Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Haptic Tele-Driving of Wheeled Mobile Robot with Communication Delay

We propose a novel passivity-enforcing tele-driving control framework, which will enable a human operator to stably tele-control a unicycle-type wheeled mobile robot (WMR) over communication network with constant delays while having some useful haptic force-feedback. We consider both the case of kinematic and dynamic WMRs. Our main objective is to enable human users to tele-drive the WMR as they drive a car, arguably the most efficient human-interface for controlling WMRs: i.e. two degree-of-freedoms of a (nonlinear) master device are respectively used to control the forward velocity and the heading angle of the WMR, much like as the gaspedal and the steering-wheel of a car. We also enforce passivity of the closed-loop system, so that the interaction of the tele-driving system can be stable for a wide range of human users and slave environments even with communication delays. Experiment is performed to show the efficacy of the proposed control frameworks.
Community acquired secondary bacterial peritonitis in a tertiary hospital of South India: an audit with special reference to peritoneal fluid culture.

BACKGROUND This study was conducted to elucidate the spectrum of community acquired acute bacterial peritonitis, the role of microbiological culture in its management and other factors affecting its outcome. METHODS This was a prospective study wherein we examined cases of secondary bacterial peritonitis admitted and operated at our institution from January 2005 to May 2006. The peritoneal fluid was sent for bacterial culture and sensitivity testing. Patients were followed up with relevant progress details till discharge or death. RESULTS We enrolled 352 patients. The mean age of the study population was 42.4 years with a male:female ratio of 7:1. Gastroduodenal perforations formed the major site of perforation (51%), followed by small bowel (29%) and appendicular perforations (17%). Culture positivity rate was 64%. Escherichia coli and Klebsiella species were the predominant isolates from peritoneal fluid. These main isolates were predominantly sensitive to ceftazidime, amikacin and chloramphenicol. Ampicillin with gentamicin and metronidazole was the first line of treatment used preoperatively in 67% of the patients, given its low cost and easier availability. The overall morbidity and mortality rates were 52% and 16.5% respectively. 78% of patients received inadequate antibiotics preoperatively. Only 26% had appropriate change of antibiotics postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS There was no significant benefit of postoperative change of antibiotics based on culture results. Analysis of factors influencing mortality shows dominance of host related factors over the type and source of infection with high risk population identified by age > 60 years, delayed presentations > 3 days and APACHE II score > 15.
Coordination of DNA Damage Responses via the Smc5/Smc6 Complex

ABSTRACT The detection of DNA damage activates DNA repair pathways and checkpoints to allow time for repair. Ultimately, these responses must be coordinated to ensure that cell cycle progression is halted until repair is completed. Several multiprotein complexes containing members of the structural maintenance of chromosomes family of proteins have been described, including the condensin and cohesin complexes, that are critical for chromosomal organization. Here we show that the Smc5/Smc6 (Smc5/6) complex is required for a coordinated response to DNA damage and normal chromosome integrity. Fission yeast cells lacking functional Smc6 initiate a normal checkpoint response to DNA damage, culminating in the phosphorylation and activation of the Chk1 protein kinase. Despite this, cells enter a lethal mitosis, presumably without completion of DNA repair. Another subunit of the complex, Nse1, is a conserved member of this complex and is also required for this response. We propose that the failure to maintain a checkpoint response stems from the lack of ongoing DNA repair or from defective chromosomal organization, which is the signal to maintain a checkpoint arrest. The Smc5/6 complex is fundamental to genome integrity and may function with the condensin and cohesin complexes in a coordinated manner.
The pulsatile perfusion debate in cardiac surgery: answers from the microcirculation?

