Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Statistical energy conservation principle for inhomogeneous turbulent dynamical systems

Significance Understanding the complexity of anisotropic turbulent processes over a wide range of spatiotemporal scales in engineering shear turbulence as well as climate atmosphere ocean science is a grand challenge of contemporary science with important societal impact. In such inhomogeneous turbulent dynamical systems, there is a large dimensional phase space with a large dimension of unstable directions where a large-scale ensemble mean and the turbulent fluctuations exchange energy and strongly influence each other. These complex features strongly impact practical prediction and uncertainty quantification. A systematic energy conservation principle is developed here in a Theorem that precisely accounts for the statistical energy exchange between the mean flow and the related turbulent fluctuations. Understanding the complexity of anisotropic turbulent processes over a wide range of spatiotemporal scales in engineering shear turbulence as well as climate atmosphere ocean science is a grand challenge of contemporary science with important societal impact. In such inhomogeneous turbulent dynamical systems there is a large dimensional phase space with a large dimension of unstable directions where a large-scale ensemble mean and the turbulent fluctuations exchange energy and strongly influence each other. These complex features strongly impact practical prediction and uncertainty quantification. A systematic energy conservation principle is developed here in a Theorem that precisely accounts for the statistical energy exchange between the mean flow and the related turbulent fluctuations. This statistical energy is a sum of the energy in the mean and the trace of the covariance of the fluctuating turbulence. This result applies to general inhomogeneous turbulent dynamical systems including the above applications. The Theorem involves an assessment of statistical symmetries for the nonlinear interactions and a self-contained treatment is presented below. Corollary 1 and Corollary 2 illustrate the power of the method with general closed differential equalities for the statistical energy in time either exactly or with upper and lower bounds, provided that the negative symmetric dissipation matrix is diagonal in a suitable basis. Implications of the energy principle for low-order closure modeling and automatic estimates for the single point variance are discussed below.
Developing a computer science-specific learning taxonomy

Bloom's taxonomy of the cognitive domain and the SOLO taxonomy are being increasingly widely used in the design and assessment of courses, but there are some drawbacks to their use in computer science. This paper reviews the literature on educational taxonomies and their use in computer science education, identifies some of the problems that arise, proposes a new taxonomy and discusses how this can be used in application-oriented courses such as programming.
Finding a roadmap to achieve large neuromorphic hardware systems

Neuromorphic systems are gaining increasing importance in an era where CMOS digital computing techniques are reaching physical limits. These silicon systems mimic extremely energy efficient neural computing structures, potentially both for solving engineering applications as well as understanding neural computation. Toward this end, the authors provide a glimpse at what the technology evolution roadmap looks like for these systems so that Neuromorphic engineers may gain the same benefit of anticipation and foresight that IC designers gained from Moore's law many years ago. Scaling of energy efficiency, performance, and size will be discussed as well as how the implementation and application space of Neuromorphic systems are expected to evolve over time.
Neutral genomic regions refine models of recent rapid human population growth

Significance Recent rapid growth of human populations predicts that a large number of genetic variants in populations today are very rare, i.e., appear in a small number of individuals. This effect is similar to that of purifying selection, which drives deleterious alleles to become rarer. Recent studies of the genetic signature left by rapid growth were confounded by purifying selection since they focused on genes. Here, to study recent human history with minimal confounding by selection, we sequenced and examined genetic variants far from genes. These data point to the human population size growing by about 3.4% per generation over the last 3,000–4,000 y, resulting in a greater than 100-fold increase in population size over that epoch. Human populations have experienced dramatic growth since the Neolithic revolution. Recent studies that sequenced a very large number of individuals observed an extreme excess of rare variants and provided clear evidence of recent rapid growth in effective population size, although estimates have varied greatly among studies. All these studies were based on protein-coding genes, in which variants are also impacted by natural selection. In this study, we introduce targeted sequencing data for studying recent human history with minimal confounding by natural selection. We sequenced loci far from genes that meet a wide array of additional criteria such that mutations in these loci are putatively neutral. As population structure also skews allele frequencies, we sequenced 500 individuals of relatively homogeneous ancestry by first analyzing the population structure of 9,716 European Americans. We used very high coverage sequencing to reliably call rare variants and fit an extensive array of models of recent European demographic history to the site frequency spectrum. The best-fit model estimates ∼3.4% growth per generation during the last ∼140 generations, resulting in a population size increase of two orders of magnitude. This model fits the data very well, largely due to our observation that assumptions of more ancient demography can impact estimates of recent growth. This observation and results also shed light on the discrepancy in demographic estimates among recent studies.
Goal-Dependent Modulation of Fast Feedback Responses in Primary Motor Cortex

