Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Simulation of genetic inheritance in the generation of virtual characters

Nowadays, applications of virtual reality (VR) and computer games use human characters models with ever-increasing sophistication. Additional challenges are posed by applications, such as life-simulation computer games (The Sims, Spore, etc.), internet-based virtual worlds (Second Life) and animation movies, that require simulation of kinship and interaction between isolated populations with well defined ethnic characteristics. The main difficulty in those situations is to generate models automatically, which are physically similar to a given population or family. In this paper, human reproduction is mimicked to produce character models, which inherit genetic characteristics from their ancestors. Unlike morphing techniques, in our method, it is possible that a genetic characteristic from an ancestor be manifested only after a few generations.
Human chromokinesin KIF4A functions in chromosome condensation and segregation

Accurate chromosome alignment at metaphase and subsequent segregation of condensed chromosomes is a complex process involving elaborate and only partially characterized molecular machinery. Although several spindle associated molecular motors have been shown to be essential for mitotic function, only a few chromosome arm–associated motors have been described. Here, we show that human chromokinesin human HKIF4A (HKIF4A) is an essential chromosome-associated molecular motor involved in faithful chromosome segregation. HKIF4A localizes in the nucleoplasm during interphase and on condensed chromosome arms during mitosis. It accumulates in the mid-zone from late anaphase and localizes to the cytokinetic ring during cytokinesis. RNA interference–mediated depletion of HKIF4A in human cells results in defective prometaphase organization, chromosome mis-alignment at metaphase, spindle defects, and chromosome mis-segregation. HKIF4A interacts with the condensin I and II complexes and HKIF4A depletion results in chromosome hypercondensation, suggesting that HKIF4A is required for maintaining normal chromosome architecture. Our results provide functional evidence that human KIF4A is a novel component of the chromosome condensation and segregation machinery functioning in multiple steps of mitotic division.
Multiproxy lake sediment records at the northern and southern boundaries of the Aspen Parkland region of Manitoba, Canada

Aspen parkland in central Canada may change substantially with increased warming and aridity as prairies replace forests, fire return intervals decrease and lake levels decline. We examined the relationships among vegetation, climate, fire and lake-ecosystem properties using lake sediment cores from the current northern and southern boundaries of the aspen parkland in southwestern Manitoba. We analyzed pollen, charcoal, sediment magnetics, biogenic silica, phosphorus, grain size and LOI, and dated the cores using 210Pb and 14C (AMS, calibrated). The Jones Lake record, from the southern edge of the parkland, began considerably earlier (~11 000 cal. BP) than the Mallard Pond record at the northern edge (~8600 cal. BP). These sites were characterized as prairie communities with low fire severity and relatively low lake productivity during the warm, dry period from 9000 to 6000 cal. BP. Beginning around 6500 cal. BP at Jones Lake and 3400 cal. BP at Mallard Pond, conditions appeared to get wetter as indicated by arboreal pollen percentage increases from ~30% to 40— 60%, concurrent with a rise in charcoal and proxies for lake productivity (biogenic silica and percent organic phosphorus). Similar to previous studies along the prairie—forest border, we found that charcoal increased during warmer, wetter periods with increased forest cover and fuel loading rather than during warmer, drier periods of prairie dominance. Our results underscore the importance of regional changes in moisture, and its effects on lake levels and forest biomass, as a dominant control of the aspen parkland dynamics.
Frequency of eating and concentrations of serum cholesterol in the Norfolk population of the European prospective investigation into cancer (EPIC-Norfolk): cross sectional study

