Abstract: The main bottleneck affecting the efficiency of all known fully homomorphic encryption (FHE) schemes is Gentry’s bootstrapping procedure, which is required to refresh noisy ciphertexts and keep computing on encrypted data. Bootstrapping in the latest implementation of FHE, the HElib library of Halevi and Shoup (Crypto 2014), requires about six minutes per batch. We present a new method to homomorphically compute simple bit operations, and refresh (bootstrap) the resulting output, which runs on a personal computer in just about half a second. We present a detailed technical analysis of the scheme (based on the worst-case hardness of standard lattice problems) and report on the performance of our prototype implementation.

Abstract: This paper proposes three strong second order cone programming (SOCP) relaxations for the AC optimal power flow (OPF) problem. These three relaxations are incomparable to each other and two of them are incomparable to the standard SDP relaxation of OPF. Extensive computational experiments show that these relaxations have numerous advantages over existing convex relaxations in the literature: (i) their solution quality is extremely close to that of the SDP relaxations (the best one is within 99.96% of the SDP relaxation on average for all the IEEE test cases) and consistently outperforms previously proposed convex quadratic relaxations of the OPF problem, (ii) the solutions from the strong SOCP relaxations can be directly used as a warm start in a local solver such as IPOPT to obtain a high quality feasible OPF solution, and (iii) in terms of computation times, the strong SOCP relaxations can be solved an order of magnitude faster than standard SDP relaxations. For example, one of the proposed SOCP relaxations together with IPOPT produces a feasible solution for the largest instance in the IEEE test cases (the 3375-bus system) and also certifies that this solution is within 0.13% of global optimality, all this computed within 157.20 seconds on a modest personal computer. Overall, the proposed strong SOCP relaxations provide a practical approach to obtain feasible OPF solutions with extremely good quality within a time framework that is compatible with the real-time operation in the current industry practice.

Abstract: Due to technical limitations, it is impossible to have high resolution in both spatial and temporal dimensions for current NDVI datasets. Therefore, several methods are developed to produce high resolution (spatial and temporal) NDVI time-series datasets, which face some limitations including high computation loads and unreasonable assumptions. In this study, an unmixing-based method, NDVI Linear Mixing Growth Model (NDVI-LMGM), is proposed to achieve the goal of accurately and efficiently blending MODIS NDVI time-series data and multi-temporal Landsat TM/ETM+ images. This method firstly unmixes the NDVI temporal changes in MODIS time-series to different land cover types and then uses unmixed NDVI temporal changes to predict Landsat-like NDVI dataset. The test over a forest site shows high accuracy (average difference: −0.0070; average absolute difference: 0.0228; and average absolute relative difference: 4.02%) and computation efficiency of NDVI-LMGM (31 seconds using a personal computer). Experiments over more complex landscape and long-term time-series demonstrated that NDVI-LMGM performs well in each stage of vegetation growing season and is robust in regions with contrasting spatial and spatial variations. Comparisons between NDVI-LMGM and current methods (i.e., Spatial and Temporal Adaptive Reflectance Fusion Model (STARFM), Enhanced STARFM (ESTARFM) and Weighted Linear Model (WLM)) show that NDVI-LMGM is more accurate and efficient than current methods. The proposed method will benefit land surface process research, which requires a dense NDVI time-series dataset with high spatial resolution.

Abstract: Introduction The feasibility and validity of brief computerized cognitive batteries at the population-level are unknown. Methods Nondemented participants (n = 1660, age 50–97 years) in the Mayo Clinic Study on Aging completed the computerized CogState battery and standard neuropsychological battery. The correlation between tests was examined and comparisons between CogState performance on the personal computer (PC) and iPad (n = 331), and in the clinic vs. at home (n = 194), were assessed. Results We obtained valid data on greater than 97% of participants on each test. Correlations between the CogState and neuropsychological tests ranged from −0.462 to 0.531. Although absolute differences between the PC and iPad were small and participants preferred the iPad, performance on the PC was faster. Participants performed faster on Detection, One Card Learning, and One Back at home compared with the clinic. Discussion The computerized CogState battery, especially the iPad, was feasible, acceptable, and valid in the population.

