Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A 3D Item Space Visualization for Presenting and Manipulating User Preferences in Collaborative Filtering

While conventional Recommender Systems perform well in automatically generating personalized suggestions, it is often difficult for users to understand why certain items are recommended and which parts of the item space are covered by the recommendations. Also, the available means to influence the process of generating results are usually very limited. To alleviate these problems, we suggest a 3D map-based visualization of the entire item space in which we position and present sample items along with recommendations. The map is produced by mapping latent factors obtained from Collaborative Filtering data onto a 2D surface through Multidimensional Scaling. Then, areas that contain items relevant with respect to the current user's preferences are shown as elevations on the map, areas of low interest as valleys. In addition to the presentation of his or her preferences, the user may interactively manipulate the underlying profile by raising or lowering parts of the landscape, also at cold-start. Each change may lead to an immediate update of the recommendations. Using a demonstrator, we conducted a user study that, among others, yielded promising results regarding the usefulness of our approach.
Intrusion Detection Using Secured and Efficient Data Mining

An Intrusion detection system (IDS) is a device or a software application that monitors a network or systems for malicious activity or policy violations. Intrusion Detection Systems supports to discover, determine, and identify unauthorized use, duplication, alteration, and destruction of information systems. So, to make intrusion detection system more efficient, the techniques that are more advantageous are used here. The NSL dataset is proposed to train the intrusion detection system. The NSL dataset is used to avoid duplication of entries of intruders in the dataset. The output received by using NSL dataset and previously proposed KDD cup dataset will be compared. Also, the real-time intrusion detection can be done.
Memory Performance Attacks: Denial of Memory Service in Multi-Core Systems

We are entering the multi-core era in computer science. All major high-performance processor manufacturers have integrated at least two cores (processors) on the same chip - and it is predicted that chips with many more cores will become widespread in the near future. As cores on the same chip share the DRAM memory system, multiple programs executing on different cores can interfere with each others' memory access requests, thereby adversely affecting one another's performance. In this paper, we demonstrate that current multi-core processors are vulnerable to a new class of Denial of Service (DoS) attacks because the memory system is "unfairly" shared among multiple cores. An application can maliciously destroy the memory-related performance of another application running on the same chip. We call such an application a memory performance hog (MPH). With the widespread deployment of multicore systems in commodity desktop and laptop computers, we expect MPHs to become a prevalent security issue that could affect almost all computer users. We show that an MPH can reduce the performance of another application by 2.9 times in an existing dual-core system, without being significantly slowed down itself; and this problem will become more severe as more cores are integrated on the same chip. Our analysis identifies the root causes of unfairness in the design of the memory system that make multicore processors vulnerable to MPHs. As a solution to mitigate the performance impact of MPHs, we propose a new memory system architecture that provides fairness to different applications running on the same chip. Our evaluations show that this memory system architecture is able to effectively contain the negative performance impact of MPHs in not only dual-core but also 4-core and 8-core systems.
Crystal structure of the Streptococcus pneumoniae mevalonate kinase in complex with diphosphomevalonate

Streptococcus pneumoniae, a ubiquitous gram‐positive pathogen with an alarming, steadily evolving resistance to frontline antimicrobials, poses a severe global health threat both in the community and in the clinic. The recent discovery that diphosphomevalonate (DPM), an essential intermediate in the isoprenoid biosynthetic pathway, potently and allosterically inhibits S. pneumoniae mevalonate kinase (SpMK) without affecting the human isozyme established a new target and lead compound for antimicrobial design. Here we present the crystal structure of the first S. pneumoniae mevalonate kinase, at a resolution of 2.5 Å and in complex with DPM·Mg2+ in the active‐site cleft. Structural comparison of SpMK with other members of the GHMP kinase family reveals that DPM functions as a partial bisubstrate analog (mevalonate linked to the pyrophosphoryl moiety of ATP) in that it elicits a ternary‐complexlike form of the enzyme, except for localized disordering in a region that would otherwise interact with the missing portion of the nucleotide. Features of the SpMK‐binding pockets are discussed in the context of established mechanistic findings and inherited human diseases linked to MK deficiency.
Simplified design, optimization and comparative study of SPM, BLDC and halbach machines for microsatellite electro-mechanical batteries

