Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Pervasive and Mobile Computing ( ) – Pervasive and Mobile Computing Design and Implementation of a Self-guided Indoor Robot Based on a Two-tier Localization Architecture

We consider building an indoor low-cost mobile robot that can be used in home applications. Due to the complicated nature of home environments, it is essential for such a robot to be self-guided in the sense that it is able to determine its current location as well as navigate to locations where it is commanded to. We propose a two-tier architecture to achieve this goal at centimeter-to-meter-level accuracy. The robot can even roam into an area which is new to it. We demonstrate a prototyping system based on an extended iRobot and the results have important implications on intelligent homes.
Sensor Temperature Compensation Technique Simulation based on BP Neural Network

Innovatively, neural network function programming in the BPNN (BP neural network) tool boxes from MATLAB are applied, and data processing is done about CYJ-101 pressure sensor, and the problem of the sensor temperature compensation is solved. The paper has made the pressure sensors major sensors and temperature sensor assistant sensors, input the voltage signal from the two sensors into the established BP neural network model, and done the simulation under the NN Toolbox environment of MATLAB. From the compensation result, it has be found that the temperature interference variable effects on the pressure output identity has dropped from 22% to 1.1%,greatly improved the pressure sensor measurement precision and anti-interference ability. DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.11591/telkomnika.v11i6. 2687 Full Text: PDF
Dense Temporal Series of C- and L-band SAR Data for Soil Moisture Retrieval Over Agricultural Crops

This paper investigates the potential of multi-temporal C- and L-band SAR data, acquired within a short revisiting time (1-2 weeks), to map temporal changes of surface soil moisture content (mv) underneath agricultural crops. The analysed data consist of a new ground and SAR data set acquired on a weekly basis from late April to early August 2006 over the DEMMIN (Durable Environmental Multidisciplinary Monitoring Information Network) agricultural site (Northern Germany) during the European Space Agency 2006 AgriSAR campaign. The paper firstly investigates the main scattering mechanisms characterizing the interaction between the SAR signal and crops, such as winter wheat and rape. Then, the relationship between backscatter and soil moisture content temporal changes as a function of different SAR bands and polarizations is studied. Observations indicate that rationing of the multi-temporal radar backscatter can be a simple and effective way to decouple the effect of vegetation and surface roughness from the effect of soil moisture changes, when volume scattering is not dominant. The study also assesses to which extent changes in the incidence angle between subsequent radar acquisitions may affect the radar sensitivity to soil moisture content. Finally, an algorithm based on the change detection technique retrieving superficial soil moisture content is proposed and assessed both on simulated and experimental data. Results indicate that for crops relatively insensitive to volume scattering in the vegetation canopy (as for instance winter wheat at C-band or winter rape and winter wheat at L-band), mv can be retrieved during the whole growing season, with accuracies ranging between 5% and 6% [m3/m3]. We also show that low incidence angles (e.g., 20-35 ) and HH polarization are generally better suited to mv retrieval than VV polarization and higher incidence angles.
Acyl‐homoserine lactone acylase from Ralstonia strain XJ12B represents a novel and potent class of quorum‐quenching enzymes

N ‐acylhomoserine lactones (AHLs) are used as signal molecules by many quorum‐sensing Proteobacteria. Diverse plant and animal pathogens use AHLs to regulate infection and virulence functions. These signals are subject to biological inactivation by AHL‐lactonases and AHL‐acylases. Previously, little was known about the molecular details underlying the latter mechanism. An AHL signal‐inactivating bacterium, identified as a Ralstonia sp. , was isolated from a mixed‐species biofilm. The signal inactivation encoding gene from this organism, which we call aiiD , was cloned and successfully expressed in Escherichia coli and inactivated three AHLs tested. The predicted 794‐amino‐acid polypeptide was most similar to the aculeacin A acylase (AAC) from Actinoplanes utahensis and also shared significant similarities with cephalosporin acylases and other N‐terminal (Ntn) hydrolases. However, the most similar homologues of AiiD are deduced proteins of undemonstrated function from available Ralstonia , Deinococcus and Pseudomonas genomes. LC‐MS analyses demonstrated that AiiD hydrolyses the AHL amide, releasing homoserine lactone and the corresponding fatty acid. Expression of AiiD in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 quenched quorum sensing by this bacterium, decreasing its ability to swarm, produce elastase and pyocyanin and to paralyse nematodes. Thus, AHL‐acylases have fundamental implications and hold biotechnological promise in quenching quorum sensing.
Pairwise classifier combination and its application on Chinese character recognition

