Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Trust assurance levels of cybercars in v2x communication

In the last decade, the automotive industry, governments and researchers have invested a lot of effort setting up the basis for vehicle to vehicle and vehicle to infrastructure (V2X) communication with the aim of improving road safety and traffic efficiency. As for any communication involving the exchange of sensitive data, security was identified from the beginning as a key enabler for many use cases and has been already addressed in various projects. While the first focus was on security issues related to inter-vehicle communication, the Intelligent Transport System (ITS) community rapidly realized that in-vehicle security, which means secure communication endpoints, is also required to enable secure communication between cars and their environment. The recent successful hacking of automotive systems has strengthened this position. However, the holistic view required to set up a framework for mutual trust-establishment between the involving communication entities is missing. The reception of an authentic message does not provide sufficient proof of the trustworthiness of the message without additional trust assurance regarding the message's sender and the sender's platform integrity. Hence, the need to attest/certify the trustworthiness of a remote communication partner's platform is arising. In this paper, we analyze the platform security requirements of V2X systems, define different Trust Assurance Levels (TAL) and propose a certification framework to support trust establishment between involved V2X communication partners.
Ether-à-go-go family voltage-gated K+ channels evolved in an ancestral metazoan and functionally diversified in a cnidarian–bilaterian ancestor

We examined the evolutionary origins of the ether-à-go-go (EAG) family of voltage-gated K+ channels, which have a strong influence on the excitability of neurons. The bilaterian EAG family comprises three gene subfamilies (Eag, Erg and Elk) distinguished by sequence conservation and functional properties. Searches of genome sequence indicate that EAG channels are metazoan specific, appearing first in ctenophores. However, phylogenetic analysis including two EAG family channels from the ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi indicates that the diversification of the Eag, Erg and Elk gene subfamilies occurred in a cnidarian/bilaterian ancestor after divergence from ctenophores. Erg channel function is highly conserved between cnidarians and mammals. Here we show that Eag and Elk channels from the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis (NvEag and NvElk) also share high functional conservation with mammalian channels. NvEag, like bilaterian Eag channels, has rapid kinetics, whereas NvElk activates at extremely hyperpolarized voltages, which is characteristic of Elk channels. Potent inhibition of voltage activation by extracellular protons is conserved between mammalian and Nematostella EAG channels. However, characteristic inhibition of voltage activation by Mg2+ in Eag channels and Ca2+ in Erg channels is reduced in Nematostella because of mutation of a highly conserved aspartate residue in the voltage sensor. This mutation may preserve sub-threshold activation of Nematostella Eag and Erg channels in a high divalent cation environment. mRNA in situ hybridization of EAG channels in Nematostella suggests that they are differentially expressed in distinct cell types. Most notable is the expression of NvEag in cnidocytes, a cnidarian-specific stinging cell thought to be a neuronal subtype.
Quantifying persimmon tree responses to water and nutrients for designing efficient and sustainable fertirrigation protocols

Persimmon cultivation is gaining importance in many semi-arid areas of the world. This is the case of eastern Spain, where the rainfall regime is well below the crop water needs, and drip irrigation is typically used to control the water and nutrient supplies. This review is a summary of the current information in the literature on persimmon water and nutrient requirements. Crop responses to variable irrigation regimes and mild to severe water stress are also analyzed. It is concluded that persimmon water needs can be particularly high during summer, when the crop coefficient can reach values close or even above 1.0. In order to cope with water scarcity, regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) has been shown as a useful technique for reducing fruit drop in persimmon trees. RDI strategies during fruit ripening can accelerate fruit color development, resulting in earlier harvesting but with lower fruit weight. Information on nutrients requirement of astringent and non-astringent varieties of persimmon is also provided. Finally, new research for continuing plant-water relations studies on persimmon trees, such as the need to quantify the optimum nutrition plans under conditions of variable water supply, will be proposed.
Harmonic Emissions of Three-Phase Diode Rectifiers in Distribution Networks

Harmonic emissions have been changed in distribution networks, with respect to frequency range and magnitude, due to the penetration of modern power electronics systems. Two new frequency ranges 2–9 and 9–150 kHz have been identified as new disturbing frequency ranges affecting distribution networks. This paper presents the effects of grid-connected three-phase systems with different front-end topologies: conventional, small dc-link capacitor, and electronic inductor. A power converter with a small dc-link capacitor can create a resonant frequency with the line impedance below and above 1 kHz depending on the grid configurations. The resonant effects depend on many factors, such as load power levels, filter types, and the number of parallel drives. These issues can affect the grid current harmonics and power quality of the distribution networks. Analyses and simulations have been carried out for three different topologies and the results have been verified by experimental test at system level. Current harmonic emissions have been considered for 0–2, 2–9, and 9–150 kHz frequency ranges.
Three-dimensional dictionary-based deblocking for high-quality stereoscopic view generation

