Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Stabilization of nonlinear affine systems by homogeneous method

In this paper, we consider the stabilization problems for nonlinear affine systems based on homogeneous control Lyapunov function. There are two main results. The first one is that we propose a feedback controller for a kind of nonlinear multi-input affine system by using a control Lyapunov function. The other is that, by applying the homogeneous properties, we derive the sufficient conditions for the continuity of the proposed controller. An academic example is given to verify the effectiveness of the method.
Studying standardization: a review of the literature

We review the literature on standards, looking in particular at how scholars in the social sciences have approached the topic. We began by discussing various historical meanings and motivations for standardization. Next we examine various approaches to studying standards, distinguishing between development contexts and social effects of standards, as well as functionalist and constructivist viewpoints. We then point out some recurring themes in the study of standardization such as the relationship between global and local orders and role of standards as social technologies. We close by suggesting some possible lines for further inquiry.
Apparent Diffusion Coefficient Calculated with Relatively High b-Values Correlates with Local Failure of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Treated with Radiotherapy

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Few studies have investigated the relationship between ADC and clinical outcome in HNSCC. Our hypothesis has that relatively high pretreatment ADC would correlate with local failure of HNSCC treated with radiation therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This includes prospective and validation studies. Seventeen patients treated with radiation therapy for primary HNSCC completed the prospective study. Variables considered to affect local failure including MR imaging–related parameters such as ADC and its change ratio were compared between patients with local failure and controls, and those showing difference or association with local failure were further tested by survival analysis. Furthermore, variables were analyzed in 40 patients enrolled in the validation study. RESULTS: Relatively high ADC calculated with b-values (300, 500, 750, and 1000 s/mm2) before treatment, high ADC increase ratio, and treatment method (chemoradiotherapy versus radiation therapy alone) revealed significant difference between patients with local failure and controls or association with local failure. In Cox proportional hazard testing, high ADC before treatment alone showed significant association with local failure (P = .0186). In the validation study, tumor volume before treatment, high ADC before treatment, T stage (T12 versus T34), and treatment method showed significance. Tumor volume before treatment (P = .0217) and high ADC before treatment (P = .0001) revealed significant association with local failure in Cox proportional hazard testing. High ADC before treatment was superior to tumor volume before treatment regarding association with local failure. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest pretreatment ADC obtained at high b-values as well as tumor volume correlate with local failure of HNSCC treated with radiation therapy.
Fast Smoke Detection for Video Surveillance Using CUDA

Smoke detection is a key component of disaster and accident detection. Despite the wide variety of smoke detection methods and sensors that have been proposed, none has been able to maintain a high frame rate while improving detection performance. In this paper, a smoke detection method for surveillance cameras is presented that relies on shape features of smoke regions as well as color information. The method takes advantage of the use of a stationary camera by using a background subtraction method to detect changes in the scene. The color of the smoke is used to assess the probability that pixels in the scene belong to a smoke region. Due to the variable density of the smoke, not all pixels of the actual smoke area appear in the foreground mask. These separate pixels are united by morphological operations and connected-component labeling methods. The existence of a smoke region is confirmed by analyzing the roughness of its boundary. The final step of the algorithm is to check the density of edge pixels within a region. Comparison of objects in the current and previous frames is conducted to distinguish fluid smoke regions from rigid moving objects. Some parts of the algorithm were boosted by means of parallel processing using compute unified device architecture graphics processing unit, thereby enabling fast processing of both low-resolution and high-definition videos. The algorithm was tested on multiple video sequences and demonstrated appropriate processing time for a realistic range of frame sizes.
CORRELATING PRIMARY DYSMENORRHEA WITH ITS STRESSORS : A CROSS SECTIONAL STUDY INVESTIGATING THE MOST LIKELY FACTORS OF PRIMARY DYSMENORRHEA AND ITS EFFECTS ON QUALITY OF LIFE AND GENERAL WELL BEING

