Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Can deep learning models recognize chilean diet

The emergence of deep learning models has made it possible to address several real-life problems and, in particular, those in which computer vision plays a key role. In this sense, the food recognition task from images is one of the beneficiaries of this machine learning method. Its importance lies in its usefulness to become aware of the food eaten and in this way help us to lead a healthy lifestyle. In recent years, food image recognition has gained great prominence in the literature, providing novel models and datasets to address it. However, public data generally correspond to American, Asian, and European foods, therefore the methods developed cannot be directly applied to the Chilean diet. In this article we will publish a new dataset to recognize the foods present in the Chilean diet. In addition, we will perform a comparison with public popular food datasets to analyze the similarity in the dishes of the proposed dataset with respect to the exciting ones in the literature. Moreover, we will establish a baseline using the state-of-the-arts Convolutional Neural Network architectures and the novel Swin Transformer approach.
Electronic Nose Based on Gas Sensor Array and Neural Network for Indoor Hydrogen Gas Control System

Hydrogen gas leaks in a closed room can pose a fire hazard and poor air quality. The concentration of hydrogen gas of 4-75% in the air is highly flammable and can cause explosions. An electronic nose system consisting of gas sensors array and a neural network has been built to detect hydrogen gas leaks in a room. Data from each sensor is used as input for the classification of gases on the neural network. Proportional-integral-derivative (PID) method is applied to control the exhaust fan to eliminate hydrogen gas leaks in the room. The electronic nose and PID control are implemented on the Arduino Nano microcontroller. The experiment results showed that this system could classify several gases such as hydrogen gas, vehicle smoke, and perfume with a success rate of 86.67%. The PID control becomes active when hydrogen gas with concentrations above 100 ppm has been classified. These results can minimize and prevent hydrogen gas leaks and maintain good indoor air quality.
HaptiDrag: A Device with the Ability to Generate Varying Levels of Drag (Friction) Effects on Real Surfaces

We presently rely on mechanical approaches to leverage drag (friction) effects for digital interaction as haptic feedback over real surfaces. Unfortunately, due to their mechanical nature, such methods are inconvenient, difficult to scale, and include object deployment issues. Accordingly, we present HaptiDrag, a thin (1 mm) and lightweight (2 gram) device that can reliably produce various intensities of on-surface drag effects through electroadhesion phenomenon. We first performed design evaluation to determine minimal size (5 cm x 5 cm) of HaptiDrag to enable drag effect. Further, with reference to eight distinct surfaces, we present technical performance of 2 sizes of HaptiDrag in real environment conditions. Later, we conducted two user studies; the first to discover absolute detection threshold friction spots of varying intensities common to all surfaces under test and the second to validate the absolute detection threshold points for noticeability with all sizes of HaptiDrag. Finally, we demonstrate device’s utility in different scenarios.
Direct Detection of Gravity Waves from Neutron Stars

In light of the discovery of the first-ever double pulsar system, PSR J0737-3039, we re-examine an earlier proposal to directly detect gravity waves from neutron stars, which was predicated on a hypothetical system almost identical to the later discovered double pulsar. We re-derive the effect in more detail, and confirm the initial estimate--sometimes doubted in the literature--that it includes a 1/b dependence, where b is the impact parameter of a pulsar with respect to its foreground, gravity-wave emitting, neutron star companion. A coherent modulation in pulsar time-of-arrival measurements of 10 nano-sec/sec is possible. A one-year intermittent experiment on an instrument comparable to the SKA could thus detect the exceedingly faint gravity waves from individual neutron stars.
Decaying Photos for Enhanced Privacy: User Perceptions Towards Temporal Redactions and 'Trusted' Platforms

