Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
EMG prosthetic hand controller discriminating ten motions using real-time learning method

We discuss the necessity of a learning mechanism for an EMG prosthetic hand controller, and the real-time learning method is proposed and designed. This method divides the controller into three units. The analysis unit extracts useful informations for discriminating motions from the EMG. The adaptation unit learns the relation between EMG and control command and adapts operator's characteristics. The trainer unit makes the adaptation unit learn in real-time. Experiments show that the proposed controller discriminates ten forearm motions, which contain four wrist motions and six hand motions, and learns within 4/spl sim/25 minutes. The average of the discriminating rate is 91.5%.
On the kth Eigenvalues of Trees with Perfect Matchings

Let Τ + 2p be the set of all trees on 2p (p≥ 1) vertices with perfect matchings. In this paper, we prove that for any tree T in Τ + 2p , its k -th largest eigenvalue λ k (T) satisfies λ k (T)≤ 1 / 2 ( √{⌈p / k⌉-1}+ √{⌈p / k⌉+3}) (k=1,2,.,p) and show that this upper bound is the best possible when k=1 . The set of trees obtained from a tree on p vertices by joining a pendent vertex to each vertex of the tree, respectively, is denoted by Τ * 2p . We also prove that for any tree T in Τ * 2p , its k -th largest eigenvalue λ k (T) satisfies λ k (T)≤ 1 / 2 (√{ ⌊p / k ⌋-1}+√{ ⌊p / k ⌋+3}) (k=1,2,e,p) and show that this upper bound is the best possible when k=1 or p¬≡ 0 mod k . We further give the following inequality {λ} k * (2p)> 1 / 2(√{t-1-√{(k-1)/(t-k)}}+ √{t+3-√{(k-1)/(t-k)}}) t= ⌊p / k ⌋, where {λ} k ^* (2p) is the maximum value of the k -th largest eigenvalue of the trees in Τ * 2p . By this inequality, it is easy to see that the above upper bound on λ k (T) for T∈ Τ * 2p turns out to be asymptotically good when p≡ 0mod k .
Optimal Debt and Equity Values in the Presence of Chapter 7 and Chapter 11

Explicit presence of reorganization in addition to liquidation leads to conflicts of interest between borrowers and lenders. In the first–best outcome, reorganization adds value to both parties via higher debt capacity, lower credit spreads, and improved overall firm value. If control of the ex ante reorganization timing and the ex post decision to liquidate is given to borrowers, most of the benefits are appropriated by borrowers ex post. Lenders can restore the first–best outcome by seizing this control or by the ex post transfer of control rights. Reorganization is more likely and liquidation is less likely relative to the benchmark case with liquidation only.
Peak Running Velocity is Highly Related to Distance Running Performance

This study examined the relationship between the peak running velocity (PRV) obtained during a horizontal, incremental treadmill test and distance running performance in a group of highly-trained male (N = 14) and female (N = 9) distance runners. Performance (5 km run time) was assessed with a self-paced time trial under laboratory conditions in an attempt to minimize extraneous variables which could affect performance (i.e. environmental conditions, terrain, etc.); relationships with recent best 5 km race time were also determined. PRV was highly related to 5 km performance whether determined from the time trial (r2 = 0.94, p < 0.001) or recent race (r2 = 0.89, p < 0.001). A new finding was that PRV was similarly related to performance in both the male (r2 = 0.83, p < 0.001) and female (r2 = 0.80, p < 0.001) athletes. Peak running velocity is thus highly predictive of distance running performance in highly-trained endurance runners. This finding has important practical implications, as PRV can be measured without extensive metabolic equipment and/or invasive techniques.
Update on Ghrelin

