Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Sensor-based globally asymptotically stable range-only simultaneous localization and mapping

Range-only simultaneous localization and mapping is addressed in this paper, through the design, analysis, and experimental validation of a globally asymptotically stable (GAS) filter. A nonlinear sensor-based system is designed and its dynamics augmented so that the proposed formulation can be considered as linear time-varying for the purpose of observability analysis. This allows the establishment of observability results related to the original nonlinear system that naturally lead to the design of a Kalman filter with GAS error dynamics. The performance of the proposed algorithm is assessed resorting to a set of realistic simulations and to the results obtained from experimental tests.
Effects of gelcoat thickness on mechanical properties of woven glass/polyester laminated composite

In this study, effects of gelcoat thickness on the mechanical properties and interfacial bonding of woven glass/polyester laminated composite are investigated by using threepoint flexural test and tensile test. The composites had been applied at variance thickness of gelcoat layers (0.25, 0.3, 0.35, 0.4, 0.45, and 0.5mm) using hand lay-up method. Samples were measured in two techniques for the flexural test, i.e., coated surface facing the loads (concave) and bare surface facing the loads (convex). Since the coated surface was concavely bent, greatest increase of flexural strength that acquired 5fold of increase was shown by composite with 0.3 mm of gelcoat thickness for both measurements. The increasing of thickness to 0.35 mm and above deflated the rising percentage in flexural strength. This event was happened because of the gelcoat thickness ratio was greater than the matrix/reinforcement ratio. For tensile test, composite applied with gelcoat of 0.4 mm thickness exhibited the highest increase in strength. An increase of almost 38 % in tensile strength was recorded compared to the uncoated composite. Similarly, the increase in tensile strength reduced slightly when the gelcoat thickness was increased above 0.4 mm. The results demonstrate that the mechanical properties of the composite improve as the gelcoat thickness increases. However, the mechanical properties show no further improvement as the thickness is further increased above the optimum thickness.
Cadmium-Resistant Pseudomonas putida Synthesizes Novel Cadmium Proteins

Three cysteine-rich proteins of molecular weight 4000 to 7000, containing 4 to 7 gram atoms of cadmium, zinc, and copper per mole were isolated from Pseudomonas putida growing in 3 mM cadmium. The three proteins were induced during different phases of growth, and the smallest (molecular weight 3600; 3 gram atoms of cadmium) was released into the medium when the cells lysed. The results of amino acid analyses and of ultraviolet, circular dichroism, electron paramagnetic resonance, and cadmium-113 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy suggest a novel cadmium(II)-zinc(II)-copper(I) cluster structure for the major protein.
Theory of Mind Deficits and Social Emotional Functioning in Preschoolers with Specific Language Impairment

Children with Specific Language Impairment (SLI) often experience emotional and social difficulties. In general, problems in social emotional functioning can be cognitively explained in terms of Theory of Mind (ToM). In this mini-review, an overview is provided of studies on social-emotional functioning and ToM in preschoolers (average age from 2.3 to 6.2 years) with SLI. It is concluded that, similar to school-aged children with SLI, preschoolers with SLI have several social-emotional problems and that both cognitive and affective aspects of ToM are impaired in those children. Based hereon, three possible causal models for the interrelation between language, ToM and social emotional functioning are put forward. It is proposed that future research on the construct and measurement of early ToM, social emotional functioning and language development in preschoolers with SLI is needed to achieve early detection, tailored treatment, and ultimately insight into the pathogenesis of SLI.
Timing properties of XB 1254−690

We analyse archival Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer Proportional Counter Array data of the low-mass X-ray binary (LMXB) system XB 1254-690. We calculate colour-colour diagram, hardness-intensity diagram and power spectra of this source, associate its broad low-frequency timing features with the portions of the colour-colour diagram, and establish that XB 1254-690 is an atoll source. This will be important to correlate the timing and spectral features of this dipping LMXB with its various states, which may be useful to understand LMXBs in general. We find the source always in the high-intensity banana state, which may explain why ∼ 1 Hz 'dipper quasi-periodic oscillations' have never been observed from XB 1254-690. We also report a suggestive evidence of millisecond period brightness oscillations at the frequency ∼95 Hz during a thermonuclear X-ray burst for the first time from this source.
Specialization and Rarity Predict Nonrandom Loss of Interactions from Mutualist Networks

