Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Implementation and experimental evaluation of flexible formation tracking controllers for car-like mobile robots with velocity and steering controllers in the loops

This paper presents an implementation and an experimental validation of a virtual structure and a leader-follower flexible formation tracking controllers for car-like non-holonomic mobile robots with velocity and steering controllers in the loops. The formations are flexible in the sense that their formation configurations are defined based on curvilinear longitudinal and lateral relative separations instead of the commonly used rectilinear relative separations. The two formation controllers leverage on our recently developed cascaded nonlinear trajectory tracking controller [19] to attain stable flexible formation control in the presence of low-level dynamical control latencies in the loops without needing any dynamical model of the robots' low-level control systems when implementing the controllers. The performances of the two controllers have been validated in both simulation and partial experimentations with satisfactory results. For the virtual structure formation controller, it was experimented in an on-road environment up to the speed of 4.1m/sec, and the leader-follower formation controller was tested in both on-road and off-road environments up to the speed of 4.5m/sec. The results provide the foundation to develop formation navigation systems for the considered nonholonomic mobile robots to navigate in a team in both on-road and off-road environments.
Incidence of cervical squamous intraepithelial lesions in HIV-infected women.

CONTEXT Women infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are at increased risk for cervical squamous intraepithelial lesions (SILs), the precursors to invasive cervical cancer. However, little is known about the causes of this association. OBJECTIVES To compare the incidence of SILs in HIV-infected vs uninfected women and to determine the role of risk factors in the pathogenesis of such lesions. DESIGN Prospective cohort study conducted from October 1,1991, to June 30, 1996. SETTING Urban clinics for sexually transmitted diseases, HIV infection, and methadone maintenance. PARTICIPANTS A total of 328 HIV-infected and 325 uninfected women with no evidence of SILs by Papanicolaou test or colposcopy at study entry. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Incident SILs confirmed by biopsy, compared by HIV status and risk factors. RESULTS During about 30 months of follow-up, 67 (20%) HIV-infected and 16 (5%) uninfected women developed a SIL (incidence of 8.3 and 1.8 cases per 100 person-years in sociodemographically similar infected and uninfected women, respectively [P<.001]). Of incident SILs, 91% were low grade in HIV-infected women vs 75% in uninfected women. No invasive cervical cancers were identified. By multivariate analysis, significant risk factors for incident SILs were HIV infection (relative risk [RR], 3.2; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.7-6.1), transient human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA detection (RR, 5.5; 95% CI, 1.4-21.9), persistent HPV DNA types other than 16 or 18 (RR, 7.6; 95% CI, 1.9-30.3), persistent HPV DNA types 16 and 18 (RR, 11.6; 95% CI, 2.7-50.7), and younger age (<37.5 years; RR, 2.1; 95% CI, 1.3-3.4). CONCLUSIONS In our study, 1 in 5 HIV-infected women with no evidence of cervical disease developed biopsy-confirmed SILs within 3 years, highlighting the importance of cervical cancer screening programs in this population.
Spectral Mixture Kernels for Multi-Output Gaussian Processes

Early approaches to multiple-output Gaussian processes (MOGPs) relied on linear combinations of independent, latent, single-output Gaussian processes (GPs). This resulted in cross-covariance functions with limited parametric interpretation, thus conflicting with the ability of single-output GPs to understand lengthscales, frequencies and magnitudes to name a few. On the contrary, current approaches to MOGP are able to better interpret the relationship between different channels by directly modelling the cross-covariances as a spectral mixture kernel with a phase shift. We extend this rationale and propose a parametric family of complex-valued cross-spectral densities and then build on Cramer's Theorem (the multivariate version of Bochner's Theorem) to provide a principled approach to design multivariate covariance functions. The so-constructed kernels are able to model delays among channels in addition to phase differences and are thus more expressive than previous methods, while also providing full parametric interpretation of the relationship across channels. The proposed method is first validated on synthetic data and then compared to existing MOGP methods on two real-world examples.
Acute backpack injuries in children.

OBJECTIVE To identify the most common mechanisms and sites of injury associated with book backpacks in school-aged children, who present to the emergency department. This should help with the development of backpack injury prevention strategies. DESIGN A descriptive analysis of The National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) of the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) National Injury Information Clearinghouse data on backpacks. SETTING One hundred emergency department departments throughout the United States that participate in NEISS data collection served as the setting. PARTICIPANTS All children between 6 and 18 years old who were recorded in the NEISS database with a backpack-related injury were studied. METHODS Patients were identified by review of the NEISS data from 1999-2000. We separated patient data by age, sex, location of injury, and mechanism of injury. RESULTS There were 247 children with backpack injuries. The mean age was 11.8 years, and 50% were male. The most common injury location was the head/face (22%) followed by the hand (14%), wrist/elbow (13%), shoulder (12%), and foot/ankle (12%). The back ranked sixth (11%). Of these back injuries, 59% were associated with carrying a backpack. The most common mechanism for injury was tripping over the backpack (28%), followed by wearing (13%), and getting hit by the backpack (13%). CONCLUSIONS Although the CPSC data on backpack injuries is frequently quoted in articles relating backpacks with back injury, 89% of backpack injuries in our study do not involve the back. Our study does not support the hypothesis that back injury is the major problem with book backpacks in the emergency department setting.
The Place of Comparative Law in the Developing Jurisprudence on the Rule of Law and Human Rights in Hong Kong