Few peptide hormones have attracted as much attention of the scientific community as ghrelin, the natural secretagogue for growth hormone (GH) identified by M. Kojima et al. in 1999 [1], resulting in more than 4000 PubMed citations over the last ten years. The initial interest can be attributed to the ability of ghrelin to stimulate feeding in mammals, suggesting it as a potential target for the development of antiobesity drugs. Many studies investigating this issue have however revealed the complexity of the ghrelin system including the differential physiological effects of the three peptide products of the ghrelin gene: ghrelin, which is peri-translationally modified via acylation with the octanoic acid; des-acyl ghrelin that is not acylated or has lost its fatty acid residue; and obestatin, another bioactive peptide derived from the preproghrelin precursor. Most importantly, it has been realized that beside stimulation of GH secretion and increased feeding, ghrelin has multiple biological effects that would be important to preserve if aiming to antagonize ghrelin-mediated positive energy balance. Among these functions, ghrelin was found to regulate gastrointestinal motility and associated sensory functions, to modulate the reproductive and stress axes, mood and emotion, glucose metabolism, as well as affecting the cardiovascular system and renal function.
Pupil Achievement, School Resources and Family Background

Whether increasing resource use in schools has a positive effect on pupil performance has occupied governments, parents and researchers for decades. A main challenge when trying to answer this question is to separate the effects of school resources from the effects of pupils' family background, since resources may be allocated in a compensatory manner, and pupils may sort into schools. We address these issues using a comprehensive dataset for two cohorts of pupils graduating from lower secondary school in Norway. The dataset is rich in performance measures, resource use variables and family background variables. As performance measures we use results at age 16 across 11 subjects, and we exploit the fact that we have both information from results from national exams and from continuous assessment in class. Controlling for family background, we find a positive but modest effect of resource quantity such as teacher hours per pupil, on pupil achievement. Observable teacher qualifications, within the variation present in lower secondary school in Norway, do not appear to have significant effects on school results. Resource quality as measured by teacher characteristics does not appear to have a significant impact on pupils' marks. We find clear evidence of compensating resource allocation and teacher sorting as well as relative setting of marks.
Neural coding and decoding: communication channels and quantization

We present a novel analytical approach for studying neural encoding. As a first step we model a neural sensory system as a communication channel. Using the method of typical sequence in this context, we show that a coding scheme is an almost bijective relation between equivalence classes of stimulus/response pairs. The analysis allows a quantitative determination of the type of information encoded in neural activity patterns and, at the same time, identification of the code with which that information is represented. Due to the high dimensionality of the sets involved, such a relation is extremely difficult to quantify. To circumvent this problem, and to use whatever limited data set is available most efficiently, we use another technique from information theory - quantization. We quantize the neural responses to a reproduction set of small finite size. Among many possible quantizations, we choose one which preserves as much of the informativeness of the original stimulus/response relation as possible, through the use of an information-based distortion function. This method allows us to study coarse but highly informative approximations of a coding scheme model, and then to refine them automatically when more data become available.
Infrastructuring, collaboration and evolving socio-material practices of changing our world

The workshop will examine issues around emerging participation in (re-)designing technological and/or societal infrastructures. Contributions should provide cases and/or methodological reflections on connecting ongoing social or professional practices involving infrastructure usages with emerging and/or collaborative processes of changing/improving those infrastructures. Contributions may provide an analytical perspective or methods/tools to stimulate and support processes and activities of infrastructuring.
Further observations on the effect of de-afferentation on the locomotory activity of amphibian limbs.

1. An examination of a large number of toads has confirmed the conclusion that unilateral integrity of the sensory and motor nerve supply to one segment is necessary for the maintenance of the normal diagonal pattern of ambulation. The site of the intact segment is immaterial; segments of the body are equally effective as those of a limb provided the number of sensory nerve fibres is approximately the same. 2. If three limbs and the body are de-afferentated, a stimulus applied to the fourth intact limb can evoke well co-ordinated ambulation in all four limbs. If the motor roots of the fourth limb are cut, a stimulus applied to this limb invariably elicits only a monophasic response in each of the remaining three limbs. The nature of the monophasic response is always such as tends to move the body away from the source of stimulation. 3. A central nervous system totally isolated from stimulation of proprioceptor or labyrinthine origin cannot sustain co-ordinated movements of a toad either on land or in water.
Revisiting ERP systems: benefit realization

