Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Android or iOS for Better Privacy Protection

With the rapid growth of the mobile market, security of mobile platforms is receiving increasing attention from both research community as well as the public. In this paper, we make the first attempt to establish a baseline for security comparison between the two most popular mobile platforms. We investigate applications that run on both Android and iOS and examine the difference in the usage of their security sensitive APIs (SS-APIs). Our analysis over 2,600 applications shows that iOS applications consistently access more SS-APIs than their counterparts on Android. The additional privileges gained on iOS are often associated with accessing private resources such as device ID, camera, and users’ contacts. A possible explanation for this difference in SS-API usage is that privileges obtained by an application on the current iOS platform are invisible to end users. Our analysis shows that: 1) third-party libraries (specifically advertising and analytic libraries) on iOS invoke more SS-APIs than those on Android; 2) Android application developers avoid requesting unnecessary privileges which will be shown in the permission list during application installation. Considering the fact that an Android application may gain additional privileges with privilege-escalation attacks and iOS provides a more restricted privilege set accessible by third-party applications, our results do not necessarily imply that Android provides better privacy protection than iOS. However, our evidence suggests that Apple’s application vetting process may not be as effective as Android’s privilege notification mechanism, particularly in protecting sensitive resources from third-party applications.
Cryogenic Self-Calibrating Noise Parameter Measurement System

A system for measuring the noise parameters of a device at cryogenic temperatures is described. The method includes the thermal calibration of a module consisting of a noise diode, a dispersive coupling network, a temperature sensor, heater, and a bias-tee. The magnitude and phase of the reflection coefficient presented by the module vary rapidly with frequency and the noise output of the module can be thermally calibrated by changing the temperature of the module with an internal heater. The resulting variable impedance-calibrated noise source can be used to measure noise parameters of transistors or amplifiers over a frequency range of 0.4 to 12 GHz via the wideband frequency-variation method. The calibration scheme is not unique to the module and may be applied in general to any noise source. Calibration and noise parameter measurements are made at cryogenic temperatures on a discrete transistor and two different low-noise amplifiers. The results are compared against theoretical values and those obtained using independent measurements. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first measurement of a transistor's noise parameters at cryogenic temperatures using such techniques.
Real-Time Hand Gesture-Based Interaction with Objects in 3D Virtual Environments

This paper introduces a hand-gesture-based user interface that enables users to control virtual objects in three-dimensional (3D) virtual environments. Users are able to manipulate objects by moving, rotating, scaling, and selecting their hands in the real world. A gesturebased virtual simulation system for vehicle maintenance is developed, incorporating several object-manipulation features (such as opening a car door, sitting in a seat, replacing tires, and disassembling the engine) to evaluate the effectiveness of this protocol. Our results indicate that the proposed hand-gesture-based user interface could potentially be employed in place of a mouse or keyboard to interact with objects in 3D virtual environments.
Implementation of parallel convolution based on MPI

Convolution computing plays an important role in scientific computing. However, traditional Message Passing Interface (MPI) model has the disadvantages such as massive message passing and load-unbalancing. According to these problems, this paper propose a new parallel convolution based on MPI model, which is able to effectively balance the load as well as bring great reduction on message passing. By analyzing the speedup ratio and efficiency, conclusions can be drawn that the new MPI parallel programming, which obtains obvious promotions on parallel efficiency and large-scale sequence's speed, can better exert the advantages of parallel computing and distributional memories between nodes. And it is shown by the experimental results that the proposed method is a feasible and effective parallel strategy.
Learning sparse and deep representations : new algorithms and perspectives

Three papers related to representation learning are discussed. The first paper presents a broad overview of the field of unsupervised representation learning, the second paper presents a stochastic model for images, and the final paper presents a new approach to encoding images. The relationship between these papers is discussed, and a modification to the method of the third paper is proposed.
The researcher as instrument: learning to conduct qualitative research through analyzing and interpreting a choral rehearsal

Qualitative researchers often describe the ambiguities and complexities of extracting meaning from ambiguous and complex data. Although methodological literature provides useful frameworks and heuristics to guide the process of transforming field data into credible findings, learning to analyze and interpret qualitative data also involves a transformation of the researcher as the primary instrument for making sense of the phenomenon under study. This pedagogical action research study involved a ‘case within a case’, in which graduate students, enrolled in a qualitative research class in music education, analyzed and interpreted data from a high school choral rehearsal captured on digital video. This study sought to answer these questions: what pedagogical moves and exercises enable beginning qualitative researchers to practice and refine the skills of data analysis? What pedagogical moves and exercises foster the development and refinement of interpretive perspectives? Implications for teaching qualitative research methods using case materials drawn from music classrooms are described.
A Vision Enriched Intelligent Agent with Image Description Generation: (Demonstration)

