Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Interfacing and Validating Models of the US Army TRAC Tactical War Game

Computational social science, as with all complex adaptive systems sciences, involves a great amount of uncertainty on several fronts, including intrinsic arbitrariness due to path dependence, disagreement on social theory and how to capture it in software, input data of different credibility that does not exactly match the requirements of software because it was gathered for another purpose, and inexactly matching translations between models that were designed for different purposes than the study at hand. This paper presents a method of formally tracking that uncertainty, keeping the data input parameters proportionate with logical and probabilistic constraints, and capturing proportionate dynamics of the output ordered by the decision points of policy change. Once ordered this way, the data can be compared to other data similarly expressed, whether that data is from simulation excursions or from the real world, for objective comparison and distance scoring at the level of dynamic patterns as opposed to single outcome validation. This method enables wargame adjudicators to be run out with data gleaned from the wargame, enables data to be repurposed for both training and testing set, and facilitates objective validation scoring through soft matching. Artificial intelligence tools used in the method include probabilistic ontologies with crisp and Bayesian inference, game trees that are multiplayer non-zero sum and decision point based rather than turn-based, and Markov processes to represent the dynamic data and align the models for objective comparison. Probabilistic ontologies are used to model probabilistic matches of variables traded between models, and to model the probabilistic distance between the result space of the models and real world survey data. These ontologies are used to perform interfacing and validation of the models used to adjudicate the 2010 US Army TRAC Tactical War Game (TWG) models which simulated Irregular Warfare in Afghanistan. Models include the Cultural Geography population level model and the Nexus Network Learner individual level model. The probabilistic match implements a loose coupling between the multiresolutional and multiperspective models. After many runs, uncertainty of result is expressed in a Markov process to perform validation against time series survey data from Afghanistan, also represented in a Markov process. A distance metric from information theory is used to measure the probabilistic distance between the resultant Markov processes.
Trajectory Planning for Multi-robot Formation by One Hybrid Particle Swarm Optimization Algorithm

A hybrid particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm which consists of continuous and discrete PSO algorithm is introduced to solve the trajectory planning problem of multi-robot formation. The continuous PSO algorithm is utilized to optimize the center position and rotation angle of the desired formation, while the discrete PSO algorithm is to optimize the matching relationship between the initial and target positions. To demonstrate the correctness and validity of the proposed algorithm, simulation results of the trajectory planning for typical formation and another transformed formation are presented.
Formation and Disruption of Cosmological Low-Mass Objects

We investigate the evolution of cosmological low-mass (low virial temperature) objects and the formation of the first luminous objects. First, the "cooling diagram" for low-mass objects is shown. We assess the cooling rate taking into account the contribution of H2, which is not in chemical equilibrium generally, with a simple argument of timescales. The reaction rates and the cooling rate of H2 are taken from the recent results by Galli & Palla. Using this cooling diagram, we also estimate the formation condition of luminous objects taking into account the supernova (SN) disruption of virialized clouds. We find that the mass of the first luminous object is several times 107 M☉ because smaller objects may be disrupted by the SNe before they become luminous. Metal pollution of low-mass (Lyα) clouds is also discussed. The resultant metallicity of the clouds is Z/Z☉ ~ 10-3.
Secrecy Capacity Scaling in Large Cooperative Wireless Networks

