Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Stochastic Approximations and Differential Inclusions, Part II: Applications

We apply the theoretical results on “stochastic approximations and differential inclusions” developed in Benaim et al. [M. Benaim, J. Hofbauer, S. Sorin. 2005. Stochastic approximations and differential inclusions. SIAM J. Control Optim.44 328--348] to several adaptive processes used in game theory, including classical and generalized approachability, no-regret potential procedures (Hart and Mas-Colell [S. Hart, A. Mas-Colell. 2003. Regret-based continuous time dynamics. Games Econom. Behav.45 375--394]), and smooth fictitious play [D. Fudenberg, D. K. Levine. 1995. Consistency and cautious fictitious play. J. Econom. Dynam. Control19 1065--1089].
Vitamin D status and its association with cardiometabolic risk factors in Korean adults based on a 2008-2010 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

Recent studies suggest that vitamin D deficiency and cardiometabolic disorders are becoming increasingly more prevalent across multiple populations. However, there is a lack of comprehensive data for Korean adults. We investigated the vitamin D status, the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and its association with metabolic syndrome (MS) risk in Korean adults aged 20 years or older. The study subjects (n = 18,305) were individuals who participated in the Korean National Health Examination and Nutrition Survey (KNHANES) in 2008-2010. Vitamin D status (25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D]) was categorized as < 20, 21-29, and ≥ 30 ng/mL, which are the cut-off points for deficiency, insufficiency and normal limits. A wide variety of cardiometabolic risk factors were compared according to the vitamin D status. Vitamin D deficiency was found in 53.9% of men and 70.5% of women. Mean BMI, systolic BP, HbA1c and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were highest in the vitamin D deficiency group in both genders. Further, the MS was most prevalent in the vitamin D deficiency group in both genders (12.3%, P = 0.002 in men and 9.2%, P < 0.001 in women). Compared to the vitamin D normal group, the adjusted odds ratio (ORs) (95% confidence interval [95% CI]) for MS in the vitamin D deficiency group were 1.46 (1.05-2.02) in men and 1.60 (1.21-2.11) in women, after adjusting for confounding variables. In conclusion, Vitamin D deficiency is a very common health problem in Korean adults and is independently associated with the increasing risk of MS.
A comparative study of adaptation methods for speaker verification

Keywords: learning ; speech Note: IDIAP-RR 01-34 Reference EPFL-CONF-82827 URL: http://publications.idiap. ch/downloads/reports/2002/mariethoz-icslp2002.pdf Related documents: http://publications.idiap. ch/index.php/publications/showcite/mariethoz:2001:idiap-01-34 Record created on 2006-03-10, modified on 2017-05-10
A class AB CMOS operational amplifier for application as rail&#8211;to&#8211;rail high current drive output buffer

A class AB CMOS operational amplifier specially designed to be used as unity gain buffer is presented. The novelty of the presented topology consists in using a classical rail-to-rail OTA with duplicated output port to drive the gates of the op-amp complementary output transistors and relying on a separate feedback loop to limit the quiescent current. The simplicity of classical two stage op-amps is maintained with advantages in terms of die size, transient response and process independence. The circuit, fabricated using the BCD3S process of STMicroelectronics, occupies a die size of 0.06 mm2and operates from a single 2.2V power supply with resistive loads as low as 300 Ω.
Can P2P-Users Benefit from Locality-Awareness?