In this paper, we present an intelligent conversational agent enriched with automatic image understanding and facial expression recognition using state-of-the-art machine learning techniques for the advancement of autonomous interaction with the elderly or infirm. The agent is developed to conduct health and emotion well-being monitoring for the elderly. It is not only capable of conducting question-answering via speech-based interaction, but also able to provide analysis of the user's surroundings, emotional states, hazards and fall actions via visual data. The agent is accessible from a web browser and can be communicated with via voice or text means, with a webcam required for the visual analysis functionality. The system has been evaluated with diverse real-life images to prove its efficiency.
ROMANIAN-ENGLISH SPEECH TRANSLATION

Speech to speech (S2S) translation is a complex process designed to enable the communication between individuals that speak different languages and it represents a valuable contribution to (1) science, (2) cross-cultural interaction and (3) global business. Through S2S, a text spoken in one language is automatically recognized, translated and synthesized in another language. This paper presents an overview of our approach to Romanian-English bi-directional speech translation and we cover the methods and technologies used for implementing such a system
The Impact of Perception on Agent Architectures

The advanced state of agent software and computing hardware makes it possible to construct complex agents and robots with multiple streams of input such as vision, speech, gestures and data. Such agents, like people (who also have access to multiple input streams), need to effectively manage the input in order to process important information within useful time bounds. This paper discusses processes and architectural components that are used to manage input data. In addition to reduced processing load, input management may also enable symbol grounding. However, some effects are not beneficial. For example, the agent will lack a full accounting of all input data, which means that standard explanation techniques will not function correctly. We propose several techniques for overcoming the disadvantages of input management.
Realization of Critical Eigenvalues for Scalar and Symmetric Linear Delay-Differential Equations

This paper studies the link between the number of critical eigenvalues and the number of delays in certain classes of delay-differential equations. There are two main results. The first states that for k purely imaginary numbers which are linearly independent over the rationals, there exists a scalar delay-differential equation depending on k fixed delays whose spectrum contains those k purely imaginary numbers. The second result is a generalization of the first result for delay-differential equations which admit a characteristic equation consisting of a product of s factors of scalar type. In the second result, the k eigenvalues can be distributed among the different factors. Since the characteristic equation of scalar equations contain only exponential terms, the proof exploits a toroidal structure which comes from the arguments of the exponential terms in the characteristic equation. Our second result is applied to delay coupled $\mathbf{D}_n$-symmetric cell systems with one-dimensional cells. In parti.
Cooperative Involvement of the S1 and S2 Subunits of the Murine Coronavirus Spike Protein in Receptor Binding and Extended Host Range

ABSTRACT To study the process of spike (S)-receptor interaction during coronavirus entry, we evaluated the contributions of mutations in different regions of the murine hepatitis virus (MHV) S protein to natural receptor murine carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule 1a (CEACAM1a) dependence and to the acquisition of extended host range. Extended-host-range variants of MHV strain A59 were previously obtained from persistently infected cells (J. H. Schickli, B. D. Zelus, D. E. Wentworth, S. G. Sawicki, and K. V. Holmes, J. Virol. 71:9499-9504, 1997). These variant viruses contain several mutations in the S protein that confer to the viruses the ability to enter cells in a heparan sulfate-dependent manner (C. A. de Haan, Z. Li, E. te Lintelo, B. J. Bosch, B. J. Haijema, and P. J. M. Rottier, J. Virol. 79:14451-14456, 2005). While the parental MHV-A59 is fully dependent on murine CEACAM1a for its entry, viruses carrying the variant mutations in the amino-terminal part of their S protein had become dependent on both CEACAM1a and heparan sulfate. Substitutions in a restricted, downstream part of the S protein encompassing heptad repeat region 1 (HR1) and putative fusion peptide (FP) did not alter the CEACAM1a dependence. However, when the mutations in both parts of the S protein were combined, the resulting viruses became independent of CEACAM1a and acquired the extended host range. In addition, these viruses showed a decreased binding to and inhibition by soluble CEACAM1a. The observations suggest that the amino-terminal region of the S protein, including the receptor-binding domain, and a region in the central part of the S protein containing HR1 and FP, i.e., regions far apart in the linear sequence, communicate and may even interact physically in the higher-order structure of the spike.
Signature Detection in Sampled Packets

Deep packet inspection and payload analysis is required for various purposes such as the detection and identification of attacks as well as service and application-level analysis of packet streams. However, network-wide deployment of fullfledged network analyzers and intrusion detection systems is a very costly solution, especially in large networks and at high link speeds. On the other hand, modern routers, switches and monitoring probes are equipped with the capability to capture and export selected packet data to a remote collector. We developed and implemented a traffic analysis system which is able to apply online pattern matching to the received packet data, e.g. in order to detect known attack signatures. As bandwidth and computational resources are limited, it is necessary to restrict the amount of packet data that is captured and exported. Therefore, we analyzed rule sets of the popular Snort intrusion detection systems and determined which parts of a packet are relevant for signature detection and which parts can be removed without impairing the detection quality.
Overview of some general results in combinatorial enumeration

