Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Secure Approximate Nearest Neighbor Search over Encrypted Data

For the past decade, approximate nearest neighbor (ANN) search in high dimensional space has been studied extensively. However, it supports only ANN search over palintext in traditional locality sensitive hashing (LSH). How to perform ANN search over encrypted data becomes a new challenging task. In this paper, we make an attempt to formally address the problem. We propose a new secure and efficient ANN search scheme over encrypted data based on Sorting Keys-LSH (LSH) and mutable order-preserving encryption (mOPE). In our construction, we exploit SK-LSH to generate indexes locally. While data and indexes should be outsourced to the cloud in encrypted form, which complicates computations on the encrypted data. Then, we encrypt LSH indexes using mOPE for efficient ANN search. Through rigorous security and efficiency analysis, we show that our proposed scheme is secure under the proposed model, while correctly realizing the goal of secure ANN search over encrypted data.
MODELLING UNCERTAINTY AND VARIABILITY IN ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS

Scientists from different disciplines now routinely work together on com-plex, multi-interactive, geochemical and biochemical environmental processes and it has become necessary to define a common language that can be under-stood by all the relevant scientific community. This in turn will aid the transfer of expertise between scientists from different disciplines. This paper attempts to relate different modelling approaches dealing with uncertainty in environmental processes. The literature review is based on hydrological, geophysical and envi-ronmental risk modelling, but the conclusions are relevant to all scientists work-ing on environmental problems, which are almost invariably poorly defined. We argue that modelling of environmental processes should be stochastic rather than deterministic. After listing the basic definitions and possible sources of uncer-tainty in environmental models, we present the main approaches to the modelling of uncertainties in, and variability of, environmental processes. We propose a general methodology for dealing with uncertainty, using as an example aspects of uncertainty assessment in modelling of rainfall-flow process at a catchment scale.
The E ff ect of Age and Number of Children on Retirement Decision

This article investigates the effect of age and number of children on retirement, and tries to explain increasing labor force participation rate since the mid-1990’s in the United States. I estimate a life-cycle model to figure out how number and age of children affect the retirement age of parents, and simulate life-cycle paths of the labor force participation rate by using the estimated model. I focus on the labor force participation of two groups of people; one is a group of those who retired before the the mid-1990’s, and the other is a group those who retired after the the mid-1990’s. The simulation results suggest that the change in age and number of children have an effect that the latter group of men retire later than the former group of men do, which indicates older men’s increasing labor force participation rate can be partly accounted for by the change in age and number of children. ∗mailto:suga@wisc.edu, Ph.D. student at University of Wisconsin-Madison. Office: Social Science 6473
A 3D Network-on-Chip for stacked-die transactional chip multiprocessors using Through Silicon Vias

Effective utilization of computing power offered by modern chip multiprocessors (CMP) depends on the design and performance of the interconnect that connects them. We present a three-dimensional Network-on-Chip (NoC) based on the R3 router architecture for transactional CMPs utilizing advanced Through Silicon Vias (TSV) in a stacked-die architecture, facilitating low latency and high throughput communication between CMP nodes. We report the performance of an R3 based three-dimensional mesh in a stacked-die transactional CMP highlighting the limitations of performance scale-up with stacking. Furthermore, we present data on area penalty associated with the use of TSVs in different configurations in 90nm UMC technology.
Effects of propeller scarring on macrofaunal use of the seagrass Thalassia testudinum

Propeller scarring within seagrass beds is common in shallow coastal waters. Scarring has the potential to fragment seagrass beds, resulting in habitat loss, decreased productivity, and the pos- sibility for further erosion and degradation. We conducted a study in Thalassia testudinum beds in Puerto Rico to determine whether seagrass macrofauna are affected by this disturbance. Four sampling zones (propeller scar, seagrass-scar interface, homogeneous seagrass located 5 m from the scar, and homo- geneous seagrass located 10 m from the scar) were compared among 10 replicate seagrass beds. Scar- ring modified faunal assemblages at the scale of the propeller scar; there was significantly lower total macrofaunal abundance and fewer species in scars. When individual taxa were considered, shrimp and mollusc abundances were lower in scars compared to the other sampling zones. Resident fish abundance was not significantly different among zones. Dominant shrimp species in scars differed from seagrass zones. Crabs and molluscs responded negatively to scarring as indicated by significantly lower densi- ties of these 2 taxa up to 5 m from scars. The extent to which these results 'scale up' remains unknown and future studies should focus on larger, more intensely scarred areas.
Harder-Narasimhan filtrations and optimal destabilizing vectors in complex geometry

