Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Adaptive Fuzzy Control for MIMO Nonlinear Systems With Nonsymmetric Control Gain Matrix and Unknown Control Direction

In this paper, an indirect adaptive fuzzy control scheme is developed for a class of uncertain multi-input multi-output nonlinear systems with nonsymmetric control gain matrix and unknown control direction. The nonsymmetric control gain matrix is expressed as the sum of a symmetric matrix and a skew symmetric matrix, and the symmetric matrix, as well as the skew symmetric matrix, is approximated by fuzzy systems. By using the symmetric matrix decomposition technique, the estimated symmetric matrix is decomposed into the product of one diagonal matrix and two orthogonal matrixes. Based on the decomposition results, the adaptive fuzzy controller is developed to avoid the possible singularity problem and the parameter initialization problem. A robust control term is employed to compensate for the lumped errors, and a Nussbaum-type function is incorporated in the robust control term to deal with the unknown control direction. The proposed scheme guarantees that all the signals in the resulting closed-loop system are bounded and that the tracking errors converge asymptotically to zero. Two simulation examples are used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed scheme.
A new method for detection and source analysis of EEG spikes

In the past our research group has developed a method for the detection of focal epileptic EEG (electroencephalogram) spikes that is based on the dipole source localization technique and provides a source localization for each detected spike. In this paper we revisit this method and propose a more accurate explanation of its behavior. Based on this we (i) propose a new method for the detection of epileptic EEG spikes in which the eccentricity of the fitted dipole serves as a new decision variable (ii) conclude that for EEG spike detection one has to make a distinction between EEGs acquired during sleep and during wake.
Cinematic virtual reality: Evaluating the effect of display type on the viewing experience for panoramic video

The proliferation of head-mounted displays (HMD) in the market means that cinematic virtual reality (CVR) is an increasingly popular format. We explore several metrics that may indicate advantages and disadvantages of CVR compared to traditional viewing formats such as TV. We explored the consumption of panoramic videos in three different display systems: a HMD, a SurroundVideo+ (SV+), and a standard 16:9 TV. The SV+ display features a TV with projected peripheral content. A between-groups experiment of 63 participants was conducted, in which participants watched panoramic videos in one of these three display conditions. Aspects examined in the experiment were spatial awareness, narrative engagement, enjoyment, memory, fear, attention, and a viewer's concern about missing something. Our results indicated that the HMD offered a significant benefit in terms of enjoyment and spatial awareness, and our SV+ display offered a significant improvement in enjoyment over traditional TV. We were unable to confirm the work of a previous study that showed incidental memory may be lower in a HMD over a TV. Drawing attention and a viewer's concern about missing something were also not significantly different between display conditions. It is clear that passive media viewing consists of a complex interplay of factors, such as the media itself, the characteristics of the display, as well as human aspects including perception and attention. While passive media viewing presents many challenges for evaluation, identifying a number of broadly applicable metrics will aid our understanding of these experiences, and allow the creation of better, more engaging CVR content and displays.
The role of the microstructure in granular material instability

Granular materials consist of dense pack of solid grains and a pore-filling element such as a fluid or a solid matrix. The grains interact via elastic repulsion, friction, adhesion and other surface forces. External loading leads to grain deformations as well as cooperative particle rearrangements. The particle deformations are of particular importance in many industry applications and research subjects, such as powder metallurgy and soil mechanics. The response of granular materials to external loading is complex, especially in case when failure occurs: the mode of the failure can be diffuse or localized, and the development of specimen pattern can be drastically different when the specimen can no longer sustain external loading. In this thesis, a thorough numerical analysis based on a discrete element method is carried out to investigate the macroscopic and microscopic behavior of granular materials when a failure occurs. The numerical simulations include the vanishing of the second-order work instability criterion to detect failure. Furthermore, it is proved that the vanishing of second-order work coincides with the change from a quasi-static regime to a dynamic regime in the response of the specimen. Then, microstructure evolution is investigated. Evolution of force-chains and grain-loops are investigated during the deformation process until reaching the failure. The second-order work is once again taken into account to elucidate the local aspect that governs the failure, taking place at the particle scale. The collapse of the discrete specimen when it turns from quasi-static to dynamic regime is accompanied with a burst in kinetic energy. This rise of kinetic energy occurs when the internal stress cannot balance with the external loading when a small perturbation is added to the boundary, resulting in a difference between the internal and external second-order works of the system. The mesostructures have a symbiosis relationship with each other and their evolution decides the macroscopic behavior of the discrete system. The distribution of the collapse of force-chain correlates with the vanishing of the second-order work at the grain scale. The mesostructures play an important role in the instability of granular media. The second-order work can be used as an effective criterion to detect the instability of the system on both the macroscale and microscale (grain scale)
Comparison of effectiveness according to different approaches of epidural steroid injection in lumbosacral herniated disk and spinal stenosis.