Abstract: OBJECTIVE To evaluate 3- and 6-month weight-loss outcomes achieved when physicians refer overweight/obese patients to an automated 3-month Internet-based behavioral weight-loss intervention. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS A total of 154 patients age 18–70 years with a BMI between 25 and 45 kg/m 2 and access to a personal computer and the Internet were randomly assigned to 3 months of Internet behavioral intervention (IBI; n = 77) with 12 weekly videos teaching behavioral weight-loss skills, a platform for submitting self-monitored data, and automated feedback or an education-only Internet-delivered eating and activity control group (IDEA; n = 77). Outcome measures were weight loss after 3 months (primary outcome) and 6 months and changes in weight-control behaviors (secondary outcomes). RESULTS In intent-to-treat analyses with baseline weight carried forward for missing data, IBI produced significantly larger mean (SD) weight losses than IDEA at 3 months (5.5 kg [4.4] vs. 1.3 kg [2.1]) and 6 months (5.4 kg [5.6] vs. 1.3 kg [4.1]) ( P P CONCLUSIONS Physician referral to an Internet-based behavioral weight-loss intervention produced clinically significant weight loss for over half of the patients studied. Further research is needed to determine the effectiveness of implementing this intervention more broadly within diverse health care settings.

Abstract: We present efficient algorithms for rapid reconstruction of quantitative phase maps from off-axis digital holograms. The new algorithms are aimed at speeding up the conventional Fourier-based algorithm. By implementing the new algorithms on a standard personal computer, while using only a single-core processing unit, we were able to reconstruct the unwrapped phase maps from one megapixel off-axis holograms at frame rates of up to 45 frames per second (fps). When phase unwrapping is not required, the same algorithms allow frame rates of up to 150 fps for one megapixel off-axis holograms. In addition to obtaining real-time quantitative visualization of the sample, the increased frame rate allows integrating additional calculations as a part of the reconstruction process, providing sample-related information that was not available in real time until now. We use these new capabilities to extract, for the first time to our knowledge, the dynamic fluctuation maps of red blood cells at frame rate of 31 fps for one megapixel holograms.

Abstract: To date, the precise etiology of molar-incisor hypomineralization (MIH) is uncertain. Vitamin D plays a key role in hard tissue formation. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the relationship between serum 25-hydroxy-vitamin D (25(OH)D) status and dental health data obtained from 1,048 children in a 10-year follow-up of the Munich GINIplus and LISAplus birth cohorts. The dental examination included the diagnosis of MIH and recording of (non-)cavitated caries lesions in primary and permanent teeth. Serum 25(OH)D concentrations were taken from blood samples of the 10-year investigation and measured with a fully automated, modular system. Different logistic regression and Poisson hurdle models were calculated. MIH was diagnosed in 13.6% of the study population. Approximately 16.4% of the children demonstrated caries-related defects (D3-4MFS > 0). The mean season-adjusted concentration of 25(OH)D was 75.8 nmol/l (standard deviation 22.0 nmol/l). After adjusting for sex, age, body mass index, parental education, equivalent income, and television/personal computer (TV/PC) viewing hours, a 10 nmol/l increase in serum 25(OH)D concentrations was significantly associated with a lower odds ratio of having MIH (OR = 0.89; P = 0.006). Furthermore, higher 25(OH)D values were associated with a lower number of caries-affected permanent teeth. It is concluded that elevated serum 25(OH)D concentrations were associated with better dental health parameters.

