidal thickness (CT), techniques such as image averaging, mechanical eye tracking, or enhanced depth imaging usually have to be adopted. Assessment of CT by SD-OCT may play a role in the differentiation of age-related maculopathy from polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy, of central serous chorioretinopathy from other causes of serous retinal detachment, and may help in the determination of disease