Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ergonomics

This paper explains the effect of having an inertial stimulus (motion platform) for driving simulators on proximity to the reality for the sensed lateral dynamics with respect to the measurements and the perceptual fidelity using a questionnaire technique. To assess this objectively, the vestibular and vehicle level lateral accelerations (a y,sensed =ay_ vest, a ) were saved by using a motion tracking sensor and SCANeR studio software respectively. A confidence interval of 95% was chosen to test the correlations (Pearson’s correlation) and to fit models for the distributions of the visual-vestibular lateral accelerations with the multiple linear regression between the conditions of static (N=16) and dynamic (N=21) platform cases in terms of visuo-vestibular level lateral accelerations for the group of subjects (N=37). The results showed that the dynamic platform provides a higher lateral dynamics reality (positive correlation with an incidence of 90.48% for N=21) compared to the static configuration (negative correlation with an incidence of 50% for N=16) from Pearson’s correlation and a better fitted model and a lower visuo-vestibular cues’ conflict for the dynamic (R 2 =0.429, the model is positive sloped, N=21) condition comparing to the static one (R 2 =0.072, the model is negative sloped, N=16) from the multiple linear regression models. A two-tailed Mann Whitney U test yielded that the U computed (2139)>U expected (1300.5) as p<0.0001, there was a significant difference between the sensed lateral acclerations for the static and dynamic platform cases. Disorientation related perception had positive correlations with the vestibular sensed lateral accelerations for the static condition whereas they were negatively correlated in the dynamic case. As conclusion, the dynamic platform presented a reduced level of motion sickness depending on the sensory conflict theory and the perception fidelity studies approved that dizziness was found to have a significant positive correlation with the vestibular level measured lateral acceleration in the static platform (r=0.293, p=0.037<0.05).
Dynamic Quantitative Contrast-enhanced Ultrasound for Assessment of Cilostazol Induced Pro-angiogenic Therapeutic Effects on Skeletal Muscle Microcirculation in Peripheral Arterial Disease

Purpose: To assess the effect of cilostazol on muscular microperfusion in patients with peripheral artery occlusive disease (PAOD) using dynamic quantitative contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS). Materials and Methods: 20 patients with PAOD, Rutherford classification grade I, category III were evaluated performing CEUS with the arterial occlusion paradigm, ankle-brachial-index (ABI) and treadmill walking distance test before and after oral treatment with cilostazol for three months. Microperfusion of the calf skeletal muscle was assessed using quantitative CEUS parameters which were extracted from time signal-intensity curves (TIC). Results: 10 patients had to be taken off medication secondary to side effects. Maximum CEUS signal enhancement prior to therapy was 104 ± 69 ~mL compared to 114±68 ~mL post treatment (P=0.26). tmax was 34 ± 20 s before and 36 ± 23 s post treatment (P=0.51). Maximum slope of the TIC (m2) prior to therapy was 6.06 ± 5.55 ~mL/s and revealed to be 5.12 ± 3.30 ~mL/s post treatment (P=0.62). Area under the curve after the occlusion (AUCpost) was 3975.38 ± 2856.52 ~mL/s prior to cilostazol therapy compared to 4210.98 ± 2816.33 ~mL/s after therapy (P=0.39). The values for ABI and treadmill walking distance test did not differ significantly differ, either. Conclusion: In patients with PAOD, medical therapy with cilostazol seems not to be associated with significant improvement of muscular microperfusion as assessed by dynamic quantitative CEUS. This study demonstrates the feasibility of the CEUS technique to evaluate response to pro-angiogenic drug treatment and confirmation of results in a larger population is warranted.
For Personal Use. Only Reproduce with Permission from the Lancet Publishing Group. Vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus: a New Model of Antibiotic Resistance

