Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Monolithically Fabricated Microgripper With Integrated Force Sensor for Manipulating Microobjects and Biological Cells Aligned in an Ultrasonic Field

This paper reports an electrostatic microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) gripper with an integrated capacitive force sensor. The sensitivity is more than three orders of magnitude higher than other monolithically fabricated MEMS grippers with force feedback. This force sensing resolution provides feedback in the range of the forces that dominate the micromanipulation process. A MEMS ultrasonic device is described for aligning microobjects suspended in water using ultrasonic fields. The alignment of the particles is of a sufficient accuracy that the microgripper must only return to a fixed position in order to pick up particles less than 100 mum in diameter. The concept is also demonstrated with HeLa cells, thus providing a useful tool in biological research and cell assays
Limits to sustained energy intake. XXIII. Does heat dissipation capacity limit the energy budget of lactating bank voles?

ABSTRACT Understanding factors limiting sustained metabolic rate (SusMR) is a central issue in ecological physiology. According to the heat dissipation limit (HDL) theory, the SusMR at peak lactation is constrained by the maternal capacity to dissipate body heat. To test that theory, we shaved lactating bank voles (Myodes glareolus) to experimentally elevate their capacity for heat dissipation. The voles were sampled from lines selected for high aerobic exercise metabolism (A; characterized also by increased basal metabolic rate) and unselected control lines (C). Fur removal significantly increased the peak-lactation food intake (mass-adjusted least square means±s.e.; shaved: 16.3±0.3 g day−1, unshaved: 14.4±0.2 g day−1; P<0.0001), average daily metabolic rate (shaved: 109±2 kJ day−1, unshaved: 97±2 kJ day−1; P<0.0001) and metabolisable energy intake (shaved: 215±4 kJ day−1, unshaved: 185±4 kJ day−1; P<0.0001), as well as the milk energy output (shaved: 104±4 kJ day−1; unshaved: 93±4 kJ day−1; P=0.021) and litter growth rate (shaved: 9.4±0.7 g 4 days−1, unshaved: 7.7±0.7 g 4 days−1; P=0.028). Thus, fur removal increased both the total energy budget and reproductive output at the most demanding period of lactation, which supports the HDL theory. However, digestive efficiency was lower in shaved voles (76.0±0.3%) than in unshaved ones (78.5±0.2%; P<0.0001), which may indicate that a limit imposed by the capacity of the alimentary system was also approached. Shaving similarly affected the metabolic and reproductive traits in voles from the A and C lines. Thus, the experimental evolution model did not reveal a difference in the limiting mechanism between animals with inherently different metabolic rates. Summary: Fur removal increases both energy budget and reproductive output at peak lactation in a non-laboratory rodent, the bank vole, supporting the heat dissipation limit theory.
Challenges for a DIQKD implementation

Quantum key distribution (QKD) is the paradigmatic example of quantum cryptography. The possibility of exploring quantum properties of systems permits to achieve unconditional security in the distribution of a classical key, which is impossible if one is bounded by classical resources. Several analysis of quantum key distribution have been done along the years [1–3], and the security of the simplest QKD protocol, the BB84 [4], is now well stablished. Moreover, reasonable key rates can be achieved with current technology [5, 6]. Nevertheless, the BB84 protocol can be immediately broken if the adversary can prepare a system of higher dimension without the awareness of Alice and Bob [7]. But quantum systems allow us to do more! And we can perform a QKD protocol in a device-independent (DI) way. Deviceindependence models quantum systems and measurement apparatuses as black boxes, where the only feature used for the analysis is the statistics of inputs and outputs of the experiment. In the device-independent scenario no more assumptions are necessary on the dimension of the underlying system or on the behaviour of the measurement devices, and the security is based solely on the fact that the statistics of the experiment violate a Bell inequality [8]. A lot of effort has been taken to establish security of QKD in the device-independent scenario [7, 9–18]. An asymptotic analysis which tolerates a reasonable amount of noise was established in [7]. However, the analysis of Ref. [7] uses the i.i. d. (independent and identically distributed) assumption, i.e. the assumption that in each round of the protocol the state shared by Alice and Bob is the same and moreover their devices behave in the same way. Only very recently an appropriate technique was developed to allow for the analysis of DIQKD in the most adversarial scenario [19, 20], where an eavesdropper could attack the systems in an arbitrary way and, moreover, the devices of Alice and Bob could behave arbitrarily, which includes having memory of the previous rounds. Even under the i.i. d. assumption, low detection efficiencies open a loophole for a secure implementation of DIQKD. Techniques of heralded entanglement allow to overcome this problem [21]. However, the rate of generation of entangled events with current technology still represents a challenge for a fully DIQKD implementation. With the aim to prove security for reasonable key rates in a device-independent scenario:
Power Allocation for Pre-Coding-Aided Spatial Modulation

