Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A random set formulation for Bayesian SLAM

This paper presents an alternative formulation for the Bayesian feature-based simultaneous localisation and mapping (SLAM) problem, using a random finite set approach. For a feature based map, SLAM requires the joint estimation of the vehicle location and the map. The map itself involves the joint estimation of both the number of features and their states (typically in a 2D Euclidean space), as an a priori unknown map is completely unknown in both landmark location and number. In most feature based SLAM algorithms, so-called dasiafeature managementpsila algorithms as well as data association hypotheses along with extended Kalman filters are used to generate the joint posterior estimate. This paper, however, presents a recursive filtering algorithm which jointly propagates both the estimate of the number of landmarks, their corresponding states, and the vehicle pose state, without the need for explicit feature management and data association algorithms. Using a finite set-valued joint vehicle-map state and set-valued measurements, the first order statistic of the set, called the intensity, is propagated via the probability hypothesis density (PHD) filter, from which estimates of the map and vehicle can be jointly extracted. Assuming a mildly non-linear Gaussian system, an extended-Kalman Gaussian Mixture implementation of the recursion is then tested for both feature-based robotic mapping (known location) and SLAM. Results from the experiments show promising performance for the proposed SLAM framework, especially in environments of high spurious measurements.
Experimental Verification of Conductor Loss Model for Thin Film Microstrip Line

This paper presents the improved perturbation based model of Holloway & Kuester for conductor loss computation. The model presented takes into account the frequency dependent nature of conductivity of thin film conductor. We have also shown comparison of Present model with experimental results for the frequency range 1 to 100 GHz. Deviations of the improved model from experimental are found below 9%.
View Extrapolation Method using Depth Map for 3 D Video Systems

The next generation 3D video systems employ the view synthesis method that generates virtual viewpoint images using depth data to provide realistic and comfortable depth impression. It is suitable for the advanced stereoscopic displays or the auto-stereoscopic displays since it can generate multi-view images. To provide high-quality virtual view images, the 3D video system should minimize the visual artifacts induced by the hole regions. Particularly, the visual artifacts arise severely during view extrapolation due to lack of information from the reference views. In this paper, we propose an efficient extra-view generation method, which is useful for the auto-stereoscopic displays in the circumstance that the number of provided viewpoint is not sufficient at the displays. First, we propose a framework that generates outer viewpoint images. Second, we propose an efficient hole filling methods in spatial and temporal directions. Using objective and subjective evaluations, we showed that the proposed method generate high-quality extraviewpoint images.
A robust face detection method

A new face detection method based on learning is proposed in this paper, it has three properties: first, it uses not only the local facial feature but also the global facial feature to design weak classifiers, a new kind of global facial feature called as the unified average face feature (UAFF) is proposed; second, it uses two kinds of rectangle feature as the local feature, different from other methods, these local features are selected and calculated only in the partial regions of face; third, these weak classifiers corresponding to the global facial features and the local facial features are combined and trained by our novel cascade classifier training algorithm to construct a cascade face detector. Because of these properties, our face detector is robust and generalizes well. Experimental results show that, with a small number of features, it can reach higher detection rate while maintain lower false alarm rate. Moreover, it can detect faces with partial occlusion.
Annexin A2 Phosphorylation Mediates Cell Scattering and Branching Morphogenesis via Cofilin Activation

