Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Postural Stability Characteristics of Transtibial Amputees Wearing Different Prosthetic Foot Types When Standing on Various Support Surfaces

Purpose. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of prosthetic foot types on the postural stability among transtibial amputees when standing on different support surfaces. Materials and Methods. The postural stability of 10 transtibial amputees wearing solid ankle cushion heel (SACH) foot, single-axis (SA) foot, and energy-saving and return (ESAR) foot was assessed. Results were compared with able-bodied participants. Anterior-posterior stability index (APSI), mediolateral stability index (MLSI), and overall stability index (OSI) were measured by computed posturography in an upright stance on firm, foam, and unstable support surfaces. Results. The mean OSI score of SACH foot was significantly lower than that of an ESAR foot when the participants were standing on a compliant surface. When compared to able-bodied group, MLSI score was significantly higher for each of the prosthetic foot groups while OSI score was significantly higher for ESAR foot only in foam condition. Conclusions. Differences between prosthetic foot types and groups (amputees versus able-bodied) can only be distinguished when individuals were standing on a compliant surface. Amputees exhibited an increased postural instability in the mediolateral direction than able-bodied individuals. Hence, the restoration of stability in the frontal plane and the enhancement of proprioception at the residual limb should be the basis of rehabilitation programs.
A highly reliable broadcast scheme for IEEE 802.11 multi-hop ad hoc networks

In wired networks, the broadcast data packets can be easily and safely delivered to destinations. Nevertheless, it is a big challenge to transfer the broadcast frames over the IEEE 802.11 based multi-hop ad hoc wireless networks due to the high bit error rate, the high collision probability, and the lake of acknowledgement (ACK). Unfortunately, most of routing protocols need the broadcast function to exchange important information between nodes. From our observations, the efficiency of the routing protocol, such as dynamic source routing (DSR) and ad-hoc on-demand distance vector (AODV), finding the path from source to destination is strongly depending on the supported broadcast scheme in the underlying media access control (MAC) protocol. In this paper, we first investigate the uncertain broadcast problem in the IEEE 802.11 MAC protocol while delivering the necessary broadcast frames. Since no acknowledgement will be sent by any recipient of the broadcast frame in IEEE 802.11 MAC protocol, we propose a highly reliable broadcast scheme to solve such uncertain problem. The proposed scheme, which is still compatible with standard, can efficiently minimize bandwidth consumption as well as propagation delay.
Friction drag on a particle moving in a nematic liquid crystal.

The flow of a liquid crystal around a particle not only depends on its shape and the viscosity coefficients but also on the direction of the molecules. We studied the resulting drag force on a sphere moving in a nematic liquid crystal MBBA (4-methoxybenzlidene-${4}^{\ensuremath{'}}$-n-butylaniline) in a low Reynold's number approach for a fixed director field (low Ericksen number regime) using the computational artificial compressibility method. Taking the necessary disclination loop around the sphere into account, the value of the drag force anisotropy (${\mathit{F}}_{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\perp}}}$/${\mathit{F}}_{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\parallel}}}$=1.50) for an exactly computed field is in good agreement with experiments (\ensuremath{\sim}1.5) done by conductivity diffusion measurements. We also present data for weak anchoring of the molecules on the particle surface and of trial fields, which show to be sufficiently good for most applications. Furthermore, the behavior of the friction close to the nematic to isotropic transition point and for a rodlike and a disklike liquid crystal will be given. \textcopyright{} 1996 The American Physical Society.
The peptides ADNF-9 and NAP increase survival and neurite outgrowth of rat retinal ganglion cells in vitro.

