Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Development of eight-plex microsatellite PCR for parentage control in deer

Nine loci have been compiled into two multiplex microsatellite polymerase chain reaction (PCR) sets (four and five loci) and used as a tool to determine the most probable hind for each calf. The two sets were suitable to combine them in an eight-plex reaction. The exclusion probabilities of the eight-plex reaction and the nine loci were 99.3 and 99.6 % respectively, which allows the routine application of eight loci in wildlife management – as a first attempt to use molecular genetic information for such a task and it eliminates multiple sample handling in consecutive PCRs. Two loci out of the nine were never been used in deer previously.
Rank Reduced ESPRIT Techniques in the Estimation of Principle Signal Components

In this paper, we present novel rank reduced ES- PRIT algorithms to estimate principle signal components with low computational complexity, which can typically be applied in the high resolution identification of closely spaced wireless multipath channels. These algorithms transform the generalized eigen-problem from an original high dimensional space to a lower dimensional space depending on the number of desired principle signals. As only principle singular values and vectors are required, fast algorithms such as the power method can be applied to greatly simplify the proposed algorithm and make it implementable in real time.
Ontology Enhanced Clustering Based Summarization of Medical Documents

The growing amount of data, the short of structured information and the information diversity have made information and knowledge management a real challenge. Even though larger quantities of data are merely available, easier access to the required information at the right time and in the most appropriate form is still difficult. Particularly the medical domain suffers typically from the problem of information overload since it is essential for physicians and researchers in medicine and biology to have quick and efficient access to up-to-date information according to their interests and requirements. Methodologies are needed to support users whose knowledge of medical vocabularies is inadequate to find the desired information and for medical experts who search for information outside their field of expertise. In order to effectively utilize the vast amount of biomedical information and to provide a solution to information overload problem, the proposed system combines both document clustering and text summarization technique. In the proposed system the user query is revised by mapping query with synonyms and semantically related concepts using MeSH ontology knowledge source. Based on the revised query medical documents are retrieved from trustworthy online sources and those documents are clustered to generate cluster wise
Use of scanned detection in optical position encoders

The use of scanning detection in optical noncontact position sensing is proposed, and a prototype is implemented, using optical scanning of pseudorandom binary sequences printed in bar-code format. Light from a vibrating fiber tip is imaged onto the printed code using a GRIN (graded index) lens, and the reflected light detected via the same lens, resulting in a single scanner module. Improved flexibility and signal processing possibilities are obtained compared to conventional diode array optical code readers. Performance limitations of scanning position encoders are analyzed and discussed. Suggestions for implementation using microoptoelectromechanical systems are presented.
Privacy-aware location data publishing

This article examines a new problem of k-anonymity with respect to a reference dataset in privacy-aware location data publishing: given a user dataset and a sensitive event dataset, we want to generalize the user dataset such that by joining it with the event dataset through location, each event is covered by at least k users. Existing k-anonymity algorithms generalize every k user locations to the same vague value, regardless of the events. Therefore, they tend to overprotect against the privacy compromise and make the published data less useful. In this article, we propose a new generalization paradigm called local enlargement, as opposed to conventional hierarchy- or partition-based generalization. Local enlargement guarantees that user locations are enlarged just enough to cover all events k times, and thus maximize the usefulness of the published data. We develop an O(Hn)-approximate algorithm under the local enlargement paradigm, where n is the maximum number of events a user could possibly cover and Hn is the Harmonic number of n. With strong pruning techniques and mathematical analysis, we show that it runs efficiently and that the generalized user locations are up to several orders of magnitude smaller than those by the existing algorithms. In addition, it is robust enough to protect against various privacy attacks.
Modulation of Auditory Spatial Attention by Angry Prosody: An fMRI Auditory Dot-Probe Study

