Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Mathematical Models of Adaptation in Human-Robot Collaboration

A robot operating in isolation needs to reason over the uncertainty in its model of the world and adapt its own actions to account for this uncertainty. Similarly, a robot interacting with people needs to reason over its uncertainty over the human internal state, as well as over how this state may change, as humans adapt to the robot. This paper summarizes our own work in this area, which depicts the different ways that probabilistic planning and game-theoretic algorithms can enable such reasoning in robotic systems that collaborate with people. We start with a general formulation of the problem as a two-player game with incomplete information. We then articulate the different assumptions within this general formulation, and we explain how these lead to exciting and diverse robot behaviors in real-time interactions with actual human subjects, in a variety of manufacturing, personal robotics and assistive care settings.
SensAid Pad: Supporting Context-Aware Information Navigation

Designing and implementing ubiquitous information systems presents new challenges to software engineering. These systems have to integrate a variety of components representing both hardware and software to bridge the gap between the physical and virtual worlds, while being expandable and robust. This paper presents our experiences in building a ubiquitous contextaware information system, the SensAid Pad. A component-oriented research system with tools to facilitate the construction of physical information navigation scenarios. It integrates hardware sensors with the notion of context and tokens, together with simple yet powerful graphical user-oriented tools in a prototyping system.
Enhanced BSN-Care: Gryptanalysis of BSN-Care and proposal of improved authentication system

Recently, loT based healthcare systems have evolved as a tool to enhance the quality of life of people. This kind of system allows medical professionals (e.g. doctors, nurses, etc.) to verify continuously the health conditions of their patients. As the healthcare systems manage highly sensitive physiological information of patients such as blood pressure, body temperature, and pulse, they are extremely vulnerable to attacks. Therefore, it is a mandatory requirement to ensure the confidentiality and integrity of patients' information. In this aspect, there have been many proposals and works providing security mechanism. Among those works, one of the latest work about a secure authentication system for healthcare system is the one proposed by Gope and Hwang called BSN-Care. In Gope-Hwang scheme, the authors proposed a lightweight anonymous authentication protocol and claimed that their scheme was secure. Unfortunately, this paper finds that Gope-Hwang scheme still has security pitfalls and limitations. This paper describes and cryptanalyzes the Gope-Hwang scheme to illustrate their vulnerabilities and security limitations. Then, it proposes an enhanced lightweight anonymous authentication scheme that solves the discovered security flaws. Additionally, this work executes security and performance analysis to demonstrate how the proposed protocol is more appropriate for a safe healthcare systems.
A design of a molecular communication system for nanomachines using molecular motors

Molecular communication is one solution for nano-scale communication between nanomachines. Nanomachines (e.g., biological molecules, artificial devices) represent small devices or components that perform computation, sensing, or actuation. Molecular communication provides a mechanism for one nanomachine to encode or decode information into molecules and to send information to another nanomachine. This paper describes a molecular motor communication system in terms of a high level architecture for molecular communication. We also briefly discuss current and future work in molecular communication
Hypercholesterolemia in children.

During the last decade, major changes have occurred in the approach to the diagnosis and treatment of hypercholesterolemia in children. In 1993 the National Cholesterol Education Program Expert Panel on Blood Cholesterol in Children and Adolescents recommended that selective screening for the diagnosis of hypercholesterolemia be implemented, and that diagnosed children be treated based on their low density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and identified risk factors [1]. Following these recommendations, a plethora of studies examined the efficacy and safety of low fat diets in treating childhood hypercholesterolemia. In addition, drug therapy of childhood hypercholesterolemia was examined using approved and non-approved drugs. This review explores the rationale for the NCEP guidelines and current knowledge on dietary and drug treatment of pediatric hypercholesterolemia.
Financial Investors and Commodity Markets

Commodities have attracted considerable interest as a financial investment in recent years. This article discusses the factors behind their growing appeal and assesses the extent to which market characteristics, such as price volatility, have changed as a result. The feature concludes that commodity markets have become more like financial markets in terms of the motivations and strategies of participants, but that the physical characteristics of commodity markets are still important.
Prevalence and effectiveness of an education program on intestinal pathogens in food handlers.

