Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dynamic cooperative learning control of output‐feedback systems with output constraints

This paper investigates the dynamic cooperative learning control for high‐order output‐feedback systems under the output constraints. To avoid complex computation, we use a system transformation strategy in control design. Only one neural network (NN) is employed to approximate the unknown synthetic function for each agent. Subsequently, a NN‐based cooperative learning control mechanism is designed by introducing the barrier Lyapunov function (BLF). The proposed mechanism expands the NN approximation domain of the transformed systems, and the output of all subsystems remains constrained. Further, the NNs on identified uncertain system dynamics are used to construct the experience‐based controllers to carry out same control tasks. Finally, the theoretical authenticity is demonstrated by a numerical example.
Hausdorff measures and packing premeasures

We estimate the Hausdorff measures and the packing premeasures of symmetric generalized Cantor sets in the d-dimensional Euclidean space R. Two simple estimations will be obtained. Let φ1 and φ2 be two measure functions. Suppose limt→0 φ2(t)/φ1(t) = 0, limt→0 φ2(t)/t = ∞, and φ1(t)/t is strictly decreasing as t increases. Then we can construct a compact set K in R such that 0 < Λφ1(K) < ∞ and 0 < φ2 − P (K) < ∞ with the aid of the above estimations.
What Is the Correlation between Clinical and Radiographic Findings in Patients with Advanced Osteoarthritis of the Knee?

Knee range of motion and patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are often used as screening tools to assess the severity of knee osteoarthritis and guide the decision to refer patients to an arthroplasty clinic. However, there is little understanding regarding the correlation between these factors. Thus, the purpose of this study was to determine the correlation between patient-reported clinical function measured with the Oxford Knee Score (OKS), pain assessed using the visual analog scale (VAS), knee range of motion (ROM), and characteristic radiographic features in patients with advanced osteoarthritis of the knee. A prospective analysis of a consecutive series of 138 patients with advanced unilateral osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee was performed. The severity of radiographic OA was classified according to the most commonly used Kellgren and Lawrence classification (K&L). Spearman’s rank correlation analysis and multiple linear regression analysis were performed. The OKS was used as a dependent variable and was adjusted for pain, ROM, and nine standardized radiographic parameters on multiple views of the tibiofemoral and patellofemoral joint. OKS and pain correlated weakly with the K&L grade (r = −0.289; p = 0.001; r = 0.258; p = 0.002). K&L grade and the degree of patellofemoral joint space narrowing were identified as independent factors being associated with a poorer OKS (coefficient −4.528, p = 0.021; coefficient −2.211, p = 0.038). Slightly worse results were identified for OKS and pain in patients with K&L grade 4 osteoarthritis compared to patients with K&L grade 3 osteoarthritis (∆OKS 5.5 points, p < 0.001; ∆VAS 1.7 points, p = 0.003). There was no significant difference for passive range of motion between patients with K&L grade 3 or 4. When counseling patients with advanced knee osteoarthritis who may be eligible for knee arthroplasty, it is essential to give primary consideration to pain levels and self-reported limitations experienced during daily activities. Relying solely on knee ROM and PROMs is not an effective screening method for guiding the decision to refer patients to an arthroplasty clinic.
The impact of COVID-19 on chronic pain

A reduced quality of life is often a hefty burden that those with chronic pain are left to bear. This review of literature from PubMed, Google Scholar and other relevant studies focuses on the complex relationship between COVID-19 and chronic pain, which is challenging to study during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this review, we will briefly discuss the epidemiologic facts and risk factors, followed by the proposed pathophysiologic mechanisms. Furthermore, we will cover the therapeutic avenues regarding various molecules and their possible interactions, with the most promising being those whose mechanism of action can be directly linked to the pathophysiologic aspects of the condition. Finally, we will describe how to deal with a chronic pain patient who consults during the pandemic.
Cerulean warbler initial response to silviculture treatments in southern Indiana