From the Departments of *Intensive Care Medicine, †Anesthesiology; and ‡Cardiothoracic Surgery, Research Intensive Care VUmc (REVIVE), Institute for Cardiovascular Research (Icar-VU) VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. M.P. Hoefeijzers and L.H. ter Horst contributed equally. Address reprint requests to Paul W.G. Elbers, MD, PhD, Department of Intensive Care Medicine, VU University Medical Center, De Boelelaan 1117, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. E-mail: p.elbers@vumc.nl © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. 1053-0770/2601-0001$36.00/0 http://dx.doi. org/10.1053/j.jvca. 2014.07. 025
Prevalence of psoriasis in Brazil – a geographical survey

1 Ciatti S, Varga J, Greenbaum S. The 585 nm flashlamp-pumped pulsed dye laser for the treatment of telangiectases in patients with scleroderma. J Am Acad Dermatol 1996; 35: 487–488. 2 Halachmi S, Gabari O, Cohen S, et al. Telangiectasis in CREST syndrome and systemic sclerosis: correlation of clinical and pathological features with response to pulsed dye laser treatment. Lasers Med Sci 2014; 29: 137–140. 3 Dinsdale G, Murray A, Moore T, et al. A comparison of intense pulsed light and laser treatment of telangiectases in patients with systemic sclerosis: a within-subject randomized trial. Rheumatology 2014; 53: 1422–1430.
Severe thrombocytopenia and hemorrhagic diathesis due to brucellosis.

BACKGROUND We aimed to examine cases of brucellosis that presented with severe thrombocytopenia and hemorrhagic diathesis. METHODS A total of 10 brucellosis cases with severe thrombocytopenia were included in this case-series study. Patients' files were reviewed for their clinical and laboratory findings, as well as clinical outcomes and complications. Platelet counts of < 20,000/mm³ were diagnosed as severe thrombocytopenia. RESULTS The lowest thrombocyte count was 3000/mm³ while the highest was 19,000/mm³ (mean: 12,000/mm³). Patients had the following symptoms: epistaxis (7 cases), petechia with epistaxis (4 cases), bleeding gums (3 cases), ecchymosis with epistaxis (2 cases), melena and renal failure (2 cases), and hematuria (1 case). Patients were given rifampicin and doxycycline along with supportive hematological therapy. All were treated successfully with no evidence of recurrence at follow-up visits. CONCLUSION Since brucellosis is endemic in developing countries, it must be considered in the differential diagnosis of cases that present with severe thrombocytopenia and hemorrhagic diathesis.
Genetic polymorphisms in the proximal IL-10 promoter and susceptibility to non-Hodgkin lymphoma

Equipe Universitaire (JE 2267) Pathologie des Cellules Lymphoı̈des, Université Claude Bernard, Lyon, France, Department of Hematology, Medical University of Lodz, Poland, Service d’Hématologie, Centre-Hospitalier Lyon-Sud, Pierre-Bénite, France, Etablissement Français du Sang, Lyon, France, Service d’Anatomie Pathologique, Centre-Hospitalier Lyon-Sud, Pierre-Bénite, France, and Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, Warsaw, Poland
On the Redundancy of Lossy Source Coding with Abstract Alphabets

The redundancy problem of lossy source coding with abstract source and reproduction alphabets is considered. For coding at a fixed rate level, it is shown that for any fixed rate R>0 and any memoryless abstract alphabet source P satisfying some mild conditions, there exists a sequence {C/sub n/}/sub n=1//sup /spl infin// of block codes at the rate R such that the distortion redundancy of C/sub n/ (defined as the difference between the performance of C/sub n/ and the distortion rate function d(P, R) of P) is upper-bounded by |(/spl part/d(P,R))/(/spl part/R)| ln n/2n+o(ln n/n). For coding at a fixed distortion level, it is demonstrated that for any d>0 and any memoryless abstract alphabet source P satisfying some mild conditions, there exists a sequence {C/sub n/}/sub n=1//sup /spl infin// of block codes at the fixed distortion d such that the rate redundancy of C/sub n/ (defined as the difference between the performance of C/sub n/ and the rate distortion function R(P,d) of P) is upper-bounded by (7ln n)/(6n)+o(ln n/n). These results strengthen the traditional Berger's (1968, 1971) abstract alphabet source coding theorem, and extend the positive redundancy results of Zhang, Yang, and Wei (see ibid., vol.43, no.1, p.71-91, 1997, and ibid., vol.42, p.803-21, 1996) on lossy source coding with finite alphabets and the redundancy result of Wyner (see ibid., vol.43, p.1452-64, 1997) on block coding of memoryless Gaussian sources.
DETECTING AIR POLLUTION FROM SPACE USING IMAGE-BASED METHOD