We investigate <italic>large</italic> wireless networks subject to security constraints. In contrast to point-to-point, interference-limited communications considered in prior works, we propose active cooperative relaying-based schemes. We consider a network with <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$n_{l}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> legitimate nodes, <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$n_{e}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> eavesdroppers, and path loss exponent <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\alpha \geq 2$ </tex-math></inline-formula>. As long as <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$n_{e}^{2}\big (\log (n_{e})\big )^{\gamma }=o(n_{l})$ </tex-math></inline-formula>, for some positive <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\gamma $ </tex-math></inline-formula>, we show that one can obtain unbounded secure aggregate rate. This means zero-cost secure communication, given fixed total power constraint for the entire network. We achieve this result through: 1) the source using Wyner randomized encoder and a <italic>serial (multi-stage)</italic> block Markov scheme, to cooperate with the relays and 2) the relays acting as a virtual multi-antenna to apply beamforming against the eavesdroppers. Our simpler <italic>parallel (two-stage)</italic> relaying scheme can achieve the same unbounded secure aggregate rate when <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$n_{e}^{\alpha /{2}+1}\big (\log (n_{e})\big )^{\gamma +\delta ({\alpha }/{2}+1)}=o(n_{l})$ </tex-math></inline-formula> holds, for some positive <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\gamma ,\delta $ </tex-math></inline-formula>. Finally, we study the improvement (to the detriment of legitimate nodes) that the eavesdroppers achieve in terms of the information leakage rate in a large <italic>cooperative</italic> network in the case of <italic>collusion</italic>. We show that again the zero-cost secure communication is possible, if <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$n_{e}^{(2+{2}/{\alpha })}\big (\log n_{e}\big )^{\gamma }=o(n_{l})$ </tex-math></inline-formula> holds, for some positive <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\gamma $ </tex-math></inline-formula>; that is, in the case of collusion slightly fewer eavesdroppers can be tolerated compared with the non-colluding case.
Direct imaging of human Rad51 nucleoprotein dynamics on individual DNA molecules

Rad51 protein (Rad51) is central to recombinational repair of double-strand DNA breaks. It polymerizes onto DNA and promotes strand exchange between homologous chromosomes. We visualized the real-time assembly and disassembly of human Rad51 nucleoprotein filaments on double-stranded DNA by single-molecule fluorescence microscopy. Rad51 assembly extends the DNA by ≈65%. Nucleoprotein filament formation occurs via rapid nucleation followed by growth from these nuclei. Growth does not continue indefinitely, however, and nucleoprotein filaments terminate when ≈2 μm in length. The dependence of nascent filament formation on Rad51 concentration suggests that 2–3 Rad51 monomers are involved in nucleation. Rad51 nucleoprotein filaments are stable and remain extended when ATP hydrolysis is prevented; however, when permitted, filaments decrease in length as a result of conversion to ADP-bound nucleoprotein complexes and partial protein dissociation. Dissociation of Rad51 from dsDNA is slow and incomplete, thereby rationalizing the need for other proteins that facilitate disassembly.
Real‐Time SLAM with Octree Evidence Grids for Exploration in Underwater Tunnels

We describe a simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) method for a hovering underwater vehicle that will explore underwater caves and tunnels, a true three‐dimensional (3D) environment. Our method consists of a Rao‐Blackwellized particle filter with a 3D evidence grid map representation. We describe a procedure for dynamically adjusting the number of particles to provide real‐time performance. We also describe how we adjust the particle filter prediction step to accommodate sensor degradation or failure. We present an efficient octree data structure that makes it feasible to maintain the hundreds of maps needed by the particle filter to accurately model large environments. This octree structure can exploit spatial locality and temporal shared ancestry between particles to reduce the processing and storage requirements. To test our SLAM method, we utilize data collected with manually deployed sonar mapping vehicles in the Wakulla Springs cave system in Florida and the Sistema Zacato´n in Mexico, as well as data collected by the DEPTHX vehicle in the test tank at the Austin Applied Research Laboratory. We demonstrate our mapping and localization approach with these real‐world datasets. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Developing the Effective Method of Spectral Harmonic Energy Ratio to Analyze the Arterial Pulse Spectrum

In this article, we analyze the arterial pulse in the spectral domain. A parameter, the spectral harmonic energy ratio (SHER), is developed to assess the features of the overly decreased spectral energy in the fourth to sixth harmonic for palpitation patients. Compared with normal subjects, the statistical results reveal that the mean value of SHER in the patient group (57.7 ± 27.9) is significantly higher than that of the normal group (39.7 ± 20.9) (P-value = .0066 < .01). This means that the total energy in the fourth to sixth harmonic of palpitation patients is significantly less than it is in normal subjects. In other words, the spectral distribution of the arterial pulse gradually decreases for normal subjects while it decreases abruptly in higher-order harmonics (the fourth, fifth and sixth harmonics) for palpitation patients. Hence, SHER is an effective method to distinguish the two groups in the spectral domain. Also, we can thus know that a “gradual decrease” might mean a “balanced” state, whereas an “abrupt decrease” might mean an “unbalanced” state in blood circulation and pulse diagnosis. By SHER, we can determine the ratio of energy distribution in different harmonic bands, and this method gives us a novel viewpoint from which to comprehend and quantify the spectral harmonic distribution of circulation information conveyed by the arterial pulse. These concepts can be further applied to improve the clinical diagnosis not only in Western medicine but also in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).
Novel Microcatheters for Selective Intra-Arterial Injection of Fluid in the Rat Brain

