Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Towards using the history in online computation with advice

Recently, advice complexity has been introduced as a new framework to analyze online algorithms. There, an online algorithm has access to an infinite binary advice tape during the computation. The contents of this tape were prepared beforehand by an omniscient oracle. One is interested in analyzing the number of accessed advice bits necessary and/or sufficient to achieve a certain solution quality. Among others, the bit guessing problem was analyzed in this framework. Here, an algorithm needs to guess a binary string bit by bit, either with or without getting immediate feedback after each bit. The bit guessing problem can be used to obtain lower bounds on the advice complexity of a variety of other online problems. In this paper, we analyze the difference between the two bit guessing variants. More precisely, we show that getting feedback after each request helps save advice bits when we allow errors to be made. This is by no means obvious – for optimality, both problem versions need the same amount of advice, and without advice, knowing the history does not help at all.
FlashPoll: A Location-aware Polling Application for iPhone: Examining Differences Between iOS and Android Users in the Context of Mobile Polling Applications

There exists a wealth of methods to make possible the learning of people’s opinions, values and desires – including polls, surveys, studies, focus groups and so on. The FlashPoll project, of which this thesis was a part, aims to shorten the distance between citizens and those who wish to learn about them. It works by letting such a person – an administrator or decision-maker – create a poll and assign it to a geographical area, wherein citizens who use the FlashPoll app will be able to see it and respond to it. This thesis was concerned both with how best to design the interaction of a locationbased mobile polling application for iOS; and with how iPhone and Android users differ in terms of attitude, usage patterns and so on, in the context of such an app. I designed and developed an iPhone version of the FlashPoll tool (an Android version having already been made). Using these two versions of the FlashPoll app, I conducted a user study, wherein 40 participants (22 Android users and 18 iPhone users) spent a week with the app, reporting their experiences through daily diary entries. The results of the thesis consisted of the completed FlashPoll iOS app itself, of the various findings from the user study, and – drawing upon the other two – of a set of eight guidelines for future designs related to mobile polling.
BLOOD SUGAR STUDIES

A rapid rise in the blood sugar level of rabbits was produced by intravenous injections of killed Bacillus proteus, Bacillus coli, and Bacillus paratyphosus B, which returned to nearly the previous level in a few hours time. A less pronounced rise in blood sugar was produced by killed Bacillus paratyphosus A and Bacillus enteritidis.
Triterpenoid saponins from the roots of Clematis chinensis Osbeck

A new triterpenoid saponin named clematichinenoside AR2, along with the six known compounds, was isolated and characterized from Clematis chinensis Osbeck (Ranunculaceae), a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine with anti-inflammatory and anti-rheumatoid activities. The structure of the new saponin was elucidated as 3-O-β-[(O-α-l-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 6)-O-β-d-glucopyranosyl-(1 → 4)-O-β-d-glucopyranosyl-(1 → 4)-O-β-d-ribopyranosyl-(1 → 3)-O-α-l-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-α-l-arabinopyranosyl)oxy]olean-12-en-21α-hydroxy-28-oic acid-O-α-l-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 4)-O-β-d-glucopyranosyl-(1 → 6)-β-d-glucopyranosyl ester (1) by spectral analysis and chemical methods. The effects of two major saponins (clematichinenosides AR and AR2) on the secretion of TNF-α in murine peritoneal macrophages induced by lipopolysaccharides were further investigated. The result indicated that a majority of triterpenoid saponins of this herb may be useful in the exploration of lead compounds for the treatment of some autoimmune diseases.
Anonymous Authentication with Spread Revelation

Abstract This paper argues for the introduction of better privacy mechanisms and greater anonymity in electronic transactions. The introduction contains an overview of related work—namely group signatures and e-cash systems. Next, we present an original solution based on Σ-protocols, which leads to a scheme providing anonymous client authentication without any loss of client responsibility. The preserved client responsibility is assured by the spread revelation feature. This allows the identification of malicious users by the cooperation of two entities—namely, a service provider with a newly introduced Public Authority entity. Finally, we analyze the presented scheme from the point of view of security and efficiency.
SONA: Improving Situational Awareness of Geotagged Information using Tangible Interfaces

This paper introduces SONA (Spatiotemporal system Organized for Natural Analysis), a tabletop and tangible controller system for exploring geotagged information, and more specifically, CCTV. SONA's goal is to support a more natural method of interacting with data. Our new interactions are placed in the context of a physical security environment, closed circuit television (CCTV). We present a three-layered detail on demand set of view filters for CCTV feeds on a digital map. These filters are controlled with a novel tangible device for direct interaction. We validate SONA's tangible controller approach with a user study comparing SONA with the existing CCTV multi-screen method. The results of the study show that SONA's tangible interaction method is superior to the multi-screen approach, both in terms of quantitative results, and is preferred by users.
Single-event upset responses of dual- and triple-well designs at advanced planar and FinFET technologies

