Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Visualization of sound propagation with electrodynamic probes

When dealing in ultrasonic testing with inhomogeneous material structure data interpretation can be rather difficult. This is especially the case when using anisotropic dissimilar welds made from austenitic steel or nickel based alloys, which are currently used for modern power plant concepts. For better understanding of the complex interaction between the sound field and the component under test, the visualization of sound propagation in solids is a substantial task to increase the probability of detection of relevant defects. However, there exist only a small number of appropriate techniques published today, such as scanning laser interferometer, piezoelectric and optical approaches in case of transparent solids. In this work we present an electrodynamic technique providing a simple use and a high signal to noise ratio. By detecting the grazing beam with an electrodynamic probe with a size smaller than 10 mm, we measured the particle displacement as a function of time with a spatial resolution in the order of 1 mm. Adapting the electrodynamic probe and its coil alignment allows for measuring the displacement components in all three dimensions. This comprises the detection of the horizontal and vertical particle displacement with respect to the surface and thus also the transformation from longitudinal waves into transversal waves and vice versa is possible. A SNR of higher than 36 dB could be achieved within ferromagnetic and high conductive chrome steel when using a transversal wave generated by an angled beam transducer. We report on measurements of the sound field in complex weld joints. One example shows a 10 mm thick narrowgap weld joining a nickel alloy with a chrome steel yielding a substantial anisotropy of the weld structure. The test system enables us to visualize the wave propagation within the weld and indicates the reflection scenario and the energy losses due to both the anisotropic structure and material defects.
Tree‐based recursive partitioning methods for subdividing sibpairs into relatively more homogeneous subgroups

We propose a new splitting rule for recursively partitioning sibpair data into relatively more homogeneous subgroups. This strategy is designed to identify subgroups of sibpairs such that within‐subgroup analyses result in increased power to detect linkage using Haseman‐Elston regression. We assume that the subgroups can be defined by patterns of non‐genetic binary covariates measured on each sibpair. The data we consider consists of the squared difference of a quantitative trait measurement on each sibpair, estimates of identity‐by‐descent (IBD) values at each genetic marker, and binary covariate data describing characteristics of the sibpair (e.g., race, sex, family history of disease). To test the efficacy of this method in linkage analysis, we performed two simulation experiments. In the first, we simulated a mixture consisting of 66.6% of the sibpairs with no linkage and 33.3% of the sibpairs with genetic linkage to one marker. The two groups were distinguished by the value of a single binary covariate. We also simulated one unlinked marker and one random covariate to include as noise in the data. In the second experiment, we simulated a mixture consisting of 55% of the sibpairs with no genetic linkage, 22.5% of the sibpairs with genetic linkage to one marker, and 22.5% of the sibpairs with linkage to a different marker. Each subgroup was defined by a distinct pattern of two binary covariates. We also simulated one unlinked marker and two random covariates to include as noise in the data. Our simulation studies found that we can significantly increase the overall power to detect linkage by fitting Haseman‐Elston regression models to homogeneous subgroups with only a small increase in the false‐positive rate. Second, the splitting rule can correctly identify important covariates and linked markers. Third, recursive partitioning of sibpair data using this splitting rule can correctly identify sibpair subgroups. These results indicate that partitioning sibpairs into homogeneous subgroups is feasible and significantly increases the power to detect linkage, thus demonstrating the practical utility and potential this new methodology holds. Genet. Epidemiol. 20:293–306, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Nosing Around the Neighborhood: A New System Structure and Classification Rule for Recognition in Partially Exposed Environments

