Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Localization and Mapping with Autonomous Robots

The field of robotics is becoming increasingly important in our society. Today, robots can be found in almost every aspect of our daily lives. Most of these robots are quite primitive and can only executed simple tasks. Some robots are more advanced and can be described as autonomous. So the question arises: which properties and skills does a robot need in order to be considered autonomous? The first thing that comes to mind is, that the robot must be able to move and perform other actions without direct external control information. Secondly, the robot needs a goal, as without a goal the robot does not know what to do and might perform erratic actions or non at all. In order to perform movements without crashing into obstacles, a robot needs to see its environment. Another requirement for independent movement is a robots ability to find out where it is located in its current environment. These two skills enable a robot to circumnavigate directly visible obstacles and exhibit seemingly autonomous movements. If we want to let a robot navigate to a destination point, in other words supply it with a goal, the robot must be able to ‘remember’ the environment in order to plan a path from its position to the desired destination. Additionally, sensors and actuators used by robots are usually very inaccurate and error prone. One can never rely on the correctness of measurements or the accurate execution of movement instructions. Therefore one must find a way to deal with this uncertainty during the localization and mapping processes. So in order to construct an autonomous robot it needs to remember its environment, in other words: it has to generate a map. Therefore this activity is called mapping. It also must calculate its position relative to this map, this is called localization. This thesis will examine the theoretical foundations of these techniques and how they deal with the omnipresent problem of uncertainty. Additionally it will illustrate how to implement localization and mapping for a typical sensor equipped robot.
Programmable quantum-state discriminator by nuclear magnetic resonance

A programmable quantum-state discriminator is implemented by using nuclear magnetic resonance. We use a two-qubit spin-1/2 system, one for the data qubit and one for the ancilla (program) qubit. This device does the unambiguous (error-free) discrimination of a pair of states of the data qubit that are symmetrically located about a fixed state. The device is used to discriminate both linearly polarized states and elliptically polarized states. The maximum probability of successful discrimination is achieved by suitably preparing the ancilla qubit. It is also shown that the probability of discrimination depends on the angle of the unitary operator of the protocol and ellipticity of the data qubit state.
Meta‐analysis of problem solving therapy for the treatment of major depressive disorder in older adults

Major depressive disorder (MDD) affects many older adults and is associated with poor medical and mental health outcomes. Problem Solving Therapy (PST) has emerged as a promising psychotherapy for MDD in older adults, although the efficacy of PST in this population has not been well described. We examined the effectiveness of PST for the treatment of MDD in older adults in a systematic review and meta‐analysis.
Raptor Forward Error Correction Scheme for Object Delivery

This document describes a Fully-Specified Forward Error Correction (FEC) scheme, corresponding to FEC Encoding ID 1, for the Raptor forward error correction code and its application to reliable delivery of data objects. Raptor is a fountain code, i.e., as many encoding symbols as needed can be generated by the encoder on-the-fly from the source symbols of a source block of data. The decoder is able to recover the source block from any set of encoding symbols only slightly more in number than the number of source symbols. The Raptor code described here is a systematic code, meaning that all the source symbols are among the encoding symbols that can be generated. [STANDARDS-TRACK]
Intermediate to long-term results following the bernese periacetabular osteotomy and predictors of clinical outcome: surgical technique.

