Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Dynamic Event-Triggered Control Approach to Leader-Following Consensus for Linear Multiagent Systems

This article focuses on the leader-following consensus for linear multiagent systems under a directed communication topology. A novel dynamic event-triggered mechanism is put forward to schedule the interagent communication. It removes the assumption that each agent has to broadcast continuously, and therefore resource consumption is reduced significantly. Different from the existing event-triggered mechanisms, the proposed mechanism involves internal dynamic variables that play an important role in excluding Zeno behavior. Then, an event-based distributed control protocol is developed by using locally triggering data. It is proven that the leader-following consensus is achieved under our control strategy. Moreover, the criterion for designing a desired triggered mechanism and the control protocol is derived in terms of linear matrix inequalities. Numerical simulations demonstrate that the proposed strategy is capable of reducing communication more effectively than the existing results.
The plasma levels of hsa-miR-19b-3p, hsa-miR-125b-5p and hsa-miR-155b-5p in NSCLC patients

Lung cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer deaths worldwide. Presently for lung cancer patients various treatments are available, such as surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Nevertheless the 5 year overall survival remains still low. As many modern studies show, microRNAs can be novel and reliable biomarkers to predict the prognosis of lung cancer. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the expression levels of hsa-miR-19b-3p, hsa-miR-125b-5p and hsa-miR-155b-5p in plasma of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) to clarify the relationships of free-circulating microRNAs expression with clinical factors and prognosis of NSCLC patients. Total RNA was extracted from blood samples of 49 NSCLC patients before treatment, 37 NSCLC patients after platinum-based chemotherapy and 50 healthy controls. The relative expression levels of microRNAs were evaluated by real time-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Kaplan-Meier method was used to analyze the survival curve. Plasma hsa-miR19b-3p, hsa-miR-125b-5p and hsa-miR-155b-5p expression levels in NSCLC patients were significantly upregulated compared with those in healthy individuals (all P <= 0.01). In plasma of NSCLC patients the expression level of hsa-miR-155b-5p significantly decreased in response to chemotherapy (P <0.01). NSCLC patients with high plasma hsa-miR-19b-3p and hsa-miR-155b-5p expression levels had a shorter overall survival than patients with low expression levels of these microRNAs (P =0.005). Thus, the freecirculating hsa-miR-19b-3p and hsa-miR-155b-5p levels may serve as promising prognostic biomarkers in patients with NSCLC and hsa-miR-155b-5p can be used as biomarker for monitoring of effectiveness of
Influence of Body Dissatisfaction in the Choice of the Career of Student’s New Entry to Nutrition

The beauty standards currently imposed are affecting the perception of body image (BD) in both men and women, causing many young people to choose the bachelor’s degree in nutrition as a way to improve their figure. The aim of the study was to identify the influence of body dissatisfaction in the career choice of new students to the degree in nutrition as compared to those of psychology. The study was quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional and was conducted with new students entering the bachelor’s degree in nutrition and psychology of Higher Education Institutions in Merida, Yucatan, Mexico. Two questionnaires were applied, one that included a record of general data and questions about career choice and the Body Image Questionnaire (BSQ) to identify BD. Pearson’s Chi-square test was used to analyse the correlation between the BD and the reasons for the career choice. It was observed that the women in the nutrition have a higher prevalence of BD (43.1%) compared to those in psychology (26.9%) and 30.8% of the population with BD, do not feel good about themselves and choose the bachelor’s degree to use the knowledge of this major to improve what bothers them. It is concluded that the BD has an influence on the bachelor’s degree choice of nutrition students, especially in women.
Robust Distributed Cruise Control of Multiple High-Speed Trains Based on Disturbance Observer

This paper investigates the robust distributed cruise control problem of multiple high-speed trains under external disturbances. First, by modeling each train as a cascade of point masses connected by spring-like couplers, the longitudinal interaction between adjacent cars are represented by the connected topological graph. Then, under the framework of the communication-based train control technology, the interaction of desirable speed information among trains and the wayside control center is described by the directed topological graph. Next, a distributed cruise controller is designed by taking advantages of the graphic theory such that the multiple trains track different target speeds, and both the distance of neighboring cars and the headway of successive trains are kept in appropriate ranges. Finally, to eliminate the influence of external disturbances, we adopt the disturbance observer to approximate the perturbations, and present a sufficient condition for the existence of the distributed control strategy and the observer gain parameter in form of the linear matrix inequality (LMI). Numerical experiments illustrate that the composite control law is effective in inhibiting the external disturbances, and guaranteeing the safety, efficiency and comfort of high-speed trains’ movement.
Ethnobotanical Study of Medicinal Plants in the Dakshin Dinajpur District

