Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Thermal touch: Thermography-enabled everywhere touch interfaces for mobile augmented reality applications

We present an approach that makes any real object a true touch interface for mobile Augmented Reality applications. Using infrared thermography, we detect residual heat resulting from a warm fingertip touching the colder surface of an object. This approach can clearly distinguish if a surface has actually been touched, or if a finger only approached it without any physical contact, and hence significantly less heat transfer. Once a touch has been detected in the thermal image, we determine the corresponding 3D position on the touched object based on visual object tracking using a visible light camera. Finally the 3D position of the touch is used by human machine interfaces for Augmented Reality providing natural means to interact with real and virtual objects. The emergence of wearable computers and head-mounted displays desires for alternatives to a touch screen, which is the primary user interface in handheld Augmented Reality applications. Voice control and touchpads provide a useful alternative to interact with wearables for certain tasks, but particularly common interaction tasks in Augmented Reality require to accurately select or define 3D points on real surfaces. We propose to enable this kind of interaction by simply touching the respective surface with a fingertip. Based on tests with a variety of different materials and different users, we show that our method enables intuitive interaction for mobile Augmented Reality with most common objects.
English as a Business Lingua Franca in a German Multinational Corporation

This article explores the role of English and other languages as perceived by members of upper management in a family-owned German multinational corporation in the technology sector. The findings show that, in the 21st century, English has become an indispensable “must” in the company and that there is a general understanding that staff at all levels develop their language skills as they see appropriate for their roles within the company. What needs to be learned, however, is not English as a native language but communicative effectiveness in English as a business lingua franca, which—as an international contact language—brings together nonnative as well as native Englishes from various linguacultural backgrounds spoken with varying degrees of proficiency. Learning to cope with the challenges of such diversity, in the context of business communication, seems to happen most effectively in business “communities of practice” rather than in traditional English training. The study also shows that, despite the dominance of English, other languages are not disappearing from the scene but are, indeed, used as a pragmatic or strategic resource. In particular, German, as the headquarters’ language, maintains an important role among individuals and within the organization.
Salivary Albumin as a Biomarker for Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Chronic Periodontitis

Background: Detection of cancer at the early stage is of great importance to decrease the morbidity and mortality of the disease. And as it is known that in neoplastic conditions, many biochemical substances deviate from their normal values; these may include proteins of body fluid. Analysis of salivary markers may provide an economical and noninvasive approach for screening large population. Periodontal infection has been implicated as risk factor for systemic diseases such as coronary heart diseases and diabetes. Aim: The purpose of this preliminary study is to investigate whether salivary albumin levels can be used as an indicator for early detection of oral squamous cell carcinoma and in early detection of chronic periodontitis. Methods: In this cross-sectional study a total of 90 participants were recruited from Dept. of Periodontics, A. B. Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences and Dept of Oncology, K. S. HEGDE Medical Academy. The participants were divided into three groups of 30 each. Group A -healthy individuals, Group B -patients with chronic generalized periodontitis & Group C -patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma. Salivary Albumin levels were measured using commercially available kits. The difference in the albumin levels between the three groups were compared using Kruskall Wallis test followed by Mann- Whitney U test. P value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The mean value of Albumin in group A (healthy) is 0.28(SD is 0.19), in group B (chronic gen periodontitis) is 0.31(SD is 0.19), and in group C (OSCC) is 0.82. (SD is 0.41). On comparing the three mean values it is seen that there is a significant rise in salivary levels of Albumin in OSCC patients, but there was no significant rise in salivary albumin levels in chronic periodontitis cases when compared with the healthy group. Conclusion: This study shows that Salivary Albumin levels could be used as a biomarker in Oral squamous cell carcinoma cases but may not be useful as a biomarker for early detection of chronic generalized periodontitis.
Adaptive AUV mission management in under-informed situations

Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) are in high demand within the offshore industry and maritime research, mainly used for bathymetry and data acquisition. The control architectures of these AUVs mimic this primary function by focusing on strict mission plans as these kind of application require, thus reducing the need for direct sensor reaction to emergency situations. The emerging needs for more complex underwater application like the inspection of structures, search missions or taking samples from the floor or in the water column with respect to certain environmental conditions demand more adaptive, currently not existing, control architectures. The main problem hereby is that, opposed to non-underwater application scenarios for autonomous systems, the lack of a stable communication channel to the vehicle demands complete autonomy. The architecture proposed in this paper aims at tackling the issue of unpredictability. The main issue, especially in exploration or inspection missions, is that little is known at the beginning of the mission. This lack of information makes planning meaningless, as the planner has no idea whatsoever as to what should be done while on site. Our proposed architecture offers to replace, in these under-informed situations, planning-based approaches by a plan management approach. This approach is able to use both predictive (planning) approaches and behaviours (reactive) approaches to control the system, which is then used to execute and control execution of functional components. The mixing of these decision-making schemes being done based on the information available to the system. This paper presents the general idea of our architecture as well as the implementation and a validation experiment with the AUV AVALON.
Leveraging gamification in demand dispatch systems

Modern demand-side management techniques are an integral part of the envisioned smart grid paradigm. They require an active involvement of the consumer for an optimization of the grid's efficiency and a better utilization of renewable energy sources. This applies especially in so called demand dispatch systems, where consumers are required to proactively communicate their flexibilities. However, a monetary compensation may not sufficiently motivate the individual consumer for a sustainable participation in such a program. The proposed approach uses a motivational framework leveraging the novel area of gamification, which applies well-known game mechanics, such as points and leaderboards, to engage customers in the system. This is accomplished by embedding a special scoring system and social competition aspects into a stimulating user interface for the definition and management of flexible energy demand. In a first user study, the system showed a high user acceptance and the potential to engage consumers in participation.
Next generation database systems won't work without semantics! (panel)

In the late '70s, while second generation DBMS products and technologies were entering the market, there was significant research activity whose aim was to make greater use of semantic information in database systems. The focus of that research was primarily on semantic data models and data modelling, including semantic query processing and integrity checking. However, few if any of the results of these efforts found their way in database technologies of the day, or database management practices. Instead, semantic issues were delegated to early phases of information system development (including requirements analysis and design), as well as application development. Today's database system technologies perform admirably well with semantically trivial operations and representations. At the same time, these technologies are being challenged in virtually every area of data management, with new applications which demand ways of dealing more explicitly with the meaning of the data being managed. For example, interoperation between applications requires that the underlying databases interoperate meaningfully. This currently requires a mammoth manual reverse engineering effort that simply cannot be sustained or funded by any large organization. The same applies to data warehouses, since they too require the correct semantic merging of data from semantically diverse sources. Errors in merging these sources can lead to significant problems of interpretation and potentially of the functions that the warehouse is designed to deliver. The effectiveness of database technologies to web-related information gathering and management applications is likewise limited by the degree to which they can accommodate semantics of the information being sought. Along the same lines, the emergence of organizational knowledge management as the next major application of computing in organizations clearly offers a tremendous opportunity for database technologies. But, again, this opportunity begs the question whether such technologies can succeed if they continue to ignore semantic issues. In summary, semantic issues were put aside by database technologies of the past. However, the database application challenges of the '90s seem to demand solutions to precisely such issues today. This panel intends to examine these long standing research issues on database semantics and their failures to penetrate database technologies. The discussion will also review emerging application areas and their need for mechanisms that deal with data semantics. Finally, the panelists will comment on relevant research tasks that need to be addressed in this long-ignored area of database modeling, management, access, and processing.
Effects of Knight-Taylor brace on balance performance in osteoporotic patients with vertebral compression fracture.

OBJECTIVE To assess the changes in static and dynamic balance and movement strategies in patients with severe osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture while wearing and not wearing the Knight-Taylor (K-T) spinal brace. SUBJECTS 47 patients with severe osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture, which was confirmed on radiographs and with bone density measurements obtained by dual energy X-ray absorption. INTERVENTION Patients were randomly subjected to computerized dynamic posturography, which contained sensory organization tests, motor control balance test at 75% limit of stability (LOS) in 8 movement directions, and left/right rhythmic weight shift test (L/R RWS), while wearing and not wearing the K-T spinal brace, respectively. RESULTS Patients wearing the spinal brace had significantly increased average stability, significantly increased average maximal stability under the swayed vision with fixed support surface condition and under the eye open with swayed support surface condition, significantly increased ankle strategy and decreased average velocity of COG target sway under the eye open with swayed support surface condition, significantly reduced the frequency of falls under the eye closed with swayed support surface condition and swayed vision with swayed support surface condition, and significantly decreased in the percentage of directional control with no difference of reaction time in the LOS test, and an increase in the on-axis velocity in the L/R RWS test. CONCLUSIONS The K-T spinal brace efficiently enables the subjects to maintain static and dynamic motor balance. Its use decreases the fall frequency but limits the directional control in severe osteoporotic patients with vertebral compression fracture.
Against Perceptual Conceptualism

