Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Earthquake source parameters and fault kinematics in the eastern California shear zone

Based on waveform data from a profile of aftershocks following the north-south trace of the 28 June 1992 Landers rupture across the Mojave desert, we construct a new velocity model for the Mojave region that features a thin, slow crust. Using this model, we obtain source parameters, including depth and duration, for each of the aftershocks in the profile and, in addition, any significant (M > 3.7) Joshua Tree-Landers aftershock between April 1992 and October 1994 for which coherent TERRAscope data were available. In all, we determine source parameters and stress drops for 45 significant (Mw > 4) earthquakes associated with the Joshua Tree and Landers sequences, using a waveform grid-search algorithm. Stress drops for these earthquakes appear to vary systematically with location, with respect to previous seismic activity, proximity to previous rupture (i.e., with respect to the Landers rupture), and with tectonic province. In general, for areas north of the Pinto Mountain fault, stress drops of aftershocks located off the faults involved with the Landers rupture are higher than those located on the fault, with the exception of aftershocks on the newly recognized Kickapoo (Landers) fault. Stress drops are moderate south of the Pinto Mountain fault, where there is a history of seismic swarms but no single throughgoing fault. In contrast to aftershocks in the eastern Transverse ranges, and related to the 1992 Big Bear, California, sequence, Landers events show no clear relationship between stress drop and depth. Instead, higher stress-drop aftershocks appear to correlate with activity on nascent faults or those that experienced relatively small slip during mainshock rupture.
Designing for Social Use in Public Places – a Conceptual Framework of Social Interaction

Most interactive technology is designed for the individual user pursuing either a work-oriented accomplishment of tasks or an experience-oriented aesthetic/pleasurable endeavor. In the project here presented that design paradigm is turned up-side-down focusing on social use and social context. I furthermore argue that this social user perspective can be applied in other design projects and I provide a designer’s conceptual framework of social interaction, based on both a theoretical and empirical background.
Interaction of Alu Polymorphisms and Novel Measures of Discrimination in Association with Blood Pressure in African Americans Living in Tallahassee, Florida

abstract African Americans are 40% more likely to be afflicted with hypertension than are non-Hispanic, white Americans, resulting in a 30% higher instance of mortality due to cardiovascular disease. There is debate about the relative contributions of genetic and sociocultural risk factors to the racial disparity in hypertension. We assayed three Alu insertion polymorphisms located in the ACE (angiotensin 1 converting enzyme), PLAT (plasminogen activator, tissue), and WNK1 (lysine deficient protein kinase 1) genes. We also estimated West African genetic ancestry and developed novel measures of perceived discrimination to create a biocultural model of blood pressure among African American adults in Tallahassee, Florida (n = 158). When tested separately, the ACE Alu noninsertion allele was significantly associated with higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure. In multiple regression analyses, West African genetic ancestry was not associated with blood pressure and reduced the strength of all blood pressure models tested. A gene × environment interaction was identified between the ACE Alu genotype and a new measure of unfair treatment that includes experiences by individuals close to the study participant. Inclusion of the WNK1 Alu genotype further improved this model of blood pressure variation. Our results suggest an association of the ACE and WNK1 genotypes with blood pressure that is consistent with their proposed gene functions. Measures of perceived unfair treatment of others show a threshold effect, with increased blood pressure occurring at higher values. The interaction between the ACE genotype and unfair treatment highlights the benefits of including both genetic and cultural data to investigate complex disease.
High fidelity day/night stereo mapping with vegetation and negative obstacle detection for vision-in-the-loop walking

This paper describes the stereo vision near-field terrain mapping system used by the Legged Squad Support System (LS3) quadruped vehicle to automatically adjust its gait in complex natural terrain. The mapping system achieves high robustness with a combination of stereo model-based outlier rejection and spatial and temporal filtering, enabled by a unique hybrid 2D/3D data structure. Classification of sparse structures allows the vehicle to traverse through vegetation. Inference of negative obstacles allows the vehicle to avoid steep drop-offs. A custom designed near-infrared illumination system enables operation at night. The mapping system has been tested extensively with controlled experiments and 72km of field testing in a wide variety of terrains and conditions.
Aggregated, interoperable and multi-domain user profiles for the social web

User profiling techniques have mostly focused on retrieving and representing a user's knowledge, context and interests in order to provide recommendations, personalise search, and build user-adaptive systems. However, building a user profile on a single social network limits the quality and completeness of the profile, especially when interoperability of the profile is key and its reuse on different sites is necessary for providing other types of personalisation. Indeed recent studies have shown that users on the Social Web often use different social networking sites for diverse, and sometimes non-overlapping, purposes and interests. In this paper, we describe our methodology for the automatic creation and aggregation of interoperable and multi-domain user profiles of interests using semantic technologies. Moreover, we propose a user study on different user profiling techniques for social networking websites in general, and for Twitter and Facebook in particular. In this regard, based on the results of our user evaluation, we investigate (i) the accuracy of different methodologies for profiling, (ii) the effect of time decay functions on ranking user interests, and (iii) the benefits of merging different user models using semantic technologies.
Quel système de contrôle de gestion pour piloter une Supply Chain

