Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Locomotion selection strategy for multi-locomotion robot based on stability and efficiency

This paper shows improvement of stability and efficiency for mobility using locomotion selection strategy. First strategy is the selection of a gait relying on locomotion rewards. The locomotion reward has been proposed as an indicator for selection algorithm based on Falling Risk and the moving speed. This strategy has achieved a capability of large changes of uncertainties, such as a steep slope. Second strategy is adjustment of moving speed by the extended locomotion reward that explicitly shows the relationship between the moving speed and Falling Risk. The robot aims at the maximum moving speed without a falling, and removes small changes of uncertainties as a result. We performed an experiment in order to confirm effects of two strategies in an environment that includes a rough terrain as a small uncertainty and two steps as a large uncertainty. The robot improved the moving speed about 37.5% from the case of only using the gait selection strategy.
WFC3 UVIS Shutter Vibration-Induced Image Blur

During image quality testing in the third and final thermal-vacuum test of the integrated WFC3 instrument, an anomaly was discovered whereby the width and peak signal fraction of short exposure PSF images were observed to modulate for alternate exposures in a series. This behavior was traced to vibration of the UVIS shutter when its servo-control loop is enabled, which is believed to induce small (mas level) pointing jitter in the optics, most likely the pick-off mirror and the corrector mechanism (M1) mirror. We present model computations of the effects of this vibration on several PSF parameters for a range of exposure times, wavelengths and (currently uncertain) degree of severity of the vibration expected on orbit. Only very short (<10s) exposures are likely to be significantly affected; this may be partially mitigated by obtaining such exposures using the better-performing side of the shutter.
Localization and cell surface anchoring of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae flocculation protein Flo1p

The Saccharomyces cerevisiae FLO1 gene encodes a large 1,536-amino-acid serine- and threonine-rich protein involved in flocculation. We have assessed the localization of Flo1p by immunoelectron microscopy, and in this study we show that this protein is located in the external mannoprotein layer of the cell wall, at the plasma membrane level and in the periplasm. The protein was also visualized in the endoplasmic reticulum and in the nuclear envelope, indicating that it was secreted through the secretory pathway. The protein was detected by Western blotting in cell wall extracts as a high-molecular-mass (>200 kDa) polydisperse material obviously as a result of extensive N and probably O glycosylation. Flo1p was extracted from cell walls in large amounts by boiling in sodium dodecyl sulfate, suggesting that it is noncovalently anchored to the cell wall network. The membranous forms of Flo1p were shown to be solubilized by phosphatidylinositol-phospholipase C treatment, suggesting that Flo1p is glycosyl phosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchored to this organelle. The expression of truncated forms with the hydrophobic C-terminal domain deleted led to the secretion of the protein in the culture medium. The hydrophobic C terminus, which is a putative GPI anchoring domain, is therefore necessary for the attachment of Flo1p in the cell wall. Deletion analysis also revealed that the N-terminal domain of Flo1p was essential for cellular aggregation. On the whole, our data indicate that Flo1p is a true cell wall protein which plays a direct role in cell-cell interaction.
Calculation of Left Ventricular Wall Stress