This survey article is devoted to general results in combinatorial enumeration. The first part surveys results on growth of hereditary properties of combinatorial structures. These include permutations, ordered and unordered graphs and hypergraphs, relational structures, and others. The second part advertises five topics in general enumeration: 1. counting lattice points in lattice polytopes, 2. growth of context-free languages, 3. holonomicity (i.e., P-recursiveness) of numbers of labeled regular graphs, 4. frequent occurrence of the asymptotics cn^{-3/2}r^n and 5. ultimate modular periodicity of numbers of MSOL-definable structures.
Research on Multivariable Time Delay System Multi-step Predictive Dynamic Modeling

This paper introduces a dynamic modeling method of multi-step predictive neural network in the large time delay system, and discusses the algorithm and structure of neural network and dynamic response characteristics of the large time delay system in detail. Especially, based on single variable time delay system modeling framework, a new algorithm is presented to implement the neural network multi-step predictive modeling of multivariable large time delay system. According to the data of the waterworks coagulating sedimentation time delay system, the simulation of the multivariable multi-step predictive modeling shows that these results are effective.
Another Look at the Construct Validity of the Gifted Rating Scales: Preschool/Kindergarten and School Forms

This study further examined the Gifted Rating Scales (GRS) at the internal and external stages of test validation by (a) testing structural fidelity as indicated by the number of factors supported as well as the correspondence of the latent factor structure with the scoring model proposed by the authors and (b) examining the external relations of factors underlying GRS ratings with the general factor from two widely used standardized tests of intelligence using the multimethod confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Results of our analyses revealed the presence of a large general factor on both the GRS-Preschool (GRS-P) and the GRS-School (GRS-S) forms. This factor accounted for 80% of the variance on the GRS-P and 72% of the variance on the GRS-S, revealing that the vast majority of what the GRS measures is the general factor. In addition, coefficient ω for both the GRS-P and the GRS-S was . 95 and ω H for the GRS-S was . 92, demonstrating that this general factor is measured with a high degree of reliability. Results of multimethod CFAs indicated the general factor underlying the GRS correlated substantially with the general factor underlying the Wechsler scales, which may suggest that the GRS primarily reflects general cognitive ability and not multiple dimensions of giftedness. Implications of these results and directions for further research are discussed.
Comparison of Phase-Contrast MR Imaging and Endovascular Sonography for Intracranial Blood Flow Velocity Measurements

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Local hemodynamic information may help to stratify rupture risk of cerebral aneurysms. Patient-specific modeling of cerebral hemodynamics requires accurate data on BFV in perianeurysmal arteries as boundary conditions for CFD. The aim was to compare the BFV measured with PC-MR imaging with that obtained by using intra-arterial Doppler sonography and to determine interpatient variation in intracranial BFV. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 10 patients with unruptured intracranial aneurysms, BFV was measured in the cavernous ICA with PC-MR imaging in conscious patients before treatment, and measured by using an intra-arterial Doppler sonography wire when the patient was anesthetized with either propofol (6 patients) or sevoflurane (4 patients). RESULTS: Both techniques identified a pulsatile blood flow pattern in cerebral arteries. PSV differed >50 cm/s between patients. A mean velocity of 41.3 cm/s (95% CI, 39.3–43.3) was measured with PC-MR imaging. With intra-arterial Doppler sonography, a mean velocity of 29.3 cm/s (95% CI, 25.8–32.8) was measured with the patient under propofol-based intravenous anesthesia. In patients under sevoflurane-based inhaled anesthesia, a mean velocity of 44.9 cm/s (95% CI, 40.6–49.3) was measured. CONCLUSIONS: We showed large differences in BFV between patients, emphasizing the importance of using patient-specific hemodynamic boundary conditions in CFD. PC-MR imaging measurements of BFV in conscious patients were comparable with those obtained with the intra-arterial Doppler sonography when the patient was anesthetized with a sevoflurane-based inhaled anesthetic.
Gukurahundi, new media and the ‘discourses of silence’: The reproduction of the hegemonic narratives of the Matabeleland post-colonial violence on selected Zimbabwean news websites

ABSTRACT Studies on new media in Zimbabwe tend to highlight the role of news websites in widening the democratic space and countering the government’s hegemonic nationalist discourses that are perpetuated in state-controlled media. Scholars such as Mpofu and Mhlanga and Mpofu have argued that new media are emancipatory spaces that are enabling the people of Matabeleland to recollect memories of their painful past events that are repressed in official sites. Although these scholarly works have lauded new media as alternative sites that are subverting the hegemonic narratives propagated in state media, there remains a gap in studies that explore the role of news websites in reinforcing and preserving the official state discourses. This paper complements the works on the remembrance of the violent past events through new media by examining the discourses that seek to silence Gukurahundi memories. Using Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) as a method of data analysis, I examine news reports, opinion pieces and readers’ comments selected from Newzimbabwe.com and Bulawayo24.com news websites to capture the hegemonic discourses that seek to justify the Gukurahundi genocide.
First insights into the microbiome of a carnivorous sponge.

