Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Movement Prediction using Reservoir Computing

1. ABSTRACT In this work the Reservoir Computing (RC) technique; specifically the Liquid State Machine (LSM) was chosen to simulate a Movement Predictor system at minimum cost, experiencing both short and long term prediction. Also in this work shows the possibility to simulate the LSM without the need to event based simulation (i.e. proving that it is not urgent to interface the MATLAB programming language with other programming languages like C and C to simulate the LSM). The encoding from spiking to analog domain was avoided in this work. This means there is no waste in the input information due to the encoding process. Also this will result in simpler LSM scheme.
Poster: Auditory feedback of contact state during object manipulation

This paper reports our preliminary investigation of substituting haptic information in object manipulation with sound. A haptic sensation is considered to provide information such as the area of contact on the hand, the intensity of pressure, and the geometric features of the object in the contact area. In our investigation, this information was mapped to the pitch, timbre, volume level, and fluctuations in the pitch. The performance in object recognition and manipulation was evaluated, which showed that the representation of sound facilitated the performance of these tasks in non-visual conditions.
Age matters: efficient route discovery in mobile ad hoc networks using encounter ages

We propose FResher Encounter SearcH (FRESH), a simple algorithm for efficient route discovery in mobile ad hoc networks. Nodes keep a record of their most recent encounter times with all other nodes. Instead of searching for the destination, the source node searches for any intermediate node that encountered the destination more recently than did the source node itself. The intermediate node then searches for a node that encountered the destination yet more recently, and the procedure iterates until the destination is reached. Therefore, FRESH replaces the single network-wide search of current proposals with a succession of smaller searches, resulting in a cheaper route discovery. Routes obtained are loop-free.The performance of such a scheme will depend on the nodes' mobility processes. Under standard mobility processes our simulations show that route discovery cost can be decreased by an order of magnitude, a significant gain given that route discovery is a major source of routing overhead in ad hoc networks.
An Alternative Approach to the Ecological Effects of Mixed Pollution in Eastern Obolo

This study investigated the ecological effects of mixed pollution in Eastern Obolo communities in the Niger Delta area of Nigeria. There have been several debates on the subject matter of the interaction of the people of the Niger Delta with the oil firms over the past few years. The core of the debate often, is the hazard of oil and gas pollution on the environment. This study attempted to find other possible contributory sources of the pollution problems in the area. Five variables were selected namely; household waste disposal, human bodily waste, oil spillages, gas flaring, seismic and dredging activities. A population of 301 subjects was selected from 13 towns and villages between January 2009 and January 2011, using the stratified random sampling. Structured questionnaires were used. The model for analysis was the multiple regression models of Aldrich (2005) and Fisher (1922). The study finds that the ecological pollution of Eastern Obolo is not only caused by the activities of the oil firms (that is, gas flaring, seismic activities, dredging, and oil spillages) but also caused by the contributory effects of human bodily waste including faeces and household waste that are unreasonably and routinely being dumped in the environment by the natives. The study concludes by recommending for the inclusion of the natives in environmental decisions and policy formulations.
Quasi‐3‐D Seismic Reflection Imaging and Wide‐Angle Velocity Structure of Nearly Amagmatic Oceanic Lithosphere at the Ultraslow‐Spreading Southwest Indian Ridge

