Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Real-Time Obstacle Detection Approach using Stereoscopic Images

In this paper, we propose a new and simple approach to obstacle and free space detection in an indoor and outdoor environment in real-time using stereo vision as sensor. The real-time obstacle detection algorithm uses two dimensional disparity map to detect obstacles in the scene without constructing the ground plane. The proposed approach combines an accumulating and thresholding techniques to detect and cluster obstacle pixels into objects using a dense disparity map. The results from both analysis modules are combined to provide information of the free space. Experimental results are presented to show the effectiveness of the proposed method in real-time.
VimA mediates multiple functions that control virulence in Porphyromonas gingivalis.

Porphyromonas gingivalis, a black-pigmented, gram-negative anaerobe, is an important etiological agent of periodontal disease. Its ability to survive in the periodontal pocket and orchestrate the microbial/host activities that can lead to disease suggest that P. gingivalis possesses a complex regulatory network involving transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms. The vimA (virulence modulating) gene is part of the 6.15-kb bcp-recA-vimA-vimE-vimF-aroG locus and plays a role in oxidative stress resistance. In addition to the glycosylation and anchorage of several surface proteins including the gingipains, VimA can also modulate sialylation, acetyl coenzyme A transfer, lipid A and its associated proteins and may be involved in protein sorting and transport. In this review, we examine the multifunctional role of VimA and discuss its possible involvement in a major regulatory network important for survival and virulence regulation in P. gingivalis. It is postulated that the multifunction of VimA is modulated via a post-translational mechanism involving acetylation.
Characterizing Protein-Protein Interactions by ITC

Proteins operate as integral members of complex networks that precisely regulate physiological processes through a combination of signaling pathways and feedback. These regulatory functions, including signal transduction, protein trafficking, transcription and translation, all rely on the ability of proteins to rapidly target and form specific non-covalent complexes with other proteins in response to chemical signals. Predicting and understanding how these interactions occur and are controlled (or, in the case of many diseases, how an interaction misfunctions) is complicated by the dynamic events controlling recognition and binding. Each interaction results in protein structural changes and involves specific electrostatic and van der Waals interactions, the burial of solvent-exposed surfaces, and the breaking and formation of hydrogen bonds. It has been estimated that each protein in an organism forms interactions with an average of five other proteins (Piehler, 2005), and it is known that the same protein can form different interactions depending on its location or concentration in the cell (Liddington, 2004). Additionally, aside from such intermolecular interactions, protein-protein interactions also occur intramolecularly at interfaces between domains and between subunits within a protein.
Regelung von Robotern mit elastischen Gelenken am Beispiel der DLR-Leichtbauarme

In der Arbeit werden Methoden zur Parameteridentifikation und Regelung von Robotern mit elastischen Gelenken vorgeschlagen, am Beispiel der DLR-Leichtbauroboter experimentell implementiert und im Dauereinsatz validiert. Das Modell des Manipulators mit elastischen Gelenken trifft sowohl fur schnell bewegte Industrieroboter, wie auch fur extrem leichte Roboter im Service- oder Raumfahrtbereich zu. Ausgehend von einem Gelenk-Zustandsregler mit konstanten Parametern und Kompensation der Starrkorperdynamik werden Regler zunehmender Komplexitat vorgeschlagen, uber Zustandsregler mit variablen Parametern bis hin zu passivitatsbasierten Reglern mit Energie-Formung. Ein Schwerpunkt der Arbeit ist der theoretische Stabilitatsnachweis der Regler unter Berucksichtigung der vollstandigen, nichtlinearen Roboterdynamik. Dabei stellt sich heraus, dass der Zustandsregler mit Gravitationskompensation eine einfache und robuste Reglerstruktur darstellt, die gleichzeitig eine effektive Dampfung der elastischen Schwingungen gewahrleistet und einen theoretischen Stabilitatsbeweis zulasst. Als Zustandsgrosen werden die gemessenen Motorpositionen und abtriebsseitigen Drehmomente, sowie deren Ableitungen benutzt. Die Reglerstruktur kann somit zu einem Positions-, Drehmoment-, oder Impedanzregler parametriert werden. Aufbauend auf diesen Gelenkschnittstellen werden unterschiedliche Ansatze zur Realisierung einer programmierbaren kartesischen Nachgiebigkeit implementiert und verglichen sowie ein neuer Ansatz in Form eines globalen Impedanzreglers mit lokaler Steifigkeitsregelung vorgeschlagen.
Men’s Voices: Postnatal Depression From the Perspective of Male Partners