Abstract This paper is concerned with the question of whether mature human experience is thoroughly conceptual, or whether it involves non-conceptual elements or layers. It has two central goals. The first goal is methodological. It aims to establish that that question is, to a large extent, an empirical question. The question cannot be answered by appealing to purely a priori and transcendental considerations. The second goal is to argue, inter alia by relying on empirical findings, that the view known as ‘state-conceptualism’ is false. We will argue that our experiences do involve non-conceptual elements. That is, a subject may enjoy an experience with a particular phenomenal aspect, without possessing the concept needed for the specification of the content of that aspect, and moreover, without being able to acquire that concept upon having that experience.
On the Complexity of Closest Pair via Polar-Pair of Point-Sets

Every graph $G$ can be represented by a collection of equi-radii spheres in a $d$-dimensional metric $\Delta$ such that there is an edge $uv$ in $G$ if and only if the spheres corresponding to $u$ and $v$ intersect. The smallest integer $d$ such that $G$ can be represented by a collection of spheres (all of the same radius) in $\Delta$ is called the sphericity of $G$, and if the collection of spheres are non-overlapping, then the value $d$ is called the contact-dimension of $G$. In this paper, we study the sphericity and contact dimension of the complete bipartite graph $K_{n,n}$ in various $L^p$-metrics and consequently connect the complexity of the monochromatic closest pair and bichromatic closest pair problems.
Mitigation of Harmonics in Grid-Connected and Islanded Microgrids Via Virtual Admittances and Impedances

Optimization of the islanded and grid-connected operation of microgrids is important to achieve a high degree of reliability. In this paper, the authors consider the effect of current harmonics in single phase microgrids during both modes of operation. A detailed analysis of the effect of the output impedance of the considered primary control loops on the harmonic output of the considered voltage source inverters is initially carried out. A virtual admittance loop is proposed to attenuate the current harmonic output in grid-connected operation that is generated due to the grid voltage distortion present at the point of common coupling (PCC) and due to local non-linear loads. This paper also considers the harmonic current sharing and resulting voltage harmonics at the PCC during islanded operation of the microgrid. A capacitive virtual impedance loop was implemented to improve the harmonic current sharing and attenuate the voltage harmonics at the PCC. Experimental results are given to validate the operation of the proposed algorithms.
HIV and chronic kidney disease

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a frequent complication of HIV infection, occurring in 3.5 – 48.5%, and occurs as a complication of HIV infection, other co-morbid disease and infections and as a consequence of therapy of HIV infection and its complications. The classic involvement of the kidney by HIV infection is HIV-associated nephropathy (HIVAN), occurring typically in young adults of African ancestry with advanced HIV disease in association with APOL1 high-risk variants. HIV-immune complex disease is the second most common diagnosis obtained from biopsies of patients with HIV-CKD. CKD is mediated by factors related to the virus, host genetic predisposition and environmental factors. The host response to HIV infection may influence disease phenotype through activation of cytokine pathways. With the introduction of antiretroviral therapy (ART), there has been a decline in the incidence of HIVAN, with an increasing prevalence of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis. Several studies have demonstrated the overall improvement in kidney function when initiating ART for HIV CKD. Progression to end stage kidney disease has been reported to be more likely when high grade proteinuria, severely reduced eGFR, hepatitis B and/C co-infection, diabetes mellitus, extensive glomerulosclerosis, and chronic interstitial fibrosis are present. Improved renal survival is associated with use of renin angiotensin system blockers and viral suppression. Many antiretroviral medications are partially or completely eliminated by the kidney and require dose adjustment in CKD. Certain drug classes, such as the protease inhibitors and the non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, are metabolized by the liver and do not require dose adjustment. HIV-infected patients requiring either hemo- or peritoneal dialysis, who are stable on ART, are achieving survival rates comparable to those of dialysis patients without HIV infection. Kidney transplantation has been performed successfully in HIV-infected patients; graft and patient survival appears to be similar to that of HIV-uninfected recipients. Early detection of kidney disease by implementation of screening on diagnosis of HIV infection and annual screening thereafter will have an impact on the burden of disease, together with access to ART to those who require it. Programs for prevention of HIV infection are essential to prevent this lethal disease.
Rapid Killing of Streptococcus pneumoniae with a Bacteriophage Cell Wall Hydrolase