BACKGROUND The Bernese periacetabular osteotomy is a commonly used non-arthroplasty option to treat developmental hip dysplasia in symptomatic younger patients. Predicting which hips will remain preserved and which hips will go on to require arthroplasty following periacetabular osteotomy is a major challenge. In the present study, we assessed the intermediate to long-term results following periacetabular osteotomy to demonstrate the clinical outcomes for patients with varying amounts of dysplasia and arthritis. From these results, a probability-of-failure analysis was conducted to predict the likelihood of hip preservation and to improve surgical decision-making. METHODS Of the 189 hips (in 157 patients) that were treated with periacetabular osteotomy by a single surgeon from May 1991 to September 1998, thirty-one had diagnoses other than developmental hip dysplasia and twenty-three were lost to follow-up. The remaining 135 hips (in 109 patients) were retrospectively reviewed at an average of nine years. Hips were evaluated with use of the pain subscale of the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index postoperatively as well as with radiographs that were made preoperatively and at one and more than five years postoperatively. Osteotomy failure was defined as a pain score of ≥10 or the need for total hip arthroplasty. RESULTS One hundred and two hips (76%) remained preserved at an average of nine years, with an average Western Ontario and McMaster Universities pain score of 2.4 of 20. Thirty-three hips (24%) met the failure criteria: seventeen underwent arthroplasty at an average of 6.1 years after the osteotomy, and sixteen had a postoperative pain score of ≥10. Kaplan-Meier analysis with arthroplasty as the end point revealed a survival rate of 96% (95% confidence interval, 93% to 99%) at five years and 84% (95% confidence interval, 77% to 90%) at ten years. Complications occurred in twenty hips. Fifteen hips (11%) were treated with a subsequent arthroscopy because of chondral and/or labral lesions at an average of 6.8 years after the osteotomy. Two independent predictors of failure (defined as arthroplasty or a high pain score) were identified: (1) an age of more than thirty-five years and (2) poor or fair preoperative joint congruency. The probability of failure requiring arthroplasty was 14% for hips with no predictors of failure, 36% for those with one predictor (either an age of more than thirty-five years or poor or fair joint congruency), and 95% for those with both predictors. CONCLUSIONS The Bernese periacetabular osteotomy can be effective for the treatment of painful hip dysplasia, but complications may be expected in as many as 15% of cases. The ideal candidate is the patient who is less than thirty-five years of age and who has good or excellent hip joint congruency.
Mechanisms of growth inhibition of Phytomonas serpens by the alkaloids tomatine and tomatidine

Phytomonas serpens are flagellates in the family Trypanosomatidae that parasitise the tomato plant (Solanum lycopersicum L.), which results in fruits with low commercial value. The tomato glycoalkaloid tomatine and its aglycone tomatidine inhibit the growth of P. serpens in axenic cultures. Tomatine, like many other saponins, induces permeabilisation of the cell membrane and a loss of cell content, including the cytosolic enzyme pyruvate kinase. In contrast, tomatidine does not cause permeabilisation of membranes, but instead provokes morphological changes, including vacuolisation. Phytomonas treated with tomatidine show an increased accumulation of labelled neutral lipids (BODYPY-palmitic), a notable decrease in the amount of C24-alkylated sterols and an increase in zymosterol content. These results are consistent with the inhibition of 24-sterol methyltransferase (SMT), which is an important enzyme that is responsible for the methylation of sterols at the 24 position. We propose that the main target of tomatidine is the sterols biosynthetic pathway, specifically, inhibition of the 24-SMT. Altogether, the results obtained in the present paper suggest a more general effect of alkaloids in trypanosomatids, which opens potential therapeutic possibilities for the treatment of the diseases caused by these pathogens.
Specifications overview for counter mode of operation. Security aspects in case of faults

In 2001, after a selection process, NIST added the counter mode of operation to be used with the advanced encryption standard (AES). In the NIST recommendation a standard incrementing function is defined for generation of the counter blocks which are encrypted for each plaintext block, IPsec Internet draft (R. Housley et al., May 2003) and ATM security specifications contain implementation specifications for counter mode standard incrementing function. In this paper we present those specifications. We analyze the probability to reveal useful information in case of faults in standard incrementing function described in NIST recommendation. The confidentiality of the mode can be compromised with the fault model presented in this paper. We recommend another solution to be used in generation of the standard incrementing function in the context of the counter mode.
A digital technique for reducing clock jitter effects in time-interleaved A/D converter

Time-interleaved A/D converter is an effective approach to increase the data throughput. However, it suffers from clock jitter existing in the multi-phase clocks, which degrade the converter's Spurious-Free-Dynamic-Range (SFDR) as well as the Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR). In this paper, a digital technique is proposed to reduce these non-ideal effects by obtaining a better estimation on the output data through the use of interpolation. Simulation results show that the proposed technique significantly improves the SFDR by 20/spl sim/50 dB.
Board Characteristics, Performance and Risk Taking Behaviour in Tunisian Banks

The existing literature provides conflicting views of the relationship among board characteristics; performance(Return on Assets and Return on Equity) and bank risk taking (Z-score). The relation between characteristics ofcorporate boards, firm performance and risk taking continues to be a fundamental issue in the corporategovernance literature. Findings of this literature are often inconclusive. The main contribution of this study is ananalysis of how board characteristics affect performance and incentives to take risk in banking industry. Weexplore this relationship by using both generalized least square (GLS) random effect (RE) and generalizedmethod of moments (GMM) system approaches. The empirical analysis based on a sample of 11 large Tunisiancommercial banks during 1997-2006, reports the following robust results: a small bank board is associated withmore performance and with more bank risk-taking, the presence of independent directors within the board ofdirectors affects negatively the performance, but has no significant effect on the risk-taking, a lower CEOownership is associated with lower performance in Tunisian banks, banks with high charter value are associatedwith lower ROA and ROE and more bank risk and the small size banks institutions appear to assume lower risks.Our results support the idea, commonly accepted, that bank board structure is a determinant factor for bankperformance and bank risk taking.
An inter-disciplinary approach to design

