Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Editorial: Special Issue on Calibration for Field Robotics

Every robotic system has some set of calibration parameters – scale factors, sensor locations, link lengths, etc. – that are needed for state estimation, planning, and control. Some parameters are difficult to measure by hand, for example due to the presence of sensor enclosures. Other parameters, despite best efforts during construction, will change over the lifetime of a robot due to normal wear and tear. It is often thought that autonomous systems will require many complementary sensors operating in concert, but this also means more calibration parameters to determine and manage. In the best case, incorrect parameter values degrade performance. In the worst case, they cause critical safety issues. Historically, calibration has focused on intrinsic and extrinsic parameters of single sensors in controlled environments. Intrinsic parameters are internal to the sensor, such as camera focal lengths or lidar range biases. Extrinsic parameters are external to the device, such as the mounting position and orientation of a sensor on a robot. Classic calibration methods rely on special datasets or controlled environments with expensive external measurement devices or accurately surveyed fiducial patterns for sensors to observe. Currently, we are seeing a push by researchers to tackle questions of long-term autonomy with the goal of widely deploying robotic systems into the service of non-experts for driver assistance, as personal assistants, to explore our vast oceans, and in a host of other roles. To achieve these goals, calibration parameters will have to be determined efficiently and maintained over the lifetime of a robot. Moreover, for the sake of safety and security, robots will require a certain degree of introspection in order to know when calibration parameters are no longer viable or correct. As part of this push, research is moving away from calibration that requires highly specialized environments or equipment, and towards self-calibration methods that only use onboard sensor data, or sensor data coupled with an environment model that is itself built from onboard data. This special issue of the Journal of Field Robotics includes eight papers that represent the current trends in calibration for field robots. Crucially, each of these papers addresses a problem that arises when building a robotic system with multiple sensors, or a combination of sensors and actuators. Not one of the calibration methods described relies on a high-accuracy external measurement device, and only two of the eight utilize previously-mapped environments. Two papers address the problem of online recovery of the alignment of sensors on underwater robots. Two papers address the extrinsic calibration of multiple imaging or ranging sensors by observing data captured in a static environment. One paper describes the intrinsic kinematic calibration of an actuated lidar using similar principles. The last three papers use data collected while the vehicle is in motion to calibrate either extrinsic or intrinsic-plus-extrinsic parameters.
Burst Misalignment Evaluation for ALOS-2 PALSAR-2 ScanSAR-ScanSAR Interferometry

This paper reports the validation results of burst misalignment for ScanSAR-ScanSAR interferometry of the Phased Array-type L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar-2 (PALSAR-2) aboard the Advanced Land Observing Satellite-2 (ALOS-2, “DAICHI-2”). After the internal software modification on 8 February 2015, ALOS-2 ScanSAR observation mode archives have been available for use in interferometric analysis, as it was planned. However, it has not been reported whether its burst misalignment satisfies the mission requirements: 90% or higher burst overlap ratio. The validation results in this paper confirm that the expected observation misalignment satisfies the required range, including minimal seasonal and orbital dependencies. The results in this paper are obtained directly from the azimuth offset of the single look complex (SLC) data and are not derived from the orbit records. Nine identical orbits and frame numbers are chosen and evaluated to investigate the average burst misalignment and orbital dependency.
Matrix Based representation Genetic Algorithm for solving optical network design problem

In this paper a Genetic algorithm is proposed as a basis for the required solution. A matrix is used as a representation which gives a better results than other previous methods. Accordingly, a model for the optical network design problem was created. More than one fitness function is used for measuring the fitness of the candidate solution. The genetic algorithm is applied as an optimization method for wide area optical network virtual topology design. Matrix representation is applied for network design using Genetic Algorithms because matrix representation is more appropriate than string representation . The most straightforward topology representation is matrix representation. It is including capacity of the link so the matrix is asymmetric. No one can deny the familiarity of the matrix representation and the network in real life this could give you the essence of the connectivity and its source and destination from matrix shape. 1.Introduction GA is best suited for problems where good solutions have characteristics in common with the “optimal” solution. Therefore, it is essential to encode the problem with these features in mind. GA encodes a solution using a binary string where each region of the string defines certain traits of the solution. In general, the variables to be minimized are mapped to a binary string with continuous variables discrete to a given resolution. Problem Feasibility means it gives a good results in solving that problem. Tuning of the GA parameters to fit this representation includes these operators : a) Crossover operator (single-point crossover) b) Mutation operator (swap two elements in the matrix) c) Selection method are: • Group Modified Roulette Wheel by ranges • Tournament selection
Leptin Enhances NMDA Receptor Function and Modulates Hippocampal Synaptic Plasticity

