Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Development and Stability Analysis of an Imitation Learning-Based Pose Planning Approach for Multi-Section Continuum Robot

Recently, continuum flexible robots have been designed for the use in diverse applications; including the exploration of confined static and dynamic environments. One of the challenging tasks for those robots is planning optimal trajectories due to, not only the redundant Degrees of Freedom (DOF) they own but also their compliant behaviour. In this paper, an Imitation-based Pose Planning (IbPP) approach is proposed to teach a two-section continuum robot the motion primitives that will facilitate achieving and generalizing for spatial point-to-point motion which involves both position and orientation goals encoded in a dual quaternion form. Two novel approaches are proposed in this research to intuitively generate the motion demonstrations that will be used in the proposed IbPP. Namely, a flexible input interface, acting as a twin robot, is designed to allow a human to demonstrate different motions for the robot end-effector. Alternatively, as a second approach, the Microsoft Kinect sensor is used to provide motion demonstrations faster via human arm movements. Based on the kinematic model of the two-section continuum robot, a Model Reference Adaptive Control (MRAC) algorithm is developed to achieve tracking the generated trajectory from the IbPP and to guarantee the robustness against the model uncertainties and external disturbances. Moreover, controller stability analysis is developed based on Lyapunov criteria. Finally, simulations are conducted for the two-section continuum robot to prove the ability of the proposed IbPP with the two proposed inputs to learn and generalize for spatial motions, which in future could be easily accommodated for robots with multiple sections. In addition, the proposed MRAC shows a significant performance towards following the required trajectory and rejecting the external disturbance.
Vitamin C Promotes Apoptosis and Cell Cycle Arrest in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is currently ranked as the eighth most prevalent type of cancer. Despite recent advances in cancer research, the 8-year survival rate for oral squamous cell carcinoma remains only 50–60%. Therefore, markers for early detection, identification of efficient chemotherapeutic agents, and post-therapeutic monitoring are the immediate needs. With this background, this study was designed to investigate the anticancer effects of vitamin C (VC) in oral squamous cell carcinoma. Our results showed that VC had an anticancer effect on the oral squamous cell lines used in this study. VC also showed an inhibitory effect on xenograft tumors in nude mice in vitro and had a synergistic effect with cisplatin to induce cell apoptosis. Mechanistically, VC caused a significant increase in the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which led to induced genotoxic (DNA damage) and metabolic (ATP depletion) stresses, inhibited Bcl-2 expression, and promoted Bax expression and caspase-3 cleavage. VC also caused cell cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase in OSCC cells, which is related to the activation of tumor suppressor p53 and cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21. In conclusion, VC bears considerable therapeutic potential for the treatment of oral squamous cell carcinoma.
Quorum Sensing Signals Alter in vitro Soil Virus Abundance and Bacterial Community Composition

Cell-density dependent quorum sensing (QS) is fundamental for many coordinated behaviors among bacteria. Most recently several studies have revealed a role for bacterial QS communication in bacteriophage (phage) reproductive decisions. However, QS based phage-host interactions remain largely unknown, with the mechanistic details revealed for only a few phage-host pairs and a dearth of information available at the microbial community level. Here we report on the specific action of eight different individual QS signals (acyl-homoserine lactones; AHLs varying in acyl-chain length from four to 14 carbon atoms) on prophage induction in soil microbial communities. We show QS autoinducers, triggered prophage induction in soil bacteria and the response was significant enough to alter bacterial community composition in vitro. AHL treatment significantly decreased the bacterial diversity (Shannon Index) but did not significantly impact species richness. Exposure to short chain-length AHLs resulted in a decrease in the abundance of different taxa than exposure to higher molecular weight AHLs. Each AHL targeted a different subset of bacterial taxa. Our observations indicate that individual AHLs may trigger prophage induction in different bacterial taxa leading to changes in microbial community structure. The findings also have implications for the role of phage-host interactions in ecologically significant processes such as biogeochemical cycles, and phage mediated transfer of host genes, e.g., photosynthesis and heavy metal/antibiotic resistance.
Superorganismal anisogamy: queen–male dimorphism in eusocial insects

