Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Connectivity Preservation in Nonholonomic Multi-Agent Systems: A Bounded Distributed Control Strategy

This technical note is concerned with the connectivity preservation of a group of unicycles using a novel distributed control scheme. The proposed local controllers are bounded, and are capable of maintaining the connectivity of those pairs of agents which are initially within the connectivity range. This means that if the network of agents is initially connected, it will remain connected at all times under this control law. Each local controller is designed in such a way that when an agent is about to lose connectivity with a neighbor, the lowest-order derivative of the agent's position that is neither zero nor perpendicular to the edge connecting the agent to the corresponding neighbor, makes an acute angle with this edge, which is shown to result in shrinking the edge. The proposed methodology is then used to develop bounded connectivity preserving control strategies for the consensus problem as one of the unprecedented contributions of this work. The theoretical results are validated by simulation.
SurfClipse: Context-Aware Meta-search in the IDE

Despite various debugging supports of the existing IDEs for programming errors and exceptions, software developers often look at web for working solutions or any up-to-date information. Traditional web search does not consider the context of the problems that they search solutions for, and thus it often does not help much in problem solving. In this paper, we propose a context-aware meta search tool, Surf Clipse, that analyzes an encountered exception and its context in the IDE, and recommends not only suitable search queries but also relevant web pages for the exception (and its context). The tool collects results from three popular search engines and a programming Q & A site against the exception in the IDE, refines the results for relevance against the context of the exception, and then ranks them before recommendation. It provides two working modes-interactive and proactive to meet the versatile needs of the developers, and one can browse the result pages using a customized embedded browser provided by the tool.
OpenMP: an industry standard API for shared-memory programming

At its most elemental level, OpenMP is a set of compiler directives and callable runtime library routines that extend Fortran (and separately, C and C++ to express shared memory parallelism. It leaves the base language unspecified, and vendors can implement OpenMP in any Fortran compiler. Naturally, to support pointers and allocatables, Fortran 90 and Fortran 95 require the OpenMP implementation to include additional semantics over Fortran 77. OpenMP leverages many of the X3H5 concepts while extending them to support coarse grain parallelism. The standard also includes a callable runtime library with accompanying environment variables.
Cyanocobalamin May be Beneficial in the Treatment of Recurrent Aphthous Ulcers Even When Vitamin B12 Levels Are Normal

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy of cyanocobalamin treatment in patients having recurrent aphthous ulcers (RAUs) with normal or decreased serum vitamin B12 (cobalamin) levels. Methods:Seventy-two patients with RAU were included in the study. In addition to serum cobalamin levels, hemanitic and biochemistrical parameters were measured. Patients with serum cobalamin levels <140 pg/mL were defined as the cobalamin deficient group (CDG) whereas patients with cobalamin levels ≥140 pg/mL were defined as the cobalamin normal group (CNG). The degree of aphthous ulcer healing was determined according to serum cobalamin levels at the first and sixth month after cyanocobalamin treatment protocol. Results:Of the 72 participants, 37 were in the CDG whereas 35 were considered to have normal cobalamin levels. In the first admission the cobalamin levels were 215.8 ± 116.90 pg/mL in CNG and 107.43 ± 29.35 pg/mL in the CDG. The frequency of aphthous ulcers was defined numerically according to monthly occurrence of the lesions. The mean aphthous ulcer frequency in CNG group was 1.9 ± 0.7, whereas it was 2.4 ± 0.9 in the CDG. A significant increase in cobalamin levels was observed after cyanocobalamin treatment in both groups. A significant decrease in aphthous ulcer frequency was also concurrently observed. 96% of the patients showed good response to replacement treatment, 4% of the study population did not respond to the treatment. Conclusion:Cyanocobalamin treatment maybe beneficial for patients with RAU even when serum cobalamin levels are normal. We suggest that higher serum cobalamin levels should be attained in patients with RAU for mucosal protection.
Cancer stem cells in glioblastoma

Glioblastoma is the most prevalent and malignant primary brain tumor, containing self-renewing, tumorigenic cancer stem cells (CSCs) that contribute to tumor initiation and therapeutic resistance. In this review, Lathia et al. discuss how the integration of genetics, epigenetics, and metabolism has shaped our understanding of how CSCs function to drive GBM growth.
An Ornithopod-Dominated Tracksite from the Lower Cretaceous Jiaguan Formation (Barremian–Albian) of Qijiang, South-Central China: New Discoveries, Ichnotaxonomy, Preservation and Palaeoecology

