Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Development of an Eco-Driving Simulation Training System with Natural and Haptic Interaction in Virtual Reality Environments

Road transport is one of the major causes of the environmental pollution. Among the actions individuals can take to reduce their green-house gases associated with personal transportation, there is to operate their current vehicles more efficiently. Behavioral theory strongly confirms that the most important educational element in changing driver behavior is the direct feedback while driving on an immediate and continuous basis. Gamification has been positioned as a powerful approach, tool, or set of techniques that guides targeted behavior change and improves the way that various activities are undertaken so that those involved begin to take the desired actions while they experience more fun, enjoyment, and pleasure in their tasks. Building on this direction, we present conceptual approach of an eco-driving simulation system that aims to train drivers to follow eco-driving rules simulating the augmented reality technology in virtual driving games. The proposed system provides: i) an efficient way to study the effect of AR games responsible for monitoring driving behavior and delivering action personalized plans that will help user to maintain a green driving style without distracting them from safe driving and ii) a multiplayer gaming environment where users can monitor the eco-driving score evolution, set missions and invite other to participate collaboratively or competitively.
Distributed under Creative Commons Cc-by 4.0 the Evolution of Logic Circuits for the Purpose of Protein Contact Map Prediction

Predicting protein structure from sequence remains a major open problem in protein biochemistry. One component of predicting complete structures is the prediction of inter-residue contact patterns (contact maps). Here, we discuss protein contact map prediction by machine learning. We describe a novel method for contact map prediction that uses the evolution of logic circuits. These logic circuits operate on feature data and output whether or not two amino acids in a protein are in contact or not. We show that such a method is feasible, and in addition that evolution allows the logic circuits to be trained on the dataset in an unbiased manner so that it can be used in both contact map prediction and the selection of relevant features in a dataset.
Unsupervised model-free camera calibration algorithm for robotic applications

This paper presents an algorithm for camera calibration. The algorithm, inspired by work in the field of developmental robotic on the concept of space in naive agents, is particularly suitable for robotic applications: it is completely unsupervised, and it does not assume any model of the camera, making it applicable to many kinds of optical devices. Testing of the algorithm, in a simulated environment, shows very good results, outperforming the main unsupervised and model-free calibration algorithm in the literature.
Production of Wnt4b by floor plate cells is essential for the segmental patterning of the vertebral column in medaka

The floor plate is a key organizer that controls the specification of neurons in the central nervous system. Here, we show a new role of the floor plate: segmental pattern formation of the vertebral column. Analysis of a spontaneous medaka mutant, fused centrum (fsc), which exhibits fused centra and the absence of the intervertebral ligaments, revealed that fsc encodes wnt4b, which was expressed exclusively in the floor plate. In fsc mutants, we found that wnt4b expression was completely lost in the floor plate and that abnormal conversion of the intervertebral ligament cells into osteoblasts appeared to cause a defect of the intervertebral ligaments. The establishment of the transgenic rescue lines and mosaic analyses allowed the conclusion to be drawn that production of wnt4b by floor plate cells is essential for the segmental patterning of the vertebral column. Our findings provide a novel perspective on the mechanism of vertebrate development.
Analysis of spectral measures for voiced speech with varying noise and perturbation levels

A number of spectral measurements involving the amplitude of the first harmonic and two general spectral tilt ratios, are systematically investigated using synthetically generated speech signals with varying amounts of jitter, shimmer and noise levels. Certain spectral tilt measures are shown to provide perturbation-free measurements of noise levels in synthesized speech signals. These spectral tilt measures are then tested on real speech signals and are shown to be relatively good noise comparators in the measurement of pre- and post-treatment levels of noise in the speech of subjects with voice disorders.
Serotonin Regulates Type II Hippocampal Cell Cultures Corticosteroid Receptor Binding

