Deep learning and multivariate time series for cheat detection in video games

Online video games drive a multi-billion dollar industry dedicated to maintaining a competitive and enjoyable experience for players. Traditional cheat detection systems struggle when facing new exploits or sophisticated fraudsters. More advanced solutions based on machine learning are more adaptive but rely heavily on in-game data, which means that each game has to develop its own cheat detection system. In this work, we propose a novel approach to cheat detection that doesn't require in-game data. Firstly, we treat the multimodal interactions between the player and the platform as multivariate time series. We then use convolutional neural networks to classify these time series as corresponding to legitimate or fraudulent gameplay. Our models achieve an average accuracy of respectively 99.2% and 98.9% in triggerbot and aimbot (two widespread cheats), in an experiment to validate the system's ability to detect cheating in players never seen before. Because this approach is based solely on player behavior, it can be applied to any game or input method, and even various tasks related to modeling human activity.- (undefined

Constraining the physics of the early Universe

The established cosmological theory which describes the history of the Universe since shortly after the “Big Bang” until today is remarkably successful. Thanks to the increasing precision of available observational data, we are now able to considerably constrain the geometry and composition of the Universe - and to glimpse how these will evolve in the near future. However, this success comes at a price: one must assume the Universe “started” in a highly fine-tuned initial condition. Understanding what came before this is therefore one of the main goals of modern cosmology. This thesis attempts to further our understanding of the epoch before this initial condition in three different ways. Firstly, the concept of negative absolute temperatures (NAT) is introduced and its potential relevance for cosmology is investigated. In particular, it is shown that a Universe at a NAT should undergo a period of inflation - although it is unclear whether this would be consistent with current observations. Secondly, work is done on the topic of the evolution of networks of cosmic strings - topological defects which are expected to form in a broad class of phase transitions the Universe may have gone through. A model which takes into account the presence of small-scale structure in strings is used to address questions concerning the existence and stability of scaling regimes for these networks. Finally, it is investigated how future experiments might try to falsify a simple class of canonical single-field slow-roll inflation models by measuring the running and the running of the running of the spectral index of scalar perturbations

Valuation and modeling of EQ-5D-5L health states using a hybrid approach

Background: The EQ-5D instrument is the most widely used preference-based health-related quality of life questionnaire in cost-effectiveness analysis of health care technologies. Recently, a version called EQ-5D-5L with 5 levels on each dimension was developed. This manuscript explores the performance of a hybrid approach for the modeling of EQ-5D-5L valuation data. Methods: Two elicitation techniques, the composite time trade-off, and discrete choice experiments, were applied to a sample of the Spanish population (n=1000) using a computer-based questionnaire. The sampling process consisted of 2 stages: stratified sampling of geographic area, followed by systematic sampling in each area. A hybrid regression model combining composite time trade-off and discrete choice data was used to estimate the potential value sets using main effects as starting point. The comparison between the models was performed using the criteria of logical consistency, goodness of fit, and parsimony. Results: Twenty-seven participants from the 1000 were removed following the exclusion criteria. The best-fitted model included 2 significant interaction terms but resulted in marginal improvements in model fit compared to the main effects model. We therefore selected the model results with main effects as a potential value set for this methodological study, based on the parsimony criteria. The results showed that the main effects hybrid model was consistent, with a range of utility values between 1 and -0.224. Conclusion: This paper shows the feasibility of using a hybrid approach to estimate a value set for EQ-5D-5L valuation data.</p

Lattice-gas model of nonadditive interacting particles on nanotubes bundles

In the present paper, the adsorption thermodynamics of a lattice-gas model which mimics a nanoporous environment is studied by considering nonadditive interactions between the adsorbed particles. It is assumed that the energy linking a certain atom with any of its nearest neighbors strongly depends on the state of occupancy in the first coordination sphere of such an adatom. By means of Monte Carlo (MC) simulations in the grand canonical ensemble, adsorption isotherms and differential heats of adsorption were calculated. Their striking behaviors were analyzed and discussed in terms of the low temperature phases formed in the system. Finally, the results obtained from MC simulations were compared with the corresponding ones from Bragg–Williams approximation.Fil: Pinto, Oscar Alejandro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Luis. Instituto de Física Aplicada "Dr. Jorge Andrés Zgrablich". Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Ciencias Físico Matemáticas y Naturales. Instituto de Física Aplicada "Dr. Jorge Andrés Zgrablich"; ArgentinaFil: Pasinetti, Pedro Marcelo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Luis. Instituto de Física Aplicada "Dr. Jorge Andrés Zgrablich". Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Ciencias Físico Matemáticas y Naturales. Instituto de Física Aplicada "Dr. Jorge Andrés Zgrablich"; ArgentinaFil: Nieto Quintas, Felix Daniel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Luis. Instituto de Física Aplicada "Dr. Jorge Andrés Zgrablich". Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Ciencias Físico Matemáticas y Naturales. Instituto de Física Aplicada "Dr. Jorge Andrés Zgrablich"; ArgentinaFil: Ramirez Pastor, Antonio Jose. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Luis. Instituto de Física Aplicada "Dr. Jorge Andrés Zgrablich". Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Ciencias Físico Matemáticas y Naturales. Instituto de Física Aplicada "Dr. Jorge Andrés Zgrablich"; Argentin

