Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
High-speed bipedal robot running using high-speed visual feedback

This paper presents a new method of realizing high-speed bipedal running with a high-speed robot using highspeed visual feedback. First, to achieve high-speed running with simple control, we developed a biped robot composed of lightweight high-torque actuators. Next we propose a control strategy which does not depend on typical methods based on a zero moment point, but instead modifies the robot's posture by high-speed visual feedback. In the strategy, by adding instantaneous high torque, we confirmed that the robot could execute running in the unbalanced region. We realized bipedal running at the speed corresponding to a Froude number of approximately 1.0, the highest reported value for non-birdlike bipedal robots.
Towards Establishing Capacity for Biological Dosimetry at Ghana Atomic Energy Commission

The aim of this study was not only to obtain basic technical prerequisites for the establishment of capacity of biological dosimetry at the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) but also to stimulate interest in biological dosimetry research in Ghana and Sub-Saharan Africa. Peripheral blood from four healthy donors was exposed to different doses (0–6 Gy) of gamma rays from a radiotherapy machine and lymphocytes were subsequently stimulated, cultured, and processed according to standard protocols for 48–50 h. Processed cells were analyzed for the frequencies of dicentric and centric ring chromosomes. Radiation dose delivered to the experimental model was verified using GafChromic® EBT films in parallel experiments. Basic technical prerequisites for the establishment of capacity of biological dosimetry in the GAEC have been realized and expertise in the dicentric chromosome assay consolidated. We successfully obtained preliminary cytogenetic data for a dose-response relationship of the irradiated blood lymphocytes. The data strongly indicate the existence of significant linear (α) and quadratic (β) components and are consistent with those published for the production of chromosome aberrations in comparable absorbed dose ranges.
Privacy support in people-centric sensing

In this paper we present an approach to support privacy in people-centric sensing. In particular, we propose a technique that allows a central authority to select a subset of users whose past positions provide a good coverage of a given area of interest, without explicitly georeferencing them. To achieve this goal, we propose an efﬁcient algorithm to solve the well known, N P -complete Set Cover problem that does not require explicit knowledge of the sets, but only uses their compact, privacy preserving representations or sketches. We perform a thorough experimental analysis to evaluate the performance of the proposed technique and its sensitivity to a few key parameters using public data from real applications. Experimental results support the effectiveness of the proposed approach to efﬁciently produce accurate environmental or social maps, at the same time preserving users’ privacy.
Electro-osmosis in a nanometer-scale channel studied by atomistic simulation

An atomistic simulation of an electro-osmotic flow in a 65.3 A-wide channel is performed to study its physical details and evaluate continuum models. The working fluid is a 0.01 M solution (at midchannel) of Cl− in water. For simplicity and computational efficiency, only negatively charged ions are included. The water is modeled by the SPC/E potential and the Cl− are modeled as point charges plus an established Lennard-Jones potential. The channel walls are fixed lattices of positively charged Lennard-Jones atoms. In one case an appropriate fraction of the wall atoms is given elementary charges; for comparison, another case is simulated with uniformly distributed partial charges on the wall atoms. For the distributed elementary charge case the Cl− concentration at the wall is 80 percent higher than predicted by the Poisson–Boltzmann theory. It is over 100 percent higher for the uniformly charged wall case. In both cases, the waters in the 10 A closest to the walls are preferentially oriented. Their respec.
Academic Advising and Student Retention in Distance Learning: The Case of University of Cape Coast, Ghana

Abstract This research investigated the impact of academic advising on student retention in distance learning at the University of Cape Coast, Ghana. Explanatory sequential mixed methods design was adopted for the study. The multistage sampling technique was used to sample 727 student participants from a sampling frame of 8731. Four academic advisors and three counsellors at the College of Distance were purposively selected for the study. Further, 16 students who had dropped out from the college were sampled using the snowball sampling technique. A researcher-self constructed questionnaire and a semi-structured interview guide were used to collect data. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Analyses of qualitative data were done using Merriam analytical coding process. At an alpha level of . 05 academic advising made a non-significant contribution to prediction (p = .10) which implies that academic advising is not a significant predictor of student retention in distance learning. The study concluded by recommending that academic advisory services should be provided in a practical manner to address the specific needs of students at the College of Distance Education of the University of Cape Coast.
Oocyte Scoring Enhances Embryo-Scoring in Predicting Pregnancy Chances with IVF Where It Counts Most

