Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Can initial intraspecific spatial aggregation increase multi-year coexistence by creating temporal priority?

Both intraspecific spatial aggregation and temporal priority effects have the potential to increase long-term species coexistence. Theory and models suggest that intraspecific aggregation can facilitate coexistence via limited dispersal or asymmetric interaction distances. During community assembly, intraspecific aggregation may also delay interactions between more and less competitive species, thus creating opportunities for priority effects to facilitate longer-term coexistence. Few empirical studies have tested predictions about aggregation and coexistence, especially in the context of community assembly or ecological restoration. We investigated (1) impacts of intraspecific aggregation on the assembly of eight-species communities over three years, (2) the scale dependence of these impacts, and (3) implications for California prairie restoration. We planted eight native species in each of 19, 5 m wide, octagonal plots. Species were either interspersed throughout the plot or aggregated into eight, 2.2-m(2), wedge-shaped, monospecific sectors. Over three years, species diversity declined more quickly in interspersed plots than in aggregated plots. Two species had higher cover or increased more in interspersed than aggregated plots and were identified as "aggressives. " Four species had higher cover or increased more in aggregated than interspersed plots and were identified as "subordinates. " Within aggregated plots, aggressive species expanded beyond the sector in which they were originally seeded. Cover of aggressive species increased faster and reached higher values in sectors that were adjacent to the originally planted sector, compared to nonadjacent sectors. Cover of aggressive species also increased more and faster near plot centers, compared to plot edges. Areas near plot centers were representative of smaller aggregation patches since species were planted closer to heterospecific neighbors. Two subordinate species maintained higher cover near plot edges than near plot centers. Moreover, two subordinate species maintained higher cover when seeded in sectors farther away from aggressive species. These results suggest that initial intraspecific aggregation can facilitate species coexistence for at least three years, and larger aggregation patches may be more effective than smaller ones in the face of dispersing dominants. The creation of temporal priority effects may represent an underappreciated pathway by which intraspecific aggregation can increase coexistence. Restorationists may be able to maintain more diverse communities by planting in a mosaic of monospecific patches.
Design, optimization and flight testing of a micro air vehicle

Micro Air Vehicles (MAVs) are a new type of aircraft maturing every year. The first mission-capable MAVs are already available on the market. Similarly to larger UAVs, MAVs may be used in a variety of applications, both military and civilian, such as situational awareness, reconnaissance, data relay, air sampling etc. This study describes the development of a method for rapid design and optimization based on some basic preliminary design parameters. Low aspect ratio (LAR) wing theory and experimental data by Mueller and Torres have been used to analytically predict the performance of the MAV. This has also been validated by the author’s wind tunnel experiments, also described in this thesis. The results of the wind tunnel experiments are presented. Performance of the propulsion system (motor, propeller, battery, speed controller) was evaluated using other commercially available tools. The design optimization concerns the wing geometry under certain constraints applied by the user. The design optimization code, which is based on Genetic Algorithms, was written in MATLAB. As a conclusion to the project, a prototype was built and successfully test flown, which proved the feasibility of the developed method. A detailed description of the manufacture and testing of the prototype is also included in this thesis.
Expresso: A database and web server for exploring the interaction of transcription factors and their target genes in Arabidopsis thaliana using ChIP-Seq peak data

Motivation: The increasing availability of chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-Seq) data enables us to learn more about the action of transcription factors in the regulation of gene expression. Even though in vivo transcriptional regulation often involves the concerted action of more than one transcription factor, the format of each individual ChIP-Seq dataset usually represents the action of a single transcription factor. Therefore, a relational database in which available ChIP-Seq datasets are curated is essential. Results: We present Expresso (database and webserver) as a tool for the collection and integration of available Arabidopsis ChIP-Seq peak data, which in turn can be linked to a user’s gene expression data. Known target genes of transcription factors were identified by motif analysis of publicly available GEO ChIP-Seq data sets. Expresso currently provides three services: 1) Identification of target genes of a given transcription factor; 2) Identification of transcription factors that regulate a gene of interest; 3) Computation of correlation between the gene expression of transcription factors and their target genes. Availability : Expresso is freely available at http://bioinformatics.cs. vt.edu/expresso/
Carrier recovery techniques on satellite mobile channels