Emotional stimuli have been shown to modulate attentional orienting through signals sent by subcortical brain regions that modulate visual perception at early stages of processing. Fewer studies, however, have investigated a similar effect of emotional stimuli on attentional orienting in the auditory domain together with an investigation of brain regions underlying such attentional modulation, which is the general aim of the present study. Therefore, we used an original auditory dot-probe paradigm involving simultaneously presented neutral and angry non-speech vocal utterances lateralized to either the left or the right auditory space, immediately followed by a short and lateralized single sine wave tone presented in the same (valid trial) or in the opposite space as the preceding angry voice (invalid trial). Behavioral results showed an expected facilitation effect for target detection during valid trials while functional data showed greater activation in the middle and posterior superior temporal sulci (STS) and in the medial frontal cortex for valid vs. invalid trials. The use of reaction time facilitation [absolute value of the Z-score of valid-(invalid+neutral)] as a group covariate extended enhanced activity in the amygdalae, auditory thalamus, and visual cortex. Taken together, our results suggest the involvement of a large and distributed network of regions among which the STS, thalamus, and amygdala are crucial for the decoding of angry prosody, as well as for orienting and maintaining attention within an auditory space that was previously primed by a vocal emotional event.
Odonata of the Argentine Yungas cloud forest: distribution patterns and conservation status

Fil: Von Ellenrieder, Natalia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnologico Conicet - Salta. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales. Museo de Ciencias Naturales. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA; Argentina
An Integrated Modeling Environment to Study the Co-evolution of Networks, Individual Behavior and Epidemics

We discuss an interaction-based approach to study the coevolution between socio-technical networks, individual behaviors, and contagion processes on these networks. We use epidemics in human population as an example of this phenomenon. The methods consist of developing synthetic yet realistic national-scale networks using a first principles approach. Unlike simple random graph techniques, these methods combine real world data sources with behavioral and social theories to synthesize detailed social contact (proximity) networks. Individual-based models of within-host disease progression and inter-host transmission are then used to model the contagion process. Finally, models of individual behaviors are composed with disease progression models to develop a realistic representation of the complex system in which individual behaviors and the social network adapt to the contagion. These methods are embodied within Simdemics – a general purpose modeling environment to support pandemic planning and response. Simdemics is designed specifically to be scalable to networks with 300 million agents – the underlying algorithms and methods in Simdemics are all high-performance computing oriented methods. New advances in network science, machine learning, high performance computing, data mining and behavioral modeling were necessary to develop Simdemics. Simdemics is combined with two other environments, Simfrastructure and Didactic, to form an integrated cyberenvironment. The integrated cyber-environment provides the end-user flexible and seamless Internet based access to Simdemics. Service-oriented architectures play a critical role in delivering the desired services to the end user. Simdemics, in conjunction with the integrated cyber-environment, has been used in over a dozen user defined case studies. These case studies were done to support specific policy questions that arose in the context of planning the response to pandemics (e.g., H1N1, H5N1) and human initiated bio-terrorism events. These studies played a crucial role in the continual development and improvement of the cyber-environment.
Low-temperature tapered-fiber probing of diamond nitrogen-vacancy ensembles coupled to GaP microcavities

In this work, we present a platform for testing the device performance of a cavity–emitter system, using an ensemble of emitters and a tapered optical fiber. This method provides high-contrast spectra of the cavity modes, selective detection of emitters coupled to the cavity and an estimate of the device performance in the single-emitter case. Using nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond and a GaP optical microcavity, we are able to tune the cavity onto the NV resonance at 10 K, couple the cavity-coupled emission to a tapered fiber and measure the fiber-coupled NV spontaneous emission decay. Theoretically, we show that the fiber-coupled average Purcell factor is 2–3 times greater than that of free-space collection, although due to ensemble averaging it is still a factor of 3 less than the Purcell factor of a single, ideally placed center.
Routing of XML and XPath Queries in Data Dissemination Networks

