Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Data-Driven Privacy Indicators

Third party applications work on top of existing platforms that host users’ data. Although these apps access this data to provide users with specific services, they can also use it for monetization or profiling purposes. In practice, there is a significant gap between users’ privacy expectations and the actual access levels of 3rd party apps, which are often over-privileged. Due to weaknesses in the existing privacy indicators, users are generally not well-informed on what data these apps get. Even more, we are witnessing the rise of inverse privacy: 3rd parties collect data that enables them to know information about users that users do not know, cannot remember, or cannot reach. In this paper, we describe our recent experiences with the design and evaluation of Data-Driven Privacy Indicators (DDPIs), an approach attempting to reduce the aforementioned privacy gap. DDPIs are realized through analyzing user’s data by a trusted party (e.g., the app platform) and integrating the analysis results in the privacy indicator’s interface. We discuss DDPIs in the context of 3rd party apps on cloud platforms, such as Google Drive and Dropbox. Specifically, we present our recent work on Far-reaching Insights, which show users the insights that apps can infer about them (e.g., their topics of interest, collaboration and activity patterns etc.). Then we present History-based insights, a novel privacy indicator which informs the user on what data is already accessible by an app vendor, based on previous app installations by the user or her collaborators. We further discuss future ideas on new DDPIs, and we outline the challenges facing the wide-scale deployment of such indicators.
Back into the wild—Apply untapped genetic diversity of wild relatives for crop improvement

Deleterious effects of climate change and human activities, as well as diverse environmental stresses, present critical challenges to food production and the maintenance of natural diversity. These challenges may be met by the development of novel crop varieties with increased biotic or abiotic resistance that enables them to thrive in marginal lands. However, considering the diverse interactions between crops and environmental factors, it is surprising that evolutionary principles have been underexploited in addressing these food and environmental challenges. Compared with domesticated cultivars, crop wild relatives (CWRs) have been challenged in natural environments for thousands of years and maintain a much higher level of genetic diversity. In this review, we highlight the significance of CWRs for crop improvement by providing examples of CWRs that have been used to increase biotic and abiotic stress resistance/tolerance and overall yield in various crop species. We also discuss the surge of advanced biotechnologies, such as next‐generation sequencing technologies and omics, with particular emphasis on how they have facilitated gene discovery in CWRs. We end the review by discussing the available resources and conservation of CWRs, including the urgent need for CWR prioritization and collection to ensure continuous crop improvement for food sustainability.
Equilibrium Unemployment and Credit Market Imperfections: The Critical Role of Labor Mobility

We investigate the interaction between labour and credit market imperfections for the determination of equilibrium unemployment within the framework of the "right-tomanage" approach. Our analysis highlights the critical role of labour mobility for the evaluation of the employment implications of intensified credit market competition. Without labour mobility increased bargaining power of banks will have adverse employment effects. However, with a labour force mobile across industries this relationship is frequently reversed if firms adopt profit sharing schemes. If employment at a fixed wage complements unemployment benefits to constitute the trade union's relevant outside option, intensified credit market competition will increase equilibrium unemployment. This relationship is shown to hold also for cases where the outside option incorporates profit sharing schemes as long as the labour market imperfections – measured by the relative bargaining power of the trade unions - are sufficiently strong.
Human Thriving: A Conceptual Debate and Literature Review

Human beings have an inherent drive for self-improvement and growth (Maslow, 1965; Ryan & Deci, 2002). In a quest to understand how human beings achieve fulfillment, researchers have sought to explain why some individuals thrive in certain situations, whereas others merely survive or succumb. The topic of thriving has become popular with scholars, resulting in a divergent body of literature and a lack of consensus on the key processes that underpin the construct. In view of such differences, the purpose of this paper is threefold: (i) to review a number of existing theoretical and conceptual debates, and to propose a conceptualization of thriving applicable across different populations and domains; (ii) to consolidate pertinent bodies of extant thriving research and identify key personal and contextual enablers to inform applied practice; and (iii) to identify noteworthy gaps within existing literature so as to make recommendations for future research and, ultimately, support the development of effective psychosocial interventions for thriving.
MiRBooking simulates the stoichiometric mode of action of microRNAs