Electro-mechanical batteries (EMBs) have many important advantages compared with chemical batteries, especially in low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite applications. Different slotless, external rotor, permanent magnet (PM) machines are suggested and used in these systems as motor/generator. Synchronous permanent magnet (SPM), brushless dc (BLDC) and Halbach (HB) machines are three types that are most commonly used. In this paper, the best machine will be introduced using a comparative study. Proper material and structure for space applications are introduced and simplified. The analytic design methods are given for three types of machines. Then, all three types of machines are optimized in order to have a fair comparison. Particle swarm optimization (PSO) is used as the optimization algorithm and the finite element-based simulations are used to confirm the design and optimization process. Finally, the best machine is introduced based on the important parameters in a microsatellite.
Of mice and men: comparative proteomics of bronchoalveolar fluid

We hypothesised that comparing the protein mixture in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) between humans and mice may lead to mechanistic insights into common and divergent pathways that evolved in each species. BALF from four humans and six mice was pooled separately and underwent identical shotgun proteomic analysis. Functional and network analysis was applied to identify overlapping and distinct pathways enriched in the BALF. Follow-up experiments using Western analysis in unpooled BALF samples were performed. We identified 91 unique proteins in human and 117 unique proteins in mouse BALF samples. Functional analysis of the proteins revealed conservation of several key processes between the species, including defence response. Oxidative stress response, however, was selectively enriched only in mouse BALF. Differences in the expression of peroxiredoxin-1, a key member of the defence pathway against oxidative injury, were confirmed between normal human and mouse BALF and in models of lung injury. A computational proteomics approach of mouse and human BALF confirms the conservation of immune and defence-mediated pathways while highlighting differences in response to oxidative stress. These observations suggest that the use of mice models to study human lung disorders should be undertaken with an appreciation of interspecies variability.
Habit, Cognition and the Environment:The influence of psychosocial and perceived environmental factors on children's physical activity

Physical activity determinant studies now often include both environmental and socio-cognitive factors but few of them acknowledge and explore the mechanisms underlying relevant environmental influences. This thesis addressed the gap in current knowledge by exploring pathways linking the environment and physical activity in children beyond the limits of models such as the Theory of Planned Behaviour (Ajzen, 1991), by examining the more complex automatic and habitual mechanisms underlying this behaviour. First, a TPB questionnaire was developed to assess physical activity cognitions in children (study 1). This was followed by a psychometric evaluation of the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children (PAQ-C) (Crocker, Bailey, Faulkner, Kowlaski & McGrath, 1997) (study 2). Building on the first two studies, study 3 utilized these measures to delineate the mechanisms linking the environment and physical activity in children. Results showed that nearly 43% of the association between convenient facilities and physical activity intentions could be explained by subjective norms (16.7%) and habit strength (26.2%), while 15% of the association between convenient facilities and physical activity could be explained by habit strength alone. Study 3 provided the impetus for the development, implementation and evaluation of a theory based cluster randomised control trail to increase physical activity in children (study 4). Results revealed a significant increase in PAQ-C scores for those in the intervention group, however perceived access to convenient facilities and habit strength did not significantly increase as a result of the intervention and did not mediate the intervention effect. There was however some evidence that the intervention increased intention – behaviour consistency. The results demonstrate the importance of concepts such as environmental accessibility and habit strength in the prediction of children's physical activity, however further research is required to elucidate the role of these factors in producing intervention effects.
Pass the Ball: Enforced Turn-Taking in Activity Tracking

We have developed a mobile application called Pass The Ball that enables users to track, reflect on, and discuss physical activity with others. We followed an iterative design process, trialling a first version of the app with 20 people and a second version with 31. The trials were conducted in the wild, on users' own devices. The second version of the app enforced a turn-taking system that meant only one member of a group of users could track their activity at any one time. This constrained tracking at the individual level, but more successfully led users to communicate and interact with each other. We discuss the second trial with reference to two concepts: social-relatedness and individual-competence. We discuss six key lessons from the trial, and identify two high-level design implications: attend to "practices" of tracking; and look within and beyond "collaboration" and "competition" in the design of activity trackers.
An Intrusion Detection System for the Protection of Railway Assets Using Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors

