Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Vision SLAM in the Measurement Subspace

In this paper we describe an approach to feature representation for simultaneous localization and mapping, SLAM. It is a general representation for features that addresses symmetries and constraints in the feature coordinates. Furthermore, the representation allows for the features to be added to the map with partial initialization. This is an important property when using oriented vision features where angle information can be used before their full pose is known. The number of the dimensions for a feature can grow with time as more information is acquired. At the same time as the special properties of each type of feature are accounted for, the commonalities of all map features are also exploited to allow SLAM algorithms to be interchanged as well as choice of sensors and features. In other words the SLAM implementation need not be changed at all when changing sensors and features and vice versa. Experimental results both with vision and range data and combinations thereof are presented.
Quantitative Field Testing Rotylenchulus reniformis DNA from Metagenomic Samples Isolated Directly from Soil

A quantitative PCR procedure targeting the β-tubulin gene determined the number of Rotylenchulus reniformis Linford & Oliveira 1940 in metagenomic DNA samples isolated from soil. Of note, this outcome was in the presence of other soil-dwelling plant parasitic nematodes including its sister genus Helicotylenchus Steiner, 1945. The methodology provides a framework for molecular diagnostics of nematodes from metagenomic DNA isolated directly from soil.
Adaptive Smoothing Methods for Frequency-Domain Identification

The determination of resolution parameter when estimating frequency functions of linear systems is a trade-o between bias and variance. Traditional approaches, like \window-closing" employ a global resolution parameter { the window width { that is tuned by ad hoc methods, usually visual inspection of the results. Here we explore more sophisticated estimation methods, based on local polynomial modeling, that tune such parameters by automatic procedures. A further benet is that the tuning can be performed locally, i.e., that dierent resolutions can be used in dierent frequency bands. The approach is thus a conceptually simple and useful alternative to more established multi-resolution techniques like wavelets. The advantages of the method are illustrated in two numerical examples.
The Ethnic Context and Attitudes Toward 9th Grade Math

The present study examined the relations between ethnic context and attitudes about 9th grade math in youth from different ethnic groups who had recently transitioned to high school. The large sample comprised African American, Latino, White, and Asian youth (n = 2265, 55% girls, Mage = 14.6 yrs.) A new questionnaire was developed assessing four math attitudes (perceived competence, feelings of belonging, perceive importance and anxiety in math) and two ethnic context variables (perceived same-ethnic peers in one’s math class and perceptions of the school ethnic climate). Participants listed the math course they were taking in 9th grade and then completed the questionnaire based on that class. Perceiving more same-ethnic classmates in math was related to more positive attitudes about perceived competence and feelings of belonging in math. Significant interactions between the two ethnic context variables were documented suggesting that a positive ethnic climate buffered some of the negative effects of few same-ethnic peers on perceived competence and belonging. Implications of the findings for understanding the social-motivational underpinnings of high school course-taking among multiethnic youth were discussed.
Minimal trap design

This paper addresses the issue of trap design for sensorless automated assembly. First, we present a simple algorithm that determines in O(nm /spl alpha/(nm) log(nm)) time whether an n-sided polygonal part will fall through an m-sided polygonal trap. We then introduce the notion of a minimal trap for a polygonal part, and develop an algorithm to design a family of minimal feeders built from these traps. The algorithm runs in O(kn/sup 3+/spl epsiv//) time, where k is the number of stable orientations of P. Moreover, it is complete in the sense that we can always find a feeder, provided that one exists that rejects and supports the appropriate poses of the part.
Expression and Regulation of ST 2 , an Interleukin-1 Receptor Family Member , in Cardiomyocytes and Myocardial Infarction

