Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cooperative adaptive cruise control applying stochastic linear model predictive control strategies

In this paper a cooperative adaptive cruise control approach using stochastic, linear model predictive control strategies is presented. The presented approach deals with an urban traffic environment where vehicle to vehicle and vehicle to infrastructure communication systems are available. The goal is the minimization of a vehicle's fuel consumption in a vehicle-following scenario. This is achieved by minimizing a piecewise linear approximation of the vehicle's fuel consumption map. By means of a conditional Gaussian model the probability distribution of the upcoming velocity of the preceding vehicle is estimated based on current measurements and upcoming traffic light signals. The predicted distribution function of the predecessor's velocity is used in two ways for stochastic model predictive control. On the one hand, individual chance constraints are introduced and subsequently reformulated to obtain an equivalent deterministic model predictive control problem. On the other hand, samples are drawn from the prediction model and used for a randomized optimization approach. Finally, the two developed stochastic control strategies are evaluated and compared against a deterministic model predictive control approach by means of a virtual traffic simulation. The evaluation of the controllers show a significant reduction of the fuel consumption compared to the predecessor while increasing safety and driving comfort.
A long-term carrier of cholera: cholera Dolores.

The first known long-term carrier of cholera, found in the Philippines, is described. The carrier, Dolores M. , who had suffered from El Tor cholera in August 1962, continued intermittently to excrete vibrios of the same characteristics as the original isolates until the date of reporting (1966). Duodenal intubation proved that the vibrios are lodged in her biliary tract. Her serum antibody titre continued to remain high in the absence of vaccination against cholera.
Dieting among preadolescent and young adolescent females

WE EXAMINED THE PREVALENCE OF DIETING and negative eating attitudes among 2279 females (aged 10–14 years) in southern Ontario. Self-report questionnaires revealed that 29.3% of the girls were currently trying to lose weight and 10.5% had scores greater than the clinical threshold for disordered eating (Children's version of the Eating Attitudes Test [ChEAT] score ≥ 20). Those with elevated ChEAT scores were more likely than those with lower scores to be engaged in dieting and other extreme weight control methods.
Example-based color image manipulation and enhancement

Color transfer was introduced about 10 years ago as a technique to make rendered images look more natural by adjusting their color content on the basis of an example image. Now, color transfer is not a single algorithm but a range of methods and techniques that aim to make one image look more like another, and the technique now has applications far beyond its humble beginnings. This course helps color-transfer researchers understand where there may be further opportunities for algorithmic improvements, and it helps practitioners in creative industries such as photography, movies, and games understand how to make the most of these algorithms. The course begins with an overview of current techniques, and then presents many examples and comparisons that show when these algorithms are expected to produce their best results in still images and videos. It also shows how to choose appropriate examples to steer the results and reviews applications of color transfer that include making night-time images from day-time images, color correcting stereo pairs, and color matching photographs to stitch pre-processing to panoramas.
In vivo assessment of a nanofibrous silk tube as nerve guide for sciatic nerve regeneration

Abstract A nanofibrous silk nerve conduit has been evaluated for its efficiency based on the promotion of peripheral nerve regeneration in rats. The designed tubes with or without Schwann cells were implanted into a 10 mm gap in the sciatic nerves of the rats. Four months after the surgery, the regenerated nerves were monitored and evaluated by macroscopic assessments and histology. The results demonstrated that the nanofibrous grafts, especially in the presence of Schwann cells, enabled reconstruction of the rat sciatic nerve trunk with a restoration of nerve continuity and formation of nerve fibres with myelination. Histological data demonstrated the presence of Schwann and glial cells in regenerated nerves. This study strongly supports the feasibility of using artificial nerve grafts for peripheral nerve regeneration by bridging large defects in a rat model.
Transcriptional Regulation of JARID1B/KDM5B Histone Demethylase by Ikaros, Histone Deacetylase 1 (HDAC1), and Casein Kinase 2 (CK2) in B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia*