PURPOSE Recent studies demonstrated that short peptides derived from activity-dependent neurotrophic factor (ADNF) and activity-dependent neuroprotective protein (ADNP) are neuroprotective at femtomolar concentrations. We evaluated these findings in cultures of purified rat retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) using two such peptides: ADNF-9 and NAP. In a second step, the influence of these peptides on neurite outgrowth in retinal explants was investigated. METHODS Retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) were purified from newborn (postnatal day [P]0-P2) rat retina by immunopanning with antibodies against Thy1.1 and were cultured in serum-free N2 medium for 2 days. RGCs were treated with ADNF-9 and NAP at concentrations ranging from 10(-18) to 10(-10) M. Survival was quantified by counting viable cells by phase-contrast microscopy. Retinal explants from postnatal (P9-P11) rats were cultured in three-dimensional fibrin clots in serum-free medium for 3 days. Explants were treated with 1 microM NAP or 1 microM ADNF-9. Neurite outgrowth was visualized by staining with Sudan black and quantified by measuring axonal length. RESULTS Both peptides enhanced survival of RGCs in a dose-dependent manner. ADNF-9 showed a maximum effect at 0.1 pM with an increase in survival to 177% (95% confidence interval: 149-204) of the control level. The EC(50) was 10.9 fM. NAP showed a maximum effect at 5 pM with an increase in survival to 167% (146-189) and an EC(50) of 6.1 fM. In the explants, 1 microM ADNF-9 enhanced axonal outgrowth to 126% (118-133) and 1 microM NAP to 117% (98-137) compared with the control. CONCLUSIONS Both peptides, ADNF-9 and NAP, not only increase RGC survival in vitro but also support neurite outgrowth in retinal explants. These peptides deserve further attention as potential neuroprotective compounds in retinal and optic nerve diseases.
Design of a multi-sender 3D videoconferencing application over an end system multicast protocol

Videoconferencing in the context of 3D virtual environments promises better spatial consistency and mutual awareness for its participants. However, in the absence of IP Multicast and limited upload bandwidth of today's DSL connections, the feasibility of such systems in supporting even a small group of users is in question. This paper presents the design and implementation of an awareness driven 3D videoconferencing application that runs on a peer-to-peer architecture and our own End System Multicast protocol. The paper highlights the unique requirements of multiparty videoconferencing applications and presents a solution that can support 4-10 bandwidth-limited users without the need for IP Multicast capability.
An approach to valuing ponds within farming systems for aquaculture

water is an unconventional economic good because it is:-a 'fugitive' and re-usable good,-a public good and often under common property regime,-a stochastically supplied and distributed resource,-subject to economies of scale in provision,-essential to plant and animal life, with no substitute,-associated with many non-market environmental qualities and values. In the context of arid and semi-arid climates, where water resources are scarce and where multiple uses of water have to co-exist to support a variety of life systems, competition for the products and functions of water resources (see Box 1) is likely to be intense and to involve problems of opportunity costs and externalities (Hodge & Adams 1997). Opportunity costs may be defined by the 'sacrifice' made, and its related forgone income, in allocating a scarce resource to a particular purpose rather than another (Pearce & Turner 1990; Lipsey & Harbury 1992). For example, at the farm level, integrating aquaculture within irrigation systems may lead the farmer to face two different 'dilemmas' during the dry season when water scarcity is felt more strongly:-Either use pond water to irrigate vegetables/fruits/rice crops OR keep it to stock fish for later consumption. -Either use feed or some sort of fertilisation to enhance pond culture OR use 'untreated' pond water for livestock and household use. (Pant & Demaine 1998 with reference to Thailand). If the farmer makes the right choice, its financial consequences are likely to be positive, since the foregone benefit of the non-adopted option, or 'bad' choice, should be lower than the financial benefits of the 'good' choice. In theory, it should be possible to attain a point of equilibrium where the benefits of all water uses are maximised. However, as will be detailed further, a high number of factors and uncertainties compose the 'choice' function and render decision-making a highly complex process. One of these difficulties relate to current land use patterns, in particular when these are unplanned. For example, the planting of deep-rooted perennials close to water bodies might increase the rate of water loss during the dry season. Eucalyptus has been planted extensively as an economic source of timber and pulp and is often planted as boundaries. Such species do not require 'watering' but are very important in the overall farm surface/ground water balance. In addition, if surface water bodies are sited in areas with higher ground waters, they may have much more water available for longer in the year. This illustrates …
Solutions of minimal four-dimensional de Sitter supergravity

