Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Construction of Local Anchor Map for Indoor Position Measurement System

A prerequisite for a position measurement system is knowledge of anchor positions. In this paper, a local anchor-positioning method based on rotational time-difference-of-arrival (TDOA) measurement and ordinal multidimensional scaling (MDS) is proposed. The calibrated anchor positions serve as basis points to construct the local coordinate system for subsequent target localization. During the calibration phase, each anchor acts as a transmitter in turn, and the TDOA of the signal at rest of the anchors is measured. Although the true interanchor ranges are unknown, we can infer their relative rank from their range differences. Ordinal MDS allows us to find a configuration of anchor positions that preserves the order of interanchor range measurement without involving the exact value of the true range. As the number of anchors increases, the solution space of ordinal MDS rapidly shrinks; hence, an accurate local map of anchors can be constructed. Our simulation shows that, when the number of anchors exceeds ten, ordinal-based MDS outperforms classical metric MDS, as it is more robust to range offset errors.
A strategy of building Cloud Manufacturing Service Platform based on CloudAnalyst

Cloud Manufacturing Services Platform is the product of Cloud Manufacturing model, it aims to promote the development of Cloud Manufacturing model. In the process of building cloud manufacturing service platform, how simple and convenient to find the best allocation of resources scheme and minimal hardware construction costs is a challenging problem to be solved. In order to simplify this process, we propose a method of constructing Cloud Manufacturing Service Platform by using CloudAnalyst in this paper. This method not only describes how to get the best allocation of resources program using CloudAnalyst, but also joined the Cost Function which used to determine the best hardware building program of Cloud Manufacturing Service Platform. Finally, we explained this strategy in detail through a case.
Reliability of assessment tools in rehabilitation: an illustration of appropriate statistical analyses

Objective: To provide a practical guide to appropriate statistical analysis of a reliability study using real-time ultrasound for measuring muscle size as an example. Design: Inter-rater and intra-rater (between-scans and between-days) reliability. Subjects: Ten normal subjects (five male) aged 22–58 years. Method: The cross-sectional area (CSA) of the anterior tibial muscle group was measured using real-time ultrasonography. Main outcome measures: Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) and the 95% confidence interval (CI) for the ICCs, and Bland and Altman method for assessing agreement, which includes calculation of the mean difference between measures (d), the 95% CI for d, the standard deviation of the differences (SD diff), the 95% limits of agreement and a reliability coefficient. Results: Inter-rater reliability was high, ICC (3,1) was 0.92 with a 95% CI of 0.72 → 0.98. There was reasonable agreement between measures on the Bland and Altman test, as d was -0.63 cm2, the 95% CI for d was -1.4 → 0.14 cm2, the SDdiff was 1.08 cm2, the 95% limits of agreement -2.73 → 1.53 cm2 and the reliability coefficient was 2.4. Between-scans repeatability was high, ICCs (1,1) were 0.94 and 0.93 with 95% CIs of 0.8 → 0.99 and 0.75 → 0.98, for days 1 and 2 respectively. Measures showed good agreement on the Bland and Altman test: d for day 1 was 0.15 cm2 and for day 2 it was -0.32 cm2, the 95% CIs for d were -0.51 → 0.81 cm2 for day 1 and -0.98 → 0.34 cm2 for day 2; SDdiff was 0.93 cm2 for both days, the 95% limits of agreement were -1.71 → 2.01 cm2 for day 1 and -2.18 → 1.54 cm2for day 2; the reliability coefficient was 1.80 for day 1 and 1.88 for day 2. The between-days ICC (1,2) was 0.92 and the 95% CI 0.69 0.98. The d was -0.98 cm2, the SDdiff was 1.25 cm2 with 95% limits of agreement of -3.48 → 1.52 cm2 and the reliability coefficient 2.8. The 95% CI for d(-1.88 → -0.08 cm2) and the distribution graph showed a bias towards a larger measurement on day 2. Conclusions: The ICC and Bland and Altman tests are appropriate for analysis of reliability studies of similar design to that described, but neither test alone provides sufficient information and it is recommended that both are used.
Breaking Frames

