Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dealing with Stable Environmental Conditions in XACML Systems

XACML (extensible Access Control Markup Language) is an XML-based language for access control that has been standardized in OASLS. In this language, any entities involved in access control (i.e. users, resources, actions and environment) are specified by a set of attributes. This specification also includes the description of an architecture that explains how the policy decision point (PDP) retrieves the needed attributes values when it evaluates the policy to take its authorization decision. In this paper, we show this approach for getting the attributes values is a bottleneck to the performance of the authorization decision-making-process for attributes whose process for retrieving the value is long and the changing of its value doesn't impact the policy frequently. Thus, we propose an improvement of the XACML architecture in order to accelerate the decision-making-process when PDP has to treat such kind of attributes.
Academics researching in schools – making first contact SIM 03235

It is almost one hundred years since Dewey stated that the purpose of research in all its forms and disciplines was an " effort to understand and help others understand what teachers and learners do during the process of learning and what this means potentially for the education of teachers " (Dewey, 1904/1974). Early in 2003 the author of this paper began a research study that investigates the development of relationships between teacher mentors and preservice teachers. The aim of the study seeks to examine the extent to which the concept of community of practice influences the construction of professional identity through the situated learning of preservice teachers in selected school settings. Associated with this aim is to identify the potential for 'communities of practice' to address the anxiety of teachers in the context of seemingly overwhelming levels of change in education and society affecting their professional roles and identities right now. Ironically the researchers found that the anxieties of teachers actually affected their efforts to entice schools and teachers to be involved in the study. This paper focuses on this first stage of the research study. It examines the dilemmas experienced by the researchers as they endeavoured to encourage schools and teachers to participate in the research. It raises issues about the relationship between academics in teacher education and schools and how we can facilitate teachers' involvement in future research in schools.
3D Semi-Landmarks Based Statistical Face Reconstruction

The aim of craniofacial reconstruction is to estimate the shape of a face from the shape of the skull. Few works in computerized assisted facial reconstruction have been provided in the past, probably due to technical (poor machine performances and data availability) and theoretical (complexity) reasons. Therefore, the main published works consist in manual reconstructions. In this paper, an original approach proposes first to build a 3D statistical model of the set skull/face from 3D CT scans. Then, a reconstruction method is introduced in order to estimate, from this statistical model, the 3D facial shape of one subject from known skull data.
Investigation on USB 2.0 in software-defined radio

Software-defined radio (SDR) is one of the most popular technologies of radio communication. With the rapid development of general purpose processor (GPP), SDR based on GPP (GPP-SDR) attracts more and more developers' attention. Using USB 2.0 as the data and control interface between RF front end and personal computer (PC) further increases the flexibility of GPP-SDR systems. In this paper, we focus on the application and capability of USB2.0 and investigate the possibility of using USB 2.0 as data interface for SDR systems. According to the experiments, USB 2.0 can achieve peak data rate up to 320Mbps under Windows OS. Furthermore, the round-trip data transfer latency is measured and proved to be low enough to support TD-SCDMA. The high throughput and the low latency ensure that USB2.0 could be applied as an interface in GPP-SDR systems.
Discriminatiop of Shape Reflections and Shape Orieniations by Columba livia

By using a free-operant instrumental discrimination procedure, it was demonstrated that pigeons find two-dimensional mirror-image visual forms more difficult to distinguish than otherwise similar forms. Variations in orientation of the discriminanda exacerbated the relative confusability of mirror images. No significant difference was found in the pigeons' performance whether the birds were discriminating vertically or horizontally reflected mirror-image pairs. Mirror images of shapes were also shown to be less discriminable than upside-down versions of shapes. The similarity of mirror-image patterns is discussed in relation to the generalized recognition of bilaterally symmetrical forms by pigeons. Pigeons found an orientation discrimination task involving a 45° tilt comparatively hard. A second experiment with a discrete-trial conditional paradigm confirmed that discriminations of shape orientations can be difficult for these birds. The addition of shape cues improved the performance on the orientation discrimination task, more so when arbitrary shapes were employed than when mirror images were used, which indicates again that the latter were more difficult to discriminate than the former. The relative insensitivity to shape orientations is ascribed to normal ecological demands on pigeons.
Hot Spring Metagenomics