An analytical method and a stored channel model were used to evaluate error performance of uncoded quadrature phase shift keying (QPSK) and M-ary phase shift keying (MPSK) trellis coded modulation (TCM) over shadowed satellite mobile channels in the presence of phase jitter for various carrier recovery techniques.
Surface Reconstruction from Multiple Views using Rational B-Splines

Abstract A method for reconstructing 3D rational B-spline surfaces from multiple views is proposed. The method takes advantage of the projective invariance properties of rational B-splines. Given feature correspondences in multiple views, the 3D surface is reconstructed via a four step framework. First, corresponding features in each view are given an initial surface parameter value (s,t), and a 2D B-spline is fitted in each view. After this initialization, an iterative minimization procedure alternates between updating the 2D B-spline control points and re-estimating each feature''s (s,t). Next, a non-linear minimization method is used to upgrade the 2D B-splines to 2D rational B-splines, and obtain a better fit. Finally, a factorization method is used to reconstruct the 3D B-spline surface given 2D B-splines in each view. This surface recovery method can be applied in both the perspective and orthographic case. The orthographic case allows the use of additional constraints in the recovery. Experiments with real and synthetic imagery demonstrate the efficacy of the approach for the orthographic case.
Simple extractors for all min-entropies and a new pseudo-random generator

We present a simple, self-contained extractor construction that produces good extractors for all min-entropies (min-entropy measures the amount of randomness contained in a weak random source). Our construction is algebraic and builds on a new polynomial-based approach introduced by A. Ta-Shma et al. (2001). Using our improvements, we obtain, for example, an extractor with output length m=k/sup 1-/spl delta// and seed length O(log n). This matches the parameters of L. Trevisan's (1999) breakthrough result and additionally achieves those parameters for small min-entropies k. Our construction gives a much simpler and more direct solution to this problem. Applying similar ideas to the problem of building pseudo-random generators, we obtain a new pseudo-random generator construction that is not based on the NW generator (N. Nisan and A. Widgerson, 1994), and turns worst-case hardness directly into pseudo-randomness. The parameters of this generator are strong enough to obtain a new proof that P=BPP if E requires exponential size circuits. Essentially, the same construction yields a hitting set generator with optimal seed length that outputs s/sup /spl Omega/(1)/ bits when given a function that requires circuits of size s (for any s). This implies a hardness versus randomness trade off for RP and BPP that is optimal (up to polynomial factors), solving an open problem raised by R. Impagliazzo et al. (1999). Our generators can also be used to derandomize AM.
Actigraphy in the assessment of insomnia: a quantitative approach.

STUDY OBJECTIVE The lack of quantitative criteria for identifying insomnia using actigraphy represents an unresolved limit for the use of actigraphy in a clinical setting. The current study was conducted to evaluate the most efficient actigraphic parameter in the assessment of insomnia and to suggest preliminary quantitative actigraphic criteria (QAC). PARTICIPANTS AND MEASUREMENTS Performing a retrospective study we recovered 408 actigraphic records from 3 sleep measure databases: 2 regarding insomnia patients (n = 126) and one normal sleepers (n = 282). We compared the 2 samples analyzing the following actigraphic sleep parameters: time in bed (TIB), sleep onset latency (SOL), total sleep time (TST), wake after sleep onset (WASO), sleep efficiency percentage (SE%), number of awakenings longer than 5 minutes (NA > 5) and mean motor activity (MA). Moreover, a linear discriminant function (LDF) was developed to identify and combine the most useful actigraphic sleep parameters to separate insomnia patients from normal sleepers. Using Youden index we calculated the preliminary QAC for each actigraphic sleep parameter and for LDF. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves for classifying the accuracy of QAC were performed. RESULTS All sleep parameters recorded by actigraphy significantly differentiated the 2 groups, except TIB. An LDF analysis showed that the most useful combination of actigraphic sleep parameters to assess insomnia was TST, SOL, and NA > 5, which obtained the best ROC and the best balance between positive and negative predictive values compared to any single actigraphic parameter. CONCLUSION Actigraphy provided a satisfactory objective measurement of sleep quality in insomnia patients. The combination of TST, SOL, and NA > 5 proved the best way to assess insomnia using actigraphy. Acknowledging that the lack of a technological standard and some methodological limitations prevent us generalizing our results, we recommend additional studies on larger populations using different actigraph models.
Illumination-free photometric metric for range image registration

