Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Further developments and applications of network reference governor for constrained systems

This paper develops further the network reference governor, which is a predictive algorithm for modifying commands sent to the remote system to satisfy state and control constraints. Due to the network communication, the governor must account for a delay that can be time-varying and unknown. The paper summarizes the results on network reference governor theory, and demonstrate its operation on a case study of a attitude control of a spacecraft with a very flexible appendage, where the commands are transmitted remotely over a network to the spacecraft, and hence delayed by a bounded, unknown delay. In this case study, the reference governor ensures that the elastic deflections of the appendage and the control signal satisfy the imposed limits while the spacecraft performs a reorientation maneuver. The paper then presents the novel theoretical construction of a less conservative network reference governor for the case when the delay is long but only slowly time-varying, with known bounds on the rate of change. A spacecraft relative motion control example with constraints on thrust and Line Of Sight (LoS) cone positioning is considered to illustrate these theoretical developments.
Cutting Edge: IFN-γ Produced by Brain-Resident Cells Is Crucial To Control Cerebral Infection with Toxoplasma gondii

In vitro studies demonstrated that microglia and astrocytes produce IFN-γ in response to various stimulations, including LPS. However, the physiological role of IFN-γ production by brain-resident cells, including glial cells, in resistance against cerebral infections remains unknown. We analyzed the role of IFN-γ production by brain-resident cells in resistance to reactivation of cerebral infection with Toxoplasma gondii using a murine model. Our study using bone marrow chimeric mice revealed that IFN-γ production by brain-resident cells is essential for upregulating IFN-γ–mediated protective innate immune responses to restrict cerebral T. gondii growth. Studies using a transgenic strain that expresses IFN-γ only in CD11b+ cells suggested that IFN-γ production by microglia, which is the only CD11b+ cell population among brain-resident cells, is able to suppress the parasite growth. Furthermore, IFN-γ produced by brain-resident cells is pivotal for recruiting T cells into the brain to control the infection. These results indicate that IFN-γ produced by brain-resident cells is crucial for facilitating both the protective innate and T cell–mediated immune responses to control cerebral infection with T. gondii.
Test cost reduction for the AMD™ Athlon processor using test partitioning

The application of SOC-style test partitioning to a monolithic microprocessor design results in considerable benefits, including simpler and faster ATPG, reduced ECO impact, faster debug, and, most surprisingly, reduced test application time. These results challenge the orthodoxy that flat, top-level ATPG is the best method to produce an optimal pattern set. The granularity of the partitioning was the key factor in achieving the results: a 33-element partition of the AMDtrade Athlon CPU chip resulted in better than a ~80% reduction in test time compared to aflat model of the entire chip. This paper describes the ATPG experiments and quantifies the design overhead required for implementing wrapper cells at partition boundaries.
Profile of anisometropia and aniso-astigmatism in children: prevalence and association with age, ocular biometric measures, and refractive status.

PURPOSE We describe the profile and associations of anisometropia and aniso-astigmatism in a population-based sample of children. METHODS The Northern Ireland Childhood Errors of Refraction (NICER) study used a stratified random cluster design to recruit a representative sample of children from schools in Northern Ireland. Examinations included cycloplegic (1% cyclopentolate) autorefraction, and measures of axial length, anterior chamber depth, and corneal curvature. χ(2) tests were used to assess variations in the prevalence of anisometropia and aniso-astigmatism by age group, with logistic regression used to compare odds of anisometropia and aniso-astigmatism with refractive status (myopia, emmetropia, hyperopia). The Mann-Whitney U test was used to examine interocular differences in ocular biometry. RESULTS Data from 661 white children aged 12 to 13 years (50.5% male) and 389 white children aged 6 to 7 years (49.6% male) are presented. The prevalence of anisometropia ≥1 diopters sphere (DS) did not differ statistically significantly between 6- to 7-year-old (8.5%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.9-13.1) and 12- to 13-year-old (9.4%; 95% CI, 5.9-12.9) children. The prevalence of aniso-astigmatism ≥1 diopters cylinder (DC) did not vary statistically significantly between 6- to 7-year-old (7.7%; 95% CI, 4.3-11.2) and 12- to 13-year-old (5.6%; 95% CI, 0.5-8.1) children. Anisometropia and aniso-astigmatism were more common in 12- to 13-year-old children with hyperopia ≥+2 DS. Anisometropic eyes had greater axial length asymmetry than nonanisometropic eyes. Aniso-astigmatic eyes were more asymmetric in axial length and corneal astigmatism than eyes without aniso-astigmatism. CONCLUSIONS In this population, there is a high prevalence of axial anisometropia and corneal/axial aniso-astigmatism, associated with hyperopia, but whether these relations are causal is unclear. Further work is required to clarify the developmental mechanism behind these associations.
Intramedullary nailing of humeral shaft fractures

