Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Knee stiffness adjustment for energy efficient locomotion of a legged robot on surfaces with different stiffness

In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in the development of variable stiffness actuators (VSAs) for legged robots. In this paper, we explore how VSAs can be used in legged robots to achieve energy efficient locomotion on compliant surfaces at various stride frequencies. Our legged robot is consisted of an actuated hip joint and a passive knee joint equipped with a VSA, named L-MESTRAN. This VSA is capable of varying stiffness over a large range, maintaining stiffness without consuming energy, and offering a linear joint stiffness. The compliant surface was constructed with stiffness variability. Through simulation and preliminarily experimental results, we show that adjustment of the knee stiffness in the relationship with stride frequency and surface stiffness is beneficial for increasing the energy efficiency of hopping at various stride frequencies.
The Utilization of Electroencephalography For Brain Mapping and Neurofeedback In Therapeutic Treatment of ADD and ADHD

This work reviews attention deficit disorder in combination with a treatment approach utilizing EEG Neurofeedback, including the use of Neurofeedback as a process for normalizing brain wave function. A history of the EEG work is presented that shows the development of EEG Neurofeedback work with ADD/ADHD, providing support for the rationale of using Neurofeedback for successful treatment protocols for ADD/ADHD.
Mitochondrial DNA Variation and the Origins of the Aleuts

The mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variation in 179 Aleuts from five different islands (Atka, Unalaska, Umnak, St. Paul, and St. George) and Anchorage was analyzed to better understand the origins of Aleuts and their role in the peopling of the Americas. Mitochondrial DNA samples were characterized using polymerase chain reaction amplification, restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis, and direct sequencing of the first hypervariable segment (HVS-I) of the control region. This study showed that Aleut mtDNAs belonged to two of the four haplogroups (A and D) common among Native Americans. Haplogroup D occurred at a very high frequency in Aleuts, and this, along with their unique HVS-I sequences, distinguished them from Eskimos, Athapaskan Indians, and other northern Amerindian populations. While sharing several control region sequences (CIR11, CHU14, CIR60, and CIR61) with other circumarctic populations, Aleuts lacked haplogroup A mtDNAs having the 16265G mutation that are specific to Eskimo populations. R-matrix and median network analyses indicated that Aleuts were closest genetically to Chukotkan (Chukchi and Siberian Eskimos) rather than to Native American or Kamchatkan populations (Koryaks and Itel'men). Dating of the Beringian branch of haplogroup A (16192T) suggested that populations ancestral to the Aleuts, Eskimos, and Athapaskan Indians emerged approximately 13,120 years ago, while Aleut-specific A and D sublineages were dated at 6539 ± 3511 and 6035 ± 2885 years, respectively. Our findings support the archaeologically based hypothesis that ancestral Aleuts crossed the Bering Land Bridge or Beringian platform and entered the Aleutian Islands from the east, rather than island hopping from Kamchatka into the western Aleutians. Furthermore, the Aleut migration most likely represents a separate event from those responsible for peopling the remainder of the Americas, meaning that the New World was colonized through multiple migrations.
Family Income and Its Relation to Preschool Education in China: Empirical Research Based on CFPS Survey Data

Based on the data from the China Family Panel Survey, this study uses the logit model to estimate the household income effect on the chance of children's preschool attendance and their choice of preschools. The results showed that a 100% increase in household income per capital is associated with an increase of 2.6% in the probability of a child’s preschool attending. Following the classification of preschools with different characteristics, we found that household income has a large impact on children’s public preschool attending. The age of children, household registration status, and the family size show statistically significant effect on the preschool attendance and a significant difference exist between urban and rural areas on this issue. Compared with those living in urban areas, rural children are more significantly influenced by family income in respect of the preschool education chance. Best Evid Chin Edu 2019; 1(2):67-86. Doi: 10.15354/bece.19. ar1017
Heritability Estimates of Body Size in Fetal Life and Early Childhood

