Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Modeling of Neuromorphic Vision Sensors in ODE

Three different neuromorphic vision sensors; a 2D smooth optical flow sensor, a 1D tracker sensor and a 1D motion sensor are modeled in a simulator. The sensors are modeled according to their spatio-temporal properties and the model is validated with experimental data obtained in previous work. The model parameters are fitted according to validation data, where a cost function is optimized with a gradient descent approach. The simulator used is the Open Dynamics Engine (ODE) and the experimental data from previous work was collected in a typical RoboCup scenario. A soccer playing robot is here used to provide reference information from a standard digital tracker system. By modeling the output from neuromorphic vision sensors, it is possible to reconstruct the experiment in the simulator. We will present simulated data from this particular experiment and compare it to the ground truth validation data. This work is important in order to reduce the time needed for real-world experiments for the set-up and optimization phase during the integration of such sensors into robotic systems. At the end we will also make an indication of the direction of future research.
Calabi flow in Riemann surfaces revisited: a new point of view

In this paper, we observe a set of functionals of metrics which are all decrease under the Calabi flow and have uniform lower bound along the flow, which give rise to a set of integral estimates on the curvature flow. Using these estimates, together with weak compactness we obtained in previous papers [8] and [10], we prove the long term existence and convergence of the Calabi flow. Thus give a new proof to Chruscial's theorem. The set of simple ideas of global integral estimates and concentration compactness should have further implications in other heat flow problems.
An improved noisy gradient descent bit-flipping decoding algorithm for LDPC codes

Gradient descent bit-flipping (GDBF) algorithm achieves good error performance for decoding low density parity check codes. In the GDBF algorithm, a search point is apt to be trapped in a local optimum, which causes performance degradation of the GDBF algorithm. To overcome this issue, the noisy GDBF algorithm introduces random perturbation into the inversion function of each symbol, which decreases the probability of being trapped in a local optimum. In this paper, we develop the noisy GDBF algorithm by enhancing the threshold adaptation in multi-bit flipping procedure to improve the BER performance without increasing the time complexity.
Cross-PresentationProtein 90 of Dendritic Cells in Antigen Essential Role of Endogenous Heat Shock

