Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Time domain characteristics of hoof-ground interaction at the onset of stance phase.

REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY Little is known about the interaction of the hoof with the ground at the onset of stance phase although is it widely believed that high power collisions are involved in the aetiopathology of several conditions causing lameness. OBJECTIVES To answer 3 questions regarding the fundamental nature of hoof-ground collision: (1) is the collision process deterministic for ground surfaces that present a consistent mechanical interface (2) do collision forces act on the hoof in a small or large range of directions and (3) Is the hoof decelerated to near-zero velocity by the initial deceleration peak following ground contact? METHODS Hoof acceleration during the onset of stance phase was recorded using biaxial accelerometry for horses trotting on a tarmac surface and on a sand surface. Characteristics of the collision process were identified both from vector plots and time series representations of hoof acceleration, velocity and displacement. RESULTS The response of the hoof to collision with smooth tarmac was predominantly deterministic and consistent with the response of a spring-damper system following shock excitation. The response to collision with sand was predominantly random. The deceleration peak following ground contact did not decelerate the hoof to near-zero velocity on tarmac but appeared to on sand. On both surfaces, collision forces acted on the hoof in a wide range of directions. CONCLUSIONS The study suggests the presence of stiff, viscoelastic structures within the foot that may act as shock absorbers isolating the limb from large collision forces. POTENTIAL RELEVANCE The study indicates objectives for future in vivo and in vitro research into the shock absorbing mechanism within the equine foot; and the effects of shoe type and track surface properties on the collision forces experienced during locomotion. Studies of this nature should help to establish a link between musculoskeletal injury, hoof function and hoof-ground interaction if, indeed, one exists.
Tuning the capacity of search engines: Load-driven routing and incremental caching to reduce and balance the load

This article introduces an architecture for a document-partitioned search engine, based on a novel approach combining collection selection and load balancing, called load-driven routing. By exploiting the query-vector document model, and the incremental caching technique, our architecture can compute very high quality results for any query, with only a fraction of the computational load used in a typical document-partitioned architecture. By trading off a small fraction of the results, our technique allows us to strongly reduce the computing pressure to a search engine back-end; we are able to retrieve more than 2/3 of the top-5 results for a given query with only 10% the computing load needed by a configuration where the query is processed by each index partition. Alternatively, we can slightly increase the load up to 25% to improve precision and get more than 80% of the top-5 results. In fact, the flexibility of our system allows a wide range of different configurations, so as to easily respond to different needs in result quality or restrictions in computing power. More important, the system configuration can be adjusted dynamically in order to fit unexpected query peaks or unpredictable failures. This article wraps up some recent works by the authors, showing the results obtained by tests conducted on 6 million documents, 2,800,000 queries and real query cost timing as measured on an actual index.
Video Jitter Detection Algorithm Based on Principal Component Analysis

A simple and efficient detection algorithm is proposed for the problem of image jitter detection in video quality diagnosis system. In the algorithm the gray projection feature is selected to calculate the correlation of motion vector, which effectively solve the threshold selection problem. PCA is used to calculate the main direction of displacement vector. And the projection relationship of motion vectors in the main direction of displacement vector is used to judge the jitter. This way effectively utilizes the statistical characteristics, enhances the ability of anti-noise and reduces the rate of false positives. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm can effectively detect the jitter of video images, and can meet the needs of the actual work.
Spatio-temporal case-based reasoning for behavioral selection

Presents the application of a case-based reasoning approach to the selection and modification of behavioral assemblage parameters. The goal of this research is to achieve an optimal parameterization of robotic behaviors in run-time. This increases robot performance and makes a manual configuration of parameters unnecessary. The case-based reasoning module selects a set of parameters for an active behavioral assemblage in real-time. This set of parameters fits the environment better than hand-coded ones, and its performance is monitored providing feedback for a possible reselection of the parameters. The paper places a significant emphasis on the technical details of the case-based reasoning module and how it is integrated within a schema-based reactive navigation system. The paper also presents the results and evaluation of the system in both in simulation and real world robotic experiments.
Abstraction in Reinforcement Learning Situation Dependent Spatial Abstraction in Reinforcement Learning Based on Structural Knowledge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Improving Bayesian Reinforcement Learning Using Transition Abstraction

Bayesian Reinforcement Learning (BRL) provides an optimal solution to on-line learning while acting, but it is computationally intractable for all but the simplest problems: at each decision time, an agent should weigh all possible courses of action by beliefs about future outcomes constructed over long time horizons. To improve tractability, previous research has focused on sparsely sampling possible courses of action that are most relevant to computing value; however, sampling alone does not scale well to larger environments. In this paper, we investigate whether an abstraction called projects— parts of the transition dynamics that bias the look ahead to areas of the environment that are promising—can scale up BRL to larger environments. We modify a sparse sampler to incorporate projects. We test our algorithm on standard problems that require effective exploration–exploitation balance and show that learning can be significantly sped up compared to a simpler BRL and the classic Q-learning.
DIAMOD: display and modeling of DNA bending