Context Our center’s quality improvement optimization process on many occasions anecdotally suggested that oocyte assessments might enhance embryo assessment in predicting pregnancy chances with in vitro fertilization (IVF). Objective To prospectively compare a morphologic oocyte grading system to standard day-3 morphologic embryo assessment. Design, Setting, Patients We prospectively investigated in a private academically-affiliated infertility center 94 consecutive IVF cycles based on 6 criteria for oocyte quality: morphology, cytoplasm, perivitelline space (PVS), zona pellucida (ZP), polar body (PB) and oocyte size, each assigned a value of -1 (worst), 0 (average) or +1 (best), so establishing an average total oocyte score (TOS). Embryo assessment utilized grade and cell numbers of each embryo on day-3 after oocyte retrieval. Clinical pregnancy was defined by presence of at least one intrauterine gestational sac. Interventions Standard IVF cycles in infertile women. Main Outcome Measures Predictability of pregnancy based on oocyte and embryo-grading systems. Results Average age for all patients was 36.5 ± 7.3 years; mean oocyte yield was 7.97± 5.76; Patient specific total oocyte score (PTOS) was -1.05 ± 2.24. PTOS, adjusted for patient age, was directly related to odds of increased embryo cell numbers (OR 1.12, P = 0.025), embryo grade (OR 1.19, P < 0.001) and clinical pregnancy [OR 1.58 (95%CI 1.23 to 2.02), P < 0.001]. Restricting the analysis to day three embryos of high quality (8-cell/ good grades), TOS was still predictive of clinical pregnancy (OR 2.08 (95%CI 1.26 to 3.44, P = 0.004). Among the 69 patients with embryos of Grade 4 or better available for transfer 23 achieved Clinical Pregnancy. When the analysis was restricted to the 69 transfers with good quality embryos (≥ Grade 4) the Oocyte Scoring System (TOS) (AUC±SE 0.863±0.044, oocyte score) provided significantly greater predictive value for clinical pregnancy compared to the embryo grade alone (AUC 0.646 ± 0.072, embryo grade) p = 0.015. Conclusions Oocyte-scoring, thus, provides useful clinical information especially in good prognosis patients with large numbers of high quality embryos. This finding appears of particular importance at a time when many IVF centers are committing sizable investments to closed incubation systems with time-lapse photography, which are exclusively meant to define embryo morphology.
Comunicación y lenguaje en personas con necesidades especiales

Por proceso comunicativo ha de entenderse cualquier forma de interaccion social que se de entre los individuos. De esta manera, comunicar es interactuar consigo mismo, con el otro, con la realidad, con el medio. La comunicacion, asi concebida, esta presente en el ser humano desde que nace, y se perfecciona a medida que se va desarrollando la persona. Este proceso se logra mediante la utilizacion de diversos codigos entre los que pueden citarse el gestual, el kinesico, el proxemico, el grafico y el lenguaje articulado, siendo este ultimo el que ha predominado socialmente como el mecanismo de comunicacion por excelencia entre las personas.En este texto, la reflexion se centra en las diversas formas de interaccion y comunicacion a las que acceden las personas con necesidades especiales, cuya revision, desde una perspectiva interdisciplinaria, es indispensable para garantizar y materializar su inclusion social, y con ello convertir en realidad su ingreso en el sistema educativo, en aras de fomentar el desarrollo de sus procesos cognitivos y de socializacion en el contexto de un curriculo flexible, capaz de articular el mundo de la vida con el mundo escolar, instancias que -en muchas ocasiones- se separan, cuando es precisamente su articulacion la que genera los puntos de encuentro para establecer nexos entre estas dos formas de realidad social, con miras a la construccion del sujeto.
3D reconstruction for museums and scattered collections applied research for the Alexandre Lenoir's museum of French monument