We demonstrate the ability of Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBGs) sensors to protect large areas from unauthorized activities in railway scenarios such as stations or tunnels. We report on the technological strategy adopted to protect a specific depot, representative of a common scenario for security applications in the railway environment. One of the concerns in the protection of a railway area centers on the presence of rail-tracks, which cannot be obstructed with physical barriers. We propose an integrated optical fiber system composed of FBG strain sensors that can detect human intrusion for protection of the perimeter combined with FBG accelerometer sensors for protection of rail-track access. Several trials were carried out in indoor and outdoor environments. The results demonstrate that FBG strain sensors bonded under a ribbed rubber mat enable the detection of intruder break-in via the pressure induced on the mat, whereas the FBG accelerometers installed under the rails enable the detection of intruders walking close to the railroad tracks via the acoustic surface waves generated by footsteps. Based on a single enabling technology, this integrated system represents a valuable intrusion detection system for railway security and could be integrated with other sensing functionalities in the railway field using fiber optic technology.
T Modeling and Optimization of Precedence-Constrained Production Sequencing and Scheduling Using Multi-Objective Genetic Algorithms

— Optimisation of precedence-constrained production sequencing and scheduling is a class of problems that requires a double optimisation-for sequencing and scheduling-at the same time, which are ubiquitous to production and manufacturing environments. This paper presents the development of a Genetic Algorithm (GA) to solve this problem. Due to nature of constraints, novel strategies for encoding chromosomes, crossover, mutation operations and handling constraints have been developed. The GA developed to deal with this class of problems uses variable length chromosomes and its capability is demonstrated by a complex and realistic case study.
Miniband formation in InGaAs quantum dot superlattice with InGaP matrix for application to intermediate-band solar cells

We report the formation of vertically coupled states in a 20-stack InGaAs QD superlattice with GaAs spacer layers in an InGaP matrix for an application to optimal intermediate-band solar cells. The InGaAs QD superlattices in the InGaP matrix have good optical properties even though the interdot spacing is reduced to 4.5 nm. We confirmed the formation of vertically coupled states by the excitation power dependence in photoluminescence (PL) measurements. The PL peak of a QD superlattice shifts to a shorter wavelength as the excitation power is increased. The blue-shifted energy of the PL peak is 11 meV for a QD superlattice with an interdot spacing of 4.5 nm, whereas the blue shift is not observed for a multistacked QD structure with an interdot spacing of 17 nm. The InGaAs QD superlattices in an InGaP matrix are very attractive for use in realizing the optimal intermediate-band solar cells.
A Novel Multiplexed, Image-Based Approach to Detect Phenotypes That Underlie Chromosome Instability in Human Cells

Chromosome instability (CIN) is characterized by a progressive change in chromosome numbers. It is a characteristic common to virtually all tumor types, and is commonly observed in highly aggressive and drug resistant tumors. Despite this information, the majority of human CIN genes have yet to be elucidated. In this study, we developed and validated a multiplexed, image-based screen capable of detecting three different phenotypes associated with CIN. Large-scale chromosome content changes were detected by quantifying changes in nuclear volumes following RNAi-based gene silencing. Using a DsRED-LacI reporter system to fluorescently label chromosome 11 within a human fibrosarcoma cell line, we were able to detect deviations from the expected number of two foci per nucleus (one focus/labelled chromosome) that occurred following CIN gene silencing. Finally, micronucleus enumeration was performed, as an increase in micronucleus formation is a classic hallmark of CIN. To validate the ability of each assay to detect phenotypes that underlie CIN, we silenced the established CIN gene, SMC1A. Following SMC1A silencing we detected an increase in nuclear volumes, a decrease in the number of nuclei harboring two DsRED-LacI foci, and an increase in micronucleus formation relative to controls (untreated and siGAPDH). Similar results were obtained in an unrelated human fibroblast cell line. The results of this study indicate that each assay is capable of detecting CIN-associated phenotypes, and can be utilized in future experiments to uncover novel human CIN genes, which will provide novel insight into the pathogenesis of cancer.
Autonomic computing with self-governed super-agents

This position paper explores the possibility of building autonomic systems using super-agents, virtual organizations of one or more agents that seek to govern a complex resource. The paper discusses first a control-loop suitable for building self-governed agents as an attempt to extend the original idea of autonomic managers with self-governance. It then sketches the structure of super-agents and discusses the main challenges of applying these ideas to self-governed autonomic systems.
Drug Eluting Stents for Malignant Airway Obstruction: A Critical Review of the Literature