Vancomycin has been the most reliable therapeutic agent against infections caused by meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). However, in 1996 the first MRSA to acquire resistance to vancomycin, was isolated from a Japanese patient. The patient had contracted a post-operative wound infection that was refractory to long-term vancomycin therapy. Subsequent isolation of several vancomycin resistant S aureus (VRSA) strains from USA, France, Korea, South Africa, and Brazil has confirmed that emergence of vancomycin resistance in S aureus is a global issue. A certain group of S aureus, designated hetero-VRSA, frequently generate VRSA upon exposure to vancomycin, and are associated with infections that are potentially refractory to vancomycin therapy. Presence of hetero-VRSA may be an important indicator of the insidious decline of the clinical effectiveness of vancomycin in the hospitals. Vancomycin resistance is acquired by mutation and thickening of cell wall due to accumulation of excess amounts of peptidoglycan. This seems to be a common resistance mechanism for all VRSA strains isolated in the world so far. Meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has occurred in many countries since its discovery in 1961. 1 However, in recent years, clinicians have been concerned by the increased frequency of MRSA infections. 2 This resurging MRSA problem seems to be based on the lack of potent therapeutic agents having an unequivocal cell-killing effect, and thus capable of eliminating MRSA from the patient's body. Increased use of vancomycin—a drug with rather weak cell-killing potency against prevailing MRSA—seems to have set a basis for the selection of vancomycin resistance in MRSA. In 1997, we reported the first MRSA strains with reduced susceptibility to vancomycin, which were isolated from patients in whom vancomycin therapy was ineffective. 3,4 We reported two classes of vancomycin-resistant strains: vancomycin-resistant S aureus (VRSA) that has a vancomycin minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 8 mg/L, and hetero-VRSA that spontaneously generates VRSA within the cell population. The nomenclature is based on the MIC breakpoints of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy who define the MIC of 8 mg/L as " resistant. " However according to the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS) breakpoint, these strains are called vancomycin-intermediate S aureus (VISA) or glycopeptide-intermediate S aureus (GISA) in the USA. 5 Although hetero-VRSA is categorised as " susceptible " to vancomycin based on current MIC breakpoints, it generates VRSA cells at a high frequency within its cell population. To date, as well as Japan, VRSA strains have …
Inflectional morphology in bilingual language processing: An age-of-acquisition study

ABSTRACT This study addresses the question of how age of acquisition (AoA) affects grammatical processing, specifically with respect to inflectional morphology, in bilinguals. We examined experimental data of more than 100 participants from the Russian/German community in Berlin, all of whom acquired Russian from birth and German at different ages. Using the cross-modal lexical priming technique, we investigated stem allomorphs of German verbs that encode multiple morphosyntactic features. The results revealed a striking AoA modulation of observed priming patterns, indicating efficient access to morphosyntactic features for early AoAs and a gradual decline with increasing AoAs. In addition, we found a discontinuity in the function relating AoA to morphosyntactic feature access, suggesting a sensitive period for the development of morphosyntax.
Arrearages, Lying-in Orders, and Child Support Compliance among Fathers of W-2 Children in Wisconsin

This paper is based on a report prepared under Contract C-680 between the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development and the Institute for Research on Poverty. Any views expressed in this report are those of the author and not necessarily those of the sponsoring institutions. Kisun Nam provided outstanding research assistance for this project. INTRODUCTION The presence of high child support arrearages is an area of increasing concern to policymakers. The accumulation of such arrears is troublesome in that it implies both a lack of resources provided to custodial families (in the case of arrears owed to families) and a lack of reimbursement to the state for expenses that could, at least in principle, be recovered. The persistence of arrears also creates its own problems, including difficulty in meeting state performance targets; effort expended on enforcement; hardships for low-income fathers, many of whom have few realistic prospects for paying off their debts; and potentially secondary impacts on child support compliance, because parents with large child support debts may be less inclined to cooperate with the child support system. The last of these problems—potential negative impacts on subsequent child support compliance—is the focus of this report. The notion that arrears have a deterrent effect on child support payments has been raised repeatedly in the qualitative literature (see, e.g., Pate, 2002; Waller and Plotnick, 2001). However, there have only been limited efforts to examine this quantitatively. This reflects, in part, the difficulty in determining the direction of causality between arrears and subsequent compliance. That is, fathers with low propensity to comply with orders will likely have high arrearages. In this report, I build on recent work by Bartfeld and Meyer (2003) to examine the relationship between child support arrearages owed to the state and subsequent compliance with ongoing support obligations, using a framework that recognizes that the determinants of compliance differ for employed and nonemployed fathers. I use an instrumental variable approach to enable causal inferences about the relationship between arrears and subsequent compliance. In contrast to prior work, I attempt to disentangle the effects of overall arrearages, which may accrue for a variety of reasons, from the effects of having an obligation to pay birth-related costs (known as lying-in costs). 2 BACKGROUND
Interference decoding in cellular wireless relay networks with space-time coding