This research aims to develop cheap and quite easy-to-use methods for 3D museology. We worked with specialists of various fields to pool everyone's knowledge at its very best: historians, curators, and computer scientists built digital tools for enhanced communication, teaching and research for museums. We will show one of our experiment to show what digital technologies and 3D development can bring to the cultural world.
IC-DEEP: A serious games based application to assess the ergonomics of in-vehicle information systems

With the number of in-vehicle information systems and the complexity of their tasks growing at a very high rate in near future, we need a clear understanding of their related distraction or mental workload and its impact on driver performance. Thus, in this paper we introduce these concepts already in the development phase of a product that will be used in an in-vehicle environment. We present the IC-DEEP (In-Car Ergonomics Evaluation Platform), which is an implementation approach in form of a Serious Game (SG) to autonomously assess, under low-time and low-cost conditions, the factors that can jeopardize the driving performance when manipulating or receiving information from in-vehicle information systems (IVISs). We evaluate the feasibility of the proposed approach and draw conclusions on its effects on behavioral changes and IVIS assessment.
The nature and potential of corporate governance in developing countries: Zambian perceptions

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to provide detailed findings regarding the perceived role of corporate governance in Zambia. There have been no detailed studies of opinions in a setting such as Zambia, i.e. a nation which has experienced relative political calm and which has an abundance of natural resources – but where corporate governance failures have been blamed directly for economic difficulties. Design/methodology/approach - The study reports the results of a series of 24 in-depth interviews with Zambians, including politicians, regulators, senior business executives, transnational organisation representatives, academics and governance consultants. The discussions were conducted face-to-face and recorded in all cases. Findings - Understanding of corporate governance is at an embryonic stage in Zambia, but embedded corruption is likely to require addressing before any meaningful change is likely. A range of isomorphic forces appear to be prevalent and the study argues that root and branch change in structures and attitudes is a necessity if improvements are to be forthcoming. The paper concludes with a call for unity in purpose and recognition of current malignancies. Originality/value - Despite Zambia’s idiosyncrasies, the evidence suggests that a pan-African picture is emerging, with growing awareness of the potential benefits of improved corporate behaviour – but deep cynicism exists about the likelihood of these arising given corruption in reward structures. Such is the extent of embeddedness in power amongst those who benefit from current arrangements that both mimetic and coercive forces are argued to be ranged against any shift in extant systems and processes.
Potential Responses of Vascular Plants from the Pristine “Lost World” of the Neotropical Guayana Highlands to Global Warming: Review and New Perspectives

The neotropical Guayana Highlands (GH) are one of the few remaining pristine environments on Earth, and they host amazing biodiversity with a high degree endemism, especially among vascular plants. Despite the lack of direct human disturbance, GH plants and their communities are threatened with extinction from habitat loss due to global warming (GW). Geographic information systems simulations involving the entire known vascular GH flora (>2430 species) predict potential GW-driven extinctions on the order of 80% by the end of this century, including nearly half of the endemic species. These estimates and the assessment of an environmental impact value for each species led to the hierarchization of plants by their risk of habitat loss and the definition of priority conservation categories. However, the predictions assume that all species will respond to GW by migrating upward and at equal rates, which is unlikely, so current estimates should be considered preliminary and incomplete (although they represent the best that can be done with the existing information). Other potential environmental forcings (i.e., precipitation shifts, an increase in the atmospheric CO2 concentration) and idiosyncratic plant responses (i.e., resistance, phenotypic acclimation, rapid evolution) should also be considered, so detailed eco-physiological studies of the more threatened species are urgently needed. The main obstacles to developing such studies are the remoteness and inaccessibility of the GH and, especially, the difficulty in obtaining official permits for fieldwork.
Teaching about race and social action by ‘digging up the past’: the Mary Turner project