This article discusses the use of comparative law in the development of the constitutional jurisprudence of Hong Kong. It identifies the advantages of using comparative law and the problems associated with that use. Because the Basic Law and the Hong Kong Bill of Rights reflect international or comparative norms, there is much to be gained in Hong Kong from the use in various ways of comparative law in this respect. Hong Kong’s situation is to be distinguished from that of jurisdictions such as the United States and Australia whose constitutions came into existence before the development of the modern law of human rights and fundamental freedoms.
Firms Life Cycle and Ohlson Valuation Model: Evidence from Iran

Ohlson prediction and valuation models Ohlson (1995) are based on firm book value, accounting profit and the assumption of "randomized, balanced and stabilized abnormal earnings". On the other hand, the significance of risk and performance indicators during the firm? s life cycle is different according to the life cycle theory. This literature represents the linkage of these indicators with the firm? s value in different life cycle stages. In this study which is aimed to review the ability to improve the Ohlson valuation model considering the firm? s life cycle variable, a sample of 110 firms listed in Tehran Stock Exchange between 2003 and 2013 was selected. Using Anthony and Ramesh (1992) variables and Park and Chen (2006) methodology, the life cycle was divided into three stages and then, considering the firm? s place in the life cycle, prediction models of abnormal earnings and Ohlson firm? s valuation Ohlson (1995) were adjusted and afterward the adjusted models were compared with the initial model in two short-term and long-term estimation periods of 5 and 10 years, respectively. The results show that during both estimation periods, the adjusted model has a better performance in predicting abnormal earnings and firm? s valuation compared to the initial model. During the 10-year estimation period, the two models? estimated values were significantly less than actual values. The probable reason for this difference is the sharp rise in the value of stocks during the final years of the period especially between 2012 and 2013.
Large-scale climate patterns and precipitation in an arid endorheic region: linkage and underlying mechanism

The interactions between a range of large-scale climate oscillations and their quantitative links with precipitation are basic prerequisites to understand the hydrologic cycle. Restricted by the current limited knowledge on underlying mechanisms, statistical methods (e.g. correlation methods) are often used rather than a physical-based model. However, available correlation methods generally fail to explain the interactions among a wide range of climate oscillations and associated effects on the water cycle. This study presents a new probabilistic analysis approach by means of a state-of-the-art Copula-based joint probability distribution to characterize the aggregated behaviors for large-scale climate patterns and their connections to precipitation. We applied this method to identify the complex connections between climate patterns (westerly circulation (WEC), El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO)) and seasonal precipitation over a typical endorheic region, the Tarim River Basin in central Asia. Results show that the interactions among multiple climate oscillations are non-uniform in most seasons and phases. Certain joint extreme phases can significantly trigger extremes (flood and drought) owing to the amplification effect among climate oscillations. We further find that the connection is mainly due to the complex effects of climatic and topographical factors.
Infrared Small Target Detection Based on Facet Kernel and Random Walker

Efficient detection of targets immersed in a complex background with a low signal-to-clutter ratio (SCR) is very important in infrared search and tracking (IRST) applications. In this paper, we address the target detection problem in terms of local image segmentation and propose a novel small target detection algorithm derived from facet kernel and random walker (RW) algorithm which includes four main stages. First, since the RW algorithm is suitable for images with less noises, local order-statistic and mean filtering are applied to remove the pixel-sized noises with high brightness (PNHB) and smooth the infrared images. Second, the infrared image is filtered by the facet kernel to enhance the target pixels and candidate target pixels are extracted by an adaptive threshold operation. Third, inspired by the properties of infrared targets, a novel local contrast descriptor (NLCD) based on the RW algorithm is proposed to achieve clutter suppression and target enhancement. Then, the candidate target pixels are selected as central pixels to construct the local regions and the NLCD map of all local regions is computed. The obtained NLCD map is weighted by the filtered map of facet kernel to further enhance target. Finally, the target is detected by a thresholding operation on the weighted map. Experimental results on three data sets show that the proposed method outperforms conventional baseline methods in terms of target detection accuracy.
Transcriptional regulation by thyroid hormone of an mRNA homologous to a protease inhibitor.