ABSTRACT Dynamic remodeling of the actin cytoskeleton is required for cell spreading, motility, and migration and can be regulated by tyrosine kinase activity. Phosphotyrosine proteomic screening revealed phosphorylation of the lipid-, calcium-, and actin-binding protein annexin A2 (AnxA2) at Tyr23 as a major event preceding ts-v-Src kinase-induced cell scattering. Expression of the phospho-mimicking mutant Y23E-AnxA2 itself was sufficient to induce actin reorganization and cell scattering in MDCK cells. While Y23E-AnxA2, but not Y23A-AnxA2, enhanced Src- or hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)-induced cell scattering, short hairpin RNA-mediated knockdown of AnxA2 inhibited both v-Src- and HGF-induced cell scattering. Three-dimensional branching morphogenesis was induced in wild-type-AnxA2-expressing cells only in the presence of HGF, while Y23E-AnxA2 induced HGF-independent branching morphogenesis. Knockdown of AnxA2 prevented lumen formation during cystogenesis. The Y23E-AnxA2-induced scattering was associated with dephosphorylation/activation of the actin-severing protein cofilin. Likewise, inactive S3E-cofilin and constitutively active LIM kinase, a direct upstream kinase of cofilin, inhibited Y23E-AnxA2-induced scattering. Together, our studies indicate an essential role for AnxA2 phosphorylation in regulating cofilin-dependent actin cytoskeletal dynamics in the context of cell scattering and branching morphogenesis.
The Nursing Strategy Officer: A New and Evolving Role

As health systems have become more expansive, strategic and operational planning processes have become more complex. Enterprise-wide strategic plans now address a broad set of considerations that have significant impact across the organization, particularly nursing and patient care programs. Synchronous implementation of organizational strategies can be very challenging. Organizational capacity is constantly challenged with competing agendas. To drive the successful implementation of organization-wide strategies and optimize success, Cleveland Clinic Foundation established a new role modeled after other industry sectors, the Associate Chief Nurse for Strategic Planning. This article describes the genesis and focus of this new, important role.
Using Competitive Analysis to get the competitive advantage

When introducing a product into a new market, determining the current market players' reliability performance may lead to a competitive advantage. Or, if your competition is using reliability as a marketing lead, does your product match their performance or do they have the advantage? Using Competitive Analysis, we can determine areas of strength as well as areas of weakness so that we can develop a plan for reliability improvement. Competitive Analysis often uses tools such as Reliability Predictions, Failure Modes and Effects Analyses (FMEAs) and Highly Accelerated Life Tests (HALTs) to compare your product with that of your competition.
A Composite of Multiple Signals Distinguishes Causal Variants in Regions of Positive Selection

Pinpointing Genetic Selection The human genome contains hundreds of regions with evidence of recent positive natural selection, yet, for all but a handful of cases, the underlying advantageous mutation remains unknown. Current methods to detect the signal of selection often results in the identification of a broad genomic region containing many candidate regions that vary among individuals. By combining existing statistical methods, Grossman et al. (p. 883, published online 7 January) developed a method, termed Composite of Multiple Signals, which can increase the ability to pinpoint the specific variant under selection. Several candidate regions under selection in human populations were identified. Combining statistical methods detects signals of selection with increased sensitivity and a lower false-positive rate. The human genome contains hundreds of regions whose patterns of genetic variation indicate recent positive natural selection, yet for most the underlying gene and the advantageous mutation remain unknown. We developed a method, composite of multiple signals (CMS), that combines tests for multiple signals of selection and increases resolution by up to 100-fold. By applying CMS to candidate regions from the International Haplotype Map, we localized population-specific selective signals to 55 kilobases (median), identifying known and novel causal variants. CMS can not just identify individual loci but implicates precise variants selected by evolution.
Comparison of Confidence Intervals for Adjusted Attributable Risk Estimates under Multinomial Sampling

The epidemiologic concept of the adjusted attributable risk is a useful approach to quantitatively describe the importance of risk factors on the population level. It measures the proportional reduction in disease probability when a risk factor is eliminated from the population, accounting for effects of confounding and effect‐modification by nuisance variables. The computation of asymptotic variance estimates for estimates of the adjusted attributable risk is often done by applying the delta method. Investigations on the delta method have shown, however, that the delta method generally tends to underestimate the standard error, leading to biased confidence intervals. We compare confidence intervals for the adjusted attributable risk derived by applying computer intensive methods like the bootstrap or jackknife to confidence intervals based on asymptotic variance estimates using an extensive Monte Carlo simulation and within a real data example from a cohort study in cardiovascular disease epidemiology. Our results show that confidence intervals based on bootstrap and jackknife methods outperform intervals based on asymptotic theory. Best variants of computer intensive confidence intervals are indicated for different situations. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Study of Gate Width Influence on Extrinsic Transconductance in AlGaN/GaN Heterostructure Field-Effect Transistors With Polarization Coulomb Field Scattering