We present results from 3‐D processing of 2‐D seismic data shot along 100 m spaced profiles in a 1.8 km wide by 24 km long box during the SISMOSMOOTH 2014 cruise. The study is aimed at understanding the oceanic crust formed at an end‐member mid‐ocean ridge environment of nearly zero melt supply. Three distinct packages of reflectors are imaged: (1) south facing reflectors, which we propose correspond to the damage zone induced by the active axial detachment fault: reflectors in the damage zone have dips up to 60° and are visible down to 5 km below the seafloor; (2) series of north dipping reflectors in the hanging wall of the detachment fault: these reflectors may correspond to damage zone inherited from a previous, north dipping detachment fault, or small offset recent faults, conjugate from the active detachment fault, that served as conduits for isolated magmatic dykes; and (3) discontinuous but coherent flat‐lying reflectors at shallow depths (<1.5 km below the seafloor), and at depths between 4 and 5 km below the seafloor. Comparing these deeper flat‐lying reflectors with the wide‐angle velocity model obtained from ocean‐bottom seismometers data next to the 3‐D box shows that they correspond to parts of the model with P wave velocity of 6.5–8 km/s, suggesting that they occur in the transition between lower crust and upper mantle. The 4–5 km layer with crustal P wave velocities is interpreted as primarily due to serpentinization and fracturation of the exhumed mantle‐derived peridotites in the footwall of active and past detachment faults.
Attitude Control of a Quadrotor with Optimized PID Controller

A new approach to control, stabilization and disturbance rejection of attitude subsystem of quadrotor is presented in this article. Analytical method is used to tune conventional structure of PID controller. SISO approach is implemented for control structure to achieve desired objectives. The performance of the designed control structure is evaluated through time domain factors such as overshoot, settling time and integral error index, and robustness. A comparison is done between designed controller and back-step controller applied to main model of quadrotor. The results of simulation show the effectiveness of designed control scheme.
NWU-EECS-09-16 July 28 , 2009 Where the Sidewalk Ends Extending the Internet AS Graph Using Traceroutes From P 2 P Users

An accurate Internet topology graph is important in many areas of networking, from deciding ISP business relationships to diagnosing network anomalies. Most Internet mapping efforts have derived the network structure, at the level of interconnected autonomous systems (ASes), from a limited number of either BGPor traceroute-based data sources. While techniques for charting the topology continue to improve, the number of vantage points continues to shrink relative to the fast-paced growth of the
Role of c-Src in Human MCF7 Breast Cancer Cell Tumorigenesis*

To study the role of c-Src in breast cancer tumorigenesis, we generated a cell line derived from MCF7 carrying an inducible dominant negative c-Src (c-SrcDN: K295M/Y527F) under tetracycline control (Tet-On system). c-SrcDN expression caused phenotypic changes, relocation of c-Src, Fak, and paxillin, and loss of correct actin fiber assembly. These alterations were coupled to increased Fak-Tyr397 autophosphorylation and to inhibition of Fak-Tyr925, p130CAS, and paxillin phosphorylation. An increased association of total Src with Fak and a decreased interaction of p130CAS and p85-PI3K with Fak were also observed. SrcDN inhibited cell attachment, spreading, and migration. Serum and EGF-induced stimulation of cell proliferation and Akt phosphorylation were also significantly reduced by SrcDN, whereas p27Kip1 expression was increased. Consistently, silencing c-Src expression by siRNA in MCF7 cells significantly reduced cell migration, attachment, spreading and proliferation. Inoculation of MCF7 cells carrying inducible SrcDN to nude mice generated tumors. However, doxycycline administration to mice significantly reduced tumorigenesis, and when doxycycline treatment was installed after tumor development, a significant tumor regression was observed. In both situations, inhibition of tumorigenesis was associated with decreased Ki67 staining and increased apoptosis in tumors. These data undoubtedly demonstrate the relevance of the Src/Fak complex in breast cancer tumorigenesis.
Safe and Efficient Off-Policy Reinforcement Learning

In this work, we take a fresh look at some old and new algorithms for off-policy, return-based reinforcement learning. Expressing these in a common form, we derive a novel algorithm, Retrace($\lambda$), with three desired properties: (1) it has low variance; (2) it safely uses samples collected from any behaviour policy, whatever its degree of "off-policyness"; and (3) it is efficient as it makes the best use of samples collected from near on-policy behaviour policies. We analyze the contractive nature of the related operator under both off-policy policy evaluation and control settings and derive online sample-based algorithms. We believe this is the first return-based off-policy control algorithm converging a.s. to $Q^*$ without the GLIE assumption (Greedy in the Limit with Infinite Exploration). As a corollary, we prove the convergence of Watkins' Q($\lambda$), which was an open problem since 1989. We illustrate the benefits of Retrace($\lambda$) on a standard suite of Atari 2600 games.
Multiple antenna wireless communication systems: limits to capacity growth

