Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Motivational System for Regulating Human-Robot Interaction

This paper presents a motivational system for an autonomous robot which is designed to regulate human-robot interaction. The mode of social interaction is that of a caretaker-infant dyad where a human acts as the caretaker for the robot. An infant's emotions and drives playa very important role in generating meaningful interactions with the caretaker, and regulating these interactions to maintain an environment suitable for the learning process (Bullowa 1979). Similarly, the learning task for the robot is to apply various communication skills acquired during social exchanges to manipulate the caretaker such that its drives are satisfied. Toward this goal, the motivational system implements drives, emotions, and facial expressions. Although the details of the learning itself are beyond the scope of this paper, this work represents an important step toward realizing robots that can engage in meaningful bi-directional social interactions with humans.
Decentralized PWM-based charging control for plug-in electric vehicles

Plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) are becoming increasingly popular because of the environmental and economic benefits. However, high penetration of PEVs may overload the distribution network. In this paper, we propose a decentralized PWM-based algorithm to coordinate PEV charging. We first formulate the PEVs charging coordination problem as an optimization problem, with the objective to flatten the total demand curve as much as possible. Then, we design the control algorithm in two stages. In the first stage, we adopt the the water-filling-based algorithm proposed in our previous study, assuming the charging rate of PEVs takes a continuous value. In the second stage, the assumption is dropped by utilizing the pulse-width modulation (PWM) principle. The moving horizon idea is also introduced to alleviate the errors due to inaccurate forecast and quantization, as well as to tackle the random arrival time of PEVs. Moreover, each PEV only needs to calculate its own power allocation, and hence its implementation requires low computational capacity. Numerical simulations are given to demonstrate the effectiveness of our algorithm.
Direct Measurement of the Radius and Density of the Transiting Exoplanet HD 189733b with the CHARA Array

We have measured the angular diameter of the transiting extrasolar planet host star HD 189733 using the CHARA optical/IR interferometric array. Combining our new angular diameter of 0.377 ± 0.024 mas with the Hipparcos parallax leads to a linear radius for the host star of 0.779 ± 0.052 R☉ and a radius for the planet of 1.19 ± 0.08 RJup. Adopting the mass of the planet as derived by its discoverers, we derive a mean density of the planet of 0.91 ± 0.18 g cm-3. This is the first determination of the diameter of an extrasolar planet through purely direct means.
ANALYTICAL POLE RESIDUE CALCULATION IN SPECTRAL METHOD OF MOMENTS FORMULATIONS FOR PERIODIC STRUCTURES

An analytical method for evaluating pole-residues in spectral method of moments (MoM) formulations is presented. Spectral integral formulations for periodic structures involve the inverse of the MoM matrix, which exhibits a periodic set of pole singularities, corresponding to the zeros of the matrix's determinant. So far, these singularities have not been extracted and the corresponding pole-residues were calculated directly from the difierential or integral deflnitions of the residue. In this work, we consider an analytical expression for the solution to the MoM matrix equation, which enables the extraction of pole singularities and the analytical evaluation of pole-residues. We also present a comparison to previous methods.
Awake Craniotomy for Gliomas in the Non-Dominant Right Hemisphere: A Comprehensive Review