In this letter, power allocation (PA) algorithms based on the minimization of the upper bound of the instantaneous bit error probability (BEP) are investigated in pre-coding-aided spatial modulation (PSM) systems. First, an upper bound of the instantaneous BEP is derived when PA is taken into account for the antennas in the PSM system. Moreover, the optimal solution of the PA matrix is derived with the aid of convex optimization techniques, in order to minimize the BEP obtained. Furthermore, a low-complexity suboptimal PA algorithm is proposed, where only the dominant part of the BEP upper bound is considered in the optimization process. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed algorithms improve on the conventional PSM scheme. Furthermore, when the number of receive antennas is large, the performance of the low-complexity suboptimal PA algorithm is close to that of the optimal PA algorithm.
Detection of Curvilinear Structure in Images by a Multi-Centered Hough Forest Method

Automatic detection of curvilinear structure in images is a challenging task in computer vision applications. In this paper, we present a novel supervised learning method to identify curvilinear structure based on a modified Hough forest framework. We regard the curvilinear structure as a special object which has multiple object centers at centerline points, and construct a multi-centered Hough forest (MCHF) to cast confidence votes for each image point being a local curvilinear center in generalized Hough space. Considering the specific properties of curvilinear structure, we modify the classical Hough forest method in three aspects. First, the features are composed of a set of filter responses, and each filter is a base which is learned by sparse presentation techniques. Second, the offset of an image patch against its reference center is represented by a displacement function instead of Euclidean distance used in the classical Hough forest. Third, the centerline orientation is incorporated into the forest to reflect the local trend, which is considered in Hough voting. We conduct experiments on retinal vessel, neuron, and aerial road images. Both visualized and quantitative results demonstrate the good performance of MCHF in detecting complex curvilinear structures in various images.
What does Cryptocercus kyebangensis, n.sp. (Dictyoptera: Blattaria: Polyphagidae) from Korea reveal about Cryptocercus evolution? A study in morphology, molecular phylogeny, and chemistry of tergal glands

Abstract The description of a new species of the woodroach Cryptocercus kyebangensis Grandcolas from South Korea offers the opportunity to bring comparative information within the genus. This species, though morphologically very similar to other East Asian and North American species, presents conspicuous differentiation of both ribosomal genes (sequenced fragments of 12S and 16S) and chemical blends from tergal glands (proportions of linalyl acetate and the alcohol 4, 6, 8-trimethyl-7, 9-undecadien-5-ol, compounds previously identified in females originating from North America). A phylogenetic reconstruction involving Blatta orientalis as an outgroup, Therea petiveriana as a polyphagid relative, C. kyebangensis and 17 North American Cryptocercus populations showed that C. kyebangensis stands as a sister-group of North American Cryptocercus, thus suggesting that one beringian vicariance has taken place in the early differentiation of the genus. Using sequence divergences within the framework of the molecular clock leads to comparable datation estimates for both ribosomal genes, ranging between Miocene and Pliocene for the whole history of the genus Cryptocercus, therefore congruent with previous phylogenetic biogeographical estimates. This new set of data for this East Asian species supports heterobathmy in the genus Cryptocercus and argues against the misleading “primitive taxon” concept. Species nova: Cryptocercus kyebangensis Grandcolas.
Judea Pearl * The Deductive Approach to Causal Inference

This paper reviews concepts, principles, and tools that have led to a coherent mathematical theory that unifies the graphical, structural, and potential outcome approaches to causal inference. The theory provides solutions to a number of pending problems in causal analysis, including questions of confounding control, policy analysis, mediation, missing data, and the integration of data from diverse studies.
Circular structures of puffer fish: A new metaheuristic optimization algorithm

In this paper, we presented a new metaheuristic optimization algorithm which we named as circular structures of puffer fish. This algorithm has been inspired by the behaviors of male puffer fish for charming the female ones. The special type of male puffer fishes, Torquigener albomaculosus, has a special ability to build a unique circular structure on the seabed. The building process of a circular structure consists of several regular sub-dimensions and as the result of this process, a circular structure is constructed. The water flow rate at the center of this structure is reduced. Additionally, these structures have some numerical properties such as the ratio of inner and outer circular structures diameter or the number of peaks on the structure. The results of the proposed algorithm are compared with genetic algorithm through various performance criteria. The most popular performance analyzing functions were used in the optimization of the algorithm performance comparison process.
Simultaneous SHG of orthogonally polarized fundamentals in single QPM crystals

