Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Synthesizing Privacy Preserving Entity Resolution Datasets

Entity resolution (ER) is a core problem in data integration. Many companies have lots of datasets where ER needs to be conducted to integrate the data. On the one hand, it is nontrivial for non-ER experts within companies to design ER solutions. On the other hand, most companies are reluctant to release their real datasets for multiple reasons (e.g., privacy issues). A typical solution from the machine learning (ML) and the statistical community is to create surrogate (a.k.a. analogous) datasets based on the real dataset, release these surrogate datasets to the public to train ML models, such that these models trained on surrogate datasets can be either directly used or be adapted for the real dataset by the companies. In this paper, we study a new problem of synthesizing surrogate ER datasets using transformer models, with the goal that the ER model trained on the synthesized dataset can be used directly on the real dataset. We propose privacy preserving methods to synthesize ER datasets: we first learn the true similarity distributions of both matching and non-matching entity pairs from real dataset. We then devise algorithms that satisfy differential privacy and can synthesize fake but semantically meaningful entities, add matching and non-matching labels to these fake entity pairs, and ensure that the fake and real datasets have similar distributions. We also describe a method for entity rejection to avoid synthesizing bad fake entities that may destroy the original distributions. Extensive experiments show that ER matchers trained on real and synthetic ER datasets have very close performance on the same test sets - their $F1$ scores differ within 6% on 3 commonly used ER datasets, and their average precision, recall differences are less than 5%. Index Terms-Data Synthesis, Entity Resolution
Double U‐slots patch antenna for tri‐band wireless systems

A compact microstrip patch antenna with two U‐slots shape is presented. Detailed simulation and experimental investigation are conducted to understand the behavior of the two U‐slots. The proposed antenna generates three resonant frequencies at 2.7, 3.3, and 5.3 GHz. It can, therefore, be used in Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access compliant communication equipment. The proposed antenna has two U‐slot shaped and two bridge elements to connect both shapes together to adapt the structure to the desired interest operating frequency. A comprehensive parametric study has been applied to understand the effect of each U‐slot on the antenna's performance. Moreover, the current distribution for the three bands is investigated to give further understanding of the antenna behavior. The proposed antenna is verified experimentally and the simulated and measured results are in good agreement. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J RF and Microwave CAE, 2010.
How, Where, and Why Data Provenance Improves Query Debugging: A Visual Demonstration of Fine–Grained Provenance Analysis for SQL

Data provenance is meta-information about the origin and processing history of data. We demonstrate the prove-nance analysis of SQL queries and use it for query debugging. How-provenance determines which query expressions have been relevant for evaluating selected pieces of output data. Likewise, Where- and Why-provenance determine relevant pieces of input data. The combined provenance notions can be explored visually and interactively. We support a feature-rich SQL dialect with correlated subqueries and focus on bag semantics. Our fine-grained provenance analysis derives individual data provenance for table cells and SQL expressions.
The Use of Machine Learning in Regulatory Drug Safety Evaluation

ABSTRACT There has been growing interest of using machine learning (ML) methods with real-world data (RWD) to generate real-world evidence (RWE) to support regulatory decisions. In the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), ML has been applied in both prediction and causal inference problems for drug safety evaluation. The ML applications include health outcome identification, missing data imputation, risk factor identification, drug utilization discovery and causal inference study. We demonstrate the present utility and future potential of ML for regulatory science. We then discuss the challenges and considerations when using ML methods with RWD to generate RWE. Specifically, we focus on the transparency and reproducibility issue of using ML, the potential of ML and natural language processing (NLP) for missing data in RWD, training data issue for rare events, and interpretability of studies using ML.
Peer effects on the educational outcomes of immigrant youth: heterogeneity by generation and school context

ABSTRACT Previous research suggests that peer social networks affect immigrant youths’ academics. However, little is known about whether peer parental education spillovers on educational outcomes differ by generational status and whether students are exposed to more same-ethnic peers in school. This study tests: (1) whether attending classes with peers with educated parents is associated with academic outcomes, (2) whether this relationship varies by generation, and (3) whether school contexts with more peers of the same race/ethnicity influence peer parental spillover effects. To overcome the fact that students select into schools, we use the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health and leverage quasi-exogenous variation in peer exposure. We find that peer parental education spillover effects vary by immigrant generation, but the extent of the difference varies by outcome. For academic effort, first-generation immigrant youth are less affected by peer parental education effects compared with others. For GPA, the peer spillover effect is smaller for second-generation youth compared with others. In schools with more same race/ethnicity peers, children of immigrants see lower peer spillover effects on educational outcomes compared with their counterparts in more diverse contexts. Findings suggest that network based social processes influencing academic outcomes are distinct for immigrant youth.
Towards a Unifying Framework for Pattern Transformation in Swarm Systems