Postnatal depression (PND) is a serious and debilitating condition that is recognized as being disruptive to women’s lives at a time when they are already under stress adapting to the demands that a new baby creates. What has not always been fully acknowledged is that PND is linked with elevated levels of depression in male partners. In this article, the authors report on men’s experiences of PND and of participation in a 6-week group treatment program specifically designed for male partners. The men experienced their partners’ PND as overwhelming, isolating, stigmatizing, and frustrating. Coping with PND was assisted by participation in the men’s group. Men reported lowered levels of depression and stress, and higher levels of social support, as a result of their participation. The men valued highly the opportunity to share experiences with peers, to hear strategies for engaging in their relationship, and to gain factual information.
Diagnosis and treatment of gestational diabetes

Gestational diabetes is defined as glucose intolerance first detected in pregnancy (World Health Organization, 1999). Globally, and in the UK, the prevalence of gestational diabetes is increasing owing to multiple factors. Women with previous gestational diabetes are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes later in life. In recent years, several landmark studies have been performed with the intention of defining the most appropriate treatment for gestational diabetes. The aim of this article is to explore the available treatments for gestational diabetes in the UK, although the author acknowledges that treatment modalities vary throughout the UK and remain largely dependent upon the prescriber's experience within the context of what is determined to be accepted safe practice.
Safe Approximations of Ambiguous Chance Constraints Using Historical Data

This paper proposes a new way to construct uncertainty sets for robust optimization. Our approach uses the available historical data for the uncertain parameters and is based on goodness-of-fit statistics. It guarantees that the probability the uncertain constraint holds is at least the prescribed value. Compared to existing safe approximation methods for chance constraints, our approach directly uses the historical data information and leads to tighter uncertainty sets and therefore to better objective values. This improvement is significant, especially when the number of uncertain parameters is low. Other advantages of our approach are that it can handle joint chance constraints easily, it can deal with uncertain parameters that are dependent, and it can be extended to nonlinear inequalities. Several numerical examples illustrate the validity of our approach.
MR Aortography and Serum Cholesterol Levels in Patients With Long-Term Nonspecific Lower Back Pain

Study Design. A cross-sectional analysis of the feeding arteries of the lumbar spine and cholesterol levels on patients with long-term nonspecific lower back pain. Objectives. To evaluate whether occlusion of lumbar and middle sacral arteries or serum cholesterol levels are associated with lower back pain and/or with disc degeneration. Summary of Background Data. Atherosclerosis in the wall of the abdominal aorta usually develops at the ostia of branching arteries and the bifurcation, and may obliterate orifices of lumbar and middle sacral arteries. Obstruction of these arteries causes ischemia in the lumbar spine and may result in back symptoms and disc degeneration. Methods. MR aortography and cholesterol blood tests were performed on 51 patients with long-term lower back pain without specific findings (i.e., spinal or nerve root compression) in regular lumbar MR images. The patients ranged from 35 to 70 years of age (mean age, 56 years). Serum cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels were measured. To assess symptoms and disability NASS low back Outcome Instrument was used. Results. Twenty-nine (78%) of 37 men and 11 (77%) of 14 women showed occluded lumbar and/or middle sacral arteries. The prevalence of occluded arteries was 2.5 times more than in subjects of corresponding age group in a Finnish necropsy material. Twenty-three (62%) men and seven (50%) women had significant disc degeneration. Disc degeneration was associated with occluded lumbar/middle sacral arteries (P = 0.035). Patients with occluded arteries or significant disc degeneration did not complain more severe symptoms than those without, whereas patients with above normal serum LDL cholesterol scored higher in neurogenic symptoms (P = 0.031) and complained more often severe pain (P = 0.049) than those with normal LDL cholesterol. Conclusions. The study indicates that lumbar and middle sacral arteries are often occluded in patients with nonspecific long-term lower back pain. Occlusion of these arteries may also be associated with disc degeneration.
Microstructural brain abnormalities in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder: diffusion-tensor MR imaging study at 3.0 T.