We give a generalisation of the theory of optimal destabilizing 1-parameter subgroups to non-algebraic complex geometry. Consider a holomorphic action G×F→F of a complex reductive Lie group G on a finite dimensional (possibly non-compact) Kahler manifold F. Using a Hilbert type criterion for the (semi)stability of symplectic actions, we associate to any non semistable point f∈F a unique optimal destabilizing vector in Lie(G) and then a naturally defined point f_0 which is semistable for the action of a certain reductive subgroup of G on a submanifold of F. We get a natural stratification of F which is the analogue of the Shatz stratification for holomorphic vector bundles. In the last chapter we show that our results can be generalized to the gauge theoretical framework: first we show that the system of semistable quotients associated with the classical Harder-Narasimhan filtration of a non-semistable bundle E can be recovered as the limit object in the direction given by the optimal destabilizing vector of E. Second, we extend this principle to holomorphic pairs: we give the analogue of the Harder-Narasimhan theorem for this moduli problem and we discuss the relation between the Harder-Narasimhan filtration of a non-semistable holomorphic pair and its optimal destabilizing vector.
The impact of ethical leadership on member s creativity and career success: the mediating role of leader-member exchange

Purpose- The aim of this study is to investigate possible direct and indirect effects (through leader-member exchange-LMX) of member’s ethical leadership perception on their career success and individual creativity. Methodology- Survey method was used to test the hypothesized effects in the proposed model. A total of 212 employees from private sector companies in a province of Turkey participated in the survey. Survey results were analysed by structural equation modelling. Findings- The results show that ethical leadership affects LMX positively and in turn LMX has a positive and significant impact on creativity. Thus, ethical leadership was found to have only indirect effect on creativity through LMX. On the other hand, ethical leadership was found to have a positive and statistically significant direct effect on career success. Conclusion - Working with an ethical leader brings close interaction between employee and the leader, fosters employee’s loyalty to the leader and commitment to the organizational tasks beyond formal requirements. In turn, high leader-member exchange leads to an increase in employee’s creativity. Moreover, if employees believe that their leader adopts ethical beliefs and performs ethically, they would be satisfied with their improvement in achieving career goals regarding promotion, salary and work success regardless of the quality of their relationship with the leader.
Object‐based visual neglect: a computational hypothesis

Some patients with damage to the right parietal cortex show neglect for the left half of each of a series of objects shown in a horizontal row in the visual field. The neglect is thus not based on failure to see objects in any part of left visual space, but is object‐based. We show that in a model of attention with separate V1, object (inferior temporal cortex, IT) and spatial (posterior parietal cortex, PP) modules the effect can arise after graded damage increasing towards the right of the PP module when the lateral inhibition between neurons in the PP and V1 modules is short‐range. The local lateral inhibition produces high contrast effects at the edges of each object, and it is when this interacts with gradually increasing damage through the left visual field that the visibility of the left half of each object is especially impaired. This result was found in a formal model completely specified by mean field equations to quantify the dynamical interactions between the modules. This is the first quantitative account of object‐based neglect found in humans with right parietal cortex damage, and provides evidence that the model of attention we describe can account for even detailed and extraordinary phenomena that can occur in visual perception.
Design and evaluation of Maths related programs for special education

Dyscalculia means the partial lack or error in the counting ability, which is not to be mistaken by acalculia, where these are totally absent. Dyscalculia can occur within any level of intelligence and is a type of disturbance that is typically noticed in school, but is less researched than dyslexia. There is a whole list of syndromes that could indicate dyscalculia and it needs a complex dyscalculia testing by psychologist, neurologist, and logopedia specialist in order to determine the exact type and syndrome of the disturbance, after which any possible treatment could be started. Even though it would be possible to set up diagnosis at the early age of 5, there is no standard dyscalculia test in Hungary, which could determine – with great probability – the fact of being endangered. TeaM lab provides courses within ELTE teacher training as non-compulsory electives, with relation to developing e-learning materials and running projects in public education, where students develop programs for different curriculum areas, take them out for use in schools and prepare a report about their effects in classes, suggesting some areas of possible modifications for improvement. There is an active collaboration between ELTE Bárczi Gusztáv Practice Elementary School and Methodological Centre for Special Education and TeaM lab since 2003 to develop ICT tools supporting their pedagogical program and hold experiments to evaluate their effective use. Figure 1. Screen shots of two programs: comparison of quantities and purchase with money. The paper discusses requirements forced on the developed programs that emerge from practical experiences, the development process is analysed as well as the formal and pedagogical evaluation. Three tests have been used to measure levels of achievement, the Hiskey-Nebraska Test of Learning Aptitude (H-NLAT) and change in skills, the mathematical ability test created at Bárczi Gusztáv Faculty of Special Education, and a general test on fractions. The results are reported and shall be presented at the session.
Candidate Genes and Genetic Architecture of Symbiotic and Agronomic Traits Revealed by Whole-Genome, Sequence-Based Association Genetics in Medicago truncatula