In eucaryotes, gene expression is regulated by microRNAs (miRNAs) which bind to messenger RNAs (mRNAs) and interfere with their translation into proteins, either by promoting their degradation or inducing their repression. We study the effect of miRNA interference on each gene using experimental methods, such as microarrays and RNA-seq at the mRNA level, or luciferase reporter assays and variations of SILAC at the protein level. Alternatively, computational predictions would provide clear benefits. However, no algorithm toward this task has ever been proposed. Here, we introduce a new algorithm to predict genome-wide expression data from initial transcriptome abundance. The algorithm simulates the miRNA and mRNA hybridization competition that occurs in given cellular conditions, and derives the whole set of miRNA::mRNA interactions at equilibrium (microtargetome). Interestingly, solving the competition improves the accuracy of miRNA target predictions. Furthermore, this model implements a previously reported and fundamental property of the microtargetome: the binding between a miRNA and a mRNA depends on their sequence complementarity, but also on the abundance of all RNAs expressed in the cell, i.e. the stoichiometry of all the miRNA sites and all the miRNAs given their respective abundance. This model generalizes the miRNA-induced synchronistic silencing previously observed, and described as sponges and competitive endogenous RNAs.
Scaling relations for earthquake source parameters and magnitudes

A data set of 41 moderate and large earthquakes has been used to derive scaling rules for kinematic fault parameters. If effective stress and static stress drop are equal, then fault rise time, τ, and fault area, S, are related by τ = 16S^(1/2)/(7π^(3/2)β), where β is shear velocity. Fault length (parallel to strike) and width (parallel to dip) are empirically related by L=2W. Scatter for both scaling rules is about a factor of two. These scaling laws combine to give width and rise time in terms of fault length. Length is then used as the sole free parameter in a Haskell type fault model to derive scaling laws relating seismic moment to M_S (20-sec surface-wave magnitude), M_S to S and m_b (1-sec body-wave magnitude) to M_S. Observed data agree well with the predicted scaling relation. The “source spectrum” depends on both azimuth and apparent velocity of the phase or mode, so there is a different “source spectrum” for each mode, rather than a single spectrum for all modes. Furthermore, fault width (i.e., the two dimensionality of faults) must not be neglected. Inclusion of width leads to different average source spectra for surface waves and body waves. These spectra in turn imply that m_b and M_S reach maximum values regardless of further increases in L and seismic moment. The m_b versus M_S relation from this study differs significantly from the Gutenberg-Richter (G-R) relation, because the G-R equation was derived for body waves with a predominant period of about 5 sec and thus does not apply to modern 1-sec m_b determinations. Previous investigators who assumed that the G-R relation was derived from 1-sec data were in error. Finally, averaging reported rupture velocities yields the relation v_R = 0. 72β.
Detecting emotional stress during typing task with time pressure

Automated stress detection is important in developing adaptive e-learning systems. Empirical evidence suggests that mouse dynamics and keyboard dynamics analyses can be both effective in user behaviour modelling as well as emotion detection compared to physiological measures and facial expression recognitions, and yet they are far less expensive and considered non-intrusive. This paper investigates how mouse dynamics and keyboard dynamics can be affected by emotional stress, particularly stress induced by time pressure, text length and language familiarity. Our research findings show that longer text and unfamiliar language raise users' stress perceptions. Demanding job such as long typing task could result in anomalous behaviours once the users have lost motivation. Language familiarity mainly affects keyboard behaviour but text length change mouse behaviour. This shows that there is a good potential of developing an adaptive e-learning system by detecting learners' emotional stress from keyboard and mouse input.
A comparison of NER tools w.r.t. a domain-specific vocabulary

In this paper we compare several state-of-the-art Linked Data Knowledge Extraction tools, with regard to their ability to recognise entities of a controlled, domain-specific vocabulary. This includes tools that offer APIs as a Service, locally installed platforms as well as an UIMA-based approach as reference. We evaluate under realistic conditions, with natural language source texts from keywording experts of the Städel Museum Frankfurt. The goal is to find first hints which tool approach or strategy is more convincing in case of a domain specific tagging/annotation, towards a working solution that is demanded by GLAMs world-wide.
MR blood oxygenation level-dependent signal differences in parenchymal and large draining vessels: implications for functional MR imaging.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE One major limitation of current functional MR (fMR) imaging is its inability to clarify the relationship between sites of cortical neuronal activation, small parenchymal venules that are in close proximity to these sites, and large draining veins distant from the active parenchyma. We propose to use gradient-echo blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) fMR time courses to differentiate large draining veins from parenchymal microvasculature. METHODS In eight research subjects, five of whom presented with space-occupying lesions near the central sulcus, gradient-echo fMR imaging was performed during alternating periods of rest and motor activation. MR signal time courses from parenchymal regions and draining veins of different diameters, which were identified using contrast-enhanced T1-weighted scans, were evaluated. Percent signal changes (deltaS) and the time to the onset of MR signal rise (T0) were calculated. RESULTS Mean delta(S) for all subjects was 2.3% (SD+/-0.7%) for parenchymal activation, 4.3% (SD +1.0%) for sulcal macrovasculature, and 7.3 (SD+/-1.1%) for large superficial bridging veins. The mean time to onset of MR signal increase was 4.4 seconds for parenchymal task-related hemodynamic changes and 6.6 seconds for venous hemodynamic changes, regardless of vessel size. Both the differences in delta(S) and T0 were statistically significant between venous and parenchymal activation (P < .0001). CONCLUSION Gradient-echo fMR imaging reveals hemodynamic task-related changes regardless of vessel size and therefore might show macrovascular changes distal to the site of neuronal activity. MR-signal time-course characteristics (delta(S) and T0) can be used to differentiate between small parenchymal and larger pial draining vessels, which is especially important in presurgical planning of neurosurgical procedures involving functionally important brain regions. The knowledge about the differences in (delta)S and T0 between micro- and macrovasculature might lead to a more accurate description of the spatial distribution of underlying neuronal activity.
Retributivists Need Not and Should Not Endorse the Subjectivist Account of Punishment