Abstract This paper explores how incorporating localized historical acts of racial injustice into Sociology courses can have a variety of pedagogical and social impacts. The use of one such event, the 1918 lynching of 13 people in South Georgia, led to the formation of the Mary Turner Project (MTP). We document the organization’s work as well as its impact on students and the region, as seen through the lens of public sociology. The MTP installed an official road marker to memorialize the lynching, intervened in a campus controversy involving the Confederate flag, hosted numerous commemoration events, and did classroom-based research and hosted community discussions on lynching and slavery in the local area. Drawing from organizational documents, the paper explores how ‘digging up the past’ and the experience of the MTP may serve as a model for critical sociologists who teach courses on social inequalities and want to make those courses more applicable to people’s every day lived experience.
Characteristics of dissociable human learning systems

Abstract A number of ways of taxonomizing human learning have been proposed. We examine the evidence for one such proposal, namely, that there exist independent explicit and implicit learning systems. This combines two further distinctions, (1) between learning that takes place with versus without concurrent awareness, and (2) between learning that involves the encoding of instances (or fragments) versus the induction of abstract rules or hypotheses. Implicit learning is assumed to involve unconscious rule learning. We examine the evidence for implicit learning derived from subliminal learning, conditioning, artificial grammar learning, instrumental learning, and reaction times in sequence learning. We conclude that unconscious learning has not been satisfactorily established in any of these areas. The assumption that learning in some of these tasks (e.g., artificial grammar learning) is predominantly based on rule abstraction is questionable. When subjects cannot report the “implicitly learned” rules that govern stimulus selection, this is often because their knowledge consists of instances or fragments of the training stimuli rather than rules. In contrast to the distinction between conscious and unconscious learning, the distinction between instance and rule learning is a sound and meaningful way of taxonomizing human learning. We discuss various computational models of these two forms of learning.
Does Fractionally-Spaced CMA converge faster than LMS?

This paper addresses the convergence rate study of the Fractionally-Spaced Equalizer updated by Constant Modulus Algorithm (FSE-CMA). By analyzing the average algorithm behavior we compare the FSE-CMA to the FSE-LMS. Although the FSE-CMA is based on a fourth order statistics criterion, we will show for constant modulus input that the algorithm has the amazing property to converge locally twice as fast as FSE-LMS (which requires a training sequence). Furthermore, we will show that the global FSE-CMA transient behavior convergence is accomplished in two steps.
SecureRoutingProtocolsUsingConsistenc y ChecksandS-RIP

Internetrouting infrastructuresare vulnerableto variousattacksdueto the lack of strongauthenticationmechanisms,softwarevulnerabilities/misconfigur ation,andtherisky assumptionof a trustworthy andcooperativeenvironment.Existingsolutionsdo not solvetheproblembecausethey neithervalidate factualcorrectnessof routingupdatesnor supportincrementaldeployment.In this paper, weproposea datacorrelationapproachfor validatingroutinginformation.A routingupdateis validatedfor its factual correctnessbeforebeingusedto updatea routingtablebycrosscheckingits consistencyamongselected nodeswhich are informedof that update. Thenotionof trust or distrustis replacedby nodereputation measur ed by numericalvalues. Thetradeof betweensecurityand efficiencyis madeby configurable thresholdsanda sizedwindowwhich determineshowmanynodesto involvein a consistencycheck. As a first exampleof applying the framework, we developan incrementallydeployableprotocol, namely (S-RIP),for securingRoutingInformationProtocol (RIP). We haveimplementedS-RIPin thenetwork simulatorNS2.Weshowthatwith S-RIP,a nonfaultynodecanuncover inconsistentroutinginformation in a networkwith manymisbehavingnodesgiventhatnotwoof themarein collusion.Additionalrouting overheadgeneratedbyS-RIPis adjustableandcanbereducedto a reasonalbelevel.
Operation of a 1-bit quantum flux parametron shift register (latch) by 4-phase 36-GHz clock