The scope of the classical k-NN classification techniques is enlarged under this study to cover partially exposed environments. The modified classification system structure required for successful operation in environments, wherein all the inherent pattern classes are not exposed to the system prior to deployment, is developed and illustrated with the aid of a specific classification rule-the neighborhood census rule (NCR). Admittedly, alternative rules can be visualized to fit this modified structure. However, this study concentrates on the use of NCR to bring out the underlying philosophy and develops optimum thresholds for admittance of unknown samples into the set of presently known classes. These thresholds are learned from the available training samples of these classes. This learning represents a new dimensionality of the learning system structure in that estimates of the domains of the known classes are developed in addition to learning of the discrimination among these classes. This facilitates identification of samples belonging to the classes previously unexposed to the recognition system. Experimental results are also presented in support of the proposed concepts and methodology for operation in partially exposed environments.
Conjunctival Inflammation in Thrombospondin-1 Deficient Mouse Model of Sjögren’s Syndrome

Lacrimal gland inflammation during autoimmune Sjögren’s syndrome (SS) leads to ocular surface inflammation – Keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS). This condition afflicts both the cornea and conjunctiva that form the ocular surface. Thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) deficiency in mice results in lacrimal gland and corneal inflammation that resembles the human disease. In this study we report conjunctival pathology in this mouse model of SS. We found that TSP-1 null mice develop inflammation in the conjunctiva and associated loss of goblet cell function similar to that seen in patients with SS. Increased expression of Th1 (IFN-γ, TNF-α) and Th17 (IL-6, IL-17A) inflammatory cytokines and related transcription factors (Tbet and RORγt) were detected in TSP-1 null conjunctiva as well as their draining lymph nodes (LNs). The conjunctival inflammation was also accompanied by an increase in local lymphatic vessels. Interestingly, migration of antigen-bearing dendritic cells (DCs) from the ocular surface to the LNs was dependent on the TSP-1 available in the tissue. These results not only reveal potential immunopathogenic mechanisms underlying KCS in SS but also highlight the therapeutic potential of TSP-1.
IMPACTS OF LARGE‐SCALE ATMOSPHERIC–OCEAN VARIABILITY ON ALASKAN FIRE SEASON SEVERITY

Fire is the keystone disturbance in the Alaskan boreal forest and is highly influenced by summer weather patterns. Records from the last 53 years reveal high vari- ability in the annual area burned in Alaska and corresponding high variability in weather occurring at multiple spatial and temporal scales. Here we use multiple linear regression (MLR) to systematically explore the relationships between weather variables and the annual area burned in Alaska. Variation in the seasonality of the atmospheric circulation-fire linkage is addressed through an evaluation of both the East Pacific teleconnection field and a Pacific Decadal Oscillation index keyed to an annual fire index. In the MLR, seven explanatory variables and an interaction term collectively explain 79% of the variability in the natural logarithm of the number of hectares burned annually by lightning-caused fires in Alaska from 1950 to 2003. Average June temperature alone explains one-third of the variability in the logarithm of annual area burned. The results of this work suggest that the Pacific Decadal Oscillation and the East Pacific teleconnection indices can be useful in determining a priori an estimate of the number of hectares that will burn in an upcoming season. This information also provides insight into the link between ocean-atmosphere interactions and the fire disturbance regime in Alaska.
Calcium-independent cell volume regulation in human lymphocytes. Inhibition by charybdotoxin

The properties of the K+ pathway underlying regulatory volume decrease (RVD) in human blood lymphocytes were investigated. Evidence is presented for the existence of three types of K+ conductance in these cells. Ionomycin, a Ca2+ ionophore, induced a K(+)-dependent hyperpolarization, indicating the presence of Ca2(+)-activated K+ channels, which were blocked by charybdotoxin (CTX). CTX also induced a depolarization of the resting membrane potential, even at subphysiological cytosolic [Ca2+]([Ca2+]i), which suggests the existence of a second CTX-sensitive, but Ca2(+)-independent conductance. A CTX-resistant K+ conductance was also detected. RVD in blood lymphocytes was partially (approximately 75%) blocked by CTX. However, volume regulation was not accompanied by detectable changes in [Ca2+]i, nor was it prevented by removal of extracellular Ca2+ and depletion or buffering of intracellular Ca2+. These observations suggest that K+ loss during RVD is mediated by Ca2(+)-independent, CTX-sensitive channels or that Ca2(+)-dependent channels can be activated by cell swelling at normal or subnormal [Ca2+]i. The former interpretation is supported by findings in rat thymic lymphocytes. These cells also displayed a CTX-sensitive Ca2(+)-dependent hyperpolarization. However, CTX did not significantly alter the resting potential, suggesting the absence of functional Ca2(+)-independent, toxin-sensitive channels. Volume regulation in thymic lymphocytes was less efficient than in human blood cells. In contrast to blood lymphocytes, RVD in thymocytes was not affected by CTX. These observations indicate that, though present in lymphocytes, Ca2(+)-activated K+ channels do not play an important role in volume regulation. Instead, RVD seems to be mediated by Ca2(+)-independent K+ channels. We propose that two types of channels, one CTX sensitive and the other CTX insensitive, mediate RVD in human blood lymphocytes, whereas only the latter type is involved in rat thymocytes.
Convexity, translation invariance and subadditivity for g-expectations and related risk measures