Hot springs have been investigated since the XIX century, but isolation and examination of their thermophilic microbial inhabitants did not start until the 1950s. Many thermophilic microorganisms and their viruses have since been discovered, although the real complexity of thermal communities was envisaged when research based on PCR amplification of the 16S rRNA genes arose. Thereafter, the possibility of cloning and sequencing the total environmental DNA, defined as metagenome, and the study of the genes rescued in the metagenomic libraries and assemblies made it possible to gain a more comprehensive understanding of microbial communities—their diversity, structure, the interactions existing between their components, and the factors shaping the nature of these communities. In the last decade, hot springs have been a source of thermophilic enzymes of industrial interest, encouraging further study of the poorly understood diversity of microbial life in these habitats.
Parallel and Meshfree: New Frontiers of CFD

For the best part of 50 years, advances in algorithms and the increasing computing power have made computational fluid dynamics, CFD, a mature discipline. Which are some remaining frontiers of the discipline? It is common knowledge that one of the challenges in fluid simulation continues to be the need to straddle many scales. New computational methods still need to be developed that are able to adapt to the many scales of a problem. Another frontier recently opened is the development of hardware-aware software. Multi-core computers are on everyone’s desktops nowadays, and a growing trend in using graphics cards and other specialized hardware is buzzing. In all of these frontiers, there is great potential for meshfree methods. Particle-type formulations for CFD offer an alternative which is low in numerical diffusion, devoid of numerical dispersion and stability constraints. Also, meshfree methods offer a natural adaptivity in situations where mesh generation is a burden (e.g., moving boundaries). Meshfree methods could be especially well-suited to exploit the new hardware technologies entering the scene. I will present an overview of some aspects of meshfree simulation in fluid dynamics, and recent progress in algorithms and parallel implementations, including novel hardware.
Influence of trajectory and speed profile on muscle organization during robot-aided training

Active and passive movements are primary control paradigms adopted for robot-aided neurorehabilitation. Deepening the effect of different active and passive robot-aided trainings on muscle organization may allow evaluating the impact of such treatments, and consequently improving the effectiveness of robot-assisted rehabilitation. The aim of this work is to study how different passive strategies adopted in robot-assisted motor rehabilitation affect the muscle organization. For this purpose, seven healthy young subjects were asked to execute point-to-point reaching movements in different directions wearing an upper limb exoskeleton. The task required the execution of active movements at comfortable speed and passive movements accounting for different trajectories and speed profiles. The electrical activity of fifteen upper limb muscles was recorded, and the effect of the choice of the assistive strategy was studied on the level of muscle activation and on the organization of muscle synergies. Our results showed that the passive execution of linear trajectories according to a minimum jerk speed profile promotes a muscle organization more similar to the one elicited during the execution of active movements than in the other passive conditions considered in the analysis. The preliminary results of this study suggest that the choice of the trajectory and speed should be carefully considered in the design of passive robot-mediated rehabilitative trainings.
Triangle meshes segmentation and its application to region of interest in 3D model

This paper applies a mesh segmentation algorithm to extract the region of interest (RoI) of a 3D model. While studied in image and video processing, RoI is a totally new research area in geometry processing. Mesh segmentation is one of the most important area in 3D geometry processing and also works as the pre-process to several other applications in computer graphics. In this paper, we are trying to utilize the mesh segmentation algorithm to realize the RoI effects in 3D Model rendering. The proposed algorithm extends the current curvature-based method and integrates the hierarchical clustering. Firstly, our algorithm extracts the geometric features of 3D models and take advantage of these geometrical hints to cluster the triangle faces by Fitting pertinent primitives. Lastly, we evaluate the centeroid of each region of 3D model that is about to be the focus point in RoI rendering which is realized by GPU-based depth of field technique.
Employee Authenticity's Influence on Engagement, Coworker Interactions, and Perceived Effectiveness

I develop and test theoretical hypotheses for how employees' authenticity at work influences their motivational, relational, and effectiveness outcomes. These hypotheses are grounded in the idea that when individuals feel they display their true selves at work, they can more fully employ their physical, cognitive and emotional energies in their work roles, which in turn leads to higher levels of employee effectiveness (e.g., task performance, perceived value to the organization, and promotability). In addition to this personal motivational process, individuals who are more authentic also develop high-quality relationships with their coworkers, thereby receiving more instrumental support and minimizing the antagonistic encounters they have with their colleagues. Both types of coworker interactions should, in turn, also influence the focal individual's effectiveness at work. Finally, I hypothesize that the relationships between authenticity and these relational and effectiveness outcomes are moderated by certain personality traits, such that when an individual is highly narcissistic, has very low self-esteem, or has strongly held values or beliefs generally perceived to be negative or deviant, the relationships change: authenticity's positive influence on coworker instrumental support becomes less positive, and authenticity's negative influence on coworker incivility becomes less negative. These moderation effects are expected for employee effectiveness as well. The sample used to test these hypotheses consisted of 102 employees and their 16 supervisors from two private companies headquartered in the Southwest United States. Authenticity was found to be positively associated with employee engagement, coworker instrumental support, and employee effectiveness, and negatively associated with coworker incivility. Once other factors were controlled for, significant relationships remained with employee engagement and coworker support. Contrary to expectations, neither engagement nor coworker interactions mediated the authenticity-employee effectiveness relationship. A dark side of authenticity was found for two of the three personality traits: self-esteem moderated the relationship between authenticity and coworker instrumental support, such that when self-esteem was low, the relationship between authenticity and coworker support was significantly weaker. Additionally, narcissism moderated the relationship between authenticity and employee effectiveness such that when narcissism was low, the relationship between authenticity and effectiveness was positive, but when narcissism was high, the relationship became negative.
Expression of Interleukin-18 in Human Atherosclerotic Plaques and Relation to Plaque Instability