The complexity of pattern recognition increases along with the number of classes to be classified. As a result, large-scale pattern recognition problems such as Chinese character recognition are very difficult. On the other hand, with least number of classes, the research of pairwise classification has well developed theories and applicable methods. Thus, it is very practical to apply pairwise methods to solve multi-class and large-scale pattern recognition problems. In this paper, the multi-class problem has been broken down into a combination of pairwise problems so that multi-class problem can be solved through pairwise classifier combination. The method has been applied in Chinese character recognition. Comparing with primary system, the first candidate recognition rate increases from 89.25% to 97.94%; the error rate is cut by 80.84%.
Learning and Legislating to Love: Marriage Promotion Policy and Family Inequality in America

In 1996, Congress overhauled welfare policy to encourage work and marriage as routes to economic self-sufficiency for poor American families. This led to the subsequent creation of the federal Healthy Marriage Initiative (HMI) in 2002. The HMI has funded hundreds of relationship skills and marriage education programs across the country, many targeting poor and low-income unmarried couples with children. To date, very little of the social scientific and policy debate over the value of such programs has focused on what relationship skills-based government-sponsored marriage promotion actually involves in practice. To address this gap, this dissertation draws on data collected data during an 18-month participant observation study of one federally-funded relationship skills program for low-income, unmarried parents called Thriving Families, including in-depth interviews with 60 program staff, instructors, and participants. I find that Thriving Families couples delayed marriage because of a phenomenon I call curtailed commitment, the belief that if they cannot live up to middle-class ideas of family life, including meeting a specific economic threshold, couples are not equipped for marriage. Staff and instructors employed three primary strategies to encourage couples to overcome this reluctance: 1) rather than promoting marriage directly, they promoted a healthy co-parenting relationship, preferably within the context of marriage, as the best resource poor parents have to bolster their children's life chances; 2) they reframed what I call marital masculinity by suggesting that marriageable men are those who have the capacity to be caring co-parents and good communicators, qualities that do not depend on their ability to live up to middle-class norms of male breadwinning; and 3) they tried to teach parents financial management skills that would presumably enable them to have more money and communication skills to help them talk through relationship problems. Though economic constraints challenged their abilities to use the skills promoted by the program, parents viewed the classes as a rare opportunity to communicate free of the material constraints that overwhelmingly characterized their daily lives and their intimate relationships. This suggests that rather than promoting an instrumental view of marriage--that marriage prevents poverty--healthy marriage policy could likely better serve disadvantaged families by acknowledging and addressing the socioeconomic roots of curtailed commitment as part of public efforts to strengthen family relationships.
Physiological ecology of riverside species : adaptive responses of plants to submergence

In river floodplains, variation in flooding conditions results in successional stages in colonization ranging from annual pioneers to long-lived perennials. Reactions to submergence of species from the mid-successional zone are compared with adaptive responses of species from other zones. Presence and abundance are related to elevation and can be explained by characteristics of biomass production, and recovery in response to various submergence intensities. Rumex species, from early to late successional stages, serve as models to elucidate, in more detail, mechanisms of adaptation. Flooding-resistant species develop large numbers of adventitious roots upon submergence and exposure to low oxygen conditions. Due to internal oxygen transport through aerenchyma, soil around these roots is reoxidized, which stimulates bacterial nitrification. Ethylene and auxin promote adventitious rooting. Increased petiole elongation is also an adaptive feature of submergence-resistant Rumex species. Differences between species in submergence-induced growth are not only controlled by variation in endogenous levels of ethylene but also by different sensitivities to this hormone. Auxin does not affect Rumex petiole elongation, but a clear positive effect of gibberellin is demonstrated. Apparently, submergence induces a higher sensitivity to gibberellin and ethylene in the petioles of flooding-resistant Rumex. Many of the submergence reactions can also be induced by restricting the oxygen supply, suggesting that low-oxygen might be a triggering factor. The Rumex species we study represent various distinct communities. Thus, the ecophysiological phenomena observed in these model plants may explain processes and patterns in other species too and thus are interpretable at the riverside community level.
Serious games based approach to cyber security concept learning: Indian context

In the world of computer based gaming most of them are purely for entertainment but recently serious games are also emerging. Our research study focused primarily on a type of serious game with multiple scenarios designed specifically to support cyber security concept learning. We studied the impact of game based learning on cyber security graduate engineering students (N=20). Existing game scenarios were enhanced with summative assessments. A control group (EG1=10) was given the summative test without playing the game and a different group (EG2=10) was given the same test after playing the game. Results indicate that EG2 had better learning outcomes though there was learning curve with the game itself.
The Stardinates - visualizing highly structured data