MOTIVATION DIAMOD (Displayandmodeling ofDNA) was created as a user-friendly software for exploring and better understanding DNA structural variations, particularly DNA bending. It was intended to be as open as possible so that any of the existing or future predictive models can be used with it. RESULTS DIAMOD features graphic display and interactive manipulation of DNA molecules on the screen. Since it works with di-, tri- or tetranucleotide models supplied as external files of angular parameters, it was recently used to evaluate critically all available predictive models for DNA bending. The program has a unique option to insert bends at defined positions in DNA sequence independently of the currently used model, which enables the simulation of both intrinsic and protein-induced kinking. Finally, many output file formats facilitate the sharing of data with other programs and the creation of visually pleasing images. AVAILABILITY The program is available on request to academic users free of charge. It will be distributed via the WWW (http://www-personal.umich.edu/ mensur/software.html). Users with no network access can get a copy directly from the author. CONTACT mensur@umich.edu
A generic search strategy for large-scale real-world networks

We consider the following situation for a given large-scale network: Starting from an initial node we move to its neighbor node and repeat that until reaching a target node. How fast can we do this without any global topological information? This problem is considered "searching networks", and several approaches have been proposed. In this paper, we present a general framework of search strategies, under which all of these existing approaches can be formalized. Our framework characterizes random search strategies by the following three parameters: memory for previously-visited nodes, look-ahead property and transition probability. Through computational simulations for large-scale networks with small-worldness and scale-freeness, we investigate the relationship between the effect of parameters of the strategies and the coefficients of networks such as the clustering coefficient. The comparison result provides a guideline to obtain good parameters of the strategies according to the diameter and the clustering coefficients of networks.
Bacteriophage Morphological Characterization by Using Transmission Electron Microscopy

Bacteriophages or more commonly “phages” are bacterial viruses. They are ubiquitous and good indicators of bacterial contaminations since their prevalence is high in those environments where their hosts are abundant. Phage classification is based on morphology and for this reason, even though it is considered an old technique, TEM (Transmission Electron Microscopy) still plays a key role in their characterization. In the present work, the authors focused on TEM analysis of phage ɸApr-1 isolated against Lactococcus lactis (L. lactis), implicated in industrial fermentations and of phage ɸIZSAM-1, active against Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes), isolated from the environment. For observation with TEM (EM 900T-Zeiss), phages were harvested in liquid media and were negative stained with fosfotungstic acid 2‰. An accurate viral ultrastructure analysis by using TEM is fundamental not only in the first approach of characterization of newly isolated phages but also for providing useful information to go further to the selection process as potential bio-decontaminants.
Unifying File System Protection

This paper describes an efficient and elegant architecture for unifying the meta-data protection of journaling file systems with the data integrity protection of collision-resistant cryptographic hashes. Traditional file system journaling protects the ordering of meta-data operations to maintain consistency in the presence of crashes. However, journaling does not protect important system meta-data and application data from modification or misrepresentation by faulty or malicious storage devices. With the introduction of both storage-area networking and increasingly complex storage systems into server architectures, these threats become an important concern. This paper presents the protected file system (PFS), a file system that unifies the meta-data update protection of journaling with strong data integrity. PFS computes hashes from data blocks and uses these hashes to verify the correctness of data. Hashes are stored within a system log, apart from the blocks they describe, but potentially on the same storage system. The write-ahead logging (WAL) protocol and the file system buffer cache are used to aggregate hash writes and allow hash computations and writes to proceed in the background. PFS does not require the sharing of secrets between the operating system and the storage system nor the deployment of any special cryptographic firmware or hardware. PFS is an end-to-end solution and will work with any block-oriented device, from a disk drive to a monolithic RAID system, without modification.
CAMBRA as a Tool for Caries Risk Prediction Among 12- to 13-year-old Institutionalised Children - A Longitudinal Follow-up Study.

