Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Autonomous robot dancing synchronized to musical rhythmic stimuli

This paper presents a system that is able to control in real time a humanoid robot to perform dance movements to the rhythm of a music. The movements' coordination is performed with the aid of a music analyzer that estimates the beat of the music and calculates a prediction of the next inter-beat-interval (IBI). During the robot dancing performance, a dance movement is chosen from a pre-defined dance library and is executed on-the-fly by the robot. The movements' velocity, as well as the attended metrical-level, are adjusted in real time so that the movement can be executed within the time interval of two beats, and at the same time taking into consideration the robot motor-rates limitations. Results evince a good synchrony of the movement towards the analyzed rhythm, but points to the need of a careful design of the dance movements so they can be naturally executed on time.
Geometric phases and robotic locomotion

Robotic locomotion is based in a variety of instances upon cyclic changes in the shape of a robot mechanism. Certain variations in shape exploit the constrained nature of a robot's interaction with its environment to generate net motion. This is true for legged robots, snakelike robots, and wheeled mobile robots undertaking maneuvers such as parallel parking. In this paper we explore the use of tools from differential geometry to model and analyze this class of locomotion mechanisms in a unified way. In particular, we describe locomotion in terms of the geometric phase associated with a connection on a principal bundle, and address issues such as controllability and choice of gait. We also provide an introduction to the basic mathematical concepts which we require and apply the theory to numerous example systems.
Dust driven mass loss from carbon stars as a function of stellar parameters - I. A grid of solar-metallicity wind models

Context. Knowing how the mass loss of carbon-rich AGB stars depends on stellar parameters is crucial for stellar evolution modelling, as well as for the understanding of when and how circumstellar structures emerge around these stars, e.g., dust shells and so-called detached shells of expelled gas. Aims. The purpose of this paper is to explore the stellar parameter space using a numerical radiation hydrodynamic (RHD) model of carbon-star atmospheres, including a detailed description of dust formation and frequency-dependent radiative transfer, in order to determine how the mass loss of carbon stars changes with stellar parameters. Methods. We have computed a grid of 900 numeric dynamic model atmospheres (DMAs) using a well-tested computer code. This grid of models covers most of the expected combinations of stellar parameters, which are made up of the stellar temperature, the stellar luminosity, the stellar mass, the abundance of condensible carbon, and the velocity amplitude of the pulsation. Results. The resultant mass-loss rates and wind speeds are clearly affected by the choice of stellar temperature, mass, luminosity and the abundance of available carbon. In certain parts of the parameter space there is also an inevitable mass-loss threshold, below which a dust-driven wind is not possible. Contrary to some previous studies, we find a strong dependence on the abundance of free carbon, which turns out to be a critical parameter. Furthermore, we have found that the dust grains that form in the atmosphere may grow too large for the commonly used small particle approximation of the dust opacity to be strictly valid. This may have some bearing on the wind properties, although further study of this problem is needed before quantitative conclusions can be drawn. Conclusions. The wind properties show relatively simple dependences on stellar parameters above the mass-loss threshold, while the threshold itself is of a more complicated nature. Hence, we chose not to derive any simplistic mass-loss formula, but rather provide a mass-loss prescription in the form of an easy-to-use FORTRAN routine (available at http://coolstars.astro.uu.se). Since this mass-loss routine is based on data coming from an essentially self-consistent model of mass loss, it may therefore serve as a better mass-loss prescription for stellar evolution calculations than empirical formulae. Furthermore, we conclude that there are still some issues that need to be investigated, such as the role of grain-sizes.
Pseudorandom walks on regular digraphs and the RL vs. L problem

We revisit the general RL vs. L question, obtaining the following results. Generalizing Reingold's techniques to directed graphs, we present a deterministic, log-space algorithm that given a regular directed graph G (or, more generally, a digraph with Eulerian connected components) and two vertices s and t, finds a path between s and t if one exists.If we restrict ourselves to directed graphs that are regular and consistently labelled, then we are able to produce pseudorandom walks for such graphs in logarithmic space (this result already found an independent application). We prove that if (2) could be generalized to all regular directed graphs (including ones that are not consistently labelled) then L=RL. We do so by exhibiting a new complete promise problem for RL, and showing that such a problem can be solved in deterministic logarithmic space given a log-space pseudorandom walk generator for regular directed graphs.
Capturing user behavior in multimedia recommenders

