Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Global Mittag–Leffler Stabilization of Fractional-Order Memristive Neural Networks

According to conventional memristive neural network theories, neurodynamic properties are powerful tools for solving many problems in the areas of brain-like associative learning, dynamic information storage or retrieval, etc. However, as have often been noted in most fractional-order systems, system analysis approaches for integral-order systems could not be directly extended and applied to deal with fractional-order systems, and consequently, it raises difficult issues in analyzing and controlling the fractional-order memristive neural networks. By using the set-valued maps and fractional-order differential inclusions, then aided by a newly proposed fractional derivative inequality, this paper investigates the global Mittag-Leffler stabilization for a class of fractional-order memristive neural networks. Two types of control rules (i.e., state feedback stabilizing control and output feedback stabilizing control) are designed for the stabilization of fractional-order memristive neural networks, while a list of stabilization criteria is established. Finally, two numerical examples are given to show the effectiveness and characteristics of the obtained theoretical results.
Big data solutions for predicting risk-of-readmission for congestive heart failure patients

Developing holistic predictive modeling solutions for risk prediction is extremely challenging in healthcare informatics. Risk prediction involves integration of clinical factors with socio-demographic factors, health conditions, disease parameters, hospital care quality parameters, and a variety of variables specific to each health care provider making the task increasingly complex. Unsurprisingly, many of such factors need to be extracted independently from different sources, and integrated back to improve the quality of predictive modeling. Such sources are typically voluminous, diverse, and vary significantly over the time. Therefore, distributed and parallel computing tools collectively termed big data have to be developed. In this work, we study big data driven solutions to predict the 30-day risk of readmission for congestive heart failure (CHF) incidents. First, we extract useful factors from National Inpatient Dataset (NIS) and augment it with our patient dataset from Multicare Health System (MHS). Then, we develop scalable data mining models to predict risk of readmission using the integrated dataset. We demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of the open-source predictive modeling framework we used, describe the results from various modeling algorithms we tested, and compare the performance against baseline non-distributed, non-parallel, non-integrated small data results previously published to demonstrate comparable accuracy over millions of records.
To Each a Language

There is evidence to suggest that the different languages of Pasifika peoples in New Zealand are declining (Taumoefolau, Bell, & Starks, 2003). This decline, particularly apparent in Manukau, South Auckland, is a challenge. There are two sides to the challenge. The first involves the interrelationship between language and culture. The second is the possible decline of the English achievements of Pasifika students, especially those who attend schools in New Zealand, who speak a Pasifika language as a first language and English as a second language. This paper discusses the implications of this decline, particularly in terms of identity and academic success for Samoan people living in Aotearoa/New Zealand.
LOTUS: leakage optimization under timing uncertainty for standard-cell designs

This paper proposes a novel methodology for improving the leakage yield of digital circuits in the presence of process variations and under probabilistic timing constraints. The leakage minimization problem is formulated as a discrete optimization problem, where a suitable configuration for each gate in the circuit is selected from a standard-cell library consisting of different implementations of each type of gate. A function of mean and variance of the circuit leakage is minimized with constraint on a-percentile of the delay using physical delay models. Since the leakage is a strong function of the threshold voltage and gate length, considering them as design variables in addition to gate sizes can provide significant power savings. We propose efficient techniques for computing delay and leakage power gradients which form the basis of the optimization algorithm. Results on various trade-offs such as between leakage and delay, and mean and variance of the leakage are discussed
Facial Expression Recognition using Principal Component Analysis with Singular Value Decomposition

Expression detection is useful as a non-invasive method of lie detection and behavior prediction. These facial expressions may be difficult to detect to the untrained eye. This paper implements facial expression recognition techniques using Principal Component analysis (PCA) with Singular Value Decomposition (SVD). Experiments are performed using Real database images. The universally accepted five principal emotions to be recognized are: Angry, Happy, Sad, Disgust and Surprise along with neutral. Euclidean distance based matching Classifier is used for finding the closest match.
Anxiety Sensitivity in School Attending Youth: Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the 18-Item CASI in a Multicultural South African Sample

Anxiety sensitivity (AS) is a risk factor for the development of anxiety disorders in youth. To date, the applicability of the Childhood Anxiety Sensitivity Index (CASI) in youth from a low or middle income country (LMIC) setting on the African continent has not been assessed. A representative sample of 1149 secondary school learners from 29 schools in Cape Town, South Africa, participated in the study. Participants completed the CASI on a single occasion. One-, two-, and four-factor models of the CASI were assessed. A one-factor solution that comprised items predominantly represented by physical concerns appeared to provide the best fit to our data, however, relatively low variance (26%) was explained. Subsequent item deletion resulted in a 9-item ‘physical concerns’ factor that showed good construct reliability (0.83) but also explained a low amount of variance (35%). In terms of gender, a one-factor model provided the best fit, however, low variance was explained (i.e., 25%). Configural, metric and scalar invariance of the CASI by gender was determined. Our results suggest that the 18-item CASI is not applicable to our target population and may require adaptation in this population; however, replication of this study in other multicultural adolescent samples in South Africa is first needed to further assess the validity of the AS construct as measured by the CASI.
A demonstration of SwiVRChair: a motorized swivel chair to nudge users' orientation for 360 degree storytelling in virtual reality

