Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Rhodopsin in the rod outer segment plasma membrane

Isolated frog retinas were incubated in vitro with a 4-h pulse of [3H]leucine, then chased for 32 h with a nonradioactive amino acid mixture. At the end of the incubation, light and electron microscope autoradiograms were prepared from some of the retinas. The autoradiograms revealed: (a) intense radioactivity in the basal disks of the rod outer segments, (b) diffuse label evenly distributed throughout the rod outer segments, and (c) a high concentration of label in the entire rod outer segment plasma membrane. Incubation under identical conditions, but with puromycin added, significantly inhibited the labeling of all of these components. To identify the labeled proteins, purified outer segments from the remaining retinas were analyzed biochemically by SDS disc gel electrophoresis and gel filtration chromatography. SDS gel electrophoresis showed that about 90% of the total rod outer segment radioactivity chromatographed coincident with visual pigment, suggesting that the radiolabeled protein in the plasma membrane is visual pigment. Gel filtration chromatography demonstrated that the radiolabeled protein co- chromatographed with rhodopsin rather than opsin, and that the newly synthesized visual pigment is both the basal disks and the plasma membrane is present in the native configuration.
Sensorless control of interior permanent magnet machine drives with zero-phase-lag position estimation

This paper presents an improved method to estimate rotor motion states for an interior permanent magnet machine drive. This approach is based on the estimation of the saliency-based EMF in a stationary reference frame using a state filter. The spatial information obtained from the estimated saliency-based EMF is used in an observer to estimate the motor motion states. By adding the commanded torque as a feedforward input to the observer, the motion state estimation has zero phase-lag, providing a very high bandwidth estimate.
On the contribution of word embeddings to temporal relation classification

Temporal relation classification is a challenging task, especially when there are no explicit markers to characterise the relation between temporal entities. This occurs frequently in inter-sentential relations, whose entities are not connected via direct syntactic relations making classification even more difficult. In these cases, resorting to features that focus on the semantic content of the event words may be very beneficial for inferring implicit relations. Specifically, while morpho-syntactic and context features are considered sufficient for classifying event-timex pairs, we believe that exploiting distributional semantic information about event words can benefit supervised classification of other types of pairs. In this work, we assess the impact of using word embeddings as features for event words in classifying temporal relations of event-event pairs and event-DCT (document creation time) pairs.
Color-based maximally stable extremal region for sports genre categorization

This paper introduces a low-level visual feature which is an extension of the maximally stable extremal region (MSER) to color, applying for sports video genre categorization. The extension to color is done by detecting and describing the features based on opponent color space instead of gray-level in an image. The proposed feature is invariant not only to scale, rotation and affine transform, but also to light intensity change and shift (illumination). We compare our algorithm on the classification average accuracy to the state-of-art local invariant visual features including the original MSER, the original scale invariant feature transform (SIFT) and color-based SIFT. The experiment result illustrates that the average accuracy based on the proposed algorithm is 7.09%, 6.49% and 21.4% higher than the other three algorithms respectively.
High-speed batting using a multi-jointed manipulator

In this paper a robotic batting algorithm using a high-speed arm and high-speed stereo vision is proposed. With this strategy, the desired trajectory of the manipulator is generated so that both high-speed swing motion and tracking motion combine to meet the ball squarely with the bat. As a result the manipulator can follow the ball while swinging the bat at high speed even if it is difficult to predict the trajectory of a ball. Experimental results are shown in which a high-speed manipulator hits a ball thrown by a human.
Performance problems diagnosis in cloud computing systems by mining request trace logs

In cloud computing systems, end-to-end request tracing approach is helpful for developers to understand the runtime behavior of user requests. Based on trace logs, we propose an approach to localize the abnormal methods that are the primary causes of performance problems. Our approach involves three steps: (1) cluster the user requests into different categories according to request call sequences and select major categories; (2) extract the principal methods that might be the causes of performance degradation; (3) pick out abnormal methods from those principal methods in each major category. We conduct four cases of performance degradations to validate our approach over a real-world enterprise-class cloud computing platform. The experimental results show that our approach can locate the prime causes of performance problems with low false-positive rate and false-negative rate.
Feature Selectivity of the Gamma-Band of the Local Field Potential in Primate Primary Visual Cortex

