Search

This article discusses PC reliability, one of the most pressing issues regarding computers. Nearly a quarter century after the introduction of the first IBM PC and the outset of the personal computer revolution, PCs have largely become commodities, with little differentiating one brand from another in terms of capability and performance. Most of today's software is similarly mature, having gone through many upgrades, with less opportunity for the introduction of groundbreaking capabilities. These days, what most differentiates one computer product from another is reliability--the hassle factor. The PC industry may be maturing, but computer products are still very much prone to glitches, bugs, security vulnerabilities, incompatibilities, premature failure and other problems.

One of the truisms about computers is that they're difficult. Despite the fact that the PC Revolution is now well into its third decade and the continuing improvements in the user friendliness of PCs and Macs, printers and scanners, and software and the Internet, using a personal computer can still be a hair-raising experience. This is particularly true with people older than 40 who weren't weaned on computers as kids are today. But it can be true with anybody who's not detail- or technically oriented, including people in work situations who need to use computers as part of their jobs. As many as two-thirds of managers/executives as well as clerical/support staff still feel hesitant about using technology in the office, according to research by Dr. Larry D. Rosen, psychology professor at California State University-Dominguez Hills, and Dr. Michelle M. Weil, president of the consulting company Human-Ware in Carlsbad, Calif.

This article provides an overview of the origins and early development of sports video games. The first generation of sports video games were developed by scientists in laboratories for academic purposes. Together with the rise of microcomputers and the widespread adoption of television (TV) sets, commercial video games began to emerge in the early 1970s. Like their laboratory predecessors, most of the first-generation commercial games were sports-themed and primarily designed as a platform for competition between players. In the second half of the 1970s, ball-and-paddle-based games began to be replaced by more sophisticated games adopting the rules and actions of real-life sports. By the late 1970s and early 1980s, intense competition between video game companies gave birth to many innovative titles, with various sports disciplines adapted into games. Most of the sports games created in this period were based on competitive sports including American football, basketball, baseball, soccer, and tennis, as well as recreational sports like bowling, pool, and darts, many of them long popular in Western Europe and North America, some with a huge fan base in Japan. They were clearly produced to cater to the needs of gamers and sports fans in the world's three major TV, personal computer, video game, and sports markets at the time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The industrial internet of things (IIoT) has undergone rapid growth in recent years, which has resulted in an increase in the number of threats targeting both IIoT devices and their connecting technologies. However, deploying tools to counter these threats involves tackling inherent limitations, such as limited processing power, memory, and network bandwidth. As a result, traditional solutions, such as the ones used for desktop computers or servers, cannot be applied directly in the IIoT, and the development of new technologies is essential to overcome this issue. One approach that has shown potential for this new paradigm is the implementation of intrusion detection system (IDS) that rely on machine learning (ML) techniques. These IDSs can be deployed in the industrial control system or even at the edge layer of the IIoT topology. However, one of their drawbacks is that, depending on the factory's specifications, it can be quite challenging to locate sufficient traffic data to train these models. In order to address this problem, this study introduces a novel IDS based on the TabPFN model, which can operate on small datasets of IIoT traffic and protocols, as not in general much traffic is generated in this environment. To assess its efficacy, it is compared against other ML algorithms, such as random forest, XGBoost, and LightGBM, by evaluating each method with different training set sizes and varying numbers of classes to classify. Overall, TabPFN produced the most promising outcomes, with a 10–20% differentiation in each metric. The best performance was observed when working with 1000 training set samples, obtaining an F1 score of 81% for 6-class classification and 72% for 10-class classification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The effectiveness of eLearning in enhancing healthcare professionals' capacity has received substantial attention globally. This review sought to synthesis evidence on the effectiveness of various types of eLearning programmes, and the facilitators and barriers to its use. Methods: The review was guided by Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Four main databases (PubMed, Web of Science, JSTOR, and Scopus) in July 2023 and 44 articles met the eligibility criteria and were included in the review. The JBI critical appraisal checklist was used to appraise the methodological quality of the studies. The data were examined using narrative review to determine the effectiveness of the intervention as well as the barriers and facilitators to its use. Results: This review found that asynchronous, synchronous, blended, and self-learning methodologies are effective eLearning approaches for continuous professional development. Previous positive experiences, user-friendly interfaces and relevance of the eLearning content to daily practice are critical elements that facilitate eLearning usage. Poor computer competence and literacy, lack of personal computers and high family duties were the main personal factors that hindered eLearning use. Some systemic barriers included; heavy workloads, shortage of specialised eLearning facilitators poor management involvement, and technical inadequacies within the ICT departments. Environmental issues such as poor infrastructure, including limited internet and frequent power outages acted as barriers. Conclusion: The review highlights the