Background: Dysmenorrhea is a frequent gynecological condition associated with painful cramping of uterine origin. Pain of severe dysmenorrhea is associated with restriction of activity and absence from the workplace. The causative stressors and impact of dysmenorrhea on quality of life have been enunciated rarely in a Pakistani setup. Objectives: To study relationship of primary dysmenorrhea with its stressors (family history, PMS, stress and physical activity) and to investigate the effect on Quality of Life (classabsenteeism, sleep and general wellbeing) of female university students. Methods: a cross study, data was collected from 250 students aged 16-23 of which 200 students were included after applying inclusion/ criteria (64 medical, 68 dental, 59 nutrition and 62 physical therapy students). The data was collected regarding age of menarche, presence or absence of dysmenorrhea, PMS, physical activity quality life and dietary habits by a structured questionnaire. Results: Dysmenorrhea was present in 86.5% of the girls. Majority reported PMS symptoms of cramping (32.7%), abdominal pain (44.7%), mood swings (40%). The major stressors for dysmenorrhea were stress (81.8%, p=0.018), followed by low physical activity(p=0.01). effects on quality of life due to dysmenorrhea included insomnia (51.8%, p=0.01),86.3% girls suffering from dysmenorrhea complained of difficulty concentrating in class and 39% of girls an odds ratio of greater than 1 in population experiencing dysmenorrhea to skip classes (p=0.005) and 64% of the girls described the pain to be interfering with daily activites(p=0.01) Conclusion: Lack of physical activity and stress are important causes of dysmenorrhea, which lead to adverse effects on quality of life on university students such as decrease concentration span, insomnia and class absenteei Ethical Considerations: Consent was taken from the students prior to giving them the questionnaires. Complete anonymity was assured. Permission to carry out the research was taken from the Dean of Allied Health Sciences, University of Faisalabad and the respective heads of departments. The study was approved by the Ethics Review Board of The University of Faisalabad.
Growth of Holstein dairy heifers in the United States.

Data were collected on the heart girth (n = 8,565; a measure of body weight) and height at withers (n = 8,568) of Holstein dairy heifers from 659 dairy farms as part of the National Dairy Heifer Evaluation Project during 1991 and 1992. Means and standard deviations for weight and height were determined for ages . 5 to 23.5 mo. Third-order polynomial regression equations were derived to study the relationship of weight and height to age. Stepwise mixed-model regression, using REML estimation, was used to identify factors associated with Holstein heifer growth and to build a multivariate model describing Holstein heifer growth across the United States. Holstein heifers on the sample of dairy farms in this study were heavier and taller at the withers than standards published 30 to 50 yr ago. Increased rolling herd average milk production was associated with a greater rate of growth in Holstein heifers. Holstein heifers in the West and Midwest were larger at a given age than those in the Northeast and Southeast.
Patients Given the Multispecies Probiotic VSL#3: A Pilot Trial Decrease in Frequency of Liquid Stool in Enterally Fed Critically Ill

Personal use only. For copyright permission information: Published online http://www.ajcconline. org © 2010 American Association of Critical-Care Nurses doi: 10.4037/ajcc2010976 2010;19:e1-e11 Am J Crit Care Terence J. Frohmader, Wendy P. Chaboyer, Iain K. Robertson and John Gowardman Patients Given the Multispecies Probiotic VSL#3: A Pilot Trial Decrease in Frequency of Liquid Stool in Enterally Fed Critically Ill
Dopamine receptor D3R and D4R mRNA levels in peripheral lymphocytes in patients with schizophrenia correlate with severity of illness

