Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cloud-Based Networked Visual Servo Control

The performance of vision-based control systems, in particular, of highly dynamic vision-based motion control systems, is often limited by the low sampling rate of the visual feedback caused by the long image processing time. In order to overcome this problem, the networked visual servo control (NVSC), which integrates networked computational resources for cloud image processing, is considered in this paper. The main contributions of this paper are the following: 1) a real-time transport protocol for transmitting large-volume image data on a cloud-computing platform, which enables high-sampling-rate visual feedback; 2) a stabilizing control law for the NVSC system with time-varying feedback time delay; and 3) a sending rate scheduling strategy aiming at reducing the communication network load. The performance of the NVSC system with sending rate scheduling is validated in an object-tracking scenario on a 14-DOF dual-arm robot. Experimental results show the superior performance of our approach. In particular, the communication network load is substantially reduced by means of the scheduling strategy without performance degradation.
Pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic evaluation of marbofloxacin as a single injection for Pasteurellaceae respiratory infections in cattle using population pharmacokinetics and Monte Carlo simulations

Population pharmacokinetic of marbofloxacin was investigated with 52 plasma concentration-time profiles obtained after intramuscular administration of Forcyl® in cattle. Animal's status, pre-ruminant, ruminant, or dairy cow, was retained as a relevant covariate for clearance. Monte Carlo simulations were performed using a stratification by status, and 1000 virtual disposition curves were generated in each bovine subpopulation for the recommended dosage regimen of 10 mg/kg as a single injection. The probability of target attainment (PTA) of pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) ratios associated with clinical efficacy and prevention of resistance was determined in each simulated subpopulation. The cumulative fraction of response (CFR) of animals achieving a PK/PD ratio predictive of positive clinical outcome was then calculated for the simulated dosage regimen, taking into account the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) distribution of Pasteurella multocida, Mannheimia haemolytica, and Histophilus somni. When considering a ratio of AUC0-24 hr /MIC (area under the curve/minimum inhibitory concentration) greater than 125 hr, CFRs ranging from 85% to 100% against the three Pasteurellaceae in each bovine subpopulation were achieved. The PTA of the PK/PD threshold reflecting the prevention of resistances was greater than 90% up to MPC (mutant prevention concentration) values of 1 μg/ml in pre-ruminants and ruminants and 0.5 μg/ml in dairy cows.
Use of data mining to check the prevalence of prostate cancer: Case of Nairobi County

Prostate cancer has been on the rise in the past years and alarming cases being found in men in their 20's. The problem is that most of the cases are diagnosed in their late stages thus the mortality rate being high. In recent years data driven analytic studies have become a common complement with novel research where different tools and algorithms are taking a centre stage in cancer research. In this research, the main objective was to use data mining to derive patterns which were used in building a prognostic tool that helps in identification of the Gleason score once screened and deciding the treatment technique. In this research, we used two popular data mining tools (R Environment and WEKA) which exhibited almost same results. The dataset contained around 485 records and 7 variables. In WEKA, a 10-fold cross-validation was used in model building and comparison between ANN and J48. The results showed that ANN is the most accurate predictor compared to J48 in all the instances displaying varying levels in the different zones created. This study contributes to society, academics and cancer research which ultimately assist in reduction of mortality rates by use of pattern recognitions which leads to better decision making. Furthermore, this is a potential impact in helping the GOK (Government of Kenya) in establishing where they should correctly place the cancer diagnosis and treatment equipment that were rolled out by the National government early 2015.
Development and validation of the interprofessional collaborator assessment rubric ((ICAR))

There have been increasing calls for a competency-based approach in interprofessional education (IPE). The purpose of this multi-site research project was to develop a validated set of interprofessional collaborator competencies and an associated competency-based assessment rubric, in both English and French languages. The first phase involved a detailed comparative analysis of peer-reviewed and grey literature using typological analysis to construct a draft list of interprofessional collaborator competency categories and statements. A two-round Delphi survey of experts was undertaken to validate these competencies. In the second phase, an assessment rubric was developed based on the validated competencies and then evaluated for utility, clarity, practicality and fairness through multi-site focus groups with students and faculty at both college and university levels. The paper outlines an approach to developing, constructing and validating a bilingual instrument for interprofessional learning and assessment. The approach was collaborative in nature, involving an interprofessional project team and respondents from across multiple health profession education programs. The Delphi survey ratings indicate a high level of agreement with the importance of the competency statements and focus group participants rated the rubric positively and felt it had value. The focus group results were also useful in pre-piloting the contextual application of the instrument across multiple health profession education programs. This rubric instrument may be used across a variety of professions and learning contexts. Future work includes evaluation of further dimensions of validity and reliability for this tool across a variety of settings.
Leader personality traits and employee job satisfaction in the media sector, Kenya