effectiveness of various eLearning approaches among health professionals and presents the disparities between developing and developed economies in relation to the facilitators and barriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper developed a scalable parallel computing method that can be used for platoon simulations and controller validations. A scalable adaptive platooning control law was firstly designed, which accommodates a variety of vehicle-to-vehicle communication topologies. A road vehicle dynamics model that considered the Magic Formula tyre model and suspension dynamics was then derived and validated. The parallel computing method adopted the Message Passing Interface technique to allow fast and scalable simulations. Platoon length changes do not require controller and algorithm changes. An 11-vehicle platoon on a real-world 10 km long road section was simulated. Different localisation sensor errors, communication delays, heterogenous vehicle masses and driving modes were considered. Results show that localisation errors have negligible influences on space errors. Aggressive driving and heterogeneous vehicle masses slightly increase space errors (increases less than 0.23 m). Communication delays are the greatest influencer for space errors. Increases for 15, 45 and 75 ms delays were 0.43, 1.41 and 2.41 m, respectively. It is further shown that parallel computing can improve the computing speed by three times on personal computers and seven to 12 times on workstations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of mobile devices for web browsing has increased extraordinarily in recent years, becoming the main source of information. Unfortunately, developers cannot meet the needs of all users. As a result, users have been forced to adapt web content to their needs. Additionally, users face more costly interactions than on desktop computers due to the smaller screen size of cell phones. These interactions include URL typing, scrolling, taping, branching and tab-switching. If the number of web resources is large, the activity becomes unpleasant. Furthermore, should the quantity of interactions be extensive, the web experience also becomes unpleasant. Moreover, all these interactions lead to higher costs in terms of phone time and battery life, as well as more costly navigation. Web augmentation enhances the user web experience by adding content from different resources, modifying the original layout, or reducing interactions during web searches, among other benefits. To reduce user interactions and satisfy their information necessities, we propose MAWA, an extension for Firefox mobile that allows users to adapt any web page to their needs through web augmentation techniques. To validate our proposal, an evaluation of the tool has been carried out. The article presents the benefits introduced by MAWA as a response to the inconveniences experienced by users when performing their activities in the mobile browser. The results obtained show that MAWA is able to reduce the number of interactions significantly, as well as to reduce battery consumption and the time needed to obtain the desired information. In addition, users perceive that navigation is less cluttered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The study aimed to determine the key factors influencing health-promoting behavior and the behavioral intentions of eHealth consumers based on the health promotion model and technology acceptance model. Methods: This research involved a longitudinal path analysis. The study was conducted with 360 eHealth consumers aged over 18 years, employed in the top five categories of the Korean standard classification of occupations, and living in the five largest cities in South Korea. The data were analyzed using SPSS 22.0 and AMOS 25.0. Results: Health-promoting behaviors were directly supported by prior health-related behavior and behavioral intention, and indirectly supported by perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, perceived benefit, self-efficacy, and behavioral intention. These variables accounted for 36.3% of the variance in health-promoting behavior. Conclusion: The findings serve as a framework that can help health professionals and health information providers understand how to encourage consumers using eHealth to engage in health-promoting behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The integration of a blockchain-supported serverless computing framework enhances the performance of computational and analytical operations and the provision of services within internet-based data centers, rather than depending on independent desktop computers. Therefore, in the present research paper, a blockchain-assisted serverless framework for geospatial data visualizations is implemented. The proposed BS-GeoEduNet 1.0 framework leverages the capabilities of AWS Lambda for serverless computing, providing a reliable and efficient solution for data storage, analysis, and distribution. The proposed framework incorporates AES encryption, decryption layers, and queue implementation to achieve a scalable approach for handling larger files. It implements a queueing mechanism during the heavier input/output processes of file processing by using Apache KAFKA, enabling the system to handle large volumes of data efficiently. It concludes with the visualization of all geospatial-enabled NIT/IIT details on the proposed framework, which utilizes the data fetched from MongoDB. The experimental findings validate the reliability and efficiency of the proposed system, demonstrating its efficacy in geospatial data storage and processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shape modeling is a dynamic area in computer graphics with significant applications in computer-aided design, animation, architecture, and entertainment. Virtual sculpting, a key paradigm in free-form modeling, has traditionally been performed on desktop computers where users manipulate meshes with controllers and view the models on two-dimensional displays. However, the advent of Extended Reality (XR) technology has ushered in immersive interactive experiences, expanding the possibilities for virtual sculpting across various environments. A real-time virtual sculpting system implemented in a Virtual Reality (VR) setting is introduced in this paper, utilizing quasi-uniform meshes as the foundational structure. In our innovative sculpting system, we design an integrated framework encompassing a surface selection algorithm, mesh optimization technique, mesh deformation strategy, and topology fusion methodology, which are all tailored to meet the needs of the sculpting process. The universal, user-friendly sculpting tools designed to support free-form topology are offered in this system, ensuring that the meshes remain watertight, manifold, and free from self-intersections throughout the sculpting process. The models produced are versatile and suitable for use in diverse fields such as gaming, art, and education. Experimental results confirm the system's real-time performance and universality, highlighting its user-centric design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The point cloud provides viewers with intuitive geometric understanding but requires a huge amount of data. Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) has developed video‐based point‐cloud compression in the range of 300–700. As the compression rate increases, the complexity increases to the extent that it takes 101.36 s to compress one frame in an experimental environment using a personal computer. To realize real‐time point‐cloud compression processing, the direct patch projection (DPP) method proposed herein simplifies the complex patch segmentation process by classifying and projecting points according to their geometric positions. The DPP method decreases the complexity of the patch segmentation from 25.75 s to 0.10 s per frame, and the entire process becomes 8.76 times faster than the conventional one. Consequently, this proposed DPP method yields similar peak signal‐to‐noise ratio (PSNR) outcomes to those of the conventional method at reduced times (4.7–5.5 times) at the cost of bitrate overhead. The objective and subjective results show that the proposed DPP method can be considered when low‐complexity requirements are required in lightweight device environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the contemporary era, dizziness is a prevalent ailment among patients. It can be caused by either vestibular neuritis or a stroke. Given the lack of diagnostic utility of instrumental methods in acute isolated vertigo, the differentiation of vestibular neuritis and stroke is primarily clinical. As a part of the initial differential diagnosis, the physician focuses on the characteristics of nystagmus and the results of the video head impulse test (vHIT). Instruments for accurate vHIT are costly and are often utilized exclusively in healthcare settings. The objective of this paper is to review contemporary methodologies for accurately detecting the position of pupil centers in both eyes of a patient and for precisely extracting their coordinates. Additionally, the paper describes methods for accurately determining the head rotation angle under diverse imaging and lighting conditions. Furthermore, the suitability of these methods for vHIT is being evaluated. We assume the maximum allowable error is 0.005 radians per frame to detect pupils' coordinates or 0.3 degrees per frame while detecting the head position. We found that for such conditions, the most suitable approaches for head posture detection are deep learning (including LSTM networks), search by template matching, linear regression of EMG sensor data, and optical fiber sensor usage. The most relevant approaches for pupil localization for our medical tasks are deep learning, geometric transformations, decision trees, and RASNAC. This study might assist in the identification of a number of approaches that can be employed in the future to construct a high-accuracy system for vHIT based on a smartphone or a home computer, with subsequent signal processing and initial diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Attentive User Interface (AUI), especially vision-based AUI systems, is a highly developed area of study. Cameras play a crucial role in modeling AUI inputs to monitor and understand user attention during interaction. This enables the optimization of interaction tasks between humans and machines. Typically, AUI systems are designed for desktop computers, employing various detection methods based on computer vision. This research introduces the exploration of AUI input through a low-cost Raspberry Pi 4 embedded system a smallsized system with limited voltage sources. This exploration serves as a reference for AUI design on embedded systems. The proposed AUI input design generating 8 AUI input categories. These include face detection, open or closed eye condition detection, and detection of forward, up, down, left, and right view directions. This study discusses three scenarios of AUI input modeling using various methods to identify the most effective design through Raspberry Pi 4. Based on experimental results and a series of tested tasks, Scenario 3, based on Mediapipe, yielded the best results with an average FPS value of 10 and 100% accuracy for facial landmark detection, detection of open eye conditions, detection of forward, up, down, right, and left gaze directions at various detection reading angles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThis study examined how secondary teachers used mobile devices for teaching and learning activities in under-resourced secondary schools in Nepal. Twelve secondary teachers from three schools in the suburbs of one Himalayan district in Nepal were interviewed using qualitative research methods. The information gathered through observation of their classes supplemented the information gathered through interviews. Findings show that using mobile devices is productive for developing digital content, getting access to internet resources, and delivering lessons in the classroom. The degree of teachers’ technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge was reflected in how they used their mobile devices for information access, language games, dictionaries, and specific learning applications. In the absence of desktop computers and laptops, this study demonstrated how mobile devices improved teachers’ teaching and learning activities. Teachers could exhibit a greater level of proficiency in using technology if they received training on its usage in teaching and learning, and administrative support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Foco (Interdisciplinary Studies Journal) is the property of Revista Foco and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Ultra high molecular weight polyethylene composites are fiber based