Background The objective was to estimate the heritability for height and weight during fetal life and early childhood in two independent studies, one including parent and singleton offsprings and one of mono- and dizygotic twins. Methods This study was embedded in the Generation R Study (n = 3407, singletons) and the Netherlands Twin Register (n = 33694, twins). For the heritability estimates in Generation R, regression models as proposed by Galton were used. In the Twin Register we used genetic structural equation modelling. Parental height and weight were measured and fetal growth characteristics (femur length and estimated fetal weight) were measured by ultrasounds in 2nd and 3rd trimester (Generation R only). Height and weight were assessed at multiple time-points from birth to 36 months in both studies. Results Heritability estimates for length increased from 2nd to 3rd trimester from 13% to 28%. At birth, heritability estimates for length in singletons and twins were both 26% and 27%, respectively, and at 36 months, the estimates for height were 63% and 72%, respectively. Heritability estimates for fetal weight increased from 2nd to 3rd trimester from 17% to 27%. For birth weight, heritability estimates were 26% in singletons and 29% in twins. At 36 months, the estimate for twins was 71% and higher than for singletons (42%). Conclusions Heritability estimates for height and weight increase from second trimester to infancy. This increase in heritability is observed in singletons and twins. Longer follow-up studies are needed to examine how the heritability develops in later childhood and puberty.
Transmission of 32-Tb/s Capacity Over 580 km Using RZ-Shaped PDM-8QAM Modulation Format and Cascaded Multimodulus Blind Equalization Algorithm

In this paper, we propose a novel synthesizing method for high-speed 8-ary quadratic-amplitude modulation (QAM) optical signal generation using commercial optical modulators with binary electrical driving signals. Using this method, we successfully generated 114-Gb/s pulse-duration modulation (PDM)-8QAM optical signals. Intradyne detection of PDM-8QAM optical signals with robust blind polarization demultiplexing has been demonstrated by using a new cascaded multimodulus equalization algorithm. With return-to-zero-shaped PDM-8QAM modulation and the proposed blind polarization demultiplexing algorithm, we demonstrate transmission of a record 32-Tb/s fiber capacity (320 × 114 Gb/s) over 580 km of ultralow-loss single-mode fiber-28 fiber by utilizing C+L-band erbium-doped fiber-amplifier-only optical amplification and single-ended coherent detection technique at an information spectral efficiency of 4.0 bit/s·Hz.
Fixed point results and an application to homotopy in modular metric spaces

The purpose of this paper is to define new concepts, such as T-orbitally w-completeness, orbitally wcontinuity and almost weakly w-contractive mapping in the modular metric spaces. We prove some fixed point theorems for these related concepts and mappings in this space. Further, we give an application using the technique in [Lj. B. Ćirić, B. Samet, H. Aydi, C. Vetro, Appl. Math. Comput. , 218 (2011), 2398–2406] and show that our results can be applied to homotopy. c ©2015 All rights reserved.
A Report on the DSL Shared Task 2014

This paper summarizes the methods, results and findings of the Discriminating between Similar Languages (DSL) shared task 2014. The shared task provided data from 13 different languages and varieties divided into 6 groups. Participants were required to train their systems to discriminate between languages on a training and development set containing 20,000 sentences from each language (closed submission) and/or any other dataset (open submission). One month later, a test set containing 1,000 unidentified instances per language was released for evaluation. The DSL shared task received 22 inscriptions and 8 final submissions. The best system obtained 95.7% average accuracy.
A scalable front-end architecture for fast instruction delivery

