Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Action recognition based on kernel machine encoding qualitative prior knowledge

This paper proposes a recognition algorithm based on kernel classifier for human daily life action such as walking or lying down. The advantage of the proposed algorithm is to realize implant of qualitative human knowledge and robust recognition accuracy at the same time. The main features of the presented method are: (1)utilizing Gaussian process with latent variables for relation between recognized labels and input human motion, (2) in order to embed prior knowledge for proper recognition of novel motion dissimilar to the learned motion data, assigning probabilistic labels to virtual human motions generated in "sparse" area of input motion feature space, (3) learning parameters of classifier by real human motion with labels and the virtual motions in Bayesian perspective. The result of cross-validation like experiment shows that the accuracy of the proposed method is as good as support vector classification based recognition methods. It is also shown that the proposed method can recognize some novel motion fit into human common sense even when the classifiers without embedded knowledge fails to recognize it.
Demographic Clubs; Convergence Within, Divergence Between

This paper rephrases the extended version of the 1956 Solow model, in which he assumed population growth as a function of income. This version of the model implies that convergence should arise in demographically homogenous samples of countries, and that economic growth should be sensitive to demographic growth. The predictions of the extended Solow model are tested in demographic clubs derived by regression tree analysis by using cross-sectional and time series unit root tests. The results give support to convergence within the clubs and, in particular, divergence between the clubs. Hence, the extended version of the Solow model may explain the convergence controversy in the post-war growth empirics. JEL Classification: E13, J10, J11
Guiding Young Composers

Composition is learned by discovering that musical ideas can be experienced in a variety of ways, and that new musical ideas can be created by reconfiguring learned materials in new contexts. The act of imagining, defining, and communicating unique musical ideas awakens in young people a dormant part of their brains, unlocking an awareness of the creative energy packed into every musical experience. This essay examines how the composition process can be exercised in classroom and ensemble projects that involve the three stages of composition: (1) Defining the materials and limits; (2) Exploring the possibilities; (3) Making choices and communicating the resulting music through some sort of notation. Examples and strategies for implementing this process and for performing students' composition exercises are presented. The essay concludes with a checklist of suggestions for music educators as they guide students who wish to pursue composition as a career.
A power flow solution for meshed network by incidence matrix

This paper describes a new power flow solution based on graph theory for solving distribution systems. The method proposed to deal with both radial and meshed networks is a kind of forward/backward sweep method, which is used to solve radial networks only. We fully depict the topological characteristic of a radial or meshed structure by a node-branch incidence matrix. Without breaking meshes or loop-analysis like previous studies, our method can directly solve meshed structure by finding the basis of the null space of the incidence matrix. In addition, we also give a convergence analysis by using of the Banach fixed-point theorem.
Compiler-Managed Software-based Redundant Multi-Threading for Transient Fault Detection

As transistors become increasingly smaller and faster with tighter noise margins, modern processors are becoming increasingly more susceptible to transient hardware faults. Existing hardware-based redundant multi-threading (HRMT) approaches rely mostly on special-purpose hardware to replicate the program into redundant execution threads and compare their computation results. In this paper, we present a software-based redundant multi-threading (SRMT) approach for transient fault detection. Our SRMT technique uses compiler to automatically generate redundant threads so they can run on general-purpose chip multi-processors (CMPs). We exploit high-level program information available at compile time to optimize data communication between redundant threads. Furthermore, our software-based technique provides flexible program execution environment where the legacy binary codes and the reliability-enhanced codes can co-exist in a mix-and-match fashion, depending on the desired level of reliability and software compatibility. Our experimental results show that compiler analysis and optimization techniques can reduce data communication requirement by up to 88% of HRMT. With general-purpose intra-chip communication mechanisms in CMP machine, SRMT overhead can be as low as 19%. Moreover, SRMT technique achieves error coverage rates of 99.98% and 99.6% for SPEC CPU2000 integer and floating-point benchmarks, respectively. These results demonstrate the competitiveness of SRMT to HRMT approaches
MoCap Based New Walk and Climb Synthesis

We describe a method to dynamically synthesize believable, variable stride, and variable foot lift motions for human walks and climbs. Our method is derived from a single motion captured walk sequence, and is guided by a simple kinematic walk model. The method allows control in the form of stride and lift parameters. It generates a range of variations while maintaining individualistic nuances of the captured performance.
A survey on the Need and Funding for Assistive Technology Devices and Services in Hong Kong