Simple Summary This article aims to comprehensively review the current literature on the benefits of awake craniotomy in gliomas of the non-dominant right hemisphere. A systematic review was conducted using the PubMed and ScienceDirect databases. The literature search identified 74 sources, including original articles, books, monographs, and review articles showing that awake surgery for non-dominant-hemisphere gliomas improves patients’ outcomes. Abstract Awake surgery has become a standard practice for managing diffuse low-grade gliomas (LGGs), particularly in eloquent brain areas, and is established as a gold standard technique for left-dominant-hemisphere tumors. However, the intraoperative monitoring of functions in the right non-dominant hemisphere (RndH) is often neglected, highlighting the need for a better understanding of neurocognitive testing for complex functions in the right hemisphere. This article aims to comprehensively review the current literature on the benefits of awake craniotomy in gliomas of the non-dominant right hemisphere. A systematic review was conducted using the PubMed and ScienceDirect databases with keywords such as “right hemisphere”, “awake surgery”, “direct electrical brain stimulation and mapping”, and “glioma”. The search focused on anatomical and surgical aspects, including indications, tools, and techniques of awake surgery in right cerebral hemisphere gliomas. The literature search identified 74 sources, including original articles, books, monographs, and review articles. Two papers reported large series of language assessment cases in 246 patients undergoing awake surgery with detailed neurological semiology and mapping techniques, while the remaining studies were predominantly neuroradiological and neuroimaging in nature. Awake craniotomy for non-dominant-hemisphere gliomas is an essential tool. The term “non-dominant” should be revised, as this hemisphere contributes significantly to essential cognitive functions in the human brain.
Low-Dimensional Synergistic Representation of Bilateral Reaching Movements

Kinematic and neuromuscular synergies have been found in numerous aspects of human motion. This study aims to determine how effectively kinematic synergies in bilateral upper arm movements can be used to replicate complex activities of daily living (ADL) tasks using a sparse optimization algorithm. Ten right-handed subjects executed 18 rapid and 11 natural-paced ADL tasks requiring bimanual coordination while sitting at a table. A position tracking system was used to track the subjects’ arms in space, and angular velocities over time for shoulder abduction, shoulder flexion, shoulder internal rotation, and elbow flexion for each arm were computed. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to generate kinematic synergies from the rapid-paced task set for each subject. The first three synergies accounted for 80.3 ± 3.8% of variance, while the first eight accounted for 94.8 ± 0.85%. The first and second synergies appeared to encode symmetric reaching motions which were highly correlated across subjects. The first three synergies were correlated between left and right arms within subjects, whereas synergies four through eight were not, indicating asymmetries between left and right arms in only the higher order synergies. The synergies were then used to reconstruct each natural-paced task using the l1-norm minimization algorithm. Temporal dilations of the synergies were introduced in order to model the temporal scaling of movement patterns achieved by the cerebellum and basal ganglia as reported previously in the literature. Reconstruction error was reduced by introducing synergy dilations, and cumulative recruitment of several synergies was significantly reduced in the first 10% of training task time by introducing temporal dilations. The outcomes of this work could open new scenarios for the applications of postural synergies to the control of robotic systems, with potential applications in rehabilitation. These synergies not only help in providing near-natural control but also provide simplified strategies for design and control of artificial limbs. Potential applications of these bilateral synergies were discussed and future directions were proposed.
Luciferase NanoLuc as a reporter for gene expression and protein levels in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Reporter proteins are essential tools in the study of biological processes and are employed to monitor changes in gene expression and protein levels. Luciferases are reporter proteins that enable rapid and highly sensitive detection with an outstanding dynamic range. Here we evaluated the usefulness of the 19 kDa luciferase NanoLuc (Nluc), derived from the deep sea shrimp Oplophorus gracilirostris, as a reporter protein in yeast. Cassettes with codon‐optimized genes expressing yeast Nluc (yNluc) or its destabilized derivative yNlucPEST have been assembled in the context of the dominant drug resistance marker kanMX. The reporter proteins do not impair the growth of yeast cells and exhibit half‐lives of 40 and 5 min, respectively. The commercial substrate Nano‐Glo® is compatible with detection of yNluc bioluminescence in < 50 cells. Using the unstable yNlucPEST to report on the rapid and transient expression of a heat‐shock promoter (PCYC1–HSE), we found a close match between the intensity of the bioluminescent signal and mRNA levels during both induction and decay. We demonstrated that the bioluminescence of yNluc fused to the C‐terminus of a temperature‐sensitive protein reports on its protein levels. In conclusion, yNluc and yNlucPEST are valuable new reporter proteins suitable for experiments with yeast using standard commercial substrate. © 2016 The Authors. Yeast published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Computer Aided Language Learning System for Arabic for Second Language Learners