We present a general multiple path scattering model for multiple transmit, multiple receive wireless systems. The model is generated using physical modelling of the scatterers surrounding transmit and the receive arrays. The condition of the resulting multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) transfer matrix is then examined. A key parameter /spl eta/ which determines the channel condition is identified. This parameter depends on the local scatter geometries, the separation of arrays, and the wavelength of the transmitted signal. We show that there exists a critical value for this parameter at which the channel condition changes sharply. The implication is that the promised linear growth in channel capacity may not eventuate if the separation of the transmit and receive arrays is large (/spl ap/10/spl times/ or 20/spl times/ at 2 GHz) compared with the distance from array elements to local scatterers. Monte-Carlo simulations are used to demonstrate these claims.
In vivo comparative study of RNAi methodologies by in ovo electroporation in the chick embryo

The combination of emergent RNA interference (RNAi) technology with in ovo electroporation in the chick embryo has the potential to provide a powerful and rapid means for functional analyses of novel genes in vivo. In this study, we show that electroporation of short 21‐bp RNA duplexes (siRNAs) is a quick and simple method for silencing exogenous and endogenous gene expression in vivo. Quantitative comparisons with two other RNAi protocols that use long double‐stranded RNA duplexes and endonuclease‐digested duplexes (esiRNAs) demonstrate that siRNAs are significantly more effective at reducing gene expression. Furthermore, we also find that much higher amounts of siRNA are required for silencing of endogenous gene expression relative to plasmid‐borne reporter constructs. In short, these results demonstrate that siRNAs are the most effective type of double‐stranded RNA duplex for silencing gene expression and suggest that there might be important differences between silencing endogenous and exogenous genes. Finally, we review the parameters for each of these RNA‐based methods of RNAi and the controls required to analyze RNAi data in the context of the developing vertebrate embryo. Developmental Dynamics 231:592–600, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The role of regional anaesthesia in the surgical management of vulval malignancy

Abstract Surgical excision is the management of choice in vulval cancer however, the patient population are typically elderly and comorbid, for whom general anaesthesia (GA) carries considerable risk. The outcome of 107 procedures were reviewed in order investigate the postoperative complication rates associated with general and regional anaesthesia for the surgical management of vulval cancer. GA was used in 78 (72.9%) cases; 27 (22.9%) had a regional anaesthetic (spinal/epidural/ileoinguinal) and two women had a GA following a failed spinal anaesthetic. Women having a regional anaesthetic were significantly older (p = 0.0198), had a higher ACE (p = 0.0001) and ASA score (p < 0.0001) than those having a GA. There was an association between GA and grade II+ complications, compared with regional techniques (odds ratio, OR 2.72) but this was not significant due to the small number of events. Regional anaesthetic techniques are safe, well-tolerated alternatives to GA for the surgical management of vulval cancer, especially in an elderly and comorbid population.
Hedgehog signaling controls dorsoventral patterning, blastema cell proliferation and cartilage induction during axolotl tail regeneration

