Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Orkhēstra: on the design of interactive media architecture for public environments

We present Orkhēstra, an interdisciplinary project set out as a collaboration between architects, computer scientists, media façade designers and an LED manufacturer to find novel ways of seamlessly integrating architectural forms and digital media. Our research interest is based on the circumstance that architects and designers might not always be able to prototype even early instantiations of interactive media architecture in a timely way, and explore the design opportunities that these systems provide, because till today methods and tools in this domain are hardly available and they still demand very high technical expertise. To address these issues we created this installation using custom made prototyping tools that help to co-design and pre-test interactive media façade installations in conjunction with potential users in their environment.
Testing and evaluation of a secure integrity measurement system (SIMS) for remote systems

We have designed a novel system called a Secure Integrity Measurement System (SIMS) to provide a practical integrity for flexible and traditional remote systems. SIMS is not only targeted for Linux, but it can also be used for different operating systems such as Windows, and UNIX. All and executable content that are loaded onto any operating system is measured before execution. These measurements are protected by a secure Database Management System (DBMS) rather than using Trusted Platform Module (TPM) that is part of the Trusted Computing Group (TCG) standards. The proposed system can measure the executable content from the BIOS and the content that is generated at the application layer. Note our system does not require any special hardware such TCG or a new CPU mode or an operating system. In this paper, a set of experiments are carried out to meet the security and performance objectives. We have shown with the system evaluation that the SIMS can provide a tamper detection, and recovery to different kinds of content. The SIMS can efficiently and correctly determine if the executable content has been tampered with.
Karyotypic Determinants of Chromosome Instability in Aneuploid Budding Yeast

Recent studies in cancer cells and budding yeast demonstrated that aneuploidy, the state of having abnormal chromosome numbers, correlates with elevated chromosome instability (CIN), i.e. the propensity of gaining and losing chromosomes at a high frequency. Here we have investigated ploidy- and chromosome-specific determinants underlying aneuploidy-induced CIN by observing karyotype dynamics in fully isogenic aneuploid yeast strains with ploidies between 1N and 2N obtained through a random meiotic process. The aneuploid strains exhibited various levels of whole-chromosome instability (i.e. chromosome gains and losses). CIN correlates with cellular ploidy in an unexpected way: cells with a chromosomal content close to the haploid state are significantly more stable than cells displaying an apparent ploidy between 1.5 and 2N. We propose that the capacity for accurate chromosome segregation by the mitotic system does not scale continuously with an increasing number of chromosomes, but may occur via discrete steps each time a full set of chromosomes is added to the genome. On top of such general ploidy-related effect, CIN is also associated with the presence of specific aneuploid chromosomes as well as dosage imbalance between specific chromosome pairs. Our findings potentially help reconcile the divide between gene-centric versus genome-centric theories in cancer evolution.
Using Dynamic Taint Approach for Malware Threat

Most existing approaches focus on examining the values are dangerous for information flow within inter-suspicious modules of cloud applications (apps) in a host by using malware threat analysis, rather than the risk posed by suspicious apps were connected to the cloud computing server. Accordingly, this paper proposes a taint propagation analysis model incorporating a weighted spanning tree analysis scheme to track data with taint marking using several taint checking tools. In the proposed model, Android programs perform dynamic taint propagation to analyse the spread of and risks posed by suspicious apps were connected to the cloud computing server. In determining the risk of taint propagation, risk and defence capability are used for each taint path for assisting a defender in recognising the attack results against network threats caused by malware infection and estimate the losses of associated taint sources. Finally, a case of threat analysis of a typical cyber security attack is presented to demonstrate the proposed approach. Our approach verified the details of an attack sequence for malware infection by incorporating a finite state machine (FSM) to appropriately reflect the real situations at various configuration settings and safeguard deployment. The experimental results proved that the threat analysis model allows a defender to convert the spread of taint propagation to loss and practically estimate the risk of a specific threat by using behavioural analysis with real malware infection.
Magnetism and thermal stability of thin films of diluted ferromagnetic alloys with variable Curie temperature

