Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Possibilities and challenges with eye tracking in video games and virtual reality applications

Due to an increase in affordable, reliable and non-intrusive eye trackers the technology has recently been used by the video game industry. This course offers participants the opportunity to get an update on research and developments in gaze-based interaction techniques in combination with other sensors. The course consists of three parts: (1) a review of eye tracking analysis and interaction in video games and virtual reality applications, (2) possibilities and challenges with gaze-based interaction, and (3) lessons learned from developing a commercial video game application using eye tracking along with alternative virtual reality technologies. This course is relevant for everyone who is interested in developing games that use eye tracking as an interaction device. The content is suitable for beginners or experienced delegates who want to learn more about the state of the art and future possibilities in eye tracking combined with other sensors as interaction devices. We believe that games and virtual reality applications have just started to incorporate these new techniques and further research and developments are needed in order to evaluate novel ways to enhance gameplay.
Coordinated Multi-sensors Coverage Based on Parallelism Selection Genetic Algorithm

How to minimize the network redundancy and prolong network life are important problems while designing a coordinated multi-sensors coverage system. By adopting stochastic sensing model for each sensor node, this paper founds an optimization model for coordinated multi-sensors coverage problem. Then an improved genetic algorithm based on parallelism selection is presented. The simulation resultsshow that the algorithm can effectively minimize networkredundancy and prolong network life.
Synergistic Action of Gentamicin and Bacteriophage in a Continuous Culture Population of Staphylococcus aureus

With the increasing frequency of antibiotic resistance and the decreasing frequency of new antibiotics entering the market, interest has returned to developing bacteriophage as a therapeutic agent. Acceptance of phage therapy, however, is limited by the unknown pharmacodynamics of a replicating agent, as well as the potential for the evolution of resistant bacteria. One way to overcome some of these limitations is to incorporate phage and antibiotics into a dual therapy regimen; however, this increases the complexity of the pharmacodynamics. The aim of this study is to develop an experimental system to evaluate the pharmacodynamics of dual phage-drug therapy. A continuous culture system for Staphylococcus aureus is used to simulate the pharmacokinetics of periodic antibiotic dosing alone and in combination with lytic phage. A computer model representation of the system allows further evaluation of the conditions governing the observed pharmacodynamics. The results of this experimental/modeling approach suggest that dual therapy can be more efficacious than single therapies, particularly if there is an overlap in the physiological pathways targeted by the individual agents. In this case, treatment with gentamicin induces a population of cells with a strong aggregation phenotype. These aggregators also have an increased ability to form biofilm, which is a well-known, non-genetic mechanism of drug resistance. However, the aggregators are also more susceptible than the parental strain to the action of the phage. Thus, dual treatment with gentamicin and phage resulted in lower final cell densities than either treatment alone. Unlike in the phage-only treatment, phage-resistant isolates were not detected in the dual treatment.
Phylogenetic incongruence inferred with two mitochondrial genes in Mepraia spp. and Triatoma eratyrusiformis(Hemiptera, Reduviidae)

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is widely used to clarify phylogenetic relationships among and within species, and to determine population structure. Due to the linked nature of mtDNA genes it is expected that different genes will show similar results. Phylogenetic incongruence using mtDNA genes may result from processes such as heteroplasmy, nuclear integration of mitochondrial genes, polymerase errors, contamination, and recombination. In this study we used sequences from two mitochondrial genes (cytochrome b and cytochrome oxidase subunit I) from the wild vectors of Chagas disease, Triatoma eratyrusiformis and Mepraia species to test for topological congruence. The results showed some cases of phylogenetic incongruence due to misplacement of four haplotypes of four individuals. We discuss the possible causes of such incongruence and suggest that the explanation is an intra-individual variation likely due to heteroplasmy. This phenomenon is an independent evidence of common ancestry between these taxa.
Usability testing: A software engineering perspective

Background: Software development methodologies adapt customer collaboration in the software development. Because of this, end users of the software participate in the usability testing to give their feedback to the analysts. Objective: The goal of this paper is to explore the design issues of the usability testing from the user's perspective. Method: We followed a systematic approach from the software engineering perspective in preparing the artifacts and conducting the usability testing by defining suitable metrics in a case study. Results: We identified several design issues while performing the usability testing. Metric values and hit-rates of design issues are presented. We also highlighted our lessons learned and recommendations based on our study. Limitations: Our case study is medium sized and results may not be applicable to the industry applications. However, the lessons learned and recommendations from this study are applicable. Conclusion: Users cannot finish complex tasks with no unanswered questions and the identified design issues help in improving user interfaces.
Empirical Study of Multi-label Classification Methods for Image Annotation and Retrieval