Although nonoperative treatment is recognized as an effective treatment method for humeral shaft fractures, it is associated with an approximately 10% risk of nonunion and long-term impairments of the shoulder joint. There is a growing interest to treat even simple humeral shaft fractures operatively to avoid these problems. Intramedullary (IM) nailing has proven to be very effective in the treatment of femoral and tibial shaft fractures and the same method has been adopted for humeral shaft fractures. However, the results regarding union rate and shoulder joint function after antegrade insertion of an IM nail have been very controversial. The purpose of this study was to investigate fracture union, shoulder joint function and symptoms after antegrade IM nailing of humeral shaft fractures, to assess safety and results of IM nailing in pathological fractures, to evaluate the efficacy of exchange nailing and Ilizarov's technique in the treatment of nonunion after IM nailing and to find out, by comparing shoulder joint symptoms and function after antegrade IM nailing and dynamic compression (DC) plate fixation, whether antegrade access to the medullary cavity is the main reason behind shoulder joint problems. During the years 1987-1997, 126 humeral shaft fractures were operated upon in Oulu University Hospital using antegrade IM nailing. The nonunion rate was 22% and distraction of the fracture fragments was the most important risk factor associated with nonunion. The reoperation rate, for various reasons, was 25%. Shoulder joint pain and impairment of function was present in 37% of the patients. In the treatment of 18 pathological fractures IM nailing was a rapid and safe operation, associated with good pain relief. Exchange nailing of 13 cases of nonunion after IM nailing resulted in a union rate of 47% and this method is not useful in the humerus in contrast to tibial and femoral fractures. Permanent nonunion leaves the patient with severe impairment of the shoulder joint and a loose nail may lead to severe osteolysis of cortical bone. In complicated nonunion with poor bone quality, Ilizarov's technique, although associated with a high rate of minor complications and reoperations, worked well. When IM nailing was compared with DC plating it was found that there were no significant differences in shoulder pain, function scores, range-of-motion and strength. Antegrade insertion of the nail, if carried out properly, is probably not the main reason for shoulder joint impairment after
Teachers' and Students' Understandings of how Self Worth is Influenced in the Learning Environment: a New Zealand Context

i Acknowledgments . ii Chapter One: Introduction . 1 Context of the study . 1 Significance of the study . 3 Topic and aims of the study . 4 Research questions . 4 Summary . 5 Chapter Two: Review of Literature . 6 Defining self worth . 6 The ‘self’ in self worth theory . 8 Socio-cultural factors . 18 Teaching and learning . 31 Summary . 45 Chapter Three: Research Methodology and Theoretical Framework . 46 Overview of research methodology . 46 Qualitative research design . 48 Case study . 48 Selection of participants . 49 Data collection . 51 Data analysis . 57 Ethical implications . 59 Researcher interest . 61 Researcher presence and bias . 61 Theoretical framework . 62 Limitations . 66 Summary . 66 Chapter Four: Findings . 68 Research Question 1: . 68 1. Characteristics of good self worth . 69 2. Characteristics of poor self worth . 77 Research Question 2: . 83 3. Achievement . 83 4. Teachers qualities . 88 5. Teachers’ strategies . 91 6. Significant others . 108 Summary . 1 12 Chapter Five: Discussion. 11 3 Research Question 1: How do teachers and students d scribe good self worth and poor self worth? 114 1. Characteristics of good self worth . 114 2. Characteristics of poor self worth . 118 Summary . 1 22 Research Question 2: Influences of the learning env iro ment on self worth . 123 3. Achievement . 124 4. Teachers’ qualities . 131 5. Teachers’ strategies . 138 6. Significant others . 159 Summary . 1 69 Chapter Six: Conclusion . 17 0 Answering the research questions . 170 Opportunities for future research . 178 Final statement . 17 9 Appendices . 180 References . 200
The impact of choice inconsistencies on the valuation of travel time in stated choice studies