Untangling the Web Interspecific interactions link species within complex trophic and nontrophic webs (see the Perspective by Lewinsohn and Cagnolo). Theoretical work has suggested that certain characteristics of species, or even interactions, may predispose them to extinction from a network. Aizen et al. (p. 1486) provide empirical evidence that plant-pollinator interactions are lost nonrandomly following habitat reduction in isolated hills in the Argentine pampas. Some types of interaction were more vulnerable to disruption than others, particularly when the specialization of the interacting was high and when the interactions were infrequent. Stouffer et al. (p. 1489) applied network theory to predict the dynamical importance of species across different food webs. Characteristic three-node motifs were identified, and species were characterized according to the relative frequencies with which they occupied unique positions within the motifs. These relative frequencies and the dynamic importance of the motifs were then used to identify a species-level importance within a food web. In the sierras of Argentina, specialized mutualistic plant-pollinator relationships increase vulnerability to habitat loss. The loss of interactions from mutualistic networks could foreshadow both plant and animal species extinctions. Yet, the characteristics of interactions that predispose them to disruption are largely unknown. We analyzed 12 pollination webs from isolated hills (“sierras”), in Argentina, ranging from tens to thousands of hectares. We found evidence of nonrandom loss of interactions with decreasing sierra size. Low interaction frequency and high specialization between interacting partners contributed additively to increase the vulnerability of interactions to disruption. Interactions between generalists in the largest sierras were ubiquitous across sierras, but many of them lost their central structural role in the smallest sierras. Thus, particular configurations of interaction networks, along with unique ecological relations and evolutionary pathways, could be lost forever after habitat reduction.
DEVELOPING INTERCULTURAL COMPETENCE WITH LINGUISTIC LANDSCAPE & M-LEARNING

This paper discusses a basic scenario of m-learning activities for a situated in-the-field examination of cultural diversity with the Linguistic Landscape approach, i.e. a systematic examination of written displays of minority languages in the public space. Enabling learners to participate in content exchange via the Web 2.0 paradigm, where learners act both as both media consumers and media creators, can be used to raise their cultural awareness through empirical hand-on exploration of the surrounding linguistic reality in a local environment. Exploration of cultural diversity conducted in the framework of connectivism using m-learning activities can be used to demonstrate that cultural awareness tends to be heavily influenced by personal perspectives and common stereotypes. Autonomous discovery of that phenomenon from the pedagogical perspective of authentic and informal learning results in an increased cultural awareness, which elevates participants’ intercultural competence.
Radiometric measurement of Circuit Breaker interpole switching times

Monitoring the switching times of circuit breakers is important in the condition assessment of the operating mechanism. Although methods exist for this, they are not applicable to existing plant without retrofitting. Recent research shows that arcing produces impulsive radio-frequency radiation. Using direct digital sampling of the antenna signals, impulses from operating circuit breakers (CBs) may be recorded. From timing analysis of the received impulses, the interpole switching time of the CB can be measured. Results of this method are shown for a field trial on a 132-kV SF/sub 6/ CB attached to a capacitor bank. The relationship between the opening and closing impulses is discussed. This method of timing measurement can be applied to an energized CB. Measurement of the interpole switching times is completely noninvasive, whereas the overall switching time requires a clamp CT fitted on the CB wiring.
Effects of prestress state and rupture velocity on dynamic fault branching

