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FinGAN: an interpretable RSS generation network for scalable fingerprint localization
No full textThis work introduces FinGAN, a robust received signal strength (RSS) data generator designed to expand RSS fingerprint datasets. Compared to existing generative adversarial models that either rely on known reference positions (RPs) or depend on predefined priors, FinGAN learns the latent information between RPs and RSS values by maximizing the mutual information between the generated RSS data and the RPs, enabling an end-to-end RSS generation directly from RPs. This allows us to accurately generate RSS data for previously unmeasured RPs. Both quantitative and qualitative evaluations demonstrate that FinGAN produces synthetic RSS data closely aligned with real RSS sample collected from the on-site experiment, preserving localization performance comparable to that achieved with complete real-world datasets. To further validate its generalizability, FinGAN is also trained and evaluated on open-source datasets from three typical office environments,and the results demonstrate consistent performance across different scenario
Multi-beam reconfigurable intelligent surface with adaptive power allocation for multi-user communication
No full textThis work presents a multi-beam reconfigurableintelligent surface (RIS) capable of adaptive power allocationfor multi-user wireless communication systems. Unlikeconventional RIS configurations that generate beams with fixedamplitudes, the proposed design can dynamically adjust thepower levels of individual beams depending on the requirementsof users located at different spatial positions. The concept isvalidated for both single-user and multi-user scenarios byimplementing RIS structures with different phase quantizationlevels (1-bit, 2-bit, and 3-bit). For the multi-beam case, twobeams are formed toward arbitrary target directions at (θ₁, φ₁)= (30°, 45°) and (θ₂, φ₂) = (30°, 135°), and their power ratios areindependently controlled to realize both equal and unequalpower allocation schemes. The simulation results demonstratethat the proposed RIS architecture enables flexible multi-beamsteering with tunable power distribution, thereby offeringstrong potential for next-generation multi-user MIMO and RISassisted wireless networks
On the limitations of fuzzy hashing for malware similarity: an analysis of vulnerable code detection in malware
No full textAs malware variants continue to increase, the risk of evading detection also grows. While fuzzy hashing has traditionally been successful at clustering malware samples based on their structural similarities, its potential as an active defense tool remains largely unexplored. This study investigates the application of fuzzy hashing for the static analysis of malware binaries to identify common vulnerabilities prevalent in malware, serving as a proactive security measure. We utilized a labeled dataset comprising real-world and synthetic Windows binaries to evaluate six fuzzy hashing algorithms for full binary classification and two for function-level matching. Our results indicate that, while fuzzy hashing is effective in simpler tasks such as malware classification and binary-level vulnerability detection, its performance decreases in more complex scenarios, including multi-class vulnerability identification and matching functions from real-world malware. Moreover, we observed a significant drop in performance, by up to 50%, when transitioning from synthetic to actual malware functions. These findings highlight both the potential and limitations of fuzzy hashing in vulnerability analysis, emphasizing the necessity for more robust techniques to detect vulnerable patterns in real-world malware
Food waste as a property problem
No full textWithin a more general context of ‘overconsumption’, the UN estimates that annually 11.39% of total global food production is wasted by households, and SDG 12.3 declares thoroughgoing ambitions to halve food waste by 2030. This article argues that existing efforts to address this global challenge are uncritically premised on the unarticulated assumption that household owners of food are as free to waste it as they are to use it up. The article contests this assumption, drawing on analytical and conceptual accounts of ownership to demonstrate that freedom to waste is not an inevitable privilege of ownership. It explores two plausible models of ownership to this effect, one based on property-limitation rules, one based on a more general recalibration of ownership in the context of food, drawing on progressive property and related theories of property and justice. Ultimately the article argues arguing that, in the context of food, ownership could be reconfigured to include no freedom to waste food fit for consumption. We argue further that is not simply a theoretical exercise, and that such a recalibration of food ownership may have important legal, political, and behvioural implications for the success of SDG 12
Structure and antioxidant activity of galactomannan from Gleditsia japonica var. delavayi
No full textThis study elucidates the structure and antioxidant activity of a galactomannan (EGSP) from the unique Chinese endemic species Gleditsia japonica var. delavayi. Structural analysis characterized EGSP as a polysaccharide (1.054 × 106 Da) with a backbone of →4)-β-D-Manp-(1 → residues, bearing side chains of α-D-Galp-(1 → 6) at the O-6 position, consistent with its Man:Gal:Glc molar ratio of 70.74:28.28:0.35. In vitro assays demonstrated its potent, concentration-dependent scavenging activity against DPPH•, ABTS•+, and •OH radicals, as well as considerable reducing power. Moreover, in a cellular model, EGSP protected RAW 264.7 macrophages from H2O2-induced oxidative damage by significantly reducing reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, while enhancing the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT). Mechanistic studies further associated this cytoprotective effect with the activation of the Nrf2 antioxidant signaling pathway. The well-defined structure-activity relationship established herein positions EGSP as a promising natural antioxidant candidate for functional foods and therapeutics.</p
Debating exodus in the Reconstruction South: changing attitudes among the Republican grassroots
No full textThe sharp descent from the slaves’ ‘jubilee’ at the new dawn of emancipation to catastrophic despair just over a decade later constitutes a reversal without parallel in US history, and even on a global scale it is difficult to find instances where the arc of history bent so abruptly from buoyant hope at slavery’s demise to dejection and even panic at the resurrection of white supremacy after 1876. This articles explores the implications of this sharp reversal for ‘black politics’ between 1865 and 1880—and in particular the dramatic shift in attitudes toward emigration among the four million former slaves emancipated at the conclusion of the Civil War. Focusing on the lives of two prominent grassroots organizers during Reconstruction—the Rev. Elias Hill of York County, South Carolina, and Henry Adams of Shreveport, Louisiana—here I aim to demonstrate the mutable, changing quality of freedpeople’s attitudes toward emigration. Thomas Holt makes the critical observation that ‘emigration and migration ebbed and flowed inversely with access to mainstream politics’—a point that is powerfully illustrated in the activist trajectories of these two men and the large, overwhelmingly working-class constituencies they represented.<br/
An empirical study on precompilation as an Ops-oriented micro-optimisation strategy for microservice-based applications
No full textEvaluation of an employer-led undergraduate extracurricular software engineering programme
No full textThis paper presents an evaluation of an employer-led extracurricular software engineering programme designed to bridge the gap between academic learning and industry practice. The initiative, delivered in partnership with a digital technology company, engaged undergraduate computing students in an eight-week agile challenge. Participants worked in mentored teams to address real-world, socially relevant software development problems, progressing through iterative sprints that culminated in the delivery of a minimum viable product. The programme aimed to enhance students’ technical skills, teamwork, and professional readiness by exposing them to agile workflows, collaborative tooling, and industry expectations. Each team was supported by a recent graduate or placement student mentor, fostering a relatable and supportive learning environment. Topics tackled by the student teams included ethical AI, digital accessibility, misinformation, and environmental sustainability. A post-programme survey was used to gather quantitative feedback from participants. Responses indicated positive outcomes in programming confidence, collaboration, and the application of agile methods. However, the programme also faced challenges common to sustained extracurricular efforts, including attendance attrition and the need to reorganize teams mid-programme due to student dropout. Despite these limitations, the programme provided a meaningful experiential learning opportunity and served as a platform for developing industry-aligned competencies. This study contributes to growing efforts to design scalable, practice-informed extracurricular learning experiences that better prepare software engineering students for the demands of the modern workforce