Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Localization of Passive UHF RFID Labels Using An Unscented Kalman Filter with Relative Position Information

The localization of objects equipped with passive UHF RFID labels using the Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) values is investigated. An Unscented Kalman Filter (UKF) is used for the localization of the object. Adding (N-1) additional tags with known relative position to the object (relative to its main tag), this information can be incorporated into the UKF resulting in an Unscented Kalman Filter with relative position information (UKF_rp). Simulation results based on measured RSSI values show that the usage of relative positioning leads to an increase in localization accuracy especially when few antennae are used.
High performance shape memory polyurethane synthesized with high molecular weight polyol as the soft segment

Shape memory polyurethanes (SMPUs) are typically synthesized using polyols of low molecular weight (MW~2,000 g/mol) as it is believed that the high density of cross-links in these low molecular weight polyols are essential for high mechanical strength and good shape memory effect. In this study, polyethylene glycol (PEG-6000) with MW ~6000 g/mol as the soft segment and diisocyanate as the hard segment were used to synthesize SMPUs, and the results were compared with the SMPUs with polycaprolactone PCL-2000. The study revealed that although the PEG-6000-based SMPUs have lower maximum elongations at break (425%) and recovery stresses than those of PCL-based SMPUs, they have much better recovery ratios (up to 98%) and shape fixity (up to 95%), hence better shape memory effect. Furthermore, PEG-based SMPUs showed a much shorter actuation time of <10 s for up to 90% shape recovery compared to typical actuation times of tens of seconds to a few minutes for common SMPUs, demonstrated their great potential for applications in microsystems and other engineering
Rethinking Lensing and Λ

Strong gravitational lensing has traditionally been one of the few phenomena said to oppose a large cosmological constant; many analyses of lens statistics have given upper limits on ΩΛ that are marginally inconsistent with the concordance cosmology. Those conclusions were based on models in which the predicted number counts of galaxies at moderate redshifts (z ~ 0.5-1) increased significantly with ΩΛ. I argue that the models should now be calibrated by counts of distant galaxies. When this is done, lens statistics lose most of their sensitivity to the cosmological constant.
Group B Streptococcus Colonization among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Care at Tertiary Hospital in Rural Southwestern Uganda

Objectives. This study sought to determine the prevalence and factors associated with group B streptococcal anogenital colonization among pregnant women attending antenatal care at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital, a tertiary hospital. Methods. Cross-sectional study where 309 pregnant women ≥ thirty-five weeks of gestation attending antenatal clinic were consecutively recruited between January and March 2015. Anovaginal swabs were collected and tested qualitatively using rapid visual immunoassay GBS test kits for presence of GBS antigens. Data was analyzed using STATA version 12. In univariate analysis, GBS colonized mothers were presented as percentages and numbers, and in multivariate analysis logistic regression analysis was applied to determine the associations of exposure variable and GBS colonization; a value of less than 0.05 was considered significant. Results. Mothers' median age was 25 years, 14.6% mothers being obese. GBS prevalence was 28.8%, 95% CI: 23.7–33.9. Obesity was the only significant factor associated with anogenital GBS colonization with odds ratio of 3.78, 95% CI: 1.78–8.35, a p value of 0.001. Maternal ages, educational level, residence, and gravidity were not associated with GBS anogenital colonization. Conclusion. Group B streptococcal anogenital colonization among pregnant women attending antenatal care at tertiary hospital, in Southwestern Uganda, is high.
Clinical and serological study of myasthenia gravis in HuBei Province, China

Background: Ocular and childhood myasthenia gravis (MG) cases seem relatively more common in Oriental than in Caucasian populations, but there have been no comprehensive serological studies on patients from mainland China. Methods: 391 unselected patients with MG attending Tongji Hospital in WuHan (the largest hospital in the province of HuBei, China) were studied during a 15-month period; most had already received treatment for their condition. Results: The male to female ratio was 0.8. 50% of the patients were children (<15 years), and age at onset showed a single peak at between 5 and 10 years of age. 64% of the children and 66% of the adults were positive for acetylcholine receptor (AChR) antibodies but the antibody titres were lower than in similar Caucasian studies, although this was partly due to the high incidence of ocular MG. Of the 43 patients with generalised MG without AChR antibodies, only 1 had muscle-specific kinase antibodies (2.5%) and 2 had voltage-gated calcium channel antibodies indicating probable Lambert–Eaton myasthenic syndrome. 75% of the children, compared with only 28% of the adults, had ocular MG. Thymoma was evident by MRI in 1.5% of children and in 20% of adults. Despite most patients having received prednisone, very few had obtained full clinical remission. Conclusion: This study emphasises the frequency of early childhood onset with ocular symptoms and shows that many of these patients have AChR antibodies. By contrast, patients presenting in later age seem to be very uncommon in comparison with recent studies in Caucasian populations.
Motives, beliefs, and perceptions among learners affect preparatory learning strategies