[1] We consider a mode II rupture which propagates along a planar main fault and encounters an intersection with a branching fault. Using an elastodynamic boundary integral equation formulation, allowing the failure path to be dynamically self-chosen, we study the following questions: Does the rupture initiate along the branch? Does it continue? Is the extensional or compressional side most favored for branching? Does rupture continue on the main fault too? Failure is described by a slip-weakening law for which the strength at any amount of slip is proportional to normal stress. Our results show that dynamic stresses around the rupture tip, which increase with rupture velocity at locations off the main fault plane relative to those on it, could initiate rupture on a branching fault. As suggested by prior work, whether branched rupture can be continued to a larger scale depends on principal stress directions in the prestress state and on rupture velocity. The most favored side for branching rupture switches from the extensional to the compressional side as we consider progressively shallower angles of the direction of maximum compressive prestress with the main fault. Simultaneous rupturing on both faults can be activated when the branching angle is wide but is usually difficult for a narrow branching angle due to strong stress interactions between faults. However, it can be also be activated by enhanced dynamic stressing when the rupture velocity is very near the Rayleigh velocity. Natural examples seem consistent with the simulations that we present.
Extending Agile Practices in Automotive MDE

The size and functionality of the software in a modern car increases with each new generation. To stay competitive automotive manufactures must deliver new and better features to their customers at the same speed or faster than their competitors. A traditional waterfall process is not suitable for this speed challenge - a more agile way of working is desirable. By introducing MDE we have seen how individual teams at Volvo Cars adopt agile practices, resulting in tensions while the organization at large still uses a waterfall process. In an exploratory case study we interviewed 18 engineers to better understand how agile practices can be extended beyond individual teams. Where the tensions have their source in the technical specification of the software components and their interfaces, it turns out that it is company culture and mindsets that are the main hurdles to overcome.
Composition and biological activities of hogweed [Heracleum sphondylium L. subsp. ternatum (Velen.) Brummitt] essential oil and its main components octyl acetate and octyl butyrate

The essential oil obtained from the fruits of hogweed (Heracleum sphondylium subsp. ternatum) growing in central Apennines (Italy) was analysed for chemical composition by gas chromatographic-flame ionisation detector (GC-FID) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The oil was composed mainly of aliphatic esters (86.9–89.5%), among them octyl acetate (54.9–60.2%) and octyl butyrate (10.1–13.4%) were the most abundant. The oil and its two major esters, octyl acetate and octyl butyrate, were tested for in vitro biological activity, namely antibacterial, antioxidant and cytotoxic, by microdilution, DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl), ABTS (2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid)) and MTT (3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) assays. Worthy of mention was only the cytotoxic activity of the oil against two tumour cell lines, i.e. A375 (human malignant melanoma) and HCT116 (human colon carcinoma) cells, with IC50 values of 48.69 and 95.83 μg/mL, respectively; the major compound responsible for this effect was octyl butyrate which displayed IC50 values of 20.19 μg/mL (100.8 μM) and 55.35 μg/mL (276.3 μM) on the same cells, respectively.
A unified selection signal for attention and reward in primary visual cortex

Stimuli associated with high rewards evoke stronger neuronal activity than stimuli associated with lower rewards in many brain regions. It is not well understood how these reward effects influence activity in sensory cortices that represent low-level stimulus features. Here, we investigated the effects of reward information in the primary visual cortex (area V1) of monkeys. We found that the reward value of a stimulus relative to the value of other stimuli is a good predictor of V1 activity. Relative value biases the competition between stimuli, just as has been shown for selective attention. The neuronal latency of this reward value effect in V1 was similar to the latency of attentional influences. Moreover, V1 neurons with a strong value effect also exhibited a strong attention effect, which implies that relative value and top–down attention engage overlapping, if not identical, neuronal selection mechanisms. Our findings demonstrate that the effects of reward value reach down to the earliest sensory processing levels of the cerebral cortex and imply that theories about the effects of reward coding and top–down attention on visual representations should be unified.
Effect of mental stress on cardiovascular function at rest and after ingestion of fructose or sucralose in healthy, white European males

