Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dynamic Multiplexing of IP-Streams onto Shared Cellular Links

We will discuss the problem of multiplexing variable-rate IP-streams onto shared cellular links, which is usually more difficult than performing resource allocation in fixed networks due to the timevarying and location-dependent nature of the wireless channel. Hence, we will show that simple schemes, if they are not supplied with additional link status information, do not yield acceptable results. Furthermore, we will present a more sophisticated scheduling policy, which is based on the general principle of Class-Based Queuing and has been adapted by us to the specific characteristics of wireless links. Compared to simpler solutions, it supports prioritization of data streams, thus achieving significant performance improvements in terms of guaranteed bandwidth and delay per user/service, as will be shown for a GSM-GPRS system.
Sampling Schemes for Exploring Correlations of Users in Social Networking

Recent past has witnessed tremendous increase in social networking that provides a virtual platform to people to share information, meet friends online and use the platform for various activities. This cased an increased interest among research communities to utilize the huge amount of data being available for their information needs. The peers that involve in social networking have its needs for information. Papagelis et al. introduced sampling based approaches to obtain and explore a user’s social network. They introduced some sampling schemes that are used to find correlations across the samples in centralized and distributed environments. In this paper we have implemented those schemes in order to help ranking algorithms for ranking neighborhood of a user. We also built a prototype application that demonstrates the proof of concept. The experiments are performed using real and synthetic data sets. The results revealed that the proposed system is effective and can be used in the real world.
Thermal balancing of liquid-cooled 3D-MPSoCs using channel modulation

While possessing the potential to replace conventional air-cooled heat sinks, inter-tier microchannel liquid cooling of 3D ICs also creates the problem of increased thermal gradients from the fluid inlet to outlet ports [1, 2]. These cooling-induced thermal gradients can be high enough to create undesirable stress in the ICs, undermining the structural reliability and lifetimes. In this paper, we present a novel design-time solution for the thermal gradient problem in liquid-cooled 3D Multi-Processor System-on-Chip (MPSoC) architectures. The proposed method is based on channel width modulation and provides the designers with an additional dimension in the design-space exploration. We formulate the channel width modulation as an optimal control design problem to minimize the temperature gradients in the 3D IC while meeting the design constraints. The proposed thermal balancing technique uses an analytical model for forced convective heat transfer in microchannels, and has been applied to a two tier 3D-MPSoC. The results show that the proposed approach can reduce thermal gradients by up to 31% when applied to realistic 3D-MPSoC architectures, while maintaining pressure drops in the microchannels well below their safe limits of operation.
Kinematic modelling of anthropomorphic robot upper limb with human-like hands

The actual development of humanoid robots has recently led robot designers to take interest in human-like artificial hands to be used by anhtropomorphic manipulators instead of the classic, but so weakly anthropomorphic, industrial robot gripper. Controlling a robot upper limb with an artificial hand is, according to us, a new challenge for robotics. We analyze how to derive a Denavit-Hartenberg table associating a serial kinematic model of the arm with a branched-chain model of the hand adapted to both the coordination of digits alone and to combined movements between arm and digit. We test an original 11R model combining a 7R arm model with a 4R index model for which we propose a differential computation based on M.Renaud's preferential Jacobian notion. Preliminary simulation results highlight new issues for the task space control of manipulators with jointed digits.
FdeC, a Novel Broadly Conserved Escherichia coli Adhesin Eliciting Protection against Urinary Tract Infections

ABSTRACT The increasing antibiotic resistance of pathogenic Escherichia coli species and the absence of a pan-protective vaccine pose major health concerns. We recently identified, by subtractive reverse vaccinology, nine Escherichia coli antigens that protect mice from sepsis. In this study, we characterized one of them, ECOK1_0290, named FdeC (factor adherence E. coli) for its ability to mediate E. coli adhesion to mammalian cells and extracellular matrix. This adhesive propensity was consistent with the X-ray structure of one of the FdeC domains that shows a striking structural homology to Yersinia pseudotuberculosis invasin and enteropathogenic E. coli intimin. Confocal imaging analysis revealed that expression of FdeC on the bacterial surface is triggered by interaction of E. coli with host cells. This phenotype was also observed in bladder tissue sections derived from mice infected with an extraintestinal strain. Indeed, we observed that FdeC contributes to colonization of the bladder and kidney, with the wild-type strain outcompeting the fdeC mutant in cochallenge experiments. Finally, intranasal mucosal immunization with recombinant FdeC significantly reduced kidney colonization in mice challenged transurethrally with uropathogenic E. coli, supporting a role for FdeC in urinary tract infections. IMPORTANCE Pathogenic Escherichia coli strains are involved in a diverse spectrum of diseases, including intestinal and extraintestinal infections (urinary tract infections and sepsis). The absence of a broadly protective vaccine against all these E. coli strains is a major problem for modern society due to high costs to health care systems. Here, we describe the structural and functional properties of a recently reported protective antigen, named FdeC, and elucidated its putative role during extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli infection by using both in vitro and in vivo infection models. The conservation of FdeC among strains of different E. coli pathotypes highlights its potential as a component of a broadly protective vaccine against extraintestinal and intestinal E. coli infections. Pathogenic Escherichia coli strains are involved in a diverse spectrum of diseases, including intestinal and extraintestinal infections (urinary tract infections and sepsis). The absence of a broadly protective vaccine against all these E. coli strains is a major problem for modern society due to high costs to health care systems. Here, we describe the structural and functional properties of a recently reported protective antigen, named FdeC, and elucidated its putative role during extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli infection by using both in vitro and in vivo infection models. The conservation of FdeC among strains of different E. coli pathotypes highlights its potential as a component of a broadly protective vaccine against extraintestinal and intestinal E. coli infections.
Predicting the Synchronization of a Network of Electronic Repressilators