PURPOSE To use diffusion-tensor (DT) magnetic resonance (MR) imaging to explore the integrity and connectivity of brain white matter in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and to correlate DT parameters with clinical measures. MATERIALS AND METHODS This study was approved by the local ethical committee, and written informed consent was obtained from all participants. DT imaging was performed by using a 3.0-T MR imager in 23 patients with OCD and 23 healthy control subjects matched for age, sex, education level, and handedness. By using voxel-based analysis, fractional anisotropy (FA) and axial and radial diffusivities were compared between patients and control subjects with a two-sample t test and were tested for correlation with symptom severity, as measured by using the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale and obsessive-compulsive subscale scores, and with illness duration, as measured by using simple regression in statistical parametric mapping program. RESULTS Compared with control subjects, OCD patients demonstrated significantly increased FA in the genu and body of corpus callosum and white matter of right superior frontal gyrus and corpus callosum; no areas of significantly decreased FA were found. For areas of increased FA, axial diffusivity was higher than that in control subjects, while radial diffusivity was not significantly different. The FA values in the white matter of left middle temporal gyrus in OCD patients correlated positively with clinical measures (r = 0.542, P < .001). CONCLUSION OCD is associated with axonal microstructural abnormalities within the white matter, which may indicate impaired axonal integrity and increased connectivity. The positive correlation between DT abnormalities and symptom severity suggests that DT imaging may be of clinical value in measuring and following disability in OCD patients.
Failures in Large Scale Systems: Long-term Measurement, Analysis, and Implications

Resilience is one of the key challenges in maintaining high efficiency of future extreme scale supercomputers. Researchers and system practitioners rely on field-data studies to understand reliability characteristics and plan for future HPC systems. In this work, we compare and contrast the reliability characteristics of multiple largescale HPC production systems. Our study covers more than one billion compute node hours across five different systems over a period of 8 years. We confirm previous findings which continue to be valid, discover new findings, and discuss their implications.
Super – rotation in a Venus General Circulation Model

A super–rotating atmosphere with equatorial winds of ∼ 35 m s is simulated using a simplified Venus General Circulation Model (GCM). The equatorial super-rotation in the model atmosphere is maintained by barotropic instabilities in the the mid–latitude jets which transport angular momentum towards the equator. The mid–latitude jets are maintained by the mean meridional circulation and the momentum transporting waves are qualitatively similar to observed mid–latitude waves; an equatorial Kelvin wave is also present in the atmosphere.
A voltage controlled resistor in CMOS technology using bisection of the voltage range

A voltage controlled, linear, non-grounded resistor in CMOS technology is presented. It is based on the conversion of the transconductance of the MOSFET in the saturated region to the drain-to-source resistance of the MOSFET in the nonsaturated region. A new approach in the realization of the known linearization technique is applied. Bisection of the input voltage of the controlled resistor is involved by this technique. Simulation results have shown a linearity error less than 0.58% of full scale in the 0 V to 7 V input voltage range.
On the Enthalpy of Formation of Hydroxyl Radical and Gas-Phase Bond Dissociation Energies of Water and Hydroxyl