This paper presents an empirical study of multi-label classification methods, and gives suggestions for multi-label classification that are effective for automatic image annotation applications. The study shows that triple random ensemble multi-label classification algorithm (TREMLC) outperforms among its counterparts, especially on scene image dataset. Multi-label k-nearest neighbor (ML-kNN) and binary relevance (BR) learning algorithms perform well on Corel image dataset. Based on the overall evaluation results, examples are given to show label prediction performance for the algorithms using selected image examples. This provides an indication of the suitability of different multi-label classification methods for automatic image annotation under different problem settings.
Analysis of mechanical behavior of implant-supported prostheses in the anterior maxilla: analysis by speckle pattern interferometry

The use of implants to rehabilitation of total edentulous, partial edentulous or single tooth is increasing, it is due to the high rate of success that this type of treatment present. The objective of this study was to analyze the mechanical behavior of different positions of two dental implants in a rehabilitation of 4 teeth in the region of maxilla anterior. The groups studied were divided according the positioning of the implants. The Group 1: Internal Hexagonal implant in position of lateral incisors and pontic in region of central incisors; Group 2: Internal Hexagonal implant in position of central incisors and cantilever of the lateral incisors and Group3 - : Internal Hexagonal implants alternate with suspended elements. The Electronic Speckle Pattern Interferometry (ESPI) technique was selected for the mechanical evaluation of the 3 groups performance. The results are shown in interferometric phase maps representing the displacement field of the prosthetic structure.
Pruning nested XQuery queries

We present in this paper an approach for XQuery optimization that exploits minimization opportunities raised in composition-style nesting of queries. More precisely, we consider the simplification of XQuery queries in which the intermediate result constructed by a subexpression is queried by another subexpression. Based on a large subset of XQuery, we describe a rule-based algorithm that recursively prunes query expressions, eliminating useless intermediate results. Our algorithm takes as input an XQuery expression that may have navigation within its subexpressions and outputs a simplified, equivalent XQuery expression, and is thus readily usable as an optimization module in any existing XQuery processor. We demonstrate by experiments the impact of our rewriting approach on query evaluation costs and we prove formally its correctness.
A Multi-Objective Hw-sw Co-Synthesis Algorithm Based on Quantum-Inspired Evolutionary Algorithm

Hardware–Software (HW–SW) co-synthesis is one of the key steps in modern embedded system design. Generally, HW–SW co-synthesis is to optimally allocate processors, assign tasks to processors, and schedule the processing of tasks to achieve a good balance among performance, cost, power consumption, etc. Hence, it is a typical multi-objective optimization problem. In this paper, a new multi-objective HW–SW co-synthesis algorithm based on the quantum-inspired evolutionary algorithm (MQEAC) is proposed. MQEAC utilizes multiple quantum probability amplitude vectors to model the promising areas of solution space. Meanwhile, this paper presents a new crossover operator to accelerate the convergence to the Pareto front and introduces a PE slot-filling strategy to improve the efficiency of scheduling. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm can solve the typical multi-objective co-synthesis problems effectively and efficiently.
Nature of Information, People, and Relationships in Digital Social Networks

This paper summarizes the results of our recent investigations into how information propagates, how people assimilate information, and how people form relationships to gain information in Internet-centric social settings. It includes key ideas related to the role of the nature of information items in information diffusion as well as the notion of receptivity on part of the receiver and how it affects information assimilation and opinion formation. It describes a system that incorporates availability, willingness, and knowledge in recommending friends to a person seeking advice from social network. It discusses whether having common interests makes it more likely for a pair of users to be friends and whether being friends influences the likelihood of having common interests, and quantifies the influence of various factors in an individual’s continued relationship with a social group. Finally, it gives current research directions related to privacy and social analytics.
Effects of Rigid Gas Permeable Contact Lens Solutions on the Human Corneal Epithelium

In this investigation, the effects of three rigid gas permeable (RGP) contact lens wetting and soaking solutions, Boston Advance Conditioning Solution, Boston Conditioning Solution, and Allergan Wet-N-Soak Plus, were tested on the human corneal epithelium. Thirty subjects participated in three experimental sessions, during which one eye received three drops of one of these RGP solutions, while the other eye served as a control. After 10 and 30 min, corneal staining was graded in 5 areas and the eyes were photographed for a digitized analysis of staining. Our results indicate that corneas exposed to Boston Advance Conditioning Solution demonstrated significantly more fluorescein staining than control eyes at both 10 and 30 min by both methods of analysis, whereas corneas treated with the other two solutions were not significantly different from controls. The increased corneal staining noted with Boston Advance Conditioning Solution may be caused by the presence and concentration of the preservative, 0.0015% polyaminopropyl biguanide. An unforeseen result of this experiment was the relatively large number of subjects exposed to Boston Conditioning Solution and Allergan Wet-N-Soak Plus who had more corneal staining in the control eye. This may suggest that the two RGP solutions served as a barrier to fluorescein, protecting the epithelial cells from staining.
Design with children: a Semiotic approach