DISSERTATION/THESIS/RESEARCH PAPER/CREATIVE PROJECT: Cerulean Warbler Initial Response to Silviculture in Southern Indiana STUDENT: Kyle Kaminski DEGREE: Master of Science COLLEGE: Sciences and Humanities DATE: May, 2010 PAGES: 70 The Cerulean Warbler is a small migratory that is currently considered a species of special concern. Cerulean Warbler response to two types of silvicultural treatments in southern Indiana was assessed by comparing relative abundance and territory data collected during the two years prior to tree harvest to data collected one year immediately following the harvest. ArcGIS was then used to identify spatial attributes of territories that appeared to be important to the species. Lastly, a method of sampling canopy openings by using a Global Positioning System (GPS) unit was introduced. The results suggest that Cerulean Warblers were not negatively affected by the harvest and that moderate prescribed silviculture treatments that create small canopy openings can benefit
Touchless Heart Rate Monitoring from an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Using Videoplethysmography

Motivation: The advancement of preventive medicine and, subsequently, telemedicine drives the need for noninvasive and remote measurements in patients’ natural environments. Heart rate (HR) measurements are particularly promising and extensively researched due to their quick assessment and comprehensive representation of patients’ conditions. However, in scenarios such as endurance training or emergencies, where HR measurement was not anticipated and direct access to victims is limited, no method enables obtaining HR results that are suitable even for triage. Methods: This paper presents the possibility of remotely measuring of human HR from a series of in-flight videos using videoplethysmography (VPG) along with skin detection, human pose estimation and image stabilization methods. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) equipped with a camera captured ten segments of video footage featuring volunteers engaged in free walking and running activities in natural sunlight. The human pose was determined using the OpenPose algorithm, and subsequently, skin areas on the face and forearms were identified and tracked in consecutive frames. Ultimately, HR was estimated using several VPG methods: the green channel (G), green-red difference (GR), excess green (ExG), independent component analysis (ICA), and a plane orthogonal to the skin (POS). Results: When compared to simultaneous readings from a reference ECG-based wearable recorder, the root-mean-squared error ranged from 17.7 (G) to 27.7 (POS), with errors of less than 3.5 bpm achieved for the G and GR methods. Conclusions: These results demonstrate the acceptable accuracy of touchless human pulse measurement with the accompanying UAV-mounted camera. The method bridges the gap between HR-transmitting wearables and emergency HR recorders, and it has the potential to be advantageous in training or rescue scenarios in mountain, water, disaster, or battlefield settings.
Magma genesis in the northern Lau Basin, S.W. Pacific

The northern Lau Basin contains the northeastern-most part of the Tonga arc-basin system. Volcanic rocks associated with the recent-arc have been sampled from Tafahi and Niuatoputapu, and young basalts «1.5Ma) have been dredged from Northern Lau Spreading Centre (NLSC), the northeastern limb of the King's Triple Junction. The 1982 'Kallisto' cruise dredged two ophiolite sections, one containing boninitic, and the other tholeiitic, lavas, from the inner wall of the northern Tonga trench. The magma genesis of these lava suites is related to the structural and geochemical controls imposed during the tectonic evolution of the region. The geochemical controls result from processes related to the mantle dynamics in the northern Lau Basin, and to along-trench variations and the degree of influence of the subduction component. The lavas associated with the Central Lau Spreading Centre are derived from the Lau Basin mantle reservoir, which has Indian MORB mantle (! MM) isotopic characteristics. This reservoir has been present under the region since early-arc magmatism, as indicated by the trace elements and ! MM isotopic signatures of the tholeiitic lavas from the eastern ophiolite section, and Eocene lavas from 'Eua. A reservoir with the geochemical characteristics of residual Samoan plume mantle underlies the northern Lau Basin. This mantle has been influxing through the rip in the Pacific plate, at the northern termination of the Tonga trench, since the Lau Basin began to open « 6Ma), as a result of processes relating to subduction roll-back. The north Tongan boninites, the lavas from Tafahi and Niuatoputapu have residual plume mantle sources. However, prior to the opening of the Lau Basin, the proto-Tonga trench formed a barrier to this influx, and therefore, the influence of the plume cannot be detected in lavas associated with the early-arc, such as the tholeiites from one of the ophiolite sections and the Eocene lavas from 'Bua. The variations in the trace element and Pb isotopic compositions of the lavas from the Northern Lau Spreading Centre indicate that mixing has occurred between Lau Basin and residual plume mantle end-members in the central northern Lau Basin. The residual plume mantle sources of the north Tongan boninites and the lavas from Tafahi, Niuatoputapu and the Tofua arc have been enriched by a subduction component, the characteristics of which are enrichment in Lll.E, Ph ± LREE. In the south, the subduction component is made up of fluids derived from subducted Pacific altered oceanic crust and pelagic sediments. However, in the north, it is comprised predominantly of fluids derived from Pacific volcanogenic sediments, with a contribution from altered oceanic crust and possibly subducted plume crust.
Agreement Between Peak Inspiratory Pressure in Decelerating-Flow Ventilation and Plateau Pressure in Square-Flow Ventilation in Pediatric Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome*

