Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Uplink SCMA System With Multiple Antennas

Sparse code multiple access (SCMA) is a codebook-based nonorthogonal multiple access that exploits the coding gain of designed codebooks and the near-optimum performance of belief-propagation (BP) detection. In this paper, we study an uplink SCMA system equipped with multiple receive antennas utilized to get a diversity gain. Assuming that the maximum likelihood detection is applied to the system, we derive the upper bound on the average bit error rate (ABER) and analyze the diversity order which is shown to be the product of the number of receive antennas and the spreading gain. Exploiting the multiple received signals, we also propose a simplified detection method called Gaussian approximation based BP (GA-BP) detection with linear prefiltering. As the first step of the proposed detection, a conventional linear filter is applied to mitigate the multiuser interferences. Then, the GA-BP iteratively removes the residual interferences which may be approximated to a Gaussian random variable for the massive number of user equipments. Numerical results show that for moderate and high signal to noise ratio region the analyzed upper bounds on ABER of SCMA system tightly coincide with the simulation results. Also, for the moderate numbers of antennas, the ABER of GA-BP with matched filter closely approaches to that of the conventional BP detection with much lower computational costs.
Intuitive Feelings of Warmth and Confidence in Insight and Noninsight Problem Solving of Magic Tricks

The focus of the current study is on intuitive feelings of insight during problem solving and the extent to which such feelings are predictive of successful problem solving. We report the results from an experiment (N = 51) that applied a procedure where the to-be-solved problems were 32 short (15 s) video recordings of magic tricks. The procedure included metacognitive ratings similar to the “warmth ratings” previously used by Metcalfe and colleagues, as well as confidence ratings. At regular intervals during problem solving, participants indicated the perceived closeness to the correct solution. Participants also indicated directly whether each problem was solved by insight or not. Problems that people claimed were solved by insight were characterized by higher accuracy and higher confidence than noninsight solutions. There was no difference between the two types of solution in warmth ratings, however. Confidence ratings were more strongly associated with solution accuracy for noninsight than insight trials. Moreover, for insight trials the participants were more likely to repeat their incorrect solutions on a subsequent recognition test. The results have implications for understanding people's metacognitive awareness of the cognitive processes involved in problem solving. They also have general implications for our understanding of how intuition and insight are related.
Poor Balance as a Noncognitive Predictor of Incident Dementia

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Sparse planar array synthesis technique for satellite applications

This paper will give an overview of the recent advances on an innovative sparse array synthesis technique for the design of satellite antenna arrays. The equi-power sub-arrays constituting the aperiodic array are placed on a lattice reproducing the positions of the sunflower seeds, opportunely adjusted according to a desired tapering law. This particular non-uniform lattice is selected, essentially, because it guarantees a favourable radial and azimuthal spreading of the element positions. In this way the pattern in the sidelobes and grating lobes region tends towards a plateau-like shape [1], avoiding the presence of high, narrow peaks. Moreover, by manipulating the element positions with the presented technique, the beamwidth can be adjusted and the sidelobe level SLL kept under an assigned value without any amplitude tapering of subarray excitations; the latter is replaced by 'space tapering', as the inter-element spacing increases from the centre to the array periphery, while all the elements are fed with the same power. This planar array can be considered in the design of a transmit direct radiating array for a communication antenna deployed on a geostationary satellite.
Dose-dependent cortisol-induced increases in plasma leptin concentration in healthy humans.

BACKGROUND Leptin is a hormone that regulates fat metabolism and appetite. The secretion of leptin is regulated by adiposity and, in the rodent, by factors such as insulin, beta-adrenergic agonists, and glucocorticoids (GCs). Increased secretion of the endogenous human GC, cortisol, occurs during stress and in disorders such as major depression. Pharmacological GCs can robustly increase plasma leptin concentrations in humans, leading us to hypothesize that cortisol may serve as a physiological regulator of human leptin secretion. METHODS A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled comparison of 2 fixed oral dosages of cortisol (40 mg/d and 160 mg/d), given for 4 days to matched groups of healthy subjects (n=47). Low-dose treatment approximated GC output during mild stress, while high-dose treatment approximated GC output during maximal stress, spanning a range of GC secretion relevant to physiological stress. RESULTS Cortisol produced dose-dependent and time-dependent increases in plasma leptin concentrations (time x treatment condition x body mass index; F6,123=10.73; P<.001). Initial treatment-induced increases in plasma leptin concentration returned toward baseline values during 4 treatment days, suggesting tolerance to this GC effect in these healthy subjects. CONCLUSIONS The results indicate an important role for GCs in the short-term regulation of human leptin secretion. Glucocorticoid-induced increases in leptin secretion suggest a mechanism that may contribute to anorexia and weight loss during stress and disease states such as major depression, if these conditions are associated with sustained increases in plasma leptin concentrations.
Increasing performance of SDR-based collision-free RFID systems

