Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Activity monitoring : continuous recognition and performance evaluation

Abstract. Wearable computers promise the ability to access information and computing resources directly from miniature devices embedded in our clothing. The problem lies in how to access the most relevant information without disrupting whatever task it is we are doing. Most existing interfaces, such as keyboards and touch pads, require direct interaction. This is both a physical and cognitive distraction. The problem is particularly acute for the mobile maintenance worker who must access information, such as on-line manuals or schematics, quickly and with minimal distraction. One solution is a wearable computer that monitors the user’s ‘context’ - information such as activity, location and environment. Being ‘context aware’, the wearable would be better placed to offer relevant information to the user as and when it is needed. In this work we focus on recognising one of the most important parts of context: user activity. The contributions of the thesis are twofold. First, we present a method for recognising hand activities from a sequence using body worn sensors. Second, in evaluating this method, we present a generalised strategy for characterising the performance of activity recognition systems. We define a set of typical hand and tool activities in a woodwork assembly scenario. We evaluate two methods for detecting and recognising these activities using a combination of body-worn microphones and accelerometers. The first method uses two separately placed microphones on the user’s arm to locate the source of an activity. Whenever a sound is made close to the wrist, an interesting activity is assumed and classification is carried out using both acceleration and sound. The second method requires only wrist-worn sensors. It recognises activities by classifying sound and acceleration over a sliding window. The classifications from each of the sensor types are then compared, and a final result is given depending on how well they agree. In the second part of the thesis we introduce a strategy for evaluating the performance of continuous activity recognition systems. Like any area of scientific research, activity recognition requires standard methods and measures of performance. These are the tools with which researchers can compare and evaluate different systems, thus allowing the field to advance. Continuous activity recognition, however, has a number of performance issues which existing evaluation strategies - borrowed from related fields such as speech recognition - fail to capture. We explore these issues in depth and propose a new strategy of performance evaluation based on the complete characterisation of error types common to the activity recognition problem. Finally, we bring the two main topics of the thesis together. Using the results from our continuous recognition work we show the improvements of the proposed performance evaluation strategy over existing approaches.
Nkx6.1 controls migration and axon pathfinding of cranial branchio-motoneurons

As many studies have focused on the mechanisms of motoneuron specification, little is known about the factors that control the subsequent development of postmitotic motoneurons. Previously, we showed that the transcription factor Nkx6.1 is required for the early specification of somatic motoneuron progenitors in the spinal cord. Our present analysis of hindbrain motoneuron development in Nkx6.1-deficient mouse embryos reveals that the early specification of branchio-motoneurons is independent of Nkx6.1 function, but that it is required for their subsequent development. In Nkx6.1 mutant mice, we observed defects in the migration, as well as in the axon projections of branchio-motoneurons. A detailed analysis of the migratory defect in facial branchio-motoneurons reveals ectopic expression of the cell surface receptors Ret and Unc5h3 in premigratory neurons, but no changes in the rhombomeric environment. Taken together, our findings demonstrate a requirement for Nkx6.1 in the development of postmitotic motoneurons, and suggest a cell-autonomous function in the control of branchio-motoneuron migration.
Living flexibly? How Europe's science researchers manage mobility, fixed-term employment and life outside work

This paper draws from interviews with mobile science researchers to explore experiences of mobility and fixed-term employment in the EU. The paper takes a socio-legal approach, aiming to understand the contribution of EU law and policy to the resource framework within which career decisions are made. The high incidence of fixed-term employment and the expectation of geographic mobility in science labour markets has made science researchers very ‘flexible’ employees and, arguably, model EU citizens. But how are these factors managed in the context of every-day life? Developing sound empirical evidence of how individuals experience mobility and fixed-term employment could lead to more sensitive and effective policy making. This is particularly pertinent as human resource issues in science research have become central to achieving the EU's overarching strategies for growth and jobs (the Lisbon Strategy and Europe 2020). A range of policies designed to increase the mobility of researchers and to manage the use of fixed-term contracts have been put in place. This paper draws on empirical evidence to inform our understandings of these developing areas of law and policy in the EU.
Integrative Physiology/Experimental Medicine Soluble Flt-1 Gene Transfer Ameliorates Neointima Formation After Wire Injury in flt-1 Tyrosine Kinase–Deficient Mice

