Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Characterization of Squamate Olfactory Receptor Genes and Their Transcripts by the High-Throughput Sequencing Approach

The olfactory receptor (OR) genes represent the largest multigene family in the genome of terrestrial vertebrates. Here, the high-throughput next-generation sequencing (NGS) approach was applied to characterization of OR gene repertoires in the green anole lizard Anolis carolinensis and the Japanese four-lined ratsnake Elaphe quadrivirgata. Tagged polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products amplified from either genomic DNA or cDNA of the two species were used for parallel pyrosequencing, assembling, and screening for errors in PCR and pyrosequencing. Starting from the lizard genomic DNA, we accurately identified 56 of 136 OR genes that were identified from its draft genome sequence. These recovered genes were broadly distributed in the phylogenetic tree of vertebrate OR genes without severe biases toward particular OR families. Ninety-six OR genes were identified from the ratsnake genomic DNA, implying that the snake has more OR gene loci than the anole lizard in response to an increased need for the acuity of olfaction. This view is supported by the estimated number of OR genes in the Burmese python's draft genome (∼280), although squamates may generally have fewer OR genes than terrestrial mammals and amphibians. The OR gene repertoire of the python seems unique in that many class I OR genes are retained. The NGS approach also allowed us to identify candidates of highly expressed and silent OR gene copies in the lizard's olfactory epithelium. The approach will facilitate efficient and parallel characterization of considerable unbiased proportions of multigene family members and their transcripts from nonmodel organisms.
Hemispheric average Cl atom concentration from 13 C/ 12 C ratios in atmospheric methane

Abstract. Methane is a significant atmospheric trace gas in the context of greenhouse warming and climate change. The dominant sink of atmospheric methane is the hydroxyl radical (OH). Recently, a mechanism for production of chlorine radicals (Cl) in the marine boundary layer (MBL) via bromine autocatalysis has been proposed. The importance of this mechanism in producing a methane sink is not clear at present because of the difficulty of in-situ direct measurement of Cl. However, the large kinetic isotope effect of Cl compared with OH produces a large fractionation of 13C compared with 12C in atmospheric methane. This property can be used to estimate the likely minimum size of the methane sink attributable to MBL Cl. By taking account of the mixing of MBL air into the free troposphere, we estimate that the global methane sink due to reaction with Cl atoms in the MBL could be as large as 19Tgyr-1, or about 3.3% of the total CH4 sink. However, its impact on the methane stable carbon isotope budget is large and warrants further attention.
Why is spacetime Lorentzian?

We expand on the idea that the spacetime signature should be treated as a dynamical degree of freedom in quantum field theory. It has been argued that the probability distribution for the signature, induced by massless free fields, is peaked at the Lorentzian value uniquely in [ital D]=4 dimensions. This argument is reviewed, and certain consistency constraints on the generalized signature (i.e., the tangent-space metric [eta][sub [ital a][ital b]]([ital x])=diag[[ital e][sup [ital i][theta]([ital x])],1,1,1]) are derived. It is shown that only one dynamical Wick angle'' [theta]([ital x]) can be introduced in the generalized signature, and the magnitude of fluctuations away from the Lorentzian signature [delta][theta]=[pi][minus][theta] is estimated to be of order ([ital l][sub [ital P]]/[ital R])[sup 3], where [ital l][sub [ital P]] is the Planck length, and [ital R] is the length scale of the Universe. For massless fields, the case of [ital D]=2 dimensions and the case of supersymmetry are degenerate, in the sense that no signature is preferred. Mass effects lift this degeneracy, and we show that a dynamical origin of the Lorentzian signature is also possible for (broken) supersymmetry theories in [ital D]=6 dimensions, in addition to the more general nonsupersymmetric case in [ital D]=4 dimensions.
Energy Harvesting Wireless Sensors for Helicopter Damage Tracking

The knowledge of operational loads on a helicopter rotating components is important for condition based maintenance (CBM) and health usage monitoring systems (HUMS). In the past, the need to deploy slip rings has limited the monitoring of rotating components. Wireless technology eliminates slip rings, but the problem of battery maintenance remains a major obstacle. This paper reports on next generation wireless sensors which eliminate battery maintenance by using piezoelectric materials to convert strain energy to stored electrical energy. Stored energy is used to measure, record, and transmit strain and load information. A prototype energy harvesting wireless pitch link sensing system has been developed. Under low usage level helicopter operating conditions, the energy consumed was less than the energy harvested, enabling strain & load sensors to operate perpetually without battery maintenance. Breaking down the barriers to monitoring helicopter rotating components, this technology has the potential to greatly improve future HUMS capabilities.
Has the Euro Affected the Choice of Invoicing Currency?

