Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Passivity and Passification for Networked Control Systems

This paper investigates the problems of passivity analysis and passification for network-based linear control systems. A new sampled-data model is first formulated based on the updating instants of the ZOH (zeroth order hold), where the physical plant and the controller are, respectively, in continuous time and discrete time. In this model, network-induced delays, data packet dropouts, and signal measurement quantization have been taken into account. The measurement quantizer is assumed to be logarithmic, and the network-induced delays are assumed to have both a lower bound and an upper bound, which is more general than those assumptions used in the literature. The key idea is to transform the sampled-data model into a linear system with two successive delay components in the state. Then, by using a Lyapunov-Krasovskii approach plus the free weighting matrix technique, a passivity performance condition is formulated in the form of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs). Based on this condition, two procedures are proposed for designing passification controllers, which guarantee that the closed-loop networked control system (NCS) is passive. Finally, two illustrative examples are presented: one shows the advantage of introducing the lower bound of transmission delays and shows how much the quantization behavior affects the passivity performance; the other illustrates the applicability and effectiveness of the proposed passification results.
Solution Continuity in Monotone Affine Variational Inequalities

In this paper we study the behavior of solutions of finite-dimensional monotone affine variational inequalities posed over graph-convex polyhedral multifunctions. We identify precisely the class of positive semidefinite linear transformations appearing in these variational inequalities for which the solution sets will be Lipschitzian in the argument of the underlying multifunction. This class is that of cocoercive linear transformations, which include, but are not limited to, those appearing in problems of linear or of convex quadratic programming.
Expression and in situ localization of GATA4, 5 and 6 mRNAs in ovine conceptuses and uterine endometria during the peri-implantation period.

In vertebrates, six GATA transcription factors, GATA1 through GATA6, have been identified and GATA1-3 is known to be involved in hematopoietic developments, while GATA4-6 play roles in cardiac and endoderm developments. Recently, we and others have found that GATA2 and GATA3 found in the trophectoderm plays a role in gene expression specific to this cell type, but GATA4-6 have not been well characterized in early embryonic developments. Using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and in situ hybridization, we examined the expression of GATA4, 5 and 6 messenger RNAs (mRNAs) in ovine conceptuses and uteri during the peri-implantation period. In ovine conceptuses, GATA4, 5 and 6 transcripts were present on days 15, 17 and 21 (day 0 = day of mating), and high GATA5 and 6 mRNAs were found on day 21, most of which were localized in the trophectoderm and endoderm. Moreover, minute and substantial GATA4 and 5 mRNAs were found in days 15 and 21 uterine endometria, respectively. Increase in GATA4-6 transcripts in day 21 uteri indicates that in addition to GATA1-3, GATA4-6 may also play a potentially novel role in the development of ovine trophectoderm, endoderm and/or uterine endometria following conceptus attachment to the uterine epithelium.
Effects of General Incidence and Polymer Joining on Nucleated Polymerization in a Model of Prion Proliferation

Two processes are incorporated into a new model for transmissible prion diseases. These are general incidence for the lengthening process of infectious polymers attaching to and converting noninfectious monomers, and the joining of two polymers to form one longer polymer. The model gives rise to a system of three ordinary differential equations, which is shown to exhibit threshold behavior dependent on the value of the parameter combination giving the basic reproduction number ${\mathcal{R}_0}$. For ${\mathcal{R}_0} 1$, the system is locally asymptotic to a positive disease equilibrium. The effect of both general incidence and joining is to decrease the equilibrium value of infectious polymers and to increase the equilibrium value of normal monomers. Since the onset of disease symptoms appears to be related to the number of infectious polymers, both processes may significantly inhibit the course of the disease. With general incidence, the equ.
Effects of dietary Centella asiatica (L.) Urban on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, blood composition in piglets vaccinated with Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae.