The doctoral research study referred to in this paper is the fusion of two disciplines that have both been instrumental in creating an environmentally conscious product. Inter-disciplinary studies in the field of materials science and industrial design converge with the aim to help push each discipline further in the pursuit for advanced knowledge in materials development and designed outcomes. The above approach facilitated significant breakthroughs in both disciplines: in materials science through drastic improvement of adhesion properties of timber through rigorous scientific research and in product design through utilising product performance requirements for advanced industrial design as a means for innovation. An environmentally friendly water-based process for surface modification of timber, developed by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) was tested for its potential ability to enhance adhesion of timber products and then implemented into the product design process. The surface modification process applied to the outermost surface of timber neutralises natural extractives and chemically bonds adhesive promoting molecular chains to the timber’s surface. The process is carried out to significantly increase the quality of adhesion of an applied decorative or protective coating. The ensuing testing confirmed a drastic increase in the bond strength for all timber species investigated in this project by an average factor of four-fold, with some species achieving a 10-fold strength increase. The successful outcome of this scientific research is subsequently applied in the development of a timber window frame that utilises this new surface modification technology to create an environmentally friendly product outcome. Surface-engineered, sustainably produced regrowth timber used in this work provides the performance comparable, and in some cases better, than unsustainable hardwoods which currently dominate the timber window frame market. The design segment of this research utilises a design process based on technology-led design strategies. Technology-led design requires that the existing and accepted design methodologies, based on user and producer design parameter paradigms, are reconfigured. While the needs of potential users for any new product have to be met, the design strategies are typically directed and restrained by the material’s design limits and current manufacturing practices and considerations.
Position-based Vehicular Communication for Intelligent Transport Systems. (Communication Véhiculaires par géolocalisation pour Systèmes de Transports Intelligents)

From the bullock carts of the world's earliest civilizations to the SUVs of the present, human dependence on vehicles for transportation remains unavoidable. The rapid growth of transportation facilities today, coupled with an ever-increasing human desire to travel quicker, lead to many serious transportation problems: accidents, pollution and traffic-jams. In an effort to alleviate these problems, various approaches to support the underlying transport system have been proposed. Outcomes of the effort exist in the form of: variable message sign - displaying traffic situation to the drivers on highway, speed bumps - preventing accidents by cutting down the high-speed drivers in urban areas, and randomly forbidding odd or even license-plated cars to enter city centres on a highly polluted day in order to control pollution. In the latter part of the twentieth century, efforts to introduce intelligence into transportation systems, were considered one of the prime factors for sustainability of the existing transport infrastructure. Initially, the efforts were restricted to manual surveillance level - using cameras and informing users via message signs about traffic incidents. Eventually, with the advent of wireless communication, research on leveraging wireless communication between vehicles began. By enabling vehicles to detect and communicate, about traffic incidents, with other vehicles, a geographically localized and de-centralized awareness about traffic situation can be achieved and is therefore an important factor for the deployment of a large-scale Intelligent Transport System (ITS). The prime challenge today is to enable efficient and reliable communication among vehicles, in order to reduce, if not entirely remove, the aforementioned problems: accidents - through active safety; pollution and traffic-jams - through fluid traffic flow and by guiding transport users to take routes that save cost and emission. The purpose of this manuscript is to provide a component for realizing the deployment of largescale ITS: communication between moving vehicles on land. More specifically, this manuscript is dedicated to the development of a broadcast algorithm "Multi-Hop Vehicular Broadcast" (MHVB), using location information of vehicles.
High-fat diet exposure from pre-pubertal age induces polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in rats.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is associated with hyperandrogenism, oligo-anovulation, polycystic ovaries and metabolic syndrome. Many researchers reported that PCOS often starts with menarche in adolescents. Presently available animal model focuses on ovarian but not metabolic features of PCOS. Therefore, we hypothesized that high-fat diet feeding to pre-pubertal female rats results in both reproductive and metabolic features of PCOS. Pre-pubertal female rats were divided into two groups: group I received normal pellet diet and group II received high-fat diet (HFD). In the letrozole study, adult female rats were divided into two groups: group I received 1% carboxy methyl cellulose and group II received 1 mg/kg letrozole orally. Oral glucose tolerance test, lipid profile, fasting glucose, insulin, estrus cycle, hormonal profile, ovary weight, luteinizing hormone (LH) receptor and follicle-stimulating hormone receptor expression were measured. Polycystic ovarian morphology was assessed through histopathological changes of ovary. Feeding of HFD gradually increase glucose intolerance and fasting insulin levels. Triglyceride level was higher in HFD study while total cholesterol level was higher in the letrozole study. Alteration in testosterone and estrogen levels was observed in both studies. LH receptor expression was upregulated only in HFD study. Histopathological changes like increase cystic follicle, diminished granulosa cell layer and thickened theca cell layer were observed in letrozole as well as HFD study. High-fat diet initiated at pre-puberty age in rats produces both metabolic disturbances and ovarian changes similar to that observed clinically in PCOS patients. Letrozole on the other hand induces change in ovarian structure and function.
Convalescence from influenza. A study of the psychological and clinical determinants.

