Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A phylogenetic supertree of the bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera)

We present the first estimate of the phylogenetic relationships among all 916 extant and nine recently extinct species of bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera), a group that accounts for almost one‐quarter of extant mammalian diversity. This phylogeny was derived by combining 105 estimates of bat phylogenetic relationships published since 1970 using the supertree construction technique of Matrix Representation with Parsimony (MRP). Despite the explosive growth in the number of phylogenetic studies of bats since 1990, phylogenetic relationships in the order have been studied non‐randomly. For example, over one‐third of all bat systematic studies to date have focused on relationships within Phyllostomidae, whereas relationships within clades such as Kerivoulinae and Murinae have never been studied using cladistic methods. Resolution in the supertree similarly differs among clades: overall resolution is poor (46.4% of a fully bifurcating solution) but reaches 100% in some groups (e.g. relationships within Mormoopidae). The supertree analysis does not support a recent proposal that Microchiroptera is paraphyletic with respect to Megachiroptera, as the majority of source topologies support microbat monophyly. Although it is not a substitute for comprehensive phylogenetic analyses of primary molecular and morphological data, the bat supertree provides a useful tool for future phylogenetic comparative and macroevolutionary studies. Additionally, it identifies clades that have been little studied, highlights groups within which relationships are controversial, and like all phylogenetic studies, provides preliminary hypotheses that can form starting points for future phylogenetic studies of bats.
Who Cares? Motivations for Unregulated Child Care Use

This article explores the motivations for unregulated child care use within Canada. Using focus group data from 109 mothers, we analyze unregulated child care use within a policy context in which regulated child care is only available for 20% of preschool children. The key drivers for unregulated care were framed by participants as benefits: trust in a known caregiver with similar values, offered in a home-like environment. Importantly, one driver that was not seen as beneficial was the lack of affordable and accessible, regulated child care. Sometimes used as a last resort amid regulated child care shortages, unregulated care became the driver of how mothers organized their time. Within the constraints of a limited regulatory child care environment, we argue that Mathieu’s (2016) concept of demotherization is beyond the grasp of the majority of Canadian mothers.
Unitary IPSPs evoked by interneurons at the stratum radiatum‐stratum lacunosum‐moleculare border in the CA1 area of the rat hippocampus in vitro

1 Hippocampal non‐principal neurons at the stratum radiatum‐stratum lacunosum‐moleculare border (R‐LM interneurons) of the CA1 area may constitute several cell classes and have been implicated in the generation of GABAergic unitary IPSPs. Using biocytin‐filled electrodes we recorded R‐LM interneurons intracellularly in vitro and determined their postsynaptic effects in concomitantly recorded pyramidal cells. 2 Light microscopic analysis revealed four populations of R‐LM interneurons with distinct axons: (1) basket cells (n= 4) with axons predominantly ramifying in the pyramidal cell layer; (2) Schaffer collateral/commissural pathway‐associated interneurons (n= 10) stratifying in stratum radiatum and, to a lesser extent, stratum oriens; (3) perforant pathway‐associated interneurons (n= 6) innervating the perforant path termination zone in stratum lacunosum‐moleculare of the CA1 area as well as equivalent portions of the dentate gyrus and subiculum; and (4) neurogliaform interneurons (n= 2) characterized by their dense, compact axonal and dendritic arbour. 3 Random electron microscopic sampling of synaptic targets revealed a preponderance of pyramidal neurons as postsynaptic elements. Basket cells had a synaptic target preference for somata and proximal dendrites, whereas the remainder of R‐LM interneurons innervated dendritic shafts and spines. The axon of dendrite‐targeting cells formed up to six putative contacts with individual postsynaptic pyramidal cells. 4 Anatomically recovered R‐LM interneurons (n= 22) had a mean resting membrane potential of ‐56.7 ± 3.6 mV, a membrane time constant of 12.9 ± 7.7 ms and an input resistance of 86.4 ± 29.2 MΩ. Depolarizing current pulses generally elicited overshooting action potentials (70.8 ± 6.9 mV) which had a mean duration, when measured at half‐amplitude, of 0.7 ± 0.1 ms. In response to prolonged (> 200 ms) depolarizing current pulses all R‐LM interneurons displayed (a varying degree of) spike frequency adaptation. 5 Basket cells, Schaffer‐associated and neurogliaform interneurons elicited small‐amplitude (< 2 mV), short‐latency IPSPs in postsynaptic pyramids (n= 5, 13 and 1, respectively). Those interactions in which an effect was elicited with the repetitive activation of the presynaptic neuron (n= 13) showed a substantial degree of postsynaptic response summation. Unitary IPSPs had fast kinetics and, whenever tested (n= 5; 1 basket cell and 4 Schaffer‐associated interneurons), were abolished by the GABAA receptor antagonist bicuculline. 6 Thus, R‐LM interneurons comprise several distinct populations which evoke fast GABAA receptor‐mediated IPSPs. The domain‐specific innervation of postsynaptic pyramidal cells suggests functionally diverse effects on the integration of afferent information in functionally non‐equivalent compartments of pyramidal cells.
Optical wireless LDPC-coded PPM with unequal transmission power allocation scheme

