Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Control of flexible joint robot system by backstepping design approach

The control of flexible joint robot manipulators by backstepping design approach is presented. In contrast with the other controllers for flexible joint robot manipulators, the proposed controller neither assumes weak joint flexibility nor requires joint acceleration measurements. With the proposed controller, the link position and velocity errors converge to zero exponentially fast. The simulation results prove that the proposed controller performs superior to the other controllers as the flexibility increases in the joints.
Combining probability from independent tests: the weighted Z‐method is superior to Fisher's approach

The most commonly used method in evolutionary biology for combining information across multiple tests of the same null hypothesis is Fisher's combined probability test. This note shows that an alternative method called the weighted Z‐test has more power and more precision than does Fisher's test. Furthermore, in contrast to some statements in the literature, the weighted Z‐method is superior to the unweighted Z‐transform approach. The results in this note show that, when combining P‐values from multiple tests of the same hypothesis, the weighted Z‐method should be preferred.
Using Laplacian Spectra to Analyze Project Based Services

In this paper, we use Laplacian spectral analysis to study the characteristics of complex service project networks by observing their marked signatures in the Laplacian eigenvalues and eigenvectors. Based on that, we also depict other representations of the complexity of those project complex networks including inverse participation ratio (IPR), degree expectation value (DEV). Compared with using adjacency matrix or coupling matrix only, we find that those extended spectral analysis methods do provide interesting features like lens to observe the intrinsic properties of the complex network representing the organizational structure of project based services.
The comparison of mandibular radiomorphometric indices in panoramic radiography between patients with chronic periodontitis and healthy individuals.

AIM Osteoporosis and periodontitis are two separate diseases with different origins and manifestations. It is believed that these diseases linked together, because they both lead to bone damage, some risk factors are similar, they both have the highest prevalence in middle-aged and older women. Some studies showed that the use of panoramic radiography and special indices could be reliable tools for osteoporosis screening. This study was performed to evaluate the relationship between periodontal disease and jaw osteoporotic indices. MATERIALS AND METHODS Eighty-two patients with chronic periodontitis and 80 healthy individuals were selected, they had been referred to a private oral and maxillofacial radiology clinic to take a panoramic radiograph. Then panoramic indicators; including the mandibular cortical index (MCI), mental index (MI), and panoramic mandible index (PMI) in both groups were measured, recorded and analyzed. RESULTS The mean age of investigated individuals was 39/8 ± 9/33. 58.6% of participants were females and 41.4% were males. MI and PMI levels in the periodontal group were more than the periodontally healthy group, but the differences between the two groups was not statistically significant (p = 0.808 and p = 0.102 respectively). The MCI level was significantly different between two groups (p = 0.028). CONCLUSION The results of this study showed that there is significant relationship between MCI in panoramic radiography and chronic periodontitis. It is suggested to perform more studies to confrm if this index could be used for screening and indicating of bone status in high risk individuals. This study did not show a strong evidence of a relationship between osteoporosis and periodontitis. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE Since panoramic radiographs are routinely used for screening in dental practice, any association between radiomorphometric indices of mandible in periodontitis patients might be useful in prediction of osteoporosis in patients referring to dental clinics.
A physical-layer authentication scheme based on hash method

Existing physical-layer challenge-response authentication schemes are under the threat of identity key leakages. To solve this problem, this paper proposes a physical-layer authentication scheme based on hash method. The frequency response curve of the received signal in physical layer is used as the authentication challenge and bound with the identity key stored in upper layer to generate an authentication response by a signal-level hash function referred from 3D curve matching. Binary hypothesis test is employed to verify the identity and the corresponding wireless channel to achieve an enhanced authentication. The proposed scheme can achieve a detection rate of 100% with the false alarm rate below 10−3 under the SNR of 12dB.
Real-time elastography for noninvasive assessment of liver fibrosis in chronic viral hepatitis.