Depuis la fin des annees 90, nous assistons a un veritable renouveau du controle de gestion, tant au niveau academique que managerial. Plusieurs etudes sur l’evolution des pratiques de controle de gestion dans les entreprises, indiquent que ces dernieres s’orientent de plus en plus vers l’adoption des modes de pilotage inter-organisationnels. Nous citons a titre d’exemple les tableaux de bord inter-firmes ; le plan d’affaire conjoint (joint business plan) ; l’analyse strategique et conjointe des couts et la comptabilite a livres ouverts. Ce papier consiste donc a presenter les resultats d’une etude descriptive des pratiques adoptees par 50 « controleurs de gestion supply chain » en France que nous avons identifies dans le reseau socio-numerique professionnel Viadeo. L’analyse des premiers resultats obtenus montre que dans le contexte de la supply chain, les systemes de controle de gestion sont amenes a sortir des frontieres traditionnelles de l’entreprise pour assurer un mode de pilotage conjoint caracterise par une forte interactivite inter-organisationnelle.
Choice Overload and Simplicity Seeking

In settings such as investing for retirement or choosing a drug plan, individuals face a staggering number of options. In this paper, we analyze how an abundance of options influences which alternative is selected. We present both laboratory experiments and field data that confirm our theoretical prediction: larger choice sets induce a stronger preference for simple, easy-to-understand options. The first experiment demonstrates that, in seeming violation of the weak axiom of revealed preference, subjects are more likely to select a given sure bet over non-degenerate gambles when choosing from a set of 11 options than when choosing from a subset of 3. The second experiment clarifies that excessive choice sets induce a preference for simpler, rather than less risky, options. Lastly, using records of more than 500,000 employees from 638 institutions, we demonstrate that the presence of more funds in an individual’s 401(k) plan is associated with a greater allocation to money market and bond funds at the expense of equity funds.
Human Face Recognition in wavelet compressed domain using Canonical Correlation Analysis

paper explores the possibility of implementing face recognition systems directly into wavelet based compressed domain. This is accomplished by stopping the decompression process after entropy decoding and providing the entropy points to face recognition systems as input. A novel approach for efficient face recognition in compressed domain has been implemented using 2-dimensional Canonical Correlation Analysis. CCA is a powerful multivariate analysis method and hence a powerful feature projection approach for compressed facial images based on CCA is proposed. Matching of image data is done by Mode based Matching method. The experimental results proved that the proposed method considerably improves the recognition rates and also reduce the computational time and storage requirements.
Approximation Algorithm for the Stochastic Multiperiod Inventory Problem via a Look-Ahead Optimization Approach

We consider the single-item, multiperiod stochastic inventory problem with nonstationary and correlated demands. We provide the first proof that a well-known myopic policy, which we call look-ahead optimization (LA), is in fact an approximation algorithm for solving the large dynamic program that arises from this problem. We prove that LA provides the tightest known approximation bound for this problem. The expected cost of LA is at most twice the expected holding cost plus the expected backorder cost of an optimal policy. We introduce a new cost-accounting technique and a new class of invariances on the ongoing performance of LA relative to that of an optimal policy. We use these invariances to extend the myopic optimality of LA to a global bound on its performance. We allow convex and nonlinear holding and backorder cost functions, integral order quantities, and positive lead times under a technical condition on the growth of demand. We show in computational experiments that LA has excellent average-case performance.
Effects of Korean Red Ginseng on Cardiovascular Risks in Subjects with Metabolic Syndrome: a Double-blind Randomized Controlled Study

Background This study investigated the effects of Korean red ginseng (KRG) supplementation on metabolic parameters, inflammatory markers, and arterial stiffness in subjects with metabolic syndrome. Methods We performed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, single-center study in 60 subjects who were not taking drugs that could affect metabolic and vascular functions. Subjects were randomized into either a KRG (4.5 g/d) group or a placebo group for a 12-week study. We collected anthropometric measurements, blood for laboratory testing, and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) at the initial (week 0) and final (week 12) visits. Results A total of 48 subjects successfully completed the study protocol. Oral administration of KRG did not significantly affect blood pressure, oxidative or inflammatory markers, or baPWV. Conclusion We found no evidence that KRG had an effect on blood pressure, lipid profile, oxidized low density lipoprotein, fasting blood glucose, or arterial stiffness in subjects with metabolic syndrome. These findings warrant subsequent longer-term prospective clinical investigations with a larger population. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00976274
Contention Access Game Method in Wireless Ad-Hoc Networks