Colonies of insects such as ants and honeybees are commonly viewed as ‘superorganisms’, with division of labour between reproductive ‘germline-like’ queens and males and ‘somatic’ workers. On this view, properties of the superorganismal colony are comparable with those of solitary organisms to such an extent that the colony itself can be viewed as a unit analogous to an organism. Thus, the concept of a superorganism can be useful as a guide to thinking about life history and allocation traits of colonies as a whole. A pattern that seems to reoccur in insects with superorganismal societies is size dimorphism between queens and males, where queens tend to be larger than males. It has been proposed that this is analogous to the phenomenon of anisogamy at the level of gametes in organisms with separate sexes; more specifically, it is suggested that this caste dimorphism may have evolved via similar selection pressures as gamete dimorphism arises in the ‘gamete competition’ theory for the evolution of anisogamy. In this analogy, queens are analogous to female gametes, males are analogous to male gametes, and colony survival is analogous to zygote survival in gamete competition theory. Here, we explore if this question can be taken beyond an analogy, and whether a mathematical model at the superorganism level, analogous to gamete competition at the organism level, may explain the caste dimorphism seen in superorganismal insects. We find that the central theoretical idea holds, but that there are also significant differences between the way this generalized ‘propagule competition’ theory operates at the levels of solitary organisms and superorganisms. In particular, we find that the theory can explain superorganismal caste dimorphism, but compared with anisogamy evolution, a central coevolutionary link is broken, making the requirements for the theory to work less stringent than those found for the evolution of anisogamy.
TAXONOMIC VARIATION IN OVIPOSITION BY TAILED FROGS (ASCAPHUS SPP)

Abstract Tailed frogs (Ascaphus spp.) oviposit in cryptic locations in streams of the Pacific Northwest and Rocky Mountains. This aspect of their life history has restricted our understanding of their reproductive ecology. The recent split of A. montanus in the Rocky Mountains from A. truei was based on molecular differentiation, and comparisons of their ecology are limited. Our objectives were to provide a range-wide summary of information on Ascaphus oviposition, compare some aspects of the reproductive ecology of the 2 species, and examine geographic variation in their reproductive traits. Reproductive ecology of the 2 species differed. Ascaphus truei had smaller clutches, oviposited later in the summer, and had a longer duration of oviposition than A. montanus. A greater number of communal oviposition sites were attributed to A. montanus. These ecological differences support the recent taxonomic revision of Ascaphus and suggest that different management strategies may be necessary for each species where conservation is a priority.
The Double-Edged Effects of Dual-Identity on the Emotional Exhaustion of Migrant Workers: An Existential Approach

By integrating an existential approach to burnout, identity theory, and the job demand–resource (JD–R) model, this paper compares the sense-making processes of migrant workers who embrace both rural and urban identities (i.e., dual-identity holders) with those who suppress either identity (i.e., non-dual-identity holders). In particular, we have examined these dual-identity holders’ interpretations of the workplace regarding internal corporate social responsibilities (CSR) efforts and job complexity and the subsequent emotional exhaustion. A sample of 1,985 migrant workers in China reveals that dual-identity holders may have decreased emotional exhaustion because of higher perceptions of internal CSR efforts, and increased emotional exhaustion because of higher perceptions of job complexity. Furthermore, it is found that human resource management (HRM) strength (i.e., employees’ shared perceptions of HR practices) weakens those two relationships. These findings have important implications for managing migrant workers and ensuring their well-beings.
Nuclear DNA content of three Eucalyptus species estimated by flow and image cytometry

