Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Experiments of Formation Control With Multirobot Systems Using the Null-Space-Based Behavioral Control

In this paper, the experimental validation of a behavior-based technique for multirobot systems (MRSs), namely, the Null-Space-based Behavioral (NSB) control, is presented. The NSB strategy, inherited from the singularity-robust task-priority inverse kinematics for industrial manipulators, has been recently proposed for the execution of different formation-control missions with MRSs. In this paper, focusing on the experimental details, the validation of the approach is achieved by performing different experimental missions, in presence of static and dynamic obstacles, with a team of grounded mobile robots available at the Laboratorio di Automazione Industriale of the Universita degli Studi di Cassino.
Crossbar Addressing Using Core-Shell Nanowires ∗ Extended Abstract

The nanowire crossbar is a promising nanotechnology for assembling memories and circuits. In both, a small number of lithographically produced mesoscale wires (MWs) must control a large number of nanoscale wires (NWs). Previous strategies for achieving this have been vunerable to misalignment. In this paper, we introduce core-shell NWs, which eliminate misalignment errors. We also give a two-step assembly process that reduces the amount of crossbar control
Fatigue Measures in Noncancer Gastrointestinal Disorders: A Critical Review

Fatigue is commonly reported by patients with noncancer gastrointestinal (GI) disorders such as organic and functional GI disorders. This critical review was conducted to evaluate fatigue measures that have been used in these patients. A systematic search using six databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, EMBASE, CINAHL, ProQuest, and Cochrane Review) was conducted from January 2000 to June 2014, and evaluations and reviews of fatigue instruments were performed by two independent reviewers (author and medical librarian). Fourteen instruments from 25 studies were identified. Ten instruments were solely focused on fatigue and four were multisymptom instruments. The average quality score of the 14 instruments was 10.7 (range, 6–14) out of 14. There were five instruments with high overall scores based on usability/feasibility, clinical/research utility, and psychometric properties (3 fatigue-specific and 2 multisymptom). There are valid and reliable measures that are currently available to assess fatigue in noncancer GI patients. Utilization of these common measures may assist clinicians (GI healthcare providers) and researchers to better understand the impact of fatigue in these patients. The instruments with low-quality scores cannot be chosen for routine use without further validation.
Lymphedema and Therapeutic Lymphangiogenesis

Lymphedema is a disorder of the lymphatic vascular system characterized by impaired lymphatic return and swelling of the extremities. Lymphedema is divided into primary and secondary forms based on the underlying etiology. Despite substantial advances in both surgical and conservative techniques, therapeutic options for the management of lymphedema are limited. Although rarely lethal, lymphedema is a disfiguring and disabling condition with an associated decrease in the quality of life. The recent impressive expansion of knowledge on the molecular mechanisms governing lymphangiogenesis provides new possibilities for the treatment of lymphedema. This review highlights the lymphatic biology, the pathophysiology of lymphedema, and the therapeutic lymphangiogenesis using hepatocyte growth factor.
Optimization Extraction, Preliminary Characterization and Antioxidant Activities of Polysaccharides from Semen Juglandis