Previous work from our laboratory has shown that early postnatal handling of rat pups permanently increases hippocampal type II, but not type I, corticosteroid receptor binding. Handling also increases hippocampal 5-HT turnover, and the effect of handling on type II cotticosteroid receptor binding is blocked by concurrent administration of the 5-HT, receptor antagonist ketanserin. In view of these findings, the present studies examined the effects of 5-HT on type I ([3H]corticosterone) and type II ([3H]RU 28382) corticosteroid receptor binding in dispersed hippocampal cell cultures derived from animals killed at E19-20 in order to verify that 5HT can act directly on hippocampal cells to alter corticosteroid receptor binding. Both type I and type II receptors were measurable in cultured hippocampal cells and the apparent affinity (K,) for [3H]corticosterone (0.4 & 0.1 nM) and r3H]RU 28382 (0.8 -t 0.1 nM) was similar to that from studies with intact animals. 5-HT increased type II, but not type I, corticosteroid receptor binding capacity in a dose-related manner, with the maximal effect (+ 188%) observed at 10 nu 5-HT and no change in the affinity of the receptor for r3H]RU 28362. The effect of 10 nM 5-HT on [3H]RU 28362 binding required a minimum of 4 d exposure and persisted for at least 7 d following the removal of 5-HT. The effect of 10 niv 5-HT on [3H]RU 28362 binding was completely blocked by the SHT, receptor antagonists ketanserin and mianserin. There were no effects of the 5-HT,, antagonist, BMY 7378, or the 5-HT, antagonist, MDL 72222. The 5-HT, agonists + DOI, TFMPP, and quipazine significantly increased r3H]RU 28362 binding in cultured hippocampal cells. There was no effect of 8-OH-DPAT (5-HT,, agonist) or P-methyl-5-HT (5-HT, agonist). Finally, we demonstrated high affinity (/Cd = 0.4 ? 0.1 nM), saturable [1251] 7-amino-8-iodo-ketanserin binding, confirming the presence of 5-HT, receptors in hippocampal cell cultures. These data suggest that 5-HT can regulate type II, but not type I, corticosteroid receptor in cultured hippocampal cells most likely through an interaction with a 5-HT, receptor. Taken together with our recent in vivo studies, these data indicate that 5-HT mediates the developmental changes
Are Sponsored Links Effective? Investigating the Impact of Trust in Search Engine Advertising

As information on the Internet grows exponentially, online users primarily rely on search engines (SEs) to locate e-commerce sites for online shopping. To generate revenue while providing free service to users, SE companies offer sponsored link (SL) placements to e-commerce sites that want to appear in the first SE results page. However, the lack of users’ trust in SE advertising indicates that SEs should utilize strategies to project trustworthiness on this mechanism. Despite these insights, the role of users’ trust in the operation of SE advertising is still an unexplored territory. To address this issue, a theoretical model was synthesized from the social psychology literature, the marketing literature, and the trust literature to investigate the factors that may pose impacts on the effectiveness of SE advertising by influencing users’ perception of both cognitive and emotional trust. A laboratory experiment was conducted. The findings document the importance of incorporating emotional components of trust in the study of online communication by showing that emotional dimension of trust is different from and complementary to cognitive trust in facilitating online communication. The findings also provide valuable implications for practitioners to design and provide more effective SLs that can benefit all parties involved.
Tumor- and Neoantigen-Reactive T-cell Receptors Can Be Identified Based on Their Frequency in Fresh Tumor

Effective adoptive T-cell therapy requires multiple tumor-epitope reactive T-cell clones. Fresh TILs were found to frequently contain such cells. Their TCRs were rapidly isolated based only on their frequency and could be used for personalized TCR-gene therapy. Adoptive transfer of T cells with engineered T-cell receptor (TCR) genes that target tumor-specific antigens can mediate cancer regression. Accumulating evidence suggests that the clinical success of many immunotherapies is mediated by T cells targeting mutated neoantigens unique to the patient. We hypothesized that the most frequent TCR clonotypes infiltrating the tumor were reactive against tumor antigens. To test this hypothesis, we developed a multistep strategy that involved TCRB deep sequencing of the CD8+PD-1+ T-cell subset, matching of TCRA–TCRB pairs by pairSEQ and single-cell RT-PCR, followed by testing of the TCRs for tumor-antigen specificity. Analysis of 12 fresh metastatic melanomas revealed that in 11 samples, up to 5 tumor-reactive TCRs were present in the 5 most frequently occurring clonotypes, which included reactivity against neoantigens. These data show the feasibility of developing a rapid, personalized TCR-gene therapy approach that targets the unique set of antigens presented by the autologous tumor without the need to identify their immunologic reactivity. Cancer Immunol Res; 4(9); 734–43. ©2016 AACR.
Understanding the relationship between technology use and cognitive presence in MOOCs

In this poster, we present the results of the study which examined the relationship between student differences in their use of the available technology and their perceived levels of cognitive presence within the MOOC context. The cognitive presence is a construct used to measure the level of practical inquiry in the Communities of Inquiry model. Our results revealed the existence of three clusters based on student technology use. The clusters significantly differed in terms of their levels of cognitive presence, most notably they differed on the levels of problem resolution.
Large Igneous Provinces and Plate Tectonics