Locality-awareness is considered as a promising approach to increase the efficiency of content distribution by peer-to-peer (P2P) networks, e.g., BitTorrent. It is intended to reduce the inter-domain traffic which is costly for Internet service providers (ISPs) and simultaneously increase the performance from the viewpoint of the P2P users, i.e, shorten download times. This win-win situation should be achieved by a preferred exchange of information between peers which are located closely to each other in the underlying network topology. A set of studies shows that these approaches can lead to a win-win situation under certain conditions, and to a win-no lose situation in most cases. However, the scenarios used assume mostly homogeneous peer distributions and that all peers have the same access speed. This is not the case in practice according to several measurement studies. Therefore, we extend previous work in this paper by studying scenarios with real-life, skewed peer distributions and heterogeneous access bandwidths of peers. We show that even a win-no lose situation is difficult to achieve under those conditions and that the actual impact for a specific peer depends heavily on the used locality-aware peer selection and the concrete scenario. Therefore, we conclude that current proposals need to be refined so that users of P2P networks can be sure that they also benefit from their use. Otherwise, a broad acceptance of the concept of locality-awareness in the user community of P2P networks will not take place.
Load Balancing Approaches: Recent Computing Trends

This paper presents thorough survey of work addressing on load balancing in recent computing trends. There are many issues whose solutions lead to the need for load balancing. The objective of load balancing is to increase the performance of parallel and distributed system by distributing the load among the processors. Load balancing is a major factor for achieving high performance. It affects the execution time significantly by expediting it. Load imbalance is a wellknown problem in the areas involving parallelism. However, offering load balancing is a difficult and challenging task. Various algorithms have been proposed for load balancing. These algorithms have distinguished features and each uses different mechanisms. Various Load balancing algorithms like biased sampling, honey bee, active clustering, and join idle queue have been studied.
An Autonomous Ship for Cleaning the Garbage Floating on a Lake

Water pollution with floating garbage is getting more and more serious in many countries. The design of an autonomous ship for cleaning the garbage floating on a lake has been proposed. The ship is powered by a solar battery.Circuit for protection of the excessive charge and discharge of the battery system has been used. Ultrasonic sensors have been equipped to detect the distance between the ship and the bank of the lake. The position and the orientation of the ship can be determined by measuring the distance between the ship and the bank at two successive time, which is used for controlling the running direction of the ship to make the ship autonomously run in an annular zone of a short distance away from the bank. The ship has also been equipped with a system to detect the occurrence of obstacles and to bypass the detected obstacles. Two screw propellers have been installed at the two sides of the ship to drive the ship, which makes the ship change its direction nimbly. A photo-resistance has been used to determine if it is in daytime or nighttime. The ship circulates the lake only one time at nighttime to save power energy.Wireless remote control is also available, which makes the ship user friendly. Experiments have demonstrated the applicability of the design
Role of Stat3 in Lipopolysaccharide-Induced IL-10 Gene Expression1

IL-10 is a unique cytokine because it is anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive. IL-10 is regulated at the level of transcription, but the critical motifs and the relevant transcription factors controlling this gene have remained elusive to date. We now report that a sequence at −120 bp in the human IL-10 promoter binds Stat3 but no other Stat proteins. Mutation of this motif abrogates LPS-induced trans-activation. Overexpression of dominant negative Stat3 suppresses promoter activity, while wild-type Stat3 leads to an enhancement of this activity. Our results show that Stat3, by binding to a single motif in the IL-10 promoter, is controlling expression of the human IL-10 gene.
Neuroaesthetics: Range and restrictions

Abstract Bullot & Reber (B&R) should be commended for highlighting tensions between scientific aesthetics and art history. The question of how each tradition can learn from the other is timely. While I am sympathetic to their views, their diagnosis of the problem appears exaggerated and their solution partial. They underestimate the reach of scientific aesthetics while failing to identify its inherent restrictions.
Differential Roles of Interleukin 15 mRNA Isoforms Generated by Alternative Splicing in Immune Responses in Vivo