Abstract. Image quality and depth perception rates in three-dimensional television (3-D TV) are undesirably decreased by coding due to the loss of high-frequency components caused by a block-based discrete cosine transform transform. Representative coding artifacts are blocking artifacts that seriously degrade the picture quality and depth perception rates. We propose a new blocking artifact reduction method in 3-D TV using an overcomplete 3-D dictionary. We first generate the overcomplete 3-D dictionary from natural and depth images using the k-singular value decomposition algorithm. Then, we perform deblocking using the 3-D dictionary after estimating an error threshold of the objective function by the third-order polynomial fitting. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method can effectively reduce annoying blocking artifacts in compressed 3-D images, i.e., video-plus-depth, and generate high-quality 3-D stereoscopic views.
Analyst B: Analysis of the UTexas1 Passive Linear Surface Wave Dataset

A linear array consisting of twenty-four 1 Hz geophones at 10 m spacing was used to measure the passive surface waves at the UTexas1 site. This paper describes analysis of this dataset using three different methods: ESPAC (extended spatial autocorrelation), f-k (frequency-wavenumber), and ReMi (refraction microtremor). Dispersion curves were developed using each method and the median trends as well as the uncertainty about the medians are compared. The dispersion curves were then individually inverted to estimate shear wave velocity profiles. The inversion results are compared, and a bounded best-estimate shear wave velocity profile is presented. For the site conditions, specific recording equipment, and array geometry the ESPAC method was the most consistent between recordings, and able to resolve the lowest frequency Rayleigh waves. The shear wave velocity of all three methods were in close agreement in the upper 20 m above a stiff layer, but were increasing disparate as depth increased. All three methods resolved a velocity inversion, a stiff layer, at roughly 20 m to 55 m depth overlying softer material. As is expected with surface wave methods, and particularly with passive methods that are measuring ambient noise along single linear array, the uncertainty in the dispersion curves increased with decreasing frequency, and the uncertainty in the shear wave velocity profiles increased with increasing depth.
Synovial fluid is a site of citrullination of autoantigens in inflammatory arthritis.

OBJECTIVE To examine synovial fluid as a site for generating citrullinated antigens, including the candidate autoantigen citrullinated alpha-enolase, in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS Synovial fluid was obtained from 20 patients with RA, 20 patients with spondylarthritides (SpA), and 20 patients with osteoarthritis (OA). Samples were resolved using sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, followed by staining with Coomassie blue and immunoblotting for citrullinated proteins, alpha-enolase, and the deiminating enzymes peptidylarginine deiminase type 2 (PAD-2) and PAD-4. Proteins from an RA synovial fluid sample were separated by 2-dimensional electrophoresis, and each protein was identified by immunoblotting and mass spectrometry. Antibodies to citrullinated alpha-enolase peptide 1 (CEP-1) and cyclic citrullinated peptide 2 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS Citrullinated polypeptides were detected in the synovial fluid from patients with RA and patients with SpA, but not in OA samples. Alpha-enolase was detected in all of the samples, with mean levels of 6.4 ng/microl in RA samples, 4.3 ng/microl in SpA samples, and <0.9 ng/microl in OA samples. Two-dimensional electrophoresis provided evidence that the alpha-enolase was citrullinated in RA synovial fluid. The citrullinating enzyme PAD-4 was detected in samples from all 3 disease groups. PAD-2 was detected in 18 of the RA samples, in 16 of the SpA samples, and in none of the OA samples. Antibodies to CEP-1 were found in 12 of the RA samples (60%), in none of the SpA samples, and in 1 OA sample. CONCLUSION These results highlight the importance of synovial fluid for the expression of citrullinated autoantigens in inflammatory arthritis. Whereas the expression of citrullinated proteins is a product of inflammation, the antibody response remains specific for RA.
A Nonlinear Least Square Technique for Simultaneous Image Registration and Super-Resolution

This paper proposes a new algorithm to integrate image registration into image super-resolution (SR). Image SR is a process to reconstruct a high-resolution (HR) image by fusing multiple low-resolution (LR) images. A critical step in image SR is accurate registration of the LR images or, in other words, effective estimation of motion parameters. Conventional SR algorithms assume either the estimated motion parameters by existing registration methods to be error-free or the motion parameters are known a priori. This assumption, however, is impractical in many applications, as most existing registration algorithms still experience various degrees of errors, and the motion parameters among the LR images are generally unknown a priori. In view of this, this paper presents a new framework that performs simultaneous image registration and HR image reconstruction. As opposed to other current methods that treat image registration and HR reconstruction as disjoint processes, the new framework enables image registration and HR reconstruction to be estimated simultaneously and improved progressively. Further, unlike most algorithms that focus on the translational motion model, the proposed method adopts a more generic motion model that includes both translation as well as rotation. An iterative scheme is developed to solve the arising nonlinear least squares problem. Experimental results show that the proposed method is effective in performing image registration and SR for simulated as well as real-life images.
Camera stability problem and dynamic stereo vision