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The internal carotid artery (ICA) in the rat has a single extracranial branch, which supplies the muscles of mastication. The rat ICA also has multiple intracranial branches including (from proximal to distal): multiple small perforating arteries which supply the hypothalamus and the anterior choroidal artery which supplies the choroid plexus and part of the basal ganglia. At the ICA terminus, the vessel bifurcates into the anterior and middle cerebral arteries. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate selective injection of ICA branches in the rat. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Microcatheters (μcath1 and μcath2) were fabricated by plugging the tip of 169-μm outer diameter polyimide tubing and perforating the sidewalls. A 450-μm polydimethyl-siloxane cylinder was affixed to the distal tip of μcath2 but not μcath1. We evaluated the territory of μcath1 injection ex vivo using magnetization-prepared rapid acquisition of gradient echo MR imaging of brain specimens injected at necropsy. Territories of μcath1 and μcath2 injection were evaluated in vivo with dynamic susceptibility-weighted contrast-enhanced MR imaging. The territory of μcath2 also was evaluated in vivo with fused static microPET/T1 MR images performed after [18F] fluorodeoxyglucose (18FDG) injection. We evaluated additional catheterized and injected animals at 48 hours using physical examination, T2 MR images, and postmortem brain histologic specimens. RESULTS: Gadolinium-diethylene-triamine pentaacetic acid (Gd-DTPA) and 18FDG injected through μcath1 selectively opacified the ipsilateral cerebral hemisphere, with no contralateral opacification. Gd-DTPA injected through μcath2 selectively opacified the territories of the hypothalamic perforating arteries, and anterior choroidal artery. There was no iatrogenic complication 48 hours after 20- to 25-minute injections performed with μcath1 or μcath2. CONCLUSIONS: We have developed 2 microcatheters which can be placed in the ICA for selective injection of its branches. One microcatheter selectively injects the ipsilateral cerebral hemisphere. The other selectively injects only the hypothalamus and lateral thalamus.
The Black Sheep - Interactive Improvisation in a 3D Virtual World

In this article we describe our efforts to develop an Improvisational Platform that provides a possibility for real-time interaction between a user-controlled avatar and a group of synthetic actors in a 3D virtual world. The platform will allow to play around with different improvisational rules and even different settings. This will be accomplished by having a repertoire of basic behaviours for all synthetic actors which can be used and modified according to the improvisational rules specified by a dramaturg. This work is part of the i3-ese project Puppet that promotes the idea of a virtual puppet theatre to support the development of a child’s cognitive skills in different areas of early learning.
Kernel Continuum Regression ✩

The continuum regression technique provides an appealing regression framework connecting ordinary least squares, partial least squares and principal component regression in one family. It offers some insight on the underlying regression model for a given application. Moreover, it helps to provide deep understanding of various regression techniques. Despite the useful framework, however, the current development on continuum regression is only for linear regression. In many applications, nonlinear regression is necessary. The extension of continuum regression from linear models to nonlinear models using kernel learning is considered. The proposed kernel continuum regression technique is quite general and can handle very flexible regression model estimation. An efficient algorithm is developed for fast implementation. Numerical examples have demonstrated the usefulness of the proposed technique
Oxyntic gastric atrophy in Helicobacter pylori gastritis is distinct from autoimmune gastritis