PURPOSE This study was to compare the effectiveness of the translaminar, caudal, and transforaminal technique with small and large volume of injectate in the treatment of lumbosacral herniation of intervetebral disc (HIVD) or spinal stenosis (SS). METHOD Medical records reviewed retrospectively were of patients with radicular pain over 3 months and had diagnosed as HIVD or SS. Patients who underwent four weeks of treatments such as analgesics, anti-inflammatory drugs, or physical therapy for radicular pain with no improvement and afterwards received ESI were selected. Exclusion criteria was those who had suffered trauma, patients with other serious diseases, patients demonstrating adverse reactions to the medications, and patients with more than two levels of disease. The number of HIVD and SS group is 95 and 138, respectively. Visual Analog Scale (VAS) pain score, Patient Satisfaction Index (PSI), and Roland 5-point pain score were compared between different epidural approaches at pretreatment, 2 weeks, 1 month, and 2 months after treatment. RESULTS Higher ratio of successful results was found in translaminar and transforaminal techniques than caudal technique in VAS in the HIVD group and in VAS and PSI in the SS group. Reduction of Roland score was maintained until 2 months in all techniques in HIVD and SS groups. In SS group, transforaminal groups showed more reduction of Roland score than caudal approach. No difference was found between small and large volume of transforaminal techniques. CONCLUSION Translaminar and transforaminal approach were more effective than caudal approach in HIVD and SS groups. Especially, effectiveness of transforaminal approach was more prominent in SS group as compared with HIVD group.
On the “Calligraphy” of Books

Authorship attribution is a natural language processing task that has been widely studied, often by considering small order statistics. In this paper, we explore a complex network approach to assign the authorship of texts based on their mesoscopic representation, in an attempt to capture the flow of the narrative. Indeed, as reported in this work, such an approach allowed the identification of the dominant narrative structure of the studied authors. This has been achieved due to the ability of the mesoscopic approach to take into account relationships between different, not necessarily adjacent, parts of the text, which is able to capture the story flow. The potential of the proposed approach has been illustrated through principal component analysis, a comparison with the chance baseline method, and network visualization. Such visualizations reveal individual characteristics of the authors, which can be understood as a kind of calligraphy.
Genetic risk profiling for prediction of type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a common disease caused by a complex interplay between many genetic and environmental factors. Candidate gene studies and recent collaborative genome-wide association efforts revealed at least 38 common single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with increased risk of T2D. Genetic testing of multiple SNPs is considered a potentially useful tool for early detection of individuals at high diabetes risk leading to improved targeting of preventive interventions.
Content-based retrieval of MP3 songs based on query by singing

With the growth of multimedia in the Internet, content analysis of multimedia plays an important role for humanistic management. We investigate the content-based retrieval of MP3 songs based on the interface of query by singing. MDCT (modified DCT) spectral coefficients are directly used to represent the tonic characteristics of a short-term sound. This spectral profile is used for detailed matching between two audio segments. Perceptual features are also computed from MDCT coefficients for audio classification. Two pre-stages based on SVM and k-means classifications are used to remove incorrect (or noisy) segment candidates and to speed up the subsequent matching process. On the other hand, exponential key-scaling schemes and time-warping techniques are developed to overcome key difference and tempo variation between different singers. Experiments show that the retrieval probability of our design can achieve up to 76% among the top 5 out of a total of 114 excerpts in the database.
The generation of adipocytes by the neural crest

Fat cells (adipocytes) develop from adipocyte precursor cells (preadipocytes) that themselves derive from mesenchymal progenitors. Although the events controlling preadipocyte differentiation into mature adipocytes have been largely explored, the mechanisms that direct mesenchymal progenitors down the adipocyte pathway remain unknown. Similarly, although adipocytes are generally thought to derive from mesoderm, key information is lacking regarding the origin and the development of the adipose tissue during embryogenesis. The aim of this study was to gain insight into the ontogeny of fat cells, both in mouse embryonic stem (mES) cell-derived cultures and during normal development. We first used genetically engineered mES cells to produce and select ES cell-derived neuroepithelial progenitors and showed that neuroectoderm, rather than mesoderm, may be a source of adipocytes in mES cell-derived cultures. We then used primary and secondary cultures of developing quail neural crest (NC) cells to demonstrate that NC cells are able, upon stimulation with defined factors, to differentiate into adipocytes, thus providing a powerful system to study the earliest stages of adipocyte differentiation. Finally, we mapped NC derivatives in vivo using Cre-mediated recombination in transgenic mice and demonstrated that a subset of adipocytes originates from the NC during normal development.
Data transfer paradigms for future networks: Fountain coding or congestion control?