Previous flow cytometry (FCM) analyses delivered nearly equal mean values of nuclear 2C DNA content for Eucalyptus grandis Hill ex Maiden and E. urophylla S. T. Blake (1.33 pg and 1.34 pg, respectively), whereas E. globulus Labill. presented distinct mean values (1.09, 1.13 and 1.40). These differences have been attributed to the different methodological approach, utilised plant cultivar and presence of intrinsic metabolic compounds that affect fluorochrome fluorescence. In the present study, a FCM and image cytometry (ICM) design, following international consensus criteria, were adopted to reassess the nuclear DNA contents of the above-mentioned Eucalyptus species. Statistical analyses revealed either similar or discrepant nuclear DNA contents, depending on the standard species used and whether FCM or ICM was employed. Our results demonstrated that 2C DNA values obtained by FCM and ICM were most uniform when Solanum lycopersicum was used as a standard. Moreover, the values obtained for E. grandis and E. urophylla were close, but differed as much as 24.63% in relation to previous data, and E. globulus proportionally varied up to 25%. New DNA content values are suggested for these eucalypt species.
Effects of Trunk Motion, Touch, and Articulation on Upper-Limb Velocities and on Joint Contribution to Endpoint Velocities During the Production of Loud Piano Tones

Piano performance involves several levels of motor abundancy. Identification of kinematic strategies that enhance performance and reduce risks of practice-related musculoskeletal disorders (PRMD) represents an important research topic since more than half of professional pianists might suffer from PRMD during their career. Studies in biomechanics have highlighted the benefits of using proximal upper-limb joints to reduce the load on distal segments by effectively creating velocity and force at the finger–key interaction. If scientific research has documented postural and expressive features of pianists’ trunk motion, there is currently a lack of scientific evidence assessing the role of trunk motion in sound production and in injury prevention. We address this gap by integrating motion of the pelvis and thorax in the analysis of both upper-limb linear velocities and joint angular contribution to endpoint velocities. Specifically, this study aims to assess kinematic features of different types of touch and articulation and the impact of trunk motion on these features. Twelve pianists performed repetitive loud and slow-paced keystrokes. They were asked to vary (i) body implication (use of trunk and upper-limb motion or use of only upper-limb motion), (ii) touch (struck touch, initiating the attack with the fingertip at a certain distance from the key surface, or pressed touch, initiating the attack with the fingertip in contact with the key surface), and (iii) articulation (staccato, short finger–key contact time, or tenuto, sustained finger–key contact time). Data were collected using a 3D motion capture system and a sound recording device. Results show that body implication, touch, and articulation modified kinematic features of loud keystrokes, which exhibited not only downward but also important forward segmental velocities (particularly in pressed touch and staccato articulation). Pelvic anterior rotation had a prominent role in the production of loud tones as it effectively contributed to creating forward linear velocities at the upper limb. The reported findings have implications for the performance, teaching, and research domains since they provide evidence of how pianists’ trunk motion can actively contribute to the sound production and might not only be associated with either postural or expressive features.
High-Altitude Pursuit of Insects by Echolocating Bats

Bat detectors on helium-filled kite balloons revealed echolocating bats active at altitudes ≤ 600 m above the ground over Brachystegia woodland in the Sengwa Wildlife Research Area, Zimbabwe. Feeding buzzes indicated that bats were actively foraging to 600 m. At least seven species of bats were detected, including six molossids and one emballonurid.
The effect of scanning speed on texture-elicited vibrations