The obese gene product leptin is an important signaling protein that regulates food intake and body weight via activation of the hypothalamic leptin receptor (Ob-Rb; Jacob et al., 1997). However, there is growing evidence that Ob-Rb is also expressed in CNS regions, not directly associated with energy homeostasis (Mercer et al., 1996; Hakansson et al., 1998). In the hippocampus, an area of the brain involved in learning and memory, we have found that leptin facilitates the induction of synaptic plasticity. Leptin converts short-term potentiation of synaptic transmission induced by primed burst stimulation of the Schaffer collateral commissural pathway into long-term potentiation. The mechanism underlying this effect involves facilitation of NMDA receptor function because leptin rapidly enhances NMDA-induced increases in intracellular Ca(2+) levels ([Ca(2+)](i)) and facilitates NMDA, but not AMPA, receptor-mediated synaptic transmission. The signaling mechanism underlying these effects involves activation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase, mitogen-activated protein kinase, and Src tyrosine kinases. These data indicate that a novel action of leptin in the CNS is to facilitate hippocampal synaptic plasticity via enhanced NMDA receptor-mediated Ca(2+) influx. Impairment of this process may contribute to the cognitive deficits associated with diabetes mellitus.
The synchrotron foreground and the cosmic microwave background temperature–polarization cross-correlation power spectrum from the first-year WMAP data

We analyse the temperature–polarization cross-correlation in the Galactic synchrotron template that we have recently developed, and between the template and cosmic microwave background (CMB) temperature maps derived from WMAP data. Since the polarized synchrotron template itself uses WMAP data, we can estimate residual synchrotron contamination in the CMB CTEl angular spectrum. While CTE2 appears to be contaminated by synchrotron, no evidence for contamination is found in the multipole range which is most relevant for the fit of the cosmological optical depth.
Effects of Body Position on Intracranial Pressure and Cerebral Perfusion in Patients With Large Hemispheric Stroke

Background and Purpose— The purpose of this study was to prospectively evaluate the effects of body position in patients with large supratentorial stroke. Methods— We performed 43 monitoring sessions in 18 patients with acute complete or subtotal middle cerebral artery (MCA) territory stroke. Intracranial pressure (ICP) was monitored with a parenchymal probe. Mean arterial blood pressure, ICP, and MCA peak mean flow velocity (VmMCA) were continuously recorded. Patients with acute ICP crises were excluded. After baseline values at a 0° supine position were attained, the backrest was elevated in 2 steps of 5 minutes each to 15° and 30° and then returned to 0°. Results— Baseline mean arterial pressure was 90.0±1.6 mm Hg and fell to 82.7±1.7 mm Hg at 15° and 76.1±1.6 mm Hg at 30° backrest elevation (P <0.0001). ICP decreased from 13.0±0.9 to 12.0±0.9 mm Hg at 15° and 11.4±0.9 mm Hg at 30° backrest elevation (P <0.0001). As a result, cerebral perfusion pressure decreased from a baseline value of 77.0±1.8 to 70.0±1.8 mm Hg at 15° and 64.7±1.7 mm Hg at 30° backrest elevation (P <0.0001). VmMCA was already higher on the affected side during baseline measurements. VmMCA decreased from 72.8±11.3 cm/s at 0° to 67.2±9.7 cm/s at 15° and 61.2±8.9 cm/s at 30° on the affected and from 49.9±3.7 cm/s at 0° to 47.7±3.6 cm/s at 15° and 46.2±2.2 cm/s at 30° on the contralateral side (P <0.0001). Conclusions— In patients with large hemispheric stroke without an acute ICP crisis, cerebral perfusion pressure was maximal in the horizontal position although ICP was usually at its highest point. If adequate cerebral perfusion pressure is considered more desirable than the absolute level of ICP, the horizontal position is optimal for these patients.
Network Structure for Tracking of Jockeys in Horse Races