Globalization processes imply the self-deconstruction of the hierarchy of legal norms. Thus, legal pluralism is no longer only an issue for legal sociology, but becomes a challenge for legal practice itself. Traditionally, rule making by `private regimes' has been subjugated under the hierarchical frame of the national constitution. When this frame breaks, then the new frame of legal institutions can only be heterarchical. The origin of global non-state law as a sequence of recursive legal operations is an `as if', not only a founding myth as a self-observation of law, rather the legal fiction of concrete past operations. This fiction, however, depends on social conditions outside legal institutions, on a historical configuration in which it is sufficiently plausible to assume that in earlier times, too, legal rules were applied.
CD46 (membrane cofactor protein) associates with multiple β1 integrins and tetraspans

The tetraspans associate with a large number of surface molecules, including a subset of β1 integrins and, indirectly through CD19, with the complement receptor CD21. To further characterize the tetraspan complexes we have raised and selected monoclonal antibodies (mAb) for their ability to immunoprecipitate a molecule associated with CD9. A unique mAb was identified which recognizes the complement regulator CD46 (membrane cofactor protein). CD46 associated in part with several tetranspans and with all β1 integrins that were tested (CD29 / CD49a, CD29 / CD49b, CD29 / CD49c, CD29 / CD49e, CD29 / CD49f) but not with β4 integrins. These data, together with cross‐linking experiments showing the existence in living cells of CD46 / integrin complexes, suggest that CD46 associates directly with β1 integrins and indirectly with tetraspans. CD46 also acts as a receptor for measles virus; however, mAb to various integrins and tetraspans did not modify the virus fusion entry step.
Characterization and zoonotic impact of Shiga toxin producing Escherichia coli in some wild bird species

Aim: Wild birds are considered silent vectors of some zoonotic water and food borne pathogens of public health significance. Owing to the importance of Shiga toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC) as the most pathogenic among the emerging diarrheagenic E. coli groups that can infect man; the present study was designed to detect the occurrence of STEC among wild birds in Egypt. Materials and Methods: A total of 177 intestinal content swab samples originating from five wild bird species were investigated for the presence of E. coli and STEC by standard culture methods. Suspect STEC isolates were further characterized by serotyping, random amplified polymorphic DNA polymerase chain reaction (RAPD PCR), antimicrobial resistance pattern and PCR detection of stx1, stx2, and eae genes. Results: A total of 30 suspect STEC isolates from 30 positive birds’ samples were detected and identified on STEC CHROMagar (semi-captive pigeons, 15; house crows, 8; cattle egrets, 3; moorhens, 2; and house teals, 2). 25 isolates were grouped into 13 serogroups (O:20, O:25, O:26, O:27, O:63, O:78, O:111, O:114, O:125, O:128, O:142, O:153, and O:158), while five were rough strains. The distribution of STEC virulence genes among wild birds was as follows: 16 birds carried stx1 gene only (nine pigeons [28.1%], six crows [7.1%], and one cattle egret [5.6%]). Stx1 and stx2 genes together were detected in four birds (one cattle egret [5.6%], two moorhens [6.1%], and one house teal, [10%]). Only one pigeon (3.1%) possessed the three alleles. Disk diffusion test results showed that cefixime was the most effective against STEC serotypes with (93.3%) sensitivity, followed by gentamycin (56.7%), and amoxicillin (50%). On the other hand, all the recovered STEC isolates were resistant to cefotaxime, doxycycline, cephalothin, and sulfisoxazole. RAPD fingerprinting using primers OPA-2 and OPA-9 showed that STEC isolates were heterogeneous; they yielded 30 and 27 different clusters, respectively. Conclusions: Wild birds carry STEC and may add to the contamination of the surrounding environment.
TEACHERS' AND PEERS' PERCEPTIONS OF CHILDREN WITH LEARNING DISORDERS: CONSISTENCY AND CHANGE