At least two types of interleukin (IL)-15 mRNA isoforms are generated by alternative splicing at the 5′ upstream of exon 5 in mice. To elucidate the potential roles of IL-15 isoforms in immune responses in vivo, we constructed two groups of transgenic mice using originally described IL-15 cDNA with a normal exon 5 (normal IL-15 transgenic [Tg] mice) and IL-15 cDNA with an alternative exon 5 (alternative IL-15 Tg mice) under the control of an MHC class I promoter. Normal IL-15 Tg mice constitutionally produced a significant level of IL-15 protein and had markedly increased numbers of memory type (CD44high Ly6C+) of CD8+ T cells in the LN. These mice showed resistance to Salmonella infection accompanied by the enhanced interferon (IFN)-γ production, but depletion of CD8+ T cells exaggerated the bacterial growth, suggesting that the IL-15–dependent CD8+ T cells with a memory phenotype may serve to protect against Salmonella infection in normal IL-15 Tg mice. On the other hand, a large amount of intracellular IL-15 protein was detected but hardly secreted extracellularly in alternative IL-15 Tg mice. Although most of the T cells developed normally in the alternative IL-15 Tg mice, they showed impaired IFN-γ production upon TCR engagement. The alternative IL-15 transgenic mice were susceptible to Salmonella accompanied by impaired production of endogenous IL-15 and IFN-γ. Thus, two groups of IL-15 Tg mice may provide information concerning the different roles of IL-15 isoforms in the immune system in vivo.
Localization in wireless sensor networks: Classification and evaluation of techniques

Localization in wireless sensor networks: Classification and evaluation of techniques Recent advances in technology have enabled the development of low cost, low power and multi functional wireless sensing devices. These devices are networked through setting up a Wireless Sensor Network (WSN). Sensors that form a WSN are expected to be remotely deployed in large numbers and to self-organize to perform distributed sensing and acting tasks. WSNs are growing rapidly in both size and complexity, and it is becoming increasingly difficult to develop and investigate such large and complex systems. In this paper we provide a brief introduction to WSN applications, i.e., properties, limitations and basic issues related to WSN design and development. We focus on an important aspect of the design: accurate localization of devices that form the network. The paper presents an overview of localization strategies and attempts to classify different techniques. A set of properties by which localization systems are evaluated are examined. We then describe a number of existing localization systems, and discuss the results of performance evaluation of some of them through simulation and experiments using a testbed implementation.
Lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase 1 protects against cytotoxicity induced by polyunsaturated fatty acids

The degree of fatty acid unsaturation in membrane phospholipids affects many membrane‐associated functions and can be influenced by dietary consumption of fatty acids such as saturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Cells must adapt to changes in composition of membrane fatty acids by regulating lipid‐metabolizing enzymes. In this study, we investigated how cells respond to loading with excess PUFAs, such as arachidonic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, and docosahexaenoic acid. A lipidomics analysis revealed that dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) was increased after the production of PUFA‐containing phospholipids in cells loaded with PUFAs. An RNA interference screen of lipid‐metabolizing enzymes revealed that lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase 1 (LPCAT1) was involved in the DPPC production. Moreover, LPCAT1 knockdown markedly enhanced the cytotoxicity induced by excess PUFAs. PUFA‐induced cytotoxicity was dependent on caspase and unfolded protein response (UPR) sensor proteins inositol requiring 1a and protein kinase R‐like endoplasmic reticulum kinase, suggesting that excess PUFAs trigger UPR‐mediated apoptosis. In murine retina, in which PUFAs are highly enriched, DPPC was produced along with increase of PUFA‐containing phospholipids. In LPCAT1 knockout mice, DPPC level was reduced and UPR was activated in the retina. Our results provide insight into understanding of the retinal degeneration seen in rd11 mice that lack LPCAT1. —Akagi, S. , Kono, N. , Ariyama, H. , Shindou, H. , Shimizu, T. , Arai, H. Lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase 1 protects against cytotoxicity induced by polyunsaturated fatty acids. FASEB J. 30, 2027–2039 (2016). www.fasebj. org
Mice with altered brain lipoprotein metabolism display maladaptive responses to environmental challenges that may predispose to weight gain.