With the rising popularity of photo sharing in online social media, interpersonal privacy violations, where one person violates the privacy of another, have become an increasing concern. Although applying image obfuscations can be a useful tool for improving privacy when sharing photos, prior studies have found these obfuscation techniques adversely affect viewers' satisfaction. On the other hand, ephemeral photos, popularized by apps such as Snapchat, allow viewers to see the entire photo, which then disappears shortly thereafter to protect privacy. However, people often use workarounds to save these photos before deletion. In this work, we study people's sharing preferences with two proposed 'temporal redactions', which combines ephemerality with redactions to allow viewers to see the entire image, yet make these images safe for longer storage through a gradual or delayed application of redaction on the sensitive portions of the photo. We conducted an online experiment (N=385) to study people's sharing behaviors in different contexts and under different levels of assurance provided by the viewer's platform (e.g., guaranteeing temporal redactions are applied through the use of 'trusted hardware'). Our findings suggest that the proposed temporal redaction mechanisms are often preferred over existing methods. On the other hand, more efforts are needed to convey the benefits of trusted hardware to users, as no significant differences were observed in attitudes towards 'trusted hardware' on viewers' devices.
Optimal analysis of VSL following-up performance considering hydraulic system SAD control strategy

Hydraulic system lubricating oil is subject to serialized Variable Static Loads (VSL) following-up performance. An improved Self-Turbulent Flow (STF) algorithm, based on the real-time acquisition and monitoring of Lubricating Oil Static Pressure (LOSP) in hydraulic system to simulate VSL, is proposed. In this topic, a mathematical model of the Electro-Hydraulic Servo (EHS) control system for LOSP acquisition is presented, and the STF controller is designed for numerical analysis. The Self-Anti-Disturbance (SAD) control strategy for LOSP of EHS system is discussed, which is used for quadratic optimization, pole placement, PID and STF control, and the LOSP simulation model of STF control is constructed by SIMULINK module. Numerical simulation results indicate that the overshoot is significantly reduced. The proposed SAD control algorithm is verified by experiments, and the LOSP acquisition followability and monitoring accuracy are greatly improved. Toward this goal, a variable hydraulic LOSP acquisition and monitoring can be effectively and stability adjusted by pre-designed EHS control system in the field of power hydraulic fluid lubrication.
Biodiversity Engagement: Accessible Language and Strategies Stimulating Community Engagement in Biodiversity Conservation within the University of British Columbia Vancouver Campus

1. Abstract Although communities' actions do not always reflect people’s knowledge over the repercussions of climate change, most are well aware of the need to reduce carbon emission. On the other hand, biodiversity, which is mutually reinforced with climate change and is at the highest risk of irreversibility according to the planetary boundary, has not been given proportional awareness among the general public as compared to the urge of carbon emission mitigation. The reason being is very likely due to the complexity of the biodiversity concept and difficulty to communicate this issue to the general public. Given that most remain unaware of the significance of biodiversity conservation, in consultation with UBC’s Social Ecological Economic Development Studies (SEEDS) Sustainability Program, this paper is prepared to suggest potentials to raise biodiversity awareness and changing community behaviour in the vancouver campus of the University of British Columbia (UBC). In order to find out potential solutions for raising biodiversity awareness on campus, a definition of “Biodiversity” and research over communication challenges of biodiversity conservation will be further elaborated in the paper along with a list of recommendations to develop strategies to engage community members with biodiversity conservation.
Regional Perspectives on Socio-technical Transitions. Combining Research Insights from Geography of Innovation and Transition Studies

While societal challenges are global in nature, solving and addressing them usually tends to take place at smaller spatial scales. As place-specific technological, institutional and actor settings have a decisive influence on the direction, scope and speed of transformative dynamics, regions vary greatly in the generation and application of innovations required for socio-technical transitions. With a broader understanding of regional innovation systems (RIS), on the one hand, and spatial considerations in transition studies, on the other, geographic research has recently contributed to a better understanding of innovation-based structural and systemic change. At the same time, the research findings are still insufficiently linked with one another. We argue that recent theorizing on expanded regional innovation systems provides additional explanatory power in the context of systemic transitions by considering similar aspects, e.g. the role of experimentation and different modes of innovation, yet incorporating a more spatial perspective. Against this background, we show that innovation policies at the regional level seem to be particularly effective when they support innovation dynamics aimed at sustainability through the inclusion of various actor groups and the attention to both the production and application side. Given the increasing spatial disparities in innovation dynamics, however, further research is needed on the opportunities and barriers of different regional settings for sustainability transitions.
Quantum Graph Parameters