We present a new approach to study empirically the effect of the introduction of the euro on the pattern of currency invoicing. Our approach uses a compositional multinomial logit model, in which currency choice is explained by both currency-specific and country-specific determinants. We use unique quarterly panel data on the invoicing of Norwegian imports from OECD countries for the 1996–2006 period. We find that eurozone countries have substantially increased their share of home currency invoicing after the introduction of the euro, whereas the home currency share of non-eurozone countries fell slightly. In addition, the euro as a vehicle currency has overtaken the role of the US dollar in Norwegian imports. The substantial rise in producer currency invoicing by eurozone countries is primarily caused by a drop in inflation volatility and can only to a small extent be explained by an unobserved euro effect.
Recent Advances in Microprompting Technology

Assistive technology for cognition (ATC) is technology to extend mental capacity. The majority of people reading this article will use technology to support their everyday cognitive function; by setting appointment reminders on their phone to support prospective memory, using a SatNav to support navigational skills or an search engine as an alternative to storing information in long term memory. If technology can support the cognition of ordinary individuals, potentially it can have an even greater role in assisting the cognition of people who through illness, injury or developmental disorders live with cognitive impairment. In these cases technology can act as a cognitive prosthetic or orthotic supporting or replacing lost or impaired cognitive function (Cole, Dehdashti, Petti, & Angert, 1994).
Rain Simulation in Dynamic Scenes

Rain is a complex phenomenon and its simulation is usually very costly. In this article, the authors propose a fully-GPU rain simulation based on the utilization of particle systems. The flexibility of CUDA allows the authors to include, aside from the rainfall simulation, a system for the detection and handling of the collisions of particles against the scenario. This detection system allows for the simulation of splashes at the same time. This system obtains a very high performance because of the hardware programming capabilities of CUDA.
Association between domestic mould and mould components, and asthma and allergy in children: a systematic review

Critical reviews over the past 10 yrs have found increased respiratory and allergic health outcomes for children living in damp and mouldy environments. However, recent studies have suggested that early childhood exposure to specific mould components may actually protect children from developing allergy. We conducted a systematic review of observational studies published in English from January 1980 to July 2010. This review was conducted according to systematic guidelines for Meta-analyses of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (MOOSE). The literature was searched using a computerised bibliographic database, PubMed. In order to increase the quality of the reviewed studies, meta-analyses of the effects of visible mould exposure on allergic health outcomes were performed and we evaluated the findings according to the Bradford Hill criteria for evidence of causation. The literature search identified 1,398 peer-reviewed scientific publications, and 61 studies that fulfilled the inclusion criteria were included in this review. We observed increased risks of allergic respiratory health outcomes in children exposed to visible mould and mould spores. These findings were confirmed by the results of the meta-analysis and in line with the evaluation criteria according to Bradford Hill. Visible mould was positively associated with asthma (OR 1.49 (95% CI 1.28–1.72)), wheeze (OR 1.68 (95% CI 1.48–1.90)) and allergic rhinitis (OR 1.39 (95% CI 1.28–1.51)). However, there was a tendency of lower risk for allergic health outcomes in children exposed to mould-derived components such as (1,3)-&bgr;-d-glucan and extracellular polysaccharides. These findings suggest that home environments with visible mould and mould spore exposure increase the risk of allergic respiratory health outcomes in children. However, further investigations are needed to examine the effects of exposure to mould-derived components as the current literature is inconclusive. In order to disentangle the different effects of overall microbial exposure on children’s health, research should focus on specific microbial markers in the home, in combination with new assessment techniques including molecular methods.
Fulminant type 1 diabetes mellitus with anti‐programmed cell death‐1 therapy

Anti‐programmed cell death‐1 (PD‐1) antibodies are regarded as a risk factor for insulin‐dependent diabetes mellitus as a side‐effect. While a small number of cases have been reported, evidence remains limited. This is the first report of an Asian patient developing insulin‐dependent diabetes during anti‐PD‐1 therapy. A 55‐year‐old euglycemic woman receiving nivolumab for malignant melanoma showed abrupt onset of ketonuria, and elevated levels of plasma glucose (580 mg/dL) and hemoglobin A1c (7.0%). Over the next 2 weeks, serum C‐peptide levels fell below the limit of detection. Islet autoantibodies were negative, and the patient showed a human leukocyte antigen haplotype associated with type 1 diabetes. Anti‐PD‐1 therapy can cause rapid onset of insulin‐dependent diabetes, possibly because of inappropriate activation of T cells. Human leukocyte antigen haplotypes might be related to the onset of this disease. Physicians should be aware of this serious adverse event and carry out routine blood glucose testing during anti‐PD‐1 therapy.
Book Review: Ditching Description: From Data to Abstraction