Under the continuous assumption on the generator $g$, Briand et al. [Electron. Comm. Probab. 5 (2000) 101--117] showed some connections between $g$ and the conditional $g$-expectation $({\mathcal{E}}_g[\cdot|{\mathcal{F}}_t])_{t\in[0,T]}$ and Rosazza Gianin [Insurance: Math. Econ. 39 (2006) 19--34] showed some connections between $g$ and the corresponding dynamic risk measure $(\rho^g_t)_{t\in[0,T]}$. In this paper we prove that, without the additional continuous assumption on $g$, a $g$-expectation ${\mathcal{E}}_g$ satisfies translation invariance if and only if $g$ is independent of $y$, and ${\mathcal{E}}_g$ satisfies convexity (resp. subadditivity) if and only if $g$ is independent of $y$ and $g$ is convex (resp. subadditive) with respect to $z$. By these conclusions we deduce that the static risk measure $\rho^g$ induced by a $g$-expectation ${\mathcal{E}}_g$ is a convex (resp. coherent) risk measure if and only if $g$ is independent of $y$ and $g$ is convex (resp. sublinear) with respect to $z$. Our results extend the results in Briand et al. [Electron. Comm. Probab. 5 (2000) 101--117] and Rosazza Gianin [Insurance: Math. Econ. 39 (2006) 19--34] on these subjects.
A key transport protocol based on secret sharing applications to information security

Digital multimedia content is delivered to homes via the Internet, satellite, terrestrial and cable networks. Scrambling is a common approach used by conditional access systems to prevent unauthorized access to audio/visual data. The descrambling keys are securely distributed to the receivers in the same transmission channel. Their protection is an important part of the key management problem. Although public-key cryptography provides a viable solution, alternative methods are sought for economy and efficiency. Message authentication is an important objective of information security in modern electronic distribution networks. This objective is met by providing the receiver of a message an assurance of the sender's identity. As physical protection such as sealed envelopes is not possible for messages expressed as binary sequences, digital tools have been developed using cryptography. A major limitation of all cryptographic methods for message authentication lies in their use of algorithms with fixed symmetric or public keys. This paper presents a key transport protocol based on secret sharing. Conditional access and message authentication are two important application areas for which the advantages of the proposed protocol are discussed. The protocol eliminates the need for a cipher, yet effectively combines the advantages of symmetric and public-key ciphers. It can be used to build a new key management scheme that allows the service providers to generate different keys for different sets of receivers, and to renew these keys in a convenient way.
Hardware-in-the-loop simulation experiments with a hydraulic manipulator model

Abstract This paper presents the development of a hydraulic SCARA (Selective Complience Assembly Robot Arm) manipulator model to be used in hardware-in-the-loop simulation experiments. Most of the mathematical models are semi-empirical in order to reduce the required simulation time and to perform real time simulations in small cost platforms. The real time simulations run in the xPC platform from Mathworks and commnunicate with the real world through acquisition boards from National instruments. Position control experiments, following typical robot trajectories, were made with PD controllers implemented with operational amplifi ers. The results obtained in the HILS experiments were very satisfactory, considering that semi-empirical models were used.
The geometry of kernelized spectral clustering