This article proposes a model to track contenders (jockeys) in horse races from broadcast videos based on the colour property of contenders. To overcome the effects of background noise and occlusion the proposed system merges contextual information of the horse race into a colour-based tracking framework (mean shift). There are two improvements. The first is the design of a model, specifically for horse races, to extract the contenders from the background. The second estimates reliability of a trajectory by building a model called "network structure". The proposed algorithm is tested on eleven broadcast videos of horse races where the mean length in time of video is 51s. To evaluate the proposed model, the races are divided into five intervals and the percentage of correct tracking (PCT) is calculated at the end of each interval. A comparison study of the proposed method, with a mean shift tracking method, shows that network structure improves tracking in the videos.
Weighted Interlace Polynomials

The interlace polynomials introduced by Arratia, Bollobás and Sorkin extend to invariants of graphs with vertex weights, and these weighted interlace polynomials have several novel properties. One novel property is a version of the fundamental three-term formula $\[ q(G)=q(G-a)+q(G^{ab}-b)+((x-1)^{2}-1)q(G^{ab}-a-b) \]$ that lacks the last term. It follows that interlace polynomial computations can be represented by binary trees rather than mixed binary–ternary trees. Binary computation trees provide a description of q(G) that is analogous to the activities description of the Tutte polynomial. If G is a tree or forest then these ‘algorithmic activities’ are associated with a certain kind of independent set in G. Three other novel properties are weighted pendant-twin reductions, which involve removing certain kinds of vertices from a graph and adjusting the weights of the remaining vertices in such a way that the interlace polynomials are unchanged. These reductions allow for smaller computation trees as they eliminate some branches. If a graph can be completely analysed using pendant-twin reductions, then its interlace polynomial can be calculated in polynomial time. An intuitively pleasing property is that graphs which can be constructed through graph substitutions have vertex-weighted interlace polynomials which can be obtained through algebraic substitutions.
Mechanisms and Evolution of Control Logic in Prokaryotic Transcriptional Regulation

SUMMARY A major part of organismal complexity and versatility of prokaryotes resides in their ability to fine-tune gene expression to adequately respond to internal and external stimuli. Evolution has been very innovative in creating intricate mechanisms by which different regulatory signals operate and interact at promoters to drive gene expression. The regulation of target gene expression by transcription factors (TFs) is governed by control logic brought about by the interaction of regulators with TF binding sites (TFBSs) in cis-regulatory regions. A factor that in large part determines the strength of the response of a target to a given TF is motif stringency, the extent to which the TFBS fits the optimal TFBS sequence for a given TF. Advances in high-throughput technologies and computational genomics allow reconstruction of transcriptional regulatory networks in silico. To optimize the prediction of transcriptional regulatory networks, i.e., to separate direct regulation from indirect regulation, a thorough understanding of the control logic underlying the regulation of gene expression is required. This review summarizes the state of the art of the elements that determine the functionality of TFBSs by focusing on the molecular biological mechanisms and evolutionary origins of cis-regulatory regions.
Prevalence and Factors Associated with Perceived Stigma among Patients with Epilepsy in Ethiopia

