Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Finite Precision Error Analysis of Neural Network Hardware Implementations

Through parallel processing, low precision fixed point hardware can be used to build a very high speed neural network computing engine where the low precision results in a drastic reduction in system cost. The reduced silicon area required to implement a single processing unit is taken advantage of by implementing multiple processing units on a single piece of silicon and operating them in parallel. The important question which arises is how much precision is required to implement neural network algorithms on this low precision hardware. A theoretical analysis of error due to finite precision computation was undertaken to determine the necessary precision for successful forward retrieving and back-propagation learning in a multilayer perceptron. This analysis can easily be further extended to provide a general finite precision analysis technique by which most neural network algorithms under any set of hardware constraints may be evaluated. >
Acute psychosocial stress and emotion regulation skills modulate empathic reactions to pain in others

Psychosocial stress affects resources for adequate coping with environmental demands. A crucial question in this context is the extent to which acute psychosocial stressors impact empathy and emotion regulation. In the present study, 120 participants were randomly assigned to a control group vs. a group confronted with the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST), an established paradigm for the induction of acute psychosocial stress. Empathy for pain as a specific subgroup of empathy was assessed via pain intensity ratings during a pain-picture task. Self-reported emotion regulation skills were measured as predictors using an established questionnaire. Stressed individuals scored significantly lower on the appraisal of pain pictures. A regression model was chosen to find variables that further predict the pain ratings. These findings implicate that acute psychosocial stress might impair empathic processes to observed pain in another person and the ability to accept one's emotion additionally predicts the empathic reaction. Furthermore, the ability to tolerate negative emotions modulated the relation between stress and pain judgments, and thus influenced core cognitive-affective functions relevant for coping with environmental challenges. In conclusion, our study emphasizes the necessity of reducing negative emotions in terms of empathic distress when confronted with pain of another person under psychosocial stress, in order to be able to retain pro-social behavior.
Multi-Agent Plan Recognition: Formalization and Algorithms

Multi-Agent Plan Recognition (MAPR) seeks to identify the dynamic team structures and team behaviors from the observations of the activity-sequences of a set of intelligent agents, based on a library of known team-activities (plan library). It has important applications in analyzing data from automated monitoring, surveillance, and intelligence analysis in general. In this paper, we formalize MAPR using a basic model that explicates the cost of abduction in single agent plan recognition by "flattening" or decompressing the (usually compact, hierarchical) plan library. We show that single-agent plan recognition with a decompressed library can be solved in time polynomial in the input size, while it is known that with a compressed (by partial ordering constraints) library it is NP-complete. This leads to an important insight: that although the compactness of the plan library plays an important role in the hardness of single-agent plan recognition (as recognized in the existing literature), that is not the case with multiple agents. We show, for the first time, that MAPR is NP-complete even when the (multi-agent) plan library is fully decompressed. As with previous solution approaches, we break the problem into two stages: hypothesis generation and hypothesis search. We show that Knuth's ``Algorithm X'' (with the efficient ``dancing links'' representation) is particularly suited for our model, and can be adapted to perform a branch and bound search for the second stage, in this model. We show empirically that this new approach leads to significant pruning of the hypothesis space in MAPR.
Risk Factors for Prolapse Development in White, Black, and Hispanic Women