— This paper aims to build an Arabic learning language tool using Flash CS4 professional software with action script 3.0 programming language, based on the Computer Aided Language Learning (CALL) material. An extra intention is to provide a primary tool and focus on learning Arabic as a second language to adults. It contains letters, words and sentences at the first stage. This includes interactive practices, which evaluates learners’ comprehension of the Arabic language. The system was examined and it was found that the language structure was correct and learners were satisfied regarding the system tools. The learners found the system tools efficient and simple to use. The paper's main conclusion illustrates that CALL can be applied without any hesitation to second language learners.
Thrombolysis in Experimental Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy and the Risk of Secondary Intracerebral Hemorrhage

Background and Purpose— Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is the most adverse event of thrombolysis in ischemic stroke. Cerebral amyloid angiopathy increases the risk for spontaneous lobar ICH. Although thrombolysis may be performed in cerebral amyloid angiopathy–affected patients, there is still little knowledge available on the risk for secondary ICH. Methods— We investigated the effect of recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator on experimental ischemic stroke in APP23 transgenic mice (n=18) and wild-type littermates (n=15). Focal ischemic stroke was induced in 26-month-old mice by temporal middle cerebral artery occlusion (filament model), followed by treatment with 10 mg/kg recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator. Twenty-four hours later, a functional score was assessed and the mice were euthanized for histological analysis. ICH was classified as grades 1 to 3 depending on severity. Results— The groups did not differ regarding mortality (P=0.67) and functional deficit (P=0.18). Compared with wild-type mice, the APP23 genotype was associated with a higher appearance for ICH in the infarct area (P=0.05). ICH severity grades 2 and 3 correlated significantly with infarct size (P=0.004 and 0.008, respectively). Conclusions— The APP23 genotype was not associated with increased mortality or worse functional outcome. Our results suggest an increased risk for ICH in the cerebral amyloid angiopathy–affected brain; however, no ICH was observed outside the ischemic area.
Lidar measurements of CO2 column concentrations in the Arctic region of North America from the ASCENDS 2017 airborne campaign

NASA Goddard’s CO2 Sounder is a pulsed, multiple-wavelength, IPDA-lidar. It was flown onboard the NASA DC-8 to measure atmospheric CO2 column concentrations (XCO2) in the lower stratosphere and troposphere of the Arctic region of North America as part of the 2017 ASCENDS airborne campaign. Eight flights covering 40,000 km were flown in late July and August over Alaska and Canada’s Northwest Territories, including a northern transit east of the Rockies and a return transit partly over the ocean between Alaska and California. The Arctic flights were coordinated with the 2017 Arctic-Boreal Vulnerability Experiment (ABoVE) campaign. The metrological conditions were challenging: a non-uniform CO2 distribution, a dynamic atmosphere and varied surface-reflectivity. To assess the accuracy of our lidar the aircraft’s scientific payload included the AVOCET and Picarro instruments. These two instruments measured in-situ XCO2 during the flights and column XCO2 from 47 separate descent spirals from ~12 km altitude to near ground at local airfields distributed throughout the measurement region. Each spiral maneuver allows a direct comparison between the retrievals of XCO2 from the lidar against those computed from insitu instruments. The CO2 Sounder worked very well during all phases of the campaign. Analysis to date shows the lidar measured column concentrations are in close agreement with in-situ column measurements with a precision of better than 0.8 ppm with 1 second averaging. In addition, preliminary analyses of measurements to the ubiquitous cloud tops also produced column concentrations and information on the vertical XCO2 structure.
Mobility Measurement in Nanowires Based on Magnetic Field-Induced Current Splitting Method in H-Shape Devices