The historically-famous Lotus Fortress site, a deep 1.5–3.0-meter-high, 200-meter-long horizonal notch high up in near-vertical sandstone cliffs comprising the Cretaceous Jiaguan Formation, has been known since the 13th Century as an impregnable defensive position. The site is also extraordinary for having multiple tetrapod track-bearing levels, of which the lower two form the floor of part of the notch, and yield very well preserved asseamblages of ornithopod, bird (avian theropod) and pterosaur tracks. Trackway counts indicate that ornithopods dominate (69%) accounting for at least 165 trackmakers, followed by bird (18%), sauropod (10%), and pterosaur (3%). Previous studies designated Lotus Fortress as the type locality of Caririchnium lotus and Wupus agilis both of which are recognized here as valid ichnotaxa. On the basis of multiple parallel trackways both are interpreted as representing the trackways of gregarious species. C. lotus is redescribed here in detail and interpreted to indicate two age cohorts representing subadults that were sometimes bipedal and larger quadrupedal adults. Two other previously described dinosaurian ichnospecies, are here reinterpreted as underprints and considered nomina dubia. Like a growing number of significant tetrapod tracksites in China the Lotus Fortress site reveals new information about the composition of tetrapod faunas from formations in which the skeletal record is sparse. In particular, the site shows the relatively high abundance of Caririchium in a region where saurischian ichnofaunas are often dominant. It is also the only site known to have yielded Wupus agilis. In combination with information from other tracksites from the Jiaguan formation and other Cretaceous formations in the region, the track record is proving increasingly impotant as a major source of information on the vertebrate faunas of the region. The Lotus Fortress site has been developed as a spectacular, geologically-, paleontologically- and a culturally-significant destination within Qijiang National Geological Park.
Ambulation recovery after stroke

iii Declaration by author . vi Publications during candidature . vii Publications included in this thesis . viii Contributions by others to the thesis . ix Statement of parts of the thesis submitted to qualify for the award of another degree . x Acknowledgements . xi
Frequency tracking of resonant-like sounds from audio recordings of arterio-venous fistula stenosis

In this work we study in time-frequency domain what has been termed "tea-kettle" sounds found in audio recordings of arteriovenous fistulas with severe stenosis. These sounds appears as frequency modulated signals (chirps) in the time-frequency plots. We first developed a simple model for generating synthetic bruits containing chirps. Then we performed tracking of the time-varying frequency signals using an Extended Kaiman filter (EKF). Finally we analyzed a data base of recordings from 5 patients suffering from venous stenosis EKF frequency tracker, the results shows the chirps mean frequencies (fundamental) can vary in a rather wide range of frequencies from about 200 Hz to 600 Hz and that up to two harmonics can also be found in the considered cases.
Employed carers' empathy towards people with learning disabilities.

Section A presents the hypothesis that attachment representations determine individuals’ capacities for empathy, which is necessary for sensitive and responsive caregiving. It reviews the evidence pertaining to whether this hypothesis applies within the context of employed caregivers caring for adults with learning disabilities. The evidence is considered in a stepwise fashion, based on four literature searches. The paper concludes by considering the implications of this literature for clinical practice and future research. Section B is an empirical research paper which describes the development of a new questionnaire aiming to measure employed carers’ empathy towards people with learning disabilities. It describes how investigation of the questionnaire’s factor structure illuminated the salient processes that may influence empathy in this specific relational context. It presents evidence of the questionnaire’s construct validity, internal reliability and test-retest reliability. The results are linked to existing literature and recommendations for clinical practice are made. Limitations of the study and directions for future research are considered.
Detection of Translational Equivalence

Abstract : I propose a general algorithm for detecting translational equivalence between text samples in different languages. This algorithm is based on current approaches to duplicate detection, and it relies on information which can be automatically learned from parallel text. I also show experimental results which support the hypothesis that translational equivalence is empirically observable. In addition, these results suggest profitable directions for improving performance on this recognition task.1.
Experimental evidence for free will revisionism

Philosophers who theorize about whether free will is compatible with causal determinism often rely on ordinary intuitions to bolster their theory. A revisionist theory of free will takes a different approach, saying that the best philosophical theory of what we ought to think about free will conflicts with what we ordinarily do think about free will. I contend that revisionism has not been taken as seriously as should be because philosophers have not realized the extent to which ordinary intuitions are inconsistent. I present an experiment that gives empirical evidence for revisionism. The experiment shows that, in spite of the fact that the ‘is compatible with’ relation is symmetric, folk intuitions change as a function of whether we ask ‘Is determinism compatible with free will? ’ versus ‘Is free will compatible with determinism? ’ The paper explores possible explanations for why folk intuitions do not mirror the symmetry of the ‘is compatible with’ relation, but regardless of which of these explanations is correct, I argue that we must be revisionists in at least this sense: what we ought to believe about free will cannot include everything we do believe about free will.
The Impact of the Position of MIMO Terminal User's Hand on Channel Capacity

