Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Data and Theory Point to Mainly Additive Genetic Variance for Complex Traits

The relative proportion of additive and non-additive variation for complex traits is important in evolutionary biology, medicine, and agriculture. We address a long-standing controversy and paradox about the contribution of non-additive genetic variation, namely that knowledge about biological pathways and gene networks imply that epistasis is important. Yet empirical data across a range of traits and species imply that most genetic variance is additive. We evaluate the evidence from empirical studies of genetic variance components and find that additive variance typically accounts for over half, and often close to 100%, of the total genetic variance. We present new theoretical results, based upon the distribution of allele frequencies under neutral and other population genetic models, that show why this is the case even if there are non-additive effects at the level of gene action. We conclude that interactions at the level of genes are not likely to generate much interaction at the level of variance.
Evolutionary Dynamics of the Interferon-Induced Transmembrane Gene Family in Vertebrates

Vertebrate interferon-induced transmembrane (IFITM) genes have been demonstrated to have extensive and diverse functions, playing important roles in the evolution of vertebrates. Despite observance of their functionality, the evolutionary dynamics of this gene family are complex and currently unknown. Here, we performed detailed evolutionary analyses to unravel the evolutionary history of the vertebrate IFITM family. A total of 174 IFITM orthologous genes and 112 pseudogenes were identified from 27 vertebrate genome sequences. The vertebrate IFITM family can be divided into immunity-related IFITM (IR-IFITM), IFITM5 and IFITM10 sub-families in phylogeny, implying origins from three different progenitors. In general, vertebrate IFITM genes are located in two loci, one containing the IFITM10 gene, and the other locus containing IFITM5 and various numbers of IR-IFITM genes. Conservation of evolutionary synteny was observed in these IFITM genes. Significant functional divergence was detected among the three IFITM sub-families. No gene duplication or positive selection was found in IFITM5 sub-family, implying the functional conservation of IFITM5 in vertebrate evolution, which is involved in bone formation. No IFITM5 locus was identified in the marmoset genome, suggesting a potential association with the tiny size of this monkey. The IFITM10 sub-family was divided into two groups: aquatic and terrestrial types. Functional divergence was detected between the two groups, and five IFITM10-like genes from frog were dispersed into the two groups. Both gene duplication and positive selection were observed in aquatic vertebrate IFITM10-like genes, indicating that IFITM10 might be associated with the adaptation to aquatic environments. A large number of lineage- and species-specific gene duplications were observed in IR-IFITM sub-family and positive selection was detected in IR-IFITM of primates and rodents. Because primates have experienced a long history of viral infection, such rapid expansion and positive selection suggests that the evolution of primate IR-IFITM genes is associated with broad-spectrum antiviral activity.
Autonomous online learning of velocity kinematics on the iCub: A comparative study

In the last years, several regression algorithms have been proposed to learn accurate mechanical models of robots. Comparisons are proposed at the conceptual level or through the use of recorded databases, but they deliver limited conclusions with respect to the real performance of these algorithms in their true context of use, i.e. online learning on the real robot interacting with its environment, within a feedback control loop. In this paper, we provide an empirical study of three state-of-the-art regression methods through online learning on the iCub robot holding a tool. We show that they can effectively learn a visuo-motor kinematic model for a simple visual servoing task in a very limited time (few minutes), without making any a priori hypothesis on the geometry of the robot and its tool. Furthermore, we can draw from the results some stronger conclusions about the comparison of the algorithms than previous studies based on databases.
Investigating keyphrase indexing with text denoising

In this paper, we report on indexing performance by a state-of-the-art keyphrase indexer, Maui, when paired with a text extraction procedure called text denoising. Text denoising is a method that extracts the denoised text, comprising the content-rich sentences, from full texts. The performance of the keyphrase indexer is demonstrated on three standard corpora collected from three domains, namely food and agriculture, high energy physics, and biomedical science. Maui is trained using the full texts and denoised texts. The indexer, using its trained models, then extracts keyphrases from test sets comprising full texts, and their denoised and noise parts (i.e., the part of texts that remains after denoising). Experimental findings show that against a gold standard, the denoised-text-trained indexer indexing full texts, performs either better than or as good as its benchmark performance produced by a full-text-trained indexer indexing full texts.
European Conference on Information Systems ( ECIS ) Summer 10-6-2011 ACCEPTANCE AND USE OF INTERNET BANKING : A DIGITAL DIVIDE PERSPECTIVE

