Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
What is wrong with broadcast probing based ETX estimation for wireless links?

ETX (Expected Transmission Count) is shown to be the best link metric in terms of higher throughput for wireless multi-hop network with stationary-nodes having single radio. Some recent work, however, shows that ETX may exhibit high sensitivity to interference and a single TCP flow can increase the metric value by 10000% [1]. Such a change indicates that routing protocols, based on ETX, might be playing with random numbers without bringing any significant benefits of considering link quality. It is suggested that broadcast-based estimation of ETX could be the major cause of sensitivity as other metrics based on unicast probing method did not show similar performance degradation [1]. Several proposals came forward so far focusing on better estimation techniques of ETX metric mostly using unicast probing combined with cross-layer information; however, we have not seen any investigation study as to why does broadcast-based method result in inaccurate estimation of ETX. This paper presents preliminary results of an investigation study about the sensitivity of ETX estimation based on broadcast probing and compare it with the one based on unicast probing. It is work-in-progress.
Alternating multiuser detection with iterative soft interference cancellation for highly loaded dual-signaling MIMO CDMA systems

This paper presents an effective multiuser detector (MUD) for the uplink of dual-signaling multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) code division multiple access (CDMA) systems over multipath fading channels, where the data are transmitted using either the spatially multiplexing (SM) or the space-time block code (STBC) scheme. The new MUD first separates users into two groups according to their transmission signaling schemes and then alternatively detects the users in each group with the removal of iteratively refined soft information-assisted multiple access interferences (MAI) to enhance the interference cancellation capability. Moreover, for practical low-complexity implementations, the users in each group are further partitioned into smaller subgroups to reduce the the computational load. Conducted simulations show that the proposed MUD can render superior performance compared with previous approaches, especially in highly loaded scenarios.
The mouse DNA polymerase alpha-primase subunit p48 mediates species-specific replication of polyomavirus DNA in vitro

Mouse cell extracts support vigorous replication of polyomavirus (Py) DNA in vitro, while human cell extracts do not. However, the addition of purified mouse DNA polymerase alpha-primase to human cell extracts renders them permissive for Py DNA replication, suggesting that mouse polymerase alpha-primase determines the species specificity of Py DNA replication. We set out to identify the subunit of mouse polymerase alpha-primase that mediates this species specificity. To this end, we cloned and expressed cDNAs encoding all four subunits of mouse and human polymerase alpha-primase. Purified recombinant mouse polymerase alpha-primase and a hybrid DNA polymerase alpha-primase complex composed of human subunits p180 and p68 and mouse subunits p58 and p48 supported Py DNA replication in human cell extracts depleted of polymerase alpha-primase, suggesting that the primase heterodimer or one of its subunits controls host specificity. To determine whether both mouse primase subunits were required, recombinant hybrid polymerase alpha-primases containing only one mouse primase subunit, p48 or p58, together with three human subunits, were assayed for Py replication activity. Only the hybrid containing mouse p48 efficiently replicated Py DNA in depleted human cell extracts. Moreover, in a purified initiation assay containing Py T antigen, replication protein A (RP-A) and topoisomerase I, only the hybrid polymerase alpha-primase containing the mouse p48 subunit initiated primer synthesis on Py origin DNA. Together, these results indicate that the p48 subunit is primarily responsible for the species specificity of Py DNA replication in vitro. Specific physical association of Py T antigen with purified recombinant DNA polymerase alpha-primase, mouse DNA primase heterodimer, and mouse p48 suggested that direct interactions between Py T antigen and primase could play a role in species-specific initiation of Py replication.
A framework for analyzing RFID distance bounding protocols

Many distance bounding protocols appropriate for the RFID technology have been proposed recently. Unfortunately, they are commonly designed without any formal approach, which leads to inaccurate analyzes and unfair comparisons. Motivated by this need, we introduce a unified framework that aims to improve analysis and design of distance bounding protocols. Our framework includes a thorough terminology about the frauds, adversary and prover, thus disambiguating many misleading terms. It also explores the adversary's capabilities and strategies, and addresses the impact of the prover's ability to tamper with his device. It thus introduces some new concepts in the distance bounding domain as the black-box and white-box models, and the relation between the frauds with respect to these models. The relevancy and impact of the framework is finally demonstrated on a study case: Munilla-Peinado distance bounding protocol.
Understanding assistive technology as a pre-requisite for choice and participation