Abstract: In this dissertation I trace the formation of citizens of the information age by comparing visions and practices to make children and the general public computer literate or cultured in the United States, France, and the Soviet Union. Computer literacy and computer culture programs in these three countries began in the early 1970s as efforts to adapt people to life in the information society as it was envisioned by scholars, thinkers, and practitioners in each cultural and sociopolitical context. The dissertation focuses on the ideas and influence of three individuals who played formative roles in propelling computer education initiatives in each country: Seymour Papert in the United States, Jean-Jacques Servan-Schreiber in France, and Andrei Ershov in the Soviet Union. According to these pioneers, to become computer literate or computer cultured meant more than developing computer skills or learning how to passively use the personal computer. Each envisioned a distinctive way of incorporating the machine into the individual human’s ways of thinking and being—as a cognitive enhancement in the United States, as a culture in France, and as a partner in the Soviet Union. The resulting human-computer hybrids all demanded what I call a playful relationship to the personal computer, that is, a domain of free and unstructured, exploratory creativity. I trace the realization of these human-computer hybrids from their origins in the visions of a few pioneers to their embedding in particular hardware, software, and educational curricula, through to their development in localized experiments with children and communities, and finally to their implementation at the scale of the nation. In that process of extension, pioneering visions bumped up against powerful sociotechnical imaginaries of the nation state in each country, and I show how, as a result of that clash, in each national case the visions of the pioneers failed to be fully realized. In conclusion, I suggest ways in which the twentieth-century imaginaries of the computer literate citizen extend beyond their points of origin and connect to aspects of the contemporary constitutions of humans in the computerized world.

Abstract: Gait asymmetry caused by hemiparesis results in reduced gait efficiency and reduced activity levels. In this paper, a portable rehabilitation device is proposed that can serve as a tool in diagnosing gait abnormalities in individuals with stroke and has the capability of providing vibration feedback to help compensate for the asymmetric gait. Force-sensitive resistor (FSR) based insoles are used to detect ground contact and estimate stance time. A controller (Arduino) provides different vibration feedback based on the gait phase measurement. It also allows wireless interaction with a personal computer (PC) workstation using the XBee transceiver module, featuring data logging capabilities for subsequent analysis. Walking trials conducted with healthy young subjects allowed us to observe that the system can influence abnormality in the gait. The results of trials showed that a vibration cue based on temporal information was more effective than intensity information. With clinical experiments conducted for individuals with stroke, significant improvement in gait symmetry was observed with minimal disturbance caused to the balance and gait speed as an effect of the biofeedback. Future studies of the long-term rehabilitation effects of the proposed system and further improvements to the system will result in an inexpensive, easy-to-use, and effective rehabilitation device.

Abstract: In this paper, a nondeterministic random number generator based on detection of the single photons emitted by an Si-CMOS-LED light source integrated for the first time on the detector chip is presented and experimentally demonstrated. We use a ring-shaped single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) around the Si-CMOS-LED fabricated in 0.35-μm HV-CMOS technology to generate random events. The time intervals between single-photon events are independent quantum random variables. A field-programmable gate array (FPGA) digitizes the time variables to the stream of random bits. Bias in the raw data due to the nonuniform distribution of the time intervals is removed by postprocessing in a special configuration of xor gates to improve the randomness of the generated random bits. The quantum random numbers in 1-Gb streams with bit generation rate of 1 Mb/s were directly delivered to a personal computer (PC) and passed all statistical tests from ENT, STS, and DIEHARD, as well as for more accuracy correlation and bias tests applied on these streams.

Abstract: This paper describes the design, development, and characterization of two wireless instrumented crutches for gait monitoring in order to provide clinicians quantitative parameters of upper limbs’ contributions during walking. These parameters could be used to teach orthopedic patients to correctly use these supports and minimize problems connected to their usage. These instrumented crutches allow monitoring axial forces and shear forces, tilt angles, and time of impact on the ground in real time. Each crutch is composed of three strain-gauge bridges for measuring axial and shear forces, a conditioning circuit with transmission module, a triaxial accelerometer, a power management circuit, two batteries, and a biofeedback. The data are wirelessly transmitted via Bluetooth without needing any further readout unit, from the crutches to a personal computer, where the data are processed and displayed by a program created in LabVIEW. Each instrumented crutch was tested to assess the response of the accelerometer and the three strain-gauge bridges using a setup designed ad hoc . The mean experimental standard deviation was about 42 mV for axial forces corresponding to about 8 N and about 35 mV for shear forces corresponding to about 4 N. Hysteresis, linearity, and drift were calculated, and the obtained accuracy was about 8–9 N for axial forces and 4–5 N for shear forces. Furthermore, the crutches were tested during a walking activity of ten healthy subjects along a straight path for several trials. These crutches were used for a common analysis usually reported in the literature for weight bearing evaluation. The subjects were monitored performing a nonweight bearing (NWB) and a partial weight bearing (PWB) during a three-point gait. The results showed a mean of 102% ± 16% for NWB tests and a mean of 19% ±% for 10% PWB tests; these values are in agreement with similar studies in the literature. The simplicity that includes only constitutive strain gauges and a separable circuit board allows the achievement of the objectives of simplicity, ease of use, and noninvasiveness. Therefore, these crutches could be used as a support tool for controlling the use of crutches during walking not only in hospitals but also at home.