Aim To assess characteristics of oxyntic gastric atrophy (OGA) in autoimmune gastritis (AIG) compared with OGA as a consequence of Helicobacter pylori infection. Methods Patients undergoing oesophagogastroduodenoscopy from July 2011 to October 2014 were prospectively included (N=452). Gastric biopsies were obtained for histology and H. pylori testing. Serum gastrin-17 (G17), pepsinogen (PG) I, PGII and antibodies against H. pylori and cytotoxin-associated gene A protein were determined in all patients. Antibodies against parietal cells and intrinsic factor were determined in patients with advanced (moderate to severe) OGA. Areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUCs) were calculated for serum biomarkers and compared with histology. Results Overall, 34 patients (8.9%) had advanced OGA by histology (22 women, age 61±15 years). Current or past H. pylori infection and AIG were present in 14/34 and 22/34 patients, respectively. H. pylori-negative AIG patients (N=18) were more likely to have another autoimmune disease (OR 6.3; 95% CI 1.3 to 29.8), severe corpus atrophy (OR 10.1; 95% CI 1.9 to 54.1) and corpus intestinal metaplasia (OR 26.9; 95% CI 5.3 to 136.5) compared with H. pylori-positive patients with advanced OGA. Antrum atrophy was present in 39% of H. pylori-negative AIG patients. The diagnostic performance of G17, PG I and PGI/II was excellent for AIG patients (AUC=0.83, 0.95 and 0.97, respectively), but limited for H. pylori-positive patients with advanced OGA (AUC=0.62, 0.75 and 0.67, respectively). Conclusions H. pylori-negative AIG has a distinct clinical, morphological and serological phenotype compared with advanced OGA in H. pylori gastritis.
Reduction of Peritendinous adhesions by hydrogel containing biocompatible phospholipid polymer MPC for tendon repair.

BACKGROUND Peritendinous adhesions are serious complications after surgical repair of tendons. As an anti-adhesion material, we focused on 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) polymer, our original biocompatible polymer, and prepared an aqueous solution of MPC-containing polymer called poly(2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine-co-n-butyl methacrylate-co-p-vinylphenylboronic acid) (PMBV), which can be formed into hydrogel properties by mixture with another aqueous polymer, poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA). The objective of the present study was to examine the possible application of the MPC hydrogel for the reduction of peritendinous adhesions. METHODS the effects of the hydrogel on peritendinous adhesions and tendon healing were examined by means of histological and mechanical analyses in a rat Achilles tendon model and a rabbit flexor digitorum profundus tendon model. Cell migration and viability were examined with use of fibroblastic NIH3T3 cells cultured in a double chamber dish. RESULTS among the concentrations examined, 2.5% and 5.0% PMBV formed hydrogel properties immediately after mixing with 2.5% PVA and maintained a honeycomb microstructure with nanometer-scaled pores for three weeks after implantation. In animal models, the hydrogel formed from 5.0% PMBV remained at the sutured site during the critical period up to three weeks and disappeared by six weeks. The MPC hydrogel reduced the peritendinous adhesions histologically and mechanically by >25% at three weeks, without impairing tendon healing as determined with mechanical analyses. In the cell culture, cell migration was reduced by the MPC hydrogel, although cell viability was unaffected, indicating physical prevention, rather than cytotoxicity, to be the anti-adhesion mechanism. CONCLUSIONS the MPC hydrogel that was formed by a local injection and mixture of two aqueous solutions, 5.0% PMBV and 2.5% PVA, reduced peritendinous adhesions without impairing tendon healing. This effect may be due to its excellent biocompatibility without a foreign-body reaction and the formation of a microstructure that physically prevents passage of cells but allows cytokines and growth factors to pass for healing. CLINICAL RELEVANCE this nanotechnology could potentially improve the quality of surgical repair of tendon, especially the zone-II area of the digital flexor tendon.
Vascular remodeling is governed by a VEGFR3-dependent fluid shear stress set point