ABSTRACT This study examines consistency and change in teachers’ and peers’ perceptions and students’ self‐reports among children with learning disorders. Two groups, 7‐9.75 years old, were compared: 117 children with learning disorders who received remedial teaching in school‐based learning centres and 123 average achievers. Teachers rated children's social skills, behaviour adjustment and academic achievements. In addition, positive and negative nominations of the participants’ peers were obtained, and participants reported their personal perceptions of loneliness, coherence and quality of friendship. These assessments were performed twice ‐at the beginning and the end of the school year. We found that teachers and peers rated children with learning disorders as demonstrating lower social skills, more behavioural difficulties and lower peer acceptance. Self‐perceptions of learning disabled children were characterized by lower coherence, and increased loneliness. Time comparison revealed some change in t.
Measuring, monitoring, and maintaining memories in a partially observable mind

Visual memory holds in mind details of objects, textures, faces, and scenes. After initial exposure to an image, however, visual memories rapidly degrade because they are transferred from iconic memory, a high-capacity sensory buffer, to working memory, a low-capacity maintenance system. How does visual memory maintenance work? This dissertation builds the argument that the maintenance of short-term visual memories is analogous to the act of breathing: it is a dynamic process with a default behavior that explains much of its usual workings, but which can be observed, overridden, and controlled. Chapter 1 shows how the act of trying to remember more information causes people to forget faster and to remember less (“load-dependent forgetting” and “overreaching”). It then shows how the paradigm of evolution can be applied to the problem of maintenance, with memories competing over a limited memory-supporting commodity, explaining these effects. Chapter 2 presents experiments on metamemory, the ability of people to observe and make decisions about their own memories. The experiments isolate a component of metamemory that monitors a memory’s quality as it degrades over time. Chapter 3 connects memory to metamemory, drawing on work from reinforcement learning and decision theory to liken the problem of memory maintenance to that of an agent who sequentially decides what to prioritize in a partially observable mind.
Behavioral Objectives: Suggestions for Some New Priorities

as a specification of what should be measured. Arguments for behavioral objectives were not only self-evident but powerful and persuasive; yet, when these teachers attempted to implement them, other equally frustrating problems arose. They found themselves, for example, ending up with unrelated and trivial student outcomes that were foreign to the important concepts and principles currently being taught. Thus, many teachers are presently holding behavioral objectives in abeyance, either until they go away or until someone can fit them comfortably into their ongoing teaching operations. Clearly, most educators are not ready to leave the behavioral objectives movement
Gesture Controlled Object Interaction: A Virtual Table Case-Study

The metaphor introduced in this paper describes a m ore natural, human-like way to interact with object s in virtual environments. The interaction is controlled by motion-based gestures, which are recognized usi ng the method described in [Bimbe98]. In contrast to the application of artificial and un natural tools, natural input devices (e.g. the huma n h nd) and human-like expression methods (e.g. gestures) can be used to interact with the objects; but on co st of precision. Pre-selection and artificial assistance (like displayed handles, etc.) become unnecessary or might be used in addition. Possible application sce narios are imaginable wherever an exact alternation of the objects is secondary (e.g. presentation, brainstorming, tactical/strategic planning, etc.), or if more precise methods are used in combination. Three problems have to be addressed : First, the de finition of natural, human-like gestures; second, t he recognition of these gestures; and, finally, the as sociation with appropriate interactions. We focus on finding human-like, natural gestures (c lassified as act gestures by [Humme97]) which, in contrast to predefined symbolic commands (e.g. mblems, used in GIVEN [Böhm92]), don’t have to be learned by the user, and combine them with appropri ate actions to interact with the objects. This augm ents ideas expressed by [Bolt80,Latos97].
Distributed Adaptation of Dining Philosophers

Adaptation of a component-based system can be achieved in the coordination modelling language Paradigm through the special component McPal. McPal regulates the propagation of new behaviour and guides the changes in the components and in their coordination. Here we show how McPal may delegate part of its control to local adaptation managers, created on-the-ﬂy, allowing for distribution of the adaptation indeed. We illustrate the approach for the well-known example of the dining philosophers problem, by modelling the migration from a deadlock-prone solution to a deadlock-free starvation-free solution without any system quiescence. The adaptation goes through various stages, exhibiting shifting control among McPal and its helpers, and changing degrees of orchestrated and choreographic collaboration.
Correlation of Paraoxonase Status with Disease Activity Score and Systemic Inflammation in Rheumatoid Arthritic Patients.