To investigate the effects of Centella asiatica (L.) on growth performance, nutrient digestibility and blood composition in piglets, 32 nursery pigs were fed 0.0, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0% dietary C. asiatica (L.) from 15 to 90 kg BW. At 30 kg BW, nutrient digestibility was measured and at 35 kg BW piglets were vaccinated with Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae. Hematological parameters were checked at 40 and 80 kg BW. Compared with the control, growth performance was not affected. The ether extract, ash and calcium digestibility were lower at 0.5%, and dry matter, crude protein, crude fat, phosphorus and energy digestibility were lower at 1.0% (P<0.05). On hematological values, at 40 kg hematocrit, total white blood cells, neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils, monocytes and lymphocytes were higher at the 2.0% level (P<0.05). Most of these values except basophils and monocytes continued until at 80 kg, at which total white blood cells, neutrophils, eosinophils and lymphocytes were higher even at 1.0% (P<0.05); neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio tended to be higher at 2.0% (P<0.03). Cholesterol, triglycerides and antibody levels against M. hyopneumoniae did not differ except that at 40 kg the cholesterol of 0.5% was lower (P<0.05) and M. hyopneumoniae-specific antibodies tended to be higher with increasing levels of C. asiatica (L.) (P<0.07). The result that C. asiatica (L.) could not improve growth performance but increased values of serum hematocrit and white blood cells, and mycoplasma immunity to M. hyopneumoniae might suggest that C. asiatica (L.) has no function to elevate body weight but has the potential to enhance innate immunity.
A Multilegged Modular Robot That Meanders: Investigation of Turning Maneuvers Using Its Inherent Dynamic Characteristics

This paper deals with the motion of a multilegged modular robot. The robot consists of a set of homogenous modules, each of which has a body and two legs and is connected to the others through a three-degree-of-freedom rotary joint. The leg joints are manipulated to follow periodic desired trajectories, and the joints between the modules act like a passive spring with a damper. This robot has characteristic dynamic properties. Specifically, a straight walk naturally turns into a meandering walk by changing the compliance of the joints between the modules without incorporation of any oscillatory inputs. We first show that this transition is excited due to a Hopf bifurcation, based on a numerical simulation and Floquet analysis. Following that, we examine whether the maneuverability and agility of the robot increase by utilizing the dynamic characteristics inherent in the robot. In particular, we conduct an experiment in which the robot pursues a target moving across the floor. We propose a simple controlle.
A Fast Algorithm for the Calculation of the Roots of Special Functions

We describe a procedure for the determination of the roots of functions satisfying second-order ordinary differential equations, including the classical special functions. The scheme is based on a combination of the Prufer transform with the classical Taylor series method for the solution of ordinary differential equations and requires $O(1)$ operations for the determination of each root. When the functions in question are classical orthogonal polynomials (Legendre, Hermite, etc.), the techniques presented here also provide tools for the evaluation of the weights for the associated Gaussian quadratures. The performance of the scheme for several classical special functions (prolate spheroidal wave functions, Bessel functions, and Legendre, Hermite, and Laguerre polynomials) is illustrated with numerical examples.
Effective Control Synthesis for Partially Observed Discrete-Event Systems

Control under partial observations is studied within the infinite-string supervisory control framework. It is shown that, provided that there are no pure liveness assumptions embodied in the plant model (technically, the $\omega$-language generated by the plant is the limit of the finite-string language generated), the problem of synthesizing a centralized supervisor reduces to the case of complete observations; the result involves constructions similar to those used to “determinize” nondeterministic automata on infinite strings.
One-Dimensional Algorithm for Finding Eigenbasis of the Schrödinger Operator