Background—We identified an interleukin-1 receptor family member, ST2, as a gene markedly induced by mechanical strain in cardiac myocytes and hypothesized that ST2 participates in the acute myocardial response to stress and injury. Methods and Results—ST2 mRNA was induced in cardiac myocytes by mechanical strain (4.7 0.9-fold) and interleukin-1 (2.0 0.2-fold). Promoter analysis revealed that the proximal and not the distal promoter of ST2 is responsible for transcriptional activation in cardiac myocytes by strain and interleukin-1 . In mice subjected to coronary artery ligation, serum ST2 was transiently increased compared with unoperated controls (20.8 4.4 versus 0.8 0.8 ng/mL, P 0.05). Soluble ST2 levels were increased in the serum of human patients (N 69) 1 day after myocardial infarction and correlated positively with creatine kinase (r 0.41, P 0.001) and negatively with ejection fraction (P 0.02). Conclusions—These data identify ST2 release in response to myocardial infarction and suggest a role for this innate immune receptor in myocardial injury. (Circulation. 2002;106:2961-2966.)
The effect of seawater CO 2 concentration on growth of a natural phytoplankton assemblage in a controlled mesocosm experiment

We examine the effects of seawater pCO2 concentration of 25, 41, and 76 kPa (250, 400, and 750 matm) on the growth rate of a natural assemblage of mixed phytoplankton obtained from a carefully controlled, 14-d mesocosm experiment. Throughout the experiment period, in all enclosures, two phytoplankton taxa (microflagellates and cryptomonads) and two diatom species (Skeletonema costatum and Nitzschia spp.) account for approximately 90% of the phytoplankton community. During the nutrient-replete period from day 9 to day 14 populations of Skeletonema costatum and Nitzschia spp. increased substantially; however, only Skeletonema costatum showed an increase in growth rate with increasing seawater pCO2. Not all diatom species in Korean coastal waters are sensitive to seawater pCO2 under nutrient-replete conditions. Since the industrial revolution, human activities have released ever-increasing quantities of CO2 into the atmosphere. However, only about half of this CO2 has remained in the atmosphere; the rest has been absorbed into the ocean and land biosphere. The global oceanic sink of fossilfuel CO2 has been estimated to be 118 6 19 petagrams of carbon, accounting for 30% of the total emission during the period from 1800 to 1994 (Sabine et al. 2004). The fossilfuel CO2 absorbed by the ocean is not evenly distributed throughout the depths because it is taken up by the ocean through air–sea gas exchange. The highest concentrations of fossil-fuel CO2 are found in the upper oceans. Away from the wind-driven upper oceans or deep water formation regions, fossil-fuel CO2 can only penetrate to deeper depths by slow diffusive processes, and, as a consequence, the concentration of fossil-fuel CO2 is below the current detection limits in much of the deep ocean (Sabine et al. 2004). The absorption of fossil-fuel CO2 has profoundly changed the upper ocean carbonate chemistry (Chung et al. 2004; Feely et al. 2004); for example it has led to an increase in gaseous CO2 concentration and a decrease in pH and carbonate ion (CO 22 3 ) concentration, which has in turn served to lower the saturation state of seawater with respect to biogenic calcite and aragonite. Over the typical range of surface water pH (7.8–8.2), bicarbonate ions (HCO 3 ) are a major contributor (,90%) to the total dissolved inorganic carbon concentration ([CO2] + [HCO 3 ] + [CO 22 3 ]), followed by CO 22 3 (,9%). Less than 1% of the total dissolved inorganic carbon is in the form of gaseous CO2. Riebesell et al. (1993) first suggested that some large phytoplankton species may rely on CO2 diffusion through the cell membrane for growth and, therefore, that the low concentration of CO2 (5–15 mmol kg21) in the present-day surface ocean would likely hinder phytoplankton growth. When in a low CO2 environment some phytoplankton 1 Corresponding author (ktl@postech.ac.kr).
XML-based genetic rules for scene boundary detection in a parallel processing environment