Extracellular HSP90 associated with Ag peptides have been demonstrated to efﬁciently cross-prime T cells, following internalization by dendritic cells (DCs). In addition, the nature of cell-associated Ags required for cross-priming is implicated as peptides and proteins chaperoned by heat shock protein (HSP). However, the role of endogenous HSP in DCs during cross-presentation remains elusive. In this paper, we show that endogenous HSP90 is essential for cross-presentation of both soluble and cell-associated Ags in DCs. Cross-presentation of soluble OVA and OVA-loaded transporter associated with Ag processing-1– deﬁcient cells by bone marrow-derived DCs and DC-like cell line DC2.4 was profoundly blocked by HSP90 inhibitors, whereas presentation of endogenously expressed OVA was only partially suppressed. Assays using small interfering RNA and heat shock factor-1–deﬁcient DCs (with defective expression of HSP90 a ) revealed the pivotal role of HSP90 a in cross-presentation. The results suggest that in addition to HSP90 in Ag donor cells, endogenous HSP90 in DCs plays an essential role during Ag cross-presentation and, moreover, points to a link between heat shock factor-1–dependent induction of HSP90 a within DC and cytotoxic T cell immunity. The Journal of Immunology , 2010, 185: 000–000. called profound suppression of cross-presentation, although it showed only partial inhibition in presentation of endogenously expressed Ag, thus, direct presentation. Experiments using small interfering RNA (siRNA) demonstrated that inducible form of HSP90, HSP90 a , plays a dominant role in cross-presentation and so does HSP90 b but to a lesser extent. We also report that HSF-1–deﬁcient bone marrow-derived DCs (BMDCs) (H-2 b ), whose expression of HSP90 a is mainly defective, are less efﬁcient in their cross-presentation ability compared with normal BMDCs, whereas they are nearly comparable in direct Ag presentation. Our results indicate that endogenous HSP90 in DCs plays a pivotal role in cross-presentation pathway and that the mechanism is at least different from its role in endogenous MHC I processing pathway.
Surface circulation and upwelling patterns around Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka occupies a unique location within the equatorial belt in the northern Indian Ocean, with the Arabian Sea on its western side and the Bay of Bengal on its eastern side, and experiences bi-annually reversing monsoon winds. Aggregations of blue whale ( Balaenoptera musculus ) have been observed along the southern coast of Sri Lanka during the northeast (NE) monsoon, when satellite imagery indicates lower productivity in the surface waters. This study explored elements of the dynamics of the surface circulation and coastal upwelling in the waters around Sri Lanka using satellite imagery and numerical simulations using the Regional Ocean Modelling System (ROMS). The model was run for 3 years to examine the seasonal and shorter-term (~10 days) variability. The results reproduced correctly the reversing current system, between the Equator and Sri Lanka, in response to the changing wind field: the eastward flowing Southwest Monsoon Current (SMC) during the southwest (SW) monsoon transporting 11.5 Sv (mean over 2010–2012) and the westward flowing Northeast Monsoon Current (NMC) transporting 9.6 Sv during the NE monsoon, respectively. A recirculation feature located to the east of Sri Lanka during the SW monsoon, the Sri Lanka Dome, is shown to result from the interaction between the SMC and the island of Sri Lanka. Along the eastern and western coasts, during both monsoon periods, flow is southward converging along the southern coast. During the SW monsoon, the island deflects the eastward flowing SMC southward, whilst along the eastern coast, the southward flow results from the Sri Lanka Dome recirculation. The major upwelling region, during both monsoon periods, is located along the southern coast, resulting from southward flow converging along the southern coast and subsequent divergence associated with the offshore transport of water. Higher surface chlorophyll concentrations were observed during the SW monsoon. The location of the flow convergence and hence the upwelling centre was dependent on the relative strengths of wind-driven flow along the eastern and western coasts: during the SW (NE) monsoon, the flow along the western (eastern) coast was stronger, migrating the upwelling centre to the east (west).
Alternative splicing at GYNNGY 5′ splice sites: more noise, less regulation

Numerous eukaryotic genes are alternatively spliced. Recently, deep transcriptome sequencing has skyrocketed proportion of alternatively spliced genes; over 95% human multi-exon genes are alternatively spliced. One fundamental question is: are all these alternative splicing (AS) events functional? To look into this issue, we studied the most common form of alternative 5′ splice sites—GYNNGYs (Y = C/T), where both GYs can function as splice sites. Global analyses suggest that splicing noise (due to stochasticity of splicing process) can cause AS at GYNNGYs, evidenced by higher AS frequency in non-coding than in coding regions, in non-conserved than in conserved genes and in lowly expressed than in highly expressed genes. However, ∼20% AS GYNNGYs in humans and ∼3% in mice exhibit tissue-dependent regulation. Consistent with being functional, regulated GYNNGYs are more conserved than unregulated ones. And regulated GYNNGYs have distinctive sequence features which may confer regulation. Particularly, each regulated GYNNGY comprises two splice sites more resembling each other than unregulated GYNNGYs, and has more conserved downstream flanking intron. Intriguingly, most regulated GYNNGYs may tune gene expression through coupling with nonsense-mediated mRNA decay, rather than encode different proteins. In summary, AS at GYNNGY 5′ splice sites is primarily splicing noise, and secondarily a way of regulation.
Algorithms for computing backbones of propositional formulae