In the first chapterof this book, Glaser explains his purpose to help the researcher use the constant comparative method to discover and name patterns in the data, relate them to each other, generate a “conceptual hypothesis” (p. 2), and allow a multivariate substantive theory to emerge around a core variable. The first sentence demonstrates his intent to help the reader in “getting out of the data” into “conceptualization” (p. 1). In preparation for writing this review, I showed the book to a friend who has only a passing familiarity with grounded theory (GT). His immediate reaction upon reading the first sentence was to ask me whether the reader was already supposed to know what “getting out of the data” and “emergence of conceptualization” meant. “All is data” (p. 67) and what good data for me, the reviewer!
A new approach based on a genetic algorithm and an agent cluster head to optimize energy in Wireless Sensor Networks

Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) are an active research field which attracted many researches. WSNs are an advanced technology applied in a various fields. The minimization of the node energy consumption represents a very serious problem. Long communication distances between nodes in a Wireless Sensor network can greatly drain the energy of nodes and reduce the lifetime of a network. The use of a GA allows us to greatly minimize the total communication distance, thus saving the network energy consumption. In this work, we propose a new approach based on a genetic algorithm (GA) and an agent cluster head to solve a WSN optimization problem. Our new method is aimed at finding the optimum number and location of cluster heads (CHs) and using an agent cluster head to manage the distance between the CH and the BS.
Bayesian approaches for combining noisy mean and covariance channel information

In this paper techniques are proposed for combining information about the mean and the covariance of the channel for the purpose of two applications. One is channel estimation, possibly in a parametric or physical model form. The other concerns (partial) channel state information at the transmitter (CSIT), typically used in MIMO systems for the design of spatial prefiltering and water-filling. For the purpose of channel estimation, it has recently become customary to combine mean and covariance information in a Bayesian approach, leading to a MMSE or MAP improved channel estimate. For the purpose of generating CSIT, the cases of mean or covariance information are still being treated separately. A Bayesian approach is presented here incorporating both pieces of information. The approach yields the existing cases of mean or covariance information as special instances. We then take the unified approach one step further by allowing not only the mean information to be noisy but also the covariance information.
Intimate Relationships and Personal Distress

Aggression in intimate relationships is pervasive, has been implicated in personal distress, and yet may not be perceived as harmful. Two studies (cross-sectional, longitudinal) examined whether being the target of psychologically aggressive behavior by a partner is uniquely associated with personal distress, beyond the effects of general couple functioning, perpetrating aggression, or experiencing physical aggression. New instances of psychological aggression by a partner predicted increases in personal distress. Study 2 also examined participants’ perceptions of what causes them stress. Although psychological aggression by a partner predicted personal distress, participants did not perceive their relationship as a source of stress. This suggests a pattern of “invisible harm” in which individuals victimized by psychological aggression may not recognize the harm they are experiencing.
Author's Personal Copy Computational Statistics and Data Analysis the Complementary Exponential Geometric Distribution: Model, Properties, and a Comparison with Its Counterpart

In most cases authors are permitted to post their version of the article (e.g. in Word or Tex form) to their personal website or institutional repository. Authors requiring further information regarding Elsevier's archiving and manuscript policies are encouraged to visit: a b s t r a c t In this paper, we proposed a new two-parameter lifetime distribution with increasing failure rate, the complementary exponential geometric distribution, which is complementary to the exponential geometric model proposed by Adamidis and Loukas (1998). The new distribution arises on a latent complementary risks scenario, in which the lifetime associated with a particular risk is not observable; rather, we observe only the maximum lifetime value among all risks. The properties of the proposed distribution are discussed, including a formal proof of its probability density function and explicit algebraic formulas for its reliability and failure rate functions, moments, including the mean and variance, variation coefficient, and modal value. The parameter estimation is based on the usual maximum likelihood approach. We report the results of a misspecification simulation study performed in order to assess the extent of misspecification errors when testing the exponential geometric distribution against our complementary one in the presence of different sample size and censoring percentage. The methodology is illustrated on four real datasets; we also make a comparison between both modeling approaches.
Hybrid Modeling of Cell Signaling and Transcriptional Reprogramming and Its Application in C. elegans Development

Modeling of signal driven transcriptional reprogramming is critical for understanding of organism development, human disease, and cell biology. Many current modeling techniques discount key features of the biological sub-systems when modeling multiscale, organism-level processes. We present a mechanistic hybrid model, GESSA, which integrates a novel pooled probabilistic Boolean network model of cell signaling and a stochastic simulation of transcription and translation responding to a diffusion model of extracellular signals. We apply the model to simulate the well studied cell fate decision process of the vulval precursor cells (VPCs) in C. elegans, using experimentally derived rate constants wherever possible and shared parameters to avoid overfitting. We demonstrate that GESSA recovers (1) the effects of varying scaffold protein concentration on signal strength, (2) amplification of signals in expression, (3) the relative external ligand concentration in a known geometry, and (4) feedback in biochemical networks. We demonstrate that setting model parameters based on wild-type and LIN-12 loss-of-function mutants in C. elegans leads to correct prediction of a wide variety of mutants including partial penetrance of phenotypes. Moreover, the model is relatively insensitive to parameters, retaining the wild-type phenotype for a wide range of cell signaling rate parameters.
Random Walk on Directed Dynamic Graphs