composites used in armor applications. While some characterization has been conducted experimentally, this study varies multiple parameters simultaneously to investigate material response under a wide range of conditions. Objective: This work focuses on characterizing the response of Dyneema® HB26 hard laminate composites under high-speed impacts to examine the influence of plate diameter, clamping pressure, and plate spacing on target performance. Additionally, micro Computer Tomography scans are used to nondestructively evaluate the damage evolution in the targets. Methods: These scan results are used in concert with more traditional armor performance metrics to evaluate the effect of various parameters using the method of orthogonal array analysis. This technique allows for multiple variables to be investigated in the same test series, saving time and budget while still providing quality results across a range of variables and variable values. Results: We conclude that of the parameters investigated, the plate spacing parameter has the largest effect on performance, followed by the plate diameter. Bolt torque was found to not have a significant impact on results, indicating that an edge clamping pressure is not critical to material response. Additionally, by examining the high resolution scans, we can quantify the damage with an effective damage angle and that this angle is a good predictor of performance. Conclusion: Finally a damage theory involving the effective bending strength of the plates is discussed as an explanation for all of the results observed in this test series. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several unique challenges arise in the new field of integration between Model‐Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) models and game‐based digital twin visualizations. First, no known standardized interfaces between the MBSE model and game engine visualization are defined, which can lead to custom or stove‐piped solutions. Additionally, visualizing digital twin models in true to life scale is insufficient with typical desktop computers. The Bi‐Directional Interface Requirements Operational System Test (BIFROST) prototype, funded by the US Army Program Executive Office (PEO) Aviation, seeks to address these challenges. Progress of the BIFROST prototype is covered in the paper. The prototype aims to determine the feasibility and challenges of validating interfaces through visualizing changes to an MBSE model in a 3D game engine. Research was performed to visualize part of an uncrewed aircraft system ground control station in 3D using the Unity game engine. A Mission Control Architecture MBSE model, developed by PEO Aviation, is used to drive the digital twin of the ground control station through a set of virtual reality (VR) controls. Users can visualize, analyze, and test the human‐machine interaction of the 3D models in VR prior to real‐world system changes. This paper presents the recommended interfaces between the MBSE model and 3D engine, lessons learned, and future research areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Baghdad Science Journal is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Informed by theoretical perspectives on working memory demands and devices' potential to "prime" different types of cognitive processing, this paper investigates whether we tend to think "faster" and more intuitively, with less reflection when we use a smartphone instead of a personal computer (PC) or notebook. Three complementary experimental studies with a total of 823 participants reveal that the results of using such devices surface only when participants can select the smartphone as their preferred device. Controlling for potential confounding variables reveals no evidence of general differences between devices. Our findings caution against overemphasizing the importance of the type of device in thinking slow or fast and establish self-selection bias as an important factor in explaining such differences. This study contributes to clarifying the psychology of smartphone screens and how humans make choices when they are using these devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An (r , z , k) -mixed graph G has every vertex with undirected degree r , directed in- and out-degree z , and diameter k. In this paper, we study the case r = z = 1 , proposing some new constructions of (1 , 1 , k) -mixed graphs with a large number of vertices N. Our study is based on computer techniques for small values of k and the use of graphs on alphabets for general k. In the former case, the constructions are either Cayley or lift graphs. In the latter case, some infinite families of (1 , 1 , k) -mixed graphs are proposed with diameter of the order of 2 log 2 N. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new system design tool for the simulation of a full hybrid rocket engine is developed in this article. This tool enables to simulate the behaviour of the engine at different conditions/configurations in several minutes from a desktop computer by keeping a balance between accuracy and computation time. This makes its use especially attractive for the pre-design phases of the engine. The main components of the hybrid rocket engine from our laboratory-characterized by a catalytic injection of the oxidizer-, are modelled and implemented in the tool: the feed/injection sub-system through 0-D models of a mass flow rate regulator and a catalyst; the combustion chamber, with a 1.5-D model; and the nozzle through a 1-D model. An iterative method is employed to reach the convergence of pressure in the combustion chamber between these sub-systems. The corresponding set of equations is solved by a Newton–Raphson technique. Seven experiments performed on our lab-scale engine were used to validate the system design tool. In five of the simulations, the relative differences of the main physical quantities with the experiment were below 30%, being the largest errors found in the fuel regression rate and mixture ratio. The best agreements with the experiments were retrieved for the cases with the largest oxidizer mass fluxes (above 230 kg/ m 2 /s) and mixture ratios closest to stoichiometry, defining thus, the range of applicability of the system design tool. The results presented in this article were issued of a Ph.D. thesis. • A 1.5-D combustion chamber model of a hybrid rocket engine was developed and validated. • 0-D/1-D mass flow regulator, catalyst