A new test procedure revealing choices that are jointly inconsistent has been developed and applied to the respondents’ choices in the Norwegian value of time study (Ramjerdi et al. 1997) and a study providing the Norwegian road authorities with valuation of environmental benefits for use in Cost-Benefit Analysis (Saelensminde and Hammer 1993). Our analysis show that lexicographic and inconsistent choices commonly occur in several stated choice tasks and have a significant impact on the valuation of reduced travel time. Both people’s difficulties handling the choice tasks and real preferences cause lexicographic choices. Different abilities to choose are also an important explanation of inconsistent choices. The occurrence of inconsistent choices is shown to be largest first in the choice sequence and is reduced for later choices. These results suggest that the respondents may need more training and help to choose consistent in stated choice studies.
Low-Intensity physical activity beneficially alters the ultrastructural renal morphology of spontaneously hypertensive rats

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Kidney disorders can cause essential hypertension, which can subsequently cause renal disease. High blood pressure is also common among those with chronic kidney disease; moreover, it is a well-known risk factor for a more rapid progression to kidney failure. Because hypertension and kidney function are closely linked, the present study aimed to observe the beneficial effects of low-intensity physical activity on structural and ultrastructural renal morphology and blood pressure in normotensive and spontaneously hypertensive rats. METHOD: Male Wistar-Kyoto rats and spontaneously hypertensive rats were randomly allocated into four groups: sedentary or exercised Wistar-Kyoto and sedentary or exercised spontaneously hypertensive rats. The exercise lasted 20 weeks and consisted of treadmill training for 1 hour/day, 5 days/week. RESULTS: The exercised, spontaneously hypertensive rats showed a significant blood pressure reduction of 26%. The body masses of the Wistar-Kyoto and spontaneously hypertensive strains were significantly different. There were improvements in some of the renal structures of the animals treated with physical activity: (i) the interdigitations of the proximal and distal convoluted tubules; (ii) the basal membrane of the proximal and distal convoluted tubules; and (iii) in the basal membrane, slit diaphragm and pedicels of the glomerular filtration barrier. The spontaneously hypertensive rats also showed a decreased expression of connexin-43. CONCLUSION: Physical exercise could be a therapeutic tool for improving kidney ultrastructure and, consequently, renal function in hypertensive individuals.
Alternative Splicing Events Are a Late Feature of Pathology in a Mouse Model of Spinal Muscular Atrophy

Spinal muscular atrophy is a severe motor neuron disease caused by inactivating mutations in the SMN1 gene leading to reduced levels of full-length functional SMN protein. SMN is a critical mediator of spliceosomal protein assembly, and complete loss or drastic reduction in protein leads to loss of cell viability. However, the reason for selective motor neuron degeneration when SMN is reduced to levels which are tolerated by all other cell types is not currently understood. Widespread splicing abnormalities have recently been reported at end-stage in a mouse model of SMA, leading to the proposition that disruption of efficient splicing is the primary mechanism of motor neuron death. However, it remains unclear whether splicing abnormalities are present during early stages of the disease, which would be a requirement for a direct role in disease pathogenesis. We performed exon-array analysis of RNA from SMN deficient mouse spinal cord at 3 time points, pre-symptomatic (P1), early symptomatic (P7), and late-symptomatic (P13). Compared to littermate control mice, SMA mice showed a time-dependent increase in the number of exons showing differential expression, with minimal differences between genotypes at P1 and P7, but substantial variation in late-symptomatic (P13) mice. Gene ontology analysis revealed differences in pathways associated with neuronal development as well as cellular injury. Validation of selected targets by RT–PCR confirmed the array findings and was in keeping with a shift between physiologically occurring mRNA isoforms. We conclude that the majority of splicing changes occur late in SMA and may represent a secondary effect of cell injury, though we cannot rule out significant early changes in a small number of transcripts crucial to motor neuron survival.
A new model for improving symbolic product machine traversal