In the pursuit of instruction-level parallelism, significant demands are placed on a processor's instruction delivery mechanism. Delivering the performance necessary to meet future processor execution targets requires that the performance of the instruction delivery mechanism scale with the execution core. Attaining these targets is a challenging task due to I-cache misses, branch mispredictions, and taken branches in the instruction stream. To further complicate matters, a VLSI interconnect scaling trend is materializing that further limits the performance of front-end designs in future generation process technologies. To counter these challenges, we present a fetch architecture that permits a faster cycle time than previous designs and scales better with future process technologies. Our design, called the Fetch Target Buffer, is a multi-level fetch block-oriented predictor. We decouple the FTB from the instruction fetch and decode pipelines to afford it the fastest clock possible. Through cycle-based simulation and circuit level delay analysis, we find that our multi-level FTB design is capable of delivering instructions 25% faster than the best single-level BTB-based pipeline configuration. Moreover we show that our design scales better to future process technologies than traditional single-level designs.
Common Mechanistic Action of Bacteriocins from Lactic Acid Bacteria

The influence of four bacteriocins from lactic acid bacteria on the proton motive force (PMF) of sensitive organisms was investigated. Pediocin PA-1 (20 μg/ml) and leuconocin S (48.5 μg/ml) mediated total or major PMF dissipation of energized Listeria monocytogenes Scott A cells in a concentration-dependent manner, as has been shown for nisin. Lactacin F (13.5 μg/ml) caused 87% PMF depletion of energized Lactobacillus delbrueckii ATCC 4797 cells, also in a concentration-dependent fashion. The energy requirements for the activity of these four bacteriocins were determined by using the ionophores nigericin and valinomycin to carry out partial and specific deenergization of the target organisms. Pediocin PA-1, leuconocin S, and lactacin F acted in an energy-independent manner, whereas the activity of nisin was confirmed to be energy dependent. These results together with published reports on other bacteriocins suggest that the bacteriocins of lactic acid bacteria share a common mechanism, the depletion of PMF.
Effectiveness of opportunistic brief interventions for problem drinking in a general hospital setting: systematic review

Abstract Objective To determine the effectiveness of opportunistic brief interventions for problem drinking in a general hospital setting. Design Systematic review. Data sources Medline, PsychInfo, Cochrane Library, reference lists from identified studies and review articles, and contact with experts. Main outcome measure Change in alcohol consumption. Results Eight studies were retrieved. Most had methodological weaknesses. Only one study, with a relatively intensive intervention and a short follow up period, showed a significantly large reduction in alcohol consumption in the intervention group. Conclusions Evidence for the effectiveness of opportunistic brief interventions in a general hospital setting for problem drinkers is still inconclusive.
Severe Early Life Stress Hampers Spatial Learning and Neurogenesis, but Improves Hippocampal Synaptic Plasticity and Emotional Learning under High-Stress Conditions in Adulthood

Early life stress increases the risk for developing stress-related pathologies later in life. Recent studies in rats suggest that mild early life stress, rather than being overall unfavorable, may program the hippocampus such that it is optimally adapted to a stressful context later in life. Here, we tested whether this principle of “adaptive programming” also holds under severely adverse early life conditions, i.e., 24 h of maternal deprivation (MD), a model for maternal neglect. In young adult male rats subjected to MD on postnatal day 3, we observed reduced levels of adult hippocampal neurogenesis as measured by cell proliferation, cell survival, and neuronal differentiation. Also, mature dentate granule cells showed a change in their dendritic morphology that was most noticeable in the proximal part of the dendritic tree. Lasting structural changes due to MD were paralleled by impaired water maze acquisition but did not affect long-term potentiation in the dentate gyrus. Importantly, in the presence of high levels of the stress hormone corticosterone, even long-term potentiation in the dentate gyrus of MD animals was facilitated. In addition to this, contextual learning in a high-stress environment was enhanced in MD rats. These morphological, electrophysiological, and behavioral observations show that even a severely adverse early life environment does not evolve into overall impaired hippocampal functionality later in life. Rather, adversity early in life can prepare the organism to perform optimally under conditions associated with high corticosteroid levels in adulthood.
An Empirical Investigation of the Option Value of College Enrollment