Maximizing the identification speed of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tagged items is one of the main challenges in the area than can bring significant benefits to a vast array of applications. The dominating UHF EPC Gen2 protocol only specifies collision avoidance algorithms and, although collision recovery techniques have been investigated by researchers in the past, no attempt has been made to leverage the application of such techniques with minor modifications to the RFID protocol and, hence, realistically improve its performance. In this paper, we show that a significant reduction of 26% in the inventory time with collision recovery is feasible in real time relying, for the first time, on actual measurements taken with a software-defined RFID Reader and off-the-shelf programmable Tags. Among the numerous applications that can benefit from an increased reliable RFID reading rate, we are highlighting the advantages of deploying our working prototype testbed in moving conveyor belt systems. In brief, we achieve a 26% belt speed increase maintaining the exact same reading reliability and up to 84% of RFID Reader power consumption savings.
eJitk — Extending Jitk to eBPF

This paper gives the background and description of my 6.888 project to expand Jitk [1] to support eBPF. The BSD Packet Filter (BPF) language [2] was first introduced into the Linux kernel as a way to efficiently run user-provided code to filter network packets within the kernel. Since then, kernel developers have built a new version, extended BPF (eBPF), with additional capabilities and uses [3]. Jitk is a project that provides a verified compiler for BPF programs. The project I describe in this paper builds on Jitk to provide a verified compiler for the new version of BPF: eBPF. There are a number of significant differences between BPF and eBPF. I account for some of these differences in the specification, implementation, and proofs of the compiler. The rest of the paper is as follows. Section 2 gives further background on BPF, Jitk, and eBPF. Section 3 discusses the work for the eJitk project. Section 4 lists remaining work. Section 5 reflects on my experience with Coq, and Section 6 concludes.
Reliability of CKD-EPI predictive equation in estimating chronic kidney disease prevalence in the Croatian endemic nephropathy area

Introduction Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a significant public health problem and it is not possible to precisely predict its progression to terminal renal failure. According to current guidelines, CKD stages are classified based on the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and albuminuria. Aims of this study were to determine the reliability of predictive equation in estimation of CKD prevalence in Croatian areas with endemic nephropathy (EN), compare the results with non-endemic areas, and to determine if the prevalence of CKD stages 3-5 was increased in subjects with EN. Materials and methods A total of 1573 inhabitants of the Croatian Posavina rural area from 6 endemic and 3 non-endemic villages were enrolled. Participants were classified according to the modified criteria of the World Health Organization for EN. Estimated GFR was calculated using Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration equation (CKD-EPI). Results The results showed a very high CKD prevalence in the Croatian rural area (19%). CKD prevalence was significantly higher in EN then in non EN villages with the lowest eGFR value in diseased subgroup. Conclusions eGFR correlated significantly with the diagnosis of EN. Kidney function assessment using CKD-EPI predictive equation proved to be a good marker in differentiating the study subgroups, remained as one of the diagnostic criteria for EN.
Testing the Group Task Demands-Resources Model among IT Professionals

Demands and resources of the work experience have been shown to be important antecedents to development of job burnout and exhaustion among individual workers, and a recent line of research has applied the demands(resources perspective to model pressures that can arise in group work. We conducted a study of the group task demands(resources model to extend testing from information technology (IT) student group settings—where the model was developed—to the context of group work among IT professionals. We find that most antecedents in the model are predictive of group work pressure or task performance satisfaction, however, several important differences emerged in findings between prior tests with IT students and the IT professionals we surveyed in this study.
Bayesian Analysis of Children?s Moral Judgments on the Trolley Cases

