Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A design concept for reliable mobile radio networks with frequency hopping signaling

The design of a packet radio network must reflect the operational requirements and environmental constraints to which it is subject. In this paper, we outline those features that distinguish the High Frequency (HF) Intra Task Force (ITF) Network from other packet radio networks, and we present a design concept for this network that encompasses organizational structure, waveform design, and channel access. Network survivability is achieved through the use of distributed network control and frequency hopping spread-spectrum signaling. We demonstrate how the execution of the fully distributed Linked Cluster Algorithm can enable a network to reconfigure itself when it is affected by connectivity changes such as those resulting from jamming. Additional resistance against jamming is provided by frequency hopping, which leads naturally to the use of code division mutiple access (CDMA) techniques that permit the simultaneous successful transmission by several users. Distributed algorithms that exploit CDMA properties have been developed to schedule contention-free transmissions for much of the channel access in this network. Contention-based channel access protocols can also be implemented in conjunction with the Linked Cluster network structure. The design concept presented in this paper provides a high degree of survivability and flexibility, to accommodate changing environmental conditions and user demands.
Policy transfer in the Philippines: Can it pass the localisation test?

Policy innovation may reflect the shaping forces of local circumstance as much, if not more, than stimulants from abroad. The paper works through a case study of the transfer of budgeting processes from Australia to the Philippines. Although the project did elicit “local ideas”, it took the idea of Australian budget management as an exemplar, thus achieving mixed results. Patterns of transfer are refracted through the lens of lived political and bureaucratic experiences in the Philippines which in turn are affected by the Philippine political, legal and social context. They hide the actual politicization of the policy process—a postcolonial legacy that protects clientelism. The paper does not suggest abandoning policy transfer. But to accelerate the rate of policy transfer over time, the urgent need is to endow local policy makers the capacity to analyse their own situation and tailor policy to fit the domestic context, rather than simply apply standard models.
Facilitating Mitochondrial Calcium Uptake Improves Activation-Induced Cerebral Blood Flow and Behavior after mTBI

Mild to moderate traumatic brain injury (mTBI) leads to secondary neuronal loss via excitotoxic mechanisms, including mitochondrial Ca2+ overload. However, in the surviving cellular population, mitochondrial Ca2+ influx, and oxidative metabolism are diminished leading to suboptimal neuronal circuit activity and poor prognosis. Hence we tested the impact of boosting neuronal electrical activity and oxidative metabolism by facilitating mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake in a rat model of mTBI. In developing rats (P25-P26) sustaining an mTBI, we demonstrate post-traumatic changes in cerebral blood flow (CBF) in the sensorimotor cortex in response to whisker stimulation compared to sham using functional Laser Doppler Imaging (fLDI) at adulthood (P67-P73). Compared to sham, whisker stimulation-evoked positive CBF responses decreased while negative CBF responses increased in the mTBI animals. The spatiotemporal CBF changes representing underlying neuronal activity suggested profound changes to neurovascular activity after mTBI. Behavioral assessment of the same cohort of animals prior to fLDI showed that mTBI resulted in persistent contralateral sensorimotor behavioral deficit along with ipsilateral neuronal loss compared to sham. Treating mTBI rats with Kaempferol, a dietary flavonol compound that enhanced mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake, eliminated the inter-hemispheric asymmetry in the whisker stimulation-induced positive CBF responses and the ipsilateral negative CBF responses otherwise observed in the untreated and vehicle-treated mTBI animals in adulthood. Kaempferol also improved somatosensory behavioral measures compared to untreated and vehicle treated mTBI animals without augmenting post-injury neuronal loss. The results indicate that reduced mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake in the surviving populations affect post-traumatic neural activation leading to persistent behavioral deficits. Improvement in sensorimotor behavior and spatiotemporal neurovascular activity following kaempferol treatment suggests that facilitation of mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake in the early window after injury may sustain optimal neural activity and metabolism and contribute to improved function of the surviving cellular populations after mTBI.
Neural Automatic Post-Editing Using Prior Alignment and Reranking

We present a second-stage machine translation (MT) system based on a neural machine translation (NMT) approach to automatic post-editing (APE) that improves the translation quality provided by a first-stage MT system. Our APE system (APE_Sym) is an extended version of an attention based NMT model with bilingual symmetry employing bidirectional models, mt–pe and pe–mt. APE translations produced by our system show statistically significant improvements over the first-stage MT, phrase-based APE and the best reported score on the WMT 2016 APE dataset by a previous neural APE system. Re-ranking (APE_Rerank) of the n-best translations from the phrase-based APE and APE_Sym systems provides further substantial improvements over the symmetric neural APE model. Human evaluation confirms that the APE_Rerank generated PE translations improve on the previous best neural APE system at WMT 2016.
Colourful Theorems and Indices of Homomorphism Complexes

