Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Using augmented reality technology for balance training in the elderly. A feasibility study

BackgroundImpaired balance leading to falls is common in the elderly, and there is strong evidence that balance training reduces falls and increases independence. Reduced resources in health care will result in fewer people getting help with rehabilitation training. In this regard, the new technology augmented reality (AR) could be helpful. With AR the elderly can receive help with instructions and get feedback on their progression in balance training. The purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility of using AR-based visual-interactive tools in balance training of the elderly.MethodsSeven elderly participants (66-88 years old) with impaired balance trained under supervision of a physiotherapist twice a week for six weeks using AR-based visual-interactive guidance, which was facilitated through a Microsoft HoloLens holographic display. Afterwards, participants and physiotherapists were interviewed about the new technology and their experience of the training. Also, fear of falling, balance and physical ability were measured before and after training.ResultsMost participants experienced the new technology as positive in terms of increased motivation and feedback. Experiences were mixed regarding the physical and technical aspects of the HoloLens and the design of the HoloLens application. The majority of participants perceived that they were steadier after training; this was also shown in the balance tests. Also, most participants reduced their fear of falling after the training. Participants also described issues that needed to be further improved, for example, the training program was difficult and monotonous. Further, the HoloLens hardware was felt to be heavy, the application's menu was difficult to control with different hand maneuvers, and the calibration took a long time. Suggestions for improvements were described.ConclusionsThe study showed that training with the new technology is, to some extent, feasible for the elderly, but needs further development. Also, the technology seemed to stimulate increased motivation and adherence to training. However, the new technology and training requires further development and testing in a larger context.
Modelling the effects of phase change materials on the energy use in buildings : results of experiments and system dynamics modelling

The current era is in need for more and more sustainable energy solutions. Phase Change Materials (PCM’s) are a solution for a more sustainable build environment because they can help to reduce the energy use of buildings during heating and cooling of the indoor air. This paper presents the results of recent experiments that have been executed with test boxes. In addition a System Dynamics model has been developed to find out how PCM’s can be used efficiently without testing in reality. The first experiment, in which PCM’s were applied in a concrete floor, shows a reduction of peak temperatures with 4˚C ± 0.7˚C on maximum temperatures and over 1.5 ˚C ± 0.7˚C on minimum temperatures during warm periods. The model confirmed these findings, although the predicted reductions were slightly. During the second experiment more PCM’s were applied by mounting them into the walls using gypsum plasterboard to increase the latent heat capacity. Remarkably, both the experimental set-up as the model showed that the increase of PCM´s (of almost 98%) causes hardly any difference compared to the first situation. Adapting the exterior in a way to absorb more solar energy, increases the average indoor temperature but decreases the reduction of peak temperatures. Again the model confirmed these findings of the experiment. These results show that the effect of PCM’s varies on different climatological contexts and with different construction components physics. This means no straight forward advice on the use of PCM’s for a building design can be given. The solution for this problem is provided by the model, showing that the effects of PCM’s can be modelled in order to use PCM’s in an effective way in different climatological contexts and with different characteristics of construction components. The research shows that a simple model is already capable of predicting PCM performance in test boxes with reasonable accuracy. Therefore it can be used as a template for designing improved tools to come to an effective use of PCM’s in buildings.
Combination Closed Loop and V CC Power Control for a GSM/GPRS PA

Power control is an important performance specification for GSM/GPRS wireless handsets. This article shows how the MAX4002 low-cost, low-power logarithmic amplifier and power detector, and the XIN9133 quad-band GSM/GPRS power amplifier (PA) are combined in a closed loop power control system with the added advantage of PA protection through supply voltage power control. This results in significant advantages over today’s predominant GSM power control solutions on the market.
Measurement and analysis of millimeter-wave focusing beam for thermal sensation threshold experiments

In this paper, a precise characterization of focusing beam is performed based on the field distribution measurement and beam reconstruction analysis, in order to enable detailed calculation of focusing beam exposure on the surface of human's skin. To estimate the influence of the experimental condition, we calculated electromagnetic field with varying parameters such as the distance, incident angle, or the skin moisutre condition. The result suggests that the influence of positioning error or the skin condition is relatively small.
The UE noise policy and its research needs