Internet banking offers major advantages for both banks and their customers. However, not all people have equal access or skills to use such services. As banks are interested in migrating customers online, they need to reveal the conditions of internet banking services acceptance and use. The main objective of this study is to understand the factors influencing internet banking adoption taking into account insights from the digital divide theory. In order to explain internet banking usage we developed a research model drawing from the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) and Digital Divide research. Moreover, a qualitative pre-study has led to the creation of a new construct: perceived security. The model was tested against comprehensive survey data (n = 503). As a result, more than 90% of the variance of internet banking usage was explained by the elaborated model. Results demonstrate that the strongest factor influencing the intention to adopt internet banking services is the degree to which an individual believes that it is safe to use such services. Hence, this paper contributes to existing technology acceptance literature by introducing the construct of perceived security. Other major implications for theory and practice are discussed.
Garlic: A Distributed Botnets Suppression System

Botnets are extremely versatile and are used in many attacks, for example, sending huge volumes of spam or launching Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks. With the development of network technology, suppressing botnets become more and more difficult. There are many reasons, firstly, the bot master will keep their own botnets as small as possible not only to hide themselves but also to rent the botnets in an easy way, secondly, bots can automatically change their command and control server (C&C) in order to hide and rescue themselves. Completely suppressing botnets is an extremely difficult challenge, but is not impossible. In this paper, we present an automatic and distributed botnets suppressing system called Garlic. Its structure is very similar to garlic, whose cloves are also distributed. This system can automatically collect network traffic from the botnet in a distributed mode, and then process these huge data using cloud computing technology, the Garlic system will generate and distribute rules when botnets are detected in data analysis. The most important feature of the Garlic is its close loop control characteristics, i.e., gather the feedback events resulted from the deployed rules, process and analyze in central node, and regenerate more effective rules to further suppress the new variant botnets. Finally, Garlic is evaluated and tested in the test bed to demonstrate its workability.
A novel switched reluctance motor with wound-cores put on stator and rotor poles

This paper presents a novel switched reluctance (SR) motor with wound-cores placed on stator and rotor poles. The wound-core is made of grain-oriented silicon steel, which exhibits high saturation magnetic flux density and less core loss. These contribute to reducing the volume and weight of the motor. We investigate the operating characteristics of the novel SR motor using a coupled analysis method proposed by authors. The characteristics of the proposed motor are compared with that of conventional one.
Supersymmetric thermalization and quasi-thermal Universe: consequences for gravitinos and leptogenesis

Motivated by our earlier paper [Allahverdi R and Mazumdar A, Quasi-thermal universe and its implications for gravitino production, baryogenesis and dark matter, 2005 Preprint hep-ph/0505050], we discuss how the infamous gravitino problem has a natural built-in solution within supersymmetry. Supersymmetry allows a large number of flat directions made up of gauge-invariant combinations of squarks and sleptons. Out of many, at least one generically obtains a large vacuum expectation value during inflation. Gauge bosons and gauginos then obtain large masses by virtue of the Higgs mechanism. This makes the rate of thermalization after the end of inflation very small and as a result the Universe enters a quasi-thermal phase after the inflaton has completely decayed. A full thermal equilibrium is generically established much later on when the flat direction expectation value has substantially decreased. This results in low reheat temperatures, i.e., , which are compatible with the stringent bounds arising from the big bang nucleosynthesis. There are two very important implications: the production of gravitinos and generation of a baryonic asymmetry via leptogenesis during the quasi-thermal phase. In both the cases the abundances depend not only on an effective temperature of the quasi-thermal phase (which could be higher, i.e., ), but also on the state of equilibrium in the reheat plasma. We show that there is no ‘thermal gravitino problem’ at all within supersymmetry and we stress the need for a new paradigm based on a ‘quasi-thermal leptogenesis’, because in the bulk of the parameter space the old thermal leptogenesis cannot account for the observed baryon asymmetry.
A multi-threshold spectrum sensing algorithm based on the phototropism theory for cognitive radio

Cognitive radio (CR) is regarded as a key technology to solve the scarcity of spectrum resources and improve spectrum utilization. Spectrum sensing is one of the basic components of CR technology. Energy sensing, matched filtering sensing and cyclostationary sensing are three classical methods for spectrum sensing in CR networks, but all of them still have some defects. In this paper, phototropism in biology is introduced and “light source” model is established for spectrum sensing in CR networks, and a new spectrum sensing technology is researched based on the phototropism. After comparing the commonness and difference between plant growth and spectrum sensing process, a multi-threshold spectrum sensing algorithm based on the phototropism principle for cognitive radio is proposed. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm can improve the performance of the spectrum sensing in CR networks, compared with three classical methods.
Evaluation of Green Waste Management Impacts on GHG Emissions Alternative Daily Cover Compared with Composting