The authors present algorithms for traversing product machines which improve on the results of H. Cho et al. (1991), with a speedup ranging from 3 up to 6. New features include a model that generalizes the product machine, resulting in simpler and more efficient representations and computations, as well as optimizations in symbolic image computation. In the latter case, the speedup ranged from 1.5 to 4. <<ETX>>
Low HDL Cholesterol and the Risk of Diabetic Nephropathy and Retinopathy

OBJECTIVE Although low HDL cholesterol (HDL-C) is an established risk factor for atherosclerosis, data on HDL-C and the risk of microvascular disease are limited. We tested the association between HDL-C and microvascular disease in a cohort of patients with type 2 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS A total of 11,140 patients with type 2 diabetes and at least one additional vascular risk factor were followed a median of 5 years. Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess the association between baseline HDL-C and the development of new or worsening microvascular disease, defined prospectively as a composite of renal and retinal events. RESULTS The mean baseline HDL-C level was 1.3 mmol/L (SD 0.45 mmol/L [range 0.1–4.0]). During follow-up, 32% of patients developed new or worsening microvascular disease, with 28% experiencing a renal event and 6% a retinal event. Compared with patients in the highest third, those in the lowest third had a 17% higher risk of microvascular disease (adjusted hazard ratio 1.17 [95% CI 1.06–1.28], P = 0.001) after adjustment for potential confounders and regression dilution. This was driven by a 19% higher risk of renal events (1.19 [1.08–1.32], P = 0.0005). There was no association between thirds of HDL-C and retinal events (1.01 [0.82–1.25], P = 0.9). CONCLUSIONS In patients with type 2 diabetes, HDL-C level is an independent risk factor for the development of microvascular disease affecting the kidney but not the retina.
Treatment of unilateral posterior crossbite with quad-helix and removable plates. A retrospective study.

This study evaluated and compared the results of unilateral posterior crossbite treatment with the quad-helix appliance and removable plates. Twenty-seven children were treated with the quad-helix and 17 children with plates, with a mean age of 9.8 and 9.5 years respectively. The treatment was carried out by general practitioners working in the Swedish Public Dental Service, under the supervision of orthodontists. Dental casts taken before and after treatment and dental records were used for analysis of treatment effects and complications. A cost-benefit analysis was also made. The results showed that the expansion treatment was successful in all cases but one in each group. The mean expansion was 3.8 mm in the quad-helix group and 3.1 mm in the plate group. The expansion effect was greater on the crossbite sides than on normal sides. The number of complications was the same in the two groups. In the quad-helix group, loose bands dominated, while poorly fitting appliances were the main problem in the plate group. The number of visits and chair time were higher for the plate group than for the quad-helix group. The mean cost of treatment was 40% higher in the plate group. It was concluded that the quad-helix appliance should be preferred to plates for correcting unilateral posterior crossbite in the mixed dentition.
Hemifusion in Synaptic Vesicle Cycle

In the neuron, early neurotransmitters are released through the fusion pore prior to the complete vesicle fusion. It has been thought that the fusion pore is a gap junction-like structure made of transmembrane domains (TMDs) of soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive-factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE) proteins. However, evidence has accumulated that lipid mixing occurs prior to the neurotransmitter release through the fusion pore lined predominantly with lipids. To explain these observations, the hemifusion, a membrane structure in which two bilayers are partially merged, has emerged as a key step preceding the formation of the fusion pore. Furthermore, the hemifusion appears to be the bona fide intermediate step not only for the synaptic vesicle cycle, but for a wide range of membrane remodeling processes, such as viral membrane fusion and endocytotic membrane fission.
Lidocaine for Treatment of Severe Seizures in Newborn Infants