by Paul C. Stey The current project tested two competing views—with particular emphasis on the extent to which these competing accounts could explain an interesting and robust pattern of findings concerning the classic “trolley problem”. Specifically, this project tested aspects of Greene’s dual-process model (Greene, Sommerville, Nystrom, Darley, & Cohen, 2001) and Mikhail’s (2000) theory of universal moral grammar. We also extended the research of Pellizzoni, Siegal, and Surian (2010), who utilized a sample of young children in an attempt to test Greene’s theory that moral judgments are driven by differences in the directness of harm. The current study found little evidence suggesting that children between the ages of 3 and 5 consistently aligned their moral judgments with the contact principle. Furthermore, there was also little evidence that children in this age group conformed their judgments to the doctrine of double effect, which would have supported Mikhail’s account. Finally, we also investigated candidate predictors of the tendency to conform to these heuristic principles. This revealed that inhibitory control negatively predicted the tendency to align one’s judgments with the contact principle. This seems to support Greene’s theoretical view. In addition, we found that participant age was a negative predictor of the tendency to align one’s judgments with the doctrine of double effect—an unexpected result. This project adopted a Bayesian approach because of its overall flexibility and the ease with which missing data can be handled. Paul C. Stey
CONCEPTUAL MODELING USING THE SKETCH FRAMEWORK

This paper introduces NetSketch, an application that supports distributed conceptual design by providing tools for modelessly creating, manipulating and viewing 3D models in a shared virtual space. Inherent problems exist with collaborative design tools because of the simultaneous group interaction required for users to smoothly and effectively work together in the same virtual space. With NetSketch, we provide solutions to these problems by providing a fast and direct gesture-based user interface, a set of visual effects that better enable a user’s awareness of operations done by other participants, and a set of tools for enhancing visual communication between participants.
High-resolution thermal inertia derived from the Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS): Thermal model and applications

[1] Thermal inertia values at 100 m per pixel are determined using nighttime temperature data from the Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) on the Mars Odyssey spacecraft, producing the highest-resolution thermal inertia data set to date. THEMIS thermal inertia values have an overall accuracy of ∼20%, a precision of 10–15%, and are consistent with both Thermal Emission Spectrometer orbital and Miniature Thermal Emission Spectrometer surface thermal inertia values. This data set enables the improved quantification of fine-scale surface details observed in high-resolution visible images. In the Tharsis region, surface textures and crater rims observed in visible images have no corresponding variation in the THEMIS thermal inertia images, indicating that the dust mantle is pervasive at THEMIS scales and is a minimum of a few centimeters and up to 1–2 m thick. The thermal inertia of bed form material indicates particle diameters expected for aeolian sediments, and these materials are likely currently saltating. Variations in the thermal inertia within interior layered deposits in Hebes Chasma can be distinguished, and the thermal inertia is too low to be consistent with bedrock or a lava flow. Thus a secondary emplacement of volcanic material or a volcanic ash deposit is a more likely method of formation. Higher-resolution THEMIS thermal inertia enables the identification of exposed bedrock on the Martian surface. In Nili Patera and Ares Vallis, bedrock material corresponds to distinct compositional and morphologic surfaces, indicating that a specific unit is exposed and is likely currently being kept free of unconsolidated material by aeolian processes.
Whole transcriptome mRNA secondary structure analysis using distributed computation

We performed a comparative study of Human, Mouse, and Arabidopsis genes to determine if mRNA secondary structure increases with more complex organisms. Calculating the secondary structures of a large number of genes in a transcriptome has a high degree of parallelism, and is suitable to implement on multiple computers. The analysis in this investigation was done on a cluster of eighteen (18) Intel x86- based Windows 2000 workstations. These were linked together as a Network of Workstations (NOW) configuration. A Dell Power Edge 4600 Intel Xeon Windows 2000 dual processor server controlled the NOW workstations and was used for file storage. Single-value means of each transcriptome were calculated as a simple average of all transcripts. This computational research effort is of biomedical interest to provide computational tools to analyze and characterize proteins and mRNAs.
A framework for database intrusion detection system

Database management system is not enough for new high-tech attack, so Database Intrusion Detection System is required as additional security layer. Over the last few years, many database intrusion detection systems are developed using anomaly method like mining data dependencies among data items, access pattern etc. In this paper we have used signature based approach, which is defined on role hierarchy. Roles classify the user and makes management easy. We have worked on valid transaction sequences which are stored in profile table. This approach takes care of privilege right checking at attribute level.
PVS: A system for large scale outdoor perception performance evaluation