OBJECTIVE Recently, transient elastography (FibroScan) has been introduced for noninvasive staging of liver fibrosis. Here, we investigated a novel approach for noninvasive assessment of liver fibrosis using sonography-based real-time elastography, which can be performed with conventional ultrasound probes during a routine sonography examination. MATERIALS AND METHODS Real-time elastography was performed in 79 patients with chronic viral hepatitis and known fibrosis stage and in 20 healthy volunteers. A specially developed program was used for quantification of tissue elasticity. Stepwise logistic regression analysis was performed to define an elasticity score using variables with high reproducibility in a preceding analysis of data from 16 different patients. In addition, aspartate transaminase-to-platelet ratio index (APRI) and routine laboratory values were included in the analysis. RESULTS The Spearman's correlation coefficient between the elasticity scores obtained using real-time elastography and the histologic fibrosis stage was 0.48, which is highly significant (p < 0.001). The diagnostic accuracy expressed as areas under receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were 0.75 for the diagnosis of significant fibrosis (fibrosis stage according to METAVIR scoring system [F] > or = F2), 0.73 for severe fibrosis (F > or = F3), and 0.69 for cirrhosis. For a combined elasticity-laboratory score, the areas under the ROC curves were 0.93, 0.95, and 0.91, respectively. DISCUSSION Real-time elastography is a new and promising sonography-based noninvasive method for the assessment of liver fibrosis in patients with chronic viral hepatitis.
A non linear mixed effects model of plant growth and estimation via stochastic variants of the EM algorithm

ABSTRACT There is a strong genetic variability among plants, even of the same variety, which, combined with the locally varying environmental conditions in a given field, can lead to the development of highly different neighboring plants. This is one of the reasons why population-based methods for modeling plant growth are of great interest. GreenLab is a functional–structural plant growth model which has already been shown to be successful in describing plant growth dynamics primarily at individual level. In this study, we extend its formulation to the population level. In order to model the deviations from some fixed but unknown important biophysical and genetic parameters we introduce random effects. The resulting model can be cast into the framework of non linear mixed models, which can be seen as particular types of incomplete data models. A stochastic variant of an EM-type algorithm (expectation–maximization) is generally needed to perform maximum likelihood estimation for this type of models. Under some assumptions, the complete data distribution belongs to a subclass of the exponential family of distributions for which the M-step can be solved explicitly. In such cases, the interest is focused on the best approximation of the E-step by competing simulation methods. In this direction, we propose to compare two commonly used stochastic algorithms: the Monte-Carlo EM (MCEM) and the SAEM algorithm. The performances of both algorithms are compared on simulated data, and an application to real data from sugar beet plants is also given.
Metabolic and physiologic effects of an endotoxin challenge in healthy obese subjects

Aim: The obesity epidemic has increased the number of obese patients admitted to the ICU. In vitro studies suggest that adipose tissue response to inflammation is enhanced: in vivo data are not conclusive yet. The aim of this study was to test the physiologic response of healthy obese subjects to a standardized intravenous LPS challenge.
A 0.7‐dB NF, +8.2‐dBm IIP3 CMOS low noise amplifier using frequency selective feedback

A CMOS amplifier employing the frequency selective feedback technique using a shunt feedback capacitor is designed and measured. The proposed amplifier can achieve a high IIP3 (input referred third‐order intercept point) by reducing the third‐ and second‐order nonlinearity contributions to the IMD3 (third‐order intermodulation distortion), which is accomplished using a capacitor as the frequency selective element. Also, the shunt feedback capacitor improves the noise performance of the amplifier. By applying the technique to a cascode LNA using 0.18‐µm CMOS technology, we obtain the NF of 0.7 dB, an IIP3 of +8.2 dBm, and a gain of 15.1 dB at 14.4 mW of power consumption at 900 MHz. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A built-in self-repair scheme for DRAMs with spare rows, columns, and bits