The optimization extraction process, preliminary characterization and antioxidant activities of polysaccharides from Semen Juglandis (SJP) were studied in this paper. Based on the Box-Behnken experimental design and response surface methodology, the optimal extraction conditions for the SJP extraction were obtained as follows: temperature 88 °C, extraction time 125 min and ratio of liquid to solid 31 mL/g. Under these conditions, experimental extraction yield of SJP was (5.73 ± 0.014)% (n = 5), similar to the predicted value of 5.78%. Furtherly, the purified SJP obtained from SJP extract by DEAE-52 and Sephacryl S-100 chromatography was analyzed to be rhamnose, galacturonic acid, galactose, arabinose and fucose in the molar ratio of 1:6.34:1.38:3.21:1.56. And the weight-average molecular weight and radius of gyration of the purified SJP in 0.1 M NaCl were determined to be 2.76 × 104 g/mol and 122 nm by SEC-MALLS, respectively. More importantly, it exhibited appreciable antioxidant activities compared to the standard Vc, such as DPPH radical scavenging activity (IC50 0.21 mg/mL), strong reducing power, ABTS radical scavenging activity (IC50 0.29 mg/mL), and hydroxyl radical scavenging activity (IC50 0.38 mg/mL). These results indicate that SJP may be useful for developing functional health products or natural antioxidant.
Novel strategies for the treatment of osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is a worldwide heterogeneous group of conditions that leads to joint symptoms, which are associated with defective integrity of articular cartilage, in addition to related changes in the underlying bone at the joint margins. The prevalence of the disease after the age of 65 years, is about 60% in men and 70% in women. The aetiology of osteoarthritis is multifactorial, with the end result being mechanical joint failure and varying degrees of loss of joint function. The pathophysiological events associated with osteoarthritis are beginning to be understood. Essential inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-1β and TNF-α, are involved initiating a vicious cycle of catabolic and degradative events in cartilage, mediated by metalloproteinases, which degrade cartilage extracellular matrix. The role of inflammation in the pathophysiology and progression of early osteoarthritis is supported further by the observation that C-reactive protein levels are raised in women with early knee osteoarthritis and higher levels predict those whose disease will progress. The synovium from osteoarthritis joints stains for IL-1β and TNF-α. Nitric oxide, which exerts pro-inflammatory effects, is released during inflammation. Cartilage from patients with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis spontaneously produces nitric oxide in vitro. In experimental osteoarthritis, nitric oxide induces chondrocyte apoptosis, thus contributing to cartilage degradation. Hence unregulated nitric oxide production in humans plays a part in the pathophysiology of the disease. These recent observations suggest that therapy can now be targeted at specific sites of pathophysiological pathways involved in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis. The novel strategies under consideration for the treatment of osteoarthritis can be divided into five main areas. These are COX-2 inhibitors, nitric oxide synthesis inhibitors and anti-oxidants, chondrocyte and bone growth promoters, metalloproteinase and cytokine inhibitors and gene therapy.
Identification of Glial Activation Markers by Comparison of Transcriptome Changes between Astrocytes and Microglia following Innate Immune Stimulation

The activation of astrocytes and microglia is often associated with diseases of the central nervous system (CNS). Understanding how activation alters the transcriptome of these cells may offer valuable insight regarding how activation of these cells mediate neurological damage. Furthermore, identifying common and unique pathways of gene expression during activation may provide new insight into the distinct roles these cells have in the CNS during infection and inflammation. Since recent studies indicate that TLR7 recognizes not only viral RNA but also microRNAs that are released by damaged neurons and elevated during neurological diseases, we first examined the response of glial cells to TLR7 stimulation using microarray analysis. Microglia were found to generate a much stronger response to TLR7 activation than astrocytes, both in the number of genes induced as well as fold induction. Although the primary pathways induced by both cell types were directly linked to immune responses, microglia also induced pathways associated with cellular proliferation, while astrocytes did not. Targeted analysis of a subset of the upregulated genes identified unique mRNA, including Ifi202b which was only upregulated by microglia and was found to be induced during both retroviral and bunyavirus infections in the CNS. In addition, other genes including Birc3 and Gpr84 as well as two expressed sequences AW112010 and BC023105 were found to be induced in both microglia and astrocytes and were upregulated in the CNS following virus infection. Thus, expression of these genes may a useful measurement of glial activation during insult or injury to the CNS.
On the Spectral Evolution of Cool, Helium-Atmosphere White Dwarfs: Detailed Spectroscopic and Photometric Analysis of DZ Stars