Schizophrenia is a disease that affects many areas of the brain. The dopamine hypothesis is one of the most widely-accepted ideas in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Besides alterations in the dopaminergic system in the central nervous system, there have been several reports of changes in dopaminergic systems in the peripheral blood of schizophrenic patients. Several reports have shown that dopamine receptor expression by lymphocytes is altered in patients with schizophrenia, but the results have been conflicting. We therefore re-assessed D3R and D4R mRNA levels in 11 patients with schizophrenia and 12 healthy subjects and correlated levels with severity of symptoms. D3R and D4R expression in lymphocytes and granulocytes was measured by quantitative RT-PCR and the severity of symptoms and cognitive impairment were assessed using the PANSS and BACS-J. There were no significant differences in mean D3R or D4R mRNA levels in lymphocytes from schizophrenic patients and controls and no significant difference in mean D4R mRNA levels in granulocytes (D3R mRNA undetectable). In patients with schizophrenia, D3R expression was inversely correlated with the total PANSS score (r = 0.768, p = 0.009), while D4R expression was positively correlated with working memory scales (r = 0.895, p = 0.001). In conclusion, these results imply that lymphocyte D3R and D4R are involved in the mechanisms of the disorder and could be used as target markers in the treatment of schizophrenia.
Investigation into the Coagulating Properties of Acid and Enzyme Coagulated Soy Protein Precipitate

Precipitation is widely used in processing of biological products, such as proteins. The coagulating properties of Sodom apple ju ice, vinegar, lemon juice and rennet as coagulants of soy protein precipitate fro m soymilk at different temperature were investigated. Soymilk was produced using the hot grind method. The studied coagulants were used to precipitate soy protein fro m the produced milk at d ifferent temperature respectively. The coagulation time was observed to decrease with increasing temperature, with 100℃ giv ing the best time. The p H of the coagulated proteins was observed to decrease with increasing temperature with the optimal pH observed at 70℃ for all the coagulants. No significant difference was observed on the effect of coagulating temperatures on the yield of coagulated soy protein precipitate. Results fro m this study indicate that optimu m coagulating activ ities can be achieved between 70- 80℃. Ho wever, the yields by the studied coagulants are not affected by temperature. Thus, imp lying that temperature modulate the coagulating activit ies, pH and not yields of the coagulants. Therefore, production at 70 - 80℃ will g ive the best soy protein quality.
Robust load frequency control of multi-area interconnected power system with time delay

Load frequency control is an important measurement to ensure the safe and economical operation of power system. In this paper, by taking into account the random disturbances brought by the renewable energy resources, the robust load frequency control problem for interconnected power systems with time delay is considered in detail. Considering the signal transmission delay, two controller designing strategies, namely the state feedback controller and the delayed state feedback controller designing strategies are proposed. Based on the Lyapunov stability theory, some sufficient stabilization conditions are developed in the form of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs), which could be efficiently solved by using the Matlab LMI control toolbox. Finally, the two-area interconnected power systems based on Matlab/Simulink is provided to show the effectiveness of the obtained results.
The Effect of Gasoline Prices on the Demand for Sport Utility Vehicles

This paper uses household data from the 1988 to 2000 U.S. Consumer Expenditure Surveys to examine the determinants of new vehicle purchases, where vehicles are disaggregated into four categories: cars, trucks, vans, and sport-utility vehicles (SUVs). In particular, it analyzes the effect on vehicle choice of gas prices at time of vehicle purchase relative to that of gas prices in previous quarters, controlling for household demographic and location characteristics. Preliminary results suggest that households weigh previous quarters’ gas prices more heavily than contemporaneous ones when making vehicle purchasing decisions. This suggests that estimating medium and long run behavioral responses is important for accurately modeling the relationship between gasoline prices, vehicle purchases, and emissions.
Memory-Reduced Turbo Decoding Architecture Using NII Metric Compression