© 2000 by the American Geophysical Union. Large Igenous Provinces (LIPs) constitute broad areas, > 10 5 km 2 , of mafic volcanic and plutonic rocks erupted over ~106 yr. Compared with plate dimensions, LIPs are smaller, localized features; they form both in plate interiors and at plate boundaries. LIPs originate in the mantle, via mass and energy transfer which acts both independently o￡ and in conjunction with, the wide-ranging upwellling systems producing new oceanic crust by sea floor spreading along the mid-oceanic ridge system. Plate tectonic theory does not readily explain the massive magmatism, which is most commonly attributed to mantle plumes. Most LIPs form in extensional oceanic or continental plate tectonic settings, suggesting a relationship with thinned lithosphere. Deformed LIP complexes in intraplate continental settings suggest formation throughout most of Earth history. The post-150 Ma LIP record reveals both many events and large melt volumes from 135-85 Ma, and a distinct decline since 50 Ma. These trends may reflect variations in mantle circulation and have links to global environmental change. Following formation, oceanic LIPs may be carried laterally by the plates to regions of plate convergence. Subsequent accretion of major LIPs into continental crust contributes episodically to continental growth.
A simple model of hillslope response for overland flow generation

This paper deals with the derivation of the hydrological response of a hillslope on the assumption of quick runoff by surface runoff generation. By using the simple non‐linear storage based model, first proposed by Horton, an analytical solution of the overland flow equations over a plane hillslope was derived. This solution establishes a generalization for different flow regimes of Horton's original solution, which is valid for the transitional flow regime only. The solution proposed was compared successfully with that of Horton and, for the turbulent flow regime, to the one derived from kinematic wave theory. This solution can be applied easily to both stationary and non‐stationary rainfall excess events. An analytical solution for the instantaneous response function (IRF) was also derived. Finally, simple expressions to compute peak and time to peak of IRF are proposed. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Distributed under Creative Commons Cc-by 4.0 Swarm: Robust and Fast Clustering Method for Amplicon-based Studies

Popular de novo amplicon clustering methods suffer from two fundamental flaws: arbitrary global clustering thresholds, and input-order dependency induced by cen-troid selection. Swarm was developed to address these issues by first clustering nearly identical amplicons iteratively using a local threshold, and then by using clusters' internal structure and amplicon abundances to refine its results. This fast, scalable, and input-order independent approach reduces the influence of clustering parameters and produces robust operational taxonomic units.
A tunable electrically small antenna for ground wave transmission

A tunable, electrically small, wire antenna is developed for HF/VHF ground wave transmission. A variable capacitor is serially connected to tune the resonant frequency of the antenna. The optimal position for the placement of the capacitor is evaluated by numerical simulation. The tuning range and sensitivity are also investigated. A prototype antenna is built and tested, and the measured tuning performance is compared to the simulation results. Transmission loss tests are carried out in several nonline-of-sight environments. The measured transmission loss of the tunable small antenna is found to be within 1 to 2 dB of that of a commercial whip across the tested frequency range.
A Novel Kalman Filter for Human Motion Tracking With an Inertial-Based Dynamic Inclinometer

Goal: Design and development of a linear Kalman filter to create an inertial-based inclinometer targeted to dynamic conditions of motion. Methods: The estimation of the body attitude (i.e., the inclination with respect to the vertical) was treated as a source separation problem to discriminate the gravity and the body acceleration from the specific force measured by a triaxial accelerometer. The sensor fusion between triaxial gyroscope and triaxial accelerometer data was performed using a linear Kalman filter. Wrist-worn inertial measurement unit data from ten participants were acquired while performing two dynamic tasks: 60-s sequence of seven manual activities and 90 s of walking at natural speed. Stereophotogrammetric data were used as a reference. A statistical analysis was performed to assess the significance of the accuracy improvement over state-of-the-art approaches. Results: The proposed method achieved, on an average, a root mean square attitude error of 3.6° and 1.8° in manual activities and locomotion tasks (respectively). The statistical analysis showed that, when compared to few competing methods, the proposed method improved the attitude estimation accuracy. Conclusion: A novel Kalman filter for inertial-based attitude estimation was presented in this study. A significant accuracy improvement was achieved over state-of-the-art approaches, due to a filter design that better matched the basic optimality assumptions of Kalman filtering. Significance: Human motion tracking is the main application field of the proposed method. Accurately discriminating the two components present in the triaxial accelerometer signal is well suited for studying both the rotational and the linear body kinematics.
Structured Sparse Channel Estimation for 3D-MIMO Systems

In this paper, a low-complexity sparse channel estimation scheme is proposed for massive three dimensional multi-input multi-output (3D-MIMO) systems. In outdoor propagation environment, 3D-MIMO channels exhibit joint sparseness in both temporal and angular domains, sharing the common support in delay domain. By taking prior knowledge of the structured sparseness, the proposed heuristic channel estimation method can greatly reduce the complexity of channel estimation, and achieve a near optimal performance. Simulation results verify the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.
Evaluation of the efficacy and safety of vilazodone for treating major depressive disorder

