Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Longitudinal Study of Steller Sea Lion Natality Rates in the Gulf of Alaska with Comparisons to Census Data

Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus) numbers in the Western Distinct Population Segment are beginning to recover following the dramatic decline that began in the 1970s and ended around the turn of the century. Low female reproductive rates (natality) may have contributed to the decline and remain an issue of concern for this population. During the 2000s we found high natality among Steller sea lions in the Gulf of Alaska indicating a healthy population. This study extends these previous estimates over an additional three years and tests for interannual variations and long-term trends. We further examine the proportions of pups to adult females observed on the rookery and nearby haulouts during the birthing season to assess whether census data can be used to estimate natality. Open robust design multistate models were built and tested using Program MARK to estimate survival, resighting, and state transition probabilities in addition to other parameters dependent on whether or not a female gave birth in the previous year. Natality was estimated at 70% with some evidence of interannual variation but a long-term increasing or decreasing trend was not supported by the data. Bootstrap and regression comparisons of census data with natality estimates revealed no correlation between the two methods suggesting that census data are not an appropriate proxy for natality in this species. Longitudinal studies of individual animals are an appropriate method for estimating vital rates in species with variable detection over time such as the Steller sea lion. This work indicates that natality remains high in this region and is consistent with a population in recovery.
Evaluation of the Reliability of Soccer-Specific Field Tests

Mirkov, DM, Nedeljkovic, A, Kukolj, M, Ugarkovic, D, and Jaric, S. Evaluation of reliability of soccer-specific field tests. J Strength Cond Res 22: 1046-1050, 2008-The soccer-specific field tests are popular among coaches due to their simplicity, validity, and minimal use of equipment. Nevertheless, there is a general lack of data about their reliability, particularly regarding the tests of anaerobic performance. Twenty professional male soccer players performed 3 consecutive trials of the tests of throwing-in and standing-kick performance (the distance measured) as well as on timed 10-m sprint, flying 20-m sprint, running 10 × 5 m, zigzag running with and without the ball, and the skill index (i.e., the ratio of the zigzag running without and with the ball). With the exception of the throwing-in and standing kick, the evaluated tests revealed high intraclass correlation coefficients (i.e., >0.80), small within-individual variations (coefficient of variation, <4%), and sample sizes for detecting a 2% change in the tested performance that are either close to or below the standard size of a professional soccer squad. In addition to simplicity and face validity, most of the evaluated tests revealed high reliability. Therefore, the evaluated tests are recommended for sport-specific profiling and early selection of young athletes as well as for routine testing procedures that could detect effects of various intervention procedures. Regarding the throwing-in and standing-kick tests, direct measurement of the ball velocity (e.g., with a standard radar gun) is recommended.
Verification of Split&Shift techniques for CNN hardware reduction

The so-called split&shift (S&S) methodology has previously been introduced as an effective area saving technique for hardware implementation of cellular non-linear networks. This work provides the first experimental proof of such a methodology through a circuit implementation over an FPGA platform. Results of area, processing time and functionality of different instances of the S&S methodology are given.
Trans . on Components , Packaging , and Manufacturing Technology 1 Temperature Sensor Distribution , Measurement Uncertainty , and Data Interpretation for Microprocessor Hotspots

Microprocessor hotspots are pa major reliability concern with heat fluxes as much as 20 times greater than those found elsewhere on the chip. Chip hotspots also augment thermo-mechanical stress at chip-package interfaces which can lead to failure during cycling. Because highly localized, transient chip cooling is both technically challenging and costly, chip manufacturers are using dynamic thermal management (DTM) techniques that reduce hotspots by throttling chip power. While much attention has focused on methods for throttling power, relatively little research has considered the uncertainty inherent in measuring hotspots. The current work introduces a method to determine the accuracy and resolution at which the hotspot heat flux profile can be measured using distributed temperature sensors. The model is based on a novel, computationally-efficient, inverse heat transfer solution. The uncertainties in the hotspot location and intensity are computed for randomized chip heat flux profiles for varying sensor spacing, sensor vertical proximity, sensor error, and chip thermal properties. For certain cases the inverse solution method decreases mean absolute error in the heat flux profile by more than 30%. These results and simulation methods can be used to determine the optimal spacing of distributed temperature sensor arrays for hotspot management in chips. 2 Nomenclature Variables ܽ Width of chip, m ܾ Length of chip, m ݂ ௫ Sensor spatial frequency in the x-direction, m-1 ݂ ௬ Sensor spatial frequency in the y-direction, m-1 ℎ Convective heat transfer coefficient, W/m 2-K ݇ Thermal conductivity, W/m-K ܰ Number of random heat flux profiles tested ܳ′′ Heat flux, W/m 2 ܴ ௧௛ ᇱᇱ Chip vertical thermal resistance per unit area, W/m 2
Pure-tone intensity discrimination: some experiments relating to the "near-miss" to Weber's law.