Chamber-stress equations relate wall stresses to pressure and wall dimensions. Such equations play a central role in the analysis and understanding of heart-chamber function. Over the past three decades, several stress equations giving radically different results have been derived, used, and/or espoused. They can be classified into two categories, according to the definition of stress underlying the equation. The stresses in one class of equations are total forces per unit normal area, excluding ambient pressure but including pressure in the wall exerted by more external elements of the wall. The stresses in the other class of equations are fiber-pulling forces per unit normal area, that is, total forces per unit normal area excluding all pressure. The validity of stress equations can be tested at least three ways: 1) Do they predict that the pressure inside a small chamber nested in a larger chamber would be the sum of transmural pressures of the two chambers? 2) Do they satisfy the expectation from Laplace's law that a sphere with a given circular stress and thickness/radius ratio would exert twice the pressure of a cylinder with the same circular stress and thickness/radius ratio? 3) Do they predict that the ratio of principle stresses depends on chamber shape but not on wall/cavity ratio, with the circular/longitudinal stress ratio of a cylinder being 2 and that of a prolate spheroid being between 1 and 2? Stress equations of the first class fail all of these tests by large margins, whereas those of the second class pass all of these tests exactly. When selecting a stress equation, one should consider these distinctions as they might affect 1) evaluation of stress afterload and stress preload, 2) evaluation of contractility, 3) understanding the roles of contractility and wall/cavity ratio as determinants of pressure-making ability, 4) understanding the role of fiber orientation as a determinant of chamber shape, and 5) translations between pressure-volume relations and stress-length relations.
Cooperative Simultaneous Localization and Synchronization in Mobile Agent Networks

Cooperative localization in agent networks based on interagent time-of-flight measurements is closely related to synchronization. To leverage this relation, we propose a Bayesian factor graph framework for cooperative simultaneous localization and synchronization (CoSLAS). This framework is suited to mobile agents and time-varying local clock parameters. Building on the CoSLAS factor graph, we develop a distributed (decentralized) belief propagation algorithm for CoSLAS in the practically important case of an affine clock model and asymmetric time stamping. Our algorithm is compatible with real-time operation and a time-varying network connectivity. To achieve high accuracy at reduced complexity and communication cost, the algorithm combines particle implementations with parametric message representations and takes advantage of a conditional independence property. Simulation results demonstrate the good performance of the proposed algorithm in a challenging scenario with time-varying network connectivity.
Plant Ontogeny, Spatial Distance, and Soil Type Influence Patterns of Relatedness in a Common Amazonian Tree

The formation of spatial genetic structure (SGS) may originate from different patterns of seed deposition in the landscape, and is mostly determined by seed dispersal limitation. After dispersal, mechanisms such as filtering by environmental factors or attack by herbivores/pathogens throughout plant development stages, and potentially either disrupt or intensify SGS patterns. We investigated how the genotype of Protium subserratum (Burseraceae), a common tree species in the Ducke Reserve, Brazil, is distributed across the landscape. We used seven microsatellite markers to assess the SGS among plants at different life stages and in different environments. By quantifying the patterns of relatedness among plants of different sizes, we inferred the ontogenetic stage in which SGS changes occurred, and compared these effects across soil types. Relatedness among seedlings decreased when distance between seedlings increased, especially for the youngest seedlings. However, this trend was not continued by older plants, as relatedness values were higher among neighboring individuals of the juvenile and adult size class. Contrasting relatedness patterns between seedlings and larger individuals suggests a trade-off between the negative effects of being near closely-related adults (e.g. due to herbivore and pathogen attack) and the advantage of being in a site favorable to establishment. We also found that soil texture strongly influenced density-dependence patterns, as young seedlings in clay soils were more related to each other than were seedlings in bottomland sandy soils, suggesting that the mechanisms that create and maintain patterns of SGS within a population may interact with environmental heterogeneity.
Findings from Integrated Behavioral and Biologic Survey among Males Who Inject Drugs (MWID) — Vietnam, 2009–2010: Evidence of the Need for an Integrated Response to HIV, Hepatitis B Virus, and Hepatitis C Virus