Abstract Thermally-controlled exchange coupling between two strong ferromagnetic (FM) layers separated by a weak FM spacer has promising application in current-driven spintronic devices. In this thesis magnetic property of Ni xFe1-x thin films in the Invar composition range are studied. The focus is on investigating the magnetic transition from ferromagnetic to paramagnetic state of the material and finding the composition with lowest Curie point. The fabrication process of NixFe1-x thin films having variable Ni concentration using multi magnetron sputtering is described in the first part of the thesis. In the second part of the thesis the magnetic characterization technique and measurement results are discussed. The Invar effect is observed at approximately 30% Ni content, where the films exhibit a pronounced minimum in the Curie temperature versus Ni concentration
The Parental Non-Equivalence of Imprinting Control Regions during Mammalian Development and Evolution

In mammals, imprinted gene expression results from the sex-specific methylation of imprinted control regions (ICRs) in the parental germlines. Imprinting is linked to therian reproduction, that is, the placenta and imprinting emerged at roughly the same time and potentially co-evolved. We assessed the transcriptome-wide and ontology effect of maternally versus paternally methylated ICRs at the developmental stage of setting of the chorioallantoic placenta in the mouse (8.5dpc), using two models of imprinting deficiency including completely imprint-free embryos. Paternal and maternal imprints have a similar quantitative impact on the embryonic transcriptome. However, transcriptional effects of maternal ICRs are qualitatively focused on the fetal-maternal interface, while paternal ICRs weakly affect non-convergent biological processes, with little consequence for viability at 8.5dpc. Moreover, genes regulated by maternal ICRs indirectly influence genes regulated by paternal ICRs, while the reverse is not observed. The functional dominance of maternal imprints over early embryonic development is potentially linked to selection pressures favoring methylation-dependent control of maternal over paternal ICRs. We previously hypothesized that the different methylation histories of ICRs in the maternal versus the paternal germlines may have put paternal ICRs under higher mutational pressure to lose CpGs by deamination. Using comparative genomics of 17 extant mammalian species, we show here that, while ICRs in general have been constrained to maintain more CpGs than non-imprinted sequences, the rate of CpG loss at paternal ICRs has indeed been higher than at maternal ICRs during evolution. In fact, maternal ICRs, which have the characteristics of CpG-rich promoters, have gained CpGs compared to non-imprinted CpG-rich promoters. Thus, the numerical and, during early embryonic development, functional dominance of maternal ICRs can be explained as the consequence of two orthogonal evolutionary forces: pressure to tightly regulate genes affecting the fetal-maternal interface and pressure to avoid the mutagenic environment of the paternal germline.
Macroevolutionary chemical escalation in an ancient plant–herbivore arms race

A central paradigm in the field of plant–herbivore interactions is that the diversity and complexity of secondary compounds in plants have intensified over evolutionary time, resulting in the great variety of secondary products that currently exists. Unfortunately, testing of this proposal has been very limited. We analyzed the volatile chemistry of 70 species of the tropical plant genus Bursera and used a molecular phylogeny to test whether the species' chemical diversity or complexity have escalated. The results confirm that as new species diverged over time they tended to be armed not only with more compounds/species, but also with compounds that could potentially be more difficult for herbivores to adapt to because they belong to an increasing variety of chemical pathways. Overall chemical diversity in the genus also increased, but not as fast as species diversity, possibly because of allopatric species gaining improved defense with compounds that are new locally, but already in existence elsewhere.
MEMBRANE THIAMINE TRTPHOSPHATASE FROM RAT BRAIN: INHIBITION BY ATP AND ADP