Objective—We have demonstrated that vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression is upregulated in injured vascular wall, and blockade of VEGF inhibited monocyte infiltration and neointima formation in several animal models. In the present study, we aimed to clarify relative role of two VEGF receptors, flt-1 versus flk-1/KDR, in neointima formation after injury using flt-1 tyrosine kinase-deficient (Flt-1 TK / ) mice and soluble Flt-1(sFlt-1) gene transfer. Methods and Results—Neointima formation was comparable between wild-type and Flt-1 TK / mice 28 days after intraluminal wire injury in femoral arteries. By contrast, neointima formation was significantly suppressed by sFlt-1 gene transfer into Flt-1 TK / mice that blocks VEGF action on flk-1 (intima/media ratio: 2.8 0.4 versus 1.4 0.4, P 0.05). The inhibition of neointima formation was preceded by significant reduction of monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP-1) expression in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and monocyte infiltration 7 days after injury. Gene transfer of sFlt-1 or treatment of flk-1–specific antibody significantly inhibited VEGF-induced MCP-1 expression determined by RT-PCR in cultured aortic tissue and VSMCs. MCP-1–induced chemotaxis was equivalent between wild-type and Flt-1 TK / mice. Conclusions—These results suggest that endogenous VEGF accelerates neointima formation through flk-1 by regulating MCP-1 expression in VSMCs and macrophage-mediated inflammation in injured vascular wall in murine model of wire injury. (Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2009;29:458-464.)
Modeling Corn Ethanol and Climate

New fuel regulations based on life cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have focused renewed attention on life cycle models of biofuels. The BESS model estimates 25% lower life cycle GHG emissions for corn ethanol than does the well‐known GREET model, which raises questions about which model is more accurate. I develop a life cycle metamodel to compare the GREET and BESS models in detail and to explain why the results from these models diverge. I find two main reasons for the divergence: (1) BESS models a more efficient biorefinery than is modeled in the cases to which its results have been compared, and (2) in several instances BESS fails to properly count upstream emissions. Adjustments to BESS to account for these differences raise the estimated global warming intensity (not including land use change) of the corn ethanol pathway considered in that model from 45 to 61 g CO2e MJ−1. Adjusting GREET to use BESS's biorefinery performance and coproduct credit assumptions reduces the GREET estimate from 64 to 61 g CO2e MJ−1. Although this analysis explains the gap between the two models, both models would be improved with better data on corn production practices and by better treatment of agricultural inputs.
Tour Guide Management in Hainan, China: Problems, Implications and Solutions

This paper presents a systematic examination of tour guide management in Hainan, China. A series of issues and problems with the implemented management mechanisms are identified. It reveals how inappropriate management measures contribute to deterioration of the guiding service and unhealthy operation of the guiding business. It argues that an enhanced tour guide management system could raise the professionalism of tour guides and also restrain improper business practices, thereby enhancing the quality of services provided by tour guides.
Estimation of amplitude and phase parameters of multicomponent signals

This paper considers the problem of estimating signals consisting of one or more components of the form a(t)e/sup j/spl phi/(t/), where the amplitude and phase functions are represented by a linear parametric model. The Cramer-Rao bound (CRB) on the accuracy of estimating the phase and amplitude parameters is derived. By analyzing the CRB for the single-component case, if is shown that the estimation of the amplitude and the phase are decoupled. Numerical evaluation of the CRB provides further insight into the dependence of estimation accuracy on signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and the frequency separation of the signal components. A maximum likelihood algorithm for estimating the phase and amplitude parameters is also presented. Its performance is illustrated by Monte-Carlo simulations, and its statistical efficiency is verified. >
Modification of Anopheles gambiae Distribution at High Altitudes in Madagascar

ABSTRACT: In Madagascar, Anopheles gambiae has been found below altitudes of 1,000 m. We sampled An. gambiae sensu lato (sl) between 2008 and 2010 in the Central Highlands of Madagascar at altitudes over 1,200 m. The study site consists of rainforest, rainforest edge, and an open savanna biotope. Anopheles gambiae and An. arabiensis, as well as molecular forms of An. gambiae, were identified molecularly. An. gambiae accounted for 26.7% at the edge of the rainforest and 2.3% in the open savanna biotope. One specimen of this species was caught in the forest. An. arabiensis accounted for 66.3% at the edge of the rainforest and 97.7 % in the open savanna biotope. All An. gambiae adults tested belonged to the S molecular form. An. gambiae is present at high altitudes in Madagascar, with a high prevalence at the rainforest edge. Several factors, including the appearance of new favorable biotopes, recolonization after a reduction of indoor vector control, and climate change, may contribute to its distribution. The changing distribution of An. gambiae may have consequences for the distribution and incidence of malaria in the Malagasy Highlands.
Household Responses to Increased Water Rates during the California Drought

This paper explores the use of fixed effects and maximum likelihood techniques to estimate household responses to water price increases during the California drought. Estimates are based on bimonthly meter readings from 599 single-family households in the Alameda County Water District over the period 1982-1992, before and after the introduction of a steeply increasing block rate price structure. I find that household and monthly fixed effects models are not successful in modeling water demand with these data. However, maximum likelihood models that explicitly consider the household's response to the rate structure result in plausible estimates of water demand.
Sensor based application for malware detection in android OS(Operating System) devices