AlGaN/GaN heterostructure FETs with the same gate length and different gate widths were fabricated, and the extrinsic transconductance was measured. The device with a wider gate width shows a lower peak value, but a slower drop of extrinsic transconductance. This phenomenon is attributed to the influence of polarization Coulomb field (PCF) scattering, which originates from the irregular distribution of the polarization charges at the AlGaN/GaN interface. PCF scattering influences the extrinsic transconductance by scattering the electrons in the gate-source channel, thus altering the source access resistance. Different gate widths are accompanied by different PCF scattering intensities, inducing different behaviors of extrinsic transconductance. It demonstrates the possibility to take advantage of PCF scattering to improve the characteristics of GaN devices.
Dynamic Parallel Tree Contraction

Parallel tree contraction has been found to be a useful and quite powerful tool for the design of a wide class of efficient graph algorithms. We propose a corresponding technique for the parallel solution of incremental problems. As our computational model, we assume a variant of the CRCW PRAM where we can dynamically activate processors by a forking operation. We consider a dynamic binary tree T of ≤ n nodes and unbounded depth. We describe a procedure, which we call the dynamic parallel tree contraction algorithm, which incrementally processes various parallel modification requests and queries: (1) parallel requests to add or delete leaves of T , or modify labels of internal nodes or leaves of T , and also (2) parallel tree contraction queries which require recomputing values at specified nodes. Each modification or query is with respect to a set of nodes U in T . Our dynamic parallel tree contraction algorithm is a randomized algorithm that takesO(log(|U | logn)) expected parallel time using O( |U| log n log(|U| log n) ) processors. We give a large number of applications (with the same bounds), including: (a) maintaining the usual tree properties (such as number of ancestors, preorder, etc.), (b) Eulerian tour, (c) expression evaluation, (d) least common ancestor, and (e) canonical forms of trees. Previously, there where no known parallel algorithms for incrementally maintaining and solving such problems in parallel time less than Θ(log n). In deriving our incremental algorithms, we solve a key subproblem, namely a processor activation problem, within the same asymptotic bounds, which may be useful in the ∗This research was supported by DARPA/ISTO Grant N00014-91J-1985, Subcontract KI-92-01-0182 of DARPA/ISTO prime Contract N00014-92-C-0182, NSF Grant NSF-IRI-91-00681, and NASA subcontract 550-63 of prime Contract NAS5-30428. †Permanent address: Department of Computer Science, Duke University, Box 90129, Durham, NC 27708–0129 design of other parallel incremental algorithms. This algorithm uses an interesting persistent parallel data structure involving a non-trivial construction. In a subsequent paper, we apply our dynamic parallel tree contraction technique to various incremental graph problems: maintaining various properties, (such as coloring, minimum covering set, maximum matching, etc.) of parallel series graphs, outerplanar graphs, Helin networks, bandwidth-limited networks, and various other graphs with constant separator size.
Mammalian genes induce partially reprogrammed pluripotent stem cells in non-mammalian vertebrate and invertebrate species

Cells are fundamental units of life, but little is known about evolution of cell states. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are once differentiated cells that have been re-programmed to an embryonic stem cell-like state, providing a powerful platform for biology and medicine. However, they have been limited to a few mammalian species. Here we found that a set of four mammalian transcription factor genes used to generate iPSCs in mouse and humans can induce a partially reprogrammed pluripotent stem cell (PRPSCs) state in vertebrate and invertebrate model organisms, in mammals, birds, fish, and fly, which span 550 million years from a common ancestor. These findings are one of the first to show cross-lineage stem cell-like induction, and to generate pluripotent-like cells for several of these species with in vivo chimeras. We suggest that the stem-cell state may be highly conserved across a wide phylogenetic range. DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.7554/eLife.00036. 001
Word Distributions for Thematic Segmentation in a Support Vector Machine Approach