Many human studies have demonstrated that rapid motor responses (i.e., muscle-stretch reflexes) to mechanical perturbations can be modified by a participant's intended response. Here, we used a novel experimental paradigm to investigate the neural mechanisms that underlie such goal-dependent modulation. Two monkeys positioned their hand in a central area against a constant load and responded to mechanical perturbations by quickly placing their hand into visually defined spatial targets. The perturbation was chosen to excite a particular proximal arm muscle or isolated neuron in primary motor cortex and two targets were placed so that the hand was pushed away from one target (OUT target) and toward the other (IN target). We chose these targets because they produced behavioral responses analogous to the classical verbal instructions used in human studies. A third centrally located target was used to examine responses with a constant goal. Arm muscles and neurons robustly responded to the perturbation and showed clear goal-dependent responses ∼35 and 70 ms after perturbation onset, respectively. Most M1 neurons and all muscles displayed larger perturbation-related responses for the OUT target than the IN target. However, a substantial number of M1 neurons showed more complex patterns of target-dependent modulation not seen in muscles, including greater activity for the IN target than the OUT target, and changes in target preference over time. Together, our results reveal complex goal-dependent modulation of fast feedback responses in M1 that are present early enough to account for goal-dependent stretch responses in arm muscles.
3DSNP: a database for linking human noncoding SNPs to their three-dimensional interacting genes

The vast noncoding portion of the human genome harbors a rich array of functional elements and disease-causing regulatory variants. Recent high-throughput chromosome conformation capture studies have outlined the principles of these elements interacting and regulating the expression of distal target genes through three-dimensional (3D) chromatin looping. Here we present 3DSNP, an integrated database for annotating human noncoding variants by exploring their roles in the distal interactions between genes and regulatory elements. 3DSNP integrates 3D chromatin interactions, local chromatin signatures in different cell types and linkage disequilibrium (LD) information from the 1000 Genomes Project. 3DSNP provides informative visualization tools to display the integrated local and 3D chromatin signatures and the genetic associations among variants. Data from different functional categories are integrated in a scoring system that quantitatively measures the functionality of SNPs to help select important variants from a large pool. 3DSNP is a valuable resource for the annotation of human noncoding genome sequence and investigating the impact of noncoding variants on clinical phenotypes. The 3DSNP database is available at http://biotech.bmi. ac.cn/3dsnp/.
Forensic investigation of cranial injuries due to blunt force trauma: Current best practice

: Blunt force trauma is one of the most common injuries encountered by the forensic pathologist in a variety of scenarios such as transportation fatalities, jumping or falling from heights, blast injuries, and being struck by firm objects. Blunt force injuries located in the cranium are often associated with the cause of death which makes their examination of vital importance in the medicolegal investigation of death. This article aims to review the existing knowledge on the mechanism of cranial blunt force injuries and the associated fracture patterns in order to facilitate the interpretation of such injuries in skeletonized or heavily decomposed bodies where soft tissue is no longer available. Current developments on theory and practice are also discussed. Despite the evidenced progress made in the past decades, trauma analysis in medicolegal settings remains a very challenging task, especially in the absence of soft tissue. It is thus imperative to work toward developing repeatable and scientifically acceptable methods with known error rates, in order to meet the increasing demands of the judicial system on the admissibility of evidence and expert witness testimony.
Neuronal Mechanisms in Prefrontal Cortex Underlying Adaptive Choice Behavior

Abstract: This chapter aims to address two questions relating to the role of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) in reward‐guided choice behavior. First, do PFC neurons encode rewards per se, or are they encoding behavioral sequelae of reward? To address this, we recorded simultaneously from multiple PFC subregions, with the rationale that neuronal selectivity that directly encoded the reward outcome should occur before selectivity that reflected reward‐related sequelae. Our results indicate that neurons in the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) encode reward information before neurons in the dorsolateral PFC (DLPFC). Furthermore, whereas DLPFC neurons encoded both the upcoming response as well as the expected reward, OFC neurons encoded the reward alone. Our interpretation of these results is that the OFC encodes the reward and passes this information to the DLPFC, which uses it to determine the behavioral response. The second question is whether the encoding is specific to the reward outcome or reflective of a more abstract value signal that could facilitate decision making. We examined this by determining whether the PFC encodes other types of information relevant to decision making, such as probability of success and effort. We found that many PFC neurons encoded at least one of these variables, but neurons in the OFC and the medial PFC (MPFC) encoded combinations of the variables indicative of encoding an abstract value signal. This signal could provide decision making with flexibility and a capacity to deal with novelty, which are two of the hallmark features of prefrontal function. Future research will focus on delineating the differential contributions of the OFC and the MPFC to decision making.
Causal Inference in Multisensory Perception