ABSTRACT Preparation is an effective and necessary activity; however, most students do not prepare for future lessons. The present study addressed this problem and examined how learners' motives, beliefs, and perceptions affected their strategy use during preparation for future lessons. Participants were 219 Japanese junior high school students who responded to a questionnaire about mathematics learning. The result of a path analysis suggested that learners' intrinsic motives, extrinsic motives, and cognitive beliefs about learning positively related to their spontaneously obtaining prior knowledge and solving example problems. In addition, noncognitive beliefs positively affected perceived cost of preparation and decreased obtaining prior knowledge. Implications for educational practice, limitations of the present study, and suggestions for future research are discussed.
STELLaR - A case-study on SysTEmaticaLLy embedding a Traffic Light Recognition

In this paper we present an embedded implementation of a Traffic Light Recognition (TLR) on a low-cost FPGA device with low memory usage.We follow a systematic approach where we thoroughly investigate computational hot-spots, and systematically partition the system into hardware and software components which we both optimize. Our implementation is evaluated using an actual FPGA board as Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL). In contrast to other approaches, we are not restricted to filled lights but also detect other types such as arrows, pedestrians or bicycle ones when provided with training data. With an average performance of 45 fps and minimum 12 fps with ~ 5 Watts of power consumption, our system shows real-time behavior even on high-definition video data with high comparable recognition rates while still obeying automotive constraints such as low power. As far as we know, we are the first ones presenting an embedded TLR solution.
Neural crest determination by co-activation of Pax3 and Zic1 genes in Xenopus ectoderm

A number of regulatory genes have been implicated in neural crest development. However, the molecular mechanism of how neural crest determination is initiated in the exact ectodermal location still remains elusive. Here, we show that the cooperative function of Pax3 and Zic1 determines the neural crest fate in the amphibian ectoderm. Pax3 and Zic1 are expressed in an overlapping manner in the presumptive neural crest area of the Xenopus gastrula, even prior to the onset of the expression of the early bona fide neural crest marker genes Foxd3 and Slug. Misexpression of both Pax3 and Zic1 together efficiently induces ectopic neural crest differentiation in the ventral ectoderm, whereas overexpression of either one of them only expands the expression of neural crest markers within the dorsolateral ectoderm. The induction of neural crest differentiation by Pax3 and Zic1 requires Wnt signaling. Loss-of-function studies in vivo and in the animal cap show that co-presence of Pax3 and Zic1 is essential for the initiation of neural crest differentiation. Thus, co-activation of Pax3 and Zic1, in concert with Wnt, plays a decisive role for early neural crest determination in the correct place of the Xenopus ectoderm.
Kalman filter algorithm based on singular value decomposition

An algorithm for the discrete time linear filtering problem is developed. The crucial component of this algorithm involves the computation of the singular value decomposition (SVD) of an unsymmetric matrix without explicitly forming its left factor, which has a high dimension. The algorithm has good numerical stability and can handle correlated measurement noise without any additional transformation. Since the algorithm is formulated in the form of vector-matrix and matrix-matrix operations, it is also useful for parallel computers. A numerical example is given. <<ETX>>
Culture and motivation in English for hospitality students: Why integrative motivation may be essential