The problem of propositional satisfiability (SAT) has found a number of applications in both theoretical and practical computer science. In many applications, however, knowing a formula's satisfiability alone is insufficient. Often, some other properties of the formula need to be computed. This article focuses on one such property: the backbone of a formula, which is the set of literals that are true in all the formula's models. Backbones find theoretical applications in characterization of SAT problems and they also find practical applications in product configuration or fault localization. This article overviews existing algorithms for backbone computation and introduces two novel ones. Further, an extensive evaluation of the algorithms is presented. This evaluation demonstrates that one of the novel algorithms significantly outperforms the existing ones.
Merger dynamics of the pair of galaxy clusters - A399 and A401

Convincing evidence for a past interaction between the two rich clusters A399 and A401 was recently found in the X-ray imaging observations. We examine the structure and dynamics of this pair of galaxy clusters. A mixture-modeling algorithm was applied to obtain a robust partition into two clusters, which allowed us to discuss the virial mass and velocity distribution of each cluster. Assuming that these two clusters follow a linear orbit and they have once experienced a close encounter, we model the binary cluster as a two-body system. As a result, four gravitationally bound solutions are obtained. The recent X-ray observations seem to favor a scenario in which the two clusters with a true separation of 5.4h−1 Mpc are currently expanding at 583 km s-1 along a direction with a projection angle of 67.5°, and they will reach a maximum extent of 5.65 h−1 Mpc in about 1.0 h−1 Gyr.
Percolation-theory based density derivations of wireless sensor network nodes for preventing exposure paths

Deriving the critical density to achieve region coverage for random sensor-nodes deployments is a fundamentally important problem in the area of wireless sensor networks. Most existing works on region coverage is based on the omnidirectional sensing model, and focus on full coverage model which ensures that every point in the deployment region is covered. In this paper, we consider coverage problem from a different point of view. We propose a percolation theory based model to solve the exposure path problem for omnidirectional and directional sensor networks, respectively. We start with converting the exposure path problem into a typical site percolation model, and then derive the critical densities according to the percolation threshold under random sensor deployment where sensors are deployed according to a 2-dimensional Poisson process. We evaluate our proposed model by simulations.
A Rhodococcus qsdA-Encoded Enzyme Defines a Novel Class of Large-Spectrum Quorum-Quenching Lactonases

ABSTRACT A gene involved in N-acyl homoserine lactone (N-AHSL) degradation was identified by screening a genomic library of Rhodococcus erythropolis strain W2. This gene, named qsdA (for quorum-sensing signal degradation), encodes an N-AHSL lactonase unrelated to the two previously characterized N-AHSL-degrading enzymes, i.e., the lactonase AiiA and the amidohydrolase AiiD. QsdA is related to phosphotriesterases and constitutes the reference of a novel class of N-AHSL degradation enzymes. It confers the ability to inactivate N-AHSLs with an acyl chain ranging from C6 to C14, with or without substitution at carbon 3. Screening of a collection of 15 Rhodococcus strains and strains closely related to this genus clearly highlighted the relationship between the ability to degrade N-AHSLs and the presence of the qsdA gene in Rhodococcus. Bacteria harboring the qsdA gene interfere very efficiently with quorum-sensing-regulated functions, demonstrating that qsdA is a valuable tool for developing quorum-quenching procedures.
Effects of Imperfect Reference Signal Recovery on Performance of SC and SSC Receivers over Generalized Fading Channels

This paper presents the study of the effects of imperfect reference signal recovery on the bit error rate (BER) performance of dual-branch switch-and-stay combining (SSC) and multibranch selection combining (SC) receivers in a generalized - fading channel. The average BER of binary and quaternary phase shift keying (BPSK and QPSK) is derived under the assumption that the reference carrier signal is extracted from the received modulated signal. For SSC receiver the optimal switching threshold (in a minimum BER sense) is numerically evalu- ated. Hereby we determine and discuss the simultaneous influence of the average signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) per bit, fading severity, product phase-locked loop (PLL) bandwidthbit duration (BLTb), switching threshold of SSC and diversity order of SC on BER performance. The influ- ence of BLTb in different channel conditions and modula- tion formats is pointed out. The numerical results are confirmed by computer simulations.
Thermal conductivity enhancement of nanofluids containing graphene nanosheets