We present a demonstration of SwiVRChair, a motorized swivel chair to nudge users' orientation in 360 degree storytelling scenarios. Since rotating a scene in virtual reality (VR) leads to simulator sickness, storytellers currently have no way of controlling users' attention. SwiVRChair allows creators of 360 degree VR movie content to be able to rotate or block users' movement to either show certain content or prevent users from seeing something. To enable this functionality, we modified a regular swivel chair using a 24V DC motor and an electromagnetic clutch. We present two demo scenarios in which participants can experience both mechanisms (rotate and block) using the Samsung GearVR. In a previous user study (n=16) comparing SwiVRChair to Foot Control, users rated the experience using SwiVRChair to be significantly more immersive and enjoyable whilst having a decrease in simulator sickness.
Formation of Topological Black holes from Gravitational Collapse

We consider the gravitational collapse of a dust cloud in an asymptotically anti de Sitter spacetime in which points connected by a discrete subgroup of an isometry subgroup of anti de Sitter spacetime are identified. We find that black holes with event horizons of any topology can form from the collapse of such a cloud. The quasilocal mass parameter of such black holes is proportional to the initial density, which can be arbitrarily small.
Text Clustering with Seeds Affinity Propagation

Based on an effective clustering algorithm-Affinity Propagation (AP)-we present in this paper a novel semisupervised text clustering algorithm, called Seeds Affinity Propagation (SAP). There are two main contributions in our approach: 1) a new similarity metric that captures the structural information of texts, and 2) a novel seed construction method to improve the semisupervised clustering process. To study the performance of the new algorithm, we applied it to the benchmark data set Reuters-21578 and compared it to two state-of-the-art clustering algorithms, namely, k-means algorithm and the original AP algorithm. Furthermore, we have analyzed the individual impact of the two proposed contributions. Results show that the proposed similarity metric is more effective in text clustering (F-measures ca. 21 percent higher than in the AP algorithm) and the proposed semisupervised strategy achieves both better clustering results and faster convergence (using only 76 percent iterations of the original AP). The complete SAP algorithm obtains higher F-measure (ca. 40 percent improvement over k-means and AP) and lower entropy (ca. 28 percent decrease over k-means and AP), improves significantly clustering execution time (20 times faster) in respect that k-means, and provides enhanced robustness compared with all other methods.
Performance analysis of multi-carrier RFID systems

The tag collision problem is a major factor that results in low tag identification rates in a passive radio frequency identification (RFID) system. Most present RFID systems use the time division multiple access (TDMA) technique to overcome this problem. However, the tag read rate is limited due to the nature of the TDMA technique. A multi-carrier RFID system jointly utilizes the frequency division multiple access (FDMA) and TDMA techniques to enhance the tag read rate in the system. In this work, the system performance of a multi-carrier RFID system in terms of tag read rate is analyzed, and the theoretical system performance is verified with computer simulations.
The role of spousal supportive behaviors in couples' adaptation to colorectal cancer

The diagnosis of cancer begins a period of significant distress and adjustment for both patients and their partners. To cope better with the distress, both partners are expected to support each other. However, this is not always the case and sometimes even well-meant support may hamper adjustment. This thesis describes the role of interpersonal factors (i.e., past spousal support) and intrapersonal (e.g., personal control) in the association between spousal support and wellbeing of couples coping with colorectal cancer. The results suggest that overall people who perceived their partner to be supportive in the past, had a high sense of personal control and/or had a low need for emotional expression were less affected by their partners’ current behavior compared to people who perceived their partners not to be supportive in the past, had a low sense of personal control and/or had a high need for emotional expression. As more studies examine couples’ adjustment to cancer, the challenges of recruiting both members of the dyad to studies are becoming apparent. Hence, the second part of this thesis focuses on a common methodological issue; namely, couples recruitment to psycho-oncological studies. A systematic review was conducted to examine the average Couples Response Rates (CRR), systematically review the quality of reporting of couples’ response rate, and assess potential determinants of this rate in studies of couples coping with cancer. The results revealed incomplete reporting of response rate and potential determents of CRR. Recommendations and guidelines to improve reporting are provided.
Efficacy and Safety of Lixisenatide Once Daily Versus Exenatide Twice Daily in Type 2 Diabetes Inadequately Controlled on Metformin