Using 454 pyrosequencing, we characterized for the first time the associated microbial community of the deep-sea carnivorous Demosponge Asbestopluma hypogea (Cladorhizidae). Targeting the 16S rRNA gene V3 and V6 hypervariable regions, we compared the diversity and composition of associated microbes of two individual sponges of A. hypogea freshly collected in the cave with surrounding seawater and with one sponge sample maintained 1 year in an aquarium after collection. With more than 22 961 high quality sequences from sponge samples, representing c. 800 operational taxonomic units per sponge sample at 97% sequence similarities, the phylogenetic affiliation of A. hypogea-associated microbes was assigned to 20 bacterial and two archaeal phyla, distributed into 45 classes and 95 orders. Several differences between the sponge and seawater microbes were observed, highlighting a specific and stable A. hypogea microbial community dominated by Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes and Thaumarchaeota phyla. A high relative abundance of ammonia-oxidizing archaea and a dominance of sulfate oxidizing/reducing bacteria were observed. Our findings shed lights on the potential roles of associated microbial community in the lifestyle of A. hypogea.
Newsvendors Tackle the Newsvendor Problem

In 1998, the retail sales and marketing division of Time Inc., the largest publisher of consumer magazines in the US, reviewed its newsstand distribution principles and procedures for its magazines. This review affected the three major distribution decisions: the evaluation of each magazine's national print order, the wholesaler allotment procedure, and the store distribution process. For this three-echelon distribution problem, we had to adapt well-known formal solutions so that they could be implemented within the constraints of the magazine distribution channel. The revised process, referred to as Time Inc.'s Draw Management Program, has generated incremental profits in excess of $3.5 million annually.
Investigating high performance perfectionist athletes' perceptions of the junior to senior sport transition

Whether or not perfectionism is a healthy personality characteristic is a topic of much debate among researchers (Flett & Hewitt, 2005). One way to investigate this is to differentiate how “healthy” or “unhealthy” perfectionists perceive achievement demand s. During their athletic careers, athletes experience the achievement demands of transitioning to higher levels of performance. One of the most demanding of these transitions is the junior to senior sport transition. As of yet, there is no research regarding how perfectionists experience and perceive the junior to senior sport transition. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore how healthy and unhealthy perfectionist athletes experience the transition from junior to senior sport. This study employed a sequential mixed method design. In step 1, 27 current and former members of a high-performance cross-country skiing training program completed the Sport Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale-2 (Sport-MPS-2: Gotwals & Dunn, 2009), and coaches rated the athletes’ respective levels of perfectionistic strivings and perfectionistic concerns. Using intra-sample and inter-sample criteria scores for the Sport-MPS-2, and the coaches’ ratings, the athletes were designated as either healthy perfectionists, unhealthy perfectionists, or non-perfectionists. However, these characterizations did not yield a sufficient number of participants to compare healthy and unhealthy perfectionists. Therefore, the focus of the study was redirected toward athletes with high perfectionistic strivings, which is one of the overarching dimensions of perfectionism (Stoeber & Otto, 2006). In step 2, using an open-ended interview guide, six athletes who met the criteria of high perfectionistic strivings were interviewed regarding their respective experiences and perceptions of the junior to senior sport transition. Inductive thematic analysis was used to analyze the qualitative data. Eight themes emerged from the analysis: Balancing Priorities, Expectations as National Training Program Skiers,
Black Student Leaders Practicing Resistance in the Midst of Chaos: Applying Transgenerational Activist Knowledge to Navigate a Predominantly White Institution

Abstract:This study examines how 12 Black student leaders apply transgenerational knowledge to pursue social change while attending a predominantly White institution. Findings indicated participants’ used Black cultural beliefs as a source of pride concerning what it means to be Black and to create positive change on campus through engaging in activism. By applying parental and elder transgenerational knowledge participants were able to preserve and protect the communal interest of Black students. Participants engaged in face-to-face and digital modes of protest, resistance and communication by using technology to conduct activism. The emergent themes were: Preserving “My” Black; and Digital Underground. These findings provide insight into how Black student leadership identities are positively influenced by racial socialization.