The research history of congestion control protocols has unveiled that it is difficult to find an optimal solution, which meets all the challenges of the evolving Internet. As an alternative paradigm recent studies suggest replacing congestion control with erasure coding techniques. In this paper we present a performance study of this approach comparing it with TCP based solutions. In order to investigate the new paradigm in details and also in practice, we have developed and implemented a novel transport protocol (Digital Fountain based Communication Protocol, DFCP) where an efficient digital fountain based erasure coding scheme plays the role of correcting packet loss. We present some analytical and simulation results together with our first performance comparisons in a testbed environment.
An automatic semantic relationships discovery approach

An important obstacle to the success of the Semantic Web is that the establishment of the semantic relationship is labor-intensive. This paper proposes an automatic semantic relationship discovering approach for constructing the semantic link network. The basic premise of this work is that the semantics of a web page can be reflected by a set of keywords, and the semantic relationship between two web pages can be determined by the semantic relationship between their keyword sets. The approach adopts the data mining algorithms to discover the semantic relationships between keyword sets, and then uses deductive and analogical reasoning to enrich the semantic relationships. The proposed algorithms have been implemented. Experiment shows that the approach is feasible.
On Distributed Algorithms for Cost-Efficient Data Center Placement in Cloud Computing

The increasing popularity of cloud computing has resulted in a proliferation of data centers. Effective placement of data centers improves network performance and minimizes clients' perceived latency. The problem of determining the optimal placement of data centers in a large network is a classical uncapacitated $k$-median problem. Traditional works have focused on centralized algorithms, which requires knowledge of the overall network topology and information about the customers' service demands. Moreover, centralized algorithms are computationally expensive and do not scale well with the size of the network. We propose a fully distributed algorithm with linear complexity to optimize the locations of data centers. The proposed algorithm utilizes an iterative two-step optimization approach. Specifically, in each iteration, it first partitions the whole network into $k$ regions through a distributed partitioning algorithm; then within each region, it determines the local approximate optimal location through a distributed message-passing algorithm. When the underlying network is a tree topology, we show that the overall cost is monotonically decreasing between successive iterations and the proposed algorithm converges in a finite number of iterations. Extensive simulations on both synthetic and real Internet topologies show that the proposed algorithm achieves performance comparable with that of centralized algorithms that require global information and have higher computational complexity.
Antibody to Heat Shock Protein Can Be Used for Early Serological Monitoring of Helicobacter pylori Eradication Treatment

ABSTRACT Infection with Helicobacter pylori induces humoral immune responses against various antigens of the bacterium. Heat shock proteins (hsps) are immunodominant antigens in various diseases including H. pylori infection. In the present study, we measured the anti-hsp antibody titers in 42 patients with H. pylori-infected peptic ulcers during a bacterial eradication study. The patients were treated with a proton pump inhibitor and antimicrobial agents to eradicate the organism. Their sera were obtained at pretreatment and at 1 month and 6 months after the eradication therapy. The titers of immunoglobulin G antibodies to theH. pylori hsp, whole-cell lysate, and urease (30-kDa subunit) antigens in serum were measured by a capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The levels of H. pylori hsp60 antibodies in sera collected 1 month after treatment had declined significantly, even when changes in the titers of antibodies to whole-cell and urease antigens were not apparent. These results suggest that measurement of antibodies to H. pylorihsp60 in serum is useful for the early monitoring of the effectiveness of eradication therapy.
Effects of Carbon and Boron on Structure and Properties of Austenitic Stainless Steel Coatings Fabricated by Laser Remanufacturing

The coatings are fabricated using austenitic stainless steel powder with various contents of carbon and boron via laser remanufacturing technique. A new synchronous lateral powder feeding device is adopted to avoid surface oxidation of molten pool. The authors find that the strength can be increased but plasticity is decreased of with the rise of boron content due to the formation of lamellar borides phase structures, which are very brittle and have high hardness. In addition, the authors also find that the tensile strength and hardness are enhanced by increasing the content of carbon, while the plasticity is deteriorated due to the formed carbide in the grain of the austenitic stainless steel coating.
PERFORMANCE EVALUATION FOR A 100 W STIRLING ENGINE