In this paper, the low density parity check (LDPC) coded schemes with unequal transmission power allocation (UTPA) in optical wireless channel is evaluated. In particular, the bit error rate performance of the LDPC coded binary pulse position with UTPA is investigated in the presence of APD noise, thermal noise, scintillation. Consequently, the BER performance of the LDPC coded pulse position modulation with UTPA is better than that of the conventional LDPC coded pulse position modulation. It is found that there is optimum power ratio (R) and optimum R is varied by each average received laser power per slot (Pw). For example, when variance of scintillation is 0.1, the optimum R is 4.0 at Pw =-50[dBm]. Thus, the LDPC coded pulse position modulation with UTPA system is superior to the conventional system with R=1.0.
WiFi localization system based on Fuzzy Logic to deal with signal variations

The goal of this paper is to study some of the most important WiFi signal variations, large and small scale variations and how they affect to WiFi localization systems. Moreover, the paper shows how to use soft computing techniques to deal with these uncertainties in WiFi localization systems. This work describes how to reduce uncertainty produced by small scale variations in indoor environments using fuzzy techniques. Some experimental results and conclusions are presented.
Online inspection of 3D parts via a locally overlapping camera network

The raising standards in manufacturing demands reliable and fast industrial quality control mechanisms. This paper proposes an accurate, yet easy to install multi-view, close range optical metrology system, which is suited to online operation. The system is composed of multiple static, locally overlapping cameras forming a network. Initially, these cameras are calibrated to obtain a global coordinate frame. During run-time, the measurements are performed via a novel geometry extraction techniques coupled with an elegant projective registration framework, where 3D to 2D fitting energies are minimized. Finally, a non-linear regression is carried out to compensate for the uncontrollable errors. We apply our pipeline to inspect various geometrical structures found on automobile parts. While presenting the implementation of an involved 3D metrology system, we also demonstrate that the resulting inspection is as accurate as 0.2 mm, repeatable and much faster, compared to the existing methods such as coordinate measurement machines (CMM) or ATOS.
The use of focus group interviews in pediatric health care research.

OBJECTIVE To review and synethize the research material on focus groups with children and adolescents and to provide guidelines for future development. METHODS Psychlit, Medline, and Cinahl electronic databases, as well as the reference lists of those articles consulted, were reviewed for information regarding focus groups with participants under the age of 18 years. Both empirical and methodological articles were part of this review. RESULTS We review the utility of focus groups for exploratory research, program evaluation, program development, and questionnaire construction or adaptation. Based on previous research, we provide guidelines for focus groups with children and adolescents and outline suggestions for future development. CONCLUSIONS There is evidence to suggest that focus groups are a valuable means of eliciting children's views on health-related matters, given an appropriate research question. However, empirical research is required in order to investigate systematically the effect of different processes and variables on the final outcome of focus group interviews.
Interoperability of secure VoIP terminals

An interoperability test automation system has been implemented at the Wireless Communication Technologies Research Laboratory (KİTAL) at TÜBİTAK BİLGEM for secure IP communication terminals. Designed and manufactured at BİLGEM, MİLSEC-4 terminals provide VoIP signalling using SIP and end-to-end secure communication using SCIP protocols. This test system, called Shadow Coordinator, aims to verify the interoperability of terminals implementing SCIP, SIP and other related protocols. A simplified EFSM model for the expected behavior of a terminal implementing SCIP is introduced. A more advanced version of this model is used to genearate minimum-length and maximum coverage test sequences.
Towards hand-eye coordination training in virtual knee arthroscopy

Minimally invasive arthroscopic surgery has replaced the common orthopaedic surgery procedures on joints. However it demands from surgeons to acquire very different motor-skills for using special miniature pencil-like instruments and cameras inserted through little incisions on the body while observing the surgical field on a video monitor. Training in virtual reality is becoming an alternative to traditional surgical training based on either real patients or increasingly difficult to procure cadavers. In this paper we propose solutions for simulation in virtual environments a few basic arthroscopic procedures including incision of the arthroscopic camera, positioning of the instrument in front of it, as well as using scissors and graspers. Our approach is based on both full 3D simulation and haptic interaction as well as image-based visualization and haptic interaction.
Musculoskeletal disorders in self-employed construction workers: a qualitative study of the factors influencing the uptake and continuity of treatment