Pseudo-supersymmetric solutions of minimal N = 2, D = 4 de Sitter supergravity are classified using spinorial geometry techniques. We find three classes of solutions. The first class of solution consists of geometries which are fibrations over a three-dimensional manifold equipped with a Gauduchon–Tod structure. The second class of solution is the cosmological Majumdar–Papapetrou solution of Kastor and Traschen, and the third corresponds to gravitational waves propagating in the Nariai cosmology.
Equity- and Tolerance-Oriented Teachers: Approaches to Teaching Race in the Social Studies Classroom

Abstract In this interpretative case study, the researchers examined the beliefs and practices of 10 self-identifying race-conscious social studies teachers. Using critical race theory as the lens, the researchers found that most of the teachers made race explicit in their classrooms by including race in units not typically considered race-related and focusing on the relationship between race and inequity. Additionally, while all of the teachers made race a central theme in their classrooms, there was a division between teachers who emphasized working against individual prejudice (tolerance-oriented) and against racial inequity (equity-oriented). This study adds to the growing research on teaching race in social studies and offers new evidence on how teachers present race and racism differently across school contexts.
A Survey of Architecture and Function of the Primary Visual Cortex (V1)

The largest visual area, known as the primary visual cortex or V1, has greatly contributed to the current understanding of mammalian and human visual pathways and their role in visual perception. The initial discovery of orientation-sensitive neurons in V1, arranged according to a retinotopic mapping, suggested an analogy to its function as a low-level feature analyzer. Subsequent discoveries of phase, spatial frequency, color, ocular origin, and direction-of-motion-sensitive neurons, arranged into overlapping maps, further lent support to the view that it performs a rich decomposition, similar to signal processing transforms, of the retinal output. Like the other cortical areas, V1 has a laminar organization with specialization for input from the relayed retinal afferents, output to the higher visual areas, and the segregation of the magno (motion) and parvo (form) pathways. Spatially lateral connections that exist between neurons of similar and varying properties have also been proposed to give rise to a computation of a bottom-up saliency map in V1. We provide a review of the selectivity of neurons in V1, laminar specialization and analogies to signal processing techniques, a model of V1 saliency computation, and higher-area feedback that may mediate perception.
Geography or Skills: What Explains Fed Watchers' Forecast Accuracy of US Monetary Policy?

The paper shows that there is a substantial degree of heterogeneity in the ability of Fed watchers to forecast US monetary policy decisions. Based on a novel database for 268 professional forecasters since 1999, the average forecast error of FOMC decisions varies 5 to 10 basis points between the best and worstperformers across the sample. This heterogeneity is found to be related to both the skills of analysts - such as their educational and employment backgrounds - and to geography. In particular, forecasters located in regions which experience more idiosyncratic economic conditions perform worse in anticipating monetary policy. This evidence is indicative that limited attention and heterogeneous priors are present even for anticipating important events such as monetary policy decisions. Moreover, the paper shows that such heterogeneity is economically important as it leads to greater financial market volatility after FOMC meetings. Finally, policy-makers are not impotent in influencing such heterogeneity as Fed communication is found to affect forecast accuracy significantly.
Data analysis and mining in the life sciences

Biotech companies routinely generate vast amounts of biological measurement data that must be analyzed rapidly and mined for diagnostic, prognostic, or drug evaluation purposes. While these data analysis tasks are critical to their success, they have not benefited from recent advances that emerged from database and KDD research. In this paper, we focus on two such tasks: on-line analysis of clinical study data, and mining broad datasets for biomarkers. We examine the new requirements that are not met by current data analysis technologies and we identify new database and KDD research to address these needs. We describe our experience implementing a Scientific OLAP system and a data mining platform for the support of biomarker discovery at SurroMed, and we outline some key technical challenges that must be overcome before data analysis and data mining technologies can be widely adopted in the biotech industry.
Are measurements of LDL particles ready for prime time?