Spectrophotometric determination of Ni(II) was carried out using picolinaldehyde-4-phenyl-3-thiosemicarbazone (PAPT) as a complexing/chromogenic reagent. The possibility of using a micellar system was explored to enhance the degree of detection and allow a more sensitive spectrophotometric method for the determination of nickel ions. The anionic surfactant Triton X-100 greatly enhanced the molar absorptivity and limit of detection relative to that observed with bulk water or an organic solvent. The linear calibration graphs were obtained for 0.5-2.0 mg L-1 and 0.001-1.0 mg L-1 of Ni(II) in aqueous and surfactant media, respectively. Using this approach, the limit of detection for the PAPT-Ni(II) complex (based on 3 s of blank absorbance/slope) was found to be 0.0008 mg L-1 with a micellar enhancement reagent. The interference from over 50 cations, anions, and complexing agents was studied at 0.50 mg L-1 of Ni(II); most metal ions can be tolerated in considerable amounts in aqueous micellar solutions.
Greedy Feature Selection for Subspace Clustering Greedy Feature Selection for Subspace Clustering

Unions of subspaces provide a powerful generalization of single subspace models for collections of high-dimensional data; however, learning multiple subspaces from data is challenging due to the fact that segmentation—the identification of points that live in the same subspace—and subspace estimation must be performed simultaneously. Recently, sparse recovery methods were shown to provide a provable and robust strategy for exact feature selection (EFS)—recovering subsets of points from the ensemble that live in the same subspace. In parallel with recent studies of EFS with `1-minimization, in this paper, we develop sufficient conditions for EFS with a greedy method for sparse signal recovery known as orthogonal matching pursuit (OMP). Following our analysis, we provide an empirical study of feature selection strategies for signals living on unions of subspaces and characterize the gap between sparse recovery methods and nearest neighbor (NN)-based approaches. In particular, we demonstrate that sparse recovery methods provide significant advantages over NN methods and that the gap between the two approaches is particularly pronounced when the sampling of subspaces in the dataset is sparse. Our results suggest that OMP may be employed to reliably recover exact feature sets in a number of regimes where NN approaches fail to reveal the subspace membership of points in the ensemble.
Long identical multispecies elements in plant and animal genomes

Ultraconserved elements (UCEs) are DNA sequences that are 100% identical (no base substitutions, insertions, or deletions) and located in syntenic positions in at least two genomes. Although hundreds of UCEs have been found in animal genomes, little is known about the incidence of ultraconservation in plant genomes. Using an alignment-free information-retrieval approach, we have comprehensively identified all long identical multispecies elements (LIMEs), which include both syntenic and nonsyntenic regions, of at least 100 identical base pairs shared by at least two genomes. Among six animal genomes, we found the previously known syntenic UCEs as well as previously undescribed nonsyntenic elements. In contrast, among six plant genomes, we only found nonsyntenic LIMEs. LIMEs can also be classified as either simple (repetitive) or complex (nonrepetitive), they may occur in multiple copies in a genome, and they are often spread across multiple chromosomes. Although complex LIMEs were found in both animal and plant genomes, they differed significantly in their composition and copy number. Further analyses of plant LIMEs revealed their functional diversity, encompassing elements found near rRNA and enzyme-coding genes, as well as those found in transposons and noncoding DNA. We conclude that despite the common presence of LIMEs in both animal and plant lineages, the evolutionary processes involved in the creation and maintenance of these elements differ in the two groups and are likely attributable to several mechanisms, including transfer of genetic material from organellar to nuclear genomes, de novo sequence manufacturing, and purifying selection.
Spectroscopic Diagnostics of Exploding Aluminum Wire Plasma in Distilled Water

This work aims to study the exploding aluminum wire plasma parameters by using optical emission spectroscopy method. The emission spectra of the aluminum discharge plasma have been recorded and analyzed. The plasma electron temperature (Te) was calculated by Boltzmann plot, and the electron density (ne), by Stark broadening for aluminum wire of diameter 0.3 mm and different current 75,100, and 160A in distilled water. The aluminum line 656.279 nm was used to calculate the electron density by Stark broadening. It was found that the electron density (ne) increase from 28×10 16 cm -3 to 60×10 16 cm -3 with increasing current from 75 to 160 A, while the electron temperatures increase from 0.986 to 1.614 eV for the same conditions. The optical emission spectrum (OES) emitted from the plasma have a peak located at 653 nm corresponding to Hα line for hydrogen atoms, and others peaks belong to Aluminum (AlI and AlII lines), and Oxygen (OI and OII lines). The relationship between the plasma electron temperature, emission line intensity and number density were studied. [DOI: 10.22401/JNUS.21. 2.13]
A study on the wake-up effect of ferroelectric Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 films by pulse-switching measurement.