This brief proposes a new compression technique of next-iteration initialization metrics for relaxing the storage demands of turbo decoders. The proposed scheme stores only the range of state metrics as well as two indexes of the maximum and minimum values, while the previous compression methods have to store all of the state metrics for initializing the following iteration. We also present a hardware-friendly recovery strategy, which can be implemented by simple multiplexing networks. Compared to the previous work, as a result, the proposed compression method reduces the required storage bits by 30% while providing the acceptable errorcorrecting performance in practice. Key Terms—Channel codes, communication systems, error-correction codes, memory compression, very-largescale integration (VLSI) designs.
3D displays and tracking devices for your browser: A plugin-free approach relying on web standards

The emergence of 3D screens and their tailored 3D contents played a key role in improving the perception of depth. Coupled with tracking devices, these 3D displays are the central components of an immersion platform. According to this new trend called “cloud computing”, it has become straightforward to adapt this kind of immersion platform for the World Wide Web. A major issue resides in the ability to handle dedicated hardware (tracking devices and 3D displays) from within a web browser. Indeed, for security reasons, browser makers prevent developers from accessing hardware components via JavaScript. In this paper, we propose a pluginfree solution using the new features of HTML5 (WebGL and WebSockets) in order to handle autostereoscopic displays and widespread tracking devices like IR depth sensors for providing immersion and natural interaction within a web browser.
Effects of cutting and annealing of amorphous materials for high speed permanent magnet machines

When using amorphous material in an electric motor, the losses are often higher than expected. This paper investigates the effect of cutting and annealing on the performance of amorphous material. The BH-curve and losses are compared before and after an annealing treatment. Furthermore, the properties are compared for material cut with a plate shear and cut by laser, followed by an annealing treatment. A case study is done for a high speed motor, comparing the amorphous material with a conventional silicon steel grade. Based on a FEM analysis, a reduction of iron loss by a factor 7 is found through the use of an amorphous material instead of a conventional silicon steel.
Supplementation of Holstein Cows with Low Doses of Bovine Somatotropin (bST) Prepartum and Postpartum Affects Physiological Adaptations and Milk Production

Major objectives were to evaluate effects of three schemes of bST-supplementation of Holstein cows (142.8 mg/14 d, POSILAC) during the prepartum and/or postpartum periods through 63 d (±3 d) of lactation. Measures evaluated the potential of treatments to improve body weight (BW) and body condition score (BCS), provoke changes in plasma concentrations of somatotropin (ST) and IGF-I, and improve milk yield, milk composition (percentages of protein and fat, and somatic cell counts), and several calving variables. Multiparous Holstein cows were randomly assigned to a 2x2 factorial arrangement of treatments (TRT) to give four groups (I = no bST, n = 26; II = bST postpartum, n = 25; III = bST prepartum, n = 27; IV = bST prepartum and postpartum, n = 25). During the prepartum period, cows in groups I and II were not supplemented but those in groups III and IV were supplemented every 2-wk beginning 21 d before expected calving date through calving. During the first 63 DIM only cows in groups II and IV were supplemented with bST. From 64 DIM through the end of lactation cows in all groups were supplemented with the full lactation dose of bST (500 mg/14 d). The BW and BCS were recorded weekly throughout the prepartum and postpartum periods and every 2-wk beyond 70 DIM. Blood samples were collected 3-times a week for analyses of ST and IGF-I. Milk yields were recorded daily though 150 DIM. Prepartum supplementation of bST did not affect BW or BCS, but mean concentrations of ST were increased 12.2% and were 15.5% greater at calving. Overall, mean concentration of IGF-I was not affected by treatment but concentrations were greater at 1 and 2 wk before calving in bST-supplemented cows. During the first 63 DIM the BW and BCS were not affected by treatment. Significant effects of bST-supplementation were detected on concentrations of ST, IGF-I and on milk yield compared to non-supplemented cows in group I. Postpartum concentrations of ST were greater in bST-supplemented cows (TRT II and IV; +41.9 and 54.6%). However, concentrations of IGF-I were greater only in cows in group IV (+25.9%) during the postpartum period. Overall, the three bST-supplemented groups had greater actual milk yield than the control group (I) during the first 63 and 150 DIM. The actual milk yields during 63 and 150 DIM were 6.5 and 4.6 kg/d greater for cows in group IV than cows in group I and the 305-d ME milk yield also was 15.6% greater. No adverse effects of TRT were observed on calf birth weight, colostrum immunoglobulins, ease of calving or other measures evaluated.
Three-Dimensional Nano-Acoustic Bragg Reflectors for CMOS Embedded NEMS