Nasopharyngeal carriage is the major reservoir forStreptococcus pneumoniae in the community. Although eliminating this reservoir would greatly reduce disease occurrence, no suitable intervention has been available for this purpose. We show here that seconds after contact, a purified pneumococcal bacteriophage lytic enzyme (Pal) is able to kill 15 common serotypes of pneumococci, including highly penicillin-resistant strains. In vivo, previously colonized mice revealed undetectable pneumococcal titers 5 hours after a single enzyme treatment. Pal enzyme had little or no effect on microorganisms normally found in the human oropharynx, and Pal-resistant pneumococci could not be detected after extensive exposure to the enzyme.
An Approach to Find Out Students’ Motives and Influences on Their Selection of Studies and University: Results from six years of continuous institutional research in a multi-campus system in Spain

This paper presents an institutional research on service quality conducted to analyze the students’ motives and influences on their selection of studies and university. The research was carried out by collecting data from first-year students in a multi-campus system where institutions are independent in their recruitment strategies. Results from six consecutive years are presented. The meaningful coincidence with previous research, the stability of some findings along the years, and the possibilities of this approach to be useful for strategic purposes and in marketing-related issues, make this methodology of particular interest. These results are also meaningful with a view to improving quality practices in the context of competition for the best students, and improving guidance practices to match students’ motives with higher education offer.
The child-engineering of arithmetic in ToonTalk

Providing a child-appropriate interface to an arithmetic package with large numbers and exact fractions is surprisingly challenging. We discuss solutions to problems ranging from how to present fractions such as 1/3 to how to deal with numbers with tens of thousands of digits. As with other objects in ToonTalk®, we strive to make the enhanced numbers work in a concrete and playful manner.
A Scalable High-performance Router Platform Supporting Dynamic Service Extensibility On Network and Host Processors

Emerging network services such as transcoding and encryption need application-specific handling of data streams within the network, thus requiring enormous computational capabilities on routers to process packets at link speed. Recently appeared Network Processors (NPs) are able to significantly increase the available processing capacities on a router by a chip-multi-processor architecture. Embedded within the network interface card, NPs provide several code-extensible processors with different capabilities located at various layers. However, the increase in processing capacity comes at the cost of a higher complexity to program and control various processor hierarchies provided on the router. In this paper, we introduce the model of active network nodes built of a processor hierarchy together with a component-based service model. We present the architecture of PromethOS NP which is a modular framework that manages and controls a network node with a multitude of processors in a scalable way. Specifically, we describe the mechanisms required to dynamically configure multiple processors organized in a hierarchical fashion such that they provide a new network service on behalf of applications. As a proof of concept, we have implemented a service framework for PromethOS NP. Our implementation is based on a network interface card with an embedded IBM PowerNP 4GS3 and an Intel Xeon processor, offering programmability on a three-tier hierarchy of processors.
The Helicobacter pylori Homologue of the Ferric Uptake Regulator Is Involved in Acid Resistance

ABSTRACT The only known niche of the human pathogen Helicobacter pylori is the gastric mucosa, where large fluctuations of pH occur, indicating that the bacterial response and resistance to acid are important for successful colonization. One of the few regulatory proteins in the H. pylori genome is a homologue of the ferric uptake regulator (Fur). In most bacteria, the main function of Fur is the regulation of iron homeostasis. However, in Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, Fur also plays an important role in acid resistance. In this study, we determined the role of the H. pylori Fur homologue in acid resistance. Isogenic fur mutants were generated in three H. pylori strains (1061, 26695, and NCTC 11638). At pH 7 there was no difference between the growth rates of mutants and the parent strains. Under acidic conditions, growth of the fur mutants was severely impaired. No differences were observed between the survival of the fur mutant and parent strain 1061 after acid shock. Addition of extra iron or removal of iron from the growth medium did not improve the growth of the fur mutant at acidic pH. This indicates that the phenotype of the fur mutant at low pH was not due to increased iron sensitivity. Transcription of fur was repressed in response to low pH. From this we conclude that Fur is involved in the growth at acidic pH of H. pylori; as such, it is the first regulatory protein implicated in the acid resistance of this important human pathogen.