Schrodinger equations are used to model numerous applications arising in quantum chemistry and physics. Most of these applications have no analytical solutions and need to be solved numerically, often an extremely challenging task. This paper offers an efficient multigrid/multiscale solver for the one-dimensional Schrodinger eigenvalue problem, a preliminary step toward developing solvers to application-rich two-dimensional problems. The solver employs a gradual multiscale eigenbasis representation that allows calculation and storage of only a small number of eigenfunction representatives on the expensive finest grids and a full eigenbasis representation and calculation on the coarsest grids. This structure not only allows calculation and storage of the entire eigenbasis in $O(N\log N)$ operations, but it is also beneficial for many applications. The algorithms will be eventually adapted for solving the Schrodinger equation as it appears in the Kohn-Sham formulation for calculating electronic structure, though in this paper the nonlinearity of the problem (dependence of potentials on low eigenfunctions) is not discussed.
Sacrococcygeal chondroid chordoma: A case report with brief literature review

Chondroid-chordoma is an uncommon variant of chordoma that originates from the remnants of notochord. These tumors have axial distribution particularly at the upper and lower ends of the vertebral column. However, they may occur in unusual sites in ectopic notochordal tissue. This paper reports a rare occurrence of chondroid variant of chordoma at sacrococcygeal region. The characteristic presentation, radiological appearance, findings at surgery, pathology and treatment of this lesion are discussed due to its predilection for occurrence at the sacrococcygeal region and its more favorable prognosis compared with that of conventional chordoma.
Neural Timing in Highly Convergent Systems

In order to study how the convergence of many variable-response neurons on a single target can sharpen timing information, we investigate the limit as the number of input neurons and the number of incoming spikes required to fire the target both get large with the ratio fixed. We prove that the standard deviation of the firing time of the target cell goes to zero in this limit, and we derive the asymptotic forms of the density and the standard deviation near the limit. We use the theorems to understand the behavior of octopus cells in the mammalian cochlear nucleus.
The use of virtual reality for people with balance and vestibular disorders: the Pittsburgh experience

Abstract Objective: The purpose of this paper is to describe our experiments with virtual reality in the treatment of people with vestibular disorders. We will share insights about virtual reality use in people with complaints of dizziness and balance loss. Methods: Two experiments measured simulator sickness and discomfort in people with and without dizziness when viewing simulations that manipulated optic flow or required navigation and object recognition. A third experiment tested transfer of virtual environment training to self-report and balance performance measures for a group of individuals with vestibular hypofunction. Results: People with vestibular disease had greater symptoms in optic flow and virtual environments, but not greater than that which is experienced in conventional vestibular rehabilitation. Overall, patients improved on both self-perception and objective measures of balance and postural control. Discussion: Our next goal is to determine if virtual reality intervention is superior to results attained from the physical therapy standard of care.
Transcriptomic gene profiling of porcine muscle tissue depending on histological properties.

In pig, the histological profile of muscle tissue, especially the proportion of individual fiber types, is one of the main factors affecting meat quality properties. In the present research, RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) by using next generation sequencing method was applied to estimate the whole gene expression profile of Longissimus lumborum muscle of pigs (Large White breed) differing in the percentage of two fiber types (slow-twitch (type I) fibers and fast-twitch glycolytic (type IIB) fibers). The RNA-seq approach allowed us to identify 355 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) indicated as significant (false discovery rate-adjusted P < 0.05) using three types of software: DESeq2, edgeR and baySeq. Detected genes and pathways deregulated in muscle depending on tissue microstructure were associated with: metabolic processes - 158 genes; cellular processes - 122; biological regulation - 62; localization - 51; and 35 genes with developmental processes. The DEGs were included in: PI3K-Akt; FoxO and MAPK signaling pathways, regulation of actin cytoskeleton, lysine degradation and insulin signaling pathway as well as mTOR and Hippo signaling pathways. These results highlight the mainly metabolic pathways related to glucose metabolism and contraction processes of muscle cells. Detection of genes involved in variation of fiber-type distribution will be useful in understanding of the genetic factors affecting muscle structure, metabolic process and indirectly, meat quality traits.
Modeling, Simulation, and Design for a Customizable Electrodeposition Process