Purpose Vilazodone is a novel serotonin (5-HT)-reuptake inhibitor and 5-HT1A partial agonist that was recently developed for the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD). We conducted a meta-analysis and systematic review to better evaluate the efficacy and safety of vilazodone. Materials and methods We performed a thorough literature search to identify all randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trials that were designed to investigate the efficacy of vilazodone for the treatment of MDD, and that were published in electronic databases, including Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. A manual search was also conducted to investigate the relevant references of the retrieved studies. Subsequently, we conducted a meta-analysis and systematic literature review. Results A total of five randomized controlled trials were finally included, involving 1,200 patients with vilazodone and 1,193 patients with placebo. The primary efficacy end point of the Montgomery–Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (standardized mean difference −3.58, 95% confidence interval −4.59 to −2.56; P<0.00001), and the key secondary efficacy end points (Clinical Global Impression - Severity scale, Clinical Global Impression - Improvement scale, and Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale) indicated that vilazodone was more effective than placebo. Most common adverse events, including diarrhea and nausea, were evaluated, and safety assessments indicated that vilazodone was well tolerated (diarrhea odds ratio 3.54, 95% confidence interval 2.81–4.45; P<0.00001; nausea odds ratio 3.85, 95% confidence interval 3.00–4.96; P<0.00001; discontinuations due to adverse events odds ratio 2.71, 95% confidence interval 1.81–4.05; P<0.00001). Conclusion Our findings indicate that the novel antidepressant vilazodone is effective and safe for MDD, with a low occurrence of side effects. It offers promise as an effective oral drug for the treatment of MDD, with a balance of efficacy and tolerability.
The influence of fracture anisotropy on CO2 flow

Greenhouse gas mitigation through geological storage of carbon dioxide is dependent on rock formations storing CO2 effectively. Secure containment for periods of 100 × 105 years nee7ds to be verifiable. The effectiveness of geological storage is reliant on the chemical and physical properties of the geological storage complex and its ability to inhibit migration of CO2. Petroleum reservoir data and field evidence show that fracture networks often act as pathways for fluid movement, potentially allowing fluids to migrate to the surface within the time scale of interest. We demonstrate the importance of predicting the effects of fracture networks on flow, using a case study from the In Salah CO2 storage site, and show how fracture permeability is closely controlled by the stress regime determining the conductive fracture network. Our results demonstrate that fracture network prediction combined with present‐day stress analysis can be used to successfully predict CO2 movement in the subsurface.
On the secrecy of timing-based active watermarking trace-back techniques

Timing-based active watermarking schemes are developed to trace back attackers through stepping stone connections or anonymizing networks. By slightly changing packet timing, these schemes achieve robust correlation for encrypted network connections under timing perturbation. However, the manipulation on packet timing makes the schemes themselves a potential target of intelligent attackers. In this paper, we analyze the secrecy of the timing-based active watermarking techniques for tracing through stepping stones, and propose an attack scheme based on analyzing the packet delays between adjacent stepping stones. We develop attack techniques to infer important watermark parameters, and to recover and duplicate embedded watermarks. The resulting techniques enable an attacker to defeat the tracing systems in certain cases by removing watermarks from the stepping stone connections, or replicating watermarks in non-stepping stone connections. We also develop techniques to determine in real-time whether a stepping stone connection is being watermarked for trace-back purposes. We have performed substantial experiments using real-world data to evaluate these techniques. The experimental results demonstrate that for the watermark scheme being attacked (1) embedded watermarks can be successfully recovered and duplicated when the watermark parameters are not chosen carefully, and (2) the existence of watermarks in a network flow can always be quickly detected
Synchronization between tides and sustained oscillations of the hydrothermal system of Campi Flegrei (Italy)

Long continuous seismic data recorded at five broadband seismic stations during 2006 at Campi Flegrei caldera have been analyzed. Introducing a coarse‐grained method, we evaluate the time evolution of amplitude and polarization of the seismic noise in the frequency band common to long‐period events. The series are modulated on tidal time scales: the root‐mean square is basically dominated by solar contribution, while the azimuth of the polarization vector shows lunar diurnal and semidiurnal constituents. In addition, we find that in the frequency band common to long‐period events the azimuths are polarized toward a specific area, suggesting that these persistent oscillations can be induced by the activity of the shallow geothermal reservoir.
Evaluating Batching for TCP Offload

Ever increasing demand for performance and scalability in server networking has generated significant interest in offloading TCP processing to network adapters. The benefits of TCP offload result from its potential to reduce performance-limiting operations such as interrupts, cache misses, and I/O bus crossings. Exploiting this potential, however, is not easy. Design choices that improve performance for a given hardware configuration, workload or set of network characteristics can reduce performance under different conditions. We have evaluated a TCP offload prototype’s ability to reduce I/O bus crossings focusing on the impact of batching interactions between the host and adapter. Our analysis reveals that latency and the number of bus crossings are sensitive to some key parameters related to batching. We demonstrate the importance of these parameters to the viability of any TCP off-load design.