This paper quantifies the option value arising from sequential schooling decisions made in the presence of uncertainty and learning about academic ability. College attendance has option value since enrolled students have the option, but not obligation, to continue in school after learning their aptitude and tastes. I estimate that option value accounts for 14 percent of the total value of the opportunity to attend college for the average high school graduate and is greatest for moderate-aptitude students. Students' ability to make decisions sequentially in response to new information increases welfare and also makes educational outcomes less polarized by background. (JEL D83, I23)
ABER of Dual Predetection EGC in Correlated Nakagami-m Fading Channels with Arbitrary m

We have analyzed the performance of a predetection equal gain combining (EGC) receiver over correlated Nakagami-m fading channels with arbitrary and non-identical m and unequal branch SNRs. Closed-form expression for average bit error rate (ABER) for coherent binary modulation schemes is derived by finding the characteristic function (CHF) of the sum of two correlated Nakagami-m envelopes with different fading parameters and then using Parseval's theorem. The derived expression can be viewed as a generalization of four different special cases reported in the literature. It was observed that depending on the values of m1 and m2 the ABER curves for two different pairs of (m1,m2) may intersect. Thus, if the performance corresponding to a pair is inferior to another pair at any SNR, this may not hold true over the entire SNR range.
The Revised QUADAS-2 Tool

TO THE EDITOR: It was with great interest that we read the recent article by Whiting and colleagues (1) introducing the QUADAS-2 (Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies) tool, a revision of the tool from 2003 (2). It is important that such pivotal methodological work about diagnostic review research is made widely available through publication in Annals of Internal Medicine. We would like to discuss some issues related to QUADAS-2, as some of them attracted our attention when reading the otherwise impressive article. First, in the original QUADAS tool (2), items 1 and 2 related to variability with the potential to affect clinical generalizability (external validity) of study results. The term “applicability” is commonly used as a synonym (3). But, in QUADAS-2, “applicability” refers to whether certain aspects of an individual study are matching or not matching the review question (1). During a systematic review, the review question (according to Participants, Interventions, Comparisons, Outcomes, and Setting [PICOS] [4]) and eligibility criteria are prespecified before systematically searching for relevant studies (5). Therefore, all studies reaching the stage of quality assessment in a systematic review should be applicable to the review question because studies not matching the review question and eligibility criteria had already been sorted out during the selection process. The use of applicability in QUADAS as the “degree to which the results of a study can be applied to patients in practice” (2) may thus be preferable. Second, some aspects of QUADAS-2 seem to be more timeconsuming (that is, drawing a flow chart for each study). What is the average time needed to evaluate a study using QUADAS-2 versus QUADAS? Third, the examples of study assessment that would facilitate understanding of QUADAS-2 are not yet available from www.quadas . org. In addition, an explanation paper further describing use in detail would be very helpful for researchers conducting diagnostic accuracy meta-analyses. Is this planned? Lastly, calculating the interrater reliability only for agreement on the domain level when piloting the tool may not be appropriate to detect variability on the level of signaling questions, which, however, are used for the important decision on whether high or low risk of bias is present in individual studies.
Influences Of Early Child Characteristics And Health On Later Parent And Parent-Child Relationship Factors

INFLUENCES OF EARLY CHILD CHARACTERISTICS AND HEALTH ON LATER PARENT AND PARENT-CHILD RELATIONSHIP FACTORS by JENNIFER DEGROOT HANAWALT December 2012 Advisor: Dr. Ty Partridge Major: Psychology (Clinical) Degree: Doctor of Philosophy The aim of this study was to evaluate ways in which infant temperament and health difficulties influence maternal characteristics over the first three years and the mother child relationship. We used longitudinal data from 1364 families, collected as part of the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (NICHD SECCYD). Longitudinal growth curve models were employed to evaluate influences of infant temperament and health at 6 months on maternal depression, employment, role satisfaction, parenting stress and marital satisfaction when the child was 6, 15, 24 and 36 months of age as well as mother child interactions at 15 months. Measures included the Revised Infant Temperament Questionnaire, the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), and the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment (HOME) Inventory-Infant/Toddler version. Mothers of infants with more difficult temperament and increased health problems at 6 months reported increased symptoms of depression, decreased role satisfaction, and lower marital satisfaction at 6 months. Mothers of infants with more difficult temperaments worked less at 6 months than mothers who rated their infants’ temperaments as less difficult;
Population Structure of Invasive Streptococcus pneumoniae in the Netherlands in the Pre-Vaccination Era Assessed by MLVA and Capsular Sequence Typing