Many companies initially implemented their ERP systems to solve Y2K and disparate systems issues. These same companies are now looking at a how to strategically leverage their investment in these systems through the implementation "second wave" functionality. This paper identifies the expected and actual benefits of "second wave" implementations. In addition it identifies barriers, which limit the benefit realization. The findings reinforce that ERP implementations are people focused projects which rely heavily on change management for success.
Ceramide displaces cholesterol from lipid rafts and decreases the association of the cholesterol binding protein caveolin-1 Published, JLR Papers in Press, May 1, 2005. DOI 10.1194/jlr.M500060-JLR200

Addition of exogenous ceramide causes a significant displacement of cholesterol in lipid raft model membranes. However, whether ceramide-induced cholesterol displacement is sufficient to alter the protein composition of caveolin-enriched lipid raft membranes is unknown. Therefore, we examined whether increasing endogenous ceramide levels with bacterial sphingomyelinase (bSMase) depleted cholesterol and changed the protein composition of caveolin-enriched membranes (CEMs) isolated from immortalized Schwann cells. bSMase increased ceramide levels severalfold and decreased the cholesterol content of detergent-insoluble CEMs by 25–50% within 2 h. To examine the effect of ceramide on the protein composition of the CEMs, we performed a quantitative proteomic analysis using stable isotope labeling of cells in culture and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Although ceramide rapidly depleted lipid raft cholesterol, the levels of the cholesterol binding protein caveolin-1 (Cav-1) decreased by 25% only after 8 h. Importantly, replenishing the cells with cholesterol rapidly reversed the loss of Cav-1 from the CEMs. Ceramide-induced cholesterol depletion increased the association of 5′-nucleotidase and ATP synthase β-subunit with the CEMs but had a minimal effect on changing the abundance of other lipid raft proteins, such as flotillin-1 and G-proteins. These results suggest that the ceramide-induced loss of cholesterol from CEMs may contribute to altering the lipid raft proteome.
Higher Usual Dietary Intake of Phytoestrogens Is Associated With Lower Aortic Stiffness in Postmenopausal Women

Objective—Phytoestrogens have been postulated to protect against cardiovascular diseases, but few studies have focused on the effect of Western dietary phytoestrogen intake. Methods and Results—Four hundred three women with natural menopause either between 1987 and 1989 or between 1969 and 1979 were selected from the baseline data of the PROSPECT study (n=17 395). Isoflavone and lignan intake was calculated from a food-frequency questionnaire. Aortic stiffness was noninvasively assessed by pulse-wave velocity measurement of the aorta. Linear regression analysis was used. After adjustment for age, body mass index, smoking, physical activity, mean arterial pressure, follow-up time, energy intake, dietary fiber intake, glucose, and high density lipoprotein cholesterol, increasing dietary isoflavone intake was associated with decreased aortic stiffness: −0.51 m/s (95% CI −1.00 to −0.03, fourth versus first quartile, P for trend=0.07). Increasing dietary intake of lignans was also associated with decreased aortic pulse-wave velocity: −0.42 m/s (95% CI −0.93 to 0.11, fourth versus first quartile, P for trend=0.06). Results were most pronounced in older women: for isoflavones, −0.94 m/s (95% CI −1.65 to −0.22, P for trend=0.02), and for lignans, −0.80 m/s (95% CI −1.85 to −0.05), fourth versus first quartile. Conclusions—The results of our study support the view that phytoestrogens have a protective effect on the risk of atherosclerosis and arterial degeneration through an effect on arterial walls, especially among older women.
Why live a life when one can live a dream ?