This paper describes the motivation, design and implementation of a Perception Validation System (PVS), a system for measuring the outdoor perception performance of an autonomous vehicle. The PVS relies on using large amounts of real world data and ground truth information to quantify performance aspects such as the rate of false positive or false negative detections of an obstacle detection system. Our system relies on a relational database infrastructure to achieve a high degree of flexibility in the type of analyses it can support.
Regulation of Chk2 Ubiquitination and Signaling through Autophosphorylation of Serine 379

ABSTRACT The Chk2 protein kinase protects genome integrity by promoting cell cycle arrest or apoptosis in response to DNA double-strand breaks, and Chk2 mutations are found in both familial and sporadic cancers. Exposure of cells to ionizing radiation (IR) or radiomimetic drugs induces Chk2 phosphorylation by ATM, followed by Chk2 oligomerization, auto-/transphosphorylation, and activation. Here we demonstrate that Chk2 is ubiquitinated upon activation and that this requires Chk2 kinase activity. Serine 379 (S379) was identified as a novel IR-inducible autophosphorylation site required for ubiquitination of Chk2 by a Cullin 1-containing E3 ligase complex. Importantly, S379 was required for Chk2 to induce apoptosis in cells with DNA double-strand breaks. Thus, auto-/transphosphorylation of S379 is required for Chk2 ubiquitination and effector function.
TRACK : A Novel XML Join Algorithm for Efficient Processing Twig Queries

In order to find all occurrences of a tree/twig pattern in an XML database, a number of holistic twig join algorithms have been proposed. However, most of these algorithms focus on identifying a larger query class or using a novel label scheme to reduce I/O operations, and ignore the deficiency of the root-to-leaf strategy. In this paper, we propose a novel twig join algorithm called Track, which adopts the opposite leaf-to-root strategy to process queries. It brings us two benefits: (i) avoiding too much time checking the element index to make sure all branches are satisfied before a new element comes, (ii)using the tree structure to encode final tree matches so as to avoid the merging process. Further experiments on diverse data sets show that our algorithm is indeed superior to current algorithms in terms of query processing performance.
Opportunistic Cooperation in Low Duty Cycle Wireless Sensor Networks

Energy efficient asynchronous duty cycle MAC protocols are crucial to the success of wireless sensor networks (WSNs). In asynchronous protocols, each node operates its active/sleep schedule independently and enjoys a very low duty cycle when there is no traffic. However, when a node has data to send, it has to keep active and wait until the receiver wakes up due to the lack of schedule knowledge of the receiver. In low duty cycle networks, where nodes wake up infrequently, a sender usually suffers a long period of waiting, which consumes more energy than transmitting data packet itself. In this paper, we propose a new asynchronous MAC protocol, called OCMAC, which decreases the waiting time of sender by exploring opportunistic cooperation among senders. In OC-MAC, neighboring active senders are permitted to exchange data with each other aggressively when waiting for receivers to wake up. After delegating data to another sender, a sender can go to sleep before its receiver wakes up. Though this cooperation works only when there are multiple neighboring active senders, itself almost incurs no additional overhead. Simulation results and measurements on a testbed have shown that OC-MAC helps decrease idle listening, collision and end-to-end delay further.
Facial feature extraction and recognition based on Curvelet transform and SVD

This paper proposed a new algorithm of facial feature extraction and recognition based on Curvelet transform and SVD (Singular Value Decomposition). Firstly, the method carries on the Curvelet transform to the face images, extracts the Curvelet energy features of low frequency and the high frequency, and then carries on the singular value compression and feature fusion to this component. Finally, by using the nearest neighbor classifier in the ORL person face database, the classified recognition was carried out so that to confirm the validity of the algorithm.
Sensor-Based Control of a Nine-Link Biped

We aimed to realize smooth 3D biped walking in a robot through control based on information obtained from various sensors. We employed a method to control walking by divid ing it into motions in the sagittal plane and in the lateral plane. We treated motion in the lateral plane as a regulator prob lem with two equilibrium states. We also used relatively low gain feedback coefficients obtained from the optimal regula tor theory. For motion in the sagittal plane, we put the body speed close to the smooth speed function given in advance by controlling the ankle torque. The effectiveness of the proposed control method was ex amined by computer simulation and proved by experiments with our BLR-G2 walking robot. The BLR-G2 is equipped with foot pressure and ankle torque sensors to provide infor mation about the condition of contact with the floor. The sole and ankle driving actuators undergo force/torgue feedback control based on the sensor information. These contributed toward realizing smooth walking with the sole firmly gripping the floor.