Synchronization of coupled oscillators is by now a very well studied subject. A large number of analytical and computational tools are available for the treatment of experimental results. This article focuses on a method recently proposed to construct a phase model from experimental data. The advantage of this method is that it extracts a phase model in a noninvasive manner without any prior knowledge of the experimental system. The aim of the present research is to apply this methodology to a network of electronic genetic oscillators. These electronic circuits mimic the dynamics of a synthetic genetic oscillator, called "repressilator", which is capable of synthesizing autonomous biological rhythms. The obtained phase model is shown to be capable of recovering the route leading to synchronization of genetic oscillators. The predicted onset point of synchronization agrees quite well with the experiment. This encourages further application of the present method to synthetic biological systems.
Zinc, iron and calcium are major limiting nutrients in the complementary diets of rural Kenyan children

Abstract Poor quality infant and young child (IYC) diets contribute to chronic under‐nutrition. To design effective IYC nutrition interventions, an understanding of the extent to which realistic food‐based strategies can improve dietary adequacy is required. We collected 24‐h dietary recalls from children 6–23 months of age (n = 401) in two rural agro‐ecological zones of Kenya to assess the nutrient adequacy of their diets. Linear programming analysis (LPA) was used to identify realistic food‐based recommendations (FBRs) and to determine the extent to which they could ensure intake adequacy for 12 nutrients. Mean nutrient densities of the IYC diets were below the desired level for four to nine of the 10 nutrients analysed, depending on the age group. Mean dietary diversity scores ranged from 2.1 ± 1.0 among children 6–8 months old in Kitui County to 3.7 ± 1.1 food groups among children 12–23 months old in Vihiga County. LPA confirmed that dietary adequacy for iron, zinc and calcium will be difficult to ensure using only local foods as consumed. FBRs for breastfed children that promote the daily consumption of cows'/goats' milk (added to porridges), fortified cereals, green leafy vegetables, legumes, and meat, fish or eggs, 3–5 times per week can ensure dietary adequacy for nine and seven of 12 nutrients for children 6–11 and 12–23 months old, respectively. For these rural Kenyan children, even though dietary adequacy could be improved via realistic changes in habitual food consumption practices, alternative interventions are needed to ensure dietary adequacy at the population level.
Efficient Decoder for Perfect Space-Time Codes

Perfect space-time block code (STBC) is one of the most excellent space-time codes (STC). An equivalent vertical Bell Laboratories layered space-time (V- BLAST) decoding model is proposed for perfect STBC decoding in this paper. Then, the decoder of minimum mean-square error decision feedback equalizer (MMSE-DFE) Fano-search (abbreviated as "MMSE- DFE-Fano "), which is regarded as one of the most efficient decoding schemes available for STC decoding, is simply modified by unbiased extending and by boundary controlling. Simulation results show that the modified decoder approaches maximum- likelihood (ML) decoding performance with considerably reduced complexity. Compared with "MMSE-DFE-Fano" decoder, the proposed decoder obtains about 2 dB gains with almost no complexity increase at a wide range of signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). In addition, the proposed decoder is robust to any antenna configurations and to arbitrary modulation constellations. With such efficient decoder, perfect STBC is a promising scheme for broadband data transmission over wireless channels.
The influence of malaria parasite genetic diversity and anaemia on mosquito feeding and fecundity