This paper identifies the major challenges in the area of pattern formation. The work is also motivated by the need for development of a single framework to surmount these challenges. A framework based on the control of macroscopic parameters is proposed. The issue of transformation of patterns is specifically considered. A definition for transformation and four special cases, namely elementary and geometrical transformations by repositioning all or some robots in the pattern are provided. Two feasible tools for pattern transformation namely, a macroscopic parameter method and a mathematical tool—Moebius transformation also known as the linear fractional transformation are introduced. The realization of the unifying framework considering planning and communication is reported.
Private, but restricted, access to databases

We consider the primitive of restricted oblivious transfer: the owner of a database wants to restrict the access of users to this data according to some policy, whereas a legitimate user wants to privately retrieve allowed parts of the data, without letting the owner know which part of the data is being obtained. We formally describe the protocols and required properties for restricted oblivious transfer, and we explain how the techniques of priced oblivious transfer (1) can be used to solve the problem in the particular case where the family of restrictions is a weighted threshold one. We state a conjecture on a new characterization of these kind of families. Then we propose a generic solution for the problem of restricted oblivious transfer, which works for any possible monotone family of restrictions. The solution is right now of theoretical interest only, because it uses a cryptographic tool which has not been realized yet: cryptosystems which are both multiplicatively and additively homomorphic. Index Terms—Oblivious transfer, weighted threshold families, homomorphic encryption.
Coupling Effects Analysis and Suppression in a Highly Integrated Ka-Band Receiver Front-End MMIC for a Passive Millimeter-Wave Imager System

This paper presents the coupling effects analysis and suppression of a highly integrated receiver front-end MMIC for a passive millimeter-wave imager system. The receiver MMIC consists of a low-noise amplifier, double-balanced image-reject mixer, frequency quadrupler, and analog phase shifter. In order to integrate these devices into a compact single chip without affecting the core performance, coupling problems need to be solved. We analyze the influence of coupling effects on the image rejection ratio, and propose corresponding solutions for three different coupling paths. (1) The coupling in the LO-RF path of the mixer is solved by designing a double-balanced mixer with high isolation characteristics. (2) The coupling between the LO chain and the LNA from space and dielectric is suppressed by optimizing the two main transmission lines spacing and adding isolation vias. (3) The coupling caused by the line crossing is restrained by designing a differential line crossover structure. The design and implementation of the MMIC are based on 0.15 µm GaAs pHEMT process. The receiver chip has 6.1~8.7 dB conversion gain in 32~36 GHz, less than 3.5 dB of noise figure, and more than 35 dB of image rejection ratio. The measurement results show that the receiver MMIC is especially suitable for high-sensitivity passive millimeter-wave imaging systems.
Dielectric Properties and Phase Transitions of NaNbO3 and (Na,K)NbO3

An optical, dielectric, and structural study has been carried out on NaNb${\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ and the solid solution (Na,K)Nb${\mathrm{O}}_{3}$, both single crystals and ceramics being used. No evidence for ferroelectricity in NaNb${\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ was found, and the crystal seems to be antiferroelectric in accordance with the nonpolar structure reported by Vousden. It is shown that a small addition of KNb${\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ to pure NaNb${\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ produces a new ferroelectric phase, the existence of which suggests a possible explanation of the conflicting dielectric and structural properties previously reported.
Approaches to learning does matter to predict academic achievement

Meta-analyses show that the correlations of approaches to learning with academic achievement are low. However, only one study has controlled these correlations in the presence of intelligence. Our study investigates the incremental validity of the surface and deep approaches taking cognitive abilities as control and applied the multiple linear regression and CART regression tree method in a diversified sample of high school students from Minas Gerais, Brazil. We found a prediction of 20.37% and 35.20% of the outcome variance, through the linear regression and CART, respectively. Our results show that although cognitive abilities are more important than students’ approaches, the approaches have incremental validity and important roles as predictors of academic achievement.
Research on Positioning Method in Underground Complex Environments Based on Fusion of Binocular Vision and IMU