BACKGROUND Three-month-old neuron-specific lipoprotein lipase (LPL)-depleted mice (NEXLP(-/-)) mice are preobese and have normal body weight before developing obesity by 4.5 months. This series of experiments investigated responses to novel environment stimuli and acute sleep deprivation in preobese NEXLPL(-/-)) mice to test the hypothesis that neuron-specific LPL deletion alters normal adaptive metabolic responses to environmental challenges. METHODS Three-month-old, age- and weight-matched, male NEXLPL(-/-)) (n=10) and wild-type (WT) (n=10) mice were housed in individual metabolic chambers with a 12-hr dark cycle. Food and water intake, locomotor activity, and calorimetry data were recorded in 12-min intervals. Novel environmental responses were elicited by first-time introduction to chambers at dark onset, followed by acclimation, baseline recording, and 6-hr of sleep deprivation on subsequent experimental days. RESULTS NEXLPL(-/-)) mice displayed a 1.5-fold greater increase in activity in response to a novel environment than seen in WT controls (P=0.0308), and a two-fold greater increase in food intake following acute sleep deprivation (P=0.0117). NEXLPL(-/-)) mice averaged a 27% higher metabolic rate than WT mice throughout the experiments (P<0.0001). Body weight, composition, and temperature did not differ between murine groups throughout the experiments. Levels of free fatty acid, insulin, glucose, and triglycerides were similar between groups at the terminus. CONCLUSIONS A deficiency in neuronal LPL signaling disrupts normal responses to novel environmental exposure and acute sleep deprivation, a maladaptive response that may contribute to weight gain in genetically predisposed mice, and perhaps humans.
Remote Ischemic Conditioning: From Bench to Bedside

Remote ischemic conditioning (RIC) is a therapeutic strategy for protecting organs or tissue against the detrimental effects of acute ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI). It describes an endogenous phenomenon in which the application of one or more brief cycles of non-lethal ischemia and reperfusion to an organ or tissue protects a remote organ or tissue from a sustained episode of lethal IRI. Although RIC protection was first demonstrated to protect the heart against acute myocardial infarction, its beneficial effects are also seen in other organs (lung, liver, kidney, intestine, brain) and tissues (skeletal muscle) subjected to acute IRI. The recent discovery that RIC can be induced non-invasively by simply inflating and deflating a standard blood pressure cuff placed on the upper arm or leg, has facilitated its translation into the clinical setting, where it has been reported to be beneficial in a variety of cardiac scenarios. In this review article we provide an overview of RIC, the potential underlying mechanisms, and its potential as a novel therapeutic strategy for protecting the heart and other organs from acute IRI.
Registration by automatic subimage selection and maximization of mutual information

Image registration is one of the crucial steps in the processing of remotely sensed data. It is the overlaying of two images of the same scene taken at different times or by different sensors. The search for the matching transformation can be very tedious and time consuming. For high accuracy and robustness as well as low computational cost, a suitable similarity metric and reduction in search data and search space is needed. In this paper, we investigate mutual information as similarity metric. The sensitivity of mutual information and correlation coefficient to noise is demonstrated. Furthermore, we show the effect of bin size on mutual information. We also look into subimage selection as reduction in search data strategy. We propose a measure, called alignability, which shows the ability of the subimage to provide robust registration results. Alternative subimage selection methods, such as entropy and gradient magnitude, are also presented. Alignability is compared with information contents and edge contents respectively.
ROBUST MOTION SEGMENTATION FOR HIGH DEFINITION VIDEO SEQUENCES USING A FAST MULTI-RESOLUTION MOTION ESTIMATION BASED ON SPATIO-TEMPORAL TUBES

Motion segmentation methods are effective for tracking video objects. However, objects segmentation methods based on motion need to know the global motion of the video in order to back-compensate it before computing the segmentation. In this paper 1 , we propose a method which estimates the global motion of a High Definition (HD) video shot and then segments it using the remaining motion information. First, we develop a fast method for multi-resolution motion estimation based on spatio-temporal tubes. So we get a homogeneous motion vectors field (one vector per tube). From this motion field, we use a robust approach to estimate the parameters of the affine model that characterizes the global motion of the shot. After back-compensation of the video shot global motion, the remaining motion vectors are used to achieve the motion segmentation and extract the video objects.
Analysing falls in coronary heart disease mortality in the West Bank between 1998 and 2009