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to determine the effect of leader personality traits on employee job satisfaction. A leader personality trait on employee job satisfaction remains a cause of concern in the contemporary business environment. Design/methodology/approach The study employed an explanatory research design to establish the cause-effects between leader personality traits and employee job satisfaction. Path goal theory and Big Five-factor model of personality traits underpinned the study. Questionnaire was used to obtain data pertaining to the model’s constructs. A multiple regression equation model tested the hypotheses. Findings The study showed that leader extraversion; openness to new experiences; emotional stability; conscientiousness and agreeableness have significant effects on employee job satisfaction. The study thus concluded that leaders who portray extraversion; openness to new experiences; emotional stability; conscientiousness and agreeableness enhance employee job satisfaction. Research limitations/implications This study was only limited to leader personality traits and employee job satisfaction; as such further research area could be undertaken in leader personality traits and organizational adaptation to change. Practical implications Leaders need to communicate to employees effectively, listen to their input and feedback, mentoring and empowering them, be innovative and creative, embracing the determination of standards for task performance and be empathetic. Social implications As organizations are exposed to changes, not only to prosper but also to survive in the current dynamic changing environment, leaders must be cognizant of the fact that employee job satisfaction is the bedrock of sustainable organizational performance. Originality/value The paper enhances on how leader personality traits (Big Five-factor model of personality traits) affects employee job satisfaction and performance in organizations.
Machine Learning for Detecting Pronominal Anaphora Ambiguity in NL Requirements

Automated or semi-automated analysis of requirements specification documents, expressed in Natural Language (NL), has always been desirable. An important precursor to this goal is the identification and correction of potentially ambiguous requirements statements. Pronominal Anaphora ambiguity is one such type of pragmatic or referential ambiguity in NL requirements, which needs attention. However, identification of such ambiguous requirements statements is a challenging task since the count of such statements is relatively lower. We present a solution to this challenge by considering the task as that of a classification problem to classify ambiguous requirements statements having pronominal anaphora ambiguity from a corpus of potentially ambiguous requirements statements with pronominal anaphora ambiguity. We show how a classifier can be trained in semi-supervised manner to detect such instances of pronominal anaphoric ambiguous requirements statements. Our study indicates a recall of 95% with Bayesian network classification algorithm.
Aspects of fibromyalgia in the general population: sex, pain threshold, and fibromyalgia symptoms.

OBJECTIVE To investigate relationships between sex, pain threshold and fibromyalgia (FM) symptoms in the general population. METHODS Data were obtained from a randomized populations survey of 3,006 persons in Wichita, KS and a subsample of 391 who completed a detailed interview and had an examination. Tender point counts, dolorimetry scores, clinical and psychological variables were measured. RESULTS Dolorimetry scores were 2.04 kg/cm (1.42-2.66) lower in women than men, and women were almost 10 times more likely to have 11 tender points [OR 9.6 (2.00-46.3)] than men. Women are also more likely to have FM symptoms than men: "Pain all over," [OR 3.94 (1.34-11.38)], sleep disturbance [OR 3.06 (1.45-6.46)], fatigue [OR 4.52 (2.03-10.09)], and irritable bowel syndrome [OR 5.23 (1.83-14.96)]. Tender point counts are more correlated with FM symptoms than dolorimetry scores. CONCLUSION Symptoms of FM are correlated with pain threshold in the general population, but tender point counts correlate better than dolorimetry. These 2 measures of pain threshold assay different but overlapping factors. Pain threshold is lower in women; and women have more FM symptoms. Decreased pain threshold correlates with all of the symptoms of FM, even in those who do not meet criteria for the syndrome. This suggests that decreased pain threshold, as measured by the tender point counts, is an intrinsically important aspect of patient distress, regardless of the extent and kind of concomitant disease; and that much can be learned about patients by employing this examination.
Zaleplon Improves Sleep Quality in Maintenance Hemodialysis Patients

Background/Aim: A recent survey has shown that insomnia is still a very common problem in maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients. The aim of the present study was to test the effects of zaleplon (ZAL), a new nonbenzodiazepine hypnotic drug, on the sleep quality of MHD patients with insomnia. Methods: The sleep quality was assessed by the Pittsburgh questionnaire in 10 patients (6 males/4 females) with insomnia on MHD; these patients underwent a randomized double-blind crossover study versus placebo (PLA). The main exclusion criterion was the presence of any possible cause of insomnia related to other concurrent diseases. Results: Treatment with ZAL significantly improved the total score of sleep quality (p < 0.03 vs. PLA). The analysis of the single components revealed that treatment with ZAL was associated with a higher subjective sleep quality (p < 0.01 vs. PLA) and a reduced sleep latency (p < 0.01 vs. PLA). The duration of sleep was not modified by ZAL, whereas a significant improvement was detected in habitual sleep efficacy (p < 0.05 vs. PLA). No peculiar side effect was recorded on ZAL. Blood parameters did not change, nor were differences recorded in the dialysis parameters (body weight gain, blood pressure) throughout the study. Conclusions: This study suggests that ZAL has a positive effect on the sleep quality in MHD patients. The absence of side effects and its pharmacodynamic properties make ZAL a useful drug in uremic patients.
Managing Default Contagion in Inhomogeneous Financial Networks