In this issue of Clinical Chemistry , Ensign et al.(1) report on the differences in 4 methods commonly used to assess LDL subfractions or particles. The results are both interesting and deeply disturbing. In a careful, well-planned study, Ensign and colleagues prospectively and simultaneously collected blood samples as required for each method. Sample analyses by 3 of the methods in question, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), density gradient ultracentrifugation (VAP), and gradient gel electrophoresis (GGE), were performed by the laboratories that developed and commercially offer these technologies. The fourth technique, tube gel electrophoresis (TGE), is sold as a commercial reagent set and was performed in the investigators’ own laboratory according to the manufacturer’s specifications. The primary result investigated was LDL pattern, as interpreted by the reporting laboratories. Other results reported by some of the laboratories included particle number/concentration and LDL cholesterol (LDL-C), the current focus of national and international treatment guidelines and therapeutic goals(2)(3). Comparison of the LDL pattern results, as interpreted by the reporting laboratories, revealed substantial disparity between the methods, with only 8% (3 of 40) of samples showing complete agreement among the 4 methods for the most basic and qualitative of the interpretations, that of whether the samples analyzed had what is known as pattern A or pattern B. The 2 assays that agreed most often, NMR and GGE, did so for 28 of 37 samples for which results were available for both methods. This comparability was no better than that obtained with the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel (NCEP-ATP) III cut-point of 1.70 mmol/L (150 mg/dL) for optimal triglycerides(2), above which pattern B and below which pattern A can be predicted. In the study by Ensign et al, there was observed agreement of NMR with triglyceride results in 28 …
Eliminating Voltage Emergencies via Microarchitectural Voltage Control Feedback and Dynamic Program Modification

As processor clock gating becomes more and more prevalent, the resulting processor current fluctuations increase the chance of the power supply violating its operating voltage range. Today, low-power research has focused on hardware mechanisms to reduce the chances of these voltage emergencies. While these hardware solutions are very effective at reducing di/dt to an acceptable range, they do so at a performance penalty to the executing program. On the other hand, a compiler is well-equipped to rearrange instructions such that current fluctuations are less dramatic, while minimizing the performance implications. Furthermore, a software-based dynamic optimizer can eliminate the problem at the source-code level during program execution. This paper proposes complementing the hardware techniques with additional compiler-based techniques for eliminating power virus loops, and other recurring power problems. We propose that hardware solutions remain intact, but we extend them to additionally provide feedback to the dynamic optimization system, which can provide a permanent solution to the problem, often without affecting the performance of the executing program. We found that recurring voltage fluctuations do exist in the SPECcpu2000 benchmarks, and that given very little information from the hardware, a dynamic optimizer can locate and correct many of the recurring voltage emergencies.
Low Herbivory among Targeted Reforestation Sites in the Andean Highlands of Southern Ecuador

Insect herbivory constitutes an important constraint in the viability and management of targeted reforestation sites. Focusing on young experimental stands at about 2000 m elevation in southern Ecuador, we examined foliar damage over one season as a function of tree species and habitat. Native tree species (Successional hardwood: Cedrela montana and Tabebuia chrysantha; fast-growing pioneer: Heliocarpus americanus) have been planted among prevailing local landcover types (abandoned pasture, secondary shrub vegetation, and a Pinus patula plantation) in 2003/4. Plantation trees were compared to conspecifics in the spontaneous undergrowth of adjacent undisturbed rainforest matched for height and foliar volume. Specifically, we tested the hypotheses that H. americanus as a pioneer species suffers more herbivory compared to the two successional tree species, and that damage is inversely related to habitat complexity. Overall leaf damage caused by folivorous insects (excluding leafcutter ants) was low. Average leaf loss was highest among T. chrysantha (7.50% ± 0.19 SE of leaf area), followed by H. americanus (4.67% ± 0.18 SE) and C. montana (3.18% ± 0.15 SE). Contrary to expectations, leaf area loss was highest among trees in closed-canopy natural rainforest, followed by pine plantation, pasture, and secondary shrub sites. Harvesting activity of leafcutter ants (Acromyrmex sp.) was strongly biased towards T. chrysantha growing in open habitat (mean pasture: 2.5%; shrub: 10.5%) where it could result in considerable damage (> 90.0%). Insect folivory is unlikely to pose a barrier for reforestation in the tropical Andean mountain forest zone at present, but leafcutter ants may become problematic if local temperatures increase in the wake of global warming.
Detection and Tracking of Infrared Dim Small Image Sequence Moving Target