We investigate the appropriateness of using a technique based on support vector machines for identifying thematic structure of text streams. The thematic segmentation task is modeled as a binary-classification problem, where the different classes correspond to the presence or the absence of a thematic boundary. Experiments are conducted with this approach by using features based on word distributions through text. We provide empirical evidence that our approach is robust, by showing good performance on three different data sets. In particular, substantial improvement is obtained over previously published results of word-distribution based systems when evaluation is done on a corpus of recorded and transcribed multi-party dialogs.
The Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron Protein Bacteroides Host Factor A Participates in Integration of the Integrative Conjugative Element CTnDOT into the Chromosome

ABSTRACT CTnDOT is a conjugative transposon found in Bacteroides species. It encodes multiple antibiotic resistances and is stimulated to transfer by exposure to tetracycline. CTnDOT integration into the host chromosome requires IntDOT and a previously unknown host factor. We have identified a protein, designated BHFa (Bacteroides host factor A), that participates in integrative recombination. BHFa is the first host factor identified for a site-specific recombination reaction in the CTnDOT family of integrative and conjugative elements. Based on the amino acid sequence of BHFa, the ability to bind specifically to 4 sites in the attDOT DNA, and its activity in the integration reaction, BHFa is a member of the IHF/HU family of nucleoid-associated proteins. Other DNA bending proteins that bind DNA nonspecifically can substitute for BHFa in the integration reaction. IMPORTANCE Bacteroides species are normal members of the human colonic microbiota. These species can harbor and spread self-transmissible genetic elements (integrative conjugative elements [ICEs]) that contain antibiotic resistance genes. This work describes the role of a protein, BHFa, and its importance in the integration reaction required for the element CTnDOT to persist in Bacteroides host cells.
Efficacy of oral azithromycin versus topical tetracycline in mass treatment of endemic trachoma.

OBJECTIVE To compare the impact of mass treatment with oral azithromycin and topical tetracycline on the prevalence of active trachoma. METHODS A total of 1803 inhabitants from 106 households of eight Gambian villages were randomized, in pairs, to receive either three doses of azithromycin at weekly intervals, or daily topical tetracycline over 6 weeks. Ocular examinations were conducted before treatment, and 2, 6 and 12 months after treatment. FINDINGS Prior to treatment, 16% of the study participants had active trachoma. Two months after treatment, the prevalence of trachoma was 4.6% and 5.1% in the azithromycin and the tetracycline groups, respectively (adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 1.09; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.53, 2.02). Subsequently, the prevalence rose to 16% in the tetracycline group, while remaining at 7.7% in the azithromycin group (adjusted OR at 12 months = 0.52; 95% CI = 0.34, 0.80). At 12 months post-treatment, there were fewer new prevalent cases in the azithromycin group, and trachoma resolution was significantly better for this group (adjusted OR = 2.02; 95% CI = 1.42, 3.50). CONCLUSION Oral azithromycin therefore appears to offer a means for controlling blinding trachoma. It is easy to administer and higher coverages may be possible than have been achieved hitherto.
A novel robust OSNR monitoring technique with 40-dB dynamic range using phase modulator embedded fiber loop mirror

A novel in-band OSNR monitoring technique using phase modulator embedded fiber loop mirror (PM-FLM) is proposed and demonstrated. Monitoring error can be kept <0.25 dB for OSNR between 0 to 40 dB in 10-Gb/s non-return-to-zero (NRZ) system.
Nová fáze regionálního rozvoje v ČR