and nozzle models were developed and validated. • A system design tool of a hybrid rocket engine implementing these models was developed. • The tool is adapted to pre-design phases, with a few minutes of computation time. • Errors between 8%–40% in fuel regression rate and below 10% in thrust and chamber pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a probabilistic microkinetic modeling (MKM) framework that incorporates the short-ranged order (SRO) evolution for adsorbed species (adspecies) on a catalyst surface. The resulting model consists of a system of ordinary differential equations. Adsorbate–adsorbate interactions, surface diffusion, adsorption, desorption, and catalytic reaction processes are included. Assuming that the adspecies ordering/arrangement is accurately described by the SRO parameters, we employ the reverse Monte Carlo (RMC) method to extract the relevant local environment probability distributions and pass them to the MKM. The reaction kinetics is faithfully captured as accurately as the kinetic Monte Carlo (KMC) method but with a computational time requirement of few seconds on a standard desktop computer. KMC, on the other hand, can require several days for the examples discussed. The framework presented here is expected to provide the basis for wider application of the RMC-MKM approach to problems in computational catalysis, electrocatalysis, and material science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identification of different species of animals has become an important issue in biology and ecology. Ornithology has made alliances with other disciplines in order to establish a set of methods that play an important role in the birds' protection and the evaluation of the environmental quality of different ecosystems. In this case, the use of machine learning and deep learning techniques has produced big progress in birdsong identification. To make an approach from AI-IoT, we have used different approaches based on image feature comparison (through CNNs trained with Imagenet weights, such as EfficientNet or MobileNet) using the feature spectrogram for the birdsong, but also the use of the deep CNN (DCNN) has shown good performance for birdsong classification for reduction of the model size. A 5G IoT-based system for raw audio gathering has been developed, and different CNNs have been tested for bird identification from audio recordings. This comparison shows that Imagenet-weighted CNN shows a relatively high performance for most species, achieving 75% accuracy. However, this network contains a large number of parameters, leading to a less energy efficient inference. We have designed two DCNNs to reduce the amount of parameters, to keep the accuracy at a certain level, and to allow their integration into a small board computer (SBC) or a microcontroller unit (MCU). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction:The ability to measure a patient's visual acuity at home (HVA) is by far the most desired remote telemedicine capability sought by ophthalmologists. Methods:A systematic literature review was done using Pubmed to search for publications from 2010 to 2022 in English reporting on 10 studies that compared a patient's HVA to the clinic visual acuity (CVA). Results:Approaches to measuring HVA included using a phone-based application, a physical chart, a computer, and a website. The most accurate of these was the use of personal computers (COMPlog, Macustat, Web based test) at home with a bias of 1 letter. The most accessible and reliable was the use of a printable visual acuity chart, available in the public domain, which had adifference between HVA and CVA of 1 to 3.5 letters. Phone apps (Verana Vision) and stand-alone websites (Farsight.com) both had a greater mean difference of about 6 letters, respectively,with a moderate correlation coefficient. Discussion:Overall, all three methodologies demonstrated a good negative predictive value demonstrating their potential use as an effective screening tool to flag drastic vision decline between clinic visits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern technology was applied to the data recorded during the excavation of Santo António de Tanná in the 1970s. The original recording techniques and the subsequent attempts, in the 1980s, to extract further information from the data are described. With the advent of modern and extremely powerful desktop computers this information has now been reprocessed, enabling three-dimensional (3D) coordinates of control points on the site to be determined and a 3D rendered model of the site created. Using this model of the internal hull of the ship, measurements can be made to determine the shape and form of the ship. This paper examines the original methodologies used and compares the modern measurements with the manual measurements taken over 50 years earlier. An investigation to determine the accuracy of the two systems is described together with an analysis of the techniques involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In addition to providing critical knowledge of the accurate mass of ions, ion mobility‐mass spectrometry (IM‐MS) delivers complementary data relating to the conformation and size of ions in the form of an ion mobility spectrum and derived parameters, namely, the ion's mobility (K) and the IM‐derived collision cross section (CCS). However, the maximum amount of information obtained in IM‐MS measurements is not currently transferred into analytical databases including the full mobility spectra (CCS distributions) as well as capturing of additional ion species (e.g., adducts) into the same compound entry. We introduce CCSfind, a new tool for building comprehensive databases from experimental IM‐MS measurements of small molecules. CCSfind allows predicted ion species to be chosen for input chemical formulae, which are then targeted by CCSfind after parsing open source mzML input files to provide a unified set of results within a single data processing step. CCSfind can handle both chromatographically separated isomers and IM separation of isomeric ions (e.g., "protomers" or conformers of the same ion species) with simple user control over the output for new database entries in SQL format. Files of up to 1 GB can be processed in less than 2 min on a desktop computer with 32 GB RAM with computational time scaling linearly with the size of the input mzML file or the number of input molecular formulae. Results are manually