Objectives: This study aimed to examine the risk factors for prevalence and incidence of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) in whites, Hispanics, and blacks. Methods: This is a secondary analysis of the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) Estrogen plus Progestin Clinical Trial (E + P). Of the original E + P trial population of 16,608, 12,667 women (78.3%; 11,194 whites, 804 blacks, and 669 Hispanics) were included in the final study sample and evaluated during the 5-year period. The outcomes evaluated were any prolapse (WHI prolapse grades 1-3) and WHI prolapse grade 2 or 3. Descriptive analyses, logistic regression, and proportional hazard modeling were performed. Results: Increasing parity correlates with increasing WHI prolapse grades (0-3) in whites and blacks but not Hispanics. The incidence of grade 2 or 3 POP increased by 250% in white women with 1 child (hazard ratio [HR], 2.50; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.68-3.71) in comparison to nulliparous women and grew with higher parity. For blacks, a weak association between the parity and grade 2 or 3 POP was noted only in women who had 5 or more kids (HR, 10.41; 95% CI, 1.38-78.77). Blacks were less likely (HR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.40-0.71) to develop grade 2 or 3 POP compared with whites. For grade 2 or 3 POP, age was found to be a risk factor in whites (odds ratio [OR], 1.03; 95% CI, 1.02-1.04) only and body mass index (≥25 kg/m2, <30 kg/m2) in whites (OR, 1.64; 95% CI, 1.34-2.02) and Hispanics (OR, 2.87; 95% CI, 1.03-2.02). Conclusions: White women are at a much greater risk for developing grade 2 or 3 POP compared with blacks. Parity correlates most strongly with the risk of prolapse development in whites and possibly in grand multiparous blacks.
Integrated Grasp and motion planning

In this work, we present an integrated planner for collision-free single and dual arm grasping motions. The proposed Grasp-RRT planner combines the three main tasks needed for grasping an object: finding a feasible grasp, solving the inverse kinematics and searching a collision-free trajectory that brings the hand to the grasping pose. Therefore, RRT-based algorithms are used to build a tree of reachable and collision-free configurations. During RRT-generation, potential grasping positions are generated and approach movements toward them are computed. The quality of reachable grasping poses is scored with an online grasp quality measurement module which is based on the computation of applied forces in order to diminish the net torque.We also present an extension to a dual arm planner which generates bimanual grasps together with corresponding dual arm grasping motions. The algorithms are evaluated with different setups in simulation and on the humanoid robot ARMAR-III.
The Nature, Extent, and Consequences of Cryptic Genetic Variation in the opa Repeats of Notch in Drosophila

Polyglutamine (pQ) tracts are abundant in many proteins co-interacting on DNA. The lengths of these pQ tracts can modulate their interaction strengths. However, pQ tracts > 40 residues are pathologically prone to amyloidogenic self-assembly. Here, we assess the extent and consequences of variation in the pQ-encoding opa repeats of Notch (N) in Drosophila melanogaster. We use Sanger sequencing to genotype opa sequences (5’-CAX repeats), which have resisted assembly using short sequence reads. While the majority of N sequences pertain to reference opa31 (Q13HQ17) and opa32 (Q13HQ18) allelic classes, several rare alleles encode tracts > 32 residues: opa33a (Q14HQ18), opa33b (Q15HQ17), opa34 (Q16HQ17), opa35a1/opa35a2 (Q13HQ21), opa36 (Q13HQ22), and opa37 (Q13HQ23). Only one rare allele encodes a tract < 31 residues: opa23 (Q13–Q10). This opa23 allele shortens the pQ tract while simultaneously eliminating the interrupting histidine. Homozygotes for the short and long opa alleles have defects in sensory bristle organ specification, abdominal patterning, and embryonic survival. Inbred stocks with wild-type opa31 alleles become more viable when outbred, while an inbred stock with the longer opa35 becomes less viable after outcrossing to different backgrounds. In contrast, an inbred stock with the short opa23 allele is semi-viable in both inbred and outbred genetic backgrounds. This opa23 Notch allele also produces notched wings when recombined out of the X chromosome. Importantly, wa-linked X balancers carry the N allele opa33b and suppress AS-C insufficiency caused by the sc8 inversion. Our results demonstrate significant cryptic variation and epistatic sensitivity for the N locus, and the need for long read genotyping of key repeat variables underlying gene regulatory networks.
Structure and Mechanical Performance of a “Modern” Fish Scale