The new EU noise policy and particularly the new Directive relating to the Assessment and Management of Environmental Noise has a significant influence on the research and development in the field of noise control. An important part of this R&D is generated by the need for harmonised noise mapping and for harmonised assessment of annoyance and sleep disturbance. Other R&D needs are related to a greater attention for noise control at the source and to a greater attention for the economic aspects of noise abatement. A special area of research concerns the protection of quiet areas in the open country.
Computer and Information Security Handbook, Second Edition

Thesecond editionof this comprehensive handbook of computer and information securityprovides the most complete view of computer security and privacy available. It offers in-depth coverage of security theory, technology, and practice as they relate to established technologies as well as recent advances. It explores practical solutions to many security issues. Individual chapters are authored by leading experts in the field and address the immediate and long-term challenges in the authors' respective areas of expertise. The book is organized into10 parts comprised of70 contributed chapters by leading experts in the areas of networking and systems security, information management, cyber warfare and security, encryption technology, privacy, data storage, physical security, and a host of advanced security topics. New to this edition are chapters on intrusion detection, securing the cloud, securing web apps, ethical hacking, cyber forensics, physical security, disaster recovery, cyber attack deterrence, and more. Chapters by leaders in the field on theory and practice of computer and information security technology, allowing the reader to develop a new level of technical expertise Comprehensive and up-to-date coverage of security issues allows the reader to remain current and fully informed from multiple viewpoints Presents methods of analysis and problem-solving techniques, enhancing the reader's grasp of the material and ability to implement practical solutions
Two Dimensional Analytical Modeling Of A Nanoscale Dual Material Gate MOSFETS

For more than 30 years, the IC industry has followed a steady path of constantly shrinking the device geometries and increasing chip size. A new gate structure called the dual material gate (DMG) MOSFET was proposed which eliminates the effects of reduction of chip size. A 2D analytical approach of DMG is proposed in this paper and the solution to the Poisson equation is obtained using parabolic expansion method. Using the boundary conditions, the surface potential and electric field potential distribution is obtained for different work function and channel lengths. Keyword: Dual material gate (DMG) MOSFET, parabolic expansion, surface potential, Electric field potential.
An investigation to determine the kinematic variables associated with the production of topspin in the tennis groundstrokes

The ability to impart topspin to the ball when playing forehand and backhand groundstrokes can give a tennis player a tactical advantage in a rally. Recent developments in racket technology and tactical approaches to the game have increased the prevalence of topspin strokes. However, there is a limited scientific knowledge base for players and coaches to draw upon when seeking to improve this aspect of the game. Many of the kinematic analyses into tennis groundstrokes were conducted more than ten years ago, with measurement techniques that may not have accurately measured the anatomical rotations important for generating racket velocity. It has only recently been possible to measure the spin rate of a ball, and this has not been investigated in relation to the kinematics of a player. This study aimed to make an important contribution to the knowledge of tennis professionals by establishing which kinematic variables are related to the production of high ball spin rates resulting from topspin strokes. In order to achieve this aim, consideration was given to the accurate measurement of the joint rotations of the player in all planes of movement and the quantification of the ball spin rate. This information was used to answer three further questions; what are the kinematic differences between flat and topspin groundstrokes, how do these differences relate to the spin rate of the ball and how do these findings relate to individual players? Joint rotations were calculated based on three-dimensional data captured from twenty participants playing flat and topspin forehand and backhand strokes. The resulting ball spin rate was captured using a high-speed camera. The participants produced larger ball spin rates when playing the topspin strokes, indicating that they were able to produce spin if required. Analysis of the joint rotations revealed that there were adaptations in the stroke in order to achieve the higher spin rates. The adaptations were not uniform among participants, but did produce similar alterations in racket trajectory, inclination and velocity for the topspin strokes. It was these measures that were found to be the strongest predictors of ball spin rates, accounting for over 60 % of the variation in ball spin rate in the forehand stroke and over 70% in the backhand. Case study analyses confirmed the importance of the optimal racket kinematics at impact and provided models of technique throughout the forward swing of each stroke. This study has made a contribution to the knowledge of generating topspin in the tennis groundstrokes by establishing the parameters that predict high spin rates and applying them to analyses of individual players. In doing so, this investigation has also demonstrated methodology that is capable of accurately measuring the joint rotations associated with tennis strokes, and suggested a method by which the spin rate of the ball can be calculated.
Measurement of Cohesion and Coupling in OO Analysis Model Based on Crosscutting Concerns