The Stardinates are a novel interactive information visualization (InfoVis) technique, which aims at visualizing highly structured data. They represent some Gestalt principles very well, especially the principles of Closure and 'Pragnanz'. As a consequence, Stardinates form very distinct and memorable patterns, which make abstraction and aggregation much easier. We give a formal description of the Stardinates as a basis for implementation. Furthermore, we show an application by visualizing psychotherapeutic data derived from a clinical study on anorectic girls.
Interdependent Scheduling Games

We propose a model of interdependent scheduling games in which each player controls a set of services that they schedule independently. A player is free to schedule his own services at any time; however, each of these services only begins to accrue reward for the player when all predecessor services, which may or may not be controlled by the same player, have been activated. This model, where players have interdependent services, is motivated by the problems faced in planning and coordinating large-scale infrastructures, e.g., restoring electricity and gas to residents after a natural disaster or providing medical care in a crisis when different agencies are responsible for the delivery of staff, equipment, and medicine. We undertake a game-theoretic analysis of this setting and in particular consider the issues of welfare maximization, computing best responses, Nash dynamics, and existence and computation of Nash equilibria.
Speed control in switched reluctance motor based on generalized predictive control

This paper presents a robust control scheme based on a Generalized Predictive Controller (GPC) belonging to the Model Predictive Controller (MPC) Family applied to the speed loop of a SRM drive. The structure of the proposed controller is based on the design of a filter to allow a rapid response, disturbance rejection, noise attenuation and robustness with a low computational cost. The proposed controller, as well a traditional PID controller, in order to provide means of comparison of experimental results, are applied. The proposed controller was implemented and the experimental results compared with traditional PID controller and analyzed quantitatively by performance indexes.
Pediatric preventive cardiology clinics.

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the adult population in our society. Cardiac diseases due to diphtheria, rubella, and rheumatic fever are currently extremely rare in comparison with the incidence in previous generations. 1 This is, to a great extent, due to successful practice of preventive medicine in the offices of pediatricians. Although the clinical manifestations of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease seem to be in the distant future for children, there is good evidence that the pathological process begins in childhood. 1-6 Furthermore, there is no question that behavioral aspects of a coronary disease–prone life-style have their roots in childhood. 5,7 Efforts directed at the prevention of adult atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease are being increasingly incorporated into the practice of pediatrics. Pediatric preventive cardiology clinics have developed in the recent past for several reasons. The incorporation of preventive cardiology efforts in pediatric practice leads to the identification of
Consensus set maximization with guaranteed global optimality for robust geometry estimation

Finding the largest consensus set is one of the key ideas used by the original RANSAC for removing outliers in robust-estimation. However, because of its random and non-deterministic nature, RANSAC does not fulfill the goal of consensus set maximization exactly and optimally. Based on global optimization, this paper presents a new algorithm that solves the problem exactly. We reformulate the problem as a mixed integer programming (MIP), and solve it via a tailored branch-and-bound method, where the bounds are computed from the MIP's convex under-estimators. By exploiting the special structure of linear robust-estimation, the new algorithm is also made efficient from a computational point of view.
An electronic system for the thermal management of MOX sensors

MOX sensors are widely used in several application fields: environmental monitoring, home automation, food control, and so on. Research activities in this topic are oriented towards new materials and nanotechnologies, thus requiring new instruments for the sensor characterization and management. Often, in order to improve selectivity, sensitivity, stability, the sensor is heated according to purposely-designed profiles. The repeatability of the measurement conditions strongly depends on the ability to perform a sensor resistance measurement in a synchronous fashion with respect to the imposed thermal profile. This work proposes an electronic equipment for a complete and synchronous management of a generic MOX sensor, showing a resistance varying from tens of kilohms up to tens of gigohms. First experimental results encourage its use with real sensors.
Pre-Training, During-Training and Post-Training Activities as Predictors of Transfer of Training

Training is one of the most frequently used Human Resource Development (HRD) interventions. Positive transfer of training is defined as the degree to which the trainees effectively apply the knowledge, skills and attitudes gained in training for the job. The purpose of this study is to determine whether pre-training, during-training and post-training activities significantly influence transfer of training, and also if the three predictors have a significant relationship with transfer of training. Scales developed by Saks and Belcourt (2006) were used to quantify the three predictors, and the transfer of training scale from Xiao’s (1996) study was also used. 136 respondents’ data from four hospitality firms having national presence were used to test the hypothesis. The results indicate that all the three predictors explain 20.2%, 28% and 18.3% variations respectively, and therefore, significantly influence the transfer of training and also have a positive relationship with transfer of training.
Medicolegal neglect? The case for physical activity promotion and Exercise Medicine