The introduction of nationwide pneumococcal vaccination may lead to serotype replacement and the emergence of new variants that have expanded their genetic repertoire through recombination. To monitor alterations in the pneumococcal population structure, we have developed and utilized Capsular Sequence Typing (CST) in addition to Multiple-Locus Variable number tandem repeat Analysis (MLVA). To assess the serotype of each isolate CST was used. Based on the determination of the partial sequence of the capsular wzh gene, this method assigns a capsular type of an isolate within a single PCR reaction using multiple primersets. The genetic background of pneumococcal isolates was assessed by MLVA. MLVA and CST were used to create a snapshot of the Dutch pneumococcal population causing invasive disease before the introduction of the 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in the Netherlands in 2006. A total of 1154 clinical isolates collected and serotyped by the Netherlands Reference Laboratory for Bacterial Meningitis were included in the snapshot. The CST was successful in discriminating most serotypes present in our collection. MLVA demonstrated that isolates belonging to some serotypes had a relatively high genetic diversity whilst other serotypes had a very homogeneous genetic background. MLVA and CST appear to be valuable tools to determine the population structure of pneumococcal isolates and are useful in monitoring the effects of pneumococcal vaccination.
Non-antigenic and antigenic interventions in type 1 diabetes

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) results from autoimmune destruction of the pancreatic β-cells. Current T1D therapies are exclusively focused on regulating glycemia rather than the underlying immune response. A handful of trials have sought to alter the clinical course of T1D using various broad immune-suppressors, e.g., cyclosporine A and azathioprine.1–3 The effect on β-cell preservation was significant, however, these therapies were associated with unacceptable side-effects. In contrast, more recent immunomodulators, such as anti-CD3 and antigenic therapies such as DiaPep277, provide a more targeted immunomodulation and have been generally well-tolerated and safe; however, as a monotherapy there appear to be limitations in terms of therapeutic benefit. Therefore, we argue that this new generation of immune-modifying agents will likely work best as part of a combination therapy. This review will summarize current immune-modulating therapies under investigation and discuss how to move the field of immunotherapy in T1D forward.
Identifying Agreement and Disagreement in Conversational Speech: Use of Bayesian Networks to Model Pragmatic Dependencies

We describe a statistical approach for modeling agreements and disagreements in conversational interaction. Our approach first identifies adjacency pairs using maximum entropy ranking based on a set of lexical, durational, and structural features that look both forward and backward in the discourse. We then classify utterances as agreement or disagreement using these adjacency pairs and features that represent various pragmatic influences of previous agreement or disagreement on the current utterance. Our approach achieves 86.9% accuracy, a 4.9% increase over previous work.
"They brought in the horrible key ring thing!" Analysing the Usability of Two-Factor Authentication in UK Online Banking

To prevent password breaches and guessing attacks, banks increasingly turn to two-factor authentication (2FA), requiring users to present at least one more factor, such as a one-time password generated by a hardware token or received via SMS, besides a password. We can expect some solutions -- especially those adding a token -- to create extra work for users, but little research has investigated usability, user acceptance, and perceived security of deployed 2FA. This paper presents an in-depth study of 2FA usability with 21 UK online banking customers, 16 of whom had accounts with more than one bank. We collected a rich set of qualitative and quantitative data through two rounds of semi-structured interviews, and an authentication diary over an average of 11 days. Our participants reported a wide range of usability issues, especially with the use of hardware tokens, showing that the mental and physical workload involved shapes how they use online banking. Key targets for improvements are (i) the reduction in the number of authentication steps, and (ii) removing features that do not add any security but negatively affect the user experience.