In this paper we propose a cooperative protocol and a symbol decoding algorithm that target improved performance in the presence of inter-cell interference (ICI) in wireless cellular networks. Our scheme uses the wireless signals that interfere at relay nodes located at the cell edge instead of discarding them. The relays are non-regenerative and apply a space-time code (STC) to the interfered signal. Subsequently, the relays broadcast the coded signals. At the destinations the interfered and ST-coded signals are decoded in two stages. First by decoding the STC, and then by applying successive interference cancellation (SIC). Simulation results for Rayleigh fading channel reveal significant throughput benefits even in the low SNR regime. We also present results for a small-scale LTE-based cellular scenario and we compare our scheme against the Coordinated MultiPoint (CoMP) transmission mode of LTE-A that is based on beamforming.
The Influence of Training Transfer Climate and Individual Trainee Characteristics on Customer Orientation

Increasingly, scholars and practitioners alike recognize that human capital is a critical source of organizational competitive advantage (Appelbaum, Bailey, Berg, & Kalleberg, 2000; Benson, Young, & Lawler III, 2006; Pfeffer, 1998). Furthermore, developing employee competencies is considered one of the core components of high performance work practices that, when combined with other such practices, can leverage the value of human capital (Becker & Huselid, 2006; Combs, Liu, Hall, & Ketchen, 2006; Lawler III, Mohrman, & Ledford Jr., 1998). Training is one of the primary tools for developing employee competencies, yet much of the value of this training isn’t transferred to the job or deteriorates within a short time after being transferred. For example, 150 Canadian human resource executives recently estimated that less than two-thirds of employees use their training back on the job, and this diminishes to 44% and 34% after six months and one year, respectively (Saks & Belcourt, 2006). Others provide more dismal figures, estimating that as little as 1015% of what is learned in formal training programs is transferred or remains in use one year later (Cromwell & Kolb, 2004; Newstrom, 1986).
Mean-Value Geometry Encoding

Geometry editing operations commonly use mesh encodings which capture the shape properties of the models. Given modified positions for a set of anchor vertices, the encoding is used to compute the positions for the rest of the mesh vertices, preserving the model shape as much as possible. In this paper, we introduce a new shape preserving and rotation invariant mesh encoding. We use this encoding for a variety of mesh editing applications: deformation, morphing, blending and motion reconstruction from Mocap data. The editing algorithms based on our encoding and decoding mechanism generate natural looking models that preserve the shape properties of the input.
A Comparative Analysis of Algorithms for Determining the Peak Position of a Stripe to Sub-pixel Accuracy

This paper provides a comparative analysis of five algorithms for determining the peak position in a laser ranging system to sub-pixel accuracy. The exercise was carried out in order to determine the most suitable method in terms of accuracy and robustness, for determining the location of the peak of an observed laser stripe to sub-pixel resolution.
THE POTENTIAL OF PRECISION MAPS IN INTELLIGENT VEHICLES