Despite the great amount of work done in the last decade, the design of intelligent systems for effective browsing of large multimedia repositories still remains an open field. In this paper, we propose an extension of our previous multimedia recommender, and introduce mechanisms to improve the performance of the system for registered users who explicitly login before starting a browsing session, by dynamically capturing their browsing behavior and adjusting the recommendations accordingly. In addition, we introduce tracking of time spent by users on each item, and take this information into account when computing recommendations. Preliminary results are presented and compared with our previous system.
Private Communication Through a Network of Trusted Connections : The Dark Freenet

Freenet is a distributed, Internet-wide peer-to-peer overlay network designed to allow anonymized and censorship resistant publication and distribution of information. The system functions as a distributed hashtable, where participating computers store information which can be retrieved by any other participant. In this paper we describe a new architecture for the Freenet system, designed to strengthen the privacy of users, and to protect participating nodes from attack in situations where just running a node in the network could be a liability. While in previous incarnations of Freenet the edges of the overlay network were decided algorithmically in a manner intended to optimize routing in the network, in the new version we allow nodes to restrict their connections to nodes that they trust. In this type of network (sometimes called a Darknet, or a friend-to-friend network) every participant communicates directly only with his own trusted peers, and thus, under some assumptions, reveals his identity only to peers he already trusts. While everybody has to trust somebody in the network, there is no central party whom everybody must trust. We offer participants to either stay hidden in a darknet, or to take part of a hybrid model with direct connections also to strangers. The novel algorithm we use for routing in the fixed mesh of trusted connections has been previously described in [29]. This paper focuses on the practical aspects of deploying a functioning data publication system based on the trusted connection model: we describe the system we have settled on and simulate it under realistic conditions.
Present and Futuristic Military Applications of Nanodevices

Nanotechnology has potential applications for defence, especially in the field of sensors, transducers, nanorobotics, nanoelectronics, memory storage, propellants, & explosives to enhance the performance of devices and weapon systems. The research and development activities of nanotechnology are increasing globally at a rapid rate. Many programs have been launched by individual countries or jointly towards the realization of nanotechnology. At present, no major country is left without addressing this area. Provisions of special financial budgets are being made for its development. Technology based on nanomaterials is going to play a vital role for the effective development of various materials and devices that are likely to play major dominating roles in military applications as well as societal changes. This paper focuses on the various aspects involved in nanotechnology development and its probable applications for the military.
NOTES AND EXERCISES ON 1-CATEGORIES

These notes are designed to accompany the lectures given by the author in the Geometric Langlands Seminar at the University of Chicago in the autumn quarter of 2007. The goal of the lectures was to give a brief introduction to J. Lurie's work on 1-categories. In the notes we provide some additional background from category theory and homotopy theory, as well as an extensive collection of exercises that may help the reader digest the material.
Architecture Description Languages for Systems-on-Chip Design

Advances in semiconductor technology coupled with the increasing availability of soft and hard IP libraries enable embedded system designers to develop Systemson-Chip (SOCs) containing highly customized processors and memories for their speci c applications. However, there is a strong demand for a methodology and tools that support e cient Design Space Exploration (DSE) of SOC architectures. Architecture Description Language (ADL)-based SOC codesign is a promising approach to e cient DSE of SOC architectures. ADLs are languages designed for speci cation of SOC architecture templates, and are used to perform early validation of SOC architectures, as well as to automatically generate software toolkits required to complete the integrated, and concurrent hardware and software design of the SOCs. In this paper we survey recent e orts in the use of ADLs. We conclude with a discussion of several major challenges facing ADL-based codesign of future SOCs.
Comparative Transcriptomic and Epigenomic Analyses Reveal New Regulators of Murine Brown Adipogenesis

Increasing energy expenditure through brown adipocyte recruitment is a promising approach to combat obesity. We report here the comprehensive profiling of the epigenome and transcriptome throughout the lineage commitment and differentiation of C3H10T1/2 mesenchymal stem cell line into brown adipocytes. Through direct comparison to datasets from differentiating white adipocytes, we systematically identify stage- and lineage-specific coding genes, lncRNAs and microRNAs. Utilizing chromatin state maps, we also define stage- and lineage-specific enhancers, including super-enhancers, and their associated transcription factor binding motifs and genes. Through these analyses, we found that in brown adipocytes, brown lineage-specific genes are pre-marked by both H3K4me1 and H3K27me3, and the removal of H3K27me3 at the late stage is necessary but not sufficient to promote brown gene expression, while the pre-deposition of H3K4me1 plays an essential role in poising the brown genes for expression in mature brown cells. Moreover, we identify SOX13 as part of a p38 MAPK dependent transcriptional response mediating early brown cell lineage commitment. We also identify and subsequently validate PIM1, SIX1 and RREB1 as novel regulators promoting brown adipogenesis. Finally, we show that SIX1 binds to adipogenic and brown marker genes and interacts with C/EBPα, C/EBPβ and EBF2, suggesting their functional cooperation during adipogenesis.
The Impact of Cultural Orientation on Post-Recovery Service Satisfaction