Abstract: Separation of Concerns is a fundamental software engineering principle achievable through implementaiton of the software development quality patterns Low Coupling and High Cohesion throughout the software development life-cycle. This paper introduces measurements for controlling the coupling and cohesion of the Object-Oriented (OO) analysis model based on the notion of crosscutting concerns. Controlling the OO analysis model’s quality is crucial as errors introduced in the OO analysis model might propagate throughout the software development phases into the final product where their correction would require considerable additional effort and resources. The measurement control mechanisms for obtaining early feedback on the levels of coupling and cohesion in the analysis model help identify early crosscutting implications in the system. Associating the analysis model with these measurements leads to early feedback on the realization of the crosscuttings within the proposed system and thus an early possible treatment. The proposed cohesion measurement is new; the coupling measurement is an adoption of an existing OO design measure.
Screening and Identification of Key Genes for the Survival and Multiplication of Salmonella typhimurium in the Host

BackgroundSalmonella typhimurium is an important intracellular pathogen that poses a health threat to humans. The key to studying the pathogenesis of Salmonella is to clarify the mechanisms responsible for its survival and reproduction in macrophages. In this study, RNA was extracted from S. typhimurium reference strain (ATCC 14028) and S. typhimurium isolated from the spleen of infected mice for RNA high-throughput sequencing analysis, based on the BGISEQ-500 platform.ResultsA total of 1,340 significant differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened through quantitative gene analysis and various analyses based on gene expression. Of these, 16 genes were randomly selected for fluorescence quantitative PCR verification. Two pairs of primers, 16S and pyridoxol 5ʹ-phosphate synthase (pdxJ), were used as internal references. The coincidence rate was determined to be 93.75%, which was consistent with the RNA-seq data, proving the reliability of the RNA-seq data. Functional annotation revealed DEGs associated with regulation, metabolism, transport and binding, pathogenesis, and motility. Through data mining and literature retrieval, 26 of the 58 upregulated DEGs (FPKM >10) were not reported to be related to the adaptation to intracellular survival, and were classified as candidate key genes (CKGs) for survival and proliferation in vivo. Among the CKGs, five were biotin synthetic bio family proteins. BioF is one of the first enzymes in the protein synthesis pathway. To evaluate the potential role of bioF in survival and proliferation, bioF mutants of Salmonella were constructed, and the virulence/attenuation was evaluated in vivo. Through the infection of BALB/c mice, bioF deficiency was found to significantly reduce the bacterial load and the fatality rate of mice. ConclusionsOur results indicated that the bioF gene plays an important role in the survival and proliferation of S. typhimurium in vivo. These data contribute to our understanding of the mechanisms used by Salmonella to regulate virulence gene expression whilst replicating inside mammalian cells.
Efficiency and safety in self-employed family forestry

Self-employed family forestry refers to forestry work conducted by the owners themselves, either alone or with assistants, on their forest holdings. Despite the term self-employed, most persons are not economically dependent on the work, which is mainly conducted in their leisure time. In Sweden, half of all work time conducted and most of the lethal accidents in forestry occur in self-employed family forestry. Nevertheless, knowledge about the sector is limited. The objective of this thesis was to examine efficiency and safety in self-employed family forestry. Self-employment in family forestry was found to be common and there were no signs that it is likely to decline in the near future. Two thirds of the forest owners were to some extent self-employed in cutting, extraction, planting and pre-commercial thinning. Self-employed owners differed in a number of demographic factors (e.g. age and sex) compared to other forest owners. Extensive sales of suitable equipment indicated no decline in the near future. Firewood-processing was also found to be common in family forestry, as were related accidents. Exposure in terms of work time explained more of the accident occurrence than numbers of active persons, age or sex, and wedge splitter machines were associated with a disproportionably large number of accidents in terms of hours used. Since manual tree felling causes the majority of lethal accidents in forestry, a method was developed to enable evaluation of felling tools’ capacity to force trees to fall after cuts have been made in the stem. The method proved to be suitable for the intended purpose, and its practical utility was theoretically demonstrated in the assessment of a tools’ capacity to deal with trees with an unfavourable inclination. In addition, the impact of increased mechanisation of small-scale firewood-processing was analysed in an experimental study and was found to improve efficiency by 25-33%. It is argued that self-employment is important for Swedish forestry, especially for the future voluntary supply of raw material from family forests. Hence, self-employed family forestry deserves encouragement and further attention should be paid to the activity and the conditions that affect it in order to increase efficiency and safety.
Differential expression of circRNA in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and validation of identified circRNA biomarker