Hospitality students are the future negotiators of cultural interaction in our field, and how they imagine culture through their language studies is important. In particular, cultural concepts form an essential part of their motivation to learn a foreign language, in so far as it indicates their willingness to integrate into another culture, as Gardner (1960; 2007) and Dornyei (2001;1994) have demonstrated. In fact, this integrative motivation has been recognized as one of the key elements for a successful learning outcome in languages. Our research explores whether integrative motivation is ubiquitous in the English for hospitality classroom. In a study with 51 adult English for Hospitality students, it found that students saw culture as malleable and showed a mixed motivational orientation. Based on these findings, some relevant curriculum implications are discussed. Apart from having the necessary practical skills required in the industry, hospitality students and workers also need to be effective communicators by understanding the roots of cultural awareness and the possibility of having more than one cultural identity.
Gray Image Extraction Using Fuzzy Logic

Fuzzy systems concern fundamental methodology to represent and process uncertainty and imprecision in the linguistic information. The fuzzy systems that use fuzzy rules to represent the domain knowledge of the problem are known as Fuzzy Rule Base Systems (FRBS). On the other hand image segmentation and subsequent extraction from a noise-affected background, with the help of various soft computing methods, are relatively new and quite popular due to various reasons. These methods include various Artificial Neural Network (ANN) models (primarily supervised in nature), Genetic Algorithm (GA) based techniques, intensity histogram based methods etc. providing an extraction solution working in unsupervised mode happens to be even more interesting problem. Literature suggests that effort in this respect appears to be quite rudimentary. In the present article, we propose a fuzzy rule guided novel technique that is functional devoid of any external intervention during execution. Experimental results suggest that this approach is an efficient one in comparison to different other techniques extensively addressed in literature. In order to justify the supremacy of performance of our proposed technique in respect of its competitors, we take recourse to effective metrics like Mean Squared Error (MSE), Mean Absolute Error (MAE), Peak Signal to Noise Ratio (PSNR).
A Chronological Experience Report from an Initial Experiment Series on Static Type Systems

While there seems to be at least some agreement among researchers in the area of programming language design and implementation that empirical studies possibly help to evaluate programming language features, a central aim of empirical research methods must not be forgotten the construction of theories that permit to predict some phenomena upfront. However, in order to construct such theories, a large bunch of empirical data is required. This requires not only to perform empirical studies from time to time in order to measure di erences among language features, but a continous sequence of controlled experiments. This experience report discusses the problem of constructing a series of experiments for static type systems.
Identifying and addressing themes of job dissatisfaction for secondary principals

ABSTRACT Secondary principals serve in important roles that are complex, high-stress, and include demanding job responsibilities. Key stakeholders such as superintendents, school board members, and legislators must understand the challenges facing secondary principals in order to address the current themes of job dissatisfaction. Using new survey data compiled from 176 secondary principals across a state in the Midwest United States, this study shows four themes of job dissatisfaction are plaguing secondary principals: high job demands with unreasonable expectations, managing difficult stakeholders, problematic work/life balance, and lack of support. This study concludes with practical suggestions to address each theme of job dissatisfaction.
Real Exchange Rate Movements and the Relative Price of Non-Traded Goods

We study the quarterly bilateral real exchange rate and the relative price of non-traded to traded goods for 1225 country pairs over 1980-2005. We show that the two variables are positively correlated, but that movements in the relative price measure are smaller than those in the real exchange rate. The relation between the two variables is stronger when there is an intense trade relationship between two countries and when the variance of the real exchange rate between them is small. The relation does not change for rich/poor country bilateral pairs or for high inflation/low inflation country pairs. We identify an anomaly: The relation between the real exchange rate and relative price of non-traded goods for US/EU bilateral trade partners is unusually weak.
On the location dynamics of highly educated people migrating to peripheral regions of Denmark

Since the late 1990s, the concentration of economic growth has increased in the urban areas of Denmark while peripheral regions of the country struggle with stagnating or decreasing population and increasing unemployment rates. This paper analyses the migration patterns and motives of highly educated people who relocate from urban areas to settle in Denmark's peripheral regions. The study makes a novel empirical contribution to the counter urbanisation literature by using socioeconomic microdata along with interviews to identify trends and motives of counter-urban migration among highly educated people. The article demonstrates that counter-urban migration decreases in times of financial crisis, and that the motives for highly educated people to relocate to peripheral areas relate to their preferences for housing conditions, local natural, and social amenities, together with job opportunities. Additionally, age and household composition play important roles in the motives for relocating. While families with children perceive the new location as permanent, the young and newly graduated perceive it as a stepping stone for a future career.
Measurement of Dynamic Parameters of Automotive Exhaust Hangers