Response to: Adam J. Kolber, The Subjective Experience of Punishment, 109 Colum. L. Rev. 182 (2009). In his provocative essay, The Subjective Experience of Punishment, Professor Adam Kolber addresses an underappreciated problem in criminal law theory: What is the relevance of the criminal defendant’s subjective experience of punishment to the justifiability of that punishment? As Kolber explains, punishment theorists have neglected to analyze carefully whether the harsh conditions of punishment should be understood objectively (e.g., as a deprivation of liberty) or subjectively (e.g., as the physical or emotional distress that the particular offender suffers). Retributivists, he points out, have said relatively little about the issue, and also have much greater difficulty than consequentialists reconciling their views with his stance, which I will call the “subjectivist” view. In this response, I suggest that Kolber understates the conceptual and normative difficulties with the subjectivist view, and is mistaken in believing that only a subjectivist version of retributivism is defensible.
On-line Corporate Social Responsibility Disclosures: The Case of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Countries

The main objectives of this study are: (1) to evaluate the level of on-line corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosure of companies listed in the stock markets of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) 3 countries; (2) to investigate the impact of a number of company characteristics to explain the variation in the on-line CSR disclosure level among the sample companies; (3) to test if there are significant differences among the GCC countries in on-line CSR disclosure level. To achieve these objectives, a disclosure index was developed and applied to evaluate CSR for 163 companies listed in the GCC stock markets. The findings indicated that only 24.5% of sampled companies received disclosure scores of 50 percent or more. On average, an industrial company disclosed about 17 items of the 47 included in the index with a percentage of about 37.0%; while a non-industrial company disclosed about 14 items with a percentage of 29.4%, indicating that industrial companies are more involved in the on-line CSR. The results also indicated that there is considerable variation in the disclosure of each group of CSR (environmental, employee, community and social involvement and product). Among the six countries comprising the GCC, Qatar and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) out-scored other countries in on-line CSR disclosure. The results of the multiple regression analysis revealed that all models were significant except the model related to community and social involvement. The results also showed variations in explanatory power of all regression models of on-line CSR types as measured by the adjusted R 2 . Significant results were found in four models for firm ROE (FROE) and firm type (FTYPE). Finally, the nonparametric test, Kruskal-Wallis, showed significant differences among the six GCC countries in their on-line CSR disclosure. The Mann-Whitney test showed that there is a significant difference between the two groups of companies, industrial and non-industrial.
BK virus-associated hemorrhagic cystitis after pediatric stem cell transplantation

Hemorrhagic cystitis is a common stem cell transplantation-related complication. The incidence of early-onset hemorrhagic cystitis, which is related to the pretransplant conditioning regimen, has decreased with the concomitant use of mesna and hyperhydration. However, late-onset hemorrhagic cystitis, which is usually caused by the BK virus, continues to develop. Although the BK virus is the most common pathogenic microorganism of poststem cell transplantation late-onset hemorrhagic cystitis, pediatricians outside the hemato-oncology and nephrology specialties tend to be unfamiliar with hemorrhagic cystitis and the BK virus. Moreover, no standard guidelines for the early diagnosis and treatment of BK virus-associated hemorrhagic cystitis after stem cell transplantation have been established. Here, we briefly introduce poststem cell transplantation BK virus-associated hemorrhagic cystitis.
Engineered Protein Nano-Compartments for Targeted Enzyme Localization