This paper envisages a mechanism of heat conduction behind the thermal conductivity enhancement observed in graphene nanofluids. Graphene nanofluids have been prepared, characterized, and their thermal conductivity was measured using the transient hot wire method. The enhancements in thermal conductivity are substantial even at lower concentrations and are not predicted by the classical Maxwell model. The enhancement also shows strong temperature dependence which is unlike its carbon predecessors, carbon nanotube (CNT) and graphene oxide nanofluids. It is also seen that the magnitude of enhancement is in-between CNT and metallic/metal oxide nanofluids. This could be an indication that the mechanism of heat conduction is a combination of percolation in CNT and Brownian motion and micro convection effects in metallic/metal oxide nanofluids, leading to a strong proposition of a hybrid model.
Somatosensory Abnormalities for Painful and Innocuous Stimuli at the Back and at a Site Distinct from the Region of Pain in Chronic Back Pain Patients

Chronic low back pain (CLBP) was shown to be associated with pathophysiological changes at several levels of the sensorimotor system. Changes in sensory thresholds have been reported but complete profiles of Quantitative Sensory Testing (QST) were only rarely obtained in CLBP patients. The aim of the present study was to investigate comprehensive QST profiles in CLBP at the painful site (back) and at a site distinct from their painful region (hand) and to compare these data with similar data in healthy controls. We found increased detection thresholds in CLBP patients compared to healthy controls for all innocuous stimuli at the back and extraterritorial to the painful region at the hand. Additionally, CLBP patients showed decreased pain thresholds at both sites. Importantly, there was no interaction between the investigated site and group, i.e. thresholds were changed both at the affected body site and for the site distinct from the painful region (hand). Our results demonstrate severe, widespread changes in somatosensory sensitivity in CLBP patients. These widespread changes point to alterations at higher levels of the neuraxis or/and to a vulnerability to nociceptive plasticity in CLBP patients.
Motor Programme Switching in the Ventilatory System of Carcinus Maenas: The Neuronal Basis of Bimodal Scaphognathite Beating

Intracellular recordings have been made from ventilatory neurones in semi-isolated and isolated thoracic ganglia of the crab Carcinus during spontaneous switching between the two motor programmes underlying forward and reversed beating of the scaphognathites (SGs). Ventilatory reversals are dependent upon the central activation of two subgroups of motoneurones which are normally silent, and different from those driving the same SG muscles during the forward rhythm. Two further subgroups of motoneurones remain active throughout both rhythm modes. The results suggest that both motor output patterns are produced mainly by periodic inhibitory synaptic input from the same oscillator network, and that neural switching between the rhythm modes occurs directly at the level of the motoneurones themselves. It appears that both sets of ‘forward’ and ‘reversal’ motoneurones are driven continuously throughout oscillator activity, and that bursting activity in these sets is gated by the selective application or removal of additional, tonic inhibition.
Bazinga! Consumo e performance sobre The Big Bang Theory no Filmow

Este artigo visa identificar consumo como performance da sitcom The Big Bang Theory no Filmow, site de rede social tematico para aficionados por filmes e series. Para tanto, o referencial teorico aborda, de modo articulado, as relacoes entre consumo digital, performance e sites de redes sociais tematicos, categorias de analise selecionadas para este estudo. Quanto a metodologia, essa pesquisa consiste em um nivel de pesquisa exploratorio, via levantamento bibliografico, documental e aplicacao de questionarios junto aos usuarios. A partir da analise de 698 comentarios de usuarios da pagina da sitcom, percebeu-se que, ao contrario do que se observa em sites de redes sociais generalistas, no Filmow, a estrutura do portal parece assegurar alocacao de capital social de segundo nivel (confianca no ambiente social e institucional), ao inves dos tipos de capital social de primeiro nivel (cognitivo, relacional e normativo), que, nesse caso, advem das interacoes entre os usuarios.
Dendritic Cells in the Periphery Control Antigen-Specific Natural and Induced Regulatory T Cells