With the shrinking of technology node, the data retention time of DRAM (DRAM) cells is widespread. Thus, the number of the cells with data retention faults is increased. In this paper, therefore, we propose a built-in self-repair (BISR) scheme for DRAMs using redundancies with physical and logical reconfiguration mechanisms. Spare rows and columns with physical reconfiguration mechanism are used to repair functional faults caused by defects. Spare bits with logical reconfiguration mechanism are used to replace data retention faults caused by process variation. Also, a diagnosis algorithm is proposed to identify data retention faults. Simulation results show that the proposed BISR scheme for a DRAM with 2 spare rows, 2 spare columns, and 8 spare bits can provide higher repair yield than a BISR scheme for a DRAM with 3 spare rows and 3 spare columns.
Mutations affecting immunoglobulin light chain secretion by myeloma cells I. Functional analysis by cell fusion

Two clones of MOPC 315 cells have been selected which synthesize but do not secrete Ig lambda light chains. These clones were analyzed by fusion with a cell line synthesizing and secreting kappa chains. Conditions were established for recovery at high frequency (approximately 10−3) of spontaneously fused, viable hybrid cells. The resulting hybrid cell lines synthesized both kappa and lambda chains but secreted only kappa chains. Hybrid cells produced by fusion of a lambda‐secreting clone of MOPC 315 with the kappa‐secreting cell line were also isolated and shown to synthesize and secrete both kappa and lambda chains. These results suggest that the nonsecretion of lambda chains was not due to a defect in the secretion mechanism of the variant cells. A more likely alternative is that the lambda chains in the variant cell lines were structurally altered to a form which could not be secreted.
General practitioners' patterns of antimicrobial drugs prescription in the therapy of acute pharyngitis

Objective - To analyse the patterns of antibiotic prescription in the treatment of acute pharyngitis among a group of general practitioners (GPs). Design - From the records of their patients, 11 specialists in general practice have collected post hoc data on their patients and on acute pharyngitis in the period from October 1, 1994 to September 30, 1995. Setting - 11 teaching practices in four health centres in Zagreb, Croatia. Subjects - GPs grouped according to whether they had pre-school children in their care. Main outcome measures - The choice and cost of the prescribed antimicrobial drug, and the impact of the characteristics of the population in care to the prescription rate and structure. Results - An antimicrobial drug was prescribed in 784 (72.1%) cases of pharyngitis. Two groups of GPs have shown significant differences in the prescription rate (p<0.001), and in the choice of antimicrobial drugs (p<0.001). Conclusion - GPs with a larger number of patients in their care suffering from chronic diseases tend to prescribe antimicrobial drugs more often in the treatment of acute pharyngitis.
Intimin Facilitates Colonization by Escherichia coli O157:H7 in Adult Ruminants

ABSTRACT We compared the magnitude and duration of fecal shedding of wild-type Escherichia coli O157:H7 to that of an isogenic intimin mutant in young adult cattle and sheep. In both ruminant species, wild-type E. coli O157:H7 was shed in greater numbers and for a longer duration than was the intimin mutant.
PFI1785w: A highly conserved protein associated with pregnancy associated malaria

Pregnancy-associated malaria (PAM) is one of the severe forms of Plasmodium falciparum infection. The main antigen VAR2CSA is the target of vaccine development. However, the large size of VAR2CSA protein and its high degree of variability limit to the efficiency of the vaccination. Using quantitative mass spectrometry method, we detected and quantified proteotypic peptides from 5 predicted PAM associated proteins. Our results confirmed that PFI1785w is over-expressed in PAM samples. Then, we investigated PFI1785w variability among a set of parasite samples from various endemic areas. PFI1785w appear to be more conserved than VAR2CSA. PFB0115w, another PAM associated protein, seems also associated with the pathology. Further vaccination strategies could integrate other proteins in addition to the major VAR2CSA antigen to improve immune response to vaccination.
Targeting Interleukin-1&bgr; Reduces Leukocyte Production After Acute Myocardial Infarction