With the increase of Android OS mobile's usage day-to-day, mobiles are getting affected with malware applications. Many antimalware's are available in the market to detect and remove these malwares from the device. But these antimalware's fails to detect the once the malware changes its form. To overcome this, we proposed a technique using SVM (Support Vector Machine) tool, which increases the malware detection strength. Each time when a new application is installed in the mobile, the permission features and API (Application Programming Interface) calls related to the application are extracted and weights are assigned to them. The weights are assigned based on their malicious nature. If the total weight exceeds the predefined threshold then it will considered as malware and reports to the user. This method can also detect even if the malware changes its form.
Banking of Biological Fluids for Studies of Disease-associated Protein Biomarkers*

With the increasing demand of providing personalized medicine the need for biobanking of biological material from individual patients has increased. Such samples are essential for molecular research aimed at characterizing diseases at several levels ranging from epidemiology and diagnostic and prognostic classification to prediction of response to therapy. Clinically validated biomarkers may provide information to be used for diagnosis, screening, evaluation of risk/predisposition, assessment of prognosis, monitoring (recurrence of disease), and prediction of response to treatment and as a surrogate response marker. Many types of biological fluids or tissues can be collected and stored in biorepositories. Samples of blood can be further processed into plasma and serum, and tissue pieces can be either frozen or fixed in formalin and then embedded into paraffin. The present review focuses on biological fluids, especially serum and plasma, intended for study of protein biomarkers. In biomarker studies the process from the decision to take a sample from an individual to the moment the sample is safely placed in the biobank consists of several phases including collection of samples, transport of the samples, and handling and storage of samples. Critical points in each step important for high quality biomarker studies are described in this review. Failure to develop and adhere to robust standardized protocols may have significant consequences as the quality of the material stored in the biobank as well as conclusions and clinical recommendations based on analysis of such material may be severely affected.
Good Muslim, bad Muslim : America, the Cold War, and the roots of terror

When the event we know as Nine Eleven happened, I was in New York City. As the weeks rolled by, and I read the American Press to try and make sense of the kind of debate that was developing, I was struck by reports that more and more Americans were going to bookshops to buy copies of the Koran—to understand the motivation of those who highjacked the planes, and drove them into the Twin Towers. Soon the New York Times was telling us that the Koran was amongst one of the highest-selling books in American bookshops. As the weeks rolled by there was the American invasion of Afghanistan, and then of Iraq. I wondered how many Afghanis and Iraqis were going to bookshops to buy copies of the Bible, to gain an understanding into the motivation of those who were dropping bombs on them. Like others, I knew that President Bush claimed to have a direct connection with God and claimed to be
Applications of proteomic methodologies to human pregnancy research: A growing gestation approaching delivery?

Maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality rates are significantly higher in pregnancies complicated by preterm labor, pre‐eclampsia and fetal growth restriction. Decades of research have not translated into a clear understanding of the underlying pathophysiologies or effective identification of women who are at high risk of developing these complications. Often the severity of these diseases does not correlate with the clinical symptoms, and current diagnostic methods are unable to accurately predict the conditions prior to clinical presentation. Though several potential markers have been proposed for each of these disorders, to date none have proven clinical utility. Emerging proteomic technology is only beginning to be employed in pregnancy research. A comprehensive analysis of gestational tissues can be expected to contribute to the elucidation of the complex molecular mechanisms of pregnancy and related complications. Comparison of the expression profiles of normal and pathogenic tissues and biofluids may also highlight novel candidate marker proteins that have so far remained undetected. More interestingly, rapidly evolving technologies using sophisticated bioinformatic tools are demonstrating their potential in disease diagnostics by using overall protein profiles to detect diseases. The clinical significance of these methodological advances is enormous. Early diagnosis together with improved understanding of underlying molecular mechanisms can enhance outcomes and increase effective management and therapeutic options.
(2S)‐Methylsuccinyl‐CoA dehydrogenase closes the ethylmalonyl‐CoA pathway for acetyl‐CoA assimilation

