Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Stochastic Model Predictive Control using a combination of randomized and robust optimization

In this paper, we focus on Stochastic Model Predictive Control (SMPC) problems for systems with linear dynamics and additive uncertainty. One way to address such problems is by means of randomized algorithms. Typically, these algorithms require substituting the chance constraint of the SMPC problem with a finite number of hard constraints corresponding to samples of the uncertainty. Earlier approaches toward this direction lead to computationally expensive problems, whose solutions are typically very conservative in terms of cost. To address these limitations, we follow an alternative methodology based on a combination of randomized and robust optimization. We show that our approach can offer significant advantages in terms of both cost and computational time. Both the open-loop MPC formulation (i.e. optimizing over input sequences), as well as optimization over policies using the affine disturbance feedback formulation are considered. We demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed approach relative to standard randomized techniques on a building control problem.
Effect of warming up on knee proprioception before sporting activity

Background: It is now generally accepted that the ligamentous structures of the knee not only act as mechanical restraints but also have a neurophysiological role in joint function and protection. A report that knee joint laxity increases with exercise raised the question as to whether there is any compensatory change in joint position appreciation. Objective: To test whether there is a compensatory mechanism for increased ligamentous laxity during normal levels of activity. Methods: Joint position appreciation was measured, using a previously reported technique, in the knees of sportsmen at rest and after warm up. Results: Joint position appreciation was found to be significantly more sensitive after warm up (p = 0.005). Conclusions: These findings indicate that joint position appreciation within the knee accommodates physiological changes within the ligaments and muscles after exercise.
Vector-City Vector Distance Transform

This paper will examine the current chamfer and vector distance transforms for encoding objects as distance fields. A new vector distance transform is introduced which uses the city-block chamfer distance transform as a basis. Detailed error analysis using real CT data is presented, demonstrating the improved accuracy of the new approach over existing methods. The production of a subvoxel accurate distance field is also demonstrated by employing an improved classification. Distance fields are shown for skull and chess piece datasets.
Denoising DWI based on regularized filter

The Rician noise introduced into the diffusion weighted images (DWI) can bring serious impacts on tensor calculation and fiber tracking. To decrease the effects of the Rician noise, many anisotropic diffusion denoising methods have been presented. Among all these methods, the P&M filtering method is most popular. Although efficient in alleviating the effects of the noise, the classical P&M filter has shortcomings such as instability and ill-posedness. In this paper, a regularized anisotropic diffusion filter was presented and applied to restore the DWI. The presented filtering strategy displayed well posedness and good preservation of edges. To evaluate its efficiency in accounting for the Rician noise, the PSNR and MSSIM metrics were used for the first time. The results acquired from the synthetic and real data proved the better performance of the presented filters.
Particle Size, Moisture, and Fluidization Variations Described by Indirect In-line Physical Measurements of Fluid Bed Granulation

The aim of this study was to evaluate an instrumentation system for a bench scale fluid bed granulator to determine the parameters expressing the changing conditions during the spraying phase of a fluid bed process. The study focused mainly on four in-line measurements (dependent variables): fluidization parameter (calculated by inlet air flow rate and rotor speed), pressure difference over the upper filters, pressure difference over the granules (lower filter), and temperature of the fluidizing mass. In-line particle size measured by the spatial filtering technique was an essential predictor variable. Other physical process measurements of the automated granulation system, 25 direct and 12 derived parameters, were also utilized for multivariate modeling. The correlation and partial least squares analyses revealed significant relationships between various process parameters highlighting the particle size, moisture, and fluidization effect. Fluidization parameter and pressure difference over upper filters were found to correlate with in-line particle size and therefore could be used as estimates of particle size during granulation. The pressure difference over the granules and the temperature of the fluidizing mass expressed the moisture conditions of wet granulation. The instrumentation system evaluated here is an invaluable aid to gaining more control for fluid bed processing to obtain repeatable granules for further processing.
Wireless capsule endoscopy in detecting small-intestinal polyps in familial adenomatous polyposis.