In a recent letter (J. Phys. Chem. A, 2001, 105,1), we argued that, although all major thermochemical tables recommend a value of (OH) based on a spectroscopic approach, the correct value is 0.5 kcal/mol lower as determined from an ion cycle. In this paper, we expand upon and augment both the experimental and theoretical arguments presented in the letter. In particular, three separate experiments (mass-selected photoionization measurements, pulsed-field-ionization photoelectron spectroscopy measurements, and photoelectron-photoion coincidence measurements) utilizing the positive ion cycle to derive the O−H bond energy are shown to converge to a consensus value of the appearance energy AE0(OH+/H2O) = 146117 ± 24 cm-1 (18.1162 ± 0.0030 eV). With the most accurate currently available zero kinetic energy photoionization value for the ionization energy IE(OH) = 104989 ± 2 cm-1, corroborated by a number of photoelectron measurements, this leads to D0(H−OH) = 41128 ± 24 cm-1 = 117.59 ± 0.07 kcal/mol. This corres.
Effect of randoms on signal-to-noise-ratio in TOF PET

Time-of-flight (TOF) positron emission tomography (PET) has the potential to improve signal-to-noise ratio. In the literature, this improvement has been estimated as proportional to the square root of D//spl Delta/x, where D is the radial dimension of the object to be imaged, and /spl Delta/x is the spatial uncertainty associated with the time resolution of the scanner. This estimate does not include the effect of the randoms. In this paper we discuss the role of random coincidence in TOF PET; in particular, the improvement in signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR) due to random reduction in TOF PET. We introduce and discuss a simple model for this improvement, modify the traditional estimate for SNR gain, and compare it to experimental data from a Siemens Hi-Rez PET scanner with TOF capability.
Preparation of easily soluble graphite and transparent conducting graphene sheets

Graphene is a new advanced material for microelectronics. Graphene films can be prepared by different techniques. One of the promising methods is the production of stable dispersions of graphene in water or organic solvents. We have developed a new approach for preparation of easily soluble expanded graphite using fluorinated graphite intercalation compounds as starting materials. Graphene sheets obtained from water dispersions showed high conductivity and transparency. This technique can be used for the low-cost mass production of graphene for various applications because of the simplicity and speed of the process. Moreover, when doped with nitrogen, our new form of expanded graphite is a perspective material for field emission cathodes.
A Novel Ensemble Approach for Effective Intrusion Detection System

Machine learning algorithms are useful for decision making on valuable datasets which are using in emerging fields such as networks, medical and e-governance. Ensemble classifier is a most useful approach which is the combination of classification algorithms for performing effective classification in machine learning. Even though, the selection of ensemble is becoming very difficult task for the specific dataset. For this purpose, we introduce a novel ensemble which is the combination of attribute selection algorithm, multiclass support vector machine and k-NN classifier. Moreover, we use an Incremental Particle Swarm Optimization (IPSO) for optimizing the proposed system performance in terms of improving the classification accuracy. For conducting various experiments, we have used the five random subsets from the standard KDD'99 dataset.
Proteomic Analysis of DC-SIGN on Dendritic Cells Detects Tetramers Required for Ligand Binding but No Association with CD4*

DC-SIGN (dendritic cell specific intracellular adhesion molecule 3 grabbing non-integrin) or CD209 is a type II transmembrane protein and one of several C-type lectin receptors expressed by dendritic cell subsets, which bind to high mannose glycoproteins promoting their endocytosis and potential degradation. DC-SIGN also mediates attachment of HIV to dendritic cells and binding to this receptor can subsequently lead to endocytosis or enhancement of CD4/CCR5-dependent infection. The latter was proposed to be facilitated by an interaction between DC-SIGN and CD4. Endocytosis of HIV virions does not necessarily lead to their complete degradation. A proportion of the virions remain infective and can be later presented to T cells mediating their infection in trans. Previously, the extracellular domain of recombinant DC-SIGN has been shown to assemble as tetramers and in the current study we use a short range covalent cross-linker and show that DC-SIGN exists as tetramers on the surface of immature monocyte-derived dendritic cells. There was no evidence of direct binding between DC-SIGN and CD4 either by cross-linking or by fluorescence resonance energy transfer measurements suggesting that there is no constitutive association of the majority of these proteins in the membrane. Importantly we also show that the tetrameric complexes, in contrast to DC-SIGN monomers, bind with high affinity to high mannose glycoproteins such as mannan or HIV gp120 suggesting that such an assembly is required for high affinity binding of glycoproteins to DC-SIGN, providing the first direct evidence that DC-SIGN tetramers are essential for high affinity interactions with pathogens like HIV.
THE PSYCHOPATHOLOGY AND LIFE EVENTS IN FUNCTIONAL DYSPEPSIA : A CASE-CONTROL