Clustering of data sets is a standard problem in many areas of science and engineering. The method of spectral clustering is based on embedding the data set using a kernel function, and using the top eigenvectors of the normalized Laplacian to recover the connected components. We study the performance of spectral clustering in recovering the latent labels of i.i. d. samples from a finite mixture of nonparametric distributions. The difficulty of this label recovery problem depends on the overlap between mixture components and how easily a mixture component is divided into two nonoverlapping components. When the overlap is small compared to the indivisibility of the mixture components, the principal eigenspace of the population-level normalized Laplacian operator is approximately spanned by the square-root kernelized component densities. In the finite sample setting, and under the same assumption, embedded samples from different components are approximately orthogonal with high probability when the sample size is large. As a corollary we control the fraction of samples mislabeled by spectral clustering under finite mixtures with nonparametric components.
Multi-time scales in adaptive dynamics: microscopic interpretation of a trait substitution tree model

We consider a fitness-structured population model with competition and migration between nearest neighbors. Under a combination of large population and rare migration limits we are particularly interested in the asymptotic behavior of the total population partition on supporting trait sites. For the population without mutation on a finite trait space we obtain the equilibrium configuration and characterize the right time scale for fixation. For the model with mutation on an infinite trait space a jump process-trait substitution tree model is established on a rarer mutation time scale against the rare migration constrained in terms of a large population limit. Due to a change of the fitness landscape provoked by a new mutant, some temporarily unfit types can be recovered from time to time. In the end we shed light to illustrate sexual reproduction in a diploid population on the genetic level.
Behaving in the Dark: Locomotor, Chromatic, Postural, and Bioluminescent Behaviors of the Deep-Sea Squid Octopoteuthis deletron Young 1972

Visual behaviors are prominent components of intra- and interspecific communication in shallow-water cephalopods. Meso- and bathypelagic cephalopods were believed to have limited visual communication, other than bioluminescence, due to the reduced illumination at depth. To explore potential visual behaviors in mesopelagic squid, we used undersea vehicles to observe 76 individuals of Octopoteuthis deletron. In contrast to predictions, we found this species capable of a variety of visually linked behaviors not previously reported for a deep-ocean cephalopod. The resultant ethogram describes numerous chromatic, postural, locomotor, and bioluminescent behavioral components. A few common body patterns—the whole appearance of the individual involving multiple components—are characterized. The behaviors observed from individual squid were compared using a Non-metric Multi-Dimensional Scaling (NMDS) ordination, onto which hydrographic and observation parameters were mapped. Observation length, specimen collection, and contact with the vehicle affected which behaviors were performed. A separate NMDS, analyzing the body patterns, indicated that these sets of behavioral components could be visualized as groups within the NMDS ordination. While the functional roles of the behaviors described are not yet known, our findings of numerous behaviors in O. deletron clearly indicate that bioluminescence is not the sole method of visual communication by deep-sea squid.
Trichostatin A up-regulates p73 and induces Bax-dependent apoptosis in cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer cells

Several studies in the last years evidenced that deregulation of proapoptotic and antiapoptotic pathways are key players in the onset and maintenance of chemoresistance in advanced ovarian cancers. To characterize the signaling events and molecules involved in the acquisition of cisplatin resistance, we used the human ovarian cancer cell line A2780 and its derivative cisplatin-resistant subline A2780 CIS. We found that the mitochondrial intrinsic apoptotic pathway, induced by cis-dichlorodiammineplatinum (CDDP) in A2780 wild-type cells, was compromised in the resistant subline CIS. The analysis of expression of proteins involved in mitochondria-dependent apoptosis revealed a role of Bax and p73 but not p53. Indeed, we found that CDDP treatment induced the up-regulation of p53 in both sensitive and resistant A2780 cell lines. By contrast, p73 and Bax expressions were compromised in resistant cells. Pretreatment of resistant A2780 CIS cells with the histone deacetylase inhibitor trichostatin A overcomes apoptosis resistance to CDDP by restoring both p73 and Bax but not p53 expression. Altogether, these data indicate that p73, but not p53, is involved in the regulation of apoptosis susceptibility to cisplatin in A2780 ovarian cancer cells and evidence a key contribution of histone deacetylase activation in the acquisition of chemotherapy resistance in human ovarian cancer cells. [Mol Cancer Ther 2008;7(6):1410–9]
P2P over Mobile Ad-hoc Networks