Failure to ensure customer satisfaction, both initially and post-transaction, through service recovery will lead to a decline in customer confidence, lost customers, negative word-ofmouth, possible negative publicity and the direct cost of reperforming the service (Berry and Parasuraman 1992). When a service failure occurs, the organisation’s response has the potential to both restore customer satisfaction and reinforces loyalty (Smith, Bolton, and Wagner 1999) by overcoming disappointment and enhancing relationships. Ineffective service recovery procedures exacerbate dissatisfaction, undermine trust and commitment and lead to customers switching behaviour (Boshoff and Leong 1998; Keaveney 1995; Smith and Bolton 1988; Tax, Brown, and Chandrashekaran 1998; Michel 2001), hence the importance of understanding consumers’ reactions to service recovery procedures. The objective of this paper is to examine the interaction of culture orientation and service recovery processes on perception of justice and post recovery satisfaction in medium-contact service.
Relations between immigration and adult skills: findings based on PIAAC

The international survey of adult skills, PIAAC, records large differences in numeracy and literacy skills between immigrants and non-immigrants. We examine how these differences relate to the countries’ average skills and skill rankings. Immigrants are defined by country of birth or in terms of languages spoken. For almost all countries, the differences in average skills between non-immigrants and the country’s entire population are significant but small. Regarding skill rankings significant differences are found only for Sweden and these are found to be sensitive to the treatment of individuals that could not conduct the skill tests due to language difficulties.
Spontaneous High-Frequency (10–80 Hz) Oscillations during Up States in the Cerebral Cortex In Vitro

High-frequency oscillations in cortical networks have been linked to a variety of cognitive and perceptual processes. They have also been recorded in small cortical slices in vitro, indicating that neuronal synchronization at these frequencies is generated in the local cortical circuit. However, in vitro experiments have hitherto necessitated exogenous pharmacological or electrical stimulation to generate robust synchronized activity in the β/γ range. Here, we demonstrate that the isolated cortical microcircuitry generates β and γ oscillations spontaneously in the absence of externally applied neuromodulators or synaptic agonists. We show this in a spontaneously active slice preparation that engages in slow oscillatory activity similar to activity during slow-wave sleep. β and γ synchronization appeared during the up states of the slow oscillation. Simultaneous intracellular and extracellular recordings revealed synchronization between the timing of incoming synaptic events and population activity. This rhythm was mechanistically similar to pharmacologically induced γ rhythms, as it also included sparse, irregular firing of neurons within the population oscillation, predominant involvement of inhibitory neurons, and a decrease of oscillation frequency after barbiturate application. Finally, we show in a computer model how a synaptic loop between excitatory and inhibitory neurons can explain the emergence of both the slow (<1 Hz) and the β-range oscillations in the neocortical network. We therefore conclude that oscillations in the β/γ range that share mechanisms with activity reported in vivo or in pharmacologically activated in vitro preparations can be generated during slow oscillatory activity in the local cortical circuit, even without exogenous pharmacological or electrical stimulation.
Exploiting Heat-Accelerated Flash Memory Wear-Out Recovery to Enable Self-Healing SSDs

This paper proposes a self-healing solid-state drive (SSD) design strategy that exploits heat-accelerated recovery of NAND flash memory cell wear-out to improve SSD lifetime. The key is to make each NAND flash memory chip self-healable by stacking an extra heater die, and to employ system-level redundancy to ensure SSD data storage integrity when one memory chip is being self-heated for memory cell wearout recovery. Based upon detailed thermal modeling and memory cell device modeling, we carried out simulations and performed detailed analysis. The results show that SSD lifetime can be improved by over five times at reasonable performance and energy consumption overhead.
Is nine weeks of complex training effective for improving lower body strength, explosive muscle function, sprint and jumping performance?