OBJECTIVES: Acute respiratory distress syndrome guidelines suggest limiting plateau pressures to 28–30 cm H2O. Plateau pressure is most accurately measured in square-flow modes, such as volume control. In children, decelerating-flow modes, such as pressure-regulated volume control and pressure control, are more common. Consequently, plateau pressures are rarely obtained, and pressure limits are instead provided for peak inspiratory pressure. The degree to which peak inspiratory pressure in decelerating-flow overestimates plateau pressure is unknown. Therefore, we assessed the correlation and accuracy of peak inspiratory pressure in decelerating-flow ventilation for approximating plateau pressure during square-flow ventilation. DESIGN: Prospective, observational study. SETTING: Tertiary, academic PICU. PATIENTS: Fifty-two intubated children with acute respiratory distress syndrome enrolled between January 2020 and May 2021. INTERVENTIONS: Measurement of peak inspiratory pressure in decelerating-flow ventilation and plateau pressure after transition to square-flow ventilation. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Peak inspiratory pressure in decelerating-flow was highly correlated (r2 = 0.99; p < 0.001) with plateau pressure in square-flow. Peak inspiratory pressure was 1.0 ± 0.6 cm H2O higher than plateau pressure, with 96% of values within 2 cm H2O. The single outlier had coexistent asthma and inspiratory flows that did not reach zero. CONCLUSIONS: Peak inspiratory pressure measured during decelerating-flow ventilation may be an adequate surrogate of plateau pressure in pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome when inspiratory flow approaches zero. Practitioners should be aware that peak inspiratory pressures in decelerating-flow may not be substantially higher than plateau pressures.
Multifunctionality and the European Common Agricultural Policy: A Theoretical Problem /доклад на 10 конгрессе ЕААЕ, Exploring Diversity in the European Agri-Food System, Zaragoza, Spain, 28-31 August 2002

The multifunctional character of agriculture is used as a main argument for agricultural support. This argument is theoretical analyzed in a model with decreasing marginal utility and it is shown that such a support must depend on the size of the agricultural sector. Consequently the argument is not valid for a common policy for very different countries as the EU-countries.
Promoting Self-Management and Independent Living of Older Individuals with Chronic Diseases through Technology: A Study of Self-Reported Needs, Priorities, and Preferences