Intensity DLs for pulsed tones (f = 1000 Hz) were determined at two sensation levels. As has previously been noted, discrimination was better at the higher level. The possibility that this effect reflects the subject's use of information from aural harmonics was tested using stimuli specifically designed to disrupt such information. These stimuli did affect discrimination, but only when they were at levels in excess of those which would be required by the usual estimates of aural harmonic magnitudes. Further experiments with interfering stimuli used three types of noise: wide‐band, high‐pass, and band‐stop. The noises had equal energies in the critical band around 1000 Hz and had spectrum levels in their respective pass‐bands of −60, −30, and −35 dB relative to the 1000‐Hz test tone. The noises had no effect on performance at the lower sensation level. At the higher level, performance was impaired, the greatest impairment being produced by the band‐stop noise, the least by the wide‐band noise. This was in.
A simplified LVI-based primal-dual neural network for repetitive motion planning of PA10 robot manipulator starting from different initial states

This paper presents a simplified primal-dual neural network based on linear variational inequalities (LVI) for online repetitive motion planning of PA10 robot manipulator. To do this, a drift-free criterion is exploited in the form of a quadratic function. In addition, the repetitive-motion-planning scheme could incorporate the joint limits and joint velocity limits simultaneously. Such a scheme is finally reformulated as a time-varying quadratic program (QP). As a QP real-time solver, the simplified LVI-based primal-dual neural network (LVI-PDNN) is designed based on the QP-LVI conversion and Karush-Kuhn-Tucker (KKT) conditions. It has a simple piecewise-linear dynamics and could globally exponentially converge to the optimal solution of strictly-convex quadratic-programs. The simplified LVI-PDNN model is simulated based on PA10 robot arm, and simulation results show the effective remedy of the joint angle drift problem of PA10 robot.
Adaptive reinforcement learning in box-pushing robots

In this paper, an adaptive state aggregation Q-Learning method, with the capability of multi-agent cooperation, was proposed to enhance the efficiency of reinforcement learning (RL) and applied to box-pushing tasks for humanoid robots. First, a decision tree was applied to partition the state space according to temporary differences in reinforcement learning, so that a real valued action domain could be represented by a discrete space. Furthermore, adaptive state Q-Learning, which is the modification of estimating Q-value by tabular or function approximation, was proposed to demonstrate the efficiency of reinforcement learning when a humanoid robot pushing a box was simulated. During the process of a robot pushing a box, because the box moves along with the direction the robot asserts force and the pushing point on the box, the robot needs to learn how to adjust angles, avoid obstacles, keep gravity, and push the box to the target point. From the simulation results, the proposed method shows its learning efficiency outperforms the Q-Learning without using adaptive states.
Hippocampal gamma oscillations increase with working memory load

Functional imaging has implicated a diverse network of brain regions supporting working memory—the capacity to maintain multiple item representations over brief intervals. However, considerable controversy surrounds the role of the hippocampus in working memory. To simultaneously examine both hippocampal and neocortical contributions to working memory, we recorded electroencephalographic activity from 1,454 widespread cortical and subcortical sites as 20 neurosurgical patients performed working memory tasks involving either letters or faces. These recordings revealed significant increases in 28‐128 Hz gamma oscillatory power and significant decreases in 4‐9 Hz theta oscillatory power with increasing memory load for both letters and faces. Sites exhibiting gamma increases with memory load appeared primarily in the hippocampus and medial temporal lobe, whereas those exhibiting decreases in theta activity appeared primarily in visual and temporal cortex. These findings implicate theta and gamma oscillatory activity in the maintenance of both letters and faces in working memory, and they provide the first direct evidence for modulation of hippocampal gamma oscillations in a working memory task.
Pleistocene Bovidae (Mammalia) from Malapa, Gauteng Province, South Africa