This paper investigates a new method to measure mobility in nanowires. With a simple analytical approach and numerical simulations, we bring evidence that the traditional technique of Hall voltage measurement in low-dimensional structures such as nanowires may generate large errors, while being challenging from a technological aspect. Here, we propose to extract the drift mobility in nanowires by measuring a variation of the electric current caused by the presence of a magnetic field, in a specific nanowire network topology. This method overcomes the limitations inherent to the standard Hall effect technique and might open the way to a more precise and simple measurement of mobility in nanowires, still a matter for intensive research.
Role of Thalamocortical Sensory Suppression during Arousal: Focusing Sensory Inputs in Neocortex

The thalamus serves as a gate that regulates the flow of sensory inputs to the neocortex, and this gate is controlled by neuromodulators from the brainstem reticular formation that are released during arousal. We found recently that sensory-evoked responses are suppressed in the neocortex during arousal. This sensory suppression results from the activity-dependent depression of the thalamocortical connection caused by increased tonic firing of thalamocortical cells during arousal. In the present study, the functional consequences of thalamocortical suppression during arousal were investigated using the vibrissae system of rodents. The results show that thalamocortical suppression is associated with a strong reduction in the spread of sensory inputs through the cortex, thus reducing the size of sensory representations. In addition, when the responses of single cells to principal and adjacent whiskers are compared, the response to the adjacent whiskers was found to be strongly suppressed, much more so than that of principal whiskers. Consequently, the receptive fields of cortical neurons become more focused to the principal whisker. The results indicate that thalamocortical suppression during arousal serves to focus sensory inputs to their appropriate representations in neocortex, which may be computationally helpful for the spatial processing of sensory information.
Cross-national comparisons of gender differences in late-life depressive symptoms in Japan and the United States.

OBJECTIVES This study compared changes in self-reported depressive symptoms in the United States and Japan across 2 points in time. The investigation focused on the gendered processes of intergenerational coresidence and support as the primary distinctions between nations. METHODS Fixed-effects models were fit to examine the covariates of depressive symptoms in the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) and the Nihon University Japanese Longitudinal Study of Aging. RESULTS Gender differences in depressive symptoms persisted across survey waves in both nations, with Japanese men reporting sharper increases by Time 2 than Japanese women. Getting older was associated with more depressive symptoms among Japanese men, whereas income provided a slight buffering effect. Coresiding with daughters also appeared to protect Japanese men and women with functional limitations from depressive symptoms. HRS data demonstrated that changes in marital status and physical health were correlated with increased depressive symptoms for men and women in the United States. DISCUSSION The analyses revealed more variety in Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale reports by gender in Japan than in the United States. Future research should consider the diversity of contemporary Japanese households, reflecting new interpretations of traditional family support relationships.
Extrinsic Calibration of the 2-D LiDARs Based on the Attitude Information of the Mobile Platform and a Fixed Plane

Many robotic systems employ multiple 2-D LiDARs for tasks such as localization and 3-D mapping of expansive environments. Achieving accurate extrinsic calibration between these 2-D LiDARs is essential for effective collaboration and data fusion. This article introduces a novel 2-D LiDAR calibration method that eliminates the need for special artificial markers or the requirement of a mobile platform to scan a wide range of environmental features. In this method, a fixed plane and the attitude information of the mobile platform are leveraged to compute the transformation relationship between multiple 2-D LiDARs. Further enhancing the accuracy of the calibration results, nonlinear optimization methods are employed. The LiDAR calibration effectiveness of the proposed algorithm is evaluated through simulation studies. To validate its real-world performance, experiments are conducted and compared with state-of-the-art LiDAR calibration algorithms, demonstrating calibration results comparable to the best in the field. Furthermore, the calibrated LiDARs enable the creation of highly satisfactory 3-D maps of exterior wall structures, showcasing the practical utility and impact of this calibration method in real-world applications.
A Calibration Technique for Very Low Current and Compact Tunable Neuromorphic Cells: Application to 5-bit 20-nA DACs