Tail regeneration in urodeles requires the coordinated growth and patterning of the regenerating tissues types, including the spinal cord, cartilage and muscle. The dorsoventral (DV) orientation of the spinal cord at the amputation plane determines the DV patterning of the regenerating spinal cord as well as the patterning of surrounding tissues such as cartilage. We investigated this phenomenon on a molecular level. Both the mature and regenerating axolotl spinal cord express molecular markers of DV progenitor cell domains found during embryonic neural tube development, including Pax6, Pax7 and Msx1. Furthermore, the expression of Sonic hedgehog (Shh) is localized to the ventral floor plate domain in both mature and regenerating spinal cord. Patched1 receptor expression indicated that hedgehog signaling occurs not only within the spinal cord but is also transmitted to the surrounding blastema. Cyclopamine treatment revealed that hedgehog signaling is not only required for DV patterning of the regenerating spinal cord but also had profound effects on the regeneration of surrounding, mesodermal tissues. Proliferation of tail blastema cells was severely impaired, resulting in an overall cessation of tail regeneration, and blastema cells no longer expressed the early cartilage marker Sox9. Spinal cord removal experiments revealed that hedgehog signaling, while required for blastema growth is not sufficient for tail regeneration in the absence of the spinal cord. By contrast to the cyclopamine effect on tail regeneration, cyclopamine-treated regenerating limbs achieve a normal length and contain cartilage. This study represents the first molecular localization of DV patterning information in mature tissue that controls regeneration. Interestingly, although tail regeneration does not occur through the formation of somites, the Shh-dependent pathways that control embryonic somite patterning and proliferation may be utilized within the blastema, albeit with a different topography to mediate growth and patterning of tail tissues during regeneration.
Predictions and Bounds of IDA* with Conditional Distributions

(Korf, Reid, & Edelkamp 2001) introduced a formula to predict the number of nodes IDA* will expand given the static distribution of heuristic values. Their formula proved to be very accurate but it is only accurate under the following limitations: (1) the heuristic must be consistent; (2) the prediction is for a large random sample of start states (or for large thresholds). In this paper we generalize the static distribution to a conditional distribution of heuristic values. We then propose a new formula for predicting the performance of IDA* that works well for inconsistent heuristics (Zahavi et al. 2007) and for any set of start states, not just a random sample. We also show how the formula can be enhanced to work well for single start states. Experimental results demonstrate the accuracy of our method in all these situations.
A Combined Approach for Mining Fuzzy Frequent Itemset

Frequent Itemset Mining is an important approach for Market Basket Analysis. Earlier, the frequent itemsets are determined based on the customer transactions of binary data. Recently, fuzzy data are used to determine the frequent itemsets because it provides the nature of frequent itemset ie. , it describes whether the frequent itemset consists of only highly purchased items or medium purchased items or less purchased items or combination of all these based on the fuzzy partitions correspond to quantity purchased. This paper concentrates on fuzzy frequent itemset mining in multi-dimensional aspect by combining previously used approaches. This proposed approach initially creates fuzzy partitions for numerical attributes and selects the fuzzy partitions to construct the fuzzy records and create the cluster-based fuzzy set table. Then, it uses cluster-based fuzzy set table, finds the fuzzy frequent itemset and reduces the size of the cluster-based fuzzy set table iteratively. Finally, it concludes with the large fuzzy frequent itemset. This paper also compares the proposed approach with the fuzzy Apriori approach and suggests the proposed approach is better than existing fuzzy Apriori approach.
Source-adaptive power allocation for digital modulation

A novel joint source channel-coding technique called source-adaptive power allocation is introduced for the transmission of continuous-amplitude waveform source samples over a noisy channel. Starting from a binary or quaternary digital modulation scheme we apply a power control, which depends on the unquantized source samples, to the modulation signal points before they are transmitted over the channel. The resulting system shows strongly superior performance compared with conventional schemes.
The function of Mim1 in the biogenesis of the mitochondrial TOM complex

The translocase of the outer mitochondrial membrane (TOM complex) is the general entry site for newly synthesized proteins into the organelle. The translocase is a multi-subunit complex composed of seven subunits: two receptor proteins, Tom70 and Tom20, and five components which form the core complex, Tom40, Tom22, Tom7, Tom6, and Tom5. In this thesis it is shown that Mim1 is required for the integration of the import receptor Tom20 into the outer membrane but not for its assembly into the TOM complex. Structural characteristics of Mim1 required for its function were studied in detail. Mim1 forms homooligomeric structures via its transmembrane segment which contains two helix-dimerization GXXXG/A motifs. The homooligomerization is a precondition for the function of Mim1 in mediating the integration of Tom20 into the mitochondrial outer membrane.
Characterizing focal hepatic lesions by free-breathing intravoxel incoherent motion MRI at 3.0 T