The authors show how stereo-based range data, obtained over time by a moving vehicle can be integrated without the explicit knowledge or computation of camera motion. A unique aspect of the approach is the transformation of range information into relative distances and encoding these distances in image registered maps. Results of experiments on dynamic stereo images, are presented. <<ETX>>
Towards Practical User Experience Evaluation Methods

In the last decade, User eXperience (UX) research in the academic community has produced a multitude of UX models and frameworks. These models address the key issues of UX: its subjective, highly situated and dynamic nature, as well as the pragmatic and hedonic factors leading to UX. At the same time, industry is adopting the UX term but the practices in the product development are still largely based on traditional usability methods. In this paper we discuss the need for pragmatic UX evaluation methods and how such methods can be used in product development in industry. We conclude that even though UX definition still needs work it seems that many of the methods from HCI and other disciplines can be adapted to the particular aspects of UX evaluation. The paper is partly based on the results of UX evaluation methods in product development (UXEM) workshop in CHI 2008.
Ethical Issues arising from the Real Time Tracking and Monitoring of People Using GPS-based Location Services

The Global Positioning System is a constellation of 24 satellites which have the ability to calculate the position, time and velocity of any GPS receiver. Ethical concerns arise when a person carrying a receiver has their location transmitted to second party. This type of tracking has a wide variety of applications including tracking dementia sufferers, tracking parolees and law enforcement. A literature review found that the ethics of GPS tracking has not been thoroughly assessed. This paper investigates the ethical issues arising from the real time tracking of people using GPS-based location services. Usability context analysis and an observational study were the methodology used in this study. Usability context analysis provided insight into GPS tracking over the contexts of care, control and convenience. Its current applications could be seen in the tracking of Alzheimer’s patients, parents tracking children, law enforcement, parolee and sex offenders, terrorist tracking, employee monitoring and commercial uses. A participant observational study was also used to develop an ethical discussion. It found five issues prevalent to GPS tracking: accuracy, editing track data, user travel behaviour, detail of GIS and user awareness. The results from the usability context analysis and participant observational study were used to form a discussion based on the issues of privacy, accuracy, property and accessibility. Publication Details This thesis was originally submitted as McNamee, A, Ethical Issues arising from the Real Time Tracking and Monitorining of People Using GPS-based Location Services, Bachelor of Information and Communication Technology (Honours), University of Wollongong, 2005,71p. This thesis is available at Research Online: http://ro.uow. edu.au/thesesinfo/4 1 Ethical Issues arising from the Real Time Tracking and Monitoring of People Using GPS-based Location Services IACT450 – Information and Communication Honours Thesis Andrew McNamee 2428866
Small-Scale Energy Use of Agricultural Biogas Plant Wastes by Gasification

In Poland, there are 78 biogas plants producing a total electrical power of 85.94 MW. The byproduct of biogas plants is called a digestate. A single biogas plant with a power of 500 kW produces more than 10,000 ton of digestate per year. The goal of this chapter is to present a low-cost method of raw digestate processing with water content of about 94.55%, and also the results of thermal gasification of dried and pelletized digestate. Initial dehydration method is based on mechanical separation of the solid fraction in screw separator with a slot filter. Pre-dewatered digestate had been dried in biodrying process in semi-technical scale bioreactor. Afterward, the digestate was dried in tubular dryer and pelletized. The chapter covers the energy consumption for each stage of preparation of digestate for thermal gasification process. The gasification tests were conducted in fixed bed downdraft reactor. The chapter also features the physicochemical properties of digestate used in gasification process. The result of research on the gasification of drier digestate was gaseous fuel that does not differ from the quality of fuels obtained from the thermal treatment of other types of biomass.
Performance improvement and network TCO reduction by optimal deployment of caching

The growth of new advanced services over Internet, including HD and 4K unicast video, made possible by the development of fixed and mobile broadband and ultra-broadband access, in turn poses important requirements on the evolution of IP transport networks. Sustainability of the Internet ecosystem in the presence of increasing traffic volumes, changing traffic patterns and more demanding application requirements boost the transformation of network architectures. Quality of Experience (QoE) directly influences the number of accesses to video content and the time spent by users to view videos, thus impacting on Telcos and OTTs business models. In this paper we quantitatively evaluate, in terms of application throughput improvement and cost-effectiveness, the impact of content caching inside Telcos networks. We show that distribution of caches inside the IP network improves QoE and reduces network total cost of ownership (TCO).
Joint transmitter and receiver optimization in additive cyclostationary noise