We extend the colourful complete bipartite subgraph theorems of [G. Simonyi, G. Tardos, Local chromatic number, Ky Fan's theorem, and circular colorings, Combinatorica 26 (2006), 587--626] and [G. Simonyi, G. Tardos, Colorful subgraphs of Kneser-like graphs, European J. Combin. 28 (2007), 2188--2200] to more general topological settings. We give examples showing that the hypotheses are indeed more general. We use our results to show that the topological bounds on chromatic numbers of digraphs with tree duality are at most one better than the clique number. We investigate combinatorial and complexity-theoretic aspects of relevant order-theoretic maps.
A first person avatar system with haptic feedback

We describe a system that shows how to substitute a person's body in virtual reality by a virtual body (or avatar). The avatar is seen from a first person perspective, moves as the person moves and the system generates touch on the real person's body when the avatar is touched. Such replacement of the person's real body by a virtual body requires a wide field-of-view head-mounted display, real-time whole body tracking, and tactile feedback. We show how to achieve this with a variety of off-the-shelf hardware and software, and also custom systems for real-time avatar rendering and collision detection. We present an overview of the system and detail on some of its components. We provide examples of how such a system is being used in some of our current experimental studies of embodiment.
Uncovering the Requirements of Cognitive Work

Objective: In this article, the author provides an overview of cognitive analysis methods and how they can be used to inform system analysis and design. Background: Human factors has seen a shift toward modeling and support of cognitively intensive work (e.g., military command and control, medical planning and decision making, supervisory control of automated systems). Cognitive task analysis and cognitive work analysis methods extend traditional task analysis techniques to uncover the knowledge and thought processes that underlie performance in cognitively complex settings. Methods: The author reviews the multidisciplinary roots of cognitive analysis and the variety of cognitive task analysis and cognitive work analysis methods that have emerged. Results: Cognitive analysis methods have been used successfully to guide system design, as well as development of function allocation, team structure, and training, so as to enhance performance and reduce the potential for error. Conclusions: A comprehensive characterization of cognitive work requires two mutually informing analyses: (a) examination of domain characteristics and constraints that define cognitive requirements and challenges and (b) examination of practitioner knowledge and strategies that underlie both expert and error-vulnerable performance. A variety of specific methods can be adapted to achieve these aims within the pragmatic constraints of particular projects. Application: Cognitive analysis methods can be used effectively to anticipate cognitive performance problems and specify ways to improve individual and team cognitive performance (be it through new forms of training, user interfaces, or decision aids).
Long-Term Inhibition of Rho-Kinase Suppresses Angiotensin II–Induced Cardiovascular Hypertrophy in Rats In Vivo: Effect on Endothelial NAD(P)H Oxidase System

Abstract— Intracellular signaling pathway mediated by small GTPase Rho and its effector Rho-kinase plays an important role in regulation of vascular smooth muscle contraction and other cellular functions. We have recently demonstrated that Rho-kinase is substantially involved in angiotensin II–induced gene expressions and various cellular responses in vitro. However, it remains to be examined whether Rho-kinase is involved in the angiotensin II–induced cardiovascular hypertrophy in vivo and, if so, what mechanisms are involved. Long-term infusion of angiotensin II for 4 weeks caused hypertrophic changes of vascular smooth muscle and cardiomyocytes in rats. Both changes were significantly suppressed by concomitant oral treatment with fasudil, which is metabolized to a specific Rho-kinase inhibitor, hydroxyfasudil, after oral administration. Angiotensin II caused a perivascular accumulation of macrophages and Rho-kinase activation, both of which were also significantly suppressed by fasudil. Vascular NAD(P)H oxidase expression (nox1, nox4, gp91phox, and p22phox) and endothelial production of superoxide anions were markedly increased by angiotensin II, both of which were also significantly suppressed by fasudil. Thus, fasudil ameliorated the impaired endothelium-dependent relaxations caused by angiotensin II without affecting vasodilator function of vascular smooth muscle. These results provide evidence that Rho-kinase is substantially involved in the angiotensin II–induced cardiovascular hypertrophy in rats in vivo. The suppression of endothelial NAD(P)H oxidase upregulation and resultant superoxide production and the amelioration of endothelial vasodilator function may be involved in this process.
Robustness and prediction accuracy of Machine Learning for objective visual quality assessment

Machine Learning (ML) is a powerful tool to support the development of objective visual quality assessment metrics, serving as a substitute model for the perceptual mechanisms acting in visual quality appreciation. Nevertheless, the reliability of ML-based techniques within objective quality assessment metrics is often questioned. In this study, the robustness of ML in supporting objective quality assessment is investigated, specifically when the feature set adopted for prediction is suboptimal. A Principal Component Regression based algorithm and a Feed Forward Neural Network are compared when pooling the Structural Similarity Index (SSIM) features perturbed with noise. The neural network adapts better with noise and intrinsically favours features according to their salient content.
Digestive Duet: Midgut Digestive Proteinases of Manduca sexta Ingesting Nicotiana attenuata with Manipulated Trypsin Proteinase Inhibitor Expression