Impaired function of the Ikaros (IKZF1) protein is associated with the development of high-risk B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL). The mechanisms of Ikaros tumor suppressor activity in leukemia are unknown. Ikaros binds to the upstream regulatory elements of its target genes and regulates their transcription via chromatin remodeling. Here, we report that Ikaros represses transcription of the histone H3K4 demethylase, JARID1B (KDM5B). Transcriptional repression of JARID1B is associated with increased global levels of H3K4 trimethylation. Ikaros-mediated repression of JARID1B is dependent on the activity of the histone deacetylase, HDAC1, which binds to the upstream regulatory element of JARID1B in complex with Ikaros. In leukemia, JARID1B is overexpressed, and its inhibition results in cellular growth arrest. Ikaros-mediated repression of JARID1B in leukemia is impaired by pro-oncogenic casein kinase 2 (CK2). Inhibition of CK2 results in increased binding of the Ikaros-HDAC1 complex to the promoter of JARID1B, with increased formation of trimethylated histone H3 lysine 27 and decreased histone H3 Lys-9 acetylation. In cases of high-risk B-ALL that carry deletion of one Ikaros (IKZF1) allele, targeted inhibition of CK2 restores Ikaros binding to the JARID1B promoter and repression of JARID1B. In summary, the presented data suggest a mechanism through which Ikaros and HDAC1 regulate the epigenetic signature in leukemia: via regulation of JARID1B transcription. The presented data identify JARID1B as a novel therapeutic target in B-ALL and provide a rationale for the use of CK2 inhibitors in the treatment of high-risk B-ALL.
Effect of social deprivation on disease severity and outcome in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

OBJECTIVE Social deprivation is now recognised to have an important impact on morbidity and mortality. This study sought to ascertain the effect of deprivation, if any, on disease severity, functional disability, and outcome in rheumatoid patients in Glasgow. METHODS 814 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) were assessed for clinical, functional, and laboratory indices of disease activity. Deprivation categories for individual patients were determined using the Carstairs index. Five year follow up is available for 440 patients. RESULTS The study population of RA patients live largely in the most deprived areas. Patients from deprived areas have significantly poorer function at outset and at five years as defined by the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) score. This is not attributable to differences in disease duration in patients from the most deprived regions or compliance with treatment. Furthermore, these patients do not achieve over five years the initial functional level of those living in the most advantaged localities. CONCLUSION RA patients from deprived areas have poorer function, which is associated with greater need—medical, social, and paramedical. Strategies and resources for healthcare need to be adjusted according to this variation.
Printing via Photolithography on Micropartitioned Fluid Lipid Membranes

[9] Debonding of OTS molecules may be expected to lead to higher fric-tion in affected monolayer regions, as the enhanced “liquid-like” char-acter of debonded tails would give rise to an enhanced viscous dragopposing the motion of the tip. [10] Attempts to remove from the surface monolayer molecules (followinginscription of patterns in the non-destructive patterning regime) bysolvent treatments with sonication and Scotch-tape peeling failed,while exposure to solutions of OTS or NTS invariably resulted in therapid self-assembly of a stable overlayer in the tip-inscribed areas.Whether the siloxane bonds are or are not affected under such condi-tions cannot thus be conclusively decided at this stage, the patternedmonolayer displaying remarkable stability in all subsequent self-as-sembly and chemical modification operations. [11] a) R. Maoz, H. Cohen, J. Sagiv, Langmuir 1998, 14, 5988. b) C. A.Jones, M. C. Petty, G. G. Roberts, G. Davies, J. Yarwood, N. M. Rat-cliffe, J. W. Barton, Thin Solid Films 1987, 155, 187. [12] For clarity, the ocatadecylamine contributions to the -CH
Does Animation Facilitate Better Learning in Primary Education? A Comparative Study of Three Different Subjects