Background— Myocardial infarction (MI) is an ischemic wound that recruits millions of leukocytes. MI-associated blood leukocytosis correlates inversely with patient survival, yet the signals driving heightened leukocyte production after MI remain incompletely understood. Methods and Results— With the use of parabiosis surgery, this study shows that soluble danger signals, among them interleukin-1&bgr;, increase bone marrow hematopoietic stem cell proliferation after MI. Data obtained in bone marrow reconstitution experiments reveal that interleukin-1&bgr; enhances hematopoietic stem cell proliferation by both direct actions on hematopoietic cells and through modulation of the bone marrow’s hematopoietic microenvironment. An antibody that neutralizes interleukin-1&bgr; suppresses these effects. Anti-interleukin-1&bgr; treatment dampens the post-MI increase in hematopoietic stem cell proliferation. Consequently, decreased leukocyte numbers in the blood and infarct reduce inflammation and diminish post-MI heart failure in ApoE–/– mice with atherosclerosis. Conclusions— The presented insight into post-MI bone marrow activation identifies a mechanistic target for muting inflammation in the ischemically damaged heart.
Compact leaky wave antenna with periodical slots on substrate integrated waveguide

A leaky wave antenna implemented on a substrate integrated waveguide with inverted v shaped slot based on CRLH has been proposed in this paper. The slot contributes to the series capacitance and also acts as the radiator. The dispersion characteristics have been studied to understand the LH and RH region of operation. The structure is very compact. It operates at high frequency of around 40GHz. The frequency response of the proposed antenna shows a wide bandwidth. The backfire to endfire beam steering capabilities between -32° to 61° for the frequency scan of 31GHz to 46GHz is illustrated. Simulated results show that the proposed structure radiates efficiently with high gain values at the operating frequency.
Red cell distribution width in migraine

Several studies support the role of inflammation in the pathogenesis of migraine. Red cell distribution width (RDW), a measure of heterogeneity in the size of circulating erythrocytes, is associated with adverse outcomes in patients with heart failure and stroke. This study was undertaken to assess the interrelationship between RDW and migraine.
Possibilities for RNA Interference in Developing Hepatitis C Virus Therapeutics

The discovery and characterization of the RNA interference (RNAi) pathway has been one of the most important scientific developments of the last 12 years. RNAi is a cellular pathway wherein small RNAs control the expression of genes by either degrading homologous RNAs or preventing the translation of RNAs with partial homology. It has impacted basic biology on two major fronts. The first is the discovery of microRNAs (miRNAs), which regulate almost every cellular process and are required for some viral infections, including hepatitis C virus (HCV). The second front is the use of small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) as the first robust tool for mammalian cellular genetics. This has led to the identification of hundreds of cellular genes that are important for HCV infection. There is now a major push to adapt RNAi technology to the clinic. In this review, we explore the impact of RNAi in understanding HCV biology, the progress in design of RNAi-based therapeutics for HCV, and remaining obstacles.
Rethinking placebo in psychiatry: the range of placebo effects †

This article, the first of two on placebo effects, provides a broad overview of placebo in the field of medicine. A brief conceptual history is followed by some basic facts about placebos. Problems of definition are identified. Additive and non-additive models of treatment effects, and problems of measurement of placebo effects are described. The role of placebo in the pharmacotherapy of depression and complementary and alternative medicine is discussed. The ‘efficacy paradox’ (that placebo treatments can have larger effects than ‘evidence-based treatments’) is introduced. Finally, ethical issues are discussed.
Geometrical Constraints for Ligand Positioning

The purpose of the activity here described is the morphological and subsequently the geometrical and topological analysis of the active sites in protein surfaces for protein-ligand docking. The approach follows a sequence of three steps: i) the solvent-excluded-surface is analyzed and segmented in a number of pockets and tunnels; ii) the candidate binding sites are detected through a structural matching of pockets and ligand, both represented through a suitable Extended Gaussian Image modality; iii) the loci of compatible positions of the ligand is identified through mathematical morphology. This representation of ligand and candidate binding pockets, the comparison of the morphological similarity and the identification of potential ligand docking are the novelties of this proposal.
Design and fabrication of 2×2 and 4×4 biaxial micromirror array