reviewed, annotated with experimental settings, before committing the database where the full dataset can be retrieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the visual design processes and strategies used by design experts and non-design college students when composing an infographic. All participants created an infographic on a personal computer and were asked to think aloud as they performed the task. The goal was to identify differences in the strategies utilised to produce higher and lower-quality infographics scored across 17 design criteria. Results revealed six design processes: (1) create structure and grid, (2) establish visual hierarchy, (3) define visual rules, (4) replicate visual rules, (5) test and adjust, and (6) validate and revise. High-rated infographics were produced using a more systematic process, starting with working on the structure and grid and establishing a visual hierarchy, and moving on to define and replicate visual rules. Design strategies from the comparative analysis included: (1) laying out the elements over a grid and working on visual hierarchy before working on details, (2) placing related content near each other and less related content spaced apart, (3) using up to two font styles and opting for legible over decorative fonts, (4) testing various colours, fonts, and graphics while preserving the overall structure and hierarchy, and (5) stepping back to validate the overall design and making adjustments based on the optical weight. These processes and strategies were encapsulated into a five-stage Infographic Visual Design Model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through logical analysis of the phenomenon of recovery faults after train arrivals in a semi-automatic receiving station from a departure station, this paper confirms the lighting status of the indicator lights on the console displays of the two stations under fault conditions, observes the operation of the relays in the recovery circuits of the two stations during faults, tests the receiving and sending voltage values and amplitude of the distributing terminal boards in the signal mechanical rooms of the two stations during faults, and observes the time length of the pulse signal. This paper then makes full use of microcomputer to monitor and replay the fault phenomenon, browses and compares the voltage curve status, data, amplitude and pulse time curve status and curve lengths of the negative pulses sent and received by the two stations under the fault conditions, so as to accurately determine the fault range, confirm the fault point, and quickly deal with the fault. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Health is becoming an increasingly important indicator for displays, especially after suffering the CODIV‐19 in past years. This manuscript is reporting a novel anti‐bacteria and anti‐virus liquid crystals display which is using an optimized antibacterial and anti‐virus materials on displays with certain technical processes. The antibacterial ratio can reach to 99.99% for both Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Moreover, its anti‐virus ratio can attain above 91.36% for H3N2 and 96.45% for H1N1 viruses, respectively. Its optical properties such as transmission and reflection are all quite similar as the one without antibacterial and anti‐virus treatment. This kind of technology can be used for touching and interacting displays, such as tablet personal computer, cellphones, as well as public interaction screens, and so on. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, the graphical password has gained significant recognition and has become a subject of extensive investigation within the research community. The proliferation of Internet usage has resulted in individuals accessing various web applications from any location worldwide, utilizing personal computers, mobile phones, and other touch-enabled devices. However, individuals frequently employ passwords that are weak and commonly used due to their inability to recall complex passwords. This renders the systems susceptible to various forms of attacks. Hence, there is a requirement for an authentication scheme that possesses qualities such as resilience, ease of memorability, and security. Graphical passwords are significantly more effective than text-based passwords in terms of memorability. Nevertheless, numerous schemes are susceptible to various forms of attacks, such as shoulder surfing attacks, man-in-the-middle attacks, database attacks, random guess attacks, and so forth. Moreover, the compromise between security and usability concerns is evident in different graphical authentication schemes. Therefore, we present a novel graphical authentication scheme that ensures both security and usability. This scheme incorporates random graphical objects blended with a background image, resulting in the generation of a distinct graphical challenge. The objects that have been chosen must undergo verification through the utilization of an object detection algorithm known as YOLOv3. In order to strengthen the security of GPOD (Graphical password with object detection), user data is subjected to encryption and subsequently stored on the server, thereby mitigating the risk of potential database attacks. Additionally, the user data undergoes encryption prior to its transmission to the server in order to alleviate the risk of man-in-the-middle attacks. The proposed GPOD scheme is a straightforward, usable, resilient, shoulder-surf-resistant, and secure graphical authentication scheme. The scheme exhibits excellent performance, with an accuracy rate of up to 94.80% and a login time ranging from 9.61 to 14.56 seconds in two scenarios, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transformer‐based models have revolutionized single cell RNA‐seq (scRNA‐seq) data analysis. However, their applicability is challenged by the complexity and scale of single‐cell multi‐omics data. Here a novel single‐cell multi‐modal/multi‐task transformer (scmFormer) is proposed to fill up the existing blank of integrating single‐cell proteomics with other omics data. Through systematic benchmarking, it is demonstrated that scmFormer excels in integrating large‐scale single‐cell multimodal data and heterogeneous multi‐batch paired multi‐omics data, while preserving shared information across batchs and distinct biological information. scmFormer achieves 54.5% higher average F1 score compared to the second