PURPOSE To evaluate CAMBRA (Caries Management by Risk Assessment) as a tool for caries risk prediction among 12- to 13-year-old institutionalised children and to validate it against the new increment of caries lesions. MATERIALS AND METHODS A longitudinal follow-up study was conducted among 72 institutionalised children. Baseline data were collected in the month of August, 2011. Children were individually interviewed to record the nonclinical information necessary to complete the CAMBRA. Clinical information for the assessment of visible plaque was recorded using the Silness and Löe plaque index and evidence of decalcification and caries was recorded using ICDAS criteria. The children underwent the follow-up examination in August 2013 to determine the new increment of dental caries. RESULTS 19.44% of the subjects were classified as low risk, 22.22% as moderate risk, and 58.33% as high risk for caries. The highest odds ratio (OR) for disease indicators was 7.31 for restorations in the last 3 years. The highest OR for pathological factors was 7.15 for mutans streptococci, followed by 5.54 for visible heavy plaque. The highest OR for protective factors was 0.56, i.e. a negative association of fluoride toothpaste. Among those subjects assessed as moderate and high risk for caries at baseline, 37.5% and 47.6%, respectively, had new cavities at the follow-up examination. Sensitivity for CAMBRA was found to be 47.62% with a specificity of 80%, and the area under the ROC curve was found to be 0.638. CONCLUSION CAMBRA was valid and highly predictive in determining the caries risk among institutionalised children.
Does Changing Androgen Receptor Status during Prostate Cancer Development Impact upon Cholesterol Homeostasis?

Background Recent evidence associates prostate cancer with high cholesterol levels, with cholesterol being an important raw material for cell-growth. Within the cell, cholesterol homeostasis is maintained by two master transcription factors: sterol-regulatory element-binding protein 2 (SREBP-2) and liver X receptor (LXR). We previously showed that the androgen receptor, a major player in prostate cell physiology, toggles these transcription factors to promote cholesterol accumulation. Given that prostate cancer therapy targets the androgen receptor, selecting for cells with altered androgen receptor activity, how would this affect SREBP-2 and LXR activity? Using a novel prostate cancer progression model, we explored how this crosstalk between the androgen receptor and cholesterol homeostasis changes during prostate cancer development. Methodology/Principal Findings Firstly, we characterised our progression model, which involved 1) culturing LNCaP cells at physiological testosterone levels to generate androgen-tolerant LNCaP-305 cells, and 2) culturing LNCaP-305 with the anti-androgen casodex to generate castration-resistant LNCaP-364 cells. This progression was accompanied by upregulated androgen receptor expression, typically seen clinically, and a reduction in androgen receptor activity. Although this influenced how SREBP-2 and LXR target genes responded to androgen treatment, cellular cholesterol levels and their response to changing sterol status was similar in all LNCaP sub-lines. Conclusion/Significance Overall cholesterol homeostasis is unaffected by changing androgen receptor activity in prostate cancer cells. This does not negate the relationship between androgens and cholesterol homeostasis, but rather suggests that other factors compensate for altered androgen receptor activity. Given that cholesterol regulation is maintained during progression, this supports the growing idea that cholesterol metabolism is a suitable target for prostate cancer.
Understanding Data Videos: Looking at Narrative Visualization through the Cinematography Lens

Data videos, motion graphics that incorporate visualizations about facts, are increasingly gaining popularity as a means of telling stories with data. However, very little is systematically recorded about (a) what elements are featured in data videos and (b) the processes used to create them. In this article, we provide initial insights to build this knowledge. We first report on a qualitative analysis of 50 professionally designed data videos, extracting and exposing their most salient constituents. Second, we report on a series of workshops with experienced storytellers from cinematography, graphics design and screenplay writing. We provided them with a set of data facts and visualizations and observed them create storyboards for data videos. From these exploratory studies, we derive broader implications for the design of an authoring tool to enable a wide audience to create data videos. Our findings highlight the importance of providing a flexible tool supporting a non-linear creation process and allowing users to iteratively go back to different phases of the process.
NUP145 encodes a novel yeast glycine-leucine-phenylalanine-glycine (GLFG) nucleoporin required for nuclear envelope structure

We have isolated and characterized the gene encoding a fourth yeast glycine-leucine-phenylalanine-glycine (GLFG) repeat nucleoporin with a calculated molecular mass of 145.3 kD, and therefore termed NUP145. The amino-terminal half of Nup145p is similar to two previously identified GLFG nucleoporins, Nup116p and Nup100p (Wente, S. R., M. P. Rout, and G. Blobel. 1992. J. Cell Biol. 119:705-723). A deletion/disruption in the amino-terminal half of NUP145 (nup145 delta N) had only a slight effect on cell growth at temperatures between 17 and 37 degrees C. However, immunofluorescence microscopy of nup145 delta N cells with antinucleoporin antibodies showed that the characteristic punctate nuclear staining normally seen in wild-type yeast cells was reduced, with the majority of the signal located in one or two intense spots at the nuclear periphery. Thin section electron microscopy analysis revealed the presence of what appeared to be successive herniations of the nuclear envelope forming grape-like structures at primarily one site on the nup145 delta N nuclei. These successive herniations contained numerous NPC-like structures, correlating to the limited bright patches of anti-nucleoporin immunofluorescence signal. In some cases the successive herniations were small. Occasionally, however, multi-lobulated nuclei were seen. We suggest that the ultrastructural phenotype of nup145 delta N cells is due to a defective interaction of nup145 delta N NPCs with the surrounding pore membrane domain of the nuclear envelope. We have also analyzed the synthetic lethal phenotypes among GLFG nucleoporin mutant alleles, and found that strains harboring nup116 and either nup100 or nup145 mutations were not viable. This, in combination with the morphological analysis, may reflect overlapping yet distinct roles for these three GLFG nucleoporins in NPC-nuclear envelope interactions.
Suppressing Epidemics in Networks Using Priority Planning

