Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Choregraphe: a graphical tool for humanoid robot programming

In this paper, we present Choregraphe: a graphical environment developed by Aldebaran Robotics for programming its humanoid robot, Nao. Choregraphe is a very powerful tool that allows macroscopic connection of high level behaviors to easily develop complex software for this 25 degrees of freedom robot. But it offers as well the ability to perform fine tuning of complex joint or Cartesian motions. At the lowest level, Choregraphe allows programming in Python.
Mechanisms and the Current State of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

ABSTRACT Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is unique among the current brain stimulation techniques because it is relatively non-invasive. TMS markedly differs from vagus nerve stimulation, deep brain stimulation and magnetic seizure therapy, all of which require either an implanted prosthesis or general anesthesia, or both. Since its rebirth in its modern form in 1985, TMS has already shown potential usefulness in at least three important domains—as a basic neuroscience research instrument, as a potential clinical diagnostic tool, and as a therapy for several different neuropsychiatric conditions. The TMS scientific literature has now expanded beyond what a single summary article can adequately cover. This review highlights several new developments in combining TMS with functional brain imaging, using TMS as a psychiatric therapy, potentially using TMS to enhance performance, and finally recent advances in the core technology of TMS. TMS' ability to non-invasively and focally stimulate the brain of an awake human is proving to be a most important development for neuroscience in general, and neuropsychiatry in particular.
T-Cell Responses to CD1-Presented Lipid Antigens in Humans with Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection

ABSTRACT CD1-restricted presentation of lipid or glycolipid antigens derived from Mycobacterium tuberculosis has been demonstrated by in vitro experiments using cultured T-cell lines. In the present work, the frequency of T-cell responses to natural mycobacterial lipids was analyzed in ex vivo studies of peripheral blood lymphocytes from human patients with pulmonary tuberculosis, from asymptomatic individuals with known contact with M. tuberculosis documented by conversion of their tuberculin skin tests, and from healthy tuberculin skin test-negative individuals or individuals vaccinated with Mycobacterium bovis BCG. Proliferation and gamma interferon enzyme-linked immunospot assays using peripheral blood lymphocytes and autologous CD1+ immature dendritic cells revealed that T cells from asymptomatic M. tuberculosis-infected donors responded with significantly greater magnitude and frequency to mycobacterial lipid antigen preparations than lymphocytes from uninfected healthy donors. By use of these methods, lipid-antigen-specific proliferative responses were minimally detectable or absent in blood samples from patients with active tuberculosis prior to chemotherapy but became detectable in blood samples drawn 2 weeks after the start of treatment. Lipid antigen-reactive T cells were detected predominantly in the CD4-enriched T-cell fractions of circulating lymphocytes, and anti-CD1 antibody blocking experiments confirmed the CD1 restriction of these T-cell responses. Our results provide further support for the hypothesis that lipid antigens serve as targets of the recall response to M. tuberculosis, and they indicate that CD1-restricted T cells responding to these antigens comprise a significant portion of the circulating pool of M. tuberculosis-reactive T cells in healthy individuals with previous exposure to M. tuberculosis.
GAS SENSING PROPERTIES AND TRANSPORT PROPERTIES OF MULTI WALLED CARBON NANOTUBES

OF THESIS GAS SENSING PROPERTIES AND TRANSPORT PROPERTIES OF MULTI WALLED CARBON NANOTUBES Multi walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) grown in highly ordered porous alumina templates were incorporated into a resistive gas sensor design and were evaluated for their sensitivities. The material characteristics and electrical properties of the nanotubes were analyzed. A study was undertaken to elucidate the effect of UV light on desorption characteristics and the dependence of sensitivity on (i) thickness of amorphous carbon layers and (ii) flow rates of analyte gases. These sensors were highly responsive to both oxidizing and reducing gases with steady state sensitivities of 5% and 10% for 100ppm of NH3 and NO2 respectively, at room temperature. As part of a comparative study, thick films of MWCNTs grown on Si/SiO2 substrates were integrated into various nano-composite based sensors and were evaluated for their response. Steady state sensitivities as high as 10% and 11% were achieved for 100ppm of NH3 and NO2 respectively, at room temperature. MWCNTs were characterized for their electrical properties by I–V measurements at room temperatures. A typical I-V curve with an ohmic behavior was observed for a device with high work function metals (example: Au, Pt); Schottky behavior was observed for devices with metal contacts having low work functions (example: Al, Cu).
Altering the conserved nucleotide binding motif in the Salmonella typhimurium MutS mismatch repair protein affects both its ATPase and mismatch binding activities.

The Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli MutS protein is one of several methyl‐directed mismatch repair proteins that act together to correct replication errors. MutS is homologous to the Streptococcus pneumoniae HexA mismatch repair protein and to the Duc1 and Rep1 proteins of human and mouse. Homology between the deduced amino acid sequence of both MutS and HexA, and the type A nucleotide binding site consensus sequence, suggested that ATP binding and hydrolysis play a role in their mismatch repair functions. We found that MutS does indeed weakly hydrolyze ATP to ADP and Pi, with a Km of 6 microM and kcat of 0.26. To show that this activity is intrinsic to MutS, we made a site‐directed mutation, which resulted in the invariant lysine of the nucleotide binding consensus sequence being changed to an alanine. The mutant MutS allele was unable to complement a mutS::Tn10 mutation in vivo, and was dominant over wild type when present in high copy number. The purified mutant protein had reduced ATPase activity, with the Km affected more severely than the kcat. Like the wild type MutS protein, the mutant protein is able to bind heteroduplex DNA specifically, but the mutant protein does so with a reduced affinity.
Gibberellin biosynthetic pathway in Gibberella fujikuroi: evidence for a gene cluster.

Differential screening of a Gibberella fujikuroi cDNA library was used to successfully clone and identify genes involved in the pathway of gibberellin biosynthesis. Several cDNA clones that hybridized preferentially to a cDNA probe prepared from mycelium induced for gibberellin production were isolated and characterized. The deduced amino acid sequences of two (identical) clones contained the conserved heme-binding motif of cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (FXXGXXXCXG). One of these cDNA fragments was used as a homologous probe for the screening of a genomic library. A hybridizing 6.7-kb genomic SalI fragment was cloned into pUC19. The sequencing of this clone revealed that a second cytochrome P450 monooxygenase gene was closely linked to the first one. Since at least four cytochrome P450 monooxygenase-catalyzed steps are involved in the synthesis of gibberellins, chromosome walking was performed to find a further gene of this family or other genes involved in gibberellin pathway. Next to the two P450 monooxygenase genes, a putative geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase gene, the copalyl diphosphate synthase gene, which is the first specific gene of the gibberellin pathway, and a third P450 monooxygenase gene were identified. These results suggest that at least some of the genes involved in the biosynthesis of gibberellins are closely linked in a gene cluster in G. fujikuroi, as has been recently found for other "dispensable" pathways in fungi.
Localization of GFP in Frozen Sections from Unfixed Mouse Tissues: Immobilization of a Highly Soluble Marker Protein by Formaldehyde Vapor

Green fluorescent protein (GFP) and its variants, such as enhanced GFP (EGFP), have been introduced into mammalian cells by transgenes, e.g., to distinguish donor from host cells after transplantation. Free GFP is extremely soluble and leaks out from liquid-covered cryostat sections so that fixation of whole organs before sectioning has been mandatory. This precludes the analysis of serial sections with respect to fixation-sensitive enzyme activities and antigens. We describe here a vapor fixation for sections from unfixed cryostat blocks of tissue that allows unrestricted enzyme and immunohistochemistry on adjacent sections, as demonstrated for cross-striated muscle and other tissues from EGFP transgenic “green mice” and for a transplantation experiment.
A case of systemic sclerosis sine scleroderma associated with perforation of an afferent loop after subtotal gastrectomy with Billroth 2 anastomosis for its severe gastrointestinal involvement

A 50-year-old man was admitted to hospital for dysphagia. The upper gastrointestinal series revealed esophageal stricture, pyloric stenosis, and hypomotile small intestine. He was diagnosed with systemic sclerosis sine scleroderma with gastrointestinal involvement. After subtotal gastrectomy with Billroth 2 anastomosis, he had recurrent intestinal pseudo-obstruction and perforation of the afferent loop. Our experience indicates that surgical procedures in bowel scleroderma, in which an afferent loop is reconstructed, could easily cause perforation of the afferent loop.
A consistency proof for some restrictions of Tait's reflection principles