The construction industry is the largest source of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), with self-employed construction workers at high risk as they are solely responsible for their health, safety and well-being at work. Globally MSDs are the second highest contributor to global disability and constitute a great burden to society. MSDs are treated by a broad range of interventions, at public and private care level. These forms of treatment include medical interventions, and alternative methods of treatment. This research explores the experiences and perceptions of eight male self-employed construction workers towards the treatment of their MSDs, a semi-structured questionnaire was employed at interview to gather data. Thematic analysis identified key themes from the interview transcripts these included: perceptions of MSDs, attitudes towards seeking assistance, pharmaceutical interventions, alternative therapies and barriers to treatment. The results illustrate the factors influencing the uptake and continuity of treatment, with the main factors being masculine behaviour, the effectiveness of treatment, the perceived barriers to treatment and the patient-provider relationship. Further research is recommended, to explore a larger sample of construction workers in order to confirm and explore the extent of these influencers on a generalisable scale.
Fast Image Segmentation Using Modified CLARA Algorithm

The CLARA algorithm is one of the popular clustering algorithms in use nowadays. This algorithm works on a randomly selected subset of the original data and produces near accurate results at a faster rate than other clustering algorithms. CLARA is basically used in data mining applications. We have used this algorithm for color image segmentation.The original CLARA is modified for producing better outputs. We used a technique of averaging of simulation results to reduce error due to sampling. We applied this algorithm for segmentation of color images due to the large amount of spatial coherency present in the image. The modified algorithm is also suitable for general data mining applications. From experimental results,we see that the suggested modification is a faster version of CLARA as well as able to produce better results.
Universal communication over modulo-additive individual noise sequence channels

Which communication rates can be attained over a channel whose output is an unknown (possibly stochastic) function of the input that may vary arbitrarily in time with no a-priori model? Following the spirit of the finite-state compressibility of a sequence defined by Lempel and Ziv, we define a “capacity” for such a channel as the highest rate achievable by a designer knowing the particular relation that indeed exists between the input and output for all times, yet is constrained to use a fixed finite-length block communication scheme (i.e., use the same scheme over each block). In the case of the binary modulo additive channel, where the output sequence is obtained by modulo addition of an unknown individual sequence to the input sequence, this capacity is upper bounded by 1 − ρ where ρ is the finite state compressibility of the noise sequence. We present a communication scheme with feedback that attains this rate universally without prior knowledge of the noise sequence.
The Gaussian sampling strategy for probabilistic roadmap planners

Probabilistic roadmap planners (PRMs) form a relatively new technique for motion planning that has shown great potential. A critical aspect of PRM is the probabilistic strategy used to sample the free configuration space. In this paper we present a new, simple sampling strategy, which we call the Gaussian sampler, that gives a much better coverage of the difficult parts of the free configuration space. The approach uses only elementary operations which makes it suitable for many different planning problems. Experiments indicate that the technique is very efficient indeed.
A 3GHz Low-offset Fully Dynamic Latched Comparator for High-Speed and Low-Power ADCs

In this paper, performances of various types of dynamic latched comparators are compared in terms of their offset voltages, speed and power. The accuracy of comparators, which is defined by its offset, along with power consumption, speed is of keen interest in achieving overall higher performance of ADCs. This can be achieved by the fully dynamic latched comparator which is proposed in this paper. This comparator shows 14.6mV offset which is small when compared to other dynamic comparators and pre- amplifier based comparators. This comparator not only achieves low-offset but also exhibit high-speed and low power in its operation, which can be used for low power high speed ADC applications. In this paper, we present a new dynamic latched comparator which shows lower input-referred latch offset voltage and higher load drivability than the conventional dynamic latched comparators. Even though numbers of transistors in the proposed comparator are more but overall area is small when compared to conventional dynamic latched comparators. This paper is organized as follows. Section II provides an overview of the various types of dynamic latched comparators in terms of their advantages and drawbacks, and section III describes the offset analysis of proposed dynamic latched comparator. Section IV provides schematics of various types of dynamic latched comparators which are drawn in T-Spice. Simulation results from HSPICE using 90nm PTM technology with VDD=1V and their comparisons are presented in Section V and conclusion is drawn in Section VI.
A Collection of Primary Tissue Cultures of Tumors from Vacuum Packed and Cooled Surgical Specimens: A Feasibility Study