To sense the texture of a surface, we run our fingers across it, which leads to the elicitation of skin vibrations that depend both on the surface and on exploratory parameters, particularly scanning speed. The transduction and processing of these vibrations mediates the ability to discern fine surface features. In the present study, we seek to characterize the effect of changes in scanning speed on texture-elicited vibrations to better understand how the exploratory strategy shapes the neuronal representation of texture. To this end, we scanned a variety of textures across the fingertip of human participants at a variety of speeds (10 – 160 mm/s) while measuring the resulting vibrations using a laser Doppler vibrometer. We found that increases in speed led to systematic increases in vibratory intensity and to a systematic upward multiplicative shift in the frequency composition of the vibrations. Furthermore, we showed that the upward shift in frequency composition accounts for the increase in intensity. The enhancement of higher frequency components accounts for the observed increase in the firing rates of nerve fibers, particularly Pacinian corpuscle-associated fibers, which are most sensitive at the high frequencies.
Phylogeny and Recircumscription of Artocarpeae (Moraceae) with a Focus on Artocarpus

Abstract Moraceae is a large (∼1,050 species) primarily tropical family with several economically and ecologically important species. While its monophyly has been well supported in recent studies, relationships within the family at the tribal level and below remain unresolved. Delimitation of the tribe Artocarpeae has been particularly difficult. Classifications based on morphology differ from those based on phylogenetic studies, and all treatments include highly heterogeneous assemblages of genera that seem to represent a cross section of the family. We evaluated chloroplast and nuclear DNA sequence data for 60 Moraceae taxa representing all genera that have been included in past treatments of Artocarpeae and also included species from several other Moraceae tribes and closely related families as outgroups. The data were analyzed using maximum parsimony and maximum likelihood methods and indicate that none of the past treatments of Artocarpeae represent a monophyletic lineage. We present the most complete phylogenetic hypothesis for Artocarpeae and the genus Artocarpus to date. Inflorescence evolution and pollination are briefly discussed and the phylogenetic reconstructions are used to inform a revised treatment of Artocarpeae and the Artocarpus subgenera. The following new combinations are proposed: the genus Prainea is reduced to Artocarpus subgenus Prainea , and the series Cauliflori is raised to Artocarpus subgenus Cauliflori .
Integration of Ruthenium-based Wordline in a 3-D NAND Memory Devices

We demonstrate the integration of Ruthenium as Word Line metal in a 3-D NAND device by adopting the Replacement Metal Gate (RMG) process. Ruthenium gate shows better resistivity compared to currently used Tungsten and improved memory characteristics compared to what is obtained with a TiN electrode. Overall best performance is obtained with a 2 nm ZrO2 liner / Ru stack, followed by a 750 °C anneal.
Towards Richer 3D Reference Maps in Urban Scenes

Meaningful 3D maps have a lot to offer to the design of safe and intelligent transportation systems. To do so, street content such as cars, traffic lights and signs need to be segmented in their 3D form, and accurately localized in a map. This paper proposes a first step towards producing 3D rich urban maps in which cars are segmented from a point cloud, and rendered in their true form on a metric map. Our system is based on the integration of stereo SLAM for point cloud extraction, 3D car detection, shape completion, meshing, and optimization of camera pose based on the detected cars. We test our system on the KITTI dataset and produce very realistic maps. As a second contribution, we assess the effect of including the detected cars as objects in a semantic Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) pipeline, and demonstrate the potential for improved localization.
Natural Categorization: Electrophysiological Responses to Viewing Natural Versus Built Environments

Environments are unique in terms of structural composition and evoked human experience. Previous studies suggest that natural compared to built environments may increase positive emotions. Humans in natural environments also demonstrate greater performance on attention-based tasks. Few studies have investigated cortical mechanisms underlying these phenomena or probed these differences from a neural perspective. Using a temporally sensitive electrophysiological approach, we employ an event-related, implicit passive viewing task to demonstrate that in humans, a greater late positive potential (LPP) occurs with exposure to built than natural environments, resulting in a faster return of activation to pre-stimulus baseline levels when viewing natural environments. Our research thus provides new evidence suggesting natural environments are perceived differently from built environments, converging with previous behavioral findings and theoretical assumptions from environmental psychology.
Eucommiitheca hirsuta, a new pollen organ with Eucommiidites pollen from the Early Cretaceous of Portugal