Green waste is a key component of California’s solid waste stream and so is an important target for effective waste diversion. The California Integrated Waste Management Board (CIWMB) reports that about 15 million cubic yards of organics comprised largely of green waste are diverted annually in California. The diverted organics are principally used as compost and mulch in agricultural and urban green areas. In California, one of the most popular alternative waste diversion options is the use of green waste as landfill alternative daily cover (ADC). Green waste ADC reduces the need for importing clean daily cover soil and so helps conserve limited landfill volume. However when landfilled, green waste can generate methane, an important greenhouse gas (GHG), and so may be regarded as environmentally inferior to green waste composting. This study uses GHG emissions estimated from life-cycle inventory methodology to compare green waste ADC and composting alternatives. A United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) based life-cycle inventory methodology was developed that considers differences in transport, material handling, green waste emissions, capture and management, energy impacts, and carbon sequestration. The ADC analysis addresses the range of conditions at landfills particular to California landfills including the extent of gas recovery, the gas collection efficiency and methane energy recovery. This study supports the reported benefits of composting but also shows that green waste ADC can actually be more beneficial in reducing GHG emissions when compared to the composting of green waste. This result indicates the importance of site-specific environmental analysis when considering organics management options. In this study, details of the life-cycle GHG inventory analyses are provided. Results of the comparison between the two green waste management options are presented. The significance and implications of this study are discussed. INTRODUCTION Since passage of California Assembly Bill 32, regulators and stakeholders alike have been engaged in an assessment of waste management practices relative to climate control, including waste management approaches for organic waste. Recognizing the statutory context of the waste management “hierarchy” and the ongoing debate on green waste ADC diversion credit, it is important to develop a technical methodology to study and address the issue. Years earlier, California Assembly Bill 939 required a 50% diversion of solid waste from landfill disposal. Green waste, as one of the key components of the waste stream, poses an attractive target for effective waste diversion. The use of green waste as ADC constitutes diversion under state law. Just over half of all California-generated solid waste is diverted by various means. As shown in Figure 1 (CIWMB, 2006), landfill ADC is a small, but important, contributor to diversion. Green waste (GW) is the major ADC component but other viable ADC materials include auto shredder fluff and wastewater biosolids.
Adhesion of multi-level hierarchical attachment systems in gecko feet

Several creatures including insects, spiders and lizards have developed a unique clinging ability that utilizes dry adhesion. Geckos, in particular, have developed the most complex adhesive structures capable of smart adhesion — the ability to cling to different smooth and rough surfaces as well as detach at will. These animals make use of about three million microscale hairs (setae) (about 14 000/mm2) that branch off into hundreds of nanoscale spatulae (about a billion spatulae). Van der Waals forces are the primary mechanism utilized to adhere to surfaces, and capillary forces are a secondary effect that can further increase adhesion force. The hierarchical surface construction gives the gecko the adaptability to create a large real area of contact with surfaces. Modeling of the gecko attachment system as a hierarchical spring model has provided insight into adhesion enhancement generated by this system. It is shown that a multi-level hierarchical structure produces adhesion enhancement, and this enhancement increases with an increase in applied load and a decrease in the stiffness of springs. A significant adhesion enhancement occurs when the maximum spring deformation is greater than two to three times the root mean square amplitude of surface roughness. Although a gecko is capable of producing on the order of 20 N of adhesion force, it retains the ability to remove its feet from an attachment surface at will. Adhesion design databases for biomimetic attachment systems are presented. These adhesion design databases are useful for understanding biological systems and for guiding the fabrication of biomimetic attachment systems. A man-made fibrillar structure capable of replicating gecko adhesion has the potential for use in dry, superadhesive tapes that would be of use in a wide range of applications. These adhesives could be created using micro/nanofabrication techniques or self-assembly.
Lung transplantation in scleroderma compared with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension.

OBJECTIVE Lung transplantation is a viable, life-saving intervention for several primary pulmonary disorders complicated by severe lung dysfunction. This study was undertaken to evaluate whether patients with systemic sclerosis (scleroderma), a systemic autoimmune rheumatic disorder, would receive similar benefit from this intervention. METHODS Survival following lung transplantation was examined at 2 university medical centers among 29 patients with scleroderma as compared with 70 patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and 38 with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH), the latter groups representing pathologically related primary pulmonary disorders. The end point was death from any cause. Risk of mortality in patients with scleroderma was compared with that in patients with IPF or IPAH, with adjustment for demographic and clinical parameters. RESULTS During 2 years of followup, 11 patients with scleroderma (38%), 23 with IPF (33%), and 14 with IPAH (37%) died. Cumulative survival at 6 months posttransplantation was 69% in the scleroderma group compared with 80% in the IPF group (log-rank P = 0.21) and 79% in the IPAH group (P = 0.38). The estimated risk of mortality at 6 months was increased in patients with scleroderma compared with those with IPF (relative risk [RR] 1.70, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 0.74-3.93) and those with IPAH (RR 1.52, 95% CI 0.59-3.96), but the differences were not statistically significant. Over the following 18 months, there was convergence in the survival rates such that cumulative survival at 2 years was comparable, at approximately 64%, among all 3 groups. CONCLUSION Patients with scleroderma who are recipients of lung transplantation experience similar rates of survival 2 years after the procedure compared with those with IPF or IPAH. Lung transplantation may represent a viable therapeutic option to consider for patients with end-stage lung disease due to scleroderma.
Proximity Based Security For Location Based Services