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a rapidly progressive adult-onset neurodegenerative disease that is often diagnosed with a delay due to initial non-specific symptoms. Therefore, reliable and easy-to-obtain biomarkers are in desperate need for earlier and more accurate diagnostics. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been already proposed as potential biomarkers for several neurodegenerative diseases. In this study, we further investigated the usefulness of circRNAs as potential biomarkers for ALS. We first performed a microarray analysis of circRNAs on peripheral blood mononuclear cells of a subset of ALS patients and controls. Among the differently expressed circRNA by microarray analysis, we selected only the ones with a host gene that harbors the highest level of conservation and genetic constraints. This selection was based under the hypothesis that genes under selective pressure and genetic constraints could have a major role in determining a trait or disease. Then we performed a linear regression between ALS cases and controls using each circRNA as a predictor variable. With an FDR threshold of 0.1, only six circRNAs passed the filtering and merely one of them remained statistically significant after Bonferroni correction: hsa_circ_0060762 and its host gene CSE1L. Finally, we observed a significant difference in expression levels between larger sets of patients and healthy controls for both hsa_circ_0060762 and CSE1L . In addition, receiver operating characteristics curve analysis showed diagnostic potential for CSE1L and hsa_circ_0060762 . Hsa_circ_0060762 thus represent a novel potential peripheral blood circRNA biomarker for ALS.
Performance of a Horizontal-axis Turbine Based on the Direction of Current Flow

The use of a tidal-current power system is one source of renewable energy that can minimize the environmental impact of power production and offer many other advantages compared to conventional energy sources. Unlike other energy production approaches, rate of energy production can be precisely predicted and the operational rate is very high. The performance of the rotor, which has a vital role in energy production using tidal currents, is determined by various design factors, and it should be optimized for the specific ocean environment in the field. The horizontal-axis turbine is very sensitive to the direction of flow, and flow direction changes due to rise and fall of the tides. To investigate the performance of the rotor considering the interaction problems with incidence angle of flow, a series of experiments were conducted, and a 3D CFD model was designed and analyzed by ANSYS CFX. The results and findings are summarized in the paper.
A Microstructural Study of Friction Stir Welded Joints of Carbon Steels

Friction Stir Welding (FSW) is an emerging technology that has made significant inroads in the joining of aluminum alloys in the aerospace industry. To explore the potential advantages in joining carbon steels by FSW, the present study focuses on microstructure characterization of friction stir welded API grade X80 and L80 steels using SEM, TEM and SIMS. The study focuses on the mechanisms of microstructure evolution at various regions of the FSW joint, resulting from the effect of strain, temperature and tool interaction on the phase transformations. A qualitative comparison of the microstructural features between friction stir welds and typical fusion welds in these steels is also presented. INTRODUCTION Friction stir welding (FSW) is a solid state materials joining process invented by TWI (Thomas et al., 1991) that has been widely investigated by various researchers in mostly low melting, aluminum alloys. The application of FSW to the joining of steels and other hightemperature materials has been limited primarily by the absence of suitable tool material that can operate at high temperatures in the 1000∼1200 C range (Threadgill and Johnson, 2004; Packer et al., 2003). Even though considerable improvements in high-temperature tool materials have been made recently, only a limited amount of work has been reported on the FSW of steels (Johnson et al., 2003; Konkol, 2003; Lienert et al., 2003; Lienert, Tang and Kvidahl, 2003; Okamoto et al., 2003; Posada et al., 2003). X80 and L80 API-grade steels are typically used in several oil and gas operations. Although these steels have comparable strength, they have significantly different chemistry, and they are produced by fundamentally different metallurgical processes. X80 is produced by thermomechanically controlled processing (TMCP) while L80 is produced by the quench and temper (Q/T) process. The microstructure and mechanical properties of FSW joints depend on the chemistry and processing history of base material as well as FSW parameters. Also, as discussed elsewhere, the effects of the FSW process on the microstructure of steel joints are expected to be significantly different from those of the aluminum alloy joints (Threadgill and Leonard, 1999). The objective of the present work, then, was to investigate the microstructural evolution in FS-welded X80 and L80 steels using the state-of-theart characterization methods. *ISOPE Member. Received August 28, 2004; revised manuscript received by the editors November 2, 2004. The original version (prior to the final revised manuscript) was presented at the 14th International Offshore and Polar Engineering Conference (ISOPE-2004), Toulon, France, May 23–28, 2004.