Abstract: Although the amorphous alloy core distribution transformers (AMDTs) have the advantage of lower no-load losses over orientation silicon–steel distribution transformers, a high noise level is inevitable. The vibration and noise for different positions of cores are still unknown. Understanding the vibration and noise behaviors of cores under operation is vital to reduce the noise of AMDT. In this paper, two cores from 10 kVA AMDT and 24-turn coils were used as the testing objects, and the ac voltage of 54.3 V was applied to the coils until the magenetic flux density attained 1.337 T. The finite-element method was used to analyze the cores’ magnetic-field distribution. An attempt was made to find the largest amplitude position of the cores by vibration sensors. Sensors were arranged on the surface of the cores according to the magnetic flux density distribution. A personal computer data acquisition platform was set up for signal measurement. Fast-Fourier transform and wavelet packet transform were integrated to analyze the vibration signals. The vibration amplitude related with time and frequency was discussed at different positions of the cores, and experimental results indicated that the position with the largest amplitude was in the middle of the core’s yoke and limb at 200 Hz. The experimental results suggested that magnetostriction played a major role in exciting noise and vibration. A filler of silicon rubber and foam under the cores can lessen the vibration energy. This performs well in reducing noise. All the above testing results and analysis are helpful to optimize the design and improve the manufacturing technology of AMDT.

Abstract: The present invention is to provide a personal home cloud computer system, enabling a personal computer to be used not only for an independent purpose of an individual user, but also for multiple users such as a family or members of a small scale unit. The computer system is formed by developing: a multi-user computer module having a function of generating a virtual hard disk and being mounted; a virtual multiple complex monitor generation module using a virtual graphic card device driver; and a remote control module capable of implementing a computer at home or in an office remotely, and by organically combining and unifying all of the above as a communications application program of a server access usage which supports a multi-platform (multiplex operate system).

Abstract: Evaluation of morphological changes in cells is an integral part of study on epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT), however, only a few papers reported the changes in quantitative parameters and no article compared different parameters for demanding better parameters. In the study, the purpose was to investigate suitable parameters for quantitative evaluation of EMT morphological changes. A549 human lung adenocarcinoma cell line was selected for the study. Some cells were stimulated by transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) for EMT, and other cells were as control without TGF-β1 stimulation. Subsequently, cells were placed in phase contrast microscope and three arbitrary fields were captured and saved with a personal computer. Using the tools of Photoshop software, some cells in an image were selected, segmented out and exchanged into unique hue, and other part in the image was shifted into another unique hue. The cells were calculated with 29 morphological parameters by Image Pro Plus software. A parameter between cells with or without TGF-β1 stimulation was compared statistically and nine parameters were significantly different between them. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC curve) of a parameter was described with SPSS software and F-test was used to compare two areas under the curves (AUCs) in Excel. Among them, roundness and radius ratio were the most AUCs and were significant higher than the other parameters. The results provided a new method with quantitative assessment of cell morphology during EMT, and found out two parameters, roundness and radius ratio, as suitable for quantification.