Low current applications, like neuromorphic circuits, where operating currents can be as low as a few nanoamperes or less, suffer from huge transistor mismatches, resulting in around or less than 1-bit precisions. A neuromorphic programmable-kernel 2-D convolution chip has been reported where each pixel included two compact calibrated digital-to-analog converters (DACs) of 5-bit resolution, for currents down to picoamperes. Those DACs were based on MOS ladder structures, which although compact require 3N + 1 unit transistors (N is the number of calibration bits). Here, we present a new calibration approach not based on ladders, but on individually calibratable current sources made with MOS transistors of digitally adjustable length, which require only N-sized transistors. The scheme includes a translinear circuit-based tuning scheme, which allows us to expand the operating range of the calibrated circuits with graceful precision degradation, over four decades of operating currents. Experimental results are provided for 5-bit resolution DACs operating at 20 nA using two different translinear tuning schemes. Maximum measured precision is 5.05 and 7.15 b, respectively, for the two DAC schemes.
Experimental Observations and Numerical Prediction of Induction Heating in a Graphite Test Article

The induction heating coils used in the plutonium casting furnaces at the Los Alamos National Laboratory are studied here. A cylindrical graphite test article has been built, instrumented with thermocouples, and heated in the induction coil that is normally used to pre- heat the molds during casting operations. Preliminary results of experiments aimed at understanding the induction heating process in the mold portion of the furnaces are reported. The experiments have been modeled in COMSOL Multiphysics and the numerical and experimental results are compared to one another. These comparisons provide insight into the heating process and provide a benchmark for COMSOL calculations of induction heating in the mold portion of the plutonium casting furnaces.
High-Performance Hardware Implementation of MPCitH and Picnic3

Picnic is a post-quantum digital signature, the security of which relies solely on symmetric-key primitives such as block ciphers and hash functions instead of number theoretic assumptions. One of the main concerns of Picnic is the large signature size. Although Katz et al.’s protocol (MPCitH-PP) significantly reduces the size of Picnic, the involvement of more parties in MPCitH-PP leads to longer signing/verification times and more hardware resources. This poses new challenges for implementing high-performance Picnic on resource-constrained FPGAs. So far as we know, current works on the hardware implementation of MPCitH-based signatures are compatible with 3 parties only. In this work, we investigate the optimization of the implementation of MPCitH-PP and successfully deploying MPCitH-PP with more than three parties on resource-constrained FPGAs, e.g., Xilinx Artix-7 and Kintex-7, for the first time. In particular, we propose a series of optimizations, which include pipelining and parallel optimization for MPCitH-PP and the optimization of the underlying symmetric primitives. Besides, we make a slight modification to the computation of the offline commitment, which can further reduce the number of computations of Keccak. These optimizations significantly improve the hardware performance of Picnic3. Signing messages on our FPGA takes 0.047 ms for the L1 security level, outperforming Picnic1 with hardware by a factor of about 5.3, which is the fastest implementation of post-quantum signatures as far as we know. Our FPGA implementation for the L5 security level takes 0.146 ms beating Picnic1 by a factor of 8.5, and outperforming Sphincs by a factor of 17.3.
The case for separating routing from routers

Over the past decade, the complexity of the Internet's routing infrastructure has increased dramatically. This complexity and the problems it causes stem not just from various new demands made of the routing infrastructure, but also from fundamental limitations in the ability of today's distributed infrastructure to scalably cope with new requirements.The limitations in today's routing system arise in large part from the fully distributed path-selection computation that the IP routers in an autonomous system (AS) must perform. To overcome this weakness, interdomain routing should be separated from today's IP routers, which should simply forward packets (for the most part). Instead, a separate Routing Control Platform (RCP) should select routes on behalf of the IP routers in each AS and exchange reachability information with other domains.Our position is that an approach like RCP is a good way of coping with complexity while being responsive to new demands and can lead to a routing system that is substantially easier to manage than today. We present a design overview of RCP based on three architectural principles path computation based on a consistent view of network state, controlled interactions between routing protocol layers, and expressive specification of routing policies and discuss the architectural strengths and weaknesses of our proposal.