There is currently minimal evidence from training studies that document the effectiveness of complex training to elicit gains in explosive muscle function that are greater than those obtained from a more conventional approach. Over nine weeks of training, 20 recreationally trained athletes with a minimum of one year of resistance training experience were randomly assigned to either a complex training group (n = 9) or a conventional training group (n = 11). In an attempt to capitalise on muscles post-activation potentiation response, the complex training group performed all sets of ½ back squats prior to sets of jumps squats, while the conventional training group performed jump squats prior to sets of ½ back squats. Lower body explosive muscle function and jump performance improved significantly in both groups. The complex training group’s improvement in running vertical jump performance was significantly greater than in the conventional groups. Sprint performance was not significantly improved in either training group.
Genetic algorithm for shift-uncertainty correction in 1-D NMR-based metabolite identifications and quantifications

MOTIVATION The analysis of metabolic processes is becoming increasingly important to our understanding of complex biological systems and disease states. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) is a particularly relevant technology in this respect, since the NMR signals provide a quantitative measure of the metabolite concentrations. However, due to the complexity of the spectra typical of biological samples, the demands of clinical and high-throughput analysis will only be fully met by a system capable of reliable, automatic processing of the spectra. An initial step in this direction has been taken by Targeted Profiling (TP), employing a set of known and predicted metabolite signatures fitted against the signal. However, an accurate fitting procedure for (1)H NMR data is complicated by shift uncertainties in the peak systems caused by measurement imperfections. These uncertainties have a large impact on the accuracy of identification and quantification and currently require compensation by very time consuming manual interactions. Here, we present an approach, termed Extended Targeted Profiling (ETP), that estimates shift uncertainties based on a genetic algorithm (GA) combined with a least squares optimization (LSQO). The estimated shifts are used to correct the known metabolite signatures leading to significantly improved identification and quantification. In this way, use of the automated system significantly reduces the effort normally associated with manual processing and paves the way for reliable, high-throughput analysis of complex NMR spectra. RESULTS The results indicate that using simultaneous shift uncertainty correction and least squares fitting significantly improves the identification and quantification results for (1)H NMR data in comparison to the standard targeted profiling approach and compares favorably with the results obtained by manual expert analysis. Preservation of the functional structure of the NMR spectra makes this approach more realistic than simple binning strategies.
Concern Over Internal, External, and Incidence Validity in Studies of Child‐Care Quantity and Externalizing Behavior Problems

Literature reviews have concluded that extensive time in early child care is associated with frequent externalizing behavior problems in children. In this article, we address three domains of validity in the work underlying these conclusions: internal, external, and incidence validity. Regarding internal validity, most studies rely on covariate-adjusted correlations, an approach that is especially vulnerable to selection bias. In studies using more rigorous approaches to reduce selection bias, results are mixed and often inconsistent with the hypothesis that a high quantity of child care causes externalizing problems. Regarding external validity, the field has relied too heavily on U.S. samples. We call for more international replications to allow for sociopolitical variations. Regarding incidence validity, study designs have the widest relevance when structured to address the opportunities and constraints families face today. We suggest researchers ask questions about child-care quantity that maximize validity in these three domains.
Analysis of electromagnetic wave interactions on graphene sheets using time domain integral equations

A marching on-in-time (MOT) scheme for analyzing transient electromagnetic wave interactions on graphene sheets is described. The proposed scheme discretizes a time domain-resistive boundary condition (TDRBC) enforced on the infinitesimally thin graphene sheet. Time domain samples of the graphene's surface resistivity required by the MOT-TDRBC solver are computed from its frequency domain samples using a fast relaxed vector fitting (FRVF) algorithm. Numerical results, which demonstrate the applicability and accuracy of the proposed scheme, are presented.
Employee Age and Company Performance: An Integrated Model of Aging and Human Resource Management Practices

This study investigated the relationships among company average age, company work ability, and company performance by examining (a) the effects of employee average use of selection, optimization, and compensation (SOC) personal strategies and high-involvement work practices (HIWPs) on employee work ability; (b) the buffering effects of both employee average use of SOC and HIWPs on the negative relationship between company-level average age of employees and employee work ability; and (c) the link between company average age and company performance as mediated by company work ability. Analysis was conducted on data from 70 Finnish companies in the retail and metal industries and their 889 employees. Results showed that company average age was negatively related to company work ability, which in turn was positively related to company performance assessed by company managers. HIWPs were positively related to company work ability. Employee average use of SOC strategies buffered the negative effect of company average age on company work ability. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.
Complementing Artworks to Create Immersive VR Museum Experiences

Virtual and augmented reality offer various ways to enhance art exhibitions and create virtual museum experiences. In this work, we investigate the impact of digital additions to paintings in a VR museum setting. In particular, we evaluate if adding visuals in the same style of a painting or small 3D animations related to its content can have a positive impact on the experience and on how the art is perceived. Using Parsons' theory of how we understand art, our results demonstrate an effect on the experience and thus confirm the potential of such digital additions for VR museums.