ABSTRACT Assistive technology (AT) is an often-used intervention to enhance participation and occupational performance, but disparities in access to and outcomes from its use are common. An occupational perspective of being and becoming an AT user is missing from the discourse on the right to, and choice of, assistive technology, and policies guiding its provision. This study investigated the experiences of people operating outside of public AT programs in Australia, and their experiences of access to, choice of, and outcomes from AT. Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) of interviews with two participants with extensive and diverse experiences of AT provision demonstrates how a person becomes an AT user over time. The emergent themes discussed are becoming an AT user, self-management by AT users, and the risks and responsibilities of choice without awareness or support. The findings illustrate that being an AT user is an occupation that involves ongoing learning and problem-solving as part of self-management, and support the notion that AT is a pre-requisite for participation and choice. AT users can only make and realise choices if facilitating conditions are present. These include the existence and awareness of options, support to explore and experience new products and skills, respect for preferences, and ongoing servicing responsibilities. Policies emphasising individual consumer choice discount the iterative processes, risks and responsibilities involved in AT provision and the importance of relationships. Policymakers require an understanding of what is involved in being and becoming an AT user, and how this precedes participation and choice for people with disability.
Formation control using adaptive parameter-dependent potential functions

In this paper we present a formation control approach based on Gaussian potential functions, each parametrized by an agent-related control parameter. This results in different characteristics of attractive and repulsive forces among agents and targets, as well as among agents themselves and dependence of the formation's potential structure on the change of agent's configurations. Furthermore, we show that the undesired stable equilibria can be eliminated by the mutual interaction of agents. This leads to the characteristics change of the elementary potential functions achieved by adaptation. The introduced adaptation changes the agent-related control parameters step-wise depending on the acquired equilibrium state. The proposed approach is implemented and validated in simulation and experimentally.
Facilitating a description of intercultural conversations : the Hong Kong Corpus of Conversational English

The relative difficulty with which spoken corpora can be compiled by the researcher compared with written discourses, coupled with the time needed to fully transcribe spoken data, to say nothing of the additional expenses involved, inevitably has made large spoken corpora a far rarer entity than written corpora. And yet, if we are to further unravel the intricacies of spoken discourse, we need to work with large, representative corpora of spoken discourses. The two largest corpora of the English language, the Bank of English and the British National Corpus, devote approximately 10 per cent of their corpora to spoken English. This is not to say that spoken discourse has been forgotten or ignored by corpus linguists. The London-Lund Corpus, for example, has been an invaluable source of data for many years, and projects such as COLT (see eg Andersen and Sten-ström 1996) and CANCODE (see eg Carter and McCarthy 1997; McCarthy and Carter 1997) are evidence of more recent initiatives to compile spoken corpora. Conversations are the most prevalent form of discourse, accounting for more than 90 per cent of all spoken language according to Svartvik (1980) and yet, compared to more specialised spoken discourse types and written discourses, they do not receive proportionately anything like that amount of attention from researchers investigating language use. As mentioned above, only a relatively small proportion of the Bank of English and the British National Corpus is made up of naturally-occurring conversations, as opposed to other types of spoken discourse. Almost two decades after Svartvik and others had made the London-Lund Corpus available in scholarly form, Svartvik (1996: 10) was still bemoan-ing the fact that 'conversation – the quintessence of spoken language – is either missing or seriously underestimated in most existing corpora'. However, while there have been relatively few studies on native speaker conversations (see eg
The Role of Collaboration, Computer Use, Learning Environments, and Supporting Strategies in CSCL: A Meta-Analysis

This meta-analysis synthesizes research findings on the effects of computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) based on its three main elements: (1) the collaboration per se, (2) the use of computers, and (3) the use of extra learning environments or tools, or supporting strategies in CSCL. In this analysis, 425 empirical studies published between 2000 and 2016 were extracted and coded, and these generated the following findings. First, the collaboration had significant positive effects on knowledge gain (ES [effect size] = 0.42), skill acquisition (ES = 0.64), and student perceptions (ES = 0.38) in computer-based learning conditions. Second, computer use led to positive effects on knowledge gain (ES = 0.45), skill acquisition (ES = 0.53), student perceptions (ES = 0.51), group task performance (ES = 0.89), and social interaction (ES = 0.57) in collaborative learning contexts. Third, the use of extra learning environments or tools produced a medium effect for knowledge gain (ES = 0.55), and supporting strategies resulted in an ES of 0.38 for knowledge gain. Several study features were analyzed as potential moderators.
Pathophysiological, Genetic and Gene Expression Features of a Novel Rodent Model of the Cardio-Metabolic Syndrome

