Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Spiralling out of control? : online vulnerability in ego-centric networks

Online social network sites (SNS) are a ubiquitous method of socialising in the digital era. A potential source of social support, their continued and frequent use has been linked to a fear of missing out (FOMO) and the implicit desire to regulate offline psychological needs deficits through online connective behaviours. This thesis provides an examination of the online vulnerability implications associated with social networking. A multi-methods approach was used combining self-report surveys with digitally derived data from participants’ online networks. Participants were sampled by age-group (adolescents, university students, and adults), rendering an overall sample of 506 (53% male; 13 to 77 years) UK based Facebook users, from which subsequent study-specific datasets were derived. Data were analysed using confirmatory factor analysis, structural equation modelling, mediation analysis, multilevel modelling, and social network analysis. The results indicate that: (1) FOMO and online connective behaviours mediate the relationship between offline psychological vulnerability and exposure to negative online experiences; (2) offline vulnerabilities have the capacity to initiate a cycle of potentially problematic online behaviour; (3) maintaining a large, diverse network of social connections is associated with higher levels of reported exposure to negative online experiences; (4) the presence of certain types of individuals / online entities might be associated with an individual experiencing negative online experiences, and (5) adult users might be less likely to perceive themselves as vulnerable to negative online experiences when compared to adolescent users. The research contributes to knowledge and understanding of online life by providing a digitally enhanced perspective of the implications that offline psycho-social motivations, online behaviours, and user characteristics can have on an individual’s vulnerability to negative online experiences.
High-speed sensory-motor fusion for robotic grasping

In this paper a new high-speed vision device and its application to a grasp system is proposed, and we discuss a processing architecture for grasping based on visual and tactile feedback designed with real-time control in mind. First, we describe a high-speed vision chip that serves as a robotic eye that includes a general-purpose parallel processing array along with a photo-detector all on a single silicon chip. Next, we present a grasping algorithm based on real-time visual and tactile feedback, and a high-speed sensory–motor fusion system for robotic grasping. We then describe a grasping experiment using high-speed vision, and finally, based on these results, the effectiveness of high-speed sensory–motor fusion for robotic grasping is discussed.
Teaching Architecture, Learning Architecture. Technology in Support of Design Learning

In the many years of conferences on the teaching of computer skills or application of computers in design studios, we see discussions about the needs, methods and benefits of teaching the use of computer tools. A few of the papers review how students learn but none report how computer tools can be directly beneficial to the student’s learning of design. This paper reviews design learning ad illustrates how computer tools have been used to support learning. 1. Web supplemented teaching A group of students at the University of Hong Kong have been using a web bulletin board to support their design studio learning. The reason for choosing this particular software was its ease of use through a normal web browser interface, rapid access over dial up lines, capacity for customization in the interface, ability to include graphic images and URLs directly in messages as well as its ability to attach other files. The web board was used to supplement and support traditional face-to-face deskbased design teaching, not to replace such contact. The reason for using the web board, though, is to introduce an element of asynchronous textual communication to the design studio in the belief that this support will increase the learning of design. This belief is founded on several theoretical bases which will be explained in this paper. The students were in the second year of a three-year undergraduate BA in Architectural Studies that leads to a two-year Masters as a professionally recognized degree. Thus, the students in the second year are beginning to come to grips with the larger issues of architecture and its multifaceted problems. The design task set for the students was to (1) survey a community area; (2) prepare a design brief for a community center from needs identified in the survey; (3) find a site for the center; and (4) design
A Survey of Agile Development Methodologies

Plan-driven methods are those that begin with the solicitation and documentation of a set of requirements that is as complete as possible. Based on these requirements, one can then formulate a plan of development. Usually, the more complete the requirements, the better the plan. Some examples of plan-driven methods are various waterfall approaches and others such as the Personal Software Process (PSP) [28] and the Rational Unified Process (RUP) [30, 31]. An underlying assumption in plan-driven processes is that the requirements are relatively static. On the other hand, iterative methods, such as spiralmodel based approaches [12, 14], evolutionary processes described in [5, 22, 32, 33], and recently agile approaches [45] count on change and recognize that the only constant is change. The question is only of the degree and the impact of the change. Beginning in the mid-1990’s, practitioners began finding the rate of change in software requirements increasing well beyond the capabilities of classical development methodologies [11, 27]. The software industry, software technology, and customers expectations were moving very quickly and the customers were becoming increasingly less able to fully state their needs up front. As a result, agile methodologies and practices emerged as an explicit attempt to more formally embrace higher rates of requirements change.
Micro-architectural simulation of in-order and out-of-order ARM microprocessors with gem5