Satellite sensors have provided new datasets for monitoring regional and urban air quality. Satellite sensors provide comprehensive geospatial information on air quality with both qualitative remotely sensed imagery and quantitative data, such as aerosol optical depth. This paper presents a new method for retrieving aerosol optical thickness. The method is based on the determination of the aerosol optical thickness through the radiative transfer calculations and the ‘tracking’ of the suitable darkest pixel in the scene. The proposed method that needs no a-priori information has been applied to LandsatTM & ETM+, Spot-5 and IKONOS data of three different geographical areas: West London, and Cyprus. The retrieved aerosol optical thickness values show high correlations with insitu visibility data acquired during the satellite overpass.
The Value of a Rural Medicine Rotation on Encouraging Students Toward a Rural Career: Clear Benefits From the RUSC Program

Background: The Australian government has addressed rural medical workforce shortages through strategies such as the Rural Undergraduate Support and Co-ordination program, based on the premise that increased exposure to rural medicine within the curricula will contribute to more students adopting a rural career. Purpose: This article reports on how an Australian Rural Clinical School is meeting the aims of this initiative. Methods: Year 3 students (n = 463) from 10 eight-week rural rotations in 2005–2006 evaluated the content and value of rural lectures/workshops and a 6-week rural clinical placement. Results: The aggregate results suggest overall favourable evaluation of the various components of this rotation. Conclusions: A rural rotation can encourage students' interest in and understanding of rural medicine. The longitudinal nature and ongoing evaluation of this program may in time provide more conclusive evidence for this. Challenges such as increasing student numbers, decreasing clinical placements, and logistically complicated programs remain. Research toward alternatives to a “real-life” rural experience may be needed.
Determinants of Delinquency in Female West Indian Migrants

A sample of young West Indian females were interviewed whilst being on remand for petty offences. Most were suffering from adjustment reactions of adolescence, a half had previously been convicted and a third gave a history of parasuicide. On investigation, it was found that there had been a characteristic pattern of multiple separation experiences, which had been closely related to the onset of early symptoms of maladjustment, with subsequent delinquency. As this pattern of separation experiences is not found among delinquents in the West Indies, this should indicate that such pathogenic experiences may be related to residence in the new environment in Britain. Early pregnancy may constitute a further separation experience, which may also be stressful in vulnerable individuals.
Individual antecedents of ACAP and implications of social context in joint engineering project teams: a conceptual model

Purpose – This paper attempts to propose a conceptual model to explain the micro-level antecedents of absorptive capacity (ACAP) and social context of joint engineering project teams. It delineates ACAP into four dimensions and suggests specific level for each dimension. Revisiting the micro-foundational origin of ACAP, acquisition of partner's embedded knowledge through joint project teams requires complex interaction among individuals, thus the effect of individual differences and perception in the team's context is proposed. Design/methodology/approach – Cohen and Levinthal's assertion on the conceptual affinity that ACAP shares with creative capacity and organizational learning was revisited. Upon synthesizing pertinent literature, individual antecedents were conceptualized, while strategic alliance literature was examined to theorize on the social context. Findings – Propositions relating individual antecedents and social context to associated dimension of ACAP are postulated. Furthermore, the paper .
Molecular Epidemiology of Rotavirus Infection in Western Cameroon