In this paper the impact of the position of user's hand holding a multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) terminal on system performance and more specifically on channel capacity is investigated. We consider a 4times4 MIMO system with a personal digital assistant (PDA) equipped with a compact array of 4 patch elements. Radiation field patterns of the antenna elements in the presence of the other elements as well as in the presence of a user's hand are simulated. Different positions of the user's hand are taken into account. The covariance matrix of the receiving antennas is evaluated by means of the obtained patterns. A correlation-based channel model is considered, where the antenna patterns are incorporated. Extensive simulations showed that the performance of the MIMO systems varies significantly with the position of the user's hand.
Reduced BMP Signaling Results in Hindlimb Fusion with Lethal Pelvic/Urogenital Organ Aplasia: A New Mouse Model of Sirenomelia

Sirenomelia, also known as mermaid syndrome, is a developmental malformation of the caudal body characterized by leg fusion and associated anomalies of pelvic/urogenital organs including bladder, kidney, rectum and external genitalia. Most affected infants are stillborn, and the few born alive rarely survive beyond the neonatal period. Despite the many clinical studies of sirenomelia in humans, little is known about the pathogenic developmental mechanisms that cause the complex array of phenotypes observed. Here, we provide new evidences that reduced BMP (Bone Morphogenetic Protein) signaling disrupts caudal body formation in mice and phenocopies sirenomelia. Bmp4 is strongly expressed in the developing caudal body structures including the peri-cloacal region and hindlimb field. In order to address the function of Bmp4 in caudal body formation, we utilized a conditional Bmp4 mouse allele (Bmp4flox/flox) and the Isl1 (Islet1)-Cre mouse line. Isl1-Cre is expressed in the peri-cloacal region and the developing hindimb field. Isl1Cre;Bmp4flox/flox conditional mutant mice displayed sirenomelia phenotypes including hindlimb fusion and pelvic/urogenital organ dysgenesis. Genetic lineage analyses indicate that Isl1-expressing cells contribute to both the aPCM (anterior Peri-Cloacal Mesenchyme) and the hindlimb bud. We show Bmp4 is essential for the aPCM formation independently with Shh signaling. Furthermore, we show Bmp4 is a major BMP ligand for caudal body formation as shown by compound genetic analyses of Bmp4 and Bmp7. Taken together, this study reveals coordinated development of caudal body structures including pelvic/urogenital organs and hindlimb orchestrated by BMP signaling in Isl1-expressing cells. Our study offers new insights into the pathogenesis of sirenomelia.
A generic architecture for spatial crowdsourcing

Spatial Crowdsourcing Platforms (SCP) are systems that act as brokers that help people requesting location dependent tasks to find suitable workforce to accomplish it. This kind of system has been source of much interest for both academy and industry. However, little has been done to define a crowdsourcing platform and its technical details precisely. Furthermore, much of the research works on this subject have focused specifically on crowdsensing platforms, a special case of SCP. There is also a need to contrast what has been proposed, so far, in this matter with real world SCPs in order to refine and validate the current state of the art results. In this paper, we discuss a list of requirements for SCPs. This list has been identified and validated by an analysis of scientific related works and several commercial SCPs. Based on this list, we also propose a generic architecture for SCPs that is meant to help the understanding of SCPs and the design of better spatial crowdsourcing solutions.
An Updated Meta‐Analysis on the Effectiveness of Preoperative Prophylactic Antibiotics in Patients Undergoing Breast Surgical Procedures

Abstract: To systematically analyze published randomized trials on the effectiveness of preoperative prophylactic antibiotics in patients undergoing breast surgical procedures. Trials on the effectiveness of preoperative prophylactic antibiotics in patients undergoing breast surgery were selected and analyzed to generate summated data (expressed as risk ratio [RR]) by using RevMan 5.0. Nine randomized controlled trials encompassing 3720 patients undergoing breast surgery were retrieved from the electronic databases. The antibiotics group comprised a total of 1857 patients and non‐antibiotics group, 1863 patients. There was no heterogeneity [χ2 = 7.61, d.f. = 7, p < 0.37; I2 = 8%] amongst trials. Therefore, in the fixed‐effects model (RR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.50–0.83; z = 3.48; p < 0.0005), the use of preoperative prophylactic antibiotics in patients undergoing breast surgical procedures was statistically significant in reducing the incidence of surgical site infection (SSI). Furthermore, in the fixed‐effects model (RR, 1.30; 95% CI, 0.89–1.90; z = 1.37; p < 0.17), adverse reactions secondary to the use of prophylactic antibiotics was not statistically significant between the two groups. Preoperative prophylactic antibiotics significantly reduce the risk of SSI after breast surgical procedures. The risk of adverse reactions from prophylactic antibiotic administration is not significant in these patients. Therefore, preoperative prophylactic antibiotics in breast surgery patients may be routinely administered. Further research is required, however, on risk stratification for SSI, timing and duration of prophylaxis, and the need for prophylaxis in patients undergoing breast reconstruction versus no reconstruction.
Perfume Odor Categorization: To What Extent Trained Assessors and Consumers Agree?