Introduction Given the overlapping modes of transmission of HIV, hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV), understanding the burden and relationship of these infections is critical for an effective response. Representative data on these infections among males who inject drugs (MWID), the key high-risk population for HIV in Vietnam, are currently lacking. Methods Data and stored specimens from Vietnam’s 2009-2010 Integrated Biologic and Behavioral Survey, a cross-sectional study among high-risk populations, were used for this analysis. Plasma samples were tested for HIV, HBV, and HCV using commercial assays. A questionnaire was administered to provide demographic, behavior, and service-uptake information. Provincial-level analyses were conducted to profile MWID enrollees and to provide estimates on the prevalence of HIV, HBV, and HCV infection. Results Among 3010 MWID sampled across 10 provinces, the median (range) HIV prevalence was 28.1% (1.0%-55.5%). Median prevalence for current HBV infection (HBsAg+) was 14.1% (11.7%-28.0%), for previous exposure to HBV (total anti-HBc+) was 71.4% (49.9%-83.1%), and for current or past HCV infection (HCV Ag/Ab+) was 53.8% (10.9%-80.8%). In adjusted analysis, HBsAg+ (aOR: 2.09, 1.01-4.34) and HCV Ag/Ab+ (aOR: 19.58, 13.07-29.33) status were significantly associated with HIV infection; the association with total anti-HBc+ approached significance (aOR: 1.29, 0.99-1.68). Conclusion The prevalence and association between HIV, HBV, and HCV are high among MWID in Vietnam. These findings indicate the need for integrated policies and practice that for the surveillance, prevention, screening, and treatment of both HIV and viral hepatitis among MWID in Vietnam.
BSIK-SVD: A dictionary-learning algorithm for block-sparse representations

Sparse dictionary learning has attracted enormous interest in image processing and data representation in recent years. To improve the performance of dictionary learning, we propose an efficient block-structured incoherent K-SVD algorithm for the sparse representation of signals. Without relying on any prior knowledge of the group structure for the input data, we develop a two-stage agglomerative hierarchical clustering method for block sparse representations. This clustering method adaptively identifies the underlying block structure of the dictionary under the restricted conditions of both a maximal block size and a minimal distance between the blocks. Furthermore, to meet the constraints of both the upper bound and the lower bound of the mutual coherence of dictionary atoms, we introduce a regularization term for the objective function to suppress the block coherence of the overcomplete dictionary. The experiments on synthetic data and real images demonstrate that the proposed algorithm has lower representation error, higher visual quality and better reconstructed results than other state-of-the-art methods.
Stable Intraprostatic Dihydrotestosterone in Healthy Medically Castrate Men Treated With Exogenous Testosterone.

CONTEXT Concern exists that T replacement therapy (TRT) might increase the risk of prostate disease. There are limited data regarding the impact of TRT on prostate androgen concentrations. OBJECTIVE Determine the dose-dependent effects of exogenous T administration on intraprostatic androgen concentrations. DESIGN Twelve-week, double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. SETTING Academic medical center. PARTICIPANTS Sixty-two healthy eugonadal men, aged 25-55 years. INTERVENTIONS Subjects were randomly assigned to receive injections of acyline, a GnRH antagonist (used to achieve medical castration), every 2 weeks plus transdermal T gel (1.25 g, 2.5 g, 5.0 g, 10 g, or 15 g daily), or placebo injections and transdermal gel for 12 weeks. MAIN OUTCOMES Serum T and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) were measured at baseline and every 2 weeks during treatment. Intraprostatic T and DHT concentrations were assessed from tissue obtained through ultrasound-guided prostate needle biopsies at week 12. Androgens were quantified by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. RESULTS 51 men completed the study and were included in the analysis. There were no significant adverse events. Exogenous T resulted in a dose-dependent increase in serum T and DHT concentrations (190-770 and 60-180 ng/dL, respectively). Although intraprostatic T differed among dose groups (P = .01), intraprostatic DHT was comparable regardless of T dose (P = .11) and was 10- to 20-fold greater than intraprostatic T. CONCLUSIONS In healthy, medically castrate men receiving exogenous T, the total intraprostatic androgen concentration (predominantly DHT) remained stable across serum T concentrations within the physiological range. These findings further our knowledge of the relationship between serum and intraprostatic androgens and suggest that physiological serum T achieved by TRT is unlikely to alter the prostate hormonal milieu.
Dynamic Conditional Correlation : A Simple Class of Multivariate GARCH Models