The appearance of ferroelectric (FE) and anti-ferroelectric (AFE) properties in HfO2-based thin films is highly intriguing in terms of both the scientific context and practical application in various electronic and energy-related devices. Interestingly, these materials showed a "wake-up effect", which refers to the increase in remanent polarization with increasing electric field cycling number before the occurrence of the fatigue effect. In this work, the wake-up effect from Hf0.5Zr0. 5O2 was carefully examined by the pulse-switching experiment. In the pristine state, the Hf0.5Zr0. 5O2 film mostly showed FE-like behavior with a small contribution from AFE-like distortion, which could be ascribed to the involvement of the AFE phase. The field cycling of only 100 cycles almost completely transformed the AFE phase into the FE phase by depinning the pinned domains. The influence of field cycling on the interfacial layer was also examined through the pulse-switching experiments.
Detection and Characterization of Staphylococcus aureus and Methicillin-Resistant S. aureus in Foods Confiscated in EU Borders

The aim of the study was to evaluate the potential role of the illegal entry of food in UE in the Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) spread. We studied the prevalence and characteristics of Staphylococcus aureus and MRSA isolated from foods of animal origin confiscated from passengers on flights from 45 non-EU countries from 2012 to 2015 by the Border Authorities at Bilbao International Airport (Spain) and Vienna International Airport (Austria), as well as foods from open markets close to EU land borders. Of 868 food samples tested (diverse meat samples including antelope, duck, guinea pig, pork, rodents, turkey, dairy products, and eggs), 136 (15.7%) were positive for S. aureus and 26 (3.0%) for MRSA. All MRSA strains were mecA-positive. The prevalence of S. aureus-positive dairy samples among food confiscated at Bilbao International Airport was 64.6%, and this airport also had the highest value (11.8%) for MRSA-positive samples. The predominant sequence type was ST5 (30.8%), followed by ST8, ST1649, ST1, and other lineages were found to a lesser extent (ST7, ST22, ST72, ST97, and ST398). Six isolates tested positive for luk-PVL genes (SCCmec IV subtypes IVc and IVe). Enterotoxin profiling revealed that 19 MRSA strains were enterotoxigenic, harboring one or more se genes. The MRSA isolates positive for luk-PVL genes were not enterotoxigenic, and none of the isolates tested positive for enterotoxin E. We found 14 resistance profiles, and more than 69% of the MRSA isolates were resistant to three or more types of antimicrobial agents. This finding reveals both the wide diversity of the antimicrobial resistance found in the strains and the capacity to resist not only to beta-lactam drugs. One MRSA strain showed unusual characteristics: it was oxacillin-susceptible, harbored SCCmec V, and was positive for sed, seg, and sej but negative for PVL virulence factors. This study shows the presence of enterotoxigenic HA-, CA-, and LA-MRSA in foods illegally entering the EU, and highlights illegal importation of food as route of enterotoxigenic MRSA spread. Uncontrolled entry of food stuffs into the EU can be a relevant neglected route of MRSA dissemination.
A privacy and delegation-enhanced user authentication protocol for Portable Communication Systems

Recently, Lee et al. proposed a security enhanced delegation-based authentication protocol for Portable Communication Systems (PCSs). The major merits include: 1) the privacy protection of Mobile User (MS); 2) MS can construct a digital signature to prove the requests; 3) the satisfaction of some security properties; 4) the mutual authentication between MS and the Visited Location Register (VLR); 5) low computation and communication cost of MS. We then show that the privacy of MS is not kept and the overcharge problem exists in Lee et al.'s protocol and propose a method to enhance the delegation and security level and to keep the same efficiency.