—The hydrolysis of ThTP by rat brain membrane‐bound ThTPase is inhibited by nucleoside diphosphates and triphosphates. ATP and ADP are most effective, reducing hydrolysis by 50% at concentrations of 2 × 10−5m and 7·5 × 10−5m respectively. Nucleoside monophosphates and free nuclcosides as well as Pi have no effect on enzyme activity. ThMP and ThDP also fail to inhibit hydrolysis in concentrations up to 5 × 10−3m. Non‐hydrolysable methylene phosphate analogs of ATP and ADP were used in further kinetic studies with the ThTPase. The mechanism of inhibition by these analogs is shown to be of mixed non‐competitive nature for both compounds. An observed Ki, of 4 × 10−5m for the ATP analog adenosine‐PPCP and 9 × 10−5m for the ADP analog adenosine‐PCP is calculated at pH 6·5. Formation of the true enzyme substrate, the [Mg2+. ThTP] complex, is not significantly affected by concentrations of analogs producing maximal (>95%) inhibition of enzyme activity. Likewise the relationships between pH and observed Km and pH and Vmax are not shifted by the presence of similar concentrations of inhibitor.
Effects of Compounds Found in Propolis on Streptococcus mutans Growth and on Glucosyltransferase Activity

ABSTRACT Propolis, a resinous bee product, has been shown to inhibit the growth of oral microorganisms and the activity of bacterium-derived glucosyltransferases (GTFs). Several compounds, mainly polyphenolics, have been identified in this natural product. The present study evaluated the effects of distinct chemical groups found in propolis on the activity of GTF enzymes in solution and on the surface of saliva-coated hydroxyapatite (sHA) beads. Thirty compounds, including flavonoids, cinnamic acid derivatives, and terpenoids, were tested for the ability to inhibit GTFs B, C, and D from Streptococcus mutans and GTF from S. sanguinis (GTF Ss). Flavones and flavonols were potent inhibitors of GTF activity in solution; lesser effects were noted on insolubilized enzymes. Apigenin, a 4′,5,7-trihydroxyflavone, was the most effective inhibitor of GTFs, both in solution (90.5 to 95% inhibition at a concentration of 135 μg/ml) and on the surface of sHA beads (30 to 60% at 135 μg/ml). Antibacterial activity was determined by using MICs, minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs), and time-kill studies. Flavanones and some dihydroflavonols, as well as the sesquiterpene tt-farnesol, inhibited the growth of S. mutans and S. sobrinus; tt-farnesol was the most effective antibacterial compound (MICs of 14 to 28 μg/ml and MBCs of 56 to 112 μg/ml). tt-Farnesol (56 to 112 μg/ml) produced a 3-log-fold reduction in the bacterial population after 4 h of incubation. Cinnamic acid derivatives had negligible biological activities. Several of the compounds identified in propolis inhibit GTF activities and bacterial growth. Apigenin is a novel and potent inhibitor of GTF activity, and tt-farnesol was found to be an effective antibacterial agent.
Primary healthcare providers’ views on improving sexual and reproductive healthcare for adolescents in Bolivia, Ecuador, and Nicaragua

Objectives To elicit the views of primary healthcare providers from Bolivia, Ecuador, and Nicaragua on how adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH) care in their communities can be improved. Methods Overall, 126 healthcare providers (46 from Bolivia, 39 from Ecuador, and 41 from Nicaragua) took part in this qualitative study. During a series of moderated discussions, they provided written opinions about the accessibility and appropriateness of ASRH services and suggestions for its improvement. The data were analyzed by employing a content analysis methodology. Results Study participants emphasized managerial issues such as the prioritization of adolescents as a patient group and increased healthcare providers’ awareness about adolescent-friendly approaches. They noted that such an approach needs to be extended beyond primary healthcare centers. Schools, parents, and the community in general should be encouraged to integrate issues related to ASRH in the everyday life of adolescents and become ‘gate-openers’ to ASRH services. To ensure the success of such measures, action at the policy level would be required. For example, decision-makers could call for developing clinical guidelines for this population group and coordinate multisectoral efforts. Conclusions To improve ASRH services within primary healthcare institutions in three Latin American countries, primary healthcare providers call for focusing on improving the youth-friendliness of health settings. To facilitate this, they suggested engaging with key stakeholders, such as parents, schools, and decision-makers at the policy level.
Studies of Carboxyl-Functionalized Multi-Wall Carbon Nanotubes and Mechanical Properties of its MWCNTs-OPC Cement Composites