Infrared dim target detection and tracking is widely used in precision guidance, automatic control and other fields. As the small target imaging system has far distance, small area, low SNR infrared characteristics and undergoes image preprocessing, dim target detection technology is more important and more difficult. As a full play of the ad- vantages of infrared small target detection technique has been provided, this has significance in infrared imaging. Based on introducing the tracking technology development status at home and abroad by the study of small target detection, the problems of detecting and tracking small moving target in infrared image sequence of background noise and interference conditions, aiming at dynamic planning in energy diffusion problem are presented. The improved algorithm of dynamic programming is also presented including weighted dynamic programming algorithm and the realization steps of the algo- rithm. Detection structure and the experimental results are analyzed. The results show that the algorithm has a good effect. In the end, this paper studies the rejected false targets in IR image track association method to obtain real object trajecto- ries for moving small target detection, so as to improve the detection rate and reduce the false alarm rate.
Snapshot simulation of internet traffic: fast and accurate for heavy-tailed flows

Simulations involving processes at very different time scales can be so slow to converge that starting in one state and waiting for a representative sample of the state space to be explored is not feasible. Under these circumstances we need to find a different way to explore a representative range of states in order to obtain valid results in a reasonable time. Internet traffic is an example of this situation. This is due to the fact that it is made up of clearly identifiable flows and a significant proportion of overall bytes occur in long-lived flows, whose overall duration will in many cases be longer than can be simulated. In this paper we develop a method which constructs a "randomly selected state" of Internet traffic from scratch -- snapshot simulation. The technique is applied to a realistic model of Internet traffic and is used to confirm theoretical results for the number of active flows in a router which adopts either Fair Queueing or Shortest Job First as its queueing discipline. Snapshot simulations are also compared to conventional simulations of the same systems and it is shown that although convergence to the same results appears to be occurring, satisfactory accuracy cannot be obtained in a reasonable time by the conventional simulations. Simulation of a practical high-performance queue discipline, SJF-n, in which only the largest n flows at any time are de-prioritized, is also simulated and shown to give good performance for quite low n.
Acclimation responses of Arabidopsis thaliana to sustained phosphite treatments

Phosphite () induces a range of physiological and developmental responses in plants by disturbing the homeostasis of the macronutrient phosphate. Because of its close structural resemblance to phosphate, phosphite impairs the sensing, membrane transport, and subcellular compartmentation of phosphate. In addition, phosphite induces plant defence responses by an as yet unknown mode of action. In this study, the acclimation of Arabidopsis thaliana plants to a sustained phosphite supply in the growth medium was investigated and compared with plants growing under varying phosphate supplies. Unlike phosphate, phosphite did not suppress the formation of lateral roots in several Arabidopsis accessions. In addition, the expression of well-documented phosphate-starvation-induced genes, such as miRNA399d and At4, was not repressed by phosphite accumulation, whilst the induction of PHT1;1 and PAP1 was accentuated. Thus, a mimicking of phosphate by phosphite was not observed for these classical phosphate-starvation responses. Metabolomic analysis of phosphite-treated plants showed changes in several metabolite pools, most prominently those of aspartate, asparagine, glutamate, and serine. These alterations in amino acid pools provide novel insights for the understanding of phosphite-induced pathogen resistance.