In this paper, we analyze a large class of dynamic resource allocation (DRA) strategies, named priority planning, that aim to suppress SIS epidemics taking place in a network. This is performed by distributing treatments of limited efficiency to its infected nodes, according to a priority-order precomputed offline. Under this perspective, an efficient DRA strategy for a given network can be designed by learning a proper linear arrangement of its nodes. In our theoretical analysis, we derive upper and lower bounds for the extinction time of the diffusion process that reveal the role of the maxcut of the considered linear arrangement. Accordingly, we highlight that the cutwidth, which is the minimum maxcut of all possible linear arrangements for a network, is a fundamental network property that determines the resource budget required to suppress the epidemic under priority planning. Finally, by making direct use of our theoretical results, we propose a novel and efficient DRA strategy, called maxcut minimization (MCM), which outperforms other competing strategies in our simulations, while offering desirable robustness under various noise profiles.
Relationship-based Visualization of High-dimensional Data Clusters

In several real-life data mining applications, data resides in very high (> 1000) dimensional space, where both clustering techniques developed for low dimensional spaces ( k-means, BIRCH, CLARANS, CURE, DBScan etc) as well as visualization methods such as parallel coordinates or projective visualizations, are rendered ineffective. This paper proposes a relationship based approach to clustering that alleviates both problems, side-stepping the “curse of dimensionality” issue by working in a suitable similarity space instead of the original high-dimensional attribute space. The similarity measure used can be tailored to satisfy business criteria such as obtaining user clusters representing comparable amounts of revenue. The clustering algorithm is used to re-order the data points so that the resulting (rearranged) similarity matrix can be readily visualized in two dimensions, with clusters showing up as bands. While such visualization is not novel, the two key contributions of our method are: (i) it leads to clusters of (approximately) equal importance, and (ii) related clusters show up adjacent to one another, further facilitating the visualization of results. Both properties arise from the efficient and scalable top-down graphpartitioning approach used for clustering in similarity space. The visualization is very helpful for assessing and improving clustering. For example, actionable recommendations for splitting or merging of clusters can be easily derived, and it also guides the user towards the right number of clusters. Results are presented on a real retail industry data-set of several thousand customers and products, as well as on clustering of web document collections.
Broadcasting in unreliable radio networks

Practitioners agree that unreliable links, which sometimes deliver messages and sometime do not, are an important characteristic of wireless networks. In contrast, most theoretical models of radio networks fix a static set of links and assume that these links are reliable. This gap between theory and practice motivates us to investigate how unreliable links affect theoretical bounds on broadcast in radio networks. To that end we consider a model that includes two types of links: reliable links, which always deliver messages, and unreliable links, which sometimes fail to deliver messages. We assume that the reliable links induce a connected graph, and that unreliable links are controlled by a worst-case adversary. In the new model we show an Ω(n log n) lower bound on deterministic broadcast in undirected graphs, even when all processes are initially awake and have collision detection, and an Ω(n) lower bound on randomized broadcast in undirected networks of constant diameter. This separates the new model from the classical, reliable model. On the positive side, we give two algorithms that tolerate unreliability: an O(n3/2 √log n)-time deterministic algorithm and a randomized algorithm which terminates in O(n log2 n) rounds with high probability.
Design and functional evaluation of an epidermal strain sensing system for hand tracking

This study demonstrates soft, epidermal resistive strain gauges capable of tracking finger joint angle during dexterous manipulation tasks. Intrinsically stretchable, biphasic, gallium-based metal films embedded in an elastomeric substrate allow for extremely thin (<;50 μm) and skin-conforming wearable sensors with outstanding robustness. The sensors sustain repeated cycling to 50% strain and are insensitive to normal pressure up to 100 kPa. Following a calibration phase, we recorded flexions of a human finger using the soft sensors and compared their joint angle estimation to that of a commercial marker-based visual motion tracking system. The accuracy of our system (defined as the mean angular deviation between our sensors' output and the reference system) was below 9° over a set of 11 different grasping and motion tasks. We demonstrate the scalability and wearability of our technology with a three-finger sensing system used to track the fine movements of a pianist hand. Our soft technology is a promising candidate for implementation of truly wearable proprioceptive sensing systems.