Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Patient-tailored adaptive robotic system for upper-limb rehabilitation

This paper presents a robotic system for 3D upperlimb robot-aided rehabilitation, grounded on a patient-tailored approach: it real-time adapts therapy characteristics to patient needs, by including the patient in the control loop. The system is composed of a 7-DoF robot arm, an adaptive interaction control system and a module for the evaluation of patient performance; it records patient biomechanical data through an unobtrusive sensory system, evaluates patient biomechanical state and updates robot control parameters for modifying the level of assistance and task complexity in the 3D space. The adaptive interaction control and the module for assessing patient biomechanical state are described in detail in the paper. The experimental validation is carried out on healthy subjects and results in 2D and 3D space are provided.
Multiscale and multilevel technique for consistent segmentation of nonstationary time series

In this paper, we propose a fast, well-performing, and consistent method for segmenting a piecewise-stationary, linear time series with an unknown number of breakpoints. The time series model we use is the nonparametric Locally Sta- tionary Wavelet model, in which a complete description of the piecewise-stationary second-order structure is provided by wavelet periodograms computed at multiple scales and locations. The initial stage of our method is a new binary segmenta- tion procedure, with a theoretically justified and rapidly computable test criterion that detects breakpoints in wavelet periodograms separately at each scale. This is followed by within-scale and across-scales post-processing steps, leading to con- sistent estimation of the number and locations of breakpoints in the second-order structure of the original process. An extensive simulation study demonstrates good performance of our method.
Architectural Refinement for the Design of Survivable Systems

Abstract : This paper describes a process for systematically refining an enterprise system architecture to resist recognize and recover from deliberate, malicious attacks by applying reusable design primitives that help ensure the survival of the enterprise mission. Systems of interest may be unbounded; that is, have no central administration and no unified security policy. The survivable architecture refinement is an iterative risk-driven process which adopts the structure of Boehm's Spiral Model Boehm 88. The cycles of the spiral structure represent different types of attack that need to be considered - network-based attacks, application-based attacks, and data-content attacks. We illustrate our survivable architecture refinement process through its application to e-commerce. E-commerce examples are representative of the lack of full control and visibility that characterize unbounded systems.
Property Tax, Supply and Demand Elasticity and Housing Price

This paper develops a flow-stock model of housing market to investigate the impacts of property tax, supply and demand elasticity upon housing price. The model indicates that the imposition and escalation of the property tax will cause housing price fall in the event that the elasticity of supply is greater than that of demand and vice versa. Using the housing market data of 33 large and medium cities in China from 1996 through 2007, I find that the impact of property tax on the housing prices is negative and trivial. Hence, property tax will not effectively curb the inflated house prices. Second, the property tax affects the housing price less than the demand, but greater than the supply. Third, the economic growth rate exerts a great impact on housing prices. Lastly, the geographic location insignificantly affects housing price variations.
Assembly of a functional phage PRD1 receptor depends on 11 genes of the IncP plasmid mating pair formation complex

PRD1, a lipid-containing double-stranded DNA bacteriophage, uses the mating pair formation (Mpf) complex encoded by conjugative IncP plasmids as a receptor. Functions responsible for conjugative transfer of IncP plasmids are encoded by two distinct regions, Tra1 and Tra2. Ten Tra2 region gene products (TrbB to TrbL) and one from the Tra1 region (TraF) form the Mpf complex. We carried out a mutational analysis of the PRD1 receptor complex proteins by isolating spontaneous PRD1-resistant mutants. The mutations were distributed among the trb genes in the Tra2 region and accumulated predominantly in three genes, trbC, trbE, and trbL. Three of 307 phage-resistant mutants were weakly transfer proficient. Mutations causing a phage adsorption-deficient, transfer-positive phenotype were analyzed by sequencing.
Will consumers pay for news content online: The implications for tourism

Information can be a valuable commodity for travellers making holiday plans. This research investigates the factors that impact consumer willingness to pay for online news content with the aim to uncover implications for the tourism industry. A qualitative approach was adopted to analyse the responses to a blog entry entitled 'Would you pay for content on the web? '. Six factors emerged from the analysis: information scarcity, quality, brand, value added, security and functionality, and expense. The results revealed a 'free mentality' towards online information content exists among consumers. This mentality results from the sheer number of alternative sources of information, as well as negative evaluations of information quality; perceptions of the provider's brand image; online security concerns; and price. These findings may be relevant to the tourism industry. The findings suggest an opportunity for tourism content providers to generate revenues through innovative content design, while providing realistically priced, specialised tourism information to differentiate from free content providers.
Studying shape semantics of an architectural moulding collection: Classifying style based on shape analysis methods