Dendritic cells (DCs) are specialized antigen-presenting cells that regulate both immunity and tolerance. DCs in the periphery play a key role in expanding naturally occurring Foxp3+ CD25+ CD4+ regulatory T cells (Natural T-regs) and inducing Foxp3 expression (Induced T-regs) in Foxp3− CD4+ T cells. DCs are phenotypically and functionally heterogeneous, and further classified into several subsets depending on distinct marker expression and their location. Recent findings indicate the presence of specialized DC subsets that act to expand Natural T-regs or induce Foxp3+ T-regs from Foxp3− CD4+ T cells. For example, two major subsets of DCs in lymphoid organs act differentially in inducing Foxp3+ T-regs from Foxp3− cells or expanding Natural T-regs with model-antigen delivery by anti-DC subset monoclonal antibodies in vivo. Furthermore, DCs expressing CD103 in the intestine induce Foxp3+ T-regs from Foxp3− CD4+ T cells with endogenous TGF-β and retinoic acid. In addition, antigen-presenting DCs have a capacity to generate Foxp3+ T-regs in the oral cavity where many antigens and commensals exist, similar to intestine and skin. In skin and skin-draining lymph nodes, at least six DC subsets have been identified, suggesting a complex DC-T-reg network. Here, we will review the specific activity of DCs in expanding Natural T-regs and inducing Foxp3+ T-regs from Foxp3− precursors, and further discuss the critical function of DCs in maintaining tolerance at various locations including skin and oral cavity.
Serum selenium levels and prostate cancer risk

Abstract Some observational studies have shown that elevated serum selenium levels are associated with reduced prostate cancer risk; however, not all published studies support these results. A literature search of PubMed, Embase, Medline, and the Cochrane Library up until September 2016 identified 17 studies suitable for further investigation. A meta-analysis was conducted on these studies to investigate the association between serum selenium levels and subsequent prostate cancer risk. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to evaluate the overall OR of prostate cancer for the highest versus the lowest levels of serum selenium. We found a pooled OR (95% CI) of 0.76 (0.64, 0.91; P < 0.05). In subgroup analysis, an inverse association between serum selenium levels and prostate cancer risk was found in each of case–control studies, current and former smokers, high-grade cancer cases, advanced cancer cases, and different populations. Such correlations were not found for subgroups containing each of cohort studies, nonsmokers, low-grade cancer cases, and early stage cancer cases. In conclusion, our study suggests an inverse relationship between serum selenium levels and prostate cancer risk. However, further cohort studies and randomized control trials based on non-Western populations are required.
Fuzzy Nearest Feature Line-based Manifold Embedding for Facial Expression Recognition

Traditional nearest feature line (NFL) based subspace learning (NFLS) has been successfully applied in face recognition by capturing more variations of face images than original data set. However, it is suboptimal for pattern recognition due to that it only focuses on the within-class information while neglects the interaction between different classes. Besides, NFLS fails to detect the underlying manifold embedded in image space. In this paper, a novel manifold embedded extension of NFLS named fuzzy local nearest feature line (FLNFL) is developed for facial expression recognition. FLNFL achieves its high classification performance by combining graph embedded projection with fuzzy set theory in a Fisher type of learning manner. It not only considers the intrinsic similarity between data points, but also exploits fuzzy assignment technique to investigate inherent uncertainties in expression images arise from variety of illumination, posture, and viewing directions. After this mapping, therefore, the transformed features can reflect both local geometry and intrinsic class assignment of the data set. Experimental results on two widely used facial expression databases suggest that the proposed method provides a better representation of expression features and yields promising performance in facial expression recognition.