Abstract A new pollen organ, Eucommiitheca hirsuta, containing Eucommiidites pollen grains is described from the Early Cretaceous of Portugal. The material comprises dispersed microsporangiate units and fragments of axes bearing microsporangiate units in an opposite and decussate arrangement. Each microsporangiate unit consists of a slightly angular to rounded peltate scale attached centrally to a short stalk, and with whorls of sporangia around the distal part of the stalk. Sporangia are stalked and free, with longitudinal dehiscence, and contain pollen grains similar to the characteristic dispersed pollen genus Eucommiidites. Eucommiitheca is comparable to Erdtmanitheca, another Cretaceous pollen organ containing Eucommiidites pollen, in the peltate nature of the microsporangiate units, but microsporangiate units in Erdtmanitheca are arranged in dense heads and sporangia are elongate. The opposite and decussate arrangement of the microsporangiate units in Eucommiitheca is in accordance with the possible.
Predicting Amino Acid Requirements for Broilers at 21.1°C and 32.2°C

Abstract The dynamic amino acid requirements for broilers were predicted using growth data from a free-choice experiment. Protein and lipid weight gains and maintenance needs contributed to amino acid requirement calculations. The requirements obtained were compared to NRC recommendations. The predicted requirements for lysine and TSAA were similar to NRC data; however, male broilers had greater requirements for the observed amino acids than did female broilers because of a higher growth rate. The high environmental temperature did not show any effect on requirements of amino acids expressed as a ratio of g of amino acids: Mcal of TMEn.
Maladaptive Perfectionism and Depression: Testing the Mediating Role of Self-Esteem and Internalized Shame in an Australian Domestic and Asian International University Sample

Objectives To assess whether maladaptive perfectionism (parental and intrapersonal), mediated by self-esteem and internalized shame, lead to depressive symptoms, and to identify whether this model was invariant (i.e., structurally unchanged) across groups of Australian domestic and Asian international students. Methods A total of 624 (308 Australian domestic and 316 Asian international undergraduate university students) completed a questionnaire on the variables of interest. Results Australian domestic and Asian international students did not significantly differ in reported levels of study variables apart from parental maladaptive perfectionism, on which Australian domestic students scored significantly higher. The proposed path-model differed across student groups, with findings indicating that intrapersonal maladaptive perfectionism impacted indirectly on depressive symptoms through internalized shame in both groups, however, indirectly through self-esteem in only the Asian international student group. Conclusion Intrapersonal maladaptive perfectionism may be a culturally independent process, capable of predisposing all university students to develop depressive symptoms, but that self-esteem may be a particularly relevant mediator of this relationship among Asian international students.
Performance and Reliability of 4 Mb eFLASH Memory Array Featuring 28 nm Split-Gate Cell with HKMG Select Transistor

This paper presents the characterization and reliability results achieved on 1.8 V 4 Mb flash array built around 3rd generation Embedded SuperFlash® (ESF3) memory cell featuring high-k metal gate (HKMG) select transistor and embedded into Low-Power 28 nm CMOS HKMG technology with gate-first architecture. Endurance shows better performance in terms of erase degradation as compared to prior technology nodes with poly-SiON select transistor. This improvement is attributed to HKMG-related process integration scheme allowing to reduce the effect of the CMOS baseline on tunnel oxide quality. Excellent program-erase performance, program disturb windows and data retention capability are observed.
Survival and Behavior of Sockeye Salmon Fry Migrating into Brooks Lake, Alaska

Abstract This paper describes the behavior of sockeye salmon fry (Oncorhynchus nerka) during their migration from stream spawning gravels to lake nursery areas. Fry were negatively phototactic, sought holding areas along stream banks during daylight hours, and only left holding areas and gravel to migrate during the darkest hours of the night. Fry migrated as individuals, facing downstream, and usually exhibited swimming movements. Certain features of the migratory behavior are discussed in terms of survival values in the face of intense piscivorous predation.