Background Complex etiology and pathogenesis of pathophysiological components of the cardio-metabolic syndrome have been demonstrated in humans and animal models. Methodology/Principal Findings We have generated extensive physiological, genetic and genome-wide gene expression profiles in a congenic strain of the spontaneously diabetic Goto-Kakizaki (GK) rat containing a large region (110 cM, 170 Mb) of rat chromosome 1 (RNO1), which covers diabetes and obesity quantitative trait loci (QTL), introgressed onto the genetic background of the normoglycaemic Brown Norway (BN) strain. This novel disease model, which by the length of the congenic region closely mirrors the situation of a chromosome substitution strain, exhibits a wide range of abnormalities directly relevant to components of the cardio-metabolic syndrome and diabetes complications, including hyperglycaemia, hyperinsulinaemia, enhanced insulin secretion both in vivo and in vitro, insulin resistance, hypertriglyceridemia and altered pancreatic and renal histological structures. Gene transcription data in kidney, liver, skeletal muscle and white adipose tissue indicate that a disproportionately high number (43–83%) of genes differentially expressed between congenic and BN rats map to the GK genomic interval targeted in the congenic strain, which represents less than 5% of the total length of the rat genome. Genotype analysis of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in strains genetically related to the GK highlights clusters of conserved and strain-specific variants in RNO1 that can assist the identification of naturally occurring variants isolated in diabetic and hypertensive strains when different phenotype selection procedures were applied. Conclusions Our results emphasize the importance of rat congenic models for defining the impact of genetic variants in well-characterised QTL regions on in vivo pathophysiological features and cis-/trans- regulation of gene expression. The congenic strain reported here provides a novel and sustainable model for investigating the pathogenesis and genetic basis of risks factors for the cardio-metabolic syndrome.
Levels of Latino Parent Involvement: Differences by National Origin and Socioeconomic Status

For Latino immigrant parents, the challenges to involvement in their childrenâs education are numerous and often times daunting. Many have low levels of high school completion, do not speak English and are unfamiliar with the U.S. school system. Although much work has revolved around examining racial and socioeconomic differences in parental involvement, little has been done to unpack group differences within racial/ethnic groups. In recognizing the importance of examining ethnic and racial groups more carefully, this study has analyzed parental involvement differences between five Latino subgroups â Mexicans, Dominicans, mainland-born Puerto Ricans, island-born Puerto Ricans, and those labeled as Other. As the analysis reveals, there are significant differences in the perceived barriers to involvement, perception of parent-school relationship and parent involvement practices between different Latino immigrant groups due largely to three important SES variables â having at least a high school education, English language usage, and access to technology in the home.
Insulin Resistance and Microalbuminuria

Microalbuminuria is a risk factor for renal and cardiovascular disease. A role for insulin resistance in the pathogenesis of microalbuminuria has been suggested but is still unproven. In this case-control, cross-sectional study, we compared glucose disposal rate (GDR), measured by hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp, in 50 pairs of matched type 2 diabetic patients with micro- or normoalbuminuria (main study) and in 29 matched pairs of diabetic patients with macro- or microalbuminuria (substudy). In the main study, GDR was ∼25% lower in micro- than in normoalbuminuric patients (5.20 ± 1.91 vs. 6.86 ± 2.88 mg · kg−1 · min−1, P < 0.05) and was independently associated with microalbuminuria (P = 0.002), with each 1 mg · kg−1 · min−1 decrease predicting ∼40% increased prevalence (odds ratio 1.37 [95% CI 1.14–1.70]). Microalbuminuria was threefold more frequent in patients with GDR ≤7.50 ± 2.56 mg · kg−1 · min−1 than in those with higher GDR (60% vs. 20%, P < 0.005). In the substudy, GDR in macro- and microalbuminuric patients was comparable (5.52 ± 2.56 vs. 5.16 ± 1.61 mg · kg−1 · min−1) and independent of macroalbuminuria. GDR was significantly correlated with urinary albumin excretion rate in the main study (P = 0.004) but not in the substudy (P = 0.60). In type 2 diabetes, more severe insulin resistance is independently associated with microalbuminuria. Longitudinal studies are needed to clarify the role of insulin resistance in the pathogenesis of microalbuminuria and related complications.
Continuous Tracking of User Emotion in Mandarin Emotional Speech

Emotions play a significant role in decision-making, healthy, perception, human interaction and human intelligence. Automatic recognition of emotion in speech is very desirable because it adds to the human- computer interaction and becomes an important research area in the last years. However, to the best of our knowledge, no works have focused on automatic emotion tracking of continuous Mandarin emotional speech. In this paper, we present an emotion tracking system, by dividing the utterance into several independent segments, each of which contains a single emotional category. Experimental results reveal that the proposed system produces satisfactory results. On our testing database composed of 279 utterances which are obtained by concatenating short sentences, the average accuracy achieves 83% by using weighted D-KNN classifier and LPCC and MFCC features.
Emerging Therapies for Vascular Dementia and Vascular Cognitive Impairment