This study successfully grafted multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) with carboxyl group (MWCNTs-COOH) via concentrated nitric acid oxidation reaction. The morphologies of MWCNTs oxidized under various conditions and the extent of dispersion of the MWCNTs in the cement matrix were characterized using fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). This investigation also optimized the mechanical properties of MWCNTs-OPC cement composites by utilizing pristine MWCNTs (P-MWCNTs) and modified MWCNTs (MWCNTs-COOH) through a combination of dispersion method. Micrographs of MWCNTs incorporated cement samples revealed uniform dispersion of MWCNTs in cement, good interfacial adhesion between MWCNTs and cement, and improved interfacial bonding between MWCNTs-OPC cement at 0.4 wt. % loading. An improved dispersion and hence an improved crosslink interaction between MWCNTs-COOH and cement lead to the stronger shift of the mechanical properties of the cement composites.
IMPROVING THE MOBILE HEALTH SERVICES IN THE KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA : RESEARCH AGENDAS

Mobile health (mHealth) has a vital role to play as it can improve communication and enhance the health care processes integration. The aim of this research is to identify the most important mHealth services in the Saudi Ministry of Health (SMOH) mobile applications. To achieve this aim, the study will admit a quantitative research method and the data will be collected through a questionnaire which will be distributed to patients in a selected hospitals, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The SMOH developed five mHelath applications in order to provide its mobile health services, however, there are several services which are not offered in these applications including appointment reservation, open and update medical record, patient referee and consultation, physician directory, request medical reports and health risk assessments. The study will figure out whether these services are necessary and important for patients in the KSA. As a research implication, the research findings will expand an area of mHealth services in the KSA, which is still empirically not adequately explored. Additionally, the research results might provide valuable insights for the health professional and administrations in other countries.
Eliminating Redundant and Less-Informative RSS News Articles Based on Word Similarity and a Fuzzy Equivalence Relation

The Internet has marked this era as the information age. There is no precedent in the amazing amount of information, especially network news, that can be accessed by Internet users these days. As a result, the problem of seeking information in online news articles is not the lack of them but being overwhelmed by them. This brings huge challenges in processing online news feeds, e.g., how to determine which news article is important, how to determine the quality of each news article, and how to filter irrelevant and redundant information. In this paper, we propose a method for filtering redundant and less-informative RSS news articles that solves the problem of excessive number of news feeds observed in RSS news aggregators. Our filtering approach measures similarity among RSS news entries by using the fuzzy-set information retrieval model and a fuzzy equivalent relation for computing word/sentence similarity to detect redundant and less-informative news articles
STATISTICAL EXTRAPOLATION OF SHRINKAGE DATA - PART I: REGRESSION

A large series of data on carefully controlled shrinkage test of concrete involving groups of large numbers of identical specimens is reported. The data are used to compare existing shrinkage formulas in ACI, CEB-FIP, and BP models. Assuming that only the measured data for a certain initial period are known, predictions are made for long- times and are compared with the sebsequently observed shrinkage strains. In this manner, various possible statistical regression models are examined and compared. Best predictions are obtained when the shrinkage formula is fitted to test data using nonlinear optimization, then linear regression in transformed variables is used to obtain the confidence limits for long-time predictions. It is concluded that good long-time predictions of shrinkage can be obtained on the basis of shrinkage test results on 80 mm diameter cylinders for a 3-week duration. These predictions involve only the intrinsic uncertainty of the material, on which the uncertainty due to ramdom environment, curing history, and differences in concrete composition must be superimposed for practical application.
CoPE: Enabling collaborative privacy management in online social networks