Compartmentalized co-localization of enzymes and their substrates represents an attractive approach for multi-enzymatic synthesis in engineered cells and biocatalysis. Sequestration of enzymes and substrates would greatly increase reaction efficiency while also protecting engineered host cells from potentially toxic reaction intermediates. Several bacteria form protein-based polyhedral microcompartments which sequester functionally related enzymes and regulate their access to substrates and other small metabolites. Such bacterial microcompartments may be engineered into protein-based nano-bioreactors, provided that they can be assembled in a non-native host cell, and that heterologous enzymes and substrates can be targeted into the engineered compartments. Here, we report that recombinant expression of Salmonella enterica ethanolamine utilization (eut) bacterial microcompartment shell proteins in E. coli results in the formation of polyhedral protein shells. Purified recombinant shells are morphologically similar to the native Eut microcompartments purified from S. enterica. Surprisingly, recombinant expression of only one of the shell proteins (EutS) is sufficient and necessary for creating properly delimited compartments. Co-expression with EutS also facilitates the encapsulation of EGFP fused with a putative Eut shell-targeting signal sequence. We also demonstrate the functional localization of a heterologous enzyme (β-galactosidase) targeted to the recombinant shells. Together our results provide proof-of-concept for the engineering of protein nano-compartments for biosynthesis and biocatalysis.
The Influence of Leadership Styles and Motivation of Employees Job Satisfaction

The purpose of this research is to know and test whether there is influence of the style of leadership to the job satisfaction of employees, whether there is influence the motivation of the employeesi¯ job satisfaction and whether there is influence of the style of leadership and motivation of the job satisfaction of employees at PT. Garuda Milky Artha Surabaya. This type of research used in this research is descriptive. This research uses random sampling for the sampling, and questionnaire used to retrieve the data from this study. Data analysis techniques of this study is to test the validity, reliability test, normality test, regression deviation, analysis of data using linear regression, and test hypotheses. The results of this research are variable and variable leadership motivation apparently is affecting employee job satisfaction.
One Method At A Time Is Quite A Waste Of Time

Most just-in-time compilers for object-oriented languages operate at the granularity of methods. Unfortunately, even “hot” methods often contain “cold” code paths. As a consequence, just-in-time compilers waste time compiling code that will be executed only rarely, if at all. We discuss an alternative approach in which only truly “hot” code is ever compiled.
Automata-based Supervisory Controller for a Mobile Robot Team

Finite state automata are used as a modeling tool to derive and design a supervisory controller to coordinate and monitor collective and individual member functionality (behavior) of a mobile robot team, considering real-time robot sensor failures and repairs. The proposed supervisory control model is composed of a high level controller and a set of supervisory control modules. The high level controller activates the appropriate supervisor that redistributes task assignments to the robots in case of resource failures and repairs. The set of individual supervisory control modules (supervisors) all observe the activities of the robots and only the active supervisor provides control feedback to the robot team. The controller design accommodates flexibility in tasks assignment, robot cooperation, task prioritization and sequencing to accomplish a set of objectives. A team of mobile robots patrolling a warehouse is used as an example to demonstrate implementation aspects of the proposed supervisory controller
PROSA Profiling-based State Assignment for Low Power Dissipation by Robbert Eggermont

Delft University of Technology Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science CE-MS-2003-11 In this thesis we address the problem of state assignment for finite state machines (FSMs). We target the reduction of power dissipation in FSM circuits by minimizing the switching activity in the state register. We introduce a novel method that utilizes dynamic loop information extracted from FSM profiling data. We propose three different loop-based state assignment algorithms, trading off quality for computational effort. The depth-first search (DFS) algorithm performs an exhaustive search of the FSM encoding space, using the loop information for intermediate cost estimates of an encoding. The loop-based DFS algorithm performs a similar search on a loop-by-loop basis, where the loops are ordered in descending order of weight. The heuristic algorithm encodes the states individually, on the same loop-by-loop basis. The algorithms have been implemented and evaluated on the standard FSM benchmark suite MCNC/LGSynth ’89. Simulation results indicate an 8% average reduction of the switching activity in the state register for the heuristic algorithm when compared with POW3, a state of the art state assignment algorithms for low power dissipation. Additionally, our experiments suggest that no current state assignment algorithm that utilizes state register switching activity as metric for power minimization is able to achieve a consistent reduction in power consumption. Therefore, we conclude that the cost metric utilized for FSM state assignment algorithms for low power dissipation should be extended to also reflect the switching activity in the combinatorial circuit. PROSA Profiling-based State Assignment for Low Power Dissipation
Reciprocal Habituation

We explore relationships between habits and technology interaction by reporting on older people's experience of the Kinect for Xbox. We contribute to theoretical and empirical understandings of habits in the use of technology to inform understanding of the habitual qualities of our interactions with computing technologies, particularly systems exploiting natural user interfaces. We situate ideas of habit in relation to user experience and usefulness in interaction design, and draw on critical approaches to the concept of habit from cultural theory to understand the embedded, embodied, and situated contexts in our interactions with technologies. We argue that understanding technology habits as a process of reciprocal habituation in which people and technologies adapt to each other over time through design, adoption, and appropriation offers opportunities for research on user experience and interaction design within human-computer interaction, especially as newer gestural and motion control interfaces promise to reshape the ways in which we interact with computers.