As technologies for 3D acquisition become widely available, it is expected that 3D content will become increasingly popular. Nevertheless, to provide access and enable the creative use of 3D content, it is necessary to address challenges such as the availability of open repositories dedicated to 3D content and the automatic enrichment of 3D content with suitable metadata so that content does not get lost. To address these challenges, this paper presents research on developing technologies to support the organisation and discoverability of 3D content in the Cultural Heritage (CH) domain. The main contributions of the paper include an ontology for documenting 3D representations of architectural mouldings decorated with ornament. In addition, a shape analysis method to improve the information that is automatically extracted from a 3D shape is proposed. This method is tested on part of a collection of Regency ornament mouldings found in domestic interiors. This content provides a rich dataset on which to explore issues common to many CH artefacts, such as design styles, patterns and motifs.
Finding Proneness of S/W using Class Hierarchy Method

When it is requiring, releasing a new version of software it is helpful to take reference of old version. If developers know in advance which classes or methods of software may be change or will cause faults then developers can focus more on these classes. It is require identifying classes at earlier stages of development which may cause changes or faults in other classes, so that those classes can be given special attention. The technique presented here improves the quality and reliability of the software. To achieve corrective and adaptive maintenance we require making changes during the software evolution. It is important to analyze the frequency of changes in individual classes and also to identify and show related changes in multiple classes as these changes are key components of software. Prediction of change-prone and fault prone classes of a software is an active topic under research in the area of software engineering. Such prediction can be used to predict changes and faults in different classes of a system from one release to the next release of software. Finding the change-prone and fault prone classes from software in advance can help the developers to focus more attention on these classes. The proposed model presenting a technique for finding dependency of software, change-prone classes and fault-prone classes of Object Oriented Software.
Fuzzy Rule Based Facial Expression Recognition

Facial expressions are a key modality in human communication. Facial expressions occur simultaneously with social interaction and help in interpretation of spoken communication. The understanding of facial expressions is a basic requirement in the development of next generation human computer interaction (HCI) systems. Facial expressions, however, are qualitative in nature and it is very difficult to explain them by a mathematical model. This paper presents a system framework that uses fuzzy logic principles to recognize facial expressions in video sequences. The system uses image processing techniques to detect MPEG4 facial animation parameters (FAPs) in an input video. A fuzzy rule base has been developed to interpret the collective set of FAPs as constituting a particular facial expression.
The system of dynamic software security and reliability analysis with high-performance

The article describes dynamic analysis techniques and cloud-based platform for software security and reliability testing. In the article the author contributes to dynamic execution analysis techniques. In the first part of the article the authors describe the technique of dynamic binary analysis which is referred to as «fuzzing». The authors show basic architecture of the tool for security and reliability testing of application and vulnerabilities detection. Due to the use of the dynamic binary instrumentation this technique's implementation is much faster than ones' applied previously. The technique described in the article has been implemented as the software platform which includes: web-interface, virtual machine dispatcher, dynamic instrumentation library, debugger, special dll, protocol description and fuzzing manager tool. The results of vulnerabilities detection in the FTP - server confirmed the consistency of the technique.
Effects on Chromatin Remodeling Transformation and T-Cell Factor Target Gene Induction via-Catenin-Mediated Neoplastic β TIP 49 Regulates Updated

-Catenin has a key role in Wnt signaling via effects on T-cell factor (TCF)-mediated transcription. Mutational defects in -catenin regulation are seen in many cancers, leading to elevated -catenin levels, enhanced binding of -catenin to TCFs, and increased expression of TCF-regulated genes. Factors cooperating with -catenin in transcription of TCF-regulated genes are not well defined. TIP49, an ATPase previously implicated as a cofactor for oncogenic transformation by c-Myc, has been shown to bind to -catenin. We found that expression of an ATPase-deficient mutant form of TIP49 (TIP49D302N) substantially inhibited -cateninmediated neoplastic transformation of immortalized rat epithelial cells and anchorage-independent growth of human colon cancer cells with deregulated -catenin. The TIP49D302N mutant inhibited -catenin-mediated activation of TCF-dependent cellular genes. Similar inhibition of the expression of -catenin/TCF-dependent genes was seen with small interfering RNA approaches against endogenous TIP49. TIP49 was found in complexes with chromatin remodeling and histone-modifying factors and cofactors, including the TIP60 histone acetylase-associated proteins transactivation/transformation-domain associated protein (TRRAP) and BAF53. Using chromatin immunoprecipitation methods, the TIP49, TIP60, and TRRAP proteins were found to interact with sequences in the regulatory region of the gene for ITF-2, a TCF-dependent cellular gene. The ability of TIP49D302N to inhibit ITF-2 gene expression was linked to decreased acetylation of histones in the vicinity of the TCF-binding sites in the ITF-2 promoter region. We suggest that TIP49 is an important cofactor in -catenin/TCF gene regulation in normal and neoplastic cells, likely functioning in chromatin remodeling.
The development of 6 D.O.F robot manipulator with human-friendly design