Protective materials and structures found in natural organisms may inspire new armors with improved resistance to penetration, flexibility, light weight, and other interesting properties such as transparency and breathability. All these attributes can be found in teleost fish scales, which are the most common types of scales in modern fish species. In this work, we have studied the structure and mechanics of fish scales from striped bass (Morone saxatilis). This scale is about 200–300 µm thick and consists of a hard outer bony layer supported by a softer cross‐ply of collagen fibrils. Perforation tests with a sharp needle indicated that a single fish scale provides a high resistance to penetration which is superior to polystyrene and polycarbonate, two engineering polymers that are typically used for light transparent packaging or protective equipment. Under puncture, the scale undergoes a sequence of two distinct failure events: First, the outer bony layer cracks following a well defined cross‐like pattern which generates four “flaps” of bony material. The deflection of the flaps by the needle is resisted by the collagen layer, which in biaxial tension acts as a retaining membrane. Remarkably this second stage of the penetration process is highly stable, so that an additional 50% penetration force is required to eventually puncture the collagen layer. The combination of a hard layer that can fail in a controlled fashion with a soft and extensible backing layer is the key to the resistance to penetration of individual scales.
N/sub 2/ gas absorption in cathodic arc apparatus with an Al cathode under medium vacuum

Al evaporation and N/sub 2/ absorption rates during cathodic arc evaporation with an Al cathode and N/sub 2/ gas flow were measured as a function of process pressure under medium pressure. These rates decreased as the pressure increased. The ratio of the Al evaporation rate to the N/sub 2/ absorption rate was about 2:1. The film deposited on the anode chamber was analyzed by an X-ray diffraction analyzer and found to be aluminum nitride (AlN). This result indicates that N/sub 2/ gas is mostly absorbed and fixed in the deposits on the anode surface in the form of AlN.
On the Complexity of Consistency and Complete State Coding for Signal Transition Graphs

Signal transition graphs (STGs) are a popular formalism for the specification of asynchronous circuits. A necessary condition for the implementability of an STG is the existence of a consistent and complete state encoding. For an important subclass of STGs, the marked graph STGs, we show that checking consistency is polynomial, but checking the existence of a complete state coding is co-NP-complete. In fact, co-NP-completeness already holds for acyclic and 1-bounded marked graph STGs and for live and 1-bounded marked graph STGs. We add some relevant results for free-choice, bounded, and general STGs
A Multievent Congestion Control Protocol for Wireless Sensor Networks

Wireless sensor networks are application-dependent networks. An application may require general event region information, per-node event region information, or prioritized event information in case of multiple events. All event flows are subject to congestion in wireless sensor networks. This is due to the sudden impulse of information flow from a number of event nodes to a single destination. Congestion degrades system throughput and results in energy loss of nodes. In this paper, we present a multievent congestion control protocol (MCCP) for wireless sensor networks. MCCP supports multiple event reporting modes, that is, general event reporting, per-node fair event reporting, and prioritized multiple event reporting. MCCP efficiently mitigates congestion and provides output according to selected event reporting mode. MCCP uses hop-by-hop packet delivery time and buffer size as the basic metrics for congestion detection. Moreover, we introduce a schedule-based scheme at the transport layer for rate assignment and ordered delivery of event packets to underlying routing layer. This helps to avoid packet collisions and increases the packet delivery ratio even in high densities. Detailed simulation analysis confirms that MCCP decreases packet drops and provides high packet delivery ratio (above 90%) for multiple event reporting modes.
Bisoprolol Delays Progression Towards Right Heart Failure in Experimental Pulmonary Hypertension

Background— In pulmonary arterial hypertension (PH), sympathetic adrenergic activity is highly elevated. Sympathetic overactivity is a compensatory mechanism at first, but might be detrimental for cardiac function in the long run. We therefore investigated whether chronic low-dose treatment with bisoprolol (a cardioselective &bgr;-blocker) has beneficial effects on cardiac function in experimental PH. Methods and Results— PH was induced in rats by a single injection of monocrotaline (60 mg/kg). Pressure telemetry in PH rats revealed that 10 mg/kg bisoprolol was the lowest dose that blunted heart rate response during daily activity. Ten days after monocrotaline injection, echocardiography was performed and PH rats were randomized for bisoprolol treatment (oral gavage) or vehicle (n=7/group). At end of study (body mass loss >5%), echocardiography was repeated, with additional pressure-volume measurements and histomolecular analyses. Compared with control, right ventricular (RV) systolic pressure and arterial elastance (measure of vascular resistance) more than tripled in PH. Bisoprolol delayed time to right heart failure (P<0.05). RV afterload was unaffected, however, bisoprolol treatment increased RV contractility and filling (both P<0.01), and partially restored right ventriculo-arterial coupling and cardiac output (both P<0.05). Bisoprolol restored RV &bgr;-adrenergic receptor signaling. Histology revealed significantly less RV fibrosis and myocardial inflammation in bisoprolol treated PH rats. Conclusions— In experimental PH, treatment with bisoprolol delays progression toward right heart failure, and partially preserves RV systolic and diastolic function. These promising results suggest a therapeutic role for &bgr;-blockers in PH that warrants further clinical investigation.
Nonlinear effect of climate on plague during the third pandemic in China