In a recent study1of convalescence from acute brucellosis the findings strongly supported the view that delay or failure in symptomatic recovery from that disorder is critically dependent upon the emotional state or attitude of the person. While no objective clinical or laboratory findings differentiated those persons who recovered quickly and completely from those who retained symptoms for a long period of time (chronic brucellosis), there were striking differences between these two groups in terms of psychological adjustment and life situation concurrent with the acute phase of the infection. The evidence pointed to the importance of depression particularly in retarding symptomatic recovery from the illness. The study of convalescence of patients with brucellosis was done retrospectively in that the persons were investigated medically and psychologically some time after the acute illness had been contracted. We felt reasonably assured that certain features of the study enabled us to differentiate between
Off-Body channel modelling at 2.45 GHz for two different antennas

This paper presents a space-time varying channel model for Off-Body scenarios. Real-time measurements at 2.45 GHz were performed using two different antennas, in order to investigate the impact of antenna polarisation on channel characteristics. Channel gain and fading models were extracted in both Line-of-Sight (LOS) and Non Line-of-Sight (NLOS) conditions. A shadowing characterization, which accounts for the angular orientation of the human body, is also presented.
PROTEASE-ACTIVATED RECEPTOR (PAR)1 ALTERS BIOELECTRIC PROPERTIES OF DISTAL LUNG EPITHELIA WITHOUT COMPROMISING BARRIER FUNCTION

Proteinases contribute to the pathogenesis of various lung diseases, partly through activating cell surface receptors by limited proteolytic cleavage. The authors provide evidence that in primary cultures of distal lung epithelia, basolateral protease-activated receptor 1 activation rapidly reduces transepithelial resistance but does not alter paracellular permeability to small uncharged solutes. Changes in transepithelial resistance were partially blocked by ion transport inhibitors and were completely blocked by placing cells in low chloride buffer. In vivo studies did not reveal enhanced lung permeability in response to pulmonary or intravenous administration of protease-activated receptor 1 activators. This information is relevant as strategies to inhibit protease-activated receptor 1 signaling are considered in order to preserve lung epithelial barrier function.
Postacute stroke guideline compliance is associated with greater patient satisfaction.

OBJECTIVE To determine if the structure of care or the process of stroke care, as measured by compliance with stroke guidelines published by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), is associated with patient satisfaction. DESIGN Prospective inception cohort study of new stroke admissions including postacute care with follow-up interviews at 6 months poststroke. SETTING Eleven Veterans Affairs medical centers (VAMCs). PARTICIPANTS A total of 288 new stroke patients admitted to VAMCs. INTERVENTIONS Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Compliance with AHRQ stroke guidelines and patient satisfaction with care using a stroke-specific instrument. RESULTS Process of care was positively and significantly associated with greater patient satisfaction even after controlling for patient functional outcome. The most visible (to the patient) process of care dimensions correlated most highly with patient satisfaction. Sixty-four percent (73/115) of patients expressed some dissatisfaction with 1 or more survey items. CONCLUSIONS "What we do" and "how we do it" while providing postacute care to stroke patients was associated with patient satisfaction. This linkage of process to outcome is an important validation of satisfaction as a significant patient outcome. This linkage is further evidence that compliance with AHRQ stroke guidelines may be a valid quality of care indicator.