Heterogeneous multicore systems have gained momentum, specially for embedded applications, thanks to the performance and energy consumption trade-offs provided by inorder and out-of-order cores. Micro-architectural simulation models the behavior of pipeline structures and caches with configurable parameters. This level of abstraction is well known for being flexible enough to quickly evaluate the performance of new hardware implementations, such as future heterogeneous multicore platforms. However, currently, there is no open-source micro-architectural simulator supporting both in-order and out-of-order ARM cores. This article describes the implementation and accuracy evaluation of a micro-architectural simulator of Cortex-A cores, supporting in-order and out-of-order pipelines and based on the open-source gem5 simulator. We explain how to simulate CortexA8 and Cortex-A9 cores in gem5, and compare the execution time of ten benchmarks with real hardware. Both models, with average absolute errors of only 7 %, are more accurate than similar microarchitectural simulators, which show average absolute errors greater than 15 %.
Backtrack Search Using ZBDDs

We introduce a new approach to satisfiability that combines backtrack search techniques and zero-suppressed binary decision diagrams (ZBDDs). This approach implicitly represents satisfiability problems using ZBDDs, and performs search using operations on this representation. This methodology which adapts backtrack search algorithms to such implicit representations should allow for a potential exponential increase in the size of problems that can be handled. We describe how to perform backtrack search and conflict diagnosis with ZBDDs used as an underlying structure for clause representation. We also report on our initial experiments with this approach.
A rate adaptive and multipath routing protocol to support video streaming in MANETs

In this paper, we propose a solution consisting of two methods to provide reliable and efficient transmission of video streams over mobile ad-hoc networks. Our first method is a cross-layer rate adaptation scheme implemented at network layer. It works on the basis of video coding information provided by application layer. Proposed rate adaptation method adjusts the transmission rate during bursty traffic periods of data sessions according to the transmission rate of underlying wireless communication channel. Due to this, congestion on active routes and number of data packets waiting in nodes' out-going queues are reduced. Secondly, we propose an on-demand node-disjoint multipath routing protocol (NDMP-AODV) based on ad-hoc distance vector routing protocol. In NDMP-AODV, multiple routes between source-destination pairs allow the source to select a backup route in case current route is broken, without initiating a route discovery process. This reduces the routing overhead. We use network layer and physical layer metrics to evaluate the performance and effectiveness of proposed methods. Simulation results verify that proposed schemes not only increase the number of concurrent video sessions, but also decrease the distortion rate of transmitted video streams, thereby increasing the user perceived video quality.
Every smooth p-adic Lie group admits a compatible analytic structure

Abstract We show that every finite-dimensional p-adic Lie group of class Ck (where k ∈ ℕ ∪ {∞}) admits a Ck -compatible analytic Lie group structure. We also construct an exponential map for every k + 1 times strictly differentiable (SC k+1) ultrametric p-adic Banach-Lie group, which is an SC 1-diffeomorphism and admits Taylor expansions of all finite orders ≤ k.
Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Adipogenic Reduction by Prohibitin Silencing in 3T3-L1 Cells

Increase in mitochondrial biogenesis has been shown to accompany brown and white adipose cell differentiation. Prohibitins (PHBs), comprised of two evolutionarily conserved proteins, prohibitin-1 (PHB1) and prohibitin-2 (PHB2), are present in a high molecular-weight complex in the inner membrane of mitochondria. However, little is known about the effect of mitochondrial PHBs in adipogenesis. In the present study, we demonstrate that the levels of both PHB1 and PHB2 are significantly increased during adipogenesis of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes, especially in mitochondria. Knockdown of PHB1 or PHB2 by oligonucleotide siRNA significantly reduced the expression of adipogenic markers, the accumulation of lipids and the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases. In addition, fragmentation of mitochondrial reticulum, loss of mitochondrial cristae, reduction of mitochondrial content, impairment of mitochondrial complex I activity and excessive production of ROS were observed upon PHB-silencing in 3T3-L1 cells. Our results suggest that PHBs are critical mediators in promoting 3T3-L1 adipocyte differentiation and may be the potential targets for obesity therapies.
Metabolomics-Based Study of Logarithmic and Stationary Phases of Promastigotes in Leishmania major by 1H NMR Spectroscopy