Abstract Objectives: To examine the relation between self reported eating frequency and serum lipid concentrations in a free living population. Design: Cross sectional population based study. Setting: Norfolk, England. Participants: 14 666 men and women aged 45–75 years from the Norfolk cohort of the European prospective investigation into cancer (EPIC-Norfolk). Main outcome measures: Concentrations of blood lipids. Results: Mean concentrations of total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein cholesterol decreased in a continuous relation with increasing daily frequency of eating in men and women. No consistent relation was observed for high density lipoprotein cholesterol, body mass index, waist to hip ratio, or blood pressure. Mean cholesterol concentrations differed by about 0.25 mmol/l between people eating more than six times a day and those eating once or twice daily; this difference was reduced to 0.15 mmol/l after adjustment for possible confounding variables, including age, obesity, cigarette smoking, physical activity, and intake of energy and nutrients (alcohol, fat, fatty acids, protein, and carbohydrate). Conclusions: Concentrations of total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein cholesterol are negatively and consistently associated with frequency of eating in a general population. The effects of eating frequency on lipid concentrations induced in short term trials in animals and human volunteers under controlled laboratory conditions can be observed in a free living general population. We need to consider not just what we eat but how often we eat. What is already known on this topic Studies in animals and small human trials indicate that eating frequency is inversely related to serum lipid concentrations Few studies have examined this in a free living population under no dietary restrictions What this study adds In a free living population increased eating frequency was negatively and significantly associated with concentrations of total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein cholesterol This association was still present after adjustment for body mass index, physical activity, cigarette smoking, and dietary intake Mean age adjusted cholesterol concentrations differed by 0.25 mmol/l between people eating more than six times a day and those eating less than twice daily
Production of IL‐12 in gastritis relates to infection with Helicobacter pylori

Increased production of proinflammatory cytokines, including tumour necrosis factor‐alpha (TNF‐α), IL‐1β, IL‐6 and IL‐8, has been demonstrated in Helicobacter pylori‐associated gastric mucosal inflammation. IL‐12, a newly characterized cytokine, is thought to be a key mediator in host responses to bacterial infections. The aim of this study was to investigate differences in cytokine patterns between H. pylori‐positive and ‐negative gastritis and normal mucosa. Secretion of IL‐12, TNF‐α, IL‐1β, IL‐6, IL‐8 and IL‐10 was measured in 176 patients with chronic gastritis in whole biopsy cultures. Gastritis was graded for chronic inflammation or acute inflammatory activity, respectively, according to the Sydney system. Biopsies with similar scores were matched for analysis from H. pylori‐infected and non‐infected patients. Secretion of IL‐12 was significantly increased in H. pylori‐associated gastritis in comparison with H. pylori‐negative gastritis (P < 0.0001). In contrast, secretion of TNF‐α, IL‐1β, IL‐6, and IL‐8 correlated with the degree of inflammation but was not different between H. pylori‐positive and ‐negative patients. Moreover, IL‐10 secretion was found to be higher in H. pylori‐positive than in H. pylori‐negative patients. IL‐12 may play a specific role in H. pylori‐associated gastric disease, whereas production of the proinflammatory cytokines TNF‐α, IL‐1β, IL‐6 and IL‐8 does not seem to be restricted to H. pylori‐induced inflammation. The contra‐inflammatory cytokine IL‐10 may be a contributor to the chronicity of H. pylori‐associated gastritis by impairing clearance of the pathogen.
The Maize Transcription Factor Myb-Related Protein-1 Is a Key Regulator of the Differentiation of Transfer Cells[C][W]

Transfer cells are highly modified plant cells specialized in the transport of solutes. They differentiate at many plant exchange surfaces, including phloem loading and unloading zones such as those present in the sink organs and seeds. In maize (Zea mays) seeds, transfer cells are located at the base of the endosperm. It is currently unknown how apical-basal polarity is established or why the peripheral cells at the base of the endosperm differentiate into transfer instead of aleurone cells. Here, we show that in epidermal cells committed to develop into aleurone cells, the ectopic expression of the transfer cell-specific transcriptional activator Myb-Related Protein-1 (MRP-1) is sufficient to temporarily transform them into transfer cells. These transformed cells acquire distinct transfer cell features, such as cell wall ingrowths and an elongated shape. In addition, they express a number of MRP-1 target genes presumably involved in defense. We also show that the expression of MRP-1 is needed to maintain the transfer cell phenotype. Later in development, an observed reduction in the ectopic expression of MRP-1 was followed by the reversion of the transformed cells, which then acquire aleurone cell features.
Germline sequence variants in TGM3 and RGS22 confer risk of basal cell carcinoma