This dissertation considers some of the advantages, and limits, of applying quantum computing to solve two important graph problems. The first is estimating a graph’s quantum chromatic number. The quantum chromatic number is the minimum number of colors necessary in a two-player game where the players cannot communicate but share an entangled state and must convince a referee with probability one that they have a proper vertex coloring. We establish several spectral lower bounds for the quantum chromatic number. These lower bounds extend the well-known Hoffman lower bound for the classical chromatic number. The second is the Pattern Matching on Labeled Graphs Problem (PMLG). Here the objective is to match a string (called a pattern) P to a walk in an edge labeled graph G = (V,E). In addition to providing a new quantum algorithm for PMLG, this work establishes conditional lower bounds on the time complexity of any quantum algorithm for PMLG. These include a conditional lower bound based on the recently proposed NC-QSETH and a reduction from the Longest Common Subsequence Problem (LCS). For PMLG where substitutions are allowed to the pattern, our results demonstrate that (i) a quantum algorithm running in time O(|E|m1−ε + |E|1−εm) for any constant ε > 0 would provide an algorithm for LCS on two strings X and Y running in time Õ(|X||Y |1−ε + |X|1−ε|Y |), which is better than any known quantum algorithm for LCS, and (ii) a quantum algorithm running in time O(|E|m 1 2−ε + |E| 1 2−εm) would violate NC-QSETH. Results (i) and (ii) hold even when restricted to binary alphabets for P and the edge labels in G. Our quantum algorithm is for all versions of PMLG (exact, only substitutions, and substitutions/insertions/deletions) and runs in time Õ( √ |V ||E| · m), making it an improvement over the classical O(|E|m) time algorithm when the graph is non-sparse.
Renyi entropy in Continuous case is not the limit of discrete case

Shannon entropy is the creation of Shannon (1948) based on the experiences in Bell System Company during and after the Second World War. Then, Renyi (1961) generalized it for one parameter families of entropies. This entropy for discrete random variables is non-negative but it can be negative in continuous case. In this paper, we show that Renyi entropy for continuous random variables is not equal to the limit of it for discrete random variables. Also, some notes are derived in view of the variate versions of entropy criteria.
A route to room temperature ferromagnetic ultrathin SrRuO$_3$ films

Experimental efforts to stabilize ferromagnetism in ultrathin films of transition metal oxides have so far failed, despite expectations based on density functional theory (DFT) and DFT+U. Here, we investigate one of the most promising materials, SrRuO$_3$, and include correlation effects beyond DFT by means of dynamical mean field theory. In agreement with experiment we find an intrinsic thickness limitation for metallic ferromagnetism in SrRuO$_3$ thin films. Indeed, we demonstrate that the realization of ultrathin ferromagnetic films is out of reach of standard thin-film techniques. Proposing charge carrier doping as a new route to manipulate thin films, we predict room temperature ferromagnetism in electron-doped SrRuO$_3$ ultra thin films.
Analysis of the inverse square-root size effect in the plasticity of metals

Small-scale mechanical behaviour shows significant departures from classical elastic-plastic theory. In a remarkable number of instances, the strength of a material appears to scale as the reciprocal square root of the smallest length scale. There are several recent experimental and modeling results in the literature that show an interaction between dimensional (extrinsic) size and microstructural (intrinsic) size effects. In this paper, we present a mechanical model that naturally produces the inverse square root strengthening and derive an expression for the effective length when both the extrinsic and intrinsic size effects are significant. The theory fits well to data from a wide range of deformation geometries and includes the interaction between the microstructural and dimensional size effects. Furthermore, this approach is able to predict the size effect under uniform deformation without strain gradient.
Rotons of composite fermions: Comparison between theory and experiment