This paper presents the design and fabrication of 2×2 and 4×4 biaxial micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) mirror array. The fabrication process was extended from that of previous single micromirror with SW electrodes that bases on silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafer, hybrid bulk/surface micromachined technology, and a high-aspect-ratio shadow mask. Each mirror plate size is 1000μm×1000μm, thickness 35μm. The gap between mirror plate and bottom electrodes is 300μm. This mirror array is well-suited for application where a large optical aperture is required.
Accounting for platform effects in the design of real-time software using model-based methods

All too often, software designers ignore the fact that a running computer system is a combination of software and hardware. In this combination, hardware may play a crucial role, particularly in time-sensitive systems. In this paper, we first explore the nature and impact that platforms may have on application software and its design. Based on this analysis, a canonical model of software platforms is proposed to assist in more accurately factoring in the effects of platforms on the design of real-time and embedded software applications. Finally, we show how this model can be realized using modern model-driven design standards and methods.
Bone-Specific Expression of the Alpha Chain of the Nascent Polypeptide-Associated Complex, a Coactivator Potentiating c-Jun-Mediated Transcription

ABSTRACT The alpha chain of the nascent polypeptide-associated complex (α-NAC) coactivator was shown to potentiate the activity of the homodimeric c-Jun activator, while transcription mediated by the c-Fos/c-Jun heterodimer was unaffected. The use of deletion mutants in pull-down assays revealed that α-NAC interacted with amino acids 1 to 89 of the c-Jun protein and that the coactivator could interact with both the unphosphorylated and the serine 73-phosphorylated form of c-Jun. N-terminal-deleted c-Jun protein failed to interact with α-NAC in mammalian two-hybrid assays, while mutant c-Jun proteins lacking the leucine zipper or the basic domain retained interaction with α-NAC in vivo. Kinetics studies with purified c-Jun homodimer and recombinant α-NAC proteins allowed determination of the mechanism of coactivation by α-NAC: the coactivator stabilized the AP-1 complex formed by the c-Jun homodimer on its DNA recognition sequence through an eightfold reduction in the dissociation constant (kd ) of the complex. This effect of α-NAC was specific, because α-NAC could not stabilize the interactions of JunB or Sp1 with their cognate binding sites. Interestingly, the expression of α-NAC was first detected at 14.5 to 15 days postconception, concomitantly with the onset of ossification during embryogenesis. The α-NAC protein was specifically expressed in differentiated osteoblasts at the centers of ossification. Thus, the α-NAC gene product exhibits the properties of a developmentally regulated, bone-specific transcriptional coactivator.
Ridge Regression: Biased Estimation for Nonorthogonal Problems

In multiple regression it is shown that parameter estimates based on minimum residual sum of squares have a high probability of being unsatisfactory, if not incorrect, if the prediction vectors are not orthogonal. Proposed is an estimation procedure based on adding small positive quantities to the diagonal of X′X. Introduced is the ridge trace, a method for showing in two dimensions the effects of nonorthogonality. It is then shown how to augment X′X to obtain biased estimates with smaller mean square error.
Gravity-oriented nonlinear stereo rectification for stereoscopic 3D

We propose a novel and practical stereo rectification method. The method is both simple and efficient for 3D content creation, especially for 3D post-production. The major contribution of this paper is rectifying the stereo video with a nonlinear deformation considering the gravity orientation, which helps producing view-reasonable and non-gap content instantly. In our framework, a new projective rectification introducing gravity orientation into the process is firstly calculated, which better suits 3DTV production than conventional methods. We then apply a nonlinear deformation derived from earlier projective transformation, preventing from the unpleasant gap during the whole process. Experimental results have demonstrated that our method obtains better visual effect than the state-of-the-art methods. Addtionally we apply CUDA parallel computation to solve nonlinear deformation, which is of great significance for the real-time application in post-production.