Many organic substrates are metabolized via acetyl‐coenzyme A (CoA) and enter central carbon metabolism at the level of this compound. We recently described the outlines of the ethylmalonyl‐CoA pathway, a new acetyl‐CoA assimilation strategy that operates in a number of bacteria such as Rhodobacter sphaeroides, Methylobacterium extorquens and streptomycetes and replaces the glyoxylate cycle. This new pathway involves a unique central reaction sequence catalysed by characteristic enzymes. Here, we identified and characterized (2S)‐methylsuccinyl‐CoA dehydrogenase from R. sphaeroides, a flavin adenine dinucleotide‐containing enzyme that catalyses the last unknown step in the central part of the ethylmalonyl‐CoA pathway, the oxidation of (2S)‐methylsuccinyl‐CoA to mesaconyl‐(C1)‐CoA. This enzyme is highly specific for its substrate and forms a distinct subgroup within the superfamily of flavin‐dependent acyl‐CoA dehydrogenases. Homology modelling and comparative sequence analyses with well‐studied members of this superfamily identified amino acids that may contribute to the narrow substrate specificity of (2S)‐methylsuccinyl‐CoA dehydrogenase. The central part of the ethylmalonyl‐CoA pathway was reconstituted in vitro using four recombinant enzymes. By this work, the ethylmalonyl‐CoA pathway and its stereochemical course have been completely solved. This allowed defining the minimum set of enzymes necessary for its operation and to screen for further organisms following this acetyl‐CoA assimilation strategy.
Old wine in new bottles? The Commission and the use of environmental policy instruments

In this article, we address two main questions. First, we ask whether the alleged shift in the Commission's environmental ‘policy style’ from a traditional regulatory style towards a new style based on less impositional, more market-based and co-operative instruments has actually occurred in practice. We seek to answer this question (a) by employing content analysis to assess the policy instruments propagated by the Commission in both the Fourth and Fifth Environmental Action Programmes (EAP); and (b) by analysing legislative proposals introduced by the Commission in designated environmental policy fields (atmospheric pollution, waste, water). On the basis of the findings we argue that there is a discrepancy between what the Commission declares in the EAPs and what it proposes in practice. Moreover, in a second step, we highlight the factors which might make any major shift in the Commission's policy style difficult to achieve in order to account for this discrepancy.
Sustainability and stakeholder approach in Olivetti from 1943 to 1960: a lesson from the past

Purpose of the paper : The sustainable enterprise focuses on its stakeholders’ interests. Today this perspective is a central one in the dialogue on enterprise goals and on the nature of the firm but it was already clear in the past history of some enlightened entrepreneurs like Adriano Olivetti. This important entrepreneur was able to balance economic responsibility and social ones in his managerial model and he showed that the pillars of sustainability, as we call them today, were internally coherent. Methodology : We apply an interpretative framework (Carroll’s pyramid) to analyze the entrepreneurial choices by Adriano Olivetti according to the various perspectives of Corporate Social Responsibility. Our analysis is based upon Adriano Olivetti’s texts and the transcriptions of his speeches, his biographies, and on interviews to managers that were active during the years of Adriano Olivetti’s administration of the Olivetti Group or later experienced the values left in the company after his untimely death. Findings : This article highlights how their extraordinary experience has demonstrated the full compatibility between social and economic responsibilities. Moreover, the article proves that the various dimensions of corporate social responsibility are tightly connected. Finally, it shows how good stakeholder management practices are a successful strategy. Research Limits : The article’s main limitation is that it is mostly based on anecdotal evidence and secondary sources. Practical implications : The analytical framework we employ can be useful in driving responsible management processes for modern managers and entrepreneurs. Originality of the paper : This article proposes two modified versions of a classic model on corporate social responsibility.
Sensory and Affective Aspects of Dyspnea Contribute Differentially to the Borg Scale’s Measurement of Dyspnea

Background:Recent research has shown that distinct dimensions in the perception of dyspnea can be differentiated; however, most studies to date have only used a global rating scale for the measurement of this sensation. Objectives: This study examined the different influence of sensory and affective aspects of perceived dyspnea on the commonly used Borg scale, which measures the global perception of dyspnea. Methods: Dyspnea was induced in 16 healthy volunteers (mean age 26.2 ± 6.3 years) by breathing through an inspiratory resistive load (3.57 kPa/l/s) in two experimental conditions (attention and distraction). After each of the two conditions the experienced intensity (i.e., sensory dimension) and unpleasantness (i.e., affective dimension) of dyspnea were rated on separate visual analog scales (VAS), followed by a global rating of dyspnea on the Borg scale. Hierarchical multiple linear regression models were calculated to analyze the predictive validity of VAS ratings of intensity and unpleasantness on the Borg scale ratings. Results: When subjects attended to their breathing, only VAS intensity scores showed a significant influence on Borg scale ratings (p < 0.05). In contrast, only the VAS unpleasantness scores showed a significant influence on Borg scale ratings (p < 0.05) when subjects were distracted. Conclusions: These findings show that sensory and affective aspects of perceived dyspnea differentially influence the global measure of dyspnea as determined by the Borg scale. A differentiation between these aspects in future studies through the use of separate rating scales could yield more detailed information on the perception and report of dyspnea.