The article aims to identify the development phases in the process of the regional differentiation in the Czech Republic after 1989, and examines whether this differentiation trend is currently changing. The assumption the article's hypothesis is based on is that during recent development the basic 'parameters' of the principal features of the country's regional structure have been stabilized amidst the conditions of parliamentary democracy and a market economy. Unlike the first phases of socio-economic transition, when differentiating trends prevailed, a certain degree of stabilisation can now be assumed, alongside the emergence of new trends. The development of regional differences was analysed using indicators of GDP, the unemployment rate, entrepreneurial activity, and tax revenue from self-employed physical persons. The findings show that over the course of the 1990s regional differences intensified at both the mezo-regional (regional) level and the micro-regional level. It was also confirmed that at the turn of the millennium the phase of divergent regional development ended, and since that time regional differences have hovered around the same level.
Evolution of Emx genes and brain development in vertebrates

Emx1 and Emx2 genes are known to be involved in mammalian forebrain development. In order to investigate the evolution of the Emx gene family in vertebrates, a phylogenetic analysis was carried out on the Emx genes sequenced in man, mice, frogs, coelacanths and zebrafish. The results demonstrated the existence of two clades (Emx1 and Emx2 ), each grouping one of the two genes of the investigated taxa. The only exception was the zebrafish Emx1–like gene which turned out to be a sister group to both the Emx1 and Emx2 clusters. Such striking sequence divergence observed for the zebrafish Emx1–like gene could indicate that it is not orthologous to the other Emx1 genes, and therefore, in vertebrates there must be three Emx genes. Alternatively, if the zebrafish emx1 gene is orthologous to the tetrapod one, it must have undergone to strong diversifying selection.
Hydrophilic and size-controlled graphene nanopores for protein detection

This paper describes a general approach for transferring clean single-layer graphene onto silicon nitride nanopore devices and the use of the electron beam of a transmission electron microscope (TEM) to drill size-controlled nanopores in freely suspended graphene. Besides nanopore drilling, we also used the TEM to heal and completely close the unwanted secondary holes formed by electron beam damage during the drilling process. We demonstrate electron beam assisted shrinking of irregularly shaped 40–60 nm pores down to 2 nm, exhibiting an exquisite control of graphene nanopore diameter. Our fabrication workflow also rendered graphene nanopores hydrophilic, allowing easy wetting and use of the pores for studying protein translocation and protein–protein interaction with a high signal to noise ratio.
Crataegus ×ninae-celottiae and C. ×cogswellii (Rosaceae, Maleae), two spontaneously formed intersectional nothospecies

Abstract Crataegus monogyna Jacq. is naturalized in North America, where it has hybridized with native diploid hawthorns at least twice. We provide names for the two nothospecies (as well as for the corresponding nothosections and nothoseries), referring to existing documentation in the literature for nothosp. nov. Crataegus ×ninae-celottiae K.I. Chr. & T.A. Dickinson (C. monogyna × C. punctata Jacq.). New data are provided to further document nothosp. nov. Crataegus ×cogswellii K.I. Chr. & T.A. Dickinson (C. monogyna × C. suksdorfii (Sarg.) Kruschke). In both cases, the striking differences in leaf shape between most New World hawthorns and Old World section Crataegus, and the intermediacy of the hybrids, account for the relative ease with which these hybrids can be recognized. Finally, new sequence data from ITS2 and chloroplast DNA barcoding loci confirm the genetic relationships between the two nothospecies and their respective parents.
What is orthographic processing skill and how does it relate to word identification in reading

The role of orthographic processing skill (OPS) in reading has aroused the interest of many developmental researchers. Despite observations by Vellutino that current measures of OPS primarily are indicators of reading (and spelling) achievement, OPS commonly is distinguished from both reading achievement and phonological skills. An analysis of the reading literature indicates that there is no theory in which OPS meaningfully plays a role as an independent skill or causal factor in reading acquisition. Rather, OPS indexes fluent word identification and spelling knowledge, and there is no evidence to refute the hypothesis that its development relies heavily on phonological processes. Results of correlational studies and reader group comparisons (a) cannot inform about on-line processes and (b) may be parsimoniously explained in terms of phonological skills, reading experience, unmeasured language abilities and methodological factors, without implying that OPS is an aetiologically separable skill. Future research would profit from the investigation in experimental studies of the nature and development of orthographic representations.