We present a detailed analysis of a large spectroscopic and photometric sample of DZ white dwarfs based on our latest model atmosphere calculations. We revise the atmospheric parameters of the trigonometric parallax sample of Bergeron, Leggett, & Ruiz (12 stars) and analyze 147 new DZ white dwarfs discovered in the SDSS. The inclusion of metals and hydrogen in our model atmosphere calculations leads to different atmospheric parameters than those derived from pure helium models. Calcium abundances are found in the range from log(Ca/He) = -12 to -8. We also find that fits of the coolest objects show peculiarities, suggesting that our physical models may not correctly describe the conditions of high atmospheric pressure encountered in the coolest DZ stars. We find that the mean mass of the 11 DZ stars with trigonometric parallaxes, ⟨M⟩ = 0.63 M☉, is significantly lower than that obtained from pure helium models, ⟨M⟩ = 0.78 M☉, and in much better agreement with the mean mass of other types of white dwarfs. We determine hydrogen abundances for 27% of the DZ stars in our sample, while only upper limits are obtained for objects with low-S/N spectroscopic data. We confirm with a high level of confidence that the accretion rate of hydrogen is at least 2 orders of magnitude smaller than that of metals (and up to 5 in some cases) to be compatible with the observations. We find a correlation between the hydrogen abundance and the effective temperature, suggesting for the first time empirical evidence of a lower temperature boundary for the hydrogen screening mechanism. Finally, we speculate on the possibility that the DZA white dwarfs could be the result of the convective mixing of thin hydrogen-rich atmospheres with the underlying helium convection zone.
Learning to teach within the curricular reform context : a sociocultural perspective on english student teachers' practicum experience in South Korea

This study investigates the extent to which the communicative language teaching (CLT)-oriented English language curricular reforms mandated by the Ministry of Education are instantiated in pre-service teacher education in South Korea. Specifically, it focuses on the extent to which a cohort of four pre-service teachers is able to internalize the concepts embedded in these curricular reforms and enact those concepts in their instructional practices during the practicum experience. Sociocultural theory (Lantolf & Thorne, 2006; Vygotsky 1978, 1986) and activity theory (Engeström, 1987, 1993, 1999a; Leontiev, 1978, 1981) were adopted as the theoretical framework through which teacher learning was examined. In particular, sociocultural theory allows us to understand and trace these student teachers’ concept development. Activity theory, specifically, the activity system model (Engeström, 1987, 1993, 1999a) was applied to the data in order to identify if and where contradictions emerged that altered the nature of the activity system itself or maintained the status quo. Moreover, this model identified several dimensions of the activity system that appeared to influence their development and finally where and what needs to be changed within this activity system if the outcome of student teachers’ learning is to be the ability to teach in line with the mandated curricular reforms. Two teams, consisting of a mentor teacher and two student teachers, were shadowed during a four-week practicum at a Korean laboratory middle school. The data consisted of interviews, classroom observations, team conferences, student teachers’ journals, lesson plans, and curricular reform documents. The data were analyzed inductively through a grounded content analysis (Bogdan & Biklin, 1998; Glaser &
An exploration of the experience of loss and its relationship to counselling practice

The research approach was qualitative, heuristic (Moustakas, 1990) and ethnographic. I emphasised personal and subjective knowledge as essential components of objectivity (Bridgman, 1950). The interview sample was thought to be experienced in loss. Ethnography was chosen as an approach because it bore a close resemblance to the routine ways in which people make sense of their everyday lives. (Hammersley & Atkinson, 1995)The main question was: What do people do when they experience loss? The results challenge prevailing medical theories in that we notice that grief can be life long and not necessarily pathological. Grief is idiosyncratic in nature. Books about the theory of grief speak to us although we are aware of them as simplistic and yet not simple enough to hold our experience. We search for models of loss in an attempt to plot ourselves in the process. We may feel wise and realise that all along we have held the key to our own difficulties in the process of loss. The agency and wisdom of the mourner is not acknowledged in medical models of grief. By interacting in the world we work at grief, when watching TV, reading a novel, involved in a love affair, friendship, putting a photograph in a frame or wallet, listening to music, talking, having sex, walking, being silent, accepting a caress, visiting a place. The list is endless. All activity provides opportunity and location for grief work. The definition of grief work could be broader. The findings suggest that each of us has a functional grieving self, which is permanent, contains a cumulative store of pain and is ready when needed. It is located in a timeless dimension of the constantly changing, fluid self, a self that is not just intrapersonal but also located in the interpersonal, physical, spiritual and cultural domain.
CD41+ cmyb+ precursors colonize the zebrafish pronephros by a novel migration route to initiate adult hematopoiesis