Abstract An ethnobotanical study was undertaken to collect information from the locals on the use of medicinal plants in Dakshin Dinajpur district of North Bengal during June 2009 to October 2010. The data were collected through repeated interactions and semi-structured interviews based on a standardised questionnaire with the help of elderly people especially. They inherited the knowledge of their practices from their fore parents, relatives or friends. The investigation revealed the medicinal plants of 107 species of 96 genera belonging to 48 families. The investigated plants were mostly used to cure diseases such as diabetes, dysentery, stomach/liver diseases, cold–cough, rheumatism, skin diseases, urinary tract infection etc. Highest number of medicinal plants was found in the Leguminaceae family followed by Acanthaceae, Apiaceae, Apocynaceae, Cucurbitaceae, Euphorbiaceae. The high number of medicinal plants recorded perhaps indicated the rich plant diversity of the study area. Keywords: Ethnobotanical, medicinal plants, semi-structured, tribal Cite this Article Hariswami Das, Usha Chakraborty. Ethnobotanical Study of Medicinal Plants in the Dakshin Dinajpur District. Research & Reviews: Journal of Botany. 2019; 8(3): 18–24p.
Effect of Educational Program on Prevention of Pesticides Hazards among Children Working in Agriculture

Background: A child's exposure to pesticides is widely acknowledged as a threat to the physical well-being of children and the environment. The research aimed to evaluate the effect of educational programs on the prevention of pesticide hazards among children working in agriculture. Design: Quasi-experimental design (study group only, pre/ post/ follow up- test) was used in this study. Setting: This study was conducted at Al Qassasin Al Kadima preparatory school. The study sample: convenient sample (97 Children) selected from preparatory school students working in agriculture. Tools: Tool (1): Children working in agriculture assessment structured interview questionnaire. Tool (2): An observational checklist for children working in agriculture. Results: there was a statistically significant relationship between socio-demographic data of children working in agriculture as gender, hours working per day and their mean scores of knowledge, and practice in post-test and follow-up phases at p<0.001. Also, there was a statistically significant correlation (P=0.041*) between their total mean scores of knowledge and practice throughout the post and follow-up phases. Also, there was a statistically significant correlation between their total mean scores of knowledge and attitude throughout the post phases. Conclusion: Knowledge, attitude, and practice of children working in agriculture about pesticides had shown high improvement as compared to the pre-program test. Recommendation: Organizing workshops and school activities such as drama plays, painting, and games about pesticides and their dangers with each agricultural cycle in schools located in rural areas to raise health awareness among children working in agriculture and their parents.
An 
 H∞ interval observer for uncertain continuous‐time linear systems

To design robust interval observers for uncertain continuous‐time linear systems, a new set‐integration approach is proposed to compute trajectory tubes for the estimation error. Because this approach, the order‐preserving condition on the dynamics of the estimation error is no longer required. Therefore, H∞ synthesis methods can be used to compute observer gains that reduce the impact of the system uncertainties on the accuracy of the estimated state enclosures. The performance of the proposed approach is showcased through illustrative numerical examples.
Improving skin lesion analysis with generative adversarial networks : Análise de lesões de pele usando redes generativas adversariais

Melanoma is the most lethal type of skin cancer. Due to the possibility of metastasis, early diagnosis is crucial to increase the survival rate of those patients. Automated skin lesion analysis can play an important role by reaching people that do not have access to a specialist. However, since deep learning became the state-of-the-art for skin lesion analysis, data became a decisive factor to push the solutions further. The core objective of this Master thesis is to tackle the problems that arise by having limited datasets. In the first part, we use generative adversarial networks (GANs) to generate synthetic data to augment our classification model’s training datasets to boost performance. Our method is able to generate high-resolution clinically-meaningful skin lesion images, that when compound our classification model’s training dataset, consistently improved the performance in different scenarios, for distinct datasets. We also investigate how our classification models perceived the synthetic samples, and how they are able to aid the model’s generalization. Finally, we investigate a problem that usually arises by having few, relatively small datasets that are thoroughly re-used in the literature: bias. For this, we designed experiments to study how our models’ use of data, verifying how it exploits correct (based on medical algorithms), and spurious (based on artifacts introduced during image acquisition) correlations. Disturbingly, even in absence of any clinical information regarding the lesion being diagnosed, our classification models presented much better performance than chance (even competing with specialists benchmarks), highly suggesting inflated performances.
The Role of Regulation in Banking: Liquidity Risk Perspective

The liquidity crisis in 2008 sparked interest in the role of regulation that could promote resilience and stability in the banking system. While the Public Interest theory suggests that legal policies could discipline banking activities, the Private Interest theory predicts otherwise, which impairs banking performance. The conflicting theories warrant comprehensive research, especially for Islamic banks, as they emerge to gain their systemic importance. Given this, this study examines the role of banking regulation on liquidity risk management of banks in OIC countries from 2000 to 2014. The findings suggest that restrictions on banking activities and capital requirement pose a significant impact on liquidity risk. However, the marginal effect of regulatory capital is more pronounced in conventional banks compared to Islamic banks.
Studies on genetic parameters, correlation and causation among biometrical traits in bhendi