A joint optimization of transmitter and receiver is considered for strictly band-limited linear modulations in additive cyclostationary noise. Under the assumptions that the period of the cyclostationarity of the noise is the same as the inverse of the symbol transmission rate and that the noise has a positive-definite autocorrelation function, the optimum transmitter and receiver waveforms that jointly minimize the mean-squared error at the output of the linear receiver are derived with the data sequence modeled as a wide-sense stationary (WSS) colored random process and the channel modeled as a linear time-invariant system with a general frequency-selective impulse response. Numerical results show that this joint optimization technique leads to a significant performance improvement over the systems with receiver-only optimization and the systems with no transmitter and receiver optimizations.
Virtual Competitors Influence Rowers

Highly immersive environments for sports simulation can help elucidate if and how athletes perform under high pressure situations. We used a rowing simulator with a CAVE setup to test the influence of virtual competitors on 10 experienced rowers. All participants were using the simulator for the first time. The objective was to assess the degree of presence by quantifying how the actions of the virtual competitors triggered behavioral changes in the experienced rowers. The participants completed a virtual 2000 m race with two competing boats, one being behind and one ahead of the participant. For two trials, each boat would come closer to the participant without overtaking, resulting in four experimental conditions. The behavior of the participants was assessed with biomechanical variables, questionnaires, and an interview after the race. Behavioral changes were detected with statistically significant differences in the extracted variables of oar angles, timing variables, velocities, and work. The results for biomechanical variables indicate individual response patterns depending on perception of competitors and self-confidence. Self-reporting indicated a high degree of presence for most participants. Overall, the experimental paradigm worked but was compromised by perceptive and subjective factors. In future, the setup will be used to investigate rowing performance further with a focus on motor learning and training of pressure situations.
The Effect of Wet Fibre Flexibility of Sheet Apparent Density

A new individual wet fibre flexibility test has been devised, and used to investigate the relationship between fines-free sheet apparent density and the wet flexibility of the constituent fibres. Linear relationships were found for a number of pulps, ranging from bleached chemical to thermomechanical, and for several different pulp treatments. It was concluded that changes in the average wet fibre flexibility of a particular pulp, caused by mechanical and/or chemical treatment, can be evaluated by measuring the apparent density of the fines-free sheet, at least over the investigated range (240-760 kg/m³).
GetReal in network meta‐analysis: a review of the methodology

Pairwise meta‐analysis is an established statistical tool for synthesizing evidence from multiple trials, but it is informative only about the relative efficacy of two specific interventions. The usefulness of pairwise meta‐analysis is thus limited in real‐life medical practice, where many competing interventions may be available for a certain condition and studies informing some of the pairwise comparisons may be lacking. This commonly encountered scenario has led to the development of network meta‐analysis (NMA). In the last decade, several applications, methodological developments, and empirical studies in NMA have been published, and the area is thriving as its relevance to public health is increasingly recognized. This article presents a review of the relevant literature on NMA methodology aiming to pinpoint the developments that have appeared in the field. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Coronary Arterial Spasm as a Cause of Exercise‐Induced ST‐Segment Elevation in Patients with Variant Angina

Four patients with variant angina pectoris exhibited reproducible exercise-induced chest pain ST-segment elevation. Coronary arterial spasm was documented with arteriography during exerciseinduced ST-segment elevation (three patients) or after intravenous administration of ergonovine maleate (one patient). Our observations show that in patients with variant angina exercise can trigger coronary arterial spasm, thus inducing anginal pain ST-segment elevation.
Layout Driven Logic Synthesis for FPGAs

In this paper, we propose a layout driven synthesis approach for Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs). The approach attempts to identify alternative wires and alternative functions for wires that cannot be routed due to the limited routing resources in FPGA. The alternative wires (in the logic level) that can be routed through less congested areas substitute the unroutable wires without changing the circuit's functionality. Allowing the logic blocks to have alternative functions also increases the flexibility of routing. The redundancy addition and removal techniques are used to identify such alternative wires. Experimental results are presented to demonstrate the usefulness of this approach. For a set of randomly selected benchmark circuits, on the average, 30%-50% of wires have alternative wires. These results indicate that the routing flexibility can be substantially increased by considering these alternative wires. Our prototype system successfully completed the routing for two AT&T designs that cannot be handled by an FPGA router alone. The proposed synthesis technique can also be applied to standard cell and gate array designs to reduce the routing area.