Abstract: GNSS is excellent in open-sky conditions, but in many everyday situations such as traveling in urban canyons or being inside buildings, too few GNSS space vehicles (SV) are visible to get a position fix. An alternative is then desirable, and can be provided by positioning using the signals from cellular base stations. Of particular interest are the new signals and positioning possibilities from LTE cellular network operators, since the LTE coverage is expected to be high in cities and other well-populated areas. Furthermore, to accommodate the need for increasing data rates network operators are configuring their LTE downlink bandwidth to be as wide as possible, providing good resolution of different multipath components, which also assists positioning. A portable experimental setup was built to perform measurements and to gather knowledge about the overall performance of positioning with LTE signals. It consists of a universal software radio peripheral (USRP) N210 that is synchronized to a GPS-locked Rubidium frequency standard. A personal computer (PC) acts as an overall system controller and as a recording unit, storing LTE data samples together with GNSS sentences from a u-blox LEA-6T module. A Matlab-based algorithm does the complete post-processing, extracting pseudoranges for the LTE BS, and calculating the position solution. The results of determining the position of a car driven on a route around the town of Rapperswil, Switzerland show the potential of the positioning approach, using only available LTE signals. Even with the basic system the root mean square (RMS) value of the absolute error in a position using LTE compared to the actual position using GPS is 43 m, demonstrating that the CRS signal of the LTE standard is well suited as a fall-back alternative to GNSS in environmentally challenging situations. LTE SIGNALS SUITABLE FOR RANGING The LTE standard defines two signals that are considered suitable for range measurements, namely the Positioning Reference Signal (PRS) and the Cell-Specific Reference Signal (CRS)[1]. As the name suggests, the PRS was specifically designed for positioning purposes, while the CRS is actually used to determine the phase reference for coherent demodulation of the downlink data. The two signals are generated in the same way and therefore exhibit identical autoand cross-correlation properties. The PRS is transmitted in up to 6 consecutive subframes, which repeat every 160 ms – 1280 ms, with the number and interval depending on the higher-layer configuration. To increase the quality of the range measurements, the non-PRS subcarriers do not bear any data in OFDM symbols containing the PRS. As a result the available transmit power is Table 1: List of possible downlink bandwidth configurations Bandwidth 1.4 MHz 3 MHz 5 MHz 10 MHz 15 MHz 20 MHz Resource Blocks (RB) 6 15 25 50 75 100 Subcarriers 72 180 300 600 90

Abstract: For today's computer users, the mouse plays such an important role that it dominates the interaction interface in personal computer for nearly half a century since it was invented. However, the mouse is gradually unfit for the demand of modern 3D display techniques, e.g. 3D-projection or -screen, for the reason that the relevant interactions are confined in a surface. Although some new methods such as computer vision based techniques attempt to bridge the human-computer barrier, they suffer from many limitations such as ambiguity in multitargets and dependence on light. This paper presents a battery-free device called Tagball for 3D human-computer interaction via RFID tags. Tagball devises a control ball, on which N passive tags are attached, for users to generate two basic kinds of interactive commands: translation and rotation. Instead of locating N tags independently, we model the ball as a whole in a more cooperative way under the circumstance that their geometric relationships are known in advance. In addition, we consider the phase values measured by M RF antennas for these N tags as observations of the ball state. Our key innovations are the studies on motion behaviors of a group of tags by using Extended Kalman Filter, and the implementation based on purely Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) RFID products. The systematical evaluation shows that Tagball traces the ball translation to 1.5cm and identifies ball orientation to 1.8° in 3D space.

Abstract: Over the past century, numerous key technologies (including digital technologies) have been introduced into education. For the most part, each of them has been expected to revolutionise teaching and learning. However, it is generally accepted that neither dramatic reorientations nor changes in education have happened. Yet, while use of technology over the last 100 years has not resulted in a revolution, several key improvements and advancements in educational access and equity have resulted. The critical focus of this chapter is to look beyond the hype of technology and media over the last century and, instead, critically consider the significance of the changes over time in terms of how we understand teaching and learning with technology today. To explore this issue, the chapter examines what we have labelled as three 'ages' of technology integration: pre-digital, personal computer and the internet. While these three ages are described, it would be a mistake to assume that this is the only interpretation of a history of technologies in education. Depending on your geographic location, socioeconomic situation, cultural background, literacy and other variables, the history you and your family and community experience is different. For example, internet connectivity and the ensuing changes to education opportunities was available in metropolitan areas years prior to rural communities, and even today is problematic in remote areas. This chapter presents one interpretation by looking at three significant changes in technology provision in education. The technologies of each age were not adopted in education as expected, but they presented a range of benefits. These expectations and benefits will be discussed in relation to some key influencing social trends and beliefs about learning of the time. The chapter concludes by considering how a critical view of digital technologies over time informs our understanding of teaching and learning.