Cable robot for non-standard architecture and construction: A dynamic positioning system

In the past few years, cable-driven robots have received some attention by the scientific community and the industry. They have special characteristics that made them very reliable to operate with the level of safeness that is required by different environments, such as, handling of hazardous materials in construction sites. This paper presents a cable-driven robot called SPIDERobot, that was developed for automated construction of architectural projects. This robot has a rotating claw and it is controlled by a set of 4 cables that allow 4 degrees of freedom. In addition to the robot, this paper introduces a Dynamic Control System (DCS) that controls the positioning of the robot and assures that the length of cables is always within a safe value. Results show that traditional force-feasible approaches are more influenced by the pulling forces or the geometric arrangement of all cables and their positioning is significantly less accurate than the DCS. Therefore, the architecture of the SPIDERobot is designed to enable an easily scaling up of the solution to higher dimensions for operating in realistic environments.This work is partly funded by the project PTDC/ATPAQI/ 5124/2012 - Robotic Technologies for Non-Standard Design and Construction in Architecture. This work is also financed by the ERDF European Regional Development Fund through the COMPETE Programme (operational programme for competitiveness) and by National Funds through the FCT Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology within project ”FCOMP - 01-0124-FEDER-022701”info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Peripheral Facial Palsy in Emergency Department

Introduction: Peripheral facial palsy (PFP) is commonly diagnosed in every emergency department. Despite being a benign condition in most cases, PFP causes loss in quality of life mostly due to facial dysmorphia. The etiology of PFP remains unknown in most cases, while medical opinion on epidemiology, risk factors and optimal treatment is not consensual. The aim of this study was to review the demographic characteristics of our patients and the medical care administered in our emergency department.   Materials and Methods: Emergency episodes occurring in a 4-year period and codified as facial nerve pathology were analyzed. IBM SPSS software was used for statistical analysis.   Results: In total, 582 emergency episodes were obtained. Due to inexpressive representation of other causes of PFP in our study, we focused our analyses on the 495 patients who were considered to have idiopathic PFP. There was equal distribution among genders, and all age ranges were affected. There were no clear epidemic phenomena. Hypertension was not a statistically significant risk factor for Bell's palsy. Most patients sought medical care in the early stages of the disease and complained of isolated facial weakness. Most patients had mild-to-moderate symptoms. Previous upper way infections (PUAI) were more frequent among children. There was a statistically significant difference regarding computed tomography (CT) scan requests among specialties.   Conclusion: Epidemiologic findings were consistent with most literature on Bell's palsy. Drug therapy is widely used and follows current guidelines. The role of PUAI in the pediatric population must be investigated. Despite evidence of good medical practice, there was an excess of CT scans requested by physicians other than otorhinolaryngologists

Biocompatibility of the bacterial cellulose hydrogel in subcutaneous tissue of rabbits

PURPOSE: To evaluate the biocompatibility and local sensibility reaction to bacterial cellulose hydrogel (0.8%) implanted in subcutaneous tissue of rabbits.METHODS: Fifteen New Zeland rabbits were randomly allocated into three groups: T-1, 7 days, T-2, 21 days, and T-3, 84 days. the new material was implanted in the subcutaneous tissue of the ear; on the scalp over the periosteum; and on the outer and inner surfaces of the thighs, in the aponeurosis of the muscle. At 7, 21 and 84 postoperative days, the material was collected for histological study. the clinical signs, inflammatory response, angiogenesis and fibrogenesis were variables used for analysis of the biocompatibility and biological reactivity to BCH. Analyses were performed with an AXIO (R) Imager. the statistical tests were performed using the GraphPad Prism 5.0 program (R)RESULTS: the intensity of the inflammatory infiltrate, considering the different cell types (PMN, LMN and GC), was statistically significant, with group T1 different from groups T2 and T3 (p = 0.0124 and p < 0.0001, respectively) and T2 different from the T3 group (p = 0.0007). Fibrogenesis grade 1 was the most prevalent in groups T1 (55.4%) and T2 (44.6%). the formation of neovascularization in the group was identified in 84.4% of samples.CONCLUSION: Bacterial cellulose hydrogel (0.8%) is biocompatible, integrating with the subcutaneous tissue of rabbits and inducing tissue remodeling.Federal Government (Ministry of Science and Technology, MCT): FINEP (Studies and Projects Financing Agency)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Univ Fed Pernambuco, Postgrad Program Surg, BR-50670901 Recife, PE, BrazilUniv Fed Pernambuco, Ctr Hlth Sci, Dept Surg, Expt Surg, BR-50670901 Recife, PE, BrazilUniv Fed Pernambuco, Ctr Hlth Sci, Dept Pathol, BR-50670901 Recife, PE, BrazilUniv Fed Rural Pernambuco, Dept Chem, Expt Stn Sugarcane Carpina, Recife, PE, BrazilFed Univ São Paulo UNIFESP, Dept Surg, Div Plast Surg, São Paulo, BrazilUniv Fed Pernambuco, Ctr Ciencias Saude, Dept Cirurgia, BR-50670901 Recife, PE, BrazilFed Univ São Paulo UNIFESP, Dept Surg, Div Plast Surg, São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Controller Design and Experimental Validation of a Solar Powered E-bike Charging Station