Single-event upset (SEU) responses of advanced dual- and triple-well planar technologies show significant differences in SEU cross-section for memory cells. The presence of the third well alters the charge-collection mechanism as well as increases the probability of charge sharing, affecting the SEU responses of memory cells. However, at the 16-nm FinFET technology node, heavy-ion experiments show insignificant differences in SEU cross-section between dual- and triple-well flip-flop (FF) designs operated at nominal supply voltage. When the supply voltage is reduced, SEU responses of dual-well and triple-well designs show differences for particles with low LET values, but not for particles with high LET values. 3D TCAD simulations show insignificant differences in contributing single-event transient (SET) pulse width for dual- and triple-well technologies at nominal supply voltage. For low LET particles at reduced supply voltage, the resultant SET pulse width for the triple-well design is smaller compared to that for the dual-well design, leading to a decrease in triple-well SEU cross-section.
Programmable Kiri‐Kirigami Metamaterials

Programmable kirigami metamaterials with controllable local tilting orientations on demand through prescribed notches are constructed through a new approach of kiri-kirgami, and their actuation of pore opening via both mechanical stretching and temperature, along with their potential application as skins for energy-saving buildings, is discussed.
Determination of Organic and Inorganic Selenium Species Using HPLC

A methodology based on coupling isocratic high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) with optimized collision/reaction cell conditions has been developed for the simultaneous analysis of organic and inorganic selenium species in natural water samples. Selenium concentrations found in total and speciation analysis of a number of water samples showed good agreement. Because HPLC-ICP-MS coupling is easily automated, the method can be considered robust and applicable to the routine monitoring of selenium species in environmental and nutritional samples.
Combined chemical (Fluoranthene) and drought effects on Lumbricus rubellus demonstrate the applicability of the independent action model for multiple stressor assessment

The combined effect of a chemical (fluoranthene) and a nonchemical stress (reduced soil moisture content) to the widely distributed earthworm Lumbricus rubellus were investigated in a laboratory study. Neither fluoranthene (up to 500 μg/g) nor low soil moisture (15% below optimal) had a significant effect on the survival of the exposed worms, but a significant effect on reproduction (cocoon production rate) was found for both stressors (p < 0.001 in both cases). The response of cocoon production to each stressor could be well described by a logistic model; this suggested that the joint effects may be applicable to description using the independent action (IA) model that is widely used in pharmacology and chemical mixture risk assessment [ 1 ]. Fitting of the IA model provided a good description of the combined stressor data (accounting for 53.7% of total variation) and was the most parsimonious model describing joint effect (i.e., the description of the data was not improved by addition of further parameters accounting for synergism or antagonism). Thus, the independent action of the two responses was further supported by measurement of internal fluoranthene exposure. The chemical activity of fluoranthene in worm tissue was correlated only with soil fluoranthene concentration and not with soil moisture content. Taken together these results suggest that the IA model can help interpret the joint effects of chemical and nonchemical stressors. Such analyses should, however, be done with caution since the literature data set suggests that there may be cases where interactions between stressors result in joint effects that differ significantly from IA predictions.
A novel approach to identify the best practices of quality management in SMES based on critical success factors using interpretive structural modeling (ISM)

In recent years, most small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) worldwide looking for improvement in their business practices in order to gain competitive advantage and total quality management(TQM) as a means by which SMEs could achieve the desired result. The objective of this study is to discover the critical success factors that are affecting the quality management practices in SMEs. In this work eight factors were identified through the literature review and experts from academic as well as industries. The factors are commitment to quality, employee involvement, customer focus, information technology, improved production planning and control, recognition system, supplier quality management, and management vision and mission. Interpretive structural modeling(ISM) is used to understand the complex relationships among the factors and classify the factors into various categories as per the driving and the dependence capacity. The result shows that information technology (IT) is a key success factor for implementing TQM in SMEs. It is observed that SMEs have to increase the use of IT to improve the quality of the product and productivity.
Lift of cheek and neck: technical notes