Extracellular voltage fluctuations (local field potentials, LFPs) reflecting neural mass action are ubiquitous across species and brain regions. Numerous studies have characterized the properties of LFP signals in the cortex to study sensory and motor computations as well as cognitive processes like attention, perception and memory. In addition, its extracranial counterpart – the electroencephalogram – is widely used in clinical applications. However, the link between LFP signals and the underlying activity of local populations of neurons remains largely elusive. Here, we review recent work elucidating the relationship between spiking activity of local neural populations and LFP signals. We focus on oscillations in the gamma-band (30–90 Hz) of the LFP in the primary visual cortex (V1) of the macaque that dominate during visual stimulation. Given that in area V1 much is known about the properties of single neurons and the cortical architecture, it provides an excellent opportunity to study the mechanisms underlying the generation of the LFP.
Illusory Recollection and Dual–Process Models of Recognition Memory

Higham and Vokey (2000, Exps.1 & 3)demonstrated that a slight increase in the display duration of a briefly presented word prior to displaying it in the clear for a recognition response increased the bias to respond “old”. In the current research, three experiments investigated the phenomenology associated with this illusion of memory using the standard remember–know procedure and a new, independent–scales methodology. Contrary to expectations based on the fluency heuristic, which predicts effects of display duration on subjective familiarity only, the results indicated that the illusion was reported as both familiarity and recollection. Furthermore, manipulations of prime duration induced reports of false recollection in all experiments. The results—in particular, the implications of illusory recollection—are discussed in terms of dual–process, fuzzy–trace, two–criteria signal detection models and attribution models of recognition memory.
Learning Nonadjacent Dependencies: No Need for Algebraic-like Computations Is It Possible to Learn the Relation between 2 Nonadjacent Events?

(2002) claimed this to be possible, but only in conditions suggesting the involvement of algebraic-like computations. The present article reports simulation studies and experimental data showing that the observations on which Peña et al. grounded their reasoning were flawed by deep methodological inadequacies. When the invalid data are set aside, the available evidence fits exactly with the predictions of a theory relying on ubiquitous associative mechanisms. Because nonadjacent dependencies are frequent in natural language, this reappraisal has far-reaching implications for the current debate on the need for rule-based computations in human adaptation to complex structures. The idea that most higher cognitive activities, especially language comprehension and production, are based on abstract, rule-based operations on symbolic contents is one of the cornerstones of the mainstream tradition in cognitive psychology. However, over the last 2 decades or so, an alternative view has gained increasing influence. This alternative conception is rooted in the traditional associative view of mind, but its recent upsurge is essentially related to the growth of connectionist modeling (e.g., McClelland & Rumelhart, 1986). Indeed, connectionist studies have shown that certain activities that were once thought of as straightforward evidence for rule-based computations can be simulated by models that rely only on associative mechanisms. This issue has crystallized around two broad conceptions of the mind, often thought of today as an opposition between those who advocate the need for assuming algebraic-like computations (e. The English past tense has been a focus for this debate from its outset, and the number of papers pertaining to this issue over the last few years (e.g., Pinker & Ullman, 2002; Ramscar, 2002) suggests that it is still unsettled despite a considerable amount of research effort. A newcomer in this lively debate is the learning of nonadjacent (or remote) dependencies. The major part of the traditional literature on associative learning has dealt with relations between adjacent events. This is true both for the domain of animal conditioning and for studies on paired-associate learning in humans. In both cases, the items to be associated are displayed in close temporal or spatial proximity. The same is true for the more recent studies on implicit learning (e.g. Stadler & Frensch, 1998). Looking at a standard flowchart of a finite-state grammar commonly used in artificial grammar studies is sufficient to show that relations are built between contiguous elements. 1 Several studies have shown that those adjacent relations were far more …
Adaptive Forward Error Correction for Real-time Internet Video

Real-time video communication over packet networks is attracting increasingly more attention for applications such as distributed collaborative work, teleteaching and telemedicine. Due to its sensitivity to delay, real-time communication is usually based on unreliable transport protocols, like UDP, since retransmission of lost packets is considered to take too long time. Instead of retransmissions forward error correction schemes have been proposed to make the applications more resilient to packet loss. Since the packet loss rate on the Internet typically fluctuates depending on the load of the network, the amount of redundancy applied by the error correction coding should ideally be adaptive to the amount of loss experienced on an end-to-end connection. In this paper an adaptive forward error correction scheme, based on Reed-Solomon erasure coding and receiver feedback, is presented. Moreover, an optimal packetization strategy for error protected video communication is suggested and an efficient algorithm implementing this packetization scheme is deduced. The performance gain of the scheme, in terms of increased network bandwidth utilization, is analyzed and found to be as high as around 10% for some relevant usage situations. The combination of adaptive forward error correction schemes with congestion control algorithms is also discussed in the paper.
Constructing LDPC Codes by 2-Lifts