OBJECTIVES To assess the prevalence of intestinal pathogens and the effectiveness of an education program in food handlers in a tertiary care hospital. MATERIAL AND METHOD The prevalence of intestinal pathogens in food handlers was done by stool cultures for bacteria and microscopy for parasites. Treatment was given to those who had a positive stool examination. An education program on the acquisition of the pathogens and their prevention were given by lecture and distribution of handouts. Efficacy of the education program was evaluated by assessing the knowledge and the presence of pathogens before and after the education program. RESULTS The study was done from January 2002 to March 2004. Risk factors for acquiring intestinal pathogens among food handlers were high regarding education level, housing, food hygiene and personal hygiene. Diarrheal diseases were common in food handlers and their relatives. Before the education program, 40.8% had intestinal pathogens, bacteria and parasites in almost similar proportions. Most common bacteria were Vibrio parahemolyticus, Plesiomonas shigelloides and Salmonella spp. ; Blastocystis hominis, Giardia lambria and Endolimax nana were the frequently found intestinal parasites. Food handlers with the pathogens in stool were treated. After the education program subsequent investigation showed a significant reduction in stool pathogens and parasites but their knowledge and hand hygiene practice did not improve. CONCLUSION The present study showed a high prevalence rate of intestinal pathogens in food handlers of a tertiary care hospital. The education program failed to improve their knowledge and hand hygiene practice for the prevention of the pathogens.
Extracting a knowledge from source code comprehesion using data mining methods

In software maintenance, source code comprehension is a very vital task. The comprehension of the source code is performed by different tools for various purposes. Data mining is one of the important and versatile methods in this context. Data mining methods and tools have been widely used in software engineering in general and software maintenance in particular. We present in this paper a methodology to extract knowledge using data mining methods which would be very much useful for software maintenance. The data mining methods for clustering, classification and association rules have been deployed for source code comprehension. Our approach is holistic in nature that covers many aspects required for software maintenance whereas approaches by other researchers cover a partial aspect in this context. We have made a qualitative comparison of our approach with others and have derived the conclusion on the basis.
A Cross-Industry Analysis of Investors' Reaction to Information Surprises: Evidence from NASDAQ Sectors

We use daily stock returns from the NASDAQ composite and sector indexes to investigate the reaction of investors to information surprises in the framework of the Efficient Market , Overreaction , and Uncertain Information Hypotheses. We find strong statistical evidence of a corrective process of significantly positive cumulative abnormal returns following the arrival of both unexpected favorable and unfavorable information for the NASDAQ Composite and four of its sector indexes. The main implication of these mixed empirical results is that investor reactions vary significantly by sector, highlighting the value of analyzing these sectors in addition to composite indexes.
A comparison of the mechanical performance characteristics of seven drug‐eluting stent systems

Objectives: Mechanical properties of drug eluting stents (DES) will be measured to provide comparable numerical data to assess deliverability, and thus clinical performance. Background: DES are routinely used in coronary interventions to reduce the rates of restenosis and target vessel revascularizations. Current research is primarily concerned with issues related to late stent thrombosis. However, mechanical properties of DES are a critical determinant of deliverability, and consequently the ultimate arbiter of their clinical performance. Methods: Mechanical properties (pushability, trackability, crossability) were measured under standardized in‐vitro conditions. The vessel models were derived from typical vessel anatomy but adapted to the individual tests. Additionally, profile and bending forces of the stent segment of the delivery system were measured. Seven different commercially available balloon‐expandable coronary DES systems were included. All stents were 3.0 mm diameter with a stent length from 14 to 18 mm. Results: The pushability expressed as the ratio of distal force at a specific proximal push force (4N) ranged between 38.66 and 18.53%. The trackability as the mean track‐forces ranged from 0.551 N to 1.137 N. One stent system could not pass this test. The mean crossing forces at a 1.4 mm stenosis model ranged from 0.038 N up to 0.103 N. The mean crimped stent profiles ranged from 1.055 mm to 1.198 mm and the bending stiffness of the crimped stent was 17.22 to 47.20 Nmm2. Conclusion: Better understanding of mechanical properties of DES shall improve tactile skills of the interventionists during PCI and to improve criteria for DES selection in specific clinical settings. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
In situ characterization of the mTORC1 during adipogenesis of human adult stem cells on chip

Significance Adipogenesis is vital for animals to maintain energy balance by storing lipid. As a crucial integrator of nutrient, energy, and metabolite signals, mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) reportedly regulates adipogenesis. However, conventional cell cultures are limited to mimicking in vivo conditions, and previous reports do not provide the localization information of mTOR during adipogenesis. Here, we developed an automated microfluidic large-scale integration platform for differentiating human adult stem cells into mature adipocytes with standardized nutrient availability over weeks. With an integrated multiplexed immunoassay, we detected interaction, phosphorylation, and abundance changes of mTOR under the defined conditions. High-content analysis of single-cell data revealed that mTOR complex 1 changes its subcellular position in a temporally synchronized process with lysosomes during adipogenesis. Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a central kinase integrating nutrient, energy, and metabolite signals. The kinase forms two distinct complexes: mTORC1 and mTORC2. mTORC1 plays an essential but undefined regulatory function for regeneration of adipose tissue. Analysis of mTOR in general is hampered by the complexity of regulatory mechanisms, including protein interactions and/or phosphorylation, in an ever-changing cellular microenvironment. Here, we developed a microfluidic large-scale integration chip platform for culturing and differentiating human adipose-derived stem cells (hASCs) in 128 separated microchambers under standardized nutrient conditions over 3 wk. The progression of the stem cell differentiation was measured by determining the lipid accumulation rates in hASC cultures. For in situ protein analytics, we developed a multiplex in situ proximity ligation assay (mPLA) that can detect mTOR in its two complexes selectively in single cells and implemented it on the same chip. With this combined technology, it was possible to reveal that the mTORC1 is regulated in its abundance, phosphorylation state, and localization in coordination with lysosomes during adipogenesis. High-content image analysis and parameterization of the in situ PLA signals in over 1 million cells cultured on four individual chips showed that mTORC1 and lysosomes are temporally and spatially coordinated but not in its composition during adipogenesis.
General Characteristics and Investment Determinants in Bangladesh Capital Markets: Evidence from Dhaka Stock Exchange