The present investigation was conducted to estimate genetic parameters viz., genotypic coefficient variation (GCV), phenotypic coefficient variation (PCV), heritability and genetic advance (GA) along with correlation and path coefficient analysis, from data collected from fifty eight genotypes. High GCV and PCV were observed for fruit yield per plant, number of node to first fruiting and fruit girth. High heritability coupled with high GA was observed for almost all the characters of interest. These traits could well be improved by resorting to simple selection. The Fruit yield per plant evinced positive significant phenotypic and genotypic association with plant height and average fruit weight. Path coefficient analysis revealed that number of fruit per plant and average fruit weight exerted maximum positive direct effects which were equal to genetic correlation coefficient towards fruit yield per plant. Hence, number fruits per plant and average fruit weight may be good indicator traits for fruit yield improvement in okra breeding.
Design, fabrication, and testing of an active camber rotor blade tip

This paper presents a morphing blade design for wind turbine application with flexibility in chord-wise bending while providing sufficient stiffness to carry the aerodynamic loads. The NACA64 profile is selected for the camber morphing blade demonstrator. A corrugation concept is chosen because it is relatively easy to manufacture and provides sufficient stiffness to resist deformation due to the aerodynamic loads (through the provision of effective stringers) while providing the required flexibility for chord-wise bending. A mechanical actuation mechanism is employed to achieve the desired morphing angle and increase the stiffness of the morphing airfoil section to resist aerodynamic loading. The design of a morphing blade demonstrator is presented together with the manufacturing process. Finally, an experimental study is conducted where the morphing angle is measured for increasing actuation load and compared with FE analysis showing good agreement between the experimental results and results from the finite element analysis in addition to achieving the desired morphing angle.
Deformed Wing Virus spillover from honey bees to bumble bees: a reverse genetic study

Deformed wing virus (DWV) is a persistent pathogen of European honey bees and the major contributor to overwintering colony losses. The prevalence of DWV in honey bees has led to significant concerns about spillover of the virus to other pollinating species. Bumble bees are both a major group of wild and commercially-reared pollinators. Several studies have reported pathogen spillover of DWV from honey bees to bumble bees, but evidence of a true sustained viral infection has yet to be demonstrated. Here we investigate the infectivity and transmission of DWV in bumble bees using the buff-tailed bumble bee Bombus terrestris as a model. We apply a reverse genetics approach combined with controlled laboratory conditions to detect and monitor DWV infection. A novel reverse genetics system for three representative DWV variants, including the two master variants of DWV - type A and B - was used. Our results directly confirm DWV replication in bumble bees but also demonstrate striking resistance to infection by certain routes. Bumble bees may support DWV replication but it is not clear how infection could occur under natural environmental conditions.
A robust structural parameter estimation method using seismic response measurements

Although successful applications of data assimilation techniques such as Kalman filter to structural parameter identification problems exist in literature, they have been explored mostly via simulations because real‐world application poses challenges. Current practice is to set the process and measurement noise covariance matrices by manual tuning and keeping them constant over the estimation period. However, when the matrices are not correct, Kalman filters are prone to suboptimal performance and/ or even divergence. In this paper, use of a stochastic approximation scheme along with the unscented Kalman filter is explored. The sensitivity of the initial filter parameter selection has been investigated through both simulations and full‐scale laboratory experiments. Results show that by automatically updating the filter statistics, system states, including the structural parameters, are successfully estimated with a fast convergence rate, good accuracy, and trackability in a stable and objective manner. The method is further applied to in situ seismic response records of a box‐girder bridge. The stiffness values of the rubber bearings are successfully identified.
Neuropsychocardiology – Evolution and advancement of the heart-mind field

While humans have known that the health of their heart is linked to the health of their mind since ancient times, scientifically evaluating the relationship of the heart and mind has only emerged within the last century. A relevantly new field has developed over the past several decades with names such as “Psychocardiology,”[1] “Behavioral Cardiology,”[2] and/or “Neuropsychocardiology”[3] that designate effort to systematically investigating the interactions of the heart and mind to identify clinical impacts, the underlying mechanisms, and interventions alleviating the adverse interaction of heart and mind. Over a relatively very short period, these investigations have contributed positively to the medical literature elucidating the significant role of mind in cardiovascular health overall, and specifically in several particular clinical entities. The author of this article aims at briefly summarize what has been achieved and shares opinions regarding future directions in this field.
The Effects of Coaching Patients to List Questions Before Visiting Cancer Specialists: Retrospective Evaluation of Visit Preparation in a Rural, Underserved Setting