The robot manipulator executes works gripping or carrying an object at any position in various environments. For using this manipulator in general home, it should be able to carry out the task transporting small things as a glass and stationery. And, it should be able to have human-friendly design that can reduce a possibility of danger and reduce an unpleasant feeling because it executes orders at close human. Also, motion of Robot manipulator should be able to reduce an unpleasant feeling by similar motion such as human's arm. Therefore, the robot manipulator making use of human-friendly design and making up a similar joint structure such as human's arm is presented in this paper. And the design process for each joint of the robot manipulator is introduced. Also the robot manipulator executes tasks carrying object at fixed position and any position, which is verified in this paper.
Neighborhood-privacy protected shortest distance computing in cloud

With the advent of cloud computing, it becomes desirable to utilize cloud computing to efficiently process complex operations on large graphs without compromising their sensitive information. This paper studies shortest distance computing in the cloud, which aims at the following goals: i) preventing outsourced graphs from neighborhood attack, ii) preserving shortest distances in outsourced graphs, iii) minimizing overhead on the client side. The basic idea of this paper is to transform an original graph G into a link graph Gl kept locally and a set of outsourced graphs Go. Each outsourced graph should meet the requirement of a new security model called 1-neighborhood-d-radius. In addition, the shortest distance query can be answered using Gl and Go. Our objective is to minimize the space cost on the client side when both security and utility requirements are satisfied. We devise a greedy method to produce Gl and Go, which can exactly answer the shortest distance queries. We also develop an efficient transformation method to support approximate shortest distance answering under a given additive error bound. The final experimental results illustrate the effectiveness and efficiency of our method.
A Natural View of Microbial Biodiversity within Hot Spring Cyanobacterial Mat Communities

SUMMARY This review summarizes a decade of research in which we have used molecular methods, in conjunction with more traditional approaches, to study hot spring cyanobacterial mats as models for understanding principles of microbial community ecology. Molecular methods reveal that the composition of these communities is grossly oversimplified by microscopic and cultivation methods. For example, none of 31 unique 16S rRNA sequences detected in the Octopus Spring mat, Yellowstone National Park, matches that of any prokaryote previously cultivated from geothermal systems; 11 are contributed by genetically diverse cyanobacteria, even though a single cyanobacterial species was suspected based on morphologic and culture analysis. By studying the basis for the incongruity between culture and molecular samplings of community composition, we are beginning to cultivate isolates whose 16S rRNA sequences are readily detected. By placing the genetic diversity detected in context with the well-defined natural environmental gradients typical of hot spring mat systems, the relationship between gene and species diversity is clarified and ecological patterns of species occurrence emerge. By combining these ecological patterns with the evolutionary patterns inherently revealed by phylogenetic analysis of gene sequence data, we find that it may be possible to understand microbial biodiversity within these systems by using principles similar to those developed by evolutionary ecologists to understand biodiversity of larger species. We hope that such an approach guides microbial ecologists to a more realistic and predictive understanding of microbial species occurrence and responsiveness in both natural and disturbed habitats.
BTSCS: A BINARY TIME-SERIES{CROSS{SECTION DATA ANALYSIS UTILITY

Binary time-series-cross-section (BTSCS) observations are likely to violate the independence assumption of the ordinary logit or probit statistical model. When observations are temporally related, the results of an ordinary logit or probit analysis may be misleading. Beck, Katz, and Tucker (1998) provide a simple diagnostic for temporal dependence, and a simple remedy based on the idea that BTSCS data is identical to grouped duration data. This recognition allows logit-oriented BTSCS analysts to use familiar methods to incorporate statistical concepts explicitly designed for temporally dependent data.
The Emergence of NMDA Receptor Metabotropic Function: Insights from Imaging

The NMDA receptor (R) participates in many important physiological and pathological processes. For example, its activation is required for both long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD) of synaptic transmission, cellular models of learning and memory. Furthermore, it may play a role in the actions of amyloid-beta on synapses as well as in the signaling leading to cell death following stroke. Until recently, these processes were thought to be mediated by ion-flux through the receptor. Using a combination of imaging and electrophysiological approaches, ion-flux independent functions of the NMDAR were recently examined. In this review, we will discuss the role of metabotropic NMDAR function in LTD and synaptic dysfunction.
An approach to discrete-time incentive feedback Stackelberg games