To search for new sequence variants that confer risk of cutaneous basal cell carcinoma (BCC), we conducted a genome-wide association study of 38.5 million single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and small indels identified through whole-genome sequencing of 2230 Icelanders. We imputed genotypes for 4208 BCC patients and 109 408 controls using Illumina SNP chip typing data, carried out association tests and replicated the findings in independent population samples. We found new BCC susceptibility loci at TGM3 (rs214782[G], P = 5.5 × 10−17, OR = 1.29) and RGS22 (rs7006527[C], P = 8.7 × 10−13, OR = 0.77). TGM3 encodes transglutaminase type 3, which plays a key role in production of the cornified envelope during epidermal differentiation.
Kalman filtering for relative spacecraft attitude and position estimation

In this paper a novel approach is developed for relative navigation and attitude estimation of spacecraft flying in formation. The approach uses information from an optical sensor, which employs relatively simple electronic circuits with modest digital signal processing requirements, to provide multiple line-of-sight vectors from spacecraft to another. The sensor mechanism is well suited for both near-Earth and deep space applications since it is fully independent of any external systems. The line-of-sight measurements are coupled with gyro measurements and dynamical models in an extended Kalman filter to determine relative attitude, position and gyro biases. The quaternion is used to describe the relative kinematics and general relative orbital equations are used to describe the positional dynamics. Simulation results indicate that the combined sensor/estimator approach provides accurate relative position and attitude estimates.
A bivariate measurement error model for semicontinuous and continuous variables: Application to nutritional epidemiology

Semicontinuous data in the form of a mixture of a large portion of zero values and continuously distributed positive values frequently arise in many areas of biostatistics. This article is motivated by the analysis of relationships between disease outcomes and intakes of episodically consumed dietary components. An important aspect of studies in nutritional epidemiology is that true diet is unobservable and commonly evaluated by food frequency questionnaires with substantial measurement error. Following the regression calibration approach for measurement error correction, unknown individual intakes in the risk model are replaced by their conditional expectations given mismeasured intakes and other model covariates. Those regression calibration predictors are estimated using short‐term unbiased reference measurements in a calibration substudy. Since dietary intakes are often “energy‐adjusted,” e.g., by using ratios of the intake of interest to total energy intake, the correct estimation of the regression calibration predictor for each energy‐adjusted episodically consumed dietary component requires modeling short‐term reference measurements of the component (a semicontinuous variable), and energy (a continuous variable) simultaneously in a bivariate model. In this article, we develop such a bivariate model, together with its application to regression calibration. We illustrate the new methodology using data from the NIH‐AARP Diet and Health Study (Schatzkin et al., 2001, American Journal of Epidemiology 154, 1119–1125), and also evaluate its performance in a simulation study.
CDCTree: novel obstacle-avoiding routing tree construction based on current driven circuit model

Routing tree construction is a fundamental problem in modern VLSI design. In this paper we propose CDCTree, an Obstacle-Avoiding Rectilinear Steiner Minimum Tree (OARSMT) heuristic algorithm to construct an OARSMT. CDCTree is based on the current driven circuit (CDC) model mapped from an escape graph. The circuit structure comes from the topology of the escape graph, with each edge replaced by a resistor indicating the wirelength of that edge. By performing DC analysis on the circuit and selecting the edges according to the current distribution to construct an OARSMT, the wirelength of the resulting tree is short. The algorithm has been implemented and tested on cases of different scales and with different shapes of obstacles. Experiments show that CDCTree can achieve shorter wirelength than the existing best algorithm, An-OARSMan, when the terminal number of a net is less than 50
Upper Ordovician chondrichthyan‐like scales from North America