Aiming at the failure of traditional visual slam localization caused by dynamic target interference and weak texture in underground complexes, an effective robot localization scheme was designed in this paper. Firstly, the Harris algorithm with stronger corner detection ability was used, which further improved the ORB (oriented FAST and rotated BRIEF) algorithm of traditional visual slam. Secondly, the non-uniform rational B-splines algorithm was used to transform the discrete data of inertial measurement unit (IMU) into second-order steerable continuous data, and the visual sensor data were fused with IMU data. Finally, the experimental results under the KITTI dataset, EUROC dataset, and a simulated real scene proved that the method used in this paper has the characteristics of stronger robustness, better localization accuracy, small size of hardware equipment, and low power consumption.
An extended particle swarm optimization algorithm for pattern synthesis of conformal phased arrays

In this article, an extended particle swarm optimization (EPSO) algorithm is proposed for designing conformal phased arrays. On the basis of traditional particle swarm optimization (PSO), novel velocity updating mechanism, new exceeding boundary control operator, and global best perturbation are introduced in EPSO to overcome the drawbacks of PSO. To validate the efficiency of the proposed algorithm, both the classical test functions and the scenarios concerning a 1 × 9‐element cylindrical conformal phased array and a 3 × 9(27)‐element cylindrical conformal array with flat‐top shaped‐beam pattern are presented. Simulation results show that the proposed method is superior to genetic algorithm (GA) and PSO when applied to both the classical test functions and the practical problems of conformal antenna array synthesis. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J RF and Microwave CAE, 2010.
The need for booster sex education: findings of a formative evaluation in rural Fresno County, California

ABSTRACT Despite national guidelines advocating a comprehensive, age-appropriate, and sequential approach to sexual health education in schools, many young people in the USA do not receive sexual health information until high school. To date, there has been little research on the need for a supplemental round of sexual health education – a ‘booster’ – later in adolescence to reinforce and expand upon information and skills previously provided. In rural California, we conducted six focus groups with young people (N = 22, ages 14–20) and key informant interviews with youth-serving professionals (N = 10) to examine the sexual health education needs of youth as they complete high school. Five themes were identified, indicating a need for booster education that 1) reinforces existing sexual health knowledge; 2) expands beyond traditional areas of sexual health education; 3) addresses community stigma about adolescent health; and 4) prepares young people for the transition to adulthood. In addition, booster education should 5) be established within the school system to promote an environment that addresses and normalises health issues throughout the school year. Providing booster sexual health education may meet critical gaps in efforts to support the healthy sexual development of young people, especially those living in rural communities.
Thermal resistance and bursting strength analysis of multilayer needle-punched bamboo/polyester nonwoven batt

Abstract This work aims to evaluate the potential of bamboo/polyester blended needle-punched nonwoven batts as thermal insulators. This research investigated the effects of physical properties on the thermal resistance and the bursting strength subjected to the different number of layers of the batt structure. Bamboo/polyester nonwoven batt was prepared by using a needle-punching technique. The nonwoven batt was made into single, two and three-layers structures termed as 1BP, 2BP and 3BP. Physical properties such as thickness, areal weight, density and porosity were determined to evaluate their relationship with thermal resistance and bursting strength. The properties of bamboo/polyester nonwoven batt were compared with that of polyester nonwoven batt commercially used as insulation layers in comforters. The thermal resistance and bursting strength were found to increase with the increased number of layers and were better than the commercial sample. The ranking shows that density and porosity have the most effect on thermal resistance and bursting strength, followed by areal weight and thickness. High and significant Pearson’s correlation coefficient and P-value indicated that density and porosity are the parameters that mainly influence the thermal resistance of the nonwoven batt. On the other hand, the number of layers was the most influential parameter for bursting strength. Based on the findings, 3BP nonwoven batts exhibited better thermal insulation performance and better strength with the value of 0.2932 m2 K/W and 3.78 kgf, respectively. In comparison, the commercial polyester nonwoven batt recorded a thermal resistance value of 0.2390 m2 K/W and bursting strength of 2.92 kgf.
Advanced oxidation protein products induce annulus fibrosus cell senescence through a NOX4-dependent, MAPK-mediated pathway and accelerate intervertebral disc degeneration