Fabrication of quasi-phase-matching (QPM) gratings suitable for cascading of two second-order parametric nonlinear processes in a single lithium niobate crystal is being undertaken using a new technique - electric field poling assisted by laser micro-machined topographical electrodes. To date, single period poled gratings with 45.75, and 45.8 &mgr;m periods have been fabricated in order to demonstrate second harmonic generation of 1064nm laser light with 1st order type-I and 7th order type-0 QPM simultaneously. The two frequency doubling processes share a common Z polarized second-harmonic wave which allows exchange of energy between the two orthogonally polarized fundamental waves and several second order cascading interactions can be realized. The use of the higher QPM orders (3rd, 5th or 7th) for the type-0 second harmonic generation process leads to comparable efficiencies of the two processes, as the respective nonlinear coefficients are dzzz ~27 pm/V and dyyz ~ 4.7 pm/V in lithium niobate crystals. Possible applications include; polarization switching, parametric amplification and polarization mode dispersion monitoring, and polarization insensitive second harmonic generation.
Assessing contemporary parenting dimensions : development and psychometric investigation of the parenting behaviours and dimensions questionnaire

While a substantial amount of research has been conducted on parenting and its effects on child development, there is a significant lack of agreement over the key dimensions of parenting and the assessment of parenting behaviour. Most parenting dimensions that have been examined in previous studies can be subsumed under the themes of parenting warmth, behavioural control, and psychological control; however, there are many other dimensions discussed in the literature that may be important to the practices of contemporary parents. In addition, the assessment of parenting has been problematic due to theoretical disagreement, concerns over generalisability, and problems with the developmental methods and psychometric properties of current measures of parenting. Therefore, the aims of this research were to develop a comprehensive and psychometrically sound self-report measure of parenting for use with parents of preadolescent children, and to use this empirical scale development process to identify the core dimensions of contemporary parenting practices. The final aim of the study was to use the newly developed Parenting Behaviours and Dimensions Questionnaire (PBDQ) to address some of the questions in the literature relating to the generalisability and universality of parenting theory and assessment across various parenting subgroups. The research employed a mixedmethod design, combining previous literature and assessment items with qualitative parent feedback and quantitative scale development, validation, and practical utility assessment procedures. In Phase One of this research, the initial item pool (N = 288) was generated, which were based on items from six widely used parenting measures, as well as a list of items generated by the researcher on parental responsiveness, intrusiveness, and overprotection, based on previous literature. After items were reviewed for redundancies (N = 210), a sample of 16 parents of children aged 3 to 12 years provided written feedback on the item pool, and a further sample of 15 parents participated in one of three focus groups discussing the items as well as important parenting themes that were not covered in the item pool. Verbatim item feedback from both phases as well as content analysis of the focus group transcripts resulted in the elimination of 115 items, while 29 items were reworded and 21 items were
INFORMATIK MAMBA : A Measurement Architecture for Model-Based Analysis

Model-based measurement techniques are relevant in the field of software analysis. Several meta models for the specification of quantitative measures have been proposed. However, they often focus either on static or dynamic aspects of a software system. Nevertheless, considering reengineering activities often both dimensions reveal valuable complementary insights. Existing meta models are also frequently bound to specific modeling languages, redefine underlying concepts for any new meta model, or provide only limited tool support for the automated computation of measurements from modeled measures. We present MAMBA, an integrated measurement architecture for model-based analysis—both static and dynamic—of software systems, that can be specified by arbitrary Ecore-based modeling languages. MAMBA extends the Structured Metrics MetaModel (SMM) by additional modeling features, such as arbitrary statistical aggregate functions and periodic aggregate functions, e.g., for dynamic analysis at runtime. To consider measurements for querying system models, we outline the MAMBA Query Language (MQL) that employs SMM measures. Furthermore, we provide tool support that applies the measures specified in an (extended) SMM model and can integrate raw measurements provided by arbitrary static and dynamic analysis tools to produce the desired measurement model. We demonstrate the applicability of the approach based on three evaluation scenarios from different contexts: migration of software systems into the cloud, model-based engineering of railway control systems, and dynamic analysis for model-driven software modernization.
Building a Spatially-Embedded Network of Tourism Hotspots From Geotagged Social Media Data

The rapid development of social media and location-based service has generated a myriad of spatial data tagged with geo-information. Constructing a network of tourism hotspots using these geotagged data would improve our understanding of tourism activities. Thus, using Flickr data, we built a spatially-embedded tourism hotspot network for Beijing and applied complex network analysis to study the network characteristics. The results indicate that the tourism hotspot network in Beijing is scale-free and small-world. In the hotspot network, the interconnected triplets have a tendency to be formed by the edges with greater weight values, and a high-weighted edge is often connected by two high-degree vertices. Moreover, the statistics of the network provides insights for additional travel bus routes in Beijing. Finally, this paper provides a guide for building spatially-embedded hotspot networks based on geotagged social media data, which helps to understand the laws of travel and provides decision support for the development of tourism resources.
Simulations of frequency-resolved optical gating for measuring very complex pulses