Primary cultures represent an invaluable tool to set up functional experimental conditions; however, creation of tissue cultures from solid tumors is troublesome and often unproductive. Several features can affect the success rate of primary cultures, including technical issues from pre-analytical procedures employed in surgical theaters and pathology laboratories. We have recently introduced a new method of collection, transfer, and preservation of surgical specimens that requires immediate vacuum sealing of excised specimens at surgical theaters, followed by time-controlled transferring at 4°C to the pathology laboratory. Here we investigate the feasibility and performance of short-term primary cell cultures derived from vacuum packed and cooled (VPAC) preserved tissues. Tissue fragments were sampled from 52 surgical specimens of tumors larger than 2 cm for which surgical and VPAC times (the latter corresponding to cold ischemia time) were recorded. Cell viability was determined by trypan blue dye-exclusion assay and hematoxylin and eosin and immunohistochemical stainings were performed to appreciate morphological and immunophenotypical features of cultured cells. Cell viability showed a range of 84–100% in 44 out of 52 (85%) VPAC preserved tissues. Length of both surgical and VPAC times affected cell viability: the critical surgical time was set around 1 hour and 30 minutes, while cells preserved a good viability when kept for about 24 hours of vacuum at 4°C. Cells were maintained in culture for at least three passages. Immunocytochemistry confirmed the phenotype of distinct populations, that is, expression of cytokeratins in epithelioid cells and of vimentin in spindle cells. Our results suggest that VPAC preserved tissues may represent a reliable source for creation of primary cell cultures and that a careful monitoring of surgical and cold ischemia times fosters a good performance of primary tissue cultures.
Using genetic, cognitive and multi-modal neuroimaging data to identify ultra-high-risk and first-episode psychosis at the individual level

Background Group-level results suggest that relative to healthy controls (HCs), ultra-high-risk (UHR) and first-episode psychosis (FEP) subjects show alterations in neuroanatomy, neurofunction and cognition that may be mediated genetically. It is unclear, however, whether these groups can be differentiated at single-subject level, for instance using the machine learning analysis support vector machine (SVM). Here, we used a multimodal approach to examine the ability of structural magnetic resonance imaging (sMRI), functional MRI (fMRI), diffusion tensor neuroimaging (DTI), genetic and cognitive data to differentiate between UHR, FEP and HC subjects at the single-subject level using SVM. Method Three age- and gender-matched SVM paired comparison groups were created comprising 19, 19 and 15 subject pairs for FEP versus HC, UHR versus HC and FEP versus UHR, respectively. Genetic, sMRI, DTI, fMRI and cognitive data were obtained for each participant and the ability of each to discriminate subjects at the individual level in conjunction with SVM was tested. Results Successful classification accuracies (p < 0.05) comprised FEP versus HC (genotype, 67.86%; DTI, 65.79%; fMRI, 65.79% and 68.42%; cognitive data, 73.69%), UHR versus HC (sMRI, 68.42%; DTI, 65.79%), and FEP versus UHR (sMRI, 76.67%; fMRI, 73.33%; cognitive data, 66.67%). Conclusions The results suggest that FEP subjects are identifiable at the individual level using a range of biological and cognitive measures. Comparatively, only sMRI and DTI allowed discrimination of UHR from HC subjects. For the first time FEP and UHR subjects have been shown to be directly differentiable at the single-subject level using cognitive, sMRI and fMRI data. Preliminarily, the results support clinical development of SVM to help inform identification of FEP and UHR subjects, though future work is needed to provide enhanced levels of accuracy.
Reduced number of unmyelinated sensory axons in peripherin null mice

Peripherin is a type III intermediate filament (IF) abundantly expressed in developing neurons, but in the adult, it is primarily found in neurons extending to the peripheral nervous system. It has been suggested that peripherin may play a role in axonal elongation and/or cytoskeletal stabilization during development and regeneration. To further clarify the function of peripherin, we generated and characterized mice with a targeted disruption of the peripherin gene. The peripherin null mice were viable, reproduced normally and did not exhibit overt phenotypes. Microscopic analysis revealed no gross morphological defects in the ventral and dorsal roots, spinal cord, retina and gut, but protein analyses showed increased levels of the type IV IF α‐internexin in ventral roots of peripherin null mice. Whereas the number and caliber of myelinated motor and sensory axons in the L5 roots remained unchanged in peripherin knockout mice, there was a substantial reduction (∼ 34%) in the number of L5 unmyelinated sensory fibers that correlated with a decreased binding of the lectin IB4. These results demonstrate a requirement of peripherin for the proper development of a subset of sensory neurons.
Tear Down This Wall Street : The Effect of Anti-market Ideology on Financial Decisions

I manipulate exposure to anti-market ideology in a controlled environment. Subjects exposed to anti-market ideology invest less often and less money in risky financial opportunities than controls. Female, older, and college-educated subjects drive the results. Risk aversion does not change with the manipulation. Instead, treated subjects have a more negative view of the financial sector, and they react to positive news but not to negative news regarding investment payoffs in subsequent investment choices. These results are consistent with context-dependent beliefs (Bordalo, Gennaioli, and Shleifer (2015)). Anti-market ideology might make bad payoffs more representative of financial investments, so that treated subjects do not react after experiencing bad payoffs. Contrary to behavioral biases, anti-market ideology makes more sophisticated agents deviate from neoclassical decision-making. JEL: B24, C91, C93, D14, G02, Z13