With the motivation of constructing Low-Density Parity-Check (LDPC) codes with low error floors, we propose a new code construction scheme based on random 2-lifts. An analysis on stopping set distributions of the proposed code ensembles is presented. The analysis shows that low-weight stopping sets in the resulting codes are typically the results of stopping sets with weak graph expansion properties in the base graphs. Based on this analysis, we propose a set of design criteria for constructing codes with low error floors. According to the design criteria, stopping sets with weak graph expansion properties should be avoided in the base graphs. We present numerical results on constructing capacity-approaching codes over Binary Erasure Channels (BEC). The numerical results show that the codes by the proposed scheme have significantly lower error floors compared with the codes by the standard construction.
Systolic implementation of the steepest descent algorithm and its performance in CDMA receivers

In code division multiple access receivers, in order to suppress the multiple access interference, different multiuser detectors such as the decorrelating and the linear minimum mean square error detectors can be utilized. In order to alleviate the implementation complexity, iterative implementation of such detectors have been reported. Two most popular iterative algorithms used in such detectors are the Steepest Descent (SD) and the Conjugate Gradient (CG) algorithms. In this paper, we first compare fixed-point and floating-point performances of these algorithms. Furthermore, hardware implementations of the algorithms are compared. Based on these comparisons, for the implementation of the SD algorithm a systolic architecture is proposed.
Speculative supplier identification for reducing power of interconnects in snoopy cache coherence protocols

In this work we reduce interconnect power dissipation in Symmetric Multiprocessors or SMPs. We revisit snoopy cache coherence protocols and reduce unnecessary interconnect activity by speculating nodes expected to provide a missing data. Conventional snoopy cache coherence protocols broadcast requests to all nodes, reducing the latency of cache to cache transfer misses at the expense of increasing interconnect power. We show that it is possible to reduce the associated power dissipation if such requests are broadcasted selectively and only to nodes more likely to provide the missing data. We reduce power as we limit access only to the interconnect components between the requester and the supplier node. We evaluate our technique using shared memory applications and show that it is possible to reduce interconnect power by 21% in a 4-way multiprocessor without compromising performance. This comes with negligible hardware overhead.
Better Late than Nothing: Some Comments on Deaton (2009) and Heckman and Urzua (2009)

Two recent papers, Deaton (2009), and Heckman and Urzua (2009), argue against what they see as an excessive and inappropriate use of experimental and quasi-experimental methods in empirical work in economics in the last decade. They specifically question the increased use of instrumental variables and natural experiments in labor economics, and of randomized experiments in development economics. In these comments I will make the case that this move towards shoring up the internal validity of estimates, and towards clarifying the description of the population these estimates are relevant for, has been important and beneficial in increasing the credibility of empirical work in economics. I also address some other concerns raised by the Deaton and Heckman-Urzua papers.
Biomechanical Loading as an Alternative Treatment for Tremor: A Review of Two Approaches

Background Tremor is the most common movement disorder and strongly increases in incidence and prevalence with aging. Although not life threatening, upper-limb tremors hamper the independence of 65% of people suffering from them affected persons, greatly impacting their quality of life. Current treatments include pharmacotherapy and surgery (thalamotomy and deep brain stimulation). However, these options are not sufficient for approximately 25% of patients. Therefore, further research and new therapeutic options are required to effectively manage pathological tremor. Methods This paper presents findings of two research projects in which two different wearable robots for tremor management were developed based on force loading and validated. The first consisted of a robotic exoskeleton that applied forces to tremulous limbs and consistently attenuated mild and severe tremors. The second was a neuroprosthesis based on transcutaneous neurostimulation. A total of 22 patients suffering from parkinsonian or essential tremor (ET) of different severities were recruited for experimental validation, and both systems were evaluated using standard tasks employed for neurological examination. The inclusion criterion was a postural and/or kinetic pathological upper-limb tremor resistant to medication. Results The results demonstrate that both approaches effectively suppressed tremor in most patients, although further research is required. The work presented here is based on clinical evidence from a small number of patients (n = 10 for robotic exoskeleton and n = 12 for the neuroprosthesis), but most had a positive response to the approaches. In summary, biomechanical loading is non-invasive and painless. It may be effective in patients who are insufficiently responsive (or have adverse reactions) to drugs or in whom surgery is contraindicated. Discussion This paper identifies and evaluates biomechanical loading approaches to tremor management and discusses their potential.
Spheres, molecules, and hidden surface removal