In 5 , Tait identifies a set of reflection principles called \documentclass{article}\usepackage{amssymb}\begin{document}\pagestyle{empty}$\Gamma ^{(2)}_{n}$\end{document}‐reflection principles which Peter Koellner has shown to be consistent relative to the existence of κ(ω), the first ω‐Erdős cardinal 1 . Tait also defines a set of reflection principles called \documentclass{article}\usepackage{amssymb}\begin{document}\pagestyle{empty}$\Gamma ^{(m)}_{n}$\end{document}‐reflection principles; however, Koellner has shown that these are inconsistent when m > 2, but identifies restricted versions of them which he proves consistent relative to κ(ω) 2 . In this paper, we introduce a new large‐cardinal property, the α‐reflective cardinals. Their definition is motivated by Tait's remarks on parameters of third or higher order in reflection principles. We prove that if κ is ℶκ + α + 1‐supercompact and 0 < α < κ then κ is α‐reflective. Furthermore we show that α‐reflective cardinals relativize to L, and that if κ(ω) exists then the set of cardinals λ < κ(ω), such that λ is α‐reflective for all α such that 0 < α < λ, is a stationary subset of κ(ω). We show that an ω‐reflective cardinal satisfies some restricted versions of \documentclass{article}\usepackage{amssymb}\begin{document}\pagestyle{empty}$\Gamma ^{(m)}_{n}$\end{document}‐reflection, as well as all the reflection properties proved consistent in 2 .
Simultaneous Intensity Inhomogensity Correction, Registration and Segmentation of Anatomical Structures From Brain MR Images

Accurate segmentation for magnetic resonance (MR) images is an essential step in quantitative brain image analysis, and hence has attracted extensive research attention. However, due to the existence of noise and intensity inhomogeneity, also named as bias field, many segmentation methods suffer from limited accuracy. This paper presents a novel variational framework for the registration, segmentation and bias estimation simultaneously. We first presented an improved segmentation model by using the intensity statistic distributions with different means and variances in local regions. The model can estimate the bias field meanwhile segmenting images. We also proposed an anisotropic non-rigid registration method by using the structure tensor information and nonlocal information to contain the information of the image details. Finally, we defined a coupled term to combine the segmentation and registration. The registration term can provide shape information as a prior to guide the segmentation and the segmentation term can provide the edge information to guide the registration. The segmentation and registration can obtain benefit from each other. Our statistical results on both synthetic and clinical images show that the proposed method can overcome the difficulties caused by noise and bias fields and obtain more accurate results.
The critical success factors in the management of projects using innovative approaches

Rapid Application Development (RAD) promises to bring many benefits to the discipline of software engineering. The plethora of low-cost RAD tools, together with the claims made by advocates of this methodology, has led to an explosion in the use of this technique. However, comparatively little regard has been given to the project management issues of adopting RAD methodologies, upon which this paper will focus.
Evaluation of student attitudes and knowledge in a new program in international health and medicine

Ben-Gurion University (BGU) in collaboration with Columbia University inaugurated a medical school in 1998, with the expressed purpose of training physicians in International Health and Medicine (IHM). The Beer-Sheva Survey of Attitudes and Knowledge in International Health and Medicine was given to the first graduating class and three control groups. The graduates of the new program retained their positive attitudes toward IHM and increased their knowledge of the subject. Further studies are necessary to document the effect of the program on the clinical practice of its graduates.
Cross-Coupled Phase-Locked Loop with Closed Loop Amplitude Control