A small 100 W displacer-type Stirling engine, Ecoboy-SCM81 has being developed by a committee of the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers. The engine contains unique features, including an expansion cylinder which is heated by either combustion gas or direct solar energy. Also, a simple cooling system rejects heat from the working gas. A displacer piston has both heating and cooling inner tubes for the working gas which flows to and from outer tubes. A regenerator is located in the displacer piston. To improve the engine performance efficiently, an analysis model for the prototype engine was developed. The analysis model is based an isothermal method considered a pressure loss in the regenerator, a buffer space loss caused by a leakage of the working gas, and a mechanical loss. In the case of a calculation for the pressure loss, the analysis model adopts a new suggestion that considers effects of entrance and exit area on the velocity distribution in the regenerator. The buffer loss is calculated with three kinds of methods, an isothermal, an adiabatic and a heat transfer model to consider a suitable method for the buffer space model. Some improvement methods for the prototype engine are discussed after the effectiveness of the analysis model is evaluated.
Dynamic task allocation within an open service-oriented MAS architecture

A MAS architecture consisting of service centers is proposed. Within each service center, a mediator coordinates service delivery by allocating individual tasks to corresponding task specialist agents depending on their prior performance while anticipating performance of newly entering agents. By basing mediator behavior on a novel multicriteria-driven (including quality of service, deadline, reputation, cost, and user preferences) reinforcement learning algorithm, integrating the exploitation of acquired knowledge with optimal, undirected, continual exploration, adaptability to changes in agent availability and performance is ensured. The reported experiments indicate the algorithm behaves as expected and outperforms two standard approaches.
Improving the Quality of Life for Elderly by Adapting to Each Specific User

This paper presents the Confidence system, which aims to prolong independent life of the elderly. It accomplishes this with a set of intelligent modules that recognize falls and general disabilities, and inform the emergency services when a hazardous situation is detected. This way the elderly do not require constant caregivers’ monitoring and are not forced to leave their homes since they are confident that they will receive assistance when needed. The Confidence modules adapt to each particular user by initialization before the first use. The initialization requires recordings of several user activities. The results show that the accuracy of the system significantly increases if the modules are properly initialized. Keywords-Confidence, elderly care system, fall recognition, general disability recognition, adaptation to the end user, active
Evidence of Anterior Temporal Atrophy in College-Level Soccer Players

Objective:The burgeoning popularity of youth soccer in the United States has occurred with little discussion of the safety of soccer for young people. Several studies however, have suggested that repeated head blows that occur during soccer play may be associated with cognitive effects and neurologic sequelae. In this study, we employed newer imaging techniques to examine brain changes in younger soccer players. We hypothesized that soccer players would demonstrate evidence of neurologic injury consistent with multiple frontal head blows. Design:High-resolution T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging scans were obtained from groups of college-level soccer players and nonplaying controls. Gray-matter density and volume were compared across groups, using voxel-based morphometry. Setting:Scans were performed in the Center for Imaging Research of the University of Cincinnati. Participants:Participants were recruited from the local community and were screened for psychiatric and medical illnesses as well as contraindications to magnetic resonance imaging participation. Main Outcome Measurements:Differences in gray-matter density and volume. Results:Soccer players showed decreased gray-matter density and volume in portions of the anterior temporal cortex bilaterally (BA 38). Conclusions:Our findings suggest the presence of neurologic sequelae of soccer play, even in college-level players. Although more study is necessary, these findings suggest that further safety equipment may be warranted, particularly for younger players.
Preventable factors in hospital admissions for asthma

Asthma remains the second most common cause for admissions to a paediatric hospital bed. The aim of this study was to describe the characteristics of children admitted to hospital with an acute asthma attack and to identify factors that may prevent future hospital admissions. Parents of all children aged 3 to 15 years admitted to hospital for acute asthma were interviewed and the child’s case record reviewed. Children were recruited consecutively in two groups: 141 summer/autumn and 125 winter/spring 1996. According to the pattern of symptoms in the previous 12 months, 61% of the children had infrequent episodic asthma, 26% had frequent episodic asthma, and 13% persistent asthma. Only 8% of children aged 8 years or less had persistent asthma, in contrast to 22% of those aged > 8 years. There was evidence of both inadequate prescription of preventive treatment and poor compliance in the frequent episodic and persistent asthma groups. Of the whole group, 44% had previously been given an acute asthma management plan, but only 9% of them used it before the current hospital admission. There was a delay in seeking medical advice (> 24 hours after the onset of symptoms) in 27% of all admissions. This study has identified potential areas where intervention may reduce the number of future admissions.