ABSTRACT. The anticonvulsive effect of lidocaine was evaluated in 46 newborn infants with severe, recurrent seizures. Before the lidocaine all infants were being given phenobarbital, and 22 infants were also treated with diazepam. Different dosages of lidocaine were tested. A loading dose of 2 mg/kg followed by i.v. infusion of 6 mg/kg/hour was the most effective dosage and had an immediate anticonvulsive effect in 18 of 25 infants; within 30 min the same effect was attained in another five of the infants, with an overall seizure control in 92% of the sample population. During the lidocaine treatment cerebral electrical activity was followed continuously with a cerebral function monitor (CFM), which also enabled evaluation of the treatment. No serious side effects on blood‐pressure, heart‐rate or cerebral electrical activity were registered. For newborn infants with severe recurrent seizures not responding to other drugs, lidocaine is an effective additional mode of treatment.
Walk-based Computation of Contextual Word Similarity

We propose a new measure of semantic similarity between words in context, which exploits the syntactic/semantic structure of the context surrounding each target word. For a given pair of target words and their sentential contexts, labeled directed graphs are made from the output of a semantic parser on these sentences. Nodes in these graphs represent words in the sentences, and labeled edges represent syntactic/semantic relations between them. The similarity between the target words is then computed as the sum of the similarity of walks starting from the target words (nodes) in the two graphs. The proposed measure is tested on word sense disambiguation and paraphrase ranking tasks, and the results are promising: The proposed measure outperforms existing methods which completely ignore or do not fully exploit syntactic/semantic structural co-occurrences between a target word and its neighbors.
A Multichannel Audio Denoising Formulation Based on Spectral Sparsity

We consider the estimation of an audio source from multiple noisy observations, where the correlation between noise in the different observations is low. We propose a two-stage method for this estimation problem. The method does not require any information about noise and assumes that the signal of interest has a sparse time-frequency representation. The first stage uses this assumption to obtain the best linear combination of the observations. The second stage estimates the amount of remaining noise and applies a post-filter to further enhance the reconstruction. We discuss the optimality of this method under a specific model and demonstrate its usefulness on synthetic and real data.
Twitter User Geolocation Using a Unified Text and Network Prediction Model

We propose a label propagation approach to geolocation prediction based on Modified Adsorption, with two enhancements:(1) the removal of "celebrity" nodes to increase location homophily and boost tractability, and (2) he incorporation of text-based geolocation priors for test users. Experiments over three Twitter benchmark datasets achieve state-of-the-art results, and demonstrate the effectiveness of the enhancements.
The influence of individual characteristics and parenting behaviors on adolescent academic performance

The purpose of this study was to discover the effects of adolescent autonomy, parental academic involvement and parental academic expectations as they link gender, age, ethnicity, and immigrant generation to adolescent academic performance. A selected sample from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health data set (Add Health) was used to examine these relationships specifically for Latino/as with comparisons drawn to White, African American, and Asian adolescents. Special emphasis was also placed on gender differences for each ethnic/racial group. The outcome variable of adolescent academic performance was assessed using the adolescent's reported grade point average (GPA). The sample was analyzed as a whole using a four-stage hierarchical regression model controlling for single versus dual-parent homes, the adult-to-child ratio in the home, parent education, mental and learning disabilities, depression, and self-esteem. It was discovered that adolescent autonomy, parental involvement and parental expectations do not mediate the relationship between the independent variables (gender, age, ethnicity, and immigrant generation) and GPA but rather serve as additional explanatory variables. All three variables had a positive influence on academic performance regardless of gender or ethnicity. Most notably, parental involvement was the single strongest predictor of Latino/a adolescent performance, especially for Latino males. In addition, many of the relationships observed and the explanatory strength of the variables examined were ethnicand gender-specific. Educational recommendations are made for working with ethnic minority males, as well as their parents, specifically those who are not native to the United States.