Whether measured subjectively or objectively, a large proportion of the population are living sedentary and physically inactive lives.1 ,2 This should be a major public health focus given the overwhelming evidence demonstrating that physical inactivity increases an individual's risk for all-cause mortality and may be one of the leading causes of non-communicable chronic disease in the world, responsible for about 60% of worldwide deaths3,–,6 and probably more in developed countries. Pandemic levels of physical inactivity result in a huge burden of unhealthy consequences within populations and for society, across all socioeconomic classes, all ethnicities and phenotypes. However, attempts to explain the precise causes of chronic diseases and resultant deaths, for each individual, are very difficult. We are all exposed to multiple risk factors in variable quantities throughout our lives and, currently, these are virtually impossible to measure. Consequently, despite our remarkable growth in the medical field, explanations for precise causes of death remain speculative. To attribute causal status of risk factors for non-communicable disease is fraught with difficulty both clinically and medicolegally. For example, it is baffling that despite scientific progress since Richard Doll's landmark findings 60 years ago, strongly linking smoking with lung cancer,7 causation of smoking and lung cancer has still not been upheld in a court of law.8 Duty of care is a legal obligation imposed on a doctor requiring, via the Bolam test,9 that their actions conform to those of a responsible body of professional opinion, even if others have a different opinion. More recently, the Bolitho v City and Hackney Health Authority case, entitled a judge to choose between two bodies of expert opinion and reject an opinion, which is ‘logically indefensible’. …
PreDs: a server for predicting dsDNA-binding site on protein molecular surfaces

UNLABELLED PreDs is a WWW server that predicts the dsDNA-binding sites on protein molecular surfaces generated from the atomic coordinates in a PDB format. The prediction was done by evaluating the electrostatic potential, the local curvature and the global curvature on the surfaces. Results of the prediction can be interactively checked with our original surface viewer. AVAILABILITY PreDs is available free of charge from http://pre-s.protein. osaka-u.ac. jp/~preds/ CONTACT kino@ims.u-tokyo.ac. jp.
De praktijk van VVE Thuis. Een programma voor gezinsgerichte ontwikkelingsstimulering.

The aim of the present study is to gain insight into how parent meetings were designed, so that a positive effect on the stimulating and supportive behavior of coaches could be expected. A condition to achieve this is that coaches carry out activities to 1) develop a positive attitude among parents, 2) experience social influence among parents, 3) increase parental self-efficiency, 4) educate the parents relevant competencies and 5) to eliminate possible barriers. Eleven coaches and thirteen parents have been interviewed during 2011. The interviews and observations showed that the coaches at parent meetings performed various activities that influenced the stimulating and supportive behavior of parents. Many of these activities match with the principles of VVE Thuis. Interestingly, in some locations, the coaches gave no or too little information and in certain locations, the coaches didn’t practice the intended behavior with the parents. The expectation is that these parents will not develop a positive attitude and have a lack of competencies, so that probably no change in behavior will occur among these parents. A recommendation could be to give the coaches a training. Sleutelwoorden – VVE Thuis, gezinsgericht programma, ouderbijeenkomsten, ondersteunenden stimulerend gedrag, ASE-model
A gaze interactive textual smartwatch interface

Mobile gaze interaction is challenged by inherent motor noise. We examined the gaze tracking accuracy and precision of twelve subjects wearing a gaze tracker on their wrist while standing and walking. Results suggest that it will be possible to detect whether people are glancing the watch, but not where on the screen they are looking. To counter the motor noise we present a word-by-word textual UI that shows temporary command options to be executed by gaze-strokes. Twenty-seven participants conducted a simulated smartwatch task and were able to reliably perform commands that would adjust the speed of word presentation or make regressions. We discuss future design and usage options for a textual smartwatch gaze interface.
BACTERIAL PROTOPLASTS INDUCED BY PENICILLIN.

3 S. Cohen and R. Levi-Montalcini, Cancer Research (in press). Antivenin (Crotalidae) polyvalent was obtained from Wyeth Laboratories, Inc. 50. H. Lowry, N. J. Rosebrough, A. L. Farr, R. J. Randall, J. Biol. Chem., 193, 265-275, 1951. 6 We wish to thank Drs. A. Kornberg and H. Pahl for the diethylaminoethyl (DEAE) and carboxymethyl (CM) cellulose ion exchangers. 7R. Levi-Montalcini and S. Cohen, these PROCEEDINGS, 42, 695-699, 1956.