Abstract: The invention provides a waterproof computer bag for bathing and belongs to the field of daily necessities. The waterproof computer bag comprises an ellipsoidal air bag, wherein a unidirectional inflation hole is formed in the air bag, a square placing groove is formed in the upper end of the air bag, a square independent bag is arranged in the placing groove and consists of a bag body I and a bag body II, the independent bag is less than the placing groove, the bag body I is communicated with the bag body II, the bottom of the placing groove is fixedly connected with a metal plate made of a metal material, one sides of the bag body I and the bag body II are both fixedly connected with a soft magnetic sheet and are respectively provided with a zipper mechanism, the bag body I and the bag body II are connected to each other by virtue of the zipper mechanisms, the other sides of the bag body I and the bag body II are used as operation surfaces, each operation surface is made from PET and a silica gel material, and a stable board is arranged at and fixedly connected to the bottom in the air bag. The waterproof computer bag for the bathing is capable of sealing a panel personal computer in a bathroom and has diversified functions.

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to reveal the correlation in size between the native anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) footprint and the femoral intercondylar notch and the tibia plateau, and to calculate the proportion in size between the ACL footprint and knee bony morphology. Twenty-six non-paired human cadaver knees were used. All soft tissues around the knee were resected except the ACL. The ACL was cut in the middle, and the femoral bone was cut at the most proximal point of the femoral notch. The ACL was carefully dissected, and the periphery of the ACL insertion site was outlined on both the femoral and tibial sides. An accurate lateral view of the femoral condyle and an axial view of the tibial plateau were photographed with a digital camera, and the images were downloaded to a personal computer. The size of the femoral and tibial ACL footprints and the area of the lateral wall of the intercondylar notch and the tibia plateau were measured with Image J software (National Institution of Health). The sizes of the native femoral and tibial ACL footprints were 69.8 ± 25 and 133.8 ± 31.3 mm2, respectively. The areas of the lateral wall of the intercondylar notch and the tibia plateau were 390.5 ± 70.5 and 2,281.7 ± 377.3 mm2, respectively. The femoral ACL footprint area and the area of the lateral wall of the femoral intercondylar notch (Pearson’s correlation coefficient = 0.603, p = 0.001), and the tibial ACL footprint area and the area of the tibia plateau (Pearson’s correlation coefficient = 0.452, p = 0.02) both showed significant correlation. The femoral ACL footprint was 17.8 ± 4.9 %, the size of the lateral wall of the femoral intercondylar notch, and the tibial ACL footprint was 5.9 ± 1.3 %, the size of the tibia plateau. For clinical relevance, the femoral ACL footprint is approximately 18 %, the size of the intercondylar notch, and the tibial ACL footprint is approximately 6 %, the size of the tibia plateau. It might be possible to predict the size of the ACL measuring these parameters preoperatively.

Abstract: The invention discloses a bicycle renting system based on a cell phone APP and a cloud management platform and an implementing method of the bicycle renting system. The system comprises the cloud management platform, the cell phone APP and website renting equipment, wherein the website renting equipment comprises a locking place, a bicycle with an electronic lock, a lock control plate, a main control board with a single chip microcomputer, an operation tablet personal computer, a communication module, and monitoring camera shooting equipment; and the system is mainly characterized in that websites, website locking places and bicycles can be managed by the cloud platform in a unified manner and data are stored in the cloud platform; and the opening of a bicycle lock of each locking place is controlled by the cloud platform. A user can rent the bicycle through the cell phone APP, the operation condition of each website can be monitored and the bicycle dispatching is realized, the purchasing cost and maintenance cost of the equipment are greatly reduced and energy conservation and environment friendliness are realized.