In this paper, we propose a completely secure model to preserve privacy of location based services. We divide the mobile network into clusters. Each cluster is provided with a trusted authority. Any communication between the nodes which are located either inside or outside the cluster, takes place through the trusted authority. This system is a privacy-preserving proximity-based security system which does not require any pre-shared secret or public key infrastructure. This system implements a tag called spatial temporal location tag for authentication and session key establishment. Since these tags incorporate the unique physical features of signals, it cannot be easily forged. Each client has a public as well as a secret location tags. Hence this system is highly robust against masquerading attacks and eavesdroppers from outside the proximity range. The presence of a trusted authority provides security from attackers within the proximity range. The system increases the accuracy of authentication by using a nonparametric Bayesian method known as infinite Gaussian mixture model for performing the proximity test.
‘The Virtuous Cycle’: Implications of the Health and Medical Research Strategic Review

Content and access Journal articles will be accompanied by structured Abstracts. This will allow people to “scan” the Journal for articles of pertinence to their work and interests. In addition to the objective, method, results and conclusions, the Abstracts will require the authors to state, under a separate heading, the research’s ‘Implications’. This format will encourage all authors to draw a link between the research and practice. Beginning in April, every article will be accompanied by the dates when it was submitted, revised and accepted. This will provide you, the reader, with useful information about the article’s content. Furthermore, we will be adding a new section called Public Health Practice Notes. With the ever-changing public health practice, the Journal will invite experts in theory, methodology and policy development to write ‘state of the art’ papers on issues relevant to public health practitioners and researchers. The old clichC, ‘time is of the essence’, has never been more true in public health than it is today. Information that is current and accessible is required. To increase the usability of the material and make it available as quickly as possible, Abstracts of articles accepted for publication are available, prior to printing, on the PHA website. Starting with the February 1999 issue, the full Journal will also be available on the new PHA website. This is our first step towards moving more into electronic publishing of the Journal. Printed copies of the Journal will continue to be posted out. To remind everyone, the Journal is indexed by Australian Public Affairs Information Service, Current
Concurrent acquired inhibitors to factor VIII and IX, a laboratory artifact: a case report

Acquired inhibitors to coagulation factors other than factor VIII are extremely rare. We describe a case of a 59-year-old woman with abnormal bleeding, diagnosed with concurrent inhibitor antibodies to factor VIII and IX by Bethesda testing. We demonstrate that anti-FVIII antibodies of a very high titre are capable of disturbing the aPTT-based Bethesda assay, resulting in falsely-positive antibodies to factor IX. The case also illustrates the usefulness of the immunological assay (ELISA) in complementing the inhibitor diagnosis.
Investigation on Dislocations in C-Plane Electron-Irradiated GaN Epilayers by Wet Chemical Etching

The dislocations in electron-irradiated c-plane n-GaN epitaxial layers grown on c-plane sapphire substrates by MOCVD were revealed by several different wet chemical etching methods. And the defect-selective etching method combined with SEM was carried out to study the mechanism of dislocations generation of GaN. SEM images of GaN epilayers with several individual methods are in good agreement with each other. Among all the defects, threading dislocations (TDs) dominated in the GaN epilayers and these defects could be divided into three types. In addition, the EPDs after annealing at various temperatures were studied. The experimental results showed that suitable thermal annealing can eliminate some dislocations.
ERROR DETECTION IN LASER BEAM MELTING SYSTEMS BY HIGH RESOLUTION IMAGING

Laser Beam Melting as a member of Additive Manufacturing processes allows the fa brication of three-dimensional metallic parts with almost unlimited geometrical complexity and very good mechanical properties. However, its potential in areas of application such as aerospace or medicine has not yet been exploited due to the lack of process stability and quality management. For that reason samples with pre-defined process irregularities are built and the resulting errors are detected using high-resolution imaging. This paper presents an overview of typical process errors and proposes a catalog of measures to reduce process breakdowns. Based on this systematical summary a future contribution to quality assurance and process documentation is aspired.