OBJECTIVE To compare efficacy and safety of lixisenatide once daily versus exenatide twice daily in type 2 diabetes inadequately controlled with metformin. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Adults with diabetes inadequately controlled (HbA1c 7–10%) with metformin were randomized to lixisenatide 20 μg once daily (n = 318) or exenatide 10 μg twice daily (n = 316) in a 24-week (main period), open-label, parallel-group, multicenter study. The primary objective was a noninferiority assessment of lixisenatide versus exenatide in HbA1c change from baseline to week 24. RESULTS Lixisenatide once daily demonstrated noninferiority in HbA1c reduction versus exenatide twice daily. The least squares mean change was −0.79% (mean decrease 7.97 to 7.17%) for lixisenatide versus −0.96% (mean decrease 7.96 to 7.01%) for exenatide, and treatment difference was 0.17% (95% CI, 0.033–0.297), meeting a predefined noninferiority upper CI margin of 0.4%. Responder rate (HbA1c <7.0%) and improvements in fasting plasma glucose were comparable. Both agents induced weight loss (from 94.5 to 91.7 kg and from 96.7 to 92.9 kg with lixisenatide and exenatide, respectively). Incidence of adverse events (AEs) was similar for lixisenatide and exenatide, as was incidence of serious AEs (2.8 and 2.2%, respectively). Discontinuations attributable to AEs occurred in 33 lixisenatide (10.4%) and 41 exenatide (13.0%) patients. In the lixisenatide group, fewer participants experienced symptomatic hypoglycemia (2.5 vs. 7.9%; P < 0.05), with fewer gastrointestinal events (especially nausea; 24.5 vs. 35.1%; P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Add-on lixisenatide once daily in type 2 diabetes inadequately controlled with metformin demonstrated noninferior improvements in HbA1c, with slightly lower mean weight loss, lower incidence of hypoglycemia, and better gastrointestinal tolerability compared with exenatide twice daily.
Development and control of a one-wheel telescopic active cane

Population ageing calls for innovative solutions to increase daily living autonomy. Since people autonomy relies on their mobility capabilities, several robotized walking aids i.e. walkers and canes, mainly including navigation functions, have been developed. The existing robotized canes generally consist in statically stable mobile platforms equipped with a rod and a handle. This design alters the basic characteristics of original canes i.e. their weight-lightness and compactness. In this paper, a one-wheel telescopic active cane closer to the original cane concept is presented. Its control law and synchronization with the walking cycle is also given along with experimental results.
Inter-hemispheric linkages in climate change: paleo-perspectives for future climate change

The Pole-Equator-Pole (PEP) projects of the PANASH (Paleoclimates of the Northern and Southern Hemisphere) programme have significantly advanced our understanding of past climate change on a global basis and helped to integrate paleo-science across regions and research disciplines. PANASH science allows us to constrain predictions for future climate change and to contribute to the management and mitigation of such changes. We identify three broad areas where PEP science makes key contributions. 1. The patterns of global changes: Knowing the exact timing of glacial advances (synchronous or otherwise) during the last glaciation is critical to understanding inter-hemispheric links in climate. Work in PEPI demonstrated that the tropical Andes in South America was deglaciated earlier than the Northern Hemisphere (NH) and that an extended warming began there ca. 21 000 cal years BP. The general pattern is consistent with Antarctica and has now been replicated from studies in Southern Hemisphere (SH) regions of the PEPII transect. That significant deglaciation of SH alpine systems and Antarctica led deglaciation of NH ice sheets may reflect either i) faster response times in alpine systems and Antarctica, ii) regional moisture patterns that influenced glacier mass balance, or iii) a SH temperature forcing that led changes in the NH. This highlights the limitations of current understanding and the need for further fundamental paleoclimate research. 2. Changes in modes of operation of oscillatory climate systems: Work across all the PEP transects has led to the recognition that the El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon has changed markedly through time. It now appears that ENSO operated during the last glacial termination and during the early Holocene, but that precipitation teleconnections even within the Pacific Basin were turned down, or off. In the modern ENSO phenomenon both inter-annual and seven year periodicities are present, with the inter-annual signal dominant. Paleo-data demonstrate that the relative importance of the two periodicities changes through time, with longer periodicities dominant in the early Holocene. 3. The recognition of climate modulation of oscillatory systems by abrupt climate events: We examine the relationship of ENSO to an abrupt SH climate event, the Antarctic cold reversal (ACR), in the New Zealand region. We demonstrate that the onset of the ACR was associated with the apparent switching on of an ENSO signal in New Zealand. We infer that this related to enhanced zonal SW winds with the amplification of the pressure fields allowing an existing but weak ENSO signal to manifest itself. Teleconnections of this nature would be difficult to predict for future abrupt change as boundary conditions cannot readily be specified. Paleo-data are critical to predicting the teleconnections of future abrupt changes.
Method as a Service (MaaS)