Summary Rotavirus is the major viral cause of diarrhoea in children worldwide. In this study, the ﬁrst from Cameroon, the molecular epidemiology of rotavirus infection was investigated. Eight hundred and ninety diarrhoea stools collected from children under the age of 5 years in Western Cameroon between 1999 and 2000 were analysed for rotaviruses and further characterized by antigenic and genomic methods. Rotaviruses were detected in 21.9 per cent of stools and were highest during the cool dry season. Sixteen different electrophoretic patterns, 13 of long and three of short, were detected in the study area.The predominant subgroup detected was subgroup II (66.9 per cent) and atypical strains with long electropherotype, but subgroup I speciﬁcity were also observed. Rotavirus infection was shown to be an important component of diarrhoeal disease in young children in Cameroon. The results of this study in Cameroon reinforces the need to continue with surveillance programmes in Africa.
The prevalence of unrecognized congenital heart disease among healthy elementary school students in northern Thailand

Abstract Background: Congenital heart disease (CHD) is one of the major congenital anomalies among newborns. Although many infants with CHD are symptomatic and identified soon after birth, others remain undiagnosed until the disease becomes severe. Objectives: Unravel the number of CHD cases among 7-12 years old students who reported neither clinical complication nor history about cardiac diseases, stressing the importance for regular cardiac examination in children, even if they appeared healthy. Methods: The study selected students without clinical history of heart disease from 1,041 elementary schools in northern Thailand (Tak, Nakhon Sawan and Uttaradit). Certified nurses and health officers examined the students for abnormal heart conditions. Pediatric cardiologists scrutinized the students with suspected CHD for confirmation and characterization of cardiac lesion types. Results: Out of 144,293 students included in the study, 851 students showed atypical heart symptoms, and 87 were verified to have the CHD. This conferred the prevalence rate of unrecognized CHD among the elementary school children to be 0.60 per 1,000. The frequently-detected heart defects were ventricular septal defect (41.4%) and pulmonary stenosis (16.1%). Fifty-one children (58.6%) required surgery for cardiovascular correction. The prevalence of the CHD in elementary school students ranged from 0.41 to 1.05 cases per 1000 study subjects. The greatest number of incidences was found in Tak province where medical resources are inadequate. Conclusion: This study highlights the significance of routine cardiac examination among school-aged students, particularly in the regions with limited medical facilities, providing information essential for appropriate health care planning and managements.
Association between presence of urovirulence factors, phylogenetic class, and antimicrobial resistance patterns in 159 uropathogenic Escherichia coli samples isolated from dogs

The purpose of this study was to examine four urovirulence factors (UVFs) and their phylogenetic classes and compare their levels of resistance to antimicrobial drug classes in 159 canine uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) isolates submitted to the Clinical bacteriology and Mycology Laboratory of The University of Tennessee Veterinary Medical Center in 2007. Multiplex polymerase chain reaction was used to detect the following UVFs: cytotoxic necrotizing factor (cnf), hemolysin (hly), S-fimbrial adhesion gene (sfa), and Pilus associated with pyelonephritis gene G allele III (pap); polymerase chain reaction was used to determine phylogenetic group. In vitro susceptibility to antimicrobial classes was evaluated, and resistance was compared to UVF presence as well as phylogenetic class. UVFs were presented in 48% of UPEC and were negatively correlated with antimicrobial resistance. Of the 159 samples, the number of UVFs expressed per isolate was 0 = 82 (52%), 1 = 24 (15%), 2 = 2 (1%), 3 = 18 (11%), and 4 = 33 (21%). The following UVFs were expressed: sfa (33%), hly (24%), cnf (25%), and pap (18%). Presence of all four UVFs, hly, cnf, and sfa together, and sfa alone, was associated with less resistance (P P the highest in class A (P the lowest in B2 (P
Physiological changes, phenolic content and antioxidant activity of Salvia officinalis L. grown under saline conditions.