AIM To detect the prevalence of small bowel polyps by wireless capsule endoscopy (WCE) in patients with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP). METHODS We examined prospectively 14 patients with FAP to assess the location, size and number of small-intestinal polyps. Patients' age, sex, years of observation after surgery, type of surgery, duodenal polyps and colorectal cancer at surgery were analyzed. RESULTS During WCE, polyps were detected in 9/14 (64.3%) patients. Duodenal adenomatous polyps were found in nine (64.3%) patients, and jejunal and ileal polyps in seven (50%) and eight (57.1%), respectively. The Spigelman stage of duodenal polyposis was associated with the presence of jejunal and ileal polyps. Identification of the ampulla of Vater was not achieved with WCE. Importantly, the findings of WCE had no immediate impact on the further clinical management of FAP patients. No procedure-related complications were observed in the patients. CONCLUSION WCE is a promising noninvasive new method for the detection of small-intestinal polyps. Further investigation is required to determine which phenotype of FAP is needed for surveillance with WCE.
Influence of Young Maternal Age and Parity on Term and Preterm Low Birthweight1

Data on 4496 singleton births to young women (19 years or less) are reported by maternal age and parity with birthweight and gestation cross-classified to yield rates of preterm and term low birthweight. After adjustment, the risk of preterm low birthweight was increased with very young maternity (15 years or less); preterm low birthweight and term low birthweight were each increased with young multiparity. These data suggest that the identification of factors associated with preterm birth and their incorporation into the prenatal care regimen may be important in improving pregnancy outcome in young women.
Environmental enrichment enhances synaptic plasticity by internalization of striatal dopamine transporters

Environmental enrichment (EE) with a complex combination of physical, cognitive and social stimulations enhances synaptic plasticity and behavioral function. However, the mechanism remains to be elucidated in detail. We aimed to investigate dopamine-related synaptic plasticity underlying functional improvement after EE. For this, six-week-old CD-1 mice were randomly allocated to EE or standard conditions for two months. EE significantly enhanced behavioral functions such as rotarod and ladder walking tests. In a [18F]FPCIT positron emission tomography scan, binding values of striatal DAT were significantly decreased approximately 18% in the EE mice relative to the control mice. DAT inhibitor administrated to establish the relationship of the DAT down-regulation to the treatment effects also improved rotarod performances, suggesting that DAT inhibition recapitulated EE-mediated treatment benefits. Next, EE-induced internalization of DAT was confirmed using a surface biotinylation assay. In situ proximity ligation assay and immunoprecipitation demonstrated that EE significantly increased the phosphorylation of striatal DAT as well as the levels of DAT bound with protein kinase C (PKC). In conclusion, we suggest that EE enables phosphorylation of striatal DAT via a PKC-mediated pathway and causes DAT internalization. This is the first report to suggest an EE-mediated mechanism of synaptic plasticity by internalization of striatal DAT.
Large lateral dermoid cyst mimicking plunging ranula: A case report and intraoral approach to surgical management

Introduction: Dermoid cysts are benign cystic teratomas with epithelial lined cavities, bearing hair follicles, hair, sebaceous glands, sweat glands, and occasionally tissues derived from the mesoderm. Dermoid cysts of the floor of the mouth are relatively rare but when they occur, are commonly restricted to one anatomic zone and in the midline region. They are treated surgically. Case Report: We present a case of a lateral dermoid cyst mimicking a plunging ranula extending from the upper part of the neck, on the right side, upwards into the sub-mandibular region and via a hiatus in the mylohyoid muscle into the floor of the mouth, in a 24-year-old Ghanaian male. Conclusion: The treatment of dermoid cysts of the floor of the mouth is surgical, using either an intraoral, extra oral or both approaches depending on the localization
Sponges as biomonitors of heavy metals in spatial and temporal surveys in northwestern Mediterranean: Multispecies comparison