In this paper, the authors discuss the concept of using probe vehicles with positioning capabilities and communications for mapping a road network with high accuracy. Positioning technology and map refinement are first discussed. Techniques for collecting position data and characteristics of the collected data are then described. Example applications are discussed briefly. Some of these include lane- keeping, collision avoidance, curve warning, and obstacle detection. Additional applications that are discussed include precision positioning, sensor fusion, and low communication latency. The paper concludes with a discussion regarding problems faced in using the proposed technology.
Grey and White Matter Correlates of Recent and Remote Autobiographical Memory Retrieval – Insights from the Dementias

The capacity to remember self-referential past events relies on the integrity of a distributed neural network. Controversy exists, however, regarding the involvement of specific brain structures for the retrieval of recently experienced versus more distant events. Here, we explored how characteristic patterns of atrophy in neurodegenerative disorders differentially disrupt remote versus recent autobiographical memory. Eleven behavioural-variant frontotemporal dementia, 10 semantic dementia, 15 Alzheimer's disease patients and 14 healthy older Controls completed the Autobiographical Interview. All patient groups displayed significant remote memory impairments relative to Controls. Similarly, recent period retrieval was significantly compromised in behavioural-variant frontotemporal dementia and Alzheimer's disease, yet semantic dementia patients scored in line with Controls. Voxel-based morphometry and diffusion tensor imaging analyses, for all participants combined, were conducted to investigate grey and white matter correlates of remote and recent autobiographical memory retrieval. Neural correlates common to both recent and remote time periods were identified, including the hippocampus, medial prefrontal, and frontopolar cortices, and the forceps minor and left hippocampal portion of the cingulum bundle. Regions exclusively implicated in each time period were also identified. The integrity of the anterior temporal cortices was related to the retrieval of remote memories, whereas the posterior cingulate cortex emerged as a structure significantly associated with recent autobiographical memory retrieval. This study represents the first investigation of the grey and white matter correlates of remote and recent autobiographical memory retrieval in neurodegenerative disorders. Our findings demonstrate the importance of core brain structures, including the medial prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, irrespective of time period, and point towards the contribution of discrete regions in mediating successful retrieval of distant versus recently experienced events.
A semi-analytic modeling of nonlinearities for nano-robotic applications, macro and micro sized systems

Hysteresis effects on the macro, micro and nano sized piezo-driven systems are presented using a semi-analytical approach. After deriving the equations of motion and related boundary conditions using the Hamilton principle, they have been discretized using the Generalized Differential Quadrature Method (GDQM). Validation with exact and existent numerical methods provided and a good agreement has been observed for linear and nonlinear responses. As a pioneer, the hysteresis loops are provided with present distributed semi-analytical approach. Then, applicability of the obtained hysteresis loop in a nano-manipulation scheme has described exactly. It has shown that an expensive nano-manipulation scheme may be failed in the presence of hysteresis loops. In addition, the effects of the lamination on the hysteresis loop have been investigated. However, lamination strongly changes the linear response of micro and nano electro mechanical systems, nonlinear response shape (hysteresis loops) toward the lamination has not considerably affected.
Statistical Machine Translation for Speech : A Perspective on Structures , Learning & Decoding

— We survey and analyze state-of-the-art statistical machine translation (SMT) techniques for speech translation (ST). We review key learning problems, and investigate essential model structures in SMT, taking a unified perspective to reveal both the connections and contrasts between automatic speech recognition (ASR) and SMT. We show that phrase-based SMT can be viewed as a sequence of finite-state transducer (FST) operations, similar in spirit to ASR. We further inspect the synchronous context-free grammar (SCFG) based formalism that includes hierarchical phrase-based and many linguistically syntax-based models. Decoding for ASR, FST-based and SCFG-based translation are also presented from a unified perspective as different realizations of the generic Viterbi algorithm on graphs or hypergraphs. These consolidated perspectives are helpful to catalyze tighter integrations for improved ST, and we discuss joint decoding and modeling towards coupling ASR and SMT.
ICA EXTRACTING FEATURES FROM 3 D UNSTRUCTURED MESHES FOR INTERACTIVE VISUALIZATION