Background The defensive effect of endogenous trypsin proteinase inhibitors (NaTPIs) on the herbivore Manduca sexta was demonstrated by genetically altering NaTPI production in M. sexta's host plant, Nicotiana attenuata. To understand how this defense works, we studied the effects of NaTPI on M. sexta gut proteinase activity levels in different larval instars of caterpillars feeding freely on untransformed and transformed plants. Methodology/ Principal Findings Second and third instars larvae that fed on NaTPI-producing (WT) genotypes were lighter and had less gut proteinase activity compared to those that fed on genotypes with either little or no NaTPI activity. Unexpectedly, NaTPI activity in vitro assays not only inhibited the trypsin sensitive fraction of gut proteinase activity but also halved the NaTPI-insensitive fraction in third-instar larvae. Unable to degrade NaTPI, larvae apparently lacked the means to adapt to NaTPI in their diet. However, caterpillars recovered at least part of their gut proteinase activity when they were transferred from NaTPI-producing host plants to NaTPI-free host plants. In addition extracts of basal leaves inhibited more gut proteinase activity than did extracts of middle stem leaves with the same protein content. Conclusions/ Significance Although larvae can minimize the effects of high NaTPI levels by feeding on leaves with high protein and low NaTPI activity, the host plant's endogenous NaTPIs remain an effective defense against M. sexta, inhibiting gut proteinase and affecting larval performance.
Poisson modules and generalized geometry

The Serre construction of rank two holomorphic bundles with a section is adapted to construct generalized holomorphic bundles on a generalized complex 4-manifold from the data of a set of points on an elliptic curve. The motivation is the special case of rank two Poisson modules on a complex surface with a holomorphic Poisson structure.
On instant messaging worms, analysis and countermeasures

We provide a collection of minor results on the area of Instant Messaging (IM) worms, which has received relatively little attention in the formal literature. We review selected IM worms and summarize their main characteristics, motivating a brief overview of the network formed by IM contact lists, and a discussion of theoretical consequences of worms in such networks. Existing methods to restrict an IM worm epidemic are analyzed in terms of usability and effectiveness, leading to the suggestion of two minor variations to limit IM worm propagation. We believe these variations are more user-friendly and effective than existing published methods. We also provide brief results of a three and a half year user study of IM text messaging and file transfer frequency in a moderate-size public IM network -- the largest such study to date -- which is of independent interest, but also supports in part the preceding claim regarding user-friendliness.
An Augmented Lagrangian Filter Method for Real-Time Embedded Optimization

We present a filter line-search algorithm for nonconvex continuous optimization that combines an augmented Lagrangian function and a constraint violation metric to accept and reject steps. The approach is motivated by real-time optimization applications that need to be executed on embedded computing platforms with limited memory and processor speeds. The proposed method enables primal–dual regularization of the linear algebra system that in turn permits the use of solution strategies with lower computing overheads. We prove that the proposed algorithm is globally convergent and we demonstrate the developments using a nonconvex real-time optimization application for a building heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system. Our numerical tests are performed on a standard processor and on an embedded platform. We demonstrate that the approach reduces solution times by a factor of over 1000.
Postural Effects of Vestibular Manipulation Depend on the Physical Activity Status

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of galvanic vestibular stimulation (GVS) on postural control for participants of different physical activity status (i.e. active and non-active). Two groups of participants were recruited: one group of participants who regularly practised sports activities (active group, n = 17), and one group of participants who did not practise physical and/or sports activities (non-active group, n = 17). They were compared in a reference condition (i.e bipedal stance with eyes open) and four vestibular manipulation condition (i.e. GVS at 0.5 mA and 3 mA, in accordance with two designs) lasting 20 seconds. The centre of foot pressure displacement velocities were compared between the two groups. The main results indicate that the regular practice of sports activities counteracts postural control disruption caused by GVS. The active group demonstrated better postural control than the non-active group when subjected to higher vestibular manipulation. The active group may have developed their ability to reduce the influence of inaccurate vestibular signals. The active participants could identify the relevant sensory input, thought a better central integration, which enables them to switch faster between sensory inputs.
IMPROVEMENT OF HYPERSPECTRAL IMAGE COMPRESSION AND DECOMPRESSION BASED ON WAVELET AND MODIFIED SPIHT IN MULTIMEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