In this work a new version of the cross-coupled phaselocked loop (CCPLL) interference canceller is presented. This detector consists of two phase-locked loop (PLL) demodulators interconnected in such a manner as to permit one PLL to lock onto and track the instantaneous frequency of the stronger received signal, while the other loop tracks and demodulates the weaker of two received signals. In addition, the receiver includes control loops to estimate the instantaneous amplitude of both received signals. This demodulator, therefore, has the capability of detecting both the desired and interfering signals, even though the interferer may be stronger than the desired signal and may share the same frequency band. The defining nonlinear differential equations for the CCPLL structure are derived and transient acquisition responses are obtained using computer-aided analysis. The CCPLL has numerous technological applications in suppressing a wide variety of cochannel and adjacent channel interferers.
Flexible Conjugated Polymer-Based Plastic Solar Cells: From Basics to Applications

Triggered by the outstanding worldwide growth of the photovoltaic market as well as by the need of alternative energy sources in future, organic solar cells are the object of vivid interest from both industrial and academic sides. Based on the semiconducting properties of organic conjugated macromolecules, these devices possess the potential to be processed by common printing techniques. Besides being easily upscalable on rigid as well as on flexible substrates, they open the route of roll-to-roll production of low cost renewable energy sources. Today, up to 5% power conversion efficiencies are reported in this kind of plastic solar cells.
Predicting Externalizing and Internalizing Behavior in Kindergarten: Examining the Buffering Role of Early Social Support

This study tested an ecological model predicting children's behavior problems in kindergarten from risk and protective factors (parent psychological distress, parenting behavior, and social support) during early childhood. Study participants were 1,161 sociodemographically diverse mother–child pairs that participated in a longitudinal birth cohort study. The predictor variables were collected at two separate time points and based on parent reports; children were an average of 2 years old at Time 1 and 3 years old at Time 2. The outcome measures were collected when children reached kindergarten and were 6 years old on average. Our results show that early maternal psychological distress, mediated by suboptimal parenting behavior, predicts children's externalizing and internalizing behaviors in kindergarten. Moreover, early social support buffers the relations between psychological distress and later suboptimal parenting behavior and between suboptimal parenting behavior and later depressive/withdrawn behavior. Our findings have several implications for early intervention and prevention efforts. Of note, informal social support appears to play an important protective role in the development of externalizing and internalizing behavior problems, weakening the link between psychological distress and less optimal parenting behavior and between suboptimal parenting behavior and children's withdrawal/depression symptoms. Increasing social support may be a productive goal for family and community-level intervention.
Essays on the Informational Benefits of Accounting Standards for Listed Firms

Die vorliegende Arbeit erforscht Informationsvorteile durch aktuelle Rechnungslegungsregulierung fur gelistete Unternehmen anhand dreier Studien. Aus einer breiteren Marktperspektive leistet die Arbeit einen Beitrag zur Erforschung von Informationsvorteilen aus der Einfuhrung eines vollstandigen neuen Rechnungslegungsregimes, hier, der verpflichtenden Anwendung der IFRS-Standards in 32 Volkswirtschaften. Hierbei analysiert die Arbeit die Rolle von Selektionseffekten in den betroffenen Finanzmarkten (Studie 1). Die Ergebnisse weisen auf systematische Opt-Outs von Firmen aus den neu eingefuhrten IFRS- und Rechnungslegungs-Enforcement-Regimen hin. Die Ergebnisse zeigen weiter, dass diese systematischen Veranderungen der Finanzmarktstrukturen positive Liquiditatseffekte, die nach Einfuhrung der IFRS und des Rechnungslegungs-Enforcement auftreten, in den entsprechenden Finanzmarken erklaren konnen. Den Forschungsfokus auf die Informationsvorteile eines einzelnen Rechnungslegungsstandards richtend, leistet die Arbeit weiterhin einen Beitrag zur Erforschung der jungst in der internationalen Rechnungslegung eingefuhrten Fair Value Option. Hierbei untersucht sie die Umstande, unter denen so genannte kontrovers diskutierte Debt Value Adjustments durch Anderung des eigenen Bonitatsrisikos (DVAs) Informationsvorteile fur gelistete Unternehmen bereithalten (Studie 2). Die Ergebnisse indizieren, dass DVAs nur bei solchen Unternehmen wertrelevante Informationen beinhalten, die eine relativ transparente Bilanzaktivseite aufweisen, genauer: die einen relativ hohen Anteil ihrer Vermogenswerte zu verlasslichen Zeitwerten bewerten. Schlieslich leistet die Arbeit einen weiteren Beitrag zum Verstandnis der Informationsvorteile durch die Fair Value Option, indem sie umfangreiche deskriptive Befunde zur Berichterstattung von DVAs durch Manager und die Finanzpresse liefert (Studie 3). Hierbei implizieren die Ergebnisse, dass Manager uber negative, ergebnisschmalernde DVAs umfangreicher berichten als uber positive DVAs, im Einklang mit Vorwurfen von DVA-Kritikern. Im Gegensatz dazu berichtet die Finanzpresse umfassender uber positive DVAs und bildet somit ein mogliches Gegengewicht zur Managerberichterstattung. Insgesamt leistet die Arbeit somit einen Beitrag zur aktuellen Rechnungslegungsliteratur, indem sie 1. einen bisher unbekannten Weg zeigt, auf dem aktuelle Rechnungslegungsregulierung zu Informationsvorteilen fuhren kann, 2. Bedingungen fur Informationsvorteile durch aktuelle Rechnungslegungsregulierung zeigt und 3. Ermessensspielraume fur Manager bei der Berichterstattung aktueller Rechnungslegungsregulierung zeigt, die die Informationsvorteile der Regulierung fur gelistete Unternehmen moglicherweise abschwachen.
Factor VIII associated with lipidic nanoparticles retains efficacy in the presence of anti‐factor VIII antibodies in hemophilia A mice