Background and Objectives: Older patients’ needs are rarely examined beforehand, and thus, although technology-based tools can enhance self-management, acceptability rates are still low. This study aimed to examine and compare self-reported needs, priorities, and preferences of older patients with heart failure (HF), diabetes mellitus type II (DM2), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) toward technology use to enhance self-management. Materials and Methods: A convenience sample of 473 participants over 60 s (60.5% females), diagnosed with HF (n= 156), DM2 (n = 164), or COPD (n = 153) was recruited. They were administered a questionnaire about the usefulness of technology in general and in specific areas of disease management. Results: Most participants (84.7%) admitted that technology is needed for better disease management. This was equally recognized across the three groups both for the overall and specific areas of disease management (in order of priority: “Information”, “Communication with Physicians and Caregivers”, and “Quality of Life and Wellbeing”). Sociodemographic differences were found. Cell phones and PCs were the devices of preference. The four common features prioritized by all three groups were related to ‘information about disease management’ (i.e., monitoring symptoms, reminders for medication intake, management and prevention of complications), whereas the fifth one was related to ‘communication with physicians and caregivers (i.e., in case of abnormal or critical signs). The top disease-specific feature was also monitoring systems (of respiratory rate or blood sugar or blood pressure, and oxygen), whereas other disease-specific features followed (i.e., maintaining normal weight for HF patients, adjusting insulin dose for DM2 patients, and training on breathing exercises for COPD patients). Conclusions: Older individuals in these three groups seem receptive to technology in disease management. mHealth tools, incorporating both common and disease-specific features and addressing different chronic patients, and also being personalized at the same time, could be cost-saving and useful adjuncts in routine clinical care to improve self-management.
Anisotropic conformal dark gravity on the Lorentz tangent bundle spacetime

In this work we investigate the anisotropic conformal structure of the gravitational field incorporating dark gravity in a generalized Lagrange geometric framework on the Lorentz tangent bundle and we present two applications; the anisotropic conformal Minkowski spacetime and the anisotropic conformal FLRW cosmology. In the first application, the conformal factor induces an anisotropic conformal de-Sitter-like space with extra curvature which causes extra gravity and allows for Sasaki-type Finsler-like structures which could potentially describe certain gravitational phenomena in a more extended form. The cosmological properties of the model are also studied using a FLRW metric structure for the underlying base manifold in the second application, where we derive generalized Friedmann-like equations for the horizontal subspace of the Lorentz tangent bundle spacetime that reduce under certain conditions to those given by A. Triantafyllopoulos and P. C. Stavrinos (2018) [Class. Quantum Grav. 35 085011] as well as those of general relativity.
Energy Allocation for Vehicle-to-Grid Settings: A Low-Cost Proposal Combining DRL and VNE

As electric vehicle (EV) ownership becomes more commonplace, partly due to government incentives, there is a need also to design solutions such as energy allocation strategies to more effectively support sustainable vehicle-to-grid (V2G) applications. Therefore, this work proposes an energy allocation strategy, designed to minimize the electricity cost while improving the operating revenue. Specifically, V2G is abstracted as a three-domain network architecture to facilitate flexible, intelligent, and scalable energy allocation decision-making. Furthermore, this work combines virtual network embedding (VNE) and deep reinforcement learning (DRL) algorithms, where a DRL-based agent model is proposed, to adaptively perceives environmental features and extracts the feature matrix as input. In particular, the agent consists of a four-layer architecture for node and link embedding, and jointly optimizes the decision-making through a reward mechanism and gradient back-propagation. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed strategy is demonstrated through simulation case studies. Specifically, compared to the used benchmarks, it improves the VNR acceptance ratio, Long-term average revenue, and Long-term average revenue-cost ratio indicators by an average of 3.17%, 191.36, and 2.04%, respectively. To the best of our knowledge, this is one of the first attempts combining VNE and DRL to provide an energy allocation strategy for V2G.
Association between the Respiratory Microbiome and Plasma Microbial Extracellular Vesicles in Intubated Patients

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) regulate various cellular and immunological functions in human diseases. There is growing interest in the clinical role of microbial EVs in pneumonia. However, there is a lack of research on the correlation between lung microbiome with microbial EVs and the microbiome of other body sites in pneumonia. We investigated the co-occurrence of lung microbiome and plasma microbe-derived EVs (mEVs) in 111 samples obtained from 60 mechanically ventilated patients (41 pneumonia and 19 non-pneumonia cases). The microbial correlation between the two samples was compared between the pneumonia and non-pneumonia cases. Bacterial composition of the plasma mEVs was distinct from that of the lung microbiome. There was a significantly higher correlation between lung microbiome and plasma mEVs in non-pneumonia individuals compared to pneumonia patients. In particular, Acinetobacter and Lactobacillus genera had high correlation coefficients in non-pneumonia patients. This indicates a beneficial effect of mEVs in modulating host lung immune response through EV component transfer.
Wireless Sensor Network-Based Rockfall and Landslide Monitoring Systems: A Review