Studies of invertebrate–parasite interactions frequently report that infection reduces host fecundity. The extent of the reduction is likely to be determined by a wide range of host and parasite factors. We conducted a laboratory experiment to evaluate the role of parasite genetics and infection genetic diversity on the fecundity of mosquitoes carrying malaria parasites. The malaria vector Anopheles stephensi was infected with either of 2 different genotypes of the rodent malaria parasite Plasmodium chabaudi, or by a mixture of both. Mixed genotype infections reduced mosquito fecundity by 20%, significantly more than either of the 2 single genotype infections. Mixed genotype infections were associated with high gametocyte densities and anaemia in mice, both of which were correlated with reduced bloodmeal size in mosquitoes. Bloodmeal size was the most important predictor of mosquito fecundity; the presence and number of parasites had no direct effect. Parasite density influenced the propensity of mosquitoes to feed on infected mice, with a higher percentage of mosquitoes taking a meal as asexual parasite and gametocyte density increased. Thus mosquitoes may preferentially feed on hosts who will most impair their fecundity.
Interactive Visualization based Active Learning

Active learning aims to label the most informative data points in order to minimize the cost of labeling [1]. In this work, we introduce a human based approach, namely First Certain Wrong Labeled (FCWL) to select points for labeling. It is based on a ranked list of predictions ordered by confidence, from which the user selects the highest ranking incorrect prediction. The experimental results show the improvement in performance of this method compared to others.
Virtual Reality in Cooperative Teleoperation

Virtual reality enables to build systems that enhance communication by facilitating information display. ln teleoperation applications, virtual reality improves task performance thanks to intuitive manipulation and exploration of working environment. ln more, an interactive 3D simulation allows to give "virtual assistance" to the operator by adding guides or actors, present or not in the real world, which aid the operator in task leaming or execution. Our research in telerobotics systems involves the integration of (real or virtual) autonomous entities as assistants for teleoperation missions. This paper describes a platformfor teleoperation systems prototyping that is able to manage teleoperated and autonomous entities. This platform, called ASSET, includes contrai of interaction and acting devices, 3D rendering and easy integration of user components. Our system is analysed in this paper and a concrete example of its applicability in cooperative teleoperation is shown.
Computation of Grobner Basis for Systematic Encoding of Generalized Quasi-Cyclic Codes

Generalized quasi-cyclic (GQC) codes form a wide and useful class of linear codes that includes thoroughly quasi-cyclic codes, finite geometry (FG) low density parity check (LDPC) codes, and Hermitian codes. Although it is known that the systematic encoding of GQC codes is equivalent to the division algorithm in the theory of Grobner basis of modules, there has been no algorithm that computes Grobner basis for all types of GQC codes. In this paper, we propose two algorithms to compute Grobner basis for GQC codes from their parity check matrices: echelon canonical form algorithm and transpose algorithm. Both algorithms require sufficiently small number of finite-field operations with the order of the third power of code-length. Each algorithm has its own characteristic; the first algorithm is composed of elementary methods, and the second algorithm is based on a novel formula and is faster than the first one for high-rate codes. Moreover, we show that a serial-in serial-out encoder architecture for FG LDPC codes is composed of linear feedback shift registers with the size of the linear order of code-length; to encode a binary codeword of length n, it takes less than 2n adder and 2n memory elements. Keywords: automorphism group, Buchberger's algorithm, division algorithm, circulant matrix, finite geometry low density parity check (LDPC) codes.
One Disaster, Three Institutional Responses

Public discourses over the same social crisis—the most deadly train crash in recent times in China, in July 2011—show three divergent but interactive packages across the government, the media, and online public opinion. The government dominated public discourse and framed the crash as an intra-institutional flaw. The media sought to legitimize the official rhetoric by focusing on victim compensation, official concern, and rescue. Online public opinion, however, contested both official rhetoric and media discourse, and highlighted the train crash as terrible malfeasances of the government. Constructed as a result of the state legitimation crisis, the three perspectives are entangled in a tense “dominator–mediator–challenger” relationship. However, the seemingly diversified opinions and conflicting ideas have been maintained within the sphere of legitimate controversy that does not necessarily undermine state legitimacy. The coercive state’s control and the mimetic organizational responses to crisis direct social actors to behave similarly and form institutional isomorphism. The dominance of political power over social power is thus manifest in the process of discursive competition and interaction. The discursive framework developed in this study illuminates similar crisis events in Asia and in Western democracies where social trust in government and in media is relatively low.
Validation of the work-related age-based stereotypes (WAS) scale

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to focus on developing and validating a multidimensional measure of work-related age-based stereotypes (WAS) scale. Design/methodology/approach – Based upon a review of the literature, a three-dimensional stereotype content model including both negative (incompetence, inadaptability) and positive (warmth) stereotypes of older workers was created. Construct, convergent, discriminant, and criterion-related validity for the WAS scale were examined across three independent samples constituting both lab-based experimental studies and a field-based survey (total n=1,245). Findings – Across all samples, the WAS evidenced good construct, convergent, discriminant, and criterion-related validity. Originality/value – As evidenced by a review of the literature, the WAS is unique in that it measures both negative and positive stereotypes of older workers. Implications for research are discussed.
Diversity regularized metric learning for person re-identification