The research and innovation in the field of computer and technology has made significant contribution for the development of new pedagogical strategies in all levels of education. The use of digital tools like animation has changed the way of providing education, especially in primary school level, adding an element of entertainment to the process of teaching and learning. It is assumed that the use of animated instructional material can help to present a complex concept in a simple form, create more interest about the subject, motivate the pupil for better learning, increase the accuracy of the message and play a crucial role in improving the students’ academic performance. Against this background, the present paper attempts to assess the efficacy of animation on different subjects in primary education. Here, in the study, an experiment has been conducted using animation to teach three subjects Mathematics, Language and Science; and students’ performance was compared and analyzed using fuzzy statistical tools.
A Modified Least-Squares Approach to Mitigate the Effect of Collinearity in Two- Variable Regression Models

This paper presents a modification to ordinary least squares (OLS) method with a view to overcoming the ill-effects of collinearity on the OLS estimates of the regression parameters in a linear model with two explanatory variables. This modified approach leads to estimates that are, to a large extent, better than OLS estimates under the mean square error criterion and also overcome the overestimation problem that plagues the OLS estimates. Although a few attempts to get improved estimates have been made by some authors, the method developed here takes a route that has not been hitherto ventured in the context of addressing collinearity issues.
Low Vision Simulator Goggles in Pharmacy Education

Objective. To develop simulator goggles that produce disease-specific characteristics of selected low vision conditions for use in pharmacy education. Methods. Individual sets of simulator goggles were developed for glaucoma, cataracts, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and retinitis pigmentosa. Students rated the presence and severity of disease-specific characteristics after wearing each pair of goggles while manipulating medication-related materials. Results. One hundred students completed the study. Characteristic symptoms for each disease state were experienced at a moderate to severe level (p < 0.0001). Subjects indicated a high level of agreement among symptom ratings for each disease (Kendall's coefficient = 0.82). Conclusions. Low vision simulator goggles reliably produced the characteristics of selected conditions experienced in a medication management environment. Further studies are needed to identify suitable patient-centered learning activities using these goggles.
MPCS: Myanmar Preposition Checking System

For every language, preposition checker is essential component of many of Office Automation System and Machine Translation System. In addition, Myanmar prepositions play an important role of Myanmar sentences because the percentages of preposition errors are the highest in Myanmar sentence. This paper describes a Transformation Based Learning (TBL) Algorithm to the automatic correction of preposition errors in Myanmar Language. TBL uses rule templates to identify error-correcting patterns. A critical requirement in TBL is the availability of a problem domain expert to build these rule templates. In this work, Decision tree (DT) is used to automatically generate TBL rule templates. Myanmar Preposition Checking System (MPCS) which can handle missing preposition errors, misused preposition errors and unwanted preposition errors. As a Resource, a Myanmar Text Corpus is created and Myanmar3 Unicode is applied in this system. This proposed system improves the quality of corrections for Myanmar prepositions errors in students and non-native writers. It also provides the quality of machine translation system and many NLP applications. General Terms Natural Language Processing (NLP)
Konzept für ein wirtschaftliches System periodischer regionaler Preisindizes. Möglichkeiten zur Gewinnung regionaler Daten über Mieten und Immobilienpreise