INTRODUCTION Despite, various preventive efforts on conventional cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, the incidence of CVD in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients increases continuously. To solve this conundrum one needs more investigations. AIM The present study was conducted to evaluate the plasma paraoxonase (PON) activity along with the markers of systemic inflammation, oxidative stress and disease activity score-28 (DAS28) in RA patients and clarify their role in determining the probability of RA patients to develop future CVD risk. MATERIALS AND METHODS Plasma PON, total antioxidant activity (TAA), C-reactive protein (CRP), synovial interleukin-6 (IL-6) and erythrocyte malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were estimated in 40 RA patients aged 40-55 years aged and 40 age-matched healthy controls. The data obtained were compared statistically by using Student's t-test and Pearson correlation test. RESULTS Besides dyslipidaemia, marked reduction in plasma PON and TAA (p< 0.05) were observed in RA patients as compared with that of healthy controls. Erythrocyte MDA, plasma CRP and synovial IL-6 levels were increased significantly (p<0.05) in RA patients. PON was negatively correlated with MDA (r = - 0.672; p < 0.001), CRP (r = -0.458; p<0.05), IL-6 (r = -0.426; p<0.05) and DAS28 (r = -0.598; p < 0.001), and positively correlated with HDL cholesterol (r = 0.648; p<0.001) and TAA (r = 0.608; p< 0.001) levels in RA patients. CONCLUSION Alteration in PON activity might contribute to the progression of future CVD risk in RA patients, which may result from interplay of several confounding factors, such as inflammation, oxidative stress and dyslipidaemia. Furthermore, plasma PON activity, CRP and TAA levels could be considered as non-traditional factors to predict CVD risk. Thus, it is suggested that future drugs could be developed to target the non-traditional risk factors in RA patients.
Diurnal Variation in Glucose Tolerance: Cyclic Suppression of Insulin Action and Insulin Secretion in Normal-Weight, But Not Obese, Subjects

The relative roles of insulin sensitivity, insulin secretion, and glucose effectiveness to the diurnal rhythm of glucose tolerance were examined in normal-weight (n = 12) and obese (n = 11) subjects. Two frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance tests were performed in each subject at 0800 on one occasion and 1800 on a separate day. Tests were preceded by identical fasts of 10–12 h. In nonobese subjects, glucose tolerance, expressed as the 10- to 16-min KG value (KGS), was much reduced in the evening (AM 2.98 ± 0.45, PM 1.86 ± 0.33 min−1 P < 0.002). In the obese subjects, tolerance was lower in the morning than normal-weight subjects (2.19 ± 0.31 min−1), but unlike in nonobese subjects, tolerance was not significantly reduced during the day (1.90 ± 0.18 min−1 P > 0.40). The reduction in glucose tolerance in the normal-weight subjects was caused by diminished insulin sensitivity (parameter S1, AM 15.4 ± 2.9, PM 10.2 ± 1.9 × 10−5 min−1/pM, P < 0.01) and reduced β-cell responsivity to glucose. The evening decrease in the latter was reflected both in first-phase plasma insulin (AM 2466 ± 441, PM 1825 ± 381 pM/10 min, P < 0.05) and the potentiation slope (AM 462 ± 68, PM 267 ± 35 pM/mM, P < 0.01). In contrast, consistent with no diurnal variation in glucose tolerance, obese subjects exhibited no decline in insulin sensitivity in the evening (AM 3.6 ± 0.7, PM 4.9 ± 1.0 × 10−5 min−1/pM). A marginally significant decline in (β-cell responsiveness was observed in the obese group (potentiation slope AM 388 ± 78, PM 233 ± 58 pM/mM, P < 0.05). Glucose tolerance is maintained when the pancreas adequately compensates for prevailing insulin resistance, a relationship described by the disposition index (SI, × Φ1). This product decreased 46% in nonobese subjects from morning to evening (P < 0.05), reflecting the inability of the pancreas to overcome prevailing insulin resistance, and resulting in evening glucose intolerance. No diurnal decline in the disposition index was observed in obese subjects. The diurnal rhythms in insulin sensitivity and secretion in nonobese subjects are not consistent with known rhythms in growth hormone or cortisol, but could be due to the effects of a putative diurnal rhythm of sympathetic activity, which would suppress both insulin sensitivity and secretion in the evening. The absence of a rhythm in the obese could reflect an autonomic or hormonal dysfunction that may be related to body-weight regulation.
Role of gender influence in vocal Hindi conversations: A study on speech emotion recognition