This paper describes techniques, based on the extraction of geometric features, for facilitating the visualization and interactive manipulation of the typically very large and dense threedimensional unstructured grids used in aerodynamics calculations. We discuss the difficulties that scientists currently face in efficiently and effectively displaying these meshes and propose methods for using geometric feature lines to clearly and concisely indicate the essential structural detail of the model while eliminating much of the unnecessary visual clutter. We describe the perceptual importance of specific viewpoint-dependent and view-independent features, discuss the practical implementation of simple but effective algorithms for identifying these features (taking into consideration both local and global criteria), and demonstrate the performance of each proposed technique on various types of data sets. tThis research was supported by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration under NASA contract NASl-19480 while the author was in residence at the Institute for Computer Applications in Science and Engineering (ICASE), NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA 23681-0001.
An explanation of the Einstein-Monroe picture from the view of spatial frequency

The paper successfully explains why the Einstein-Monroe picture has two interpretations when the viewing distance or eyesight is changed from the view of spatial frequency. We use the Contrast Sensitivity Function (CSF) and the Abbe theory of image information in the process of explanation. The explanation in this paper is based on the theory of physiology and physical optics; it is the complement and development of the former interpretation.
Walk the talk: coordinating gesture with locomotion for conversational characters

Communicative behaviors are a very important aspect of human behavior and deserve special attention when simulating groups and crowds of virtual pedestrians. Previous approaches have tended to focus on generating believable gestures for individual characters and talker‐listener behaviors for static groups. In this paper, we consider the problem of creating rich and varied conversational behaviors for data‐driven animation of walking and jogging characters. We captured ground truth data of participants conversing in pairs while walking and jogging. Our stylized splicing method takes as input a motion captured standing gesture performance and a set of looped full body locomotion clips. Guided by the ground truth metrics, we perform stylized splicing and synchronization of gesture with locomotion to produce natural conversations of characters in motion. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Special Needs to Prescribe Exercise Intensity for Scientific Studies

There is clear evidence regarding the health benefits of physical activity. These benefits follow a dose-response relationship with a particular respect to exercise intensity. Guidelines for exercise testing and prescription have been established to provide optimal standards for exercise training. A wide range of intensities is used to prescribe exercise, but this approach is limited. Usually percentages of maximal oxygen uptake (VO2) or heart rate (HR) are applied to set exercise training intensity but this approach yields substantially variable metabolic and cardiocirculatory responses. Heterogeneous acute responses and training effects are explained by the nonuniform heart rate performance curve during incremental exercise which significantly alters the calculations of %HRmax and %HRR target HR data. Similar limitations hold true for using %VO2max and %VO2R. The solution of these shortcomings is to strictly apply objective submaximal markers such as thresholds or turn points and to tailor exercise training within defined regions.
Synergistic Activation of NF- k B by Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha and Gamma Interferon via Enhanced I k B a Degradation and De Novo I k B b Degradation

Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF- a ) and gamma interferon (IFN- g ) are required for an effective immune response to bacterial infection and these cytokines synergize in a variety of biological responses, including the induction of cytokine, cell adhesion, and inducible nitrous oxide synthase gene expression. Typically, the synergistic effect on gene expression is due to the independent activation of nuclear factor k B (NF- k B) by TNF- a and of signal transducers and activators of transcription or IFN-regulatory factor 1 by IFNs, allowing these transcription factors to bind their unique promoter sites. However, since activation of NF- k B by TNF- a is often transient and would not activate long-term k B-dependent transcription effectively, we explored the effects of IFN- g on TNF- a -induced NF- k B activity. IFN- g , which typically does not activate NF- k B, synergistically enhanced TNF- a -induced NF- k B nuclear translocation via a mechanism that involves the induced degradation of I k B b and that apparently requires tyrosine kinase activity in preneuronal cells but not in endothelial cells. Correspondingly, cotreatment of cells with TNF- a and IFN- g leads to persistent activation of NF- k B and to potent activation of k B-dependent gene expression, which may explain, at least in part, the synergy observed between these cytokines, as well