Background. Epilepsy stigma is considered to be one of the most important factors that have a negative influence on people with epilepsy. Among all types of stigma perceived stigma further exerts stress and restricts normal participation in society. Methods. Hospital based cross-sectional study was conducted from May 1, 2013, to May 30, 2013. All patients with epilepsy in Ethiopia were source population. The sample size was determined using single population proportion formula and 347 subjects were selected by using systematic random sampling method. Data was analyzed by using SPSS version 20. Results. A total of 346 participants with mean age of 29.3 ± 8.5 SD participated with a response rate of 99.7%. The prevalence of perceived stigma was 31.2%. Age range between 18 and 24 [AOR = 2.84, 95%CI: 1.02, 7.92], difficulty to attend follow-up because of stigma [AOR = 3.15, 95%CI: 1.19, 8.34], seizure related injury [AOR = 1.88, 95%CI: 1.12, 3.15], and contagion belief [AOR = 1.88, 95%CI: 1.10, 5.08] were significantly associated with perceived stigma. Conclusions. Perceived stigma was found to be a common problem among patients suffering from epilepsy. The results reinforce the need for creating awareness among patients with epilepsy and addressing misconceptions attached to epilepsy.
Detailed placement for improved depth of focus and CD control

Sub-resolution assist features (SRAFs) provide an absolutely essential technique for critical dimension (CD) control and process window enhancement in subwavelength lithography. However, as focus levels change during manufacturing, CDs at a given "legal" pitch can fail to achieve manufacturing tolerances required for adequate yield. Furthermore, adoption of off-axis illumination (OAI) and SRAF techniques to enhance resolution at minimum pitch worsens printability of patterns at other pitches. This paper describes a novel dynamic programming-based technique for assist-feature correctness (AFCorr) in detailed placement of standard-cell designs. For benchmark designs in 130 nm and 90 nm technologies, AFCorr achieves improved depth of focus and substantial improvement in CD control with negligible timing, area, or CPU overhead. The advantages of AFCorr are expected to increase in future technology nodes.
More Than Videoconferencing : Trials of a New Sidebar Voice System for Distributed Studies

In 2002, NASA/JPL's Team X conducted its inaugural attempt at a distributed design session involving teams at multiple sites. Several problems were identified as impeding the distributed work: discrepant design methodologies and terminologies, the emergence of information "gatekeepers" between sites, and superficial articulation of design details [11]. These problems were exacerbated by the lack of support for facile, peer-to-peer interaction to resolve discrepancies, to ensure that the right information got to the right people, and to articulate to the extent necessary to resolve conflicts in understanding.
Obstructive airway disease in patients with treated pulmonary tuberculosis.

Data were collected just before medically approved sanitorium discharge from 1,403 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis using a questionnaire, the hospital chart, a spirogram, and a rating of chest roentgenograms. Pulmonary tuberculosis was moderately advanced at discharge in 52 per cent of patients and far advanced in 21 per cent; 87.5 per cent of patients had no tubercle bacilli in their sputum cultures for more than two months before the study. Approximately 75 per cent of men and more than 40 per cent of women were current cigarette smokers. Airway obstruction, defined as diminution of forced expiratory volume in one second to less than 70 per cent of vital capacity, was found in 62 per cent of white men, 37 per cent of nonwhite men, 36 per cent of white women, and 17 per cent of nonwhite women. Cough, expectoration, severe dyspnea, and wheezing during most days and nights paralleled spirometric evidence of airway obstruction and were also more prevalent in whites than nonwhites. Airway obstruction wa.
Pharmacokinetics of caffeic acid phenethyl ester and its catechol‐ring fluorinated derivative following intravenous administration to rats

The pharmacokinetic profiles of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) and its catechol‐ring fluorinated derivative (FCAPE) were determined in rats after intravenous administration of 5, 10 or 20 mg/kg for CAPE and 20 mg/kg for FCAPE, respectively. The plasma concentrations of CAPE and FCAPE were measured using a validated liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometric method. The pharmacokinetic parameters were estimated using non compartmental analysis (NCA) and biexponential fit. The results showed that the area under the plasma concentration‐time curve for CAPE treatment increased in a proportion greater than the increase in dose from 5 to 20 mg/kg of CAPE. Total body clearance values for CAPE ranged from 42.1 to 172 ml/min/kg (NCA) and decreased with the increasing dose of CAPE. Similarly, the volume of distribution values for CAPE ranged from 1555 to 5209 ml/kg, decreasing with increasing dose. The elimination half‐life for CAPE ranged from 21.2 to 26.7 min and was independent of dose. That FCAPE was distributed extensively into rat tissues and eliminated rapidly was indicated by a high value of volume of distribution and similar short elimination half‐life as that of CAPE. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effectiveness of Diagnostic Strategies in Suspected Delayed Cerebral Ischemia: A Decision Analysis