Lung cancer being the most prevalent malignancy in men and the 3rd most frequent in women is still associated with dismal prognosis due to advanced disease at the time of diagnosis. Novel targeted therapies are already on the market and several others are under investigation. However non-specific cytotoxic agents still remain the cornerstone of treatment for many patients. Central airways stenosis or obstruction may often complicate and decrease quality of life and survival of these patients. Interventional pulmonology modalities (mainly debulking and stent placement) can alleviate symptoms related to airways stenosis and improve the quality of life of patients. Mitomycin C and sirolimus have been observed to assist a successful stent placement by reducing granuloma tissue formation. Additionally, these drugs enhance the normal tissue ability against cancer cell infiltration. In this mini review we will concentrate on mitomycin C and sirolimus and their use in stent placement.
TALEN‐mediated gene editing of the thrombospondin‐1 locus in axolotl

Abstract Loss‐of‐function genetics provides strong evidence for a gene's function in a wild‐type context. In many model systems, this approach has been invaluable for discovering the function of genes in diverse biological processes. Axolotls are urodele amphibians (salamanders) with astonishing regenerative abilities, capable of regenerating entire limbs, portions of the tail (including spinal cord), heart, and brain into adulthood. With their relatively short generation time among salamanders, they offer an outstanding opportunity to interrogate natural mechanisms for appendage and organ regeneration provided that the tools are developed to address these long‐standing questions. Here we demonstrate targeted modification of the thrombospondin‐1 (tsp‐1) locus using transcription‐activator‐like effector nucleases (TALENs) and identify a role of tsp‐1 in recruitment of myeloid cells during limb regeneration. We find that while tsp‐1‐edited mosaic animals still regenerate limbs, they exhibit a reduced subepidermal collagen layer in limbs and an increased number of myeloid cells within blastemas. This work presents a protocol for generating and genotyping mosaic axolotls with TALEN‐mediated gene edits.
A family of large margin linear classifiers and its application in dynamic environments

Real‐time prediction problems pose a challenge to machine learning algorithms because learning must be fast, the set of classes may be changing, and the relevance of some features to each class may be changing. To learn robust classifiers in such nonstationary environments, it is essential not to assign too much weight to any single feature. We address this problem by combining regularization mechanisms with online large‐margin learning algorithms. We prove bounds on their error and show that removing features with small weights has little influence on prediction accuracy, suggesting that these methods exhibit feature selection ability. We show that such regularized learning algorithms automatically decrease the influence of older training instances and focus on the more recent ones. This makes them especially attractive in dynamic environments. We evaluate our algorithms through experimental results on real data sets and through experiments with an online activity recognition system. The results show that these regularized large‐margin methods adapt more rapidly to changing distributions and achieve lower overall error rates than state‐of‐the‐art methods. Copyright © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Statistical Analysis and Data Mining 2: 328‐345, 2009
Capacity of cognitive radio under delay quality-of-service constraints with outdated channel feedback

This paper studies a spectrum sharing cognitive radio (CR) network coexisting with a primary network. In particular, the channel state information (CSI) between the secondary transmitter (STx) and the primary receiver (PRx) is assumed to be outdated due to channel feedback latency. We assume that the secondary user (SU) shall satisfy a given delay quality-of-service (QoS) constraint as well as the average interference power constraint. Our aim is to obtain the maximum arrival rate of the SU under aforementioned constraints with the outdated CSI. In this respect, we derive the optimal power allocation scheme to achieve the maximum effective capacity, and further derive the effective capacity. The closed-form expressions for the lower and upper bounds on the effective capacity are also provided. Numerical and simulation results are presented to show the effects of the outdated CSI. It is shown that the effective capacity of the SU is insensitive to the channel correlation coefficient especially under low channel correlation coefficient.
Sickness Absenteeism Rate in Iranian Schools During the 2009 Epidemic of Type A Influenza

Influenza pandemic was a global event in 2009 and intraschool transmission was its main spread method. The present study was designed to evaluate the absenteeism rate during the type A influenza epidemic. Four hundred and eight students from both a guidance school and high school in the Iranian capital were recruited in this retrospective study. The number of days of absenteeism, since the beginning of the school year until the end of the epidemic was recorded. Two hundred and thirteen students missed school during the disease epidemic because of related causes. In other words, 581 person day absences were reported during this period. The influenza pandemic has led to an increase in the absenteeism rate and may negatively affect the academic performance of the students. Teaching precautionary measures is an effective tool in reducing the number of days of sickness.