This study presents an analysis of the collection of Bovidae (Mammalia: Artiodactyla) currently available from the Australopithecus sediba-bearing site of Malapa, Gauteng Province, South Africa. The assemblage consists of partially articulated and closely associated skeletal elements. Estimates of ontogenetic age and, when possible, body mass were made based on the postcrania. The bovids are represented by a minimum number of 13 individuals, four of which have been identified below the Tribe level including Makapania broomi, Tragelaphus scriptus, Megalotragus sp. , and Antidorcas recki. The sample size of the bovids is small, therefore only a preliminary paleoenvironmental reconstruction is indicated. The paleoenvironment is consistent with reconstructions of nearby sites in the Cradle of Humankind, including a mosaic of grasslands and more extensive woodlands than historically recorded for the area. A permanent water source is also indicated. Taphonomic analysis of the bovid remains demonstrates bone breakage patterns indicative of dry, post depositional fractures. The bones do not exhibit marks particular to a bone accumulating agent. Despite the small sample size, the taphonomic analyses support the reconstruction of Malapa as a vertical death trap. These results suggest that the remains were buried and fossilized in a manner similar to the hominins, supporting a common origin for the hominin and non-hominin fauna ca. 1.977 million years ago. Over a relatively short span of time complete bovid individuals, alongside the individuals of A. sediba, entered the vertical death trap of Malapa, either accidentally or of their own volition, and ultimately became fossilized. Juliet K. Brophy. Department of Geography and Anthropology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana and Evolutionary Studies Institute, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. jbrophy@lsu.edu Darryl J. de Ruiter. Evolutionary Studies Institute, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa and Department of Anthropology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas. deruiter@tamu.edu Mikael Fortelius. Department of Geosciences and Geography, Institute of Biotechnology; Finnish Museum of Natural History. mikael.fortelius@helsinki.fi Marion Bamford. Evolutionary Studies Institute, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. marion.bamford@wits.ac. za Brophy, Juliet K. , de Ruiter, Darryl J., Fortelius, Mikael, Bamford, Marion, and Berger, Lee R. 2016. Pleistocene Bovidae (Mammalia) from Malapa, Gauteng Province, South Africa. Palaeontologia Electronica 19.2. 16A: 1-22 palaeo-electronica.org/content/2016/1463-bovidae-from-malapa Copyright: Palaeontological Association June 2016 BROPHY: BOVIDAE FROM MALAPA Lee R. Berger. Evolutionary Studies Institute, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. profleeberger@yahoo.com
The Complexity of Computing the Size of an Interval

Given a p-order $A$ over a universe of strings (i.e., a transitive, reflexive, antisymmetric relation such that if $(x, y) \in A$, then $|x|$ is polynomially bounded by $|y|$), an interval size function of $A$ returns, for each string $x$ in the universe, the number of strings in the interval between strings $b(x)$ and $t(x)$ (with respect to $A$), where $b(x)$ and $t(x)$ are functions that are polynomial-time computable in the length of $x$. By choosing sets of interval size functions based on feasibility requirements for their underlying p-orders, we obtain new characterizations of complexity classes. We prove that the set of all interval size functions whose underlying p-orders are polynomial-time decidable is exactly mP. We show that the interval size functions for orders with polynomial-time adjacency checks are closely related to the class FPSPACE(poly). Indeed, FPSPACE(poly) is exactly the class of all nonnegative functions that are an interval size function minus a polynomial-time computable function. We study two important functions in relation to interval size functions. The function mDIV maps each natural number $n$ to the number of nontrivial divisors of $n$. We show that mDIV is an interval size function of a polynomial-time decidable partial p-order with polynomial-time adjacency checks. The function mMONSAT maps each monotone boolean formula $F$ to the number of satisfying assignments of $F$. We show that mMONSAT is an interval size function of a polynomial-time decidable total p-order with polynomial-time adjacency checks. Finally, we explore the related notion of cluster computation.
African languages and phonological theory

I’ve been asked to write about the mutual influence of African languages and phonological theory, specifically addressing two questions: What and how have African language contributed to phonological theory? What and how have linguistic theories contributed to the understanding African phonology? To treat these questions properly would be a major undertaking, first, because of the large number of African languages, and, second, because of their considerable diversity. To cite Greenberg’s (1963) influentual classification, the roughly 2000 languages of Africa fall into four major linguistic phyla: Niger-Congo, Afro-Asiatic, Nilo-Saharan, and Khoisan (see Heine & Nurse 2000 for a more recent overview of African languages and their classification). Except for the click consonants of the last family (which spill over into some neighboring Bantu languages that have “borrowed” them), the phonological phenomena found in African languages are duplicated elsewhere on the globe, though not always in as concentrated a fashion. The vast majority of African languages are tonal, and perhaps most also have vowel harmony (especially the type known as “ATR harmony”). Not surprisingly, then, African languages have figured disproportionately in theoretical treatments of these two phenomena. On the other hand, if there is a phonological property where African languages are underrepresented, it would have to be stress systems—which rarely, if ever, achieve the complexity found in other (mostly non-tonal) languages. However, it should be noted that African languages have contributed significantly to virtually every other aspect of phonological theory.
Liquidity and International Trade