Behavioral finance claims that investment attitude in the capital market is a function of investors’ psychology, sentiment and approach towards risk. To fulfill this thirst, many experiential studies like Gruber (1996), Piana (2001), Pindyck (1986), Hallahan et al. (2004), have found that there are numerous determinants at the macro and individual level, both measurable and non-measurable in numerical values, on which investment behavior of investors depends. Attitude towards risk, degree of risk tolerance or aversion and other risk characteristics largely influence the investment decision which is empirically observed by Deck et al. (2008). Alongside, investor sentiment regarding the prospect and sustainability of the capital market also controls the choice of investment size, tenure, horizon and timing. This study, in line with those efforts, tries to assess the principal determinants of investment, general and risk characteristics, and overall confidence on the stock market, on the part of the individual investors in Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) of Bangladesh. The results suggest that investment horizon, age, current profit, savings and income of investors and no. of family members significantly affect the investment size.
The detection of rotaviruses in products of wastewater treatment

Summary Rotaviruses present in products of wastewater treatment were assayed in MA 104 cells by indirect immunofluorescence. Levels in settled sewage, activated sludge and effluent were greater than 103 per litre in March and April but virus was not detected during later months. This pattern correlated with the decline in laboratory reports of human rotavirus infection.
Effects of ewe breed and management system on efficiency of lamb production: II. Lamb growth, survival and carcass characteristics.

Lamb growth, survival and carcass characteristics were compared for progeny of either 1/2-Suffolk, 1/2-Rambouillet (Western) ewes or 1/2-Suffolk, 1/4-Rambouillet, 1/4-Finnsheep (1/4-Finn) ewes produced over 3 yr in three different management systems. System 1 lambs were born in late fall and fed to slaughter on a concentrate diet. System 2 lambs were born in January and February and grazed pure stands of alfalfa or ladino clover after weaning. System 3 lambs were born in March and April and remained with their dams on native bluegrass-white clover pasture throughout the grazing season. Lambs were slaughtered as males reached 55 kg and as females reached 50 kg. One-half of the males in System 1 were left intact; all males in Systems 2 and 3 were castrated. Lamb survival did not differ among systems. Lambs from yearling 1/4-Finn ewes had higher survival rates than lambs from yearling Western ewes, but at older ewe ages, progeny of the ewe groups did not differ in survival. Lambs in System 1 grew fastest (mean lifetime gains of 310 +/- 4 g/d) and were youngest at slaughter (156 +/- 3 d), and lambs in System 3 were oldest at slaughter (234 +/- 2 d). System 2 lambs differed considerably among years in growth rate and slaughter age (mean slaughter ages of 191, 230 and 193 d across years), primarily in response to differences in rainfall. Lifetime gains and slaughter ages of lambs did not differ between ewe breeds. Ram lambs grew 15% faster than wethers and were leaner. Differences among systems in carcass traits were small. System 1 lambs tended to be fattest and System 2 lambs leanest. Progeny of 1/4-Finn ewes had higher subjective scores for carcass fatness (e.g., feathering, flank fatness) and conformation but did not differ from progeny of Western ewes in objective measures of fatness (e.g., backfat, yield grade).
Differential Feedback of Geometrical Mean Decomposition Precoder for Time-Correlated MIMO Systems

For a time-correlated channel, we consider the differential feedback of the geometrical mean decomposition (GMD) precoder, which is known to be optimal for a number of criteria. When the channel varies slowly, we can expect the optimal GMD precoders of consecutive channel uses to be close. We consider the feedback of the so-called differential precoder and show that it lies in a neighborhood of the identity matrix using matrix perturbation theory. Furthermore, the radius of the neighborhood is shown to be proportional to a time-correlation parameter. Such a characterization allows for subsequent efficient quantization of the differential precoder. We show how to design codewords for the prescribed radius by perturbing the identity matrix and applying QR decomposition on the perturbed matrix. Simulations are given to demonstrate that, with a small feedback rate, the performance of the proposed differential GMD comes close to the case when perfect channel state information is available to the transmitter for slowly time-varying channels like those in indoor and microcellular environments.
Spinal Cord Injury and Bladder Dysfunction: New Ideas about an Old Problem