This paper presents an illumination-free photometric metric for evaluating the goodness of a rigid transformation aligning two overlapping range images, under the assumption of Lambertian surface. Our metric is based on photometric re-projection error but not on feature detection and matching. We synthesize the color of one image using albedo of the other image to compute the photometric re-projection error. The unknown illumination and albedo are estimated from the correspondences induced by the input transformation using the spherical harmonics representation of image formation. This way allows us to derive an illumination-free photometric metric for range image alignment. We use a hypothesize-and-test method to search for the transformation that minimizes our illumination-free photometric function. Transformation candidates are efficiently generated by employing the spherical representation of each image. Experimental results using synthetic and real data show the usefulness of the proposed metric.
Content-Based Image Retrieval Using Support Vector Machine in digital image processing techniques

The rapid growth of computer technologies and the ad-vent of the World Wide Web have increased the amount and the complexity of multimedia information. A content-based image retrieval (CBIR) system has been developed as an ef-ficient image retrieval tool, whereby the user can provide their query to the system to allow it to retrieve the user’s desired image from the image database. However, the tradi-tional relevance feedback of CBIR has some limitations that will decrease the performance of the CBIR system, such as the imbalance of training-set problem, classification prob-lem, limited information from user problem, and insuffi-cient trainingset problem. Therefore, in this study, we pro-posed an enhanced relevance-feedback method to support the user query based on the representative image selection and weight ranking of the images retrieved. The support vector machine (SVM) has been used to support the learn-ing process to reduce the semantic gap between the user and the CBIR system. From these experiments, the proposed learning method has enabled users to improve their search results based on the performance of CBIR system. In addi-tion, the experiments also proved that by solving the imbal-ance training set issue, the performance of CBIR could be improved.
Estimation and Control of a Quadrotor Vehicle Using Monocular Vision and Moire Patterns

We present the vision-based estimation and control of a quadrotor vehicle using a single camera relative to a novel target that incorporates the use of moire patterns. The objective is to acquire the six degree of freedom estimation that is essential for the operation of vehicles in close proximity to other craft and landing platforms. A target contains markers to determine its relative orientation and locate two sets of orthogonal moire patterns at two difierent frequencies. A camera is mounted on the vehicle with the target in the fleld of view. An algorithm processes the images, extracting the attitude and position information of the camera relative to the target utilizing geometry and four single-point discrete Fourier transforms on the moire patterns. The position and yaw estimations with accompanying control techniques have been implemented on a remote-controlled quadrotor. The ∞ight tests conducted prove the system's feasibility as an option for precise relative navigation for indoor and outdoor operations.
Effects of the headgear-activator Teuscher appliance in the treatment of Class II Division 1 malocclusion: a geometric morphometric study.