Frequency-resolved optical gating (FROG) and its variations are the only techniques available for measuring complex pulses without a well-characterized reference pulse. We study the performance of the FROG generalized-projections algorithm for retrieving the intensity and phase of very complex ultrashort laser pulses [with time-bandwidth products (TBPs) of up to 100] in the presence of noise. We compare the performance of three versions of FROG: second-harmonic-generation (SHG) FROG, polarization-gate (PG) FROG, and cross-correlation FROG (XFROG), the last of which requires a well-characterized reference pulse. We found that the XFROG algorithm converged in all cases on the first initial guess. The PG FROG algorithm converged for all moderately complex pulses, for 99% of the pulses we tried, and for more than 95% of even the most complex pulses (TBP~100). The SHG FROG algorithm converged for 95% of the pulses we tried and for over 80% of even the most complex pulses. We found no additional ambiguities in any of these techniques.
Effect of the 6-week home-based exercise program on physical activity level and physical fitness in colorectal cancer survivors: A randomized controlled pilot study

Despite improvement in prognosis of colorectal cancer, colorectal cancer survivors often suffer from adverse effects of cancer treatment, including reduced health-related fitness level. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the feasibility and efficacy of the 6-week home-based exercise program on the level of physical activity and physical fitness in stage II to III colorectal cancer survivors. Seventy-two stage II to III colorectal cancer survivors were randomly assigned to either a home-based exercise (n = 38) or usual care (n = 34) group for 6 weeks. The goal of the home-based exercise program was to increase the level of exercise to 18 metabolic equivalent task hours per week. The primary and the secondary outcomes of this study were physical activity level and physical fitness, respectively. A total of 57 participants (79.2%) completed the trial. Intention-to-treat analysis indicated that moderate physical activity level increased significantly by 269.4 ± 260.6 minutes per week in the exercise group (mean between-group difference, 254.6 minutes; 95% confidence interval, 172.7–434.7; p < 0.001). Physical fitness measured by using the step test (-3.9 vs. 2.6, p = 0.012) and push-up test (3.0 vs. -1.2, p = 0.012) also improved significantly in the exercise group compared to the control group. The 6-week home-based mixed aerobic and resistance exercise program was feasible and effective for increasing physical activity level and physical fitness in stage II to III colorectal cancer survivors.
Neural design procedure for an ATTR system based on video imagery usage

It is well known that the design and effective development of ATTR systems incorporating in their architecture some characteristic elements belong to artificial intelligence represents and will represent a very important research direction in this area. Accordingly, in the current study a specific design algorithm for a full neural implementation of an ATTR system based on video imagery usage is described. Using an actual database, the theoretical and experimental results obtained confirm the great potential of the proposed design algorithm to be implemented into concrete ATTR application.
Growth and Differentiation Properties of Normal and Transformed Human Keratinocytes in Organotypic Culture

The growth and differentiation of human normal keratinocytes and their transformed counterparts were examined in organotypic cultures in which the keratinocytes were grown at the air‐liquid interface on top of contracted collagen gel containing fibroblasts. We developed a modified culture procedure including the use of a mixed medium for keratinocytes and fibroblasts. Normal keratinocytes formed a three‐dimensional structure of epithelium that closely resembled the epidermis in vivo, consisting of basal, spinous, granular and cornified layers. Cells synthesizing DNA were located in the lowest basal layer facing the collagen gel. Expressions of proteins involved in epidermal differentiation were examined by immunohistochemical staining and compared with those in skin in vivo. In the organotypic culture, transglutaminase, involucrin and filaggrin were expressed, as in the epidermis in vitro, most prominently in the granular layer. Type IV collagen, a component of basement membrane, was expressed at the interface between the keratinocyte sheet and the contracted collagen gel. Keratinocytes transformed by simian virus 40 or human papilloma virus (HPV) exhibited a highly disorganized pattern of squamous differentiation. In particular, HPV‐transformed cells invaded the collagen gel. Organotypic culture is unique in that regulatory mechanisms of growth and differentiation of keratinocytes can be investigated under conditions mimicking those in vivo.
Optimal Growth and Uncertainty: Learning

We introduce learning in a Brock-Mirman environment and study the effect of risk generated by the planner's econometric activity on optimal consumption and investment. Here, learning introduces two sources of risk about future payoffs: structural uncertainty and uncertainty from the anticipation of learning. The latter renders control and learning nonseparable. We present two sets of results in a learning environment. First, conditions under which the introduction of learning increases or decreases optimal consumption are provided. The effect depends on the strengths and directions of the two sources of risk, which may pull in opposite directions. Second, the effects of changes in the mean and riskiness of the distribution of the signal and initial beliefs on optimal consumption are studied.