Time varying correlations are often estimated with Multivariate Garch models that are linear in squares and cross products of returns. A new class of multivariate models called dynamic conditional correlation (DCC) models is proposed. These have the flexibility of univariate GARCH models coupled with parsimonious parametric models for the correlations. They are not linear but can often be estimated very simply with univariate or two step methods based on the likelihood function. It is shown that they perform well in a variety of situations and give sensible empirical results.
A clinical and molecular genetics study of primary congenital glaucoma in South Korea

Objectives To investigate the clinical manifestations associated with the mutation spectrums of the human cytochrome P450 (CYP1B1) and myocilin (MYOC) genes in South Korean patients with primary congenital glaucoma (PCG). Methods Eighty-five unrelated PCG patients and their family members of South Korean origin were screened for mutations in the CYP1B1 and MYOC genes by sequencing with the PCR. We analysed phenotypes related to the presence, number and types of CYP1B1 mutations. In addition, the phenotype associated with the MYOC gene mutations was evaluated. Results There was no statistically significant difference in clinical studies between PCG patients with CYP1B1 mutations (N=63) and those without mutations (N=22), although the mutation group manifested disease earlier, with greater severity, and frequency in both eyes (p>0.05). However, the response to treatments was statistically different between groups and tended to be poor according to the number of mutant alleles (p=0.000, 0.0017). Patients with MYOC mutations (N=2) showed various phenotypic features. Conclusions No consistent correlation was observed between the initial clinical manifestations and the CYP1B1 genotype. However, the response to treatment was associated with the CYP1B1 mutant alleles. This is the first report discussing the phenotypes of South Korean PCG patients associated with CYP1B1 mutations.
Study of high temperature stable fiber Bragg gratings fabricated in H2 loaded and unloaded SMF-28 fiber

High reflectivity fiber Bragg gratings are written with ultrafast infrared radiation in H2 loaded SMF-28 fiber that retain in excess of 60 percent of their index change at 1000 °C using writing intensities below the damage threshold of the fiber. The reflectivity after annealing (>-15 dB transmission loss at the Bragg resonance) and index modulation (1×10-3) in these devices is significantly higher than what can be achieved with UV devices such as Type II, Type IIA and chemical composition gratings. In this study the stability of these devices is compared to that of gratings fabricated in unloaded SMF-28 fiber.
Frequent Infection of Cerebellar Granule Cell Neurons by Polyomavirus JC in Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy

Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) occurs most often in immunosuppressed individuals. The lesions of PML result from astrocyte and oligodendrocyte infection by the polyomavirus JC (JCV); JCV has also been shown to infect and destroy cerebellar granule cell neurons (GCNs) in 2 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients. To determine the prevalence and pattern of JCV infection in GCNs, we immunostained formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded cerebellar samples from 40 HIV-positive and 3 HIV-negative PML patients for JCV, and glial and neuronal markers. The JCV infection was detected in 30 patients (70%); 28 (93%) of them had JCV-infected cells in the GC layer; JCV-infected GCNs were demonstrated in 15 (79%) of 19 tested cases. The JCV regulatory T antigen was expressed more frequently and abundantly in GCNs than JCV VP1 capsid protein. None of 37 HIV-negative controls but 1 (3%) of 35 HIV-positive subjects without PML had distinct foci of JCV-infected GCNs. Thus, JCV infection of GCNs is frequent in PML patients and may occur in the absence of cerebellar white matter demyelinating lesions. The predominance of Tantigen over VP1 expression in GCNs suggests that they may be the site of early or latent central nervous system JCV infection. These results indicate that infection of GCNs is an important, previously overlooked, aspect of JCV pathogenesis in immunosuppressed individuals.
Cyclostationary Signature Detection in Multipath Rayleigh Fading Environments