method in transferring cell‐type labels from single‐cell transcriptomics to proteomics data. Using COVID‐19 datasets, it is presented that scmFormer successfully integrates over 1.48 million cells on a personal computer. Moreover, it is also proved that scmFormer performs better than existing methods on generating the unmeasured modality and is well‐suited for spatial multi‐omic data. Thus, scmFormer is a powerful and comprehensive tool for analyzing single‐cell multi‐omics data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, establishing security in data transmission is essential, and it is achieved by cryptography. Encryption of still or video images in specific applications such as Internet of Things, medical and satellite imaging, in applications requiring high-speed encryption, or even in applications where a personal computer is unavailable or cannot be used needs special hardware. In this paper, an image encryption algorithm based on chaos theory named Parallel Chaotic Checksum-based Image Encryption or PCCIE algorithm is proposed that has been able to provide a fast, efficient and secure algorithm with a hardware perspective on the design and parallel system structure. Using high-level synthesis, PCCIE is implemented on a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). The proposed algorithm using small and independent local image buffers solved FPGA internal memory limitation for encryption of large images. Ultimately, a Hexa-core crypto-processor with single-precision floating-point and fixed-point precision has been designed, capable of encrypting 256 × 256 and Full HD images in 2.13 and 59.52 milliseconds, respectively, at 469 and 16 frames per second. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, an exponential increase in the usage of social network services has been observed. These community services are typically used through different applications including personal computers, multiple applications of modern smartphones and wearable technologies. Proper identification and separation of different languages text, topic-based classification of text and classification of active users based on their published comments and posts are major challenges. In this research, our primary focus is to deal with English text collected through different IoT applications to analyse posts/comments to categorise people's opinion in politics. We have developed an IoT framework model for collecting data from social media especially Facebook, preprocessed and clean data to be used for analysis, and separation of data based on different languages. Sentiment analysis techniques are used to detect polarisation of the individual user. The proposed system clustered IoT individuals based on their comments and posts and successfully detected political polarisation. The proposed approach obtained encouraging results with a precision of 66.7%, a recall of 71.4%, and an F-measure of 69.0% in the case of annotated data of 50 users and a precision of 75.0%, a recall of 87.1%, and F-measure of 80.6% in the case of annotated data of 100 users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Since cytokine receptor-like factor 1 (CRLF1) has been implicated in tissue regeneration, we hypothesized that CRLF1 released by mesenchymal stem cells can promote the repair of osteochondral defects. Methods: The degree of a femoral osteochondral defect repair in rabbits after intra-articular injections of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) that were transduced with empty adeno-associated virus (AAV) or AAV containing CRLF1 was determined by morphological, histological, and micro computer tomography (CT) analyses. The effects of CRLF1 on chondrogenic differentiation of BMSCs or catabolic events of interleukin-1beta-treated chondrocyte cell line TC28a2 were determined by alcian blue staining, gene expression levels of cartilage and catabolic marker genes using real-time PCR analysis, and immunoblot analysis of Smad2/3 and STAT3 signaling. Results: Intra-articular injections of BMSCs overexpressing CRLF1 markedly improved repair of a rabbit femoral osteochondral defect. Overexpression of CRLF1 in BMSCs resulted in the release of a homodimeric CRLF1 complex that stimulated chondrogenic differentiation of BMSCs via enhancing Smad2/3 signaling, whereas the suppression of CRLF1 expression inhibited chondrogenic differentiation. In addition, CRLF1 inhibited catabolic events in TC28a2 cells cultured in an inflammatory environment, while a heterodimeric complex of CRLF1 and cardiotrophin-like Cytokine (CLC) stimulated catabolic events via STAT3 activation. Conclusion: A homodimeric CRLF1 complex released by BMSCs enhanced the repair of osteochondral defects via the inhibition of catabolic events in chondrocytes and the stimulation of chondrogenic differentiation of precursor cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyses the developments in computer education in French-speaking Western Switzerland in the 1980s and 1990s. It investigates how computer education changed with the arrival of microcomputers, who the agents of these changes were, and with what sociopolitical and economic developments these pedagogical changes interacted. By analysing archival material from five cantonal departments of education and from Raymond Morel (at the time, Western Switzerland's most influential educational IT expert), it is argued that computer education in Western Switzerland's general education experienced three shifts. First, education with computers displaced education about computers in the first half of the 1980s. Second, from the mid-1980s onwards, office applications became central. Third, computer education morphed into telecommunications education around 1990. The paper contributes to the historiography of local school computers and computer education. It adds comment on the "glocal" histories of computers, which shed light on local computer cultures and economies across the globe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our previous studies discussed the potential of measuring virtual trees using computational virtual measurement (CVM). CVM is a general methodology that employs observational techniques in lieu of mathematical processing. The advantage of CVM lies in its ability to circumvent mathematical assumptions of tree shapes at the algorithmic level. However, due to the current computational limitations of desktop computers, the previously developed CVM