Background Intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) is closely associated with senescence. Annulus fibrosus (AF) cell senescence is a crucial driver of AF tissue tearing and fissures, thereby exacerbating IVDD. Increased advanced oxidative protein products (AOPPs) were found in human degenerative discs and aged rat discs and may be involved in IVDD. This study aimed to explore the mechanism of AOPPs-induced senescence in AF cells. Methods The pathological effects of AOPPs in vivo were investigated using a rat lumbar disc persistent degeneration model and a rat caudal disc puncture model. Rat primary AF cells were selected as in vitro models, and AOPPs were used as direct stimulation to observe their pathological effects. Setanaxb (NOX1/4 inhibitor), apocynin (NADPH oxidase inhibitor) and adenovirus (ADV) packed NADPH oxidase 4 (NOX4) specific shRNAs were used for pathway inhibition, respectively. Finally, adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) packed with NOX4-specific blocking sequences were used to inhibit the in vivo pathway. Results AOPPs accumulated in the rat lumbar and caudal degenerative discs. Intra-discal loading of AOPPs up-regulated the expression of NOX4, p53, p21, p16, IL-1β, and TNF-α, ultimately accelerating IVDD. Exposure of AOPPs to AF primary cells up-regulated NOX4 expression, induced phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK), triggered senescence and increased IL-1β and TNF-α. Apocynin, setanaxib, and ADV pre-cultured AF cells abrogated AOPPs-induced senescence. AAV-mediated inhibition of NOX4 expression in vivo reduced the expression of p53, p21, p16, IL-1β and TNF-α in vivo and delayed IVDD. Conclusions AOPPs induced AF cell senescence through a NOX4-dependent and MAPK-mediated pathway.
The Development and Use of Chatbots in Public Health: Scoping Review

Background Chatbots are computer programs that present a conversation-like interface through which people can access information and services. The COVID-19 pandemic has driven a substantial increase in the use of chatbots to support and complement traditional health care systems. However, despite the uptake in their use, evidence to support the development and deployment of chatbots in public health remains limited. Recent reviews have focused on the use of chatbots during the COVID-19 pandemic and the use of conversational agents in health care more generally. This paper complements this research and addresses a gap in the literature by assessing the breadth and scope of research evidence for the use of chatbots across the domain of public health. Objective This scoping review had 3 main objectives: (1) to identify the application domains in public health in which there is the most evidence for the development and use of chatbots; (2) to identify the types of chatbots that are being deployed in these domains; and (3) to ascertain the methods and methodologies by which chatbots are being evaluated in public health applications. This paper explored the implications for future research on the development and deployment of chatbots in public health in light of the analysis of the evidence for their use. Methods Following the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews) guidelines for scoping reviews, relevant studies were identified through searches conducted in the MEDLINE, PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, IEEE Xplore, ACM Digital Library, and Open Grey databases from mid-June to August 2021. Studies were included if they used or evaluated chatbots for the purpose of prevention or intervention and for which the evidence showed a demonstrable health impact. Results Of the 1506 studies identified, 32 were included in the review. The results show a substantial increase in the interest of chatbots in the past few years, shortly before the pandemic. Half (16/32, 50%) of the research evaluated chatbots applied to mental health or COVID-19. The studies suggest promise in the application of chatbots, especially to easily automated and repetitive tasks, but overall, the evidence for the efficacy of chatbots for prevention and intervention across all domains is limited at present. Conclusions More research is needed to fully understand the effectiveness of using chatbots in public health. Concerns with the clinical, legal, and ethical aspects of the use of chatbots for health care are well founded given the speed with which they have been adopted in practice. Future research on their use should address these concerns through the development of expertise and best practices specific to public health, including a greater focus on user experience.
Wireless Power Transfer Positioning System with Wide Range Direction-Guided Based on Symmetrical Triple-U Auxiliary Pad

An important area of research in electric vehicle wireless power transfer systems is the detection of the secondary pad, which is vital evidence to determine whether the vehicle is in the effective charging area. However, the detection based on sensors mostly will reconstruct the vehicle structure and has a limit on versatility in all kinds of vehicles and the applicability of magnetic couplers and the influence on the primary pad. Therefore, an auxiliary pad structure and corresponding positioning method for offset estimation utilizing the existing inverter and secondary pad in the vehicle system are proposed. Firstly, to satisfy the needs of different positioning heights and avoid the effect on the primary pad, a triple-U positioning auxiliary pad is designed to assist positioning. Secondly, the direction-guided trajectory and detection algorithm are proposed to modify the vehicle location in real-time after analyzing the corresponding equivalent mutual inductance feature trajectory, according to the magnetic field characteristics of various typical magnetic couplers intervened by the proposed triple-U auxiliary pad. Finally, a prototype system is built to validate the applicability and feasibility of the triple-U auxiliary pad, where the positioning accuracy is within 10 mm, and the maximum recognizable recognition range can reach 300 mm × 300 mm, and the direction-guided trajectory is accurate, which can satisfy the actual positioning requirements of electric vehicles.