Because alternatives exist for the full facelift (rhytidectomy), this procedure has become less popular overtime. In the past, forehead wrinkles were addressed with coronal[1,2] and endoscopically assisted forehead lift[3] procedures. Today, botulinum toxin and hyaluronic acid fillers are used for this purpose because they are more effective and result in less downtime. Lateral brow sag can be corrected by using the Fogli[4] and Knize[5] browlift techniques, Endotine® browlift[6] or sub‐brow fat augmentation. [7] The pretrichial incision is occasionally chosen, typically in facial feminization surgery, which includes supraorbital rim contouring and scalp advancement. [8] Although indications for facelift surgery remain, they are limited. A more recent approach to restoring a youthful appearance to the midface involves volume augmentation, although this is questionable. [9] Facial aging is thought to be primarily due to gravitational sagging because of the loss of collagenous support [Figure 1]; however, fillers provide more predictable results than lifting in this area. Furthermore, hyaluronic acid fillers are more predictable than micro fat grafting[10] and are safer to use around the eyes. [11] The lifting of tissues is more useful in the lower face (caudal extension of nasolabial folds and grooves, labiomental folds and grooves and jowls disrupting the jaw line) and neck (platysmal bands, skin excess). Hence, “cheek and neck lift” or “buccocervical lift” may be more appropriate terms for this type of procedure.
Nonlocal-Closure Schemes for Use in Air Quality and Environmental Models

The description of the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) processes, understanding of complex boundary layer interactions, and their proper parameterization are important for air quality as well as many other environmental models. In that sense single-column vertical mixing models are comprehensive enough to describe processes in ABL. Therefore, they can be employed to illustrate the basic concepts on boundary layer processes and represent serviceable tools in boundary layer investigation. When coupled to 3D models, single-column models can provide detailed and accurate simulations of the ABL structure as well as mixing processes. Description of the ABL during convective conditions has long been a major source of uncertainty in the air quality models and chemical transport models. There exist two approaches, local and nonlocal, for solving the turbulence closure problem. While the local closure assumes that turbulence is analogous to molecular diffusion in the nonlocal-closure, the unknown quantity at one point is parameterized by values of known quantities at many points in space. The simplest, most popular local closure method in Eulerian air quality and chemical transport models is the K-Scheme used both in the boundary layer and the free troposphere. Since it uses local gradients in one point of model grid, K-Scheme can be used only when the scale of turbulent motion is much smaller than the scale of mean flow (Stull, 1988), such as in the case of stable and neutral conditions in the atmosphere in which this scheme is consistent. However, it can not: (a) describe the effects of large scale eddies that are dominant in the convective boundary layer (CBL) and (b) simulate counter-gradient flows where a turbulent flux flows up to the gradient. Thus, K-Scheme is not recommended in the CBL (Stull, 1988). Recently, in order to avoid the K-scheme drawbacks, Alapaty (Alapaty, 2003; Alapaty & Alapaty, 2001) suggested a “nonlocal” turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) scheme based on the K-Scheme that was intensively tested using the EMEP chemical transport model (Mihailovic & Jonson, 2005; Mihailovic & Alapaty, 2007). In order to quantify the transport of a passive tracer field in three-dimensional simulations of turbulent convection, the nonlocal and non-diffusive behavior can be described by a transilient matrix whose elements contain the fractional tracer concentrations moving from one subvolume to another as a function of time. The approach was originally developed for and applied to geophysical flows known as turbulent transilient theory (T3) (Stull, 1988; Stull & Driedonks, 10
Evaluating maternity care: a core set of outcome measures.

BACKGROUND Comparing the relative effectiveness of interventions on specific outcomes across trials can be problematic due to differences in the choice and definitions of outcome measures used by researchers. We sought to identify a minimum set of outcome measures for evaluating models of maternity care from the perspective of key stakeholders. METHODS A 3-round, electronic Delphi survey design was used. Setting was multinational, comprising a range of key stakeholders. Participants consisted of a single heterogeneous panel of maternity service users, midwives, obstetricians, pediatricians/neonatologists, family physicians/general practitioners, policy-makers, service practitioners, and researchers of maternity care. Members of the panel self-assessed their expertise in evaluating models of maternity care. RESULTS A total of 320 people from 28 countries expressed willingness to take part in this survey. Round 1 was completed by 218 (68.1%) participants, of whom 173 (79.4%) completed round 2 and 152 (87.9%) of these completed round 3. Fifty outcomes were identified, with both a mean value greater than the overall group mean for all outcomes combined (x=4.18) and rated 4 or more on a 5-point Likert-type scale for importance of inclusion in a minimum data set of outcome measures by at least 70 percent of respondents. Three outcomes were collapsed into a single outcome so that the final minimum set includes 48 outcomes. CONCLUSIONS Given the inconsistencies in the choice of outcome measures routinely collected and reported in randomized evaluations of maternity care, it is hoped that use of the data set will increase the potential for national and international comparisons of models for maternity care. Although not intended to be prescriptive or to inhibit the collection of other outcomes, we hope that the core set will make it easier to assess the care of women and their babies during pregnancy and childbirth.
Function and regulation of microRNA‐31 in development and disease