Background A community-based organization implemented an evidence-based intervention to help rural cancer patients list questions before oncology visits. Objective Was the question-listing intervention effective in reducing anxiety and increasing decision self-efficacy? Methods The organization surveyed patients on decision self-efficacy (273 respondents, 99% response rate) and anxiety (190, 68%) before and after question-listing interventions delivered from 2006 – 2011. We analyzed responses using two-sided paired t-tests at 5% significance and conducted linear regression to identify significant predictors of change. We examined predictors related to the patient (location, demographics, disease status and baseline decision self-efficacy and anxiety); the intervention (including interventionist case volume); and the visit (including type of doctor seen). Results Question-listing was associated with higher mean decision self-efficacy (2.70/3.43 pre/post, 1-4 min-max, P<.001) and lower mean anxiety (7.26/5.87, 1-10 min-max, P<.001). Significant predictors of change in decision self-efficacy included: patient location; interventionist case volume; baseline decision self-efficacy and anxiety. Higher baseline anxiety was also associated with reductions in anxiety. Conclusions In a sustained community-based implementation, the intervention helped patients prepare for oncology visits. Patients reported higher self-efficacy and lower anxiety.
Related and unrelated variety vs. basic labour market variables - regional analysis for Poland

ABSTRACT This paper examines the influence of related variety (RV) and unrelated variety (UV) on the basic variables of the labour market, i.e.: employment growth rates, increase in unemployment rates and real gross wages in the regional approach in Poland. The basic difference between the presented and the current research in this area is that the RV and the UV are introduced into the estimation taking into account the basic determinants of the analysed labour market variables resulting from simple economic models. Moreover, an attempt was made to determine the impact of the RV and the UV on real gross wages, which was not covered in the literature. The research was based on panel data for 16 Polish voivodships (NUTS2) and in the group of regions of Western Poland in the years 2004–2017 using SYS-GMM estimator of Dynamic Panel Data Model. In this paper, a significant positive impact of the RV on the rate of employment growth and wages was found, as well as a negative correlation between the RV and the increase in unemployment rates. On the other hand, the UV positively determined the increase in unemployment rates.
Active Fault Scarps in Southern Malawi and Their Implications for the Distribution of Strain in Incipient Continental Rifts

The distribution of deformation during the early stages of continental rifting is an important constraint on our understanding of continental breakup. Incipient rifting in East Africa has been considered to be dominated by slip along rift border faults, with a subsequent transition to focused extension on axial segments in thinned crust and/or with active magmatism. Here, we study high‐resolution satellite data of the Zomba Graben in southern Malawi, an amagmatic rift whose topography is dominated by the west‐dipping Zomba fault. We document evidence for five subparallel fault scarps between 13 and 51 km long spaced ~10–15 km apart. The scarps consist of up to five segments between 4 and 18 km long, separated by minima in scarp height and river knickpoints. The maximum height of each fault scarp ranges from 9.5 ± 4.2 m to 35.3 ± 14.6 m, with the highest scarp measured on the intrabasin Chingale Step fault. We estimate that the scarps were formed by multiple earthquakes of up to Mw7.1 and represent a previously unrecognized seismic hazard. Our calculations show that 55 ± 24% of extensional strain is accommodated across intrabasin faults within the ~50 km wide rift. This demonstrates that a significant proportion of displacement can occur on intrabasin faults during early‐stage rifting, even in thick continental lithosphere with no evidence for magmatic fluids.
Effects of probiotics (rabal) with different doses on the survival, feed conversion, and growth of giant prawns (Macrobrachium rosenbergii)

This study aims to determine the effect of the best RABAL probiotic dose on the media for the maintenance of giant shrimp larvae (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) on the survival, feed conversion, and growth. This research was conducted from March to April 2019 at Brackish Water Aquaculture (Balai Perikanan Budidaya Air Payau, BPBAP) Ujung Batee, Aceh Besar district, Province of Aceh. This study used a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with 4 levels of treatments and 4 repetitions. The treatments used of RABAL with a dose (A) 0 ppm, (B) 75 ppm, (C) 150 ppm, and (D) 225 ppm. The frequency of administration of RABAL was once a day. The giant prawn larvae used was a larvae stage with an average weight of 0.05 g/larvae. Based on the result of ANOVA test the best value was obtained a treatment D (225 ppm) with absolute weight growth value of 0.16 g ± 0.003, absolute growth length of 1.30 cm ± 0.053, specific growth rate 5.08 ± 0.043, survival rate 96.25 ± 4.787 and feed conversion ratio 0.83 ± 0.013, respectively. The result of this research showed that the administration of RABAL with different doses into maintenance media had a significant effect (P<0.05) on the growth and feed conversion ratio of giant shrimp larvae but did not significant influence (P>0.05) on the survival rate of giant shrimp larvae.