Die vorliegende Expertise "Konzept fur ein wirtschaftliches System periodischer regionaler Preisvergleiche" beschaftigt sich - dem Auftrag entsprechend - vorwiegend mit der Gewinnung von Daten zu Wohnungsmieten, die fur den regionalen Vergleich geeignet sind. Da sich bei der Weiterentwicklung des HVPI abzeichnet, dass der Nutzwert des selbstgenutzten Wohnungseigentums mit der net acquisition method (Nettoerwerbsansatz)2 gemessen werden soll, verlangt die Aufgabe auch, das Datenangebot bei Immobilienpreisen und den Aufbau eines "Hauserpreisindexes" neben der Erhebung von Mieten in der amtlichen Statistik zu betrachten. Konzeptionelle Probleme des regionalen Vergleichs von Verbraucherpreisen ganz allgemein und auch die Frage der Eignung (oder besser Nichteignung) der laufenden Erhebungen zum Verbraucherpreisindex (VPI) fur derartige Vergleiche haben wir bereits andernorts behandelt.3 Diese Veroffentlichungen entstanden infolge unserer Anhorung vor dem Bundesverfassungsgericht anlasslich einer Verfassungsbeschwerde, wobei es um die Beurteilung eines Preisvergleichs zwischen bayerischen Stadten ging, der gerade auf der Basis der amtlichen VPI Daten erfolgte.
Effects of antibullying school program on bullying and health complaints.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effects of an antibullying school intervention in elementary schools. DESIGN Two-year follow-up randomized intervention group-control group. SETTING Forty-seven elementary schools in the Netherlands. PARTICIPANTS Three thousand eight hundred sixteen children aged 9 to 12 years. INTERVENTION During the first study year, an antibullying school program was implemented in the schools in the intervention group. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES A questionnaire measuring bullying behavior, depression, psychosomatic complaints, delinquent behavior, and satisfaction with school life and peer relationships was filled out by the students at 3 times to obtain the following data: a baseline measurement, a first-effect measurement at the end of the first year, and a second-effect measurement at the end of the second year. RESULTS The number of bullied children decreased by 25% in the intervention group compared with the control group (relative risk, 0.75; 95% confidence interval, 0.57-0.98). The intervention group also showed a decline in the scale scores of victimization (-1.06 vs 0.28; P< .01) and active bullying behaviors (-0.47 vs 0.12, P< .05). Self-reported peer relationships also improved in the intervention schools (0.48 vs 0.11; P< .05), and there was a trend for a decrease in reported depression in the intervention schools (-0.33 vs -0.10; P< .10). At follow-up, there were no differences between the intervention and control groups for the outcome measures. Schools had also lowered their antibullying activities during the second study year. CONCLUSIONS An antibullying school policy can reduce bullying behavior. To keep bullying at a consistently low level, schools must continue antibullying measures every year. Continued counseling may help schools in their efforts to establish a lasting antibullying policy.
Evidence for Oxidative Stress in Experimental Prion Disease

Oxidative stress has been shown to be important in several neurodegenerative disorders. Previous in vitro studies have already demonstrated the ability of a prion protein fragment to induce oxidative stress in cultured cells. By immunohistochemistry for nitrotyrosine (NT) and heme oxygenase-1 as markers for oxidative stress, we found widespread neuronal labeling for NT in scrapie-infected mouse brains, in agreement with peroxynitrite mediated neuronal degeneration. Damage by free radicals is a likely cause for neurodegeneration in prion disease, and antioxidants are a potential therapy of these disorders.
Predictive Validity of a Medication Adherence Measure in an Outpatient Setting

This study examines the psychometric properties and tests the concurrent and predictive validity of a structured, self‐reported medication adherence measure in patients with hypertension. The authors also assessed various psychosocial determinants of adherence, such as knowledge, social support, satisfaction with care, and complexity of the medical regimen. A total of 1367 patients participated in the study; mean age was 52.5 years, 40.8% were male, 76.5% were black, 50.8% graduated from high school, 26% were married, and 54.1% had income <$5,000. The 8‐item medication adherence scale was reliable (α=.83) and significantly associated with blood pressure control (P<.05). Using a cutpoint of <6, the sensitivity of the measure to identify patients with poor blood pressure control was estimated to be 93%, and the specificity was 53%. The medication adherence measure proved to be reliable, with good concurrent and predictive validity in primarily low‐income, minority patients with hypertension and might function as a screening tool in outpatient settings with other patient groups.
Preliminary Assessment of Cetacean Incidental Mortality in Artisanal Fisheries in Anakao, Southwestern Region of Madagascar