Integration of CMOS electronic circuits and electromechanical resonators has been pursued for a long time by many different research groups and even foundries. This would improve the overall performance of electromechanical oscillators and sensors. However, the postprocessing on the CMOS substrates that is necessary to attain this integration increases the production cost so much that it becomes not interesting in most cases. We present here a method of embedding a nano electromechanical resonator within a CMOS substrate by making use of the metal layers and intermetal dielectrics to build a phononic cage that stops most acoustic energy from being lost, and thus the resonator quality factor can reach values of more than 3000 at a frequency of 3.37 GHz, taking the particular case of a 65-nm node. Our results show that the performance of the integrated resonator, both in terms of quality factor and electromechanical coupling will improve when moving to smaller nodes, thus setting the roadmap for future hybrid systems.
The Potential for Crop-to-Wild Gene Flow in Sorghum in Ethiopia and Niger: A Geographic Survey

Information about the potential for crop–wild hybridization is needed to understand how crop genes, including transgenes, affect the population genetics and ecology of sexually compatible relatives. Transgenic sorghum is under development for use by traditional farmers in Africa, the center of origin for sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench], but systematic surveys of the current extent of contact with wild and weedy relatives are lacking. We studied wild and weedy sorghums that are interfertile with the crop and constitute a crop–wild–weed complex. The survey was conducted in 2005 in areas of traditional sorghum cultivation in three regions of Ethiopia and two regions of Niger. Within each region, we examined eight representative sorghum fi elds at each of 10 locations during peak fl owering of the crop. In all regions, wild and weedy sorghum occurred intermixed with and adjacent to cultivated sorghum. Wild and weedy sorghums were detected at 56, 44, and 13% of the Ethiopian sites (Amhara, Tigray, and Hararghe regions, respectively), and 74 and 63% of sites in Niger (Maradi-Tahoua and TillaberyDosso regions, respectively). Flowering periods of wild and weedy sorghum populations overlapped with those of cultivated sorghum at most sites where the two co-occurred, especially in Ethiopia, and many putative crop–wild hybrids were observed. Therefore, current gene transfer from cultivated sorghum to wild and weedy sorghum populations in Ethiopia and Niger is likely to be widespread.
Oxidation failure mechanism of copper alloy lead frame for IC package

The most important factor that causes delamination between copper alloy lead frame and epoxy mold compound is copper oxide. To identify the factors that influence the formation of oxide film on copper substrate, oxidation mechanism of several lead-frame copper alloys was investigated. The oxide film structure of copper alloy was found to be CuO/Cu/sub 2/O/Cu by AES analysis. Various copper alloys had great difference in CuO/Cu/sub 2/O ratio. Oxidation rate of copper alloy was further studied by measuring the oxide thickness as a function of time at 320/spl deg/C. The results showed that C5191 and C7025 had lower oxidation rate than EFTEC64T and C194, which promoted the growth of CuO. The calculation from AES depth profile of copper atom confirmed that grain boundary diffusion coefficients of C5191 and C7025 were nearly two magnitudes smaller than those of EFTEC64T and C194. At a low temperature (usually below half of melting point), the growth of oxide film is mainly dominated by the grain boundary diffusion. It was found by SPM analysis that copper alloys with smaller grain size had more paths for copper atom to diffuse from substrate to the interface of oxide and air, thus leading to higher oxidation rate. The segregation effect of solute elements of copper alloys at the oxide/substrate interface also played an important role in the growth of oxide.