XML-based data dissemination networks are rapidly gaining momentum. In these networks XML content is routed from data producers to data consumers throughout an overlay network of content-based routers. Routing decisions are based on XPath expressions (XPEs) stored at each router. To enable efficient routing, while keeping the routing state small, we introduce an advertisement-based routing algorithm for XML content, present a novel data structure for managing XPEs, especially apt for the hierarchical nature of XPEs and XML, and develop several optimizations for reducing the number of XPEs required to manage the routing state. The experimental evaluation shows that our algorithms and optimizations reduce the routing table size by up to 90%, improve the routing time by roughly 85%, and reduce overall network traffic by about 35%. Experiments running on PlanetLab show the scalability of our approach.
Phenotypic Screen of Early-Developing Larvae of the Blood Fluke, Schistosoma mansoni, using RNA Interference

RNA interference (RNAi) represents the only method currently available for manipulating gene-specific expression in Schistosoma spp. , although application of this technology as a functional genomic profiling tool has yet to be explored. In the present study 32 genes, including antioxidants, transcription factors, cell signaling molecules and metabolic enzymes, were selected to determine if gene knockdown by RNAi was associated with morphologically definable phenotypic changes in early intramolluscan larval development. Transcript selection was based on their high expression in in vitro cultured S. mansoni primary sporocysts and/or their potential involvement in developmental processes. Miracidia were allowed to transform to sporocysts in the presence of synthesized double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs) and cultivated for 7 days, during which time developing larvae were closely observed for phenotypic changes including failure/delay in transformation, loss of motility, altered growth and death. Of the phenotypes evaluated, only one was consistently detected; namely a reduction in sporocyst size based on length measurements. The size-reducing phenotype was observed in 11 of the 33 (33%) dsRNA treatment groups, and of these 11 phenotype-associated genes (superoxide dismutase, Smad1, RHO2, Smad2, Cav2A, ring box, GST26, calcineurin B, Smad4, lactate dehydrogenase and EF1α), only 6 demonstrated a significant and consistent knockdown of specific transcript expression. Unexpectedly one phenotype-linked gene, superoxide dismutase (SOD), was highly induced (∼1600-fold) upon dsRNA exposure. Variation in dsRNA-mediated silencing effects also was evident in the group of sporocysts that lacked any definable phenotype. Out of 22 nonphenotype-expressing dsRNA treatments (myosin, PKCB, HEXBP, calcium channel, Sma2, RHO1, PKC receptor, DHHC, PepcK, calreticulin, calpain, Smeg, 14.3.3, K5, SPO1, SmZF1, fibrillarin, GST28, GPx, TPx1, TPx2 and TPx2/TPx1), 12 were assessed for the transcript levels. Of those, 6 genes exhibited consistent reductions in steady-state transcript levels, while expression level for the rest remained unchanged. Results demonstrate that the efficacy of dsRNA-treatment in producing consistent phenotypic changes and/or altered gene expression levels in S. mansoni sporocysts is highly dependent on the selected gene (or the specific dsRNA sequence used) and the timing of evaluation after treatment. Although RNAi holds great promise as a functional genomics tool for larval schistosomes, our finding of potential off-target or nonspecific effects of some dsRNA treatments and variable efficiencies in specific gene knockdown indicate a critical need for gene-specific testing and optimization as an essential part of experimental design, execution and data interpretation.
A mobile robot controlled by an adaptive inertial interface for children with physical and cognitive disorders

This paper presents novel strategies for the interaction and mobility of infants with cerebral palsy (CP) and similar disorders. Initially, the design of a playful robotic vehicle is proposed. It aims to promote the physical and cognitive skills through mobility experiences. Despite the versatility of the vehicle, some children present severe motor limitations hindering the control of the driving console. In order to increase the accessibility of the vehicle, different driving modes are not enough. For people with CP, the human-machine interaction is a critical factor. For this reason, a novel human-machine head-mounted interface (HMI) is proposed to drive the vehicle. The HMI is based on inertial technology, which enables users to drive the vehicle by their movements and postures. The solutions and methods proposed in this paper have been validated experimentally with people with CP.
Robust Classification with Interval Data