A survey was conducted to solicit information from individuals with disabilities and health-care professionals on the need for, funding for, and satisfaction with assistive technology (AT) devices and services in Hong Kong. The study revealed that more than half of the owners of AT devices purchased those devices on their own. Health-care professionals reported that a large percentage of users needed financial support to acquire the necessary AT devices. Although users indicated that their primary source of AT information was rehabilitation professionals, not every user was aware that financial support from the government and charitable organizations was available. Overall, only 40% of end users and 60% of health-care professionals gave a satisfactory rating to AT services—including equipment installation, repair, and maintenance, as well as other after-sales supports. There was a demand for streamlining funding-application procedures, improving after-sales supports, conducting better promotion of AT devices, and establishing an emergency service center.
Disaggregation of Endotoxin by Isolated Rat Liver Plasma Membranes and Lack of Product Binding

The interaction of bacterial endotoxin with isolated rat liver cell membranes was studied to determine the extent and nature of any binding. Serratia marcescens endotoxin was incubated with isolated rat liver plasma membranes for varying periods of time at 37 C, and this mixture was then centrifuged through a discontinous sucrose density gradient. The membranes banded primarily at the 35 to 45% sucrose interface, whether or not they had been incubated with endotoxin. The endotoxin distributed itself throughout the gradient except when incubated with membranes, in which case it failed to sediment. This membrane-induced alteration in sedimentation could be prevented by heat inactivation of the membranes, and was found to be pH, time, temperature, and concentration dependent. There was neither associated degradation of the endotoxin, as measured by molecular sieve chromatography, nor loss in toxicity, as determined in lead-sensitized rats. These observations are consistent with an enzymatic disaggregation of the endotoxin by membranes and could represent a step in the uptake of the endotoxin by the reticuloendothelial system. No significant binding of this disaggregated endotoxin to the membranes could be detected, either after gradient separation or after repeated washing. This finding strongly suggests that, at least in cells that are active in the uptake of endotoxin, membrane-endotoxin interactions may be relatively transitory in nature, and that firm adherence to such membranes may not be a central feature of endotoxin toxicity.
Heuristic Evaluation for Gameful Design

Despite the emergence of many gameful design methods in the literature, there is a lack of evaluation methods specific to gameful design. To address this gap, we present a new set of guidelines for heuristic evaluation of gameful design in interactive systems. First, we review several gameful design methods to identify the dimensions of motivational affordances most often employed. Then, we present a set of 28 gamification heuristics aimed at enabling experts to rapidly evaluate a gameful system. The resulting heuristics are a new method to evaluate user experience in gameful interactive systems.
RNAi-mediated HOXD3 knockdown inhibits growth in human RKO cells

Numerous studies have shown that the multifunctional Homeobox-containing (HOX) D3 gene is involved in various physiological and pathological processes. To elucidate the role and mechanism of HOXD3 in colorectal cancer (CRC), we measured its expression in five CRC cell lines. After determining that HOXD3 was highly expressed in the human RKO cancer cell line, we used lentiviral-mediated small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) to knock down HOXD3 expression and assessed proliferation, cell cycle distribution, apoptosis and colony formation using cell proliferation, flow cytometric, and colony formation assays. The expression of HOXD3 was strongly suppressed in the RKO cells infected with the lentiviruse expressing an HOXD3 short hairpin RNA (shRNA). The downregulation of HOXD3 expression in RKO cells significantly decreased proliferation and colony formation, and increased apoptosis in vitro, compared to the cells infected with the mock control (p<0.01). Moreover, specific downregulation of HOXD3 led to the accumulation of cells at the G2 phase of the cell cycle. Our findings revealed that the HOXD3 gene promotes CRC cell growth and plays a pivotal role in the development and survival of malignant human colorectal cancer cells.
Gene Expression Classification of Colon Cancer into Molecular Subtypes: Characterization, Validation, and Prognostic Value