The development of inhibitory antibodies against factor VIII (FVIII) is a major challenge in hemophilia A (HA) therapy. Such antibodies develop in nearly 30% of patients receiving replacement FVIII, abrogating therapeutic efficacy. This work evaluated whether B‐domain deleted FVIII encapsulated in phosphatidylinositol containing lipid nanoparticles (PI‐BDD FVIII) could serve as an efficacious FVIII replacement therapy in the presence of inhibitors. The HA mice were given clinically relevant doses of FVIII to develop inhibitors. The efficacy of free and PI‐BDD FVIII was studied in inhibitor‐positive HA mice using a tail clip assay. Mathematical modeling of these data was conducted to evaluate the hypothesis that lipid association sterically shields the protein from inhibitor binding. The immunization protocol resulted in a mean inhibitory titer level of 198 ± 52 BU/ml. Free BDD FVIII was ineffective at controlling blood loss in inhibitor‐positive HA mice as early as 2 h post dose. In contrast, PI‐BDD FVIII treated animals retained partial hemostatic efficacy as long as 18 h post dose. Mathematical modeling supports the hypotheses that a greater fraction of lipid‐associated FVIII remains unbound to inhibitors and that PI‐BDD FVIII has lower binding affinity to inhibitors than does the free protein. In addition, the modeling approaches extend current efforts to model the impact of immunogenicity on PK and the therapeutically meaningful endpoint of efficacy, thereby addressing an important knowledge gap, particularly in the FVIII scientific literature. Clinical translation of these findings could result in a significant improvement in the quality of care of inhibitor‐positive HA patients. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Investigating and improving the models of programming concepts held by novice programmers

The teaching of introductory computer programming seems far from successful, with many first-year students performing more poorly than expected. One possible reason for this is that novices hold ‘non-viable’ mental models (internal explanations of how something works) of key programming concepts which then cause misconceptions and difficulties. An initial study investigated the apparent viability of novices' models of fundamental programming concepts, focusing on value and reference assignment. This revealed that many students appeared to hold ‘non-viable’ mental models of these key concepts and that those students who appeared to hold viable mental models performed significantly better in programming tasks than those with non-viable models. To address this, a teaching model integrating cognitive conflict and program visualisation is proposed. A series of studies found that this teaching model is potentially effective in enhancing engagement with learning materials and may therefore help novice programmers develop a better understanding of key concepts.
Terminology and morphologic criteria of neuroblastic tumors

As part of the international cooperative effort to develop a complete set of International Neuroblastoma Risk Groups, the International Neuroblastoma Pathology Committee (INPC) initiated activities in 1994 to devise a morphologic classification of neuroblastic tumors (NTs; neuroblastoma, ganglioneuroblastoma, and ganglioneuroma).