Electric Vehicles (EV) have gained interest over the past decade. Because of this, to support EV technology installation of charging stations are required. Charging EVs from renewable energy provides a sustainable means of transport. E-bikes can help mitigate some mobility problems, particularly in large cities and metropolitan areas. This paper shows the development and implementation of a solar e-bike charging station with photovoltaic production, with energy storage system. The implemented system has a centralized control and allow an efficient management of the various resources and contemplates the possibility of four simultaneous e- bikes where user identification is performed by RFID. Finally, it is provided a user interface through an HMI panel and a web page where it will be possible to access the DataLog to consult the user activity and all charging parameters. Keywords: Renewable energy, Solar charging station, Programmable logic controller &nbsp

Real-world Performance of a New Strategy for Off-Label Use of Guselkumab in Moderate to Severe Psoriasis: Super-Responder Patients as the Epitome of Efficacy and Optimisation

Background Guselkumab is a drug used to treat moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. However, real-life clinical data on its of-label use are limited, especially regarding the optimal drug dosage regimen for diferent patient profles. Objective The main objective of this real-world, single-centre, retrospective study was to identify the of-label guselkumab dosing regimen used in clinical practice. The study also aimed to evaluate the drug's efcacy, safety, and survival, as well as the proportion of super-responders (SR) based on a newly proposed defnition. Methods The study included 69 patients who started treatment with guselkumab between March 2019 and July 2021. Patients were followed up until April 2022, during which time their efcacy, safety, persistence, and use of guselkumab were recorded. Patients were aged ≥ 18 years and had moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. Results The mean disease duration was 18.6 years, and 59% of patients had received at least one biologic treatment before guselkumab with a mean of 1.3 biologics per patient. The initial absolute Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) was 10.1 and decreased to 2.1 between Week 11–20 without signifcant changes in the PASI value throughout the 90 weeks of followup. The cumulative probability of drug survival was 93.5% at Week 52. No diferences were found in terms of efcacy and survival associated with the of-label drug dosage regimens compared to the doses described in the Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC). The greatest adjustments in the drug administration regimen were achieved in the subgroups of bionaïve and SR patients, with a reduction in the number of administrations by 40% and 47% compared to the regimen described in the SmPC. Super-response to guselkumab was mainly associated with patients naïve to previous biologic treatment. Conclusion The study demonstrated that of-label use of guselkumab was safe and efective in real-life clinical practice. The fndings suggest that adjustments to the drug administration regimen may be necessary to optimise its use in diferent patient profles, especially in SR and bio-naïve patients. Further studies are needed to confrm these fnding

2023 IMEKO TC-4 International Conference on Metrology for Archaeology and Cultural Heritage

This work summarizes the results of a three-year project focused on the archaeometrical study of a collection of about one thousand pre-Roman glass beads found at the archaeological site of Pintia (Valladolid, Spain), located at the interior of Iberia. In addition to the morphological and contextual analysis of the entire collection, a representative set of 150 samples, including several unique and exquisite polychrome beads, have been studied in detail by diverse archaeometric techniques such as Raman spectroscopy, X-ray fluorescence, PIXE/PIGE, X-ray tomography, among others. The combined use of these techniques provided valuable data about the production processes of the polychrome beads. Remarkably, some previous conceptions about their fabrication have been modified, and evidence about their production in secondary workshops has been provided. Moreover, hints about the origin of the primary glasses employed in all the studied samples have been obtained, suggesting their origin was scattered between Egypt and Syria-Palestine