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs that orchestrate numerous cellular processes both under normal physiological conditions as well as in diseases. This review summarizes the functional roles and transcriptional regulation of the highly evolutionarily conserved miRNA, microRNA‐31 (miR‐31). miR‐31 is an important regulator of embryonic implantation, development, bone and muscle homeostasis, and immune system function. Its own regulation is disrupted during the onset and progression of cancer and autoimmune disorders such as psoriasis and systemic lupus erythematosus. Limited studies suggest that miR‐31 is transcriptionally regulated by epigenetics, such as methylation and acetylation, as well as by a number of transcription factors. Overall, miR‐31 regulates diverse cellular and developmental processes by targeting genes involved in cell proliferation, apoptosis, cell differentiation, and cell motility. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 83: 654–674, 2016 © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
PRODUCTION OF NUCLEAR TRANSFER-DERIVED SWINE THAT EXPRESS THE ENHANCED GREEN FLUORESCENT PROTEIN

The ability to add or delete specific genes in swine will likely provide considerable benefits not just to agriculture but also to medicine, where pigs have potential as models for human disease and as organ donors. Here we have transferred nuclei from a genetically modified fibroblast cell line to porcine oocytes, matured in vitro under defined culture conditions, to create piglets expressing enhanced green fluorescent protein. The nuclear transfer-derived piglets were of normal size, although some mild symptoms of “large offspring syndrome” were evident. These experiments represent a next step towards creating swine with more useful genetic modifications.
Housing, Housing Finance and Credit Risk

This paper investigates the determinants of credit risk from a broad perspective. Particular attention is given to the role of housing affordability and household indebtedness. However, the impact of credit market developments and regulations is also closely examined. Using a large panel of countries it is found that housing affordability and household fragility significantly affect the risk of banks’ loan portfolios. In addition, an analysis of the conditional quantiles of non-performing loan ratios reveals that financial institutions in countries with greater levels of financial liberalization and less regulated markets also experience greater credit risk.
The Mediating Effect Of Employee Compensation On Integrity And Corruption Risk

Risk management is an important agenda to prevent the unethical behaviour in an organization. In facing the challenging world of business and corruption issues, integrity and employee compensation are important factors in order to develop the organization success. Thus, it is important for the organization to focus on developing and enhancing the quality of employee in terms of ethical, behaviour and moral conduct. The aim of this research is to examine the effect of integrity in corruption risk mediated by employee compensation. The study involves only 50 respondents as it is a pilot study of the actual survey. The sample are respondents from 10 different organization. This study involves three different organizations which are federal government, state government and statutory bodies. The respondents involved in this study are whom that have an authority in making a decision for the organization. The analysis of bootstrapping for this study represent that, all the hypotheses are accepted with the t-value above 1.65 respectively. Hence, it shows that, integrity and employee compensation play important roles in order to prevent the risk of corruption in the organization. Other than that, employee compensation also mediates the relationship between variables
The Effects of Different Parts of the Annual Report on Potential Investors' Attitudes Towards the Company and on the Corporate Reputation

Research problem: Both the function and the appearance of annual reports have changed over the last few decades. These multimodal reports now include many types of information that serve different functions. In this study, the effects of several information types on stakeholders' attitudes toward annual reports and the companies that published them are measured. Literature review: Not much is known about how stakeholders read annual reports. The literature is not conclusive on the relative importance of several information types in these reports. Most studies investigate the impact of part of the information in annual reports and ignore the combined impact of the information types. Whether the potential investors are more affected by the financial review, the future strategy narrative or by pictures, such as a picture of the CEO, is unknown. Methodology: An experiment (2 × 2 × 2 between subjects design) was conducted to test the effects of a good financial review versus a poor one, a good future strategy versus a poor one and a picture of the CEO smiling versus that with a serious facial expression. The effects on potential stakeholders' attitudes toward the information, on their attitudes toward investing in the company, and on their perceptions of the corporate reputation are measured. Results and conclusion: The results show significant effects of all three information types. A good financial review, a good future strategy, and a serious facial expression have beneficial effects on the potential stakeholders' attitudes and on the corporate reputation. More important, however, the results show that the information types should be aligned with each other. A smiling facial expression, for example, is only beneficial if the content of the other information types is good.
Distributed Localization and Scene Reconstruction from RGB-D Data

In this paper we present a method to make every robot of a team to compute a global 3D map of the scenarios explored by all the members, obtaining also the trajectories of the team. Every robot has a RGB-D device on board which gives RGB and depth data simultaneously and uses this information to build its own local map in real time. Once all robots have formed their local maps, they start a communication process to transform all maps to a common reference and merge them. The interest of this work is related to the establishment of the global reference and the management of the local point clouds to get correspondences between local maps which make possible to obtain the best possible transformation from the reference of every robot to the global