Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Observability Analysis and Observer Design for Complex Dynamical Systems

Different types of dynamical systems have been widely used to model different plants to be controlled in many different disciplines. Although control is the final goal in the control theory, given a concrete model, the designed controller sometimes could depend not only on the output, but also its internal states. This motivates us to study whether it is possible to reconstruct system’s internal states by using external measurements, named as the problem of observability analysis and observer design. This manuscript will summarize our obtained results on observability analysis and observer design for three types of dynamical systems, respectively in three parts. Part I studies the observability analysis and observer design for ordinary systems in continuous time, where the differential geometrical approach and the technique of immersion are used to study the observation problem. Finite-time and interval observers are proposed for time-continues systems. The second Part of this manuscript concerns the observability analysis and observer design for singular system. For linear singular system, the observability will be analyzed by using elementary algebraic method, while the differential geometrical method is extended to study nonlinear singular system. Luenberger-like and interval observers are studied for different types nonlinear singular systems. The observability analysis and observer design for time-delay system is considered in Part III. By introducing delay operator, the backward (causal) and forward (non-causal) unknown input observability are defined. Sufficient conditions are given to investigate the observability of a quite general linear/nonlinear time delay system with unknown inputs. Luenberger-like observer is also studied for linear time-delay systems.
Inhalation Of Concentrated Particulate Matter Produces Pulmonary Inflammation and Systemic Biological Effects in Compromised Rats

Although significant progress has been made over the past few years, there is still debate on the causal fractions that are responsible for particulate matter (PM)-associated adverse health effects. A series of 1-d inhalation exposures to concentrated ambient particles (CAPs) were performed in compromised rats, focusing on pulmonary inflammation and changes in blood factors as biological outcomes. Studies were carried out in the Netherlands at an urban background location in Bilthoven, an industrialized location in the city of Utrecht, as well as at a location that is heavily dominated by freeway emissions. It was hypothesized that exposure to CAPs resulted in oxidative stress in the lung, producing a release of inflammatory mediators, which in turn can result in cardiovascular effects. Both spontaneously hypertensive rats and rats preexposed to ozone were studied. The effects were studied at 2d postexposure, focusing on pathology and cell proliferation, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) analysis (including cytokines, biochemistry, cell differentials, cell viability and proliferation, and Clara-cell 16 protein), and blood analyses (fibrinogen, Clara-cell 16 protein, Von Willebrand factor, and cell differentials). Using CAPs exposures as a binary term, mild inflammation (increased numbers of neutrophils) and increased lung permeability (protein and albumin leakage in BALF) were evident. In addition, CAPs also produced increased fibrinogen concentrations in blood of spontaneously hypertensive rats. In conclusion, inhalation up to 3700 μg /m3 CAPs in the size range of 0.15–2.5 μm did induce statistically significant effects in the lung and blood, but the effects observed may not potentially be very biologically relevant. PM mass concentrations and lung permeability were weakly associated. This suggests that other PM metrics might be more appropriate.
A Revisit of the Tropical-midlatitude Interaction in East Asia Caused by Cold Surges

A short-wave train emanating from the Southeast Asian tropics which links interannual variations of the winter climate systems in both East Asia and North America was identified recently. This shortwave train may affect the activity of cold-surge disturbances over the eastern seaboard of East Asia, and the northwestern Pacific. The interaction between cold surges and the planetary-scale winter monsoon circulation in East Asia, was extensively explored after the Winter Monsoon Experiment (WMONEX). However, the finding of the North-Pacific short-wave train motivates us to revisit three aspects of the East-Asian circulation related to cold surges, with an emphasis on the effect of the wave activity in East Asia. First, the well-developed local Hadley circulation coupled with the East-Asian stationary waves and tropical troughs facilitates the interaction between cold surges, and planetary-scale circulation in East Asia. Second, the intensification of the East-Asian jet following cold surges is attributed to the ridge amplification/trough deepening of the East-Asian stationary waves by the cold-surge disturbances. Finally, the downward branch of the local Hadley circulation in East Asia provides the large-scale vortex compression, which enhances the development of cold-surge disturbances along the east coast of Northeast Asia.
Adaptive wideband beamforming with robustness against presteering errors