Peer-to-peer (P2P) networks and mobile ad-hoc networks (MANET) share many similarities. However, building a P2P overlay network directly on top of a MANET can lead to poor performance unless specific cross-layer optimization is adopted. We propose a novel solution comprised of a MANET routing protocol, a middleware and an inter-layer communication mechanism which facilitates P2P application development while improving performance and reducing network resource usage when compared to layering a traditional unstructured P2P system on top of a MANET.
Making Sense of Technical Information Quality : A Software-based Approach

Technical information, such as user manuals or maintenance documentation, is an important part of the product experience, no matter if the product is a mobile phone, a warship, or a software system. User manuals often constitute the ! rst line of support when users need help with a problem or want to learn more about the product. Maintenance documentation can be critical when there is a need for updates or repairs.
Intercontinental, multimodal, wide-range tele-cooperation using a humanoid robot

This paper is the continuation of our previous work in intercontinental, collaborative teleoperation with a humanoid robot. Our new achievement consists in an extension of the former single-arm bilateral teleoperation setting to include bimanual manipulation and walking. A coupling scheme for simultaneous manipulation and locomotion is developed. Furthermore, a task-based control framework, including a force-based control for the arms as well as a walking pattern generation, is presented to realize stable whole-body motions of the highly redundant humanoid robot. Experiments have been performed to assess the proposed control scheme. They bring to light additional scientific challenges that remain in order to reach a smooth and natural telepresent collaboration.
On the criticality of frustrated spin systems with noncollinear order

We analyse the universal features of the critical behaviour of frustrated spin systems with noncollinear order. By means of the field theoretical renormalization group approach, we study the 3D model of a frustrated magnet and obtain pseudo-e expansions for its universal order parameter marginal dimensions. These dimensions govern accessibility of the renormalization group transformation fixed points, and, hence, define the scenario of the phase transition.
OpenRISC-based System-on-Chip for digital signal processing

This paper presents the design and implementation of an OpenRISC-based System-on-Chip (SoC), which is composed of hardware cores implementing the Digital Signal Processing (DSP) functions: Finite Impulse Response (FIR) filter, Infinite Impulse Response (IIR) filter and Fast Fourier Transform (FFT). The FIR-filter core is based on the transpose realization form, the IIR-filter core is based on the Second Order Sections (SOS) architecture and the FFT core is based on the Radix 22 Single Delay Feedback (R22SDF) architecture. The three cores are compatible with the Wishbone SoC bus, and they were described using generic and structural VHDL. In-system hardware verification was performed by using an OpenRisc-based SoC synthesized on an Altera FPGA. Tests showed that the designed DSP cores are suitable for building SoC based on the OpenRisc processor and the Wishbone bus.
Empirical comparison of bagging-based ensemble classifiers

This paper compares empirically four bagging-based ensemble classifiers, namely the ensemble adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS), the ensemble support vector machine (SVM), the ensemble extreme learning machine (ELM) and the random forest. The comparison of these four ensemble classifiers is novel because it has not been reported in the existing literature. The classifiers are evaluated with thirteen binary class datasets and the empirical results show that the ensemble methods employed in the four ensemble classifiers boost the testing accuracy by 1-5% on average from their base classifiers. In addition, the testing accuracy can be improved by increasing the number of base classifiers. The empirical results also show that the bagging SVM is the most favorable ensemble classifier among them.