The Quantum Flux Parametron (QFP) is a SFQ-type logic device which uses a single flux quantum (SFQ) to represent 1-bit of information. QFP circuits use a multi-phase external ac power which also acts as the clock for synchronization, hence QFP circuits are highly pipelined. The clock frequency must be increased to improve the throughputs of the circuits, so the control of a high frequency clock is a key technology for the QFP. This paper describes a clock distribution technique which utilizes the characteristics of a standing wave. Using this technique, the operation of a 1-bit QFP shift register by a 4-phase clock up to 36 GHz is shown. In the 4-phase clock operation of QFPs, the input is given in phase 1, the QFP switches in phase 2, the output is held during phase 3, and the QFP resets in phase 4. Therefore, the 4-phase 36-GHz operation means that each QFP switches or resets in less than 7 ps. <<ETX>>
Eye Tracking Based on Improved CamShift Algorithm

Aiming at the shortcomings of current various eye tracking methods, which would result in tracking error, with improved cam shift algorithm, a rapid eye tracking method based on precise positioning iris is proposed. Firstly, the detector based on AdaBoost algorithm is used to position iris, and susan operator is used to eliminate the influence of eyeball-like factors. Secondly, with the template of iris region and analysis of the feature of object and noise's saturation, the improved cam shift algorithm based on feature fusion is used for rapid eye tacking. Allowing for the case of deformation to the target, a custom criterion is used to judge and predict center again according to its historical trajectory at the same time. Lastly, the experiment results show that this method can precisely track iris, with low error rate, its accuracy has reached more than 96% even for turning left, turning right and other conditions, and there is little difference between the position of iris estimated by tracking and its actual center, rapid speed, draw tracking time is 7.0ms and iterations are 1.6 times per frame, which are both lower than other methods, it meets the requirements of accuracy, robustness and real-time.
La economía política de la esclavitud: los argumentos económicos del debate abolicionista español del siglo XIX

La abolicion de la esclavitud en las colonias espanolas del Caribe fue un largo y tortuoso proceso que no se completo plenamente hasta 1886. En el debate abolicionista espanol se dieron cita argumentos de muy diversa indole: morales, religiosos, juridicos, humanitarios, politicos y economicos. Estos ultimos no han recibido hasta ahora atencion especifica por parte de los historiadores, que sin embargo si se han interesado por otros muchos aspectos del proceso abolicionista. Este trabajo se centra en analizar los principales argumentos economicos esgrimidos a lo largo del siglo XIX tanto por los esclavistas como por los abolicionistas espanoles, viendo cuales fueron sus referentes intelectuales en el ambito europeo.
Prolonged Mechanical Stretch Initiates Intracellular Calcium Oscillations in Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are a promising candidate for cell-based therapy in regenerative medicine. These stem cells can interact with their mechanical microenvironment to control their functions. External mechanical cues can be perceived and transmitted into intracellular calcium dynamics to regulate various cellular processes. Recent studies indicate that human MSCs (hMSCs) exhibit a heterogeneous nature with a subset of hMSCs lacking spontaneous calcium oscillations. In this study, we studied whether and how external mechanical tension can be applied to trigger and restore the intracellular calcium oscillation in these hMSCs lacking spontaneous activities. Utilizing the fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) based calcium biosensor, we found that this subpopulation of hMSCs can respond to a prolonged mechanical stretch (PMS). Further results revealed that the triggering of calcium oscillations in these cells is dependent on the calcium influx across the plasma membrane, as well as on both cytoskeletal supports, myosin light chain kinase (MLCK)-driven actomyosin contractility, and phospholipase C (PLC) activity. Thus, our report confirmed that mechanical tension can govern the intracellular calcium oscillation in hMSCs, possibly via the control of the calcium permeability of channels at the plasma membrane. Our results also provide novel mechanistic insights into how hMSCs sense mechanical environment to regulate cellular functions.