Background: Cutaneous leishmaniasis is one of the most important parasitic diseases in humans. In this disease, one of the responsible organisms is Leishmania major, which is transmitted by sandfly vector. There are specific differences in biochemical profiles and metabolite pathways in logarithmic and stationary phases of Leishmania parasites. In the present study, 1H NMR spectroscopy was used to examine the metabolites outliers in the logarithmic and stationary phases of promastigotes in L. major to enlighten more about the transmission mechanism in metacyclogenesis of L. major. Methods: Promastigote was cultured, logarithmic and stationary phases were separated by the peanut agglutinin, and cell metabolites were extracted. 1H NMR spectroscopy was applied, and outliers were analyzed using principal component analysis. Results: The most altered metabolites in stationary and logarithmic phases were limited to citraconic acid, isopropylmalic acid, L-leucine, ornithine, caprylic acid, capric acid, and acetic acid. Conclusion: 1H NMR spectroscopy could play an important role in the characterization of metabolites in biochemical pathways during a metacyclogenesis process. These metabolites and their pathways can help in exploiting a transmission mechanism in metacyclogenesis, and outcoming data might be used in the metabolic network reconstruction of L. major modeling.
Rural-urban Differences in Sociodemographic, Social Network and Lifestyle Factors Related to Mortality of Middle-aged Japanese Men from the Komo-Ise Cohort Study

To examine rural-urban differences in the relationships of sociodemographic, social network, and lifestyle factors to mortality in middle-aged men, we used the data from a community based prospective cohort study, the Komo-Ise study. The subjects were all men aged 40-69 years living in Komochi Village, the rural group (n=2,295), or the downtown district of Isesaki City, the urban group (n=3,334), as of 1993. They completed a self-administered questionnaire in 1993 and were followed for all-cause deaths until 2000. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to compute relative risks (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Low educated men and men without a spouse in the rural group had an increased risk of mortality (RR=4.4; 95%CI: 1.1-18.2, RR=2.4; 95%CI: 1.2-4.5). Men who did not enjoy good fellowship with their neighbors in the rural group had a decreased risk of mortality (RR=0.58; 95%CI: 0.35-0.97). Mortality risks were significantly higher in urban men not participating in hobbies, club activities or community groups (RR=1.6; 95%CI: 1.1-2.4). These variables remained significant risk factors, even after controlling for all sociodemographic, social network, lifestyle, and health status variables. Educational level, marital status and relation to neighborhoods showed significant rural-urban differences.
A class of data structures for associative searching

By interleaving the bits of the binary representations of the attribute values in a tuple, an integer corresponding to the tuple is created. A set of these integers represents a relation. The usual ordering of these integers corresponds to an ordering of multidimensional data that allows the use of conventional file organizations, such as Btrees, in the efficient processing of multidimensional queries (e.g. range queries). The class of data structures generated by this scheme includes a type of kd tree whose balance can be efficiently maintained, a multidimensional Btree which is simpler than previously proposed generalizations, and some previously reported data structures for range searching. All of the data structures in this class also support the efficient implementation of the set operations.
Spike-Timing Dependent Plasticity and Regime Transitions in Random Recurrent Neural Networks

In this paper, we investigate how Spike-Timing Dependent Plasticity, when applied to a random recurrent neural network of leaky integrate-and-fire neurons, can affect its dynamical regime. We show that in an autonomous network with self-sustained activity, STDP has a regularization effect and simplifies the dynamics. We then look at two different ways to present stimuli to the network: potential-based input and current-based input. We show that in the first case STDP can lead to either synchronous or asynchronous periodical activity, depending on the network's internal parameters. However, in the latter case, synchronization can only appear when the input is presented to a fraction of the neurons instead of the whole.
Automation of Mobile Pick and Place Robotic System for Small Food Industry

The use of robotics in food industry is becoming more popular in recent years. The trend seems to continue as long as the robotics technology meets diverse and challenging needs of the food producers. Rapid developments in digital computers and control systems technologies have significant impact in robotics like any other engineering fields. By utilizing new hardware and software tools, design of these complex systems that need strong integration of distinct disciplines is no longer difficult compared to the past. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to design and implement a micro-controller based on reliable and high performance robotic system for food / biscuit manufacturing line. We propose a design of a vehicle. The robot is capable of picking unbaked biscuits tray and places them into furnace and then after baking it picks the biscuits tray from the furnace. A special gripper is designed to pick and place the biscuits tray with flexibility.
Behavior Simulation and Analysis Techniques for Management Action Policies (or Hints towards the Integartion of Management Action Policies within TIMS).