Background—Interleukin (IL)-18 is a potent proinflammatory cytokine with potential atherogenic properties. Its expression and role in atherosclerosis, however, are unknown. Methods and Results—In the present study, we examined stable and unstable human carotid atherosclerotic plaques retrieved by endarterectomy for the presence of IL-18 using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (PCR), Western blot, and immunohistochemical techniques. IL-18 was highly expressed in the atherosclerotic plaques compared with control normal arteries and was localized mainly in plaque macrophages. IL-18 receptor was also upregulated in plaque macrophages and endothelial cells, suggesting potential biological effects. To examine the role of IL-18 in atherosclerosis, we determined the relation between IL-18 mRNA expression and signs of plaque instability using real-time quantitative PCR. Interestingly, significantly higher levels of IL-18 mRNA were found in symptomatic (unstable) plaques than asymptomatic (stable) plaques (P <0.01). Conclusions—These results suggest, for the first time, a major role for IL-18 in atherosclerotic plaque destabilization leading to acute ischemic syndromes.
Composing heterogeneous components for system-wide performance analysis

Component-based validation techniques for parallel and distributed embedded systems should be able to deal with heterogeneous components, interactions, and specification mechanisms. This paper describes various approaches that allow the composition of subsystems with different execution and interaction semantics by combining computational and analytic models. In particular, this work shows how finite state machines, timed automata, and methods from classical real-time scheduling theory can be embedded into MPA (modular performance analysis), a contemporary framework for system-level performance analysis. The result is a powerful tool for compositional performance validation of distributed real-time systems.
A framework for dynamic updates of map data in mobile devices

Stored map services in mobile devices are being commercialized for mobile and wireless environment such as cellular phones. In order to ensure the quality and accuracy of map, the update on the source map must be reflected automatically to mobile devices. Due to the expensive communication cost and lack of hardware capacity of mobile devices, we should find a compromising solution between the transmission of an entire map and the transmission of only update logs to mobile devices. The transmission of the completely processed whole map results in an expensive communication cost, while simple transfer of update logs requires a large amount of processing to maintain geometric and topological consistency between multiple LODs(Level of Details). In this paper, we first propose a framework of update mechanism in mobile environments where the map data is stored on each mobile device. This framework provides an efficient strategy for processing an update and its propagation to multiple LODs without an expensive cost of communication and large amount of processing at mobile devices. Secondly, several methods are introduced to maintain topological consistency between LODs depending on the type of generalization operators. Finally, we propose an extended SVG(Simple Vector Graphics) to be used as a transfer format of update message to mobile devices.
Historical first descriptions of Cajal–Retzius cells: from pioneer studies to current knowledge

Santiago Ramón y Cajal developed a great body of scientific research during the last decade of 19th century, mainly between 1888 and 1892, when he published more than 30 manuscripts. The neuronal theory, the structure of dendrites and spines, and fine microscopic descriptions of numerous neural circuits are among these studies. In addition, numerous cell types (neuronal and glial) were described by Ramón y Cajal during this time using this “reazione nera” or Golgi method. Among these neurons were the special cells of the molecular layer of the neocortex. These cells were also termed Cajal cells or Retzius cells by other colleagues. Today these cells are known as Cajal–Retzius cells. From the earliest description, several biological aspects of these fascinating cells have been analyzed (e.g., cell morphology, physiological properties, origin and cellular fate, putative function during cortical development, etc). In this review we will summarize in a temporal basis the emerging knowledge concerning this cell population with specific attention the pioneer studies of Santiago Ramón y Cajal.
EFFECTS OF A MATH-ENHANCED CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTIONAL APPROACH ON THE MATHEMATICS ACHIEVEMENT OF AGRICULTURAL POWER AND TECHNOLOGY STUDENTS: AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY

The purpose of this study was to empirically test the hypothesis that students who participated in a contextualized, mathematics-enhanced high school agricultural power and technology curriculum and aligned instructional approach would develop a deeper and more sustained understanding of selected mathematical concepts than those students who participated in the traditional curriculum and instruction. This study included teachers and students from 38 high schools in the state of Oklahoma (18 experimental classrooms; 20 control classrooms). Students were enrolled in an agricultural power and technology course in the spring of 2004. The total number of students participating was 447 (206 experimental; 241 control). The experimental design employed was a posttest only control group design. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to test the study’s null hypothesis. The math-enhanced agricultural power and technology curriculum and aligned instructional approach did significantly affect (p < .05) a student’s need for postsecondary mathematics remediation as measured by a mathematics placement test used to determine a student’s need for remediation at the postsecondary level. A one-year replication of the study is recommended.
Multidisciplinary Assessment and Diagnosis of Conversion Disorder in a Patient with Foreign Accent Syndrome

Multiple reports have described patients with disordered articulation and prosody, often following acute aphasia, dysarthria, or apraxia of speech, which results in the perception by listeners of a foreign-like accent. These features led to the term foreign accent syndrome (FAS), a speech disorder with perceptual features that suggest an indistinct, non-native speaking accent. Also correctly known as psuedoforeign accent, the speech does not typically match a specific foreign accent, but is rather a constellation of speech features that result in the perception of a foreign accent by listeners. The primary etiologies of FAS are cerebrovascular accidents or traumatic brain injuries which affect cortical and subcortical regions critical to expressive speech and language production. Far fewer cases of FAS associated with psychiatric conditions have been reported. We will present the clinical history, neurological examination, neuropsychological assessment, cognitive-behavioral and biofeedback assessments, and motor speech examination of a patient with FAS without a known vascular, traumatic, or infectious precipitant. Repeated multidisciplinary examinations of this patient provided convergent evidence in support of FAS secondary to conversion disorder. We discuss these findings and their implications for evaluation and treatment of rare neurological and psychiatric conditions.
Sexting as a predictor of sexual behavior in a sample of Czech adolescents

Abstract The purpose of this longitudinal study is to examine the relationship between teen sexting and offline sexual behavior. Using a sample of 1134 Czech adolescents aged 10–18 (Mage = 13.84, SD = 1.94, girls = 58.8%) from 55 schools, the latent growth model of offline sexual behavior with sexting as a time-varying covariate was employed. Participants differed at baseline for offline sexual behavior at both individual and school levels, and they varied in the growth rate of offline sexual behavior at the individual level. Only age and sensation seeking explained the variability at baseline of offline sexual behavior. The positive association between sexting and offline sexual behavior was not constant across time. However, sexting at baseline predicted offline sexual behavior a half year and one year later. Sexting may be treated as a precursor of offline sexual behavior.
Numerical Computation for Identifying Nash Equilibria Using Shapley's Labeling Method

This paper proposes a method to find equilibria approximately using Shapley's labeling method for 2-person bimatrix games. It is well known fact that n-person finite games in strategic forms always have equilibria (Nash equilibria) in mixed strategies. A method for identifying equilibria is well-known for 2-person games with 2 x 2 bimatrices. Furthermore, the Shapley's label method is famous for games with more strategies. He presented a graphical method so called "Shapley's labeling method" which draws a diagram called "label diagram". However, drawing a label diagram for n x m bimatrix games is a complicated task, and it's not easy to find equilibria in the procedural way. The implemented program can calculate all equilibria for any 3 x 3 bimatrix games in less than 1 second, and for any 4 x 4 games in about less than 20 minutes on ordinary available PCs.
IOHMM for location prediction with missing data

In recent years, the widespread adoption of GPS enabled vehicles brings the Location Based Services new opportunities. It benefits many related fields such as urban planning, city traffic modeling, personalized recommendations and driving suggestions. The service providers can understand their users better by modeling the mobility pattern and provide more personalized services by predicting the destination of users' travels. In this paper, we propose to model both the temporal and spatial mobility patterns of human movements and predict the user's travel destination from certain origin place at certain time with specific IOHMM. In order to account for data missing, we introduce a dummy state in the process of constructing the IOHMM data sequence. We also demonstrate the possibility to represent individual mobility preference by building the user mobility profiles with the learnt IOHMM. We evaluate the prediction accuracy of our method with two datasets, and the experimental results show that our method outperforms several state-of-the-art works on both datasets.