Genetic programming is based on Darwinian evolutionary theory that suggests that the best solution for a problem can be evolved by methods of natural selection of the fittest organisms in a population. These principles are translated into genetic programming by populating the solution space with an initial number of computer programs that can possibly solve the problem and then evolving the programs by means of mutation, reproduction and crossover until a candidate solution can be found that is close to or is the optimal solution for the problem. The computer programs are not fully formed source code but rather a derivative that is represented as a parse tree. The initial solutions are randomly generated and set to a certain population size that the system can compute efficiently. Research has shown that better solutions can be obtained if 1) the population size is increased and 2) if multiple runs are performed of each experiment. If multiple runs are initiated on many machines the probability of finding an optimal solution are increased exponentially and computed more efficiently. With the proliferation of the web and high speed bandwidth connections genetic programming can take advantage of grid computing to both increase population size and increasing the number of runs by utilising machines connected to the web. Using XML-Schema as a global referencing mechanism for defining the parameters and syntax of the evolvable computer programs all machines can synchronise ad-hoc to the ever changing environment of the solution space. Another advantage of using XML is that rules are constructed that can be transformed by XSLT or DOM tree viewers so they can be understood by the GP programmer. This allows the programmer to experiment by manipulating rules to increase the fitness of a rule and evaluate the selection of parameters used to define a solution.
Privacy-Preserving Query over Encrypted Graph-Structured Data in Cloud Computing

In the emerging cloud computing paradigm, data owners become increasingly motivated to outsource their complex data management systems from local sites to the commercial public cloud for great flexibility and economic savings. For the consideration of users' privacy, sensitive data have to be encrypted before outsourcing, which makes effective data utilization a very challenging task. In this paper, for the first time, we define and solve the problem of privacy-preserving query over encrypted graph-structured data in cloud computing (PPGQ), and establish a set of strict privacy requirements for such a secure cloud data utilization system to become a reality. Our work utilizes the principle of "filtering-and-verification". We prebuild a feature-based index to provide feature-related information about each encrypted data graph, and then choose the efficient inner product as the pruning tool to carry out the filtering procedure. To meet the challenge of supporting graph query without privacy breaches, we propose a secure inner product computation technique, and then improve it to achieve various privacy requirements under the known-background threat model.
Observing the stars. Love in the age of systems

A number of scholars have demonstrated how the cultural industry involves people in a participatory culture in which users actively construct personal identities. However, the link between a public of mass-mediated entertainment and the private sphere of intimacy and personal identity is a paradox. A consistent theory to clarify that paradox is lacking in the cultural studies literature. I suggest that social systems theory in the Luhmannian tradition may explain in economical terms why the continuous performance and intensification of the paradox of mass-mediated intimacy is a major trait of contemporary culture. Nevertheless, the article does not address normative issues. It is neither an apology for the culture industry, nor a condemnation. The aim is simply to bring one of the most powerful tools of analysis in social theory today to bear on an aspect of modern society which is as important as it is baffling.
VoIP Performance in SIP-Based Vertical Handovers Between WLAN and GPRS/UMTS Networks

This paper experimentally analyzes the handover performance of VoIP sessions in a wireless overlay of 802.11 WLANs and GPRS/UMTS networks when mobility is handled at the application layer by SIP. It also assesses the impact of handovers on the VoIP call quality perceived by the user by means of the extended E-model. The study reveals that good performance values are achieved when handing over from GPRS/UMTS to WLAN. Additionally, acceptable quality is obtained for handovers from WLAN towards UMTS. On the other hand, unacceptable values are achieved when moving towards GPRS. The main reason is the delay experienced by SIP messages when traversing the cellular network.
Soft tissue adhesive composed of modified gelatin and polysaccharides

Although fibrin glue has been clinically used as a surgical adhesive, hemostatic agent, and sealant, it has the risk of virus infection because its components, fibrinogen and thrombin, are obtained from human blood. To circumvent this problem, we employed bioabsorbable gelatin and polysaccharides to prepare a safer hemostatic glue. Gelatin was modified with ethylenediamine using water-soluble carbodiimide to introduce additional amino groups into the original gelatin, while dextran and hydroxyethyl-starch were oxidized by sodium periodate to convert 1,2-hydroxyl groups into dialdehyde groups. Upon mixing of the two polymer components in aqueous solution, Schiff base was formed between the amino groups in the modified gelatin and the aldehyde groups in the modified polysaccharides, which thus resulted in intermolecular cross-linking and gel formation. The fastest gel formation took place within 2 s, and its bonding strength to porcine skin was about 225 gfcm-2 when 20 wt% of an amino-gelatin (55% amino) and 10 wt% of aldehyde-HES (>84% dialdehyde) aqueous solutions were mixed. In contrast, the gelation time and bonding strength of fibrin glue was 5 s and 120 gfcm-2, respectively.
Influence of the ten sessions of the whole body cryostimulation on aerobic and anaerobic capacity.

OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to determine the influence of whole body cryostimulation on aerobic and anaerobic capacities. MATERIALS AND METHODS To test the hypothesis that whole body cryostimulation improves physical capacity, thirty subjects (fifteen males and fifteen females) undertook two ergocycle trials before and after the ten sessions of cryogenic chamber treatment. To assess baseline aerobic capacity, the progressive cycle ergometer test was applied. This allowed determination of maximal oxygen uptake and ventilatory thresholds. Twenty-second Wingate test was performed to assess baseline levels of anaerobic power. After finishing the treatments in the cryogenic chamber, the exercise protocol was repeated. Before the first, and after the last whole body cryostimulation, venous blood samples were drawn to determine basic blood values, including levels of erythrocytes, leukocytes and thrombocytes, hemoglobin concentration, and hematocrit. RESULTS There were no changes in aerobic capacity, in both females and males, after ten sessions of 3-minute-long exposures to cryogenic temperature (-130 degrees C). Participation in the whole body cryostimulation caused an increase in maximal anaerobic power in males (from 11.1 to 11.9 W x kg(-1); P < 0.05), but not in females. CONCLUSIONS It can be concluded that whole body cryostimulation can be beneficial, at least in males, for increasing anaerobic capacity in sport disciplines involving speed and strength.
Personal Health Records: Addressing the Consumer Needs

The introduction of Personal Health Records (PHRs) has occurred as a result of the IOM’s direction to improve health care quality and make it more patient-centered, as well as demands from patients for more control of their health data. The PHR addresses timeliness, patient safety, and equity. The PHR is also integral to the National Health Information Network (NHIN) being designed to give all Americans access to electronic health records by 2014. Despite increasing access to PHRs via employers, insurance companies, healthcare providers, and independent entities, adoption and successful implementation of the PHR as well as other types of electronic records ( Electronic Medical Record (EMR) and Electronic Health Record (EHR)) is unclear. The specific interaction and distinction between these records is also unclear. This article differentiates the PHR from the other records, introduces the notion of ownership of medical information, and presents a basic research model regarding PHR adoption and diffusion.
1 Enhancing Cost Estimation Models with Task Assignment Information

Team task assignments appear to have a significant potential impact on the overall success of a project. For example, it is frequently necessary for an individual to work concurrently on a number of different tasks. Conversely, it is also frequently necessary for several individuals to work together on the same task. In previous work, we examined the relationship between task assignments and overall project effort. In this paper, we propose adjustment factors based on task assignment patterns that can be used to tune existing cost estimation models. We show significant improvements in the predictive abilities of both COCOMO I and II by enhancing them with these factors.
The Identification of Frailty: A Systematic Literature Review

An operational definition of frailty is important for clinical care, research, and policy planning. The literature on the clinical definitions, screening tools, and severity measures of frailty were systematically reviewed as part of the Canadian Initiative on Frailty and Aging. Searches of MEDLINE from 1997 to 2009 were conducted, and reference lists of retrieved articles were pearled, to identify articles published in English and French on the identification of frailty in community‐dwelling people aged 65 and older. Two independent reviewers extracted descriptive information on study populations, frailty criteria, and outcomes from the selected papers, and quality rankings were assigned. Of 4,334 articles retrieved from the searches and 70 articles retrieved from the pearling, 22 met study inclusion criteria. In the 22 articles, physical function, gait speed, and cognition were the most commonly used identifying components of frailty, and death, disability, and institutionalization were common outcomes. The prevalence of frailty ranged from 5% to 58%. Despite significant work over the past decade, a clear consensus definition of frailty does not emerge from the literature. The definition and outcomes that best suit the unique needs of the researchers, clinicians, or policy‐makers conducting the screening determine the choice of a screening tool for frailty. Important areas for further research include whether disability should be considered a component or an outcome of frailty. In addition, the role of cognitive and mood elements in the frailty construct requires further clarification.
The tick Ixodes ricinus: distribution and climate preferences in the western Palaearctic