Human-Computer Interaction literature has shown the importance of bringing the user to the process of software design and several methodological proposals have been discussed. This type of user involvement in design is not emphasized in the same way in software design for children. In this paper we propose a method based on Semiotic theory for understanding the child's process of signification for design elements in the Internet media, and reflecting this understanding in the design of a portal for children. Our approach draw upon techniques from Participatory Design (PD) and concepts from Organizational Semiotics (OS). PD has shown usefulness in the investigation of children's conceptions for Internet spaces, and OS has shown a sound theoretical approach to represent in ontology charts children's signification to elements of design. The proposed methodology is illustrated with the design process of Caleidoscopio Jr: a Web portal for children designed with them.
A 1.2 pJ/b 6.4 Gb/s 8+1-lane forwarded-clock receiver with PVT-variation-tolerant all-digital clock and data recovery in 28nm CMOS

This paper presents an energy/area-efficient forwarded-clock receiver fabricated in a 28nm CMOS process. The receiver consists of 8 data lanes plus one forwarded-clock lane, and adopts a novel all-digital clock and data recovery (CDR) using a delay-locked loop (DLL). The all-digital DLL with calibration can generate accurate multiphase clocks for both duty-cycle correction and the data recovery in the presence of process variations. The all-digital DLL-based CDR can enter into open-loop mode after lock-in to reduce power and eliminate the clock dithering phenomenon. Furthermore, the CDR can re-lock in the closed-loop mode using a proposed update algorithm to track the temperature and voltage variations without disturbing the data recovery. Measurement results show that the receiver can operate at a data rate of 6.4 Gb/s with a BER<;10-12, consuming 7.5 mW per lane under a 0.85 V power supply. The core receiver occupies an area of 0.02 mm2 per lane.
Designing Product Families With Competition: A Design for Market Systems Approach

Manufacturing firms use product families to provide variety while maintaining economies of scale to improve manufacturing productivity. Designing a successful product family requires consideration of both customer preferences and the competition. This paper presents a design for market systems approach to product family design and solves the problem of designing a product family when the competition is simultaneously designing its product family. In particular, the problem is formulated as a two-player zero-sum game. Our analysis of this problem shows that it can be separated into multiple subproblems whose solution provides an optimal solution to the original problem. The paper presents an example to illustrate the approach.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Public attitudes towards the use of primary care patient record data in medical research without consent: a qualitative study

Objectives: Recent legislative changes within the United Kingdom have stimulated professional debate about access to patient data within research. However, there is currently little awareness of public views about such research. The authors sought to explore attitudes of the public, and their lay representatives, towards the use of primary care medical record data for research when patient consent was not being sought. Methods: 49 members of the public and four non-medical members of local community health councils in South Wales, UK gave their views on the value and acceptability of three current research scenarios, each describing access to data without patient consent. Results: Among focus group participants, awareness of research in primary care was low, and the appropriateness of general practitioners as researchers was questioned. There was general support for research but also concerns expressed about data collection without consent. These included lack of respect and patient control over the process. Unauthorised access to data by external agencies was a common fear. Current data collection practices, including population based disease registers elicited much anxiety. The key informants were equally critical of the scenarios and generally less accepting. Conclusions: This exploratory study has highlighted a number of areas of public concern when medical records are accessed for research without patient consent. Public acceptability regarding the use of medical records in research cannot simply be assumed. Further work is required to determine how widespread such views are and to inform those advising on confidentiality issues.
Long-Term (Six Years) Clinical Outcome Discrimination of Patients in the Vegetative State Could be Achieved Based on the Operational Architectonics EEG Analysis: A Pilot Feasibility Study

Electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings are increasingly used to evaluate patients with disorders of consciousness (DOC) or assess their prognosis outcome in the short-term perspective. However, there is a lack of information concerning the effectiveness of EEG in classifying long-term (many years) outcome in chronic DOC patients. Here we tested whether EEG operational architectonics parameters (geared towards consciousness phenomenon detection rather than neurophysiological processes) could be useful for distinguishing a very long-term (6 years) clinical outcome of DOC patients whose EEGs were registered within 3 months post-injury. The obtained results suggest that EEG recorded at third month after sustaining brain damage, may contain useful information on the long-term outcome of patients in vegetative state: it could discriminate patients who remain in a persistent vegetative state from patients who reach a minimally conscious state or even recover a full consciousness in a long-term perspective (6 years) post-injury. These findings, if confirmed in further studies, may be pivotal for long-term planning of clinical care, rehabilitative programs, medical-legal decisions concerning the patients, and policy makers.
A Generalized Proximal Point Algorithm and Its Convergence Rate