Cetacean by-catch in artisanal fisheries in the southwestern region of Madagascar was previously documented through surveys conducted in this region. To build on initial findings, a research project was conducted to further evaluate by-catch in this region. Interview surveys were conducted between October 2005 and January 2006 in four seaside villages to gather information on cetacean by-catch in artisanal fisheries. A total of 111 interviews were analyzed, resulting in an estimate in 56 by-catch events in the four villages between 2000 and 2005. These events involved in an estimate of 79 animals entangled in fishing gear, which we believe is an underestimate. Three dolphin species and humpback whales were reported accidentally caught in fishing gear meant to catch sharks. Dolphins were mostly reported as to be entangled in gillnets; conversely longlines were only described to incidentally catch humpback whales. Bottlenose and spinner dolphins were respectively 48.10% and 31.64% of total cetacean by-catch between 2000 and 2005. Improved fisheries management and effective cetacean population management are needed to mitigate threats to cetaceans from artisanal fisheries in the southwestern region.
Evaluation of an alternative extraction procedure for enterotoxin determination in dairy products

A concentration protocol based on trichloroacetic acid precipitation was evaluated and compared with the reference method using dialysis concentration. Different quantities of purified staphylococcal enterotoxins were added to pasteurized Camembert‐type cheeses. Detection of enterotoxins in these cheeses was performed using an automated detection system. Raw goat milk Camembert‐type cheeses involved in a staphylococcal food poisoning were also tested. Both enterotoxin extraction methods allowed detection of the lowest enterotoxin concentration level used in this study (0·5 ng g−1). Compared with the dialysis concentration method, TCA precipitation of staphylococcal enterotoxins was ‘user‐friendly’ and less time‐consuming. These results suggest that TCA precipitation is a rapid (1 h), simple and reliable method of extracting enterotoxin from food which gives excellent recovery from dairy products.
Effect of heifer-raising practices on E. coli antimicrobial resistance and Salmonella prevalence in heifer raisers

SUMMARY Although cattle movement and commingling play an important role in the inter-herd transmission of pathogens, little is known about the effect of commingling of heifers at raising operations. The objective of this study was to compare the resistance of E. coli and prevalence of Salmonella from pooled faecal pats of heifers raised off-farm at multi-source raisers (MULTI) that raised heifers from at least two farms compared with on-farm raisers (HOME), with heifers from only that farm. MULTI faecal pat samples were collected from pens with animals that had arrived at the farm within the previous 2 months (AP) and from animals that would be departing the heifer raiser in 2–3 months (DP). Corresponding age sampling was conducted at HOME raisers. Odds of ampicillin resistance were 3·0 times greater in E. coli collected from MULTI compared to HOME raisers. E. coli from AP pens had significantly (P < 0·05) higher odds of resistance to ampicillin, neomycin, streptomycin, and tetracycline compared to DP pens. Salmonella recovery was not significantly different between heifer-raising systems (P = 0·3). Heifer-raising system did not have a major overall impact on selection of resistant E. coli, which was strongly affected by the age of the animals sampled.
Survey of methods used to determine if a patient has a deep vein thrombosis: An exploratory research report

ABSTRACT Background: The use of evidence-based practice (EBP) is encouraged in the physical therapy profession, but integrating evidence into practice can be difficult for clinicians because of lack of time and other constraints. Objective: To survey physical therapy clinical instructors and determine the methods they use for screening for deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a type of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in the lower extremities. Design: Exploratory survey. Methods: Twelve survey questions written specifically for this study were sent to a convenience sample of clinical instructors associated with seven universities across 43 states. Results: Eight hundred fifty clinical instructors (22.4% response rate) completed the survey. Of those who responded, 80.5% were taught to use Homans sign to screen for a possible DVT in their entry-level education and 67.9% continued to use Homans sign in clinical practice. Regardless of post-graduate education, respondents were more likely to choose Homans sign than a clinical decision rule (CDR) to screen for a suspected DVT. Additionally, nearly two-thirds of respondents failed to correctly identify one or more of the major risk factors for developing a DVT/VTE. Limitations: The response rate was 22.4% and therefore may not fully represent the population of physical therapy clinical instructors in the United States. Conclusions: Results from this exploratory survey indicated that approximately two-thirds of physical therapy clinical instructors used outdated DVT/VTE screening methods that they were taught in their entry-level education and nearly two-thirds did not identify the major risk factors associated with DVT/VTE. These results suggest that change is necessary in physical therapy education, clinical practice, and continuing professional development to ensure a more evidenced-based identification of DVT and VTE.