We develop a wideband adaptive beamformer with an improved robustness against presteering errors. The proposed beamformer employs the presteered broadband array processor and models the uncertainty in the array manifold as norm-bounded phase errors at the outputs of the presteering delay filters. A state-space model is developed for this robust beamforming problem, and an extended Kalman filter (EKF) is used to estimate the beamformer weight vector adaptively with a low computational complexity.
A 1.2V 1.33Gb/s/pin 8Tb NAND flash memory multi-chip package employing F-chip for low power and high performance storage applications

A 1.2 V 1.33Gb/s/pin 8Tb NAND flash memory multi-chip package incorporating 16-die stacked 512-Gb NAND flash memories and F-Chip is presented. To meet the performance requirements of storage devices for higher capacity and faster data throughput, the 2nd generation F-Chip is developed. The F-Chip presents a dual bi-directional transceiver architecture including data retiming and training techniques to adaptively improve signal integrity. Besides, the F-Chip supports 1.2 V I/O for low power storage applications. This work, as a result, shows 33% improvement of eye-opening performances and 41% reduction of I/O power consumption compared to the previous generation.
Inference-Making and Linguistic Skills in Listening Comprehension : An Observation of French Students Learning Chinese

Inference is an important strategy that could be applied in listening activities. It could help one to grasp the meanings of an oral message by analysing textual and contextual information. When the listener has difficulties in activities because of his poor linguistic skills, it is strongly recommended that he apply the inference strategy efficiently. But how and to what degree does this strategy influence a listener’s performance? What is the relationship between one’s inference capacity and one’s linguistic skills in listening? In this article, we present two studies conducted with 16 French-speaking learners of Chinese. In the first study, we observed, by applying listening tests and a think-aloud protocol, how eight learners (at A2 level and B1 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) carried out listening tasks with audio-visual texts. In the second one, we observed the difficulties of another eight learners (at A2 level) who listened only to audio texts (i.e. not the same tasks as in the first study). The results show that when visual clues are available, a listener’s performance is influenced to a certain extent by his capacity to apply the inference strategy. This capacity seems to be independent of his linguistic skills. Those who obtained high scores in the listening test could not always infer successfully when faced with an audio-visual presentation, while some of those who obtained low scores in the listening test showed a very strong capacity to make inferences with visual clues. Both of our studies demonstrate that a minimal linguistic level is required for successful listening comprehension, but the second study showed in particular that a low linguistic level handicaps listeners much more when they have only audio data available to them.
Combined ilioinguinal blockade and local infiltration anaesthesia for groin hernia repair--a double-blind randomized study.

BACKGROUND Local infiltration anaesthesia for inguinal hernia repair is cost-effective, but fear of intra-operative pain may hinder its widespread use. It is unknown whether a combined ilioinguinal blockade and local infiltration anaesthesia improves intra-operative analgesia. METHODS We performed a double-blind randomized study in 160 patients undergoing inguinal hernia mesh repair under local infiltration anaesthesia with or without additional ilioinguinal blockade. Intra-operative pain and pain at 24 and 48 h postoperatively and analgesic requirements (acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and tramadol) were assessed. RESULTS Median intra-operative pain scores were reduced (P=0.02) from 13 to 9 with additional ilioinguinal blockade, with no differences in requirement for sedation. There were significantly (P<0.05) more patients with intra-operative visual analogue pain scale >/=30 in the placebo group vs the ilioinguinal blockade group. Postoperative pain scores and analgesic requirements were similar. CONCLUSION Combined ilioinguinal blockade and local infiltration anaesthesia is recommended for groin hernia repair to reduce intra-operative pain.
Rapid electrophoresis and quantitation of haemoglobins on cellulose acetate