We propose a generalized proximal point algorithm (PPA) in the generic setting of finding a root of a maximal monotone operator. In addition to the classical PPA, a number of benchmark operator splitting methods in the PDE and optimization literatures can be retrieved by this generalized PPA scheme. We establish the convergence rate of this generalized PPA scheme under different conditions, including estimating its worst-case convergence rate measured by the iteration complexity under mild assumptions and deriving its linear convergence rate under certain stronger conditions. Throughout our discussion, we pay particular attention to the special case where the operator is the sum of two maximal monotone operators and specify our theoretical results in the generic setting to this special case. Our result turns out to be a general and unified study on the convergence rate of a number of existing methods and subsumes some existing results in the literature.
Development and evaluation of a gyroscope-based wheel rotation monitor for manual wheelchair users

Abstract Objective To develop and evaluate a wireless gyroscope-based wheel rotation monitor (G-WRM) that can estimate speeds and distances traveled by wheelchair users during regular wheelchair propulsion as well as wheelchair sports such as handcycling, and provide users with real-time feedback through a smartphone application. Methods The speeds and the distances estimated by the G-WRM were compared with the criterion measures by calculating absolute difference, mean difference, and percentage errors during a series of laboratory-based tests. Intraclass correlations (ICC) and the Bland–Altman plots were also used to assess the agreements between the G-WRM and the criterion measures. In addition, battery life and wireless data transmission tests under a number of usage conditions were performed. Results The percentage errors for the angular velocities, speeds, and distances obtained from three prototype G-WRMs were less than 3% for all the test trials. The high ICC values (ICC (3,1) > 0.94) and the Bland–Altman plots indicate excellent agreement between the estimated speeds and distances by the G-WRMs and the criterion measures. The battery life tests showed that the device could last for 35 hours in wireless mode and 139 hours in secure digital card mode. The wireless data transmission tests indicated less than 0.3% of data loss. Conclusion The results indicate that the G-WRM is an appropriate tool for tracking a spectrum of wheelchair-related activities from regular wheelchair propulsion to wheelchair sports such as handcycling. The real-time feedback provided by the G-WRM can help wheelchair users self-monitor their everyday activities.
Cu Interconnect Width Effect, Mechanism and Resolution on Down-Stream Stress Electromigration

Sub-micron Cu damascene interconnect, electromigration is mainly due to the diffusion at the interfaces of Cu with liner or dielectric capping layer. Many reports have pointed out the Cu/capping dielectric as the dominant interface. Experiments were performed to study the effect of the Cu line width and stress current direction on electromigration. For Cu line with multiple via connections, the resistance to electromigration is influenced by the metal width regardless of the electron flow direction. On the other hand, in case of a single via connection structure, the results revealed significant differences in electromigration behavior for up-stream and down-stream stress. For the up-stream stress, EM behavior is dominated by Cu drift velocity. Wider metal lines have the lower Cu drift velocity, and so possess the better EM resistance. In the case of down-stream stress, two distinct failure modes, via bottom and metal line depletion, were found, thus worsening the lifetime distribution due to higher current in the via bottom for the wider metal. Two effective methods, enlarging via size and enhancing Cu/capping process, were demonstrated to improve the EM distribution in this study
Okaliptüs, Kayın ve Kavak Soyma Kaplamaları ile Üretilen Tabakalı Kaplama Kerestelerin (TKK) Bazı Fiziksel Özellikleri

In this study, laminated veneer lumbers were produced with rotary peeled veneers from eucalyptus, beech and poplar using urea-formaldehyde, melamine-urea-formaldehyde and phenol-formaldehyde adhesives. Air-dried density, equilibrium moisture content, thickness swelling, and water absorption were determined. The obtained data were evaluated with variance analysis. Results showed that adhesives type influenced equilibrium moisture content, and equilibrium moisture content of LVLs bonded with phenol-formaldehyde was the highest, and that of LVLs bonded with melamine-urea-formaldehyde was the lowest. In addition, results showed that tree species, adhesive type, and soaking time were effective significantly on the thickness swelling and water absorption
Performance Optimization of Top-k Queries on GPU

With the development of web search engines, the concern on real-time performance of Top-k queries has attracted more and more attention. The author studies implement of classic algorithm No Random Access Algorithm in order to optimize performance of Top-k queries on GPU. We give a novel GPU algorithm by using the features of CUDA's programming model. Experiment results show that an implementation of the algorithm on one GPU runs more than 7000 times faster than a single core implementation on a latest CPU.