Studies of Ordovician micromeric fish scales from the Sandbian of North America have identified a number of scale‐based taxa potentially referable to the chondrichthyans and therefore can be among the stratigraphically oldest representatives of the clade described to date. Two of these, Tezakia hardingensis gen. et sp. nov. and Canyonlepis smithae gen. et sp. nov., are formally described herein. Tezakia gen. nov. scales are composed exclusively of tubular dentine and possess polyodontocomplex crowns with a characteristically large primordial odontode. Similar scale crown architecture has been reported only in the reputed chondrichthyan Altholepis composita (Lower Devonian of Podolia, Ukraine), and on these grounds, the two are united within the newly erected Altholepidiformes ordo nov. Multiple odontocomplexes are also a feature of Canyonlepis gen. nov. scale crowns; however, the latter do not demonstrate prominent primordial odontodes and are supported by a base composed of acellular bone. Additional data suggest that both taxa possess a combination of characteristics (areal crown growth, scale symmetry, linear odontocomplex architecture and absence of enamel, osteons, cancellous bone and hard‐tissue resorption) previously documented to occur only in chondrichthyan scales. This study contributes to a growing body of evidence that reveals the presence of diverse tissue types (bone, tubular and atubular dentine) and morphogenetic patterns (odontocomplex and non‐odontocomplex type of scale crown growth) in the dermal skeleton of putative Ordovician chondrichthyans.
Methods for determining transverse dispersion coefficients of porous media in laboratory column experiments

Continuous point source and instantaneous finite source methods are presented for determining the transverse dispersion coefficient of saturated porous media in laboratory column experiments. The methods entail injecting a conservative tracer from an injector embedded in a porous medium, monitoring concentration variations with time within the column upgradient from where the tracer impinges on the column wall, and extracting longitudinal and transverse dispersion coefficient values from relative concentration-time data using three-dimensional advection-dispersion formulations. The methods were tested in a column packed with glass beads for comparison with reported flow tank tests. The transverse dispersion coefficient values calculated using column test data agree closely with flow tank results. The methods presented offer new approaches for investigating dispersion phenomena in porous media and especially offer the potential for determining the transverse as well as the longitudinal dispersion coefficient of undisturbed core samples.
Entropic Uncertainty Relations for Successive Generalized Measurements

We derive entropic uncertainty relations for successive generalized measurements by using general descriptions of quantum measurement within two distinctive operational scenarios. In the first scenario, by merging two successive measurements into one we consider successive measurement scheme as a method to perform an overall composite measurement. In the second scenario, on the other hand, we consider it as a method to measure a pair of jointly measurable observables by marginalizing over the distribution obtained in this scheme. In the course of this work, we identify that limits on one’s ability to measure with low uncertainty via this scheme come from intrinsic unsharpness of observables obtained in each scenario. In particular, for the Luders instrument, disturbance caused by the first measurement to the second one gives rise to the unsharpness at least as much as incompatibility of the observables composing successive measurement.
WISEglass: Smart eyeglasses recognising context

We investigated how regular eyeglasses could be extended with multi-modal sensing and processing functions to support context-awareness applications. Our aim was to leverage eyeglasses as a platform for acquiring and processing context information according to the wearer's needs. The WISEglass architecture consists of inertial motion, environmental light, and pulse sensors, processing and wireless data transmission functionality, besides a rechargeable battery. We implemented prototypes of WISEglass and evaluated them in three application scenarios: daily activity recognition, screen-use detection, and heart rate estimation. We conducted a daily activity study with nine participants, each wearing WISEglass and recording for one day. When evaluating daily activity recognition, we obtained 77% average accuracy for continuous recognition using Gaussian Mixture Models and classifier reject to ignore null class data. Using the light sensor for detecting screen-use, yielded 80% accuracy. Against a chest-worn ECG reference, our heart rate estimation showed an difference below 10 beats for stationary activities across the full recording day. We concluded that smart eyeglasses provide information from a single measurement spot that is relevant in various context recognition applications.
Aging and Forearm Postjunctional &agr;-Adrenergic Vasoconstriction in Healthy Men