Department of Physics, 104 Davey Laboratory, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802(February 1, 2008)A major obstacle toward a quantitative veriﬁcation, by comparison to experiment, of the theory ofthe excitations of the fractional quantum Hall eﬀect has been the lack of a proper understandingof disorder. We circumvent this problem by studying the neutral magneto-roton excitations, whoseenergy is expected to be largely insensitive to disorder. The calculated energies of the roton at1/3, 2/5 and 3/7 ﬁllings of the lowest Landau level are in good agreement with those measuredexperimentally.PACS numbers:71.10. Pm,73.40. Hm
Non-Local Isoperimetric Problems

We characterize the volume-constrained minimizers of a nonlocal free energy given by the difference of the $t$-perimeter and the $s$-perimeter, with $s$ smaller than $t$. Exploiting the quantitative fractional isoperimetric inequality, we show that balls are the unique minimizers if the volume is sufficiently small, depending on $t-s$, while the existence vs. nonexistence of minimizers for large volumes remains open. We also consider the corresponding isoperimetric problem and prove existence and regularity of minimizers for all $s,\,t$. When $s=0$ this problem reduces to the fractional isoperimetric problem, for which it is well known that balls are the only minimizers.
On the structure of 1-perfectly orientable graphs

We study the class of 1-perfectly orientable (1-p.o.) graphs, that is, graphs having an orientation in which every out-neighborhood induces a tournament. 1-p.o. graphs form a common generalization of chordal graphs and circular arc graphs. Even though 1-p.o. graphs can be recognized in polynomial time, little is known about their structure. In this paper, we prove several structural results about 1-p.o. graphs and characterizations of 1-p.o. graphs in special graph classes. This includes: (i) a characterization of 1-p.o. graphs in terms of edge clique covers, (ii) identification of several graph transformations preserving the class of 1-p.o. graphs, (iii) a complete characterization of 1-p.o. cographs and of 1-p.o. complements of forests, and (iv) an infinite family of minimal forbidden induced minors for the class of 1-p.o. graphs.
Integrated design-sense-plan architecture for autonomous geometric-semantic mapping with UAVs

This article presents a complete solution for autonomous mapping and inspection tasks, namely a lightweight multi-camera drone design coupled with computationally efficient planning algorithms and environment representations for enhanced autonomous navigation in exploration and mapping tasks. The proposed system utilizes state-of-the-art Next-Best-View (NBV) planning techniques, with geometric and semantic segmentation information computed with Deep Convolutional Neural Networks (DCNNs) to improve the environment map representation. The main contributions of this article are the following. First, we propose a novel efficient sensor observation model and a utility function that encodes the expected information gains from observations taken from specific viewpoints. Second, we propose a reward function that incorporates both geometric and semantic probabilistic information provided by a DCNN for semantic segmentation that operates in close to real-time. The incorporation of semantics in the environment representation enables biasing exploration towards specific object categories while disregarding task-irrelevant ones during path planning. Experiments in both a virtual and a real scenario demonstrate the benefits on reconstruction accuracy of using semantics for biasing exploration towards task-relevant objects, when compared with purely geometric state-of-the-art methods. Finally, we present a unified approach for the selection of the number of cameras on a UAV, to optimize the balance between power consumption, flight-time duration, and exploration and mapping performance trade-offs. Unlike previous design optimization approaches, our method is couples with the sense and plan algorithms. The proposed system and general formulations can be be applied in the mapping, exploration, and inspection of any type of environment, as long as environment dependent semantic training data are available, with demonstrated successful applicability in the inspection of dry dock shipyard environments.
Cooperative action of SP-A and its trimeric recombinant fragment with polymyxins against Gram-negative respiratory bacteria