This paper introduces a framework to study the links between the supply of liquid assets for the financial market and the international allocation of economic activity. Private assets’ liquidity properties - their usefulness as collateral or media of exchange in financial transactions - affect assets’ values and interest rates, with consequences on firm entry, production, aggregate productivity, and total market capitalization. In a closed economy, the liquidity market increases the size and productivity of the sector of the economy that generates liquid assets. In an open economy, however, cross-country differences in financial development - as measured by the degree of liquidity of a country’s assets - generate an allocation of real economic activity that favors the country that supplies the most liquid assets. In such a setting, trade liberalization magnifies the gap in economic activity between the countries.
An Analysis of the Cloud Computing Security Problem

Cloud computing is a new computational paradigm that offers an innovative business model for organizations to adopt IT without upfront investment. Despite the potential gains achieved from the cloud computing, the model security is still questionable which impacts the cloud model adoption. The security problem becomes more complicated under the cloud model as new dimensions have entered into the problem scope related to the model architecture, multi-tenancy, elasticity, and layers dependency stack. In this paper we introduce a detailed analysis of the cloud security problem. We investigated the problem from the cloud architecture perspective, the cloud offered characteristics perspective, the cloud stakeholders' perspective, and the cloud service delivery models perspective. Based on this analysis we derive a detailed specification of the cloud security problem and key features that should be covered by any proposed security solution.
Graphical user interface for a robotic workstation in a surgical environment

Surgery using a robotic system has proven to have significant potential but is still a highly challenging task for the surgeon. An eye surgery assistant has been developed to eliminate the problem of tremor caused by human motions endangering the outcome of ophthalmic surgery. In order to exploit the full potential of the robot and improve the workflow of the surgeon, providing the ability to change control parameters live in the system as well as the ability to connect additional ancillary systems is necessary. Additionally the surgeon should always be able to get an overview over the status of all systems with a quick glance. Therefore a workstation has been built. The contribution of this paper is the design and the implementation of an intuitive graphical user interface for this workstation. The interface has been designed with feedback from surgeons and technical staff in order to ensure its usability in a surgical environment. Furthermore, the system was designed with the intent of supporting additional systems with minimal additional effort.
Novel mutation in the AVPR2 gene in a Danish male with nephrogenic diabetes insipidus caused by ER retention and subsequent lysosomal degradation of the mutant receptor

Mutations in the arginine vasopressin receptor 2 (AVPR2) gene can cause X-linked nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (NDI) characterized by the production of large amounts of urine and an inability to concentrate urine in response to the antidiuretic hormone vasopressin. We have identified a novel mutation in the AVPR2 gene (L170P) located in the fourth transmembrane domain in a Danish NDI male. Analysis of the mutant receptor in Madin-Darby Canine Kidney cell culture revealed that AVPR2-L170P was retained in the endoplasmic reticulum, and the expression was dramatically downregulated compared to wild-type AVPR2. Inhibition of the lysosome resulted in increased intracellular accumulation of AVPR2-L170P, indicating that AVPR2-L170P is downregulated via the lysosome. Inhibition of the proteasome resulted in plasma membrane localization of AVPR2-L170P, although the overall levels of AVPR2-L170P were unchanged.
Low thrust inclined circular trajectories for airplanes

Automatic trajectory re-planning is an integral part of unmanned aerial vehicle mission planning. In order to be able to perform this task, it is necessary to dispose of formulas or tables to assess the flyability of various typical flight segments. Notwithstanding their importance, there exist such data only for some particularly simple segments such as rectilinear and circular sub-trajectories. This article presents an analysis of a new, very efficient, way for an airplane to fly on an inclined circular trajectory. When it flies this way, the only thrust required is that which cancels the drag. It is shown that, then, much more inclined trajectories are possible than when they fly at constant speed. The corresponding equations of motion are solved exactly for the position, the speed, the load factor, the bank angle, the lift coefficient and the thrust and power required for the motion. The results obtained apply to both types of airplanes: those with internal combustion engines and propellers, and those with jet engines. Conditions on the trajectory parameters are derived, which guarantee its flyability according to the dynamical properties of a given airplane. An analytical procedure is described that ensures that all these conditions are satisfied, and which can serve for producing tables from which the trajectory flyability can be read. Sample calculations are shown for the Cessna 182, a Silver Fox like unmanned aerial vehicle, and an F-16 jet airplane.