We models the contention access as an N-person non- cooperative game firstly, then the game is transformed into a constrained optimization problem, each node in the network chooses the optimal probability to maximize its utility function, finally an algorithm is presented for solving the Nash equilibrium. Through simulation and comparison, the contention access game method can reduce the collision probability and improve the system throughput.
Deordering and Numeric Macro Actions for Plan Repair

The paper faces the problem of plan repair in presence of numeric information, by providing a new method for the intelligent selection of numeric macro actions. The method relies on a generalization of deordering, extended with new conditions accounting for dependencies and threats implied by the numeric components. The deordering is used as a means to infer (hopefully) minimal ordering constraints then used to extract independent and informative macro actions. Each macro aims at compactly representing a sub-solution for the overall planning problem. To verify the feasibility of the approach, the paper reports experiments in various domains from the International Planning Competition. Results show (i) the competitiveness of the strategy in terms of coverage, time and quality of the resulting plans wrt current approaches, and (ii) the actual independence from the planner employed.
Channel Estimation for Alamouti Coded OFDM over Time Variant Channel with Different Receivers

In this paper, we investigate a semi-blind maximum a posteriori probability-based channel estimator for Alamouti coded OFDM system over time varying Rayleigh channels. This channel estimation is used to handle rapid variations of channel within a transmission block. With the estimate of the channel matrix for the Alamouti symbol interval, a zero-forcing (ZF) receiver can be applied to detect this symbol. Linear and Minimum Mean Square Error (MMSE) decoding algorithms are also introduced in this paper. These receivers take into consideration the variation of channel over two consecutive OFDM symbols, i.e., over Alamouti symbol. The performance of this estimator is compared with Least Square (LS) channel estimator via simulation. Moreover it is shown that using MMSE as a decoding algorithm provides better performance than conventional, linear or ZF decoding methods.
The targeting of Lamp1 to lysosomes is dependent on the spacing of its cytoplasmic tail tyrosine sorting motif relative to the membrane

Lamp1 is a type I transmembrane glycoprotein that is localized primarily in lysosomes and late endosomes. Newly synthesized molecules are mostly transported from the trans-Golgi network directly to endosomes and then to lysosomes. A minor pathway involves transport via the plasma membrane. The 11-amino acid cytoplasmic tail of lamp1 contains a tyrosine-based motif that has been previously shown to mediate sorting in the trans-Golgi network and rapid internalization at the plasma membrane. We studied whether this motif also mediates sorting in endosomes. We found that mutant forms of lamp1 in which all the amino acids of the cytoplasmic tail were modified except for the RKR membrane anchor and the YXXI sorting motif still localized to dense lysosomes, indicating that the YXXI motif is sufficient to confer proper intracellular targeting. However, when the spacing of the YXXI motif relative to the membrane was changed by deleting one amino acid or adding five amino acids, lysosomal targeting was almost completely abolished. Kinetic studies showed that these mutants were trapped in a recycling pathway, involving trafficking between the plasma membrane and early endocytic compartments. These findings indicate that the YXXI signal of lamp1 is recognized at several sorting sites, including the trans-Golgi network, the plasma membrane, and the early/sorting endosomes. Small changes in the spacing of this motif relative to the membrane dramatically impair sorting in the early/sorting endosomes but have only a modest effect on internalization at the plasma membrane. The spacing of sorting signals relative to the membrane may prove to be an important determinant in the functioning of these signals.
Effects of Physical Rotational Movement Difference and Handwriting Position on Academic Achievement and Learning Disabilities

Only recently has movement behavior and learning disabilities (LD), including the confusing topic of dyslexia, been considered to be connected. The realization that phonemic problems may often be the “result” of learning issues such as dyslexia, and not the cause, has finally surfaced. This condition is hypothesized as being primarily due to not sensing the sound connection because of the hand feeling the shape of feeling letters incorrectly. This consequently, interferes with the sound value(s) being connected during the learning process. We herein provide the results of an earlier unpublished study, which demonstrates how we obtained these and other classroom results. We provide evidence of movement difference between those with identified LDs and those without LDs, and how this can relate to both left and inverted rotational direction difference. Other movement differences are also identified as modifiers of the achievement difference between the students found in the at-risk populations. As previously described (Young et al., 2012), understanding “reversed positioning sensation” (RPS) can be of great assistance to those with the basic condition known as written language disability (WLD) or dysgraphic conditions, which are often recognized entities of the LD known as dyslexia. This is important, because remediation involves changing the hand position of those affected and is theorized, can change the way the brain senses the direction of learning (i.e., to make letters by processing the sense of feeling them top/down instead of from an inverted sensation of sensing bottom/up movement). That this remedial movement concept is so amazingly simple may be why it has been overlooked for years.
Rate adaptive modulation with MIMO mode switching between spatial multiplexing and diversity

Multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems give high data rates through spatial multiplexing or diversity using space-time codes. We propose a rate-adaptive modulation scheme combined with mode switching between spatial multiplexing and orthogonal space-time block coding. We first find out which modulation level and mode maximize the spectral efficiency with a given target bit error ratio (BER). If the rates of the two MIMO modes are the same, we select one mode which gives lower BER than the other. We also propose a simple mode switching algorithm using effective SNR and constellation specific constant. Numerical results demonstrate improvement over each fixed mode with adaptive modulation in terms of average spectral efficiency.
Safety of Accelerated Schedules of Subcutaneous Allergen Immunotherapy with House Dust Mite Extract in Patients with Atopic Dermatitis

The safety of accelerated schedules of allergen immunotherapy (ASAI) in patients with bronchial asthma (BA) has been reported but there are little data on the safety of ASAI for patients with atopic dermatitis (AD). In this study, we investigated the safety of ASAI in patients with AD. Sixty patients with AD and 18 patients with BA sensitized to house dust mites (HDM) were studied. A maximum maintenance dose of HDM extract, adsorbed to aluminum hydroxide, was administered to patients by subcutaneous injection with either a 3-day protocol (rush immunotherapy) or 1-day protocol (ultra-rush immunotherapy). Systemic reactions were observed 4 of 15 patients (26.7%) with AD during rush immunotherapy, 13 of 45 patients (28.9%) with AD during ultra-rush immunotherapy, and 4 of 18 patients (22.2%) with BA during rush immunotherapy (P > 0.05). No severe or near fatal systemic reactions occurred in 78 subjects of this study. Systemic reactions developed within 4 hr after administration of the maximum allergen dose in 20 of 21 patients (95.2%) with AD and BA who showed systemic reactions during rush or ultra-rush immunotherapy. In conclusion, ASAI was safe and well tolerated in patients with AD. ASAI can be a useful therapeutic option for AD.
Long range traversable region detection based on superpixels clustering for mobile robots

Traversable region detection is important for autonomous visual navigation of mobile robots. Only short range traversable regions can be detected using traditional methods based on stereo vision because of the limited image resolution and baseline of stereo vision. In this paper, we propose a novel method to detect long range traversable regions without using any supervised or self-supervised learning process. Superpixels are clustered using an improved spectral clustering algorithm to segment the image effectively, and after integrating short range traversable region detection based on u-v-disparity, the traversable region can be extended to long range naturally. The experimental results show that the proposed method works well in different outdoor/field environments, and the detecting range can be improved greatly in comparison with traditional methods. Furthermore, the proposed superpixels clustering algorithm can also be applied in other robot vision tasks like road detection and object recognition.
Food Polyphenols Fail to Cause a Biologically Relevant Reduction of COX-2 Activity

Epidemiologic studies show a correlation between the dietary intake of food polyphenols and beneficial health effects. Several in vitro studies indicate that the anti-inflammatory potential of polyphenols is, at least in part, mediated by a modulation of the enzymes of the arachidonic acid cascade, such as the prostaglandin forming cyclooxygenases (COXs). Evidence that this mode of action can be transferred to the situation in vivo is scarce. This study characterized effects of a subset of polyphenols on COX–2 expression and activity in vitro and compared the potency with known drugs. Next, the in vivo relevance of the observed in vitro effects was tested. Enzyme assays and incubations of polyphenols with the cancer cell line HCA–7 and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulated primary monocytes support the hypothesis that polyphenols can effect COX–2 expression and activity in vitro. The effects were most pronounced in the monocyte assay for wogonin, apigenin, resveratrol and genistein with IC50 values of 1.5 μM, 2.6 μM, 2.8 μM and 7.4 μM. However, these values are 100- to 1000-fold higher in comparison to those of the known pharmaceuticals celecoxib, indomethacin and dexamethasone. In an animal model of LPS induced sepsis, pretreatment with polyphenols (i. p. 100 mg/kg bw) did not result in decreased plasma or tissue prostaglandin levels, whereas the positive control celecoxib effectively attenuated LPS induced prostaglandin formation. These data suggest that despite the moderate potency in vitro, an effect of polyphenols on COX–2 during acute inflammation is unlikely, even if a high dose of polyphenols is ingested.
A new approach of e-learning-adaptive based on ant colonies optimisation algorithm

Adaptive E-learning, refers to a training concept in which technology is introduced step by step in all aspects of the business of training. A technique, inspired by the Ant Colony Optimization (ACO), is proposed to optimize the learning path. The proposed platform is modeled by a graph where nodes represent the educational elements (lessons or exercises), and arcs link navigation between them. Each of the arcs is also a value that describes its importance in relation to teaching neighboring arcs. Students are represented by virtual agents (ants) who use these links.