Contamination by heavy metals has increased drastically in the coastal Mediterranean during the last 20 years. A comparative study on metal bioaccumulation by four widespread sponge species (Crambe crambe, Chondrosia reniformis, Phorbas tenacior, and Dysidea avara) has been performed to select the most suitable species for metal monitoring. Copper bioaccumulation fits an accumulation strategy while Pb concentration seems to be regulated in most sponges. Crambe crambe was the only studied species that bioaccumulated Pb and Cu as a function of the available metal, proving its suitability for monitoring purposes. Then, we examined its effectiveness as a bioindicator at large spatial and temporal scales, comparing metal accumulation in this species and in sediments. Crambe crambe provided accurate information on the background levels of metals in the area at both spatial and temporal scales, and furthermore it reflected seasonal fluctuations of the bioavailable metals, which would be impossible to assess by means of a sediment survey.
Serological and Molecular Detection of Toxoplasma gondii and Babesia microti in the Blood of Rescued Wild Animals in Gangwon-do (Province), Korea

Infections of Toxoplasma gondii and Babesia microti are reported in many wild animals worldwide, but information on their incidence and molecular detection in Korean wild fields is limited. In this study, the prevalence of T. gondii and B. microti infection in blood samples of 5 animal species (37 Chinese water deer, 23 raccoon dogs, 6 roe deer, 1 wild boar, and 3 Eurasian badgers) was examined during 2008–2009 in Gangwon-do (Province), the Republic of Korea (=Korea) by using serological and molecular tests. The overall seropositivity of T. gondii was 8.6% (6/70); 10.8% in Chinese water deer, 4.3% in raccoon dogs, and 16.7% in roe deer. PCR revealed only 1 case of T. gondii infection in Chinese water deer, and phylogenic analysis showed that the positive isolate was practically identical to the highly pathogenetic strain type I. In B. microti PCR, the positive rate was 5.7% (4/70), including 2 Chinese water deer and 2 Eurasian badgers. Phylogenetic analysis results of 18S rRNA and the β-tubulin gene showed that all positive isolates were US-type B. microti. To our knowledge, this is the first report of B. microti detected in Chinese water deer and Eurasian badger from Korea. These results indicate a potentially high prevalence of T. gondii and B. microti in wild animals of Gangwon-do, Korea. Furthermore, Chinese water deer might act as a reservoir for parasite infections of domestic animals.
Anacardic Acid from Brazilian Cashew Nut Trees Reduces Dentine Erosion

The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of solutions containing saturated anacardic acid (AA) on dentine erosion in vitro. AA was chemically isolated from natural cashew nutshell liquid obtained by continuous extraction in a Soxhlet extractor and was fully saturated by catalytic hydrogenation. Matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2) activity, when exposed to buffers containing 100 µmol/l AA, was analyzed using zymography. Bovine root samples were subjected to erosive demineralization (Sprite Zero™, 4 × 90 s/day) and remineralization with artificial saliva between the erosive cycles for 5 days. The samples were treated as follows, after the first and the last acid exposure (1 min; n = 12/group): (1) 100 µmol/l epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) (positive control); (2) 0.05% NaF; (3) 100 µmol/l saturated AA; (4) saturated AA and EGCG; (5) saturated AA, EGCG and NaF; (6) untreated (negative control). Dentine erosion was measured using a contact profilometer. Two dentine samples from each group were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy. Saturated AA reduced the activity of MMP-2. ANOVA and Tukey's test revealed that all treatments significantly reduced dentine loss compared to the negative control (6.03 ± 0.98 µm). Solutions containing saturated AA (1.97 ± 1.02 µm) showed the greatest reduction in dentine erosion compared to the NaF (3.93 ± 1.54 µm) and EGCG (3.79 ± 0.83 µm) solutions. Therefore, it may be concluded that AA significantly reduces dentine erosion in vitro, possibly by acting as an MMP-2 inhibitor.
Photovoltaic AC module composed of a very large number of interleaved inverters