The aim of this paper is to quantify and manage systemic risk caused by default contagion in the interbank market. We model the market as a random directed network, where the vertices represent financial institutions and the weighted edges monetary exposures between them. Our model captures the strong degree of heterogeneity observed in empirical data and the parameters can easily be fitted to real data sets. One of our main results allows us to determine the impact of local shocks, where initially some banks default, to the entire system and the wider economy. Here the impact is measured by some index of total systemic importance of all eventually defaulted institutions. As a central application, we characterize resilient and non-resilient cases. In particular, for the prominent case where the network has a degree sequence without second moment, we show that a small number of initially defaulted banks can trigger a substantial default cascade. Our results complement and extend significantly earlier findings derived in the configuration model where the existence of a second moment of the degree distribution is assumed. As a second main contribution, paralleling regulatory discussions, we determine minimal capital requirements for financial institutions sufficient to make the network resilient to small shocks. An appealing feature of these capital requirements is that they can be determined locally by each institution without knowing the complete network structure as they basically only depend on the institution's exposures to its counterparties.
BRAZILIAN HEALTH TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT BULLETIN: EDITORIAL PROCESS, DISSEMINATION STRATEGIES, CRITICAL APPRAISAL, AND INITIAL IMPACT

Objectives: This study reports on the Brazilian experience of developing a specialized bulletin, the Brazilian Health Technology Assessment Bulletin (BRATS), on health technology assessments (HTA). Methods: The editorial process, format, and dissemination strategy of the publication are presented. A critical appraisal of the available issues was made using the checklist for HTA reports of the International Network of Agencies for Health Technology Assessment. The initial impact was estimated based on a retrospective observational measurement of the types of publications that cite the bulletin as a source of information. The publications citing BRATS were identified using Google Scholar. Results: Since June 2008, fourteen issues of the bulletin have been produced. BRATS has not presented any significant limitation that would compromise generalizations of its results within the Brazilian context. The initial impact of the bulletin, however, has been small, which may be due to its exclusively electronic dissemination format and technical language. We found nine publications citing BRATS in Google Scholar. Conclusions: It is hoped that the bulletin will promote the continuity of HTA actions among health-sector managers and professionals in Brazil.
The International Society for Bipolar Disorders (ISBD) task force report on antidepressant use in bipolar disorders.

OBJECTIVE The risk-benefit profile of antidepressant medications in bipolar disorder is controversial. When conclusive evidence is lacking, expert consensus can guide treatment decisions. The International Society for Bipolar Disorders (ISBD) convened a task force to seek consensus recommendations on the use of antidepressants in bipolar disorders. METHOD An expert task force iteratively developed consensus through serial consensus-based revisions using the Delphi method. Initial survey items were based on systematic review of the literature. Subsequent surveys included new or reworded items and items that needed to be rerated. This process resulted in the final ISBD Task Force clinical recommendations on antidepressant use in bipolar disorder. RESULTS There is striking incongruity between the wide use of and the weak evidence base for the efficacy and safety of antidepressant drugs in bipolar disorder. Few well-designed, long-term trials of prophylactic benefits have been conducted, and there is insufficient evidence for treatment benefits with antidepressants combined with mood stabilizers. A major concern is the risk for mood switch to hypomania, mania, and mixed states. Integrating the evidence and the experience of the task force members, a consensus was reached on 12 statements on the use of antidepressants in bipolar disorder. CONCLUSIONS Because of limited data, the task force could not make broad statements endorsing antidepressant use but acknowledged that individual bipolar patients may benefit from antidepressants. Regarding safety, serotonin reuptake inhibitors and bupropion may have lower rates of manic switch than tricyclic and tetracyclic antidepressants and norepinephrine-serotonin reuptake inhibitors. The frequency and severity of antidepressant-associated mood elevations appear to be greater in bipolar I than bipolar II disorder. Hence, in bipolar I patients antidepressants should be prescribed only as an adjunct to mood-stabilizing medications.
The serine protease Corin is a novel modifier of the agouti pathway