Objectives To analyse coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality and risk factor trends in the West Bank, occupied Palestinian territory between 1998 and 2009. Design Modelling study using CHD IMPACT model. Setting The West Bank, occupied Palestinian territory. Participants Data on populations, mortality, patient groups and numbers, treatments and cardiovascular risk factor trends were obtained from national and local surveys, routine national and WHO statistics, and critically appraised. Data were then integrated and analysed using a previously validated CHD model. Primary and secondary outcome measures CHD deaths prevented or postponed are the main outcome. Results CHD death rates fell by 20% in the West Bank, between 1998 and 2009. Smoking prevalence was initially high in men, 51%, but decreased to 42%. Population blood pressure levels and total cholesterol levels also decreased. Conversely, body mass index rose by 1–2 kg/m2 and diabetes increased by 2–8%. Population modelling suggested that more than two-thirds of the mortality fall was attributable to decreases in major risk factors, mainly total cholesterol, blood pressure and smoking. Approximately one-third of the CHD mortality decreases were attributable to treatments, particularly for secondary prevention and heart failure. However, the contributions from statins, surgery and angioplasty were consistently small. Conclusions CHD mortality fell by 20% between 1998 and 2009 in the West Bank. More than two-third of this fall was due to decreases in major risk factors, particularly total cholesterol and blood pressure. Our results clearly indicate that risk factor reductions in the general population compared save substantially more lives to specific treatments for individual patients. This emphasizes the importance of population-wide primary prevention strategies.
Scaling laws for opening partially adhered contacts in MEMS

MEMS switches represent a promising technology for a wide range of communications applications. They operate at high frequency, opening and closing the contact between metal pads. Surfaces are rough in nature, therefore a predictive description of contact switching requires understanding of asperity contact and adhesion. A simple model is presented to estimate adhesion forces in MEMS switches and the total forces required to detach the pads. The interface between two rigid pads is modeled as an array of uniformly distributed elastic asperities mimicking the interface roughness. Two types of asperities are considered: bonded asperities and adhered asperities, as described by the JKR adhesion model. The effects of asperity size, density, and load-displacement relationship are analyzed as a function of the loading conditions (i.e., tensile load and bending moment). The minimum force for detachment is proportional to the asperity size and asperity density, except when bending moments and tensile forces are combined (which leads to a more complex relationship). The results are summarized in a loading-detachment map. The most effective method to detach the contacts is through a combination of a bending moment and a tensile force. The implication of these results to MEMS designs are discussed and approaches to modifying the moment and tensile force ratio are suggested.
Budding Yeast Pch2, a Widely Conserved Meiotic Protein, Is Involved in the Initiation of Meiotic Recombination

Budding yeast Pch2 protein is a widely conserved meiosis-specific protein whose role is implicated in the control of formation and displacement of meiotic crossover events. In contrast to previous studies where the function of Pch2 was implicated in the steps after meiotic double-strand breaks (DSBs) are formed, we present evidence that Pch2 is involved in meiotic DSB formation, the initiation step of meiotic recombination. The reduction of DSB formation caused by the pch2 mutation is most prominent in the sae2 mutant background, whereas the impact remains mild in the rad51 dmc1 double mutant background. The DSB reduction is further pronounced when pch2 is combined with a hypomorphic allele of SPO11. Interestingly, the level of DSB reduction is highly variable between chromosomes, with minimal impact on small chromosomes VI and III. We propose a model in which Pch2 ensures efficient formation of meiotic DSBs which is necessary for igniting the subsequent meiotic checkpoint responses that lead to proper differentiation of meiotic recombinants.