application, namely, virtual water displacement (VWD), could only act as a primary theoretical testimonial using an idealized point cloud of a tree. The key problem was that simulating a massive number of virtual water molecules (VMMs) consumed most of the computational resources. As a consequence, an unexpected empirical formula for volume calibration had to be applied to the output measurement results. Aiming to create a more realistic simulation of what occurs when water displacement is used to measure tree volume in the real world, in this study, we developed a new physical scenario for VWMs. This new scenario, namely, a flood area mechanism (FAM), employed footprints of VWMs instead of quantifying VWM counts. Under a FAM, the number of VMMs was reduced to a few from several thousands, making the empirical mathematical process (of the previously developed physical scenario of VWMs) unnecessary. For the same ideal point clouds as those used in our previous studies, the average volume overestimations were found to be 6.29% and 2.26% for three regular objects and two artificial stems, respectively. Consequently, we contend that FAM represents a closer approximation to actual water displacement methods for measuring tree volume in nature. Therefore, we anticipate that the VWD method will eventually utilize the complete tree point cloud with future advancements in computing power. It is necessary to develop methods such as VWD and more CVM applications for future applications starting now. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The safety of cyclists, e-scooters, and micromobility devices in urban environments remains a critical concern in sustainable urban planning. A primary factor affecting this safety is the lateral passing distance (LPD) or dynamic proximity of motor vehicles overtaking micromobility riders. Minimum passing distance laws, where motorists are required to maintain a minimum distance of 1.5 m when passing a cyclist, are difficult to enforce due to the difficulty in determining the exact distance between a moving vehicle and a cyclist. Existing systems reported in the literature are invariably used for research and require manual intervention to record passing vehicles. Further, due to the dynamic and noisy environment on the road, the collected data also need to be manually post-processed to remove errors and false positives, thus making such systems impractical for use by cyclists. This study aims to address these two concerns by providing an automated and robust framework, integrating a low-cost, small single-board computer with a range sensor and a camera, to measure and analyze vehicle–cyclist passing distance and speed. Preliminary deployments in Singapore have demonstrated the system's efficacy in capturing high-resolution data under varied traffic conditions. Our setup, using a Raspberry Pi 4, LiDAR distance sensor, a small camera, and an automated data clustering technique, had a high success rate for correctly identifying the number of close vehicle passes for distances between 1 and 1.5 m. The insights garnered from this integrated setup promise not only a deeper understanding of interactions between motor vehicles and micromobility devices, but also a roadmap for data-driven urban safety interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates how 5-year-old children perceive and understand Artificial Intelligence (AI). The participants of the study were 45 children from a private kindergarten in South Korea. The research employs drawings and small group interviews to explore the children's conceptualizations of AI. Research results were as follows. First, 73.3% of children associated AI with positive feelings. Although they generally viewed AI as a convenience in their lives, they also expressed concerns related to health and costs. Secondly, they indicated household items, smart devices, robot and machinery, personal computer and other things as images of AI. The most frequently indicated images of AI included items that they had used themselves or seen people using in daily lives. Children primarily view AI as a tool for adult convenience and entertainment, with their perceptions shaped by their developmental stage and daily interactions with technology. These findings underscore the need for a more comprehensive approach to AI education in early childhood, one that addresses ethical considerations and is tailored to children's developmental needs. This study aims to contribute to the ongoing dialogue and development of strategies for effectively introducing AI to young learners in a way that supports their growth and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Chinese Journal of Oil Crop Sciences is the property of Oil Crops Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The study examined how three polishing methods, using equipment from NTI CeraGlaze (NTI), Komet Dental (Komet), and EVE Diacera (EVE) and employing either wet or dry grinding, affect the texture (roughness) and phase composition of Y-PSZ dental crowns. Dental crowns made from VITA's 3Y-/4Y-/5Y-partly stabilized zirconia (Y-PSZ; YZ-HT/ST/XT), utilizing a standard CAD/CAM process, underwent both wet or dry grinding and polishing. The effects of distinct polishing treatments on Y-PSZ surface phase content were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Rietveld refinement, the grain size was measured by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), and confocal scanning laser microscopy (CLSM) was used to determine the surface roughness as the arithmetical mean height (Sa). To analyse the different mode of action, the components of the polishers were analysed using XRD, along with micro X-ray computer tomography (µXCT), FE-SEM, and CLSM for microstructural examination. The Komet and NTI polishing regimes reduced roughness significantly better than the EVE regime for the 3Y and all wet specimens, but caused a rhombohedral phase fraction. A possible explanation for this result is the overall finer structure of the EVE coarse polisher (abrasive particle size and content, texture density), which probably results in a lower force on the Y-PSZ surface. Therefore, the rhombohedral phase boundary would not be reached. Due to rhombohedral phase having larger volume expansion and shear than the monoclinic phase, it may result in enhanced transformation toughening or detrimental low-temperature degradation effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]