Satellites gather information from different sensors and send it using a temporal connection with very limited bandwidth. The bandwidth demand can be highly reduced, if the satellite preprocess the data and only sends relevant information. We focus on techniques that exploit spectral information exclusively to make decisions regarding the type of each-pixel-target or non target on a pixel-by-pixel basis in an image. Image data containing both spatial and spectral information and this information can be used to address such detection tasks. Image compression as one of the key enabling technologies in multimedia communications, which has been paid much attention in the past decades where the too key techniques like Discrete Wavelet Transforms (DWT) and Set Partitioning In Hierarchical Trees (SPIHT) have great influence on its final performance. Owe to the properties of fast computation, low memory requirement, DWT has been adopted as a new technical standard for still image compression. Further more, the traditional SPHIT algorithm has the drawbacks of long bits output and time consuming. In this paper, we propose a new technique named direction-adaptive lifting DWT. Then a modified SPHIT coding algorithm is present. It improves the scanning process and can effectively reduce the scaling bits length and running times.
Fusion of Local Manifold Learning Methods

Different local manifold learning methods are developed based on different geometric intuitions and each method only learns partial information of the true geometric structure of the underlying manifold. In this letter, we introduce a novel method to fuse the geometric information learned from local manifold learning algorithms to discover the underlying manifold structure more faithfully. We first use local tangent coordinates to compute the local objects from different local algorithms, then utilize the selection matrix to connect the local objects with a global functional and finally develop an alternating optimization-based algorithm to discover the low-dimensional embedding. Experiments on synthetic as well as real datasets demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed method.
An energy-efficient mobile cluster-based approach for vehicular wireless sensor networks

Significant research is being performed in order to provide advanced vehicular communication systems. In this paper, we propose a mobile cluster that supports the mobility and low-power requirements of sensor nodes attached to a vehicle. Vehicular wireless sensor networks consist of cluster-based grids. The proposed mobile cluster is applied to a vehicle equipped with a sensor node, and consists of a mobile cluster head (MCH) and mobile cluster members (MCMs). The MCMs transmit the sensed data to the sink node through the MCH. The sink node knows the position of the mobile cluster by managing the ID change of the mobile cluster, and the sink node or the sensor node of the vehicular wireless sensor network can transmit data to the mobile cluster. On the other hand, in the case of direct communication, because the sensor node attached to the vehicle operates independently, each sensor node transmits data to the sink node, resulting in heavy energy consumption. The analytical results show that a mobile cluster applied to the vehicle can perform data transmission using less power than direct communication applied to the vehicle.
A Data Fusion Algorithm in Leach Protocol Using Gauss Membership Function

a new data fusion algorithm based on improved leach protocol and gauss membership function of fuzzy theory in wireless sensor networks is presented. The improved leach protocol is utilized second-level cluster head to transmit fused data which can reduce energy consumption and prolong the network life cycle. The proposed fusion algorithm with the gauss distribution characteristic chart and the gauss membership function can improve the data precision and measurement stability.
Transitive history-based query disambiguation for query reformulation

We present a probabilistic model of a user's search history and a target query reformulation. We derive a simple transitive similarity algorithm for disambiguating queries and improving history-based query reformulation accuracy. We compare the merits of this approach to other methods and present results on both examples assessed by human editors and on automatically-labeled click data.
Evaluation of multiobjective swarm algorithms for grid scheduling

Often, solutions to complex problems are found in nature. Swarm algorithms are capable of solving such complex problems by implementing patterns from nature. This patterns are found in a variety of scientific fields. In this paper, we discuss two swarm algorithms extracted from Biology and Physics, namely: Multiobjective Artificial Bee Colony (MOABC) and Multiobjective Gravitational Search Algorithm (MOGSA). The first one is based on bees behavior and the other follows the gravity between masses. These algorithms are implemented to solve the grid scheduling problem. Optimization of job scheduling is one of the most challenging tasks in Grid environments because it severely affects the execution time of an experiment (set of jobs). Experiments often are tied up to fulfill deadlines and budgets. One of the main contributions of this work is adding multiobjective processes to these swarm algorithms to minimize those conflictive objectives. Results show that MOABC clearly improves the MOGSA approach when solving the problem. MOABC is also compared with real grid meta-schedulers as Deadline Budget Constraint (DBC) and Workload Management System (WMS) by using the simulator GridSim to prove the improvement that offers this new algorithm.
Peer assessment effects on the self-assessment process of first-year undergraduates

Abstract Peers carry potential in enhancing students’ self-assessment development, but few studies have explored how peer scaffolding is enacted in the process. This qualitative study explores peer assessment effects on the self-assessment process of 11 first-year undergraduates and the factors limiting peer influence. Drawing on the data from students’ journals, follow-up interviews, observations of in-class formative peer assessment activities and teacher interviews, we ascertained that peers could aid the self-assessment process by enriching student understanding of quality, refining subjective judgement and deepening self-reflection. Yet, peer influence could be reduced by distrust, tensions in feedback communication, competition and lack of readiness for peer learning. Implications for effective use of peers in supporting self-assessment development are discussed.