Background: Functional dyspepsia is associated with high psychiatric morbidity and life event stress. Patients: This is a prospective study of 163 patients with functional dyspepsia and 163 healthy controls. Aim: To investigate the relationship between functional dyspepsia, life events and mental illness. Methods: A semi-structured psychiatric interview and clinical mental state examination were used in the psychiatric assessment of the patients and controls. Psychiatric diagnoses were made according to DSM3-R. A modified version of Life Events Scale by Tennant and Andrews was used in the assessment of life events stress. Results: Psychiatric illness was significantly more in the patients than the controls. Anxiety and depressive disorders dominated the clinical picture (84%) and the symptoms were usually of mild nature. Life events stress did not seem to be significantly related to to either the psychiatric disorders or the functional dyspepsia as a whole. Conclusions: Further studies are needed, especially in relation to the causative association between the functional dyspepsia and psychiatric disturbances.
The Chinese Version of the PSS:PICU

BackgroundBefore an established research instrument is adopted for use in a cultural context different from that where it was developed, its validity and reliability must be reassessed so that it is applicable to and congruent with the culture of the population under study. ObjectivesTo translate the Parental Stressor Scale: Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PSS:PICU) into Chinese, and to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Chinese version. MethodsA prospective study investigated 81 parents of 75 children admitted to a PICU in two hospitals. Parents completed the Chinese versions of the PSS:PICU and the state anxiety scale of the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. ResultsFactor analysis and item-subscale correlations supported the conceptual dimensions of the original instrument. The internal consistency of the Chinese version was high. Most of the subscales were moderately correlated with each other and strongly correlated with the total score. The convergent validity with the state anxiety scale in the Chinese version of the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory was reflected by a weak correlation for the overall scale and for the subscales. ConclusionsAlthough some satisfactory psychometric properties of the translated instrument were found in this study, they should be used as a reference for studies with larger samples. The current form is not ready for wide dissemination until more concrete research evidence is available.
Using Social Media as a Research Recruitment Tool: Ethical Issues and Recommendations

The use of social media as a recruitment tool for research with humans is increasing, and likely to continue to grow. Despite this, to date there has been no specific regulatory guidance and there has been little in the bioethics literature to guide investigators and institutional review boards (IRBs) faced with navigating the ethical issues such use raises. We begin to fill this gap by first defending a nonexceptionalist methodology for assessing social media recruitment; second, examining respect for privacy and investigator transparency as key norms governing social media recruitment; and, finally, analyzing three relatively novel aspects of social media recruitment: (i) the ethical significance of compliance with website “terms of use”; (ii) the ethics of recruiting from the online networks of research participants; and (iii) the ethical implications of online communication from and between participants. Two checklists aimed at guiding investigators and IRBs through the ethical issues are included as appendices.
Zero prevalence of vancomycin-resistant enterococci among Swedish preschool children.

OBJECTIVES Enterococci are a natural part of the bacterial flora of humans, animals, and insects and are frequently found in the community. Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) have emerged as a growing problem, associated with high morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of VRE among healthy Swedish preschool children and ascertain whether they constitute a reservoir for the bacteria. METHODS In total, 313 individual diapers were collected from preschools in Uppsala, Sweden. Fecal samples were screened by analyzing the color change in a broth followed by polymerase chain reaction for vanA and vanB genes, which are associated with vancomycin resistance. RESULTS Neither vanA nor vanB genes could be detected from the samples. CONCLUSIONS Preschool children in Uppsala do not constitute a reservoir for VRE. The zero prevalence is consistent with the overall decline in VRE prevalence in Sweden during the last years.