Cognitive radio-based Open Spectrum systems offer a solution to the issue of spectrum scarcity by allowing wireless networks to dynamically access spectrum while coordinating to co-exist and avoid the creation of harmful interference. However, before a practical open spectrum system may be implemented, a number of significant technical and policy challenges must be overcome. One such technical challenge is the distributed coordination of operating frequencies and bandwidths between co-existing systems. Cyclostationary signatures have been shown to be a powerful tool in overcoming this challenge. A cyclostationary signature is a unique identifier or watermark which may be embedded in the physical properties of a communications signal. Such signatures may be used to aid peer devices in performing a number of critical tasks, including signal detection, classification and frequency acquisition. A key limitation of cyclostationary signatures when implemented in orthogonal frequency division multiplex (OFDM)-based systems is the sensitivity exhibited in time-variant multipath Rayleigh fading environments. Although OFDM-based systems offer robust performance under multipath conditions, detection of cyclostationary signatures can be severely degraded. As signature detection is adversely affected, the ability of Open Spectrum Systems to coordinate and coexist is seriously undermined. This paper therefore presents techniques for effectively over-coming the issue of multipath Rayleigh fading in the detection of cyclostationary signatures for Open Spectrum systems. Approaches for the generation and detection of signatures in OFDM-based waveforms are outlined and improvements in detection performance are illustrated using simulation results.
Ultrasound biomicroscopy in patients with unilateral pseudoexfoliation.

AIM To compare the anterior segment morphology evaluated using ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) in patients with clinical pseudoexfoliation syndrome (XFS) in one eye and no clinical XFS in the fellow eye. METHODS Thirty patients with unilateral XFS were included in the study. All patients underwent evaluation of their anterior segment using UBM with and without dilatation with 1% cyclopentolate. The anterior chamber depth (ACD), lens thickness (LT), anterior chamber angle (ACA), ciliary body thickness (CBT), scleral thickness (ST), trabeculae -ciliary processes distance (T-CPD), and iris-ciliary processes distance (I-CPD) were measured using UBM scans. All results between the eyes with clinical XFS and their fellow eyes without clinical XFS were then compared. RESULTS Before dilatation the eyes with XFS (4.350±0.531 mm) were found to have a significantly thicker lens (P=0.002) than the eyes without XFS (4.238±0.540 mm). In addition after dilatation, the eyes with XFS (4.310±0.500 mm) were found to have a significantly thicker lens than the eyes without XFS (4.160±0.480 mm) (P=0.019). The average ACD, for the group with XFS, comparing pre-dilatation (2.616±0.349 mm) and post-dilatation measurements (2.714±0.413) was found to be statistically increased (P=0.014). The average ACD, comparing pre-dilatation to post-dilatation measurements in patients without XFS (2.680±0.360), (2.720±0.500) was found to be statistically unchanged (P=0.450). DISCUSSION Crystalline lenses tended to be thicker in the eyes with clinical pseudoexfoliation than their fellow eyes without pseudoexfoliation.
STFU NOOB!: predicting crowdsourced decisions on toxic behavior in online games

One problem facing players of competitive games is negative, or toxic, behavior. League of Legends, the largest eSport game, uses a crowdsourcing platform called the Tribunal to judge whether a reported toxic player should be punished or not. The Tribunal is a two stage system requiring reports from those players that directly observe toxic behavior, and human experts that review aggregated reports. While this system has successfully dealt with the vague nature of toxic behavior by majority rules based on many votes, it naturally requires tremendous cost, time, and human efforts. In this paper, we propose a supervised learning approach for predicting crowdsourced decisions on toxic behavior with large-scale labeled data collections; over 10 million user reports involved in 1.46 million toxic players and corresponding crowdsourced decisions. Our result shows good performance in detecting overwhelmingly majority cases and predicting crowdsourced decisions on them. We demonstrate good portability of our classifier across regions. Finally, we estimate the practical implications of our approach, potential cost savings and victim protection.