Genome-wide association study (GWAS) has revolutionized the search for the genetic basis of complex traits. To date, GWAS have generally relied on relatively sparse sampling of nucleotide diversity, which is likely to bias results by preferentially sampling high-frequency SNPs not in complete linkage disequilibrium (LD) with causative SNPs. To avoid these limitations we conducted GWAS with >6 million SNPs identified by sequencing the genomes of 226 accessions of the model legume Medicago truncatula. We used these data to identify candidate genes and the genetic architecture underlying phenotypic variation in plant height, trichome density, flowering time, and nodulation. The characteristics of candidate SNPs differed among traits, with candidates for flowering time and trichome density in distinct clusters of high linkage disequilibrium (LD) and the minor allele frequencies (MAF) of candidates underlying variation in flowering time and height significantly greater than MAF of candidates underlying variation in other traits. Candidate SNPs tagged several characterized genes including nodulation related genes SERK2, MtnodGRP3, MtMMPL1, NFP, CaML3, MtnodGRP3A and flowering time gene MtFD as well as uncharacterized genes that become candidates for further molecular characterization. By comparing sequence-based candidates to candidates identified by in silico 250K SNP arrays, we provide an empirical example of how reliance on even high-density reduced representation genomic makers can bias GWAS results. Depending on the trait, only 30–70% of the top 20 in silico array candidates were within 1 kb of sequence-based candidates. Moreover, the sequence-based candidates tagged by array candidates were heavily biased towards common variants; these comparisons underscore the need for caution when interpreting results from GWAS conducted with sparsely covered genomes.
The Confidence Information Ontology: a step towards a standard for asserting confidence in annotations

Biocuration has become a cornerstone for analyses in biology, and to meet needs, the amount of annotations has considerably grown in recent years. However, the reliability of these annotations varies; it has thus become necessary to be able to assess the confidence in annotations. Although several resources already provide confidence information about the annotations that they produce, a standard way of providing such information has yet to be defined. This lack of standardization undermines the propagation of knowledge across resources, as well as the credibility of results from high-throughput analyses. Seeded at a workshop during the Biocuration 2012 conference, a working group has been created to address this problem. We present here the elements that were identified as essential for assessing confidence in annotations, as well as a draft ontology—the Confidence Information Ontology—to illustrate how the problems identified could be addressed. We hope that this effort will provide a home for discussing this major issue among the biocuration community. Tracker URL: https://github.com/BgeeDB/confidence-information-ontology Ontology URL: https://raw.githubusercontent. com/BgeeDB/confidence-information-ontology/master/src/ontology/cio-simple.obo
Perception for an Autonomous Racecar

Autonomous vehicles are revolutionizing the car industry. Being able to produce cars that can drive on their own in a safe manner is going to be very important for car manufacturers in the future. Formula Student, the world’s largest engineering competition has joined the trend with Formula Student Driverless. Revolve NTNU is a team that participates in Formula Student, and is creating its first ever self driving racecar. To partake in the competition, the car needs to be able to perceive its surroundings. The car will compete in both Germany and Hungary against other teams during the summer of 2018. Formula Student Driverless cars drive on tracks, which outlines are defined by different types of cones. During this project, two systems for perceiving the car’s surroundings were made. One uses cameras only, and the other uses LiDAR and camera. Both systems have their strengths and weaknesses, but both yield promising results. The LiDAR-based system is a more energy efficient solution. It works well, especially when combined with an algorithm for Simultaneous Localization and Mapping. The camera based solution is better at precisely detecting objects in the image data, but struggles with finding the cone positions in 3D space.
Experimental Study of Crossing-Angle and Parasitic-Crossing Effects at the PEP-II E+E-Collider

In a series of dedicated accelerator experiments, we measure the dependence of the PEP-II luminosity performance on small horizontal crossing angles and on the horizontal separation at the first parasitic crossing. The experiment is carried out by varying the IP angle of one of the beams in two different bunch patterns, one with and one without parasitic crossings. The measurements show satisfactory agreement with three-dimensional beam-beam simulations.
On Manipulation of Objects in Three-Fingered Grasp

Manipulation of the grasped object is defined as the ability of the mechanical end-effector to create an instantaneous motion of the object with respect to a fixed reference frame (e.g., palm reference frame). This class of manipulation is usually referred to as the fine manipulation whereas a collection of all these instantaneous motions of the object is referred to as the gross manipulation. This paper presents a new method where for a given desired twist of the grasped object, the instantaneous motions of the fingertips can be determined. The results of the paper are divided into two parts. First, for the case where the motion of the object is created through motions of the fingertip in off-tangent planes to the object at the contact points. Second, where a class of motion of the grasped object is achieved through motions of the fingertips which are restricted to the tangent planes. The method of this paper utilizes screw geometry, inner product spaces and information regarding grasp configuration. The method is also illustrated through examples.
An Effective Combination Rule When Evidence Conflict