The hair follicle is a model system for studying epithelial-mesenchymal interactions during organogenesis. Although analysis of the epithelial contribution to these interactions has progressed rapidly, the lack of tools to manipulate gene expression in the mesenchymal component, the dermal papilla, has hampered progress towards understanding the contribution of these cells. In this work, Corin was identified in a screen to detect genes specifically expressed in the dermal papilla. It is expressed in the dermal papilla of all pelage hair follicle types from the earliest stages of their formation, but is not expressed elsewhere in the skin. Mutation of the Corin gene reveals that it is not required for morphogenesis of the hair follicle. However, analysis of the `dirty blonde' phenotype of these mice reveals that the transmembrane protease encoded by Corin plays a critical role in specifying coat color and acts downstream of agouti gene expression as a suppressor of the agouti pathway.
Insulin stimulates laser Doppler signal by rat muscle in vivo, consistent with nutritive flow recruitment.

Insulin-mediated increases in limb blood flow are thought to enhance glucose uptake by skeletal muscle. Using the perfused rat hindlimb, we report that macro laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) probes positioned on the surface of muscle detect changes in muscle capillary (nutritive) flow. With this as background, we examined the effects of insulin and adrenaline (epinephrine), which are both known to increase total leg blood flow, on the LDF signals from scanning and stationary probes on the muscle surface in vivo. The aim is to assess the relationship between capillary recruitment, total limb blood flow and glucose metabolism. Glucose infusion rate, femoral arterial blood flow (FBF) and muscle LDF, using either scanning or a stationary probe positioned over the biceps femoris muscle, were measured. With scanning LDF, animals received insulin (10 m-units x min(-1) x kg(-1)), adrenaline (0.125 microg.min(-1) x kg(-1)) or saline. By 1 h, insulin had increased the glucose infusion rate from 0 to 128 micromol.min(-1) x kg(-1) and the scanning LDF had increased by 62+/-8% (P<0.05), but FBF was unaffected. Adrenaline increased FBF by 49% at 15 min, but LDF was unchanged. With saline at 1 h, neither FBF nor LDF had changed. With the stationary LDF surface probe, insulin at 1 h had increased FBF by 47% (P<0.05) and LDF by 47% (P<0.05) relative to saline controls. Adrenaline increased FBF (39%), but LDF was unaltered. The stimulation of LDF by insulin is consistent with capillary recruitment (nutritive flow) as part of the action of this hormone in vivo. The recruitment may be independent of changes in total flow, as adrenaline, which also increased FBF, did not increase LDF. The time of onset suggests that LDF closely parallels glucose uptake. Thus, depending on probe design, measurement of muscle haemodynamic effects mediated by insulin in normally responsive and insulin-resistant patients should be possible.
Simulation framework for testing Piketty’s predictions

It is well known that Piketty’s claim that inequality rises whenever interest rates are higher than economic growth does not hold true in general. However, two of his conjectures are worth of testing: 1) that inequality can grow by a simple capital accumulation, i.e. the rich can get even richer both in absolute and in relative terms just by saving a part of their interest incomes, and 2) that slow economic growth can raise inequality. This paper develops a general simulation framework for testing which assumptions are necessary to get these outcomes. It also tests the conjectures in a simulated heterogeneous Solow model. The simulation shows that inequality does not grow by capital accumulation when there is no economic growth in the model.
Selective internalization of monoclonal antibodies by B‐cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia cells

Summary. B‐cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (B‐CLL) cannot be cured by conventional chemotherapy, therefore, toxin‐linked therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are increasingly examined for their potential to improve clinical outcome. The current study aimed to identify mAbs that were internalized by the B‐CLL cells of 14 patients, using both flow cytometry and confocal laser scanning microscopy. Anti‐CD5, CD22 and CD40 mAbs were effectively taken up by B‐CLL cells, whereas mAbs against CD19, CD20, CD23 and CD45 were not. This study may form a basis for further research to identify antibodies that may serve as carriers for toxins to treat B‐CLL.
Cooperative caching through routing control in information-centric networks

Information-centric network (ICN), which is one of the prominent Internet re-design architectures, relies on in-network caching for its fundamental operation. However, previous works argue that the performance of in-network caching is highly degraded with the current cache-along-default-path design, which makes popular objects to be cached redundantly in many places. Thus, it would be beneficial to have a distributed and uncoordinated design. Although cooperative caches could be an answer to this, previous research showed that they are generally unfeasible due to excessive signaling burden, protocol complexity, and a need for fault tolerance. In this work we illustrate the ICN caching problem, and propose a novel architecture to overcome the problem of uncooperative caches. Our design possesses the cooperation property intrinsically. We utilize controlled off-path caching to achieve almost 9-fold increase in cache efficiency, and around 20% increase in server load reduction when compared to the classic on-path caching used in ICN proposals.