Control of the lower urinary tract (LUT) requires complex neuronal circuits that involve elements located at the peripheral nervous system and at different levels of the central nervous system. Spinal cord injury (SCI) interrupts these neuronal circuits and jeopardizes the voluntary control of bladder function. In most cases, SCI results in a period of bladder areflexia, followed by the emergence of neurogenic detrusor overactivity (NDO). Only recently, researchers have started to have a clearer vision ofthe mechanisms of SCI-induced changes affecting LUT control. For example, changes in the urothelium have recently been described and proposed to play a role in NDO. As such, a better understanding of NDO has generated new opportunities to investigate novel therapeutic approaches for NDO.In the present paper, we aim to update recent data concerning SCI-induced LUT dysfunction and therapeutic approaches commonly used to deal with NDO. We make a brief description of LUT control and changes occurring after SCI, and refer to new therapeutic options, including vanniloids and botulinum toxin. Finally, we discuss mechanisms of spinal cord repair, an interesting and very active area of investigation that has obtained some promising results in the recovery of LUT control.
Investigating the Determinants of e-Banking Loyalty for Large Business Customers: Two Empirical Models

The current research paper proposes two models for the determinants of E-banking Loyalty for large business customers. The results demonstrated that five main quality dimensions were identified for the e-banking portals: assurance, reliability, convenience and quality monitoring by the financial director of the company. The results also confirm that e-banking quality has a strong impact on e-banking loyalty via the mediating effect of e-trust and switching costs have strong a impact on e-banking loyalty. Further our findings also suggest that interpersonal relationships generated between the bank manager and the decision maker of the company have a strong impact on the perceptions of service quality in online banking, and will also affect positively E-Banking Loyalty.
The influence of protein:energy value of the ration and level of feed intake on the energy and nitrogen metabolism of the growing pig

1. The nitrogen balances of thirty-six individually-housed, entire male pigs (body-weight range 19–50 kg) were measured over 7 d periods when the animals were kept initially at an environmental temperature of 22° and then at 10° while fed on rations containing 153, 201 and 258 g crude protein (N × 6·25; CP)/kg dry matter (DM). The respective metabolizable energy (ME) contents were 16·29, 16·96 and 17·24 MJ/kg DM. Each ration was given at three levels, 20, 35 and 50 g feed/kg body-weight per d. The animals fed on the 20 and 35 g/kg feeding level were catheterized and blood samples withdrawn on two consecutive days within the N-balance periods for the determination of blood urea (BU) concentration both before and at hourly intervals for 7 h following the morning feed. 2. An increase in feed intake resulted in a significant increase in N retention (NR) at each environmental temperature. However, NR as a proportion of N intake was higher the lower the protein content of the ration. With the exception of the animals fed on the low-protein ration, NR at any given feed intake was lower at 10° than at 22° and these differences were reflected in the animal's body-weight gain. 3. Values for the fasting N metabolism (Nf), calculated from the relationship between NR and intake of digestible N (IDN), were temperature-dependent. At 22°, a constant Nf value of 0·255 g N/kg body-weight0·75 per d was found appropriate, while at 10° Nf increased with increase in protein content of the ration from 0·380 on the low protein ration to 0·533 and 0·753 g N/kg body-weight0·75 per d on the medium- and high-protein rations respectively. 4. The efficiency of N utilization (kN) reflected the differences in the relationships between NR and IDN. At 22° the relationship was curvilinear so that kN decreased with increase in both the level of feed intake and the protein content of the ration. At 10° the relationship was linear, hence kN was independent of feed intake within rations. However, it decreased from 0·909 to 0·679 as the protein content of the ration was increased. 5. The concentration of BU attained a maximal value some 3–5 h after the ingestion of the feed, with the values at 10° being higher than those at 22°. BU increased as the level of protein in the ration increased but decreased with the level of feed intake when dietary protein concentration was held constant. There was a significant correlation between BU and kN, indicating that BU is a useful criterion for assessing the efficiency of N utilization.
GDN Education Issues Paper

This paper reviews governance and institutional challenges facing educational systems in developing countries. We outline a framework for education service delivery and offer a comprehensive review of policies and programs to address the twin goals of decreasing barriers to attending school and reducing stark quality deficits with respect to developed countries. We review experimental and quasi-experimental evidence on student and teacher incentives, decentralization and local school control. More conclusive evidence on the quality improvement measures that succeed in different institutional and resource contexts is needed. To this end, the paper concludes with key research issues for future research. 1 PhD Candidate, Economics of Education, Stanford University 2 Lead Education Economist, The World Bank 3 Senior Education Economist, Human Development Department, The World Bank