BACKGROUND Hydroponic culture was used to investigate the effect of NaCl concentrations on the growth, nutrient uptake, phenolic content and antioxidant activity of Salvia officinalis L. leaves. The antioxidant capacity of the methanolic extract of S. officinalis was evaluated by using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging test and β-carotene-linoleic acid bleaching assay. Physiological and biochemical parameters of S. officinalis were assessed after 4 weeks of salt treatment with 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100 mmol L(-1) NaCl. RESULTS Plant growth exhibited a reduction of 61% at 100 mmol L(-1) NaCl. Assessment of Na(+), K(+) and Ca(2+) and water contents of shoots and roots showed that S. officinalis is able to regulate Na(+) concentration by active compartmentation in vacuoles. Salvia officinalis phenolics were increased in response to salinity at the threshold of 75 mmol L(-1) NaCl. This herb was also found to be able to achieve important DPPH(•) quenching activity and to inhibit the β-carotene-linoleic acid bleaching notably enhanced by salt treatment. It is interesting to highlight the correlation between the phenolic and antioxidant activity, suggesting the involvement of these compounds in this activity. CONCLUSION Salvia officinalis treated with 75 mmol L(-1) NaCl constitutes a potential source for production of secondary metabolites useful in several applications.
FIR-median hybrid filters with predictive FIR substructures

A class of finite-impulse response (FIR) median hybrid (FMH) filters that contain linear FIR substructures to estimate the current signal value using forward and backward prediction is introduced. The output of the overall filter is the median of the predicted values and the actual signal value in the middle of the filter window. Predictors maximizing the signal-to-noise ratio on signal sections described by an lth-order polynominal are derived. The ramp enhancement filters are shown to attenuate the noise on a ramp signal better than the standard median (SM) filters. The new predictive FMH filters are shown to have root signals which do not exist for the SM filters, e.g. triangular waves. By combining the level and the ramp enhancement FMH filters, a filter is obtained which attenuates noise on constant and ramp signals. The noise attenuation on ramp signals is better than with the SM filter, and the predictive FMH filter has novel and meaningful root structures. The number of arithmetic operations needed to implement the predictive FMH filter grows linearly with the length of the filter. >
Sensory‐dependent asymmetry for a urine‐responsive olfactory bulb glomerulus

An unusual property of the olfactory system is that sensory input at the level of the first synapse in the olfactory bulb takes place at two mirror‐image glomerular maps that appear identical across the axis of symmetry. It is puzzling how two identical odor maps would contribute to sensory function. The functional units in these maps are the glomeruli, ovoid neuropil structures formed by axons from olfactory sensory neurons expressing the same olfactory receptor. Here we find that the genetically identified P2 glomeruli are asymmetric across the axis of symmetry in terms of responsiveness to urine volatiles and neuroanatomical structure. Furthermore, P2 asymmetry is modified by sensory deprivation and abolished by decreased BDNF levels. Thus, while mirror odor maps show symmetry at the macroscopic level in maps encompassing the entire surface of the olfactory bulb, they display asymmetry at the level of the single glomerulus. J. Comp. Neurol. 510:475–483, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Relationship between Intellectual Capital and Knowledge Management: An Empirical Investigation

Two important streams of the literature have examined intellectual capital (IC) and knowledge management (KM). Surprisingly, they have developed in parallel, without any empirical research on the relationship between them. This article empirically examines how IC and KM affect each other, and also investigates their consequences, viewing three intermediate consequences (dynamic capabilities, efficiency, and innovativeness) to mediate their effects on firm performance. In addition, this article examines the effects of the organization's culture on IC and KM. To address these issues, a comprehensive model is developed and tested using a combination of survey and secondary data of 533 companies in Taiwan. The results support the theoretical model. Major findings include the following: IC affects KM and dynamic capabilities; KM facilitates innovation but not dynamic capabilities or IC; a learning culture facilitates IC and innovation but not KM; firm performance depends on efficiency and innovation, but not directly on dynamic capabilities; and efficiency does not depend on any of the other constructs in the study. The article's implications for research and practice are examined.