OBJECTIVES To test the hypothesis that there are no gender differences in the outcomes of patients with class II malocclusion treated with the headgear-activator Teuscher appliance (HATA). DESIGN Retrospective, longitudinal SETTING AND SAMPLE POPULATION Puerto Rico and Scotland, UK. Thirty-one patients requiring correction of class II division 1 malocclusions. EXPERIMENTAL VARIABLE Male and female patients treated using HATA. OUTCOME MEASURES Mean pre- and post-treatment parameters derived from cephalometry subjected to t-tests, and finite-element scaling analysis (FESA), which localizes and quantifies differences between mean pre- and post-treatment configurations. RESULTS Post-treatment, cephalometry showed that for both males and females, angle SNA decreased, SNB increased, and lower facial heights increased significantly (p < 0.01). For the female post-treatment configuration, FESA revealed large size increases (approximately 20%) located in the inter-maxillary region, the ramus and mandibular body, and around the nasal and mental regions. Conversely, the lip region was diminished (approximately 20%). Similarly, male post-treatment showed size increases located in the inter-maxillary region that extended into the nasal region and the mandibular body (approximately 10-15%), and around the chin (15%). The lip region was diminished (approximately 5%). CONCLUSION In the attainment of a normal occlusion, both male and female patients treated for class II malocclusions using HATA exhibit antero-posterior restraint of the maxilla, improvements in the mandible maintaining facial height, and lip changes commensurate with improvements in the soft tissue profile.
DNA barcodes reveal microevolutionary signals in fire response trait in two legume genera

This article is one of the series of publications carried out as part of the ongoing revision of the genus Psoralea. The genus was last revised in 1930 by Miss Helena Forbes. Since then, no thorough revision has been carried out on the genus beside the 1981 generic changes by Prof C.H. Stirton where a new genus Otholobium is described. The two genera represent a recent and rapid diversification of a lineage with a center of diversity and endemism in the Cape Floristic Region of South Africa.
Late Ordovician trilobites from the Mayatas Formation, Atansor area, north-central Kazakhstan

ABSTRACT Two trilobite faunas of Late Ordovician (Katian) age are described from the Mayatas Formation in the Stepnyak region of north-central Kazakhstan. The older, oligotaxic fauna derives from flanks of a carbonate build-up, and is dominated by numerous Sphaerexochus specimens. Amphilichas is also relatively common, with Pliomerina and indeterminate asaphids present as rare components. The overlying unit of siliceous argillites contains a different assemblage, representing the raphiophorid biofacies and comprising seven genera. The poorly preserved fauna is dominated by blind trilobites (a new genus of trinucleid, the three-segmented raphiophorid Pseudampyxina, Malongullia? , Lonchodomas and Arthrorhachis) and at least two species of large-eyed Telephina, suggesting that they occupied the disphotic zone in deep water offshore. A single cranidium of the odontopleurid Primaspis is also present. The trinucleid, Iputaspis stepnyakensis gen. et sp. nov., has an unusual pit arrangement, with E1 and E2 aligned in sulci and all I arcs irregularly arranged. The Atansor area is located within the Stepnyak tectonostratigraphical unit, which probably represented an Ordovician active margin of the Kalmykkol–Kokchetav Microplate. Some of the genera represented in the faunas have affinities with Australia and South China and, also, there is a possible link to European peri-Gondwana.
Insulin Responses in Equivocal and Definite Diabetes, with Special Reference to Subjects Who Had Mild Glucose Intolerance but Later Developed Definite Diabetes

Insulin secretory responses during the 100-gm. glucose tolerance test (GTT) were studied in subjects who had or had had glucose intolerance. Patients who had metabolic diseases other than diabetes were excluded. The ratio (ΔIRI/ΔBS) of increments of blood insulin to blood sugar 30 minutes after glucose load was used as the most sensitive index to detect the abnormality of early Insulin release In diabetes. In patients with definite diabetes (I.e., those whose fasting blood sugar values (FBS) were or had been higher than 140 mg. /lOO ml. or who had diabetic retinopathy), ΔIRI/ΔBS ratios were almost invariably subnormal regardless of FBS levels and the types of glucose tolerance at the time of GTT. In the rest of the patients (equivocal diabetics), ΔIRI/ΔBS ratios were either normal or subnormal. The decrease in ΔIRI/ΔBS was a fairly stable characteristic of each individual; in 330 equivocal diabetics, only 28 cases (8.4 per cent) moved between high-and low-insulin-responder groups during the follow-up. In 39 patients who had equivocal diabetes at the initial examination but subsequently developed definite diabetes (20 who began to have FBS above 140 mg./lOO ml. and 19 who developed retinopathy), the insulin response were already subnormal at the initial GTT and remained low throughout the follow-up periods, although their glucose tolerance varied between normal, borderline, and diabetic types. Thus, definite diabetes occurred exclusively in the low-insulin-responder group among equivocal diabetics. The decrease in insulin response to glucose seems to be a more Inherent, specific, and stable feature of true diabetes than glucose intolerance, because it precedes the occurrence and persists after the remission of derangement of carbohydrate metabolism in definite diabetes.
Real-time optimization of personalized assortments