Background—Muscle sympathetic vasoconstrictor nerve activity increases with age in healthy humans but does not result in an augmented forearm vasoconstrictor tone. We tested the hypothesis that this is due to a reduction in postjunctional &agr;-adrenergic responsiveness to endogenous norepinephrine (NE) release and determined whether this was specific to &agr;1- or &agr;2-adrenergic receptors. Methods and Results—Forearm blood flow (FBF, by strain-gauge plethysmography) responses to local intra-arterial infusions of tyramine (which evokes endogenous NE release), phenylephrine (selective &agr;1-agonist), and clonidine (&agr;2-agonist) were determined in 10 young (aged 26±1 [mean±SEM] years) and 10 older (aged 65±1 years) healthy normotensive men after local &bgr;-adrenergic blockade with propranolol. Basal forearm vascular tone was not different in young men and older men. The percentage reduction in FBF in response to the highest dose of tyramine was blunted in older men compared with young men (−37±3% versus −49±3%, respectively;P <0.01) despite a greater increase in deep venous NE concentration in older men (910±103 versus 565±69 pg/mL, respectively;P <0.001). Maximal reductions in FBF to phenylephrine were also blunted in older men (−47±2% versus −58±3% in young men, P <0.05). In contrast, the reductions in FBF (−36±7% versus −40±3% for older versus young men, respectively) and also in venous NE concentration (−79±24 versus −84±13 pg/mL for older versus young men, respectively) to clonidine were similar in the 2 groups. Finally, forearm sympathetic &agr;-adrenergic vasoconstrictor tone (assessed via nonselective &agr;-blockade with phentolamine) was significantly lower in older men. Conclusions—Our results indicate that human aging is associated with a reduction in forearm postjunctional &agr;-adrenergic responsiveness to endogenous NE release and that this might be specific to &agr;1-adrenergic receptors. Furthermore, the contribution of sympathetic &agr;-adrenergic vasoconstriction to basal forearm vascular tone is reduced with age in healthy men.
Sparse orthonormal transforms for image compression

We propose a block-based transform optimization and associated image compression technique that exploits regularity along directional image singularities. Unlike established work, directionality comes about as a byproduct of the proposed optimization rather than a built in constraint. Our work classifies image blocks and uses transforms that are optimal for each class, thereby decomposing image information into classification and transform coefficient information. The transforms are optimized using a set of training images. Our algebraic framework allows straightforward extension to non-block transforms, allowing us to also design sparse lapped transforms that exploit geometric regularity. We use an EZW/SPIHT like entropy coder to encode the transform coefficients to show that our block and lapped designs have competitive rate-distortion performance. Our work can be seen as nonlinear approximation optimized transform coding of images subject to structural constraints on transform basis functions.
Partitioning of HNO3 and particulate nitrate over Tokyo: Effect of vertical mixing

[1] Ground-based measurements of gas-phase nitric acid (HNO3) and particulate nitrate (NO3−) were performed in Tokyo during 2003–2004. These measurements provide a comprehensive data set for investigating the diurnal and seasonal variations of gas-phase HNO3 and particulate NO3− and the thermodynamic equilibrium of these compounds. HNO3 and NO3− have distinct diurnal and seasonal variations, especially in summer. This study shows that the thermodynamic equilibrium of HNO3 and NO3− and the production rate of total nitrate (TNO3 = HNO3 + NO3−) are the major controlling factors affecting these seasonal and diurnal variations. A thermodynamic equilibrium model (ISORROPIA) is newly coupled with a one-dimensional (1-D) model to take into account the effect of vertical mixing during daytime on the partitioning of HNO3 and NO3− by constraining the TNO3 concentrations to the observations. The 1-D model reproduces the NO3−/TNO3 ratios observed during daytime, whereas the equilibrium model significantly underestimates these ratios. The agreement between the observed and calculated NO3−/TNO3 ratios is improved over the observed temperature range (1°–34°C) and relative humidity (18–95%) by the 1-D model. These results suggest the importance of vertical mixing in determining HNO3-NO3− partitioning in the boundary layer. It is also found that the mass accommodation coefficient for HNO3 needs to be approximately 0.1 to explain the observed HNO3-NO3− partitioning at the surface.