Development of the vertebrate blood lineages is complex, with multiple waves of hematopoietic precursors arising in different embryonic locations. Monopotent, or primitive, precursors first give rise to embryonic macrophages or erythrocytes. Multipotent, or definitive, precursors are subsequently generated to produce the adult hematopoietic lineages. In both the zebrafish and the mouse, the first definitive precursors are committed erythromyeloid progenitors (EMPs) that lack lymphoid differentiation potential. We have previously shown that zebrafish EMPs arise in the posterior blood island independently from hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). In this report, we demonstrate that a fourth wave of hematopoietic precursors arises slightly later in the zebrafish aorta/gonad/mesonephros (AGM) equivalent. We have identified and prospectively isolated these cells by CD41 (itga2b) and cmyb expression. Unlike EMPs, CD41+ AGM cells colonize the thymus to generate rag2+ T lymphocyte precursors. Timelapse imaging and lineage tracing analyses demonstrate that AGM-derived precursors use a previously undescribed migration pathway along the pronephric tubules to initiate adult hematopoiesis in the developing kidney, the teleostean equivalent of mammalian bone marrow. Finally, we have analyzed the gene expression profiles of EMPs and AGM precursors to better understand the molecular cues that pattern the first definitive hematopoietic cells in the embryo. Together, these studies suggest that expression of CD41 and cmyb marks nascent HSCs in the zebrafish AGM, and provide the means to further dissect HSC generation and function in the early vertebrate embryo.
The acute Toxicological effects of Gammalin 20 on the lung and Pancreas of Guinea Pig

The acute toxicological effects of Gammalin 20 (gamma Isomer of hexachlorocyclohexane) on the lungs and Pancreas of Guinea Pig were investigated. Twenty-Eight Guinea Pigs of 300gm average body wt were used for the study. Five dose levels 0.0gkg. , 0.82gkg –1 . , 1.63gkg -1 . , 3.25gkg -1 and 6.5gkg -1 were obtained after a range finding test using five guinea pigs and administered intra peritoneally, into the animals. Signs and symptoms of toxicity (Irritability, staggering, laboured breathing, convulsion and death) were observed, scored in this order of severity and found to be dose dependent. Histopathological examination of the lungs revealed edema, congestion and disruption of lung architecture. The Pancreas showed acute toxic inflammatory reaction, edema, acute pancreatitis and disruption of Pancreatic architecture. LD 50 of gammalin 20 in the male guinea pig using intraperitoneal route was 1.87gkg -1 . gammalin 20 therefore based on classification of toxicity of chemicals was found to be slightly toxic to the male guinea pig using intraperitoneal route of administration. Journal of Applied Sciences and Environmental Management Vol. 8 (1) 33 - 35
Assessment of Performance Validity During Neuropsychological Evaluation in Patients with Epilepsy