We have previously cloned a cDNA of a rat liver mRNA, designated 4-12B, markedly induced by triiodothyronine (T3) at a pretranslational level [Magnuson, M.A., Dozin, B. , & Nikodem, V.M. (1985) J. Biol. Chem. 260, 5906-5912]. Here we show that this hormonal effect is due in part to an increase of the rate of transcription of the 4-12B gene. In addition, the nucleotide sequence of 4-12B cDNA has been determined, revealing significant similarity with the sequences of the superfamily of serine protease inhibitors and a very high homology with contrapsin, a mouse serum trypsin inhibitor, at the level of nucleotide and amino acid sequence (77.9 and 66.8%, respectively). The optimized alignment of the putative reactive center region of 4-12B with four related members of this superfamily revealed that lysine-serine residues are located at the reactive site or adjacent to it, thus suggesting that the triiodothyronine-regulated rat 4-12B mRNA might code for a protease inhibitor with trypsin-like specificity. Although not enough data are presently available to assign definitively antitryptic activity to this protein, the high degree of similarity with members of the superfamily of serine protease inhibitors leaves no doubt that 4-12B is a member of this superfamily.
Analysing firm-specific and type-specific determinants of eco-innovation

AbstractThis paper analyses the main determinants influencing different types of eco-innovations and eco-innovators in Spain. We differentiate between two types of eco-innovations (process vs. product and new-to-the-market (NTM) vs. new-to-the-firm (NTF)) and two different types of ecoinnovators (large vs. small and old vs. new firms). Our findings show that new firms are not more eco-innovative and that smaller firms are certainly less eco-innovative. Although the environmental regulation variable is generally a main driver of eco-innovation, there are specific drivers for some eco-innovator and eco-innovation types. This is the case with internal innovation capabilities, which clearly influence small and new firms to eco-innovate, in contrast to large and old firms. Those capabilities are also a driver of NTM eco-innovation versus NTF eco-innovation. Involvement in external knowledge flows and cooperation is also a crucial variable for small firms to eco-innovate and a main driver of NTM versus NTF eco-.
A Neutral Theory for Interpreting Correlations between Species and Genetic Diversity in Communities

Spatial patterns of biological diversity have been extensively studied in ecology and population genetics, because they reflect the forces acting on biodiversity. A growing number of studies have found that genetic (within-species) and species diversity can be correlated in space (the so-called species-gene diversity correlation [SGDC]), which suggests that they are controlled by nonindependent processes. Positive SGDCs are generally assumed to arise from parallel responses of genetic and species diversity to variation in site size and connectivity. However, this argument implicitly assumes a neutral model that has yet to be developed. Here, we build such a model to predict SGDC in a metacommunity. We describe how SGDC emerges from competition within sites and variation in connectivity and carrying capacity among sites. We then introduce the formerly ignored mutation process, which affects genetic but not species diversity. When mutation rate is low, our model confirms that variation in the number of migrants among sites creates positive SGDCs. However, when considering high mutation rates, interactions between mutation, migration, and competition can produce negative SGDCs. Neutral processes thus do not always contribute positively to SGDCs. Our approach provides empirical guidelines for interpreting these novel patterns in natura with respect to evolutionary and ecological forces shaping metacommunities.
A Residual Storage Life Prediction Approach for Systems With Operation State Switches

This paper concerns the problem of predicting residual storage life for a class of highly critical systems with operation state switches between the working state and storage state. A success of estimating the residual storage life for such systems depends heavily on incorporating their two main characteristics: 1) system operation process could experience a number of state transitions between the working state and storage state; and 2) system's degradation depends on its operation states. Toward this end, we present a novel degradation model to account for the dependency of the degradation process on the system's operation states, where a two-state continuous-time homogeneous Markov process is used to approximate the switches between the working state and storage state. Using the monitored degradation data during the working state and the available system operation information, the parameters in the presented model can be estimated/updated under Bayesian paradigm. Then, the posterior probabilistic law of the number of state transitions and their transition times are derived, and further, the formulation for the predicted residual storage life distribution is established by considering the possible state transitions in the future. To be solvable, a numerical solution algorithm is provided to calculate the distribution of the predicted residual storage life. Finally, we demonstrate the proposed approach by a case study for gyroscopes.
Arterial Stiffness as a Cause of Resistant Hypertension?