A rapid and reproducible electrophoretic method for the separation and quantitation of haemoglobins on cellulose acetate is described. The accuracy of the method and its possible sources of error are discussed. The normal range for haemoglobin A2 by this method is 1% to 3% of the total haemoglobin concentration. Blood samples from 32 thalassaemic patients showed haemoglobin A2 values of 3·5% to 7%.
Adjunctive Passive Immunotherapy in Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1-Infected Individuals Treated with Antiviral Therapy during Acute and Early Infection

ABSTRACT Three neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (MAbs), 2G12, 2F5, and 4E10, with activity in vitro and in vivo were administered in an open-label, nonrandomized, proof-of-concept study to attempt to prevent viral rebound after interruption of antiretroviral therapy (ART). Ten human immunodeficiency virus type 1-infected individuals identified and treated with ART during acute and early infection were enrolled. The first six patients were administered 1.0 g of each of the three MAbs per infusion. The remaining four patients received 2G12 at 1.0 g/infusion and 2.0 g/infusion of 2F5 and 4E10. The MAbs were well tolerated. Grade I post-partial thromboplastin time prolongations were noted. Viral rebound was observed in 8/10 subjects (28 to 73 days post-ART interruption), and 2/10 subjects remained aviremic over the course of the study. In seven of eight subjects with viral rebound, clear resistance to 2G12 emerged, whereas reductions in the susceptibilities of plasma-derived recombinant viruses to 2F5 and 4E10 were neither sustained nor consistently measured. Viral rebound was associated with a preferential depletion of CD4+ T cells within the gastrointestinal tract. Though safe, the use of MAbs generally delayed, but did not prevent, virologic rebound. Consideration should be given to further pilot studies with alternative combinations of MAbs and perhaps additional novel treatment modalities.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy for management of anxiety and medication taper in older adults.

OBJECTIVE The authors hypothesized that patients with late-life anxiety undergoing cognitive-behavioral therapy plus medical management for medication taper (CBT-MM) would realize greater reduction in medication use and greater improvement in psychological symptoms than a control group undergoing medical management alone (MM). METHODS Forty-two patients (age >60) who wanted to reduce anxiolytic medication were allocated to the two groups (CBT-MM versus MM), using a randomization plus difference-minimization procedure (to equate for medication use). RESULTS CBT-MM completers significantly reduced medication use, but not at a greater rate than MM completers. At the same time, CBT-MM completers experienced significantly greater alleviation of psychological symptoms than did MM completers. Some, but not all, treatment gains were maintained at 6-month follow-up. Intention-to-treat analyses using the mixed-effects model showed similar, but weaker, treatment effects than completer analyses. CONCLUSIONS Cognitive-behavioral therapy can alleviate psychological symptoms in elderly patients with anxiety even as patients reduce anxiolytic medication.
Effects of Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibition on the Responsiveness of Laryngeal Receptors in Cats to CO2

The effects of carbonic anhydrase inhibition on the responsiveness to CO2 of pressure‐sensitive laryngeal receptors were examined in anaesthetised, paralysed cats. Laryngeal CO2‐sensitive receptors from the superior laryngeal nerve were selected by their responsiveness to intralaryngeal pressure and to perfusion of solution equilibrated with 9% CO2. The carbonic anhydrase inhibitor, methazolamide, when given intralaryngeally at 10−4 M, diminished or abolished the responses to the CO2‐equilibrated solution in four of six pressure‐sensitive receptors. Histochemical staining for carbonic anhydrase activity showed that the larynges perfused with methazolamide had diminished carbonic anhydrase activity, especially on the superficial layers of surface epithelium. Compared to untreated controls, when given intravenously (50 mg kg−1) methazolamide diminished or abolished the responses to CO2 of five of the six fibres studied. Histochemical staining of these larynges showed no carbonic anhydrase reactivity at the sites of laryngeal receptors. These results suggest that the responses to CO2 of laryngeal pressure‐sensitive receptors are dependent on the presence of carbonic anhydrase. Inhibition of laryngeal receptor carbonic anhydrase activity by methazolamide is more reliably achieved by systemic rather than by luminal administration.
Space charge behavior evolution with thermal aging of oil-paper insulation