Different methodologies to test and analyze the dynamic stiffness (K) and damping (C) properties of several silicone and EPDM rubber automotive exhaust hangers were investigated in this research. One test method utilized a standard MTS hydraulic test machine with a single sine excitation at discrete frequencies and amplitude levels, while a second method utilized an electrodynamic shaker with broadband excitation. Analysis techniques for extracting the equivalent stiffness and damping were developed in the shaker tests using data from time domain, frequency domain, as well as force transmissibility. A comparison of all of the shaker testing methods for repeatability and accuracy was done with the goal of determining the appropriate method that generates the most consistent results over the range of testing. The shaker testing in the frequency domain using a frequency response function model produced good results and the set-up is relatively inexpensive. The hydraulic excitation method, however, is more suitable for large displacements and is ideal to study the variations of K and C with frequency, displacement, temperature and pre-load.
Register Packing: Exploiting Narrow-Width Operands for Reducing Register File Pressure

A large percentage of computed results have fewer significant bits compared to the full width of a register. We exploit this fact to pack multiple results into a single physical register to reduce the pressure on the register file in a superscalar processor. Two schemes for dynamically packing multiple "narrow-width" results into partitions within a single register are evaluated. The first scheme is conservative and allocates a full-width register for a computed result. If the computed result turns out to be narrow, the result is reallocated to partitions within a common register, freeing up the full-width register. The second scheme allocates register partitions based on a prediction of the width of the result and reallocates register partitions when the actual result width is higher than what was predicted. If the actual width is narrower than what was predicted, allocated partitions are freed up. A detailed evaluation of our schemes show that average IPC gains of up to 15% can be realized across the SPEC 2000 benchmarks on a somewhat register-constrained datapath.
Web Aesthetics: How Does it Influence the Sales Performance in Online Marketplaces

Web aesthetics is advocated as one of the key factors influencing consumers’ attitude and behavior in the websites they visited. However, its real effects on the sales performance of websites remain largely unknown. This study is one of the first empirical studies to evaluate web aesthetics quantitatively and directly measure its effects on sales performance by using real-life transaction data. In this study, we identify the representative factors of three primary determinants of web aesthetics (unity, complexity, and intensity) in online marketplaces. Drawing on cognitive dissonance and confirmation bias theory, we further investigate how the influence of web aesthetics on sales performance is contingent on different levels of the seller’s reputation. A set of interaction relationships were proposed and will be tested using real-life transaction data collected from Taobao.com (the largest online marketplace in China). Potential theoretical implications are discussed and potential practical implications are offered for practitioners.
Formation and IL-2 Production Syndrome Protein in Immune Synapse Differential Roles for Wiskott-Aldrich

Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein (WASP)-deﬁcient T cells exhibit defects in IL-2 production that are widely believed to stem from primary defects in actin remodeling and immune synapse formation. Surprisingly, however, we ﬁnd that WASP-deﬁcient T cells responding to Ag-speciﬁc APCs polymerize actin and organize talin and PKC (cid:1) normally, forming an immune synapse that is stable for at least 3 h. At low doses of peptide, WASP-deﬁcient T cells show less efﬁcient talin and PKC (cid:1) polarization. Thus, although WASP may facilitate immune synapse formation at low peptide concentrations, WASP is not required for this process. Defects in IL-2 production are observed even under conditions in which immune synapse formation proceeds normally, suggesting that the role of WASP in regulating IL-2 production is independent of its role in immune synapse formation. The Journal of Immunology, 2004, 173: 1658–1662.
Residential Segregation, Discrimination, and African-American Theater Entry During Jim Crow

We examine the role of residential segregation and racial discrimination in determining the entry of movie theaters serving African-American customers in the 1950s. These theaters provided an alternative to the segregated theaters of the Jim Crow era. Consistent with preference externalities in racial and ethnic enclaves, we find that a greater degree of residential segregation leads to more African-American theater entry. Using estimates from a Bresnahan and Reiss model of theater entry, we find that this effect is due to higher variable profits in residentially segregated cities rather than lower fixed costs of entry. The effect of racial bias among whites is found to be complex. Using several measures of racial discrimination, we conclude that bias leading to a taste for segregation leads to greater entry, while more generally racial bias results in fewer theaters.