More than most other web applications, Second Life illustrates the potential of the Internet to amplify the fragmentation of human personality by inducing a manifold of "dummy identities" strictly dissociated between each other as well as from the piloting core personality behind the screen. In contrast to partialized offline identities as they emerge as correlates of "crossing social circles" (Georg Simmel), they transport only cues that are consciously intended and that are permanently amenable to intentional change. It is speculated that such "distributed personhood" is functional for freeing personal presence, interpersonal interactions and social memberships from the limitations of time and space, but that it has disintegrative effects which call for counteracting face-to-face interactions.
Coral-Derived Compound WA-25 Inhibits Angiogenesis by Attenuating the VEGF/VEGFR2 Signaling Pathway

Background: WA-25 (dihydroaustrasulfone alcohol, a synthetic derivative of marine compound WE-2) suppresses atherosclerosis in rats by reducing neointima formation. Because angiogenesis plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, the present study investigated the angiogenic function and mechanism of WA-25. Methods: The angiogenic effect of WA-25 was evaluated using a rat aortic ring assay and transgenic zebrafish models were established using transgenic Tg(fli-1:EGFP)y1 and Tg(kdrl:mCherryci5-fli1a:negfpy7) zebrafish embryos. In addition, the effect of WA-25 on distinct angiogenic processes, including matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) expression, endothelial cell proliferation and migration, as well as tube formation, was studied using human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). The effect of WA-25 on the endothelial vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) signaling pathway was elucidated using qRT-PCR, immunoblot analysis, immunofluorescence and flow cytometric analyses. Results: The application of WA-25 perturbed the development of intersegmental vessels in transgenic zebrafish. Moreover, WA-25 potently suppressed microvessel sprouting in organotypic rat aortic rings. Among cultured endothelial cells, WA-25 significantly and dose-dependently inhibited MMP-2/MMP-9 expression, proliferation, migration and tube formation in HUVECs. Mechanistic studies revealed that WA-25 significantly reduced the VEGF release by reducing VEGF expression at the mRNA and protein levels. In addition, WA-25 reduced surface VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR2/Flk-1) expression by repressing the VEGFR2 mRNA level. Finally, an exogenous VEGF supply partially rescued the WA-25-induced angiogenesis blockage in vitro and in vivo. Conclusions: WA-25 is a potent angiogenesis inhibitor that acts through the down-regulation of VEGF and VEGFR2 in endothelial cells. General Significance: WA-25 may constitute a novel anti-angiogenic drug that acts by targeting endothelial VEGF/VEGFR2 signaling.
Supporting Conference Attendees with Visual Decision Making Interfaces

Recent efforts in recommender systems research focus increasingly on human factors affecting recommendation acceptance, such as transparency and user control. In this paper, we present IntersectionExplorer, a scalable visualization to interleave the output of several recommender engines with user-contributed relevance information, such as bookmarks and tags. Two user studies at conferences indicate that this approach is well suited for technical audiences in smaller venues, and allowed the identification of applicability limitations for less technical audiences attending larger events.
Cell-Tree: A cost-efficient and flat network topology for data centers

The data center is an important infrastructure for cloud service. With the rapid development of cloud computing, numerous challenges such as cross-platform requirements, network bandwidth, virtual machine migration, privacy and security emerge. Traditional topologies face some problems such as poor scalability, complicated management and inflexible communication. However, the huge cost of thousands of servers and switches is also a bottleneck for many companies to build or scale up data centers. This paper proposes a cost-efficient and flat topology, named Cell-Tree. It can achieve good performance and provide relatively high network capacity under a low cost. Accordingly, we designed a new communication mechanism and routing algorithm. The simulation shows that Cell-Tree has a relatively good performance with the cost significantly decreased.
Gene Expression Associated with Early and Late Chronotypes in Drosophila melanogaster