Recent times have been marked with the increasing demand for more intelligent human computer interfaces. By adding emotion recognition abilities, voice based interfaces can be made more human centric. As natural languages do not share similar acoustic-phonetic features and vary in production of speech sound, the emotion recognition accuracy gets affected with respect to the user's language. This work aims at studying the patterns of stress and intonation for emotional speech in Hindi (Indo-Aryan language) and analyzing the influence of gender on speech emotion recognition accuracy. The paper proposes a combined system for gender distinction and emotion recognition by extracting basic prosodic and spectral speech features and also compares three different classification algorithms. The performed experimentation over a Hindi emotional corpus reveals that 78% correct speech emotion recognition accuracy can obtained by adopting support vector machines for classification.
The Moderating Effect of Prior Knowledge on Cue Utilization in Product Evaluations

This article examines the dissimilar use of product information cues in product evaluations by differentially familiar subjects. Specifically, the use of price cues and intrinsic product cues for the assessment of product quality is hypothesized to depend on prior knowledge. For a product with a positive quality-price association in the marketplace, the study shows that low-familiar and highly familiar subjects tend to perceive a stronger price-quality relationship than do moderately familiar subjects. Moreover, as subjects product familiarity increases, the use of intrinsic cues for product quality assessments tends to become relatively stronger.
Least Squares Conditional Density Estimation in semi-supervised learning settings

The goal of regression analysis is to estimate the conditional mean of an input-output relation. But if the data has multimodality, highly asymmetric distribution or heteroscedastic noise, then estimating the conditional mean is not sufficient. In these scenarios, the conditional distribution itself needs to be estimated. Recently a method called Least Squares Conditional Density Estimation (LSCDE) has been proposed for estimating conditional density. LSCDE estimates the conditional density by considering it as a ratio of two densities and directly estimating the ratio. This method works quite well but cannot make use of any available unlabeled samples. In this paper, the method LSCDE has been extended to semi-supervised settings so that the unlabeled samples can be used to improve accuracy of estimation.
Supplement for “ Non-negative Matrix Factorization under Heavy Noise ”

||N ||2 √ |T | ≤ 4σ √ n √ |T | producing the contradiction. If σ ≤ ε 4 /4 √ d, (1) is satisfied. Furthermore, if σ > cε/d, then, with high probability, a CONSTANT FRACTION of the columns j violate the condition ||N·,j ||1 ≤ ε required by previous algorithms to hold for EVERY column. Lemma 2. Suppose k = 1, n ≤ c0d, ||C·,j ||1 = 1 for all j and N has i.i. d. entries drawn from N (0, σ), where, σ > c1/ √ d for a large constant c1. Then, given A = BC +N , the Maximum Likelihood Estimator B̃ of B with high probability satisfies ∣∣∣∣∣∣B̃·,1 −B·,1∣∣∣∣∣∣ 1 > ε.