Over the years, plague has caused a large number of deaths worldwide and subsequently changed history, not the least during the period of the Black Death. Of the three plague pandemics, the third is believed to have originated in China. Using the spatial and temporal human plague records in China from 1850 to 1964, we investigated the association of human plague intensity (plague cases per year) with proxy data on climate condition (specifically an index for dryness/wetness). Our modeling analysis demonstrates that the responses of plague intensity to dry/wet conditions were different in northern and southern China. In northern China, plague intensity generally increased when wetness increased, for both the current and the previous year, except for low intensity during extremely wet conditions in the current year (reflecting a dome-shaped response to current-year dryness/wetness). In southern China, plague intensity generally decreased when wetness increased, except for high intensity during extremely wet conditions of the current year. These opposite effects are likely related to the different climates and rodent communities in the two parts of China: In northern China (arid climate), rodents are expected to respond positively to high precipitation, whereas in southern China (humid climate), high precipitation is likely to have a negative effect. Our results suggest that associations between human plague intensity and precipitation are nonlinear: positive in dry conditions, but negative in wet conditions.
The Temperature-Sensitive and Attenuation Phenotypes Conferred by Mutations in the Influenza Virus PB2, PB1, and NP Genes Are Influenced by the Species of Origin of the PB2 Gene in Reassortant Viruses Derived from Influenza A/California/07/2009 and A/WSN/33 Viruses

ABSTRACT Live attenuated influenza vaccines in the United States are derived from a human virus that is temperature sensitive (ts), characterized by restricted (≥100-fold) replication at 39°C. The ts genetic signature (ts sig) has been mapped to 5 loci in 3 genes: PB1 (391E, 581G, and 661T), PB2 (265S), and NP (34G). However, when transferred into avian and swine influenza viruses, only partial ts and attenuation phenotypes occur. To investigate the reason for this, we introduced the ts sig into the human origin virus A/WSN/33 (WSN), the avian-origin virus A/Vietnam/1203/04 (VN04), and the swine origin triple-reassortant 2009 pandemic H1N1 virus A/California/07/2009 (CA07), which contains gene segments from human, avian, and swine viruses. The VN04 ts sig and CA07 ts sig viruses replicated efficiently in Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells at 39°C, but the replication of WSN ts sig was restricted ≥100-fold compared to that at 33°C. Reassortant CA07 ts sig viruses were generated with individual polymerase gene segments from WSN, and vice versa. Only ts sig viruses with a PB2 gene segment derived from WSN were restricted in replication ≥100-fold at 39°C. In ferrets, the CA07 ts sig virus replicated in the upper and lower respiratory tract, but the replication of a reassortant CA07 ts sig virus with a WSN PB2 gene was severely restricted in the lungs. Taken together, these data suggest that the origin of the PB2 gene segment influences the ts phenotype in vitro and attenuation in vivo. This could have implications for the design of novel live vaccines against animal origin influenza viruses. IMPORTANCE Live attenuated influenza vaccines (LAIVs) on temperature-sensitive (ts) backbones derived from animal origin influenza viruses are being sought for use in the poultry and swine industries and to protect people against animal origin influenza. However, inserting the ts genetic signature from a licensed LAIV backbone fails to fully attenuate these viruses. Our data indicate this is associated with the presence of a PB2 gene segment derived from an avian influenza virus. We show that a reassortant 2009 pandemic H1N1 virus with the ts signature from a licensed LAIV donor virus is ts in vitro and attenuated in vivo when the PB2 gene is derived from a human origin virus but not from an avian virus. Our study provides information that could benefit the rational design of alternative LAIV backbones against animal origin influenza viruses.
A bioassay based on recombinant DNA technology for determining selenium concentration