Theory of evidence is a kind of effective treatment methods for uncertain information fusion. However there will be problems in the fusion results based on the classical D-S combination when the evidence serious conflict or completely conflict. This paper proposes a kind of effective combination of fusion conflict evidence. At first a distance function was introduced. Then the similarity of evidence was said by the similarity functions and through the normalization got the support of evidence as the weight of evidence. Finally to realize recycling information fusion by the average weight and classic combination rule.
New aspe cts of the c erebral functional asymmet ry in speech pro cessing as revealed by auditor y cortex evoked ma gnetic field s

The issue of hemispheric asymmetry in speech processing is one of the most debatable ones in modern neuroscience and psychophysiology. The studies in my thesis addressed this issue by magnetically measuring brain responses elicited by speech and complex sound stimuli of different temporal structure in different acoustic conditions. The results suggest that the right hemisphere is predominant in the perception of slow acoustic transitions, whereas neither hemisphere clearly dominates the discrimination of non-speech sounds with fast acoustic transitions. In contrast, the perception of speech stimuli with similarly rapid acoustic transitions is dominated by the left hemisphere, which may be explained by the presence of acoustic templates (long-term memory traces) for speech sounds formed in this hemisphere. While the mismatch negativity (MMN), the brain's automatic change– detection response, appears to be sensitive to the lateralization of speech processing in the brain, other auditory cortex responses (P1, N1, P2) do not reflect this lateralization. However, the asymmetry measured with the MMN does not correlate with the right-ear advantage (REA), a behavioral measure of the speech processing lateralization. This probably implies that the MMN and REA reflect two different stages in the perception of speech by the human brain: an early automatic pre-attentive stage (reflected in the MMN) and a later, “conscious” one (measured with the REA). When speech signals are presented in white noise background, the involvement of the left hemisphere’s auditory cortex in speech discrimination, as indicated by the brain responses, is considerably decreased, while that of the right hemisphere increases. Furthermore, the locations of activity sources of the P1, N1, and P2 responses in noise are different from those in silence in the right but not in the left hemisphere. This suggests that the increased right-hemisphere role in speechsound processing in noisy conditions involves the recruitment of additional right auditorycortex structures.
Cholesterol Contributes to Diabetic Nephropathy through SCAP-SREBP-2 Pathway

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) has been associated with the presence of lipid deposition. We hypothesized that the disruption of intracellular cholesterol feedback may contribute to DN. Diabetes was induced by high fat/sucrose diet and low-dose intraperitoneal injection of streptozocin (STZ) in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Then diabetic rats were randomly divided into two groups: untreated diabetic group (DM) and atorvastatin-treated group (DM + AT). We found that the levels of serum blood urea nitrogen and creatinine, as well as 24-hour urine protein and urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin, were significantly increased in diabetic rats. This result indicated that the diabetic rats suffered from functional renal damage. We also observed lipid droplet accumulation and increase in 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMG-CoAR), low density lipoprotein receptor (LDLr), sterol regulatory element binding protein-2 (SREBP-2), and SREBP-cleavage activating protein (SCAP) in the kidneys of diabetic rats. However, atorvastatin ameliorated renal lipid accumulation and improved the renal function of diabetic rats despite an increase in mRNA and protein expressions of HMG-CoAR, LDLr, and SREBP-2. These results demonstrated that intracellular cholesterol feedback regulation is disrupted in rats with type 2 diabetes, thereby causing renal cholesterol accumulation. Atorvastatin ameliorated renal cholesterol accumulation by reducing renal cholesterol synthesis.
Adaptive IIR filtering with monic normalization: reduced-order approximation

The monic normalization equation-error (MNEE) algorithm for adaptive IIR filtering is applied to the reduced-order identification. It is shown that the parameter estimates converge to the solution of the well-known eigenvalue equation. Unlike the ordinary equation-error adaptive IIR filter, the MNEE adaptive IIR filter matches the second-order response as well as the impulse response of an unknown system. The simulation results confirm that the simple MNEE algorithm can provide a stable, unbiased estimate in the reduced-order case.
Robust tracking based on Boosted Color Soft Segmentation and ICA-R

In this paper, we propose a novel approach for robust visual tracking. To separate the foreground from the background, we propose a novel Boosted Color Soft Segmentation (BCSS) algorithm and incorporate Independent Component Analysis with Reference (ICA-R) into the tracking framework. In addition, we design a scheme to fuse and update BCSS and ICA-R. We also propose adaptive scale of tracking window to handle objects' scale changes. Experiments shows that our approach is more robust than some popular tracking systems.