A photovoltaic panel fitted with a large collection of low-power inverters integrated at the level of individual solar cells is used to design an ac module. To facilitate dc-ac power conversion, the inverter aggregate is controlled using interleaved carrier pulse width modulation. Every solar cell operates at its maximum power point even when the photovoltaic panel is partially shaded. Additionally, a very low switching frequency can be used to minimize switching losses without increasing output distortion. Both system-level and local control strategies are developed to regulate power output, energy storage, and ensure stable operation. Experimental and simulation results are presented to verify and demonstrate the proposed method.
Induced cell proliferation in putative haematopoietic tissues of the sea star, Asterias rubens (L.)

SUMMARY The coelomic fluid of the echinoderm Asterias rubens possesses large populations of circulating coelomocytes. This study aimed to expand the knowledge about the haematopoietic sources of these cells. Injection of the immune-stimulating molecules lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and concanavalin A (ConA) resulted in an increase in coelomocytes. To investigate if these molecules induce cell proliferation in putative haematopoietic tissues (HPTs), short-term exposure of the substitute nucleotide 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine (BrdU) was conducted. Immunohistochemical analysis, using fluorescein-labelled antibodies to trace BrdU, showed pronounced cell division in the coelomic epithelium and axial organ. In the pyloric caeca, not considered as an HPT, proliferation was not detected. BrdU labelling of monolayers of cells obtained by collagenase treatment of coelomic epithelium, axial organ and Tiedemann body revealed induced cell proliferation in response to both LPS and ConA while proliferation of pyloric caeca and circulating coelomocytes remained sparse. By using confocal microscopy it was observed that both the morphology and functional behaviour of cells released from explants of coelomic epithelium showed high similarity to those of circulating phagocytes. It was concluded that the increased coelomocyte numbers observed in response to LPS and ConA were reflected in an induced cell proliferation in coelomic epithelium, axial organ and Tiedemann body, which reinforces the idea that these organs are HPTs and the sources of coelomocyte renewal.
The Herschel Space Observatory

The Herschel Space Observatory is the fourth cornerstone mission in the European Space Agency (ESA) science programme. Herschel will be equipped with a passively cooled 3.5-m diameter Cassegrain telescope and three scientific instruments - HIFI, PACS and SPIRE - which together will carry out sensitive imaging and spectroscopy in the FIR and submillimetre range, covering wavelengths between 57 and 670 mum. This paper summarises the design and scientific capabilities of Herschel and its instruments.
Mesenchymal Stem Cells Pretreated with Delivered Hph‐1‐Hsp70 Protein Are Protected from Hypoxia‐Mediated Cell Death and Rescue Heart Functions from Myocardial Injury

Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy for myocardial injury has inherent limitations due to the poor viability of MSCs after cell transplantation. In this study, we directly delivered Hsp70, a protein with protective functions against stress, into MSCs, using the Hph‐1 protein transduction domain ex vivo for high transfection efficiency and low cytotoxicity. Compared to control MSCs in in vitro hypoxic conditions, MSCs delivered with Hph‐1‐Hsp70 (Hph‐1‐Hsp70‐MSCs) displayed higher viability and anti‐apoptotic properties, including Bcl2 increase, reduction of Bax, JNK phosphorylation and caspase‐3 activity. Hsp70 delivery also attenuated cellular ATP‐depleting stress. Eight animals per group were used for in vivo experiments after occlusion of the left coronary artery. Transplantation of Hph‐1‐Hsp70‐MSCs led to a decrease in the fibrotic heart area, and significantly reduced the apoptotic positive index by 19.5 ± 2%, compared to no‐treatment controls. Hph‐1‐Hsp70‐MSCs were well‐integrated into the infarcted host myocardium. The mean microvessel count per field in the infarcted myocardium of the Hph‐1‐Hsp70‐MSC‐treated group (122.1 ± 13.5) increased relative to the MSC‐treated group (75.9 ± 10.4). By echocardiography, transplantation of Hph‐1‐Hsp70‐MSCs resulted in additional increases in heart function, compared to the MSCs‐transplanted group. Our results may help formulate better clinical strategies for in vivo MSC cell therapy for myocardial damage. STEM CELLS 2009;27:2283–2292
Targeted therapies in the treatment of Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Imatinib mesylate (Gleevec, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp, East Hanover, NJ; Glivec, Novartis Pharma AG, Basel, Switzerland), a signal transduction inhibitor with preferential effects against the tyrosine kinase activity of the protein product of the ABL proto-oncogene, induced hematologic responses in >or=90% of patients with chronic-phase chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). In Philadelphia chromosome-positive (Ph(+)) acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), the BCR-ABL translocation is the main transforming event, making it another hematologic malignancy targeted by this ABL-tyrosine kinase inhibitor. In an international multicenter phase II trial, imatinib-induced hematologic responses (typically brief) were achieved in 60% of patients with relapsed or refractory Ph(+) ALL. Subsequently, the German Multicenter Study Group for Adult ALL (GMALL) analyzed 59 patients treated in two successive nonrandomized phase II trials of imatinib in patients with relapsed or refractory Ph(+) ALL. Peripheral blood blasts cell clearance occurred within 8 to 14 days in most patients. However, in a significant proportion, blast counts subsequently increased 16 to 50 days after treatment onset. Imatinib mesylate was particularly effective in patients with relapse after stem cell transplantation (SCT); 75% of patients achieved complete leukemic response. Rapid development of resistance during treatment with imatinib mesylate remains a major problem. Further research efforts should explore the mechanisms of resistance to imatinib mesylate; effectiveness of other targeted therapies (eg, farnesyl transferase inhibitors [FTIs]); combination therapies; and inclusion of strategies for immune response modification (eg, donor lymphocyte infusions, interferon-alpha) for Ph/BCR-ABL-positive leukemias.
Bonding as a positive youth development construct: Conceptual bases and implications for curriculum development

Extensive literature and research studies indicate that promotion of bonding is crucial for the healthy development of the adolescent. With the objective to enhance the level of bonding with peers, parents, and teachers among Secondary 1 to 3 students in Hong Kong, a curriculum was designed to promote specifically a deeper sense of trust and mutual respect with parents, teachers, and peers, as well as a careful selection of friends and a healthy development of relationships with the opposite sex. Through activities students will learn the skills of building positive relationships. This article contributes to the construction of a service construct and provides a direction for curriculum planning that assists adolescents to develop bonding with significant others.
Exercise intensity: subjective regulation by perceived exertion.

The primary purpose of this investigation was to determine if a safe and effective physical conditioning heart rate (HR) could prescribed by perception of exertion. Ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) were requested from 10 normal adult men during treadmill exercise trials at 4.7, 6.5, 9.7, 11.3, and 12.9km/hr (T1). Subjects were then requested to subjectively regulate their own treadmill speed during 2 separate trials (T2 and T3) at the RPE reported for each speed during T1. Speed and HR at equivalent RPE were compared during T1, T2, and T3. Regression analyses revealed that there was no difference in speed across all RPE between the 3 trials; however, HR was seen to become progressively higher during T2 and T3 than during T1 as speed and RPE decreased. HR reliability was significant (p < 0.05) during running but not significant (p > 0.05) during walking. It is concluded that prescription of exercise by RPE can produce safe, effective, and reliable conditioning HR above 150bpm (80% HRmax) and running speeds above 9km/hr. Use of RPE for exercise prescription below these levels can result in inaccurate and unreliable conditioning heart rates. This method of exercise prescription has limitations and could result in dangerously high HR is used in cardiac rehabilitation programs, in which strict adherence to target HR is essential.