Abstract In this study, multivariate spatial clustering on monthly normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) maps is used to classify ecological regions over the western Palaearctic. This classification is then used to delineate the distribution and climate preferences of populations (clades) of the tick Ixodes ricinus L. (Acari: Ixodidae) from a geographically extensive dataset of tick records and a gridded 2.5‐km resolution climate dataset. Using monthly layers of the NDVI, regions of similar ecological attributes were defined and nine populations with significant differences in critical climate parameters (P < 0.005) were detected. Grouping of tick records according to other categories, such as political divisions, a 4°× 4° grid overlying the study area, or the CORINE) and USGS) vegetation classification schemes did not provided significantly separated populations (P= 0.094–0.304). Factor analysis and hierarchical tree clustering provided an ecological overview of these tick clades: two Mediterranean and one Scandinavian (western) clades are clearly separated from a node that includes clades of different parts of central Europe and the British Isles, with contrasting affinities between the different clades. The capture records of these ecologically separated clades produce a clear bias when bioclimate envelope modelling is applied to the mapping of habitat suitability for the tick in the western Palaearctic. The best‐performing methods (Cohen’s kappa = 0.834–0.912) use partial models developed with data from each ecoregion, which are then overlapped over the region of study. It is concluded that the use of ecologically derived ecoregions is an objective step in assessing the presence of ecologically different clades, and provides a guide in the development of data partitioning for habitat suitability modelling.
Religion and Crime

Over the past several decades, an impressive research literature has shown that religiosity, which can be defined as a cognitive and behavioral commitment to organized religion, has a significant effect on a wide range of attitudes, behaviors, and life events. A common finding is that religion operates as a social force for reducing many negative behaviors and for buttressing many positive behaviors. When it comes to the precise relationship between religion and crime, however, the findings are somewhat more complicated. This entry is designed to introduce readers to the extensive research literature on religion and crime. It is divided into two sections. First, research on the relationship between religion and crime/deviance in free society will be reviewed. Second, research on religion and crime/deviance in the prison context will be reviewed. Keywords: Corrections; Prison; Sociology of Deviance
Evaluation of a new paraffin-reactive CD7 T-cell deletion marker and a polymerase chain reaction-based T-cell receptor gene rearrangement assay: implications for diagnosis of mycosis fungoides in community clinical practice.

BACKGROUND T-cell deletion and T-cell receptor (TCR) gene rearrangement studies are helpful in the early diagnosis and subsequent management of mycosis fungoides (MF). However, this often requires fresh-frozen tissue that can be difficult to obtain and evaluate in community clinical practice. A new CD7 antibody, the most sensitive and specific T-cell deletion marker, and a new TCR-gamma gene rearrangement polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay (TCR-gamma PCR) are now available on routine paraffin-embedded biopsy specimens. OBJECTIVE Our purpose was to assess the utility of CD7 deletion and TCR-gamma PCR in the diagnosis of MF using routine paraffin-embedded biopsy material. METHODS Cases of MF (n = 17) with matching frozen tissue immunohistochemistry and benign reactive dermatoses (lichen planus; n = 27) were assessed for CD7 (Clone: CD7-272) deletion and TCR-gamma PCR using paraffin-embedded biopsy specimens. RESULTS Excellent concordance comparing frozen and paraffin embedded CD7 immunostaining (88%) was observed. CD7 deletion and TCR-gamma PCR was sensitive (94%) and specific (96%) for a diagnosis of MF using paraffin-embedded biopsy specimens. CONCLUSION In the diagnosis of MF, detection of CD7 deletion and monoclonal TCR rearrangements can be successfully performed in a cost-effective, timely fashion using routine formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded biopsy specimens.