Vascular remodeling under conditions of growth or exercise, or during recovery from arterial restriction or blockage is essential for health, but mechanisms are poorly understood. It has been proposed that endothelial cells have a preferred level of fluid shear stress, or ‘set point’, that determines remodeling. We show that human umbilical vein endothelial cells respond optimally within a range of fluid shear stress that approximate physiological shear. Lymphatic endothelial cells, which experience much lower flow in vivo, show similar effects but at lower value of shear stress. VEGFR3 levels, a component of a junctional mechanosensory complex, mediate these differences. Experiments in mice and zebrafish demonstrate that changing levels of VEGFR3/Flt4 modulates aortic lumen diameter consistent with flow-dependent remodeling. These data provide direct evidence for a fluid shear stress set point, identify a mechanism for varying the set point, and demonstrate its relevance to vessel remodeling in vivo. DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.7554/eLife.04645. 001
Nectin-1 expression in the normal and neoplastic human uterine cervix.

CONTEXT Nectin-1 is an immunoglobulin-like adhesion molecule that is widely expressed in epithelial tissues and participates in the formation of adherens junctions. Reduced expression of nectin-1 has been reported in invasive carcinomas of the human skin. OBJECTIVE To determine the pattern of nectin-1 expression in the normal, dysplastic, and neoplastic human uterine cervix. DESIGN This retrospective study was performed using immunohistochemistry of specimens of normal mucosa (n = 18) and preneoplastic and neoplastic conditions of the human uterine cervix including squamous dysplasia and invasive uterine cervical squamous carcinoma (n = 23). All specimens were graded according to intensity of cytoplasmic staining (0 = no staining; 4 = strongest intensity). RESULTS Strong widespread cytoplasmic nectin-1 reactivity was found in normal uterine cervical squamous and endocervical mucosa (mean grade = 2.63). In contrast, uterine cervical and endocervical stroma showed minimal to absent staining (mean grade = 0.58). There was a significant difference in staining intensity between normal mucosa versus stroma (P < .001, Wilcoxon matched pairs- signed ranks test). All squamous dysplasia and carcinoma specimens displayed strong cytoplasmic nectin-1 staining (mean grade = 3.08). The advancing edge of these carcinomas demonstrated significantly decreased or absent expression of nectin-1 (mean grade = 1.39) with significant difference in staining intensity at the center of invasive tumors versus the advancing edge (P = .004, Wilcoxon matched pairs-signed ranks test). CONCLUSIONS Normal squamous mucosa, dysplasia, and invasive carcinomas of the human uterine cervix stain strongly with nectin-1, and this staining is reduced or absent in the advancing edge of invasive tumors. These findings suggest that down-regulation of nectin-1 may be associated with the loss of cell-to-cell adhesion at the advancing edge of invasive squamous carcinomas of the human uterine cervix.
Inovação institucional pendular: análise da regulação da participação privada no custeio do sistema político brasileiro (1946 a 2015)

Este artigo apresenta os impasses teoricos e normativos que envolvem a regulacao da participacao de recursos privados no financiamento politico no Brasil, de 1964 ate as ultimas eleicoes gerais, de 2014 e as modificacoes introduzidas em 2015 pelo Congresso Brasileiro. Tratam-se de argumentos delineados pela evolucao historica das legislacoes, em que pese as oscilacoes das regras, no que se refere ao financiamento do sistema partidario-eleitoral. Neste sentido, procura analisar a trajetoria da intervencao do Estado no controle da competicao politica entre os atores, por meio da regulacao das doacoes do mercado privado e, ao mesmo tempo, a garantia da livre participacao no custeio de partidos e eleicoes. Tem-se por objetivo principal apontar os movimentos pendulares que a legislacao apresentou ao longo dos ultimos 50 anos. Concomitante a estes movimentos, tem-se a busca pelo aperfeicoamento do sistema de fiscalizacao, como parte da resposta as imperfeicoes das regras, com base na acao conjunta entre instituicoes como a Receita Federal e o Tribunal Superior Eleitoral. Tais medidas, aplicadas pelo Poder Judiciario, tem alterado substancialmente as estrategias dos partidos e candidatos na prestacao de contas tal qual o desembarque na proibicao da participacao de pessoas juridicas estabelecida em 2015 pelo Supremo Tribunal Federal e posteriormente votado pelo Congresso Nacional e mantido o veto da Presidencia da Republica.