Background— Cerebrovascular disease (CVD) and ischemic brain injury secondary to cardiovascular disease are common causes of dementia and cognitive decline in the elderly. CVD also contributes to cognitive loss in Alzheimer disease (AD). Summary— Progress in understanding vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) and vascular dementia (VaD) has resulted in promising symptomatic and preventive treatments. Cholinergic deficits in VaD due to ischemia of basal forebrain nuclei and cholinergic pathways can be treated with cholinesterase inhibitors used in AD. Controlled clinical trials with donepezil and galantamine in patients with VaD, as well as in patients with AD plus CVD, have demonstrated improvement in cognition, behavior, and activities of daily living. The N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor antagonist memantine stabilized progression of VaD compared with placebo. Primary and secondary stroke prevention, in particular with control of hypertension and hyperlipidemia, can decrease VaD incidence. Conclusions— From a public health viewpoint, recognition of VCI before the development of dementia and correction of vascular burden on the brain may lead to a global decrease of incident dementia.
Color Dipole Moments for Edge Detection

Dipole and higher moments are physical quantities used to describe a charge distribution. In analogy with electromagnetism, it is possible to define the dipole moments for a gray-scale image, according to the single aspect of a gray-tone map. In this paper we define the color dipole moments for color images. For color maps in fact, we have three aspects, the three primary colors, to consider. Associating three color charges to each pixel, color dipole moments can be easily defined and used for edge detection.
Master equation approach for non-Hermitian quadratic Hamiltonians: Original and phase space formulations

We consider evolution of dynamical systems described by non-Hermitian Hamiltonians, using the density operator approach. The latter is formulated both at the level of the Hilbert space and the phase space, and adapted for applications to open quantum systems. We illustrate the formalism using a family of non-Hermitian system, which generators are quadratic with respect to both momentum and position. Despite the initial simplicity of a Hamiltonian, the structure of its solutions and spectral characteristics are nontrivial, and they can drastically change depending on parameters of the model and its symmetry in phase space. We present analytical solutions in L 2(ℝ) and in phase space, and an explicit form of the similarity transformation changing these generators into the corresponding normal operators.
WhittleSearch: Image search with relative attribute feedback

We propose a novel mode of feedback for image search, where a user describes which properties of exemplar images should be adjusted in order to more closely match his/her mental model of the image(s) sought. For example, perusing image results for a query “black shoes”, the user might state, “Show me shoe images like these, but sportier. ” Offline, our approach first learns a set of ranking functions, each of which predicts the relative strength of a nameable attribute in an image (`sportiness', `furriness', etc.). At query time, the system presents an initial set of reference images, and the user selects among them to provide relative attribute feedback. Using the resulting constraints in the multi-dimensional attribute space, our method updates its relevance function and re-ranks the pool of images. This procedure iterates using the accumulated constraints until the top ranked images are acceptably close to the user's envisioned target. In this way, our approach allows a user to efficiently “whittle away” irrelevant portions of the visual feature space, using semantic language to precisely communicate her preferences to the system. We demonstrate the technique for refining image search for people, products, and scenes, and show it outperforms traditional binary relevance feedback in terms of search speed and accuracy.
Soybean BRU1 Encodes a Functional Xyloglucan Endotransglycosylase That is Highly Expressed in Inner Epicotyl Tissues during Brassinosteroid-Promoted Elongation

Brassinosteroids promote soybean epicotyl elongation and regulate expression of BRU1, a gene with homology to xyloglucan endotransglycosylases (XETs). Recombinant BRU1 protein possesses XET activity and in situ hybridization reveals highest BRUl transcript accumulation in inner epicotyl tissue, particularly the phloem and paratracheary parenchyma cells. These results suggest a role for BRUl in vascular development in addition to cell elongation.
Researching the impact of ICTs as change catalysts in Africa

Compared to about a decade ago, following the advent of the modern “mass” Internet (especially the World Wide Web), e-mail and cell phones around the mid-1990s, academic and general interest in the impact of these new information and communication technologies (ICTs) has increased tremendously. One of the most popular realms of interest has been the influence of digital ICT media on political expression and change, an area where opinion has been sharply divided between optimists (utopians) and pessimists (dystopians), with realists (pragmatists) trying to bridge the rift. A key issue ICT researchers have been concerned with is whether to come up with new theories and methods or to use old or existing ones in humanities and social sciences (especially in the fields of media and communications). Related to this, and not restricted to the field of ICTs, is whether researchers from non-Western regions like Africa should expect to make a meaningful contribution to academia and to their countries’ policies and “life world” if they use perspectives originating from the highly industrialised world.