We consider a binary, linear classification problem in which the data points are assumed to be unknown, but bounded within given hyper-rectangles, i.e., the covariates are bounded within intervals explicitly given for each data point separately. We address the problem of designing a robust classifier in this setting by minimizing the worst-case value of a given loss function, over all possible choices of the data in these multi-dimensional intervals. We examine in detail the application of this methodology to three specific loss functions, arising in support vector machines, in logistic regression and in minimax probability machines. We show that in each case, the resulting problem is amenable to efficient interior-point algorithms for convex optimization. The methods tend to produce sparse classifiers, i.e., they induce many zero coefficients in the resulting weight vectors, and we provide some theoretical grounds for this property. After presenting possible extensions of this framework to handle label errors and other uncertainty models, we discuss in some detail our implementation, which exploits the potential sparsity or a more general property referred to as regularity, of the input matrices.
Experimental evaluation of two iterative reconstruction methods for induced current electrical impedance tomography

The Newton-Raphson (N-R) with two different regularization methods: the Levenberg-Marquardt (N-R-LM) and the Hachtel's Augmented Matrix (N-R-HAM), were used to reconstruct images of conductivity changes in a cylindrical medium by Induced Current Electrical Impedance Tomography (ic-EIT). Experimental data were obtained from an 8-cm high, 19.2-cm diameter tank with 16 electrodes on the boundary surface and surrounded by eight 50-cm diameter coils. The coils were angularly displaced by 45 degrees and offset 12.4 cm from the center of the tank. They were driven by a 150-mA (peak) 20-kHz sine wave. Potential differences between adjacent electrodes were measured with phase-sensitive demodulators. The scalar potential field in the electrode plane of the conducting medium, resulting from eddy currents generated by each coil, was computed by the Finite Element Method. Image reconstruction by the N-R-HAM method was found to provide higher resolution and better noise immunity than the N-R-LM method. Two 2.2-cm diameter nonconducting rods located 3.9 cm from the center of the tank, 180 degrees from each other, were clearly resolved. Spatial resolution is estimated at 15% of the tank diameter and is comparable to the resolution obtained by conventional EIT using the Sheffield protocol. Higher resolution could be achieved with more coils and/or electrodes. A 16-coil system should present no construction problems. However, voltages induced by stray magnetic flux through the electrode leads and measurement circuits are significant and may limit the ability of ic-EIT to perform static imaging of conductivity distributions.
Cities and Cultures

We investigate the existence of wage premium due to cultural diversity across US cities. Using census data from 1970 to 1990, we find that at the urban level richer diversity is systematically associated with higher average nominal wages for white US-born males. We measure cultural diversity in a city using the variety of languages spoken by city-residents. While the positive correlation between wages and diversity survives a battery of robustness checks, it seems to be larger once foreign cultures have been assimilated. Finally, instrumental variable estimation hints at causation going from diversity to wages. Comparing real and nominal wages across cities, we interpret these results as evidence that diversity enhances productivity.
PR ] 1 4 O ct 2 00 4 Markov chain comparison ∗

This is an expository paper, focussing on the following scenario. We have two Markov chains, M and M ′. By some means, we have obtained a bound on the mixing time of M ′. We wish to compare M with M ′ in order to derive a corresponding bound on the mixing time of M. We investigate the application of the comparison method of Diaconis and Saloff-Coste to this scenario, giving a number of theorems which characterize the applicability of the method. We focus particularly on the case in which the chains are not reversible. The purpose of the paper is to provide a catalogue of theorems which can be easily applied to bound mixing times.
Effects of High-Dose Simvastatin Therapy on Glucose Metabolism and Ectopic Lipid Deposition in Nonobese Type 2 Diabetic Patients