Space charge is a threat to insulation materials and oil-paper insulation gradually degrades in service. The degradation of cellulose affects space charge formation, accumulation and dissipation, and the presence of space charge affects the performance of dielectric. In this paper, the effect of thermal aging on space charge behaviors and other properties including permittivity, conductivity, and tensile strength was investigated. Oil-paper samples were aged at a hot spot temperature (180°C). During thermal aging, space charge distribution was measured at a regular interval at room temperature. And the pulse electro-acoustic (PEA) method was used for space charge measurement. The results showed that the thermal aging at hot spot temperature caused increase of conductivity and tensile strength degradation. The permittivity increased at the beginning but then it decreased, while dissipation factor showed an upward trend. Besides these, trap distribution and carriers characteristics were also affected. The formations of space charge of unaged and aged oil paper were consequently different under low electric field. Due to the generation of traps by the degradation of cellulose, more charge, especially positive charge was trapped, but the increased traps mostly were shallow traps. Based on the Schottky model, a correlation between space charge injection and the permittivity was drawn. This, together with the appearance of positive bulk charge could be used for oil paper aging status diagnosis.
Control of Multiphase Induction Motors With an Odd Number of Phases Under Open-Circuit Phase Faults

In this paper, a control scheme for multiphase induction motor drives is presented and assessed. This control scheme ensures the operation of a multiphase drive under an open-circuit phase fault that can occur in one or more phases at the same time. A fault-tolerant control strategy is developed. The mathematical analysis is based on the space vector representation of the multiphase system and is valid either in transient or steady-state operating conditions. The feasibility of the drive is verified by means of experimental tests carried out on a prototype of seven-phase induction motor.
Oxidative stress promotes proliferation and dedifferentiation of retina glial cells in vitro

Oxidative damage is involved in triggering neuronal death in several retinal neurodegenerative diseases. The recent finding of stem cells in the retina suggests that both preventing neuronal death and replacing lost neurons might be useful strategies for treating these diseases. We have previously shown that oxidative stress induces apoptosis in cultured retinal neurons. We now investigated the response of Müller cells, proposed as retina stem cells, to this damage. Treatment of glial cell cultures prepared from rat retinas with the oxidant paraquat (PQ) did not induce glial cell apoptosis. Instead, PQ promoted their rapid dedifferentiation and proliferation. PQ decreased expression of a marker of differentiated glial cells, simultaneously increasing the expression of smooth muscle actin, shown to increase with glial dedifferentiation, the levels of cell‐cycle markers, and the number of glial cells in the cultures. In addition, glial cells protected neurons in coculture from apoptosis induced by PQ and H2O2. In pure neuronal cultures, PQ induced apoptosis of photoreceptors and amacrine neurons, simultaneously decreasing the percentage of neurons preserving mitochondrial membrane potential; coculturing neurons with glial cells completely prevented PQ‐induced apoptosis and preserved mitochondrial potential in both neuronal types. These results demonstrate that oxidative damage activated different responses in Müller glial cells; they rapidly dedifferentiated and enhanced their proliferation, concurrently preventing neuronal apoptosis. Glial cells might not only preserve neuronal survival but also activate their cell cycle in order to provide a pool of new progenitor cells that might eventually be manipulated to preserve retinal functionality. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Development and Validation of a Fourfold Multiplexed Opsonization Assay (MOPA4) for Pneumococcal Antibodies