Background Colon cancer (CC) pathological staging fails to accurately predict recurrence, and to date, no gene expression signature has proven reliable for prognosis stratification in clinical practice, perhaps because CC is a heterogeneous disease. The aim of this study was to establish a comprehensive molecular classification of CC based on mRNA expression profile analyses. Methods and Findings Fresh-frozen primary tumor samples from a large multicenter cohort of 750 patients with stage I to IV CC who underwent surgery between 1987 and 2007 in seven centers were characterized for common DNA alterations, including BRAF, KRAS, and TP53 mutations, CpG island methylator phenotype, mismatch repair status, and chromosomal instability status, and were screened with whole genome and transcriptome arrays. 566 samples fulfilled RNA quality requirements. Unsupervised consensus hierarchical clustering applied to gene expression data from a discovery subset of 443 CC samples identified six molecular subtypes. These subtypes were associated with distinct clinicopathological characteristics, molecular alterations, specific enrichments of supervised gene expression signatures (stem cell phenotype–like, normal-like, serrated CC phenotype–like), and deregulated signaling pathways. Based on their main biological characteristics, we distinguished a deficient mismatch repair subtype, a KRAS mutant subtype, a cancer stem cell subtype, and three chromosomal instability subtypes, including one associated with down-regulated immune pathways, one with up-regulation of the Wnt pathway, and one displaying a normal-like gene expression profile. The classification was validated in the remaining 123 samples plus an independent set of 1,058 CC samples, including eight public datasets. Furthermore, prognosis was analyzed in the subset of stage II–III CC samples. The subtypes C4 and C6, but not the subtypes C1, C2, C3, and C5, were independently associated with shorter relapse-free survival, even after adjusting for age, sex, stage, and the emerging prognostic classifier Oncotype DX Colon Cancer Assay recurrence score (hazard ratio 1.5, 95% CI 1.1–2.1, p = 0.0097). However, a limitation of this study is that information on tumor grade and number of nodes examined was not available. Conclusions We describe the first, to our knowledge, robust transcriptome-based classification of CC that improves the current disease stratification based on clinicopathological variables and common DNA markers. The biological relevance of these subtypes is illustrated by significant differences in prognosis. This analysis provides possibilities for improving prognostic models and therapeutic strategies. In conclusion, we report a new classification of CC into six molecular subtypes that arise through distinct biological pathways. Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary
Diversity in olfactory bulb size in birds reflects allometry, ecology, and phylogeny

The relative size of olfactory bulbs (OBs) is correlated with olfactory capabilities across vertebrates and is widely used to assess the relative importance of olfaction to a species’ ecology. In birds, variations in the relative size of OBs are correlated with some behaviors; however, the factors that have led to the high level of diversity seen in OB sizes across birds are still not well understood. In this study, we use the relative size of OBs as a neuroanatomical proxy for olfactory capabilities in 135 species of birds, representing 21 orders. We examine the scaling of OBs with brain size across avian orders, determine likely ancestral states and test for correlations between OB sizes and habitat, ecology, and behavior. The size of avian OBs varied with the size of the brain and this allometric relationship was for the most part isometric, although species did deviate from this trend. Large OBs were characteristic of more basal species and in more recently derived species the OBs were small. Living and foraging in a semi-aquatic environment was the strongest variable driving the evolution of large OBs in birds; olfaction may provide cues for navigation and foraging in this otherwise featureless environment. Some of the diversity in OB sizes was also undoubtedly due to differences in migratory behavior, foraging strategies and social structure. In summary, relative OB size in birds reflect allometry, phylogeny and behavior in ways that parallel that of other vertebrate classes. This provides comparative evidence that supports recent experimental studies into avian olfaction and suggests that olfaction is an important sensory modality for all avian species.
Robust control of full bridge DC-DC converter

This paper describes a modeling and control of Zero Voltage Switching (ZVS) DC-DC converter. State space averaging technique is used to get the nominal model of the full bridge isolated DC-DC converter. Robust Control theory is then applied to modify this nominal model to standard format used for parametric uncertainties. H∞ control technique is implemented to regulate the output voltage in the presence of parametric uncertainties. System is then simulated in MATLAB Simulink as standard feedback system and results are compared with the LQR and H2 control.
ERP Correlates of Individual Differences in the Comprehension of Nonliteral Language

In recent years, the field of cognitive neuroscience has flourished as new tools allow researchers to peer inside the workings of the living brain. At the same time, those interested in the experimental study of language have begun to move beyond their initial focus on literal language to look at the more complex and potentially more interesting areas of figurative language. The purpose of this article is to highlight ongoing research into individual differences in nonliteral language processing, and to examine how the study of the electrophysiology of the brain can help illuminate theories of figurative language. We inquire into how one can explain individual differences between subject populations in the time course of comprehension using event-related brain potentials (ERPs). We review studies on individual differences in metaphor processing, examine how self-reported differences in relational aggression relate to the processing of sarcasm, and previewsome ongoing studies on expertise in poetry.
Differential Tuition: A Community College Budgetary Strategy