OBJECTIVE—Statins may exert pleiotropic effects on insulin action that are still controversial. We assessed effects of high-dose simvastatin therapy on peripheral and hepatic insulin sensitivity, as well as on ectopic lipid deposition in patients with hypercholesterolemia and type 2 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—We performed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, single-center study. Twenty patients with type 2 diabetes received 80 mg simvastatin (BMI 29 ± 4 kg/m2, age 55 ± 6 years) or placebo (BMI 27 ± 4 kg/m2, age 58 ± 8 years) daily for 8 weeks and were compared with 10 healthy humans (control subjects; BMI 27 ± 4 kg/m2, age 55 ± 7 years). Euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp tests combined with d-[6,6-d2]glucose infusion were used to assess insulin sensitivity (M) and endogenous glucose production (EGP). 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy was used to quantify intramyocellular and hepatocellular lipids. RESULTS—High-dose simvastatin treatment lowered plasma total and LDL cholesterol levels by ∼33 and ∼48% (P < 0.005) but did not affect M, intracellular lipid deposition in soleus and tibialis anterior muscles and liver, or basal and insulin-suppressed EGP. In simvastatin-treated patients, changes in LDL cholesterol related negatively to changes in M (r = −0.796, P < 0.01). Changes in fasting free fatty acids (FFAs) related negatively to changes in M (r = −0.840, P < 0.01) and positively to plasma retinol-binding protein-4 (r = 0.782, P = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS—High-dose simvastatin treatment has no direct effects on whole-body or tissue-specific insulin action and ectopic lipid deposition. A reduction in plasma FFAs probably mediates alterations in insulin sensitivity in vivo.
Functional roles of ionic currents in a membrane delimited mouse sino-atrial node model

Functional roles of ionic currents in a membrane delimited sino-atrial node (SAN) cell model were investigated. Ionic currents were blocked and intracellular calcium ([Ca<sup>2+</sup>]<inf>i</inf>) buffered to study their effects on action potential (AP) characteristics. The simulations revealed that blocking the hyperpolarization activated current and the T-type calcium current caused an increase of cycle length (CL) due to reduced diastolic depolarization rate (DDR). Blocking of sustained outward (I<inf>st</inf>) and sodium currents (I<inf>Na,1.1</inf>, I<inf>Na,1.5</inf>) had no effect. Blocking the L-type calcium current's Ca<inf>v</inf>1.3 isoform (I<inf>CaL1.3</inf>) and rapidly activating delayed rectifier arrested pacemaking. Blocking sodium-calcium exchanger (I<inf>NaCa</inf>) caused a CL reduction but did not affect DDR. Reducing [Ca<sup>2+</sup>]<inf>i</inf> increased CL marginally. A small increase of [Ca<sup>2+</sup>]<inf>i</inf> arrested pacemaking. I<inf>st</inf>, I<inf>Na1.1</inf>, and I<inf>Na1.5</inf> are not functional and I<inf>NaCa</inf> is a background current in the model.
Road detection based on superpixels and anisotropic heat diffusion

Road detection is a basic functionality for driver assistance system such as vehicle and pedestrian detection. The main challenge is to deal with the presence of different objects (pedestrians and vehicles), the continuously varying background, different imaging conditions (different viewpoints, varying weather conditions and changing illumination), different road types (color, shape) and different environments (off-road, urban, highways). Accordingly, we propose a novel road detection approach based on superpixels and anisotropic heat diffusion. The idea is to previously denoise and deblur road images using directional filters. And then to oversegment the enhanced image into small homogeneous regions which are called superpixels with the superpixel segmentation method. According to the thermodynamic energy diffusion theory, we cluster superpixels into several region blocks. Finally, the algorithm extracts the road region combining the prior knowledge with the largest and most coherent principle of cosegmentation. Quantitative and qualitative experiments show that the approach is robust to lighting variations, heavy traffic and shadows. Moreover, the proposed method provides the better performance when compared with several state-of-the-art methods.