A substantial effort has been devoted to various incentive Stackelberg solution concepts. Most of these concepts work well in the sense that the leader can get his desired solution in the end. Yet, most incentive strategies developed thus far include either the follower's control, which may not be realistic in practice, or delays in the state, which makes stabilization more difficult to achieve. In this paper, we obtain the team-optimal state feedback Stackelberg strategy (with no delays) of an important class of discrete-time two-person nonzero-sum dynamic games characterized by linear state dynamics and quadratic cost functionals.
Haptic training of lower extremities enhanced by visual modality

We investigated the effects of combining the visual and haptic modalities on the adaptation capabilities of healthy subjects to the virtual environment. The haptic feedback was provided by the actuated gait orthosis Lokomat programmed with stepping movements employing an impedance control algorithm. The visual cueing (only the reference motion is presented) and visual feedback (the reference motion as well as the current tracking deviation are presented) were provided by a real-time visualization of a virtual teacher and a virtual self - avatar. The subjects had to track the virtual teacher during stepping-in-place movements shown on screen while being assisted by the Lokomat. The stepping task was performed by engaging three different combinations of haptic and visual modalities. The statistical analysis showed that (1) haptic feedback and visual feedback combined yielded better tracking than haptic feedback alone, and (2) haptic feedback combined with visual cueing did not improve tracking performance compared to haptic feedback alone. We concluded that in general the haptic training can be effectively enhanced by the visual modality if the latter features visual feedback rather than just cueing.
Treatment of Nail Psoriasis: Common Concepts and New Trends

The lifetime incidence of nail involvement in psoriatic patients is estimated to be 80–90%, and the nails can be affected in 10% to 55% of psoriatic patients. Psoriasis may also solely involve the nails, without any other skin findings, in which the treatment can be more challenging. Nail psoriasis may lead to considerable impairment in quality of life due to aesthetic concerns and more importantly limitations in daily activities resulting from the associated pain, which may be overlooked by the physicians. Several topical and systemic treatment modalities, as well as radiation and light systems, have been used in the treatment of nail psoriasis. In the last decade, the introduction of biologic agents and the utilization of laser systems have brought a new insight into the treatment of nail psoriasis. This paper focuses on the recent advances, as well as the conventional methods, in treating nail psoriasis in adults and children, in reference to an extensive literature search.
Analytical queries on road networks: an experimental evaluation of two system architectures

Spatial analytical queries on road networks typically perform hundreds of thousands to several millions of shortest distance computations in the process of producing results. These queries require architectures that can compute a large number of network distances. Two architectures are evaluated on a variety of spatial analytical queries on road networks. The first architecture is a widely used hybrid architecture that uses a database to store spatial datasets, a road network distance computing module, and an analysis tool to tie them together into a single query processing pipeline. The second architecture uses of a distance oracle representation of a road network. This architecture stores the spatial datasets and the distance oracle inside the database, and the query processing is completely handled by the database. A detailed evaluation of the two architectures for a variety of analytical query processing tasks such as region, KNN, distance matrix and trajectory queries is presented and the lessons learned are discussed.
The Political Economy of Population : Trade , Treaties , and the Fertility Transition

Abstract. This paper argues that two causes of the fertility transition in the OECD are, first, the rise of international trade and, second, ratification of the United Nations’ Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). An increase in the level of international trade causes a decrease in the price of substitute goods along with other effects all of which lead to a decrease in the demand for children. Ratification of CEDAW is associated with greater female literacy lowering child mortality and increasing the potential supply of children. These demand and supply side effects lead to a lower fertility rate. The test hypothesis is that international trade is inversely associated with the total fertility rate. A timeseries cross-section empirical analysis for the OECD countries exhibits that independent of a number of economic and social controls trade openness has a statistically significant and inverse effect on the fertility rate. The paper has important policy implications relating to population growth, conflict, and women’s empowerment are considered in the conclusion.
Conversing in Reflective Glory: A Systematic Study Using National Football League Games

Conversations about a group can alter its structure and development. The antecedents of group-oriented conversation are difficult to pinpoint, however, because of the complex interdependence between individual and group behavior. In this study we utilize a unique set of exogenous, group-level treatments — the outcomes of National Football League games — to observe how group members — fans of these teams — participate in group-oriented conversation on Twitter. We show first that positive group outcomes (team victories) encourage group members to talk publicly about their group. Our results also indicate that group members participate more actively in the group-oriented discussion when the the outcome is a surprise. Future directions for this line of research are discussed.