ABSTRACT Opsonophagocytic killing assays (OPAs) are essential for developing and improving pneumococcal vaccines. There is a need for a high-throughput, reliable, standardized, and fully characterized OPA for pneumococcal antibodies. To meet the need, we have developed and characterized a fourfold multiplexed OPA (MOPA4) against 13 serotypes (1, 3, 4, 5, 6A, 6B, 7F, 9V, 14, 18C, 19A, 19F, and 23F) of pneumococci. Thirteen target bacteria were made resistant to only one of the following antibiotics: optochin, streptomycin, spectinomycin, and trimethoprim. Following optimization of assay conditions, accuracy of MOPA4 was determined by testing 30 sera from old adults in the MOPA4 and the single-serotype assays. The opsonization titers obtained with both assays agreed well (r2 > 0.95). Although 22 (out of 390; ∼6%) results differed more than twofold, the differences were not reproducible. The assay was specific: preabsorbing test sera with homologous polysaccharide (PS) completely abrogated opsonic activity, but a pool of unrelated PS (5 μg/ml of each) had no effect. Intra- and interassay coefficients of variation were 10 and 22%, respectively. MOPA4 results were unaffected by having different target pneumococcal serotypes in each assay group. Also, HL60 cell-to-bacteria ratios could be varied twofold without affecting the results. We conclude that MOPA4 is sensitive, accurate, specific, precise, and robust enough for large-scale clinical studies. Furthermore, MOPA4 should allow evaluation of multivalent pneumococcal vaccines with the limited volume of serum typically available from young children.
Multidimensional electron beam-plasma instabilities in the relativistic regime

The interest in relativistic beam-plasma instabilities has been greatly rejuvenated over the past two decades by novel concepts in laboratory and space plasmas. Recent advances in this long-standing field are here reviewed from both theoretical and numerical points of view. The primary focus is on the two-dimensional spectrum of unstable electromagnetic waves growing within relativistic, unmagnetized, and uniform electron beam-plasma systems. Although the goal is to provide a unified picture of all instability classes at play, emphasis is put on the potentially dominant waves propagating obliquely to the beam direction, which have received little attention over the years. First, the basic derivation of the general dielectric function of a kinetic relativistic plasma is recalled. Next, an overview of two-dimensional unstable spectra associated with various beam-plasma distribution functions is given. Both cold-fluid and kinetic linear theory results are reported, the latter being based on waterbag and Maxwell–Juttner model distributions. The main properties of the competing modes (developing parallel, transverse, and oblique to the beam) are given, and their respective region of dominance in the system parameter space is explained. Later sections address particle-in-cell numerical simulations and the nonlinear evolution of multidimensional beam-plasma systems. The elementary structures generated by the various instability classes are first discussed in the case of reduced-geometry systems. Validation of linear theory is then illustrated in detail for large-scale systems, as is the multistaged character of the nonlinear phase. Finally, a collection of closely related beam-plasma problems involving additional physical effects is presented, and worthwhile directions of future research are outlined.
Malignant Melanoma of the Scalp

Malignant melanoma of the scalp has a significantly worse prognosis than cutaneous melanoma arising in other head and neck sites. In this series, 125 patients were treated for Stage I invasive melanoma of the scalp and followed 3 to 19 years. Survival rates for these patients were calculated on the basis of several factors. Survival after treatment was not affected by the age and sex of the patient, size and site of the primary, or treatment of the primary lesion, although local failure was higher among those treated by primary excision and closure. Patients undergoing elective neck dissection with histologically negative nodes had significantly better survival rates than those with histologically positive nodes or patients in whom a neck dissection was not performed.
Cloning and heterospecific expression of the resistance determinant vanA encoding high-level resistance to glycopeptides in Enterococcus faecium BM4147

Fragments of plasmid pIP816, which confers high-level glycopeptide resistance in Enterococcus faecium BM4147, were cloned into a conjugative gram-negative-gram-positive shuttle vector. The resulting hybrids were transferred by conjugation from Escherichia coli to Enterococcus faecalis and Bacillus thuringiensis. A 4-kilobase EcoRI fragment from pIP816 was found to confer vancomycin resistance in these hosts but not in E. coli or Bacillus subtilis.