Metric learning is an effective method for person re-identification. It utilizes latent factors to find a suitable space for measuring distances. In general, a small number of factors are not powerful enough to match the pedestrians while a large number of factors cause high computational cost. In this paper, to balance this trade-off, a novel diversity regularized distance metric learning method is proposed. For feature representation, the local discriminative features are extracted from the source image and an adjacency maximal constraint is developed to handle the misaligned issue. Then a diversity regularizer is used to learn a metric by making the latent factors uncorrelated so that a small amount of latent factors can preserve effectiveness in measuring distances while reducing the computational burden. Our experimental results show that the proposed method with a small amount of factors can obtain comparative or even better performance compared to the state-of-art methods.
Valuation Effects of Institutional Ownership: the Case of Corporate Takeovers

We examine the relation between the degree of short sale constraints for acquiring firms' equity and post takeover stock performance. We find that negative long-run abnormal returns appear to decline (in economic and statistical terms) as the extent and persistence of institutional block-holder ownership increase, after accounting for the size, book-to-market and method of payment effects. In the spirit of Miller (1977), such evidence implies that the degree of short sale constraints serves as an important determinant of acquiring firms' short-run overpricing. It appears that the presence of concentrated institutional presence mitigates and in most cases eliminates, through effective arbitrage, any short-run overpricing that may be responsible for the long-run underperformance of acquirers, preserving in this way efficiency in the takeover markets.
Automatic bootstrapping of a morphable face model using multiple components

We present a new bootstrapping algorithm to automatically enhance a 3D morphable face model with new face data. Our algorithm is based on a morphable model fitting method that uses a set of predefined face components. This fitting method produces accurate model fits to 3D face data with noise and holes. In the fitting process, the dense point-to-point correspondences between the scan data and the face model may become less reliable at the borders of components. We solve this by introducing a blending technique that improves on the distorted correspondences close to the borders. Afterwards, a new face instance is acquired similar to the 3D scan data and in full correspondence with the face model. These newly generated face instances can then be added to the morphable face model to build a more descriptive one. To avoid our bootstrapping algorithm from needlessly adding redundant face data, we incorporate a redundancy estimation algorithm. We tested our bootstrapping algorithm on a set of scans acquired with different scanning devices, and on the UND data set. Quantitative and qualitative evaluation shows that our algorithm successfully enhances an initial morphable face model with new face data, in a fully automatic manner.
Leveraging Error Compensation to Minimize Time Deviation in Parallel Multi-core Simulations

Due to synchronization overhead, it is challenging to apply the parallel simulation techniques of multi-core processors to a larger scale. Although the use of lax synchronization scheme reduces the synchronous overhead and balances the load between synchronous points, it introduces timing errors. To improve the accuracy of lax synchronized simulations, we propose an error compensation technique, which leverages prediction methods to compensate for simulated time deviations due to timing errors. The rationale of our approach is that, in the simulated multi-core processor systems the errors typically propagate via the delays of some pivotal events that connect subsystem models across different hierarchies. By predicting delays based on the simulation results of the preceding pivotal events, our techniques can eliminate errors from the predicted delays before they propagate to the models at higher hierarchies, thereby effectively improving the simulation accuracy. Since the predictions don't have any constraint on synchronizations, our approach largely maintains the scalability of lax synchronization schemes. Furthermore, our proposed mechanism is orthogonal to other parallel simulation techniques and can be used in conjunction with them. Experimental results show error compensation improves the accuracy of lax synchronized simulations by 60.2% and achieves 98.2% accuracy when combined with an enhanced lax synchronization.
Detecting Emerging Wearout Faults

Aggressive CMOS scaling accelerates transistor and interconnect wearout, resulting in shorter and less predictable lifetimes for microprocessors. Studies show that wearout faults have a gradual onset, manifesting initially as timing faults before eventually leading to hard breakdown. Prior work suggests detecting wearout faults as they begin to affect normal operation, but these techniques require complex circuit and/or microarchitectural changes. Our proposal, FIRST (Fingerprints In Reliability and Self Test), uses existing design-for-test hardware (scanout chains) and infrequent periodic tests under reduced frequency guardbands to observe marginal behavior that is an indication of wearout. FIRST is a low-overhead, complexityeffective methodology for detecting emerging wearout faults before they affect normal operation. We discuss the operation of FIRST error detection, present a model for wearout fault simulation, and demonstrate FIRST’s effectiveness on a portion of a commercial microprocessor design.