Online Social Networks (OSNs) facilitate the creation and maintenance of interpersonal online relationships. Unfortunately, the availability of personal data on social networks may unwittingly expose users to numerous privacy risks. As a result, establishing effective methods to control personal data and maintain privacy within these OSNs have become increasingly important. This research extends the current access control mechanisms employed by OSNs to protect private information shared among users of OSNs. The proposed approach presents a system of collaborative content management that relies on an extended notion of a “content stakeholder. ” A tool, Collaborative Privacy Management (CoPE), is implemented as an application within a popular social-networking site, , to ensure the protection of shared images generated by users. We present a user study of our CoPE tool through a survey-based study (n=80). The results demonstrate that regardless of whether Facebook users are worried about their privacy, they like the idea of collaborative privacy management and believe that a tool such as CoPE would be useful to manage their personal information shared within a social network. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Distributed Multi-sensor Multi-target Tracking with Random Sets II

An approach for distributed multi-sensor multi-target tracking with random sets is introduced. For each sensor, probability hypotheses density filter is employed to obtain a state estimate set, then, weighted tracks association is used to correlate the state estimates. Experiments show this approach to be able to estimate both the number of tracked objects, as well as the states of the objects, robustly from noisy observations.
Clinically relevant doses of FLT3-kinase inhibitors quizartinib and midostaurin do not impair T-cell reactivity and function

The vast majority of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients harboring an FLT3-ITD mutation experience relapse within a short period of time after discontinuation of chemotherapy. [1][1] Treatment options include experimental trials using FLT3-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) or allogeneic stem cell
Tracking control for second-order agents with an active leader and jointly-connected topologies

In this paper, we investigate a tracking control problem of second-order multi-agent systems. Here, the leader is active and cannot be completely measured, the interaction graph among the followers is described by jointly-connected topologies, where the topology switches vary over time and is not strongly connected in each time-intervals. We propose a neighbor-based control rule for each agent to track the leader. Then a method for estimating the tracking errors is given, using the extension of the Barbalat's Lemma. Finally, Some simulation results are presented to demonstrate our theoretical results.
Micromechanics Based Inelastic and Damage Modeling of Composites

Micromechanics based models are considered for application to viscoelasticity and damage in metal matrix composites. The method proposes a continuation and development of Dvooak’s transformation field analysis, considering the piecewise uniform eigenstrains in each material phase. Standard applications of the method to a two-phase are considered in this study model, i.e., only one sub-volume per phase is considered. A continuous model is used, employing transformation field analysis with softening in order to prevent the tensile stress overstepping the tensile strength. At the same time shear cracking occurs in the tangential direction of the possible crack. This is considered in the principal shear stresses and they make disconnections in displacements. In this case, discontinuous models are more promising. Because discrete models, that can describe the situation more realistically have not been worked out in detail, we retain a continuous model and substitute the slip caused by overstepping the damage law by introducing eigenparameters from TFA. The various aspects of the proposed methods are systematically checked by comparing with finite element unit cell analyses, made through periodic homogenization assumptions, for SiC/Ti unidirectional lay-ups.
Decomposition of Stochastic Power Management for Wireless Base Station in Smart Grid

We propose a stochastic power management (SPM) algorithm for a wireless base station to optimize the power consumption (i.e., minimizing the power cost while meeting wireless traffic demand). This SPM algorithm is developed for a smart grid environment which takes a renewable power source and time-varying power price into account. An optimization model is developed to obtain an optimal solution of the SPM algorithm. This optimization model considers various uncertainties including power price, renewable power, and wireless traffic load. Benders decomposition method is applied to reduce the execution time of obtaining the optimal solution for the SPM algorithm.