The exploration of therapies combining antimicrobial lung proteins and conventional antibiotics is important due to the growing problem of multidrug-resistant bacteria. The aim of this study was to investigate whether human SP-A and a recombinant trimeric fragment (rfhSP-A) have cooperative antimicrobial activity with antibiotics against pathogenic Gram-negative bacteria. We found that SP-A bound the cationic peptide polymyxin B (PMB) with an apparent dissociation constant (K D) of 0.32 ± 0.04 µM. SP-A showed synergistic microbicidal activity with polymyxin B and E, but not with other antibiotics, against three SP-A-resistant pathogenic bacteria: Klebsiella pneumoniae, non-typable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. SP-A was not able to bind to K. pneumoniae, NTHi, or to mutant strains thereof expressing long-chain lipopolysaccharides (or lipooligosaccharides) and/or polysaccharide capsules. In the presence of PMB, SP-A induced the formation of SP-A/PMB aggregates that enhance PMB-induced bacterial membrane permeabilization. Furthermore, SP-A bound to a molecular derivative of PMB lacking the acyl chain (PMBN) with a K D of 0.26 ± 0.02 μM, forming SP-A/PMBN aggregates. PMBN has no bactericidal activity but can bind to the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria. Surprisingly, SP-A and PMBN showed synergistic bactericidal activity against Gram-negative bacteria. Unlike native supratrimeric SP-A, the trimeric rfhSP-A fragment had small but significant direct bactericidal activity against K. pneumoniae, NTHi, and P. aeruginosa. rfhSP-A did not bind to PMB under physiological conditions but acted additively with PMB and other antibiotics against these pathogenic bacteria. In summary, our results significantly improve our understanding of the antimicrobial actions of SP-A and its synergistic action with PMB. A peptide based on SP-A may aid the therapeutic use of PMB, a relatively cytotoxic antibiotic that is currently being reintroduced into clinics due to the global problem of antibiotic resistance.
Integrated application of macrophytes and zooplankton for wastewater treatment

The increasing amount of sewage has become a serious concern globally, demanding sustainable solutions. The constructed wetland system (CWS) can be installed at the wastewater discharge site and properly screened bio-purifiers can be used for efficient wastewater treatment. Filter-feeding zooplankton have the potential to graze on bacteria and reduce biological oxygen demand. However, higher suspended particles choke the zooplankton filtering appendages. An integrated application of zooplankton and macrophytes can solve the problems by reducing contaminants and providing the surface area for zooplankton to take refuge. Using three different approaches: (a) screening of natural bio-purifiers through time series study, (b) assessment of sewage treatment potential of screened bio-purifiers in the CWS and, (c) evaluation of the growth potential of screened bio-purifiers in untreated wastewater, this study explored the combined use of macrophyte and zooplankton in the CWS. The 3-year time series study in the vicinity of the wastewater discharge area recorded the zooplankton, Brachionus angularis and Moina macrocopa as highly indicative zooplankton. The top two highly indicative macrophytes are Typha and Phragmites. Under laboratory conditions, the population growth rates of B. angularis and M. macrocopa were significantly higher in wastewater without any external nutrient source than those in control with algae as a food source. The integrated application of zooplankton (B. angularis and M. macrocopa) macrophytes (Typha and Phragmites) in CWS yielded upto 56% reduction in the total bacterial count and upto 92% reduction in BOD along with substantial increase in the DO level. The present results strongly suggested the use of CWS planted with macrophytes and inoculated by zooplankton. The usefulness of this system is further supported by the natural occurrence of selected species, as it is easy to maintain, has low installation cost, and excellent efficiency in treating wastewater. As both the zooplankton species are preferred live feed for rearing of fish larvae, the present results suggested the use of zooplankton and macrophytes for treatment of wastewater, reduction of sludge, and harvest of live feeds for the aquaculture industry to augment circularity and promote decentralized wastewater treatment. Graphical Abstract