Rockfalls and landslide events are caused by different factors among which are included geomorphological and climatic factors and also human interaction. Therefore, the economic and social impacts can be significant and the remote monitoring of such hazards has become an essential topic in various applications. Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) are well suited for the deployment of monitoring systems, benefiting from the different technologies and topologies that are available and evolving nowadays. This review paper aims to summarize and overview the up-to-date state of the art of rockfall and landslide monitoring systems based on WSNs. The implementation and methods were analyzed for each solution, along with the system architecture and relevant hardware aspects. All the retrieved data were used to analyze the current trends and future possibilities in the field of WSN geohazard monitoring.
The association of Human Leukocyte Antigens Complex with Type 1 Diabetes 7 in Omanis

17 Background: Identifying the human leukocyte antigens (HLA) high risk alleles, genotypes and 18 haplotypes in different populations is beneficial for understanding their roles in type 1 diabetes 19 (T1D) pathogenesis and intervention practices. Objective: The aim of this study was to identify 20 T1D associated HLA gene alleles in the Omani population. Methods: Our case-control study 21 included 73 diabetic seropositive children (mean age 9.08±3.27 years) and 110 healthy controls. 22 HLA–A, -B, -C, -DRB1, and -DQB1 genes were genotyped using sequence specific primer 23 polymerase chain reaction (SSP-PCR). Results: Two HLA class I alleles (B*08, B*58) and three 24 class II alleles (DQB1*02, DRB1*03 and DRB1*04) were associated with T1D susceptibility, 25 while one class I (B*51) and three class II (DQB1*05, DQB1*06, and DRB1*16) alleles were 26 associated with T1D protection. HLADRB1*03 and DQB1*02 alleles showed the strongest risk 27 association among all alleles. Six DRB1 residues (E, S, S, Y, V and K) were significantly 28 associated with T1D susceptibility. Heterozygous genotypes, HLA-DRB1*03/*04 and 29 DQB1*02/*03 were significantly associated with T1D susceptibility (P=4.29E-07, OR=63.2 and 30 P=0.02, OR=3.6, respectively). Furthermore, we detected a significant combined action of 31 DRB1*03-DQB1*02 haplotype in T1D risk (P=1.76E-05, OR=15), and DRB1*16-DQB1*05 32 haplotype in protection (P=3.12E-2, OR=0.48). Conclusion: Known HLA class II gene alleles are 33 associated with T1D in Omani children. 34
Empirical Run‐Time Bias Correction for Antarctic Regional Climate Projections With a Stretched‐Grid AGCM

This work presents snapshot simulations of the late 20th and late 21st century Antarctic climate under the RCP8.5 scenario carried out with an empirically bias‐corrected global atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM), forced with bias‐corrected sea‐surface temperatures and sea ice and run with about 100‐km resolution over Antarctica. The bias correction substantially improves the simulated mean late 20th century climate. The simulated atmospheric circulation of the bias‐corrected model compares very favorably to the best available AMIP (Atmospheric Model Intercomparison Project)‐type climate models. The simulated interannual circulation variability is improved by the bias correction. Depending on the metric, a slight improvement or degradation is found in the simulated variability on synoptic timescales. The simulated climate change over the 21st century is broadly similar in the corrected and uncorrected versions of the atmospheric model, and atmospheric circulation patterns are not geographically “pinned” by the applied bias correction. These results suggest that the method presented here can be used for bias‐corrected climate projections. Finally, the authors discuss different possible choices in terms of the place of bias corrections and other intermediate steps in the modeling chain leading from global coupled climate simulations to impact assessment.