Perceptual events derive their significance to an animal from their meaning about the world, that is from the information they carry about their causes. The brain should thus be able to efficiently infer the causes underlying our sensory events. Here we use multisensory cue combination to study causal inference in perception. We formulate an ideal-observer model that infers whether two sensory cues originate from the same location and that also estimates their location(s). This model accurately predicts the nonlinear integration of cues by human subjects in two auditory-visual localization tasks. The results show that indeed humans can efficiently infer the causal structure as well as the location of causes. By combining insights from the study of causal inference with the ideal-observer approach to sensory cue combination, we show that the capacity to infer causal structure is not limited to conscious, high-level cognition; it is also performed continually and effortlessly in perception.
Out of the Shadows

The support group took a short break over the summer but will continue with our series of health and wellness themed support group nights. Our September meeting will be a chat n chew to update everyone and to gather ideas for the rest of the year. This is a great opportunity to meet new people, see old friends, and share your life experiences. This month’s meeting will be held on the 22 of September. Snacks and refreshments are provided. We hope to see you there!
Human Lung Cancer Risks from Radon – Part II – Influence from Combined Adaptive Response and Bystander Effects – a Microdose Analysis

In the prior Part I, the potential influence of the low level alpha radiation induced bystander effect (BE) on human lung cancer risks was examined. Recent analysis of adaptive response (AR) research results with a Microdose Model has shown that single low LET radiation induced charged particles traversals through the cell nucleus activates AR. We have here conducted an analysis based on what is presently known about adaptive response and the bystander effect (BE) and what new research is needed that can assist in the further evaluation human cancer risks from radon. We find that, at the UNSCEAR (2000) worldwide average human exposures from natural background and man-made radiations, the human lung receives about a 25% adaptive response protection against the radon alpha bystander damage. At the UNSCEAR (2000) minimum range of background exposure levels, the lung receives minimal AR protection but at higher background levels, in the high UNSCEAR (2000) range, the lung receives essentially 100% protection from both the radon alpha damage and also the endogenic, spontaneously occurring, potentially carcinogenic, lung cellular damage.
Endoscopic anatomy of the sphenoid sinus and sella turcica

Abstract An endoscopic study of the sphenoid sinus was carried out, on 30 cadavers, to understand the important anatomical relationships of the sphenoid sinus, and the sella turcica. The aim was to study the endoscopic anatomy and the variants, and to determine if endoscopic instrumentation and techniques, could play a beneficial role in endoscopic management of sellar lesions. The results of this study are discussed, with particular reference to the important surgical anatomical features of the sphenoid sinus. A surgical technique for the endoscopic transsphenoid approach to the sella turcica was developed. Anatomical variants can be identified endoscopically, and endoscopic techniques have the advantages of improved visualization, magnification, angled vision, and a panoramic perspective of the intrasphenoid anatomy, compared to currently employed methods of pituitary/sellar surgery, using the operating microscope/.
Statistical Methods for Degradation Data With Dynamic Covariates Information and an Application to Outdoor Weathering Data

Degradation data provide a useful resource for obtaining reliability information for some highly reliable products and systems. In addition to product/system degradation measurements, it is common nowadays to dynamically record product/system usage as well as other life-affecting environmental variables, such as load, amount of use, temperature, and humidity. We refer to these variables as dynamic covariate information. In this article, we introduce a class of models for analyzing degradation data with dynamic covariate information. We use a general path model with individual random effects to describe degradation paths and a vector time series model to describe the covariate process. Shape-restricted splines are used to estimate the effects of dynamic covariates on the degradation process. The unknown parameters in the degradation data model and the covariate process model are estimated by using maximum likelihood. We also describe algorithms for computing an estimate of the lifetime distribution induced by the proposed degradation path model. The proposed methods are illustrated with an application for predicting the life of an organic coating in a complicated dynamic environment (i.e., changing UV spectrum and intensity, temperature, and humidity). This article has supplementary material online.
Stage-specific Differences in Cell Cycle Control in Trypanosoma brucei Revealed by RNA Interference of a Mitotic Cyclin*