Background Diffusion-weighted (DW) imaging is commonly used to distinguish between benign and malignant liver lesions. Purpose To prospectively evaluate the true molecular-diffusion coefficient (D), perfusion-related diffusion coefficient (D*), perfusion fraction (f), and ADC of focal hepatic lesions using a free-breathing intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) DW sequence, and to determine if these parameters are useful for characterizing focal hepatic lesions. Material and Methods One hundred and twenty hepatic lesions (34 metastases, 32 hepatocellular carcinoma [HCC], 33 hemangiomas, and 21 liver cysts) in 74 patients were examined. Mean D, D*, f, and ADC values of hepatic lesions were compared among pathologies. ROC curve analyses were performed to assess the performances of D, D*, f, and ADC values for the characterization of liver lesions as benign or malignant. Results The mean D and ADC values of benign lesions were greater than those of malignant lesions (P < 0.001). Although the mean D and ADC values of liver cysts were greater than those of hemangiomas (P < 0.001), and these values were not significantly different between metastases and HCCs (P = 0.99). Area under the ROC curve for ADC values (0.98) was significantly greater (P = 0.048) than that for D values (0.96) for the differentiation of benign and malignant lesions. Sensitivity and specificity for the detection of malignant lesion were 89% and 98%, respectively, when an ADC cut-off value of 1.40 was applied. Conclusion D and ADC values have more potential for characterizing focal hepatic lesions than D* or f values, and for the differentiation of malignancy and benignity.
Sphene and Zircon Fission Track Analysis of Syenite Rocks of the Sushina Hills, Purulia-Bankura Shear Zone (TPSZ)

Sushina hills are situated in the Purulia-Bankura Shear Zone. This is tectonically disturbed narrow zone nearly 100 Km long having WNW-ESE trend. Two different rock assemblages namely Chhotanagpur Gneissic Complex and rocks of Singhbhum Group occur on the two sides of this shear zone. In this paper, I have used fission track ages of two cogenetic minerals and their corresponding closure temperatures to describe the denudation history. The difference of their fission track ages provides the rate of denudation 4 m/Ma during the period 970Ma-1458Ma due to tectonic activity. The youngest age of zircon of 970Ma represents the timing of the initiation of denudation.
Effect of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors and Immunomodulator on Cytokines Levels: An Alternative Therapy for Patients with Major Depressive Disorder

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a psychiatric illness that presents as a deficit of serotonergic neurotransmission in the central nervous system. MDD patients also experience alterations in cortisol and cytokines levels. Treatment with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) is the first-line antidepressant regimen for MDD. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of a combination of SSRIs and an immunomodulator—human dialyzable leukocyte extract (hDLE)—on cortisol and cytokines levels. Patients received SSRIs or SSRIs plus hDLE. The proinflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-2, and IFN-γ; anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-13 and IL-10; and 24-h urine cortisol were measured at weeks (W) 0, 5, 20, 36, and 52 of treatment. The reduction in cortisol levels in the SSRI-treated group was 30% until W52, in contrast, the combined treatment induced a 54% decrease at W36. The decline in cortisol in patients who were treated with SSRI plus hDLE correlated with reduction of anti-inflammatory cytokines and increases levels of proinflammatory cytokines at the study conclusion. These results suggest that the immune-stimulating activity of hDLE, in combination with SSRIs, restored the pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine balance and cortisol levels in depressed patients versus those who were given SSRIs alone.
Image Fusion With Guided Filtering

A fast and effective image fusion method is proposed for creating a highly informative fused image through merging multiple images. The proposed method is based on a two-scale decomposition of an image into a base layer containing large scale variations in intensity, and a detail layer capturing small scale details. A novel guided filtering-based weighted average technique is proposed to make full use of spatial consistency for fusion of the base and detail layers. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method can obtain state-of-the-art performance for fusion of multispectral, multifocus, multimodal, and multiexposure images.