ASSESSMENT OF PERFORMANCE VALIDITY DURING NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATION IN PATIENTS WITH EPILEPSY Nichelle D. Rothong, MS Marquette University, 2014 Patients with epilepsy are considered a motivated population without clear incentive to perform suboptimally on neuropsychological testing. However, in the limited research exploring performance validity testing (PVT) in patients with epilepsy, the base rate of suboptimal performance has ranged from 4 (Hill, Ryan, Kennedy, & Malamut, 2003) to 28% (Loring, Lee, & Meador, 2005). These findings are concerning, as suboptimal PVT scores have been found to be associated with significantly lower neuropsychological performance across most cognitive domains (e.g., Green, Rohling, Lees-Haley, & Allen, 2001). One possible explanation for the variance in base rate of suboptimal performance is the significant cognitive impairment commonly associated with epilepsy (Bortz, 2003). The present study investigated this unexplored theory by utilizing the Word Memory Test (WMT). The WMT is a PVT that indicates whether scores below failure cutoff likely reflect suboptimal performance or significant cognitive impairment, a determination made by General Memory Impairment Profile (GMIP) analysis. Using WMT normative cutoffs, patients in the current study were categorized into optimal, suboptimal, and GMIP performance groups. Subsequently, differences among groups on a variety of neuropsychological measures were explored. The validity of the GMIP was also examined to provide support for its use with this population. Findings indicated that 43% of the sample fell into the WMT optimal group, 36% into the suboptimal group, and 21% into the GMIP group. Although WMT performance accounted for 29% of the variance in overall neuropsychological performance, PV did not impact all cognitive domains equally. WMT performance groups scored significantly differently across most neuropsychological measures; patients in the suboptimal and GMIP groups typically obtained significantly lower scores than patients in the optimal group. Results also largely supported the validity of the GMIP in its ability to identify WMT scores below failure cutoff due to borderline memory impairment. Overall, current findings encourage the use and further investigation of the WMT and GMIP analysis in patients with epilepsy.
Glutaraldehyde cross-linking of amniotic membranes affects their nanofibrous structures and limbal epithelial cell culture characteristics

Given that the cells can sense nanometer dimensions, the chemical cross-linking-mediated alteration in fibrillar structure of collagenous tissue scaffolds is critical to determining their cell culture performances. This article explores, for the first time, the effect of nanofibrous structure of glutaraldehyde (GTA) cross-linked amniotic membrane (AM) on limbal epithelial cell (LEC) cultivation. Results of ninhydrin assays demonstrated that the amount of new cross-links formed between the collagen chains is significantly increased with increasing the cross-linking time from 1 to 24 hours. By transmission electron microscopy, the AM treated with GTA for a longer duration exhibited a greater extent of molecular aggregation, thereby leading to a considerable increase in nanofiber diameter and resistance against collagenase degradation. In vitro biocompatibility studies showed that the samples cross-linked with GTA for 24 hours are not well-tolerated by the human corneal epithelial cell cultures. When the treatment duration is less than 6 hours, the biological tissues cross-linked with GTA for a longer time may cause slight reductions in 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium, inner salt, and anti-inflammatory activities. Nevertheless, significant collagen molecular aggregation also enhances the stemness gene expression, indicating a high ability of these AM matrices to preserve the progenitors of LECs in vitro. It is concluded that GTA cross-linking of collagenous tissue materials may affect their nanofibrous structures and corneal epithelial stem cell culture characteristics. The AM treated with GTA for 6 hours holds promise for use as a niche for the expansion and transplantation of limbal epithelial progenitor cells.
Long-range displacement mini-sensor with submicrometric resolution

Miniature high-resolution sensors are required in integrated systems. In the field of high resolution sensors, available sensors can be separated into two categories: small size sensor but having a limited range and high range sensor but with prohibitive size. This paper describes a long-range miniature position sensor. We propose to use two optical probes (1 mm diameter, 15 mm length for each) in front of a silicon grating (size : 20 times 20 mm2 ; thickness < 1 mm ; teeth length : 653 mum ; teeth height : 96 mum) in order to measure on a millimetric range with a submicrometric resolution. First, the principle of the sensor is given. Then, the grating sizing method is described with the best limit of resolution as the main criterion. After that, the silicon grating fabrication is explained : it was fabricated by photolithography and anisotropic wet etching solution (KOH:H2O). Measures on a 2.9 mm range with a quasi-linear sensitivity of (0.92 plusmn 0.01) mV/mum are obtained. On this range, the limit of resolution is 163 nm rms.