In the context of the TIMS 1 project, a rapid-prototyping environment for TMN-systems is under development. The information modeling falicility is based on a fully object oriented framework (GDMO / ASN.1 support) extended with relationships (GRM support). Managed Object behaviors are speciﬁed thanks to the Behavior Language (BL), which enables both imperative and declarative speciﬁcations, in the context of relationships. Hints are given to show how policy objects and the so-called management policy scripts could be realized thanks to the provided information modeling facilities along with the BL. Finally, various semantics for the BL are described. Some of them constitute true behavioral simulation and analysis tools, which should reveal very useful in the context of detecting management policy conﬂicts.
High-performance coordinated motion control of high-speed biaxial systems for contouring tasks with comparative experimental investigations

This paper proposes a global task coordinate frame (TCF) based adaptive robust controller with cogging force compensation for an industrial linear-motor-driven biaxial precision gantry as a case study to test the practically achievable highspeed/high-accuracy contouring performance. Specifically, the approach employs the global task coordinate formulation to meet the stringent control performance requirements for highspeed coordinated contouring tasks. Moreover, the approach explicitly takes into account the specific characteristics of cogging forces existed in linear motors for the controller design as model compensation to further improve practical contouring performance. Adaptive robust contouring control scheme is then constructed to effectively attenuate the effect of model compensation errors due to various uncertainties for a theoretically guaranteed transient performance and steady-state tracking accuracy. Comparative experiments results obtained on a linear-motor-driven biaxial high-speed industrial gantry verify the effectiveness of the proposed cogging force compensations. The results also validate the excellent contouring performance of the proposed controller for high-speed/high-accuracy contouring tasks in actual implementation in spite of various parametric uncertainties and uncertain disturbances.
A three decomposition control algorithm for controlling biped walking with dynamic balance

One of the challenging research issues in controlling 3D biped walking is how to control it keep balance when suffering an unexpected disturbed. This paper describes a three decomposition control algorithm for controlling 3D biped walking with dynamic balance. In our algorithm, the swing leg angle is associated with walking velocity. when the biped suffering an unexpected disturb, the walking velocity will change, and the swing leg will change corresponding by control which makes the biped is supported again when the swing leg touchdown. Our control algorithm is test by simulation, the biped can be pushed out of place but doesn't fall down by a big thrust. Simulation results show that the simple decomposition control algorithm is effective.
Towards Survivable and Secure Wireless Sensor Networks

In this paper, we present a comprehensive study on the design of secure and survivable wireless sensor networks (WSNs). Our goal is to develop a framework that provides both security and survivability features that are crucial to applications in WSNs, which are vulnerable to physical and network based security attacks, accidents, and failures. To achieve such a goal, we first examine the security requirements and survivability requirements. We then propose an architecture for security and survivability in WSNs with heterogeneous sensor nodes. To understand the interactions between survivability and security, we also design and analyze a key management scheme. The experiment results show that 1) a good design can improve both security and survivability of WSNs; and 2) in some situation, there is a trade-off between security and survivability.
Phylogeny and biogeography of wild roses with specific attention to polyploids.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS The genus Rosa (150-200 species) is widely distributed throughout temperate and sub-tropical habitats from the northern hemisphere to tropical Asia, with only one tropical African species. In order to better understand the evolution of roses, this study examines infrageneric relationships with respect to conventional taxonomy, considers the extent of allopolyploidization and infers macroevolutionary processes that have led to the current distribution of the genus. METHODS Phylogenetic relationships among 101 species of the genus Rosa were reconstructed using sequences from the plastid psbA-trnH spacer, trnL intron, trnL-F spacer, trnS-G spacer and trnG intron, as well as from nuclear glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), which was used to identify putative allopolyploids and infer their possible origins. Chloroplast phylogeny was used to estimate divergence times and reconstruct ancestral areas. KEY RESULTS Most subgenera and sections defined by traditional taxonomy are not monophyletic. However, several clades are partly consistent with currently recognized sections. Allopolyploidy seems to have played an important role in stabilizing intersectional hybrids. Biogeographic analyses suggest that Asia played a central role as a genetic reservoir in the evolution of the genus Rosa. CONCLUSIONS The ancestral area reconstruction suggests that despite an early presence on the American continent, most extant American species are the results of a later re-colonization from Asia, probably through the Bering Land Bridge. The results suggest more recent exchanges between Asia and western North America than with eastern North America. The current distribution of roses from the Synstylae lineage in Europe is probably the result of a migration from Asia approx. 30 million years ago, after the closure of the Turgai strait. Directions for a new sectional classification of the genus Rosa are proposed, and the analyses provide an evolutionary framework for future studies on this notoriously difficult genus.
Applying Fuzzy Image Processing Technology to Inspect Defects of Thin Film Transistor-Liquid Crystal Display

TFT-LCD cell process the grinding process, which can smoothen out the even edges of the TFT-glass substrate. In this processing, edges of the TFT-glass substrate easily fracture, which may damage the circuit of terminals. By using AOI to inspect the terminal, this study designs a fuzzy operator to separate the defect based on the arc curve that the detect features. By introducing the concept of image pyramid into the fuzzy operator, this study enables this fuzzy operator to be suitable for detecting defects, which are extremely small in size. Experimental results proved that the AOI for this study can accurately decide the grinding position of the TFT-glass substrate and simultaneously inspect terminals to ensure the terminal integrity.