The circadian clock provides the temporal framework for rhythmic behavioral and metabolic functions. In the modern era of industrialization, work, and social pressures, clock function is jeopardized, and can result in adverse and chronic effects on health. Understanding circadian clock function, particularly individual variation in diurnal phase preference (chronotype), and the molecular mechanisms underlying such chronotypes may lead to interventions that could abrogate clock dysfunction and improve human (and animal) health and welfare. Our preliminary studies suggested that fruit-flies, like humans, can be classified as early rising “larks” or late rising “owls,” providing a convenient model system for these types of studies. We have identified strains of flies showing increased preference for morning emergence (Early or E) from the pupal case, or more pronounced preference for evening emergence (Late or L). We have sampled pupae the day before eclosion (fourth day after pupariation) at 4 h intervals in the E and L strains, and examined differences in gene expression by RNA-seq. We have identified differentially expressed transcripts between the E and L strains, which provide candidate genes for subsequent studies of Drosophila chronotypes and their human orthologs.
Distinguishing Between Stroke and Mimic at the Bedside: The Brain Attack Study

Background and Purpose— The bedside clinical assessment of the patient with suspected stroke has not been well studied. Improving clinical skills may accelerate patient progress through the emergency department. We aimed to determine the frequency and nature of stroke mimics and to identify the key clinical features that distinguish between stroke and mimic at the bedside. Methods— Consecutive presentations to an urban teaching hospital with suspected stroke were recruited. A standard bedside clinical assessment was performed. The final diagnosis was determined by an expert panel, which had access to clinical features, brain imaging, and other tests. Univariate and multivariate analyses determined the bedside features that distinguished stroke from mimic. Results— There were 350 presentations by 336 patients. The final diagnosis was stroke in 241 of 350 (69%) and mimic in 109 (31%). The mimics included 44 events labeled “possible stroke or TIA. ” Eight items independently predicted the diagnosis in patients presenting with brain attack: cognitive impairment and abnormal signs in other systems suggested a mimic, an exact time of onset, definite focal symptoms, abnormal vascular findings, presence of neurological signs, being able to lateralize the signs to the left or right side of the brain, and being able to determine a clinical stroke subclassification suggested a stroke. Conclusions— The bedside clinical assessment can be streamlined substantially. This has important implications for teaching less experienced clinicians how to assess the patient with suspected stroke.
An efficient connectivity compression for triangular meshes

Edgebreaker and valence-driven approaches use split operations to separate the 3D model into two components. These algorithms raise some bottlenecks for spending increased overheads to record the displacement, or an extra operator is needed for identifying the branch. This study applies an edge-based compression strategy, and proposes using the J operator to skip to the next edge of the active boundary. By using Q operator, two triangles are encoded to improve compression ratio. Additionally, the method requires neither splitting model topology nor multiple passes to achieve a good compression rate. To increase the compression ratio, the adaptive arithmetic coder was applied to compress the CQRU string. The experimental results demonstrate that an excellent compression ratio can be obtained, the average compression ratio with the proposed model is better than that with the valence-driven and Edgebreaker methods. The entropy/compression ratio relation curve of the variance-driven method has strong vibration, and the proposed algorithm exhibits coherent tendency. The proposed algorithm has a fixed number and value distribution of operators, and thus only considers the context between operators in achieving the best compression ratio.
THE UNIVERSAL MINIMAL SYSTEM FOR THE GROUP OF HOMEOMORPHISMS OF THE CANTOR SET

Each topological group G admits a unique universal minimal dy- namical system (M(G);G). For a locally compact non-compact group this is a nonmetrizable system with a rich structure, on which G acts eectively. However there are topological groups for which M(G) is the trivial one point system (extremely amenable groups), as well as topological groups G for which M(G) is a metrizable space and for which one has an explicit description. In this paper we show that for the topological group G = Homeo(E) of self home- omorphisms of the Cantor set E, with the topology of uniform convergence, the universal minimal system (M(G);G) is isomorphic to Uspenskij's 'max- imal chains' dynamical system (';G) in 22 E . In particular it follows that M(G) is homeomorphic to the Cantor set. Our main tool is the 'dual Ram- sey theorem', a corollary of Graham and Rothschild's Ramsey's theorem for n-parameter sets. This theorem is used to show that every minimal symbolic G-system is a factor of (';G) and then a general procedure for analyzing G- actions of zero dimensional topological groups is used to show that (M(G);G) is isomorphic to (';G).