Judy and Motta developed a customizable electrodeposition process for fabrication of very small metal structures on a substrate. In this process, layers of metal of various shapes are placed on the substrate, then the substrate is inserted in an electroplating solution. Some of the metal layers have power applied to them, while the rest of the metal layers are not connected to the power initially. Metal ions in the plating solution start depositing on the powered layers and a surface grows from the powered layers. As the surface grows, it will touch metal layers that were initially unpowered, causing them to become powered and to start growing with the rest of the surface. The metal layers on the substrate are known as seed layer patterns, and different seed layer patterns can produce different shapes. This paper presents a mathematical model, a forward simulation method, and an inverse problem solution for the growth of a surface from a seed layer pattern. The model describes the surface evolution as uni.
Antiulcerogenic and ulcer healing effects of Indian propolis in experimental rat ulcer models

Propolis is a resinous hive product collected by worker bees from various parts of the plants. It is widely used in Indian folk medicine for the treatment of stomach ulcers. The preventive and curative effects of Indian propolis for ulcers were evaluated using models of acute gastric lesions induced by ethanol and indomethacin in rats. Moreover, the effects of ethanolic extract of propolis on gastric content volume, total acidity and pH, using the pylorus ligated model were also evaluated. Animals pretreated with propolis extract showed a significant reduction in lesion index in both ethanol and indomethacin induced ulcer models in a dose dependent manner when compared to the control group. Similarly, post-treatment with propolis (300 mg/kg body weight) for a period of 15 days revealed a statistically significant improvement in the ulcer healing process p <0.05. In the pylorus ligated model, it was observed that the Indian propolis extract displayed an antisecretory activity, which led to a significant reduction in the gastric juice volume, total acidity and pH. These findings indicate that Indian propolis displays both ulcer preventive and ulcer curative properties and provides a scientific rationale for the use of propolis in the traditional medicinal system.
Stable Synchrony in Globally Coupled Integrate-and-Fire Oscillators

A model of integrate-and-fire oscillators is studied. In the special case of identical oscillators, the model was first proposed and analyzed by Mirollo and Strogatz [SIAM J. Appl. Math., 50 (1990), pp. 1645–1662]. We assume, as in Mirollo and Strogatz's model, that each oscillator $x_i$ evolves according to a map $f_i$. Our main results are to demonstrate that the concavity structure of $f_i$ plays an important role in determining whether Peskin's second conjecture holds true. Specifically, the following statements are proved. First, the system of convex oscillators (i.e., $f”_i 0$ for all i) will not achieve synchrony for initial conditions in a set of positive measure when the oscillators are nearly identical. Third, the system of concave oscillators may achieve synchrony under certain sufficient conditions, provided that the oscillators are n.
Screening and investigation Lactobacillius spp. to improve Secale cereale silage quality.

Silage is a high-moisture-content forage that is used to feed livestock. Using silage as feed is economically feasible and suitable for cattle management. Secale cereale is considered as a high-quality forage plant. After the heading stage the biomass of S. cereale increases by up to 30%; however, lignification in the cell wall causes low fermentation efficiency and coefficient digestibility, and it may also be contaminated by mycotoxin-producing fungi and can impair the quality of the silage. Therefore, the aim of this study was to screen beneficial Lactobacillius spp. for S. cereale silage to reduce fungi contamination and to increase fibrinolytic ability in the silage. Up to 100 days fermentation period and total 180 lactic acid bacteria were isolated and only a single isolate, R4-26, showed strong acidification ability and antifungal activities against mycotoxin-producing fungus. According to quantitative RT-PCR results, the mycotoxin-producing fungal contamination was significantly reduced in the S. cereale silage containing the R4-26 isolate. In enzymatic assays, only a single isolate, R48-27 demonstrated cellulase, xylanase, chitinase and esterase activities. In conclusion, the beneficial Lactobacillius spp. strains have the ability to reduce mycotoxigenic fungi contamination and increase fibrinolytic activity to improve quality of the S. cereale silage.
Standardized total tract digestibility of phosphorus in various inorganic phosphates fed to growing pigs.