Over the last decade, a large number of Method Engineering (ME) approaches have been developed to adapt information system methods (ISM) to specific situations of projects at hand. However, ME has not been yet, widely spread in the professional world. Our belief is that limitations such as the lack of standards, the proposal of proprietary solutions and an excessive emphasis on engineering issues hamper the practical use of existing ME approaches. To overtake these limitations the position of this paper is to view a Method as a Service (MaaS) and to adapt the SOA architecture to make method and their components widely accessible on the Internet. The paper introduces the concept of MaaS and discusses the feasibility of its implementation using service-oriented technologies.
Third Annual World Congress on the Insulin Resistance Syndrome

This is the first of three articles reviewing presentations at the 3rd Annual World Congress on the Insulin Resistance Syndrome, San Francisco, California, 17–19 November 2005. Yehuda Handelsman (Tarzana, CA) introduced the 3rd Annual World Congress on the Insulin Resistance Syndrome and discussed the state of the insulin resistance syndrome, recalling its beginning in 1988 with Gerald Reaven’s proposal that “Syndrome X” comprises a group of risk factors linked by insulin resistance, with the World Health Organization definition of metabolic syndrome in 1999, the modified definition proposed by the European Group on Insulin Resistance in 2001/20022, and the widely used Adult Treatment Panel (ATP)-III metabolic syndrome definition given by National Cholesterol Education Panel in 2001. Handelsman pointed out that the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) helped to gain the ICD-9 code of 277.7 for the constellation of conditions also termed the “metabolic” or the “dysmetabolic” syndrome, and he noted that the AACE definition of the syndrome adds the concept of differently assessing persons who belong to high-risk groups. The insulin resistance syndrome represents a continuum of risk, he stated, showing the use of the AACE-defined insulin resistance syndrome in predicting diabetes independently of glucose levels. Handelsman further reviewed what he termed the “war of the syndromes,” which followed the International Diabetes Federation proposal for another definition in April 2005, placing central obesity as the defining characteristic of the syndrome and pointing out the need for ethnic group–specific criteria. The American Diabetes Association/European Association for the Study of Diabetes position statement in September 2005 said, in effect, that “there is no syndrome” and questioned whether the syndrome is actually useful in predicting cardiovascular disease (CVD). This was followed in the same month by the American Heart Association position statement insisting “yes, there is a syndrome,” including central obesity as one …
Adaptive approximation control of nonlinear system based on fuzzy logic with approximation error compensation

This paper deals with the adaptive approximation control of a class of nonlinear dynamics systems without or no considering the compact approximation region. The proposed control scheme is developed to reduce the approximation error. Design of controller for unknown approximation error that has the unknown upper bound is to compensated by the adaptation. The new control scheme ensures the global stability of the adaptive system and achieves desired tracking performance. The control methodology is derived in the sense of Lyapunov theorem so that the stability of the control system is guaranteed. Computer simulation result has been conducted to validate the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme under the occurrence of possible uncertainties and different reference trajectories. The tracking error converges in the small neighborhood of zero and that all signals involved are uniformly bounded (Uniform ultimate boundedness). The merit of the proposed control system is indicated in comparison with a classical control system.
The Impact of a Marketing Information System: A Case Study of Smart-Baltimore

The purpose of this study is to use existing theories of technology and organizational change to assess the impact of technology implementation within the context of the tourism industry. The framework is applied as a case study to analyze the perceived implications of implementing a destination marketing information system by the Baltimore Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. The results of the study indicate that the most important value of the system is the richness and timeliness of information. The key informants perceive that this system will not only impact the marketing activities at the organization but will not influence the overall organizational activities. Finally, this article discusses the importance of these findings for destination marketing. remain competitive in Convention and Visitor Bureaus (CVBs) serve an increasingly sophisticated marketplace, bureaus the role of an information broker for the tourism must invest in information technology (IT). The industry by facilitating the flow of information be-importance of information and efficient informa-tween industry players (Yuan, Gretzel, & Fesen-tion management at organizations is steadily in-maier, 2003, p. 1). Bureaus provide information to creasing not only due to the evolution of new tech-tourists, exchange information with its members nologies and high-capacity storage media, but also and other CVBs and collect information from tour-because of growing competition that raises infor-ists and other segments (Poon, 1993; Schertler, mation needs. Advances in IT have enabled desti-1994). Because information is of central strategic nation marketing organizations to enhance their importance to the tourism industry, the ability of competitive advantage while simultaneously en-CVBs to leverage information largely determines abling competitors to enter existing markets more its competitive advantage (Buhalis, 1998; Poon, readily. Thus, it is argued that only those organiza