The trace element selenium has recently attracted attention, particularly because (i) selenocysteine is involved in the active site of various prokaryotic and eukaryotic enzymes, some of which have a role in human health; (ii) selenocysteine incorporation into these proteins is coded by UGA codons; and (iii) as a result, selenocysteine is now considered to be the 21st amino acid in an expanded genetic code. Here, we built recombinant DNA constructs in which expression of the lac'Z gene is driven in Escherichia coli by UGA-directed selenocysteine incorporation. In this system, levels of beta-galactosidase activity are proportionally and specifically related to the presence and concentrations of several specific simple selenium derivatives. The system can thus be used as a sensitive bioassay for their determination. This bioassay is one of a few using recombinant DNA technology to provide a reporter for simple detection of a chemical trace element.
Intellectual Capital–Enhancing HR, Absorptive Capacity, and Innovation

This study investigates the role of intellectual capital (i.e., human, social, and organization capital)–enhancing human resource (HR) practices in the development of a firm's absorptive capacity, as well as the mediating role of absorptive capacity in its relationship to the firm's innovation performance. Results show that while human capital–enhancing HR (acquisition and developmental HR) is positively related to absorptive capacity, social capital–enhancing HR affects absorptive capacity through egalitarian HR practices. Organization capital–enhancing HR practices contribute to absorptive capacity through effective information systems. Finally, our findings confirm that the various intellectual capital–enhancing HR practices affect innovation performance through their impact on the firm's absorptive capacity. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Historical Assessments and Comparisons of Benthic Communities and Physical Habitat in Two Agricultural Streams in California's San Joaquin Watershed

This study was designed to assess trends in physical habitat and benthic communities (macroinvertebrates) annually in two agricultural streams (Del Puerto Creek and Salt Slough) in California's San Joaquin Valley from 2001 to 2005, determine the relationship between benthic communities and both water quality and physical habitat from both streams over the 5-year period, and compare benthic communities and physical habitat in both streams from 2001 to 2005. Physical habitat, measured with 10 metrics and a total score, was reported to be fairly stable over 5 years in Del Puerto Creek but somewhat variable in Salt Slough. Benthic communities, measured with 18 metrics, were reported to be marginally variable over time in Del Puerto Creek but fairly stable in Salt Slough. Rank correlation analysis for both water bodies combined showed that channel alteration, embeddedness, riparian buffer, and velocity/depth/diversity were the most important physical habitat metrics influencing the various benthic metrics. Correlations of water quality parameters and benthic community metrics for both water bodies combined showed that turbidity, dissolved oxygen, and conductivity were the most important water quality parameters influencing the different benthic metrics. A comparison of physical habitat metrics (including total score) for both water bodies over the 5-year period showed that habitat metrics were more positive in Del Puerto Creek when compared to Salt Slough. A comparison of benthic metrics in both water bodies showed that approximately one-third of the metrics were significantly different between the two water bodies. Generally, the more positive benthic metric scores were reported in Del Puerto Creek, which suggests that the communities in this creek are more robust than Salt Slough.
PENTACARBON DIOXIDE (C5O2) FORMATION AND ITS ROLE AS A TRACER OF SOLAR SYSTEM EVOLUTION

Carbon monoxide is the second most abundant molecule on icy grains in the interstellar medium. These grains are under the influence of ionizing radiation, which induces the chemical reaction within the ice. Here we report the first observation of subliming pentacarbon dioxide (C5O2) after irradiation of pure carbon monoxide ice with energetic electrons. Our results show that pentacarbon dioxide is a stable reaction product in a carbon monoxide matrix that survives the sublimation in star-forming regions at sublimation temperatures of 175 K. Along with carbon suboxide (C3O2), this molecule can serve as a powerful tracer of the temperature history of formerly carbon monoxide rich ices in molecular clouds and star-forming regions.