The perfume industry is increasingly interested in developing perfume classification systems based on their odor character profile to improve consumer shopping experience. However, concerns have been raised regarding the external validity of the classifications performed by experts and trained assessors. In this context, the aim of the present work was to evaluate the influence of training on perfume odor characterization based on a sorting task, by comparing sensory maps of perfumes and descriptions provided by trained assessors and consumers. Fifteen commercially fine female perfumes were evaluated by trained assessors and consumers using a sorting task, followed by a description phase. Trained assessors and consumers provided similar sample configurations. However, there was no perfect agreement in their classifications and some differences in the conclusions regarding similarities and differences between samples were identified. Although the descriptions provided by trained assessors and consumers to characterize the odor profile of the perfumes were different, the most frequently mentioned terms were similar and were used in a similar way. Practical Applications Results from the present work showed that training affected to some extent the way in which perfumes are categorized and described, which suggests that consumer perception could be a valuable complementary tool when developing classification systems as well as perfume descriptions for marketing or communication purposes.
"Wavefronts" in the aorta--implications for the mechanisms of left ventricular ejection and aortic valve closure.

Our understanding of the way the left ventricle ejects blood into the aorta has been advanced by considering aortic flow in terms of the elemental haemodynamic forces, compression and expansion wavefronts. The pattern of aortic wave intensity indicates that the contracting and relaxing left ventricle generates compression and expansion waves and that it is these, rather than the waves reflected from the arteries, that dominate ejection in the normal cardiovascular system. The wave intensity is a novel haemodynamic variable, with the potential to provide information about heart-vessel coupling and the fluid dynamic consequences for cardiac output of myocardial contraction and relaxation. This information should now be realised in experimental studies of the integrated circulation in health and in disease.
Exposing relational data on the Semantic Web with CROSS

With the advent of the World Wide Web, a growing amount of heterogeneous data sources is becoming available, thus requiring wrapping mechanisms for a unified access by end-users or applications. OWL, an ontology language for the Web, is a good candidate for coping with structural and semantic heterogeneity between data sources. For this purpose, we propose CROSS, an open-source prototype which aims at exposing relational databases and additional knowledge about them in OWL. The key feature of CROSS is that it follows a declarative approach since it relies on the target language, OWL. In this approach, the relational structure is first converted into OWL which can then be employed by the user to declare additional OWL statements about the database. The conversion rules are inspired by previous work on database reverse engineering. However, the originality of our declarative approach is that those rules are used without any exception; we show in the paper with a number of examples how additional knowledge can be added without ever questioning the rules. We also discuss a number of directions for further work, such as the choice of the target language and the integration of the CROSS prototype with the Sesame framework.
Neural Respiratory Drive in Patients with COPD during Exercise Tests

Background: It is unknown whether neural drive is comparable in constant rate and incremental exercise tests. Few data have previously been available to address this question because of the lack of reliable methods to assess neural respiratory drive in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Objectives: The aims of this study are to determine whether neural respiratory drive during constant rate exercise differs from that during incremental exercise and to determine whether neural respiratory drive was maximal at the end of exhaustive exercise tests. Methods: We studied sixteen patients with moderate-severe COPD (mean ± SD FEV1 29 ± 10%). Both diaphragmatic electro-myogram (EMG) and transdiaphragmatic pressure were recorded with a combined multipair electrode balloon catheter during incremental and constant (80% of maximal oxygen consumption derived from a prior incremental exercise test) treadmill exercise. Minute ventilation and oxygen uptake were also measured. Results: Root mean square (RMS) of the diaphragmatic EMG increased gradually without a plateau during incremental exercise, whereas the RMS increased initially and reached a plateau during constant work rate exercise. The RMS of the diaphragmatic EMG at the end of exercise was similar for both incremental and constant work rate exercise (176 ± 42 µV vs. 184 ± 39 µV); these values were 70 and 73% of maximal values recorded over the study. Conclusions: The pattern of increase in neural respiratory drive during incremental exercise is different to that observed during constant work rate exercise, but both exercise protocols are terminated when the patients achieve a similar but submaximal drive.
A Sequential Rejection Testing Method for High-Dimensional Regression with Correlated Variables

Abstract We propose a general, modular method for significance testing of groups (or clusters) of variables in a high-dimensional linear model. In presence of high correlations among the covariables, due to serious problems of identifiability, it is indispensable to focus on detecting groups of variables rather than singletons. We propose an inference method which allows to build in hierarchical structures. It relies on repeated sample splitting and sequential rejection, and we prove that it asymptotically controls the familywise error rate. It can be implemented on any collection of clusters and leads to improved power in comparison to more standard non-sequential rejection methods. We complement the theoretical analysis with empirical results for simulated and real data.