We devise techniques to manipulate a collection of loosely interpenetrating spheres in three-dimensional space. Our study is motivated by the representation and manipulation of molecular configurations, modeled by a collection of spheres. We analyze the sphere model and point to its favorable properties that make it more easy to manipulate than an arbitrary collection of spheres. For this special sphere model we present efficient algorithms for computing its union boundary and for hidden surface removal. The efficiency and practicality of our approach are demonstrated by experiments on actual protein data.
Direct Visual Editing of Node Attributes in Graphs

There are many expressive visualization techniques for analyzing graphs. Yet, there is only little research on how existing visual representations can be employed to support data editing. An increasingly relevant task when working with graphs is the editing of node attributes. We propose an integrated visualize-and-edit approach to editing attribute values via direct interaction with the visual representation. The visualize part is based on node-link diagrams paired with attribute-dependent layouts. The edit part is as easy as moving nodes via drag-and-drop gestures. We present dedicated interaction techniques for editing quantitative as well as qualitative attribute data values. The benefit of our novel integrated approach is that one can directly edit the data while the visualization constantly provides feedback on the implications of the data modifications. Preliminary user feedback indicates that our integrated approach can be a useful complement to standard non-visual editing via external tools.
Intergroup Conflict Escalation Leads to More Extremism

Empirical findings in the intergroup conflict literature show that individuals’ beliefs that mark differentiation from out-groups become radicalized as intergroup tensions escalate. They also show that this differentiation is proportional to tension escalation. In this paper, we are interested to develop an agent-based model which captures these findings in order to explore the effect of perceived intergroup conflict escalation on the average number of emergent extremists and opinion clusters in the population. The proposed model builds on the 2-dimensional bounded confidence model proposed by Huet et al (2008). The results show that the average number of extremists has a negative correlation with intolerance threshold and positive correlation with the amount of opinion movement when two agents are to reject each other’s belief. In other words, the more tensions exist between groups, the more individuals getting extremists. We also found that intergroup conflict escalation leads to lower opinion diversity in the population compared with normal situations.
Decoupled Estimation of 2D DOA for Coherently Distributed Sources Using 3D Matrix Pencil Method

A new 2D DOA estimation method for coherently distributed (CD) source is proposed. CD sources model is constructed by using Taylor approximation to the generalized steering vector (GSV), whereas the angular and angular spread are separated from signal pattern. The angular information is in the phase part of the GSV, and the angular spread information is in the module part of the GSV, thus enabling to decouple the estimation of 2D DOA from that of the angular spread. The array received data is used to construct three-dimensional (3D) enhanced data matrix. The 2D DOA for coherently distributed sources could be estimated from the enhanced matrix by using 3D matrix pencil method. Computer simulation validated the efficiency of the algorithm.
Physically Based Grasp Quality Evaluation Under Pose Uncertainty

Although there has been great progress in robot grasp planning, automatically generated grasp sets using a quality metric are not as robust as human-generated grasp sets when applied to real problems. Most previous research on grasp quality metrics has focused on measuring the quality of established grasp contacts after grasping, but it is difficult to reproduce the same planned final grasp configuration with a real robot hand, which makes the quality evaluation less useful in practice. In this study, we focus more on the grasping process, which usually involves changes in contact and object location, and explore the efficacy of using dynamic simulation in estimating the likely success or failure of a grasp in the real environment. Among many factors that can possibly affect the result of grasping, we particularly investigated the effect of considering object dynamics and pose uncertainty on the performance in estimating the actual grasp success rates measured from experiments. We observed that considering both dynamics and uncertainty improved the performance significantly, and when applied to automatic grasp set generation, this method generated more stable and natural grasp sets compared with a commonly used method based on kinematic simulation and force-closure analysis.
CNU System in NTCIR-11 IMine Task

Understanding user intent is important for interactive and personalized information retrieval. For ambiguous queries, user intent space actually forms a hierarchical top down architecture: from senses to subtopics, rather than a flat structure. This paper presents the CNU system in NTCIR-11 IMine task. Our method constructs the hierarchical structure by exploiting global semantic representation and expansion. The highlights include: 1) We use word semantic vectors and propose a query dependent semantic composition for representing query aspect phrases. Our target is to alleviate the term-mismatch and data sparseness problems, which shallow lexical matching and co-occurrence based local semantics are ineffective to overcome. 2) We expand query subtopics by introducing new words according to global semantic relatedness and cluster these words for query sense induction. The evaluation results on and post NTCIR-11 show that our method could mine query subtopics and senses effectively.