Dynamic graphs have emerged as an appropriate model to capture the changing nature of many modern networks, such as peer-to-peer overlays and mobile ad hoc networks. Most of the recent research on dynamic networks has only addressed the undirected dynamic graph model. However, realistic networks such as the ones identified above are directed. In this paper we present early work in addressing the properties of directed dynamic graphs. In particular, we explore the problem of random walk in such graphs. We assume the existence of an oblivious adversary that makes arbitrary changes in every communication round. We explore the problem of covering the dynamic graph, that even in the static case can be exponential, and we establish an upper bound O(d_max n^3 log^2 n) of the cover time for balanced dynamic graphs.
Compensation Effect of Quasi-Inverse Filter (QIF) on Frequency Characteristic Distortion in Wideband Systems

High-speed wireless communication systems have attracted much attention in recent years. To achieve a high-speed wireless communication system that utilizes an ultra-wide-frequency band, a broadband antenna is required. However, it is difficult to obtain an antenna that has uniform characteristics in a broad frequency band. Moreover, propagation characteristics are distorted in a multi-path environment. Thus, the communication quality tends to degrade due to the distortion in the frequency characteristics of the wideband communication system. This paper proposes a quasi-inverse filter (QIF) to improve the compensation effect for the transmitter antenna. Furthermore, we propose a method that employs the newly developed QIF that compensates for frequency characteristic distortion. We evaluate different configurations for the compensation system employing a pre-filter and post-filter in the wideband communication system. The effectiveness of the QIF in the case of severe distortion is verified by computer simulation. The proposed method is applied to a disc monopole antenna as a concrete example of a broadband antenna, and the compensation effect for the antenna is indicated.
Heating Cooling Flows with Weak Shock Waves

The discovery of extended, approximately spherical weak shock waves in the hot intercluster gas in Perseus and Virgo has precipitated the notion that these waves may be the primary heating process that explains why so little gas cools to low temperatures. This type of heating has received additional support from recent gasdynamical models. We show here that outwardly propagating, dissipating waves deposit most of their energy near the center of the cluster atmosphere. Consequently, if the gas is heated by (intermittent) weak shocks for several Gyr, the gas within 30-50 kpc is heated to temperatures that far exceed observed values. This heating can be avoided if dissipating shocks are sufficiently infrequent or weak so as not to be the primary source of global heating. Local PV and viscous heating associated with newly formed X-ray cavities are likely to be small, which is consistent with the low gas temperatures generally observed near the centers of groups and clusters where the cavities are located.
Towards emergency networks security with per-flow queue rate management

When statistical multiplexing is used to provide connectivity to a number of client hosts through a high-delay link, the original TCP as well as TCP variants born to improve performance on those links often provide poor performance and sub-optimal QoS properties. To guarantee intra-protocol fairness, inter-protocol friendliness, low queues utilization and optimal throughput in mission-critical scenarios, Congestion Control Middleware Layer (C2ML) has been proposed as a tool for centralized and collaborative resource management. However, C2ML offers only very limited security guarantees. Because emergencies may be natural or man-provoked, in the latter case there may be interest to cut out legitimate users from the communication networks that support disaster recovery operations. In this paper we present Queue Rate Management (QRM), an Active Queue Management scheme able to provide protection from Resource Exhaustion Attacks in scenarios where access to the shared link is controlled by C2ML; the proposed algorithm checks whether a node is exceeding its allowed rate, and consequently decides whether to keep or drop packets coming from that node. We mathematically prove that with QRM the gateway queue size can never exceed the Bandwidth-Delay Product of the channel. Furthermore, we use the ns-3 simulator to compare QRM with CoDel and RED, showing how QRM provides better performance in terms of both throughput and QoS guarantees when employed with C2ML.
Continuous Role Adaptation for Human–Robot Shared Control

In this paper, we propose a role adaptation method for human-robot shared control. Game theory is employed for fundamental analysis of this two-agent system. An adaptation law is developed such that the robot is able to adjust its own role according to the human's intention to lead or follow, which is inferred through the measured interaction force. In the absence of human interaction forces, the adaptive scheme allows the robot to take the lead and complete the task by itself. On the other hand, when the human persistently exerts strong forces that signal an unambiguous intent to lead, the robot yields and becomes the follower. Additionally, the full spectrum of mixed roles between these extreme scenarios is afforded by continuous online update of the control that is shared between both agents. Theoretical analysis shows that the resulting shared control is optimal with respect to a two-agent coordination game. Experimental results illustrate better overall performance, in terms of both error and effort, compared with fixed-role interactions.