Motivated by the availability of real-time data on customer characteristics, we consider the problem of personalizing the assortment of products to each arriving customer. For an arriving customer of type z, the company must decide, in real-time, on the assortment of products to offer. Given the offered assortment, the customers make choices on which products to buy, if any, according to a general choice model that is specific to each customer type. Our goal is to develop a revenue-maximizing policy that determines the assortment to offer to each arriving customer, taking into account the customer type and the current inventories. We propose a family of simple and effective algorithms, called Inventory-Balancing, for real-time personalized assortment optimization. Each Inventory-Balancing algorithm is characterized by the penalty function that discounts the marginal revenue of each product, as the inventory level reduces. By adjusting the revenue of each product according to its remaining inventory, the algorithms hedges against the uncertainty in the types of future customers, by reducing the rate at which products with low inventory are offered. Thus, Inventory-Balancing serves as a simple mechanism that coordinates the front-end customer-facing decision with the back-end supply chain constraints. In particular, we prove that Inventory-Balancing algorithms with a strictly concave penalty function always obtain more than 50% of the optimal revenue. We also provide an Inventory-Balancing algorithm that obtains at least 1-1/e ≈ 63% of the benchmark revenue. The 63% ratio is optimal in the sense that no other deterministic or stochastic policies can achieve a higher value. In our numerical experiments, our algorithms perform even better than what is predicted by the worst-case bound, and they obtain revenues that are within 94% of the optimal. Through actual sales data from an online retailer, we also demonstrate that personalization based on each customer's location can lead to over 10% improvements in revenue, compared to a policy that treats all customers the same.
Combination of Rule-Based and Data-Driven Fusion Methodologies for Different Speaker Verification Modes of Operation

In this paper we present three methodologies for the fusion of different speaker verification modes of operation. Specifically, we investigate a knowledge-based (rule-based) method, based on biometrics and security knowledge, a data-driven method, based on machine learning fusion models and a combination of them. The experimental results indicate that the hybrid fusion architecture, which is the combination of knowledge-based and data-driven based fusion, offers both robustness against spoofing and improvement in speaker verification performance.
Inhibition of mycelia growth and norsolorinic acid accumulation of Aspergillus parasiticus by peanut seed endophytic bacteria

Control of peanut infection by aflatoxins is a worldwide problem. In this paper, five endophytic bacteria strains isolated from peanut seeds were assayed for their inhibition to mycelia growth and norsolorinic acid accumulation using Aspergillus parasiticus NA mutant as indicated strain. Results showed four bacteria had higher inhibition ability on PGY media contained the extract of peanut seeds than on GY media without the extract of peanut seeds by visual agar plate assay. In tip culture assay, the inhibition rates of five bacteria against mycelia growth were 88.56–90.15% while the inhibition rates of norsolorinic acid accumulation were 98.79–100%. Morphological and 16S rDNA identification indicated that SKP1–2, SKP1–1 and EKP1(4) belong to Bacillus subtilis, LKP2 belongs to Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, FKP3 belongs to Bacillus pumilus. The endophytic biocontrol bacteria isolated from peanut seeds will provide us plentiful of species and bioactive substance resources to control the aflatoxin contamination in peanut effectively.