African trypanosomes have a tightly coordinated cell cycle to effect efficient segregation of their single organelles, the nucleus, flagellum, and kinetoplast. To investigate cell cycle control in trypanosomes, a mitotic cyclin gene (CYC6) has been identified in Trypanosoma brucei. We show that CYC6 forms an active kinase complex with CRK3, the trypanosome CDK1 homologue, in vivo. Using RNA interference, we demonstrate that absence of CYC6 mRNA results in a mitotic block and growth arrest in both the insect procyclic and mammalian bloodstream forms. In the procyclic form, CYC6 RNA interference generates anucleate cells with a single kinetoplast, whereas in bloodstream form trypanosomes, cells with one nucleus and multiple kinetoplasts are observed. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting analysis shows that bloodstream but not procyclic trypanosomes are able to reinitiate nuclear S phase in the absence of mitosis. Taken together, these data show that procyclic trypanosomes can undergo cytokinesis without completion of mitosis, whereas a mitotic block in bloodstream form trypanosomes inhibits cytokinesis but not kinetoplast replication and segregation nor an additional round of nuclear DNA synthesis. This indicates that there are fundamental differences in cell cycle controls between life cycle forms of T. brucei and that key cell cycle checkpoints present in higher eukaryotes are absent from trypanosomes.
On the Design of Large Scale Wireless Systems

In this paper, we consider the downlink of large OFDMA-based networks and study their performance bounds as a function of the number of - transmitters B, users K, and resource-blocks N. Here, a resource block is a collection of subcarriers such that all such collections, that are disjoint have associated independently fading channels. In particular, we analyze the expected achievable sum-rate as a function of above variables and derive novel upper and lower bounds for a general spatial geometry of transmitters, a truncated path-gain model, and a variety of fading models. We establish the associated scaling laws for dense and extended networks, and propose design guidelines for the regulators to guarantee various QoS constraints and, at the same time, maximize revenue for the service providers. Thereafter, we develop a distributed resource allocation scheme that achieves the same sum-rate scaling as that of the proposed upper bound for a wide range of K, B, N. Based on it, we compare low-powered peer-to-peer networks to high-powered single-transmitter networks and give an additional design principle. Finally, we also show how our results can be extended to the scenario where each of the B transmitters have M (>;1) co-located antennas.
Inflammatory markers, rather than conventional risk factors, are different between carotid and MCA atherosclerosis

Background: The apparent differences in risk factors for intra- and extracranial atherosclerosis are unclear and the mechanisms that underlie strokes in patients with intracranial atherosclerosis are not well known. We investigated the conventional vascular risk factors as well as other factors in stroke patients with large artery atherosclerosis. Methods: Using diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) and vascular and cardiologic studies, we selected patients with acute non-cardioembolic cerebral infarcts within the middle cerebral artery (MCA) territory. Patients were divided into two groups: those with atherosclerotic lesions on the carotid sinus (n = 112) and those with isolated lesions on the proximal MCA (n = 160). Clinical features, risk factors, and DWI patterns were compared between groups. Results: There were no differences in conventional risk factors, but markers for inflammation were significantly higher in patients with carotid atherosclerosis than in those with isolated MCA atherosclerosis (p<0.01 for both). After adjustments for age/sex and the severity of stroke, an inverse correlation was observed between C-reactive protein levels and MCA atherosclerosis (odds ratio 0.57 per 1 mg/dl increase; 95% confidence interval 0.35 to 0.92; p = 0.02). Internal borderzone infarcts suggestive of haemodynamic causes were the most frequent DWI pattern in patients with MCA occlusion, whereas territorial infarcts suggesting plaque ruptures were most common in those with carotid occlusion. Conclusions: Our results indicate that inflammatory markers, rather than conventional risk factors, reveal clinical and radiological differences between patients with carotid and MCA atherosclerosis. Plaques associated with MCA atherosclerosis may be more stable than those associated with carotid atherosclerosis.
Dependence Asymmetry and Joint Dependence in Interorganizational Relationships: Effects of Embeddedness on a Manufacturer's Performance in Procurement Relationships

This study of the procurement relationships of two major U.S. auto manufacturers examines the effects of two dimensions of organizational interdependence on the performance of those relationships for the manufacturer: dependence asymmetry, the difference in actors' dependencies on each other in a dyadic exchange relationship, and joint dependence, the sum of dependence between actors in the relationship. Rather than focusing solely on dependence advantage and the concomitant logic of power, we focus on joint dependence, which operates through a logic of embeddedness. We examine how the effect of joint dependence on performance is mediated by specific elements of embeddedness: joint action, trust, and the quality and scope of information exchange. Results show that joint dependence enhances the performance of procurement relationships for manufacturers and that this effect is partially mediated by the level of joint action and the quality of information exchange between the partners. Decomposing dependence asymmetry into the conditions of a manufacturer's and a supplier's dependence advantage, we also find that while the manufacturer's dependence advantage diminishes its performance, the supplier's dependence advantage has a null effect. We discuss the implications of these findings for studies of interorganizational interdependence.