Community colleges are currently facing the perfect fiscal storm: historical reductions in state appropriations while at the same time experiencing significant enrollment growth. Community college leaders are pondering how to effectively compensate for unprecedented budget cuts while meeting the demands of student access and increasing levels of pressure and accountability with regards to improving student completion. If community colleges are to maintain or exceed their current level of performance and accommodate student access, they need to generate alternative sources of funding. In a national study of state community college systems, six state community college directors indicated that their state's community colleges would utilize a differential tuition model in order to compensate for the loss of state funds. The purpose of the study was to follow-up with those six states to learn how differential tuition models are being utilized among the public community colleges. The lessons from these states provide recommendations for policy and practice.
Image Based Hair Segmentation Algorithm for the Application of Automatic Facial Caricature Synthesis

Hair is a salient feature in human face region and are one of the important cues for face analysis. Accurate detection and presentation of hair region is one of the key components for automatic synthesis of human facial caricature. In this paper, an automatic hair detection algorithm for the application of automatic synthesis of facial caricature based on a single image is proposed. Firstly, hair regions in training images are labeled manually and then the hair position prior distributions and hair color likelihood distribution function are estimated from these labels efficiently. Secondly, the energy function of the test image is constructed according to the estimated prior distributions of hair location and hair color likelihood. This energy function is further optimized according to graph cuts technique and initial hair region is obtained. Finally, K-means algorithm and image postprocessing techniques are applied to the initial hair region so that the final hair region can be segmented precisely. Experimental results show that the average processing time for each image is about 280 ms and the average hair region detection accuracy is above 90%. The proposed algorithm is applied to a facial caricature synthesis system. Experiments proved that with our proposed hair segmentation algorithm the facial caricatures are vivid and satisfying.
μ-FTL:: a memory-efficient flash translation layer supporting multiple mapping granularities

NAND flash memory is being widely adopted as a storage medium for embedded devices. FTL (Flash Translation Layer) is one of the most essential software components in NAND flash-based embedded devices as it allows to use legacy files systems by emulating the traditional block device interface on top of NAND flash memory. In this paper, we propose a novel FTL, called μ-FTL. The main design goal of μ-FTL is to reduce the memory foot-print as small as possible, while providing the best performance by supporting multiple mapping granularities based on variable-sized extents. The mapping information is managed by μ-Tree, which offers an efficient index structure for NAND flash memory. Our evaluation results show that μ-FTL significantly outperforms other block-mapped FTLs with the same memory size by up to 89.7%.
Adjunctive Glucocorticoid Therapy for Non‐HIV‐Related Pneumocystis carinii Pneumonia (NH‐PCP)

We were surprised, however, that the authors provided a rather muted discussion of the currently available data for increasing the dosage of glucocorticoids as adjunctive treatment of severe non-HIV-related Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia (NH-PCP). We do acknowledge that no prospective investigations on the role of adjunctive glucocorticoid therapy in NH-PCP have been conducted. On the other hand, retrospective studies show either benefit (2–4) or no impact (5–7) with increasing the dosage of glucocorticoids as adjunctive treatment of moderate to severe NH-PCP. Admittedly, these studies were limited by relatively small sample size.
Autologous Bone Marrow–Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Versus Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation

Background: First-generation autologous chondrocyte implantation has limitations, and introducing new effective cell sources can improve cartilage repair. Purpose: This study was conducted to compare the clinical outcomes of patients treated with first-generation autologous chondrocyte implantation to patients treated with autologous bone marrow–derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs). Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: Seventy-two matched (lesion site and age) patients underwent cartilage repair using chondrocytes (n = 36) or BMSCs (n = 36). Clinical outcomes were measured before operation and 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, and 24 months after operation using the International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS) Cartilage Injury Evaluation Package, which included questions from the Short-Form Health Survey, International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) subjective knee evaluation form, Lysholm knee scale, and Tegner activity level scale. Results: There was significant improvement in the patients’ quality of life (physical and mental components of the Short Form-36 questionnaire included in the ICRS package) after cartilage repair in both groups (autologous chondrocyte implantation and BMSCs). However, there was no difference between the BMSC and the autologous chondrocyte implantation group in terms of clinical outcomes except for Physical Role Functioning, with a greater improvement over time in the BMSC group (P = .044 for interaction effect). The IKDC subjective knee evaluation (P = .861), Lysholm (P = .627), and Tegner (P = .200) scores did not show any significant difference between groups over time. However, in general, men showed significantly better improvements than women. Patients younger than 45 years of age scored significantly better than patients older than 45 years in the autologous chondrocyte implantation group, but age did not make a difference in outcomes in the BMSC group. Conclusion: Using BMSCs in cartilage repair is as effective as chondrocytes for articular cartilage repair. In addition, it required 1 less knee surgery, reduced costs, and minimized donor-site morbidity.