An experiment was conducted to determine the standardized total tract digestibility (STTD) of phosphorus (P) in five sources of inorganic phosphate fed to growing pigs, including dicalcium phosphate (DCP), monodicalcium phosphate (MDCP), monocalcium phosphate (MCP), tricalcium phosphate (TCP) and monosodium phosphate (MSP, reagent grade). Six barrows (42.4 ± 1.1 kg) individually housed in metabolism crates were allotted to a 6 × 6 Latin square design with six dietary treatments and six periods. Each experimental period consisted of a 4 day adaptation period and a 5 day collection period. The five experimental diets contained 0.24 to 0.34% of P from each inorganic phosphate as a sole source of P. A P-free diet was also prepared to estimate the basal endogenous loss of P. The STTD of P in MSP (94.9%) was not different from the STTD of P in MCP (93.0%), but was greater (P < 0.05) than that in DCP, MDCP and TCP (87.0, 86.5 and 71.3%, respectively). In conclusion, digestibility of P in reagent-grade MSP was greater than that in feed-grade inorganic phosphates such as DCP, MDCP and TCP, and digestibility of P in DCP and MDCP was greater than that in the TCP.
On Pseudospectra, Critical Points, and Multiple Eigenvalues of Matrix Pencils

We develop a general framework for defining and analyzing pseudospectra of matrix pencils. The framework so developed unifies various definitions of pseudospectra of matrix pencils proposed in the literature. We introduce and analyze critical points of backward errors of approximate eigenvalues of matrix pencils and show that each critical point is a multiple eigenvalue of an appropriately perturbed pencil. We show that common boundary points of components of pseudospectra of a matrix pencil are critical points. In particular, we show that a minimal critical point can be read off from the pseudospectra of matrix pencils. Hence we show that a solution of Wilkinson's problem for a matrix pencil can be read off from the pseudospectra of the matrix pencil.
The Homotopy Principle and Algorithms for Linear Programming

Linear programming techniques are formulated within the unifying framework of the homotopy principle and Newton’s method. Key strategies that determine the effectiveness of an implementation are considered in detail. A complexity analysis is developed for an elevator predictor, Newton corrector algorithm started at an arbitrary interior primal-dual feasible point. This analysis is based on a fundamental theorem of Smale [“Algorithms for solving equations,” Proc. Internat. Congress of Mathematicians, Universityof California, Berkeley, CA, 1986], in the form given by Renegar and Shub [Report No. 807, School of Operations Research and Industrial Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 1988].
Parallel Constraint Distribution

Constraints of a mathematical program are distributed among parallel processors together with an appropriately constructed augmented Lagrangian for each processor, which contains Lagrangian information on the constraints handled by the other processors. Lagrange multiplier information is then exchanged between processors. Convergence is established under suitable conditions for strongly convex quadratic programs and for general convex programs.
Skew-Radial Basis Function Expansions for Empirical Modeling

We propose a skew-radial basis function (sRBF) expansion for the empirical model fitting problem. sRBFs employ a standard radial term, which is now made asymmetric by modulating, or skewing it with another function. The additional parameters in the skewing function permit the composite radial basis function to more flexibly adapt its shape to the data. We present several examples that illustrate the utility of sRBF representations for both the overdetermined data fitting problem and the data interpolation problem. We derive conditions under which skew perturbations of positive definite interpolation matrices remain positive definite. We observe that the sRBFs are particularly effective for producing uniform approximations and fitting jump discontinuities. We present an application to the time-series prediction of the maximum wind intensity of a hurricane and outline future work in image processing. The resulting sRBF models have reduced order, improved accuracy, and interpolation matrices with lower condition numbers.