Background and Purpose— Delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) is a serious complication after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. If DCI is suspected clinically, imaging methods designed to detect angiographic vasospasm or regional hypoperfusion are often used before instituting therapy. Uncertainty in the strength of the relationship between imaged vasospasm or perfusion deficits and DCI-related outcomes raises the question of whether imaging to select patients for therapy improves outcomes in clinical DCI. Methods— Decision analysis was performed using Markov models. Strategies were either to treat all patients immediately or to first undergo diagnostic testing by digital subtraction angiography or computed tomography angiography to assess for angiographic vasospasm, or computed tomography perfusion to assess for perfusion deficits. According to current practice guidelines, treatment consisted of induced hypertension. Outcomes were survival in terms of life-years and quality-adjusted life-years. Results— When treatment was assumed to be ineffective in nonvasospasm patients, Treat All and digital subtraction angiography were equivalent strategies; when a moderate treatment effect was assumed in nonvasospasm patients, Treat All became the superior strategy. Treating all patients was also superior to selecting patients for treatment via computed tomography perfusion. One-way sensitivity analyses demonstrated that the models were robust; 2- and 3-way sensitivity analyses with variation of disease and treatment parameters reinforced dominance of the Treat All strategy. Conclusions— Imaging studies to test for the presence of angiographic vasospasm or perfusion deficits in patients with clinical DCI do not seem helpful in selecting which patients should undergo treatment and may not improve outcomes. Future directions include validating these results in prospective cohort studies.
On Linear Coding Schemes for Stabilizing LTI Control with Multiple Sensors

We examine the problem of designing the encoding and control policies of a linear stochastic control system, where the communication channel between the plant state observer (sensor) and the controller is a lossy wireless channel that is constrained in terms of transmit power and bandwidth. For a first-order ARMA modeled plant with Gaussian statistics, when there are two sensors observing the plant, nonlinear encoding is shown to result in smaller cost at time instant T = 1 compared to the linear schemes, if transmissions are carried out over parallel Gaussian independent channels. In this paper, optimal linear coding schemes for the case of multiple sensors are examined. They are shown to minimize the control cost at the infinite time horizon, when the wireless channel is accessed using time division multiplexing. Our analysis is carried out for when separation between the state estimation and control is possible, and the optimal steady state control law is certainty equivalent. The distortion lower bound for estimating the plant state is derived, along with the necessary conditions on the transmit power that minimize the steady state control cost. We also propose a linear scheme that reaches the distortion bound asymptotically under relaxed conditions.
Engaging with the self

Children with autism achieve mirror self-recognition appropriate to developmental age, but are nonetheless reported to have problems in other aspects of a sense of self. We observed behaviour in the mirror in 12 pre-school children with autism, 13 pre-school children with Down syndrome (DS) and 13 typically developing (TD) toddlers. Reliable differences in reflecting actions, social relatedness and positive affect towards themselves, and an absence of coy smiles differentiated the children with autism from the others. The children with DS showed the highest interest in their own faces. These differences were largely independent of mirror self-recognition (MSR), broadly supporting arguments for dissociation between interpersonal and conceptual aspects of self. Mirror behaviour may be a subtle but easily elicited measure of the social quality of a sense of self.
Trends in Materials' Outgassing Technology

Test sample acquisition and chemical analysis techniques for outgassing products from spacecraft, experiment modules, and support equipment is described. The reduction of test data to a computer compatible format to implement materials selection policies is described. A list of the most troublesome outgassing species is given and several materials correlations are discussed. Outgassing from solar panels, thermal blankets, and wire insulation are examined individually.