VOL. 9 NO. 5 MAY 2007 390 A recent supplement of this journal reviewed the topic of resistant hypertension and described what is known about its underlying causes and appropriate diagnostic evaluation.1,2 In one article, there was extensive discussion of poor compliance, but it focused exclusively on patient compliance (or adherence) with prescribed treatment.2 What was not discussed was poor compliance of the arteries, or arterial stiffness. This is surprising since there has been an upsurge of interest in arterial stiffness in the past few years, both as a marker of target organ damage and as an independent predictor of cardiovascular risk. A list of common clinical conditions associated with resistant hypertension published in one of the reviews included obesity, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, black race, female sex, and the presence of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH)1; one might also add older age to this list. The Antihypertensive and Lipid-Lowering Treatment to Prevent Heart Attack Trial (ALLHAT)3 provides some of the best data for examining predictors of resistance to treatment. In an analysis of the degree of blood pressure (BP) control (<140/90 mm Hg) at 3 years after the start of the trial in 33,357 participants, the independent predictors of poor control were older age, female sex, black race, diabetes, obesity, and LVH. (Renal function was not included in this analysis.) While at first sight this list may seem like a hodgepodge, a common thread is that they are all conditions characterized by increased arterial stiffness, and this may be the reason why it is so difficult to control BP.
ENDOARTERIAL MANAGEMENT OF DURAL ARTERIOVENOUS MALFORMATIONS WITH ISOLATED SINUS USING ONYX‐18: TECHNICAL CASE REPORT

OBJECTIVE Anatomic and clinical cure of dural arteriovenous malformations (DAVM) with isolated sinus is difficult to achieve by endovascular means without previous surgical exposure. We propose a new management technique using a new liquid embolic agent (ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer [Onyx-18]; ev3 Inc., Plymouth, MN) via an endoarterial approach that would avoid surgical craniotomy. BACKGROUND Data of three consecutive patients with a DAVM with isolated sinus treated at our department between January 2005 and June 2005 are described. Procedures performed under general anesthesia consist of an arterial approach whereby a microcatheter is navigated via a meningeal feeder to the DAVM. Onyx-18, which diffuses under aqueous conditions, is then delivered, mechanically filling the isolated sinus and ultimately treating it. RESULTS The patients included two men and one woman aged 69, 71, and 64 years, respectively. All patients were classified as Merland Type IV. Two patients presented with DAVMs involving the transverse-sigmoid sinus, and one patient presented with a DAVM involving the superior sagittal sinus with an isolated venous collector. All three fistulae were treated with transarterial embolization, using Onyx-18, through the filling of the pathological sinus via the anterior meningeal artery branch of the ophthalmic artery (DAVM at the superior sagittal sinus), and the other two patients were treated by means of the petrosquamous branch of the middle meningeal artery (DAVM at the transverse-sigmoid sinus). Postoperative digital subtraction angiography confirmed the elimination of the DAVMs in all three patients. The follow-up study ranging from 3 to 12 months (average, 7.5 mo) revealed no recurrence, and all of the patients had clinical improvement and recovered to their full activities. CONCLUSION DAVMs with isolated sinus and retrograde venous drainage to the cortical system are aggressive vascular lesions that can be treated by transarterial embolization using Onyx-18. This procedure allowed us to achieve an anatomic and clinical cure in the three patients consecutively treated without the need for surgical exposure of the compromised sinus.
Chemical Composition and Biological Effects of Artemisia maritima and Artemisia nilagirica Essential Oils from Wild Plants of Western Himalaya

Abstract Artemisia species possess pharmacological properties that are used for medical purposes worldwide. In this paper, the essential oils from the aerial parts of Artemisia nilagirica and Artemisia maritima from the western Indian Himalaya region are described. The main compounds analyzed by simultaneous GC/MS and GC/FID were camphor and 1,8-cineole from A. maritima, and camphor and artemisia ketone from A. nilagirica. Additionally, the oils were evaluated for their antibacterial, antifungal, mosquito biting deterrent, and larvicidal activities. A. nilagirica essential oil demonstrated nonselective antifungal activity against plant pathogens Colletotrichum acutatum, Colletotrichum fragariae, and Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, whereas A. maritima did not show antifungal activity. Both Artemisia spp. exhibited considerable mosquito biting deterrence, whereas only A. nilagirica showed larvicidal activity against Aedes aegypti. Antibacterial effects assessed by an agar dilution assay demonstrated greater activity of A. maritima essential oil against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa compared to A. nilagirica.
Some Unpleasant Natural Resource Accounting Arithmetic: Notes Towards an Impossibility Theorem

Natural resource accounting has been the subject of much recent attention, both from economic theorists, and from govcmment agencies seeking to redefine the way national income is measured in practice. The implicit objective seems t.o be one of generating a more accurate measure of tme changes in economic well being resulting from production and resource-use decisions. Formally speaking, we would like to link. a backward-looking measure of income (consumption plus change in wealth) and a forward-looking measure of income (sustainable consumption). In this paper, I analyse a simple example of a resource-dependent economy, and conclude that it seems in general no index number of "environmentally adjusted'' national income will fulfil such an objective. Regardless of how well environmental adjustment of national income is carried out, the welfare and sustainability implications of economic growth are ambiguous.